EVALUATION ON THE INSTALLATION OF THE AUTOMATIC LANE BARRIERS (ALB) BY CAMPUS COMMUNITY

Purpose of the Study: This study examines the evaluation of Automatic Lane Barriers (ALB) system implementation on the campus community. The objectives of this study are to identify the differences between male and female on their evaluations towards the ALB system; and to determine the differences between staff and student on their attitude, behaviour, perceived usefulness (PU), and perceived ease of use (PEU) towards the ALB system. Methodology: This study applies the quantitative research design using the survey method where self-administered questionnaires are used as the instrument for data collection. A total of 271 respondents participated in this study. Main Findings: The findings show that, on the whole, campus community have a positive evaluation pertaining to perceived usefulness of the ALB system implementation only. There is no significant difference between male and female respondents on all variables while there are significant differences between staff and student towards the ALB system for all variables concerned. Applications of this Study: This study adapted the items in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to a newly implemented Automatic Lane Barriers (ALB) installation to differentiate the acceptance of ALB system according to gender and designation. The main reason for such implementation is to increase security and safety measures for the campus community. Novelty/Originality of this Study: This study is done immediately after the ALB is enforced. Thus, the findings act as the benchmark for the acceptance of any new innovation for the campus community in the future

The mediating effect of attitude on E-Wallet usage among users in Malaysia

Malaysia is moving towards a cashless society. The latest trend in a cashless society is e-Wallet, which has the ability to store personal information as well as financial status. The e-Wallet can efficiently replace the physical wallet (cash). The implementation of online Internet banking for a financial transaction is the starting point of e-Wallet in Malaysia. In 2017, e-Wallet is introduced to the public. This study tries to gauge the extent of e-Wallet usage in Malaysia. The objectives of the study are to (1) determine the level of usage, perceived usefulness, perceived ease-of-use, media influence, social influence, and attitude in using e-Wallet; (2) analyse the relationship between e-Wallet usage with internal and external factors; and (3) test mediating effect of attitude in using e-Wallet on the relationship between usage, internal factors, and external factors. The study uses a quantitative research design using a survey method with the questionnaire as the research instrument. A total of 436 respondents participated in the study. The study uses Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) to test for the mediating effect. The findings show that perceived ease-of-use is the highest level rated compared to other variables. The relationship between e-Wallet usage with the internal and external factors are all significant and positive. Furthermore, the attitude partially mediates the relationship between e-Wallet usage, internal factors and external factors. Hence, all hypotheses constructed are supported and TAM applies to the study of e-Wallet

Annual risk reporting of listed companies in Malaysia

This study examines risk reporting in annual reports of Malaysian listed companies. The mandatory and voluntary disclosures of risk information are analyzed and the authors examine whether a relationship exists between company size, leverage, and industry type and risk disclosure levels. 150 listed companies from five industries are selected as sample. Content analysis and risk disclosure index of dichotomous measurement are used in data collection. Overall the results indicate that level of risk information disclosed in the annual reports is still minimal. OLS (Ordinary least squares) regression analysis indicates that the level of risk information disclosure is positively associated with size and not with leverage. However, a mixed result has been found for industry type; where only property industry shows a significant relationship with level of risk disclosure, and not for the other industries. This study contributes to financial reporting literature in relation to risk reporting, particularly the practice of Malaysian companies. Findings from this study are also useful to regulators and accounting standard setting body to assess the level of compliance to regulations and standards relating to risk reporting by these companies. More studies are required to further understand the importance of risk information disclosure, such as risk disclosure within specific industry, cross-country studies and usefulness of risk information disclosure from the stakeholders’ perspectives

Biological Properties of Tinospora crispa (Akar Patawali) and Its Antiproliferative Activities on Selected Human Cancer Cell Lines

The antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of the aqueous crude extract of Tinospora crispa stem was investigated. The proximate composition of its stem and leaves was determined. Proximate analysis revealed that T. crispa contains - protein: leaves = 4.7%, stem = 1.2%; fat: leaves = 1.5%, stem = 0.43%; carbohydrate: leaves = 11.8%, stem = 19.4%; ash: leaves = 2.7%, stem = 1.1%; moisture: leaves = 79.3%, stem = 77.9%; fibre: leaves = 1.59%, stem = 0.65%; and energy: leaves = 1.59%, stem = 0.65%. The antioxidant activity of the extract prepared at various temperatures and incubation time was evaluated to determine the optimum extraction procedure. Based on DPPH and TBA tests, the preparation of the extract at 60oC for 6 hours was established as the best possible method as it demonstrated the highest inhibition percentage. The extract was tested against brine shrimp to evaluate its toxicity and no significant toxicity was recorded since the IC50 value was more than 1000 μg/ml. The extract produced moderate anti-proliferative activity on selected human cancer cell lines (IC50 MCF-7: 107 μg/ml, HeLa: 165 μg/ml, Caov-3: 100 μg/ml, and HepG2: 165 μg/ml). The findings from this study suggest that T. crispa has the potential to be a source of natural antioxidants and nutrients, besides having a moderate anti-proliferative effect on selected human cancer cell lines

Phytochemical analysis of Elateriospermum tapos and its inhibitory effects on alpha-amylase, alpha-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase

Elateriospermum tapos contains high unsaturated fat and phytochemicals with many health benefits. This paper focuses on activities and inhibitory effects of E. tapos on digestive enzymes. Cold water, hot water and 70% ethanol extracts of the seed and shell of the fruit of E. tapos were used in this study. The extracts were screened for antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and inhibitory effects on α-amylase, α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase. Hot water extraction of shell of the E. tapos fruit had the highest total phenolic content (1298.60 ± 4. 24 µg GAE 100 g-1), total flavonoid content (16685.58 ± 487.77 µg CE 100 g-1) and antioxidant activity by 2, 2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and β-carotene methods (84.16 and 122.17% respectively). The seed cold extract showed maximum α-amylase inhibition with IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) of 0.03 mg mL-1. The lowest IC50 (0.02 mg mL-1) for α-glucosidase inhibition was from seed ethanol extracts while shell cold extract had the lowest IC50 for pancreatic lipase inhibition (37.80 mg mL-1). Results confirmed E. tapos as potential antioxidant and inhibitor of digestive enzymes for lipid (pancreatic lipase) and carbohydrate (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) which are beneficial to combat obesity and diabetes

Potential of Tinospora crispa as a Hypocholesterolemic agent in rabbits

Introduction: Hypercholesterolemia is the major cause of cardiovascular disturbances. The influence of Tinospora crispa on atherosclerotic plaque formation in rabbits fed with high cholesterol diet was investigated. Methods: Thirty male New Zealand White rabbits were divided into 6 groups. The negative control (NC) and positive control (PC) groups were used as a negative and positive (0.5% cholesterol) control. The simvastatin control (SC) group was given a high cholesterol diet (HCD) with 5mg/kg simvastatin. Treatment groups T150 and T450 were given HCD with supplementation of 150,300 and 450mg/kg of T.crispa extract respectively for 10 weeks. Blood was collected from ear vein for plasma analysis while the aortas were excised and examined microscopically. Results: Comparison within groups showed that PC, T300 and T450 had a significant increase (p<0.05) in total cholesterol level throughout the study. The groups supplemented with T.crispa (T150, T300 and T450) were significantly higher (p<0.05) in high density lipoprotein (HDL) level by 10.7-fold, significantly higher (p<0.05) in total antioxidant activity and had a significantly lower (p<0.05) LDL level compared to PC at week 10. At week 10, T450 had significantly highest (p<0.05) glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels compared to PC. No foam cell formation was visible in the aorta of rabbits,in groups NC,SC and T450. However , there was visible foam cell formation in the aorta of groups PC, T150 and T300. Conclusion: This study suggest that supplementation of 450mg/kg of T.crispa extract would be able to reduce or retard the progression of atherosclerotic plaque development induced by dietary cholesterol

The Potential Chemo Preventive Effect of Andrographis paniculata on 1,2- Dimethylhydrazine and High-Fat-Diet-Induced Colorectal Cancer in Sprague Dawley Rats

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is responsible for a notable rise in the overall mortality rate. Obesity is found to be one of the main factors behind CRC development. Andrographis paniculata is a herbaceous plant famous for its medicinal properties, particularly in Southeast Asia for its anti-cancer properties. This study examines the chemopreventive impact of A. paniculata ethanolic extract (APEE) against a high-fat diet and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon cancer in Sprague Dawley rats. Sprague Dawley rats were administered 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (40 mg/kg, i.p. once a week for 10 weeks) and a high-fat diet (HFD) for 20 weeks to induce colorectal cancer. APEE was administered at 125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg for 20 weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood serum and organs were collected. DMH/HFD-induced rats had abnormal crypts and more aberrant crypt foci (ACF). APEE at a dose of 500 mg/kg improved the dysplastic state of the colon tissue and caused a 32% reduction in the total ACF. HFD increased adipocyte cell size, while 500 mg/kg APEE reduced it. HFD and DMH/HFD rats had elevated serum insulin and leptin levels. Moreover, UHPLC-QTOF-MS analysis revealed that APEE was rich in anti-cancer phytochemicals. This finding suggests that APEE has anti-cancer potential against HFD/DMH-induced CRC and anti-adipogenic and anti-obesity properties

Phytochemical Analysis and Toxicity Assessment of Bouea Macrophylla Yoghurt

The Bouea macrophylla fruit is native to Malaysia and is known for its many beneficial effects on one’s health. Probiotics are well-known for their roles as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumour properties due to their widespread use. As a result, the purpose of this study was to incorporate the ethanolic extract of Bouea macrophylla into yoghurt and then assess the rodents for any toxicological effects. According to the findings of the nutritional analysis, each 100 mL serving of the newly formulated yoghurt contains 3.29 g of fat, 5.79 g of carbohydrates, 2.92 g of total protein, and 2.72 g of sugar. The ability of the newly developed yoghurt to stimulate the growth of Lactobacilli was demonstrated by the fact that the peak intensity of Lactobacillus species was measured at 1.2 × 106 CFU/g while the titratable acidity of the lactic acid was measured at 0.599 CFU/g. In order to carry out the toxicological evaluation, forty-eight male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were utilized. Oral administration of single doses of 2000 mg/kg over the course of 14 days was used for the study of acute toxicity. Subacute toxicity was studied by giving animals Bouea macrophylla yoghurt (BMY) at repeated doses of 50, 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg/day over a period of 28 days, while the control group was given normal saline. The results of the acute toxicity test revealed that rats treated with increasing doses up to a maximum of 2000 mg/kg exhibited no signs of toxicity. After an additional 14 days without treatment, acute toxicity of a single dose (2000 mg/kg) of BMY did not show any treatment-related toxicity in any of the rats that were observed. According to the data from the subacute toxicity study, there were no differences between the treated groups and the control groups in terms of food and water intake, body weight, plasma biochemistry (AST, ALT, ALP, and creatinine), haematological products, or organ weights. The architecture of the liver, heart, and kidney were all found to be normal upon histological examination. This indicates that oral consumption of BMY did not result in any negative effects being manifested in the rodents

Students’ satisfaction in using the IIUM Website

The 21st Century has witnessed tremendous development in Information Technology. With the development of the communication technology devices, the organisations including academic institutions are pressured to be accessible online. As an academic institution, the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) is keeping abreast with the current technology. As such, this study aims to determine students’ satisfaction on using the IIUM website. Using the Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT), this study measures the relationships among the variables of satisfaction, awareness, perception, attitude, behaviour and usage of the IIUM website. The objectives of this study are to analyse the levels and relationships among the variables, besides determining the best predictor of satisfaction in using the IIUM website. A quantitative research design using the survey method with a self-administered questionnaire is used for data collection. A total of 409 students participated in this study. The results show that all the levels of tested variables: satisfaction, awareness, perception, attitude, behaviour and usage are positively related. Attitude is the best predictor for satisfaction in using the IIUM website. Students agree that the IIUM website is very useful for them through their college years. They rely on the website for their academic-related activities, course registration and downloading study materials online. Thus, the results support the UGT that focuses on user satisfaction. For suggestions, IIUM needs to regularly update the information on its website. The interface of the website needs to be attractive, simple and easy for users to search for academic-related information. Further, with the heavy usage of the smartphone among students, the website should have the mobile application to increase the users’ satisfaction level in using the IIUM website

The effects of the installation of the automatic lane barrier (alb) implementation on the IIUM community

To protect the campus community, security and safety remain a top priority for the university authority. In the case of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), the university decided to control traffic at all the entrances by installing the Automatic Lane Barrier (ALB). Hence, this study tries to figure out the effects of installation of ALB towards the IIUM community. The objectives of the study are: (1) to explore the sources of information obtained about ALB, (2) to determine the level of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PE), attitude and behaviour, (3) to analyse the relationship among selected variables on the ALB system, and (4) to test the mediating effect of attitude on behaviour. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the quantitative research design with self-administered questionnaires were used in the study. The questionnaires were distributed to 267 respondents. Results show that the respondents received information about the ALB mostly through IIUM website. The respondents think that ALB is useful but difficult to use. Overall, the respondents are not satisfied with the implementation and they had negative experiences with the ALB. In addition, the results indicate that there are positive relationships among the variables. After the installation of the ALB, the university received unsatisfactory responses from users