Cyanobacterial bloom is a serious threat to the safety of public drinking water resources due to potential cyanotoxin microcystin contamination. Water operators inadequately monitor occurrences and dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms and their toxic potential. An effective monitoring and risk assessment can be challenging as the commonly used cyanobacterial biomass indicator might not explain the actual bloom_s toxicity. This study aimed to determine a reliable cyanobacterial biomass indicator for monitoring toxigenic blooms in the reservoir used for public drinking water supply. The reservoir was sampled for 12 months at three sampling sites to determine its water physicochemical properties, cyanobacterial biomass abundance, and toxigenic potential estimated by mcyE gene copy numbers. Cyanobacterial biomass was quantified as total chlorophyll-a and blue-green algae phycocyanin (BGA-PC). The results showed that total chlorophyll-a and BGA-PC are highly variable on temporal and spatial sc.....

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This research aimed to compare physics syllabi on the diffraction concept implemented in Indonesian, Malaysian, and International schools. This research used a qualitative approach with document analysis and interview methods. The analysis showed that the syllabi used in the three schools exhibit significant differences even though both neighboring countries use similar instructional languages. The differences are highlighted in concept usage terms, students’ ages, and the concept delivery flow. The interview findings showed that the teachers developed their teaching and learning activities based on the students’ circumstances and the availability of teaching aids and practicum instruments. © 2024 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)..

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In recent years, the electrical and electronic sector has monopolized the world_s top three export products. Asian developing countries are the most influential countries exporting electrical and electronic products. Nevertheless, many external issues, such as competitors and unexpected incidents, specifically the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, affected international trading performance. This study aims to model the export price of electrical and electronic with exchange rates among Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines by fitting the Bayesian approach to the normal mixture model. Results depicted a negative effect between electrical and electronic export value and exchange rate for sampled countries. Meanwhile, brand new probability density functions are generated for future forecasting purposes. The input of this study can guide investors and traders in making a successful investment by understanding the factors that affect the performance of trade exports. Lastly, this study greatl.....

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Malaysia_s transition to endemic from pandemic because of COVID-19 in 2022 has affected university students as they embarked on another phase. The purpose of the current research is to study on how social support can have a moderated effect towards psychological adjustments, anxiety, stress and depression and if it has a consequential relationship on suicidality rate among university students after the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia, by using online computer administration surveys. A total of 415 university students participated. The psychological instruments used for this current study are International Adjustment Disorder Questionnaire (IADQ), Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI). Through statistical analysis using SPSS, the results indicated that psychological adjustment, stress, anxiety, depression, and social support have a stati.....

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The development of scalable membrane-based separation processes has attracted considerable interest on laboratory and industrial scales. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is one of the most widely used fluoropolymer materials for membrane fabrication due to its excellent mechanical strength, good thermal stability and chemical resistance as well as aging resistance. However, the hydrophobic nature of PVDF has resulted in serious membrane fouling during the filtration process. From the past decade, the embedment of hydrophilic materials in/on PVDF-based membranes can significantly alter the membrane_s morphology and surface properties. Therefore, based on most articles retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, etc., this article provides the overview of the recent development of PVDF-based membranes during the recent several decades. The detailed information regarding PVDF as a polymer material as well as the main challenge in the development of PVDF-based membranes with bette.....

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Premature birth remains a significant challenge in maternal health services, underscoring the need for effective predictive models to enable early detection and intervention. This study examined the performance of four machine learning algorithms: Decision Trees, Naive Bayes, KNN, and Random Forest in predicting preterm birth during pregnancy. Utilizing data collected from pregnant individuals, encompassing maternal health indicators and fetal development metrics, our model aimed to forecast the likelihood of preterm birth. We assessed the predictive ability of each model by evaluating metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC). The results revealed variability in model performance, with Logistic Random Forest exhibiting strong performance. This suggests its potential utility in clinical settings for the early detection and intervention of preterm pregnancy. Our study contributes to advancements in predictive modelling within m.....

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Lavender essential oil is a concentrated plant extract obtained through steam distillation. It is well known for its properties as a good anxiety and stress reliever, for wound healing, for insect repellency and as an insomnia fighter. However, there are many volatile chemical compounds in the essential oil. Hence, formulating a lavender essential oil nanoemulsion is a potential solution to prolong those exclusive applications of the essential oil. Lavender essential oil-based nanoemulsion (LEONE) was prepared with tragacanth gum and Triton X-100 by a combined method of ultrasonic and high-speed homogenisation. This study focused on the physicochemical and morphological characterisation effects of fabrics treated with LEONE. Morphological and physicochemical evaluation of nanoemulsions were conducted by optical microscopy (OM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy was util.....

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Purpose - This study aims to find out ESL teachers_ perceptions of imported CEFR textbooks currently in use in the classroom. Additionally, it seeks to determine how teachers have adapted and localized the contents of these books. Methodology - A total of 331 lower secondary school teachers participated in the survey and six were selected for face-to-face interviews. A questionnaire, utilizing a semantic differential scale ranging from one to six, was administered to collect quantitative data, while qualitative data was gathered through a semi_structured interview protocol. Findings - The results indicate that the majority of the teachers were fully aware of the CEFR imported textbooks currently being used in schools. Interestingly, more than half of the surveyed teachers (53.8%) agreed that these books were suitable and matched CEFR levels B1 and B2 set for the secondary school level. Significance - Findings from the interviews highlighted the necessity for teachers to adapt materials.....

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This study uses a quantitative technique and questionnaires to assess geo-disaster literacy among Cameron Highlands schoolchildren, where flash floods and landslides are common. Simple random sampling with descriptive and inferential analysis (ANOVA and Spearman_s Rho correlation) was used to sample 327 Form 3 students. The findings demonstrate strong knowledge, attitude, and practice (M=4.34, SP=2.08). A one-way ANOVA study reveals a significant difference between knowledge and attitude (F=6.372, P=..

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This study was set on the National Child Development Research Centre (NCDRC) Kindergarten, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), to identify the role of the outdoor landscape in shaping the sense of place and assisting the T&L process of children. Qualitative research design with 15 informants from UPSI's Department of Development and Asset Management (DDAM) and kindergarten teachers were interviewed, revealing themes in outdoor landscapes impact in children's physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development educationally. The study emphasizes the importance of landscape design for holistic child development, compelling kindergarten authorities and the Ministry of Education to prioritize landscape designs in kindergartens. Copyright: _2024 The authors...

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