Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia

This qualitative study examines the English writing experiences of 12 primary schoolchildren (PSC) from a vernacular school in Malaysia, employing Herrington and Kervin’s principles of authentic learning as its theoretical framework. Data were collected through in-depth one-on-one interviews, e-diaries, and unstructured non-participant observations, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that the participants effectively employed authentic learning strategies (AuLStra) in their writing activities, which included online reflective writing, collaborative online writing, and peer feedback. The use of AuLStra facilitated a collaborative environment where participants engaged in authentic writing tasks, benefiting from teacher scaffolding and peer assistance. Participants noted that reflecting on meaningful personal topics and engaging in creative writing through online collaboration significantly enhanced their writing fluency. The study highlights the impact of authentic learning practices on writing development and offers insights into the pedagogical and theoretical implications of integrating such strategies in primary education.

ABSTRACT This study develops a planning-oriented framework to evaluate heritage governance in historic urban cores by integrating resident perceptions with spatial prioritisation. Using Zhengding Ancient City (Hebei, China) as a case study, a survey of 327 residents assessed importance and performance across six governance domains. Drawing on social exchange theory and enhanced importance–performance analysis, the research identifies governance deficits and spatial clusters through a Governance Deficit Index and local Moran’s I. Findings show residents prioritise fire safety, procedural voice and distributive fairness, with deficits concentrated in residential lanes and tourism streets, informing targeted spatial planning interventions.

As a key driver in the global language services, translation technology has emerged as a central element of modern translation education. Consequently, training in translation technology has become an indispensable part of translation programs at the tertiary level to develop students’ technological competence. Nevertheless, there remains a marked disparity between the rising technological complexity of the translation market and the training provided in undergraduate translation technology courses, as perceived by trainers. To fill the gap, this qualitative study adopted Kelly’s (2005) translator training curricular design model as its theoretical framework and employed semi-structured interviews with 12 trainers from higher education institutions in Shaanxi Province, China, to examine their perceptions of the design and delivery of undergraduate translation technology courses. The results revealed that trainers reported a range of issues, including the imbalanced integration of technological competences, inconsistent content coverage, generally insufficient resources, and limited teaching and assessment methods. In particular, they made recommendations for addressing the most pressing challenges, namely, inadequate staff provision and the isolation of the course from the broader translation curricula. It is hoped that the findings of the study will shed light on the challenges faced by translation technology trainers and contribute to enhancing the design and delivery of translation technology courses in similar contexts.

HRMARS - With the rapid expansion of the digital economy, the application of digital technologies has become an essential strategic choice for enterprise development. Against the backdrop of pollution reduction and carbon mitigation, green innovation has emerged as a crucial pillar supporting corporate sustainability. Drawing on a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2012 to 2022, this study investigates the impact of supply chain digitalization (SCD) on corporate green innovation, distinguishing between substantive and strategic forms of innovation. Building on this framework, the study further examines the mediating mechanisms underlying these effects—with a focus on carbon information disclosure (CID) as a novel mediating pathway. The findings reveal that supply chain digitalization significantly fosters corporate green innovation, with a more pronounced effect on substantive innovation compared to strategic innovation. Moreover, heterogeneity arises depending on ownership structure and firm size, with stronger effects observed in state-owned and large enterprises. Additional analysis indicates that supply chain digitalization enhances substantive green innovation through strengthened carbon disclosure practices, thereby promoting overall corporate green innovation. All regression models include firm, industry, and year fixed effects to control for unobserved heterogeneity, and robustness tests confirm the stability of findings. Purpose: This study aims to empirically examine how supply chain digitalization (SCD) influences corporate green innovation, with a particular focus on distinguishing between substantive and strategic forms of innovation. Furthermore, it explores the mediating role of carbon information disclosure (CID) in this relationship—a mechanism underexplored in prior literature—thereby providing a deeper understanding of how digitalization drives green innovation in enterprises. Design/methodology/approach: Using panel data from Chinese A-share listed firms between 2012 and 2022, the study employs a quasi-natural experimental design based on the designation of pilot enterprises for supply chain innovation (China’s "Supply Chain Innovation and Application Pilot Program," launched in 2018). A difference-in-differences (DID) approach combined with regression models (incorporating firm, industry, and year fixed effects) is applied to estimate the impact of SCD on various dimensions of green innovation. Carbon information disclosure is incorporated as a mediating variable, and heterogeneity analyses are conducted with respect to ownership structure and firm size to assess moderating effects. To mitigate endogeneity, the study leverages the exogenous policy shock of the pilot program, includes comprehensive firm-level controls, and conducts robustness tests. Findings: The results reveal that supply chain digitalization significantly enhances corporate green innovation, with a more pronounced effect on substantive green innovation compared to strategic green innovation. Carbon information disclosure plays a mediating role in this relationship: SCD increases firms’ likelihood of disclosing carbon information, which in turn promotes substantive green innovation but not strategic innovation. The positive effects of SCD are stronger for state-owned enterprises and large enterprises, reflecting their superior resource endowments and strategic orientation toward green development. Robustness tests further confirm the stability of these findings. Research limitations/implications:The study focuses exclusively on Chinese A-share listed firms, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other contexts. Additionally, the measurement of digitalization and innovation relies on secondary data, which may not fully capture qualitative aspects of internal practices. Future research could employ cross-country comparisons, survey data, or advanced methods such as text mining to explore additional mediating mechanisms (e.g., green absorptive capacity or digital collaboration) and dynamic effects over time. Practical implications: The findings provide actionable insights for managers and policymakers. Firms should actively embed digital technologies into supply chain operations to enhance transparency, reduce information asymmetry, and alleviate financing constraints, thereby stimulating green innovation. Policymakers should expand digital supply chain pilot programs and encourage voluntary carbon disclosure to improve environmental governance. Large and state-owned enterprises should leverage their advantages to lead the construction of green supply chain ecosystems and foster industry-wide sustainable development. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature by integrating supply chain digitalization into the corporate green innovation framework, distinguishing between substantive and strategic innovation, and identifying carbon information disclosure as a novel mediating mechanism. It enriches the understanding of how digital transformation drives sustainability-oriented innovation and provides evidence-based insights into the heterogeneity of these effects across different types of firms.

This study utilizes phenanthrene as the model molecule to investigate the optimization and reusability of coal-derived carbon nanoparticles for the adsorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). After controlled carbonization and activation, the carbon nanoparticles were synthesized using a chemical solid synthesis method and meticulously studied to determine their surface morphology and crystallinity. One factor at a time (OFAT) was used as an optimization method for the batch adsorption studies, the parameters varied including pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, Temperature, and initial phenanthrene concentration. The optimal circumstances for phenanthrene resulted in a high removal efficiency of up to 95.3% for phenanthrene, and 96% removal for naphthalene, hence demonstrating the material's potential for PAH remediation. Subsequent batch testing confirmed the material's efficacy in removing naphthalene and phenanthrene. Furthermore, reusability studies conducted over five adsorption-desorption cycles demonstrated minimal decline in removal efficiency for Naphthalene by 10%, with a difference between the 1 st and 5 th run. hence showing robust regeneration capability and operational stability. But it shows a high decline in removal efficiency for phenanthrene. The results demonstrate the efficacy and sustainability of coal-derived carbon nanoparticles as a cost-effective adsorbent for applications addressing PAH contamination in water.

Abstract Early childhood education (ECE) is widely recognized as foundational to child development, yet evidence from low- and middle-income countries remains limited. This systematic review synthesizes research on ECE provisions, interventions and child developmental outcomes in Malaysia over the past 25 years. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched multiple databases and identified 28 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Three research questions guided the review: (1) What are the associations between aspects of ECE provision and child developmental outcomes? (2) What types of instructional interventions have been implemented, and what evidence exists for their effectiveness? (3) What methodological gaps exist in the current literature? Findings indicate consistent positive associations between ECE provision and child outcomes across literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional domains. Structural features such as preschool type, enrolment duration, and classroom environment showed meaningful but under-examined associations with developmental outcomes. Instructional interventions, particularly in literacy and mathematics, demonstrated promising effects. However, the evidence base is constrained by significant methodological limitations, including predominance of quasi-experimental designs, short intervention durations, lack of longitudinal follow-up, and limited control for confounding variables. Notably, no studies examined process quality, and few employed integrated assessments across multiple developmental domains. The review identifies critical directions for future research, including the need for rigorous longitudinal designs, measurement of process quality, holistic evaluation frameworks, and attention to ethnic and socioeconomic diversity. Implications for system-level policy and programme-level practice are discussed. These findings have the potential to inform evidence-based decision-making to enhance both ECE access and quality in Malaysia.

Malocclusion is a condition characterized by misalignment of the teeth and jaws that affects oral function and oral health. Although extensively studied in modern contexts, its patterns in historical populations remain poorly characterized. A systematic review was conducted using three databases to collect relevant articles through a systematic search, following PRISMA guidelines on the prevalence of malocclusion in the prehistoric, Iron Age, Medieval, and Bronze Ages. Risk bias assessment was done using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A total of 831 initially identified records, only eight studies met the criteria for final inclusion. The result shows a different pattern of malocclusion across different populations. The observed variations underscore the influence of genetic and environmental factors on malocclusion through different eras, warranting further bioarchaeological studies to enhance understanding of malocclusion trends across historical populations.

Impacted maxillary canine (IMC) is a common clinical problem in Dentistry and can lead to various complications. However, the etiology is complex, and no definitive conclusions have been reached to date. Traditional etiological theories cannot fully explain the mechanisms underlying IMC and often show considerable disagreement. Inspired by the clinical effectiveness of early intervention and considering the characteristics of tooth eruption and development, this study proposes a new perspective on the etiology of IMC. The concept of timing factors is proposed, and the notion of a chronological–biological mismatch is employed to explain its significance, emphasizing that it should not be overlooked. The aim is to use timing factors as a linking element to shift IMC etiological research from the traditional static, terminal-position perspective to a dynamic, process-oriented approach, and to promote the transition from conventional single-mechanism models toward a multifactorial understanding of its etiology. Clinically, early interceptive strategies, such as extraction of primary canines and rapid maxillary expansion (RME), are highly effective when applied within critical periods, highlighting the practical significance of timing factors. Recognizing developmental timing as an important etiological element provides a new perspective for studying IMC, addresses the limitations of traditional theories, and can guide precise, individualized early interventions in the future.

Abstract Chronic wounds are often characterized by persistent inflammation and oxidative stress, which impair fibroblast function, disrupt extracellular matrix formation, and delay tissue regeneration. Bioactive hydrogels that incorporate natural polyphenols and functional nanomaterials offer a promising strategy to accelerate healing through synergistic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, creating a favorable microenvironment for tissue repair. Building on previous work with a ZnO–CuO nanocomposite–embedded PEG–chitosan hydrogel, this study developed a novel polyphenol-loaded ZnO–CuO polysaccharide hydrogel (CPZCH-X) for advanced wound dressing applications. Structural and chemo-mechanical characterization using FTIR, XRD, SEM, UV–Vis spectroscopy, and tensile testing confirmed successful polyphenol incorporation, resulting in improved structural integrity and mechanical stability. The functional assays showed favorable cytocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and wound closure activity, along with regulated inflammatory, oxidative, and repair biomarkers, demonstrating enhanced wound-healing potential. Overall, CPZCH-X is a multifunctional, polyphenol-enriched hydrogel with superior physicochemical and mechanical properties, showing strong potential as a bioactive wound dressing. Future in vivo studies are warranted to validate its therapeutic efficacy and clinical applicability in chronic wound management. Graphical Abstract

MatrigelTM, a complex mixture of ECM proteins, and Collagen type 1 (Col-1), a major component of the natural extracellular matrix, are widely utilised in both cell culture and tissue engineering. High magnification by scanning electron microscopy allows detailed microstructural analysis of the cells and scaffolds. However, the efficiency of the techniques may be directly affected by different fixation and dehydration methods. Optimisation of the fixation and dehydration protocol for cell growth on scaffold is important as it influences the morphological integrity and structural preservation of cells within gel-based scaffolds. This study compared the osmium tetroxide hexamethyldisilane (HMDS) and critical point drying (CPD) method to fix and dehydrate cells which were seeded on Col-1 and MatrigelTM scaffolds by SEM analysis. Col-1 and MatrigelTM scaffolds were prepared and seeded with dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) for 3 days; followed by fixation using with McDowell-Trump fixative, osmium tetroxide hexamethyldisilane (HMDS) or the critical point drying (CPD) method and analysed by SEM. Both HMDS and CPD displayed good compatibility with cells and scaffolds for SEM analysis. No significant differences were observed on the morphology of DPSC prepared using either HMDS or CPD (Mann–Whitney U test, p = 0.10 for both). However, each of the fixation methods substantially provided different preservative effects on Col-1 and MatrigelTM microstructures. In conclusion, both HMDS and CPD methods were found suitable for fixation and dehydration of DPSC plated on Col-1 and MatrigelTM scaffolds for analysis by SEM.