• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• 제7권9호
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• pp.673-685
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• 2020

Financial literacy is one of the sustainable development goals of huge concern of governments. Governments explore solutions addressing policies to improve financial literacy. Nevertheless, financial management has such a broad scope and is not just limited to knowledge. As human nature, individuals are born with different confidence levels that include various financial abilities. This study aims to investigate the household-financial efficacy through the application of psychometric instruments, risk preference, and demographic characteristics toward consumption decision behavior. The research is based on a survey 479 households in the peninsular Malaysia, and utilizes the structural equation model, cluster proportional and systematic random sampling, and two measurements - composite reliability and average variance extracted. Results show that households' financial efficacy is one of the critical factors that explain the households' consumption decision behavior. Also, risk preference, gender and area location (rural or urban) of the household determined the consumption decision behavior of the household. The effectiveness of consumption decision is not only determined by financial literacy, but also financial efficacy. The implications of this paper may help to design policies in narrowing the broad gap between the rural and urban level of financial efficacy. The government needs to take appropriate actions to fix it.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• 제58권5호
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• pp.487-492
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• 2020

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite; Toxoplasma gondii, which is one of the most important zoonotic parasite worldwide. In dogs, the sexual reproductive cycle of T. gondii is lacking, and the animals are not widely consumed as food, but they are vital in the mechanical transmission of the parasite. However, there is no present data on the exposure of stray dogs to T. gondii in Malaysia. The objective of this serological survey was to determine the prevalence of T. gondii antibodies (IgG) and associated factors in stray dogs in East and West Malaysia. Antibodies to T. gondii were determined in serum samples from 222 stray dogs from 6 different states in East and West Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia) using an Indirect ELISA. The seroprevalence for T. gondii was 23.4% (Confidence interval: CI 17.8-29.2%). Stray dogs from Selangor and Kuala Lumpur had the highest seroprevalence (32.4%; CI 13.2-45.5%) and lowest in those from Penang and Kedah (12.5%; CI 1.3-23.5%). Gender and breed were not associated with T. gondii seropositivity. However, adult dogs were more likely to be seropositive for T. gondii (OR=2.89; CI 1.1-7.7) compared with younger dogs. These results revealed that T. gondii is prevalent in stray dogs in the studied areas in Malaysia, and indicative of the level of environmental contamination of this parasite especially in urban areas.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.434-440
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• 1998

Seven hybrid lines of Leucaena leucocephala $\times$ L. diversifolia and two control lines of L. leucocephala were compared for their adaptation to acid-soils and tolerance to damage by the psyllid, Heteropsyla cubana, at four locations over two years in Peninsular Malaysia. Primary data on leaf composition and in vitro digestibility (nutrition variables) and secondary data on plant height, stem girth and psyllid damage (agronomy variables) were the measures of performance. Cluster solutions of the nine lines were different within locations, between locations and between years for nutrition and agronomy variables. Controls and hybrids did not cluster separately. Principal component scores of the nine lines gave rank orders which were different by location and by year. No performance trend could be detected between hybrids and controls. The conclusion is that nutritional and agronomic characteristics in Leucaena are independent, soil composition and weather did not consistently affect performance, and evidence is inconclusive as to the benefits of interspecific crossing with L. diversifolia.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.39-44
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• 2014

Background: This study aimed to provide an overview of lifestyle changes after breast cancer diagnosis and to examine the relationship between dietary and physical activity changes with weight changes in breast cancer patients. Women with breast carcinomas (n=368) were recruited from eight hospitals and four breast cancer support groups in peninsular Malaysia. Dietary and physical activity changes were measured from a year preceding breast cancer diagnosis to study entry. Mean duration since diagnosis was $4.86{\pm}3.46$ years. Dietary changes showed that majority of the respondents had decreased their intake of high fat foods (18.8-65.5%), added fat foods (28.3-48.9%), low fat foods (46.8-80.7%), red meat (39.7%), pork and poultry (20.1-39.7%) and high sugar foods (42.1-60.9%) but increased their intake of fish (42.7%), fruits and vegetables (62.8%) and whole grains (28.5%). Intake of other food groups remained unchanged. Only a small percentage of the women (22.6%) had increased their physical activity since diagnosis where most of them (16.0%) had increased recreational activities. Age at diagnosis (${\beta}$= -0.20, p= 0.001), and change in whole grain (${\beta}$= -0.15, p= 0.003) and fish intakes (${\beta}$= 0.13, p= 0.013) were associated with weight changes after breast cancer diagnosis. In summary, the majority of the women with breast cancer had changed their diets to a healthier one. However, many did not increase their physical activity levels which could improve their health and lower risk of breast cancer recurrence.

• 대한치과교정학회지
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2012

Objective: To determine and compare the frequency distribution of various arch shapes in ethnic Malays and Malaysian Aborigines in Peninsular Malaysia and to investigate the morphological differences of arch form between these two ethnic groups. Methods: We examined 120 ethnic Malay study models (60 maxillary, 60 mandibular) and 129 Malaysian Aboriginal study models (66 maxillary, 63 mandibular). We marked 18 buccal tips and incisor line angles on each model, and digitized them using 2-dimensional coordinate system. Dental arches were classified as square, ovoid, or tapered by printing the scanned images and superimposing Orthoform arch templates on them. Results: The most common maxillary arch shape in both ethnic groups was ovoid, as was the most common mandibular arch shape among ethnic Malay females. The rarest arch shape was square. Chi-square tests, indicated that only the distribution of the mandibular arch shape was significantly different between groups (p = 0.040). However, when compared using independent t-tests, there was no difference in the mean value of arch width between groups. Arch shape distribution was not different between genders of either ethnic group, except for the mandibular arch of ethnic Malays. Conclusions: Ethnic Malays and Malaysian Aborigines have similar dental arch dimensions and shapes.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권8호
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• pp.3723-3730
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• 2012

Delay in help-seeking behaviour which is potentially preventable has a major effect on the prognosis and survival of patients with breast cancer. The objective of this study was to explore reasons for delay in seeking help among patients with breast cancer from the East Coast of peninsular Malaysia. A qualitative study using face-to-face in-depth interview was carried out involving 12 breast cancer patients who had been histo-pathologically confirmed and were symptomatic on presentation. Respondents were selected purposely based on their history of delayed consultation, diagnosis or treatment. All were of Malay ethnicity and the age range was 26-67 years. Three were in stage ll, seven in stage lll and two in stage lV. At the time of interview, all except one respondent had accepted treatment. The range of consultation time was 0.2-72.2 months with a median of 1.7 months, diagnosis time was 1.4-95.8 months( median 5.4 months )and treatment time was 0-33.3 months (median 1.2 months). The themes derived from the study were poor knowledge or awareness of breast cancer, fear of cancer consequences, beliefs in complementary alternative medicine, sanction by others, other priorities, denial of disease, attitude of wait and see and health care system weakness. Help-seeking behaviour was influenced by a complex interaction of cognitive, environmental, beliefs, culture and psycho-social factors. Breast cancer awareness and psychological counselling are recommended for all patients with breast symptoms to prevent delay in seeking clinical help.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제25권9호
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• pp.473-488
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• 2022

To have a better understanding of the impact of the PETRONAS oil and gas platform on commercial fisheries activities, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) examined two approaches which are data collection from satellite and data collection from fishermen and anglers. By profiling the anglers who utilize reefed oil and gas structures for fishing, it can determine if the design and location of the reef platforms will benefit or negatively impacts those anglers and fisherman. Furthermore, this assessment will be contributing to the knowledge regarding the value of offshore oil and gas platforms as fisheries resources. Collectively, the apparent fishing activity data included, combined with the findings in the reefing viability index will help to inform PETRONAS's future decommissioning decisions and may help determine if the design and proposed locations for future rigs-to-reefs candidates would benefit commercial fishing groups, further qualifying them as appropriate artificial reef candidates. The method applied in this study is approaching by using a data satellite known as Google's Global Fishing Watch technology, which is one of the applications to measure commercial fishing efforts around the globe. The apparent commercial fishing effort around the selected twelve PETRONAS platforms was analyzed from January 2012 to December 2018. Using the data collection from fishermen which is the total estimation of commercial fish value cost (in Malaysia ringgit, MYR [RM]) in Peninsular Malaysia Asset, Sabah Asset, and Sarawak Operation region. The data were extracted every month from 2016 to 2018 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration database. Most of the selected platforms that show a high frequency of vessels around the year are platform KP-A, platform BG-A and platform PL-B. The estimated values of commercial fishes varied between platforms, with ranged from RM 10,209.92 to RM 89,023.78. Thus, platforms with high commercial fish value are selected for reefing in-situ and will serve multi-purposes and benefit the locals as well as the country. The current study has successfully assessed the potential reefing area of the Malaysian offshore environment with greater representativeness and this paper focused on its potential as a new fishing ground.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.539-561
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• 2016

The rate of occurrence of intraplate earthquake events has been surveyed around the globe to ascertain the average level of intraplate seismic activities on land. Elastic response spectra corresponding to various levels of averaged (uniform) seismicity for a return period of 2475 years have then been derived along with modifying factors that can be used to infer ground motion and spectral response parameters for other return period values. Estimates derived from the assumption of uniform seismicity are intended to identify the minimum level of design seismic hazard in intraplate regions. The probabilistic seismic hazard assessment presented in the paper involved the use of ground motion models that have been developed for regions of different tectonic and crustal classifications. The proposed minimum earthquake loading model is illustrated by the case study of Peninsular Malaysia which has been identified with a minimum effective peak ground acceleration (EPGA) of 0.1 g for a return period of 2475 years, or 0.07 g for a notional return period of 475 years.

• 한국주거학회논문집
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.53-60
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• 2015

This study identifies the common problems faced by the owners of strata titles, the Management Corporation, the Joint Management Body, the Commissioner of Building (COB) as well as the Managing Agent being the stakeholders in managing strata properties. The methods employed are qualitative in nature. Analysis is done based on reports published by the relevant authorities dealing with strata residential properties as well as the case law as reported in the two leading journals in Malaysia such as the Malayan Law Journal and the Current Law Journal. The types and nature of problems are derived from the annual reports. The extent of the problems is determined based on the figures and supported by observation and interviews with the COB, being the agency directly involved in overseeing and monitoring strata properties management. The findings show that a substantial number of problems exist in the management of strata properties despite a law that allows the owners to self-managed their own properties. Having stated the status quo concerning the problems, the study also looks at the various means of resolving disputes as exist under the Malaysian housing system. The study proposes that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) modes are more appropriate in ensuring the sustainability of strata living and management.

• 천문학논총
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.691-693
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• 2015

Radio sources are very weak, as they can travel through large distances. Radio sources also have photons with low energies compared to others electromagnetic waves (EM). Microwave photons have a little more energy than radio waves, infrared photons have still more, then visible, ultraviolet, X-rays, and the most energetic electromagnetic wave is gamma-rays. Radio astronomy studies are restricted due to radio frequency interference (RFI) produced by people. If this disturbance is not minimized, it poses critical problems for astrophysical studies. The purpose of this paper is to profile RFI maps in Peninsular Malaysia with a minimum mapping technique for RFI interference. Decision-making processes using GIS (Geographical Information System) for the selection requires gathering information for a variety of parameters. These factors affecting the selection process are also taken into account. In this study, various factors or parameters are involved, such as the availability of telecommunications transmission (including radio and television), rainfall, water lines and human activity. This mapping step must be followed by RFI site testing in order to identify areas of low RFI. This study will benefit radio astronomy research, especially regarding the RFI profile.