bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The movie “M” (1931) by Fritz Lang in the context of the scientific, social and cultural life of Germany in the 20-30 - ies of the twentieth century
Authors:   State University of Humanities and Technology, Roman Sergei N.
Published: February 2023

The article deals with the specifics of the social, political and cultural life in the Weimar Republic at time of the making of Fritz Lang's movie “M”. While showing the connection between the historic events of the time and the ideas conveyed in the movie, the author rejects the traditional interpretation of “M” as a pamphlet reflecting the problems in Germany before the national socialists came to power. The cooperation of the police and the criminal elements making attempts to catch the maniac is considered to be a logical continuation of the spiritual unity of the upper and lower classes shown in Lang's “Metropolis” four years before. The movie was banned by the Nazis in 1934, which can be explained by the inappropriateness of such ideas in the society where criminal behaviour is associated with biological deficiency - the question of criminal liability of the mentally deficient raised in “M” loses its relevance for the same reason. © С.Н. Роман, 2022 In the first place the movie is analyzed from the perspective of the artistic evolution of the detective genre, caused by the gradual strengthening of the realistic tendencies in cinema and the weakening of the influence of expressionism on the artistic life in general and Lang's style in particular. A criminal act is no longer shown by Lang - as opposed to his earlier works - to be an act provoked by unexplainable mystical forces; now it receives psychological explanation. The rejection of romantic traditions typical of the German cinema of the twenties, the appeal to pseudo-documentary filming, the arrival of sound in cinema - all this leads to the simplification of visual imagery, later on a characteristic feature of the movies of the thirties. A special focus is made on Lang's application of suspense, which is the key to understanding the whole composition of the artwork and becomes an integral part of detective movies made popular by Alfred Hitchcock for dozens of years to come.
Kir palykh is a water monster and a shaman spirit in the religious and mythological representations of the khakas (late XIX - mid XX century)
Authors:   Institute of archaeology and ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Burnakov Venariy A.
Published: February 2023

He purpose of the study is to characterize the image of the clergy in the worldview and rituals of the Khakas. In order to achieve this goal, the following tasks were solved: 1) to conduct an etymological analysis of the term “Kir Palykh”; 2) to identify the significance and role of this being in the sacred practice of the Khakass people. The source base of the research includes folklore and ethnographic materials. Folklore works are epics and myths published in the Khakass language. The excerpts of some of them were first translated into Russian by the author. The chronological framework of the work covers the end of the XIX - middle of the XX centuries, which is determined by the state and possibilities of the source base on the research topic. Leading the study is the principle of historicism, when any cultural phenomenon is considered in the development and taking into account the specific situation. The research methodology is based on historical and ethnographic methods - relic and semantic analysis. As a result of the analysis, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) in the traditional worldview and folklore of the Khakas, an important place was given to the mythical being kir palykh; 2) an analysis of the etymology of the name and a direct study of its image leads to the conclusion that in the religious and mythological consciousness, kir palykh is endowed with an ichthyomorphic image. She was characterized: a) as a monstrous fish of gigantic size and often identified with a whale; b) the color of the body was designated as “the bay”; c) described in the form of “old / ancient fish”, correlated with a certain entity that appeared in the mythical era of the first creation; 3) in the traditional notions of the Khakas and other Turkic peoples of the Sayan-Altai, kir palyh are often identified with the ker yutpa, a fantastic creature with zoomorphic features, and identified with a dragon serpent. The single chthonic nature of these creatures, the common habitat and similar ritual functions contributed to the syncretization of the image of fish and snake; 4) in the religious and mythological representations of the khakas, kir palykh acted as the embodiment of the spirit of the master of water - sug ezi. The designated deity performed one of the most important functions in the traditional ritual of the people; 5) The water lord was directly associated with the shamanic mysteries, including playing a key role in the process of initiation into shamans. Kir palykh herself was one of the strongest tos'es - the spirit helpers of the shaman. Her image was captured in their ritual paraphernalia - tambourines and costume; 6) she was included in the range of views associated with homemade spirits patrons. Her mystical power found its application in traditional medicine.
Preparation and conduct of the first mongolian expedition G.N. Potanina (based on letters from 1874-1878)
Authors:   Tomsk State University, Golev Ivan A.
Published: February 2023

The work is devoted to the study of the first Mongolian expedition of the famous explorer of North and Central Asia Grigory Nikolaevich Potanin. With the help of letters, a historical reconstruction of Potanin's work on the preparation and conduct of the expedition was carried out. During the expedition, Potanin and his companions visited the Mongolian cities of Kobdo, Khami and Ulyasutai. As a result, valuable museum collections were collected, which are still kept in many Russian museums. Big correspondence G.N. Potanin covers the course of the expedition in detail, he wrote letters to I.I. Shishkin, A.S. Gatsiskom, N.M. Yadrintsev, I.I. Wilson, K.V. Lavrsky and others. Some of the letters were published in the publication “Letters of G.N. Potanin”, and the other part is stored in the Department of Manuscripts and Book Monuments of the Scientific Library of TSU. The author of the article notes that in the letters Potanin described in detail the preparatory work, which included reading scientific literature, visiting the herbarium, worked in the geological office under the guidance of Professor A.A. Foreigners. Potanin was one of the first to write that the Russians borrowed little from the Eastern countries, from China and Japan, and believed that trade relations should be developed. During the expedition, G.N. Potanin continued to communicate with his friends and like-minded people and generously shared with them the details of the expedition's everyday life, reported on his studies, the collection of folklore, and the difficulties faced by the expedition members. The most interesting data in the letters is about building relationships with the local population, about how travelers found an approach and persuaded the Chinese and Mongols to give information to researchers. As a result of the expedition, 20 astronomical points were identified, about 500 skins of mammals and birds and 5000 insect specimens, 1000 plant species and 200 rock samples were collected. Letters to G.N. Potanin are the most valuable historical source, due to the uniqueness of the information reported in them, many of the data given in the letters are not repeated in any other documents. The author of the article says that the appeal to Potanin's letters allows not only to describe the process of preparing and conducting the first Mongolian expedition, but also characterizes G.N. Potanin as a researcher of a wide scientific profile, as an organizer and leader of work on the study of Central Asia.
Modes of visualization of urban art: street art vs public art
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, Vilchinskaya-Butenko Marina E.
Published: February 2023

Urban art and related terms - public art and street art - are considered in the context of the fundamental importance of the physical, architectural and urban environment in which the artist's work is located. The purpose of the article is to identify the specifics of the modes of visualization of urban art as features of communication between the original event (object, phenomenon), the creator / visualizer of the image and the recipient of the visual image. The use of a set of art history methods allowed us to investigate the patterns of the emergence of art objects in the urban environment, taking into account the conditions of their visualization, to which the author refers the degree of freedom of content; the degree of conditionality of the work by the context of the urban environment; the potential duration of the existence of an art object in public space; its monologue / dialogicity; the degree of emotional impact. The conclusion is made about the asymmetry of visualization of two art practices - street and public art, and the reasons for this asymmetry are considered. It is noted that public art provides better conditions for the placement of the artist's work and a longer duration of the “ life” of the art object, it is more noticeable, more attractive to casual observers whose understanding of the context is superficial. The disadvantages of the visualization mode of public art include restrictions on creative freedom, weak attachment to the context and possibilities of the game with unique characteristics of the working environment and surfaces, the smoothness of the adjusted monologue, the predictability of reactions, which reduces the emotional response of the prepared viewer. Due to these limitations, the visualization mode of street art, as a more sincere, honest and relevant art, has a greater degree of “street trust”. The problem that arises at the level of theory is noted: being, like any manifestation of pop culture, more visible and ubiquitous, public art replaces the concept of “street art”, creating terminological confusion. In practice, public art festivals are called street art festivals, and all Russian legislative initiatives to support street art actually lead to the legitimization of monumental advertising and propaganda while simultaneously displacing unauthorized street work.
Folklore work: legality of the use of the term
Authors:   Institute of modern art, Kaminskaya Elena A.
Published: February 2023

The purpose of the article is to provide essential justifications for the validity of the definition of “folklore work”. The main sources were the works of philosophers, culturologists, art historians, and folklorists in the field of definitional analysis of the “work of art” category and directly folklore texts. The research methodology includes a structural and functional approach to the analysis of the features of the existence of artistic texts, a phenomenological and anthropological interpretation of folklore artifacts with the inclusion of elements of textual analysis. The question of terminology in the Humanities is quite acute. The use of terms without an exact designation of their subject field can lead not only to discrepancies, but also to significant errors in understanding the essence of phenomena. Moreover, this may lead to claims that the use of certain terms is incorrect. This is the case with the term “folklore work”, which is used in scientific terms. A number of studies, primarily of art criticism, deny the validity of its application on the grounds that the status of stability of works of art contradicts the variant character of folklore texts. This contrast between constancy and variability is explained by a somewhat simplified view of the phenomena being compared. The basis of the folklore work is avantext, which generates equal variants, but performs the function of a stable image structure. It should be interpreted quite broadly: as a kind of conditional matrix within which elements vary without changing the cultural meaning. This is why folklore works are recognizable, preserved and recreated in each case. This variation, in turn, expands the set framework, filling the tradition with relevant content, enriching it with new artistic images, etc. A similar situation occurs with the author's works of art, which for a long time included improvisational fragments. It is the execution and perception of a literary text (and not just the fact that it is fixed in a sign system) that turns it into a work itself, with the inevitable variability. Of course, these changes are not as obvious as in the case of folklore works, but they do not exclude them. Thus, any work of art does not act as a constant system, but as a phenomenon that is quite mobile in the dynamics of cultural activity. In addition, it should be remembered that a work of art is always the result of a specific activity for the production of artifacts. In this case, any created artifact acts as a work of art or, more generally, a work of culture. Therefore, the creation of an artifact in the sphere of folklore culture is the same artistic production as creativity in the sphere of author's musical culture, literature, painting, etc. The use of the term “folklore work” is not only quite justified, but also corresponds to the essential structural, functional and semantic characteristics of this phenomenon.
Pseudomorphosis as a form of intercultural interaction: based on “The decline of the West” by O. Spengler
Authors:   St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture, Leonov Ivan V.
Published: February 2023

The article is devoted to “pseudomorphosis” as a form of intercultural interaction, expressed in the penetration of the phenomena of one culture into the space of another, followed by the replacement of its content and filling out the form. Introduced by O. Spengler, this term and its semantic component, by analogy with “pseudomorphosis” in mineralogy, were justified by the scientist on two historical-cultural examples. The text attempts to develop the provisions of Spengler in relation to the understanding of the nature of pseudomorphosis in culture. The definition of pseudomorphosis given by the German scientist is analyzed and refined, its translation into Russian is corrected. In a broad sense, pseudomorphosis is defined as the process and result of the penetration of the phenomena of some cultures into others, followed by filling the space of host cultures with foreign content and reducing their uniqueness and originality, until their complete loss. Besides that, this process includes the distortion of the phenomena of penetrating cultures, which, being in a different environment, are refracted so that they cease to correspond to the nature of the culture that gave rise to them. The question of heuristic significance of analogies with natural processes used in research of historical and cultural reality is considered. This aspect is supported by such examples as the organicism of Gerder, Goethe and N.Y. Danilevsky; cyclic views of many researchers, which are justified at the level of cycles underlying natural processes; “diffusionism” in the study of intercultural interactions; evolutionism in historical and cultural studies; synergetic interpretations of culture and its dynamics. Starting from the analogies of Spengler, fixed by him at the level of the natural science, the various forms and scales of pseudomorphosis in culture are identified: “monocultural” and “multicultural”; “full” and “partial”; pseudomorphs of “vesting”, “substitution” or “displacement”; “negative” and “aggregative”. Historical-cultural examples of this phenomenon are given at the level of the spread of Greek, Roman, European and globalization influence on other cultures. In addition, examples of distortion of cultural phenomena that exist in a different environment, themselves refracted so that no longer correspond to the nature of the culture that gave rise to them, are touched upon. In this case, the example is the refraction of the Egyptian, Chinese, and, in general, Eastern cultures in the Western European cultural space. Besides, there are other examples. The problem of the relationship of monologue, pseudomorphosis and dialogue in intercultural interactions is posed.
The “sibirica” plot in literary and artistic transformation (on the history of one controversy)
Authors:   Tomsk State University, Makarova Elena A.
Published: February 2023

The research employs the comparative-historical method to expand insight into the so-called “Siberian text” and introduce new materials into academic circulation. The author uses works by the leaders of Siberian Oblastnichestvo (regionalism) of the mid-19th century and by the creators of the Far Eastern literary and artistic futuristic collections of the early Soviet rule to identify different approaches and views on the “Sibirica” plot in the emerging Siberian literature and art. This material under discussion has hardly ever been addressed or systemically analysed, which makes it comprehension relevant. The “Idea of Siberia” has become the main paradigm of the creative heritage of senior Oblastniki (regionalists). The founders of the Siberian doctrine put into it their view of Siberia as integrity. Siberian culture was to shape in this logic, too, developing its own type of an artist with a clear awareness of the “idea of place.” The main theses were outlined by the leaders of Siberian Oblastnichestvo Grigory N. Potanin and Nikolay M. Yadrintsev. Their ideas are later given a new meaning in the controversy among the Far Eastern futurists in the early Soviet years. In particular, in the collection “The Siberian Motif in Poetry (From Baldauf to the present day)”, the famous Marxist critic Nikolay F. Chuzhak suggests reconsidering the concept of “couleur locale.” Using the example of Innokentiy V. Fedorov-Omulevsky, whose creative biography was connected both with Siberia and the metropolis, Chuzhak makes references not only to regional literature, but also considers Siberian plots in the works of such artists as Vasily Surikov, Vladimir Vuchichevich, and Grigory Gurkin. In 1923, the Irkutsk art critic Dmitriy A. Boldyrev-Kazarin publishes an article “Sibirica in Art”, which, in fact, argues with Chuzhak's collection. Boldyrev-Kazarin puts forward the idea that it was precisely Chuzhak's ultra-Marxist approach that prevented him from fully understanding the “Sibirica” plot. He highlights the review of the futurist poet Nikolay Aseev “Siberian Tale” on Sergey Tretyakov's poetic cycle “Travel Pass”, created by the poet during his trip from Chita to Moscow. For Boldyrev-Kazarin, Aseev is primarily a poet, therefore “his approach to an exciting topic is based on artistic intuition rather than on exact, scientific analysis.” Tretyakov's poetic cycle, in turn, is a variant of the travelogue, which was mostly developed among futurists; therefore, the text space in his traveling poetic cycle becomes much more significant than another transcription of Siberia. Thus, in the process of formation and development of the “Sibirica” plot, it becomes more obvious, in terms of the frontier category, that European Russia in relation to Siberia is increasingly acquiring the features of a mobile zone of consolidation and development, a zone that is no longer divides as much as it brings together the internal and external spaces of culture.
“Complex simplicity”: from metaphor to concept
Authors:   Crimean University of Culture, Arts and Tourism, Martynenko Elena P.
Published: February 2023

The artistic culture of the 20th century is characterized by complex processes that have affected the aesthetics, philosophy of art and technology of creating works of art. The search for common patterns that unite different types of contemporary art is an urgent problem. The notion of “complex simplicity” is increasingly common in the cultural sphere as a generalized view of various artistic phenomena. The purpose of the article is to determine the conceptual status of “complex simplicity” and the specifics of its manifestations in the artistic culture of the 20th century. In the first half of the 20th century Prokofiev declared “new simplicity” as an alternative to the intentional complication of the musical language. Similar phenomena emerged in foreign musical culture: the anti-romantic orientation “Les Six”, the rational ideas of the “Second Viennese School”, the harmony and simplicity of neoclassicism. The fundamental difference of creative positions has been outlined: the desire for simplicity “in general” (as accessibility, primitivism) - and the desire for simplicity of the new quality, combined with the complexity of internal organization. In the painting the idea of a simple form was elevated to the level of a complex aesthetic concept - a new philosophy of color and form (Rayonism, Suprematism, etc.). The idea of “emptiness and simplicity” and the slogan “Less is more” (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe) dominated in architecture and interior design. The following factors actualized the interest in “complex simplicity”: 1) the complexity of the internal organization was an opportunity for the Creator not to fall into primitivism and simplification. So the masters separate themselves from the amateurism generated by the mass culture of the 20th century; 2) quality of simplicity allowed to protect the person from event and information oversaturation of modern life; 3) socio-cultural situation and artistic ideology of socialist realism has become an important factor in the domestic art. “Complex simplicity” in contemporary art is represented by two options: either an artistic text has a complex idea and content with simplicity of form and perception; or a simple concept is combined with a complex structure. This problem is actively manifested itself in the 20th century due to the increased attention to the communicative functions of culture and its texts. “Complex simplicity” implements the most important principles of postmodernism: it gives the opportunity to speak a professional and complex language in the “era of lost simplicity” (U. Eco), allows the recipient of any level of training to perceive the literary text as far as possible (pluralism of meanings). “Complex simplicity” can be considered as a property of the text of culture that characterizes its communicative functions. Despite the metaphorical nature of “complex simplicity”, it can become a full-fledged concept due to the specificity of the terminological apparatus of cultural science
Traditional and new culture in the post-soviet space: synthesis or coexistence?
Authors:   Khachatur Abovian Armenian State Pedagogical University, Mkoyan Gohar S. , Golovchin Maxim A. ,   Vologda Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: February 2023

The transition of the countries of the world to the sixth economic structure presupposes both socio-economic reforms and changes in the national culture, in which the orientation towards improving the quality of life, creativity and independence is more and more manifested. At the same time, traditions do not disappear. They are either synthesized with a new culture or coexist with its samples, often hindering the introduction of innovations. The purpose of the work is to determine the vectors of development of traditional and new cultures of the population living in the territory of the former USSR. The authors tried to answer the question of what determines the life of representatives of the soviet and post-soviet generations - archaic, modern, the coexistence of traditions and innovations or their synthesis. As part of the study, the characteristic manifestations of traditional and new cultures in society are highlighted, a methodological scheme for their study based on sociological data (based on the theoretical approaches of G. Hofstede) is developed, which is tested on the materials of representative questionnaires conducted by the authors in 2016 among the urban population of Vologda (408 people interviewed) and Yerevan (250 people interviewed). The analysis compared the opinions of representatives of two generations: youth (under 30 years old) and the older generation (over 55 years old). A qualitatively new result of the study was the original author's model of analysis of the manifestations of traditional and new cultures in society. It contains a set of sociological indicators corresponding to the typological features of culture (from the type of thinking that dominates in society to the attitude to social reality). Each of these indicators is distinguished by a different degree of manifestation in modern society and modern society. Based on the analysis of the results of these surveys, the mods of traditional culture (family values, attitude to material wealth, etc.), as well as new phenomena in public consciousness (Internet activity, concern for a healthy lifestyle, etc.) were identified. On the example of the Russian and Armenian population, the significance of the institution of the family and archetypes for the formation of life values is considered. The role of the young generation in the formation of the “new culture” and the older generation in preserving the pattern of “a simple Soviet man” is defined. In the conclusion, the interrelation of traditions and innovations in the life of Russian and Armenian societies is determined, the conditions for the synthesis of old and new samples of human life for the development of culture are clarified, the possible prospects of cultural genesis in the post-soviet space (tradation, countradrading, posttrading) are determined.
Popular Game Elements Used in Designing Game-Based Learning STEM Application for School Students – A Review
Authors:   Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Juhari Aisyah Nadhirah , Abu Bakar Mimi Hani ,   Fuel Cell Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: February 2023

There are a variety of educational games produced for studies in game-based learning (GBL) with a specific design to achieve the most efficient stage of learning for school students. However, there is a lack of evidence showing the most suitable and effective game element instilled in the GBL STEM application. Most of the papers studied on GBL have proven the effectiveness aspect in other STEM subjects, however very little discussed in the domain of sustainable energy. Thus, this study aimed to analyse the most common game element applied in designing GBL that achieved the best result for students in learning the STEM subjects. Each game element targeted a different kind of learning results such as student’s learning performance, knowledge level, cognitive effect, and enjoyment. A systematic review was conducted following the specification of the PRISMA checklist to examine past studies. After carefully screening the articles, only twelve published articles met the specification. The finding showed that most common game elements included in designing the GBL, dominated by the level of challenges, followed by rewards/items, feedback, clear goal and time pressure. The finding also included the percentage of most STEM subject studied in GBL and the impact from the GBL STEM application. This review hopes to assist researchers in making a better decision when designing a game application for GBL in sustainable energy subject, from the aspect of students’ age and gender.
Simulation for Production of Syariah-Compliant Influenza Vaccine using Trypsin and Acutase in Batch Reactor via SuperPro Designer
Authors:   Department of Chemical Engineering and Process  Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia, Mohamad Ros Fatin Nur Aliya , Abd Rahman Norliza ,   Department of Chemical Engineering and Process  Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia, Anuar Nurina ,   Department of Chemical Engineering and Process  Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia, Mohd Ali Jarinah ,   Department of Chemical Engineering and Process  Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia, Irwan Muhammad Amirul ,   Department of Chemical Engineering and Process  Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia
Published: February 2023

The halal status of the vaccine is being questionable among the Muslim community around the world. Some of them even took a risk not to take the vaccine when this issue is resurrected. This is due to the uses of porcine trypsin that comes from the prohibited animals which is pancreas (pig). The main aim of this study is to find the effectiveness of alternative enzyme (Acutase™) that comes from invertebrate sources in replacing the trypsin™ enzyme. Two modes of operation which are batch and continuous mode were compared to determine the high production rate of the vaccines. The production of syariah-compliant vaccine mainly focused on the bioreactor and simulated by using a software called SuperPro® Designer. The different reactions of time ranging from 1-5 days were tested to each enzyme. The hemagglutinin (HA) concentration gained will form the growth curves of the cell. The HA concentration data from the simulation indicates the number of cell growth in the cell culture process. Result shows a batch reactor can achieve until 60% of the yield production. The curves show the highest concentration of cell by using Acutase™ is at day 3 which is 1.17 X 106 cells/mL. Meanwhile, 0.98 x 106 cells/mL produced by trypsin enzyme at day 4. Total hemagglutinin produced is calculated by using the following standard condition, 1 HA unit corresponds to 104 cells per mL. Therefore, the hemagglutinin (HA) concentration produced by using acutase™ is 117 Unit HA compared to the trypsin™ which is 98.8 Unit HA. The results prove that the production of syariah compliant influenza vaccine can be produced in the future and enhance the uses of the vaccine among Muslim community.
Healthcare Professionals’ Standard Of Care During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: YAAKOB HANIWARDA , TENGKU ZAINUDIN TENGKU NOOR AZIRA , MOHD ZAHIR MOHD ZAMRE
Published: February 2023

Since the beginning of the year 2020, Malaysia has been gravely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic where to date over four million of its population have been infected with the virus. At the time of writing this paper, the number of infections is still alarming. This situation undoubtedly places a strain on the healthcare system, particularly on healthcare professionals who have been entrusted to treat COVID-19 patients. Treating a high number of patients in an unprecedented situation may pose a challenge for doctors to fulfil their legal duties that arise from the usual doctor-patient relationship particularly in discharging the established standard of care imposed by the law. This is the main issue that this paper seeks to explore. In addition, this paper also examines doctors’ duty of care towards non-COVID-19 patients amidst limited medical resources and policy consideration that inevitably causes a delay in giving medical treatments and elective surgeries. In answering these questions, the method employed in this paper is qualitative analysis. In conclusion, it is suggested that keeping up to the established standard of care is crucial in maintaining public confidence in the medical profession and also to protect public health and welfare. Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Hospital Resources; Medical law; Negligence; Standard of Care.
Retrospective Study of The Outcome of Primary Repair of Arteriovenous Fistula (AVF) Aneurysm and Pseudoaneurysm in Secondary Hospital Setting
Authors: Xin Zen Ong , Li Fan Ling , Ding Hsin Loong Philip , Kar Hon Chong , Neng Xiang Goh , Jo An Kang , Ramasamy Umasangar
Published: February 2023

Aneurysms and pseudoaneurysm are commonly encountered with arteriovenous vascular access for haemodialysis. They are difficult complications to manage. Due to the limited number of vascular centers available, patients were unable to seek treatment until further complications arise. The technique of partial aneurysmectomy and primary repair was adopted as the method of repair in this study. A total of 20 cases underwent the surgery from 2019 to 2020. Among the 20 cases, one patient had two pseudoaneurysms at different location which requires her to undergo the procedure twice. The successful cannulation rate post repair was 70% whereas the overall complication rate was 35% which might be attributed to the small sample size. Overall, this study demonstrated that AVF aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm can be safely treated with this approach and can be done effectively in non-vascular centers by general surgeons. Keywords: pseudoaneurysm, aneurysm repair, arteriovenous fistula
Language Intervention for Late Talkers: The Experiences of Speech-Language Pathologists in Malaysia
Authors: Tukiran Nur Hanisah , Mohamed Zain Nor Azrita , Hanafiah Nurlin Ali
Published: February 2023

A few studies have investigated the practise patterns of Malaysian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) when working with children with speech and language problems whose language intervention is necessary. However, these studies did not provide in-depth information about the SLPs' experiences as the studies were conducted quantitatively. Moreover, none of the studies focus on late-talkers (LTs), in which intervention for them can vary along a continuum from a wait/watch-and-see approach to direct intervention. Thus, this study aimed to explore SLPs’ experiences in managing LTs in Malaysia. Twelve SLPs participated in individual, semi-structured phone interviews. They were asked about their experiences in managing LTs. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and a content analysis was performed. Two themes were identified; a) practises of SLPs and b) challenges faced by SLPs in managing LT cases. The practises of SLPs included conducting assessments, developing intervention plans, providing intervention, sharing information, giving homework, providing support, and managing appointments. The challenges faced were related to parents, other individuals close to LTs, LTs themselves, and resources. Although the SLPs’ practises aligned with the international standard of speech-language pathology service delivery, there is room for improvement, especially in collaborating with parents, as one-to-one direct interventions for LTs might not be suitable due to the challenges related to resources. In addition, a few suggestions related to centred-based care and trusted social media pages can be provided to parents to assist them outside therapy sessions besides initiating the development of awareness programs and information resources for parents and other caregivers. Keywords: Late talkers, language intervention, Malaysian speech-language pathologist, practise, challenges
Parent-Implemented Language Intervention for Late Talkers: A Scoping Review
Authors: Tukiran Nur Hanisah , Mohamed Zain Nor Azrita , Ahmad Nordin Natrah , Ahmad Basri Nadzirah
Published: February 2023

Parent-implemented language intervention (PILI) is one of the intervention approaches used in managing late talkers (LTs). Yet, there are few evidence-based PILI programs available for parents of LTs. This scoping review aimed to (a) assess the characteristics of participants depicted in the literature related to PILI programs for parents of LTs, (b) provide an overview of the structure and design of the available PILI programs for parents of LTs, and (c) explore the effectiveness of the programs in relation to the characteristics of reviewed studies. The scoping review was performed by adhering to the general principles prescribed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005). Articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were published from 1980 to 2018 were selected. Two reviewers independently charted the information from the identified articles. A total of 15 articles were selected. The results were reviewed in terms of participant characteristics, intervention characteristics, and effectiveness of PILI programs. Most adult participants in PILI studies were mothers and included child participants with either expressive language delay or receptive and expressive language delay. Moreover, there were different structures and designs of PILI programs for parents of LTs. Preliminary evidence indicated that PILI was more effective than no/delayed intervention and could be as effective as direct therapy provided by clinicians. A discussion related to the findings was also presented. Keywords:parent-implemented language intervention, late talkers, parent training, language intervention
Assessments of Aphasia: Practices and Challenges faced by Malaysian Speech-Language Therapists
Authors: Hassan Fatimah Hani , Whey Heng Pei , Mustaffa Kamal Rahayu , Joginder Singh Susheel
Published: February 2023

Aphasia assessment is crucial in diagnosing aphasia, determining the extent of language impairment, and identifying factors that may support or restrict aphasia recovery to design an appropriate plan of care for people with aphasia. Speech-language therapists (SLTs) play a major role in conducting aphasia assessments. Little is known about the practices of SLTs in assessing aphasia in low-resource regions. The present study aims to identify aphasia assessment practices among Malaysian SLTs and related challenges, as well as strategies for improving aphasia assessments from SLTs’ perspectives. A total of 32 SLT participants who have been practicing in Malaysia completed an online survey to gather their background information, data pertaining to practices and challenges in conducting aphasia assessments, and suggestions for improving aphasia assessments. Descriptive analyses were conducted for all numerical data. Suggestions for improving aphasia assessment practices were analysed qualitatively using the thematic content analysis approach. SLT practices in aphasia assessment were found to be consistent in certain aspects, but not all. Two major challenges were identified: (a) linguistic barriers between clinicians and clients/caregivers, and (b) a lack of standardized assessment tools for aphasia evaluations. Participants suggested “Internal Strategies” and “External Strategies” for improving aphasia assessment practices. Keywords:aphasia; clinical practices; Malaysia; speech-language therapists
Identifying Opportunities for Peer-Assisted Learning In Speech Language Therapy Clinical Education
Authors: Mohd Ibrahim Hasherah , Mohd Shafri Nurul Atikah , Tai Joanna
Published: February 2023

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a potential approach for clinical education that can reduce the burden of clinical supervision and enhance learning. This study aims to identify opportunities for PAL through investigating how speech language therapy students perceive and already participate in PAL within a range of clinical practicum settings. The Speech Sciences students across all years at one institution were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey that was adapted and revised from Tai et al. (2014). Speech Sciences students reported they applied PAL as part of their learning strategy in their clinical practicums, but still relied on supervisors as the main source of. PAL occurred more frequently in contexts where students already had some clinical experience and spent substantial amounts of time together. Students agreed that PAL enhanced their learning and emphasized a few advantages of PAL, such as having the opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, and knowledge, and providing a positive learning environment without pressure. Confidence to provide information or feedback to peers was cited as a shortcoming in PAL. PAL is a viable teaching approach that can be used in speech-language therapy clinical education program to reduce the supervisory burden. The findings from our study show that PAL is largely self-initiated among speech-language therapy students. However, PAL must be tailored to suit different clinical education year levels and clinical settings to benefit. Case discussion may be one area where scaffolded PAL activities could represent a feasible first step to increasing PAL. Keywords Peer-assisted learning, speech-language therapy, clinical education, clinical supervision.
Periodontitis Patients’ Oral Health Experience and Quality of Life during the Malaysian Movement Control Order-2020
Authors: Mohd Norwir Nur Adila , Xin Seah Ke , Meisha Lee Rhea , Mohd Dom Tuti Ningseh , Mohd Said Shahida
Published: February 2023

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has sparked concerns among dental patients due to its high infectivity. The implementation of the Movement Control Order in 2020 by the Malaysian government (MMCO-2020) has added constraints to access to dental clinics and may affect the patients’ status of oral disease. This study aims to investigate the impact of MMCO-2020 on the periodontal health and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of periodontitis patients with/out non-communicable diseases (NCDs). A cross-sectional study involving 139 patients with periodontitis was conducted to assess patients’ OHRQoL, oral health problems, and their perceived barriers to access dental treatment during MMCO-2020 using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and questionnaire on oral health-related problems. The overall mean OHIP-14 score was relatively low (10.08 ± 8.861), suggesting that the OHRQoL is generally good during MMCO-2020. However, 44 (31.7%) periodontitis patients score ADD =14, indicating poorer oral health status and greater dental treatment needed. There was statistically significant association between periodontitis patients with comorbidities (i.e., presence of NCDs) with poorer OHIP-14 scores and mean plaque score changes at pre- and post-MMCO, suggesting that special care is required by this group, even during the national lockdown. Of the 45 (32.4%) patients who reported having problems, most (30, 36.1%) decided to “visit the dentist for treatment’. Meanwhile, the most frequent barriers were “could not get an appointment” (14, 34%), “problem is not serious” (13, 39.4%) and “fear of COVID” (9, 27.3%). The MMCO-2020 restrictions on the population had a minimal negative impact on the OHRQoL of patients with periodontal disease, but provisions can be arranged to address the basic and urgent needs of selected periodontitis patients, especially those presented with medical comorbidities. Keywords: COVID-19, Dental Health Services, pandemic, Oral Health, barriers
Perception of Malaysian Dental Practitioner on the provisional COVID-19 Guidelines in the Dental Practice: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mohamd Mahmod Nurul Haini Najwa , Raja Amir Hamzah Raja Nur Nabiha , Abdul Hamid Nor Faharina , Jaafar Azlan
Published: February 2023

Following the COVID-19 outbreak, the World Health Organization issued provisional guidelines to address considerations for essential oral health services in the pandemic situation. Compliance with the guidelines is essential to curb the potential spread of infection within a dental practice. This study aimed to assess the perception of Malaysian dental practitioners towards exercising the provisional COVID-19 dental practice guideline during the early phase of the pandemic. A self-administered questionnaire of a structured type consisting of demographic information and dentist perceptions of the provisional guidelines of dental care during the COVID-19 outbreak was distributed online from May 2021 until August 2021 through various social networking platforms among dental practitioners working at different healthcare sectors in all states in Malaysia. A total of 468 dental practitioners responded to this study. More than three-quarters of the respondents were working in public dental care facilities (76.3%, n=357). The majority of respondents adhered to the provisional guidelines issued during the pandemic outbreak and exhibited a change in standard clinical practice (p<0.001). Dental practitioners working in public sectors perceive that swab tests prior to dental appointments should be mandatory, the reopening of dental clinics increases the risk of spread and the provisional guidelines of COVID-19 in dental practice will be changed in the future compared to private dental practitioners (p<0.001). The majority of dental practitioners in Malaysia have complied with the provisional guidelines imposed by the health bodies. As the COVID-19 virus will persist and become endemic in our communities, it is important to balance the safety issue and patient oral health needs. Keywords Attitude; COVID-19 guidelines; Dental practitioner; Malaysia; Perception
Effects of 6-week Circuit Training on Anaerobic Performance and Simple Reaction Time in Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ID) in Kelantan State
Authors: Hamzah Nurul Azuar , Ahmad Nur Syamsina , Mohd Fariq Farah Izzazaya , Ariffin Nur Shamimi Izzaty
Published: February 2023

Participation in exercise benefits health and fitness among Intellectual Disability (ID) individuals. Circuit training is one of the exercise programme that can be tailored by manipulating the intensity, time and types of exercise. The purpose of the present study is to examine the effects of six weeks of circuit training on anaerobic fitness and simple reaction time in ID individuals. Thirty participants with mild to moderate ID were selected from individuals who are registered with the Pusat Pemulihan dalam Komuniti (PDK) and Yayasan Orang Kurang Upaya (YOKUK) in the Kelantan state. Participants were randomly divided into Circuit Training and Control groups. Participants in Circuit Training group followed a circuit training exercise programme, two times per week for six weeks, whereas participants in Control group were not involved in circuit training and carried out their regular activities. The anaerobic peak power was significantly decreased (. < 0.001) in Control group after six weeks. The anaerobic power of post-test was significantly improved (p = 0.042) from the pre-test in Circuit Training group and it was also significantly higher (p = 0.001) than Control group. There were no significant differences for the anaerobic capacity and simple reaction time between and within groups. Circuit training can be conducted to enhance anaerobic power in ID individuals, however longer participation may be needed to improve anaerobic capacity and simple reaction time. Keywords: Anaerobic performance; Circuit training; Reaction time
Sex Determination Using Direct Photography Technique: a Mobile-phone Camera: A Digital Approach for Lip Prints Analysis in Malaysian Malay Population (Klang Valley)
Authors: Hamzah Noor Hazfalinda , Ze Goh Yee , Gabriel Gina Francesca , Osman Khairul , Md Isa Nur Mahiza
Published: February 2023

Cheiloscopy may not be as well-known as other techniques of identification, such as fingerprint or DNA analysis, but it has its own impact in the appropriate circumstances. Cheiloscopy has been recognized as an important tool for human identification. A manual approach of studying lip prints was utilised by many researchers (magnifying glasses). Nonetheless, the current study relied solely on a mobile phone camera to visually capture lip prints for sex determination. 377 samples of lip prints were analysed with Adobe Photoshop software and classified into six different types of lip print patterns, according to Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classifications. Lip prints were divided into six sections including upper left, upper middle, upper right, lower left, lower middle and lower right. Pearson's Chi-square test revealed significant differences between male and female lip prints (p < 0.05) among the Malaysian Malay population of the Klang Valley, with Type V (irregular pattern) lip prints being the most prevalent. In comparison to magnifying glasses, our studies proved the ability to record and examine lip prints utilising a digital approach. Keywords Cheiloscopy, Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification, sex determination, lip print, direct photograph technique, digital