Kota Bharu Research Articles

A Comparison Study of The Brand Loyalty of Perodua and Proton Car Owners: A Case Study in Kota Bharu

In today’s world, automobile industries play a very important role in contributing to the development and growth of one country’s economy. In the car business, which is very competitive, companies must make sure that their products are appealing to consumers and well-liked, as well as highly valued. Branding is not about presenting more choices but about providing buyers with clear choices. Hence, investigating the brand loyalty towards the national car among Malaysians would pave the way for the automobile industry to prosper along with other automobile industries worldwide. This study aims to identify the relative strengths of all factors in influencing brand loyalty among customers towards two brands of national cars in Malaysia. A total of 409 respondents to this study were at least 18 years old and car owners of the national brand, and they were selected from all dealers of Perodua and Proton in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. In this study, descriptive analysis, independent t-test and the Pearson correlation coefficient were used. The sample consisted of an almost equal breakdown of Perodua and Proton car owners. The findings show that the car owners show a moderate level of brand satisfaction, brand price, brand quality, brand equity and brand loyalty with their current cars. All the independent variables, which are brand satisfaction, brand price, brand quality, and brand equity, are strongly correlated with brand loyalty towards the national brand. Perodua owners were more loyal and committed than Proton owners. Brand loyalty has become an essential factor for all manufacturing companies. To gain customer loyalty, a company should produce products with good quality, suitable pricing, and more equity.

Sexual dysfunction among six months postpartum women in north-eastern Malaysia.

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a common problem among postpartum women. However, little is known about this topic in Malaysia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and its associated factors in postpartum women in Kelantan, Malaysia. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 452 sexually active women at six months postpartum from four primary care clinics in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. The participants were asked to fill in questionnaires consisting of sociodemographic information and the Malay Version of the Female Sexual Function Index-6. The data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. With a 95% response rate, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among sexually active, six months postpartum women was 52.4% (n = 225). FSD was significantly associated with the older husband's age (p = 0.034) and lower frequency of sexual intercourse (p<0.001). Therefore, the prevalence of postpartum sexual dysfunction in women is relatively high in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. Efforts should be made to raise awareness among healthcare providers about screening for FSD in postpartum women and for their counseling and early treatment.

The Level of Efficacy of Private Kindergarten Teachers in Classroom Teaching Implementation Based on Professional Qualification Status

A survey was conducted to determine the efficacy of private kindergarten teachers in the classroom based on their professional qualifications in Early Childhood Education (ECE). A set of printed questionnaires that were modified from previous studies were physically distributed to 250 private kindergarten teachers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia, who were selected through convenience sampling. The study sample consisted of 228 people. Findings showed the level of teacher efficacy for both groups of teachers to be high. However, the mean value for teachers without ECE qualifications is higher than the mean value for teachers with ECE qualifications for the aspects of teaching strategies and student engagement. In addition, there is no significant mean difference in teacher efficacy based on professional qualifications. The contributions of this study are it can help ECE practitioners and responsible agencies to learn more about the current efficacy level among private kindergarten teachers, to re-examine the quality of ECE teacher education training programs, and to evaluate the effectiveness of teacher professional development programs implemented.

Tourists’ Behaviour Towards Islamic Tourism Characteristics in Kota Bharu Malaysia

Islamic tourism, sometimes referred to as halal tourism, is a developing trend in the market that is gaining popularity among tourists who want to enjoy many travel perks while keeping in mind their religious commitments. On the other hand, Islamic tourism is a global industry that generates a billion-dollar economic impact and provides thousands of employments. The study's goal is to examine how behaviour among tourists and Islamic tourism in Kota Bharu are related. A total of 421 domestic tourists completed the questionnaire survey and six Subject Matter Experts (SME) participated in the structured interview as part of the sequential explanatory mixed-method research. Relative Importance Index (RII) and content analysis were applied to the data analysis. According to the results, the majority of the respondent were satisfied and agree with Kota Bharu Islamic Tourism indicators and components. The findings of this study will be helpful to the Kota Bharu tourism industry in improving Islamic tourism, which will boost the number of visitors to the city. Furthermore, it is believed that this research will serve as the basis for Islamic tourism in other Islamic cities around the globe.

Knowledge, attitudes, and associated factors of caregivers towards children with autism spectrum disorder in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia.

Caregivers are directly involved in managing the daily basic needs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The knowledge and attitudes of these caregivers are important to achieving success in their roles. Thus, this study aimed to determine what constitutes good knowledge, attitudes, and associated factors among caregivers toward children with ASD. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 128 caregivers of children with ASD in Kota Bharu, Kelantan from May to August 2020, using convenience sampling. Validated questionnaires were used to assess the knowledge and attitudes toward children with ASD. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Descriptive statistics and simple and multiple logistic regression analyses were then performed. The response rate was 100%. The proportion of good knowledge and attitudes toward children with ASD among caregivers was 85.1% and 88.3%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with good knowledge were being female (OR (95% CI) 2.79 [0.99-7.90]) and ASD children being non-first-born children (OR (95% CI) 0.41 [0.15-1.12]). Factors significantly associated with good attitudes were age of 30 years and older (OR (95% CI) 0.13 [0.03-0.62]) and caregiver having other children with other types of learning difficulties (OR (95% CI) 0.15 [0.04, 0.52]). The proportion of caregivers with good knowledge of ASD and good attitudes toward children with ASD was high. The caregiver's age and sex, the position of the ASD child among the siblings, and the presence of other types of learning disorders in the family need to be considered when managing children with ASD.

Online Teaching Readiness of Early Childhood Education Teachers

Implementation of online teaching and learning is an educational method that conceptualizes technology integration in teacher-teaching practices. Therefore, teachers' readiness to implement the online teaching approach is crucial to ensuring that the teaching implemented can enhance the individual's abilities. This is because, an effective and meaningful acquisition of knowledge will produce competitive individuals, ready to face the challenges of the advanced technology world and adapt to current needs. Therefore, this review study was carried out to identify teachers' readiness to implement online teaching using questionnaire instruments. A total of 229 early childhood education teachers in the Kota Bharu district, Kelantan were involved as respondents in this survey. Descriptive analysis shows that teachers' technology skills and knowledge were at a high level (M = 3.63, SD = 0.71). In addition, teachers' attitudes towards online teaching, commitment and time management show similar findings with a high mean score, 3.80 and 3.55 respectively. Meanwhile, the findings of the correlation test show a significant and positive relationship between the knowledge and technical skills of the teacher and the attitude (r = 0.528, p <0.1). The Spearman Rho correlation test also shows that there is a significant and strong relationship between teachers' experiences in online teaching and learning and teacher attitude (r = 0.617, p = 0.000). In conclusion, the findings of this study show that teachers have a high level of online teaching readiness. It is hoped this study can serve as a guide on teachers' readiness for online teaching.

Performance of Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) for Short-Term Prediction of PM10 Concentration in the Peninsular Malaysia

In preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) in Malaysia, the government envisions a path to environmental sustainability and an improvement in air quality. Air quality measurements were initiated in different backgrounds including urban, suburban, industrial and rural to detect any significant changes in air quality parameters. Due to the dynamic nature of the weather, geographical location and anthropogenic sources, many uncertainties must be considered when dealing with air pollution data. In recent years, the Bayesian approach to fitting statistical models has gained more popularity due to its alternative modelling strategy that accounted for uncertainties for all air quality parameters. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the performance of Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) in predicting the next-day PM10 concentration in Peninsular Malaysia. A case study utilized seventeen years’ worth of air quality monitoring data from nine (9) monitoring stations located in Peninsular Malaysia, using eight air quality parameters, i.e., PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. The performances of the next-day PM10 prediction were calculated using five models’ performance evaluators, namely Coefficient of Determination (R2), Index of Agreement (IA), Kling-Gupta efficiency (KGE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). The BMA models indicate that relative humidity, wind speed and PM10 contributed the most to the prediction model for the majority of stations with (R2 = 0.752 at Pasir Gudang monitoring station), (R2 = 0.749 at Larkin monitoring station), (R2 = 0.703 at Kota Bharu monitoring station), (R2 = 0.696 at Kangar monitoring station) and (R2 = 0.692 at Jerantut monitoring station), respectively. Furthermore, the BMA models demonstrated a good prediction model performance, with IA ranging from 0.84 to 0.91, R2 ranging from 0.64 to 0.75 and KGE ranging from 0.61 to 0.74 for all monitoring stations. According to the results of the investigation, BMA should be utilised in research and forecasting operations pertaining to environmental issues such as air pollution. From this study, BMA is recommended as one of the prediction tools for forecasting air pollution concentration, especially particulate matter level.

Occupational Pesticide Exposure and Respiratory Effects among Mosquito Control Workers in Kota Bharu and Bachok, Kelantan

Pesticides have been widely used in public health to control mosquito breeding, causing occupational exposures. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between pesticide exposure and respiratory health among 43 mosquito control workers in two vector control units in Kelantan by using purposive sampling. Pesticide risk assessment was based on the Chemical Health Risk Assessment (CHRA). A British Medical Research Questionnaire (BMRC) was used to assess respiratory symptoms and lung function was measured using a spirometer. The cumulative pesticide exposure of the individuals was calculated by taking the average number of fogging sessions per month. The risk level for all pesticides was moderate, except for Actellic 50EC. The most common respiratory symptoms were dyspnea (25.6%), cough (18.6%), phlegm (18.6%), and chest tightness (14.0%). Lung function was normal in 30%, restrictive in 45%, and obstructive in 25%. None of the reported respiratory symptoms and lung function values were associated with cumulative pesticide exposure (p&gt;0.05). Past respiratory illness had a significant relationship with chest tightness (Adj OR=0.009, 95%CI: &lt; 0.001 – 0.834). Age had a significant relationship with phlegm (Adj OR=1.259, 95% CI: 1.010 – 1.569). In conclusion, cumulative pesticide exposure did not relate to respiratory effects. However, mosquito control workers should be given proper training on pesticide handling and the effective usage of PPE to reduce occupational pesticide exposure.

Prevalence Of Back Pain Among Food Delivery Riders In Kota Bharu, Kelantan: A Preliminary Study

The introduction of Industrial Revolution 4.0 and the current pandemic has increased the demand for food delivery services. However, riding motorcycles may pose the risk of experiencing musculoskeletal disorders. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of back pain among food delivery riders. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 39 riders in Kota Bharu. A modified and adapted questionnaire from Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to assess the musculoskeletal symptoms. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square Test. This study found that the highest one-year prevalence of whole body for the food delivery riders was lower back pain (59.0%), followed by neck pain (53.8%), shoulder pain (53.8%), and upper back pain (48.7%). Whereas for seven-days prevalence was led by both lower back pain and shoulder pain (59.0%, respectively). Classification of work and the delivery bag did show significant associations with lower back pain (p&lt;0.05). Meanwhile lifting load and body bending were associated significantly with experiencing upper back pain (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, work-related characteristics had demonstrated significant associations with back pain. The riders should adopt a good posture while riding to prevent back pain. Measures should also be taken by both the management company and the rider, as to improve the working conditions of these delivery riders.

Environmental assessment of casual dining restaurants in urban and suburban areas of peninsular Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food waste has been considered a global problem due to its adverse impacts on food security, the environment, and the economy; hence needs urgent attention and action. Its generation is expected to increase as the world population grows rapidly, leading to more global waste. This study sought the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on the 1-week operation of selected casual dining restaurants in urban (Ampang, Kuala Lumpur) and suburban areas (Kota Bharu, Kelantan and Jasin, Melaka) of Peninsular Malaysia, as the local community adjusted to life with COVID-19. The food waste in this study was classified into three categories: preparation loss, serving loss, and customer's plate waste. Our material flow analysis revealed that the highest food loss at these locations came from preparation loss (51.37%), followed by serving loss (30.95%), and preparation loss (17.8%). Meanwhile, the total average electricity consumption and its carbon footprint for Ampang were 127 kWh and 13.87 kgCO2e, Kota Bharu 269.8 kWh and 29.47 kgCO2e, and Jasin 142.2 kWh and 15.54 kgCO2e, respectively. As for water, Ampang exhibited 22.93 m3 total average consumption and 7.91 kgCO2e greenhouse emissions from this source, Jasin consuming 17.11 m3 of water and releasing 5.88 kgCO2e of carbon footprint, while Kota Bharu emitted 20.21 kgCO2e of greenhouse gases from its 58.71 m3 water consumption. Our findings indicate a major 'food leak' at the preparation stage, from which the waste could be utilised as livestock feed, and that electricity consumption is a greater carbon emitter than water consumption, suggesting a need for improvement to the kitchen practices and equipment.

Alpha and Low Gamma Embedded With White Noise Binaural Beats Modulating Working Memory among Malaysian Young Adult: A Preliminary fMRI Study

Introduction: Binaural beats (BB) provisions alpha and gamma have been suggested to modulate working memory (WM), while white noise (WN) acted as a control condition. Methods: The current study overlays WN on alpha and gamma tones to study its modulating role on WM performance. A block-design n-back task paradigm used to determine the effect of load on embedded BB on WM performance using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Six young adults (3 males and 3 females) with mean age of 23.5 ± 0.84 within the Kota Bharu vicinity participated in the study. A repeated-measures ANOVA (p&lt;0.05) on response accuracy indicate medium effect size on condition (η2 =0.420), and large effect sizes on groups (η2 = 0.388) and load (η2 = 0.487). The potential practical difference is more evident on low- (0-back) and high-load (3-back). GWN provision marginally excels, implying its entrainment may benefit WM processing. A repeated-measures ANOVA (p&lt;0.05) on reaction time (RT) implied a large effect size on all variables (condition: η2=0.065, groups: η2=0.227 and load: η2=0.169). It was observed that BB exposure elicits a slow processing speed which worsens RT. The neural correlates suggest activated regions in GWN and AWN are associated with attentional mechanisms and WM processes. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate both embedded BB has a potential to improve WM performance with the cost of slower processing speed. GWN provision modulates attentional mechanisms benefiting WM performance and AWN may enhance performance in extreme ends of WM load.

Prevalence and Factors Influencing Smoking Behavior among Female Inmates in Malaysia.

Lately, smoking among adolescents is increasing despite various campaigns to address it being carried out. Previously, this habit was common among men, however, nowadays, smoking has become a habit for women as well. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and its associated factors that influence smoking behavior among women inmates in Kelantan. A cross-sectional study was carried out among women inmates from Pengkalan Chepa Women's Prison, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. A total of 274 respondents were needed to answer a self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Multiple Logistic Regression. A total of 183 participants were smokers. Women who were single and divorced had a lower chance of being influenced to smoke compared to married women. Parents with smoking habits were more associated with children who smoked compared to parents who did not smoke. A participant with secondary level education had higher odds of smoking compared to a participant with primary level education. Smoking peers significantly influenced their friends and, therefore, peer practice was a main factor influencing smoking among women inmates. The prevalence of smoking among women inmates in Kelantan was found to be quite high. Religion (majority (90.5%) of women in the study were Muslims; it would be inappropriate to draw conclusion that religion is an influencing factor), marital status, parents' practice, peer practice and education significantly influenced women inmates to smoke.

Factors of Technologies-Reliant for ‘Pengajian Malaysia’ Subject in Online Learning (OLL): A Conceptual Review

This study investigates college students’ reliance on technologies in ‘Pengajian Malaysia’ subject (MPU 2113) via the E-learning processes, due to the Covid-19 Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) in Malaysia, especially Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The Same Time/ Different Place Instruction Model by R. Johansen et. al. (1991, pg. 16) is adapted into an online cross sectional survey design to determine the factors of technologies-reliant among students who are being separated by distance geographically, but can still meet via a telecommunication medium or teleconferencing with each other at the same time using applications like Google Meet or Zoom, or any noninteractive media such as virtual open broadcasts that instruct numerous numbers of students simultaneously without the programme’s originators such as the YouTube channels. Factors that are impacting the contingent of E-learning technologies are used as dependent variables, like human-machine interface, delivery and access, and interaction (adapted from M. S. McIsaac, 1996). The findings of this study will discuss technology advancement that is applied in facilitating the delivery and its significance in the processes of ‘Pengajian Malaysia’ subject design and instructions for distance education.

Patterns of streets connection for sustainable urban development in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia

Street network attributes, including street connectivity, street integration, and pedestrian accessibility, are closely interrelated concepts that play an important role in achieving the sustainable approach challenges facing all large cities throughout the world. However, the lack of awareness of sustainable development in both the city center and villages in the suburban area results in a low value of street connectivity, less direct route to the destination, and discouraging pedestrians from moving. This research aims to examine street connectivity and street integration patterns that form from street connections at existing streets in Kota Bharu Kelantan. DepthmapX software was used to analyze street connectivity and integrations to identify and compare the existing street influencing people to move from one destination to another in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The streets in the Kota Bharu, Kelantan city center area are chosen as the study site to investigate the street connectivity and integration values. Data analysis using DepthmapX software was performed after digitizing the map in AutoCAD software. Findings show that street connectivity and integration are of higher value when the streets are well connected to other streets in the main area and attraction area. The conclusions of this paper can help landscape architects and urban planners optimize the achievement of well-connected street networks that produce directness routes in short-distance destinations to develop a sustainable urban environment.

The Effects of Online Education on the Emotional Well-Being of College Students during the Spread of the Covid-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a transition from campus-based to online higher education. This study aims to examine the impact of online learning on the mental health of college students during a pandemic. This research analyses the literature and surveys students to learn more about how online learning affects their emotional well-being regarding topics like social isolation, technical challenges, and academic stress. College students' mental health was significantly affected by their access to online courses during the epidemic, the findings suggest. Public universities in Hyderabad, India, and Kota Bharu, Malaysia, provide the samples for this study, which is conducted entirely online. Individual correlation testing procedures are used with SPSS 28.0 to determine the variable relationship. Higher education institutions and policymakers can use this study's findings to better protect students' mental health as they complete online courses. Keywords: Education, Students, COVID-19, Student Health

A Study on The Level of Farmer Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on The Litopenaeus Vannamei Disease in Pond Culture

Litopenaeus Vannamei is a high-value commodity shrimp species in the aquaculture sector, especially Asia. Unfortunately, disease attack is a problem that emerges from shrimp aquaculture to gain high profit. Among the common disease that usually infects L. Vannamei are white spot disease (WSD) and Fusarium bacteria which causes black gill disease. This problem arises from farmers' lack of knowledge about shrimp disease, low management attitude and poor aquaculture management practices. Therefore, this research objective is to investigate a farmer's level of knowledge, attitude, and practices on the Litopenaeus Vannamei shrimp disease. The research method used in this study is a quantitative method (questionnaire survey) using a google form and the questionnaire was distributed online. The respondents were chosen from the L. Vannamei farmers (50 respondents) in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. The survey was open for one month between 15th November and 15th December 2021. The data was analysed using IBM SPPS software version 24.0 to obtain the frequency, percentage and descriptive analysis to analyse the level of knowledge, attitude and practices of L. Vannamei farmers on the shrimp disease in pond culture. This study showed that the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices of L. Vannamei farmers on the shrimp disease in pond culture is high, as can be seen by the good attitude in L. Vannamei management and having good aquaculture management practices. In conclusion, the high level of knowledge, attitude and practices of L. Vannamei farmers helps to motivate farmers to apply good management on shrimp cultivation to prevent the disease and increase the production of high-quality seeds.

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE CHOICE OF DENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AMONG GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WORKERS IN KOTA BHARU, KELANTAN

Oral health and dental aesthetics have become increasingly important in contemporary society. However, the public faces a wide range of choices among oral care services and facilities provided by the government and private sectors, which occasionally involve unregistered dental operators. This study aims to evaluate the public's preferences towards the selection of oral healthcare providers in Malaysia. A cross-sectional, online self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the workers in government agencies in Kota Bharu, aged between 18-60 years old from July to October 2017. Questions were primarily close-ended and consisted of 17 questions on demographics, questions on factors associated with the selection of dental service providers in Likert-scale format. Out of the 575 sent individual emails, 236 voluntarily responses were retrieved, of which 45.8% were male and 54.2% were female. The highest percentage of the respondents belongs to the age group of 31 to 40 years. The most important factors that affect the respondents’ selection of dental care providers are facilities and equipment in a dental clinic (86%), followed by dentist reputation and working experience (85.1%), and technical competency of a dentist (83.9%). Overall, the respondents demonstrated a positive response towards the selection of oral healthcare providers and dental professions. Addressing the valuable factors in promoting dental services by the registered government and private sectors are essential to developing a secure and efficient oral healthcare system for the public

JOB STRESS ASSESSMENT FACTORS AMONG MALAYSIAN FIREFIGHTERS AT HIGH RESPONSE RATE STATIONS

Depression, anxiety and stress among emergency responders are emerging issues as they can affect psychological well-being. Firefighting is a highly stressful occupation and highly demanding in terms of physical and psychological capacities. As the studies on job stress factors and mental health among firefighters are significantly low in Malaysia, understanding the job stress factors among Malaysian firefighters has become substantially important. Such studies can create a scientific novelty and contribute to suitable intervention processes by the Malaysian government and Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia in ensuring the high efficiency of emergency responders at all times. Hence, this study aimed to determine the factors contributing to depression, anxiety and stress among firefighters in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study involving 82 firefighters from Grade A and Grade B stations in Kota Bharu, Kelantan was conducted, and a validated National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (NIOSH GJSQ) was used. The results indicated that physical environment, job future, job requirement, mental demand, workload and responsibility, as well as problem at work, conflict at work and self-esteem have a high possibility to be attributed as stress factors for firefighters. Additionally, the physical environment has the highest contribution as a stressor for firefighters at 79.8%. The findings also found that self-esteem is correlated to problem at work (r = 0.305) and job requirement (r = 0.276). In conclusion, this study has identified the contributing factors that influence the psychological well-being of firefighters in Malaysia. Therefore, it is suggested that further research should be conducted to prevent the arising of mental health problems among firefighters in Malaysia.

Impact of Covid-19 on The Aquaculture Sector Freshwater Fish Farmers in Kelantan-

The spread of the Covid-19 virus has affected the freshwater aquaculture industry in Malaysia. Due to this pandemic, freshwater fish products and demand decreased, followed by labor problems. Therefore, this study aims to identify freshwater farmers’ level of knowledge, perception and practices of freshwater farmers related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The study was conducted using a quantitative method to collect data. The study was conducted using an online questionnaire instrument and also survey forms were distributed to respondents in Machang, Tanah Merah and Kota Bharu. A total of 59 responses was returned. The survey was open for one month between November 15th and December 15th, 2021. The data was analysed using IBM SPPS software version 24.0 to obtain the frequency, percentage and descriptive analysis to analyse the level of knowledge, perception and practices of farmer and relationship between farmer knowledge, perception and practices about Covid-19. This study's outcome indicates that the farmer knowledge is related to farmer practices in dealing with this problem as the spread of this virus occurs rapidly. In conclusion, this research showed that the level of farmers’ knowledge, perception and practices toward Covid-19 effect is high. Directly, it will help farmers prevent the spread of this virus, helps farmers understand and be aware of Covid-19 issues and helps farmers implement good practice to reduce the risk in aquaculture activities, especially in this COVID-19 situation. This research would contribute positive impacts by finding new novel theories that can become the reference and guideline.

Detection of Isocitrate Dehydrogenase (IDH-1), Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), P53 and C-erbB2/HER2 Mutation in Glial Tumour

Introduction: In the last decade, several molecular pathways in gliomagenesis have been discovered, with each involving a unique set of molecular alterations. IDH1 has become a diagnostic tool in the latest 2016 WHO Classification. The tumour protein, p53, is involved in the IDH-mutant arm, observed in astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma (grades II and III), and secondary glioblastoma. Meanwhile, EGFR and c-erbB2/HER2 were postulated to be expressed in higher-grade glioma as the disease progresses. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the association of IDH1, EGFR, p53 and c-erbB2/HER2 protein expression in astrocytic and oligodendroglial tumours with clinicopathological data in HUSM, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia. This study examined 61 archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks of patients diagnosed with glioma. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) test was performed using antibodies, IDH1, EGFR, p53 and c-erbB2/HER2, and the protein expressions were evaluated microscopically. Finally, the association between IDH1, p53, EGFR and c-erbB2/HER with the clinicopathology variables were statistically analysed. Results: A total of 61 glioma cases consisting of 36 (59%) males and 25 (41%) females were included in this study. The IDH1 protein was positively expressed in 14 cases (23%), P53 was highly expressed in 26 cases (42.6%), and EGFR was substantially observed in 34 cases (55.7%). For glioblastoma cases, IDH1 was expressed in two cases (11.1%), EGFR in 14 cases (77.7%), p53 in 12 cases (66.7%) and c-erbB2 in 1 case (5.6%). Significant associations exist between IDH1, p53 and EGFR expressions in astrocytoma and oligodendroglial tumours with the histological types and WHO tumour grades. Conclusion: Recently, our knowledge regarding the genetics of central nervous system (CNS) tumors has expanded; hence, newer antibodies or molecular markers, which can be used in IHC, are continuously being developed. These antibodies, IDH1, p53 and EGFR markers are useful for diagnostic, prognostication and therapeutic. In addition, help to clarify the nature of cellular maturation, tissue differentiation, and tumor progression to be considered as an integral part of WHO classification of CNS tumours.