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Centella asiatica (C. asiatica) is one of the medicinal plants that has been reported to exert comprehensive neuroprotection in vitro and in vivo. In view of this, the present study was performed to investigate the effect of ethanolic extract of C. asiatica, designated as raw-extract of C. asiatica (RECA) in reducing the acetylcholinesterase (AChE), inflammations, and oxidative stress activities via both in vitro (SH-SY5Y and RAW 264.7 cells) and in vivo (Sprague Dawley rats). Quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography analysis reveals that RECA contains a significantly high proportion of glycosides than the aglycones with madecassoside as the highest component, followed by asiaticoside. Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with RECA significantly reduced the AChE activity in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 31.09 ± 10.07 µg/mL. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of RECA were evaluated by lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Our results elucidated that treatment with RECA significantly suppressed the level of pro-inflammatory cytokine/mediators and oxidative stress released in a concentration-dependent manner. Interestingly, these patterns of inhibition were consistent as observed in the LPS-induced neuroinflammation Sprague Dawley rats’ model. The highest concentration used in the two models presented the most significant results. Herein, our findings strongly suggest that RECA may offer therapeutic potential for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease through inhibiting the AChE, inflammation, and oxidative stress activities.

A novel poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-reduced graphene oxide/copper-based metal–organic framework (PrGO/HKUST-1) has been successfully fabricated by incorporating electrochemically synthesized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-reduced graphene oxide (PrGO) and hydrothermally synthesized copper-based metal–organic framework (HKUST-1). The field emission scanning microscopy (FESEM) and elemental mapping analysis revealed an even distribution of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and HKUST-1. The crystalline structure and vibration modes of PrGO/HKUST-1 were validated utilizing X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as Raman spectroscopy, respectively. A remarkable specific capacitance (360.5 F/g) was obtained for PrGO/HKUST-1 compared to HKUST-1 (103.1 F/g), PrGO (98.5 F/g) and PEDOT (50.8 F/g) using KCl/PVA as a gel electrolyte. Moreover, PrGO/HKUST-1 composite with the longest charge/discharge time displayed excellent specific energy (21.0 Wh/kg), specific power (479.7 W/kg) and an outstanding cycle life (95.5%) over 4000 cycles. Thus, the PrGO/HKUST-1 can be recognized as a promising energy storage material.

Melioidosis, a tropical infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is epidemic in most region in Southeast Asia with high case fatality. However, there is scanty information regarding the disease's epidemiological pattern, demographics, and underlying risk factors. This 5-year retrospective study of 185 confirmed cases which were taken from the Negeri Sembilan Melioidosis Registry between 2018 and 2022. We aim to describe the incidence, mortality rate, case fatality, relationship with meteorology, and factors that influence mortality in this central region of Peninsular Malaysia. Incidence rate (IR) of melioidosis in Negeri Sembilan is varied at 1.9 to 5.1 with mean of 3.1 in 100,000 population per year. IR varied between districts in the state from zero to 22.01 in 100,000 population per year. Mortality rate were ranged from 0.17 to 0.74 cases with mean of 0.44 cases in 100,000 population per year. The case fatality rate of this state scattered from 8.70% to 16.67%. There were no significant linear associations between cases and deaths with monthly rainfall and humidity. The mean age of patients was 52.8 years, predominated with age around 41-60 years old. Males (77.8%) predominated, and the majority of cases were Malays (88.9%) and had exposed to soil related activities (74.6%). Mortality from melioidosis was more likely in Bumiputera and non-Malaysians (p<0.05). Patients who had at least one comorbidity were at a higher risk of death from melioidosis (p<0.05). Diabetes mellitus was found in 41.1% of all identified cases, making it a major underlying risk factor for both developing and dying from melioidosis (aOR:19.32, 95%CI:1.91-195.59, p<0.05). Hypertension and mortality status in melioidosis are also significantly correlated (aOR: 7.75, 95% CI: 2.26-26.61, p<0.05). The epidemiological patterns of cases reported from Negeri Sembilan are consistent for the most part from previous studies in other states in Malaysia and global with regard to its incidence, case fatality, demographic and predisposing chronic diseases. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension were significantly linked to increased mortality among all determinants.

Automation, modernization, economic development and global progress depends on efficient extraction and utilization of energy. Power generation by burning fossil fuels makes various adverse impacts on the environment. Additionally, the worldwide fossil fuel reserve is limited and depleting very fast. Hence, efficient energy usage and savings are crucial to address the environmental issues to ensure sustainable development. Buildings, both commercial and residential, represent a major energy consumption sector. Approximately 40% of the total energy is reportedly consumed in the building sector. Worldwide building energy consumption, performance measuring systems and best practices, energy-saving techniques and policies are reviewed and summarized in this article. Underfloor air distribution, double-glazed windows, use of highly efficient electric motors and variable speed drives may play a great role in reducing building energy consumption. In the UK, the application of double-glazed windows in commercial buildings can save 39–53% energy. The proper maintenance of a building’s central heating system can save up to 11% energy. The automatic HVAC control system can reduce up to 20% of the building’s total heating load. Proper utilization of a VSD system in motor and building performance optimization by an ANOVA tool also proved instrumental in saving energy. Apart from this, the building codes of different countries also help to improve building performance by reducing energy consumption. This study will help building researchers and policymakers to make a framework for sustainable, green building.

As Malaysia transitions into an ageing society, older adults increasingly face challenges in acquiring digital literacy, which impacts their ability to engage with essential online services, financial transactions, healthcare applications and communication platforms. The percentage of individuals aged 65 and above in Malaysia rose from 7.2% in 2022 to 7.4% in 2023, highlighting the growing needs for digital inclusion among this demographic. While internet adoption among older individuals is increasing, many still struggle due to psychological, cognitive, and physical barriers. Factors such as low self-efficacy, fear of complexity, and age-related physical limitations hinder their effective use of digital applications. Despite government initiatives such as MyDigital and the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint, gaps in digital literacy persist among older adults. Research suggests that intergenerational programs (IPs), where younger individuals assist older adults in learning digital skills, can bridge this gap. These programs promote collaborative learning, reduce social isolation, and foster meaningful intergenerational relationships. However, existing instructional strategies within IPs often fail to accommodate the specific learning needs and preferences of older adults, limiting their effectiveness. Addressing these instructional gaps is essential to ensuring older adults' successful integration into the digital world. This study aims to investigate the preferences of older adult individuals in Malaysia regarding digital applications and to propose effective intergenerational instructional strategies that enhance their digital learning experiences. This qualitative study explores older adults' preferences for digital applications and their experiences with intergenerational instructional strategies in Malaysia. A total of 26 older adults and 13 young instructors participated in digital applications workshops at two Pusat Aktiviti Warga Emas (PAWE) centres on August, 2024. Older adults were paired with young instructors in small groups to guide them in using digital applications through hands-on learning. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews before and after the sessions, as well as observations. Thematic analysis is used to analyse interview data, identifying key insights into improving digital learning for older adults in Malaysia. The study, conducted at two PAWE centres in Perak, Malaysia, explored intergenerational digital learning between 26 older adults (ages 59-82) and 13 young instructors (ages 20-24). Findings highlight the importance of structured instructional strategies, including interactive learning, direct instruction, and clear communication, to enhance digital literacy among older adults. Personalized learning approaches, small group discussions, and adapting content to individual needs improve engagement and comprehension. Smartphone familiarity plays a key role, with participants favouring WhatsApp and Facebook for communication. Older adults face challenges such as fear of complexity, physical limitations, and security concerns, while young instructors benefit from training to improve communication and instructional skills. The program fosters confidence, intergenerational bonding, and digital inclusion, demonstrating the value of tailored learning strategies in bridging the digital divide.

The majority of the Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) localization methods utilize a large number of nodes to achieve high localization accuracy. However, there are many unnecessary data redundancies that contributes to high computation, communication, and energy cost between these nodes. Therefore, we propose the Intersection and Complement Set (IACS) method to reduce these redundant data by selecting the most significant neighbor nodes for the localization process. Through duplication cleaning and average filtering steps, the proposed IACS selects the normal nodes with unique intersection and complement sets in the first and second hop neighbors to localize the unknown node. If the intersection or complement sets of the normal nodes are duplicated, IACS only selects the node with the shortest distance to the blind node and nodes that have total elements larger than the average of the intersection or complement sets. The proposed IACS is tested in various simulation settings and compared with MSL* and LCC. The performance of all methods is investigated using the default settings and a different number of degree of irregularity, normal node density, maximum velocity of sensor node and number of samples. From the simulation, IACS successfully reduced 25% of computation cost, 25% of communication cost and 6% of energy consumption compared to MSL*, while 15% of computation cost, 13% of communication cost and 3% of energy consumption compared to LCC.

Selection of appropriate empirical reference evapotranspiration (ETo) estimation models is very important for the management of agriculture, water resources, and environment. Statistical metrics generally used for performance assessment of empirical ETo models, on a station level, often give contradictory results, which make the ranking of methods a challenging task. Besides, the ranking of ETo estimation methods for a given study area based on the rank at different stations is also a difficult task. Compromise programming and group decision-making methods have been proposed in this study for the ranking of 31 empirical ETo models for Peninsular Malaysia based on four standard statistical metrics. The result revealed the Penman-Monteith as the most suitable method of estimation of ETo, followed by radiation-based Priestley and Taylor and the mass transfer-based Dalton and Meyer methods. Among the temperature-based methods, Ivanov was found the best. The methodology suggested in this study can be adopted in any other region for an easy but robust evaluation of empirical ETo models.

In several nations, caries in pre-school children remain a significant oral health issue. In an outbreak period such as the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), remote contact and education aimed at the prevention of oral diseases and the preservation of children’s oral health are more relevant than ever. Currently, the amount of published applications is far higher than the published scientific studies while the problems of usability remains vulnerable. The goal of this paper was to comprehensively document the phase of development and usability testing of a mobile application for diet and oral health, namely Gigiku Sihat , which was primarily intended to be used by parents and guardians of pre-school children. The mobile application was developed using the System Development Life Cycle principle. Apart from searching for the available oral health application on Android platform, the initial requirement gathering process consisted of situational analysis, concept generation, content development, and features and functional requirement determination. The mobile application design and implementation evolved at each phase before being finalised. Gigiku Sihat was successfully developed in the Bahasa Malaysia. Finalised Gigiku Sihat was installed on mobile devices to determine the usability using translated and validated System Usability Scale questionnaire namely Skala Kebolehgunaan Aplikasi Mudah Alih (SKAMA). The mean score usability with score of 68 and above was deemed to have good usability. This study found that Gigiku Sihat mean (SD) usability score was 77.0 (14.18). The results were promising as they showed that Gigiku Sihat had a good usability. Thus, the development of this mobile application focusing on diet and oral health served as a new source of oral health education and provided a necessary foundation in developing future improved mobile application development for parents in the prevention of early childhood caries.

Agrivoltaic systems (AVS) offer a symbiotic strategy for co-location sustainable renewable energy and agricultural production. This is particularly important in densely populated developing and developed countries, where renewable energy development is becoming more important; however, profitable farmland must be preserved. As emphasized in the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus, AVS advancements should not only focus on energy management, but also agronomic management (crop and water management). Thus, we critically review the important factors that influence the decision of energy management (solar PV architecture) and agronomic management in AV systems. The outcomes show that solar PV architecture and agronomic management advancements are reliant on (1) solar radiation qualities in term of light intensity and photosynthetically activate radiation (PAR), (2) AVS categories such as energy-centric, agricultural-centric, and agricultural-energy-centric, and (3) shareholder perspective (especially farmers). Next, several adjustments for crop selection and management are needed due to light limitation, microclimate condition beneath the solar structure, and solar structure constraints. More importantly, a systematic irrigation system is required to prevent damage to the solar panel structure. To summarize, AVS advancements should be carefully planned to ensure the goals of reducing reliance on non-renewable sources, mitigating global warming effects, and meeting the FEW initiatives.