No abstract

Subcutaneous and pulmonary insulin is associated with medical and pharmaceutical complications. Oral insulin mimics physiological glucose regulation with reduced hypoglycemia and coma risks. Nanoparticles are advocated as oral insulin carrier to overcome intestinal absorption barrier. Their insulin bioavailability and blood glucose lowering performances are hampered by inefficient mucus and mucosa transport of nanoparticles. This review discusses critical materials used in oral insulin nanoparticle design to address mucus and mucosa penetrating hurdles. It highlights intestinal receptor targeting, biomimetic virus mimicking, particulate surface charge switching, coat-core detachment, and combination approaches developed through material sciences. Mucus penetration favors particles with hydrophilic/amphiphilic surfaces with no net charges. Mucosa penetration shows a preponderance for hydrophobic or positively charged surfaces with intestinal receptor binding affinity. Materials with switchable physicochemical properties along with mucus-mucosa transit require research exploration, with consideration of their influences on endocytosis, lysosomal escape, exocytosis, and intestinal receptor upregulation.

Recent PISA assessments revealed unsatisfactory cognitive abilities among Malaysian children. Poor cognitive development, stemming from inadequate preschool cognitive school readiness (SR), is an underlying factor. Well-designed preschool physical environments (PPE) could potentially enhance cognitive SR and subsequently improve childhood cognitive development. This study aims to highlight the importance of PPE design quality on children’s cognitive SR in Malaysia. A cohort study involving 336 children at 16 Ministry of Education (MOE) preschools was conducted. PPE design quality demonstrated a significant positive association with cognitive SR. Conclusively, better PPE design is hoped to improve cognitive development by ensuring cognitive SR among Malaysian preschoolers.Keywords: Preschool Physical Environment; Cognitive School Readiness; Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development; PISAeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v5i13.2057

Modified open-planning to define children’s spaces is important in preschool design. Cognitive school readiness (SR) is an objective of Malaysian preschools. This study investigates the correlation between modified open-plan spaces and cognitive SR in Malaysian preschools. A prospective cohort study involving 378 children at 18 Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) preschools was conducted. Compared to other preschool physical aspects (size, scale, circulation, facilities, indoor environment quality, safety, home bases, activity areas, and play yards), the quality of modified open-plan spaces showed the strongest correlation with children’s cognitive SR (Pearson’s r=0.658, p=0.000). Findings are hoped to promote better preschool designs. Keywords: Modified open-plan, preschool design, children education, school readiness eISSN: 2398-4287© 2020. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v5i15.2374.

PISA assessments revealed cognitive abilities of Malaysian children remained unsatisfactory. Poor cognitive school readiness (SR) among preschoolers, contributing to inadequate cognitive development, is a factor. Excellent preschool physical environments (PPE) could potentially improve childhood cognitive development by boosting cognitive SR. This study aims to highlight the significance of PPE design quality on children’s cognitive SR in Malaysia. A cohort study comprising 16 Ministry of Education (MOE) preschools with 336 children was done. PPE design quality showed significant positive association with cognitive SR. Conclusively, good PPE design should contribute to improved PISA ranking by ensuring better cognitive development of Malaysian preschoolers.Keywords: Preschool Physical Environment; Cognitive School Readiness; Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development; PISA.eISSN: 2514-751X © 2020 The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ajebs.v5i16.369