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This paper describes the cloning and characterisation of two retinoid-related orphan receptor (ROR)-γ homologues (ROR-γa1 and -γa2) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The coding region predicted for both homologues consists of 1410 base pairs (bp), which translate into two 469 amino acid (aa) proteins. The trout ROR-γs revealed a high conservation of both DNA- and ligand-binding domains (functional regions of the nuclear receptor family), and shared a high homology to mammalian ROR-γt. A phylogenetic tree containing ROR family members confirmed that both trout homologues clustered within the ROR-γ group. Both results suggested that these molecules are likely to be ROR-γ homologues, more similar to the mammalian splice variant ROR-γt than the full length ROR-γ. Expression analysis of tissues obtained from healthy fish revealed highest constitutive expression of trout ROR-γ in muscle, followed by the brain, heart and skin. This suggests that these genes may play an important role in such tissues. In vitro studies, using trout cell lines, demonstrated that ROR-γ is induced significantly by LPS and down-regulated by the presence of PolyI:C and recombinant interferon (IFN)-γ. Moreover, analysis of this gene in head kidney macrophages and mixed primary leucocyte cultures indicated that differences were apparent between the different cell types/sources used, indicating that its expression may be cell-type dependent. Additional studies to investigate the regulation of this gene in vivo demonstrated that its expression was significantly higher in vaccinated vs unvaccinated fish following bacterial (Yersinia ruckeri) challenge but it was down-regulated after a viral (VHSV) infection. This suggests a potential role of trout ROR-γ, a putative T(H)17 transcription factor, in protection against extracellular bacteria.

This study explored the factors influencing students’ willingness to continue with the online learning system during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic by adopting the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory. This study also incorporated e-learning readiness, performance, and satisfaction as mediators. The present study employed the purposive sampling method, whereby 2215 data of undergraduate students from a public university were gathered using an online survey and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) with Smart Partial Least Squares (SmartPLS). The results revealed that students’ e-learning readiness, performance, and satisfaction positively influenced their willingness to continue online learning. Besides, students’ e-learning readiness, performance, and satisfaction sequentially mediated the relationship between the online learning system quality and willingness to continue online learning. Significantly, this study provided new insights into the literature on students’ willingness to continue online learning by providing empirical evidence on the factors that support their willingness to continue online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Without proper preparation by higher institutions, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world to rely on online learning. Even students of social science and science are looking for different knowledge and skills. Currently, both groups rely on the same method to gather knowledge for future undertakings. Given the uncertainty regarding the resolution of COVID-19, which has driven students to continue using online learning, the current study aims to identify the factors of willingness to continue online learning among social science and pure science students by extending the use of expectation-confirmation theory. Applying a purposive sampling method, 2,215 questionnaires were collected among undergraduate students from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) using an online survey. Current study found that expectation and confirmation positively affect satisfaction. Attitude, satisfaction and readiness were found to have a positive relationship with willingness to continue online learning. Meanwhile, self-efficacy was found unsupported hypothesis for the direct effect. For multigroup analysis, readiness was found to have a significant difference between students of social science and pure science. The findings of this research enrich the literature about online learning, especially in the COVID-19 setting. Moreover, this work is useful for higher education institutions seeking to design a better strategy that allows students to return to campus.

Pea crab is a small crustacean known as kleptoparasite and belongs to the family Pinnotheridae, inhabit bivalves, gastropods, and other species. Nonetheless, pea crab is one of the unfamiliar species to the Malaysia citizen and the information is limited. This study aimed to determine the distribution of pea crab from four bivalves species (mud clam, oyster, hard clam and cockle) in Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu. Sampling was conducted twice, in October 2018 and February 2019, in which mud clam, oyster, cockle and hard clam were collected. In this study, the distribution of pea crab was observed by collecting randomly fifty samples of each bivalve at four sites and checked for any presence of pea crab. The size shell length of mud clams measured was 40 to 75 mm, oysters were 30 to 80 mm, marine clams and cockles were 20 to 40 mm. Pea crab presence was analysed and identified for the genus identification based on the microscopic and macroscopic methods. The result showed that, pea crab only present in the mud clam but none in other bivalves. Fifteen pea crabs were isolated from the first sampling (mean=0.3) with 11 females, whilst 13 pea crabs from the second sampling (mean=0.26) with 10 females- identified. The size of the pea crab measured was between 10 mm to 15 mm and belongs to the genus of Arcotheres sp. However, there were other none pea crab species were found in the oyster. On the other hand, the correlation between the carapace width of pea crab and mud clam shell length were analysed using linear regression (r²=0.0699, p=0.341) from first sampling, while (r²=0.2885, p=0.058) from second sampling. The size range of mud clams without pea crab was 35 to 60 mm shell length.