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Ecological transition: from the end-of-pipe to ecosystem approach for waste management in Malaysian City
No full textCities in Malaysia are experiencing rapid changes of their natural ecosystem. The development process of cities has transformed natural ecosystem into many types of land use in accordance with human development needs. As population grows and urban expands, waste and economic activities have also continued significantly over the decades. Since Malaysia’s independence in 1957, waste has been managed through the end-of-pipe approach which focuses on disposals of wastes to landfill. This practice gives negative impact to the environment and human health. Moreover, this approach increases costs to wastes generator and more landfills are required. The ecosystem functions are affected, and land value will decline there in the future. Being aware of these problems, cities in Malaysia have embarked on many programs in managing wastes in a sustainable manner. One of the activities is through recovery of waste as resources and these include recycling, reuse and reduce or 3R approaches. Since 1980s waste minimisation and the use of cleaner technology have been introduced. Therefore, the need for efficient urban ecosystem in managing resources consumption and waste generation is very important. A framework is needed within which to improve knowledge and decision making about materials used, waste reduction and pollution prevention. This framework will include systems that promote waste minimisation, waste recovery, waste exchange and conservation. Ultimately using natural ecosystem approach for cities to manage its wastes will ensure that it will be able to maintain its ecosystem functions and services for sustainable developmen
Screening of lactobacillus strains against salmonella both isolated from Malaysian free-range chicken intestin for use as probiotic
No full textA total of eight strains of Lactobacillus and two strains of Salmonella were isolated from free-range Malaysian chickens intestine. Evaluation based on in vitro studies included aggregation, co-aggregation, growth with bile salts, tolerance to acidic pH, and inhibitory activity were carried out. The isolated Lactobacillus were Lactobacillus fermentum IA, Lactobacillus fermentum IB, Lactobacillus fermentum IC, Lactobacillus fermentum ID, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinus IE, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinus IF, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG, and Lactobacillus spp. IH. The corresponding isolated Salmonella were Salmonella spp. 3B21 and Salmonella spp. 1A12. The ability of aggregation and also tolerance to pH 2.5 are found in Lactobacillus fermentum ID, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinus IF, Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG, and Lactobacillus spp. IH. The isolate most resistance to 1% bile salts is Lactobacillus fermentum ID but observed to be weak in inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp. The best co-aggregation and strongest inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp. was observed in Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG. Despite being not so resistant in the presence of bile salts 0.5 and 1% (w/v), the lag time in the presence of bile salts 0.3% (w/v) of Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG and also for Lactobacillus spp. IH are the shortest. Based on good aggregation properties, the best co-aggregation, tolerance to acidic pH 2.5 and bile salts 0.3% (w/v) and strongest inhibitory activity against Salmonella spp., Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius IG comes out as the best candidate as probiotic for chicken
Sustainable shift: institutional challenges for the environment in Malaysia
No full textSustainable development is a global challenge. It is a systemic one and is deeply embedded in the pattern of economic production and consumption. The ‘shift’ towards sustainable development requires an institutional change, and one which requires a long-term perspective. The article traces the evolution of environmentalism, demarcated into three main waves namely, nature protection, governmental reform, and green investment. It also discusses the nature of institutions through cursory review of definitions and principles for institutional reform. In comparison to ‘organisation,’ ‘institution’ is broader, durable and persistent, so much so that its ‘hardware’ and ‘software’ must be considered in tandem. Next, a cursory assessment of Malaysia’s sustainability policy performance is also presented. The final part of the article asks what are the institutional challenges for the sustainable shift in Malaysia? Taken together, weak implementing agencies, conflicting Federal-State relationship, feeble environmental advocacy, and research that is policy-irrelevant, demand a concerted effort in thinking institutionally to find solutions to unsustainable development trajector
Wiki for co-writing a science dictionary.
No full textWeb technology is known to make learning more engaging, and language educators have been encouraged to use web tools for instruction. This paper discusses the application of
Wiki in fostering collaborative writing in a specific upper secondary class. The study investigates how a group of secondary students learned to use Wiki to co-write a science
dictionary, and the effects of Wiki on their collaborative efforts in producing the dictionary. The study employed a single-case observation research design. The single case was a class of 23 Form Four students with only 13 students regularly participating in the Wiki project for three months. The participants’ perceptions of Wiki were analysed
through interviews and a survey questionnaire. Their behaviours were observed while they were in the process of using Wiki in constructing the science dictionary. Results
show that students who actively participated in the project perceived Wiki positively,while those who were apprehensive in writing and contributed the least to the project thought otherwise. Active students who were weak in both ICT skills and English had the most to gain because they improved in both areas by the end of the project. A tangible outcome of the collaborative writing project was that by the end of the third month, a Wiki science dictionary was successfully created online at the Tiki-Wiki website. The findings are useful in offering an alternative approach of teaching English as opposed to conventional methods
Effects of momordica charantia aqueous extract on cutaneous wond healing in diabetic rats
No full textFamily caregiver’s experiences using community mental health services in Malaysia.,
No full textMany studies of family caregiving have found mixed findings in evaluating the effectiveness of community services in reducing family caregiver stress. In addition, the study also showed that some of the caregiver has limited experience in obtaining care. The purpose of this article was to describe the experience of the use of community mental health services, including benefits and barriers, by
family caregivers of schizophrenic patients in Malaysia. Community mental health services included assistance with caregiving and educational as well as emotional support by community mental health professionals. In this qualitative descriptive study, a purposive sample of 24 family caregivers was interviewed. Semi-structured interview technique was used to explore the caregivers' experiences with community mental health services. Transcribed data were analysed using qualitative frameworkanalysis
techniques. Results indicated that family caregivers received benefits of personal respite,sense of community, financial and emotional supports as well as gained practical knowledge and believed that their family also benefited from the community services used. Barriers to service use included lack of attention, accessibility issues and concerns over quality. All the findings in this study provide direction for mental health workers in targeting interventions that will meet the caregivers’
needs and desires
Effective climatic factors in mountainous regions of Iran for urban planning: a case study in Rudbar Qasran in the Central Alborz.
No full textNatural features of a place are considered as a bed for creation and extension of habitat, recognition of
living system capabilities will be helpful as a guideline in future planning and elimination of limits and obstacles. The region of our study is situated on the high level of central Alborz. This region is extended from 51˚, 225' to 51˚, 43' in eastern wing of Greenwich Meridian and also 35˚, 47' to 36˚ in the north of equator. Above position includes special climate because of height effect, some of its
features are semi mild summers and cold winters and also its variation slope is lower than 1 degree.However Jajorod and Ahar valleys have a great effect on region's ecology but this region is a combined area of mountain and valley. So, height differences affect on temperature variation and
slope effects are quite obvious in this region. Besides Jajorod river, earth slope is various from 5 to 51% and a town, Darkia, around this complexity. Generally Geographical directions related to warm and cold slopes ,extended in all four main direction(south, west, east and north), can influence on town construction. This study presents the initial ecological studies in this field, moreover, people are more sensitive in weather changes and ecology situation, so the more we inform about these effects,the better we can manage daily activities. This research attempts to identify the role and impact of
natural environmental factors, particularly climatic elements such as effective temperature, rainfall and topography on the physical development , physical cities, particularly cities in the region like Rudbar, Qasran, Oshan and Fasham. In this article, analytical methods, field and library have been used and the results show the most important factors which affect normal physical development such as temperature, ice, rainfall and topography
Whom should you believe?: strategies of counsels and witnesses in a Malaysian courtroom
No full textIn our Malaysian adversarial criminal judicial system, cross-examinations are essentially hostile. Lawyers will test the credibility of the evidence of witnesses with questions that will attempt to discredit the adverse party, while at the same time, attempting to strengthen their side. Witnesses who are being cross-examined will be made aware of these objectives and will attempt to preserve their version. This article, which is based on a case study of a criminal trial, will attempt to show how witnesses and lawyers employ certain strategies to challenge versions of reality in order to present and preserve their alternative versio
Syarikat berkaitan Kerajaan Negeri – kepentingan lepas dan cabaran masa hadapan = State Government link companies – past performance and future challenges
No full textPembangunan melibatkan pelbagai pendekatan dan mekanisme. Sehubungan itu, penglibatan kerajaan dalam syarikat
korporat merupakan sebahagian usaha memenuhi matlamat pembangunan negara dan rakyat. Selain Kerajaan Pusat,
Kerajaan Negeri turut melabur dalam syarikat-syarikat korporat dengan melibatkan jumlah pelaburan yang besar dan
memberi impak terhadap pembangunan sosioekonomi peringkat negeri. Bermula Mei 2004, usaha reformasi prestasi
syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (SBK) dilakukan bagi memperbaiki prestasi SBK. Walau bagaimanapun, program reformasi
nasional tersebut hanya terbatas kepada 15 buah SBK pusat yang dipegang melalui lima (5) induk pelaburan utama
Kerajaan Pusat. Sehubungan itu, artikel ini meneliti peranan syarikat berkaitan kerajaan negeri (SBKN) pada masa lalu dan menelah kerelevanan entiti SBKN dalam konteks pembangunan semasa Malaysia. Kepentingan kajian ini ialah dari segi menjustifikasi saranan perlunya inisiatif penambahbaikan prestasi SBKN seperti yang berlaku pada SBK Kerajaan Pusat. Tempoh masa yang dirujuk sebagai masa lalu ialah meliputi tempoh awal penubuhan badan induk pelaburan
negeri pada sekitar tahun-tahun 1960-an sehingga tahun 2003. Manakala tempoh kini dan akan datang merujuk
kepada tahun bermulanya program reformasi prestasi SBK pusat yang rasmi, iaitu tahun 2004 sehingga tahun 2007.
Penelitian ini mendapati entiti SBKN masih relevan dalam konteks pembangunan semasa Malaysia dan memerlukan
langkah pembaikan seperti yang berlaku dalam entiti SBK Kerajaan Pusat. Namun begitu, pemerkasaan prestasi SBKN
perlu dimulai dengan mengiktiraf kekeliruan identiti yang disebut sebagai Organisasi Dua Wajah dan mencari jalan
mengatasi masalah tersebut