ATTITUDES OF LOCALS AND THEIR DEPENDENCE ON THE NATURAL FORESTS: A CASE STUDY OF AL-BAHA AREA-SAUDI ARABIA

ABSTRACT This paper examines the attitudes of local people living in the Al-Baha area towards natural forests. Some 500 respondents/locals through a random stratified sample were selected for the study. Data were collected by using questionnaires. A positive attitude of local people towards the natural forests was observed. On a 5 point scale, the mean value of the locals' attitudes towards forests was 3.9 with SD 1.10. About 80% of the local citizens were well-educated, having jobs and with the reasonable income levels. Also, locals do realize the recreational importance and environmental benefits of the nearby forests. Some 76.2% respondents depend on the local forests for recreational activities. The study recommended planning and executing forestry extension programs for the education of the locals on forest management, environmental roles, development and protection; designating more resources for the development of forests; developing a new forests management system that ensures the participation of locals in the management, development, and protection of the forests

Farmer's knowledge and skills levels in Environmentally sound agriculture in Adlum area of Saudi Arabia

Concern about natural resources conservation is increasing worldwide. Some agricultural practices such as intensive use of chemicals. High consummation of water. Mono-cropping. And deforestation have caused natural resources degradation. The study aims at studying the farmers in Adlum area of Saudi Arabia knowledge and skills levels in environmentally sound agriculture and some of their demographic characteristics. The study population consists of the 743 farmers in the area. A random sample representing 25% of the population was taken. The data wre collected through personal interviews questionnaire. Descriptive statistics (frequency distributions. Means standard deviations) were used to analyze the study data. The findings indicate that the farmers' general knowledge and skills levels in environmentally sound agriculture ranged from low to moderate. The overall mean of farmers' knowledge was (2.6; SD = 0.46) and the overall mean of their skills was (2.7; SD = 0.46). The highest mean value for an item was reported for three statements in knowledge as well as in skills level: water conservation methods, utilization of organic manure, and rotational systems. The lowest farmers knowledge as well as in skills level were reported with the statements of controlling weeds and insect without the use of herbicides and insecticides. The study recommended extension education program to en hance farmers' knowledge and skills levels in environmentally sound agriculture especially in controlling weeds and insects without the use of herbicides and insecticides. The mean age of the respondents was 53.8 years and the agriculture was a secondary activity for 90.3% of them. The findings show that 83.3% of the farmers live in urban areas. Just over one-third of the farmers (34%) reported high school or higher level of education

The Attitudes of Agricultural Extension Workers towards the Use of E-Extension for Ensuring Sustainability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

E-extension as a modern mode of communication can be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of extension services for agricultural sustainability. E-extension is the delivery of extension services using the Internet and the latest information communication technologies (ICTs), which allow networking, online sharing, and collaboration. Extension workers are a key factor in conducting an effective agricultural extension work plan; therefore, understanding extension workers’ attitudes towards the use of E-extension is important. It has been noted in some studies that, before implementing ICTs, positive attitudes from extension workers is required. This study analyzed the attitudes of extension workers towards the use of E-extension in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A survey questionnaire was developed comprising statements regarding E-extension and then distributed through the post to all 230 extension workers in the Kingdom with the help of the Ministry of Agriculture. The findings show that extension workers generally had a positive attitude towards the use of E-extension. Significant relationships were found between the overall means of extension workers’ attitudes towards E-extension and their age, years of service, and computer experience. In the light of the results, recommendations drawn are as follows: encouraging extension workers, especially those who are older, to use the E-extension system through exclusive training programs and refresher courses; and incorporating combined workshops for extension workers with few and more years of service to eliminate the generation gap and instigating a better understanding of the E-extension system

Association of Advanced Lipoprotein Subpopulation Profiles with Insulin Resistance and Inflammation in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Plasma lipoproteins exist as several subpopulations with distinct particle number and size that are not fully reflected in the conventional lipid panel. In this study, we sought to quantify lipoprotein subpopulations in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to determine whether specific lipoprotein subpopulations are associated with insulin resistance and inflammation markers. The study included 57 patients with T2DM (age, 61.14 ± 9.99 years; HbA1c, 8.66 ± 1.60%; mean body mass index, 35.15 ± 6.65 kg/m2). Plasma lipoprotein particles number and size were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Associations of different lipoprotein subpopulations with lipoprotein insulin resistance (LPIR) score and glycoprotein acetylation (GlycA) were assessed using multi-regression analysis. In stepwise regression analysis, VLDL and HDL large particle number and size showed the strongest associations with LPIR (R2 = 0.960; p = 0.0001), whereas the concentrations of the small VLDL and HDL particles were associated with GlycA (R2 = 0.190; p = 0.008 and p = 0.049, respectively). In adjusted multi-regression analysis, small and large VLDL particles and all sizes of lipoproteins independently predicted LPIR, whereas only the number of small LDL particles predicted GlycA. Conventional markers HbA1c and Hs-CRP did not exhibit any significant association with lipoprotein subpopulations. Our data suggest that monitoring insulin resistance-induced changes in lipoprotein subpopulations in T2DM might help to identify novel biomarkers that can be useful for effective clinical intervention

Effect of maternal occupation on breast feeding among females in Al-Hassa, southeastern region of KSA

أهداف البحث: الرضاعة الطبيعية ظاهرة بشرية طبيعية، لتوفير الغذاء الضروري للنمو والتكوين. تساهم عوامل معينة في عدم استطاعة الأمهات توفير الرضاعة الطبيعية. يبحث هذا التحقيق في أثر وظيفة الأم على الرضاعة الطبيعية بين نساء الأحساء في المنطقة الجنوبية الشرقية من المملكة العربية السعودية. طرق البحث: أجريت هذه الدراسة المقطعية عن طريق توزيع استبانة منظمة باللغة العربية على أمهات عاملات وغير عاملات في المنطقة. المشاركات سُئلن عن أوضاعهن الوظيفية وإذا ما كنّ يُرضعن أم لا، وأسباب إيقافهن أو تقليلهن من الرضاعة الطبيعية، بالإضافة إلى الوضع الصحي لأطفالهن. تم تحليل البيانات المستحصلة. النتائج: شارك في الاستطلاع ما مجموعه ١٢٤ أما٬ بينهن ٦٢ امرأة عاملة و ٦٢ غير عاملة. جميع الأمهات غير العاملات قمن بإرضاع أطفالهن٬ بينما قام ٩٢٪ من الأمهات العاملات بإرضاع أطفالهن وبقية الـ ٨٪ منهن لم يرضعن أطفالهن. كما أظهرت النتائج بأن ٧٪ فقط من الأمهات العاملات مارسن الرضاعة الطبيعية الحصرية٬ بينما مارسها ٣٧٪ من الأمهات غير العاملات. الاستنتاجات: لم نجد أن وظيفة الأم تشكل عائقا يمنع الرضاعة الطبيعية٬ ولكنها تؤثر على مدة الرضاعة وعدد الرضعات اليومية، بالإضافة إلى تأثيرها على الحالة الصحية للطفل