Social networks as social capital for eco-tourism in Malaysia : a preliminary sociological study of the Langkawi Geopark

Theoretically and empirically, the transformation of social networks into social capital is made possible by the interplay between social relationships, social interactions, shared network values, some similarities, network norms, network sanctions and benefits primarily at the informal level between social actors who are connected and collectively involved in the tourism activities. In other words, the networks based on shared values and some similarities as well as normative principles of reciprocity and mutuality will become a form of capital to the actors concerned if their networks while in operation during eco-tourism activities generate monetary and non-monetary benefits for them. Through some empirical findings obtained from a preliminary social network analysis of particular social actors who have been and still are actively and collectively involved in eco-tourism activities in two villages in Langkawi, this study examines the hypothesis that social networks play an important role in the development and success of eco-tourism in Malaysia in the form of social capital. The case examined was Langkawi archipelago of islands in Kedah, a northern state in Peninsular Malaysia where tourism, particularly ecotourism, is the key driver of Langkawi’s socio-economic development, more so after it was declared a geopark in 2007 by Global Geopark Networks (GGN), an initiative under UNESCO. The empirical findings demonstrate that the hypothesis is largely substantiated in the case of Langkawi, that is, the significance of sociological ideas in deriving an alternative, if not better, understanding of the development and success of eco-tourism in Langkawi. The sociological value lies in its emphasis on the “social factor” (i.e. social networks and social capital) as a driver of an economic activity, i.e. eco-tourism activity

Prison gangs for prison life survivability: exploring the reasons for prison gang formation in Kiri-Kiri Maximum security prison

Prison conditions in Kiri-Kiri Maximum prison are harsh due to overcrowding, poor hygiene and outdated prison amenities; however, prisoners survive and endure life in prison because of prison gangs. This study sought to explore the reasons why prisoners form prison gangs and eventually for prison life survivability in Kiri-Kiri Maximum Security Prison. This study made use of a qualitative case study approach to collect data from 34 informants who comprised 2 prison staffs and 32 prison gangs purposively selected. The results from this study discovered that the reasons for prison gang formation were the need to cope, to fulfil the prison authority's needs, for prosocial support and the need for rehabilitation. On the need to cope since the conditions in prison were harsh prison gangs assisted in the maintenance of the prison environment, thus enabling survivability in prison. For fulfilling the prison authority's needs, findings suggest that some of the prison gangs were formed solely to assist the prison authority with menial works. Furthermore, for prosocial support prison gangs provided mutual support to members, thus helping to ease some pains of incarceration. For rehabilitation through vocational workshops, prison gangs are impacted with the life skills needed to survive. The implication of the study is that prison authorities should pay more attention to prison gangs as a way to run the prison effectively

The culture of heritage conservation in Malaysia: a study of eco-tourism in Langkawi

Conservation of heritage resources requires immense human effort; more so now if it has become a neccesity for socio-economic development and ultimately human survival. However, humans can no longer work in silo and social isolation for conservation. Instead, they have to work together to conserve natural and cultural resources as much as they can, as hard as they can. However, as rapid urbanisation and modernisation can create challenges in heritage conservation despite technological advancement, more human effort is required than before. Humans can get back to age old efforts that have withstood test and time, i.e. efforts that are cultural and social in nature. The creation of a culture of heritage conservation is one such effort. Shared values, shared norms and cultural practices are common denominators for a culture of heritage conservation. Amongst various forms of cultural practices, social networking as a form that is common to all societies. Social networking that is based on social relationships is an inevitable fact of everyday social living in any society. Malaysian society is no different from any society in this sense, more so with valuable natural and cultural heritage resources to conserve. This article presents and discusses some findings from an empirical research on the presence of a culture of heritage conservation that facilitates a socio-economic activity, i.e. eco-tourism, in some parts of Langkawi. Langkawi which is acknowledged as a geopark by UENSCO is an archipelago of islands that is situated in the north of Peninsular Malaysia. The research found that the culture is based on particular shared values and shared norms that have been contributing to the growth of eco-tourism in the main island of Langkawi. The values and norms become the foundation of particular social networks among stakeholders involved in the eco-tourism. That networks eventually sustain and faciliate their social networking process. Hence, social networks are confirmed a key element in the cultural practice of social networking for organising and mobilising stakeholders to work together so that future generation can continue to reap the benefits of heritage conservation through ecotourism while sustaining heritage resources

Evaluating the use of authentic materials in the English language classroom

Adviser: Geraldine Davies.Thesis (B.Ed)--University of Hong Kong, 2011.Includes bibliographical references (p. 46).published_or_final_versionEducationBachelorBachelor of Education in Language Educatio

Evaluating the use of authentic materials in the English language classroom

Adviser: Geraldine Davies.Thesis (B.Ed)--University of Hong Kong, 2011.Includes bibliographical references (p. 46).published_or_final_versionEducationBachelorBachelor of Education in Language Educatio

Women online entrepreneurship and social environment in Malaysia: some preliminary findings

Entrepreneurship based on information communication technology (ICT) and the internet is fast gaining popularity as a means of wealth creation and property acquisition in many parts of the world today. Known as digital entrepreneurship, e-commerce, e-entrepreneurship or on-line entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial activities are conducted using the ICT and internet (e.g., social media) as means of business communication, promotion and product development. Women’s involvement in on-line entrepreneurship is rapidly growing in Malaysia. However, interestingly, there very few academic studies conducted on the nature of women on-line entrepreneurship than the studies on women conventional entrepreneurship in Malaysia. With the intention to fill this literature gap, the authors of this paper carried out a qualitative exploratory research of women on-line entrepreneurship in various small sized enterprises in Malaysia. This paper particularly concentrates on discussing some early findings on the role of social environment, specifically social networks, in influencing the women’s business inception, sustainability and growth. Women were found to have the ability to leverage on their social network environments linking the physical real world and the virtual world. The social environment is also found to have impact on the development of some entrepreneurial leadership qualities such as sharing as opposed to command, throughout the women’s entrepreneurial involvement. Although the research is still on- going, the authors hope that the findings can offer a better understanding on the role of social environment in women on-line entrepreneurship

Penggunaan aplikasi Whatsapp dan keperluan sosial anggota komuniti kejiranan di Taman Wawasan, Malaysia

Penggunaan media sosial oleh komuniti kejiranan dapat membantu membina dan mengeratkan hubungan sosial walaupun kehidupan seharian yang sibuk menyukarkan komuniti kejiranan melakukan aktiviti sosial dan bergaul secara fizikal antara satu sama lain. Interaksi sosial yang berasaskan hubungan sosial penting untuk memenuhi keperluan sosial bagi kehidupan yang lebih bermakna. Kajian ini mengkaji hubungan sosial dalam kalangan anggota sebuah komuniti kejiranan yang digelar Taman Wawasan di Malaysia. Komuniti telah menggunakan sejenis media sosial iaitu Whatsapp sebagai asas hubungan sosial dan juga sebagai perantara dalam interaksi seharian mereka. Seramai 100 orang anggota kumpulan Whatsapp yang diberi nama Mslmh telah menjadi populasi kajian. Dari jumlah itu, seramai 13 orang telah dipilih sebagai sampel untuk ditemubual secara mendalam. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah persampelan bertujuan. Kaedah menganalisis data pula yang digunakan adalah analisis dokumen, analisis kandungan, pemerhatian ikut serta dan temubual secara mendalam. Hasil kajian menunjukkan secara keseluruhannya, terdapat beberapa corak penggunaan Whatsapp dan aktiviti Whatsapp yang sering berlaku dalam kalangan anggota-anggota kumpulan Whatsapp Mslmh. Corak penggunaan dan aktiviti Whatsapp ini menunjukkan kewujudan proses sosial dalam memenuhi keperluan sosial anggota-anggota seperti keperluan membentuk hubungan sosial, saling berkongsi maklumat, membantu dalam mempermudahkan urusan harian, untuk hiburan dan motivasi dan untuk mengukuhkan kebolehpercayaan dalam kalangan jiran tetangga. Kajian ini boleh dijadikan panduan kepada sektor kerajaan dan bukan kerajaan khususnya persatuan-persatuan penduduk perumahan seperti Rukun Tetangga dan Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Persatuan Penduduk dalam menyokong pembangunan sosial kejiranan

Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 down-regulates yes-associated protein expression in mesothelioma cells.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) is a protein kinase that plays a major role in transcription initiation. Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a main effector of the Hippo/YAP signalling pathway. Here, we investigated the role of CDK7 on YAP regulation in human malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). We found that in microarray samples of human MPM tissue, immunohistochemistry staining showed correlation between the expression level of CDK7 and YAP (n = 70, r = .513). In MPM cells, CDK7 expression level was significantly correlated with GTIIC reporter activity (r = .886, P = .019). Inhibition of CDK7 by siRNA decreased the YAP protein level and the GTIIC reporter activity in the MPM cell lines 211H, H290 and H2052. Degradation of the YAP protein was accelerated after CDK7 knockdown in 211H, H290 and H2052 cells. Inhibition of CDK7 reduced tumour cell migration and invasion, as well as tumorsphere formation ability. Restoration of the CDK7 gene rescued the YAP protein level and GTIIC reporter activity after siRNA knockdown in 211H and H2052 cells. Finally, we performed a co-immunoprecipitation analysis using an anti-YAP antibody and captured the CDK7 protein in 211H cells. Our results suggest that CDK7 inhibition reduces the YAP protein level by promoting its degradation and suppresses the migration and invasion of MPM cells. Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 may be a promising therapeutic target for MPM

Inhibition of yes-associated protein suppresses brain metastasis of human lung adenocarcinoma in a murine model.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a main mediator of the Hippo pathway and promotes cancer development and progression in human lung cancer. We sought to determine whether inhibition of YAP suppresses metastasis of human lung adenocarcinoma in a murine model. We found that metastatic NSCLC cell lines H2030-BrM3(K-rasG12C mutation) and PC9-BrM3 (EGFRΔexon19 mutation) had a significantly decreased p-YAP(S127)/YAP ratio compared to parental H2030 (K-rasG12C mutation) and PC9 (EGFRΔexon19 mutation) cells (P < .05). H2030-BrM3 cells had significantly increased YAP mRNA and expression of Hippo downstream genes CTGF and CYR61 compared to parental H2030 cells (P < .05). Inhibition of YAP by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly decreased mRNA expression in downstream genes CTGF and CYR61 in H2030-BrM3 cells (P < .05). In addition, inhibiting YAP by YAP shRNA significantly decreased migration and invasion abilities of H2030-BrM3 cells (P < .05). We are first to show that mice inoculated with YAP shRNA-transfected H2030-BrM3 cells had significantly decreased metastatic tumour burden and survived longer than control mice (P < .05). Collectively, our results suggest that YAP plays an important role in promoting lung adenocarcinoma brain metastasis and that direct inhibition of YAP by shRNA suppresses H2030-BrM3 cell brain metastasis in a murine model

Mutant huntingtin enhances activation of dendritic Kv4 K+ channels in striatal spiny projection neurons

Huntington\u27s disease (HD) is initially characterized by an inability to suppress unwanted movements, a deficit attributable to impaired synaptic activation of striatal indirect pathway spiny projection neurons (iSPNs). To better understand the mechanisms underlying this deficit, striatal neurons in ex vivo brain slices from mouse genetic models of HD were studied using electrophysiological, optical and biochemical approaches. Distal dendrites of iSPNs from symptomatic HD mice were hypoexcitable, a change that was attributable to increased association of dendritic Kv4 potassium channels with auxiliary KChIP subunits. This association was negatively modulated by TrkB receptor signaling. Dendritic excitability of HD iSPNs was rescued by knocking-down expression of Kv4 channels, by disrupting KChIP binding, by restoring TrkB receptor signaling or by lowering mutant-Htt (mHtt) levels with a zinc finger protein. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that mHtt induces reversible alterations in the dendritic excitability of iSPNs that could contribute to the motor symptoms of HD