Women participation in rural development particularly in community-based tourism

Community-based tourism, is often recognized as a good example of sustainable tourism development that creates employment and income. Sustainable development includes long term positive economic, social and environmental perspective. Community development is emphasized in rural area as a part of development agenda that benefits local community thus can be used as a tool to reduce poverty in rural area. This paper focuses on women participation in rural development initiative of Kampung Mangkuk, Setiu that has been identified as a case study to show their involvement in community-based tourism through women’s organization which is PEWANIS and KUNITA. These organizations receive an initiative from Nestle Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and WWF to enhance the livelihoods of local communities particularly women group by providing an opportunities for them to participate in sustainable development program. Thus, this paper will answer the research objective which is to identify the role and potential of women’s organization in order to empower local women in rural area. Local women are provided with relevant skills and knowledge to enable them to participate in sustainable community development program. Initial observation found that, local women are actively involved in women’s organization by participating in various type of socio-economic activities in their area. Through existing women’s organization, local women are encouraged to participate in socio-economic opportunities such as small business activities and environmental awareness like conserve the mangroves and wetlands, that can be an attraction for local tourism in their area. Hence,by describing the roles of women’s organization, it is an effort to increase the status of local women and to evaluate women performance in community-based tourism initiatives particularly in rural area. The majority of local women expressed a positive view with the effectiveness of efforts from women's organizations in improving the lives of local women in their area

Pemerkasaan wanita luar bandar melalui program keusahawanan pelancongan berasaskan komuniti

The effort of empowering women in rural tourism development have been seen to bring forth a positive impact not only to women but also the local community. There is a need to understand women’s participation in the development process of community-based tourism (CBT) organizations. Women have been actively involved in entrepreneurial activities and are the key driver of tourism development in their area. The main goal of the study was to identify the success factors of women empowerment through the organization in CBT development.There are three main objectives of the study; (i) to identify the factors that influence women’s participation in the organization; (ii) to identify the role of stakeholders in empowering women; and (iii) to identify the effectiveness of the organization in empowering women in CBT development. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation in the study area.Thematic Analysis Method was used to identify the success factors of women empowerment through the organization in the CBT development. A total of 15 respondents who are active members of Usahawan Wanita Setiu (PEWANIS) were interviewed. Based on the findings, it was found that three main factors affect the success of women in PEWANIS. The first is the economic factor as it gives an opportunity for women to generate their income. The second factor is the social dimension in the form of assistance and support provided by the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) and stakeholders, and the third factor is the political aspect reflected by the constant encouragement given by the government for women development in the study area. It is clear that given the opportunity and support, women are able to generate their income through the development of tourism activities in their area. Effort and constant encouragement from NGO like World Wildlife Fund and the tourist agencies have managed to empower local women to develop tourism products in Kampung Mangkuk, Setiu, Terengganu

Induction of labour using foley catheter: traction versus non traction technique, a randomized prospective study.

Background: Cervical ripening of an unfavourable cervix can be achieved by placement of a transcervical Foley catheter. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of 750 ml traction on Foley catheter compared to no traction for labour induction. Study design: A randomized controlled trial performed on pregnant women at 37-41 week who were admitted for induction of labour with unfavourable cervix. They were randomly assigned into two groups, Foley’s with 750 ml traction and and without traction. The primary outcomes were improvement in Bishop Score, number of favourable cervix following induction and the mode of delivery. The secondary outcomes were maternal pain score, neonatal outcome, and maternal infection. Results: A total of 160 women were randomized into traction group (n=80) and non-traction group (n=80). The mean change in Bishop Score was similar in both groups. Traction group had significantly (p=0.006) higher number of vaginal delivery (70%) compared to non-traction group. The rate of successful VBAC was also significantly (p= 0.001) higher in the traction group. Participants were comfortable using both methods with low pain score. There was no difference in neonatal outcomes and risk of maternal infections in both groups. Conclusion: application of traction did result in more vaginal delivery and successful VBAC without risk of maternal and neonatal infection

Attitude of healthcare professionals towards people with disabilities in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan, Pahang

Attitude of healthcare professionals gives big influence towards self-esteem of people with disabilities. Not treated with respect, not equipped with suitable equipment, and denied health services are some problems encountered by people with disabilities in healthcare setting. Profession, age, gender, years of working experience, and contact with people with disabilities are factors that would affect their attitudes. Thus, this study is aimed to identify general attitude of healthcare professionals from Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA), Kuantan towards people with disabilities. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare professionals from HTAA. A validated questionnaire namely Scale of Attitudes toward Disabled Persons (SADP) was used to collect data from the respondents. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, post hoc analysis and Pearson correlation were used to analyse the data using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 20. A total of 350 respondents were recruited in this study. Physician was found to have the most favorable attitude followed by optometrist. With respect to gender, male was found to hold significant (p=0.002) more favorable attitudes compared to female. Respondents who have close relatives or family members with disabilities developed more favorable attitude compared with those who do not have (p= 0.32). Besides, it was found that, when the age and years of working experience increase, respondents held less favorable attitude. Weak negative correlation was found between attitude score with both age (r = - 0.154) and working experience (r = - 0.189). Profession, gender, contact with people having disabilities, age and working experience play a role in determining their attitude

Nursery schools: characterization of heavy metal content in indoor dust / Fairus Muhamad-Darus … [et al.]

Interior floor dust is found to be one of the major pathways of childhood exposure to indoor air pollutants. This study aims to carry out a general survey of heavy metals (Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni and Pb) contamination at selected nursery school buildings in Shah Alam, Selangor and to study their relationship with the surrounding environment. The samples were collected using a brush and a plastic dust pan, after which the samples were digested using the wet digestion method. The heavy metal concentration was determined by inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrometer (ICPOES). The results show that the heavy metal concentrations at nursery school building were in the range 901.2 - 1510.0, 13.3 - 76.7, 12.0 - 22.6, 22.2 - 42.7, 1489.0 - 7919.0, 5.5 -14.4, 13.2 - 64.6, 93.3 - 220.4mg kg-1 for Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni and Pb respectively. The heavy metal concentration in the investigated areas followed the order Fe > Al > Zn > Pb > Ba > Cu > Cr > Ni. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was carried out to ascertain the possible contributing factors towards the metal concentrations and thereby determine which metals have a common origin. PCA analysis indicated that three factors indicated source of mixed origin including mobile vehicle, street dust and natural sources

Camera stabilizer

In the world of videography and cinematography, visible camera shake is a common thing. Visible camera shake usually is caused by the movement of the camera operator when using a camera. Camera stabilizer is a device used by many people to reduce or remove the visible camera shake to create better quality videos. Most camera stabilizers available in the global market uses advanced technologies that can stabilize a camera very easily. However, the use of advance technologies has caused a spike in the price of these camera stabilizers. There are very little to none option when it comes to a low-cost camera stabilizer available in the market. This project main purpose is to design and fabricate a low-cost camera stabilizer that would be affordable to more people from different walk of life. The low-cost camera stabilizer will use simple mechanism to stabilize a camera instead of advance technologies that are used on most high cost camera stabilizers. The result shows that this low-cost camera stabilizers were able to stabilize a camera and reduce the visible camera shake using the balancing mechanism

Synthesis of nitrogen-substituted pyran-2-ones via radical cyclisation approach

Four new4-N-substituted pyran-2-ones (δ-lactones) were successfully synthesised from their corresponding cyanoalcohols via two reaction steps; (i) acylation and (ii) radical cyclisation. Four cyanobromoesters that were produced from acylation were treated with tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSH) and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) in toluene to obtain 5-hydro-4-imino-3,6- dimethylpyran-2-one (4a), 4-amino-5-hydro-3,6,6-trimethylpyran-2-one (4b),3,5-dihydro-4-imino- 6-methylpyran-2-one (4c), and 3,5-Dihydro-4-imino-6,6-dimethylpyran-2-one (4d)

Beyond words: analyzing non-verbal communication techniques in a medical communication skills course via synchronous online platform

BackgroundEffective doctor-patient relationships hinge on robust communication skills, with non-verbal communication techniques (NVC) often overlooked, particularly in online synchronous interactions. This study delves into the exploration of NVC types during online feedback sessions for communication skill activities in a medical education module.MethodsA cohort of 100 first-year medical students and 10 lecturers at the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), engaged in communication skills activities via Microsoft Teams. Sessions were recorded, and lecturer NVC, encompassing body position, facial expressions, voice intonation, body movements, eye contact, and paralinguistics, were meticulously observed. Following these sessions, students provided reflective writings highlighting their perceptions of the feedback, specifically focusing on observed NVC.ResultsThe study identified consistent non-verbal communication patterns during feedback sessions. Lecturers predominantly leaned forward and toward the camera, maintained direct eye contact, and exhibited dynamic voice intonation. They frequently engaged in tactile gestures and paused to formulate thoughts, often accompanied by filler sounds like “um” and “okay.” This consistency suggests proficient use of NVC in providing synchronous online feedback. Less observed NVC included body touching and certain paralinguistic cues like long sighs. Initial student apprehension, rooted in feelings of poor performance during activities, transformed positively upon observing the lecturer’s facial expressions and cheerful intonation. This transformation fostered an open reception of feedback, motivating students to address communication skill deficiencies. Additionally, students expressed a preference for comfortable learning environments to alleviate uncertainties during feedback reception. Potential contrivances in non-verbal communication (NVC) due to lecturer awareness of being recorded, a small sample size of 10 lecturers limiting generalizability, a focus solely on preclinical lecturers, and the need for future research to address these constraints and explore diverse educational contexts.ConclusionMedical schools globally should prioritize integrating NVC training into their curricula to equip students with essential communication skills for diverse healthcare settings. The study’s findings serve as a valuable reference for lecturers, emphasizing the importance of employing effective NVC during online feedback sessions. This is crucial as NVC, though occurring online synchronously, remains pivotal in conveying nuanced information. Additionally, educators require ongoing professional development to enhance proficiency in utilizing NVC techniques in virtual learning environments. Potential research directions stemming from the study’s findings include longitudinal investigations into the evolution of NVC patterns, comparative analyses across disciplines, cross-cultural examinations, interventions to improve NVC skills, exploration of technology’s role in NVC enhancement, qualitative studies on student perceptions, and interdisciplinary collaborations to deepen understanding of NVC in virtual learning environments

Awareness Level on Fast Food Selection Factors Among Catering Students

Consumption of fast food among students regularly or uncontrolled can contribute to various long-term health problems in the future. This is because, fast food contains ingredients that can leave an impact on a person's health in the short term and also in the long-term if its intake is uncontrolled. There are various factors that influence these students in the selection of fast food. Therefore, this study was conducted to find out the awareness of fast food intake among catering students and the relationship with fast food selection. This study was conducted based on a quantitative descriptive survey method using a questionnaire instrument and were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. The data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 to obtain the mean values, standard deviation and Spearman Rank to see the relationship. Overall, this study shows that the main factors of fast food selection among catering students are service factors and purchases incentives with means score of 4.29. While the level of awareness of students on the long-term effects of fast food intake is high with mean scores 4.08. The results of this study are expected to help students to practice healthier food choices to prevent any long -term diseases and have a healthy survival in the future

Modul sijil Eksekutif Pengurusan Teknologi Penanaman Tebu Profesional

Buku ini merupakan suatu perkongsian dan gabungan idea daripada beberapa insan yang mencari kelainan teknik dalam dunia perniagaan khususnya usahawan yang berjaya dalam dunia perniagaan seperti Koperasi Pembangunan Usahawan Bestari Johor Bhd (KPUBJB). Penubuhan Koperasi Pembangunan Usahawan Bestari Johor Bhd ini bermatlamat untuk membina minda usahawan kepada ahli-ahlinya dan mementingkan ahli-ahlinya agar dapat menambah nilai ilmu perniagaan bagi menaiktaraf ekonomi keluarga, bangsa, agama dan negara. Setiap bab dalam buku ini memberi informasi dan maklumat yang dapat membantu masyarakat dalam bentuk panduan berkaitan teknologi penghasilan tebu. Semua tajuk yang digarap dalam penulisan ini merangkumi penyediaan tapak tanaman tebu, teknik tanaman tebu, racun serangga atau rumpai dan baja sehingga strategi pemasaran. Di samping itu, buku ini juga memberi pendedahan tentang jadual penjagaan selepas penanaman tebu dan kaedah pemasaran. Buku ini juga sangat sesuai dijadikan rujukan para pengusaha serta ahli perniagaan tebu yang berhasrat untuk mendalami perniagaan sehingga berkembang maju