Online Booking Systems To Manage Queue At Road Transport Department

Long waiting time has long been subjected as one of the main issues at the public sector service counter. This situation was not time justification and may trigger citizen to charge bad perceptions on the service provided which lead to downgraded reputation of the public sector. Road Transport Department (RTD) is one of the public sectors in Malaysia that has been experiencing the issue of excessive waits at their service counter. There were several alternatives that had been introduced to restrain this problem such as the implementation of e-government service through RTD official portal and providing other units to segregate demand such as commencement of other agencies including UTC and myEG. However, this situation still takes place and become one of the most pressing policy issues affecting RTD. Thus, the purpose of this study is to propose an online system that will aid in managing queue during the service and hence, to optimize the waiting time. There was few methods involved in order to achieve the objectives, including conducting observation, semi-structure interview and time study at RTD Bukit Katil, Melaka, develop the online system by using Adobe Dream Weaver, Adobe Cold Fusion and Oracle SQL Developer software, and verify and validate the system through questionnaire and usability study. The first online system is through online queue number booking system. Through this system, clients are able to book their queue number through online system. Besides that, this system also provides the waiting time duration to the clients so that they are able to present at the counter just in time before their service. The second proposal is by using an online queuing system. This system enables clients to book their appointments with the RTD staff according to the specific time. This system also allows client to come and to be attended on time. Through this system, in hope that the waiting time at the RTD could be optimize, besides improving the customer satisfaction and can be a reference for other government agencies to improve their services

Scarcity in COVID‐19 vaccine supplies reduces perceived vaccination priority and increases vaccine hesitancy

In two experimental studies, we tested the effect of COVID-19 vaccine scarcity on vaccine hesitancy. Based on extensive scarcity literature, we initially predicted that high (vs. low) scarcity would increase demand for vaccines, operationalized as one's willingness to receive a vaccine. Contrary to this prediction, Study 1 showed that scarcity of vaccines reduced participants’ sense of priority which, in turn, also reduced their vaccination intentions. Trust in doctors moderated the effect of perceived vaccination priority on vaccination intentions such that for individuals with high trust in doctors, reduced perceived priority did not reduce their vaccination intentions as much. Study 2 replicated these effects with a more general population sample, which included at-risk individuals for COVID-19 complications. At-risk participants (vs. low-risk) had higher perceived vaccination priority, but describing vaccine doses as scarce reduced vaccination intentions similarly across both groups. Moreover, Study 2 demonstrated that compassion for others is a boundary condition of the effect of vaccine scarcity on vaccination intentions. For participants with high compassion, scarcity reduces willingness to receive a vaccine; for participants with low compassion, scarcity increases their willingness to be vaccinated. Our results suggest that health policymakers need to deemphasize the scarcity of vaccines to increase vaccine acceptance

Multinational data show that conspiracy beliefs are associated with the perception (and reality) of poor national economic performance

While a great deal is known about the individual difference factors associated with conspiracy beliefs, much less is known about the country‐level factors that shape people's willingness to believe conspiracy theories. In the current article we discuss the possibility that willingness to believe conspiracy theories might be shaped by the perception (and reality) of poor economic performance at the national level. To test this notion, we surveyed 6723 participants from 36 countries. In line with predictions, propensity to believe conspiracy theories was negatively associated with perceptions of current and future national economic vitality. Furthermore, countries with higher GDP per capita tended to have lower belief in conspiracy theories. The data suggest that conspiracy beliefs are not just caused by intrapsychic factors but are also shaped by difficult economic circumstances for which distrust might have a rational basis

New contexts for the transmission of sacred knowledge: A case study from the Carpathian Mountains

This paper inquires about the social reasons and epistemological consequences of sacred knowledge (charms) outside its “original setting”, toward an archive of folklore or to a new age journal. Some local specificities of relationships between knowledge and power are explored through multiple contextualisations of an interview we conducted with a former shepherd and healer in the Carpathian Mountains, Romania

Structured reflection increases intentions to reduce other people’s health risks during COVID-19

People believe they should consider how their behavior might negatively impact other people, Yet their behavior often increases others’ health risks. This creates challenges for managing public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined a procedure wherein people reflect on their personal criteria regarding how their behavior impacts others’ health risks. We expected structured reflection to increase people's intentions and decisions to reduce others’ health risks. Structured reflection increases attention to others’ health risks and the correspondence between people's personal criteria and behavioral intentions. In four experiments during COVID-19, people (N = 12,995) reported their personal criteria about how much specific attributes, including the impact on others’ health risks, should influence their behavior. Compared with control conditions, people who engaged in structured reflection reported greater intentions to reduce business capacity (experiment 1) and avoid large social gatherings (experiments 2 and 3). They also donated more to provide vaccines to refugees (experiment 4). These effects emerged across seven countries that varied in collectivism and COVID-19 case rates (experiments 1 and 2). Structured reflection was distinct from instructions to carefully deliberate (experiment 3). Structured reflection increased the correlation between personal criteria and behavioral intentions (experiments 1 and 3). And structured reflection increased donations more among people who scored lower in cognitive reflection compared with those who scored higher in cognitive reflection (experiment 4). These findings suggest that structured reflection can effectively increase behaviors to reduce public health risks

The performance of epic songs in funeral contexts

“All that an old song tells, really happened.” One of the traditional functions of performing epic songs is that of evoking the past. The act of performing is invested with the value of empathic communication with “old times” and with the ancestors.The agent who mediates between the audience and those who are evoked is the fiddler. These facts may place the performance in a context with a sacred dimension and funeral meanings. Being involved in this specific act of communication, the audience has to play an active role. It has to be trained in “listening”. The traditional coordinates of performing epic songs have changed. The category of epic song entered the passive repertoire of folklore. Using a questionnaire and interviews the author, together with a group of students, tried to draw the status of performing epic songs in Romanian contemporary society

Measuring Overall Equipment Effectiveness Of Pressure Die Casting Machine

This project focused on measuring the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of pressure die casting in one of the casting company in Malacca. In manufacturing environments, OEE has become the foundation in improving the business strategy since it identifies the direct and ‘hidden’ productivity and quality costs which refer to the production lost. For the past 100 years, the manufacturing sector has become an incredible contribution to the global economic growth and it has a wide acknowledgement in the area of poverty mitigation. Thus, manufacturing company needs to increase their productivity for them to survive and to attain breakthrough. Productivity is mostly affected by the losses in terms of materials, machines or equipment. Thus, implementation of OEE will help in identifying the potential losses and the process which is falling off. Besides, by using OEE, the big picture of the problem and the details surrounding the problems can be answered. The casting company in which the project is held did not have their own OEE data since, they do not know on how to implement OEE. Therefore, the aims of this project are to measure the value of Overall Equipment Effectiveness of pressure die casting machine, to analyze the problems which lead to decrease in effectiveness through Six Big Losses and to enhance the machine effectiveness through recommended solution. The scope of this project includes the five pressure die casting machine, the data for the OEE value calculation, the problem which contributes to the decreased in effectiveness and the recommended solution to countermeasure the problem. To measure the value of OEE, data are collected by using time study. These data are then calculated using OEE formula and then, compared with the world class value. Then, the problems are identified by using Pareto Chart. The problems identified from Pareto Chart are then group into the categories in Fishbone Diagram. The problems are then analyzed further using Why-Why Because Logical Analysis (WWBLA) to identify the root causes and countermeasure for the problems. From the result, it can be known that the OEE value for each pressure die casting machine is still below the world class value which is 85%. From the problems identified using Pareto Chart, it is found that the countermeasure for the problem can be concluded by making a working list for daily cleaning and maintenance. Using the working list of the daily cleaning and maintenance, the task executed can be tracked

Sensitivity to reward and punishment: Associations with diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking

This study examined whether sensitivity to reward predicts a range of potentially health-damaging behaviours. Secondary objectives were to explore the relationship between these behaviours and sensitivity to punishment. Sensitivity to reward and punishment were assessed among 184 individuals using questionnaire measures of Behavioural Approach System (BAS) and Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) sensitivity. Participants also completed a food frequency questionnaire and measures of alcohol consumption and smoking. Higher BAS sensitivity predicted higher fat intake, higher alcohol consumption, greater likelihood of binge drinking, greater likelihood of being a smoker and, amongst smokers, smoking frequency. Higher BIS sensitivity predicted lower alcohol consumption but higher sugar intake. Thus, sensitivity to reward appears to be a risk factor for lifestyle behaviours that contribute to poor health. Whilst BIS sensitivity seems to offer some protection with respect to alcohol intake, the results suggest that this does not extend to health-related behaviours, in which the negative consequences may be less immediate. Instead, BIS sensitivity predicted higher sugar intake. This is consistent with the view that BIS sensitivity leads to higher anxiety, which individuals may attempt to regulate by indulging in sugary foods

Complications and Solutions in Propeller Flap Surgery

open7siPropeller perforator flaps (PPFs) have long been proven as valid reconstructive tools for a wide range of soft tissue defects in different body regions. During the last decade, despite their numerous advantages, many authors have thoroughly analyzed outcomes of these flaps, sometimes discouraging their use mainly because of a high failure rate. Accurate patient selection, adequate preoperative planning, and an appropriate dissection technique seem to potentially improve outcomes. Our study provides a review of the relevant literature related to PPF complications and of our experience, describing reasons for failure, measures for preventing them, and approaches for a prompt evaluation and management of complications.embargoed_20210801Cajozzo, M; Jiga, LP; Jandali, Z; Muradov, M; Pignatti, M; Cordova, A; D'Arpa, SCajozzo, M; Jiga, LP; Jandali, Z; Muradov, M; Pignatti, M; Cordova, A; D'Arpa,