Predictors towards entrepreneurial intention: a Malaysian case study

The bumiputra population in Malaysia seems unable to match the nonbumiputras especially the Chinese in terms of their entrepreneurial character. The small number of small business startup by the bumiputras in Malaysia evidently shows this. One reason suggested by many academics is the risktaking propensity by the bumiputras. This research intends to investigate the relationship between risk taking propensity and entrepreneurial intention among the bumiputras and Chinese in Malaysia. The respondents for this study were 746 students studying in Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Questionnaires were used in the data collection process. The results revealed that the Chinese respondents had significantly higher risk taking scores than the bumiputras. The Chinese were also found to be more intent to become entrepreneurs upon graduation from the university. This clearly explains why the Chinese are predominantly involved in business in Malaysia as compared to the bumiputras. Significant differences were also found between genders whereby male respondents were found to have higher risk taking scores and more intent to become entrepreneurs than the females. The degree programs in which the students are enrolled in also showed significant differences with the Science students having the highest risk taking scores followed by the Business and the Arts students. The regression result examining the relationship between risk taking propensity and intention to become an entrepreneur was found to be significant. However, the ability of risk taking propensity to explain the variance in entrepreneurial intention is very small. Suggestions were given to overcome the problems of low risk taking propensity among the bumiputras

Latitudinal cline in the foraging dichotomy of loggerhead sea turtles reveals the importance of East China Sea for priority conservation

Special Issue: Biological traits, geographic distributions and species conservation in aquatic ecosystems[Aim]Quantifying the importance of habitat areas for conservation of highly migratory marine species with complex life histories can be challenging. For example loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) nesting in Japan forage both oceanically and neritically after their reproductive period. Here, we aimed to quantify the proportions of turtles using these two contrasting habitats (foraging dichotomy) to suggest priority conservation areas. [Location]North Pacific Ocean. [Methods]We examined the occurrence of foraging dichotomy at three nesting sites (Ishigaki, Okinoerabu Islands and Ichinomiya) based on stable isotope analysis of the egg yolks for 82 turtles and satellite tracking of post-nesting migration for 12 turtles. Moreover, we used the data of three other sites from previous studies (Yakushima Island, Minabe and Omaezaki). [Results]Two neritic foraging grounds (East China Sea and the coastal area of the Japanese archipelago), and an oceanic ground (North Pacific Ocean) were identified. We found a latitudinal cline with respect to the occurrence of foraging dichotomy; >84% of the females nesting at southern sites (Ishigaki and Okinoerabu Islands), 73% at middle sites (Yakushima Island and Minabe) and <46% at northern sites (Omaezaki and Ichinomiya) were neritic foragers; the proportion of oceanic foragers increased at northern sites. Based on the annual number of nests in the entire nesting region of Japan, satellite tracking and the latitudinal cline of foraging dichotomy, we estimated that 70% and 9% of annual nesting females in Japan utilize the neritic foraging habitat in the East China Sea and the coastal area of the Japanese archipelago, respectively, and that and 22% utilize the oceanic habitat of the North Pacific Ocean. [Main conclusions]The East China Sea represents a critical foraging habitat for the North Pacific populations of endangered loggerhead sea turtles. Our findings emphasize the need for international management to ensure their protection

Comparison of green turtle Chelonia mydas sex ratios at two time-points over 20 years at a foraging ground in Yaeyama Islands, Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Sex ratio is an important factor in population dynamics as it influences the production of offspring; understanding the sex ratio of a given population is vital for the conservation of endangered species. In sea turtles, the sex of hatchlings is temperature dependent, with warmer incubation temperatures producing more female hatchlings. The rise in temperatures due to global warming may skew the sex ratios towards females. We studied the sex ratio of immature green turtles at a foraging ground in the Yaeyama Islands from 1997-1999 and from 2016-2017, using laparoscopy. The overall proportion of females was 68.2% (N = 314), and proportions were not significantly different between 1997-1999 (69.9%; N = 183) and 2016-2017 (65.6%; N = 131). Thus, sex ratios have not changed at this site over the last 20 years, suggesting minor or no effect of global warming/environmental influences on this population. The small size class (<55 cm straight carapace length [SCL]) was more female biased than the large size class (≥55 cm SCL) during both periods, which suggests the possibility of movement into or out of the foraging aggregation. Therefore, future research must clarify how the initial recruitment into the foraging aggregations, and the subsequent migrations affect sex ratios

Site fidelity, ontogenetic shift and diet composition of green turtles Chelonia mydas in Japan inferred from stable isotope analysis

Incomplete knowledge about local foraging ecology of green turtles hampers their conservation management in Japan, where stocks have only partially recovered from heavy exploitation in previous centuries. We used stable isotope ratios of δ13C and δ15N for turtle carapace scutes, where successive layers contain a chronological record of diet assimilated over a period of years. Turtles were sampled at 2 geographically separate foraging grounds in Japan: the temperate Main Islands (n = 32) and the sub-tropical Nansei Islands (n = 42). Site fidelity was inferred for the majority of turtles at each site (81 and 64% resident turtles) because isotope data indicated diets consistent with food taxa at the respective sites. Immigrant turtles (previous diet outside their current site) were few (n = 4) at the Main Islands site but numerous (n = 14) at the Nansei Islands site, where they were significantly smaller than residents. An ontogenetic shift (Main Islands to Nansei Islands) was inferred for many of the immigrants on the basis of isotope evidence and body size. These immigrants corresponded to a size cohort that was relatively scarce in Main Islands foraging grounds according to previous studies. Bayesian mixing models, used to estimate proportional components of diet, showed varying degrees of imbalance between seagrass and algae and indicated that hypothetical consumption of non-trivial amounts of animal matter was plausible. The latter represented a hypothetical diet component for study turtles since animal matter was rarely found in stomach contents. Potential ambiguity and other issues that constrained inference from mixing models are discussed

Management of gastric fundal varices without gastro-renal shunt in 15 patients

AIM: To examine the portal hemodynamics of gastric fundal varices (GV) without gastro-renal shunt (GRS), and to retrospectively investigate the effects of various kinds of treatment on eradication