Assessing service quality of e-waste recycling: A case study from Putrajaya, Malaysia

The quality of recycling services will reflect the effectiveness of recycling performance further improvements. Putrajaya residents were selected as a study site to evaluate the recycling services and assess the ability of the services provided. Data were collected using a stratified random sampling of the households using the questionnaires that have been prior tested for reliability.The critical incident technique (CIT) was used to identify and analyse the satisfaction and dissatisfaction of recycling services. Five successful service constructs identified were a good feeling, secured environment, facilities and efficiency, educational and peer pressure.The paper highlights the form of recovery strategies undertaken by the authorities as perceived by the households

Small intra-individual variability of the pre-ejection period justifies the use of pulse transit time as approximation of the vascular transit.

BACKGROUND:Vascular transit time (VTT) is the propagation time of a pulse wave through an artery; it is a measure for arterial stiffness. Because reliable non-invasive VTT measurements are difficult, as an alternative we measure pulse transit time (PTT). PTT is defined as the time between the R-wave on electrocardiogram and arrival of the resulting pulse wave in a distal location measured with photoplethysmography (PPG). The time between electrical activation of the ventricles and the resulting pulse wave after opening of the aortic valve is called the pre-ejection period (PEP), a component of PTT. The aim of this study was to estimate the variability of PEP at rest, to establish how accurate PTT is as approximation of VTT. METHODS:PTT was measured and PEP was assessed with echocardiography (gold standard) in three groups of 20 volunteers: 1) a control group without cardiovascular disease aged 50 years, and 3) a group with cardiovascular risk factors, defined as arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, kidney failure and diabetes mellitus. RESULTS:Per group, the mean PEP was: 1) 58.5 ± 13.0 ms, 2) 52.4 ± 11.9 ms, and 3) 57.6 ± 11.6 ms. However, per individual the standard deviation was much smaller, i.e. 1) 2.0-5.9 ms, 2) 2.8-5.1 ms, and 3) 1.6-12.0 ms, respectively. There was no significant difference in the mean PEP of the 3 groups (p = 0.236). CONCLUSION:In conclusion, the intra-individual variability of PEP is small. A change in PTT in a person at rest is most probably the result of a change in VTT rather than of PEP. Thus, PTT at rest is an easy, non-invasive and accurate approximation of VTT for monitoring arterial stiffness

Decreased skin blood flow in diabetic animals.

<p>Plantar skin blood flow was decreased in all diabetic animals (black bars) when compared to controls (white bars). Data is presented as mean ± SEM. *** p< 0.001 (two-way ANOVA with one repeated-measures factor ‘time’ with Bonferroni post-test).</p

Degeneration of pancreatic tissue in diabetic animals.

<p>Hematoxylin and eosin stained Fig.s of the pancreas (<b>A, B</b>) showing that the cells and the Islets of Langerhans were considerably smaller in the diabetic pancreas (<b>B</b>) compared to control (<b>A</b>). Scale bar 100um.</p

Decreased rewarming rate of the plantar skin after cold exposure.

<p>Progressive decrease in the average skin temperature (degree Celsius) per 120 seconds is shown in diabetic animals when compared to control. Data is presented as mean ± SEM (Unpaired T-test).</p><p>Decreased rewarming rate of the plantar skin after cold exposure.</p

Heat hypersensitivity in diabetic animals.

<p>No significant difference was observed between the diabetic animals (dotted line) and controls (continuous line) for the cold plate test (5°C) (<b>A</b>). In contrast to the cold plate test, decreased withdrawal time was observed for the hot plate test (50°C) in diabetic animals (dotted line) when compared to control (continuous line) at all experimental time points (<b>B</b>).</p

Decreased innervation and decreased epidermal thickness in STZ diabetic rats.

<p>Decreased density PGP9.5-IR nerve fibers (<b>A</b>) and average epidermal thickness (<b>F</b>) was demonstrated in the plantar skin of diabetic animals 4, 6, and 8 weeks after induction of diabetes (black bars) when compared to control (white bar). This is illustrated by histological sections of plantar skin in controls (<b>B</b>), and 4 (<b>C</b>), 6 (<b>D</b>), and 8 (<b>E</b>) weeks after induction of diabetes. Data is presented as mean ± SEM. *<i>p</i> < 0.05, **<i>p</i> <0.01 (One-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test). E = epidermis, UD = upper dermis, scale bar = 100um.</p

Increased blood glucose and stable body weight in diabetic animals.

<p>Blood glucose was increased in all diabetic animals (black bars) when compared to controls (white bars) (<b>A</b>). Significantly smaller increase in body weight is demonstrated in the diabetic animals (black bars) when compared to controls (white bars) (<b>B</b>). Data are presented as mean ± SEM. *<i>p</i> <0.05, ***<i>p</i> <0.001 (One-way ANOVA with Tukey post hoc test).</p