Analysis on Sex Education in Schools Across Malaysia

AbstractThe objective of this research is to analyse the respondent's perceptions on whether sex education or elements of it are being taught in Malaysian schools. This issue should be highlighted since there are so many sex-related social problems among the teenagers.Before giving their feedback, the respondents were first introduced on the aspects of sexuality education based on UNESCO's 2009 curriculum guideline. Based from the data received, 90% of the respondents agreed that sex education has not been taught in Malaysian schools. The respondents explained that the informal information given by most of the teachers were vague thus defeating the purpose of the students to learn on the issues

Flexible labor regimes, new technologies and women's labor: case studies of two electronics firms in Malaysia

In today's situation of Malaysia's industrialization, the issue of cultural and social stigmatization of women workers is no longer relevant. The empirical picture shows that, with increasing automation, greater concern about appropriate human resource management strategies has become usual in dealing with labor. This study indicates that in the capital-intensive electronics industry, management have been quite successful in eliciting their workers' cooperation in keeping in step with the new technology introduced. This article looks at the evidence of changing technology at die workplace and documents management strategies that are currently being employed to either ‘control,’ ‘contain,’ ‘empower’ or ‘self-enhance’ labor. It concludes that the proliferation of new skills has created new management strategies that can empower women workers, but only if they can also have autonomy in gaining knowledge of the new technologies that they encounter on the shop floor

The management of technology and women in two electronics firms in Malaysia

Today, given the state of Malaysia's industrialization, the issue of cultural and social stigmatization of women workers is no longer relevant. The empirical picture shows that with increasing automation, there has been more emphasis and concern about appropriate human resource management strategies that have been used upon labor. This study indicates that in the capital-intensive electronics industry, management has been successful in eliciting consent from their workers to cooperate and to be in step with every new technology introduced. This article looks at the evidence of changing technology at the workplace, and documents management strategies that are currently being employed to control, contain, empower or enhance labor. By doing so, we assess the current impact upon women workers brought about by the adoption of new technologies and contemporary human resource management tools, all of which are issues that labor unions and feminists might wish to be aware of in order to set new agendas for the movement. This article will briefly discuss the background of Malaysia's industrialization policy, in which the electronics industry is a key player. This will be followed by a short discussion on women's economic position in Malaysia to provide the backdrop to the situation of electronics workers in the context of globalization and changing technology. The relationship between current human resource management practices and new technology, and women workers' responses to these changes, will be taken up in the ensuing sections

Antioxidant activities of phenolic rich fractions (PRFs) obtained from black mahlab (Monechma ciliatum) and white mahlab (Prunus mahaleb) seedcakes

The antioxidant activities of phenolic rich fractions (PRFs) from crude methanolic extract (CME), and its fractions using ethyl acetate (EAF), hexane (HF) and water (WF) of black mahlab (Monechma ciliatum) and white mahlab (Prunus mahaleb) seedcakes were investigated. The total phenolic compounds were found to be higher in white mahlab than black mahlab seedcakes. The antioxidant activity determined by the DPPH method revealed that black mahlab PRFs had the highest antioxidant activity, compared to white mahlab fractions. The presence of antioxidants in the two mahlab PRFs reduced the oxidation of β-carotene by hydroperoxides from these extracts/fractions. The effect of the two mahlab PRFs on the oxidative stability of corn oil at 70 °C was tested in the dark and compared with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The CME performed better antioxidant activity in inhibiting the formation of both primary and secondary oxidation products. The qualitative and quantitative characterisation of phenolic compounds was carried out by HPLC/DAD

Antioxidant activity and phenolic content of phenolic rich fractions obtained from black cumin (Nigella sativa) seedcake.

The antioxidant activities of crude methanolic extract (CME) and its fractions using ethyl acetate (EAF), hexane (HF) and water (WF) of black cumin seedcake were investigated. DPPH radical scavenging activity, β-carotene-linoleate bleaching, and inhibition of corn oil oxidation were used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity. The total phenolics were found to be 78.8, 27.8, 32.1 and 12.1 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g in EAF, CME, WF and HF, respectively. The CME and EAF exhibited the highest DPPH followed by WF and HF. The extract/fractions showed high effect on reducing the oxidation of β-carotene. The effect of extract/fractions on the oxidative stability of corn oil at 70 °C was tested in the dark and compared with butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The oil peroxide and anisidine values were generally lower with addition of PRFs in comparison to a control. The predominant phenolic compounds identified by HPLC-DAD in CME and WF of black cumin seedcake were hydroxybenzoic, syringic and p-cumaric acids

The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Health Promoting Behaviour among Older Adults with Chronic Illness

Self-efficacy plays an essential role in increasing health-promoting behaviour among older adults with chronic illness. Chronic illness requires high self-efficacy to manage the disease appropriately. Hence, the purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between self-efficacy and health-promoting behaviour among older adults with chronic illness. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire to 218 older adults. The results from this study found a relationship between self-efficacy and health-promoting behaviour exists at rho 0.28 and p-value 0.001. This study revealed that self-efficacy strongly relates to health-promoting behaviour among older adults.eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia

Effect of graphene nanoplatelets on flame retardancy and corrosion resistance of epoxy nanocomposite coating

Various concentrations of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) i.e. 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 wt. % were incorporated into the epoxy resin by sonication technique and mechanical agitation process. Limiting oxygen index (LOI) test and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that the presence of GNP greatly enhanced the flame retardancy properties of the epoxy coating. Salt spray results obtained suggested that the addition of GNP enhanced corrosion performance and reducing the water absorption in comparison with pristine epoxy coating. Adhesion (cross-cut test) revealed that the presence of GNP showed great adhesion to substrates. Incorporation of 0.8 wt. % GNP exhibited the superior anticorrosion performance, great adhesion to subtract, and the lowest water uptake among other samples

Protective effect of Centella asiatica extract and powder on oxidative stress in rats

The effect of Centella asiatica extract and powder in reducing oxidative stress in SpraqueDawley rats was evaluated. Lipid peroxidation was monitored by measuring malonaldehyde (MDA) level in blood. Activities of free radical-scavenging enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) were determined using H2O2 decomposition and nitrobluetetrazolium reduction, respectively. Results showed that administration of H2O2 (0.1%) in drinking water of the rats, for 25 weeks, increased the malonaldehyde levels in erythrocytes of all the rats. However, rats receiving C. asiatica extract, powder and a-tocopherol had lower MDA levels than did the other rats, which indicates, decrease lipid peroxidation in these rats. Increase in catalase activity of the rats appears to be a response to H2O2 accumulation. The decrease in the activity of superoxide dismutase in C. asiatica- and a-tocopherol supplemented rats suggested a lower requirement for the enzyme and this indicates the protective effect of the plant in combating oxidative stress undergone by the rats. Results revealed that C. asiatica extract and powder may ameliorate H2O2-induced oxidative stress by decreasing lipid peroxidation via alteration of the antioxidant defence system of the rats

Intumescent flame retardant coating based graphene oxide and halloysite nanotubes

Epoxy nanocomposites coatings filled with hybrid graphene oxide/halloysites (GO/HNT) based intumescent flame-retardant additives (IFR) have been fabricated and investigated in terms of flame retardancy property, thermal stability, and adhesion strength. The dispersion and interaction of the nanofillers with the matrix were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The synergistic flame-retardant effects of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) on flame retardancy properties and thermal stability were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The result shows that the epoxy coating with hybrid GO/HNT based IFR achieve an LOI of 26 % at 1 phr of APP (EGO0.6H0.3APP1). Meanwhile, the maximum mass loss of the EGO0.6H0.3APP1 coating sample is 391.0 °C which showing an increment by 1.3 % compared with neat epoxy coating, demonstrating excellent thermal stability performance. The char residue also suggests, APP played a synergistic flame‐retardant mechanism with a combination of hybrid GO/HNT. The presence of hybrid GO/HNT/IFR considerably enhances adhesion strength between the coating material and metal substrate. The EGO0.6H0.3APP1 showed the maximum LOI value, thermal stability, and adhesion strength among the studied formulations

Intumescent flame retardant coating based graphene oxide and halloysite nanotubes

Epoxy nanocomposites coatings filled with hybrid graphene oxide/halloysites (GO/HNT) based intumescent flame-retardant additives (IFR) have been fabricated and investigated in terms of flame retardancy property, thermal stability, and adhesion strength. The dispersion and interaction of the nanofillers with the matrix were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The synergistic flame-retardant effects of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) on flame retardancy properties and thermal stability were investigated by limiting oxygen index (LOI) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The result shows that the epoxy coating with hybrid GO/HNT based IFR achieve an LOI of 26 % at 1 phr of APP (EGO0.6H0.3APP1). Meanwhile, the maximum mass loss of the EGO0.6H0.3APP1 coating sample is 391.0 °C which showing an increment by 1.3 % compared with neat epoxy coating, demonstrating excellent thermal stability performance. The char residue also suggests, APP played a synergistic flame-retardant mechanism with a combination of hybrid GO/HNT. The presence of hybrid GO/HNT/IFR considerably enhances adhesion strength between the coating material and metal substrate. The EGO0.6H0.3APP1 showed the maximum LOI value, thermal stability, and adhesion strength among the studied formulations