Does prolonged standing at work among teachers associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)?

In order to accomplish a wide range of duties and responsibilities that may be done under unpleasant working conditions, prolonged standing posture is common with school teachers. Nevertheless, standing upright for a long time or otherwise regarded as prolonged standing frequently contributes to body pain and discomfort, muscle fatigue and even health problems such as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The aim of this paper is to review MSDs arising from prolonged standing and spread information on existing ergonomic and non-ergonomic interventions to alleviate prolonged standing discomfort. Systematic review on prolonged standing school teachers with specific keywords were recognized to discover the appropriate studies and information in a systematic search. The informations in this review may be helpful to guide teacher, school management and researchers to implement the suitable interventions in order to minimise the health issue due to MSDs among school teachers

Maqasid syariah dalam pembinaan fatwa berkaitan amalan rentas agama dan rentas budaya di Malaysia

Amalan rentas agama dan rentas budaya dalam masyarakat Malaysia hari ini telah menimbulkan polimik di kalangan masyarakat sama ada ianya menepati ajaran Islam atau tidak. Justeru, institusi fatwa baik di peringkat persekutuan mahupun di peringkat negeri, yang berautoriti dalam mengeluarkan hukum berkenaan isu ini harus memberi pencerahan supaya keharmonian masyarakat dan kesucian akidah terus terbela. Kajian secara menyeluruh terhadap fatwa yang sedia ada bagi mengawal agama dan akidah masyarakat perlu diambil perhatian bagi memastikan matlamat penjelasan dan penguatkuasaannya tercapai kerana fatwa yang dikeluarkan oleh mufti dan jawatankuasa fatwa pastinya bertujuan baik, bermatlamat mulia dan keperluannya selari dengan kehendak syarak yang ditetapkan oleh Allah melalui al-Quran dan al-Sunnah. Ianya sekaligus mampu memenuhi matlamat dan hikmah dalam memutuskan sesuatu hukum atau lebih dikenali sebagai “maqasid syariah”. Artikel ini ditulis untuk melihat sejauh mana keperluan maqasid syariah diambil perhatian dan diberi pertimbangan wajar dalam penentuan sesuatu fatwa yang dikeluarkan oleh Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan dan institusi fatwa di beberapa buah negeri dalam isu yang berkaitan amalan rentas agama dan budaya dalam kalangan masyarakat di Malaysia dari tahun 2010 hingga 2015. Hasilnya, kertas ini mendapati bahawa kesemua fatwa yang telah diputuskan mengambil kira pengaplikasiaan maqasid syariah demi untuk menjaga dan mengukuhkan lagi tonggak agama, keturunan dan harta benda masyarakat Islam kita

Exposure to PM10 and NO2 and association with respiratory health among primary school children living near petrochemical industry area at Kertih, Terengganu

This study was carried out to determine the level of exposure to PM10 and NO2 and its relation to respiratory health among primary school children living near petrochemical industry area at Kertih, Terengganu. This cross sectional comparative study was conducted among 60 children from studied group and 60 children from comparative group. The respondents were selected based on inclusive criteria’s for this study. Level of exposure of PM10 was measured using DustTrak Aerosol Monitor while level of exposure of NO2 was measured using LaMotte Air Sampling Pump. Questionnaire was used to collect information on respondent’s socio-demography background and respiratory symptoms. Lung function test was performed using Spirometer. Results showed that the mean concentration of PM10 (79 μg/m3) and NO2 (3.73 ppm) for studied group was higher compared to comparative group, PM10 (49 μg/m3) and NO2 (0.14 ppm). As overall, reported respiratory symptoms were significantly higher among studied group compare to comparative group. Significant reduction value of FEV1/FVC% showed that there was airways obstruction for studied group. Findings from this study indicated that exposure to indoor PM10 and NO2 concentrations may increase risk of getting respiratory symptoms and reduction of lung function among primary school children living near petrochemical industry area

[The Relevance of Fatwa on Zakat Distribution as a Social Assurance System for Muslim Communities in Terengganu] Kerelevanan Fatwa Mengenai Pengagihan Zakat Sebagai Suatu Sistem Jaminan Sosial Masyarakat Islam di Terengganu

The zakat institution plays an important role in preaching the rules of conducts and doctrines based on syari’ah for Muslim community lives. Among others, the zakat institution plays a vital role in explaining the community on the zakat management system. This is due to the fact that zakat, when managed wisely will help to eradicate poverty in the Muslim community. Current practise in Terengganu shows that there are a number of illegitimate ‘amil (zakat collectors) whom are not appointed by the government. Thus, this paper emphasises on the relevancy of fatwa in making the payment and management of zakat becomes much more sustainable, and thus making it more justifiable, and beneficial to the social stability among Muslims in Terengganu. The research found out that the fatwa given by the office of the mufti and his committees is very much relevant with the need of the community, which is, that the zakat (almsgiving) properties need to be managed efficiently and distributed equally to the target groups so that the sustainable of the social welfare in Terengganu is well taken care of.   Keywords: relevancy, fatwa, zakat distribution, social justifying system, community, Terengganu.     Institusi fatwa memainkan peranan yang penting dalam penyebaran maklumat hukum kepada masyarakat Islam agar kehidupan mereka berlandaskan syariah. Antara usaha yang dimainkan oleh institusi fatwa di Terengganu adalah menjelaskan kepada masyarakat berhubung pengurusan sistem pengurusan zakat. Ini kerana zakat merupakan salah satu kaedah yang boleh menyelesaikan bebanan kemiskinan yang melanda masyarakat Islam. Dalam situasi yang ada di Terengganu, pengurusan pembayaran dan agihan zakat ini bukan sahaja dilakukan oleh pihak pemerintah, bahkan terdapat juga segelintir masyarakat yang bertindak seolah-olah sebagai amil meskipun tidak dilantik oleh pihak pemerintah. Justeru artikel ini menumpukan kepada kerelevanan fatwa dalam melestarikan pengurusan pengagihan zakat agar ia dapat diagihkan kepada golongan yang benar-benar memerlukannya sekaligus dapat mewujudkan satu sistem jaminan sosial dalam kalangan masyarakat Islam di Terengganu. Kajian mendapati, fatwa yang dikemukakan oleh mufti dan jawatankuasa fatwa relevan dengan keperluan masyarakat agar harta zakat diurus dengan lebih efisyen dan tersusun serta dapat diagihkan kepada kumpulan sasar sekaligus dapat menjamin kelestarian sistem sosial masyarakat Islam di Terengganu.   Kata kunci: Kerelevanan, Fatwa, Pengagihan zakat, Jaminan Sosial, Masyarakat, Terenggan

Interventions to reduce musculoskeletal disorders among motor vehicle workers: a review

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the most common work-related health problems affecting workers across all employment sectors. It causes problems in several economic activity sectors in industrialized countries. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify which specific types of interventions were effective to reduce musculoskeletal disorders among motor vehicle workers. Results: Among of these studies, two of them were conducted in Netherlands and the other two also were conducted in the United State. The other five remaining articles were conducted in Japan, Finland, Italy, China and United Kingdom. All of them were intervention studies but only one of this was systematic review. In general, of the 9 included studies, 7 of the reviews showed positive effect from the implemented interventions done at their workplace. The 2 reviews presented that the interventions was not effective towards their workers. Conclusion: Overall, among several types of intervention used to reduce MSD, there is the most common type of intervention that usually applied towards motor vehicle workers which is administrative control intervention. However, this type of intervention is not effective as engineering control intervention which is provide more positive effects

Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenide as Electron Transport Layer of Perovskite Solar Cells

Conventional perovskite solar cells utilize a combination of a compact and mesoporous layer of TiO2 or SnO2 as the electron transport layer. This structure is vulnerable to massive loss of photogenerated carriers due to grain boundary resistance in the layer. In this chapter, we will discuss a potential electron transport layer that might drive higher power conversion efficiency, i.e., thin and single-crystalline 2D transition metal dichalcogenide. Because of their ultimate thin structure, they facilitate rapid electron transport and enhanced carrier extraction in the solar cells device. We will also discuss the current state of the art of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide atomic layer application as an electron transport layer in the perovskite solar cells as well as our recent attempt in this field

Employees’ Turnover Intention in Malaysian Manufacturing Company

Employee turnover is a significant issue in human resource management, which refers to the employees’ willingness to leave their current organization within a predetermined time frame. Thus, it is essential to pinpoint the factors affecting this decision, which include salary, working environment, employer-employee relationship, and leadership styles.  The primary data was collected from a sample of 136 employees from a manufacturing company in Johor, Malaysia, and all questionnaires were successfully collected from the respondents. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23, and Pearson Correlation and regression analysis were carried out to investigate the influences between the variables. The results from the correlational study revealed that all independent variables have a negative relationship with the dependent variable. Multiple regression analysis showed that the four independent variables substantially explain 54% of the variance for employee turnover intention. However, when assessing the coefficient for each independent variable, only salary, employer-employee relationships, and leadership styles were significant, and the remaining variable was insignificant. For future research, it is recommended that an explicit sample size should be adopted so that the findings can be generalized to other similar populations

Optimisation of biodegradation conditions for waste canola oil by cold-adapted Rhodococcus sp. AQ5-07 from Antarctica

Background: The potential waste canola oil-degrading ability of the cold-adapted Antarctic bacterial strain Rhodococcus sp. AQ5-07 was evaluated. Globally, increasing waste from food industries generates serious anthropogenic environmental risks that can threaten terrestrial and aquatic organisms and communities. The removal of oils such as canola oil from the environment and wastewater using biological approaches is desirable as the thermal process of oil degradation is expensive and ineffective. Results: Rhodococcus sp. AQ5-07 was found to have high canola oil-degrading ability. Physico-cultural conditions influencing its activity were studied using one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and statistical optimisation approaches. Considerable degradation (78.60%) of 3% oil was achieved by this bacterium when incubated with 1.0 g/L ammonium sulphate, 0.3 g/L yeast extract, pH 7.5 and 10% inoculum at 10°C over a 72-h incubation period. Optimisation of the medium conditions using response surface methodology (RSM) resulted in a 9.01% increase in oil degradation (87.61%) when supplemented with 3.5% canola oil, 1.05 g/L ammonium sulphate, 0.28g/L yeast extract, pH 7.5 and 10% inoculum at 12.5°C over the same incubation period. The bacterium was able to tolerate an oil concentration of up to 4.0%, after which decreased bacterial growth and oil degradation were observed. Conclusions: These features make this strain worthy of examination for practical bioremediation of lipid-rich contaminated sites. This is the first report of any waste catering oil degradation by bacteria originating from Antarctica

A systematic review of intervention to reduce musculoskeletal disorders: hand and arm disorders

Despite with countless number of incidence related to musculoskeletal disorders among workers, there are lot of studies that come out with interventions in order to reduce musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders continue to give a large impact and challenge towards employer and employee in many different sectors. This article had reviewed the literature that related to intervention to reduce musculoskeletal disorders of the hand and arm. 5 databases were reviewed to identify studies related to intervention to reduce musculoskeletal disorders of the hand and arm among workers. In order to identify and classify research studies, specific keywords (ergonomic, musculoskeletal disorder, hand and arm disorders, occupation, injury, intervention and prevention) were identified and used in a systematic search to guide the discovery of relevant studies. Included studies were reviewed and interventions were assessed. As overall, 312 titles were discovered during the search and only 6 studies that were related to hand and arm disorders and met inclusion criteria. Within these 6 studies, this review identified ergonomic interventions in terms of training, program and workstation redesign. The positive outcomes after the implementation of these interventions, there were significant reduction related to hand and arm disorders among workers. As conclusion, interventions that had been implemented in these 6 studies and significant reduction of musculoskeletal disorders, there is need to do further research in order to propose ergonomic designs for the workers in workplace

Biosurfactant production and growth kinetics studies of the waste canola oil-degrading bacterium Rhodococcus erythropolis AQ5-07 from Antarctica

With the progressive increase in human activities in the Antarctic region, the possibility of domestic oil spillage also increases. Developing means for the removal of oils, such as canola oil, from the environment and waste “grey” water using biological approaches is therefore desirable, since the thermal process of oil degradation is expensive and ineffective. Thus, in this study an indigenous cold-adapted Antarctic soil bacterium, Rhodococcus erythropolis strain AQ5-07, was screened for biosurfactant production ability using the multiple approaches of blood haemolysis, surface tension, emulsification index, oil spreading, drop collapse and “MATH” assay for cellular hydrophobicity. The growth kinetics of the bacterium containing different canola oil concentration was studied. The strain showed β-haemolysis on blood agar with a high emulsification index and low surface tension value of 91.5% and 25.14 mN/m, respectively. Of the models tested, the Haldane model provided the best description of the growth kinetics, although several models were similar in performance. Parameters obtained from the modelling were the maximum specific growth rate (qmax), concentration of substrate at the half maximum specific growth rate, Ks% (v/v) and the inhibition constant Ki% (v/v), with values of 0.142 h−1, 7.743% (v/v) and 0.399% (v/v), respectively. These biological coefficients are useful in predicting growth conditions for batch studies, and also relevant to “in field” bioremediation strategies where the concentration of oil might need to be diluted to non-toxic levels prior to remediation. Biosurfactants can also have application in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) under different environmental conditions