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

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

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

Decreased skin temperature of the plantar hind paw after cold exposure.

<p>Control groups were not significantly different (<b>A</b>). Significant lower skin temperatures were observed in diabetic animals 4 (<b>B</b>), 6 (<b>C</b>), and 8 weeks (<b>D</b>) after the induction of diabetes (dotted line) when compared to controls (continuous line). Data is presented as mean ± SEM. *<i>p</i> < 0.05, **<i>p</i> <0.01, *** <i>p</i>< 0.001 (two-way ANOVA with one repeated-measures factor ‘time’ with Bonferroni post-test).</p

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

Diabetic animals developed mechanical hyposensitivity.

<p>Increased mechanical withdrawal threshold was observed 6 and 8 weeks after induction of diabetes (dotted line) when compared to control (continuous line) Data is presented as mean ± SEM. *** <i>p</i>< 0.001 (two-way ANOVA with one repeated-measures factor ‘time’ with Bonferroni post-test).</p

Electrophysiological changes in diabetic animals.

<p>CMAP amplitude decreased in all diabetic groups (black bars) when compared to controls (white bars) (<b>A</b>), while MNVC showed a significant decrease 6 and 8 weeks after induction of diabetes (<b>B</b>).</p