Prevalence of low back pain and associated factors among taxi drivers in Johor Bahru

Low back pain is one of the common musculoskeletal disorders affecting taxi drivers in the transportation sector. The problem is frequently associated with prolonged sitting while driving, whole body vibration and manual handling of goods to be delivered. There are approximately 73,893 licences issued for taxi drivers in Malaysia and 10.5% of them are based in the Johor Bahru, most probably due to located in town and near to Singapore. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of low back pain and associated factors among taxi drivers in Johor Bahru for the year 2012. The sample size required for this study was 228 respondents but only 224 respondents were managed to be approached for administration of assisted questionnaire. The response rate of this study was 98.2%. Results showed that the prevalence of low back pain in the past twelve months was 49.1%. Majority of the respondents were Malay (84.4%), and nonsmokers (90.2%). The prevalence of low back pain was higher among those who drove Wira taxis (55.5%), Indian and other ethnicities (56.0%). There was a significant association between low back pain and marital status. Abnormal Body Mass Index (BMI) status was significantly related to low back pain as well, supporting the postulated hypotheses. The study also revealed significant association between low back pain and manual handling, which includes lifting, bending and twisting the lower back. There was a higher prevalence of low back pain among taxi drivers who are not satisfied with their work (66.7%) and among those who lack support at work (53.8%). It was also found that the taxi drivers are highly aware of the low back pain problem and in need for early prevention and treatment. Therefore, necessary interventions need to be implemented to reduce the prevalence of low back pain among taxi drivers to retain them in the job and enhance productivit

Kesan penggunaan peta konsep dan pembelajaran koperatif terhadap prestasi pelajar dalam mata pelajaran sejarah tingkatan empat

This article attempts to examine the effectiveness of the use of concept map cognitive strategies and cooperative learning to improve comprehension, short-term knowledge, and ability to solve a given problem based on the topics taught in the form of essay questions at the end of the lesson or test for Form Four History subject. This study also aims to see the difference in performance between male and female students who use concept map cognitive strategies and cooperative learning than male and female students who do not use cooperative learning. A total of 60 students from secondary schools in Penang were taken as a sample. This study used a quasi-experiment with a 2x2 factorial design involving t-test at a 0.05 significance level. The results showed that students who learn to use concept maps learning strategies and cooperative approach can improve performance achievement in the subject of history. Students not only can improve the understanding of the topic being taught, but also can use the new knowledge gained from cooperative learning to solve problems with more confidence. Therefore, learning using concept maps and cooperative strategy is proposed to be practiced in the teaching and learning of History subject in form 4

Kesan Penggunaan Peta Konsep dan Pembelajaran Koperatif terhadap prestasi pelajar dalam mata pelajaran sejarah tingkatan empat

This article attempts to examine the effectiveness of the use of concept map cognitive strategies and cooperative learning to improve comprehension, short-term knowledge, and ability to solve a given problem based on the topics taught in the form of essay questions at the end of the lesson or test for Form Four History subject. This study also aims to see the difference in performance between male and female students who use concept map cognitive strategies and cooperative learning than male and female students who do not use cooperative learning. A total of 60 students from secondary schools in Penang were taken as a sample. This study used a quasi-experiment with a 2x2 factorial design involving t-test at a 0.05 significance level. The results showed that students who learn to use concept maps learning strategies and cooperative approach can improve performance achievement in the subject of history. Students not only can improve the understanding of the topic being taught, but also can use the new knowledge gained from cooperative learning to solve problems with more confidence. Therefore, learning using concept maps and cooperative strategy is proposed to be practiced in the teaching and learning of History subject in form 4

Stress and mental health problem on secondary school student in Sabah

Several studies proved there is a significant relationship among stress with mental health, depression and stress that prolonged. (Abouserie, 1994; Diane & Misty, 1997; Bojuwoye, 2002; Mahadir, Shazli Ezzat, Normah & Ponnusamy, 2004; Najib, Che Su, Zarina & Suhanim, 2005; Najeemah, 2005). The purpose of the study is to create mental health profile among students in Sabah. This research also tends to find out the relationship between stress and mental health among secondary students in Sabah. Furthermore this research also tends to find out the differences of mental health among multi-ethnic secondary school student. There is about 500 secondary students was aged mean 16.06 was taken from Sabah to do survey. Finding indicated that there is a positive significance correlation between stress with mental health (r= .731, p < .001). Results also indicate there were significant differences among ethnic groups in Sabah (F (9.490) = 4.625, p <.05). The importance of mental health issues and intervention had been discussed

Optimization of protease production by Bacillus licheniformis in Sugarcane bagasse using statistical experimental design

Sugarcane bagasse, the residue obtained after extracting the sugar juice from sugarcane was tested for the production of protease under solid-state fermentation (SSF) using Bacillus licheniformis. The fermentation variables were selected in accordance with Plackett-Burman design and were further optimized via response surface methodological approach. Four significant variables (K2HPO4, Beef extract, NaNO3 and Glycine) were selected for the optimization studies. The optimum values for the selected variables were; K2HPO4 -0.3464g/gds, Beef extract- 0.1039g/gds, NaNO3- 0.0334g/gds and Glycine- 0.1027g/gds. A second-order model equation was suggested and then validated experimentally.The model adequacy was very satisfactory as the coefficient of determination was 0.95. The maximum protease production was 146.28U/gd

Pengaruh optimistik, kecekapan kendiri umum dan sokongan sosial terhadap kebahagiaan remaja miskin di Sabah

Kajian dijalankan bertujuan untuk mengkaji pengaruh optimistik, kecekapan kendiri umum, sokongan sosial dan afek positif-negatif ke atas kebahagiaan remaja miskin di Sabah. Kajian rintis dijalankan ke atas 110 remaja miskin. Terdapat lima set soal selidik yang digunakan, iaitu Extended Life Orientation Test (ELOT) mengukur optimistik, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) mengukur efikasi kendiri umum, Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB)-Short Form mengukur sokongan sosial, Positive Affective and Negative Affective Schedule (PANAS) mengukur afek positif dan negatif, dan Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) mengukur kebahagiaan. Analisis kebolehpercayaan dijalankan adalah melihat kepada pekali Cronbach Alfa menggunakan Statistical Packages of Social Science (SPSS) versi 21. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa Extended Life Orientation Test (ELOT) menunjukkan nilai Cronbach Alfa 0.697, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) sebanyak 0.704, Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB)-Short Form sebanyak 0.925 dan Positive Affective and Negative Affective Schedule (PANAS) sebanyak 0.730. Manakala, bagi alat kajian pemboleh ubah terikat Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) menunjukkan nilai sebanyak 0.823. Analisis inferensi mendapati sokongan sosial lebih mempengaruhi kebahagiaan remaja miskin, iaitu sebanyak 20.2%. Dapatan juga mendapati afek positif mempunyai kesan mediator antara hubungan optimistik dan kebahagiaan remaja miskin di Sabah

Sokongan Sosial Sebagai Pengantara Pengaruh Optimistik Ke Atas Kebahagiaan Remaja Di Pengajian Tinggi (Social Support As A Mediator Of The Influence Of Optimism Towards Happiness Among Adolescents In Higher Education)

Happiness is the natural goal of life for every human being. Every indivdual is trying to find happiness because it describes a good life. Therefore, this study aims to examine an influence on happiness, which is optimistic, using a positive psychological strength,. Social support is utilized as an external quality as it supports the optimistic influence towards happiness. The study was conducted on 436 adolescents in higher education, aged between 18 and 25 years old. The quantitative study uses a set of questionnaires to obtain the data, Extended Life Orientation Test for optimistic measurements, Inventory of Socially Supportive Behavior Short Form measures social support, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire measures adolescents happiness. Descriptively, adolescents in higher education showed high optimism (Min = 3.77, SP = .62), while moderate social support for the three forms of support, namely guidance support (Min = 3.07, SP = .81), emotional support (Min = 3.17, SP = .99) and tangible support (Min = 2.82, SP = .95). Adolescents in higher education reported having a moderate level of happiness (Min = 3.39, S.P = .92). The findings show that guidance and emotion support mediating the influence of optimistic towards happiness among adolescents in higher education. Tangible support does not play any role. The implication of the study is to adolescents that even the positive attitudes of optimistic can enhance their happiness, but the guidance and emotional support from significant people can further reinforce those influences

Rapid Prototyping for Aerospace Launch Vehicles

Initial studies of the aerodynamic characteristics of proposed launch vehicles can be made more accurately if lower cost, high-fidelity aerodynamic models are available for wind tunnel testing early in design phase. Rapid Prototyping (RP) is an emerging key technology for producing accurate parts directly from CAD models quickly, with little need of human intervention. Use of RP models was studied at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). It was concluded that RP methods and materials can be used only for preliminary design studies and limited configurations because of the RP material properties that allow bending of models under higher loading conditions. The reported results and analysis were based on wind tunnel balances. These balances give total load on the body. Thus, there is a need for studying the pressure distribution, the wave pattern and the system behavior under high-speed conditions. In order to study the above goals, a blunt nose cone of a launch vehicle/ missile was tested which was made using the solid based RP method FDM, with a Mach number of 2.0. It is concluded that RP models can take the load at the Mach number 2.0 and also can capture the pressure distribution and wave pattern.Mechanical Engineerin

Recycling of RP Models by Solution - Casting Technique

Most of the Rapid Prototyping systems process polymeric materials for model making. Increased environmental concerns and waste minimization demands the recycle of these polymeric models. One way is to melt the models and cast it. However, in this method polymer degradation may occur leading to diminished functionality. In the present work a preliminary attempt has been made to reuse the polymer components by dissolving in a suitable solvent and casting the same into the required shape using soft tooling. Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) polymer components, made by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process were taken for the present studyMechanical Engineerin