Making The Cut - A dynamic Malaysian finds her niche with a yellow rectangle

MOK Choy Lin a two time winner of the Best Documentary prize at the Asian TV Awards never envisioned a career in television production

Excellent score for 18 varsities

Eighteen higher education ibstitutions achieved Tier Five or "excellent" status in the Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education 2009(Setara)

'Excellent' score for 18 universities

Eighteen higher education institutions achieved Tier Five or 'excellent' status in the Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education 2009 (Setara)

The rating game

The long-awaited Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education 2009(setara)rating has been released and 18 higher education institutions have achieved Tier Five or "Excellent" status

Acceptance of sexual minorities, discrimination, social capital and health and well-being: A cross-European study among members of same-sex and opposite-sex couples

Background: Awareness of health disparities based on sexual orientation has increased in the past decades, and many official public health agencies throughout Europe call for programs addressing the specific needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals. However, the acceptance of LGB individuals varies significantly in different countries, which potentially influences health and well-being in this population. We explored differences in self-rated health and subjective well-being between individuals living in same-sex and opposite-sex couples. We also examined the effects of discrimination and country-level variations in LGB acceptance on health and well-being and the potential mediating role of social capital in these associations. Methods: Using the 2010 European Social Survey (n = 50,781), 315 individuals living with a same-sex partner were matched and compared with an equal number of individuals living in opposite-sex couples. We performed structural equation modeling analyses to estimate path coefficients, mediations and interactions. Results: LGB acceptance was significantly related to better self-rated health and subjective well-being among all individuals, and these associations were partially mediated by individual social capital. No differences in these associations were found between individuals living in same-sex and opposite-sex couples. Sexuality-based discrimination had an additional significantly negative effect on self-related health and subjective well-being. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest a negative association between exposure to discrimination based on sexual orientation and both health and well-being of individuals living in same-sex couples. Members of same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples alike may benefit from living in societies with a high level of LGB acceptance to promote better health and well-being

A Qualitative Case Study Exploring Hand-Hygiene Standards in an Intensive Care Unit

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are infections that occur in patients during their time of care in a hospital. Considerable emphasis is currently placed on reducing HAIs through improving hand-hygiene (HH) compliance among healthcare professionals because HAIs are a critical challenge to public health in the United States. By focusing on meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HH standards, the purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how noncompliance with these standards and lack of technology usage affect HAIs in the intensive care unit. Additionally, the goal of this research was to explore behavioral factors and best practices that influence compliance rates in intensive care units. Thereafter, the researcher provided recommendations for healthcare leadership to address the phenomenon of HAI

Give It A Thought

while most people marvel at the breathtaking wonders of nature seen on National Geographic and Discovery Channel documentaries, few think about an environment-related career