Gratification obtained from agricultural information disseminated through radio among Malaysian farmers

Radio is recognized to be the most suitable medium for rural advancement programs. It has potential to be the most effective media in promoting agriculture and development in rural areas, particularly as a tool for the delivery of quick information. A quantitative study was designed to determine how farmers use radio to obtain and gather information to gratify their needs. A total of 400 respondents were selected randomly from four states in Peninsular Malaysia. A multiple linear regression was used to address the research hypothesis. The outcomes of the study are expected to give a deeper understanding of how media help the farmers in meeting their information needs, how they perceive the media, and their beliefs and evaluations of the media programmes

Effects of Watching Violence Movies On The Attudes Concerning Aggression Among Middle Schoolboys (13-17 years old) at International Schools In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Violence is one of the global concerns today in all segments of the world.Antisocial behaviour in human beings is accepted to be associated to a number of physiological, psychological, domestic, and cultural aspects. The learning environments which a child is exposed are also assumed to contribute to the increase of aggressive behaviour and attitudes. Media violence as one of specific learning condition is believed to be a potential contributor to the growth of antisocial behaviour in children and youth. Many studies have been conducted in the area of media violence and its effects on the young viewers. A major focus has been the relationship between media violence and aggressive behaviour but, interestingly, research regarding the relationship between media violence and attitudes about aggression is limited. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to contribute to the state of the research by predicting and comparing attitudes about aggression among adolescent boys on the basis of their exposure to violence in movies. This study used a survey research design. Two hundred and sixteen adolescent boys aged 13-17 were selected from seven international schools located in Kuala Lumpur. The data were collected using four instruments: the Demographic Questionnaire, the Media Viewing Habit Questionnaire, the Affection toward movie violence scale, and the Attitudes concerning Aggression Scale. The results indicated that adolescent boys spend a significant amount of time watching movies on TV and DVD/CD as well. In addition, they are Effects of Watching Violence Movies on the Attitudes Concerning Aggression among Middle Schoolboys (13-17 years old) at International Schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 142 exposed to substantial amounts of media violence. At the same time, parental involvement with their adolescents’ movie viewing is relatively limited. Further results showed that there is significant difference between heavy and light viewers of movie violence in any dimension of their attitudes about aggression.Adolescents with “violent” movies preferred, however, were significantly more supportive of the attitude that aggression is acceptable and warranted, as compared to those who prefer movies with little or no violence. Additional results demonstrated that the "aggressionacceptable" attitude was significantly related to a set of variables. The strongest predictors of this attitude in adolescent boys were affection toward movies, movie viewing habits, and the adolescents' movies preferred. The results obtained in this research are discussed in terms of implications for both violence-prevention programs and media-awareness programs. Suggestions for future research are also presented

Evaluation of synergistic therapeutic effect of shark cartilage extract with artemisinin and glucantime on visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice

Objective(s): Because leishmaniasis is related to the impaired functioning of T-cells, the use of an immunomodulator can increase the efficacy of antileishmanial therapy in visceral leishmaniasis. In this study, we used shark cartilage extract with artemisinin and glucantime against visceral leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice, and evaluated the synergistic therapeutic effect. Materials and Methods: The culturing method and quantitative real-time PCR by using the kDNA gene was used to detect parasite loads in the spleen and liver. INF-γ and IL-4 cytokine levels and survival rates were assayed.Results: The drug therapy with target drugs reduced parasite burden in the spleen and liver significantly. Although parasite burden was lower in the artemisinin treated group than in the glucantime treated group (

Satisfaction received towards agricultural information from television programs among farmers

Television is one of the top mass media to broadcast the information. It is heartening to know that mass media is playing its role in developing and strengthening the agriculture sector in Malaysia. Results from many international studies found that farmer received a high level of satisfaction from agriculture programs aired on television. However, can the similar results found among farmers in Malaysia? Therefore, this study intends to discover the Malaysian farmers satisfaction towards agricultural information aired on television. This is a quantitative study. The data collection was conducted through survey method and the respondents selected were from the states of western Malaysia Kedah and Selangor. Interestingly, both states; Kedah and Selangor recorded a similar level of satisfaction towards agriculture programs. Further analyses run have concluded that farmers in both states have a higher level of satisfaction towards information related to crops/livestock/farming and good agriculture practices. The findings of the study can be good sources and references for the agriculture programs producers to measure on the level of satisfaction of the agriculture programs aired by television among the farmers. Moreover, the findings demonstrated can help our agricultural programs producer to improve their contents in order to fulfill needs of their audience

The credibility of television in disseminating agricultural information to farmers in Malaysia

Agriculture and television are two different things that can be combined in many ways. Television has been utilized to further intensify agricultural development in Malaysia. This study attempts to discover the credibility of television when disseminating agricultural information to Malaysian farmers. A total of 400 farmers from four states in Malaysia were chosen as the respondents in this study. It was found that farmers view television as a credible source for disseminating clear and understandable agricultural information. In addition, it was considered credible due to its ability to provide up-to-date, unbiased and factual agricultural information. However, television is seen as less credible in terms of providing information at the right time, and is unable to provide all the necessary information

Microbiologically-influenced corrosion of the electroless-deposited NiP-TiNi – Coating

In this study, we reveal the microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) behavior of the new electroless NiP-TiNi nanocomposite coating in simulated seawater using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique after different periods of incubation time (7, 10, 14, 21, 28 days) in a sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) medium. The biofilm formation and the corrosion products were characterized using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The EIS results revealed the carbon steel (CS)/NiP-TiNi and NiP-TiNi/SRB biofilm interfaces' characteristics after different incubation times in the SRB media. EIS measurements revealed that the NiP-TiNi nanocomposite coating's MIC resistances are superior relative to API X80 carbon steel and a TiNi-free NiP coating, with ∼93% of corrosion inhibition efficiency after 28 days of incubation

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Specific Therapy in Patients with Combined Post- and Precapillary Pulmonary Hypertension

Background. Specific therapy for patients with PAH is associated with good outcomes. Little is known about the effect of this treatment in patients with Cpc-PH (PAPm ≥ 25 mmHg, PAWP > 15 mmHg, DPG ≥ 7 mmHg, and/or PVR > 3 WU). This study evaluates the outcome of treating patients with Cpc-PH using PAH specific therapy. Methods. The primary outcome was survival. Secondary outcomes were WHO functional class and 6-minute walk distance (6-MWD). Results. Twenty-six patients with Cpc-PH (half with VHD and half with HF) received PAHST. Six patients did not tolerate treatment due to pulmonary edema. No predictors for treatment intolerance were identified. In twenty patients who tolerated the treatment, the mean WHO functional class improved from 2.70±0.21 at initial assessment to 2.22±0.21 (p<0.04) and 2.06±0.21 (p<0.03) at 6 and 9 months, respectively. Mean 6-MWD improved from 276.0±38.50 meters at initial assessment to 343.9±22.99 meters (p<0.04) and 364.6±34.85 meters (p=0.07) at 6 and 9 months, respectively. Twelve patients died during the follow-up period. Mean survival for all patients was 1279.7±193.60 days. Conclusion. PAHST may be beneficial in the treatment of Cpc-PH (both short and long term). Prospective randomized controlled trials of PAHST in this population are needed to assess its potential efficacy

Addition of Sildenafil in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension with Inadequate Response to Bosentan Monotherapy

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains a progressive disease despite improvement when using one of three medication classes: prostanoids, endothelin receptor antagonists or phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. Combination therapy has been proposed for patients with unsatisfactory response to monotherapy

Influence of media viewing habits on attitudes towards aggression among schoolboys at international schools in Kuala Lumpur

Violence is one of the global concerns today in all segments of the world. Antisocial behaviour in human beings is accepted to be associated to a number of physiological, psychological, domestic, and cultural aspects. The learning environments which a child is exposed are also assumed to contribute to the increase of aggressive behaviour and attitudes. Media violence as one of specific learning condition is believed to be a potential contributor to the growth of antisocial behaviour in children and youth. Many studies have been conducted in the area of media violence and its effects on the young viewers. A major focus has been the relationship between media violence and aggressive behaviour but, interestingly, research regarding the relationship between media violence and attitudes about aggression is limited. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to contribute to the state of the research by predicting and comparing attitudes about aggression among adolescent boys on the basis of their exposure to violence in movies. This study used a survey research design. Two hundred and sixteen adolescent boys aged 13-17 were selected from seven international schools located in Kuala Lumpur. The data were collected using four instruments: the Demographic Questionnaire, the Media Viewing Habit Questionnaire, the Affection toward movie violence scale, and the Attitudes concerning Aggression Scale. The results indicated that adolescent boys spend a significant amount of time watching movies on TV and DVD/CD as well. In addition, they are exposed to substantial amounts of media violence. At the same time, parental involvement with their adolescents’ movie viewing is relatively limited. Further results showed that there is significant difference between heavy and light viewers of movie violence in any dimension of their attitudes about aggression. Adolescents with “violent” movies preferred, however, were significantly more supportive of the attitude that aggression is acceptable and warranted, as compared to those who prefer movies with little or no violence. Additional results demonstrated that the "aggression-acceptable" attitude was significantly related to a set of variables. The strongest predictors of this attitude in adolescent boys were affection toward movies, movie viewing habits, and the adolescents' movies preferred. The results obtained in this research are discussed in terms of implications for both violence-prevention programs and media awareness programs. Suggestions for future research are also presented