Return of education and retirement age decision: a case study among management graduates from Malaysia

In this study we propose a simulation approach using Cost and Benefit Analysis (CBA) to evaluate effects of the increase in retirement age on education return among tertiary management graduates in Malaysia. All data are computed into CBA model using simulation approach to measure the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) once the retirement age is increased yearly. The overall findings of this study show that the IRR is not sensitive to the assumption made about the retirement age decisions; and the IRR does not change from the compulsory retirement age proposed by the Malaysian government. Therefore, the 56 years for retirement age for management graduates in Malaysia is still ideal in term of education return

The impact of foreign workers on labour productivity in Malaysian manufacturing sector

The growing presence of foreign workers in Malaysia can be explained by excess demand for labour combine with rapid economic growth, as well as the cheaper cost of foreign workers. Besides, industrialization also brought the foreign workers into Malaysia. Thus, when the foreign workers enter the labour force, they have many possible outcomes on labour market issues and productivity. This study determines the impact of foreign workers on labour productivity. Besides, the relationship between domestic and foreign workers as well as their contribution on Malaysian Manufacturing sector growth also investigated. The Cobb-Douglas production function is used to derive the model specification in this study. The results in this study show that foreign labours have positive and significant impact on labour productivity. Further, the study also reveals that foreign labours are neither substitutes nor complements for domestic labours

Technical efficiency of secondary health care service delivery in the Gambia

This study is conducted with specific objectives: a) To measure the technical and scale efficiency of the health centers in the Gambia; b) To estimate the amounts of output increases and/or input reductions that would be required to make inefficient health centers more efficient. The study uses output-oriented variable return to scale Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. The findings show that 9 (22%) health centers are efficient, 32 (78%) health centers are technically inefficient with an average technical efficiency score of 65% and standard deviation (STD) of 26%. Furthermore, 4 (10%) health centers are scale efficient, 37 (90%) health centers scale inefficient with an average scale efficiency score of 87% and standard deviation (STD) of 12%.The widespread inefficiency across the entire secondary health care service delivery system in the Gambia is alarming and the results suggest that health centers are using resources more than they actually need

HDL and its subpopulation (HDL2 AND HDL3) promote cholesterol transporters expression and attenuate inflammation in 3t3-l1 mature adipocytes induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Obesity activates inflammation causing dysfunction of adipocytes. Increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in obesity may be beneficial in overcoming this effect. However, not much data is available on the effects of HDL and its subpopulations in inflamed adipocytes. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of total HDL (tHDL) and the comparison between its subpopulations (HDL2 & HDL3) on protein and gene expression of cholesterol transporters, inflammation, and adipokines in TNF-α stimulated 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes. TNFα alone had lower adiponectin and higher protein and gene expression of IL-6 and NF-ĸβ (p65) compared to unstimulated adipocytes and these effects were attenuated by HDLs especially HDL3 (in most of the biomarkers). HDL and its subpopulation had higher cholesterol transporters expression in 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes induced by TNF-α compared to unstimulated cells. Increment of cholesterol transporters expression by HDL leads to reduce secretion of inflammatory markers [IL-6 & NF-kB (p65)] and visfatin and increases adiponectin secretion in the inflamed mature adipocytes. HDL exhibits beyond its reverse cholesterol transporter property by exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects thru the deactivation of NF-ĸβ (p65). This may contribute to reducing the progression of obesity-related complications

HDL and its subpopulation (HDL2 and HDL3) promote cholesterol transporters expression and attenuate inflammation in 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Obesity activates inflammation causing dysfunction of adipocytes. Increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in obesity may be beneficial in overcoming this effect. However, not much data is available on the effects of HDL and its subpopulations in inflamed adipocytes. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of total HDL (tHDL) and the comparison between its subpopulations (HDL2 & HDL3) on protein and gene expression of cholesterol transporters, inflammation, and adipokines in TNF-α stimulated 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes. TNFα alone had lower adiponectin and higher protein and gene expression of IL-6 and NF-ĸβ (p65) compared to unstimulated adipocytes and these effects were attenuated by HDLs especially HDL3 (in most of the biomarkers). HDL and its subpopulation had higher cholesterol transporters expression in 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes induced by TNF-α compared to unstimulated cells. Increment of cholesterol transporters expression by HDL leads to reduce secretion of inflammatory markers [IL-6 & NF-kB (p65)] and visfatin and increases adiponectin secretion in the inflamed mature adipocytes. HDL exhibits beyond its reverse cholesterol transporter property by exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects thru the deactivation of NF-ĸβ (p65). This may contribute to reducing the progression of obesity-related complications

Flexibility and small firms' survival: further evidence from Malaysian manufacturing

This study investigates the role played by production flexibility in explaining the lasting presence of small firms alongside their larger counterparts in the market. The production flexibility hypothesis postulates that the market place provides room for both large and small firms because large firms benefit from low minimum average costs and static production efficiency, while small firms, with higher minimum average costs, are more flexible. Unlike previous studies that used data from developed economies, this study tests the hypothesis using industry data from a developing country, Malaysia. Results show that there exist a negative relationship between firm size and sales variability suggesting that large and small firms each have their own efficiency niches.

HDL AND ITS SUBPOPULATION (HDL2 AND HDL3) PROMOTE CHOLESTEROL TRANSPORTERS EXPRESSION AND ATTENUATE INFLAMMATION IN 3T3-L1 MATURE ADIPOCYTES INDUCED BY TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA

Obesity activates inflammation causing dysfunction of adipocytes. Increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in obesity may be beneficial in overcoming this effect. However, not much data is available on the effects of HDL and its subpopulations in inflamed adipocytes. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of total HDL (tHDL) and the comparison between its subpopulations (HDL2 & HDL3) on protein and gene expression of cholesterol transporters, inflammation, and adipokines in TNF-α stimulated 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes. TNFα alone had lower adiponectin and higher protein and gene expression of IL-6 and NF-ĸβ (p65) compared to unstimulated adipocytes and these effects were attenuated by HDLs especially HDL3 (in most of the biomarkers). HDL and its subpopulation had higher cholesterol transporters expression in 3T3-L1 mature adipocytes induced by TNF-α compared to unstimulated cells. Increment of cholesterol transporters expression by HDL leads to reduce secretion of inflammatory markers [IL-6 & NF-kB (p65)] and visfatin and increases adiponectin secretion in the inflamed mature adipocytes. HDL exhibits beyond its reverse cholesterol transporter property by exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects thru the deactivation of NF-ĸβ (p65). This may contribute to reducing the progression of obesity-related complications

Radical scavenging activity and phytochemical investigation of antioxidative compounds from stem and leaves of Leea indica species

In this paper, the potency of stem and leave extracts of Leea indica locally known as Memali from Tasik Chini, Pahang as a potent antioxidant agent had been studied. The antioxidant properties of three types of extracts was quantitatively assessed by 2,2 diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl ( DPPH) radical scavenging activity. The isolation of antioxidative compounds was conducted through preparative thin layer chromatography with the use of certain binary solvents. The structure determination was carried out using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (GCMS). The methanol extracts from both stem and leaf exhibited highest antioxidant activity with lowest IC50 of 1.14 ug/ml and 81 ug/ml respectively compared to other extracts. The stem showed stronger antioxidant activity compared to leaves part. Based on GCMS analysis, the antioxidative compounds isolated from leaves part were proposed as 6-Hyroxy-4,4, 7a-trimethyl-5,6,7,7atetrahydrobenzofuran-2(4H)-one (1), 3,8,8-Trimethoxy-3-piperidyl-2,2-binaphthalene1,1,4,4-tetrone (2), Methyl stearate (3), 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (4), Palmitic acid (5) and 9-Oxononanoic acid (6). The antioxidative compounds isolated from stem part were determined as oleic acid (7), 1-(hydroxymethyl)-1,2- ethanediyl ester (8) and 9-octadecene (9). This finding can be used as scientific baseline information for the future treatment of diseases caused by harmful free radicals