PUBLICATIONS
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Corporate initiatives in empowering societies
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2016
Abstract: Digi’s ambition is to enable the Internet in the hands of every Malaysian for youth, children, women, the underserved, netizens and more. We passionately believe that all Malaysians should be given the opportunity to benefit from the power of the internet. Empower Societies is our commitment to enable the internet for all communities to inspire a better Malaysia and this promise to make meaningful impact in the lives of Malaysians is enabled through our corporate programmes; helping more segments of the society benefit from being connected.
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Customer retention: a case study of LPPKN clinical services
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2014
Abstract: This is a descriptive study intended to identify the main factors which contribute to the customer retention among the “Clinical Clients” of National Population and Family Development Board or LPPKN. The study focused on three variables to check on the level of influence, affect and effect to the process of customer retention. Those variables are service branding, perceived value and service quality. The study also covered the impact and influence of the demographic element to the service branding, perceived value and service quality in the process of customer retention. This study was conducted at the LPPKN Clinics in Klang Valley and Seremban. Understanding and fulfilling the customers need will contribute to retaining existing customers and reduce the customer switching intentions. The research findings show there is a positive relationship between perceived value and service quality with customer retention. Nevertheless relationship between service branding and customer retention is not supported for the LPPKN clinical setting. Analysis on the demographic factor showed that, it has a significant influence in regard to service branding, perceived value, services quality and customer retention. The output of the study will be helpful to managers and marketers of the clinical service to understand the customer needs, priority and expectations. Furthermore the findings of the research will enable the managers and policy makers to take necessary actions in their marketing and operational planning to stay competitive and maintain a stable income for a long term. This study will also help LPPKN Clinics to improve service quality, increase number of clinical clients, facilitate the process of customer retention and in long term improve financial performance.
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Current trends in transnational population flows in Malaysia: Issues, policy and challenges
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2013
Abstract: In the last 40 years there has seen a substantial increase in Malaysia’s foreign pop. According to the last National Census in 2010, out of a pop of 28.4 million, over 8.3% are non-citizens. The increase is mainly the result of labour inflow since the early 1970s due to Malaysia’s relatively better economic development and political stability which attract economic migrants and asylum seekers from within and outside the ASEAN region. This paper which focuses on current transnational flows in the country has the following objectives: 1. To provide an overview of transnational population flows in Malaysia in the last decade and identify major streams that are causing considerable concern to the state and the Malaysian public. The focus is on the low skill foreign workers, the largest category of migrants in Malaysia. 2. To examine public perceptions of foreign workers, how such perceptions are formed and what their impacts are on state policy. 3. To discuss the state policy on foreign workers, both legal and irregular, the objective of the policy and its strategies. 4. To highlight the challenges faced by the state in implementing the foreign worker policy. 5. To evaluate the achievement and shortcomings of the policy. The writer identifies five types of transnational inflows into Malaysia i.e. that of low skill migrant workers both legal and irregular; asylum seekers; expatriates; foreign students; and participants of Malaysia’s My Second Home (MM2H) project.
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Community based program in Ethiopia: from CBD to massive, state-run health extension program
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2012
Abstract: The Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE) pioneered a Community-based FP Distribution [CBD] program in Ethiopia in 1991. The CBD agents were selected by the community members through prior set selection criteria including interest and willingness to volunteer for community work and sufficient knowledge about the socio-economic and cultural context of the community. The CBD program was very widely replicated by many other institutions as a low cost, effective strategy to increase access to modern contraceptive services in under-served communities. Considering the challenges related to distance and access to fixed health facilities among women with high unmet needs and the lessons drawn from project based success stories of the CBD programs, the government of Ethiopia initiated the Health Extension Program (HEP) in 2003 to accelerate utilization of primary health care services in rural communities. The HEP is implemented by trained health extension workers or practitioners at the community level with strong focus on health promotion and disease prevention and empowering community members to make decisions and take actions on their own health. The Health Extension Workers (HEW) were recruited from the community among those who completed high school and trained for one year. Currently, two female HEWs are assigned at each kebele (the lowest administrative unit) and to implement a package of 16 primary health care services including FP and maternal health. A total of about 35,000 rural HEWs and 4,800 urban Health Extension Professionals [Graduate Nurses] are deployed by MoH as government employees throughout the country. The program has created a better opportunity, particularly for rural women and young people to access health services including FP/RH.
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Civil society and family well being: sharing of experience
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2012
Abstract: Focus on the Family Malaysia is a non-profit organization set up with a clear vision to strengthen families. The vision of focus on the Famliy Malaysia is to enriched families and communities nationwide. Meanwhile, to assist families to gain practical skills and support at the same time to equip and strengthen their relationship through the program like bonding program. For example, Father & Son Adventure Camps, Mother & Son Connections, Father & Daughter Banquet and Mother & Daughter connection. This program is design to help enhance relationships and foster a greater understanding between parent and child. Besides, No Apologies program, is a character-based abstinence program for youths aged 13-24 years as well as providing support for individuals and families through counseling.
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Cytotoxicity and expression profiles of apoptosis gene related in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines in response to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains AF2240 And V4-UPM
Item Type: Thesis
Editor:
Year: 01/01/2011
Abstract: In this study the cytotoxicity and expression profiles of apoptosis gene related in human cervical cancer (HeLa) cell lines in response to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains AF2240 and V4-UPM were studied. NDV is a strain of avian paramyxovirus. NDV has been classified into the order Mononegavirales, family Paramyxoviridae, subfamily Paramyxovirinae and genus Rubulavirus. NDV caused severe economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. Several local strains of Newcastle disease virus were reported to induce cytolysis to the cancerous cell lines. Strain AF2240 is a heat resistant viscerotropic velogenic NDV and strain V4-UPM is a heat resistant lentogenic which has significant higher thermostabilities of infectivity and haemagglutination were reported cytolysis leukemic cells in vitro and has shown in vivo anti leukemic agents . In this study the cytotoxicity effects of strains of NDV AF2240 and V4-UPM towards HeLa cell were determined by using standard microtetrazolium assay (MTT). Cytotoxicity dose 50% (CD50) cells treated with different titre of NDV as haemagglutination units (HAU) as compared to the untreated cells was estimated at 72 hours post-infection. The CD50 values obtained were 0.95 HAU and 1.0 HAU for strains AF2240 and V4-UPM, respectively. No cytolytic effect was noted towards normal cells (3T3) was observed. Both strains were also observed to inhibit HeLa cell proliferation. Morphological observations also have been done under inverted light and fluorescence microscopes. Under the inverted light microscope, the HeLa cells treated with both strains showed apoptotic features such as cell shrinkage, cell blebbing and formation of apoptotic bodies. Morphological features of apoptosis were also observed by using the AO/PI staining method under the fluorescence microscope. The AO/PI staining demonstrated the occurrence of apoptosis which was characterised mainly by chromatin condensation, nuclear shrinkage and formation of apoptotic bodies. Evidently, both strains AF2240 and V4-UPM used in the study were found to induce cells towards apoptosis rather than necrosis. NDV strain AF2240 and strain V4-UPM was also caused genotoxic in HeLa cells after two hours treatment with CD10 and CD25 values by alkaline comet assay. Results showed that HeLa cells treated with NDV strains AF2240, V4-UPM and hydrogen peroxide gave different distribution of scores. The HeLa cells treated with hydrogen peroxide as a positive control gave more percentage at score 2, 3 and 4 for both cytotoxicity values compared to the HeLa cells treated with NDV for both strains. Observation in this study has proved the genotoxic potential of the NDV strains AF2240 and V4-UPM to induce DNA damage on HeLa cells as early as two hours following treatment at very low cytotoxicity dose (CD10 and CD25) values. Meanwhile, the cell cycle analyses of HeLa cells treated with local strains of NDV AF2240 or V4-UPM did not induce cell cycle arrest in any specific phase. Sub-G1 phase (apoptosis peak) was found in both treated cells with a very high percentage compared to untreated cells with a small percentage. The results indicate that, the percentages of apoptosis were significantly increased (p≤0.05) in the time-dependent manner in both NDV strains treated HeLa cells. The molecular mechanisms of apoptosis may depend on the NDV strain and cell type. Six apoptosis genes were selected in this study namely Casp8, TNF-α, Bcl2 and TRAIL which focused on extrinsic pathway of apoptosis, while the gene Bax was used as an indicator for intrinsic pathway triggered by cellular stress. Lastly Myc, oncogene was used as an indicator for cell growth. From this study, NDV strain AF2240 was identified as a highly induced death receptor pathway due to the upregulation of TNF gene and the downregulation of Bax gene. Whereas NDV strain V4-UPM triggered both pathways but through the extrinsic pathway due to the very high expression of the TNF gene. The TNF gene was highly expressed due to its location and function as a stimulator of the death receptor pathway. The Casp8 gene was activated and expressed in order to enter the execution-phase of cell death. The Bcl-2 gene was continuously observed because of its function as an apoptosis regulator. Surprisingly, no expression was detected by the TRAIL gene. NDV strain AF2240 was more effective than NDV strain V4-UPM as an apoptosis inducer. These gene expression results showed that the apoptosis occurred and lead to cell death.
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Customer retention: a case study of LPPKN clinics
Item Type: Thesis
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2011
Abstract: This is a descriptive study intended to identify the main factors which contribute to the customer retention among the “Clinical Clients” of National Population and Family Development Board or “Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara”
(LPPKN). The study focused on three variables to check on the level of influence, affect and effect to the process of customer retention. Those variables are service branding, perceived value and service quality. The study was also covered the impact and
influence of the demographic element to the service branding, perceived value and service quality in the process of customer retention. Health service sector is getting very important and competitive. This is highly true among the health clinics which are providing reproductive health services. Understanding and fulfilling the customers’ need will contribute to retaining existing customers and reduce the customer switching intentions. Through this research, we were able get some insights of factors and the ranking of importance of these factors in the process of customer retention. For the purpose of this study I have chosen LPPKN Clinics (Semi-Government) in Klang Valley and Seremban. The finding shows there is a positive relationship between perceived value and service quality with customer retention. Nevertheless relationship between service branding and customer retention is not supported for the LPPKN clinical setting. Analysis on the demographic factor showed that, it has a significant influence in regard to service branding, perceived value, service quality and customer retention.
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Coping mechanisms of families in transition: insights from Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item
Editor:
Year: 00/00/2009
Abstract: The main purpose is to document and analyze the families that are migrated to Kathmandu City during the decade long in surgency in Nepal and their coping strategies. With in the family the children were the most effected. The analysis indicates that families have used different coping mechanisms. One of that is surprisingly offering children for adoptions outside the country. Children under 18 comprise almost 50 percent of Nepal's populations. As research evidence shows more than 300,000 orphans are in Nepal. There are various reasons behind the increasing trend of orphan and abandoned children. It includes armed conflict, domestic violence, natural disasters and displacement. These reasons directly or indirectly have an influence on the structure, size and coping mechanism of families in Nepal. The other mechanisms are earning daily wages, leaving old members of the family back home, male and female out migration. There are important policy lessons can also be derived and as a result government and non governmental programs can be designed that will enhance the resilience of families in transition. The paper is structured in five sections. After a brief introduction, section one presents the Statement of Problem and Objectives of the Study. The second section presents the findings from a brief literature review. Third section presents the analysis and findings for the primary research. Fourth section is about structures and process that are required to enhance the coping mechanism of the families in question. The paper is concluded in the fifth section.
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Coagulation profile in women on low-dose oral contraceptive pills
Item Type: Article
Editor:
Year: 00/12/1990
Abstract: A cross-sectional study looking at the coagulation system was carried out involving 175 women attending the National Population and Family Development Board's Clinic at the Maternity Clinic, General Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. Study subjects comprise of 50 combined low-dose estrogen/progesterone oral contraceptive (OC) pill users and 75 non-OC users, acting as controls. The subjects were on the pill for a period of one year or more. There were significant shortening of the prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) in the OC group as compared to the control group. However, the activities of factors II, V and VII assayed were not significantly different between the two groups, suggesting that the changes in the PT and PTT were not significant clinically. The effect of long term usage of combined low-dose OC pills does not seem to indicate changes in the coagulation profile of the women in our study.
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Comparative study on the acceptance and use of contraceptive methods in a rural population in Kelantan
Item Type: Article
Editor:
Year: 00/12/1990
Abstract: The generally poor health indices for Kelantan and the strong cultural beliefs with reference to contraception dictated the need for this study. 350 women from neighbouring estates were studied via questionaires. It was found that only 44.85% use some form of contraception and 18.4% of these resorted to traditional methods. There was some relationship between race and choice of contraception. Education did play a role in encouraging contraception. Despite the low acceptance of contraception, spacing of children did exist-probably due to breastfeeding that's widely practised.
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