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Introduction: Incidence of leptospirosis has increased within the past few years in many countries. Its clinical presentations were generally nonspecific, making it difficult to assist in the diagnosis. Besides the determination of the common clinical features, the sociodemographic background is essential to identify high-risk populations to assist in prevention. Methods: Data for this study were obtained from electronic medical records among patients clinically diagnosed with leptospirosis at a tertiary hospital in Malaysia from the years 2011 to 2015 and were recorded using standard pro forma. Associations between clinical features and sociodemographics were performed using bivariate analysis and logistic regression. Results: Data were collected from 283 patients. Their mean age was 30.71 years old. Out of 283 patients, 206 (72.8%) were male. Involvement in outdoor events and water activities was the highest risk factor of acquiring leptospirosis in 64 (22.7%) patients followed by 59 (20.8%) patients who were staying in crowded housing areas with poor sanitation. Although fever was the main clinical presentation in 274 (96.8%) patients with leptospirosis, gastrointestinal (GIT) symptoms were the second most frequent in 159 (56.2%) patients followed by pulmonary symptoms, myalgia, headache, and jaundice. From the total number of 283 patients, only 21 (92.6%) presented with severe leptospirosis. GIT symptoms were a significant predictor for leptospirosis severity, while the age group was the significant sociodemographic factor toward GIT presentation in leptospirosis. The relationship between GIT symptoms and crowded housing areas with poor sanitation was also significant. Multivariable logistic regression showed that crowded housing areas with poor sanitation (odds ratio [OR] = 3.570, p < 0.001) and age between 20 and 40 years old (OR = 2.056, p = 0.014) were more likely to have GIT symptoms. Conclusions: Information regarding the clinical features of leptospirosis

Today's dependence on technology has changed how we view literacy. Literacy no longer means to have only the ability to read and write. Literate people now must be able to use the computer and other communication technologies in handling the vast information. In conjunction with this, there is a need to study what is meant by Information Technology (IT) literacy and what is required to be IT literate. This study was based on the belief that proficiency in the language of technology, that is the English language, would enhance IT literacy. Hence, the relationship between two variables, English language proficiency and IT literacy, was studied. Proficiency was identified through students' scores in the SPM English examination while IT literacy was identified through the IT proficiency questionnaire. Other contributing factors to IT literacy were also discussed. 257 second year UPM students from five different faculties provided the qualitative and quantitative data for this study. They were given a set of questionnaire to respond to and were briefly interviewed for further insights. Data were then analysed. Both descriptive qualitative and quantitative analyses provided the answer to the five research questions that motivated the study. Subject to the limitations of the study, the results showed a significant relationship between English language proficiency and IT literacy. In other words, proficiency in the English language tends to enhance IT literacy. This is because IT literacy requires the skill to use computers and other communication technologies. This skill can be acquired through hands-on experience and exploration which requires a profound proficiency level of the language of technology, that is the English language. Hence, one must be proficient in the English language to be IT literate.

Kajian ini adalah untuk mengenalpasti tanaman pisang yang berpotensi untuk dijadikan gentian sebagai sumber tekstil dan juga kaedah yang terbaik untuk menghasilkannya. Ini adalah sejajar dengan galakkan oleh kerajaan untuk memperkembangkan industri tekstil dan juga menggalakkan penanaman pisang bagi eksport buahnya. Walaupun industri tekstil di Malaysia pesat membangun, kita masih tidak mempunyai bahan mentah sendiri. Oleh itu dengan mengadakan gentian pisang dari bahan terbuang batang pisang sebagai sumber bahan mentah tekstil adalah sangat menguntungkan. Sumber gentian dari batang ini ada tetapi masih belum dieksploitasikan lagi. Di dalam kajian ini sebanyak 8 jenis pokok pisang telah dipilih. Dua kaedah telah digunakan iaitu kaedah separa mekanikal dan kaedah rendaman. Rawatan kimia digunakan bertujuan untuk mendapatkan-gentian yang lebih halus melalui 'degumming'. Ciri-ciri fizikal dan prestasi gentian-gentian ini ditentukan. Hasil penyelidikan telah menunjukkan bahawa gentian pisang yang dihasilkan menggunakan kaedah mekanikal lebih efisien. Gentian pisang amatlah berpotensi sebagai sumber bahan mentah untuk tekstil. Gentian kasar yang dihasilkan setakat ini dapat dilembutkan dan dihaluskan lagi dengan menggunakan mesin-mesin yang lebih sofistikated dari negara luar. Projek ini dianggap s iap apabila gentian yang telah kami hasilkan setakat ini dapat ditukar ke bentuk tekstil untuk pakaian.