Volume 6, Number 1, June 2018
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Item Editorial(MNU Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2024) Abdul Raheem, RaheemaItem Editorial(MNU Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2018-06) Abdul Raheem, RaheemaItem Study of rare and endangered plants of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve, India(MNU Research Centre, Maldives National University, 2018-06) Patil, PramodIndia is one of the 17 countries designated as mega biodiversity centers among the 196 countries of the world and geologically has elements of the Palearctic and Indo Malayan Realm. Situated in Central India are the lofty hills and plateaus of Satpura Ranges made up of multilayered sandstone dating from Permian to Cretaceous. Pachmarhi, a UNESCO declared Biosphere Reserve covering an area of 4,98172 sq. km at an elevation of 1100 meters above mean sea level, is located amidst these ranges, at 22° 11’ to 22°50’N and 77°47’ to 78°52’ E meridian. Pachmarhi is endowed with moderate tropical summer and up to 1200 mm rainfall which foster dense forest. The medicinal plants of Pachmarhi were studied with a view to understand the habitat, biodiversity, availability and their status. Large trees form the upper canopy of the forest with one of the finest timber yielding species of Tectona grandis and Shorea robusta. The midsized tree, shrubs and climbers together with undercover herbs lodge a treasure trove of medicinal plants. The study revealed more than 600 species of Angiosperms having medicinal value; some species which were once common but now rare and threatened are Aristolochia indica, Berberis aristata, Balanites aegyptiaca, Boswellia serrata, Chlorophytum tuberosum, Gardenia gummifera, Gloriosa superba, Pterocarpus marsupium, Rouwolfia serpentina, Eulophia nuda, Pueraria tuberosa, Mallotus philippensis, Oroxyium indicum, Litsea glutinosa, Terminalia bellerica, T. chebula, Uraria picta.Keywords: Artificial intelligence valueloading problem, United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, artificial intelligence safety. With the unsustainable harvesting by local inhabitants and overexploitation by profiteers for commercial purposes, their availability has subsequently declined to the extent that many species have become endangered up to critical levels. To salvage this dwindling treasure immediate attention is required for their in-situ and ex-situ conservationItem ޓީވީ ޕުރޮގުރާމުތަކުގައި ވާހަކަ ދައްކާ އިރު މީހުން ބަސްމަސްހުނިުކުރާ މިންވަރާއި ބަސްމަސްހުނިކުރާ ގޮތްތައް(މޯލްޑިވްސް ނެޝަނަލް ޖާރނަލް އޮފް ރިސާރޗް, 2018-06) އާމިނަތު ޒާހިރު; Zahir, Aminathދެ ބައްސަ މުޖްތަމަޢުތަކުގައި ބަސް މަސްހުނިކުރުމަކީ ވަރަށް އާންމުކޮށް ކުރެވޭ ކަމެކެވެ. (ފްރެޑް ޖެނެސީ (2000). ދިވެހި މުޖުތަމަޢުގައި ވެސް ކަން މިހެން އޮތް އިރު، ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޓީ.ވީ ޗެނެލްތަކުން ފޮނުވާ ޕުރޮގްރާމުތަކުގައި ވެސް ބަސްމަސްހުނިކޮށްގެންނާއި (ކޯޑް-މިކްސިންގ) ބަސްބަދަލުކޮށްގެން (ކޯޑް-ސްވިޗިންގ) ވާހަކަދައްކަމުންދާ ކަން ފާހަގަ ކުރެވެއެވެ. ނަމަވެސް ދިވެހިބަހުން މި ފަދަ އެއްވެސް ދިރާސާއެއް މިހައި ތަނަށް ކުރެވިފައި އޮތް ކަމަކަށް ފާހަގަކުރެވިފައެއް ނެތެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން މި ދިރާސާއަކީ ޓީވީ ޕުރޮގްރާމުތަކުގައި މީހުން ވާހަކަދައްކާ އިރު ދިވެހިބަހާއި އިނގިރޭސިބަސް އަދި ދިވެހިބަހާއި އަރަބިބަސް މަސްހުނިކޮށްގެން ވާހަކަދައްކާ މިންވަރާއި ބަސްމަސްހުނިކުރާ ގޮތްތައް (ޕެޓާންސް) ދެނެގަތުމަށް ކުރި ދިރާސާއެކެވެ. މިއީ ބައެއް ޓީވީ ޕްރޮގްރާމުތަކުގައި ދެްއްކި ވާހަކަ ތަހުލޫލުކޮށްގެން ހެދި ޑިސްކޯސް އެނަލިސިސެކެވެ. މި ދިރާސާގެ ސާމްޕަލްގެ ގޮތުގައި ކަނޑައެޅީ ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެނ ޓީވީ ޗެނަލަކުން ސިލްސިލާކޮށް ދެއްކި ތަފާތު 6 ޕްރޮގްރާމަކުން ރެންޑަމްކޮށް ހޮވެލެވުނު 12 އެޕިސޯޑެވެ. ދިރާސާއިން ފާހަގަކުރެވުނު އެންމެ މުހިންމު އެއް ކަމަކީ މި ޕްރޮގްރާމުތަކުގައި މީހުން ދިވެހިބަހާއި އިނގިރޭސިބަސް އަދި ދިވެހިބަހާއި އަރަބިބަސް އެކި މިންވަރަށް މަސްހުނިކޮށްފައިވާއިރު، އަރަބިބަހަށް ވުރެ ބޮޑަށް އިނގިރޭސިބަސް ދިވެހިބަހާ މަސްހުނިކޮށްގެން ވާހަކަދައްކައިފައި ވާ މިންވަރު ގިނަކަމެވެ. ބަސްމަސްހުނިކޮށްފައި ވާ ބަހަވީޢިލްމުގެ ގޮތްތަކަކީ ވަކި ލަފުޒު ހިމެނުން ވަކި ލަފުޒު މަސްހުނިކުރުން (ލެކްސިކަލް މިކްސިންގ)އާއި ޢިބާރާތްކައްޗަރުކުރުން (ޔުނިޓް ހައިބްރޮޑައިޒޭޝަން) އެވެ. މި ގޮތްތަކުގެ ތެެރެއިން ވަކި ލަފުޒު ހިމަނައިގެން ބަސްމަސްހުނިކުރާ މިންވަރު ބަސްމަސްހުނިކުރާ އެހެން ގޮތްގޮތަށް ވުރެން ގިނަކަން ފާހަގަކުރެވުނެވެ.Item Production of lip balm from stingless bee honey(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2018-06) Yusof, Atuyah Athirah Binti; Ajit, Azilah B.; Sulaiman, Ahmad Z.; Naila, AishathIndia Cosmetics is used daily by majority of the people worldwide. Nowadays, consumer demand for natural based product cosmetics as they are safe to use and environmentally friendly. Lip balm is a cosmetic or lip care product whose purpose is to prevent dry and chapped lips. The quality of lip balm is directly linked with the basic ingredients used in the formulation. This work involved the formulation of lip balm from natural ingredients. Various composition of beeswax, shea butter, stingless bee honey, oils and colorant were studied to obtain the best formulation. Stingless bee honey was added to the lip balm formulation as moisturizing agent. The physico-chemical properties of the formulations were determined including melting point, stability, moisture content, color intensity, sensory test for human acceptance and microbial test. From the results, the formulation of lip balm from beeswax, shea butter and oil with ratio 1:1:1 was the best formulation. It has high melting point and has stable condition in low and room temperature. The presence of honey in the formulation assisted to increase the moisture content in the lip balm. Besides that, for color intensity, natural colorant from fruit juice and extraction contributed the color to the lip balm but the color intensity was lower compared to powder colorant. Lastly, the formulation of lip balm from beeswax, shea butter and oil with ratio of 1:1:1 met the consumer acceptance as the highest sensory test score was obtained for this formulation.Item Potential synergies between the United Nations sustainable development goals and the value loading problem in artificial intelligence(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2018-06) Ziesche, SoenkeThe objective of this article is to identify synergies for two relevant challenges, which are currently faced by the world community, yet addressed separately: The artificial intelligence value-loading problem and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. First, the challenges and their significance are outlined. Subsequently, opportunities and risks are discussed to utilize the Sustainable Development Goals to set the values of an artificial intelligence. History has shown that it is complex to agree on universal and sufficiently specific human goals. Nevertheless, this is a prerequisite to approach the artificial intelligence value-loading problem, which is closely linked to artificial intelligence safety. So far, it has not been considered harnessing the Sustainable Development Goals in this context. Yet, the Sustainable Development Goals can be seen as the closest and most comprehensive existing approximation towards common human goals since it is what the United Nations, i.e. the world community, currently agrees upon. Such an attempt entails various risks, which are discussed and which are anticipated given that the artificial intelligence value-loading problem is considered very hard. However, due to the urgency it is argued here that the Sustainable Development Goals constitute an innovative as well as promising interim heuristic towards artificial intelligence safety.Item Prevalence and socio demographic correlations of anxiety, stress and depression among Undergraduate students of the Maldives National University(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2018-06) Shanoora, Aishath; Nawaza, MariyamEarly adulthood is a transitional period of life and is associated with the onset of a substantial amount of mental health issues and the continuation of these issues across life span. A large proportion of this population are students who have to deal with the societal and academic demands on a daily basis and hence are more susceptible to develop mental health issues than the non-student population. The high prevalence of psychological issues, specifically, depression, anxiety and stress among the student population is a major concern worldwide as it results in many negative consequences such as poor academic performance, increased rates of substance use, and even suicide. Thus, this study was aimed to find out the prevalence of these mental health issues; stress, depression and anxiety among the student population of Maldives National University (MNU) in relation to socio-demographic factors such as gender, year of study and location of study (Campus). A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based descriptive survey was conducted among 932 students of 4 different campuses of MNU. The questionnaire used to collect data included demographic information and DASS-42. The findings of this study suggest that whilst the majority of the student population has normal levels of depression, and stress, a considerable proportion of the student population are experiencing moderate to extremely severe levels of, depression and stress. More than 58% of the students were found to be experiencing moderate to severe level of anxiety. The findings also suggest that female students have higher prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress.A significant proportion of MNU students are suffering from stress, depression and anxiety. The study suggests the importance of conducting awareness programs of mental illness and treatment, with a particular focus on prevention and control of stress, depression and anxiety.Item Ethnobotanical survey of tomato in some cultivated regions in Southern Nigeria(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2018-06) Ogwu, Mathew Chidozie; Chime, Anthonia Odinita; Oseh, Mary O.Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum (Lin.) Con., Solanaceae) has a wide record of domestication and consumption although it is not cultivated all over the world. The field of ethnobotany enumerates how humans interact with indigenous plants. In this study, an ethnobotanical survey of tomato in key cultivation areas of Delta and Edo states, Nigeria was conducted to document associated cultural interactions. One hundred and twenty questionnaires were distributed within the study areas as well as structured interviews and animated visits were conducted to assess farming systems. Respondents were mainly farmers (73.87 %). Dominant ethnic group of respondents was Ika-Ibo (37.84 %) in Delta and Esan (47.75%) in Edo state. Male respondents were higher (82.88%) than female respondents (17.12 %) with the dominant age range been 41 – 61 years (75.68 %). Tomato is mainly cultivated on ridges and tilled soil (74.77 %). Most respondents knew two types of tomatoes. Cultivation and importance of the crop are mainly for commercial purpose than subsistence. Food use dominates nonfood use of the crop and is preferred fresh. Source of seeds include previous collections/harvest, nearby market and from friends and relatives. Local methods of preservation are mostly practised. The plant is known by several vernacular names. Results suggest government support is needed to boost production and preserve ethnobotanical knowledge.Item Designing learning spaces for effective learning(Maldives National Journal of Research, 2018-06) Zainuddin, Nurkhamimi; Idrus, Rozhan M.; Mohmaed, Ahmad Farid; JamalThe connections between the design and use of space in higher education, and the production of teaching and learning, and of research, are not well understood. This study reports the developmental steps prior building the learning spaces in Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Space issues in higher education have usually been considered either in the context of space planning (the aim of which is to provide appropriate amounts of space for defined uses, and to maximise its use once provided) or as part of campus planning and building design. The findings report the level of design effectiveness of the learning spaces in USIM. The recommendation from learning space users to be utilised on the design improvement for the next learning spaces in USIM will be reported in this study