Favorite Food Essay

â€Å"so exactly where are we going again?† I asked my dad while pulling out of our driveway. â€Å"Just wait I know you’ll love this restaurant,† he announced. He was taking me to Espinoza’s, an authentic Mexican restaurant. There was a large window right beside the door when you pull in, with a big, orange, neon sign with the words ESPINOZA’S written in capital letters. My dad opened the door and I led him in. Right when we walked, there was a young girl, about five feet and 3 inches tall, who asked us in an accent if it was just the two of us today. Behind her about eight meters away, was a bar like counter that was higher than normal, for when the chef prepared your meal, he could place it there to be brought to the table. We sat down at our table right beside the big window with the neon sign, a table for four. Two glasses of water were brought to us, by Maria, our waitress, who all the while made suggestions on their selection of other drinks. There was a glass fridge, like the ones at gas stations, directly behind where dad was sitting, and it contained all kinds of carbonated drinks. All the sodas were in glass bottles with classic looking labels, that had Pepsi, Coke, and some other ones with Spanish words on them. Right beside the fridge were two slushy machines. One slushy machine had a red drink called Aqua De Jamaica, and the other one a creamy white one, Horchata. Tamarind and infusions of hibiscus flowers are what give Jamaica its red color. My dad ordered Horchata, which is made from a combination of long grain rice, milk, and sugar. We both sipped on our ice cold drinks, while placing our orders to Maria. As we waited for our food to arrive, I headed towards a jukebox on the opposite side of where we were seated. I flipped through all the tracks of songs and in the end just chose one based on the the picture on the cover of the album. Just as I was heading back to my seat, I saw Maria with a circular tray the size of a tire filled with food. I scurried over to beat her to our table because I wanted to see why dad was so enthusiastic about bringing me to Espinoza’s. What happened next, I will never forget. The smell the awoke every last bit of my senses. An oval plate was placed in front of me, as if I were some royal being. Laid out in perfect layers were nacho chips that looked like a bloomed rose’s petals. On top of the petal-like chips were marinated chicken strips, grilled so you could see the marks on them, showing all of the effort that was put into its cooking. The chicken was seasoned with a blend of zesty Mexican spices. Hints of lemon, paprika, crushed peppers, and onion powder gave tastes of sourness to sweetness with every bite. Sauteed onions, sweet bell peppers, and tomatoes are what completed the next layer. Melted white cheese smothered the beans that were evenly distributed upon every nacho chip that existed on my dish. I took the first bite. Related by more than just the blood in our veins, my father and I are best friends. He has always known me more than I’ve known myself. He brought me to Espinoza’s because we both share a love for Mexican dishes. The flavors of the spices remind us of the connection and joy we have in our friendship. He even called me last night to remind me about the soccer game that would be on in ten minutes between Barcelona and Real Madrid. They tied one to one.

Power in the wrong hands

Power in the Wrong Hands In Lord of The Flies by William Golding, A Tale of Two Cites by Charles Dickens, and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer people in power use their position to corrupt others. This suggests people should be mindful who they put In power. In these novels the authors show that no matter what age, race, social status, or even gender a person is, if given some-kind of power and competition they have the potential to become corrupt. Also, these three writings demonstrate that fear gives the ability to control people or a person.In A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Madame Defarge knits registry of all the people who are against her and the revolution. As Madame Defarge adds names to the registry the Jacques or revolutionaries follow by her orders and kill each person on this list. Defarge states â€Å"It would be easier for the weakest of poltroon that lives, to erase himself from existence, than to erase one letter of his name or crimes from the knitted register of Madame Defarge† (Dickens 212).The more people the revolutionaries kill for Madame Defarge the more names she knits into the registry. Therefore, each time a Jacque kills a person it adds to her ower and gives her more authority over the rest of the people. Madame Defarge feeds off of and gains her power and position through installing fear into the eyes of those who are opposing to her. Now she does not only add those who are against her and are aristocrats, she knits names of those who she simply Just wants dead. Madame tells â€Å"then tell the wind and fire where to stop..But dont tell me† (Dickens 419). By the end of the novel, Madame Defarge ultimately becomes terrifying in her unwillingness to deviate from her plan of revenge against the aristocrats. In Lord of he Flies by William Golding, Jack wants nothing more than to be the absolute ruler of the island. Jack explains â€Å"Next time there will be no mercy† (Golding 31). Golding added â€Å"he looked around fiercely, daring them to contradict† (Golding 31). Jack tells that next time he will stop at nothing to prove to the rest what he is capable of.As a game all of the boys start playing that they are killing a pig; however, when the kids become overwhelmed they end up killing Simon. The boys chant â€Å"kill the beastl Cut his throat! Spill his blood! † (Golding 152). The boys chanting in the circle gradually ecome blood thirsty as they pretend to kill the â€Å"pig†. They kill Simon when he crawls Into the circle for his turn to be pig. Because Jack has a desire for blood he shows no attempt to stop the boys from tearing Simon apart.Once He killed Piggy, Jack realized that he had the ultimate power of the island. Jack then screamed â€Å"see? See? That's what you'll get! I meant thatl There Isnt a tribe for you anymorel†(Goldlng 181). Warning Ralph that he is next to die and that the hunt for him is on. It is very clear to Roger and Jack that they c an eliminate their threat, Ralph, from the island due to heir power over the tribe of choir boys. In Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, the leaders of the groups become corrupt as they endure fear of dying on the mountain.http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Into_Thin_Air https://www.slideshare.net/egalbois/the-1996-everest-tragedy-case-studyhttp://www.jonkrakauer.com/bios/jon-krakauer

The e-learning community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The e-learning community - Essay Example This site is reminiscent of many other open source code sites, provides a mixture of community information areas for those who are developers and those who simply want to understand what Moodle is about. Like many open source website, there are continual downloads and as such are constantly updated on a regular basis. The site does presents a very balanced view as it is open source software, it is open to the internet community as a whole. This is an excellent way to continually improve a site with respect to having developers add to the source code as well as reporting and helping, in some cases, to fix bugs that affect the software. The site was extremely easy to navigate due to it's simple site architecture in place. It has general areas that all sites require and conforms to the standards required by open source code sites. The site is very crisp and clean and is not overly complicated with respect to needing to go where you need to. Navigation is extremely well thought out. The site is clean, and not overcrowded by site advertising and lets you find the areas that the visitor needs to go to. The menu system to the left of the site is extremely easy to navigate and, for example, if you do to documentation, that is the first and only place you need to go to find every piece of documentation you would need to find. This style of site allows for the average user looking for a solution to easily understand what they want without being crowded out by technical language. 5. How the site could be improved. I would only say the site only needs improvement in understanding what the open source software is exactly. Moodle gives you a "welcome to moodle", but, unless you are familiar with open source code and what it is about, it is impossible to understand the technical language. Although they provide links to the different definitions of terminology, an unfamiliar and non-technical person may turn away from this site. It would also be helpful to use dynamic flash images or pages instead of static images that don't lend to an overly receptive front page, or, for that matter, cascading sheets. atutor.ca site This website is entirely formatted and styled after the Microsoft site in its arrangement of the menu system and overall style sheets. 1. What information did the site cover, e.g. did it try to present a summary of the facts or did it also give opinions Did it try to give complete and up- to-date coverage, or did it appear to be selective The site is entirely composed of presenting to the visitor what the open source web-based software is inclusive of and as such provides a very good description of what it is representing. As with many open source sites, this too, like Moodle, has continual updates on a daily basis to any fixes to the code itself or those that report a problem they can track it in the documentation section. 2. Did the site present a balanced view or did it represent one perspective The site does

Economics of the U.A.E Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economics of the U.A.E - Essay Example A regional trade bloc with important economic objectives including the eventual establishment of a common currency, the Gulf Cooperation Council is a regional actor in the Middle East with increasing political leverage and diplomatic sway. Initially created to further the economic integration of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf Cooperation Council fosters a sense of Arab community within the Gulf context and represents Arab multilateralism in the region. This analysis aims to be in-depth and comprehensive and will conclude with a concise analysis of the means through which the Gulf Cooperation Council will help the economic development of the UAE in the next 15 years and discuss important regional issues including the dream of a unified currency for the Arab states of the Persian Gulf region. A regional trade bloc which includes some of the fastest growing economies in the world, the Gulf Cooperation Council was devised and implemented in 1981 under the auspices of a unified economic agreement which established a unique social and economic bond between the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf region. The current six members of the GCC, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, were the original parties to the document creating the GCC and although expansion of this regional body may occur in the future, the membership of the GCC has remained unchanged for more than twenty seven years. During these years, the region has witnessed incredible growth, rising gross national product throughout the region and an undeniable boom in natural resources including oil and natural gas. The Gulf Cooperation Council was established as a multilateral organization almost thirty years ago with the intent of fostering economic and social integration among the Arab countries of the Gulf region.

External and Internal Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

External and Internal Environments - Essay Example There are social, economic, political, legal etc factors that can effect a business environment. It can be analyzed that the two main segments that effect the business environment of Nike are the economic and social segments. Nike is a company based on U.S. which is the most technologically commanding nation in the world with a high level of GDP per capita of about $49800. As the level of income of people in U.S. high they have a good share of spendable income that they use in purchase of consumer goods like shoes. Nike is considered to have the largest market share of sports footwear business in U.S as estimated in 2012. The social environment of U.S. supports the business of sports shoes manufactured by Nike. United States has high rate of urbanization (82%) and an estimated growth of urbanization of about 1.2% from 2010 to 2015 (CIA, 2013). Most of the people in U.S. wear western dresses as casuals. Thus sports and lifestyle shoes of Nike are most commonly used by the people in U. S. 2. Considering the five (5) forces of competition, choose the two (2) that you estimate are the most significant for the corporation you chose. Evaluate how well the company has addressed these two (2) forces in the recent past. A company gets affected by various types of forces like threat of a new entrant, substitutes, existing rivalry in the industry, bargaining powers of buyers and suppliers. Among all, the most two important forces of competition that are likely to affect Nike are bargaining power of buyers and existing rivalry within the industry. The buyers of Nike shoes always demand for better quality of product but at lower prices. The bargaining power of the buyers of shoe industry in U.S is very high because there are various companies that produce shoes in U.S.(Iqbal, 2013). The company has to give various offers to attract more buyers for their products. Nike shoes are athletic shoes and various types of sports companies purchase bulk of their products. The company has to offer negotiable prices to these sports companies. It is observed that Nike shoes are rich fashionable shoes that exhibit the characteristics of luxurious products thus the degree of responsiveness of the buyers to change in prices are very high. The company has various rivals in the market. Companies like Reebok, Puma, and Adidas etc also produce lifestyle and sports shoes so if the prices of Nike shoes are increased to a very high level then it can drastically reduce the quantity demanded for Nike shoes. This signifies that the industry is highly competitive. Nike constantly upgrades their customized designs for lifestyle shoes so that they can pitch buyers on grounds of design and quality. In 2010 the company has introduced a new division known as Nike Digital Sports that has invented a special technology that can track the performance of a user in any type of sports. To lead in the progressing industry Nike has adopted low cost strategies like selling products online. 3. With the same two (2) forces in mind, predict what the company might do to improve its ability to address these forces in the near future. Nike as a firm can attract more potential consumers by making their shoes better in quality and fashion than the other companies. Nike may diversify the range of their lifestyle shoes so that apart from the people who participate in sports, Nike shoes are also

Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Development - Essay Example 47). Thus development in an organizational context is dependent on some key theoretical aspects like: a) Leadership The main crux of any leadership effort is to motivate people to aspire to achieve a common goal and to extend to them the skills and the attributes that could make them work collectively as a team (Rost 1993, p. 39). A leader always has the ability and the potential to gets things done by others through following the right strategy and attitude. However, such attitude ought to rely predominantly on a feeling of respect for and trust on others and must avoid as far as possible, resorting to fear and submission (Rost 1993, p. 42). Hence, respect and mutual trust are the key elements of leadership. b) Motivation It is very common to come across the reality that varied personnel constituting an organizational team tend to have diverse purposes, goals and aspirations (Mackay 2007, p. 24). Not to say that the eventual success of any project is predominantly dependant on the c ollective commitment of all the team members to the envisaged goal. This is mostly a direct function of their levels of motivation. Motivation in an organizational context is a two pronged process. ... to be bound by a common sense of purpose, thereby extending maximum cooperation to the respective group members, the organizational leadership, the diverse stakeholders associated with the organization and the organizational administration (Lantz 2007, p. 12). Teamwork is always the final outcome of good team building and effective leadership. Team building efforts comprise of varied tasks like defining goals and targets, extending and establishing leadership, management of conflicts, and motivating the respective team members (Lantz 2007). Team building also consists of processes like encouraging the interpersonal behaviour that aids effective communication and negotiating the roles ascribed to respective team members and establishing the procedures that go with them (Lantz 2007). It goes without saying that the team building efforts in an organization are certainly bolstered by the ability of a team leader to solicit the backing and support of the top management. Team building is a lso to a great extent dependant on the ability of a team leader to come out with appropriate reward systems. d) Communication Most of the experts consider communication to be the single most important factor that could make or mar the eventual success of any project (Harris 1993). The success of a project to a great extent relies on the effective communication between team members, between team members and the leadership, and between a team and the diverse stakeholders associated with a project (Harris 1993). A hassle free and open communication is the way to success and achievement. Proper communication is the one potent way to better and improve professional relationships between the varied team members. Hence, a team leader ought to learn about the varied communication aspects of the

Tests of Intelligence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tests of Intelligence - Assignment Example ildren between the age group 6 to 16, meant to generate scores of IQ based on a comprehensive test model that includes ten core subtests and five supplemental tests. All these tests are verbal, and each of them carries equal weightage. The main testing spheres include verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, processing speed, and working memory. Application of WSIC in the sphere of IQ testing has been more successful than in clinical testing for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other learning disabilities in children. This test was founded by Alfred Binet, and has undergone many modifications, the present one being 5th edition. This intelligence test is modeled to test using both verbal and nonverbal methods, aimed to assess reasoning, knowledge, analytical reasoning, visual-spatial processing and memory. The SB-5 is proven to be better in terms of assessing individuals and is more reliable (Becker, 2003). Based on a study conducted by Watkins et al. (1998), it was inferred that the WSIC test cannot distinguish between children with learning disabilities and those without disabilities. Further, the test could not predict academic achievement among children with learning disabilities. In this regard, the SB-5 is more suitable as it distinguishes children with different levels of intelligences and learning abilities. Research indicated weak reliability scores for WSIC, with low internal consistency reliability criterion; inconsistent results across time were also observed, thus complicating individual decisions and assessments. Owing to the deviation of subtest measurements from normative methods, ipsative methods based on transformation to person-relative metrics have been opted. However, these are not empirical, and are intuitive; because of this, the results so obtained are psychometrically incongruent. Instability of subtests measurements makes the test less reliable. Statistical differences of group mean scores will not help in

Research on the initiative of audience in network news communication Dissertation

Research on the initiative of audience in network news communication - Dissertation Example In this era of changing fashion trends, television plays a big role in deciding the kind of fashion in terms of clothes and accessories that will dominate the youth’s desire. Since the inception of television and films, the goal has been to influence the viewers to buy products since the filmmakers are aware of the impact moving pictures can make on viewers. This study has investigated the impact of television fashion programs on Japanese and Chinese women selected on random basis from media and journalism schools and colleges, and also from health and social care centers. The desire to emulate television models and celebrities is strong among the respondents, and this induces them to change their eating habits to change their weight. They consider Western fashion as depicted by television programs as superior to their traditional culture, hence they often indulge in compulsive shopping to acquire clothes and accessories as promoted by these programs. Contents I. Introduction †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 II. Literature review†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.7 III. Methodology†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦23 IV. ... Appendix ..................................................................................72 I. Introduction In this current age of increasingly pervasive beauty and fashion awareness, the requirement of a slim body figure has become as important as one’s IQ. Therefore, it is not surprising that women of all age groups are getting more and more conscious about their body image. The growing tendency in the fashion world to represent beautiful women as having hourglass figure goes against the traditional belief that beauty is inherent and that â€Å"beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder†. The constant provocations caused by perfect size figures in televisions and magazine covers in the fashion world urges women to shift to a new slimmer figure. The craze for size zero has induced women and especially young girls to take desperate measures making those who lack this so called perfect figure to suffer from inferiority complex. Although body image consciousness is prevale nt among both genders, it is however more apparent among women because they are more vocal about their feelings. Unlike men, the common subject of topic between women is what they like or what they do not like about their body parts. It is a known fact that every woman desires to keep a positive perception of her body image. This can be achieved only when a woman feels comfortable with her body and feels good about the way she looks. It is a common phenomenon that women struggle to keep their body in shape through various measures like doing exercise, swimming, dieting or skipping meals altogether. The feeling of a negative body image can induce women to indulge in over exercise or eating disorder habits which cause harmful impacts on body. Every woman has her own idea of body image and develops

ERP Story Write Up Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ERP Story Write Up - Case Study Example The operations in HR like vacancy advertisement and subsequent hiring of employees, effective management of the entire supply chain, and providing transparent and timely financial reports may not be possible in such cases due to untimely passage of information. The use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software provides some solution to these problems. This is achieved if the software is installed correctly (Walgium, 1). However, the success of introducing ERP system into an organization is not obvious. Instead, the use of ERP may be associated with a series of challenges to the management as well as the employees. Some changes may be required in the system of operations of each of the sections (Walgium, 1). There is also need to have hardware and software compatibility for the applications used by different sections to be brought together. Due to such complications, an organization should thoroughly examine its worth as well the available resources before installing an ERP. Otherwise, the new technology may be worse than the traditional approach. This paper focuses on the different issues that arise when a large company decides to integrate ERP into its operations. It provides specific reference to ABS Canada, an insurance company that has three different parent organizations brought together to operate as a single entity. ABS Canada wishes to consolidate its operations in the three sections namely marketing management, human resource management, and finance management. Aux Bons Soins (ABS) has been in the insurance industry in Canada for several decades (Case study). Over the years, various developments have been seen that have significant impacts on its operations. The company has acquired two other subsidiary insurance companies in the last few years. The parent company as well as its subsidiaries has always

Music World Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Music World Culture - Assignment Example On discovering the legends and history behind the nation’s cultural heritage, it is possible to know how these iconic symbols got associated with its culture and society. The discussion here commences with the historical, sociological, and geographical information of Scotland regarding its people, culture, and society; and particularly focuses on the music world culture that includes cultural information about the country’s unique music, dance, and instruments of the Scottish people. The geographical location of Scotland lies approximately in the northern end of United Kingdoms mainland, encompassing about 7.5 million hectares of land. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, with the North Sea in the east and the North Channel and Irish Sea in the south-west. In addition to the mainland, the country is made up of around 790 small islands, including the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. Scotland’s population is estimated to be more than 5 million, as per the census 2011, with a population of 62 percent identified as being purely Scottish, 18 percent as Scottish and British, 8 percent as British only, and 4 percent as other national identities. (â€Å"Analysis: National Identity†). The diverse national identities in Scotland have contributed to the culturally divergent heritage of the land. Scotland has a complex yet engrossing history that can be stretched back to some thousands of years, from the Kingdom of Alba to the modern Scotland of today. The emergence of Scotland can be dated back to the Prehistoric period, when the Kingdom of Alba emerged after the primitive immigrants’ colonization of the land. After the invasion of British colonialism and the subsequent agreement Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton in 1328, Scotland was recognized as an independent sovereign state and got merged with Great Britain in the seventeenth-century. Scotland

How To Buy A Brand New Car Essay Example for Free

How To Buy A Brand New Car Essay Buying a brand new car is one of the most important financial decisions a person can make in his life. Due to all the car models and makes available these days, buying a car is almost like buying candy from a store. There is always something that will fit your whims and fancies. Unfortunately, a car costs much more than candy and therefore, extra precautions are necessary when deciding upon what kind of car to buy.   This is why it is important for a person to draw up a personal selection process for buying a car that will cater to his specific needs and capabilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   First of all, a person on the market for a car should start by feeding his eyes. Look around you and observe what other people are driving. Do a search car models that catch your eye on the internet and see what the car reviews have to say about it. Print out your top 5 choices for narrowing down the list.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second, check your finances and put a spending cap on your purchasing power. A mid priced brand new vehicle will function just as well, if not better than a high priced model. After all, the way a car functions all depends upon the way the owner maintains the car and not how much the owner spent to purchase the car.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Third, go showroom shopping. I would advise that you go only to the manufacturer’s outlet in your city rather than going to Honest Sam’s Car dealer. This is so that you can avail of various discounts and a full range of after sales services that only the manufacturer can offer you. With all the car scams out there, it is best to err on the side of caution. After all, you will be plunking down thousands of dollars on something that should last at least twenty years in service to you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fourth, make sure to bring a passenger along for the test drive. The person can be a friend or even an independent car mechanic. The job of this person will be to help you look over the finer details of the car during the test drive. Remember, the comfort of the passenger matters too. The mechanic will be there to help you spot potential problems in car maintenance in the future and help you decide upon whether or not the car maintenance will be something your finances can deal with in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fifth, don’t let the showroom sales pitches get to you. These people need to move their cars. They work on a commission basis. The more cars they sell, the better for their pockets. Keep in mind that you have to be comfortable with the purchase decision you will be making. Having any emotional connection with the highly friendly sales staff should not influence your decision. After test driving your short list of cars, sleep on the decision. Consult people whom you know drive the cars you are considering to buy. What problems have they had so far? How much is maintenance costing them monthly and yearly?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lastly, make the final decision based upon all the technical and practical data you have gathered. Go purchase the car and start enjoying the freedom that owning a brand new car has to offer.

Types of Parasites

Types of Parasites Chapter 1 General Introduction 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Fish Parasites Parasitism is an obligatory association between two distinct species, in which one species parasite is dependent on its host for nutrients and shelter (Elmer Glenn, 1961). The parasites can be divided into two groups which are ectoparasites and endoparasites. Ectoparasites are found on the external surfaces of the host such as skin, fins and gills, while endoparasites usually hide within the internal tissues or organs in the host (Cheng, 1986). Fishes acts as hosts to a wide variety of parasites such as the protozoans, platyhelminthes, acanthocephalan, nematodes and crustaceans (Lim, 1987). Parasites are typically smaller than their host. A distinct host usually found to be infected by a group of parasites (Zander, 1998). The chemical and physical factors which are either in micro-environment or macro-environment play an important role to determine the distribution and density of parasites (Cheng, 1986). Parasites show a preference among different age groups (Zander et al., 1993), sex of host (Lim, 1987) or according to host density and behaviour (Cheng, 1986). Remarkably, parasites have a distinguished ability to deal with the normal physiological and structural changes of the host, for example, the peristaltic movement and intestinal mucosa (Cheng, 1986) for survival, and starting their parasitism phase. Apart from that, the presence of parasites commonly irritates the host, causing immunological change (Lim, 1979) and may eventually cause death (Zander, 1998). Parasites penetrate the hosts tissue, causing chronic body system problems to the host. Moreover, the irritation site will initiate secondary infection by micro-organisms to the host (Cheng, 1986). 1.2 Specific parasite Gobies play a role as main host and transmitters (Zander, 1993) of parasites. Varieties of protozoan, helminthes, mollusks, crustaceans have been described as parasites of fish (Lim, 1987). They are able to reproduce either sexually or asexually. Some species of parasites have specific attachment to enable them to hold onto the host for food, transport (Cheng, 1986) or shelter (Elmer Glenn, 1961). The phylum Platyhelminthes consists of a large group of free-living invertebrates but most live as parasitic species on or in other organisms. There are 3 main classes under this phylum, namely, class Monogenea, class Trematode, and class Cestoda (Solomon et al., 2002). Monogeneans are typical gillworms (Bunkley-Williams E. H. Williams, 1994). Some species attach themselves on the body surface or invade into the inner organ of aquatic species (Reed, Francis-Floyd Klinger, 1996). Monogeneans have a series of hooks that enable them to attach on the host (Reed et al., 1996). They usually inhabit the gill and feed on skin mucosa (Lim, 1987). Reed et al. (1996) mentioned that a monogenean, Dactylogyrus sp., usually attaches itself to the gills of freshwater fish. It reproduces by laying eggs, while Gyrodactylus is typically found on the skin and fins of fish. This parasite produces live young or can be described as viviparous during its whole life. Digenea was formerly described as digenetic trematodes and this species of flukes usually has at least two hosts in their life cycle (Smyth, 1962). The parasite usually has a terminal opening mouth with a sucker which is subterminal or ventral. It may or may not have an oral sucker (Yamagutti, 1958). They are particularly found as endoparasites in the digestive tract, but are sometimes found throughout the inner organ systems of vertebrates (Yamagutti, 1958). The adult digeneans are commonly hermaphroditic but reproduction still requires two worms. Digeneans have a complex life cycle with two to three intermediate hosts (Cheng, 1986). Cestode is a parasitic flatworm or commonly known as tapeworm (Solomon, et al., 2002). An adult worm consists of a scolex which maybe armed with suckers and sometimes hooks for attachment on host (Solomon et al., 2002); and a strobila which is a linear series that be formed by one or more segments (also described as proglottides) which contain reproductive structures (Yamagutti, 1959). Most of the cestodes are monoecious and each proglottid has a male reproductive system and a female reproductive system. Both self and cross-fertilization will take place in cestode (Smyth, 1962). Nematode is commonly called as round worm (Solomon et al., 2002) that can infect a vertebrates eye, mouth, alimentary system, body cavity and the other parts (Smyth, 1962). This species can also be found as a parasite of many species of fishes. Some species parasitize plants and are described as an important agricultural pest (Campbell, 2002). It is smooth and consists of a cylindrical body, a pointed tail and cuticle layer surrounding its body (Solomon et al., 2002). Nematodes are typically dioecious. The female is generally larger than the male (Cheng, 1986). Apart from that, nematode life cycles differ depending on the species of the nematode (Smyth, 1962). 1.3 The Family of Gobiidae The members which form the family Gobiidae are known as gobies. It is the largest family of marine fishes and consists of two hundred genera (retrieved from Wikipedia). The members of the Family Gobiidae have their own special characteristics. They have a cylindrical body and the pelvic fins usually form an adhesive disc (Maurice Anthony, 1993). This species usually inhabits the shore in shallow bays and estuaries and also freshwater swamps and lakes (retrieved from Wikipedia). Some species are restricted to coral reefs, rocky coast, sandy, mangrove swamp or muddy beaches (Murdy, 1989). 1.4 Oxudercine Gobies (Mudskippers) The mudskippers are known as ‘ikan belacak, ‘ikan tembakul or ‘ikan belukor in Malay. The members of the goby family classified as mudskipper species based on body traits and behaviours (Murdy, 1989). Oxudercine gobies are described as the members of mudskippers (Murdy, 1989). There are thirty four species from ten genera found throughout the world (Murdy, 1989). They are Apocryptes, Zappa, Pseudapocryptes, Apocryptodon, Parapocryptes, Oxuderces, Scartelaos, Boleophthalmus, Periophthalmodon and Periophthalmus. Only seven genera of mudskippers (Periopthalmodon, Periophthalmus, Boleophthalmus, Scartelaos, Oxuderces, Parapocryptes and Pseudopocryptes) were found along the Selangor coast (Khaironizam, 2004). According to Khaironizam (2004), Cantor (1849) had identified five species of mudskippers while Koumans (1953) had noted eight species in Malaysia. Apart from that, there were four species already reported by Macne (1968) and five species were described by Berry (1972). He also mentioned that Murdy (1989) stated 11 species of mudskippers in Malaysia while Takita (1999) had studied 12 species of mudskippers (refer to Appendix A5). The mudskippers are euryhaline and semi-terrestrial species (Clayton, 1993). They have a rounded body and united pelvic fins. They also have a pair of protruding eyes and one to two rows of teeth in the upper jaws. Besides this, they can survive for a long time above water and move on land. Commonly, the males are smaller than the females. The mudskippers usually feed on crabs, insects, and other small organisms (Clayton, 1993). There are several adaptations that allow the mudskippers to survive successfully out of the water. Their bronchial chamber can fill up with water which allows them to walk on land for up to several hours. They spend much of their lives out of water and are able to undergo osmoregulation as well as oxygen uptake via their skin and gills (Clayton, 1993). They are abundant in muddy areas or mangroves. Oxudercine gobies often build mud towers around their burrows as refuge from predators (Clayton, 1993). The mudskippers have certain economic importance which provide substituted fishery for the period of torrential rain in some coastal countries. These fishes are commonly eaten in China, Taiwan, India and some parts of Malaysia. Nowadays, the mudskippers are also used as feed for aquarium fish (Clayton, 1993) 1.4.1 World Distribution of Mudskippers Mudskippers can be found around the tropical world as well as in the coastal regions of Asia, from Indonesia to Borneo (see 3). A few species are also found in Africa and Australia, whereas none are found in the new world (refer to Appendix A1). 1.5 Literature Reviews on Gobiid Parasites (refer to Appendix A7) There is too few research on parasitological studies of mudskipper in the Asian region. Most of the studies nowadays concentrate on the behavior and ecology of oxudercinae gobies (Khaironizam, 2004); taxonomic and cladistic of the oxudercine gobies (Murdy, 1989); and the nitrogen excretion of mudskipper in water and on land, the growth of mudskipper, habitat of mudskipper and osmoregulation system among this species (Clayton, 1993). Mhaisen and Al-Maliki (1996) mentioned that Myxobolus pfeifferi (Sporozoa), Diplozoon sp. (Monogenea) and Neoechinorhynchus sp. (Acanthocephala) were found in dark-blotched mudskippers, Periophthalmus waltoni, from the mudflats of the Khor Al-Zubair estuary. A new record showed the heterophyid (trematode) had served Boleophthalmus pectinirostris and Scartelaos sp. as second intermediate host (Sohn et al., 2005). Clayton (1993) indicated that cestode, agamofilarial and acanthocephalid cysts have been described as parasite in Periophthalmus koelreuteri (Pearse, 1933), Periphthalmodon schlosseri and Boleophthalmus boddarti (Khoo, 1966). Besides, the larval ascarid nematodes infected Periophthalmodon schlosseri (Khoo, 1966). Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus were found to be infected by parasitic copepod, Gnathia sp. A larval cestode was also described by Pearse (1932) in Periophthalmus modestus. A study by Choudhury and Nandi (1973) did not establish any parasitic infection on Boleophthalmus boddarti and Scartelaos histophorus. The intestinal flagellates were also noted by Pearse (1933) in Boleophthamus boddarti. The bacterial flora had been observed by Morii and Kasama (1989) to be in the intestine of Boleophthalmus pectinirostris and Periophthalmus modestus. In West Africa and Singapore, a new species of acanthocephalan was detected in Periophthalmus barbarus and Periophthalmus schlosseri. Eighteen Gyrodactylus species were collected from gobies of the genus Pomatoschistus and the host-parasite relationship was discussed (Huyse et al., 2003). Geets et al. (1999) found that three gobies (Pomatoschistus minutus, P. lozanoi and P. pictus) were infected by Gyrodactylus arcuatus in the North Sea and noted that Gyrodactylus longidactylus n. sp. is host specific (Geets et al., 1998). This study showed that monogenea was found in Pomatoschistus lozanoi from the North Sea (Geets et al., 1998) Longshaw et al. (2003) discovered that Gyrodactylus quadratidigitus n. sp. (Monogenea: Gyrodactylidae) was found on the on the gills and body surface of Thorogobius ephippiatus (Lowe). Neogobius fluviatilis, Neogobius kessleri and Neogobius melanostomus from Slovakia were investigated by OndraÄ kovà ¡ et al. (2003) and were found to be infected by a metazoan parasite.According to Garcia et al. (2004), Lepidogobius lepidus that has been newly recorded as being a host to thirty three cestode pleroceroides of Phyllobothrium sp. Digenea (Aphalloides timmi, Apatemon gracilis, Podocotyle atomon, Cryptocotyle concavum, Cryptocotyle lingua) and nematode (Hysterothylacium sp.) are found to be present externally and internally in Pomatoschistus minutus, P. pictus, P.microps, Gobiusculus flavescens and Gobius niger (Zander, 2004). Pampoulie et al. (1999) noted that infection of Aphalloà ¯des cÅ“lomicola has a bad impact on Pomatoschistus microps (Krà ¸yer, 1838). Gobies were described as main host and transmitters (Zander, 1993) of parasites. Zander (1998) noted that goby fishes serve the digenean, cestode, nematode and acanthoceplalan serve the goby fishes as their intermediate host. Pomatoschistus microps is the final host of Podocotyle atomon and Aphalloides timmi and these parasites had different abundance according to different seasons (Zander et al., 2002). Malek (2001) mentioned that Labratrema minimus and Cryptocotyle concavum have infected gobies (Pomatoschistus microps and Pomatoschistus minutes). According to Charlebois et al. (1997), there were 144 collected round gobies parasitized by 7 species of parasites. They are Diplostomum sp.(digenean), Eustrongylides tubifex(nematode), Rhabdochona decaturensis, Spinitectus sp., Spiroxys sp.(nematode), Leptorhyncchoides thecatus (class Palaeacanthocephala) and glochidia (larvae of freshwater bivalves). Apart from that, another study showed that four of the 67 gobies had parasites and three of them were infected by Acanthocephalus dirus while the latter was infected by nematode. Parasite infection of the male gobies was higher than female (Appleby, 1996). Most of the parasites were found from the gills, oral cavity and pharynx of gobies. Marianne et al. (2004) mentioned that Ellipsomyxa gobii (Myxozoa) infected goby, Pomatoschistus microps, as fish host. According to Lynda et al. (2004), there were four species of freshwater parasites were found in round goby, Neogobius melanostomus. These parasites included trematodes and crustaceans. Schistocephalus solidus, Aphalloides timmi and Apatemon gracilis including a metacecaria had been found in the goby fishes (Zander, 2001). These gobies have a low richness, prevelance, mean intensity and mean abundance of parasite. The gobies are intermediate host of digenean which is Diplostomum sp., acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus dirus) and nematode, Eustrongylides sp. (Camp et al., 1999). 1.6 Objectives of Study This is a general study on the parasites of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) along the Selangor coastal area. The study is divided into two parts with the first part being a general survey of parasites on mudskippers while the second part discuss the relative factors affecting distribution of parasites. It also had an observation on the occurrences mudskippers along Selangor coast. Chapter 2 Materials and Methods 2.0 Introduction The present study focuses on the mudskippers found along the coastal area of Selangor. The fishes were caught from Jeram, Sementa (2 sites), Carey Island (3 sites) and Morib. A total of 127 specimens belonging to 7 species of mudskippers were collected and they included Boleophthalmus boddarti, Periophthalmus chrysospilos, Periophthalmus novemradiatus, Periophthalmus modestus, Periophthalmodon schlosseri, Pseudapocryptes elongates (Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus) and Scartelaos histophorus. Fish parts including the body surface, gills and gut were observed. The weight and the size of each specimen (standard size and the length) were recorded. Apart from that, the diet of mudskippers also was documented according to their stomach contents. Next, the parasites found from different parts of fish specimens were identified and tabulated. ANOVA, Coefficient of Dispersion, the Chi Square Test and population parameters were used to analyze data. 2.1 Methodology i) Fish collection site The fish specimens were caught by having the sampling at Jeram, Sementa, Carey Island and Morib (see 4). The field works were carried out during spring tide because the low tide was the lowest level while the high tide had the highest point when compared to the normal time. The salinity and pH of water were recorded. Fishes were caught by using different sizes of scoop net (medium or small). Otherwise, the fish can be caught using the cast net or by angling. Some crustaceans or small fishes were used as bait to attract fishes. The mudskippers were kept in water-filled aquarium to make sure that they may survive longer. (If the fishes die during sampling, some ice cubes can be added into plastic bag to freeze the dead fish). Species identification was done using a taxonomic characteristic key. 2.2 Fish Dissection Each fish was killed by a blow on their head or by severing the nerve cord. The weight and the size of specimen (standard size and the length) were recorded. After that, the gill and alimentary system of the fish were taken out step by step for observations. The parts examined were placed in a petri dish (with some drops of seawater in it. The seawater possibly contained the protozoans, copepods, mud, sea grasses and the others) Gill removal The operculum (a bony plate) was lifted and the gill parts were examined. Next, the operculum was cut across its base and the gill was being exposed. The gills were removed by cutting the upper and lower attachments of the arch. The gill apparatus were separated one by one into 8 pieces and the isolated gills were placed into a petri dish partially-filled with water. A pipette was used to suck and separate the parasite from the mucus, blood blot or tissues. A needle or a pair of fine forceps was usually used to scrape the mucus or tissue so as to separate the parasites from mucus or tissue. Alimentary system or gut part removal The alimentary system is a canal which starts from the esophagus and ends below the rectum. The body of the fish was cut longitudinally from the operculum parts till the tail part of the fish. After getting out the gill apparatus, it was lifted out together with the alimentary system by using a pair of forceps. The alimentary tract was cut into 4 parts (stomach, small intestine, big intestine and rectum). Again, a needle or forceps was used to scrape the mucus or tissue to separate the parasites from the mucus or tissue. The food items from the stomach content of the fish were recorded because this could possibly gives us some informations on the life cycle of parasite (Mhaisen and Al-Maliki, 1996) 2.3 Parasite collection Scalpel or dissecting needles were used to scrape gently the gill filaments and gut dermis of the fish. The parasite were sucked out by using a small pipette (if they were too small) or a pair of forceps (if they were bigger) and placed into a cavity block filled with some drops of seawater. Then, the parasite was examined under a dissecting microscope. The parasite was preserved using different methods according to the species of parasites. i) Fixation of the monogenean or any unknown species of parasite A coverslip was placed over the parasite after it was placed at the centre part of a slide. The slide-fixed parasite would be examined with a dissecting microscope to make sure the slide contained the specimen. After leaving the slide to be dry for a few minutes, a clear nail varnish was used to fix the four edges of the coverslip on the slide to prevent any movement of the coverslip. Ammonium picrate glycerin was added to the sides of the coverslip to allow it to seep under the coverslip, to fix and to clear the specimens. ii) Preservation methods for different types of parasite There were different parasite preservation methods used depending on the species and quantity of the collected parasites (see Table 1) Table 1: Preparation methods for different types of parasite Parasite Preparation methods Nematode Warm 70% alcohol was poured over the worms and later the specimens were transferred to fresh 70% alcohol for storage Trematode Digenea Warm 10% formalin was poured over the worms and the specimens were kept overnight in the fixative. They were transferred into fresh 70% alcohol for storage Cestode Warm 70% alcohol was poured over the worms and later transferred to fresh 70% alcohol for storage 2.4 Data analysis Coefficient of Dispersion (C.D) The coefficient of dispersion (C.D) was calculated to see how the population is dispersed, such as random, uniformed or clumped. It is calculated by dividing the variance over the mean and the relative relationship between mean and variance would establish the distribution pattern of the parasites in a population. If the C.D is close to or equals to one, the population is randomly dispersed. If the C.D is more than one, the population is clumped or over-dispersed. If the C.D is less than one, it shows that the population is uniformly dispersed or under-dispersed. The ratio of the mean to the variance is called the Coefficient of Dispersion (C.D) and the calculated formula is as below: The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (refer to Appendix A4) was used to test for significant differences among the variances. In this study, ANOVA was used to test for significant differences among the variances of parasites in the mudskippers sampled around the Selangor coastal area. In addition, the relative test had exhibited the interaction among the different factors affecting the occurrences and quantity of parasites. A test was calculated to show the correlation between the interaction of the different independent variables and the quantity of parasites on the gills and gut of the mudskipper. The significant result for fish survival in relation to the quantity of different parasite species under different variables was also documented. Chi Square Test The Chi Square Test was done to test whether a sample from a population follows a specified distribution or not. The Chi Square value was calculated as follow: Where as: = The observed number of cases which be written off as i row number of j column number = The expected number of cases which under the H0 to be characterized with i row number of j column number = It is run over all cells r = The number of rows in Chi-square table k = The number of columns in Chi-square table The calculated value was tested at a significance level of 95%. The value was yielded by the formula which was approximated by distribution with (r-1) (c-1). If the calculated value exceeded the tabulated one, the null hypothesis would be rejected at p = 0.05. Population Parameter The basic parasitological parameters which are prevalence, abundance and intensity were calculated for each parasite. According to Cox (1982), prevalence is defined by the percentage of host. Formula calculation of each basic parasitological parameter is as below: Prevalence is to look at how common a host (mudskipper) is infected in a population. Prevalence = Number of infected host X 100% Number of host examined Intensity is the quantity of parasite found in the host samples (mudskippers). Intensity = Total number of parasites Total number of infected host Abundance is the total number of parasites found in all the examined hosts. Abundance = Intensity Total number of host examined Chapter 3 Results and Discussions 3.0 Introduction This study focuses on parasites of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) along Selangor coast. The fishes were caught (see Chapter 2) from Jeram, Sementa (2 sites), Carey Island (3 sites) and Morib (refer to 4). There were totally 127 mudskippers caught for study. The collected fish were identified by using taxonomic keys and cladistic analysis of family Gobiidae. 127 mudskippers consist of 7 species from 5 genera were collected. They were 27 Boleophthalmus boddarti, 36 Periophthalmus chrysospilos, 54 Periophthalmus novemradiatus, 1 Periophthalmus modestus, 1 Periophthalmodon schlosseri, 7 Pseudapocryptes elongates (Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus) and 1 Scartelaos histophorus (refer Appendix A3). In this study, parasites of the gills, the gut and the body surface of fish were investigated (see Chapter 2). There was found nothing from the body surface of fish. Five groups of parasites found from the whole study. They were monogenean, digenean, nematode, cestode and some unknown parasite cysts. Apart from that, the environmental factors (pH and salinity of water) also were discussed (see Table 2; Appendix A2). 3.1 Parasites of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) Table 2 showed the summarized parasite data of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) (refer to Appendix A2). Parasites species differ among oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) based on studied sites. Five groups of parasites were detected from this present study (see Table 3; 5-11). Identification is not easily to be done based on general main beliefs about parasite. There are varies in morphology and biological characters among parasites (see Satyu Yamaguti, 1953). The collected parasite consists of digeneans (see section 1.2; 5-8), monogenean (see section 1.2; 9), nematode (see section 1.2), cestode (see section 1.2; 10), and unidentified parasite cysts (see 11). Digeneans inhabit the gills and the gut of mudskippers (see Table 3). In this study, three types of digeneans were found in the gut of mudskippers. However, two of these three types of digeneans were also found in the gills. These digeneans are probably regurgitated from the gut as they have the same morphology with the guts digeneans. Gyrodactylus sp. (Monogenea, Gyrodactylidae) was described from the gills of mudskippers (see 8). The gills are the preferred part for monogenean. Table 3 showed that cestode and nematode inhabit the gut of fish specimens. Most of them found as encysted form in the mudskippers. In this study, the unidentified parasites cysts were found in the gills and gut of the mudskippers (see Table 3; 11). The unidentified parasites found in the gut of the mudskippers are probably cysts of cestode or nematode. However, some unknown parasites cysts which were found in the gills are considered as myxosporid. Table 2 Excel Table 3: Parasite record of the examined fish Parasite species Number of Species Microhabitat i) Digenea (see 5-8) 3 Gut and gill ii) Monogenea (see 9) 1 Gill iii) Cestode (see 10) 1 Gut iv) Nematode 1 Gut v)Unidentified parasite cysts 3.2 Parasites and their hosts Table 4 showed the presences of parasites on oxudercine gobies (mudskippers). Eight monogeneans were found limited to Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus (see Table 4 Table 5). Monogenean seems to be host specific and it prefers to inhabit the gills of Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus. Next, digeneans occurred in Periophthalmus chrysospilos and Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see table 4). There were 136 digeneans found in Periophthalmus chrysospilos while ten digeneans were detected from Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see Table 5). It is possibly because digeneans are able to adapt well in Periophthalmus chrysospilos. Periophthalmus chrysospilos, Periophthalmus novemradiatus and Periophthalmodon schlosseri were infected by cestodes (see Table 4). Most (twenty eight cestodes) were found in Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see Table 5). According to Table 5, there were twenty five nematodes found from Periophthalmus novemradiatus. Nematodes also occurred in Periophthalmodon schlosseri, mostly in the encysted form in the gut of mudskippers. There were 402 unidentified parasite cysts (see section 3.1) observed in Boleophthalmus boddarti, Periophthalmus modestus and Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see Table 4 Table 5). Most were found in Boleophthalmus boddarti. . Table 4: Parasites from Different Mudskippers Species Parasite Species Boleophthalmus boddarti Periophthalmus modestus Periophthalmus novemradiatus Host Species Periophthalmus chrysospilos Periophthalmodon schlosseri Pseudapocryptes Lanceolatus Scartelaos hisphorous Monogenea + Digenea + + Cestode + + Nematode + + + Unknown parasite cysts + + + = Parasite detected; = Parasite not detected Table 5: The Quantity of Compound Parasite Community Present in the Different Mudskipper Species Host Species Parasites Digenea Monogenea Nematode Cestode Unidentified cysts Boleophthalmus boddarti 0 0 0 0 395 Periophthalmus chrysospilos 136 0 0 1 0 Periophthalmus novemradiatus 10 0 7 28 6 Periophthalmus modestus 0 0 0 0 1 Pseudopocryptes lanceolatus 0 8 0 0 0 Periophthalmodon schlosseri 0 0 25 4 0 Scartelaos histophorus 0 0 0 0 0 3.3 Parasite and their habitat The salinity and pH of the water from the specimen collection areas were recorded (see table 2). Table 6 showed that site Sementa 2 with salinity reading from 23†° to 25†° and pH of water between 7.35 and 7.58 had the highest parasitic infection rate. There were 29 out of 40 samples found to have parasitic infection. Morib recorded the lowest parasitic infection rate (6%), only one out of 18 mudskippers was infected with parasite cysts. The parasitic infection rate of the mudskippers may perhaps vary with a distinct study area. The abundance of parasite was probably affected by the salinity of the macro-habitat (Zander Reimer, 2002). Monogenean prefers to inhabit in water with pH 7.44 (see Table 7; 13). Digeneans can be found in water with pH ranging from 5.71 to 8.71 (Table 7). Most digeneans were found in water with pH 7.35. Cestode and nematode occurred individually in the inner body of the host. Cestodes were found from the site Carey Island 2, site Sementa 2 and Morib (see Table 2). Table 7 showed that twenty-eight cestodes were found from site Carey Island 2 (see Table 2) with water pH measured as 5.71. Nematodes could be found in water with a wide range of pH ranging from 5.71 to 8.71 (Table 7). With reference to Table 7, the unidentified parasite cysts were found more abundantly in water pH 7.35 (Table 7; 14). The abundance of parasites in a distinct area differs with pH of water based on their own optimum pH and tolerance to the environment. Table 6: The Parasitic Infection of Mudskipper in Different Locations along Selangor Coast Locations Total of Samples pH water(†°) Salinity Parasitic infections Infection Rate Jeram 5 N.A N.A 2 40% Carey Island 1 5 7.44 11 3 60% Carey Island 2 36 5.71 17 14 39% Carey Island 3 3 8.17 11 2 67% Sementa1 20 6.81 28 5 25% Sementa2 40 7.35-7.58 23-25 29 73% Morib 18 7.21 25-30 1 6% 2 Table 7 : Parasites in different pH range. pH of water Parasite 5.71 6.81 7.21 7.35 7.44 7.58 8.17 Digenea 10 0 1 135 0 0 1 Cestode Types of Parasites Types of Parasites Chapter 1 General Introduction 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Fish Parasites Parasitism is an obligatory association between two distinct species, in which one species parasite is dependent on its host for nutrients and shelter (Elmer Glenn, 1961). The parasites can be divided into two groups which are ectoparasites and endoparasites. Ectoparasites are found on the external surfaces of the host such as skin, fins and gills, while endoparasites usually hide within the internal tissues or organs in the host (Cheng, 1986). Fishes acts as hosts to a wide variety of parasites such as the protozoans, platyhelminthes, acanthocephalan, nematodes and crustaceans (Lim, 1987). Parasites are typically smaller than their host. A distinct host usually found to be infected by a group of parasites (Zander, 1998). The chemical and physical factors which are either in micro-environment or macro-environment play an important role to determine the distribution and density of parasites (Cheng, 1986). Parasites show a preference among different age groups (Zander et al., 1993), sex of host (Lim, 1987) or according to host density and behaviour (Cheng, 1986). Remarkably, parasites have a distinguished ability to deal with the normal physiological and structural changes of the host, for example, the peristaltic movement and intestinal mucosa (Cheng, 1986) for survival, and starting their parasitism phase. Apart from that, the presence of parasites commonly irritates the host, causing immunological change (Lim, 1979) and may eventually cause death (Zander, 1998). Parasites penetrate the hosts tissue, causing chronic body system problems to the host. Moreover, the irritation site will initiate secondary infection by micro-organisms to the host (Cheng, 1986). 1.2 Specific parasite Gobies play a role as main host and transmitters (Zander, 1993) of parasites. Varieties of protozoan, helminthes, mollusks, crustaceans have been described as parasites of fish (Lim, 1987). They are able to reproduce either sexually or asexually. Some species of parasites have specific attachment to enable them to hold onto the host for food, transport (Cheng, 1986) or shelter (Elmer Glenn, 1961). The phylum Platyhelminthes consists of a large group of free-living invertebrates but most live as parasitic species on or in other organisms. There are 3 main classes under this phylum, namely, class Monogenea, class Trematode, and class Cestoda (Solomon et al., 2002). Monogeneans are typical gillworms (Bunkley-Williams E. H. Williams, 1994). Some species attach themselves on the body surface or invade into the inner organ of aquatic species (Reed, Francis-Floyd Klinger, 1996). Monogeneans have a series of hooks that enable them to attach on the host (Reed et al., 1996). They usually inhabit the gill and feed on skin mucosa (Lim, 1987). Reed et al. (1996) mentioned that a monogenean, Dactylogyrus sp., usually attaches itself to the gills of freshwater fish. It reproduces by laying eggs, while Gyrodactylus is typically found on the skin and fins of fish. This parasite produces live young or can be described as viviparous during its whole life. Digenea was formerly described as digenetic trematodes and this species of flukes usually has at least two hosts in their life cycle (Smyth, 1962). The parasite usually has a terminal opening mouth with a sucker which is subterminal or ventral. It may or may not have an oral sucker (Yamagutti, 1958). They are particularly found as endoparasites in the digestive tract, but are sometimes found throughout the inner organ systems of vertebrates (Yamagutti, 1958). The adult digeneans are commonly hermaphroditic but reproduction still requires two worms. Digeneans have a complex life cycle with two to three intermediate hosts (Cheng, 1986). Cestode is a parasitic flatworm or commonly known as tapeworm (Solomon, et al., 2002). An adult worm consists of a scolex which maybe armed with suckers and sometimes hooks for attachment on host (Solomon et al., 2002); and a strobila which is a linear series that be formed by one or more segments (also described as proglottides) which contain reproductive structures (Yamagutti, 1959). Most of the cestodes are monoecious and each proglottid has a male reproductive system and a female reproductive system. Both self and cross-fertilization will take place in cestode (Smyth, 1962). Nematode is commonly called as round worm (Solomon et al., 2002) that can infect a vertebrates eye, mouth, alimentary system, body cavity and the other parts (Smyth, 1962). This species can also be found as a parasite of many species of fishes. Some species parasitize plants and are described as an important agricultural pest (Campbell, 2002). It is smooth and consists of a cylindrical body, a pointed tail and cuticle layer surrounding its body (Solomon et al., 2002). Nematodes are typically dioecious. The female is generally larger than the male (Cheng, 1986). Apart from that, nematode life cycles differ depending on the species of the nematode (Smyth, 1962). 1.3 The Family of Gobiidae The members which form the family Gobiidae are known as gobies. It is the largest family of marine fishes and consists of two hundred genera (retrieved from Wikipedia). The members of the Family Gobiidae have their own special characteristics. They have a cylindrical body and the pelvic fins usually form an adhesive disc (Maurice Anthony, 1993). This species usually inhabits the shore in shallow bays and estuaries and also freshwater swamps and lakes (retrieved from Wikipedia). Some species are restricted to coral reefs, rocky coast, sandy, mangrove swamp or muddy beaches (Murdy, 1989). 1.4 Oxudercine Gobies (Mudskippers) The mudskippers are known as ‘ikan belacak, ‘ikan tembakul or ‘ikan belukor in Malay. The members of the goby family classified as mudskipper species based on body traits and behaviours (Murdy, 1989). Oxudercine gobies are described as the members of mudskippers (Murdy, 1989). There are thirty four species from ten genera found throughout the world (Murdy, 1989). They are Apocryptes, Zappa, Pseudapocryptes, Apocryptodon, Parapocryptes, Oxuderces, Scartelaos, Boleophthalmus, Periophthalmodon and Periophthalmus. Only seven genera of mudskippers (Periopthalmodon, Periophthalmus, Boleophthalmus, Scartelaos, Oxuderces, Parapocryptes and Pseudopocryptes) were found along the Selangor coast (Khaironizam, 2004). According to Khaironizam (2004), Cantor (1849) had identified five species of mudskippers while Koumans (1953) had noted eight species in Malaysia. Apart from that, there were four species already reported by Macne (1968) and five species were described by Berry (1972). He also mentioned that Murdy (1989) stated 11 species of mudskippers in Malaysia while Takita (1999) had studied 12 species of mudskippers (refer to Appendix A5). The mudskippers are euryhaline and semi-terrestrial species (Clayton, 1993). They have a rounded body and united pelvic fins. They also have a pair of protruding eyes and one to two rows of teeth in the upper jaws. Besides this, they can survive for a long time above water and move on land. Commonly, the males are smaller than the females. The mudskippers usually feed on crabs, insects, and other small organisms (Clayton, 1993). There are several adaptations that allow the mudskippers to survive successfully out of the water. Their bronchial chamber can fill up with water which allows them to walk on land for up to several hours. They spend much of their lives out of water and are able to undergo osmoregulation as well as oxygen uptake via their skin and gills (Clayton, 1993). They are abundant in muddy areas or mangroves. Oxudercine gobies often build mud towers around their burrows as refuge from predators (Clayton, 1993). The mudskippers have certain economic importance which provide substituted fishery for the period of torrential rain in some coastal countries. These fishes are commonly eaten in China, Taiwan, India and some parts of Malaysia. Nowadays, the mudskippers are also used as feed for aquarium fish (Clayton, 1993) 1.4.1 World Distribution of Mudskippers Mudskippers can be found around the tropical world as well as in the coastal regions of Asia, from Indonesia to Borneo (see 3). A few species are also found in Africa and Australia, whereas none are found in the new world (refer to Appendix A1). 1.5 Literature Reviews on Gobiid Parasites (refer to Appendix A7) There is too few research on parasitological studies of mudskipper in the Asian region. Most of the studies nowadays concentrate on the behavior and ecology of oxudercinae gobies (Khaironizam, 2004); taxonomic and cladistic of the oxudercine gobies (Murdy, 1989); and the nitrogen excretion of mudskipper in water and on land, the growth of mudskipper, habitat of mudskipper and osmoregulation system among this species (Clayton, 1993). Mhaisen and Al-Maliki (1996) mentioned that Myxobolus pfeifferi (Sporozoa), Diplozoon sp. (Monogenea) and Neoechinorhynchus sp. (Acanthocephala) were found in dark-blotched mudskippers, Periophthalmus waltoni, from the mudflats of the Khor Al-Zubair estuary. A new record showed the heterophyid (trematode) had served Boleophthalmus pectinirostris and Scartelaos sp. as second intermediate host (Sohn et al., 2005). Clayton (1993) indicated that cestode, agamofilarial and acanthocephalid cysts have been described as parasite in Periophthalmus koelreuteri (Pearse, 1933), Periphthalmodon schlosseri and Boleophthalmus boddarti (Khoo, 1966). Besides, the larval ascarid nematodes infected Periophthalmodon schlosseri (Khoo, 1966). Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus were found to be infected by parasitic copepod, Gnathia sp. A larval cestode was also described by Pearse (1932) in Periophthalmus modestus. A study by Choudhury and Nandi (1973) did not establish any parasitic infection on Boleophthalmus boddarti and Scartelaos histophorus. The intestinal flagellates were also noted by Pearse (1933) in Boleophthamus boddarti. The bacterial flora had been observed by Morii and Kasama (1989) to be in the intestine of Boleophthalmus pectinirostris and Periophthalmus modestus. In West Africa and Singapore, a new species of acanthocephalan was detected in Periophthalmus barbarus and Periophthalmus schlosseri. Eighteen Gyrodactylus species were collected from gobies of the genus Pomatoschistus and the host-parasite relationship was discussed (Huyse et al., 2003). Geets et al. (1999) found that three gobies (Pomatoschistus minutus, P. lozanoi and P. pictus) were infected by Gyrodactylus arcuatus in the North Sea and noted that Gyrodactylus longidactylus n. sp. is host specific (Geets et al., 1998). This study showed that monogenea was found in Pomatoschistus lozanoi from the North Sea (Geets et al., 1998) Longshaw et al. (2003) discovered that Gyrodactylus quadratidigitus n. sp. (Monogenea: Gyrodactylidae) was found on the on the gills and body surface of Thorogobius ephippiatus (Lowe). Neogobius fluviatilis, Neogobius kessleri and Neogobius melanostomus from Slovakia were investigated by OndraÄ kovà ¡ et al. (2003) and were found to be infected by a metazoan parasite.According to Garcia et al. (2004), Lepidogobius lepidus that has been newly recorded as being a host to thirty three cestode pleroceroides of Phyllobothrium sp. Digenea (Aphalloides timmi, Apatemon gracilis, Podocotyle atomon, Cryptocotyle concavum, Cryptocotyle lingua) and nematode (Hysterothylacium sp.) are found to be present externally and internally in Pomatoschistus minutus, P. pictus, P.microps, Gobiusculus flavescens and Gobius niger (Zander, 2004). Pampoulie et al. (1999) noted that infection of Aphalloà ¯des cÅ“lomicola has a bad impact on Pomatoschistus microps (Krà ¸yer, 1838). Gobies were described as main host and transmitters (Zander, 1993) of parasites. Zander (1998) noted that goby fishes serve the digenean, cestode, nematode and acanthoceplalan serve the goby fishes as their intermediate host. Pomatoschistus microps is the final host of Podocotyle atomon and Aphalloides timmi and these parasites had different abundance according to different seasons (Zander et al., 2002). Malek (2001) mentioned that Labratrema minimus and Cryptocotyle concavum have infected gobies (Pomatoschistus microps and Pomatoschistus minutes). According to Charlebois et al. (1997), there were 144 collected round gobies parasitized by 7 species of parasites. They are Diplostomum sp.(digenean), Eustrongylides tubifex(nematode), Rhabdochona decaturensis, Spinitectus sp., Spiroxys sp.(nematode), Leptorhyncchoides thecatus (class Palaeacanthocephala) and glochidia (larvae of freshwater bivalves). Apart from that, another study showed that four of the 67 gobies had parasites and three of them were infected by Acanthocephalus dirus while the latter was infected by nematode. Parasite infection of the male gobies was higher than female (Appleby, 1996). Most of the parasites were found from the gills, oral cavity and pharynx of gobies. Marianne et al. (2004) mentioned that Ellipsomyxa gobii (Myxozoa) infected goby, Pomatoschistus microps, as fish host. According to Lynda et al. (2004), there were four species of freshwater parasites were found in round goby, Neogobius melanostomus. These parasites included trematodes and crustaceans. Schistocephalus solidus, Aphalloides timmi and Apatemon gracilis including a metacecaria had been found in the goby fishes (Zander, 2001). These gobies have a low richness, prevelance, mean intensity and mean abundance of parasite. The gobies are intermediate host of digenean which is Diplostomum sp., acanthocephala (Acanthocephalus dirus) and nematode, Eustrongylides sp. (Camp et al., 1999). 1.6 Objectives of Study This is a general study on the parasites of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) along the Selangor coastal area. The study is divided into two parts with the first part being a general survey of parasites on mudskippers while the second part discuss the relative factors affecting distribution of parasites. It also had an observation on the occurrences mudskippers along Selangor coast. Chapter 2 Materials and Methods 2.0 Introduction The present study focuses on the mudskippers found along the coastal area of Selangor. The fishes were caught from Jeram, Sementa (2 sites), Carey Island (3 sites) and Morib. A total of 127 specimens belonging to 7 species of mudskippers were collected and they included Boleophthalmus boddarti, Periophthalmus chrysospilos, Periophthalmus novemradiatus, Periophthalmus modestus, Periophthalmodon schlosseri, Pseudapocryptes elongates (Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus) and Scartelaos histophorus. Fish parts including the body surface, gills and gut were observed. The weight and the size of each specimen (standard size and the length) were recorded. Apart from that, the diet of mudskippers also was documented according to their stomach contents. Next, the parasites found from different parts of fish specimens were identified and tabulated. ANOVA, Coefficient of Dispersion, the Chi Square Test and population parameters were used to analyze data. 2.1 Methodology i) Fish collection site The fish specimens were caught by having the sampling at Jeram, Sementa, Carey Island and Morib (see 4). The field works were carried out during spring tide because the low tide was the lowest level while the high tide had the highest point when compared to the normal time. The salinity and pH of water were recorded. Fishes were caught by using different sizes of scoop net (medium or small). Otherwise, the fish can be caught using the cast net or by angling. Some crustaceans or small fishes were used as bait to attract fishes. The mudskippers were kept in water-filled aquarium to make sure that they may survive longer. (If the fishes die during sampling, some ice cubes can be added into plastic bag to freeze the dead fish). Species identification was done using a taxonomic characteristic key. 2.2 Fish Dissection Each fish was killed by a blow on their head or by severing the nerve cord. The weight and the size of specimen (standard size and the length) were recorded. After that, the gill and alimentary system of the fish were taken out step by step for observations. The parts examined were placed in a petri dish (with some drops of seawater in it. The seawater possibly contained the protozoans, copepods, mud, sea grasses and the others) Gill removal The operculum (a bony plate) was lifted and the gill parts were examined. Next, the operculum was cut across its base and the gill was being exposed. The gills were removed by cutting the upper and lower attachments of the arch. The gill apparatus were separated one by one into 8 pieces and the isolated gills were placed into a petri dish partially-filled with water. A pipette was used to suck and separate the parasite from the mucus, blood blot or tissues. A needle or a pair of fine forceps was usually used to scrape the mucus or tissue so as to separate the parasites from mucus or tissue. Alimentary system or gut part removal The alimentary system is a canal which starts from the esophagus and ends below the rectum. The body of the fish was cut longitudinally from the operculum parts till the tail part of the fish. After getting out the gill apparatus, it was lifted out together with the alimentary system by using a pair of forceps. The alimentary tract was cut into 4 parts (stomach, small intestine, big intestine and rectum). Again, a needle or forceps was used to scrape the mucus or tissue to separate the parasites from the mucus or tissue. The food items from the stomach content of the fish were recorded because this could possibly gives us some informations on the life cycle of parasite (Mhaisen and Al-Maliki, 1996) 2.3 Parasite collection Scalpel or dissecting needles were used to scrape gently the gill filaments and gut dermis of the fish. The parasite were sucked out by using a small pipette (if they were too small) or a pair of forceps (if they were bigger) and placed into a cavity block filled with some drops of seawater. Then, the parasite was examined under a dissecting microscope. The parasite was preserved using different methods according to the species of parasites. i) Fixation of the monogenean or any unknown species of parasite A coverslip was placed over the parasite after it was placed at the centre part of a slide. The slide-fixed parasite would be examined with a dissecting microscope to make sure the slide contained the specimen. After leaving the slide to be dry for a few minutes, a clear nail varnish was used to fix the four edges of the coverslip on the slide to prevent any movement of the coverslip. Ammonium picrate glycerin was added to the sides of the coverslip to allow it to seep under the coverslip, to fix and to clear the specimens. ii) Preservation methods for different types of parasite There were different parasite preservation methods used depending on the species and quantity of the collected parasites (see Table 1) Table 1: Preparation methods for different types of parasite Parasite Preparation methods Nematode Warm 70% alcohol was poured over the worms and later the specimens were transferred to fresh 70% alcohol for storage Trematode Digenea Warm 10% formalin was poured over the worms and the specimens were kept overnight in the fixative. They were transferred into fresh 70% alcohol for storage Cestode Warm 70% alcohol was poured over the worms and later transferred to fresh 70% alcohol for storage 2.4 Data analysis Coefficient of Dispersion (C.D) The coefficient of dispersion (C.D) was calculated to see how the population is dispersed, such as random, uniformed or clumped. It is calculated by dividing the variance over the mean and the relative relationship between mean and variance would establish the distribution pattern of the parasites in a population. If the C.D is close to or equals to one, the population is randomly dispersed. If the C.D is more than one, the population is clumped or over-dispersed. If the C.D is less than one, it shows that the population is uniformly dispersed or under-dispersed. The ratio of the mean to the variance is called the Coefficient of Dispersion (C.D) and the calculated formula is as below: The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (refer to Appendix A4) was used to test for significant differences among the variances. In this study, ANOVA was used to test for significant differences among the variances of parasites in the mudskippers sampled around the Selangor coastal area. In addition, the relative test had exhibited the interaction among the different factors affecting the occurrences and quantity of parasites. A test was calculated to show the correlation between the interaction of the different independent variables and the quantity of parasites on the gills and gut of the mudskipper. The significant result for fish survival in relation to the quantity of different parasite species under different variables was also documented. Chi Square Test The Chi Square Test was done to test whether a sample from a population follows a specified distribution or not. The Chi Square value was calculated as follow: Where as: = The observed number of cases which be written off as i row number of j column number = The expected number of cases which under the H0 to be characterized with i row number of j column number = It is run over all cells r = The number of rows in Chi-square table k = The number of columns in Chi-square table The calculated value was tested at a significance level of 95%. The value was yielded by the formula which was approximated by distribution with (r-1) (c-1). If the calculated value exceeded the tabulated one, the null hypothesis would be rejected at p = 0.05. Population Parameter The basic parasitological parameters which are prevalence, abundance and intensity were calculated for each parasite. According to Cox (1982), prevalence is defined by the percentage of host. Formula calculation of each basic parasitological parameter is as below: Prevalence is to look at how common a host (mudskipper) is infected in a population. Prevalence = Number of infected host X 100% Number of host examined Intensity is the quantity of parasite found in the host samples (mudskippers). Intensity = Total number of parasites Total number of infected host Abundance is the total number of parasites found in all the examined hosts. Abundance = Intensity Total number of host examined Chapter 3 Results and Discussions 3.0 Introduction This study focuses on parasites of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) along Selangor coast. The fishes were caught (see Chapter 2) from Jeram, Sementa (2 sites), Carey Island (3 sites) and Morib (refer to 4). There were totally 127 mudskippers caught for study. The collected fish were identified by using taxonomic keys and cladistic analysis of family Gobiidae. 127 mudskippers consist of 7 species from 5 genera were collected. They were 27 Boleophthalmus boddarti, 36 Periophthalmus chrysospilos, 54 Periophthalmus novemradiatus, 1 Periophthalmus modestus, 1 Periophthalmodon schlosseri, 7 Pseudapocryptes elongates (Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus) and 1 Scartelaos histophorus (refer Appendix A3). In this study, parasites of the gills, the gut and the body surface of fish were investigated (see Chapter 2). There was found nothing from the body surface of fish. Five groups of parasites found from the whole study. They were monogenean, digenean, nematode, cestode and some unknown parasite cysts. Apart from that, the environmental factors (pH and salinity of water) also were discussed (see Table 2; Appendix A2). 3.1 Parasites of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) Table 2 showed the summarized parasite data of oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) (refer to Appendix A2). Parasites species differ among oxudercine gobies (mudskippers) based on studied sites. Five groups of parasites were detected from this present study (see Table 3; 5-11). Identification is not easily to be done based on general main beliefs about parasite. There are varies in morphology and biological characters among parasites (see Satyu Yamaguti, 1953). The collected parasite consists of digeneans (see section 1.2; 5-8), monogenean (see section 1.2; 9), nematode (see section 1.2), cestode (see section 1.2; 10), and unidentified parasite cysts (see 11). Digeneans inhabit the gills and the gut of mudskippers (see Table 3). In this study, three types of digeneans were found in the gut of mudskippers. However, two of these three types of digeneans were also found in the gills. These digeneans are probably regurgitated from the gut as they have the same morphology with the guts digeneans. Gyrodactylus sp. (Monogenea, Gyrodactylidae) was described from the gills of mudskippers (see 8). The gills are the preferred part for monogenean. Table 3 showed that cestode and nematode inhabit the gut of fish specimens. Most of them found as encysted form in the mudskippers. In this study, the unidentified parasites cysts were found in the gills and gut of the mudskippers (see Table 3; 11). The unidentified parasites found in the gut of the mudskippers are probably cysts of cestode or nematode. However, some unknown parasites cysts which were found in the gills are considered as myxosporid. Table 2 Excel Table 3: Parasite record of the examined fish Parasite species Number of Species Microhabitat i) Digenea (see 5-8) 3 Gut and gill ii) Monogenea (see 9) 1 Gill iii) Cestode (see 10) 1 Gut iv) Nematode 1 Gut v)Unidentified parasite cysts 3.2 Parasites and their hosts Table 4 showed the presences of parasites on oxudercine gobies (mudskippers). Eight monogeneans were found limited to Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus (see Table 4 Table 5). Monogenean seems to be host specific and it prefers to inhabit the gills of Pseudapocryptes lanceolatus. Next, digeneans occurred in Periophthalmus chrysospilos and Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see table 4). There were 136 digeneans found in Periophthalmus chrysospilos while ten digeneans were detected from Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see Table 5). It is possibly because digeneans are able to adapt well in Periophthalmus chrysospilos. Periophthalmus chrysospilos, Periophthalmus novemradiatus and Periophthalmodon schlosseri were infected by cestodes (see Table 4). Most (twenty eight cestodes) were found in Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see Table 5). According to Table 5, there were twenty five nematodes found from Periophthalmus novemradiatus. Nematodes also occurred in Periophthalmodon schlosseri, mostly in the encysted form in the gut of mudskippers. There were 402 unidentified parasite cysts (see section 3.1) observed in Boleophthalmus boddarti, Periophthalmus modestus and Periophthalmus novemradiatus (see Table 4 Table 5). Most were found in Boleophthalmus boddarti. . Table 4: Parasites from Different Mudskippers Species Parasite Species Boleophthalmus boddarti Periophthalmus modestus Periophthalmus novemradiatus Host Species Periophthalmus chrysospilos Periophthalmodon schlosseri Pseudapocryptes Lanceolatus Scartelaos hisphorous Monogenea + Digenea + + Cestode + + Nematode + + + Unknown parasite cysts + + + = Parasite detected; = Parasite not detected Table 5: The Quantity of Compound Parasite Community Present in the Different Mudskipper Species Host Species Parasites Digenea Monogenea Nematode Cestode Unidentified cysts Boleophthalmus boddarti 0 0 0 0 395 Periophthalmus chrysospilos 136 0 0 1 0 Periophthalmus novemradiatus 10 0 7 28 6 Periophthalmus modestus 0 0 0 0 1 Pseudopocryptes lanceolatus 0 8 0 0 0 Periophthalmodon schlosseri 0 0 25 4 0 Scartelaos histophorus 0 0 0 0 0 3.3 Parasite and their habitat The salinity and pH of the water from the specimen collection areas were recorded (see table 2). Table 6 showed that site Sementa 2 with salinity reading from 23†° to 25†° and pH of water between 7.35 and 7.58 had the highest parasitic infection rate. There were 29 out of 40 samples found to have parasitic infection. Morib recorded the lowest parasitic infection rate (6%), only one out of 18 mudskippers was infected with parasite cysts. The parasitic infection rate of the mudskippers may perhaps vary with a distinct study area. The abundance of parasite was probably affected by the salinity of the macro-habitat (Zander Reimer, 2002). Monogenean prefers to inhabit in water with pH 7.44 (see Table 7; 13). Digeneans can be found in water with pH ranging from 5.71 to 8.71 (Table 7). Most digeneans were found in water with pH 7.35. Cestode and nematode occurred individually in the inner body of the host. Cestodes were found from the site Carey Island 2, site Sementa 2 and Morib (see Table 2). Table 7 showed that twenty-eight cestodes were found from site Carey Island 2 (see Table 2) with water pH measured as 5.71. Nematodes could be found in water with a wide range of pH ranging from 5.71 to 8.71 (Table 7). With reference to Table 7, the unidentified parasite cysts were found more abundantly in water pH 7.35 (Table 7; 14). The abundance of parasites in a distinct area differs with pH of water based on their own optimum pH and tolerance to the environment. Table 6: The Parasitic Infection of Mudskipper in Different Locations along Selangor Coast Locations Total of Samples pH water(†°) Salinity Parasitic infections Infection Rate Jeram 5 N.A N.A 2 40% Carey Island 1 5 7.44 11 3 60% Carey Island 2 36 5.71 17 14 39% Carey Island 3 3 8.17 11 2 67% Sementa1 20 6.81 28 5 25% Sementa2 40 7.35-7.58 23-25 29 73% Morib 18 7.21 25-30 1 6% 2 Table 7 : Parasites in different pH range. pH of water Parasite 5.71 6.81 7.21 7.35 7.44 7.58 8.17 Digenea 10 0 1 135 0 0 1 Cestode

Causes of Building Failures

Causes of Building Failures Building failure can be some part of building cracking occur, more seriously will bring building collapse. Building collapse will carry the risk of human injure or deaths. For example, buildings and structures all around start falling. This causes many people to get hurt, many of them fatally, because of the impact of falling material. Or, in high rise buildings, people themselves might fall from higher floor, thus, getting hurt, due to the impact of fall. Buildings with glass-facades are especially dangerous, as, glass being brittle would tend to crack with smallest deformation of the frame. And, worse, glass being very heavy has a very high impact on hitting somebody. And then, glass shards have a tendency to go inside the skin and cause damage to internal organs (Sanjay Churiwala and Naveen Gabrani n.d.). In addition, building collapse results in property damage and functionality inadequate. It also needs to spent time on clean-up, repair, cost losses and so on to get the facility up and running again. Building that causes fail may due to numerous of reasons that may not be easy predict before or during the construction. The analysis shows the general causes of building tend to failure that include unwise land-use and defective in designs which are arise at pre-construction phase and those construction and operational error which arise at during construction phase. Errors appear from pre-construction and during construction phase has the greatest potential influence on a projects final outcome. Building failure may occur due to three parties involved Consultant, Contractor and Developer/ Owner. The Consultants and Contractors had given insufficient of control and supervision of site operation and the quality control. More that, owner also is the one who are required to give cooperate and any assistance with Consultants and Contractors to completed the construction project. According to Mohammed Azad Hossain (2009), such errors ultimately lead to a situation, which may involve such failures, which are related to excavation and equipment, inappropriate sequencing, not enough temporary support; unnecessary structure weight; untimely taking away of shoring or formwork; and non-conformance to design objectives. Problem Statement and Research Question Failures have been found in various types of the buildings. Failure in buildings built any time the last 25 years, some as recently as the last couple of year (Steve 2008). A total of 225 building failure in Unites States and the result show that the building failure of low rise building constitutes about 63% of all cases, followed by multi-storey building as a distant second and this has been established by Kumalasari Wardhana and Fabian C.Hadipriono (2003). Building tend fail are depending on materials, designs, environmental conditions, method of construction and which the building is put of the use to, etc. Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium is a new multi- purpose stadium in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia which was constructed by South Korean construction firm. On July 3, 2009, a major part of the roof construction collapsed. The major cause such stadium collapsed has been identified are failure by design and materials used, rush development and under-supervised. Aims and Objectives The aim in this dissertation is to study and analyse the building failure and to find out the factor that causing building failure by three parties involved in construction industries. The objectives are: To study the factor that caused building failure by Contractor. To undertake the factor that caused building failure by Consultant; and To determine the factor that caused building failure by Developer/ Owner. Scope of Study The scope of study emphasizes on the building failure and factors that causing by three parties involved in Construction industries which are Consultant, Contractor and Developer/ Owner. Research Methodology Research Methodology is the way in which the research objectives can be questioned. There are two types of research strategies, which are quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative research is highlight in the collection and analysis of data. This research based on testing of theories and to look for whether the theories are true. For the qualitative research, it approaches seek to gain insights and understand peoples awareness. The understandings, opinions, views, etc. of people are investigate which collect from survey questionnaires and document review. Primary Data Source Survey Questionnaires In this proposal, Survey Questionnaires will be used to collect all the opinions, views, etc. This method is the more accurate since as the first hand information collected from original research. The survey questionnaire form will be distributed form to 50 people who are random citizens and the purpose to investigate the major factor of building failure causing by three parties involved in construction industries. The survey questionnaire form will be set out in closed-ended question format for respondent to select the answer. That mean the closed-ended is the limit respondents answers to the survey, such as choosing either yes/no, true/false, or multiple choices. More that, the recommendation to reduce such failure in construction industries are also be conducted by survey questionnaire. Secondary Data Source The research undertakes a review of all literature which known as secondary research method that is selection of available related documents on the topic, which contain information, ideas, data and evidence written from a particular standpoint to fulfil certain aim or express certain views on the nature of the topic (Chris 2003, p.1-2). In this proposal, the information sources and obtains can be from reference book which are from Library College and National Library. Beside, information also can be obtained from article and journal that were related to cause failure of the building. Electronic sources such as internet website from Google can helped to found the information which required in this research, and etc. Dissertation Contents For this study dissertation report involved 5 chapters. The general description of each chapter as follow: Chapter 1 Introduction The first chapter is the introduction of the dissertation. The contents in this chapter include Project title, background of the research problem, problem statement and research question, aim and objectives, scope of study, research methodology of the study and dissertation contents. Chapter 2 Literature Review In this chapter two is the literature review. It will review on the selection criteria of building failure which in discussed for failure of building, factor that causes of failure by primary parties involved in construction industry. Chapter 3 Research Methodology Chapter three is includes the research methodologies and to provide the rationale for the method adopted in this dissertation project. Then methods used to research are literature review on journal, reference book, etc., survey questionnaire, and case study. Chapter 4 Research Findings Chapter four is the discussion and result analysis. The data collected and interpret from research method adopted, identify and analysis it, then present and explain the findings. The data present will in a table, chart, diagram, and essay form. Chapter 5 Conclusions and Recommendations The last chapter will be the conclusions and recommendations. The achievement of research objectives, recommendations and limitation of the research will be record in this chapter. References Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College Harvard Referencing system will be using in the research. This Harvard Referencing system is a standard practice at all institution of higher learning including Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College. Project Plan and Schedule The table below is the Project Plan and Schedule of the research proposal project. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW Basic of Building Failure in Construction Industries Definition of Building Failure Building Failure is refers to the member within structure or component or structure itself which are loss of load carrying capacity. More on the time initiated of building failure is when material stressed to its strength limit and fails to withstand the stresses imposed upon it. The failure will expose itself by crack or breaking, occur permanently deformed, becoming bending and more seriously may collapse (Wikipedia 2012). Calvert (2002) notes the buildings, like all structures, are designed to support certain loads without deforming excessively. The loads are the weights of people and objects, the weight of rain and snow and the pressure of wind and load of the building itself. With buildings of a few floors, strength generally accompanies sufficient rigidity, and the design is mainly that of a roof that will keep the weather out while spanning large open spaces. With tall buildings of many floors, the roof is a minor matter, and the support of the weight of the building itself is the main consideration. Like long bridges, tall buildings are subject to catastrophic collapse. The loads can divide into two parts which called live loads and dead load. Live loads are the weight of temporarily attached to; it can produce by like people, machinery and equipment, furniture, appliances, etc. of the building or other structure. But do not including the material that utilized in construction or environmental loads or anything permanently attached to it such as wind load, snow load, rain load, earthquake load, flood load, or dead load (N.A.N.d.). The case effects of machinery, equipment, furniture, appliances concentration, deflections or cracks must be considered and to determine the necessary proper intensity of design to considering those effects. Dead load is a fix load in a structure such as a bridge, building, or machine that is the weight from members itself, the supported structure itself, and permanent attachments equipment or accessories that apply in the building (Merriam-Webster, Incorporated 2012). The item that considered of dead load include construction material that use to build or make up the building such as beams, columns, floor systems, ceiling systems, wall systems, doors, windows, floor coverings, wall coverings, cabinets, and the like. Besides, the item considered of permanently attached equipment or accessories such as heating and ventilating systems, electrical trays, piping, etc. In the other way round that the item is not considered to dead load are the things as movable. That item like shelving, desks, chairs, beds, chests, books, copiers, stored items, or anything else that can be moved around during the life of the structure. The feature of dead load shows that they are the weight of final structure . This is creates a bit difficult for the design Engineer since in order to design the building, the Engineer must need to know the weight of the structure. Besides, the engineer also needs the accurately define the weights of the final structure. At the beginning of design process, the weight of the structural element and the framing are all unknown. So more of time to solution this kind of difficult position is the design Engineer often involves iteration where an educated guess is needed as to where design will finish, the dead loads is based on estimate, select the structure members that based on the estimated loads, dead loads is need to recomputed, then continue the cycle until all the member sizes do not change (T. Bartlett Quimby 2007). The aim of the structures are designed is to achieved the requested function of creation, ensuring the structures could be applied all of the loads, and sufficient safety of structures is obtain. In the properly designed system, it will prevent a local failure cause immediate and gradual failure of the complete building. The ultimate failure strength of a material or structural element is taken carefully consideration in the structural engineering and structural design to prevent failure (Finn 2009). As Aggeliki (2009) notes in his articles, if that are unexpected loads are applied, one of the factor of safety is needed to link into the design analysis to prevent building failure. Nowadays, building codes have improved and expressively to reduce the structural collapses, but it still cannot essential completely prevent the structural failures. Even though the structural failure is become less, but the results still are disastrous. Until now the engineers are still insistently searchi ng the method to reduce structural failures by introduce to proper building standards and other safety requirements. Lastly, reducing of human error, carrying out proper hazard identification, and using suitable maintenance procedures for the structures is the chance can be minimized of structural failure (Suvo 2009). Type of Building Failure The term of defect is defined as the premature failure of structure and the results cause from improper or substandard engineering, manufacture, design, application and installation. In another way, the term failure can described as the system breakdown or unable to function at all, breakdown in the operation, quality, or appearance of structure, component or material. Therefore those are different meaning in term of defect with the term failure. So, the following table show some of that various type of building failure (James and Ransom 2007, p.8): Failure Type Example Aesthetic failure Concrete or render cause crazing or shrinkage cracking. Flaking and peeling of paintwork. Staining and soiling of the finishes. Functional failure Caused sagging of the floors. Leaks in elements such as roofs, walls and floors Failure of materials Chemical attack of rendering or concrete, mortar or brick. Fungal are attack of the timber. Metals are corrosion. System failure of components and elements Carbonation of concrete. Leading to corrosion of reinforcement and subsequent cracking and spalling of concrete members. Structural failure Subsidence which caused downward movement of a building and caused by below ground factors such as desiccation of clay soil. Settlement which also caused downward movement and caused by overloading. Non- structural failure Cracking and deboning of plaster. Tenting, deboning and bubbling of floor coverings. Roof tiles and slates are delamination. Reversible failure Jamming of door and windows since of moisture intake by these components. Usually in winter or summer, the wood will be dry out and door and window will become unstuck. Irreversible failure Chemical reaction (sulphate attack) on mortar or rendering. Excessive distortion in beam, column or wall owing to structural movement. Primary Parties Involved in Construction Industries Definition Lawrence (2003, p.1-2) indicated that, The management of construction is an enterprise that involves many people with diverse interests, talents and backgrounds. The owner, the design professional and the contractor comprise the primary triad of parties, but others, such as subcontractors, material suppliers, and bankers, insurance and bonding companies, attorneys and public agency officials, are vital elements of the project team whose interrelated roles must be coordinated to assure a successful project. In this part will concern the duties and responsibilities of the primary parties such as the building contractor, consultants, and Developer/ Owner on the construction project. The primary focus here is on the building contractor who are to carries the lead duties and responsibility for the on-site installation work or sometimes off- site as well and all of the associated planning and follows up. At the same time, also to understand the duties and responsibility for other people an d organisations participate to success the project. Definition of Building Contractor According to Exforsys Inc. (2010), In the Construction industries, the contractor also can calls as the project engineer or project manager. The contractor is the one an individual who engages in the planning, developing and coordinating of activities in the construction project. The contractor also is the one to supervise the construction and to ensure all necessary measures must be taken in the result of completed finished product. More important is notwithstanding that possible delays due to bad weather or building causes any emergencies, contractor needs to sure that construction work finish are met the deadlines and try do the best of prevent causing any delay. The General contractor is employed by the developer/owner, and may also advice of the Architect to the developer/owner. Contractor must first assess the project-specific documents (referred to as tender documents). In during of the construction stage, contractor required to visit the site since it will help to get a better understanding of the project. He may handle the work on residential dwellings, commercial buildings or infrastructure, such as roads, bridges or schools. As the contractor, working hours are more the time is irregular, since any sudden problems that may arise at the construction site and constructor must be available at all times to resolve that problem. Besides, the contractor may need to calculate the price, as also called an estimate. Contractor required providing the approximate price with considers the cost of materials and equipment as well as the cost of labour to the owner for the project. The General Contractors Duties and Responsibilities That is many duties and Responsibilities that building contractor must be fully complete on day to day in order to ensure the construction project is completed smoothly and in a timely and correct manner. More about that, building contractor also need to ensure the project complete by price specified in the contract. Building contractor to construct the construction project must be according to the designers plans and specifications. Firstly, the duty of the building contractor is require implementing a plan and direct in which to carry out all the aspects of construction project. This is from hiring the workers to developing the contraction project and follow the step-by-step timeline that the project from start until end. In addition to implementing the construction plan, the building contractor is responsible for hiring, supervising, firing employees who are under the specific construction project with the contractor. For example, building contractor including design and worker selection or appoint as to hires specialized subcontractors to perform all or portions of the construction work, managing personnel on site, providing site surveying and engineering on site, etc. As a supervisor on construction project to supervising the employees, the building contractor must be regard to the workers and also take care of payslip. Ensure engage in hire someone to do work for the contractor. Obtaining the materials for the project also is the one of responsible for the building contractor. For instance, Contractor is the one to providing all of the labour, material, equipment (such as engineering vehicles and tools) and services necessary in the construction project. Since construction projects must be up to the contractor to acquire goods to build the structures, if not, cannot complete without the necessary building materials. Another duty of the building contractor is to applying for building permits from relevant department (local authorities). At before want start to construct the building, it must be acquire all necessary licenses and permits from relevant entities so that the building project just can begin. Since there are many regulation that the building contractor must be follow which relate to these documents which each building in order to engage in construction. The building contractor must complete the project which agrees with all laws, rules and regulations. The building contractor need to research about relevant regulations and laws that are related to the construction process. There are many laws such as different state have their different own law. Those laws will state that when, where and how a building contractor and his crew should build in certain areas. So, the building contractor must be recognized and followed in order to complete the project in a law-abiding manner. Another specific duty of the building contractor is budget issues. The building contractor may require planning all aspects of a construction project which including establish a budget for the construction project. That budget must be follow by the building contractor as closely as possible. For the example that budget will allow the building contractor to gain supplies, hire workers and finish the construction in a cost-efficient manner. That must be taken in serious matter which building contractor to following budgets and his/her should be care with or to ensure that the project will be completed as what was aspiration in the beginning of plan. From the beginning to end of the construction process, reviewing the progress and implementing any changes along the way also is another item which relate to the responsible of a building contractor. The building contractor needs to follow closely of the specific building project and necessary to make any changes when he/she deems fit to do so (Exforsys Inc. 2010). Lastly, the working hours of building contractor are irregular. Those emergencies and surprises may arise which relate to the project and it may occur on-site and sometimes off-site as well. So, as the building contractor must be assistance with an emergency issue available at all times and to resolve that problem. On the Wikipedia (2012) provided that, In the during construction phase, the building contractor is also responsible for providing temporary utilities on site like equipment, tool, formwork and etc., securing the property, control the quality assurance, managing personnel on site, providing site surveying and engineering on site, disposing of or recycling construction waste, monitoring master program (schedules) and cash flows, maintaining accurate records and etc. Besides, he/she should day-to-day go to the site and specialize and oversee of a construction site or the progress of a particular building task, such as plumbing, heating or electrical wiring. He or She also require to management of the vendors and trades. The building contractor should be done to prevent any oblation either the safety of the workers or the quality of the work. The contractor is has fully responsibility to complete and the purpose to achieving the quality level and for safety that required in the documents. The building contractor may also be involved in the training of the owners personnel in the operation of the building systems and may be provide some maintenance after construction is complete. It is important that the contractors has an obligation to get satisfy the minimum requirements of the drawings and specifications from the Architect. In the bidding process, the owner will asks for the lowest possible price to perform and that only those things are absolutely required by the drawings and specifications. Thus, the contractor is need obligated to satisfy those minimum requirements and no more. Of course, the owner is always free to require additional performance by change order. In the design / bid / build method, the owner only contract with the contractor. In the case, the contractor has no any contract with the designer. Then the contractors is required responsibility to comply any requirements of the contract with the owner. All efforts by contractor are essential to prevent the structural failure as it causes dangers to human life and property. There are the numerous of causes for a structural failure, and there is a requirement for a proper analysis of all the factors before construction (N.A, N.D). Definition of Consultants Who are the consultants? The consultants can be the design consultants, cost and contract consultants, land surveyors, etc. The design consultants usually comprises of the architect, civil and structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers and other specialist designers, such as interior designers, landscape architects, lighting specialists, town planners, etc. Design consultants as a designer of the project in the area he/ she is specialized in. They also as a facilitator of clients need and project brief. Besides, they as an advisor to the client on matters are relating to design and on statutory requirements and by- laws relating to the project. The cost and contract consultant can be the quantity surveyors. The quantity surveyors usually act as the cost and contract consultant for a project. The General Consultants Duties and Responsibilities In the following are shows the duties and the responsibilities of both which are design consultants and cost and contract consultant. Design Consultants Carrying out design works in their areas of specialization. Ensuring design works are properly coordinated with fellow consultants. Ensuring design complies with the requirements of the authorities, and with the by- laws. Choosing appropriate systems and materials, and making sure design for the elements of the works is kept within the cost plan. Notifying and advising the client on any necessary design changes due to unforeseen circumstances. Ensuring that design works are carried out within the time frame as set out in the programme. Conducting field observations to ensure that the contractor carries out the works as per the specifications and design. Contract documents include a budget, specifications, any general and special conditions prepared by a design professional such as an architect. Cost and Contract Consultant Responsible for study of the economics and financial implication of a construction project. Preliminary cost preparation and estimating. Cost plan preparation and cost studies. Contract documentation and administration preparation. Evaluation of contractors tenders. Cash flow forecast and post contract coat monitoring. Valuation of Variations. Preparation of periodic cost report for the client. Evaluation and settlement of contractors claim. Settlement of contractual disputes. Definition of Developer/Owner The developer/owner is the party who wishes to have a project constructed and pays for it. The developer/owner can be an individual, a business enterprise or an organization, and it can be both private and public. Developer/Owner is the key master to the construction production process. In addition, when initiate a construction project, developer/owner have a right to selecting project timing, priorities, cost limits, specific requirement, and determine the contractual methods. There are two type of developer/owner which are well informed and know nothing. Developer/Owner who are well informed mean know what they want and take decisive steps to achieve it. Another are know nothing mean the developer/owner need guidance to formulate their wishes and match them to the available budget. The General Developer/Owner Duties and Responsibilities Basically the duties and responsibilities of the developer/owner in a project can be under the following: Providing the clients brief and clarity of brief. Financing the project, i.e. they pay for the project. Ensure safety, health and environment aspects of the project are complied with in accordance with the legislation as laid down by DOSH and the Department of Environment. Make sure smooth incorporation and prevent disruption takes place. Avoidance of interruption to professional advisors job. Building Failure Caused by Primary Parties General Adel Abdulaziz Al Barrak (1993) postulates that, the construction business is the much higher level of competitors than any other business. As the result showing that, construction business has very high risks could lead to failure are exposed than any other business. Therefore, to determine cases of failure should be studied and such cases should be avoided in order to reduce that number of failure. The construction business need to more attention to treat the weak point. In the section will study the various building failure that cases by primary Parties involved in construction industries. There are three parties involved, namely, developer/ owner, consultant, and contractor. The relationship between these parties is adversarial since different parties has different goals they want to meet and each party goals that will has arisen conflict with the other parties goals. For the instances, the developer/ owner want the project be low cost to expend and result in good quality. But t his will reduce the profit that contractor gain. Besides, as the consultant, he/she wants the project is much more attractive and safe. In this circumstance, it may cause both the contractor and the developer/ owner spend more money or extra cost on the project. Except on this relation among parties, which still have more any other reason could be a major source of building failure. Building Failure Caused by Contractor More commonly factor that strong influence in the contractors failures in the project or building are lack of experience, poor labour productivity, bad management decisions, lack clearly assigning the responsibility and authority, recruiting multinationals, neglect, frauds, lack of control or supervision system, and lack of communication system. Lack of Experience That is important the building contractor must have the experience in the construction project. Contractor is the person who is daily to manage the activities process on the construction site. Besides, the building contractor also as field supervision to supervising all hiring worker on site. If the building contractor does not have experience, he may not to solve any problem arise from construction site. Dr. Sadi Assaf (2004) indicated that, the owner should try to employer a higher degree qualified working team in the company because that may able to maximize the usage of the companys resources and avoid any waste resources occur. The working team employer by owner mean should have good experience in the same line of work. As the more experienced building contractor in the project should be able to demonstrating knowledge of, propose a wide array of options, and have the experience with a variety of products, materials and techniques. Little or no experience of the building contractor is the most common cause the project or building failure. That is very difficult if the contractor resign at the halfway through the project, since the new contractor employ by the owner need to take over the work that where ex-contractor left off. For instance, the second contractor may not familiar to use the materials or techniques that first contractor have used. In addition, the second contractor may not at the same way that first contractor wishes to did, unless there are very specific drawings are provided (McCaleb Construction Inc, 2012). Poor Labour Productivity Poor labour productivity also mean as poor workmanship in construction industries. Poor workmanship is the actual that cause of construction either in defect or failure