Integrating vocational training in culinary arts and Islamic studies at juvenile rehabilitation centres: Malaysian experience

The Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres (JRC) in Malaysia aims to provide shelter, counselling and skills training to juveniles specifically for those who wish to transform themselves from the regrettable misdeeds they have committed. At JRCs, an integrated Culinary Vocational Training and Islamic education forms part of their training curriculum. The skills acquired should enable trainees to secure jobs upon completion of training. However, there are some training institutions that lack systematic training structures resulting in trainees becoming less skilful in both vocational and Islamic education. The objective of this research is to identify the effectiveness of an integrated Culinary and Islamic Education curriculum implemented at JRCs in Malaysia. This is a descriptive survey and data was obtained using questionnaire and interview. Respondents comprised 92 trainees, four managers, four culinary trainers and four Islamic education teachers, all from four different JRCs. The findings show that the trainees are happy with their trainings that brought about positive effects for them. Some suggestions have been made to provide improvements in the implementation of the course among them the inclusion of prayers in the Islamic education syllabus

Stability assessment of tunnel face in a layered soil using upper bound theorem of limit analysis

© 2016 Techno-Press, Ltd. Underground tunnelling is one of the sustainable construction methods which can facilitate the increasing passenger transportation in the urban areas and benefit the community in the long term. Tunnelling in various ground conditions requires careful consideration of the stability factor. This paper investigates three dimensional stability of a shallow circular tunnel in a layered soil. Upper bound theorem of limit analysis was utilised to solve the tunnel face stability problem. A three dimensional kinematic admissible failure mechanism was improved to model a layered soil and limiting assumptions of the previous studies were resolved. The study includes calculation of the minimum support pressure acting on the face of the excavation in closed-face excavations. The effects of the characteristics of the layers on the minimum support pressure were examined. It was found that the ratio of the thickness of cover layers particularly when a weak layer is overlying a stronger layer, has the most significant influence on the minimum tunnel support pressure. Comparisons have been made with the results of the numerical modelling using FLAC3D software. Results of the current study were in a remarkable agreement with those of numerical modelling

Studi Karakteristik Detektor Sodium Iodide dalam Pemanfaatannya sebagai Segmented Gamma Scanner Limbah Radioaktif

THE STUDY OF SODIUM IODIDE DETECTOR CHARACTERISTICS AS PART OF RADIOACTIVE WASTE SEGMENTED GAMMA SCANNER . The study of sodium iodide detector characteristics as part of radioactive waste segmented gamma scanner have been done. The study was conducted in order to establish segmented gamma scanner using sodium iodide detectors as radiation counter. The research purpose to prepare radiation counter for segmented gamma scanner at radioactive waste installation, so it can working optimally on counting radioactivity of radioactive waste. Study of characteristics performed using gamma radiation sources Cs-137 and Co-60 by observing the counting results from some of parameters tested. Based on the testing parameters, sodium iodide detector produce stable counts with the result that can be used as a radiation counter in segmented gamma scanner system. The result of this study shows that the optimal counts was obtained at the setting operation for voltage and amplification both were 800 volt and multiply 8, respectively. This setting operations can be used as reference when using sodium iodide detector as radiation counter

Low loss waveguide-based Butler matrix with iris coupling control method for millimeterwave applications

This paper proposes a low loss 4×4 Butler matrix based on rectangular waveguide cavity resonators technology for millimeterwave beamforming network using iris coupling method. This method has the advantage of controlling the electrical fields and the coupling factor inside a complex medium such as waveguide cavity resonators. The coupling factor of 6 dB for 4×4 Butler matrix is achieved by tuning the iris coupling k-value between the waveguide cavity resonators. Thus, avoiding a higher phase difference losses and component losses at upper millimeterwave bands. To validate the proposed method, CST software simulations are performed under several iris coupling k-values to achieve a 6 dB coupling factor. Then, the proposed 4×4 Butler matrix is 3D metal printed using selective laser melting (SLM) technique. The measured reflection and isolation coefficients are observed below −10 dB, with coupling coefficients ranging between −6 and −7 dB. The phase differences of −42.02°, 42.02°, −130.95°, and 133.3° are achieved at the outputs. It confirmed that using this proposed method has the superiority over the conventional microstrip and waveguide coupling methods by a 1 dB coupling factor loss and a 3° phase difference error

Combating substance abuse with the potential of geographic information system combining multivariate analysis

Substance abuse problems have been a growing concern for people from all over the world. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of a combination between a geographic information system and a multivariate analysis in substance abuse research. However, due to the limited studies on a combination of both these methods in the substance abuse field, we review some other studies in various fields indicating the potential of this method in future substance abuse studies. As the expertise of GIS lies in spatial analysis and the multivariate analysis lies in analyzing huge data thus being capable of interpreting the results very well, we hope this method will attract researchers to applying it in their studies and can consequently and indirectly help in combating substance abuse problems.Keywords: substance abuse; geographic information system; multivariate analysis;  spatial analysis; comba

History of Islamic political movements in Turkey

This article investigates the history of Islamic political movements in Turkey. The time period of the article cover the time after the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 to the year 2000. It is argued in the article that Islamic movements were largely suppressed in the period between 1923-1945 when the country was ruled with a single party regime led by the Republican Peoples Party. With the introduction of multi-party political system in 1945, political Islam found the opportunity for political activism in the body of Democrat Party. But the political Islam found a more organized opportunity with the establishment of National Order Party in 1970 and National Salvation Party in 1971 by Necmettin Erbakan. Based on a programme of National View, the Turkish political Islam was known for its aim to support material development with a parallel moral and spiritual development with a reaction to the west in interstate relations. Turkish political Islam expressed itself with Welfare Party in 1983 to function until 1998 with some clear changes in its programme particularly in its agreement with contemporary political institutions and later support for Turkey’s integration with the west. Turkish political Islam experienced its first great electoral success during the WP period. However, the WP is closed down in 1998 by the Constitutional Court due to allegations about anti-secularism and driven to a process of breakdown. © 2015, Canadian Center of Science and Education. All rights reserved

The Effects of Cognitive Behavorial Therapy Group and Social Support Group on the Self Esteem Among Breast Cancer Patients

This study is aimed to determine the main effects of CBT group, social support group (DS) and control group (KK) on the self esteem among breast cancer patients. Rosemberg self esteem scale (RSE) was used to measure self-esteem. The treatment group consisted of CBT and DS groups. Each  treatment group received 12 counselling sessions within six weeks. Quantitative analysis general linear model (GLM) repeated measures was used to identify the groups’ (CBT, DS, and KK) main effect, the repeated test RSE scale (pre test, post test 1, post test 2, and post test 3) main effect and the interaction effect (CBT, DS, and KK), and repeated tests RSE scale (pre test, post test 1, post test 2, post test 3). There was no significant difference in the groups (CBT, DS, and KK) main effect on the Rosenberg Self Esteem (RSE) scores. There was a significant difference (F (3.10) =  66.823, p = 0.0001 (Wilk's Lambda) on the repeated test RSE scale (pre test, post test 1, post test 2, and post test 3) main effects on self esteem score. Overall findings showed an increase in RSE scores between the pre test, post test 1, post test 2 and post test 3

Deforestation awareness among the community living near mangroves in Mukim Tanjung Kupang, Johor, Malaysia

A study was carried out on the deforestation awareness among the community living nearest to Sungai Pulai mangrove forest under mukim (sub-district) Tanjung Kupang in Johor Bahru, Peninsular Malaysia. A Structured questionnaire was used to collect data on respondents’ socioeconomic condition, their familiarity to mangroves and awareness from six villages which have been selected randomly. Majority of the respondents were male, Malay, Muslim and from middle aged group. About 82% respondents had some level of education. Average household size was 5.5. About 71% respondents’ livelihoods were dependent on mangrove ecosystem of which 65% were fishermen, 5% aquaculture and 1% tourism. Mean monthly income of respondents was quite lower than national average income. Moreover, monthly average income of mangrove dependent group was lower than the non mangrove dependent group. About 93% of the respondents were somehow familiar to mangroves. Responden ts mean awareness score of 3.78 indicates respondents were aware about the mangroves. It was also found that male had significantly higher awareness than female for two out of ten awareness components. Likewise,mangrove dependent group had significantly higher awareness than the non- mangrove dependent group for six out of ten awareness components