Feature Extracting in the Presence of Environmental Noise, using Subband Adaptive Filtering

In this work, a new feature extracting method in noisy environments is proposed. The approach is based on subband decomposition of speech signals followed by adaptive filtering in the noisiest subbbands of speech. The speech decomposition is obtained using low complexity octave filter bank, while adaptive filtering is performed using the normalized least mean square algorithm. The performance of the new feature was evaluated for isolated word speech recognition in the presence of a car noise. The proposed method showed higher recognition accuracy than conventional methods in noisy environments

Linking urban form to a liveable city

This paper intends to show the contribution and relationship of urban form to a liveable city, as many researchers pose the urban form as one of the factors that can worsen or improve the sustainability of the city. The paper will begin by exploring into the theoretical characteristics of the urban form at the macro and micro scale. Urban form models that match the Malaysian cities’ urban form are illustrated in this paper with the idea of giving a larger context of the living ecology for Malaysian communities. There are two types of cities, one that grows in an ad-hoc manner, and the other is being shaped by planners. This paper however, focuses only on a planned city that is the core city for Shah Alam. Consequently, this paper touches briefly on the liveable city concept which is currently being debated among the researchers as a more practical way of looking into the sustainable city issues. The liveable city framework for the city of Shah Alam is discussed and some preliminary findings are offered at the end of the pape

The usage of computer integrated classroom (cic) technology tools in the study of interactions of knowledge construction among esl pre-service teacher

This paper takes a glimpse at the possible tools for collecting data on interactions of knowledge construction among ESL pre-service teacher. The main tool identified to compile the data collection of the study is a customized of computer integrated classroom (CiC) system. For that purpose, a pilot study on computer support face to face peer response using CiC was trialed with a group of students enrolled in a Microteaching course at the Faculty of Education, University Technology Malaysia. CiC was explored to see whether the system could facilitate both modes of synchronous interactions: text-based reporting and verbal interaction. With the assistance of software and hardware integrated in CIC, many computer supported collaborative learning activities could be carried out by ESL pre-service teachers such as recording, storing, retrieving, and monitoring of user profiles’ activities, learning materials and interactions

Height Accuracy of Radargrammetric Generated Digital Elevation Model

The stereoscopic concept used in photogrammetry was successfully extended to the optical sensor of SPOT (System Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre) to generate the digital elevation model (DEM) and to extract the planimetric features. Following this success, scientists are impressively encouraged to explore the feasibility of using stereoscopy on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, applying the radargrammetric technique. In the regions where cloud cover or darkness prevails, active microwave remote sensing data such as SAR can be fully utilized to procure information about land surface and forest canopy. The objective of this study is to analyze the accuracy of the elevations extracted from the DEM generated using the radargrammetric technique as compared with the elevations generated from the photogrammetric technique. The capability of the radargrammetric technique and its potential in extracting the altimetric information were subsequently assessed. The stereo RADARSAT images of Klang Valley with coverage of 100 Ian by 100 Ian were acquired. A total of 199 Ground Control Points (GCPs) were selected on relatively low terrains as backscattering radar data is very sensitive to the slope and high terrains. The primary input data was the coordinates of GCPs which were extracted from the topographical maps. When the errors produced in the GCP collection report were acceptable, the next process was creating epipolar images and generating DEM. It was then followed by generating the geocoded DEM

Interrelationship between Income, Health and Environment : In a Case of Malaysia

This paper examines the link between health indicators and the environmental variables withn a country widely dispersed on the economic development spectrum. While environment and income are seen to have an inverted-U shaped relationship (Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis), it is also well established that environment and health are positively related. The main point of the study focuses on the implications of the relationship between health and income. In the early phases of income growth, the gains in health and the losses in environmental quality could cancel each other out and this challenges the idea that as incomes increase health would always improve. To empirically analyse these issues, the estimation of two-stage least squares model that focuses on the impact of income and the environment on health status, with environment being an endogenous variable is done. The results show that the environmental stress variable has a significant negative effect on health status. At the same time, gross national product (GNP) levels are shown to vary positively with health status. The Environmental Kuznet Curve is not found in this study, instead, it is found that the health gains obtained through improved incomes can be negated to a significant extent if the indirect effect of income acting via the environment is ignored. Research findings in this regard would be a useful policy instrument towards maximizing both the environmental and health gains that come with economic growth and development

MANAJEMEN LEMBAGA PENDIDIKAN DAYAH

Maju mundurnya suatu lembaga pendidikan sangat tergantung pada manajemen kelembagaannya, dalam istilah lain manajemen lembaga pendidikan mutlak diperlukan, adapun ruang lingkup manajemen meliputi perencanaan, pengorganisasian, pengarahan dan pengawasan. Tahap pertama adalah perencanaan yang meliputi perencanaan tenaga kependidikan, tenaga pendidikan, peserta didik, kurikulum dan sarana prasarana. Tahap kedua adalah pengorganisasian semua elemen lembaga serta pembagian tugasnya masing-masing. Tahap ketiga adalah tahap pengarahan semua elemen untuk melaksanakan tugas sesuai fungsinya masing-masing-masing. Tahap keempat setelah pengarahan adalah pengawasan. Pengawasan dilakukan untuk memastikan semua perencanaan terlaksana dengan baik. Melihat pentingnya manajemen dalam sebuah lembaga, maka institusi pendidikan khususnya pendidikan dayah telah melakukan berbagai usaha manajerial kelembagaan. Setelah MoU Helsinky tahun 2005 kedudukan lembaga pendidikan dayah hampir sama dengan lembaga pendidikan resmi lainnya di Aceh. Dengan meningkatnya status dan kedudukan dayah, maka lembaga pendidikan dayah pun telah berupaya melakukan manajemen ke arah yang lebih baik sebagaimana halnya lembaga pendidikan resmi lainnya dan sekarang lembaga pendidikan dayah telah berada di bawah naungan Dinas Pendidikan Dayah Aceh dan sekarang pengelolaan dayah di Aceh menjadi tanggung jawab Pemerintah Aceh

The Transnational Rhetoric in Cabeza De Vaca’s La Relacion

Abstract on La Relacion by Cabeza de Vaca Identity is an important concept in postcolonial literature, especially when one’s identity is achieved rather than inherent. It is interesting to pursue how Cabeza de Vaca, the protagonist of La Relacion undergoes a transformation from his initial identity as a Spanish colonizer to a transnational hybrid, the Spanish-American. Despite multiple critics’ argument that La Relacion is “a discourse of failure” that “subverts the established order,” my paper rereads the narrative as a transnationally successful rhetoric by incorporating multiculturalism and hybridity. Thus Cabeza de Vaca becomes a hero if we accept his story as a successful, although altered, version of conquest; he is a “hero” because his military and political failures pave way for the spiritual success even though he has not conquered Native American territories and enslaved no Native Americans for the Spanish crown. The Narrative, as a tale of religious and cultural tolerance, rather than military conquest, becomes an even more persuasive tool for a broader transnational perspective. In the early stages of his narrative, Cabeza de Vaca constructs the native as Other, as warrior, pagan, savage, in effect everything that the Spanish colonizers are not. But in his transformative phase Cabeza de Vaca acquires new knowledge about the natives through a new way of thinking about them (the change in his outlook from I to We), and he continues to employ linguistic and religious/social/cultural strategies to identify with the natives. By making his strategies increasingly more visible in his La Relación, a new ideology of transnationalism emerges. Thus my paper looks forward to legitimate cultural explanations through a postcolonial-transnational perspective in present day multicultural world to explore the interrelations across barriers

PERAN DINAS PENDIDIKAN DAYAH DALAM PENINGKATAN MUTU PENDIDIKAN DAYAH DI ACEH

Dayah adalah sebuah lembaga pendidikan Islam klasik yang ada di Aceh. Sistem pembelajaran dayah pada awal berdirinya mengadopsi sistem pendidikan zawiyah.  Perkembangan dayah di Aceh seiring dengan masuknya Islam. Lembaga ini menjadi motor penggerak sosialisasi syariat Islam terhadap masyarakat. Jika dikaji dalam pespektif sejarah politik pendidikan, dayah merupakan mitra sultan dalam mengambil kebijakan terkait dengan penegakan hukum daan pelaksanaan syariat Islam. Hubungan ulama dayah dan sultan sangat erat dan tidak bias dipisahkan. Ketika kolonialisme belanda masuk dan menguasai sebagian besar wilayah Aceh, keberadaan dayah mulai dicurigai dan dayah dianggap basis pejuang yang melawan Belanda. Belanda berusaha menekan perkembangan dayah dengan membuat kebijakan-kebijakan yang mempersulit ruang gerak dayah. Setelah Indonesia merdeka, dayah kembali menata sistem pendidikannya yang berbasis masyarakat. Politik pendidikan saat itu tidak memberi tempat bagi dayah untuk masuk dalam system pendidikan nasional. Pasca MoU Helsinky keberadaan dayah di Aceh Mulai diperhitungkan oleh pemerintah dengan menyusun berbagai kebijakan-kebijakan positif. Untuk menaungi pendidikan dayah pemerintah memberi wewenang kepada kemenag. Selanjutnya didirikan suatu badan khusus yaitu Badan Pembinaan Pendidikan Dayah (BPPD) selanjutnya dengan Qanun Aceh nomor 13 tahun 2016 pemerintah Aceh membentuk satu dinas yang dikenal dengan Dinas Pendidikan Dayah

Software Piracy Scenario Among Diploma Students Majoring in Information Systems Engineering

Software piracy is a worldwide problem for the software industry. Malaysia too does not have the immunization for this disease. In trying to curb this problem it is best to understand the factors that influences individuals to pirate software or to purchase original software. As students will be the future leaders, this study main objective is to get the snapshot of the software piracy scenario of students. The target group for this study is on diploma students, majoring in Information Systems Engineering. The respondents are divided into two groups, the group that involve in software piracy activities and the group that does not indulge in software piracy activities. Findings of this study centers on the reasons for students to pirate software or to purchase original software. Comparisons on the reasons for purchasing original software between the two groups are presented too

Identification of a Potyvirus Infecting Groundnut, Arachis hypogeae L.,in Malaysia

A virus disease showing leaf mottling in groundnuts, Arachis hypogeae cv. V 13, was observed in experimental plots at the Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Serdang, West Malaysia, in 1982. The virus is sap-transmissible and can also be transmitted by the aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch, in a non-persistent manner. The host range is narrow. It produced chlorotic local lesions in Chenopodium amaranticolar Coste & Reyn and systemic chlorotic lesions in Vigna sinensis Sav. Electron microscopic examination of virus infected groundnut leaves revealed'the presence of long flexuous particles about 800 nm in length and pinwheel inclusions in tissue sections; therefore, the virus belongs to the potyvirus group