Housing affordability in the state of Johor

The Malaysian property market has been facing significant changes in terms of housing price since a decade ago and these changes are different between states.The changes in housing prices are being supported by the economic theories of demand and supply as well as the regional economic and demographic factors such as income level, housing supply stock, speculative buying and population changes. This paper provides an overview of the affordable housing policy and elaborates on the housing affordability index for the districts in the State of Johor. Using datasets for year 2012 and 2014 in order to determine the median multiple of price-income ratio, this paper found that housing in all the districts were generally unaffordable. Some districts recorded HAI of severely unaffordable, while others in the seriously and moderately unaffordable index categories

Haid daripada perspektif sains dan maqasid syariah

Setiap kejadian semula jadi merupakan rahmat dan memberi kemaslahatan kepada manusia termasuklah pendarahan haid dalam kalangan wanita. Haid merupakan suatu proses yang unik dan terancang yang melibatkan tiga fasa utama iaitu fasa haid, fasa folikel dan fasa luteal. Objektif penyelidikan ini ialah untuk mengkaji dan menghubungkaitkan kebaikan haid daripada perspektif sains dan maqasid syariah. Kajian ini dijalankan dengan menggunakan ulasan literatur secara deskriptif. Kajian mendapati bahawa perubahan hormon, warna darah dan faktor fiziokimia lain memberi kesan terhadap kenormalan kitaran haid. Darah haid juga dikenal pasti mempunyai agen antimikrob terutamanya terhadap bakteria E. coli dan bakteria Gram-negatif lain. Hal ini bertepatan dengan maqasid syariah memelihara jiwa kerana haid mampu juga memelihara kesihatan wanita. Selain itu, kajian lepas menemukan bahawa darah haid terdiri daripada sel stem yang boleh digunakan dalam aktiviti klinikal pada masa akan datang. Maqasid syariah melindungi keturunan juga dapat dilihat dengan kehadiran haid yang sering digunakan bagi menjangkakan waktu subur bagi merancang kehamilan. Hikmah Islam melarang mendekatkan diri (bersetubuh) dengan wanita yang sedang haid adalah satu rahmat yang besar, kerana wanita yang sedang haid biasanya mempunyai kelaziman gejala prahaid (PMS) yang melibatkan isu kesihatan. Oleh itu, haid daripada perspektif sains adalah bertepatan dengan maqasid syariah

Analisis terhadap model-model penilaian laman sesawang Islam berbentuk dakwah di Malaysia

Dakwah melalui teknologi maklumat telah lama berlangsung di Malaysia. Pelbagai usaha telah dilaksanakan oleh pelbagai agensi mahupun individu untuk menyebarkan ajaran Islam kepada masyarakat. Dakwah boleh dilaksanakan dengan menggunakan pelbagai pendekatan termasuk penggunaan teknologi maklumat. Keberkesanan dakwah dalam menggunakan teknologi maklumat telah terbukti dengan melihat kepada pembangunan laman sesawang Islam yang banyak di dalam Internet. Berdasarkan perkembangan yang pesat ini, pembangunan teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi telah memberi kesan kepada proses penerimaan ilmu pengetahuan dan pengambilan maklumat. Penyebaran maklumat yang salah dan tidak boleh dipercayai juga menyumbang kepada permasalahan seperti isu fitnah yang berleluasa seharusnya dititikberatkan dalam kalangan masyarakat untuk menilai sesuatu ilmu yang diambil daripada Internet. Dalam konteks laman sesawang Islam telah wujud pelbagai bentuk laman sesawang yang menjurus kepada penyebaran ajaran Islam. Namun, bagaimana masyarakat menerima sesuatu maklumat berdasarkan ilmu yang dimuatnaik di dalam laman sesawang tersebut dari segi kebolehpercayaan maklumat dan kredibiliti penulis? Dan bagaimana penilaian yang dibuat sebelum mengambil atau menyebarkan kepada orang lain? Oleh itu, kajian ini memfokuskan kepada penganalisisan model-model penilaian laman sesawang Islam bagi mengenalpasti ciri-ciri dan kriteria dalam menilai sesebuah laman sesawang Islam. Semoga kajian ini memberi manfaat kepada pengguna Internet untuk menilai sesebuah laman sesawang atau perkakasan Internet yang lain

Circle grid fractal plate as a turbulent generator for premixed flame: an overview

This review paper focuses to ascertain a new approach in turbulence generation on the structure of premixed flames and external combustion using a fractal grid pattern. This review paper discusses the relationship between fractal pattern and turbulence flow. Many researchers have explored the fractal pattern as a new concept of turbulence generators, but researchers rarely study fractal turbulence generators on the structure premixed flame. The turbulent flow field characteristics have been studied tand investigated in a premixed combustion application. In terms of turbulence intensity, most researchers used fractal grid that can be tailored so that they can design the characteristic needed in premixed flame. This approach makes it extremely difficult to determine the exact turbulent burning velocity on the velocity fluctuation of the flow. The decision to carry out additional research on the effect circle grid fractal plate as a turbulent generator for premixed flame should depends on the blockage ratio and fractal pattern of the grid. 1

Sound absorption for concrete containing polyethylene terephthalate waste

Plastic solid waste generation increases every year with the current consumption habit prevalent in society nowadays. The improper disposal of plastic has been a major concern to the environment as it is not easily degradable. The issue of environmental pollution caused by polyethene terephthalates (PET) has been extensively discussed and the best solution proposed is recycling. Fibre Concrete (FC) was a composite material resulting from the addition of fibres to ordinary concrete. The objective of this research was to determine the acoustic absorption coefficient of concrete containing 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0% of PET fibre compared to normal concrete. In this study, straight and irregular recycled PET fibres were used. The fibres were simply cut from PET plastic bottles. The length and width of recycling PET fibre were fixed at 25 mm and 5 mm respectively. The chosen percentages were 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% of fiber. A water-cement ratio of 0.45 was acceptable for all ranges. The tests that were conduct include the slump test, compression test, and impedance tube test. The specimens were tested on day 7 and day 28 after the concrete is mixed. The end of this research results for the compressive strength of normal concrete after 28 days of curing was 48.2 MPa while concrete with 0.5% PET, 1.0 % PET, 1.5% PET and 2.0% PET recorded a compressive strength of 50.9 MPa, 49.8 MPa, 47.9 MPa and 46.6 MPa respectively. The result of the impedance test received at age 28 days was 0.13 for normal concrete and 0.16, 0.14, 0.16 MPa, and 0.14 for 0.5% PET, 1.0 % PET, 1.5% PET and 2.0% PET respectively. In conclusion, the aspect ratio of the fibres to the concrete must be correlated to avoid reducing durability. In conclusion, the addition of 0.5% PET recycled fibre into concrete showed the best value in terms of strength and 0.16 for the sound absorption coefficient

Najis (tinja) manusia daripada perspektif Sains dan Islam serta amalan pemakanan sunnah

Islam merupakan satu agama yang menitikberatkan kesihatan manusia termasuklah sistem pencernaan manusia. Najis (tinja) manusia yang dibincangkan dalam kajian ini merupakan hasil buangan manusia yang menjadi salah satu kaedah untuk melihat sudut kesihatan manusia. Objektif penyelidikan ini ialah untuk mengkaji fizikokimia dan ciri-ciri najis serta kegunaannya daripada perspektif sains dan sudut pandangan Islam terutamanya mengenai diet yang diamalkan oleh Rasulullah SAW. Kajian ini dijalankan dengan menggunakan ulasan literatur secara deskriptif. Kajian mendapati bahawa sistem pencernaan merupakan satu sistem yang rumit. Tinja terdiri daripada 75% air dan 25% bahan pepejal serta ciri-ciri tinja seperti bentuk, warna dan bau memberi kesan kepada kesihatan manusia. Daripada sudut Islam warna, bau dan rasa tinja merupakan perkara asas yang dititikberatkan semasa proses pembersihan najis terutamanya bagi memulakan sesuatu ibadah. Selain itu, diet, senaman, umur dan jantina merupakan faktor-faktor yang membezakan jenis tinja bagi setiap individu. Malah, kajian ini juga merungkai beberapa alternatif yang kini diguna pakai bagi mengurus najis-najis manusia dalam menjamin kesihatan dan pemeliharaan alam sekitar. Kajian ini kemudiannya mengupas diet makanan-makanan sunnah yang terdapat di dalam Al-Quran dan hadis yang terbukti kaya dengan serat dan sihat untuk manusia terutamanya bagi sistem pencernaan manusia. Oleh itu, najis (tinja) manusia daripada sudut sains mampu menggambarkan kesihatan seseorang dan amalan diet makanan-makanan sunnah sangat baik dalam memelihara sistem pencernaan manusia

69th Issue Info Kampus UiTM Sarawak Buletin : Januari 2015 / Professor Dato Dr. Jamil Hj Hamali... [et al.]

A very happy 2015 to UITM staff and students. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the Chief Minister of Sarawak, Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Haji Adenan bin Haji Satem and the Vice - Chancellor of UITM,Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Dato' Sri Professor Ir. Dr. Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar, FASc for the continues support given to UITM Sarawak.To the staff, i thank you all for your cooperation and dedication which have contributed to the tremendous development made by UITM Sarawak.In addition, i also encourage UITM Sarawak student to work hard and excel in their studies

Population and fertility by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Population estimates underpin demographic and epidemiological research and are used to track progress on numerous international indicators of health and development. To date, internationally available estimates of population and fertility, although useful, have not been produced with transparent and replicable methods and do not use standardised estimates of mortality. We present single-calendar year and single-year of age estimates of fertility and population by sex with standardised and replicable methods. Methods We estimated population in 195 locations by single year of age and single calendar year from 1950 to 2017 with standardised and replicable methods. We based the estimates on the demographic balancing equation, with inputs of fertility, mortality, population, and migration data. Fertility data came from 7817 location-years of vital registration data, 429 surveys reporting complete birth histories, and 977 surveys and censuses reporting summary birth histories. We estimated age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs; the annual number of livebirths to women of a specified age group per 1000 women in that age group) by use of spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression and used the ASFRs to estimate total fertility rates (TFRs; the average number of children a woman would bear if she survived through the end of the reproductive age span [age 10–54 years] and experienced at each age a particular set of ASFRs observed in the year of interest). Because of sparse data, fertility at ages 10–14 years and 50–54 years was estimated from data on fertility in women aged 15–19 years and 45–49 years, through use of linear regression. Age-specific mortality data came from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 estimates. Data on population came from 1257 censuses and 761 population registry location-years and were adjusted for underenumeration and age misreporting with standard demographic methods. Migration was estimated with the GBD Bayesian demographic balancing model, after incorporating information about refugee migration into the model prior. Final population estimates used the cohort-component method of population projection, with inputs of fertility, mortality, and migration data. Population uncertainty was estimated by use of out-of-sample predictive validity testing. With these data, we estimated the trends in population by age and sex and in fertility by age between 1950 and 2017 in 195 countries and territories.Background Population estimates underpin demographic and epidemiological research and are used to track progress on numerous international indicators of health and development. To date, internationally available estimates of population and fertility, although useful, have not been produced with transparent and replicable methods and do not use standardised estimates of mortality. We present single-calendar year and single-year of age estimates of fertility and population by sex with standardised and replicable methods. Methods We estimated population in 195 locations by single year of age and single calendar year from 1950 to 2017 with standardised and replicable methods. We based the estimates on the demographic balancing equation, with inputs of fertility, mortality, population, and migration data. Fertility data came from 7817 location-years of vital registration data, 429 surveys reporting complete birth histories, and 977 surveys and censuses reporting summary birth histories. We estimated age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs; the annual number of livebirths to women of a specified age group per 1000 women in that age group) by use of spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression and used the ASFRs to estimate total fertility rates (TFRs; the average number of children a woman would bear if she survived through the end of the reproductive age span [age 10–54 years] and experienced at each age a particular set of ASFRs observed in the year of interest). Because of sparse data, fertility at ages 10–14 years and 50–54 years was estimated from data on fertility in women aged 15–19 years and 45–49 years, through use of linear regression. Age-specific mortality data came from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017 estimates. Data on population came from 1257 censuses and 761 population registry location-years and were adjusted for underenumeration and age misreporting with standard demographic methods. Migration was estimated with the GBD Bayesian demographic balancing model, after incorporating information about refugee migration into the model prior. Final population estimates used the cohort-component method of population projection, with inputs of fertility, mortality, and migration data. Population uncertainty was estimated by use of out-of-sample predictive validity testing. With these data, we estimated the trends in population by age and sex and in fertility by age between 1950 and 2017 in 195 countries and territories

Measuring progress from 1990 to 2017 and projecting attainment to 2030 of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals for 195 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. Methods We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0–100, with 0 as the 2·5th percentile and 100 as the 97·5th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator.Background Efforts to establish the 2015 baseline and monitor early implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlight both great potential for and threats to improving health by 2030. To fully deliver on the SDG aim of “leaving no one behind”, it is increasingly important to examine the health-related SDGs beyond national-level estimates. As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017), we measured progress on 41 of 52 health-related SDG indicators and estimated the health-related SDG index for 195 countries and territories for the period 1990–2017, projected indicators to 2030, and analysed global attainment. Methods We measured progress on 41 health-related SDG indicators from 1990 to 2017, an increase of four indicators since GBD 2016 (new indicators were health worker density, sexual violence by non-intimate partners, population census status, and prevalence of physical and sexual violence [reported separately]). We also improved the measurement of several previously reported indicators. We constructed national-level estimates and, for a subset of health-related SDGs, examined indicator-level differences by sex and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile. We also did subnational assessments of performance for selected countries. To construct the health-related SDG index, we transformed the value for each indicator on a scale of 0–100, with 0 as the 2·5th percentile and 100 as the 97·5th percentile of 1000 draws calculated from 1990 to 2030, and took the geometric mean of the scaled indicators by target. To generate projections through 2030, we used a forecasting framework that drew estimates from the broader GBD study and used weighted averages of indicator-specific and country-specific annualised rates of change from 1990 to 2017 to inform future estimates. We assessed attainment of indicators with defined targets in two ways: first, using mean values projected for 2030, and then using the probability of attainment in 2030 calculated from 1000 draws. We also did a global attainment analysis of the feasibility of attaining SDG targets on the basis of past trends. Using 2015 global averages of indicators with defined SDG targets, we calculated the global annualised rates of change required from 2015 to 2030 to meet these targets, and then identified in what percentiles the required global annualised rates of change fell in the distribution of country-level rates of change from 1990 to 2015. We took the mean of these global percentile values across indicators and applied the past rate of change at this mean global percentile to all health-related SDG indicators, irrespective of target definition, to estimate the equivalent 2030 global average value and percentage change from 2015 to 2030 for each indicator

Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific mortality and life expectancy, 1950–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Assessments of age-specific mortality and life expectancy have been done by the UN Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNPOP), the United States Census Bureau, WHO, and as part of previous iterations of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). Previous iterations of the GBD used population estimates from UNPOP, which were not derived in a way that was internally consistent with the estimates of the numbers of deaths in the GBD. The present iteration of the GBD, GBD 2017, improves on previous assessments and provides timely estimates of the mortality experience of populations globally. Methods The GBD uses all available data to produce estimates of mortality rates between 1950 and 2017 for 23 age groups, both sexes, and 918 locations, including 195 countries and territories and subnational locations for 16 countries. Data used include vital registration systems, sample registration systems, household surveys (complete birth histories, summary birth histories, sibling histories), censuses (summary birth histories, household deaths), and Demographic Surveillance Sites. In total, this analysis used 8259 data sources. Estimates of the probability of death between birth and the age of 5 years and between ages 15 and 60 years are generated and then input into a model life table system to produce complete life tables for all locations and years. Fatal discontinuities and mortality due to HIV/AIDS are analysed separately and then incorporated into the estimation. We analyse the relationship between age-specific mortality and development status using the Socio-demographic Index, a composite measure based on fertility under the age of 25 years, education, and income. There are four main methodological improvements in GBD 2017 compared with GBD 2016: 622 additional data sources have been incorporated; new estimates of population, generated by the GBD study, are used; statistical methods used in different components of the analysis have been further standardised and improved; and the analysis has been extended backwards in time by two decades to start in 1950.Background Assessments of age-specific mortality and life expectancy have been done by the UN Population Division, Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNPOP), the United States Census Bureau, WHO, and as part of previous iterations of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). Previous iterations of the GBD used population estimates from UNPOP, which were not derived in a way that was internally consistent with the estimates of the numbers of deaths in the GBD. The present iteration of the GBD, GBD 2017, improves on previous assessments and provides timely estimates of the mortality experience of populations globally. Methods The GBD uses all available data to produce estimates of mortality rates between 1950 and 2017 for 23 age groups, both sexes, and 918 locations, including 195 countries and territories and subnational locations for 16 countries. Data used include vital registration systems, sample registration systems, household surveys (complete birth histories, summary birth histories, sibling histories), censuses (summary birth histories, household deaths), and Demographic Surveillance Sites. In total, this analysis used 8259 data sources. Estimates of the probability of death between birth and the age of 5 years and between ages 15 and 60 years are generated and then input into a model life table system to produce complete life tables for all locations and years. Fatal discontinuities and mortality due to HIV/AIDS are analysed separately and then incorporated into the estimation. We analyse the relationship between age-specific mortality and development status using the Socio-demographic Index, a composite measure based on fertility under the age of 25 years, education, and income. There are four main methodological improvements in GBD 2017 compared with GBD 2016: 622 additional data sources have been incorporated; new estimates of population, generated by the GBD study, are used; statistical methods used in different components of the analysis have been further standardised and improved; and the analysis has been extended backwards in time by two decades to start in 1950