Food security dynamics in Oman: VECM approach

The paper examines the determinants of food security in Oman during the period 1980-2019. It investigates the influence of population growth rate and GDP per capita on food security. Cointegration and vector error correction model (VECM) approach are used to identify the long term and short term relationship of food security determinants. The results confirm the existence of a long run relationship among the determinants of food security. Further this linkage indicates that food security in Oman is positively influenced by the population growth rate and GDP/capita(current). The error correction term suggests that 51.7 percent of the total disequilibrium in food security was being adjusted every year which is justifiable for an oil producing country

What is liberal Islam? The elusive reformation

While Islam as traditionally understood may not favor liberalism, the more "liberal" interpretations of Islam are not democracy friendly either, mainly because they lack wide popular support. The search for an "elusive" Islamic Reformation may not thus be right way to approach the democracy question. Even if such a "Reformation" were to materialize, it is likely to be divisive and disruptive in the short and medium terms. Meanwhile, the liberal movements with the most promising democratic potential appear to be those which have bypassed the theological question altogether and worked to build broad pro-democracy coalitions by agreeing to bypass divisive issues politicians are not equipped to solve

Pengaruh agama dalam tingkah laku kesedaran pengurusan sisa pepejal masyarakat Islam: kajian di Kelantan.

Kajian ini bertujuan mengenal pasti pengaruh pengetahuan prinsip-prinsip alam sekitar berasaskan agama (Islam) terhadap amalan pengurusan sisa pepejal masyarakat Islam. Selain itu, kajian ini juga bertujuan menilai sikap dan penerimaan masyarakat Islam terhadap aplikasi prinsip-prinsip Islam dalam medium kempen kesedaran awam pengurusan sisa pepejal

Entrepreneurship Inclination: A Case Study on Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Polytechnic's Students

Entrepreneurship is one of the main areas of business. It is very important in realizing the government’s aspiration towards a high income nation by year 2020. Accordingly, entrepreneurship becomes an important element in the establishment of polytechnic graduates nowadays. So, they become more competitive, innovative and competent. The purpose of the study was to obtain entrepreneurship inclination among Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Polytechnic’s students in Perlis. A total of 127 samples from 190 final year students from Commerce Department were randomly selected as respondents. The questionnaire method used for the research and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistical software, means SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) version 16.0. The results showed that for overall of study, entrepreneurship inclination among polytechnic students was good. Meaning to say, the study found that family support, idols and financial support were positive relationship with entrepreneurship inclination among polytechnic students as well. Therefore, all parties involved should pay more attention and take aggressive actions in boosting potential of polytechnic students in entrepreneurship field. Finally, graduates students will choose entrepreneurship as their future entrepreneurs or first choice career compared to another field

A randomised controlled trial of mgso4 therapy for 24 hours versus early cessation in patients with severe preeclampsia

Introduction: Magnesium sulphate has been shown to be the optimal anticonvulsant in preventing the recurrence of seizures in eclampsia and in seizure prophylaxis in preeclampsia. Traditionally, seizure prophylaxis has been administered before delivery and continued postpartum for an arbitrary time, usually 24 hours. Objectives: The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of using clinical parameters to signal cessation of postpartum magnesium sulphate therapy among patients with Severe Preeclampsia. Methodology: A randomized trial of postpartum magnesium sulphate therapy was conducted in HRPZII, Kota Bharu and HUSM, Kubang Kerian from December 2009 to September 2010. The control group received 24 hours of therapy, and the intervention group received therapy until fulfilled clinical criteria for discontinuation of seizure prophylaxis. The Independent t test, Chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test were used for analysis of data. A probability value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were 52 patients in the control group and 50 patients in the intervention group. The intervention group had a significantly shorter duration of therapy (p< 0.05). There were no differences in mean booking BMI, weight on admission, systolic blood pressure and platelet level between two groups. However there were significance differences in mean age of the patients, delivery gestational age, diastolic blood pressure and uric acid level between two groups. There was no patient in this study had eclampsia or required the reinitiation of therapy. Conclusions: Clinical parameters can be used effectively and safe to shorten the duration of postpartum magnesium sulphate therapy in patients with severe preeclampsia

Keindustrian Dalam Seni Kriya

Proses penggarapan produk kriya berbeda dengan proses industri yang modern. Proses produksi kriya selain ditentukan oleh teknologi lokal juga ditentukan oleh sentuhan akhir dari kerja seni seorang seniman. Makalah ini membicarakan tentang proses pembakaran keramik di kampung Kebagusan Sitiwinangun Cirebon, proses pembuatan batik tulis tenun gedog Tuban, dan motif-motif batik Madura. Proses pembakaran keramik di kampung Kebagusan Sitiwinangun Cirebon dilakukan secara gotong-royong dan bergiliran. Proses pembakaran menghasilkan permukaan gerabah yang berbeda-beda, misalnya apabila dibakar dengan daun jati, maka permukaan gerabah akan kemerah-merahan, selain coklat kopi hangus. Sedang apabila dibakar dengan daun nangka, maka permukaan gerabah akan kecoklatan dengan nuansa kehijauan tembaga disana sini. Kekhasan tenun gedog adalah bahannya yang agak kasar dan warnanya cenderung kumal. Bintikan-bintikan kapas dari proses pemintalan tradisional telah memunculkan tekstur yang khas tenun gedog. Kekhasan lainnya adalah bahwa proses pembuatan tenun gedog seluruhnya dikerjakan secara tradisonal. Untuk sampai menjadi tenun gedog terdapat beberapa proses dan setiap proses terdiri dari beberapa langkah. Kegiatan membatik di Pulau Madura sudah berlangsung lama dan diprakarsai oleh seorang pedagang yang berasal dari daerah pesisir Pekalongan, yang kemudian berkeluarga dan menetap di Madura. Pada awalnya kegiatan membatik di pulau Madura hanya berfungsi sebagai kerja sambilan ibu-ibu rumah tangga yang sering ditinggal suami pergi berlayar dalam rangka mencari nafkah. Kerinduan pada kedatangan suami dilepaskan oleh mereka dengan membatik. Kondisi psikologis yang seperti itulah yang kemudian mempengaruhi dan memunculkan motif-motif batik tulis yang khas Madura

Assessment on the efficacy of Parkia speciosa hassk. pericarps methanol extract as a potential antimicrobial agent / Raihan Zafirah Affendi

The persistent development of resistant strains of bacteria which resulted in a condition known as antibiotic resistance is an alarming situation. Therefore, the need for development of novel antimicrobial agent such as by using herbal medicine is in great demand. Parkia speciosa Hassk.(P. speciosa Hassk.), known as bitter beans, is commonly eaten among Malaysian and known to have medicinal properties. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential of methanol extract of pericarp from P. speciosa as an antimicrobial agent. Thus, the extract of pericarp of P. speciosa Hassk. prepared using methanol as an extraction solvent were screened for its antimicrobial activities and phytochemical composition. The pericarps were left to dry and transformed into powder form before being soaked in methanol for about 24 days using the exhaustive extraction method. The extract was tested against food poisoning causative agents which were Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. The antimicrobial activities were evaluated by using the technique of agar diffusion and broth microdilution method. Both techniques were used to screen antimicrobial susceptibility (AST), minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) at concentrations of 1000,500,250, 125,62.5,31.25, 15.62,7.81,3.90, 1.90 and 0.9 mg/ml. Best inhibitory effects were shown against S. aureus and B. cereus compared to S. typhimurium and E. coli which showed no inhibitory effects. The MIC and MBC of the methanol extract P. speciosa Hassk. pericarp against S. aureus was found to be 7.8 mg/ml while MIC and MBC of B. cereus were quite impressive which was found to be 1.9 mg/ml. Phytochemical analysis revealed presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins and amino acid. The study managed to prove that methanol extract of P. speciosa pericarp has potential to be used as an antimicrobial agent. The preliminary testing on antimicrobial activity conducted clearly revealed that S. aureus and B. cereus were more susceptible compared to S. typhimurium and E. coli. The medicinal activities may be attributed by the existence of one or more of the detected phytochemical compounds within the extract

A study of relationship of debt ratio, return on asset & return on equity on TNB financial efficiency / Khadijah Mohd Affendi

The purpose of this paper is to study of relationship of debt ratio, return on asset and return on equity on TNB financial efficiency. Three ratio are used in determine the financial efficiency . The first objective is researcher want to study on determinants of TNB financial efficiency, second is to identify the relationship between profit of the company with independent variables (debt ratio, return on asset, return on equity) and third is to give the suggestion how to improve the efficiency at TNB’s management. The data was get from secondary data which is from the company annual report about 10 years and also get from informal interview by top management of TNB Tanah Merah. The Statistical Procedure of Social System (SPSS) are used in key in the data. From this program multiple linear regressions, correlation of coefficient (R), coefficient of determination (R²), Durbin Watson, and T- statistic are used in analysis. All the data are used in yearly from year 2001 to year 2010. This result indicates that all variables are having significant relationship with the dependent variable which are debt ratio, return on asset, and return on equit

The Correlation between Candida sp. Contamination in the Bathroom Water and Candidiasis Incidence

Candida is a fungus which caused candidiasis in women, with a vaginal discharge as the main sign. One of the proposed source of infection is water which is use to clean themself. Little is known regarding the role of water as the source of infection in vaginal candidiasis. The aim of this study are to know how much Candida sp. detected on vaginal discharge and contaminated the bathroom water and to prove whether Candida sp.contaminated bathroom water can be a source of infection for patients with vaginal candidiasis based on relative risk.This study were conducted in 32 women with candidiasis and 32 water samples from their bathroom. Vaginal discharge were taken by sterile swab and inoculated into Sabouraud Dextrosa Agar. 10 ml bathroom water samples from each water container in their house were taken by sterile syringe and also inoculated into Sabouraud Dextrosa Agar.Twenty-five (78%) vaginal discharge are positive Candida sp.. Bathroom water are contaminated with Candida sp.as much as 62.5%. Seventeen (53,1%) samples are positive Candida sp. both from vaginal discharge and bathroom water. Subject with positive Candida sp. from bathroom water, have a risk 2.83 times to suffer Candidasis than Subject without Candida sp.. from bathroom water (Candida sp. negative) Keywords: Candida sp., Candidiasis, Bathroom wate

Associated factor of mortality rate amongst patients with AIDS and HIV-TB co-infections using zero inflated negative binomial method

Many data sets are characterized as count data with a preponderance of zeros. Data in the form of counts and proportions arise in many fields such as studies in medicine, public health, toxicology, epidemiology, sociology, psychology, engineering, agriculture and soon. When the dependent variable is a nonnegative count variable, a Poisson regression model is commonly used to explain the relationship between the outcome variable and a set of explanatory variables. However, if extra-zero Poisson counts are observed, it has been suggested that a zero-inflated Poisson regression model is more appropriate than the classical Poisson regression model. One frequently encountered problem in these data is that simple models such as the Poisson and the Binomial models failed to explain the variation that exists. Often, data exhibit extra-dispersion (over or under dispersion). Another complication in data in the form of counts and proportions is that they are sometimes too sparse, that is smaller values have greater tendency to occur. In the Poisson case counts that occur are generally small and in the binomial case the binomial denominators are often small. Therefore, valid procedures are needed to detect departures from the simple models. Hence, when a lot of extra zero exists, zero inflated Negative Binomial has been suggested when overdispersion is present. It is more appropriate than the classical Negative Binomial regression model. Hence, this thesis follows the general objective, that is to compare Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial and Negative Binomial in identifying associated factors. The specific objective is to fit a Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial death rate regression model for mortality rate among AIDS/HIV co-infection patients and to compare Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial death rate regression with Negative Binomial death rate, which is the best model when a data existing zeroes values. It follows by to determine overdispersion in the model. Lastly, to investigate the potential confounding factors affecting mortality rate among disease mapping co�infection patients among HIV-TB and AIDS. In this thesis, mortality rate is a subject of interest as dependent variable according to age categories by years. The data are analyzed from AIDS patients and HIV-TB mortality cases for comparing between Negative Binomial mortality and Zero Inflated Negative Binomial Mortality (ZINBM) which is better. Beyond this substantive concern, the choice should be based on the model providing the closest fit between the observed and predicted values. Unfortunately, the literature presents anomalous findings in terms of model superiority. In addition, the Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) values were used to compare the fit between models. The results suggested that the literature are not entirely anomalous. However, the accuracy of the findings depended on the proportion of zeros and the distribution for the non zeros. ZINBDR tend to be the superior model, than the negative binomial model. The findings suggested there should be consideration of the proportion of zeroes and the distribution for the nonzero when selecting a model to accommodate zero-inflated data