Poverty, Growth and Income Distribution in Lebanon

This Country Study is based on a full national report that is the first to draw a profile of poverty in Lebanon based on money-metric poverty measurements of household expenditures. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the characteristics of the poor and estimates the extent of poverty and the degree of inequality in the country. It finds that nearly 28 per cent of the Lebanese population can be considered poor and eight per cent can be considered extremely poor. However, the most important finding of the report is that regional disparities are striking. For example, whereas poverty rates are insignificant in the capitol, Beirut, they are very high in the Northern city of Akkar. In general, the North governorate has been lagging behind the rest of the country and thus its poverty rate has become high. Levels of poverty are above-average in the South but are not as severe as expected. There are three other major results that have notable implications for a poverty-reduction programme in Lebanon. First, with few exceptions, measures of human deprivation, such as that provided by an Unsatisfied Basic Needs methodology, are generally commensurate with those for money-metric measures based on household expenditures. Second, the projected cost of halving extreme poverty is very modest, namely, a mere fraction of the cost of the country?s large external debt obligations. However, such a cost would rise dramatically if inequality were to worsen (i.e., if future growth were anti-poor). Also, the cost of reducing overall poverty would be substantially higher. Third, the poor are heavily concentrated among the unemployed and among unskilled workers, with the latter concentrated in sectors such as agriculture and construction. This places a priority on a broad-based, inclusive pattern of economic growth that could stimulate employment in such sectors. Based on such findings, the report concentrates on providing general policy recommendations on issues of directing public expenditures to poor households. One of its major recommendations is to concentrate on channelling resources to poor regions below the governorate level, such as to four ?strata? where two-thirds of the poor in Lebanon are concentrated. However, the report notes that macroeconomic policies, particularly fiscal policies, will have to be redesigned to mobilize the reources necessary to finance the increases in public expenditures on the social safety nets and public investment in social services that should be part of a major poverty-reduction programme.Poverty, Growth and Income Distribution in Lebanon

Karl Marx dan konsep perjuangan kelas sosial

This article explores the history of the renowned world economic and political reformist, Karl Marx with a special focus on the social class concept. It also discusses to what extent that the Marx’s concept of social class struggle is capable to provide a way out to the proletariats, to free themselves from the chains of cruelty, violence and alienation in the capitalist system. Our main focal point is to scrutinize the relationship between the concepts of social class struggle and the need for a social revolution as a catalyst for the formation of a classless society. Along the way, we studied and analyzed the documents produced on the primary sources covering major works of Marx and the secondary sources consisting reviews of the Marx’s class concept. As a result, we found out that Marx’s concept of class fight is competent to represent the oppressed group to battle for their freedom rights. The Proletariat dictatorship attitude was used as their main shield to face the threat of the capitalist class. Marx’s ultimate success is realized through a burst of ideas and beliefs that supports the ideas of egalitarian Communism although many contradictions arise between the ideas of Marx and the 20th centuries Communism when they are translated into practice

Analisis Naratif Fasa Kehidupan Miskawayh (932-1030 M): Narrative Analysis on the Life Phases of Miskawayh (932-1030 M)

Miskawayh is an important figure in the development of Islamic ethical philosophy. The synthesis between Greek philosophy and Islamic knowledge which he developed in the Middle Ages is considered a significant innovation in the formation of Islamic ethical philosophy. Miskawayh’s scholarship can be seen in his career commitment and in academic circles during his stay in his hometown Rayy and Baghdad. Though Miskawayh’s biography has been widely presented, his biographical narrative in this study is needed to ascertain his life changes based on different phases of his life. Therefore, this qualitative study will discuss the biography of Miskawayh. A biographical narrative analysis of Miskawayh found four major phases in his life. The first phase (up until the age of about 20) was when he obtained basic Islamic knowledge and studied chemistry. The second phase was between 956 AD and 963 AD in Baghdad. During that period of time, he was involved in the discussion of philosophy and dealing with moral issues. The third phase was in 963 AD in Rayy, Iran, where he dedicated his time studying various themes of writing and teaching. The fourth phase was between 976 AD and 1030 AD, at the age of 44 until his death at the age of 96 in Iṣfahān, Iran. During this phase, he was active in philosophical writings and refining ethics. Due to the breadth of Miskawayh’s knowledge and experience, his writings on ethics have been influential, especially his magnum opus entitled Tahdhīb al-Akhlāq that has received a substantial amount of attention from the Islamic and Western scholars to this day. This work written to the end of Miskawayh’s life proved his scholarly interest in philosophy, self-development, and career. ABSTRAK  Miskawayh merupakan seorang tokoh penting dalam perkembangan ilmu falsafah akhlak. Sintesis falsafah Yunani dengan ilmu Islam yang telah dilakukan oleh beliau pada abad pertengahan dianggap sebagai suatu inovasi yang signifikan dalam pembentukan ilmu akhlak Islam. Kesarjanaan Miskawayh boleh dilihat melalui komitmennya terhadap kerjaya dan dunia akademik sepanjang beliau berada di Rayy, Iran kota kelahirannya dan juga ketika berada di Baghdad. Walaupun biografi Miskawayh telah banyak dibentangkan, naratif biografi beliau di dalam kajian ini diperlukan bagi mengenal pasti perubahan hidup Miskawayh berdasarkan kepada fasa kehidupannya yang berbeza. Oleh itu, kajian berbentuk kualitatif ini akan membahaskan tentang biografi Miskawayh. Analisis naratif terhadap biografi tersebut mendapati bahawa Miskawayh telah melalui empat fasa penting dalam kehidupannya. Fasa pertama (sehingga usiannya kira-kira 20 tahun) ialah ketika beliau mendapatkan ilmu asas Islam dan mempelajari tentang ilmu kimia. Fasa kedua ialah antara 956 sehingga 963 Masihi di Baghdad. Ketika ini beliau terlibat dengan perbincangan falsafah dan berhadapan dengan masalah akhlak. Fasa ketiga pula ialah pada tahun 963 Masihi di Rayy, Iran di mana beliau telah mendedikasikan masanya untuk menelaah pelbagai tema penulisan dan mengajar. Fasa yang keempat ialah pada 976 Masihi iaitu ketika usianya mencecah 44 tahun sehingga beliau meninggal dunia pada 1030 Masihi pada usia 96 tahun di Iṣfahān, Iran. Pada fasa ini, beliau aktif dalam penulisan falsafah dan melakukan mujahadah dalam akhlak. Oleh kerana keluasan ilmu dan pengalaman yang telah dilalui oleh Miskawayh dalam empat fasa ini, penulisan beliau tentang akhlak terutamanya di dalam magnum opus yang bertajuk Tahdhīb al-Akhlāq menjadi sebuah karya yang berpengaruh dan mendapat perhatian pengkaji Islam dan Barat sehingga kini. Karya yang telah ditulis di penghujung hayat Miskawayh ini telah membuktikan kesarjanaan beliau dalam ilmu falsafah, hal pembangunan kendiri serta kerjaya. &nbsp

ST-ELEVASI MIOCARD INFARK DAN KETOASIDOSIS DIABETIKUM : SEBUAH STUDI KASUS DENGAN PENDEKATAN PROSES KEPERAWATAN

Pendahuluan: Ketoasidosis diabetikum (KAD) diabetikum diketahui memiliki hubungan dengan prognosis  ST Elevation Miocardial Infact (STEMI). Peningkatan kejadian gagal jantung, shock hingga terjadinya kematian. Perawat memiliki peran penting kolaboratif dalam penanganan kejadian tersebut. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menggambarkan manajemen asuhan keperawatan pada pasien STEMI dengan KAD. Metode: Pendekatan studi kasus digunakan dalam penelitian ini, dimana kami mempersembahkan penerapan asuhan keperawatan pada pasien laki-laki usia 42 tahun STEMI disertai ketoasidosis diabetikum di ruang gawat darurat. Hasil: Pada studi kasus ini pasien masuk unit gawat darurat dengan keluhan nyeri dada khas dan kondisi hiperglikemia. Hasil pemeriksaan penunjang pasien didiagnosis mengalami STEMI ekstensif anterior onset 3 jam dan KAD, diagnosis keperawatan pada pasien tersebut adalah nyeri akut  (NANDA: 00132) dan defisit volume cairan (NANDA 00027), intevensi yang digunakan Manajemen nyeri dengan aktivitas tindakan tatalaksana STEMI dan manajemen cairan dengan aktivitas tindakan tatalaksana cairan KAD sesuai dengan evidence based practice. Evaluasi hasil tindakan keperawatan, nyeri masih terajdi dan defisit volume cairan tidak terjadi. Kesimpulan: STEMI dan KAD merupakan dua kasus gawatdarurat yang memerlukan penanganan yang tepat, manajemen keperawatan dengan pendekatan interpersonal kolaborasi dan berbasis evidence based practice  pada pasien pada kasus tersebut dapat meningkatkan outcome yang baik bagi pasien

Flood susceptibility assessment in Kelantan river basin using copula

Bivariate frequency analysis of flood variables of different station locations of Kelantan river basin was conducted using copula for the assessment of the geographical distribution of flood risk. Seven univariate distribution functions of flood variables were fitted with flood variables such as peak flow, flood volume, and flood duration to find the best-fitted distributions. The joint dependent structures of flood variables were modeled using Gumbel copula. The results of the study revealed that different variables fit with different distributions. The correlation analysis among variables showed a strong association. Joint distribution functions of peak-flow and volume, peak-flow and duration, and volume and duration revealed that the joint return periods were much higher than univariate return periods of same flood variables. The flood risk analysis based on joint return period of flood variables revealed the highest risk of devastating flood in the downstream. The locations identified as highly susceptible to flood risk by joint distributing of flood variables had experienced most severe floods in recent history, which indicates the effectiveness of the method for the analysis of flood risk. It is expected that this procedure can be helpful for better assessment of flood impacts

2D text visualization for the retrieval of Malay documents

Search engine applications like Google and Yahoo present their results in the form of onedimensional linear list that usually comprise three times of the screen size per page and several number of pages. The results are displayed in the list of inconsistent declining ranks without displaying its rank values. The one-dimensional linear list display of the results data will cause classification of the results data meaningless. New queries relating to the original query are available, but its relationship strength values are not provided An application that can display all the result data in a two-dimensional text visualization within one page and circular form is proposed. The relationship strength of the result data with the query can be evaluated by finding the distance between the location of the result data to the center of the circle. Classifications that are made in the form of text and color can easily apply to the application. Malay translated Al-Quran and Malay translated hadith are used as corpuses for the application. Three functions in the application display the relationship between words and words, between words and documents, and between documents and documents. Various combinations of formulas can be used to find the values of these relationships that will be used as the rank values in the application. This, two-dimensional text visualization (TDTV), application is evaluated using two mechanisms. First, by solving a task and then, follow by answering the usability questionnaire. The results from the task section show that the variety of related documents can be retrieved in a reasonable time frame. The results from the usability questionnaire show about 75 percent of the respondents agree that the two-dimensional text visualization (TDTV) application is better than applications that display its results in one-dimensional linear list

The Instructional Design of Chinese Characters’ Stroke Order Motion Graphics Based on Cognitive Load Theory

This research aims to develop stroke order motion graphics for Chinese characters to solve the problem of memorising Chinese characters’ stroke order in the learning process. This research adopted cognitive load theory and the ADDIE model as an instructional design process guide. Herbart’s four-stage teaching method is used as a guide for the motion graphics presentation module. Based on the characteristics of Malaysian students who learn Chinese as their second language, motion graphics for Chinese characters’ stroke order learning were developed. The expert evaluation was conducted to identify problems, and modifications were done to improve the created prototype. A total of six Chinese characters’ stroke order motion graphics have been successfully developed. The result shows that cognitive load theory provides an effective solution for developing Chinese characters’ stroke order motion graphics. The ADDIE model also offered a significant direction for the instructional design process. In addition, to be more effective in Chinese character stroke order teaching, interface design must consider the relevant teaching effects of cognitive load theory. However, making the prototype in advance can avoid large-scale modifications in the later process. The successful development of the Chinese characters’ stroke order motion graphics allows teaching Chinese character stroke order in Malaysia to be carried out more effectively

Performance And Emission Of Coated Porous Medium Burner With Cogeneration

Global warming has led to the change of world climate. The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by the burning of fossil fuels have been identified as among the primary contributor to this issue. Although the cost and source of the hydrocarbon (HC) fuels are fluctuating, it has been widely used. Furthermore, the used of HC fuels for domestic application such as in conventional gas burner relates to long term effect on health of the user. An experimental investigation was conducted to explore the alternative way of using HC fuel with improved method of combustion. In this thesis, the application of porous medium burner for domestic application has been studied. Further enhancement has been done on the burner by enabling cogeneration system. This system utilized Thermoelectric (TE) cells to generate electricity from portable porous medium burner. Alumina ceramic PM foam is used during the experiment. Combustion was controlled during the experiment by using the equivalence ratio of in between 0.8 to 1.3. The TE cells were attached to burner wall to absorb heat. The TE cells were connected to TE charger system to manage power output and to charge a mobile phone with a lithium-ion battery. The flame temperature increased with the amount of supplied fuel for the given equivalence ratios. Results show that the PM burner can be used for heating and cell phone charging. The decreasing trend was observed in CO and undiluted CO emission as fuel increased. The experimental result shows similarities with the trends in previous works. NOx emissions were in the acceptable range. It is found that surface temperature value of plain alumina substrate was 675.7 ºC from experiment and 710 ºC from CFD simulation with 4.8% different. While the amount of NOx recorded by experiment was at 5 ppm and the results produced from CFD was at 7.05 ppm with 30% different. The CO value from CFD was in the acceptable range. Further investigation on the effect of Silicon Carbide (SiC-), Nickel (Ni-), and Chromium (Cr-) based coating to performance of porous medium burner are evaluated. A dip-coating technique was used to coat SiC-, Ni-, and Cr- powders on a pre-sintered porous Al2O3 substrate. The results show a significant improvement in surface flame temperature and combustion emissions over the plain Al2O3 substrate. The heat capacity of SiC coating materials contributed to better heat released when used with plain Al2O3 substrate. The highest recorded surface flame temperature at fixed flow rate was 750 ºC for SiC-coated, 741 ºC for Cr-coated, 739 ºC for Nicoated and plain substrate registered a temperature of only 634 ºC. An 18% increase in flame temperature was recorded for SiC-coated substrate when compared to the plain substrate. Moreover, coated substrate reduced emissions of CO, undiluted CO and NOx. It was also found that, SiC-coated substrate reported best overall power output generated when compared to the plain substrate. The flame temperatures produced due to coating is predicted by CFD simulation shows 3.5 % to 6.1 % different as compared to experimental results with SiC coated. It also maintained the highest flame temperature obtained from CFD. The CO and NOx emission have also been predicted from the CFD with acceptable range

Growth and yield reposnse of rice variety MR220 to different water regimes under direct seeded conditions.

The effect of different water regime treatments on MR220 rice growth and yield response was evaluated. Three water regime treatments were used namely, continuous flooded condition, saturated and field capacity. Number of tillers increased under flooded condition compared with saturated condition for both seasons. Shoot biomass was higher under flooded condition than under field capacity and saturated condition in both the seasons. Water use efficiency was higher under field capacity condition as compared to flooded and saturated conditions for both the seasons. However, about 50% water can be saved under saturated condition and it was higher than flooded condition for main and off seasons efficiently. Number of panicle under flooded was higher than saturated and field capacity treatments in both the seasons. Grain yield was higher under flooded condition as compared to saturated and field capacity conditions in both the seasons. Flooded condition produced higher 1000 grain weight compared with any other treatments in both the seasons