Kompetensi guru dalam pengajaran amali reka bentuk dan teknologi di Sekolah Rendah Daerah Batu Pahat

Kompetensi bermaksud kemampuan atau kecekapan seseorang individu dalam melakukan sesuatu tugasan. Kompetensi juga merujuk kepada kemampuan seseorang dalam melaksanakan sesuatu yang diperolehi melalui pendidikan dan juga merujuk kepada prestasi dan perbuatan yang rasional untuk memenuhi spesifikasi tertentu di dalam pelaksanaan tugas-tugas pendidikan. Objektif kajian ini dijalankan adalah untuk mengenalpasti tahap kompetensi guru terhadap pengajaran amali Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi di Sekolah Rendah Daerah Batu Pahat. Kajian ini berbentuk tinjauan deskriptif yang menggunakan borang soal selidik sebagai instrumen kajian. Borang soal selidik yang dibina adalah berdasarkan kepada tiga elemen iaitu elemen pengetahuan, kemahiran dan sikap. Seramai 118 orang guru yang mengajar mata pelajaran ini telah terlibat sebagai responden. Data yang dikumpulkan telah dianalisis dengan menggunakan perisian Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) versi 19 yang melibatkan statistik skor min dan ujian-T tidak bersandar. Hasil dapatan kajian yang diperolehi menunjukkan guru-guru Reka Bentuk dan Teknoogi mempunyai tahap kompetensi yang tinggi terhadap proses pengajaran amali iaitu skor min yang diperolehi pada elemen pengetahuan adalah 4.23, elemen kemahiran adalah 4.30, dan elemen sikap adalah 4.47. Dapatan kajian juga menunjukkan tidak terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan terhadap tahap kompetensi berdasarkan jantina guru lelaki dan guru perempuan dengan nilai sigifikan melebihi 0.05 iaitu sebanyak 0.059. Beberapa cadangan untuk penambahbaikan juga dikemukan dalam kajian ini. Hasil dari dapatan kajian ini dapat digunakan sebagai cadangan garis panduan kepada guru-guru Reka Bentuk dan Teknologi untuk mencapai Standard Kompetensi Guru

Constructing the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) To Analyse the Impact of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on Government Revenue and Targeted Household of M40 and B40 in Malaysia

Computable general equilibrium (CGE) models have been widely used in economic policy analysis in recent years. The selection of the model is based on the CGE model’s ability to see the effects on sectors, household groups, governments, and even able to see the overall economic impact for a time period. In Malaysia, the issues arise from the impact of policies analysed in the CGE modelling framework have been constrained in part by the completion of a Social Accounting Matrix (SAM). The main purpose of this paper is to propose a new Malaysian CGE model framework to analyse the impact of implementation of GST on government revenue and welfare of targeted household groups of B40 and M40 in Malaysia. The CGE model developed in the present paper is based on more recent data in Malaysian SAM (2014). Then the data was modified to suit with Malaysian CGE for GST, namely the MYGST_CGE model. This paper describes the structure of MYGST_CGE, with 33 activities, 33 commodities, 7 types of labour, and 7 categories of household groups were constructed. The CGE utilized in the present study can be applied to answer questions concerning whether GST implementation would have the trade-off between government revenue and the targeted groups by taking into account the elements of GST such as standard-rate, zero-rate and exempted rate. For the purpose of policy analysis, simulation exercises are conducted using the multi-sectoral, multi-factorial and multi-households approach. Based on the proposed framework model review, the instruments used for measurement of effectiveness and welfare were C-efficiency ratio, regressive, progressive, equivalent variation and simulations. The paper will give an opportunity for future research work in a related area. 

Changes and drivers of freshwater mussel diversity and distribution in northern Borneo

Human activities are threatening Borneo's unique biodiversity, but little is known on the status of freshwater invertebrates. We assessed changes in diversity and distribution of freshwater mussels (Bivalvia: Unionida) in northern Borneo, and identified drivers of present distribution and threats. Past distribution data were collected from literature and museum resources. Present distribution data were collected from 21 river basins, and 47 water quality, climatic, landscape and human variables explored as potential predictors of species presence/absence. Species delimitations were identified by morphology and COI barcoding, and haplotype networks generated. Our data indicate that over the past 50 years, four of originally five native species have become very rare or possibly locally extirpated. Since these four species are endemic to Borneo, other Bornean river basins should urgently be surveyed to identify any remaining populations. In the same time span, the non-native Sinanodonta woodiana has become the most widespread freshwater mussel in northern Borneo. The fifth native species was identified as Rectidens sumatrensis and found in four Sarawakian river basins, thus contradicting previous assumptions of an endemic Bornean Rectidens species. Although a number of stable R. sumatrensis populations are retained across Sarawak, the species' strong spatial contraction in mainland Sundaland and apparent low tolerance to eutrophication suggest that it is vulnerable to further habitat alteration. Our results indicate that Borneo's (endemic) freshwater invertebrate biodiversity is declining rapidly. Comprehensive surveys targeting an array of invertebrate and vertebrate taxa are needed to identify Borneo's freshwater biodiversity hotspots, where conservation efforts should be concentrated

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to < 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of & GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P < 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo