Diverse Accounting Standards on Disclosures of Islamic Financial Transactions: Prospects and Challenges of Narrowing Gaps

Purpose: Since International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are not primarily meant for the accounting needs of Islamic banks, the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) was established to develop specific accounting standards for Shari’ah compliance. The purpose of this paper is to assess the de jure harmonisation between the disclosure requirements of the IFRS-based Malaysian Accounting Standards (MAS) and those of the AAOIFI. Design/methodology/approach: Using Malaysia as a case study, the paper examines the extent of the de jure congruence between the IFRS-based MAS and AAOIFI’s Financial Accounting Standard No 1 (FAS1), which is considered to be one of the key disclosure standards for Islamic banks. We employ leximetrics and content analysis to analyse these accounting standards and the additional guidelines introduced by the Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB) and the Central Bank of Malaysia (Bank Negara Malaysia, BNM) to identify the gaps between different tiers of MAS and FAS1. Findings: The study finds that de jure congruence between the IFRS-based MAS and AAOIFI standards has improved through the introduction of additional accounting guidelines by both the MASB and the banking regulator, BNM. However, some gaps remain between the two standards. These gaps may be difficult to completely eliminate due to differences in the fundamental principles underlying the development of both standards. Originality/value: While some studies have explored the de facto congruence between AAOIFI accounting standards and others, this paper is the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to examine the de jure congruence between those standards with the IFRS-based MAS

Purification and properties of a new dehalogenase enzyme from Pseudomonas sp. B6P grow in 3- chloropropionate (3CP)

Halogenated compounds are widely used in agriculture and industries and have been associated with environmental pollution. Degradation of 3-chloropropionate (3CP) by microorganism has been established and this enzyme could only remove halogen atom at the â- position of 3-carbon alkanoic acids. Pseudomonas sp. B6P was originally isolated from paddy field which was able to degrade 3CP therefore, suggesting it may have some desirable properties. The enzyme was purified from cell-free extracts having a monomer of 56,000 Da. It was found to be stable between pH 5 to 8 and its optimal pH was 8. Its activity was not affected by metal ions such as Mn2+, Fe3+ and Mg2+, but was inhibited by Hg2+ and Ag2+. The enzyme is specific for 3CP, and the Km value (0.20 mM ± 0.05).Key words: Biodegradation, 3-chloropropionic acid, dehalogenase,  bioremediation, haloalkanoic acid, Pseudomonas sp.B6P

Does currency wealth or substitiution effect matters? recent evidence from money demand in China

This study investigates the stability of money demand function for China, using an innovation ARDL framework for co-integration test for the time period 1986-2018. Specifically, this study used narrow money (M1) and broad money (M2) as a measurement of money. To consider currency wealth and substitution effects, the estimated money demand model includes the real effective exchange rate in addition to income and interest rate. By incorporating the CUSUM and CUSUMSQ tests for stability in conjunction with co-integration analysis, the results confirm that there exists a stable long-run relationship for narrow money demand function. Importantly, the finding also discovers that real effective exchange rate appears to have a significant substitution effect on narrow money demand, which its omission can lead to biased result and misspecifications in the money demand function. This further corroborates that narrow money, (M1) act as a better measurement, which may have systematic influence on the trend of monetary aggregates

Technical and vocational education students’ perception of using learning videos during Covid-19 pandemic period

The closure of Higher Education Institutions and Schools due to COVID-19 pandemic has affected the structure of Learning and Teaching (T&L) from direct method at institutions to Open and Distance Education (ODE) completely. All face-to-face T&L activities are not allowed except for certain categories of students who need to return to campus in stages to participante in T&L activities in full compliance of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) set by prioritizing safety measures and social distancing. This study used a quantitative approach by using online questionnaire as instrument (google form). A total of 73 Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) students from various backgrounds of respondents participated in the study. The findings of the study showed that there was a strong correlation between the aspects of interest and gender of TVE students in using learning videos during the COVID-19 pandemic period (r = .701). Therefore, all parties must prepare to face the new norm, namely the ODL method as a whole during the COVID-19 pandemic period to continue the T&L process for students

MPEG-4 video transmission using distributed TDMA MAC protocol over IEEE 802.15.4 wireless technology

The issues of green technology nowadays give an inspiration to the researcher to make all the future design to be energy efficient. Medium Access Control (MAC) layer is the most effective layer to provide energy efficient due to its ability to control the physical radio directly. One of the important applications in the future is a video transmission that can be transmitted with low-cost and low power consumption. MPEG-4 is one of the international standards for moving video. MPEG-4 provide better compression and primarily design at low bit rate communication. In order to achieve good quality for video application, the design at MAC layer must be strong. Therefore, to increase the performance of the MPEG-4 in IEEE 802.15.4, in this paper we propose a cross layer design between MAC layer and Application layer. A priority queue will be implemented at MAC scheduling depends on the level of frame important in MPEG-4 format frame. A distributed Time division Multiple Access (TDMA) will be used for MAC protocol to provide reliable data transmission for high priority frame

Horizontal axis wind turbine performance analysis

The present work uses the method of Blade Element Momentum Theory as suggested by Hansen. The method applied to three blade models adopted from Rahgozar S. with the airfoil data used the data provided by Wood D. The wind turbine performance described in term of the thrust coefficient CT, torque coefficient CQ and the power coefficient Cp . These three coefficient can be deduced from the Momentum theory or from the Blade element Theory(BET). The present work found the performance coefficient derived from the Momentum theory tent to over estimate. It is suggested to used the BET formulation in presenting these three coefficients. In overall the Blade Element Momentum Theory follows the step by step as described by Hansen work well for these three blade models. However a little adjustment on the blade data is needed. To the case of two bladed horizontal axis wind turbine, Hansen’s approach works well over if the blade radius is RB the calculation should start from r = 0.1RB

Modelling multiscale aspects of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is responsible for nearly half a million deaths annually world-wide [11]. We present a series of mathematical models describing the dynamics of the intestinal epithelium and the kinetics of the molecular pathway most commonly mutated in CRC, the Wnt signalling network. We also discuss how we are coupling such models to build a multiscale model of normal and aberrant guts. This will enable us to combine disparate experimental and clinical data, to investigate interactions between phenomena taking place at different levels of organisation and, eventually, to test the efficacy of new drugs on the system as a whole

Students' self-directed learning readiness towards using the “SolveMe” Web in Technical and Vocational Education

Self-directed Learning Readiness (SDLR) is an essential skill in continuous Tearning and Leaching (T&L) that needs to be applied to any student. The study aimed to look at the Self-directed Learning Readiness Level (SDLRL) among the final semester students. The total number of students involved was 136 students, covering seven areas namely Catering, Electrical and Electronics, Building Construction, Creative Multimedia, General Machining, Welding, and Air Conditioning. The questionnaire instrument used was adapted from Guglielmino(1997). The results of the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics involving average use, standard deviation, percentages, frequency and scores. Inference statistics involve t-tests. Studies showed that the students' Key Performance Indexes (KPIs) were at moderate levels for three aspects of self-management, learning to learn and self-control. The t = .119 test, p <.905 showed no significant difference in SDLRL based on gender (female, average = 3.4002, SP = .37393 and male, average = 3.3925, SP = .37146) which served as a reference that could benefit the academic institution for adapting the T&L technique involving SDLR

N,N′-(Biphenyl-2,2′-di­yl)bis­(furan-2-carboxamide)

The title mol­ecule, C22H16N2O4, is a 2,2′-disubstituted biphenyl whose phenyl­ene rings are rotated by 66.5 (1)° so as to avoid repulsion by the substituents. Only one of the two amide –NH– fragments engages in hydrogen bonding, and this inter­acts with the amido –C(=O)– acceptor of an inversion-related mol­ecule to generate a hydrogen-bonded dimer

Hospitality graduates' salary and gender differences

There is a consensus that one of the main reasons for not joining or leaving the industry is 'low pay'.Despite the well known connotation, studies comparing the local graduates‘ income in various areas of employment are limited.The purpose of this study is to assess BHM graduates‘ salary in various areas of employment and compare the graduates by gender.Quantitative method is used to answer the research questions of this study. This study focused on Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) BHM graduates.Based on the participation of 89 graduates this study discovered that there is no significant difference in male and female graduates‘ salary regardless their areas of employment.However, different from male graduates, female graduates are willing to work for low salary especially in other industry.Information provided from this study may signal the female students to better equip themselves for the industry and the female graduates to be more demanding and selective in their salary and career options