Combating substance abuse with the potential of geographic information system combining multivariate analysis

Substance abuse problems have been a growing concern for people from all over the world. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the usefulness of a combination between a geographic information system and a multivariate analysis in substance abuse research. However, due to the limited studies on a combination of both these methods in the substance abuse field, we review some other studies in various fields indicating the potential of this method in future substance abuse studies. As the expertise of GIS lies in spatial analysis and the multivariate analysis lies in analyzing huge data thus being capable of interpreting the results very well, we hope this method will attract researchers to applying it in their studies and can consequently and indirectly help in combating substance abuse problems.Keywords: substance abuse; geographic information system; multivariate analysis;  spatial analysis; comba

Using chemometrics in assessing langat river water quality and designing a cost-effective water sampling strategy.

Seasonally dependent water quality data of Langat River was investigated during the period of December 2001 – May 2002, when twenty-four monthly samples were collected from four different plots containing up to 17 stations. For each sample, sixteen physico-chemical parameters were measured in situ. Multivariate treatments using cluster analysis, principal component analysis and factorial design were employed, in which the data were characterised as a function of season and sampling site, thus enabling significant discriminating factors to be discovered. Cluster analysis study based on data which were characterised as a function of sampling sites showed that at a chord distance of 75.25 two clusters are formed. Cluster I consists of 6 samples while Cluster II consists of 18 samples. The sampling plots from which these samples were taken are readily identified and the two clusters are discussed in terms of data variability. In addition, varimax rotations of principal components, which result in varimax factors, were used in interpreting the sources of pollution within the area. The work demonstrates the importance of historical data, if they are available, in planning sampling strategies to achieve desired research objectives, as well as to highlight the possibility of determining the optimum number of sampling stations which in turn would reduce cost and time of sampling

Evaluation of Socioeconomic Status on Drug Addicted Person

The socioeconomic status plays an important role influencing drug addiction in this region. Evaluation of education level and occupation of drug addict factors were undertaken to understand the correlation of socioeconomic factors with drug addiction in Terengganu. Three clusters have been formed after analysis based on education level. The first cluster was formed namely lower drug addicted person, the second cluster namely moderate drug addicted person and the third cluster contributing to the highest number of drug-addicted people in Terengganu namely highest drug addicted person. While the occupation of a drug addicted person classified into three clusters as well. Further analysis using discriminant analysis for education level and type of occupation was determined, and the correlation between the level of education and type of occupation drug addicted person could be ascertained. Primary school had the lowest p-value, same goes for the agriculture. This study has revealed the factors towards the phenomena of drug addiction in the region and offering information to stakeholders involved. By investigating and a better understanding of the relationship between a drug addict and socioeconomic status, the drug addiction control and regulation can be done to eradicate this problem

Use of 137Cs activity to investigate sediment movement and transport modeling in river coastal environment

Conflicts between human and environment always triggered to sedimentation and erosion problems within the coastal areas, Therefore understanding sediment transport processes in a river estuary and coastal waters was important when studying sediment transport and mobility within the river coastal environment. This article aims to investigate the sediment transport and mobility of the Kemaman River estuary, Terengganu Malaysia. In this article, it was demonstrated that anthropogenic activities within a watershed, such as agriculture and urbanization affected the sediment yield from the watershed. Over four months observation (November 2008-February 2009), the delivery of suspended sediment from the Kemaman River to the Kemaman Estuary had increased by about 25%. Based on the in-situ measurement of 137Cs activity, the measure activity ranged between 5638-22421 cpm for backshore while for foreshore was between 2655- 13354 cpm. The mean values for backshore and foreshore were 15153 and 6261 cpm respectively with suspended sediment concentration, recorded from 17 November to 10 February was between 110.5-218.8 mg L -1. Using flow and suspended sediment discharge data provided by the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) revealed were possible increasing trend in suspended sediment discharge and concentration, particularly during the monsoon season. Temporal analysis indicates that the trend of sediment yield was increased during the monsoon season resulting over sediment supply adjacent to the river mouth and causing difficulty for fisherman to navigate the boats. In a broader context, this study can underscores the need to address the anthropogenic impacts and flood monsoon on sediment yield in the Kemaman-Chendor estuary system

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Social Leaning Approach in Integrated River Basin Management-Lessons from the Langat River Basin, Malaysia

ABSTRACT While the intended objective of integrated river basin management (IRBM) is to attain sustainable development, institutional challenges behind environmentally less sensitive society to manage natural resources in a river basin are remained unexplored. Therefore, this study attempted to determine institutional challenges and understand the complexity and interconnectedness of factors affecting policy processes and outcomes of IRBM in the Langat River Basin (LRB), Malaysia using institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework, literature review, field observation and stakeholder interview. This analysis has defined three categories of action arenas of governance structure for IRBM in LRB. Action arena for newly formed river basin organization was not isolated but nested within hierarchic and polycentric Federal administrative structure which is responsible for constitutional and collective choice rules formation from beyond the river basin boundary. Action arena for individual stakeholders remained inactive in operational rules formation. As a result society remained environmentally insensitive to respond to uncertain and complex IRBM issues related to the consequences of rapid land use change, degradation and fragmentation of forest cover, water quality degradation, and disappearance of wetlands in LRB. Results of stakeholder interview revealed that 71 percent respondents were not aware of the objectives and activities of river basin organization in LRB. However, 82 percent of respondents have shown their strong interest to join social learning programme as collective choice opportunity. Therefore, social learning approach was suggested to bring change into an environmentally sensitive society. A framework for social learning was proposed to adopt into existing inter-organizational network for IRBM in LRB. Findings and recommendations of this study will be useful those who are concerned for successful IRBM implementation, strategize institutional change and further research in LRB and else where