The study was conducted to investigate the acute and sub-acute toxicity effect of Aquilaria malaccensis leaves aqueous extract (AEAM) towards male ICR mice in terms of body weight, relative organ weight, mortality rate and sperm parameters. In acute toxicity study, a single dose at of 2000 mg/kg was performed. In sub-acute toxicity study, the mice were received normal saline (control group), 50, 100, 150, 200, 500, or 1000 mg/kg of AEAM orally for 21 days of treatment. In sub-acute toxicity study, the number of abnormal sperm were significantly decreased in AEAM 100, 150, 200, 500, and 1000 when compared to the control group. While, the motility of sperm were found to be significantly increased in AEAM 100, 150, 200, and 1000 as compared to the control group. No mortality was recorded in the control group and treated groups in both toxicity studies except for one mouse from AEAM 1000 group. However, the mild sedative effect in terms of the tendency to sleep was clearly noticeable in bo.....

900 hits

Qutb is an influential character towards muslims from all the Arab and muslim world.It is known that he closely enganged with the justice movement and social reform and calls for a return to proper islamic beliefs and ways in life. However , rarely known his thoughts on issues concerning women, especially his views on women's personality by observing his interpretations on Quranic stories. This analytical approach study focusing on the texts in Tafsir Fi Zilal Al-Quran as a premier source to highlight that characterize Sayed Qutb's views about women's personality based on the texts contained in the interpretation. ..

797 hits

Qutb (1966) is among the mufassirun or commentators of the Quran who gives emphasis on the aspects of thematic coherent or al-wihdah al-mau?uiyyah in Quranic surah in his exegesis book of Tafsir Fi Zilal al-Quran. At the same time, he also associates the thematic coherent with the term syakhsiyyah al-surah or the characteristic of Quranic surahs which is repeated several times in the tafsir apparently, emphasises a meaningful and conceptual term. This article is intended to clarify the concept of the term characteristic of Quranic surahs according to Sayyid Qutbs point of views in his book Tafsir Fi Zilal al-Quran. This study is a qualitative method of analysis of the data obtained from the primary and secondary sources of documents. The result shows that the term characteristic of Quranic Surahs or syakhsiyyah al-surah has a wider context than the thematic coherent or al-wihdah al-mau?uiyyah, and states the benefits for the readers of the Quran because it is considered as a valuable t.....

1016 hits

This study aims to identify the level of mastery of practicum students of special education on 11 basic skills of teaching. This study employs a quantitative method and it is supported by interviews and observation. The study respondents involve 9 practicum students of special education who are undergoing teaching practice in Perak also 9 of their teachers-cum-mentors who are involved in the training. The questionnaire built about questions related to their knowledge and mastery about basic teaching skills. Data were analysed through the descriptive analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) using the mean score and standard deviation, whereas interviews were transcribed to answer the study questions. The outcome of the analysis obtained from the practicum students suggests that the practicum students are at high level of knowledge interpretation and mastery with their respective mean values at 3.64 and 3.65. However, it contradicts the questionnaire analysis.....

1148 hits

Photocatalyst of hydroxyapatite–nano TiO2 (HAp-nTiO2) was prepared from phosphatation of calcined cockle (Anadara granosa) shells followed by dispersion of nano TiO2 powder into HAp precipitate and calcination at 400 °C for 2 h. The prepared material was characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X-ray spectrophotometry, gas sorption analysis, and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectrophotometry. The photocatalytic activity of the material was evaluated for methyl violet degradation over photocatalysis and photooxidation mechanism. The results showed that the homogeneous dispersion of TiO2 in the HAp-nTiO2 composite was achieved, as seen in the X-ray diffraction analysis, diffuse reflectance UV-Vis, and gas sorption analyses. The physicochemical and photocatalytic character of the composite exhibited the positive role of HAp as TiO2 support in enhancing the photocatalytic activity with a higher turnover number and reusability property than th.....

320 hits

In this study, the effectiveness of lala clam (Orbicularia orbiculata) shell, a fishery waste, as an adsorbent for removal of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions from contaminated water was evaluated by characterization and adsorption studies. The characterization study was performed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) Spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy techniques. The effects of solution pH (pH 1.0 to 6.0), adsorbent dosage (0.125 to 0.750 g) and initial adsorbate concentration (10 to 200 mg/L) on adsorption capacity of lala clam shell were studied. The capability of lala clam shell to remove metal ions from aqueous solution was assessed in both single- and mix-metal systems. The adsorption equilibrium data were fitted to Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm models. At an optimum solution pH of 6.0 and initial metal ion concentration of 200 mg/L, the maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) values of Cd(II), Cu(II) and.....

1076 hits

This  study  was  conducted  to  highlight  the  reconstruction  of  South  Africans  identity which  was  formulated  through  resistance  from  the  perspective  of  J.M.  Coetzee,  a  novelist.  This  study  addressed  the  research  questions  that  examined  the  impact  of  colonialism on the  black  South  Africans  identity based  on  the  selected  novels  by  J.M.  Coetzee and how he portrayed the idea of resistance and identity reconstruction through his   fictional characters.  The  data  was collected  from a  critical analysis of five  selected novels  employing  the postcolonial concepts,  identity, and  resistance. The  Post-Colonial Theory  was   employed  to  critically  analyse  the  characters  which  reflect  the  concept  of identity and  resistance. The analysis was conducted on the characters′ acts, actions, and the setting, in  particular in South Africa during the apartheid (1.....

1439 hits

A total of 155 actinomycete strains were isolated from Beach Ridges Interspersed with Swales (BRIS)  soils. Samples were collected at various depths from the earth surface and  subsurface  in  Setiu   district,  Terengganu.  The  isolates  were  assessed  for  their antibacterial activity against a  panel of microorganisms (Escherichia coli DSM30083T, Bacillus   subtilis   DSM10T,   Pseudomonas    fluorescens   DSM   50090T,   Klebsiella pneumoniae   DSM30104T,   Micrococcus   luteus    DSM20030T,   and   Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Results indicated that 65% of all isolates were  active against, at least, one of the test organisms. Thirty-three of the isolates were selected and  characterized by conventional methods and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that most of the  isolates belonged to the genus Streptomyces sp. (15 isolates) and 8 other rare genera namely  Microtetrapora sp. (5 isolates), Streptacidiphilus sp. (3 isolat.....

1716 hits

This    study   aimed    at    developing    a    communicative    competence    model    for undergraduate  programmes  students  in  Pakistani  universities.  This  study  has  used  structural equation modelling (SEM) statistical approach to analyse the relationships of  the   predicting  variables  in  model  development.  The  random  cluster  sampling method  was used  to   collect  the  data using  a  survey questionnaire  from a  sample  of 599 respondents. The SEM  two-stage method from the measurement to the structural model was used to develop and test the  model. The proposed model has achieved the fit    indices    (χ²=1.588;    df=1;    χ²/df=1.588;     p    =.208;    CFI=.999;    SRMR=.002; RMSEA=.031,  Pclose=.492).  The  results  of  the   regression  indicated  the  predictors explained 62% of the variance and have significantly  contributed to competence (R²= .38,  F(6,  .....

5868 hits

Ineffective straw management by open field burning, leaving it on the field, and dumping it in landfill causes serious environmental degradation and adversely affects public health. This study assesses the level of farmers’ knowledge on straw potential and the benefits of using straw in agricultural activities. Descriptive analysis was carried out on 160 farmers in the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) agricultural region in Kedah who manage straw in an environmentally-friendly manner. Results show that most of farmers lack knowledge in using straw in agricultural activities. The interviews revealed that the re-use of straw in the agricultural activities would enhance soil quality, improve the growth quality of plant, improve livestock and seedling germination, increase yield production; and reduce the cost of farm management. Given the economic value and high potential, straw could stimulate the wider rural economy through added-value as well as generally increase the s.....

1113 hits