Search results for: university career education
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 10145

Search results for: university career education

1925 Dancing with Perfectionism and Emotional Inhibition on the Ground of Disordered Eating Behaviors: Investigating Emotion Regulation Difficulties as Mediating Factor

Authors: Merve Denizci Nazligul

Abstract:

Dancers seem to have much higher risk levels for the development of eating disorders, compared to non-dancing counterparts. In a remarkably competitive nature of dance environment, perfectionism and emotion regulation difficulties become inevitable risk factors. Moreover, early maladaptive schemas are associated with various eating disorders. In the current study, it was aimed to investigate the mediating role of difficulties with emotion regulation on the relationship between perfectionism and disordered eating behaviors, as well as on the relationship between early maladaptive schemas and disordered eating behaviors. A total of 70 volunteer dancers (n = 47 women, n = 23 men) were recruited in the study (M age = 25.91, SD = 8.9, range 19–63) from the university teams or private clubs in Turkey. The sample included various types of dancers (n = 26 ballets or ballerinas, n =32 Latin, n = 10 tango, n = 2 hiphop). The mean dancing hour per week was 11.09 (SD = 7.09) within a range of 1-30 hours. The participants filled a questionnaire set including demographic information form, Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, three subscales (Emotional Inhibition, Unrelenting Standards-Hypercriticalness, Approval Seeking-Recognition Seeking) from Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form-3 and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. The mediation hypotheses were tested using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. The findings revealed that emotion regulation difficulties significantly mediated the relationship between three distinct subtypes of perfectionism and emotional eating. The results of the Sobel test suggested that there were significant indirect effects of self-oriented perfectionism (b = .06, 95% CI = .0084, .1739), other-oriented perfectionism (b = .15, 95% CI = .0136, .4185), and socially prescribed perfectionism (b = .09, 95% CI = .0104, .2344) on emotional eating through difficulties with emotion regulation. Moreover, emotion regulation difficulties significantly mediated the relationship between emotional inhibition and emotional eating (F(1,68) = 4.67, R2 = .06, p < .05). These results seem to provide some evidence that perfectionism might become a risk factor for disordered eating behaviors when dancers are not able to regulate their emotions. Further, gaining an understanding of how inhibition of emotions leads to inverse effects on eating behavior may be important to develop intervention strategies to manage their disordered eating patterns in risk groups. The present study may also support the importance of using unified protocols for transdiagnostic approaches which focus on identifying, accepting, prompting to express maladaptive emotions and appraisals.

Keywords: dancers, disordered eating, emotion regulation difficulties, perfectionism

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1924 A Study of Variables Affecting on a Quality Assessment of Mathematics Subject in Thailand by Using Value Added Analysis on TIMSS 2011

Authors: Ruangdech Sirikit

Abstract:

The purposes of this research were to study the variables affecting the quality assessment of mathematics subject in Thailand by using value-added analysis on TIMSS 2011. The data used in this research is the secondary data from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), collected from 6,124 students in 172 schools from Thailand, studying only mathematics subjects. The data were based on 14 assessment tests of knowledge in mathematics. There were 3 steps of data analysis: 1) To analyze descriptive statistics 2) To estimate competency of students from the assessment of their mathematics proficiency by using MULTILOG program; 3) analyze value added in the model of quality assessment using Value-Added Model with Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) and 2 levels of analysis. The research results were as follows: 1. Student level variables that had significant effects on the competency of students at .01 levels were Parental care, Resources at home, Enjoyment of learning mathematics and Extrinsic motivation in learning mathematics. Variable that had significant effects on the competency of students at .05 levels were Education of parents and self-confident in learning mathematics. 2. School level variable that had significant effects on competency of students at .01 levels was Extra large school. Variable that had significant effects on competency of students at .05 levels was medium school.

Keywords: quality assessment, value-added model, TIMSS, mathematics, Thailand

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1923 Types of School Aggression Amongst Bulgarian Students in the Age Group of 12–18 Years-Old

Authors: Yolanda Zografova, Ekaterina Dimitrova, Tsvetelina Panchelieva, Victoria Nedeva-Atanasova

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Aggression and violence amongst school-aged children are widely spread phenomenon, which is expanding both on a global level and in Bulgaria. The purpose of the paper is to reveal the overall range of different types and manifestations of school aggression in a specific age group (12 to 18 years old students) from the 5th to the 12th grade according to the Bulgarian education system. In addition, the research investigates the dynamics of aggressive behaviour in two parallel lines – a horizontal one (with students from the same age) and a vertical one (with students from different grade). In the current study based on the original authors’ inventory (School Aggression Questionnaire), the three main types of aggression are measured – physical, verbal and indirect. The sample consists of 300 students from schools in a big metropolitan city, a mid-sized town, and a small town. Results show that the predominant aggression type is the verbal one, but this is the predominant type for the girls in the sample, not for the boys. Another result is that the higher the school grade, the lower levels of overall aggression is shown by the students. The study of such a multi-dimensional phenomenon as the aggression will provide up-to-date scientific knowledge, important both for the development of science on these topics, and useful for public interests in relation to the balanced development of children and adolescents at school. The results provide an excellent base for the development of prevention and intervention programs in order to reduce school aggression.

Keywords: educational psychology, School aggression, interpersonal relations, school aggression questionnaire, types of aggression

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1922 Postmortem Genetic Testing to Sudden and Unexpected Deaths Using the Next Generation Sequencing

Authors: Eriko Ochiai, Fumiko Satoh, Keiko Miyashita, Yu Kakimoto, Motoki Osawa

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Sudden and unexpected deaths from unknown causes occur in infants and youths. Recently, molecular links between a part of these deaths and several genetic diseases are examined in the postmortem. For instance, hereditary long QT syndrome and Burgada syndrome are occasionally fatal through critical ventricular tachyarrhythmia. There are a large number of target genes responsible for such diseases, the conventional analysis using the Sanger’s method has been laborious. In this report, we attempted to analyze sudden deaths comprehensively using the next generation sequencing (NGS) technique. Multiplex PCR to subject’s DNA was performed using Ion AmpliSeq Library Kits 2.0 and Ion AmpliSeq Inherited Disease Panel (Life Technologies). After the library was constructed by emulsion PCR, the amplicons were sequenced 500 flows on Ion Personal Genome Machine System (Life Technologies) according to the manufacture instruction. SNPs and indels were analyzed to the sequence reads that were mapped on hg19 of reference sequences. This project has been approved by the ethical committee of Tokai University School of Medicine. As a representative case, the molecular analysis to a 40 years old male who received a diagnosis of Brugada syndrome demonstrated a total of 584 SNPs or indels. Non-synonymous and frameshift nucleotide substitutions were selected in the coding region of heart disease related genes of ANK2, AKAP9, CACNA1C, DSC2, KCNQ1, MYLK, SCN1B, and STARD3. In particular, c.629T-C transition in exon 3 of the SCN1B gene, resulting in a leu210-to-pro (L210P) substitution is predicted “damaging” by the SIFT program. Because the mutation has not been reported, it was unclear if the substitution was pathogenic. Sudden death that failed in determining the cause of death constitutes one of the most important unsolved subjects in forensic pathology. The Ion AmpliSeq Inherited Disease Panel can amplify the exons of 328 genes at one time. We realized the difficulty in selection of the true source from a number of candidates, but postmortem genetic testing using NGS analysis deserves of a diagnostic to date. We now extend this analysis to SIDS suspected subjects and young sudden death victims.

Keywords: postmortem genetic testing, sudden death, SIDS, next generation sequencing

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1921 Knowledge, Attitude and Compliance of Secondary School Students Towards School Discipline Policy in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Authors: S. Yakubu, E. A. Isah

Abstract:

One of the objectives of the school discipline policy is to instill discipline among students. However, despite the availability of this policy in various secondary schools in Nigeria, there seem to be numerous cases of indiscipline among students, which has become a source of concern to all stakeholders in the education sector. In an attempt to proffer possible solutions to this unending challenge, the study investigated the influence of knowledge and attitude on compliance of secondary school students towards school discipline policy in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. The descriptive survey research design was employed to collect the requisite data. The multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted to select 570 respondents as the sample for the study. The data collected were analyzed using statistical measures of Mean, Standard deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The findings of the study showed that knowledge and compliance of school discipline policy among secondary school students in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State were significantly related (r =0.330, p<0.05). The study also revealed a significant relationship between attitude and compliance of school discipline policy among secondary school students in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State (r = 0.593, p<0.05). Based on the findings, it was recommended that school rules and regulations should be emphasized and given more awareness for easy compliance. Also, students should be encouraged to portray a positive attitude towards their respective rules and regulations.

Keywords: knowledge, attitude, compliance, school discipline policy

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1920 Prevalence Rate and Types of the Domestic Violence Against Deaf in Iran

Authors: Hadi Farahani, Mahsa Tahzibi, Laleh Golamrej Eliasi, Mohammad Torkashvand

Abstract:

Iranian deafs are an under-researched population. The lack of research comes from the fact that if none, there are very few researchers capable of speaking sign language. The exclusion of this minority group from mainstream society often distorts the general understanding of prevalent issues of the deaf in Iran. The topic of this research was co-created through preliminary discussions with the Iranian deaf. Domestic violence then was picked up as an infrastructural issue impacting other dimensions of deaf lives such as work, education, and outside family relationships. For this purpose, we systematically searched the literature seeking a comprehensive questionnaire. We came across a 46-item standardized questionnaire measuring domestic violence in Iran. To adapt this questionnaire, we followed standard procedures reflected in another article. The inclusion criteria of the current research were married (had experienced living with a partner before) and +18-year-old deaf. Sampling was random and recruitment of the participants was through governmental or voluntary organizations for the deaf. 390 questionnaires then were analyzed through SPSS version 27. Analysis showed that the prevalence rate of domestic violence was 26% in general that emotional violence with 29% was the most prevalent type. Findings suggested that the more educated, and economically independent were the participants, the lower the probability of encountering domestic violence. Domestic violence within families where all members were deaf proved to be less usual than in families in which only the participant was deaf. Further interventional research is needed to assess how to empower the Iranian deaf regarding domestic violence.

Keywords: deaf, domestic violence, economic violence, emotional violence, physical violence, sexual violence

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1919 Epidemiology of Low Back Pain among Nurses Working in Public Hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Authors: Mengestie Mulugeta Belay, Serebe Abay Gebrie, Biruk Lambbiso Wamisho, Amare Worku

Abstract:

Background: Low back pain (LBP) related to nursing profession, is a very common public health problem throughout the world. Various risk factors have been implicated in the etiology and LBP is assumed to be of multi-factorial origin as individual, work-related and psychosocial factors can contribute to its development. Objectives: To determine the prevalence and to identify risk factors of LBP among nurses working in Addis Ababa City Public Hospitals, Ethiopia, in the year 2015. Settings: Addis Ababa University, Black-Lion (‘Tikur Anbessa’) Hospital-BLH, is the country’s highest tertiary level referral and teaching Hospital. The three departments in connection with this study: Radiology, Pathology and Orthopedics, run undergraduate and residency programs and receive referred patients from all over the country. Methods: A cross-sectional study with internal comparison was conducted throughout the period October-December, 2015. Sample was chosen by simple random sampling technique by taken the lists of nurses from human resource departments as a sampling frame. A well-structured, pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire was used to collect quantifiable information. The questionnaire included socio-demographic, back pain features, consequences of back pain, work-related and psychosocial factors. The collected data was entered into EpiInfo version 3.5.4 and was analyzed by SPSS. A probability level of 0.05 or less and 95% confidence level was used to indicate statistical significance. Ethical clearance was obtained from all respected administrative bodies, Hospitals and study participants. Results: The study included 395 nurses and gave a response rate of 91.9%. The mean age was 30.6 (±8.4) years. Majority of the respondents were female (285, 72.2%). Nearly half of the participants (n=181, 45.8% (95% CI (40.8%- 50.6%))) were complained low back pain. There was statistical significant association between low back pain and working shift, physical activities at work; sleep disturbance and felt little pleasure by doing things. Conclusion: A high prevalence of low back pain was found among nurses working in Addis Ababa Public Hospitals. Recognition and preventive measures like providing resting periods should be taken to reduce the risk of low back pain in nurses working in Public hospitals.

Keywords: low back pain, risk factors, nurses, public hospitals

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1918 The Influence of Knowledge Spillovers on High-Impact Firm Growth: A Comparison of Indigenous and Foreign Firms

Authors: Yazid Abdullahi Abubakar, Jay Mitra

Abstract:

This paper is concerned with entrepreneurial high-impact firms, which are firms that generate ‘both’ disproportionate levels of employment and sales growth, and have high levels of innovative activity. It investigates differences in factors influencing high-impact growth between indigenous and foreign firms. The study is based on an analysis of data from United Kingdom (UK) Innovation Scoreboard on 865 firms, which were divided into high-impact firms (those achieving positive growth in both sales and employment) and low-impact firms (negative or no growth in sales or employment); in order to identifying the critical differences in regional, sectorial and size related factors that facilitate knowledge spillovers and high-impact growth between indigenous and foreign firms. The findings suggest that: 1) Firms’ access to regional knowledge spillovers (from businesses and higher education institutions) is more significantly associated with high-impact growth of UK firms in comparison to foreign firms, 2) Because high-tech sectors have greater use of knowledge spillovers (compared to low-tech sectors), high-tech sectors are more associated with high-impact growth, but the relationship is stronger for UK firms compared to foreign firms, 3) Because small firms have greater need for knowledge spillovers (relative to large firms), there is a negative relationship between firm size and high-impact growth, but the negative relationship is greater for UK firms in comparison to foreign firms.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, high-growth, indigenous firms, foreign firms, small firms, large firms

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1917 Still a Man’s World? Rape Myth Acceptance, Attitudes Towards Women and Traditional Male Gender Role Beliefs in a Sample of British Military Veterans

Authors: Jessica Beck

Abstract:

Despite efforts to address the issue through prevention and education, sexual assault remains an issue within the military. Rape supportive beliefs have been identified as a risk factor linked to sexually aggressive and coercive behaviours. Rape myth acceptance is part of a wider cognitive framework of attitudes which perpetuate negative sociocultural norms about the male role. Notwithstanding the established links between rape myth acceptance, attitudinal variables, and rape proclivity, relatively little research has been conducted with military samples. In this study, 151 British military veterans completed an online survey measuring their rape myth acceptance, attitudes towards women, belief in male role norms and basic personality traits. Consistent with previous research, male veterans had higher levels of rape myth acceptance, more negative attitudes towards women, and subscribed to more traditional notions of masculinity. The types of myths endorsed also varied by gender, with male veterans significantly more likely to blame rape victims or believe women regularly lie about being raped. A relationship between rape myth acceptance, negative attitudes towards women, and adherence to male norms was found, which explained a significant proportion of the variance in rape myth acceptance. Implications for sexual assault prevention programmes are discussed.

Keywords: rape myths, rape myth acceptance, military sexual assault, sexual assault beliefs

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1916 Student Project on Using a Spreadsheet for Solving Differential Equations by Euler's Method

Authors: Andriy Didenko, Zanin Kavazovic

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Engineering students often have certain difficulties in mastering major theoretical concepts in mathematical courses such as differential equations. Student projects were proposed to motivate students’ learning and can be used as a tool to promote students’ interest in the material. Authors propose a student project that includes the use of Microsoft Excel. This instructional tool is often overlooked by both educators and students. An integral component of the experimental part of such a project is the exploration of an interactive spreadsheet. The aim is to assist engineering students in better understanding of Euler’s method. This method is employed to numerically solve first order differential equations. At first, students are invited to select classic equations from a list presented in a form of a drop-down menu. For each of these equations, students can select and modify certain key parameters and observe the influence of initial condition on the solution. This will give students an insight into the behavior of the method in different configurations as solutions to equations are given in numerical and graphical forms. Further, students could also create their own equations by providing functions of their own choice and a variety of initial conditions. Moreover, they can visualize and explore the impact of the length of the time step on the convergence of a sequence of numerical solutions to the exact solution of the equation. As a final stage of the project, students are encouraged to develop their own spreadsheets for other numerical methods and other types of equations. Such projects promote students’ interest in mathematical applications and further improve their mathematical and programming skills.

Keywords: student project, Euler's method, spreadsheet, engineering education

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1915 Effect of Question Answer Relationship (QARs) in Science Reading on the Academic Achievement of Students in Biology

Authors: Helen Ngozi Ibe, Chimmuanya Ezere

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The study investigated the effect of Question Answer Relationships (QARs) in science reading on secondary school students’ achievement in Biology in Owerri Education Zone II of Imo State. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design and was guided by two research questions and two hypotheses. The sample comprised of 67 SS2 Biology students. The sample was drawn using random sampling technique. One researcher made instrument titled: Biology Achievement Test (BAT) was used for collecting the data of the study. The reliability of the instrument was established using Kuder Richardson formula (KR-20) which yielded a reliability index of 0.85 and Cronbach alpha for the BSIRS with an index of 0.71. Research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation. T-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The major findings are that students exposed to QARs strategy in science reading had higher achievement mean scores in biology than students in the control group; there is no significant difference between the achievement mean scores of male and female students exposed to QARs. The researchers recommended that science teachers should teach students the Question Answer Relationship reading strategy and that science students should endeavour to use the question - answer relationship reading strategy in classroom and individual science reading in order to enhance high academic achievement in the subjects being read.

Keywords: academic achievement, biology, science reading, question-answer relationship

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1914 A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of the Caregiving Experiences of Family Caregivers for Elderly Cancer Patients in China: Implications for Health Social Work

Authors: Longtao He, Han Wu

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Summary: As the need for elder care increases in China due to a growing aging population and, in particular, rising cancer rates, it becomes increasingly important to also support family caregivers, who are often the main source of care. We used a qualitative meta-synthesis to systematically evaluate and integrate the caregiving experiences of family caregivers of elderly cancer patients as revealed by articles published in Chinese journals. Findings: Nine studies are included in the final analysis. The caregiver experiences they describe are synthesized into three primary themes: care needs, care burden, and care gains, with numerous secondary themes. Besides the findings that seem to align with other findings across cultures, we have highlighted three main discoveries from the synthesis that may be quite specific to the Chinese context: 1. more sub-themes related to specific caregiving skills caregivers of cancer patients; 2. a call for health professionals to improve their communication skills with family caregivers; 3. the important role of filial piety. Applications: Our findings can be used to help health social workers and relevant policymakers in China support family caregivers by identifying the education and training required for caregivers, ways to make the most of potential care gains, and ways to ease care burdens.

Keywords: cancer, Chinese family caregivers, caregiving skills, care burden, care gains, health social work

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1913 Effects of a Dwarfing Gene sd1-d (Dee-Geo-Woo-Gen Dwarf) on Yield and Related Traits in Rice: Preliminary Report

Authors: M. Bhattarai, B. B. Rana, M. Kamimukai, I. Takamure, T. Kawano, M. Murai

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The sd1-d allele at the sd1 locus on chromosome 1, originating from Taiwanese variety Dee-geo-woo-gen, has been playing important role for developing short-culm and lodging-resistant indica varieties such as IR36 in rice. The dominant allele SD1 for long culm at the locus is differentiated into SD1-in and SD1-ja which are harbored in indica and japonica subspecies’s, respectively. The sd1-d of an indica variety IR36 was substituted with SD1-in or SD1-ja by recurrent backcrosses of 17 times with IR36, and two isogenic tall lines regarding the respective dominant alleles were developed by using an indica variety IR5867 and a japonica one ‘Koshihikari’ as donors, which were denoted by '5867-36' and 'Koshi-36', respectively. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of sd1-d on yield and related traits as compared with SD1-in and SD1-ja, by using the two isogenic tall lines. Seedlings of IR36 and the two isogenic lines were transplanted on an experimental field of Kochi University, by the planting distance of 30 cm × 15 cm with two seedlings per hill, on May 3, 2017. Chemical fertilizers were supplied by basal application and top-dressing at a rate of 8.00, 6.57 and 7.52 g/m², respectively, for N, P₂O₅ and K₂O in total. Yield, yield components, and other traits were measured. Culm length (cm) was in the order of 5867-36 (101.9) > Koshi-36 (80.1) > IR36 (60.0), where '>' indicates statistically significant difference at the 5% level. Accordingly, sd1-d reduced culm by 41.9 and 20.1 cm, compared with SD1-in and SD1-ja, respectively, and the effect of elongating culm was higher in the former allele than in the latter one. Total brown rice yield (g/m²), including unripened grains, was in the order of IR36 (611) ≧ 5867-36 (586) ≧ Koshi-36 (572), indicating non-significant differences among them. Yield-1.5mm sieve (g/m²) was in the order of IR36 (596) ≧ 5867-36 (575) ≧ Koshi-36 (558). Spikelet number per panicle was in the order of 5867-36 (89.2) ≧ IR36 (84.7) ≧ Koshi-36 (79.8), and 5867-36 > Koshi-36. Panicle number per m² was in the order of IR36 (428) ≧ Koshi-36 (403) ≧ 5867-36 (353), and IR36 > 5867-36, suggesting that sd1-d increased number of panicles compared with SD1-in. Ripened-grain percentage-1.5mm sieve was in the order of Koshi-36 (86.0) ≧ 5867-36 (85.0) ≧ IR36 (82.7), and Koshi-36 > IR36. Thousand brown-rice-grain weight-1.5mm sieve (g) was in the order of 5867-36 (21.5) > Koshi-36 (20.2) ≧ IR36 (19.9). Total dry weight at maturity (g/m²) was in the order of 5867-36 (1404 ) ≧ IR36 (1310) ≧ Kosihi-36 (1290). Harvest index of total brown rice (%) was in the order of IR36 (39.6) > Koshi-36 (37.7) > 5867-36 (35.5). Hence, sd1-d did not exert significant effect on yield in indica genetic background. However, lodging was observed from the late stage of maturity in 5867-36 and Koshi-36, particularly in the former, which was principally due to their long culms. Consequently, sd1-d enables higher yield with higher fertilizer application, by enhancing lodging resistance, particularly in indica subspecies.

Keywords: rice, dwarfing gene, sd1-d, SD1-in, SD1-ja, yield

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1912 Contents for the Maintenance and Troubleshooting of Anti-lock Braking System for Automobile Craftsmen in Nigeria

Authors: Arah Abubakar Saidu, Audu Rufai, Abdulkadir Mohammed, Ibrahim Yakubu Umar, Idris Abubakar Mohammed

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The study determined the contents for the maintenance and troubleshooting of an anti-lock braking system for automobile craftsmen in Nigeria. Two research questions were raised and answered and two null hypotheses were formulated and tested at a .05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study was conducted in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos and Plateau States, Nigeria. The targeted population for the study was 99 consisting of all 43 non-teaching Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The study utilized the whole population of the study. The instruments used for data collection were Anti-lock Braking System Maintenance and Troubleshooting Contents Questionnaire (ABSMTQ). Mean was used to analyze data that answered research questions and Z-test was used in testing the null hypotheses. Findings revealed, among others, that 81 items as content for the maintenance of ABS and 61 items as content for troubleshooting ABS for automobile craftsmen in Nigeria. Based on the findings of the study, the recommended, among others, that the National Board for Technical Education should include the contents for the maintenance and troubleshooting ABS in Motor Vehicle Mechanic Works curriculum used for training automobile craftsmen through the process of curriculum review in order to equip them with the competencies in troubleshooting and maintenance of ABS.

Keywords: anti-lock braking system, maintenance, troubleshooting, automobile craftsmen

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1911 Effectiveness of Coping Strategies Adopted by the Small Holder Farmers for Poverty Alleviation in Niger State, Nigeria

Authors: Noimot A. Bakare, Rotimi S. Olaleye, Bolaji O. Adeniji

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The study examined the effectiveness of selected coping strategies for poverty alleviation among smallholder farmers in Niger State, Nigeria. Data were collected with the aid of interview schedule. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select 225 respondents from 3 geographical zones in the State. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that majority (83.1%) of the respondents were within the age of 21-50 years, mostly male (76.0%) and married (77.8%). The highest educational level attained was quranic education. Findings showed that coping strategies commonly adopted by the farmers were; use of food stuff (94.2%), money savings(76.6%), reduction in expenditure(74.2%) and food consumption (65.2%). Also, there was high awareness of primary healthcare and fadama development poverty alleviation programmes by Government and non-governmental organizations. Regression model indicated a significant and positive relationship between the educational level of farmers, farm size, contact with extension and effectiveness of poverty coping strategies. Pearson correlation coefficient shows a correlation between coping strategies adopted and their effectiveness(r = 0.599, P < 0.01). However, t- test shows a significant difference between coping strategies adopted by the male and female farmers (t= -2.63, P < 0.01). It is recommended that awareness on poverty alleviation programmes aimed at improving the productivity of farming activities should be intensified while farmers should be involved in the planning and implementation of these programmes.

Keywords: coping strategies, effectiveness, farmers, poverty alleviation.

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1910 HIV and AIDS in Kosovo, Stigma Persist!

Authors: Luljeta Gashi, Naser Ramadani, Zana Deva, Dafina Gexha-Bunjaku

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The official HIV/AIDS data in Kosovo are based on HIV case reporting from health-care services, the blood transfusion system and Voluntary Counselling and Testing centres. Between 1986 and 2014, are reported 95 HIV and AIDS cases, of which 49 were AIDS, 46 HIV and 40 deaths. The majority (69%) of cases were men, age group 25 to 34 (37%) and route of transmission is: heterosexual (90%), MSM (7%), vertical transmission (2%) and IDU (1%). Based on existing data and the UNAIDS classification system, Kosovo is currently still categorised as having a low-level HIV epidemic. Even though with a low HIV prevalence, Kosovo faces a number of threatening factors, including increased number of drug users, a stigmatized and discriminated MSM community, high percentage of youth among general population (57% of the population under the age of 25), with changing social norms and especially the sexual ones. Methods: Data collection was done using self administered structured questionnaires amongst 249 high school students. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: The findings revealed that 68% of students know that HIV transmission can be reduced by having sex with only one uninfected partner who has no other partners, 94% know that the risk of getting HIV can be reduced by using a condom every time they have sex, 68% know that a person cannot get HIV from mosquito bites, 81% know that they cannot get HIV by sharing food with someone who is infected and 46% know that a healthy looking person can have HIV. Conclusions: Seventy one percent of high school students correctly identify ways of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV and who reject the major misconceptions about HIV transmission. The findings of the study indicate a need for more health education and promotion.

Keywords: Kosovo, KPAR, HIV, high school

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1909 The Semiotic Analysis of Thai Social Contexts in Thai Post’s News Articles

Authors: Pakpoom Hannapha

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This paper investigates the implications of social and political contexts in Thai Post’s news articles written by a columnist, Khon Plai Soy. Samples included twenty eight news articles published between 28th May 2015 and 28th June 2015 selected and analyzed according to Semiotics including implications, connotation, cultural politics, and Thai usage in newspaper articles. The data analysis can be divided into two parts; first, an analysis of signs/signifiers appearing in the articles and second, an analysis of the columnist’s purposes. This study demonstrated representations of signs in the selected articles that were categorized into four groups: events, actions, persons, and organizations. In this study, implications of the news articles were analyzed in two aspects according to Semiotics. It was found that the columnist mostly points out purposes for education, facts, and personal opinions in his works. Also, he offers some solutions to problems discussed in the articles. The writer often explicated knowledge and facts in accordance with either his personal opinions or problem-solutions. According to the research result, studying the implications of news articles in the Thai Post based on the Semiotic approach can help clarify and understand connotative meanings in terms of contents and the writer’s purposes. This paper can enhance readers’ understanding of Semiotic implications through signs and meanings in the texts and thus be used as a model to explore other political news articles

Keywords: semiotic analysis, Thai social contexts, Thai Post’s news, articles

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1908 Assessing Online Learning Paths in an Learning Management Systems Using a Data Mining and Machine Learning Approach

Authors: Alvaro Figueira, Bruno Cabral

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Nowadays, students are used to be assessed through an online platform. Educators have stepped up from a period in which they endured the transition from paper to digital. The use of a diversified set of question types that range from quizzes to open questions is currently common in most university courses. In many courses, today, the evaluation methodology also fosters the students’ online participation in forums, the download, and upload of modified files, or even the participation in group activities. At the same time, new pedagogy theories that promote the active participation of students in the learning process, and the systematic use of problem-based learning, are being adopted using an eLearning system for that purpose. However, although there can be a lot of feedback from these activities to student’s, usually it is restricted to the assessments of online well-defined tasks. In this article, we propose an automatic system that informs students of abnormal deviations of a 'correct' learning path in the course. Our approach is based on the fact that by obtaining this information earlier in the semester, may provide students and educators an opportunity to resolve an eventual problem regarding the student’s current online actions towards the course. Our goal is to prevent situations that have a significant probability to lead to a poor grade and, eventually, to failing. In the major learning management systems (LMS) currently available, the interaction between the students and the system itself is registered in log files in the form of registers that mark beginning of actions performed by the user. Our proposed system uses that logged information to derive new one: the time each student spends on each activity, the time and order of the resources used by the student and, finally, the online resource usage pattern. Then, using the grades assigned to the students in previous years, we built a learning dataset that is used to feed a machine learning meta classifier. The produced classification model is then used to predict the grades a learning path is heading to, in the current year. Not only this approach serves the teacher, but also the student to receive automatic feedback on her current situation, having past years as a perspective. Our system can be applied to online courses that integrate the use of an online platform that stores user actions in a log file, and that has access to other student’s evaluations. The system is based on a data mining process on the log files and on a self-feedback machine learning algorithm that works paired with the Moodle LMS.

Keywords: data mining, e-learning, grade prediction, machine learning, student learning path

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1907 Determination of Identification and Antibiotic Resistance Rates of Serratia marcescens and Providencia Spp. from Various Clinical Specimens by Using Both the Conventional and Automated (VITEK2) Methods

Authors: Recep Keşli, Gülşah Aşık, Cengiz Demir, Onur Türkyılmaz

Abstract:

Objective: Serratia species are identified as aerobic, motile Gram negative rods. The species Serratia marcescens (S. marcescens) causes both opportunistic and nosocomial infections. The genus Providencia is Gram-negative bacilli and includes urease-producing that is responsible for a wide range of human infections. Although most Providencia infections involve the urinary tract, they are also associated with gastroenteritis, wound infections, and bacteremia. The aim of this study was evaluate the antimicrobial resistance rates of S. marcescens and Providencia spp. strains which had been isolated from various clinical materials obtained from different patients who belongs to intensive care units (ICU) and inpatient clinics. Methods: A total of 35 S. marcescens and Providencia spp. strains isolated from various clinical samples admitted to Medical Microbiology Laboratory, ANS Research and Practice Hospital, Afyon Kocatepe University between October 2013 and September 2015 were included in the study. Identification of the bacteria was determined by conventional methods and VITEK 2 system (bio-Merieux, Marcy l’etoile, France) was used additionally. Antibacterial resistance tests were performed by using Kirby Bauer disc (Oxoid, Hampshire, England) diffusion method following the recommendations of CLSI. Results: The distribution of clinical samples were as follows: upper and lower respiratory tract samples 26, 74.2 % wound specimen 6, 17.1 % blood cultures 3, 8.5%. Of the 35 S. marcescens and Providencia spp. strains; 28, 80% were isolated from clinical samples sent from ICU. The resistance rates of S. marcescens strains against trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cefepime and amikacin were found to be 8.5 %, 22.8 %, 11.4 %, 2.8 %, 17.1 %, 40 %, 28.5 % and 5.7 % respectively. Resistance rates of Providencia spp. strains against trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, piperacillin-tazobactam, imipenem, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ceftazidime, cefepime and amikacin were found to be 10.2 %, 33,3 %, 18.7 %, 8.7 %, 13.2 %, 38.6 %, 26.7%, and 11.8 % respectively. Conclusion: S. marcescens is usually resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, ampicillin/sulbactam, cefuroxime, cephamycins, nitrofurantoin, and colistin. The most effective antibiotic on the total of S. marcescens strains was found to be gentamicin 2.8 %, of the totally tested strains the highest resistance rate found against to ceftazidime 40 %. The lowest and highest resistance rates were found against gentamiycin and ceftazidime with the rates of 8.7 % and 38.6 % for Providencia spp.

Keywords: Serratia marcescens, Providencia spp., antibiotic resistance, intensive care unit

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1906 Youth NEET in Albania: Current Situation and Outreach Mechanisms

Authors: Emiljan Karma

Abstract:

One of the major problems of the present is young people who are not concerned with employment, education, or training (NEETs). Unfortunately, this group of people in Albania is a considerable part of working-age people, and despite the measures taken, they remain a major problem. NEETs in Albania are very heterogeneous. This is since youth unemployment and inactivity rate are at a very high level (Albania has the highest NEET rate among EU candidates/potential candidates’ countries and EU countries); the high level of NEET rate in Albania means that government agencies responsible for labour market regulation and other social actors interested in the phenomenon (representatives of employees, representatives of employers, non-governmental organizations, etc.) did not effectively materialize the policies in the field of youth employment promotion. The National Agency for Employment and Skills (NAES) delivers measures specifically designed to target unemployed youth, being the key stakeholder in the implementation of employment policies and skills development in Albania. In the context of identifying and assisting NEETs, this role becomes even stronger. The experience of different EU countries (e.g., Youth Guarantee) indicates that there are different policy-making structures and various outreach mechanisms for constraining the youth NEET phenomenon. The purpose of this research is to highlight: (1) The identification of NEETs feature in Albania; (2) The identification of tailored and efficient outreach mechanisms to assist vulnerable NEETs; (3) The fundamental importance of stakeholders’ partnership at central and regional level.

Keywords: labor market, NEETs, non-registered NEETs, unemployment

Procedia PDF Downloads 252
1905 Application of Vector Representation for Revealing the Richness of Meaning of Facial Expressions

Authors: Carmel Sofer, Dan Vilenchik, Ron Dotsch, Galia Avidan

Abstract:

Studies investigating emotional facial expressions typically reveal consensus among observes regarding the meaning of basic expressions, whose number ranges between 6 to 15 emotional states. Given this limited number of discrete expressions, how is it that the human vocabulary of emotional states is so rich? The present study argues that perceivers use sequences of these discrete expressions as the basis for a much richer vocabulary of emotional states. Such mechanisms, in which a relatively small number of basic components is expanded to a much larger number of possible combinations of meanings, exist in other human communications modalities, such as spoken language and music. In these modalities, letters and notes, which serve as basic components of spoken language and music respectively, are temporally linked, resulting in the richness of expressions. In the current study, in each trial participants were presented with sequences of two images containing facial expression in different combinations sampled out of the eight static basic expressions (total 64; 8X8). In each trial, using single word participants were required to judge the 'state of mind' portrayed by the person whose face was presented. Utilizing word embedding methods (Global Vectors for Word Representation), employed in the field of Natural Language Processing, and relying on machine learning computational methods, it was found that the perceived meanings of the sequences of facial expressions were a weighted average of the single expressions comprising them, resulting in 22 new emotional states, in addition to the eight, classic basic expressions. An interaction between the first and the second expression in each sequence indicated that every single facial expression modulated the effect of the other facial expression thus leading to a different interpretation ascribed to the sequence as a whole. These findings suggest that the vocabulary of emotional states conveyed by facial expressions is not restricted to the (small) number of discrete facial expressions. Rather, the vocabulary is rich, as it results from combinations of these expressions. In addition, present research suggests that using word embedding in social perception studies, can be a powerful, accurate and efficient tool, to capture explicit and implicit perceptions and intentions. Acknowledgment: The study was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Defense in Israel to GA and CS. CS is also supported by the ABC initiative in Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Keywords: Glove, face perception, facial expression perception. , facial expression production, machine learning, word embedding, word2vec

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1904 An Approach for Reliably Transforming Habits Towards Environmental Sustainability Behaviors Among Young Adults

Authors: Dike Felix Okechukwu

Abstract:

Studies and reports from authoritative sources such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have stated that to effectively solve environmental sustainability challenges such as pollution, inappropriate waste disposal, and unsustainable consumption, there is a need for more research to seek solutions towards environmentally sustainable behavior. However, literature thus far reports only sporadic developments of TL in Environmental Sustainability because there are scarce reports showing the reliable process(es) to produce TL - for sustainability projects or otherwise. Nonetheless, a recently published article demonstrates how TL can be used to help young adults gain transformed mindsets and habits toward environmental sustainability behaviors and practices. This study, however, does not demonstrate, on a repeated basis, the dependability of the method or reliability of the procedures in using its proposed methodology to help young adults achieve transformed habits towards environmental sustainability behaviors, especially in diverse contexts. In this study, it is demonstrated, through repeated measures, a reliable process that can be used to achieve transformations in habits and mindsets toward environmental sustainability behaviors. To achieve this, the design adopted is multiple case studies and a thematic analysis techniques. Five cases in diverse contexts were used to analyze pieces of evidence of Transformative Learning Outcomes toward environmentally sustainable behaviors. Results from the study offer fresh perspectives on a reliable methodology that can be adopted to achieve Transformations in Habits and mindsets toward environmental sustainability behaviors.

Keywords: environmental sustainability, transformative learning, behaviour, learning, education

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1903 Rural Tourism Entrepreneurship as Strategy for Economic Development in Nigeria

Authors: Salami Ayobami Taofeek, Ajayi Adeola

Abstract:

Rural tourism entrepreurship is a tourist industry which revolutionizes businesses and prompting economic development across the globe. It encompasses huge range activities, natural or man-made attractions, amenities and facilities, transportation, marketing and information systems. It is also an important export for 83% of the developing countries and the main export for one third of them. In 2000, developing countries recorded 142.6 million international arrivals an increase of 95% compared to the figures of 1990. However, only developing countries with effective natural and man-made tourism supporting and enhancing infrastructure have been able to develop their tourism sector and seize the attendance advantages. Rural areas of Nigeria possess some distinctive peculiarities which can be transformed into attractive tourist centers. In spite of all these, rural tourism areas are still faced with myriad problems which include poor finance inadequate awareness and education, lack of progress in developing the rural of progress in developing the rural tourism potentials inadequate legislation, insecurity, entrepreneurial inertness, over-dependent on oil among others. This paper focuses on the impact and challenges of rural tourism entrepreneurship as strategy for economic development in Nigeria. It reviews literature rural tourism, tourism entrepreneurship potentials and classifications of Nigerians tourism potential’s destinations. The paper concludes that Nigeria Government should encourage rural based tourism entrepreneurship development by addressing the challenges facing rural tourism entrepreneurship in the country.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, economic development, rural tourism, tourism destinations tourism potentials

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1902 Impact of Mathematical Modeling on Mathematics Achievement, Attitude, and Interest of Pre-Service Teachers in Niger State, Nigeria

Authors: Mohammed Abubakar Ndanusa, A. A. Hassan, R. W. Gimba, A. M. Alfa, M. T. Abari

Abstract:

This study investigated the Impact of Mathematical Modeling on Mathematics Achievement, Attitude and Interest of Pre-Service Teachers in Niger States, Nigeria. It was an attempt to ease students’ difficulties in comprehending mathematics. The study used randomized pretest, posttest control group design. Two Colleges of Education were purposively selected from Niger State with a sample size of eighty-four 84 students. Three research instruments used are Mathematical Modeling Achievement Test (MMAT), Attitudes Towards Mathematical Modeling Questionnaire (ATMMQ) and Mathematical Modeling Students Interest Questionnaire (MMSIQ). Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) formula was used for MMAT and Alpha Cronbach was used for ATMMQ and MMSIQ to determine their reliability coefficient and the values the following values were obtained respectively 0.76, 0.75 and 0.73. Independent t-test statistics was used to test hypothesis One while Mann Whitney U-test was used to test hypothesis Two and Three. Findings revealed that students taught Mathematics using Mathematical Modeling performed better than their counterparts taught using lecture method. However, there was a significant difference in the attitude and interest of pre-service mathematics teachers after being exposed to mathematical modeling. The strategy, therefore, was recommended to be used by Mathematics teachers with a view to improving students’ attitude and interest towards Mathematics. Also, modeling should be taught at NCE level in order to prepare pre-service teachers towards real task in the field of Mathematics.

Keywords: achievement, attitude, interest, mathematical modeling, pre-service teachers

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1901 Dependence of Androgen Status in Men with Primary Hypothyroidism on Duration and Condition of Compensation

Authors: Krytskyy T.

Abstract:

Introduction: The role of androgen deficiency in men as a factor in the pathogenesis of many somatic diseases is unmistakable. The interaction of thyroid and sex hormones with hypothyroidism in men is still the subject of discussions. The purpose of the study is to assess the androgen status of men with primary hypothyroidism, depending on its duration and the state of compensation. Materials and methods: 45 men with primary hypothyroidism aged 35 to 60 years, as well as 25 healthy men, who formed a control group, were under supervision. A selection of men for examination was conducted in the process of outpatient and in-patient treatment at the endocrinology department of the University Hospital in Ternopil. The functional state of the pituitary-gonadal system was evaluated in order to characterize the androgen status of patients. The concentration of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone was determined in blood with the help of enzyme-linked method. Also, the content of hormones: total testosterone, linking sex hormones globulin were determined. Results: Reduced total testosterone (TT) content was found in 42.2% of patients with hypothyroidism. Herewith in 17.8% of patients, blood TT levels were lower than 8.0 nmol / L, and in 11 (24.4%) men, the rate was in the range of 8.0 to 12.0 nmol / L. Based on the results of the determination of the content of free testosterone (FT), the frequency of laboratory hypogonadism in men with hypothyroidism was higher than the results of the determination of TT. The degree of compensation of hypothyroidism probably did not affect the average levels of gonadotropic and sex hormones. Conclusions: Reduced total testosterone content was found in 42.2% of patients with primary hypothyroidism. Herewith, in 17.8% of patients blood TT levels were lower than 8.0 nmol / L, which is a sign of absolute deficiency of testosterone, and in 24.4% of men the rate ranged from 8.0 to 12.0 nmol / l , indicating partial androgen deficiency. Linking sex hormones globulin levels were believed to be lower in 46.7% of patients with hypothyroidism compared to control group. The average levels of E2 in the examined patients did not significantly differ from the mean of control group. FSH, LH, and prolactin levels in men with hypothyroidism were within the normal age limits and probably did not differ from those of control group. The degree of compensation of hypothyroidism probably did not affect the average levels of gonadotropic and sex hormones. The mean LH content in the blood was significantly increased in men with a duration of hypothyroidism up to 5 years and did not differ from that of the control group and in men with a duration of hypothyroidism over 5 years. In men with hypothyroidism, a probable reduction in T / LH coefficient is found. The obtained data may indicate a combined lesion of the central and peripheral parts of the pituitary-gonadal system in men with hypothyroidism.

Keywords: androgenic status, hypothyroidism, testosterone, linking sex hormones globulin

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1900 Emotion Expression of the Leader and Collective Efficacy: Pride and Guilt

Authors: Hsiu-Tsu Cho

Abstract:

Collective efficacy refers to a group’s sense of its capacity to complete a task successfully or to reach objectives. Little effort has been expended on investigating the relationship between the emotion expression of a leader and collective efficacy. In this study, we examined the impact of the different emotions and emotion expression of a group leader on collective efficacy and explored whether the emotion–expressive effects differed under conditions of negative and positive emotions. A total of 240 undergraduate and graduate students recruited using Facebook and posters at a university participated in this research. The participants were separated randomly into 80 groups of four persons consisting of three participants and a confederate. They were randomly assigned to one of five conditions in a 2 (pride vs. guilt) × 2 (emotion expression of group leader vs. no emotion expression of group leader) factorial design and a control condition. Each four-person group was instructed to get the reward in a group competition of solving the five-disk Tower of Hanoi puzzle and making decisions on an investment case. We surveyed the participants by employing the emotional measure revised from previous researchers and collective efficacy questionnaire on a 5-point scale. To induce an emotion of pride (or guilt), the experimenter announced whether the group performance was good enough to have a chance of getting the reward (ranking the top or bottom 20% among all groups) after group task. The leader (confederate) could either express or not express a feeling of pride (or guilt) following the instruction according to the assigned condition. To check manipulation of emotion, we added a control condition under which the experimenter revealed no results regarding group performance in maintaining a neutral emotion. One-way ANOVAs and post hoc pairwise comparisons among the three emotion conditions (pride, guilt, and control condition) involved assigning pride and guilt scores (pride: F(1,75) = 32.41, p < .001; guilt: F(1,75) = 6.75, p < .05). The results indicated that manipulations of emotion were successful. A two-way between-measures ANOVA was conducted to examine the predictions of the main effects of emotion types and emotion expression as well as the interaction effect of these two variables on collective efficacy. The experimental findings suggest that pride did not affect collective efficacy (F(1,60) = 1.90, ns.) more than guilt did and that the group leader did not motivate collective efficacy regardless of whether he or she expressed emotion (F(1,60) = .89, ns.). However, the interaction effect of emotion types and emotion expression was statistically significant (F(1,60) = 4.27, p < .05, ω2 = .066); the effects accounted for 6.6% of the variance. Additional results revealed that, under the pride condition, the leader enhanced group efficacy when expressing emotion, whereas, under the guilt condition, an expression of emotion could reduce collective efficacy. Overall, these findings challenge the assumption that the effect of expression emotion are the same on all emotions and suggest that a leader should be cautious when expressing negative emotions toward a group to avoid reducing group effectiveness.

Keywords: collective efficacy, group leader, emotion expression, pride, guilty

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1899 Psychological Aspects of Depression among the Romanian Adults

Authors: Zoltan Abram

Abstract:

Background: In the last time it was hardly increased the prevalence of psychical diseases and disorders which reduce work capacity, life quality and life expectancy. Objectives: The aim of our research is to study the psychical health state of the Romanian adults living in the middle part of the country and the role of some economical, psychological and social factors, especially in relationship with depression. Methods: The study is based on a complex anonymous questionnaire, including Beck depressive scale, which was completed by a representative sample among adult population. The applied method was a combination between stratification and more-steps sampling. Results: After our results depression is the most common psychical illness with 9,1% diagnosis, but the tendency to depression, the existence of depressive symptoms is much higher than the treated illness. The percentage of suicide attempt among the studied population was 2,9%. It is analysed how gender, age, professional and social status, living and working conditions and different social factors are influencing the health state. According to Beck score, it was established a significant difference in the favour of female, elderly people, lower educational level, urban population. Conclusions: In our study it is underlined the importance of health promotion and education. It is concluded that improving living standards, modifying in a proper way the lifestyle of the population, we can positively influence the physical and mental health state of the Romanian adult population.

Keywords: Beck scale, depression, psychological aspects, suicide attempt

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1898 Hospital Beds: Figuring and Forecasting Patient Population Arriving at Health Care Research Institute, Illustrating Roemer's Law

Authors: Karthikeyan Srinivasan, Ranjana Singh, Yatin Talwar, Karthikeyan Srinivasan

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Healthcare services play a vital role in the life of human being. The Setup of Hospital varies in wide spectrum of cost, technology, and access. Hospital’s of Public sector satisfies need of a common man to poorer, which can differ at private owned hospitals on cost and treatment. Patient assessing hospital frequently assumes spending time at the hospital is miserable and not aware of what is happening around them. Mostly they are queued up round the clock waiting to be admitted on hospital beds. The idea here is to highlight the role in admitting patient population of Outdoor as well as Emergency entering the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh with available hospital beds. This study emphasizes the trend forecasting and acquiring beds needed. The conception “if patient population increases’ likewise increasing hospital beds advertently perceived. If tend to increase the hospital beds, thereby exploring budget, Manpower, space, and infrastructure make compulsion. This survey ideally draws out planning and forecasting beds to cater patient population in and around neighboring state of Chandigarh for admission at territory healthcare and research institute on available hospital beds. Executing healthcare services for growing population needs to know Roemer’s law indicating "in an insured population, a hospital bed built is a filled bed".

Keywords: admissions, average length of stay, bed days, hospital beds, occupancy rates

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1897 Measuring Development through Extreme Observations: An Archetypal Analysis Approach to Index Construction

Authors: Claudeline D. Cellan

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Development is multifaceted, and efforts to hasten growth in all these facets have been gaining traction in recent years. Thus, producing a composite index that is reflective of these multidimensional impacts captures the interests of policymakers. The problem lies in going through a mixture of theoretical, methodological and empirical decisions and complexities which, when done carelessly, can lead to inconsistent and unreliable results. This study looks into index computation from a different and less complex perspective. Borrowing the idea of archetypes or ‘pure types’, archetypal analysis looks for points in the convex hull of the multivariate data set that captures as much information in the data as possible. The archetypes or 'pure types' are estimated such that they are convex combinations of all the observations, which in turn are convex combinations of the archetypes. This ensures that the archetypes are realistically observable, therefore achievable. In the sense of composite indices, we look for the best among these archetypes and use this as a benchmark for index computation. Its straightforward and simplistic approach does away with aggregation and substitutability problems which are commonly encountered in index computation. As an example of the application of archetypal analysis in index construction, the country data for the Human Development Index (HDI 2017) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is used. The goal of this exercise is not to replicate the result of the UNDP-computed HDI, but to illustrate the usability of archetypal analysis in index construction. Here best is defined in the context of life, education and gross national income sub-indices. Results show that the HDI from the archetypal analysis has a linear relationship with the UNDP-computed HDI.

Keywords: archetypes, composite index, convex combination, development

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1896 Understanding Willingness to Engage in pro-Environmental Behaviour among Recreational Anglers in South Africa

Authors: Kelvin Mwaba, Nicole Strickland

Abstract:

Background and Objectives: Overexploitation and illegal fishing have been identified as the primary cause of the global decline in the fish stock. While commercial companies and small-scale fishing sectors are strictly regulated in South Africa, recreational anglers are not. The underlying assumption seems to be that recreational anglers can self-regulate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship that recreational anglers have with nature and how this relationship can predict unlawful fishing practices. Methods: Using a survey design, 99 self-identified recreational anglers were recruited through convenient sampling. The anglers were accessed from fishing tackle shops around False Bay in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire that consisted of pro-environmental behavior survey and the Nature Relatedness Scale. Results: Data analyses indicated that significant differences with regard to nature relatedness on the basis of participants’ age and level of education. Older and more educated anglers scored higher on nature relatedness than younger and less educated anglers. Logistic regression analysis showed that nature relatedness was a significant predictor of pro-environmental behaviors (R²= 0.061). Discussion and Conclusion: The findings of the present study provide support regarding the importance of encouraging healthy and sustainable relationships between humans and nature. Combating harmful fishing practices can achieve through understanding and promoting human care for nature among anglers and others involved in fishing.

Keywords: pro-environmental, behavior, anglers, South Africa

Procedia PDF Downloads 355