Frequent Entries Research Articles

Students’ Perceptions Regarding Culturally Sensitive Classrooms: A Case Study of Delhi Schools

<p class="abstrak">India is known for its motto of unity in diversity. Delhi classrooms are mirrors of this diversity. The researchers, being in the capacity of teachers and educators, received regular feedback from trainee teachers regarding the classroom environment of secondary schools in Delhi. During those feedback sessions and in submitted reports on reflections, there were frequent entries on cultural alienation and cultural clashes. These entries forced the researchers to study the status of cultural sensitivity in secondary classrooms in Delhi. The study discusses the perceptions of students regarding their own cultural identity, their peers’ cultural identity, and shared experiences of cultural alienation, bullying, or conflicts in their classrooms. The study also discusses students’ expectations of their teachers in creating culturally sensitive classrooms. This is a descriptive study. Ex post-facto survey design was chosen for the study of culturally sensitive classrooms. The sample consists of 445 students in 12 schools in Delhi (five public and seven private). The self-prepared questionnaire for students called the Cultural Sensitivity Questionnaire for Students (CSQS) with CVR 0.68 was used as the tool. The study concluded that cultural alienation, bullying, and conflicts occur because of mutual ignorance of each other’s culture.</p>

On export duration puzzles

AbstractWe investigate two puzzles in the export duration literature. The first puzzle has to do with the frequent entries and exits of firms in export markets, which are at odds with the large fixed export costs in such markets. We introduce convex production technologies in a trade model to show how variable marginal costs create direct linkages between export markets. As fixed export costs vary across destinations, more productive firms need not necessarily export to more destinations. Cost convexity implies that the probability of supplying a given export market is adversely affected by positive export shocks in other markets. This is supported by our empirical analysis of bilateral flows for over 200 agri‐food products to 176 destinations originating from six large exporting countries. The second puzzle has to do with the paradoxical effect of tariffs reported in empirical export duration studies. When endogeneity is addressed, tariffs increase the probability of an export failure.

Refleksje leksykalno-statystyczne nad wypowiedziami dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym. Część 1 – słownictwo częste

The purpose of this essay is to characterize statistically frequent words in a pre-school children’s dictionary, including both their functional and semantic structure. Analyses conducted in the field of statistical linguistics and linguistic semantics confirm the small share of frequent words in the dictionary and their significant role in the structure of spoken texts. Frequent entries are mostly autosemantic words, especially nouns and verbs. On the other hand, frequent auxiliary words, although not very numerous, are characterized by high ranks and text frequencies. The dictionary is based on representative meaning groups that reflect the child’s world, experiences and feelings. The observed quantitative and qualitative features of the children’s frequent dictionary confirm the statistical regularities of the texts of other varieties of Polish, they are consistent with the properties of the natural language, the spoken style and the developmental properties of the child’s speech.

Using Thermal Infrared Cameras to Detect Avian Chicks at Various Distances and Vegetative Coverages

Abstract Population monitoring of nesting waterbirds often involves frequent entries into the colony, but alternative methods such as local remotely sensed thermal imaging may help reduce disturbance while providing a cost-effective way to survey breeding populations. Such an approach can have high initial costs, however, which may have reduced the number of studies investigating functionality of paired thermal infrared camera and small unmanned aerial systems. Here, we take the first step of exploring the ability of two thermal infrared cameras to detect an avian chick under varying vegetative cover and distances, preceding field-mounting applications on a small unmanned aerial system. We created seven “bioboxes” to simulate a range of natural vegetation types and densities for a globally important colonial ground-nesting waterbird species, the common tern Sterna hirundo. We placed a juvenile chicken Gallus gallus (surrogate for the locally endangered common tern) in each box, and we tested two market-accessible infrared cameras (produced by FLIR Systems and Infrared Cameras, Inc.) at five elevations using a stationary boom (maximum height = 12 m). We applied computer-based digital thresholding to collected images, identifying pixels meeting one of seven threshold values. The chick was visible from at least one threshold value in 19 and 31 of 35 processed by the FLIR Systems and Infrared Cameras, respectively. Percentage of the chick identified across thresholds was generally highest at lower threshold values and elevations and decreased as elevation and threshold increased; however, the relative importance of each variable changed dramatically across bioboxes and camera types. Ability to detect a chick from processed images generally decreased with increasing elevation, and although we made no quantitative comparisons among boxes, detectability appeared greatest in images from both cameras when little or no vegetation was present. Interestingly, no single threshold value was best for all bioboxes. We observed notable differences between cameras including visual resolution of detected temperature differentials and image processing speed. Results of this controlled study show promise for the use of thermal infrared systems for detecting cryptic species in vegetation. Future research should work to combine thermal infrared and visual sensors with small unmanned aerial systems to test applicability in a mobile field application.

Characterizing dynamic communication in online eating disorder communities: a multiplex network approach

Growing evidence shows that social media facilitate diffusion of both pro-recovery and anti-recovery information among people affected by mental health problems, while little is known about the associations of people’s activities in sharing different types of information. Our work explores this question by analyzing a large set of Twitter conversations among users who self-identified as eating disordered. We use clustering algorithms to identify topics shared in online conversations and represent interpersonal interactions by a multilayer network in which each layer represents user-to-user communication on a different topic. By measuring structural properties of the multilayer network, we find that (i) the same set of users form social networks with different structures in communicating different types of information and (ii) exposure to content on body image can reinforce individual engagement in anti-recovery communication and weaken engagement in pro-recovery communication. By measuring structural changes in a sequence of temporal, multilayer networks built based on users’ conversations over time, we further find that (i) actors previously engaged in pro-recovery communication are likely to engage in anti-recovery communication in the future and (ii) actors in anti-recovery communication have frequent entries into and exits from such communication system. Our results shed light on the organization and evolution of communication in online eating disorder communities.

How Socio-Political Indicators of Poor Governance Pave the Way for Coup d' Etate in Pakistan? An Analysis of Nawaz Shareef's Second Tenure in Government

This paper is about the relationship between the socio-economic indicators of poor governance and how it helps the military to take over the affairs of the state with ease. The 1990s era witnessed serious lapses in the governance system of Pakistan, and so, the military made frequent entries in politics. What this paper finds is that if the system of governance does not improve during the civilian government, it provides an opportunity for the armed forces to impose martial law and takes over the country. Though Nawaz Shareef had formed a government with a two-thirds majority, he hardly made any improvement on the governance front, and this was the major reason for his dismissal from the office of prime ministership. The methodology employed is secondary sources of data collection, including books, research papers and newspaper articles.

ACLEES CF. SP. FOVEATUS (COLEOPTERA CURCULIONIDAE), AN EXOTIC PEST OF FICUS CARICA IN ITALY: A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO DEFENCE BASED ON ALUMINOSILICATE MINERALS AS HOST PLANT MASKING SOLIDS

The exceptionally frequent entries of alien pest are a major source of concern for the farmers who haveto protect their crops from unknown insects, often without natural enemies in the new areas. A new pestbelonging to the Molytinae family (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), tribe Hylobiini, reported as Acleessp. cf.foveatusVoss, was recently introduced in Italy. The species is responsible for severe damages in many Italianfig nurseries and orchards, particularly in the Italian Central Northern regions, i.e. Tuscany, Ligury andLatium. Currently, no active ingredients are registered against this insect on fig crops. An innovative and eco-friendly approach for controlling this exotic weevil infestation was investigated, by using montmorillonite-based clays, either in their native state or containing copper(II) species, and clinoptilolite zeolites, in order tocheck the perception of the adults’ weevil towards the different solid materials and, subsequently, to evaluatethe capability of these innovative products to act as masking agent with respect to the host plant and/or asrepellent upon contact. The formulations containing copper(II)-exchanged clay and clinoptilolite zeoliteshowed preliminary promising results in terms of efficacy and environmental sustainability.

LONG‐RUN EFFECTS OF YOUTH TRAINING PROGRAMS: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE FROM ARGENTINA

We study the effect of a job training program for low‐income youth in Cordoba, Argentina. The program included life‐skills and vocational training, as well as internships with private sector employers. Participants were allocated by means of a public lottery. We rely on administrative data on formal employment, employment spells, and earnings, to establish the effects of the program in the short term (18 months), but also—exceptionally for programs of this type in Latin America and in developing countries in general—in the medium term (33 months) and in the long term (48 months). The results indicate sizable gains of about 8 percentage points in formal employment in the short term (about 32% higher than the control group), although these effects dissipate in the medium and in the long term. Contrary to previous results for similar programs in the region, the effects are substantially larger for men, although they also seem to fade in the long run. Program participants also exhibit earnings about 40% higher than those in the control group, and an analysis of bounds indicates that these gains result from both higher employment levels and higher wages. The detailed administrative records also allow us to shed some light on the possible mechanisms underlying these effects. A dynamic analysis of employment transitions indicates that the program operated through an increase in the persistence of employment rather than from more frequent entries into employment. The earnings effect and the higher persistence of employment suggest that the program was successful in increasing the human capital of participants, although the transient nature of these results may also reflect better matches from a program‐induced increase in informal contacts or formal intermediation. (JEL J08, J24, J68, O15)

Long Run Effects of Youth Training Programs: Experimental Evidence from Argentina

We study the effect of a job training program for low income youth in Cordoba, Argentina. The program included life-skills and vocational training, as well as internships with private sector employers. Participants were allocated by means of a public lottery. We rely on administrative data on formal employment, employment spells and earnings, to establish the effects of the program in the short term (18 months), but also – exceptionally for programs of this type in Latin America and in developing countries in general – in the medium term (33 months) and in the long term (48 months). The results indicate sizable gains of about 8 percentage points in formal employment in the short term (about 32% higher than the control group), although these effects dissipate in the medium and in the long term. Contrary to previous results for similar programs in the region, the effects are substantially larger for men, although they also seem to fade in the long run. Program participants also exhibit earnings about 40% higher than those in the control group, and an analysis of bounds indicates that these gains result from both higher employment levels and higher wages. The detailed administrative records also allow us to shed some light on the possible mechanisms underlying these effects. A dynamic analysis of employment transitions indicates that the program operated through an increase in the persistence of employment rather than from more frequent entries into employment. The earnings effect and the higher persistence of employment suggest that the program was successful in increasing the human capital of participants, although the transient nature of these results may also reflect better matches from a program-induced increase in informal contacts or formal intermediation.

Impact of rearing mangement on health in domestic rabbits: a review

High mortality in rabbit rearing is not only an economical problem but also an animal welfare issue. Without doubt, certain common rearing practices are the main reasons for the high mortality rates. In this review, we point out different and commonly used management practices, which neither represent adequate housing conditions for the animals’ behavioural requirements nor correspond to their nutritional needs, and discuss possibilities to reduce the risk of disease. (1) Usually the doe is forced to build the nursery nest in the cage or in a box with a permanently open entrance, often not protected from the light. This can lead to perinatal mortality due to disturbed maternal behaviour, such as failure to build a proper nest, depositing the kits outside the nest, or infanticide. (2) Continuous housing of the doe with the kits does not conform to this species’ pattern of unusually limited maternal care. Stimulated by olfactory and acoustic signals emanating from the nest, the doe disturbs the inactivity of the kits by her frequent entries to the nest or attempts to close the entrance. Cooling of the kits caused by maladaptive maternal behaviour under such unnatural conditions is one of the most important causes of mortality and morbidity during the nursing period. (3) When the doe is left to nurse the kits for longer than four weeks, which does not conform to the reproductive biology of the rabbit, kit morbidity is caused by the following factors: (a) Prolonged mother-offspring contact increases the risk of the kits becoming infected with pathogens such as coccidiosis, EPEC and pasteurellosis persisting in the doe. (b) Pre-disposition of the kits to bacterial enteropathies is encouraged by the retarded development of the enzymatic system, delayed establishment of a stable gut flora (due to the use of wood shavings or straw as nest material) and by consumption of the doe’s feed. (c) The increased energy demands of lactation as well as mastitis due to excessive and prolonged suckling by the kits decrease the fertility and the lifespan of the doe. (4) Feed with a high non-fibre carbohydrate content (compared to green forage) promotes bacterial enteropathies when given before the development of the kits’ digestive functions is completed. In addition, the risk of the outbreak of such diseases is enhanced by intestinal coccidiosis and unstable gut flora. (5) In contrast to housing rabbits on perforated floors, the use of cages with deep litter increases the risk of enteropathies.

A reversible data-hiding method for palette-based images with capacity optimization

This study presents a reversible data-hiding scheme based on palette image histogram characteristics, in which the least frequent color entries and the most frequent color entries are identified to imbed data. Data are concealed by sacrificing many sets of the least frequent colors, and placing one of the most frequent colors in their positions in the palette to make a ‘cluster’ for each set. Different bits of data can be imbedded using different sized clusters. A capacity optimization scheme is then developed to obtain the maximum capacity by estimating all possible combinations of clusters. For image reconstruction, making the host image reversible requires saving the overhead information caused by sacrificing the least frequent colors. Effectiveness of the proposed method is also demonstrated on test images by showing the capacity and distortion. Importantly, the proposed method has a high imbedding capacity and excellent marked image quality.

Anxiogenesis in adult rats treated chronically with cocaine during adolescence: Effects of extended abstinence and 8-OH-DPAT treatment

Our laboratory has recently observed the development of an anxiogenic response after a short abstinence period (∼10 days) in young adult rats treated repeatedly with cocaine during adolescence. The present study was conducted to determine if this effect persists into adulthood following extended durations of abstinence and whether it could be modulated with the 5-HT 1A agonist (±)-8-hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)tetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT). Accordingly, 30-day-old rats were injected with either 10 mg/kg cocaine or saline for 8 consecutive days. Approximately 8 weeks after the final injection, anxiety levels in subjects were assessed with an elevated zero maze with a second assessment performed 4 weeks thereafter. Shortly prior to each test session, half the subjects in each of the two adolescent drug conditions received injections of 300 μg/kg 8-OH-DPAT while the other half received injections of the vehicle. Based on total time spent in the open areas of the maze, the results obtained at the first abstinent duration indicated that adolescent cocaine treatment did not induce an anxiogenic response. Assessment of maze behavior at the second abstinent duration was aided with a digital tracking and computerized scoring system ( LimeLight, Actimetrics). Similar to the results obtained at the first abstinent duration, the amount of time spent in the open areas of the maze was unrelated to prior cocaine treatment. However, cocaine-treated rats did show evidence of an anxiogenic response at this abstinent duration based on more frequent entries into and out of the open and enclosed areas of the maze, more frequent and longer durations of exploratory bouts beyond the perimeter of the maze, excessive number of cautious protrusions into the open areas, and faster running velocities through the open areas. These results were not artifacts of generalized motor activation in that comparable total distance traveled scores were noted for all subjects. Treatment with 8-OH-DPAT shortly prior to elevated zero maze testing normalized these behaviors induced by adolescent cocaine. It is concluded that the anxiogenic response produced by cocaine exposure during adolescence persists 12 weeks beyond cessation of drug treatment and that this effect is reversible with 8-OH-DPAT. In addition, the results underscore the importance of taking multiple measures when assessing anxiety in experimental animals. Implications for the neurobiology of drug abuse and the role of serotonin are discussed.

Psychosocial maternal stress during pregnancy affects serum corticosterone, blood immune parameters and anxiety behaviour in adult male rat offspring

Exposure to prenatal stress can impair the behavioural and hormonal development in mammals. However, the consequences for the immune system are rarely investigated and there is only limited evidence that naturalistic prenatal stressors do also have the potential to affect the offspring. Thus, by using a social conflict model in female Long-Evans rats, we investigated the effects of prenatal social stress on several behavioural, hormonal and immunological parameters. Offspring from stressed and non-stressed pregnant females were housed in pairs after weaning, and tested at an age of 4–6 months. Prenatally stressed (PS) males were more active in the elevated plus-maze test as indicated by significantly more frequent entries into the open arms compared to prenatal control males (PC). In addition, PS males had significantly lower serum corticosterone concentrations under basal conditions as well as after ACTH-challenge. The basal number of total leukocytes was significantly lower in the PS group due to significantly lower lymphocyte counts. In particular, the CD4 + T-helper cell subset was affected. The lymphocyte proliferation to pokeweed mitogen was lower in PS males. Because some of the present findings do not correspond to previous studies using conventional stressors, we assume that the nature of the stressor plays an important role for pregnancy outcome and behaviour and physiology of the offspring in later life.

Models of anxiety: Responses of mice to novelty and open spaces in a 3D maze

The present report describes the emotional responses of different strains of mice to exposure to a novel open space model of anxiety using a 3D spatial navigation task. The 3D maze is modification of the radial maze with flexible arms that can be raised above or lowered below the horizontal level of a central platform. To access the arms animals need to cross a bridge linking the arms to the central platform. In this model, mice are exposed to novelty in an unfamiliar open space setting with no safe alternative. Fear from novelty is compounded with the need to explore. The drive to escape and the drive to approach are intermingled making this open space model radically different from the current models of anxiety which provide animals with the choice between safe and anxiogenic spaces. In a series of experiments, we examined the behaviour of different groups of mice from C57, C3H, CD1 and Balb/c strains. In the first experiment, different groups of C57 mice were tested in one of the three arms configurations. In the second experiment, C57 mice were compared to C3H mice. In the third experiment, C57 mice were compared to CD1 and Balb/c mice in the raised arm configuration over three successive sessions. In the fourth experiment, we examined the behaviour of C57 mice in the lowered arm configuration with an open and an enclosed central. In the final experiment, we examined the difference between C57 and C3H mice of both genders. Using several spatio-temporal parameters of the transition responses between central platform, bridges and arms, we have been able to show consistent results demonstrating significant differences between C57 and C3H mice, and between Balb/c and both C57 and CD1 mice. C3H appear more anxious than C57 mice, and Balb/c mice seem more anxious than C57 and CD1 mice. We also observed significant differences between sexes in C3H mice but not in C57 mice. C3H male mice appear more anxious than C3H female mice and than both C57 male and female mice. In the lowered arm configuration with an enclosed central platform, C57 mice took longer time to make a first entry to an arm, made more visits to bridges before first entry to an arm and required longer time between re-entries to arms, spent longer time on the central platform and shorter time on arms compared to mice in the other arm configurations. They also made frequent entries to the centre and bridges compared to mice in the lowered arm with an open central platform. These results demonstrate not only the sensitivity of the parameters of the test but also the consistencies and concordances of the results which make this 3D maze a valuable new tool in the study of the underlying neural mechanisms of anxiety responses in addition to learning and memory, and in assessing the effects of potential anxiolytic drugs. In this report we examine methodological issues related to the design of animal behavioural paradigms and question the value and the construct validity of the current models of human anxiety.

Volume Growth Trends in a Douglas-Fir Levels-of-Growing-Stock Study

Abstract Mean curves of increment and yield in gross total cubic volume and net merchantable cubic volume were derived from seven installations of the regional cooperative Levels-of-Growing-Stock Study (LOGS) in Douglas-fir. The technique used reduces the seven curves for each treatment for each variable of interest to a single set of readily interpretable mean curves. To a top height of 100 ft and corresponding average age of 45 years, volume growth and yield are strongly related to stocking level, being highest at the highest stocking levels. At that point, current annual increment is still far greater than mean annual increment. Thinning has accelerated diameter growth of the largest 40 trees per acre as well as of the stand average. Maximum volume production would be obtained at stand relative densities approaching the zone of competition-related mortality, although in practice considerations of feasibility of frequent entries and wildlife and amenity considerations would make somewhat lower average levels necessary.

A Weed Compaction Roller System for Use with Mechanical Herbicide Application

Abstract We designed, constructed, and field-tested a versatile and unique weed compaction roller system that can be used with mechanical herbicide application for invasive weed control in tree plantations, agronomic settings, and areas where localized flora and fauna are in danger of elimination from the landscape. The weed compaction roller system combined with herbicide application generally had greater vegetation control compared with using only herbicide treatments or the unsprayed control. The roller system-herbicide treatment combination showed substantial total vegetation control two growing seasons after application without impacting diameter growth of the crop trees, which supports the need for less frequent entries into the field. The cost of the roller system was approximately $300.00.

Intermittent Employment Among Married Women: A Comparative Study of Buenos Aires and Mexico City

This study examines comparatively individual, household and labor market determinants of married women’s intermittent employment in Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Mexico City (Mexico). Using panel data from employment surveys and retrospective life histories, I found that intermittent employment (frequent entries into and exits out of the labor force) is very common among married women in the two cities and is not necessarily determined by changes in the life cycle. It is strongly associated with women’s level of education (and consequently their socioeconomic status), the employment stability of husbands, the types of jobs women have access to and with having young children at home. Although the incidence of intermittent employment is considerable high in both cities, it is higher in Mexico City. In Buenos Aires, it is mainly a consequence of the lack of affordable childcare and restricted labor demand, while in Mexico City it is more related to informal labor conditions and to traditional gender relations.

Twenty-four-hour pattern of growth hormone secretion in the rhesus monkey: studies including alterations of the sleep/wake and sleep stage cycles.

The 24-h pattern of GH secretion and its possible relation to the sleep/wake cycle and to sleep stages were studied in 12 male rhesus monkeys. Blood samples were drawn every 15 min for 96 h, 24 h, or shorter periods of time through chronic right atrial catheters which extended through the wall into the adjacent room. In addition, activity rating (daytime) and determination of sleep stages from electroencephalogram recordings (nighttime) were done. GH profiles were obtained during undisturbed conditions and during deprivation of nap, 5 h total sleep, slow wave sleep (SWS), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. GH secretion was episodic, with peak concentrations often exceeding 20 ngeq/ml and nadirs mostly below 1 ngeq/ml. Autocorrelation analysis demonstrated a circadian and an ultradian rhythm during undisturbed conditions. However, the cycle length of the ultradian rhythm showed large inter- and intraindividual variations (from 3--6 h). Neither cross-correlation analysis between hormonal and activity/electroencephalogram sleep stage time series nor results of deprivation experiments produced evidence for a link between nap phases, the sleep/wake cycle, or the SWS/REM sleep stage cycle on the one hand and the GH secretory pattern on the other hand. However, while SWS deprivation was highly effective, REM deprivation did not substantially reduce total REM sleep time due to frequent entries into abortive REM sleep epochs. During the daytime, there was no significant correlation between activity/arousal and GH, but during the night, there was a significant positive correlation between stage waking and GH. A direct or indirect synchronizing effect of the matutinal light change is suggested by the pattern of the 24-h curve of mean GH concentrations during undisturbed conditions: a steep increase from very low concentrations at light onset, followed by a succession of nadirs and peaks at approximately 4.5-h intervals. However, the nadirs became progressively more shallow until there was no apparent periodicity during the night due to the loss of synchronization. It is concluded that GH in the rhesus monkey shows a circadian and an ultradian periodicity. However, in contrast to man, sleep and SWS are not important determinators of the 24-h GH pattern.

The First Years of the Cold War

We rarely have an opportunity to study the intimate reactions of two members of the President's cabinet to a series of very recent and very important events. Both Speaking Frankly and The Forrestal Diaries cover about the same period—the period when the United States was slowly awakening to the realities of the postwar world—but they are very different in other respects. Secretary Byrnes' book was written to give a picture of the problems that he encountered during his tenure as Secretary of State and to express his considered views about policy for the future. The Diaries, on the other hand, were never intended for publication, and without connective matter supplied by the editor they would be merely a collection of memoranda of meetings and conversations, copies or summaries of documents prepared by other people, personal letters, and less frequent entries in which Mr. Forrestal recorded his own opinions or impressions.