bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Climate Change on Electricity Demand: A Case Study of Pakistan
Authors: Rafat Mahmood  , Sundus Saleemi  , Sajid Amin
Published: September 2018

The energy sector is sensitive to changing weather patterns and Pakistan is one of those countries where temperature rise induced by climate change is expected to be above the world average. In this backdrop the present study aims at finding the impact of climate change on electricity demand in Pakistan at the regional and national level. Using monthly data on temperatures to find heating and cooling degree days, the relationship between monthly electricity demand and temperature is explored which is then used to find the impact of projected climate change on electricity demand. The results suggest surging peak loads in summer season due to climatic effect which calls for capacity instalments over and above that needed to cater to rise in electricity demand attributable to economic growth. JEL Classification: Q47, Q54 Keywords: Energy, Climate Change, Electricity Demand, Degree Days, Pakistan
Does Happiness Adapt to Increase in Income? Evidence from Pakistan Socio-economic Survey (1998-2001)
Authors: Hamid Hasan
Published: September 2018

The fact that happiness does not increase as income increases over time [the Easterlin Paradox (1974)] has puzzled a number of scholars for a number of decades. The latest research on this topic [Easterlin, et al. (2010)] concludes that happiness increases with an increment in income in the short term but it adapts to this income increment in the long term. The objective of this research is to test whether happiness adapts to income increase in the short term using two-period panel Pakistan Socio-Economic Survey [PSES (1998-2001)]. The paper makes use of a unique question on happiness asked in PSES to resolve two issues simultaneously: unavailability of happiness question in period 1 and potential inconsistency of responses to general happiness question. The paper applies Random Effect Ordered Probit model to investigate the hedonic adaptation effect using various formulations used in the happiness economics literature. The results show positive and statistically significant impact of income change on happiness with weak evidence of adaptation to income since it is statistically insignificant. The result is consistent with the studies that show no adaptation during a short period. Among several reasons for hedonic adaptation, falling positive emotions and rising aspirations are discussed along with causes of happiness and policy implications. The significance of the present research lies in the fact that it is the first study in Pakistan that tests the hedonic adaptation to income and hence contributes to the evidence on happiness dynamics. JEL Classification: I31, D60, C25 Keywords: Happiness, Adaptation, Income, Panel Ordered Probit Model
The Nexus of Foreign Direct Investment, Economic Growth and Environment in Pakistan
Authors: Syed Sundus Raza  , Anwar Hussain
Published: September 2018

This paper estimate the impact of sectoral FDI on economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions in Pakistan. To this end, it uses time series secondary data from 1972 to 2011 and applies Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) models. The results showed that FDI inflows in manufacturing, transport, storage and communication sectors and energy consumption have positive effect on the GDP growth of Pakistan. Besides, FDI inflow in manufacturing, transport, storage and communication sector and population density are responsible for the CO2 emissions in Pakistan. The results also validate Environmental Kuznet Curves in both long and short run. JEL Classification: E2, O4, Q5 Keywords: Sectoral FDI, CO2 emissions, Environmental Kuznet Curves, Gross Domestic Product Growth
Impact of Macroeconomic Variables on Capital Structure Choice: A Case of Textile Industry of Pakistan
Authors: Zia Ur Rehman .
Published: September 2018

The financing decision of a firm is influenced by both internal (firm specific) and external (macroeconomic) factors. However, most of the empirical investigations have focus on internal factors whereas the impact of macroeconomic variables on capital structure decisions is somewhat under researched particularly in the context of developing countries. The aim of the study is to analyse the impact of macroeconomic variables on the capital structure decisions of all listed textile firms in Pakistan for the period 2004-2013. Panel data regression (fixed effects model) was used to estimate the effect of macroeconomic variables on capital structure. The findings of the study reveal that public debt, exchange rates and interest rates are negatively related whereas corporate taxes, stock market development, inflation rate and GDP growth rate are positively related with economic leverage. Moreover, the relationship of corporate taxes, stock market development and exchange rates is significant with the economic leverage. JEL Classification: E44, E52, E62, F31, G32 Keywords: Capital Structure, Interest Rates, Inflation, Public Debt, Exchange Rates, GDP Growth Rate, Stock Market Development, Pakistan
A Nexus Approach to Food, Water, and Energy: Sustainably Meeting Asia’s Future Food and Nutrition Requirements (Sarfraz K. Qureshi Memorial Lecture)
Authors: Shenggen Fan  , Shenggen Fan
Published: September 2018

Agricultural and food production systems in Asia must undergo a significant transformation in order to meet the concurrent challenges of increasing food, water, and energy demands amid on-going climate change. This is particularly true in countries in South Asia, including Pakistan, where hunger and undernutrition persist and natural resource are increasingly strained. Sustainable intensification with a focus on nutrition is particularly crucial to provide adequate and nutritious food for all without further damages to the planet. However, a silo approach to meeting the demands of a growing, increasingly urbanised, and wealthier population is no longer acceptable. Instead, capitalising on the inter sectoral linkages between food, water, and energy can more effectively minimise trade-offs and maximise synergies across concurrent efforts to improve water, energy, food, and nutrition security sustainably.
Spatial Disparities in Socioeconomic Development: The Case of Pakistan
Authors: Haroon Jamal
Published: September 2018

Rising spatial disparities in socioeconomic development is a major concern in developing economies. Regional inequality is a dimension of overall inequality, but it has added significance when spatial and regional divisions align with political and ethnic tensions to undermine social and political stability. This paper is an attempt to document the extent and nature of regional inequality in the level of socioeconomic development. Seventeen indicators related to human resources and standards of living are developed from the district representative household data of Pakistan Social and Living-Standard Measurement (PSLM) survey for the year 2012-13. Development Indicators, for the first time in Pakistan are also aggregated at sub-district level to incorporate the intra-district inequalities in the analysis of spatial disparities. The study provides provincial multidimensional Gini coefficients and district development ranking to evaluate inter and intra provincial disparities respectively in the selected dimensions of socioeconomic development with the help of Inequality-adjusted Socioeconomic Development Index (ISDI). JEL Classification: D63, I31 Keywords: Multidimensional Inequality, Inequality Adjusted Socioeconomic Development Index, Development Ranking, Pakistan
Impact of Farm Households’ Adaptations to Climate Change on Food Security: Evidence from Different Agro-ecologies of Pakistan
Authors: Munir Ahmad Gattoo  , Ghulam Mustafa  , Muhammad Iqbal
Published: September 2018

The study used data from 3298 food crop growers in Pakistan. Potential outcome treatment effects model was applied to evaluate the impact of adaptations on household food security. A household Food Security Index (FSI) was constructed applying Principle Component Analysis (PCA). Adaptation strategies employed by the farmers in response to climate change were categorised into four groups namely: changes in sowing time (C1); input intensification (C2); water and soil conservation (C3); and changes in varieties (C4). Out of 15 mutually exclusive combinations constructed for evaluation, only 7 combinations were considered for estimating the treatment effects models because of limited number of observations in other cases. Results of only two of the 7 are discussed in the paper, as the other 5 had very small number of adapters and the impact measures shown either insignificant results or had opposite signs. The first (C1234) combined all the four, while the second (C234) combined the last three strategies. The results suggest that the households which adapted to climate changes were statistically significantly more food secure as compared to those who did not adapt. The results further show that education of the male and female heads, livestock ownership, the structure of house—both bricked and having electricity facility, crops diversification, and non-farm income are among the factors, which raise the food security of farm households and their impacts are statistically significant. The variables which are significantly negatively associated with the food security levels include age of the head of household, food expenditure management, households having less than 12.5 acres of land— defined as marginal (cultivate 6.25 to 12.5 acres). Farmers of cotton-wheat, rice-wheat, and rain-fed cropping systems are found to be more food secure as compared to the farmers working in the mixed cropping systems where farm holdings are relatively small and high use of tube-well water adding to salinity of soils. It is crucial to invest in the development of agricultural technological packages, addressing issues of climate change relevant to different ecologies and farming systems; improve research-extension-farmer linkages; enhance farmers‘ access to new technologies; improve rural infrastructure; development of weather information system linking meteorological department, extension and farmers; and establishment of targeted food safety nets as well as farm subsidy programs for marginal farm households.
New Direction to Evaluate the Economic Impact of Peace for Bilateral Trade among World Economies
Authors: Saima Sarwar  , Muhammad Wasif Siddiqi  , Abdul Nasir Nasir  , Zahoor Ahmed
Published: September 2018

Earlier researchers have been working to relate globalisation, trade or free trade as an instrument for bringing peace and reducing conflict in the world. But this study attempts to open up a new debate that how social unrest in terms of lack of pace in nations leads to failure of economic policing and outcomes. In past, few researchers have tried to show peaceful environment as a generator for economic progress by building theoretical models, but limited empirical analysis has been conducted so far. This brings a novelty in the present study that for the first time a large set of data covering 155 nations has been used to explore the relationship between these two desired variables i.e. trade related variables and peace, in new direction and employing new indicators defining extent of peace in nations. Panel co-integration technique has been applied along with Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) models to know the parametric and non-parametric point estimates of variables. Data has been extracted from Economic Institute of Peace and World Bank for the time period 2008-2014. Results showed that lesser number of attacks are associated with more volume of trade among nations and better relations with neighbouring countries are linked positively with trade performance of nations. Nations involved more into hostility acts like conflicts are unable to maximise the benefits from bilateral trade. JEL Classification: F10, D74, L33, C23. Keywords: Globalisation, Trade, Conflict, Terrorism, Panel Model
From Fiscal Decentralisation to Economic Growt The Role of Complementary Institutions
Authors: Iftikhar Ahmad  , Muhammad Zeeshan Arif  , Mahmood Khalid
Published: September 2018

Decentralisation is theoretically expected to be a platform towards efficient provision of the local public goods and services. This is expected to boost economic growth due to efficient and effective utilisation of scarce fiscal resources. Nevertheless, the existing empirical studies present mixed results on this expected positive relationship among decentralisation and economic growth. Recently, the theories of fiscal federalism have also pressed upon the enabling environment for effective decentralisation; talking explicitly, an enabling institutional setup is required. The current study explores the complementarity between fiscal decentralisation and other institutions for stimulating growth and the study uses rich crosscountry panel data for the period 1984 to 2012, covering both the developing and developed countries of the world. The results suggest that positive relationship exist between fiscal decentralisation and economic growth for the developed countries while evidence was not found in the case of developing countries. Further, it was found that fiscal decentralisation and quality institutions are complementary for economic growth. JEL Classification: C22, H11, H77, O40 Keywords: Fiscal Decentralisation, Institutions, Economic Growth, Panel Data, unequally spaced panel data
Analysing Econometric Bias and Non-linearity in Returns to Education of Pakistan
Authors: Muhammad Nauman Malik  , Masood Sarwar Awan
Published: September 2018

This study estimates the returns to education while controlling endogeneity and sample selection biases in Pakistan, over a time period using Ordinary Least Square (OLS), simultaneous approach using both Heckman Sample Selection and Instrumental Variable, and Fixed Effect techniques. Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) data for 2004-05 and 2011-12 time periods have been used in this study. The returns to education have been found downward biased in OLS estimates for both time periods. The unbiased real returns to education have increased on average for wage workers over time period. Landholding and Non-earned income have been used as exclusion restrictions to control for sample selection bias in the Heckman Sample Selection technique. The endogeneity bias has been controlled for with the help of parental education as instrument in Instrumental Variable technique. Both techniques have also been used collectively or simultaneously to get more efficient estimate in simultaneous approach. Household Fixed Effect technique has also been used with the assumption that ability and family characteristics largely remain same within family or household. The increase in the unbiased and real returns to education shows that profitability still exists in investing in education whereas experience via skill enhancement reinforces this rise in wage. Sadly, the historic gender and regional discriminations persist or aggravate in wage market. Married persons are getting more in returns relative to the unmarried individuals. Having negative implications for income inequality, Convexity in education-earning relationship in Pakistan has been confirmed by Indicator Function technique for both time periods. Low education prompt low-earning workers who would be unable to bear the schooling cost of their children. This seriously inhibits earning potential making income inequality worse. JEL Classification: I26, I24, J24 Keywords: Returns to Education, Human Capital
Factors Influencing Choice of Energy Sources in Rural Pakistan
Authors: Muhammad Saad Moeen  , Asjad Tariq Sheikh  , Muhammad Saqib Shahzad Saleem  , Shehryar Rashid
Published: September 2018

Modernisation of the agricultural and industrial sectors in Pakistan over the last thirty years, increased village electrification, increasing use of energy appliances by domestic users, and the usage of modern technology in all sectors, caused energy demand to increase more rapidly than energy supply. Sources of energy vary between urban and rural populations, across income groups, and by type of households. Pakistanis consume energy from both modern and traditional sources for different purposes, such as lighting, cooking, heating, and transportation. Modern sources of energy include electricity, oil, gas and coal, while traditional sources consist of animal/plant residue (firewood, crop residue and animal waste). Using a multinomial logit regression model, this study analyses how rural households make choices among different energy alternatives. The results suggest that because of the limited access to modern energy sources, households rely on traditional sources excessively, which may have a negative impact not only on human and animal health but also on the environment. These results suggest that the conversion of traditional energy sources into modern ones, such as, biogas, use of energy efficient appliances, etc. can have a positive impact on the environment and sustainable economic growth. JEL Classification: R20, D11, Q43, Q42, Q5 Keywords: Rural, Households, Energy Consumption, Energy Sources, Environment
Impact of Public-Private-Partnership Programmes on Students’ Learning Outcomes: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment
Authors: Fatima Hafeez  , Adnan Haider  , Naeem Uz Zafar .
Published: September 2018

Learning outcomes refer to the performance of the students in academic tests pertaining to the respective grade level. In Pakistan, survey evidences from Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) show a significant dispersion in learning outcomes of public schools as compared with private sector counterpart. The perceived results of learning outcomes in private schools very clear but less evidence is found for educational outcome of schools run under public-private partnership programs. This becomes especially relevant when status of curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities is compared between public school, private schools, and schools run under public private partnership. In recent literature, it is found that schools taken up by public-private partnership have been providing a better learning environment—Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Development, Administrative changes, Academic Innovation and Planning, Teacher Reform and Student Affairs—is perceived to have a positive impact on learning outcomes. It is to investigate and document that the investments in these areas are justifiable. To promote this fact, we conduct a quasi-experiment to examine the profiles of students in a public-private partnership school at Karachi (running under Zindagi Trust program) and a public school (as counterfactual) in the same neighbourhood. We also recorded the household and socioeconomic characteristics to create a good set of control variables. The propensity-score results show that public-private school is performing better than that of comparison group in attaining learning outcomes thus showing positive effects of PPP. Finally, the study probed into household and parental covariates of student's educational outcomes to enhance internal validity of results. JEL Classification: I21, C21, L32. Keywords: Educational Learning Outcomes, Public-Private Partnership, Quasi-experiment.
JAWARA DALAM BUDAYA BANTEN (Studi Etnografi Komunikasi Mengenai Jawara di Banten)
Authors: Firdausi Indrianti Azhar
Published: September 2018

Jawara merupakan warisan budaya yang dikonstruksi sebagai bagian dari identitas masyarakat Banten. Dengan teoriInteraksi simbolik dimana ide-ide dasar dalam membentuk makna yang berasal dari pikiran manusia (mind), mengenai diri (self) dan hubungannya di tengah interaksi sosial dan tujuan akhir memediasi serta mengintrepretasi makna di tengah masyarakat (society) dimana individu itu menetap. Pendekatan kualitatif adalah prosedur penelitian yang menghasilkan data deskriptif berupa kata-kata tertulis atau lisan dari orangorang dan perilaku yang diamati. Sedangkan metode etnografi komunikasi digunakan untuk mengetahui pola-pola komunikasi kelompok yang diwakilkan oleh unit-unit etnografi komunikasi yaitu situasi, peristiwa dan tindakan. Melalui Metode Etnografi Komunikasi dengan tiga unit analisis yaitu situasi komunikasi, peristiwa komunikasi dan tindakan komunikasinya ditemukan citra negatif jawara pada mulanya merupakan pelabelan kepada orang-orang yang melakukan perlawanan terhadap kolonial, tidak sesuai dengan makna awalnya yaitu sebagai murid kiyai atau â€œtentarane Kiyaiâ€. Sebuah lingkaran interaksi dapat menggerakkan mereka yang didefinisikan berbeda atau menyimpang untuk berpikiran atau berperilaku seperti yang dituduhkannya itu dimana jawara lebih dikenal sebagai subkuktur kekerasan, hal iniÂ  bagian dari identitas budaya Banten menjadikan posisi dan peranan jawara di sangat tinggi dimana dalam proses komunikasinya mereka kebanyakan berinteraksi dengan simbol-simbol kejawaraannya.
PROPAGANDA HAK ANGKET DPR TERHADAP KPK (Analisis Propaganda dan Komunikasi Politik)
Authors: Kusuma Yopi Perdana
Published: September 2018

The investigation of the E-KTP case that dragged some members of DPR led to the formation of Pansus Hak Angket KPK. Instead of exploring information about the function of eradicating corruption, the formation of Pansus Hak Angket KPK is tend to be political propaganda in improving the image of DPR. This can be seen from how the using of vertical communication channel (especially through the mass media) rather than the horizontal communication channel. Moreover, the initial goal of Pansus Hak Angket KPK is to urge KPK to open a recording of the examination of Miryam Haryani who became a suspect in the case of E-KTP. This research uses qualitative methods to disquss the propaganda of DPR against KPK. With descriptive method, this research is to describe what and how propaganda DPR against KPK. From the various issues raised by Pansus Hak Angket KPK, it is seen how the formation of Pansus is irrelevant, because the existing problems can be solved through working meetings between DPR and KPK. Meanwhile, the communication channels tend to be more done vertically (especially through the mass media) rather than horizontally. In addition, DPR as a political communicator does not have adequate credibility in conducting propaganda against KPK. The public is also more confident of KPK rather than DPR. This research concludes that the formation of Pansus Hak Angket is full of political interests, became a political propaganda to improve the image of DPR and to strike down KPK rather than seeking truth or strengthening KPK.Â Keywords: Political Propaganda, DPR-RI, Hak Angket, KPK, Combating Corruption.
The Influence of Brand Equity Against Trust in Brand Users of Services Transportation Ojek Online Go-Jek
Authors: Saksono Eko Hari , Rahayunianto Arry
Published: September 2018

In its development today there are many companies ojek service provider online. Brand strength (Brand Equity) to benchmark a brand can survive in the middle of crowded product or not. Brand equity or brand equity is a set of brand assets and liabilities associated with a brand, name, symbol that is able to increase or decrease the value provided by a product or service both to the company and to the customer.Â But strengthening the brand is not easy, the company must have some assets that can complement the brand remains strong in the middle of market share. And there are many other factors that must be considered in maintaining consumer confidence in the product.The purpose of this research is to find out whether the strength of Brand (Brand Equity) affect the Trust in Brand consumers or users on the brand to use the service Transport Ojek Online Go-Jek. The theory which is the reference in the analysis is the Information-integration Theory approach.Â Information-integration for communicators centers on the way we accumulate and organize information about all people, objects, situations, and ideas that shape attitudes or a tendency to act in a positive or negative way. Research method that researcher use is survey method. Survey method is used to get data from a certain place that is natural, in collecting data, done by distributing questionnaires, test, interview, structured and so on.Â Â The analysis used by the researchers is regression analysis. Regression is intended to find the form of relationship of two variables or more in the form of a function or equation whereas correlation analysis aims to find the degree of closeness relationship two or more variables.
Azione del socio investitore contro la Banca
Authors: Mancuso Carlo
Published: September 2018

The author comments on a recent decision of the Court of Verona concerning the powers of the “court of businesses” in a case of purchase by an investor partner, of bonds convertible into shares of the bank. Starting from the case decided by the judgment in question, the discussion highlights some problematic aspects related to the different nature of the ordinary court and the court of businesses.
FUTBOLDA BAŞARIYI ETKİLEYEN FAKTÖRLER (TÜRKİYE SÜPER LİG TAKIMLARI ÜZERİNE AMPİRİK BİR ARAŞTIRMA)
Authors: AKGEYİK Tekin
Published: September 2018

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Türkiye Süper Ligi
örneklemi kapsamında takımların başarısını etkileyen faktörleri analiz
etmektir. Bu araştırma için kullanılan veri seti 23 takımı ve 792
maçı kapsamaktadır. Futbolda başarı ligde kazanılan toplam puanla ölçülmüştür. Regresyon
analizi sonuçları, maç başına şut sayısı, maç başına ceza sahası içinden şut
sayısı, maç başına adam geçme sayısı, sezon başına açık oyunda gol sayısı, sezon
başına kontratak oyunda gol sayısı ve sezon başına duran toplardan kazanılan
gol sayısı gibi performans göstergelerinin futbolda başarının açıklayıcı
değişkenleri olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca sezon başına görülen kırmızı kart sayısı
da takım performansının yordayıcısı olarak tespit edilmiştir. Buna karşılık,
bulgular, takımın finansal değerinin başarının açıklayıcı değişkeni olmadığına
işaret etmektedir. Tüm değişkenler bir arada futbol takımlarının başarısını
%89,8 oranında açıklayabilmektedir. İkinci olarak, korelasyon analizinin
sonuçları futbol başarısının; takımın finansal değeri, kırmızı kart sayısı,
açık oyunda gol sayısı, kontratak oyunda gol sayısı ve duran toptan kazanılan
gol sayısı değişkenleri ile istatistiki açıdan anlamlı ve pozitif yönlü
korelasyon ilişkisine sahip olduğunu göstermektedir. Buna karşılık takım
başarısı ile maç başına şut sayısı arasındaki korelasyon ilişkisi negatif
yönlüdür. Nihayet ANOVA analizleri finansal değer ve
açık oyunda gol sayısı değişkenleri açısından verilerin takımlar arasında
istatistikî olarak anlamlı şekilde farklılaştığına ortaya koymaktadır.
Physiopathologie des maladies humaines
Authors: Briganti Giovanni
Published: September 2018

Ce syllabus décrit la physiopathologie des principales maladies humaines ainsi que des bases d'anatomie et physiologie.
MANAJEMEN PEMASARAN PERGURUAN TINGGI SEBAGAI SALAH SATU KUNCI KEBERHASILAN DALAM MENGHADAPI PERSAINGAN
Authors: Maryadi
Published: September 2018

Nowdays the terms of effective and efficient are more often used in relation to tight competition pattens. Such as a competition also accurs in the education world. Collage are demanded to improve management system, teaching and learning process in order to be able to sustain, develop, and compete. As a non profit institution, collage are expected to make some breakthroughs and innovations to satisfy their consumers. The writer discusses some ideas how to improve school management to maximize the attainment of its educational objectives.
Instance theory predicts information theory: Episodic uncertainty as a determinant of keystroke dynamics
Authors: Crump Matthew John Charles , Lai Walter , Brosowsky Nicholaus
Published: September 2018

How does prior experience shape skilled performance in structured environments? We use skilled typing of natural text to evaluate correspondence between performance (keystroke timing) and structure in the environment (letter uncertainty). We had ~350 typists copy-type english text. We reproduced Ostry's (1983) analysis of interkeystroke interval as a function of letter position and word length, that showed prominent first-letter and mid-word slowing effects. We propose a novel account that letter position and word length effects on keystroke dynamics reflect informational uncertainty about letters in those locations, rather than resource limited planning/buffering processes. We computed positional uncertainty for letters in all positions of words from length one to nine using Google's n-gram database. We show that variance in inter-keystroke interval by letter position and word length tracks natural variation in letter uncertainty. Finally, we provide a model showing how a general learning and memory process could acquire sensitivity to patterns of letter uncertainty in natural english. In doing so, we draw an equivalence between Logan's (1988) instance theory of automatization and Shannon's measure of entropy (H) from information theory. Instance theory's predictions for automatization as a function of experience follow exactly the uncertainty in the choice set being automatized. As a result, instance theory stands as a general process model explaining how context-specific experiences in a structured environment tune skilled performance.
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation and emotional inhibition of return
Authors: Verkuil Bart , Burger Andreas Michael
Published: September 2018

People suffering from chronic worries pay excessive attention to emotional information. In this study we examined whether a reduced ability to inhibit attention from fearful faces (i.e. inhibition of return; IOR) can be attributed to the low vagus nerve activity observed in high worriers. Our pre-registered hypothesis was that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) would enhance IOR to fearful faces. Ninety-four students who scored above a pre-determined cut-off on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire were randomly allocated to receive either tVNS (n = 45) or sham stimulation of the earlobe (n = 49). Meanwhile, to assess IOR, they performed an emotional exogenous cueing task wherein neutral and fearful faces predicted the target location at chance level. Resting levels of HRV were also collected before stimulation onset. Results showed that levels of trait worry were associated with reduced IOR, but resting levels of HRV were not. Critically, tVNS did not affect performance on the exogenous cueing task when compared to sham stimulation. These findings did not confirm the hypothesized causal role of vagus nerve activity in maintaining disrupted IOR for emotional information. They also provide evidence that high levels of worry are associated with generally reduced IOR. This points to a clear need to understand the neurobiological basis of inhibitory problems in worriers.
Intact counterfactual emotion processing in autism spectrum disorder: Evidence from eye-tracking
Authors: Black Jo , Barzy Mahsa , Williams David , Ferguson Heather Jane
Published: September 2018

Counterfactual emotions, such as regret and relief, require an awareness of how things could have been different. We report a pre-registered experiment that examines the real-time understanding of counterfactual emotions in adults with and without ASD, based on research showing that the developmental trajectory of counterfactual thinking may be disrupted in people with ASD. Participants were eye-tracked as they read narratives in which a character made an explicit decision then subsequently experienced either a mildly negative or positive outcome. The final sentence in each story included an explicit remark about the character’s mood that was either consistent or inconsistent with the character’s expected feelings of regret or relief (e.g. “… she feels happy/annoyed about her decision.”). Results showed that adults with ASD are unimpaired in understanding emotions based on counterfactual reasoning, and in fact showed earlier sensitivity to inconsistencies within relief contexts compared to TD participants. This finding highlights a previously unknown strength in empathy and emotion processing in adults with ASD, which may have been masked in previous research that has typically relied on explicit, response-based measures to record emotional inferences, which are likely to be susceptible to demand characteristics and response biases. This study therefore highlights the value of employing implicit measures that provide insights on peoples’ immediate responses to emotional content without disrupting ongoing processing.
Review of "The Faces of God in America"
Authors: Lefrançois Frédéric
Published: September 2018

Review of the co-authored paper: Jackson JC, Hester, Gray K (2018) The faces of God in America: Revealing religious diversity across people and politics. PLoS ONE 13(6). -- The review looks into an original study opening interesting research perspectives on collective representations of God across the diverse sections of the American population (US).
Evaluating the Age-Energy Consumption Profile in Residential Buildings
Authors: Estiri Hossein , Zagheni Emilio
Published: September 2018

Age is an important proxy for many life course trajectories. The relationship between energy consumption and age is complex and understudied. We evaluated the existence and determinants of an age-energy consumption profile in the U.S. residential sector, using microdata from four waves of the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) in 1987, 1990, 2005, and 2009. We constructed pseudo cohorts from Bayesian generalized linear model estimates to draw micro-profiles for energy consumption across the life course. Overall, we found that residential energy consumption increases over the life course. Much of the increase in energy consumption is due to housing size. Variations in the age-energy consumption micro-profiles can be described by concave and convex functions. In contrast to previous research that suggested that population aging would reduce energy demand, our results indicate that changing population age structure could amplify residential energy demand.
Study The Anomaly Earth's Magnetic Field of The Area Located Between Kufa and Manathira in Najaf Province
Authors: F. Nori Abbas F. Nori
Published: September 2018

In this paper, the global model magnetic (WMM2010) was used to study the  anomaly Earth's magnetic field of the area between the center of Kufa city and the center of Manathira city in Najaf province (longitude 44.38o - 44.48o east longitude and latitude 32.01o - 32.92o north). In order to find the compounds Earth's magnetic field, a total components, horizontal component, angular inclination, gradient, North component, Eastern component and vertical component. (surfer 9.9) program was used. The results were drawn and compared with global maps. A mismatch was discovered between the graphs, with a slight abnormality in the vertical East. This indicates that a lack of contents of the region of the potential rocks that contain uranium are first found in phosphate rocks, geological breaking, or the presence of oil. This means the validity of this region for environmental perspective.
The Transgender Person in the 21st Century: Time for Clinicians of the World to Help!
Authors: Greydanus Donald E , Codde Jo
Published: September 2018

No Abstract.BJHS 2018, 3(2)6: 393-394.
Serum Amylase in Patients of Chronic Kidney Disease Stage Three to Stage Five
Authors: Pal Anusmriti , Mandal Laxman
Published: September 2018

Introduction: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive loss in renal function over period of many months or years. As compared to the past decades, the number of kidney diseases leading to end CKD is increasing in Nepal. The disease is associated with the decreased glomerular filtration rate (GFR). There is decline in nephron function and number generally quantitated as reduction in glomerular filtration rate. As the GFR declines, there is accumulation of metabolic end products excreted by Kidney. Chronic kidney disease is identified by blood tests, creatinine and urea are two such substances routinely measured. Serum amylase is a pancreatic digestive enzyme that normally acts extracellular to cleave starch into smaller carbohydrate groups and, finally, into monosaccharide's. It is produced by 40-45% from the pancreas and (45%) reabsorbed by tubular cells. Elevations in serum total amylase among patients with CKD is due to impaired renal clearance and seen mostly when the creatinine clearance is below 50 ml/min. Several studies have been reported on this but there are no studies that have been done so far in Nepalese context.Objectives: This study is designed to correlate serum amylase with CKD stage three to stage five in patients of chronic renal disease irrespective of hemodialysis and prevalence of risk factors of CKD and different factors that may affect the level of serum amylase in patients presenting to Bir Hospital Nephrology department, Nepal.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive, hospital based carried out in Nephrology Unit of Bir hospital both inpatient or outpatient irrespective of hemodialysis from March 2014 to March 2015. Patients with increased serum amylase due to acute Pancreatitis, Mumps, Intestinal Obstruction, Peptic Ulcer, Cancer, other than renal cause were excluded. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 11 and Microsoft Excel by correlation coefficient. Result: Present study shows that among 126 patients, the prevalence of age group was from 15 years to 78 years with majority being male. The serum amylase levels were significantly higher in Chronic Kidney Disease Stage V with significant p-value. At 80-100 Serum Amylase level had strong correlation of 0.504 for CKD III stage and significant at 10 percent level. The correlation between CKD IV at 80-100 was significant at 10 percent but weak of 0.189. Whereas, CKD V was highly significant but negative at more than 161 Serum Amylase.Conclusion: From the study it was concluded that in Chronic Kidney Disease, Serum amylase was found to be higher as the eGFR decreases. BJHS 2018;3(2)6:403-407.
Efficacy of Physiotherapy in Improving the Range of Motion of Elbow after the Treatment of Pediatric Supracondylar Humeral Fracture
Authors: Jha Subash Chandra , Shakya Prakash , Baral Pramod
Published: September 2018

Introduction: Temporary stiffness of elbow range of motion (ROM) after treatment of supracondylar humeral fracture in children is often a parental concern.Objectives: We examined the role of physiotherapy in improving the elbow ROM in management of supracondylar humeral fracture in children.Methodology: Sixty-four patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. Then intervention group patients received regular physiotherapy sessions while control group patients were not sent for physiotherapy. We assessed the outcome according to Flynn criteria during their follow-ups at two, six and 12 weeks, after removal of cast/k-wires.Results: In intervention group, 77.4% children had excellent outcome, and in control group, 80.6% children had excellent outcome. However, we did not find any statistically significant association between physiotherapy and outcome at 12 weeks, after controlling for baseline characteristics in multivariable regression model.Conclusion: Children managed by close reduction for uncomplicated supracondylar humeral fracture with immobilization for three weeks regain their functional ROM within 12 weeks of mobilization by themselves, with no added benefit from physiotherapy.BJHS 2018;3(2)6: 432-436.
Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Infection Control and Standard Precautions among Healthcare Workers of Rural Nepal
Authors: Rajbhandari Ajay Kumar , Sagtani Reshu Agrawal , Thapa Bijay , Adhikari Puspanjali
Published: September 2018

Introduction: A healthcare associated infection (HCAI) during patient care is an emerging challenge to healthcare service delivery. Transmission of most of these HCAIs can be prevented through application of standard precautions which are a set of infection control practices followed during patient care, whether or not they appear infectious or symptomatic.Objective: This study aims to assess the existing knowledge and attitude on infection control and standard precautions among healthcare personnel working in peripheral healthcare settings of Nepal.Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study and included nine different health facilities in Makwanpur district. Knowledge and attitude regarding infection control and standard precautions were assessed with the help of a self-administered questionnaire on a pre-determined scale. The results are presented as frequency distribution table and valid proportions.Results: In the study, 91.9% of the HCWs agreed that HCAI is caused by micro-organisms that can be transmitted between patients while 51.5% of them disagreed that HCAI can be caused by micro-organisms carried on the hands of healthcare workers. Majority (98.6%) of the HCWs believed that the use of gloves, mask and apron reduces the risk of HCAI whereas 13.5% of HCWs disagreed that gloves should be changed between the examination of different patients. Although 97% of the HCWs agreed that hand should be washed before and after examining the patient, 17.6% of them informed that they do not always wash their hands before and after examining a patient.Conclusion: Irrespective of limited availability of infection control guidelines, it was found that the knowledge on HCAI control was good and majority of the respondents showed favorable attitude towards infection control and standard precautions.  BJHS 2018;3(2)6: 453-457.
The Effect of Single Bout of Acute Exercise on Working Memory Performance
Authors: Deo Santosh Kumar , Agrawal Kopila , Bhattrai Prem , Chaudhary Raju Kumar
Published: September 2018

Introduction: Working memory is a kind of short term memory important for reasoning and guiding decision-making and behavioral process.Objective: The goal of the present research was to study the outcome of single bout of acute moderate-intensity exercise on working memory.Methodology: Twenty two male subjects were asked to perform working memory task by 2n back task in baseline resting, immediately after exercise and after five minute of exercise session. 3 minute step test procedure was used as a moderate intensity exercise intervention.Results: The percentage correctness of 2n back task of working memory was found to be 64.36% for baseline resting condition, 78.01 % for immediately after 3-minute step test and 80.70% for 5 minute after the exercise. In both exercise session (i.e. immediately after exercise and after 5 minute of exercise), significant improvement (p value <0.05) in working memory was seen as compared to the baseline resting session while no such significant beneficial improvement was seen when compared between immediately after exercise and after 5 minute of exercise.Conclusion: Improvement in working memory after moderate exercise intervention was seen, which is important for learning and memory and decision-making.  BJHS 2018;3(2)6:484-487.
Export of medicinal and aromatic plant materials from Nepal
Authors: Ghimire Suresh K. , Awasthi Bandana , Rana Santhosh , Rana Hum Kala , Bhattarai Rameshwar , Pyakurel Dipesh
Published: September 2018

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been identified as one of the potential high value commodities in Nepal with huge prospects for economic development. However, data about MAP consumption, volumes of trade and levels of demand are inadequate. In Nepal, there is a general lack of reliable trade data that constrains the estimation of total amount of MAPs in trade. This study aims to assess current trends in volume and value of MAP commodities exported from Nepal and identify the major destination countries. We mainly used formal trade data of Nepalese MAP products over the last 10 years (2005 to 2014) from the repository of UN COMTRADE database accessed via TRADE MAP. Results indicated that the export value of MAP products increased from USD 27.49 million in 2005 to USD 60.09 million in 2014 (mean for the last 10 years being USD 39.34 million) and this increment is primarily due to increase in price, as the trade volume follows decreasing trend over the same periods. The average annual export amount of Nepalese MAP products for the last 10 years has been calculated to be 13.23 thousand tons (range 10.77–20.25 thousand tons). The rise in export value of MAP products indicates increasing demand of MAPs globally. Nepalese MAP commodities were exported to almost 50 destinations. In terms of volume, India has been the major importer of MAP materials all these years. However, China stood top among the countries sharing high value to Nepalese MAP trade. The trade statistics show that, for the total trade value considering the MAP materials at broad category, the export of products (e.g., spices and flavors) other than listed in HS code 1211 should also be considered for appropriate valuation. Despite the decrease in trade amount, spices and flavors have fetched a gradually increasing price per unit volume which is apparent by the fact that these herbs have ever increasing market demand. Nepal can reap maximum benefit from growing international demand of MAPs given that Government impose strict check in borders to minimize the underestimation, train concerned authorities in proper identification of MAPs products and help to develop species-specific 8- and 10-digit HS Codes for proper documentation of imports and exports of MAPs products.Botanica Orientalis – Journal of Plant Science (2016) 10: 24–32
Analysis of Green Marketing Tools towards Consumer Purchase Intention in Kathmandu
Authors: Shrestha Shulov
Published: September 2018

The main purpose of this study is to examine the impact of green marketing tools on product choice and how green initiatives influence purchase intention of consumers. The research also attempts to examine the relationship between age, income, education, and occupation with consumer purchase intention in association with green marketing tools. The study is descriptive in nature and focuses on hypothesis testing using structured questionnaire and interview. Structured questionnaire is used to collect primary data from a sample size of 120 respondents focusing on employed, self-employed, students and homemakers. These groups are assumed to represent green purchase in today’s society. However, opinions of marketing professionals have also been considered. The survey population represents the people who go for shopping; data have also been collected from the point of purchase. Green purchase intention was seen to be incremental considering the increase in the level of education of individuals. Green marketing tools i.e., environmental belief, green packaging, green branding, green advertisement, green labelling has been taken into account to observe its significance towards consumer purchase intention. Likert scale questions with five-scalerating were used to do the hypothesis testing. The questions included statements in conjunction with the measure of green marketing tool’s influence over consumer purchase intention. The research revealed that green marketing tools played a significant role in inducing a positive purchase intention towards green products. While there exists growing preference towards green products, price plays a major role in product purchase.

Journal of Business and Social Sciences Research, Vol. 1, Issue 1, pp. 37-57