bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical Analysis on Shear Strength Parameter from Index Properties of Fine-grained Soils
Authors: Bakala Tariku Tafari , Quezon Emer Tucay , Yasin Mohammed
Published: March 2021

Shear strength is the essential engineering property of soil required to analyze and design foundations, retaining walls, bridges, embankment, and related infrastructure. The laboratory equipment and field instruments are not sufficient in developing countries to obtain soil engineering properties, especially strength properties. Thus, Geotechnical engineers usually endeavor to develop statistical models that best fit a particular area and soil type, especially for analysis and design purposes. In this research, a Statistical Analysis on the Shear Strength parameter from the Index Properties of Fine-Grained Soils was studied. For predicting the undrained shear strength parameter, single linear regression (SLR) and multiple linear regressions (MLR) analyses were developed. To develop the intended statistical models for a study, SAS JMP Pro 13, SPSS v22, and Microsoft Excel-2013 software were introduced. The results of a study indicated that undrained shear strength(Cu) was significantly correlated with liquid limit(LL), plastic limit(PL), bulk density (ρbulk), dry density(ρdry), natural moisture content(NMC), and plasticity index(PI). While it was not significantly correlated with a specific gravity (Gs) and liquidity index (LI) of study area soil. Finally, a strong Model of Cu with a coefficient of determination (R2 = 0.806), good significance level, and less Std. error was obtained from multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis. The developed model can figure undrained shear strength parameter and wide application in the construction industry to minimize the cost, effort, and time for laboratory tests of shear strength parameter of a study area.
FaceIDP: Face-IDentification Privacy under theCompressed Sensing Framework
Authors: Ou Lu , Liao Shaolin , Qin Zheng , Hong Yuan , Zhang Dafang
Published: March 2021

In FaceID era, large number of facial images could be used to breach the FaceID system, which demands effective FaceID privacy protection of the facial images for widespread adoption of FaceID technique. In this paper, to our best knowledge, we take the first step to systematically study such important FaceID privacy issue, under the framework of Compressed Sensing (CS) for fast facial image transmission. Specifically, we develop the Face-IDentification Privacy (FaceIDP) approach to protect the facial images from being used by the adversary to breach some FaceID system. First, a Dictionary Learning neural Network (DLNet) has been developed and trained with facial images database, to learn the common dictionary basis of the facial image database. Then, the encoding coefficients of the facial images are obtained. After that, the sanitizing noise is added to the encoding coefficients, which obfuscates the FaceID feature vector that is used to identify the FaceID. We have also proved that the FaceIDP is $\varepsilon$-differentially private. More importantly, optimal noise scale parameters have been obtained via the Lagrange Multiplier (LM) method to achieve better data utility for a given privacy budget $\varepsilon$. Finally, substantial experiments have been conducted to validate the efficiency of the FaceIDP with two real-life facial image databases, i.e., the LFW (Labeled Faces in the Wild) database and the PubFig database, and the results show that it outperforms other commonly used Differential Privacy (DP) approaches.
Cooperation and Trust Across Societies During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Romano Angelo , Spadaro Giuliana , Balliet Daniel , Joireman Jeff , Van Lissa Caspar J. , Jin Shuxian , Agostini Maximilian , Belanger Jocelyn , Gutzkow Ben , Kreienkamp Jannis , team PsyCorona , Leander Pontus
Published: March 2021

Cross-societal differences in cooperation and trust among strangers in the provision of public goods may be key to understanding how societies are managing the COVID-19 pandemic. We report a survey conducted across 41 societies between March and May 2020 (N = 34,526), and test pre-registered hypotheses about how cross-societal differences in cooperation and trust relate to prosocial COVID-19 responses (e.g., social distancing), stringency of policies, and support for behavioral regulations (e.g., mandatory quarantine). We further tested whether cross-societal variation in institutions and ecologies theorized to impact cooperation were associated with prosocial COVID-19 responses, including institutional quality, religiosity, and historical prevalence of pathogens. We found substantial variation across societies in prosocial COVID-19 responses, stringency of policies, and support for behavioral regulation. However, we found no consistent evidence to support the idea that cross-societal variation in cooperation and trust among strangers is associated with these outcomes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. These results were replicated with another independent cross-cultural COVID-19 dataset (N = 112,136), and in both snowball and representative samples. We discuss implications of our results, including challenging the assumption that managing the COVID-19 pandemic across societies is best modelled as a public goods dilemma.
Primary visual cortex is necessary for blindsight-like behavior in neurologically healthy individuals: Review of transcranial magnetic stimulation studies
Authors: Railo Henry , Hurme Mikko
Published: March 2021

The visual pathways that bypass the primary visual cortex (V1) are often assumed to support visually guided behavior in humans in the absence of conscious vision. This conclusion is largely based on findings on patients: V1 lesions cause blindness but sometimes leave some visually guided behaviors intact—this is known as blindsight. With the aim of examining how well the findings on blindsight patients generalize to neurologically healthy individuals, we review studies which have tried to uncover transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induced blindsight. In general, these studies have failed to demonstrate a completely unconscious blindsight-like capacity in neurologically healthy individuals. A possible exception to this is TMS-induced blindsight of stimulus presence or location. Because blindsight in patients is often associated with some form of introspective access to the visual stimulus, and may be associated with neural reorganization, we suggest that rather than revealing a dissociation between neural mechanisms of behavior and conscious seeing, blindsight may reflect preservation or partial recovery of conscious visual perception after the lesion.
Timing Matters! Explaining Between Study Phases Enhances Students’ Learning
Authors: Lachner Andreas , Backfisch Iris , Hoogerheide Vincent , van Gog Tamara , Renkl Alexander
Published: March 2021

Previous research has shown that explaining is an effective activity to enhance learning. In prior studies, students were instructed to explain the contents after completing an entire learning phase. Explaining at the end of a learning phase, however, may be less apt to support comprehension monitoring and subsequent regulation activities. In two experiments, we investigated whether explaining in earlier phases of studying (i.e., in-between explaining) would foster learning more than explaining after the entire study phase (i.e., after-study explaining). In Experiment 1, university students (N = 91) read a text about combustion engines and either explained the contents between the study phases or at the end of the entire study phase. A third group recalled the learning contents aloud at the end of the study phase to control for retrieval-processes that may also be involved in explaining. Results showed no overall effect of explaining in comparison to retrieval practice. However, in-between explaining enhanced students’ conceptual knowledge as compared to after-study explaining. Verbal protocol analyses showed that this effect was due to students’ increased monitoring. Experiment 2 (N = 126), had a 2×2-factorial design with between-subjects factors timing (in-between versus after-study) and learning activity (explaining versus written retrieval practice). We found a cascaded trend: In-between learning activities were more effective than after-study learning activities, whereas explaining was more effective than written retrieval practice. These findings suggest that the timing of learning activities is crucial to improve learning. Additionally, our findings reveal that explaining is not simply a result of retrieval practice.
Promoting youth mental health during COVID-19: A Longitudinal Study spanning pre- and post-pandemic
Authors: Rosen Maya L. , Rodman Alexandra M , Kasparek Steven William , Mayes Makeda , Freeman Malila M. , Lengua Liliana , Meltzoff Andrew N. , McLaughlin Katie A
Published: March 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced novel stressors into the lives of youth. Identifying factors that protect against the onset of psychopathology in the face of these stressors is critical. We examine a wide range of factors that may protect youth from developing psychopathology during the pandemic. We assessed pandemic-related stressors, internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, and potential protective factors by combining two longitudinal samples of children and adolescents (N=224, 7-10 and 13-15 years) assessed prior to the pandemic, during the stay-at-home orders, and six months later. We evaluated how family behaviors during the stay-at-home orders were related to changes in psychopathology during the pandemic, identified factors that moderate the association of pandemic-related stressors with psychopathology, and determined whether associations varied by age. Internalizing and externalizing psychopathology increased substantially during the pandemic. Higher exposure to pandemic-related stressors was associated with increases in internalizing and externalizing symptoms early in the pandemic and six months later. Having a structured routine, less passive screen time, lower exposure to news media about the pandemic, and to a lesser extent more time in nature and getting adequate sleep were associated with reduced psychopathology. The association between pandemic-related stressors and psychopathology was reduced for youths with limited passive screen time and was absent for children, but not adolescents, with lower news media consumption related to the pandemic. We provide insight into simple, practical steps families can take to promote resilience against mental health problems in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic and protect against psychopathology following pandemic-related stressors.
Testing theories with Bayes factors
Authors: Dienes Zoltan
Published: March 2021

Bayes factors are a useful tool for researchers in the behavioural and social sciences, partly because they can provide evidence for no effect relative to the sort of effect expected. By contrast, a non-significant result does not provide evidence for the H0 tested. So, if non-significance does not in itself count against any theory predicting an effect, how could a theory fail a test? Bayes factors provide a measure of evidence from first principles. A severe test is one that is likely to obtain evidence against a theory if it were false; that is, to obtain an extreme Bayes factor against the theory. Bayes factors show why hacking and cherry picking degrade evidence; how to deal with multiple testing situations; and how optional stopping is consistent with severe testing. Further, informed Bayes factors can be used to link theory tightly to how that theory is tested, so that the measured evidence does relate to the theory.
Behavioral consistency in the digital age
Authors: Shaw Heather , Taylor Paul , Ellis David Alexander , Conchie Stacey
Published: March 2021

Efforts to infer personality from digital footprints have focused on behavioral stability at the trait level without considering situational dependency. We repeat Shoda, Mischel, and Wright’s (1994) classic study of intraindividual consistency with data on 28,692 days of smartphone usage by 780 people. Using per app measures of ‘pickup’ frequency and usage duration, we found that profiles of daily smartphone usage were significantly more consistent when taken from the same user than from different users (d > 1.46). Random forest models trained on 6 days of behavior identified each of the 780 users in test data with 35.8% / 38.5% (pickup / duration) accuracy. This increased to 73.5% / 75.3% when success was taken as the user appearing in the top 10 predictions (i.e., top 1%). Thus, situation-dependent stability in behavior is present in our digital lives and its uniqueness provides both opportunities and risks to privacy.
Disorder Agnostic Network Structure of Psychopathology Symptoms in Youth
Authors: Wang Emily , Reardon Brandy , Cherian Benjamin , George Wales T. , Xavier Rose Mary
Published: March 2021

Background: Youth mental health disorders are strong predictors of adult mental health disorders. Early identification of mental health disorders in youth is important as it could aid early intervention and prevention. In a disorder agnostic manner, we aimed to identify influential psychopathology symptoms that could impact mental health in youth.Methods: This study sampled 6,063 participants from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort and comprised of youth of ages 12-21 years. A mixed graphical model was used to estimate the network structure of 115 symptoms corresponding to 16 psychopathology domains. Importance of individual symptoms in the network were assessed using node influence measures such as strength centrality and predictability.Results: The generated network had stronger associations between symptoms within a psychopathological domain; overall had no negative associations. A conduct disorder symptom eliciting threatening others and a depression symptom - persistent sadness or depressed mood - had the greatest strength centralities (𝛽 = 2.85). Fear of traveling in a car and compulsively going in and out a door had the largest predictability (classification accuracy = 0.99). Conduct disorder, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms generally had the largest strength centralities. Suicidal thoughts had the largest bridge strength centrality (𝛽 = 2.85). Subgroup networks revealed that network structure differed by socioeconomic status (low versus high, p = 0.04) and network connectivity patterns differed by sex (p = 0.01), but not for age or race. Conclusions: Psychopathology symptom networks offer insights that could be leveraged for early identification, intervention, and possibly prevention of mental health disorders.
An ordinal model for analysis of years of education
Authors: Domingue Benjamin , Kanopka Klint , Trejo Sam , Freese Jeremy
Published: March 2021

Years of education is a commonly used outcome variable in many lifecourse studies. We argue that such studies may derive additional insights from analysis of years of education as an ordinal rather than continuous outcome. The conservative approach that we advocate for---the cumulative link model---produces estimates with acceptable properties when not the true model unlike the standard linear model, which experiences failures when inappropriately used. We illustrate this via simulation. In particular, studies of interactions can yield high levels of false discovery when the linear model is used for analysis of data from the cumulative link model; the cumulative link model avoids this problem. Further, estimates from the cumulative link model can be tested to determine whether the linear model is appropriate. We use empirical data to illustrate additional insights that are readily derived from application of the ordinal model and offer a suggested workflow for future analysis.
Investigation of the Language Usage of Hmong Ethnic People in the Northwest (Tây Bắc) Region of Vietnam - A Case Study in Bắc Yên, Sơn La province
Authors: Nguyen Trung Kien
Published: March 2021

The linguistics research in general and in particular, sociolinguistic study of ethnic minorities in Vietnam is a fascinating topic, but is also a very complicated subject in term of some typical reasons. The complication of the subject is originated from the objective reasons such as natural conditions, social and economic conditions and some other subjective reasons which belong to subjective of languages-the ethnic minorities. Hence, when considering the language scenarios of the ethnic minorities in general and the status of using language of ethnic people in particular, the selection of research subject and survey area are very important. Discussing on this subject, author Van Khang Nguyen in his work “Social linguistics” has speculated that: “first of all, one can see that the key point of the perception when investigating language from the perspective of sociolinguistics is the sociability and the variability of language.” The birth of language is the development need of human society and the development of the human society leads to the development of language which aims to meet the need of communication. Therefore, when studying language, the sociolinguistics always set the relationship between social transformations with the language usage. In our case study, the Hmong people in Bắc Yên district is an ethnic group with many typical characteristics for Hmong in Sơn La province as well as in the Northwest region of Vietnam. Currently, the language of Hmong people in Bắc Yên raises quite topical questions. For example, it is important to understand how Hmong people use their native language, national language and foreign language at the same time in their daily activities. How do Hmong people use Hmong writing system in their communication situation? What is their attitude with their language? The above-mentioned questions urged us to carry out a case study on the language usage status of Hmong people in the Northwest Vietnam.
Disrespectful Maternity Care: Labor Room Violence in Government Health Facilities in India
Authors: Pant Lovey , Khalid Nazar , Sharma Kanika , Srivastav Nikhil
Published: March 2021

The government of India endeavors to enhance the satisfaction of beneficiaries by ensuring ‘Respectful Maternity Care’ (RMC) at public health facilities. However, through observations in public hospitals in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, we document widespread mistreatment of pregnant women. We found that women were subjected to different extensive verbal and physical violence. They were also humiliated for their fertility choices and had intrauterine devices (IUDs) inserted without their full knowledge and consent. A target driven approach towards contraception and population control, staff’s burn-out from too many patients and long shifts, the lack of knowledge among staff on how to deal with the legitimate stress of a life and death situation, and a highly unequal society where it is socially acceptable to victimize low-ranking people, collectively contribute to different forms of violence against pregnant women in delivery rooms in India.
Interdisciplinary Research Methodologies in Engineering Education Research
Authors: Reynolds David , Dacre Nicholas
Published: March 2021

As Engineering Education Research (EER) develops as a discipline it is necessary for EER scholars to contribute to the development of learning theory rather than simply being informed by it. It has been suggested that to do this effectively will require partnerships between Engineering scholars and psychologists, education researchers, including other social scientists. The formation of such partnerships is particularly important when considering the introduction of business-related skills into engineering curriculum designed to prepare 21st Century Engineering Students for workplace challenges. In order to encourage scholars beyond Engineering to engage with EER, it is necessary to provide an introduction to the complexities of EER.With this aim in mind, this paper provides an outline review of what is considered ‘rigorous’ research from an EER perspective as well as highlighting some of the core methodological traditions of EER. The paper aims to facilitate further discussion between EER scholars and researchers from other disciplines, ultimately leading to future collaboration on innovative and rigorous EER.
Population Studies at 75 Years: An empirical review
Authors: Mills Melinda C. , Rahal Charles
Published: March 2021

Population Studies advances research on fertility, mortality, family, migration, methods, policy and beyond, yet we lack a rigorous review. We examine all papers (N=1,901) and authors (N=3,267) between 1947-2020, employing natural language processing, social network analysis, and mixed-methods which combine unsupervised machine learning with qualitative coders. After a brief history, we map the evolution in authorship and articles to shorter, multi-authored articles, with 34% female authorship and skewed gender ratios across topics. Most examine fertility, mortality and family, studying groups and change, but topics change over time. Children are rarely studied and if so, in relation to infant mortality or parental sex-preferences. Research on women focuses on family planning, contraception, fertility decline, and unions, whereas men’s domains are migration, historical demography (war, famine) and employment. Research on Africa and Asia focuses on family planning, with fertility decline concentrated in North America and Europe. Our results identify future directions for research.
Urban productivity and affordable rental housing supply in Australian cities and regions
Authors: Gurran Nicole , Hulse Kath , Dodson Jago , Pill Madeleine , Dowling Robyn , reynolds margaret , Maalsen Sophia
Published: March 2021

This study examined relationships between urban productivity and affordable rental housing, focusing particularly on the location and availability of affordable rental housing relative to employment and labour markets in Australia’s capital cities and satellite cities.
Strengthening the Marine Defense Strategy of Lanal Banten Area through Empowerment of the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Sunda Strait
Authors: Rachmad Mohamad , Suhirwan  , Zaini Ansori , Bangun Ernalem , Prakos Lukman Yudho , R. Deni Dadang A. , Sianturi Dohar
Published: March 2021

Indonesia as an archipelagic country is gifted by God with a geographical location between two continents and also two oceans, making Indonesia's position very strategic. In accordance with UNCLOS 1982, as an archipelagic country, Indonesia has an obligation to provide a shipping route called ALKI (Indonesian Archipelago Sea Channel). ALKI 1 stretches from the Malacca Strait to the Sunda Strait. The Sunda Strait as one of the busy shipping lanes is vulnerable to various forms of threats. To ensure the safety of shipping in the Sunda Strait, the TSS of the Sunda Strait is designated as a shipping lane separating channel. With the determination of the TSS of the Sunda Strait, shipping using the Sunda Strait will be increasingly crowded, this will pose an even greater threat. The purpose of this study was to analyze the strengthening of the marine defense strategy in the Sunda Strait carried out by Lanal Banten by utilizing the TSS of the Sunda Strait. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative research using the theory of policy implementation from Van Meter Van Horn and strategy theory from Lykke. The results of the study indicate that the lack of facilities and infrastructure and the absence of a special operation carried out by the Indonesian Navy to secure the Sunda Strait, so that the implementation of strengthening the marine defense strategy in the Sunda Strait has not been optimal. There needs to be support for facilities and infrastructure as well as support for special operations in the Sunda Strait to strengthen the maritime defense strategy in the Sunda Strait and the participation of the people around the Sunda Strait.
The effects of exercise on bone mineral density in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Hamilton Blair Rose , Staines Katherine , Kelley George A , Kelley Kristi , Kohrt Wendy , Pitsiladis Yannis , Guppy Fergus Michael
Published: March 2021

Objective The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to provide an updated analysis, including the use of more robust methods, on the effects of exercise on bone mineral density in men.Methods: Randomised Control Trials of >24 weeks and published in English up to 01/05/20 were retrieved from 3 electronic databases, cross-referencing, and expert review. The primary outcome measures were changes in FN, LS, and lower limb BMD Standardised effect sizes were calculated from each study and pooled using the inverse heterogeneity model. Results: A statistically significant benefit of exercise was observed on FN BMD (g = 0.21 [0.03, 0.40], Z = 2.23 p = 0.03), with no observed statistically significant benefit of exercise on LS BMD (g = 0.10 [-0.07, 0.26], Z = 1.15 p = 0.25). Conclusion: This analysis provided additional evidence to recommend ground- and/or joint-reaction force exercises for improving or maintaining FN, but not LS BMD. Additional well-designed RCTs are unlikely to alter this evidence, although interventions that include activities that directly load the lumbar spine are needed to ensure this is not a potential method of improving LS BMD. PROSPERO Registration number: CRD420201804
ANOTASI METODELOGI PENELITIAN KUALITATIF JOHN W. CRESWELL
Authors: JUNAIDI JUNAIDI
Published: March 2021

Penelitian Kualitatif ditemukan pertama edisi ke-3, Creswell menyajikan pendekatan dalam penelitian kualitatif yang diuraikan pada lima penyajian didalamnya. Dengan landasan teoritis dan aplikasi penggunaan penelitian kualitatif didalamnya. Lima pendekatan itu merupakan naratif, fenomenologi, grounded theory, etnografy dan studi kasus. Dalam pendekatan ini mendefinisikan serangkaian peristiwa yang berkaitan dengan pengalaman manusia. Tinjauan pada isi tidak membahas dalam perbab bahasan tetapi secara menyeluruh dari penyajian pendekatan kualitatif yang dilakukan, pada pendekatan pertama itu pada prosuder studi naratif yang biasanya berupa penceritaan kembali terkait progresif dan regresif dalam pengumpulan data melalui wawancara dan observasi.
Multi-actor Challenges for Development and Implementation of Sustainable Mobility in Rural Areas in the Netherlands
Authors: Wierenga Synthia Winnie Maria
Published: March 2021

The transition to sustainable transportation is challenging for governments, transport operators and travellers (Liu, Yu, Trisha, & Beimborn, 2020). In this research, the challenges for development and implementation of sustainable mobility have been researched from a multi-actor perspective for the rural area. This thesis's overall research objective is: to identify the challenges and opportunities of the transition towards sustainable mobility in Dutch rural areas from a multi-actor perspective. The study area of this research is the Achterhoek. Multiple methods are used to conduct this research. A literature study was conducted into travel behaviour, sustainable transport, rural mobility, and multiple actors' role in the transition of sustainable mobility. Subsequently, an analysis was carried out of OViN and ODiN data (Onderzoek Verplaatsingen in Nederland, CBS) in which travel behaviour, motives and transport choices were presented. Besides, a survey was conducted among respondents living in the Achterhoek (N = 399). A policy analysis at the national, provincial, and regional level has been carried out concerning (sustainable) transport and mobility to gain insight into the government’s and transport operator's perspective. In-depth interviews were held with various actors in the area: the province, municipality, 8RHK (semi-government), entrepreneurs and transport operators.With a cooperative structure, actors aim at realising sustainable mobility. However, current policies focus on the provision of sustainable transportation instead of focusing on sustainable mobility, without a complete understanding of the needs, opportunities, and abilities of the travellers and the actors' goals. This is an important finding in understanding the challenges regarding developing and implementing sustainable mobility in rural areas. Therefore, for establishing sustainable mobility, an approach that emphasized changing travel behaviour for specific traveller groups will be more successful (Ahmed et al., 2020; Hamidi & Zhao, 2020; Zhang & Van Acker, 2017). From this research it can be concluded that the current travel behaviour of the people in the Achterhoek is not very sustainable. Dominant car use, little use of public transportation and indispensability of cars according to respondents will be a challenge for governments and operators when it comes to implementation of sustainable mobility. Travellers do not play a big role in most of the policies of governments and transport operators. However, as mobility is all about someone’s ability to travel from origin to destination with a certain travel mode, the travellers should also have a place in the whole transition towards sustainable mobility. Therefore, the biggest challenge is to change the travellers travel behaviour into sustainable travel behaviour.
ANALISIS PENINGKATAN KINERJA PEMERINTAH DESA PADA DESA DI KABUPATEN MERANTI
Authors: Oktari Vera , Afifah Ulfa , Zarefar Arumega , Khoiriyah Mayla
Published: March 2021

In improving its performance, the village government requires to have organizational commitment that supported by apparatus competency and controlled through community participation. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of organizational commitment, community participation, and apparatus competence on village government performance. 200 data collected from questionnaires will be analyzed to identify organizational commitment, community participation, and apparatus competency towards the village government performance. Data analyzed by using SPPS version 25.0. the result of data processing found that organizational commitment, community participation, and apparatus competency affects the village government performance, and the organizational commitment is needed to improve apparatus competency by educating and training its human resources, also the transparency as the form of responsibility of the village government to citizen
Study of Structural and Electrical Properties (using GGA) of Fluoride Perovskite BaKF3 Using FP-LAPW Method
Authors: Neupane Khimananda
Published: March 2021

Abstract available on full text.
Quality Control and Evaluation of Certain Properties of Soaps Available in Butwal Sub-metropolitan City, Nepal
Authors: Sharma Krishna Prasad , Belbase Anil , Neupane Umesh
Published: March 2021

Abstract available with full text.
Estimation of Daily and Weekly Variation of Global Solar Radiation in Banbatika Park
Authors: Rayamajhi Kamal Bahadur
Published: March 2021

Abstract available with full text.
Representation of Trauma in Balachandra Rajan's The Dark Dancer
Authors: Chhetri Narendra Bahadur
Published: March 2021

Abstract available with the full text.
Contribution of Skill Test in Employment among Short Term Vocational Training Graduates
Authors: Pandit Bhanu , Pasa Rajan Binayek
Published: March 2021

This study analyzed contribution of vocational skills tests to the employment of trained graduates in different stages. In doing so, specialized survey was conducted with 305 graduates who received the skill training from private training institutes and attended the level-one skill test of NSTB. The results showed that skill testing system contributed to the employment of graduates specifically by accessing employment opportunities (pre-employment stage), increasing work performance (during- employment stage) and further job prosperity (post-employment). The segregation of the overall results showed that most of the graduates perceived that skill test contributed to all the employment stages.Men and women are equally benefitted with the skill tests to their employment. Similarly, youths from all age groups, all ethnic groups and all educational backgrounds were benefited in a similar manner from the skills test. However, it mattered whether a graduate was married or not, and which geographical area the graduate came from. As an implication, considering the contribution of the skill tests, the investment in skill tests in each of the vocational training is considered valuable and useful not only for the domestic workers including the migrants and returnees. Similarly, skills gained in the form of prior learning through informal and non-formal means can be tested, certified and recognized. Moreover, why the contribution of the skill tests varied according to the graduates’ marital status and geographic origin, a finding of the study, remains an area for further research.
Tourism in Nepal: The Models for Assessing Performance of Amaltari Bufferzone Community Homestay in Nawalpur
Authors: Pasa Rajan Binayek
Published: March 2021

This study assesses performance of Amaltari Bufferzone Community Home stay that received best homestay award in 2017. For the survey study, the data collected from 236 sample respondents were theorized based on social capital, ecotourism, asset-based community development and sustainability approach that are then supported by the empirical findings. An index was developed to describe the overall performance of the homestay by compositing five thematic indexes: relevancy, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, sustainability. The index value 92.65 from the range of minimum 48 and maximum 240 for the overall performance provides the strong quantitative evidence to answer the question “why did Amaltari receive the best award among”. The multiple regression model (R-square value 0.99) for overall performance also proves that independent variables describe the dependent variables by 99 percent. Among the independent variables relevancy and effectiveness indexes are more likely to describe dependent variable- theoverall performance index. The evidence shows that Amaltari hemostat has performed well due to the technical/financial supports of WWF, proper mobilization/utilization of conservation fund and homestay community fund, strong social capital, and quality leadership that has transforming the livelihoods of Tharu, Bote and Mushar indigenous people.However, they have some concerns like waste management in bufferzone areas, reviving the cultural organizations for preserving and transmitting culture from generation to generation, minimizing the modernization and demonstrative effects due to the excessive flow of the tourists and upgrading road connectivity.Hence, the local government, homestay and bufferzone users committee should collectively implement integrated tourism development programs for addressing such concerns.
Governance Practices in Nepalese Commercial Banks
Authors: Neupane Shova
Published: March 2021

This article tries to to analyze the existing practices of corporate governance in commercial banks of Nepal. The state of corporate governance can have an important effect on all firms, and good corporate governance of financial firms is essential in fostering financial stability and healthy economic growth. This study found that good corporate governance frameworks help firms and countries improve accountability, more efficiently use capital, and attract quality and long-term investors at lower costs. These, in turn, contribute to a country’s competitiveness and thereby its development.The descriptive research design has been adopted for fact-finding and searching adequate information about effect of corporate governance on financial performance. In conclusion, the rapid globalization, international legal deregulation and rapid development in information technology has resulted both opportunity and challenges for the companies. In this context, the success of the organization in global arena is essentially determined by the level of corporate governance that the company is practicing. The efficient and effective corporate governance provides a competitive edge to the company. Management of commercial banks should follow the principles of sound corporate governance to ensure transparency, and accountability through their daily operational process and procedures with clients, and subsequently improve the performance, and enhance investors, shareholders, and stakeholders trust, which contribute to attain the banks goals. Banks require good corporate governance practices.
Status of Women in Nepal: A Critical Analysis of Transformational Trajectories
Authors: Acharya Umesh Prasad
Published: March 2021

Gender equations in any society are more or less anchored to cultural legacies. Nepali cosmologies constructed based on Hindu religious tradition, manifests the provision of Vedic societies in its present-day social structure, especially in gender. In the ancient times, women enjoyed equal rights and privileges as men, but with the rise of nation states, incidents of wars and conflicts multiplied for territorial expanse and security. This put male on the preference as martial and warring gender, and women started being confined to domestic responsibilities. This slowly crept into the social structure, and women have been suffering since then for lack of basic rights. The status is, however, changing because of recent political developments, that not only educated women vis-à-vis their rights, but also empowered them for various economic and social activities that contributed to their self-reliance. This article critically analyses changing value systems in the Nepalese society and the corresponding social and political transformation that has greatly altered the status of women. Much is yet to be done to bring the two genders in an equitable footing, but the gradual changes are a welcome sign towards gender equality and self-reliance.
Women Entrepreneurs in Kathmandu Valley
Authors: Sidgel Minu
Published: March 2021

Women entrepreneurship entails business ownership and business creation that empowers women economically. It increases their economic strength as well as position in the society. Women entrepreneurs face number of problems to start and sustain business enterprises. They lack access to capital, training, technical and financial knowledge. This research looks at the personnel characteristics of women entrepreneur in Kathmandu valley and their motivational factor to start a business. It also looks at some of the problems faced by women entrepreneur in relation to capital formation and technical knowhow. This study used primary data and it was collected through a set of questionnaire and interviews of women entrepreneurs registered with the DSCI, FNCCI, FWEAN and Nepal Chamber of Commerce within Kathmandu valley.
Online Collaborative Learning to Enhance Educational Outcomes of English Language Courses
Authors: Mokwa-Tarnowska Iwona
Published: March 2021

With various aims and objectives, syllabi of e-learning, blended learning and webenhanced courses meant for a particular group of undergraduates or postgraduates, may vary substantially. However different they are, they are likely to show behaviourist ideas embodied in instructional design. A plethora of online tools (text based, image based, multimodal production and collaborative ones) can increase students’ learning experiences, as they offer opportunities for interactions that are not available in a traditional, instructivist classroom setting. Thus, a university language course with web-enhanced components offers more versatile learning options than face-to-face classes, which may result in students becoming more competent and competitive workers in the years to come. By using online tools such as ThingLink, mural, quip, easel.ly, infogram and venngage to collect and critically analyse data, they learn in a new active way, in a more genuine environment. This way of engaging students helps them to achieve learning outcomes structured around communication, teamwork, media literacy and language skills. These ideas are supported by students’ opinions and attitudes expressed in the surveys conducted at Gdańsk University of Technology in the years 2017–2019.
Pengaruh Environmental Cost Terhadap Kinerja Bisnis Dengan Kinerja Lingkungan Sebagai Variabel Moderasi
Authors: Siagian Ade Onny
Published: March 2021

Penelitian ini adalah tentang pengaruh environmental cost terhadap kinerja bisnis dengan kinerja lingkungn sebagai variabel moderasi. Variabel kinerja bisnis dalam penelitian ini sebagai variabel dependen, kinerja lingkugan sebagai variable moderating dan environmental cost sebagai variabel independen. Penelitian ini menggunakan sampel sebanyak 13 (tiga belas) perusahaan manufaktur dalam 10 (sepuluh) tahun terakhir terhitung dari 2009 – 2018. Metode penentuan sampel yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah purposive sampling dengan menggunakan stata. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa environmental cost tidak berpengaruh terhadap kinerja bisnis, karena tingkat signifikan lebih besar dari 0,05 dengan hasil 0,976. Kinerja lingkungan dalam penelitian ini berpengaruh terhadap kinerja bisnis dengan tingkat signifikan 0,005. Variabel moderasi dalam penelitian ini juga berpengaruh terhadap kinerja bisnis dengan tingkat signifikan 0,025.
A Unique Diaspora? The Case of Adopted Girls from the People’s Republic of China
Authors: Miller-Loessi Karen , Kilic Zeynep
Published: March 2021

This article considers the recent and ongoing international adoptions of Chinese girls and argues that these adoptions are creating a unique kind of diaspora. The two most salient features of these adoptions are, firstly, that they are taking place on a relatively large scale to fourteen Western countries; and, secondly, that about 98% of the adoptees are girls. As we attempt to frame and understand this phenomenon, we refer to literature on traditional diasporas, as well as alternative interpretations of contemporary transnational migrations, to make sense of the dispersion of these girls. We argue that Chinese adoptees constitute a unique diasporic group, distinct from other groups such as first-, second-, or third-generation Chinese immigrants. Our goals in this analysis are both to enlarge our understanding of the specific causes and consequences of the international dispersion of substantial numbers of Chinese girls and, more broadly, to contribute to the burgeoning literature on the varieties and complexities of transnational diaspora in the contemporary world by examining this particular instance.
Playing Portuguese: Constructing Identity in Malaysia’s Portuguese Community
Authors: Sarkissian Margaret
Published: March 2021

This paper is concerned with one of the less familiar outposts of the Portuguese diaspora—Malaysia. Almost five centuries after the great Portuguese seafarer Afonso de Albuquerque sailed into Malacca, there is still a small village on the outskirts of the city known as the “Portuguese Settlement” (Kampung Portugis or Kampung Serani2 in Malay). Its residents are described variously as Malaysian Portuguese, Portuguese Eurasians, Luso-Malays, Orang Serani (in Malay; “ Serani people”), or simply (in their own language) as jenti Kristang, the Kristang (“Christian,” i.e., Catholic) people. I will concentrate primarily on the community’s performing tradition because it is through performance that the community has made its mark within the nation. Apart from their language, which they call papia Kristang (a form of Portuguese Creole that functions as an internal marker of community membership), and their religious faith (shared quietly with other Catholic Malaysians, mostly of Chinese or Indian origin), it is through music, dance, and the costumes worn for performance that members of the community represent themselves to the outside world as Portuguese descendants.
A Contemporary Story of “Diaspora”: The Tibetan Version
Authors: Anand Dibyesh
Published: March 2021

Until the last two decades of the twentieth century, Tibetan studies suffered from an overemphasis on Buddhism and pre-1950s Tibetan history. Since the late 1980s, however, the situation has gradually changed. One increasingly comes across works related to Tibet that draw upon new ideas culled from various social, literary, and cultural theories. One such concept that is gaining currency is Diaspora. Taking their cue from the changing discourses of other dispersions, Tibetanists working with Tibetan exile/refugee communities have adopted the term. While this development brings Tibetan studies in line with similar disciplines and reflects the self-confidence of the field itself, often the term is used in an undertheorized manner, as a mere synonym or substitute for “refugee” or “exile.” This is problematic, since Diaspora is not just another word for exiles or refugees but a concept with its own history. And this history is necessarily messy and contested.
Dispersal as a Resource
Authors: Mung Emmanuel Ma
Published: March 2021

How can the geographic dispersion of a social entity be used as a “spatial resource”? The notion of the spatial resource deserves to be elaborated: tomyknowledge, it has never been defined as such before. Yet it is especially applicable to the study of how international migrants organize certain movements of people and material or immaterial goods in the contemporary world. This article is a contribution to the elaboration of such a notion.
Performing Community: A Comparison of Korean-Language Newspapers in Beijing and Sydney
Authors: Lee Sung-Ae
Published: March 2021

More than six million Koreans now live outside Korea, in 173 countries, according to data released in 2003 by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Jungang Ilbo 7 Feb. 2004). This number represents 13% of all Korean people and hence constitutes a diaspora of highly significant proportions. As migration from Korea continues, and the number of generations born outside Korea increases, identifiably “Korean” identities both proliferate and diversify. As Stuart Hall argues, identities undergo constant transformations and are “increasingly fragmented,” “fractured,” and “multiply constructed across different, often antagonistic, discourses, practices, and positions” (“Introduction” 4).
“Hermano Entrepreneurs!”: Constructing a Latino Diaspora across the Digital Divide
Authors: DeHart Monica
Published: March 2021

On a balmy September morning in 2003, I arrived at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to attend the launching of an innovative development initiative. This invitation-only event was advertised as a novel effort to promote “the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through mobilizing the technological, entrepreneurial, and professional expertise and resources of Diaspora networks” (UNICT, “Digital Bridge”). Based on the successful experience of an Indian initiative in 2000, followed by a project for Africa commencing in 2002, this newest so-called Digital Diaspora project had its sights set on Latin America and the Caribbean. In an effort to bridge the technology gap—referred to here as the “digital divide”—between North and South, the program aspired to increase the direct flow of knowledge and resources between US-based Latino entrepreneurs and community development projects in Latin America. The kickoff event was to be attended by a diverse array of business executives, diplomats, consultants, representatives of nongovernmental organizations, information-technology experts, and a handful of academics who had an interest in building this initiative from the ground up.