Showing papers in "International journal of social science studies in 2015"

Verbal Aggressiveness Exploration through Complete Social Network Analysis: Using Physical Education Students’ Class as an Illustration

Abstract: Aim of this study: is a) to detect informal structures (power and position in structures of targeting of verbal aggression) among higher education students, b) to analyze determinants of these structural properties, and c) to propose a typology of verbal aggression targets. Complete network analysis was applied on a sample of a 53 students in Physical Education Faculty, Thessaly University, Greece. Four network analysis algorithms were used: in-degree, Katz status, pagerank, authority. Non-network and network determinants of being target of verbal aggressiveness were analyzed. Gender (particularly femaleness), high grade of school graduation and parents education level protect from verbal aggressiveness while interest in post-graduate study seems to provoke criticism. Ignoring public opinion and intimacy with many “close friends” are positively correlated with verbal aggressiveness. Young (and not old-fashioned) appearance, imposing and eccentric appearance characteristics seem to protect against verbal aggressiveness. Big corporal size, dark skin colors seem to provoke insults in case of female students. Eminent economic state is also provocative as it implies pretentiousness. Phone verbal aggressiveness appears mainly among male students. Eminent qualities such as “good friend”, “desirable partner” etc make someone an eminent target for verbal aggressiveness. Verbal aggressiveness presents a catholic character and thus seems to be destructive and not constructive. Intellectual abilities (weaknesses) constitute a verbal aggressiveness target core. The following types of verbal aggressiveness targets are proposed: a) the “general ‘black sheep’”, b) the “contemptible type”, c) the “bagger” type, d) the “victim of mockers” and e) the “victim of serial criticizers”.

The Regulatory and Supervision Framework of Microfinance in Kenya

Abstract: Microfinance is one of the essential branches of lending that is used to mitigate the negative impact of the increasing incidence of poverty and unemployment in Kenya. This highlights the important need for an effective regulatory and supervisory framework for Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in this country. This research attempts to investigate the performance of the Kenyan microfinance regulatory and supervisory framework through extracting and analyzing secondary data sources. Kenya has not unified the regulatory and supervisory framework for the microfinance sector based on the results of the logical descriptive analysis. The involvement of different bodies, which are include associations, clubs and churches, in regulation might have weakened the effectiveness of outreach and represents more challenges for the microfinance sector in Kenya. However, these results have strong implications for the regulators and the governments when they tried to regulate MFIs.

Innovation in Small and Medium Enterprises in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract: This article focuses on innovation as the main driver of the competitiveness and market success of small and medium enterprises in the United Arab Emirates. The study overviews the still limited literature dedicated to innovation in SMEs in the UAE. It also analyzes the innovation model of small and medium enterprises in the UAE, and focuses particularly on Dubai’s SMEs. The article highlights the need to strengthen the entrepreneurial culture and promote the development of innovative SMEs with high value added in the UAE. The general purpose of this study is to contribute to the business and innovation literature on SMEs in the context of an emerging economy, namely the United Arab Emirates.

Intervention Strategies to Improve Students' Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands in Kenya

Abstract: Fullan (2007) defined school as a community of active people where teachers in a classroom environment convey formal education to learners. A school therefore facilitates education. Schools, whether government aided or private sponsored, have stakeholders who undertake various activities. In light of this, studentsi¯ academic performance has been a key issue in education with many believing that the education programmes are not well interpreted in schools; thus resulting in poor academic performance. This has resulted into finger pointing among stake holders. However, the fact of the matter is that something should be done to improve the current situation. Kaggwa (2003) explained academic performance as the quality and quantity of knowledge, skills, techniques and positive attitudes, behaviors and philosophy that students achieve. The World Bank (2002) further observes that this achievement is evaluated by the mark or grade that student attain in tests or examinations done at the end of the topic, term or year or education cycle. Hence, the quality of the grades and the number of students that pass in various grades determine the level of academic performance. Academic performance is, therefore, a concern of people who have vested interest in schools. They may include parents, students, teachers, proprietors and the entire society that forms the school as a community. Unless all stakeholders are involved, school achievements including studentsi¯ performance may not be realized (Dervitsiotis, 2004). Every student has the potential to learn and become a responsible citizen if given a conducive environment. Therefore, it is worth mentioning that intervening at the earliest stages, can lead to studentsi¯ success. Intervention can be defined as the systematic and explicit instruction provided to accelerate growth in an area of identified need (Kaggwa, 2003). Interventions can be provided by both special and general teachers and they are designed to improve performance relative to a specific, measurable goal. Interventions are generally based on valid information about current performance, whereby realistic implementation and ongoing student progress monitoring are essential. Therefore, for any intervention to be effective, the programmes designed should be based on clearly defined objectives, and the program should be monitored and evaluated (Kaggwa, 2003). More particularly, studentsi¯ needs should be analyzed and programs should be designed to address these. Of more importance is that intervention strategies should not be implemented because they are popular or interesting. Rather, they should be able to address the needs of the students in their institution, given that schools operate in different contexts; hence, no one size fits all. Approaches will vary according to the school context. Student support programmes, behavior modification, life skills programmes, parental involvement and capacity building are some intervention strategies to enhance studentsi¯ performance (Kaggwa, 2003).

Agreeableness, Extraversion, Stressor and Physiological Stress Response

Abstract: Based on the theoretical analysis, with first-hand data collection and using multiple regression models, this study explored the relationship between agreeableness, extraversion, stressor and stress response and figured out interactive effect of agreeableness, extraversion, and stressor on stress response. We draw on the following conclusions: (1) the interaction term of stressor (work) and agreeableness can negatively predict physiological stress response; (2) the interaction term of stressor (health) and agreeableness can negatively predict physiological stress response; (3) the interaction term of stressor (family) and agreeableness can negatively predict physiological stress response; (4) the interaction term of stressor (social) and agreeableness can negatively predict physiological stress response; (5) the interaction term of stressor (work) and extraversion can negatively predict physiological stress response; (6) the interaction term of stressor (health) and extraversion can negatively predict physiological stress response; (7) the interaction term of stressor (family) and extraversion can negatively predict physiological stress response; (8) the interaction term of stressor (social) and extraversion can negatively predict physiological stress response.

Africa’s Leadership Challenges in the 21st Century: What Can Leaders Learn from Africa’s Pre-Colonial Leadership and Governance?

Abstract: Africa continues to face serious development challenges despite recent record growth rates. Such challenges as dependency, corruption, underdeveloped infrastructure and production sectors, and leadership and governance are some of the impediments to Africa’s quest for sustainable and equitable development. Explaining such development challenges has continued to elude scholars. To the radical leftist scholars, Africa’s underdevelopment can adequately be explained by its forceful and uneven integration into the global economic system. However, with over fifty years of independence, the debate is increasingly focusing on Africa’s leadership as good explanation for its poverty and underdevelopment. This paper argues that the current poverty and underdevelopment of Africa have much to do with enabling conditions created by African leaders and proposes that addressing this requires Africans to go back to pre-colonial history where they can tap good lessons rather than continuing importing Western based models which may not necessarily fit into Africa’s unique characteristics.

Marrying Out: Trends and Patterns of Mixed Marriage amongst Qataris

Abstract: Social scientists have extensively studied mixed marriage in its different forms since the beginning of the past century, especially in the western societies. While there is a considerable body of international literature pertaining to mixed marriage, very little research has been conducted on mixed marriage in the Arab region in general and in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) area in particular. Virtually, no empirical study to our knowledge has examined mixed marriage in Qatar. The purpose of this study is thus to analyze and outline the trends and patterns of mixed marriage among Qatari nationals. The results indicated that although the endogamous marriage (Qataris males married to Qatari females) is the main marriage pattern among the Qatari population, mixed marriage in Qatar is on the rise. Mixed marriage among Qatari males compared to Qatari females has increased systematically since 1985. In addition, Qatari females are more likely than males to marry someone from the other GCC area. Meanwhile, in the last few years Qatari males have tended to marry from outside the GCC countries, mainly from other Arab countries. Social, demographic, and cultural implications of mixed marriage among Qataris need to be a central focus for family policy.

What Is Sexual Orientation All About? Explaining an Evolutionary Paradox

Abstract: Numerous psychological, biological, and evolutionary theories have been proposed to explain sexual orientation. For a theory to be valid it must account for the evolutionary or Darwinian paradox of how homosexual behavior seemingly blocking evolutionary fitness could have evolved. Typically it is only evolutionary based theories that attempt to address this issue. All theories proposed to date have limitations, a major one being that they tend to be specific for male or female sexual orientation. A model for sexual orientation is proposed that both explains the evolutionary paradox of homosexuality and accounts for male and female sexual orientation. The model departs from others by taking the approach that homosexuality and heterosexuality only represent descriptions of underlying natural occurrences. Four interactive components consisting of homoerotic and heteroerotic dimensions, activation/deactivation of these dimensions, erotic fantasy, and social construction comprise the model. Homoerotic and heteroerotic behaviors organized on separate dimensions represent natural occurrences. A completely novel process-activation and deactivation of these dimensions-is proposed to explain various manifestations of sexual orientation. Erotic fantasy provides an additional layer to sexuality beyond physical behavior and serves to activate sexual orientation dimensions, while social construction tends to deactivate inconsistent expressions. The evolutionary paradox only arises when behaviors are remade into identities via social construction, and heterosexual behavior inconsistent with a homosexual identity is deactivated.

The Research of Design Based on Social Commerce

Abstract: Based on previous design theories which focus only on artifacts, we study the factors of social commerce design with application environment and human capabilities. By comparing social commerce design model and information model, we develop a new social commerce design model, further exploring user requirements after shopping, including the exploration of brand community, sharing offline social shopping experience and the improvement of user social skills. According to the new model, we revealed the common features of social commerce design, including the individual, conversation, community, commerce and management levels. Besides, this paper pointed out social commerce design research problems in future.

The Importance of Touch in Sport: Athletes" and Coaches" Reflections

Abstract: This study examined athletes’ and coaches’ experiences of positive touch within the coach-athlete relationship, including examples of positive touch, reasons for the use of touch, and factors affecting athletes’ acceptability of touch. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 coaches and 10 athletes from various sports. Data were coded using inductive and deductive coding techniques. All participants shared examples of positive touch in sport including: hugs, high fives, physical manipulation of the body, pats on the back, hand shaking, and spotting. Positive touch was reportedly used for affective, behavioural, safety, and cultural reasons. Touch was viewed by these athletes and coaches as being important and even necessary in the sport environment and within the coach-athlete relationship provided that it was individualized and contextualized. The findings are interpreted to suggest that the recent trend to avoid touch in child-populated domains ignores the many benefits of touch for health, instruction, and development.

A Review of Governmental Intervention on Sustainable Housing Provision for Urban Poor in Nigeria

Abstract: Earlier studies investigating housing policies In Nigeria have not explicitly considered the level of implementation of housing policies goals despite the facts that housing policies dictate the nature of development of housing in the country. This paper therefore examined the various interventions of government on sustainable housing provision in Nigeria. A detailed literature review on the existing housing policies and programmes in Nigeria was carried out. This was done with a view to determining the level of implementation of the housing policies, identifying the various problems militating against the achievement of the goals of housing policies and suggesting possible recommendations towards addressing the problems.

Leadership Role of School Superintendents in Saudi Arabia

Abstract: This study examines the practice of school superintendents in Saudi Arabia in five roles as seen by education supervisors within school district offices. The purpose of the study is to examine the leadership of school superintendents in these five roles: work environment, rules and regulations, implementation of technology, accountability, and professional development of the education supervisors in school districts. The study sample consists of 276 education supervisors working in 30 school districts. The study reveals that the respondents (education supervisors) perceived leadership roles enacted to a low degree for the five roles. The final results show that school superintendents’ leadership needs to be developed in order to provide a high quality of education, by improving the selection of superintendents and offering better training in the five roles. The Ministry of Education should decentralize major decisions to school superintendents so that they can be active in leading change and perform leadership roles in their school districts.

The other way around : The Roma minority´s view on doing research on sensitive topics

Abstract: The object of this study was to identify strategies for successfully studying ethnic minority groups, with a special focus on the Roma minority. Some ethnic minorities are hard to reach and have a low level of participation in research, particularly when it involves sensitive questions such as victimization experiences. This is problematic since difficulties accessing a group for research purposes may result in a lack of research; in turn leading to a knowledge gap concerning some groups lived experiences. Based on interviews with members of the Roma community we identitied difficulties related to gaining access to the population for research purposes. Results show that researchers studying minorities need to gain cultural understanding and competence.

List of Parameters Influencing the Pedestrian Movement and Pedestrian Database

Abstract: In this paper we present a list of factors influencing the pedestrian behavior in different situations and conditions. In crowd simulation input we must consider at least two simulation conditions. The first is the normal condition and the second is the emergency condition or panic situation. In panic situations most parameters will be changed and the time factor becomes very important. Both emotion and personality clearly have a strong and considerable impact on individual behaviors in such situations. However, most existing approaches in their attempt to model the behavior of individuals and for guiding an agent to interact with its environment and other agents, consider the individual as an autonomous agent or autonomous particle that obeys some human-like behavior modules such as locomotion, perception, and decision making. Other models treat the crowd as a collection of homogeneous particles interacting through physical forces. Today with the enormous knowledge development in computer science, many models try to improve themselves. There seems to be an evolution in crowd simulation to model each individual as some kind of intelligent agent with attempts to incorporate more and more social and psychological factors into the agent behavior model. However, to reproduce more realistic simulation behaviors many factors and attributes influencing pedestrians must be considered. The actual shortcoming of the existing models is the absence of modeling the social group process and its impact on human behavior. One way to gain a better understanding of human behavior in this area is to enrich the tools available for planning, such as pedestrian micro simulation in case of panic situations and emergency conditions. In this work a pedestrian database called PedGUI containing a lot of information about pedestrians is developed, this have a significant impact on the simulation input at least two mean pedestrian characteristics like age and gender can be considered.

Social Work of the Future: Motives and Expectations among Social Work Students in Sweden

Abstract: Is it possible to see future social work in today’s social work students? It is likely that the way these students think about social work will form the future practice. In this study we investigate social work students’ motives and expectations of their future profession. A survey was conducted among first semester students at four different universities in Sweden (n=243). The survey asked questions about the students’ motives, what they thought the main aim of social work is, and how they would like to be seen as social workers. The results show among other things that social work students consider the main aim of social work is to improve people’s lives, advocate on people’s behalf, and protect vulnerable people. The most frequently stated motives for becoming involved in social work were to help vulnerable people, and an interest in social issues, and the least important were religious or political reasons. The study has not being able to identify any future changes in social work. This could be interpreted as showing that social work has basic values that are constant over time and cultures.

Social Movements in Tunisia and Egypt: A Tale of Two Revolutions

Abstract: In this paper, the author addresses the Arab uprisings both in Tunisia and Egypt. He tries to explain to which extent the so called Arab Spring is amongst social movements which joins in global ones related to capitalist world system and to its local allies authoritarian regimes in Middle East and North Africa. Those new social movements could be explained by people outrages due to social inequalities, injustices, and human rights abuses. The uprisings are triggered by outrages and hopes for better society. They are wireless because they were fuelled and framed by new media (Internet, Face Book, Twitter), leaderless in the sense that they sparked collectively and without any ideology, religion, or leader.

Searching Friends and Strengthening Security: Pak-China Relations in 1950s

Abstract: The paper covers Sino-Pakistan bilateral relations from the establishment of their diplomatic relations to the end of year 1960. The paper doesn’t describe the cultural and economic aspects of their bilateral relations in detail. Although there were some suspicions and differences between China and Pakistan, but as a whole, the period witnessed for normal relations, if not cordial one. The era saw search for making friends in international community by the two states. Both the countries took start as independent and sovereign states in the circumstances, when the world was divided into two rival blocs. The need for making friends, in the presence of the heydays of Cold War, was the result of their respective historical legacies and thereafter, the international system. The Communist China emerged after a long civil war with the Nationalists, and Pakistan got independence from the British colonialism. The paper concludes that, for Pakistan, the continuing threat and hostilities from India; and for China, the Taiwan issue side by side with the United States’ policies, added a new thinking in the minds of the two states’ leaders.

Understanding Resiliency in Coastal Areas: A Review Paper from Sociological Perspectives

Abstract: Based on secondary data, this paper tries to identify the resiliency of coastal people. Existing literature emphasizes that resiliency means a kind of adaptation where societal members can adjust themselves to a different environment. It is also discovered in prevailing literature that resiliency as a concept is not well-described in sociology. Thus, in this review, it attempts to examine resiliency from sociological perspectives. To do this, previous research on coastal society is focused on to know their resilience capacity in detail.

Islam and Economic Growth

Abstract: Nowadays, Muslim countries remain among the least developed countries on all levels, although they are rich in natural resources. Islam, as the common religion of these countries, can be the cause of their underdevelopment? In this context, our paper aims to investigate the impact of Islam, as a proportion of the Muslim population, on economic growth on the one hand, and to seek the factors that may influence this relationship on the other hand. Our empirical study using panel data on a sample of twenty Muslim countries over the period (1990-2014), show that Islam does not promote economic growth. Its effect is lower and negative in the way that Muslim countries have high rates of illiteracy and unemployment.

Versatile Psychophysiological Potencies of Essential Oils, when Seen as a Function of Behavioral Task Assigned to the Participants after Inhalation

Abstract: To elucidate the psychophysiological effect of inhaling essential oils, in this paper, we sought to assess the following 12 essential oils: basil, bergamot, cardamom, cinnamon, juniper, lemon, orange, palmarosa, peppermint, sandalwood, spearmint, and ylang ylang. As these being target odors, we focused on the verbal (semantic) and non-verbal (skin temperature) endpoints of the stimuli. In our experimental design, we managed to assign different behavioral tasks to the participants. The Uchida-Kraepelin test was used as a mental arithmetic task and listening to environmental (natural) sounds as an auditory task. In the verbal study, for an example, we conducted the sensory test twice, once before and once after the task. As a measure of the perceived odor quality in participants after inhalation of a given aroma, we employed a sensory evaluation spectrum. It is a bar graph in which the mean of the difference in score between pre- and post-task inquiry (post minus pre) was plotted against the impression descriptors. Taking into account of the obtained skin temperature changes between pre- and post-task inhalations, the subtle nuances between verbal and non-verbal expressions seen as a function of the two behavioral tasks assigned to the participant suggested that essential oils may have versatile psychophysiological potencies by the nature.

Promoting Participation of Stakeholders in Community-Based Rehabilitation in Sri Lanka: Process of Action Research in Anuradhapura

Abstract: This study examines the participation of stakeholders, including disabled people, in disability and community issues in rural areas in Sri Lanka. As a conceptual framework, four dimensions of participation in community-based rehabilitation (CBR) are summarised from previous research. This research was mainly conducted in the model administrative division of the national CBR programme in Anuradhapura district. An action research approach was applied in March 2013, which consisted of eight steps. The study used data from the hearing survey on disabled children under 18 years old (n=103), semi-structured interviews with disabled people (n=20), focus group discussions with participants of community workshops (n=34) and social services officers (n=5) separately, and the authors’ field notes, amongst others. Data were analysed with a qualitative procedure, except for quantitative data. Showing the four dimensions of participation in each step, we found promoting participation of various stakeholders improved disabled people’s living conditions and enhanced their empowerment. The study also revealed elements that were significant in promoting participation through the action research process: key persons, information and network, utilising existing local resources, dialogue in meetings, and multisectional practice. Finally, we discuss the theoretical implications of this research.

Multicultural Training in CACREP Counselor Education Programs: A Survey

Abstract: The researchers wanted to know the extent to which multicultural issues were addressed in coursework, practicum, and scholarship, as well as faculty members who participate in multicultural professional development, teaching, supervision, and research. Results show that the majority of programs surveyed have at least one multicultural course.

Social Workers as ‘Strong Evaluators’: Rethinking Moral Sources and Professional Identity

Abstract: This paper argues that adherence to an ethical stance in is one of the defining strengths of social work and something that makes it both distinctive and progressive. Social work refuses to drop the notion that society can be a vehicle for the translation of private troubles into public concerns and the democratically generated search for community, solidarity and the good life. Against the tide of neoliberal political rule with its pursuit of self-interested individualism it is argued that social work retains a strong conception of an ethical good as part of its professional identity. It is against this drift of hardening neo liberal politics that this paper situates the significance of social work in terms of the “practice of value”. To pose questions of ethical practice for social work is the first step towards reawakening them. This can contribute to the enrichment of ethical social work by activating moral sources. The starting point for this analysis derives from the writings of the Canadian communitarian philosopher Charles Taylor, and especially his idea that human beings lead their lives and assess themselves in light of broad ethical standards. The paper asks why social workers are committed to ethical practice through an examination of Taylor’s conception of “strong” versus “weak” evaluators. It looks at the way we can bring theory and practice together in accounting for aspects of professional identity and how this provides a basis for resisting the malaise of neoliberal capitalism. Starting from an actor oriented perspective, which holds to the view that human beings are essentially embodied agents who actively encounter things that concern them, the paper broadens this framework to examine the moral sources of social work.

Social Television as a New Relationship between Conventional TV and the Audience: An Analysis of its Aims, Processes, and Results

Abstract: Social Television comes from the interaction of recent technological improvements and new communicative designs, which leads to a different relation between conventional TV and the audience. 1) The widespread use of mobile devices gives a technological support for new consumption patterns. They have a key influence on the field of communication: they change the aims, processes, and results. Thus, they have generated a truly novel communicative phenomenon. 2) New communicative designs come to play here: a) there is an evolution in the concept of programming, b) the audience has completely changed its role, and c) new preferences come from the interplay between the programming of the TV y the active and creative responses from the audience. This new communicative phenomenon of Social TV requires an adequate framework. It comes, in my judgment, from the “scientification” of a practice with the general context of communication sciences as sciences of design.

Competing Sociological Diagnoses of Contemporary Times: Potentials of the RISU Conceptual Framework

Abstract: The global financial and economic crisis caught social scientists and decision makers by surprise. They did not possess explanatory and predictive conceptual frameworks needed for coping with the crisis. This finding provokes critical analysis of available sociological concepts and constructive argumentation in three steps. First, disparities are identified between influential diagnoses of global processes and the processes themselves. Second , the question arises: How to conceptually reduce the global over-complexity in order to reach a reliable diagnosis of our times? Third , the suggested solution focuses on the substantiation, development and application of mutually connected concepts of four global trends: upgrading the rationality of organizations , individualization , spread of instrumental activism and universalization of value-normative systems (the RISU conceptual framework) . The claim is that these trends decisively shape the contemporary social reality and will continue to profoundly shape it in the future. The conclusion reads that the RISU conceptual framework offers analytical tools for making the global, regional and societal over-complexity transparent for descriptions, explanations, forecasting and potentially efficient management of social development. The claim is substantiated by applying the conceptual framework in the analysis of the housing crisis in the United States.

Unanticipated Consequences of Imprisonment on Families of Prison Inmates of Kumasi Central Prison of Ghana

Abstract: Prisons in Ghana, like most prisons the world over, are established to keep offenders from society and to try and reform them so that they will become useful citizens. Prisons are considered as crime fighting-devices which govern penal policy. However, there are many social, psychological and financial costs of imprisonment on the spouse and children of the prisoner. For instance, how do the remaining spouses and children cope with the social, psychological and financial problems resulting from incarceration? What social support systems exist in Ghana for the benefit of the families of the incarcerated? These questions and a few others formed the bases for which 25 families of prisoners in the Kumasi Central Prisons were purposively sampled and interviewed to examine the unintended consequences of imprisonment on the families of the incarcerated. The results of the study indicated that the incarceration of family members led to social stigma of the spouses and children, reduction in family fortunes, emotional and psychological trauma, infidelity and family breakdown. Consequently, the spouses and their children resorted to prayers from churches and pastors to cope with the situation, quitting their residences, relocating to cheaper and affordable accommodation and reducing their expenditure and ‘luxury’ in order to survive, owing to unavailability of social support systems except temporary financial assistance from friends, close relatives and religious organizations. The study made some recommendations.

Assimilation of Baba and Nyonya in Malaysia

Abstract: This research set outs to explore the exact level of the social aspect of assimilation between Baba and Nyonya and their Malay counterparts in Malaysia. It was sure that assimilation in social aspect is a dilemma which Baba and Nyonya face when they interact with Malays as a dominant ethnic group. It suggests that when the process of interaction, their behavior changes in line with the identity of the Malays. This is because the majority influenced the minority in the Malaysian context. Whilst they are welcomed by their Malay counterparts, it is nevertheless hypothesized that they may not assimilate fully into the Malay community

Study on Links between Cerebral Infarction and Climate Change Based on Hidden Markov Models

Abstract: Several studies have shown that variability in weather has been linked to stroke occurrence. However, the association has not been clear. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the change of weather pattern on stroke onset using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). The daily data of emergency transport from 2002 to 2005 in Nagoya City in Japan were used. As "weather patterns", we used 11-classes classified by Japan Weather Association (JWA), including "East high pressure and West Low pressure", "Two centers of Low pressure" and so on. We proposed a new type of application of HMMs. Normally, HMMs were used to predict a hidden state from observed data. In this paper, HMMs were applied to show the existence of influence of weather variability on stroke occurrence. Our HMM was compared with the stochastic process which ignores the influence of weather states. A statistical test leaded to conclude that weather influenced the occurrence of stroke. These findings suggest that further research is possible to give more detailed study of the relation between weather states and stroke occurrence, if we use more specified data of weather elements such as daily temperature, sea level pressure and so on.

Knowledge and Practice of Family Planning among Female Basic School Teachers in the City of Accra, Ghana

Abstract: Family planning has been practiced in Ghana since time immemorial but modern practices were adopted in 1969 when the Ghana government launched the program. Since then efforts had been made to publicize and establish family planning clinics across the country aimed at assisting couples to space births, prevent unwanted pregnancies, promote and highlight the acceptability and adoption of contraceptives as well as help infertile families. However, studies on them in relation to the working class have been limited. This study tended to find out the gap between knowledge and practice among female basic school teachers in a selected community in an urban setting in Accra. The study found out that knowledge and awareness about family planning is associated with the practice of family planning (r = 0.747: p < 0.05). It further showed that 77.6% were aware of family planning of which 71.3% are practicing one method or the other. Knowledge also correlates with the likeness of family planning among the female teachers (r=0.712; p < 0.05). It concluded that the level of knowledge and practice of family planning was high among the teachers and that the gap between knowledge and practice was insignificant. However, some respondents still mistake family planning for contraception. It recommended that education on family planning must not be limited to only women and female teachers but to their spouses as well.

Health, Human and Sustainable Development

Abstract: The human right to development and human right to health are closely linked, and it is impossible to conceive the development process without the consolidation of the right to health. This article aims at discussing the potential connections between health, human and sustainable development in the context of increasing globalization.