Statistical Analysis of Landmine Fatalities in Kurdistan

This study analyzes mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) victim data in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq during the period of the 1960s to 2005. In addition to descriptive analysis of the data, we use regression analysis to identify the determinants of the probability of getting killed by a mine or UXO and to estimate the determinants impacts. The rates of killed and injured victims are explained using a set of socioeconomic variables. Since the data is repeated cross sections in which individuals are observed when they are subjected to accident and in order to account for the dynamic aspect of the process and heterogeneity by location, we create pseudo panel data where districts are observed over the entire study period forming almost a balanced panel data. This allows for analysis of both heterogeneity and dynamics across locations and over time, as well as to control for unobserved location and time effects. The result can be useful in planning, monitoring, and resource allocation for mine action and labor market programmes and rehabilitation activities.landmine, unexploded ordinance, pseudo panel data, security and war, rehabilitation, Kurdistan

Applying the Canonical Text Services Model to the Coptic SCRIPTORIUM

Coptic SCRIPTORIUM is a platform for interdisciplinary and computational research in Coptic texts and linguistics. The purpose of this project was to research and implement a system of stable identification for the texts and linguistic data objects in Coptic SCRIPTORIUM to facilitate their citation and reuse. We began the project with a preferred solution, the Canonical Text Services URN model, which we validated for suitability for the corpus and compared it to other approaches, including HTTP URLs and Handles. The process of applying the CTS model to Coptic SCRIPTORIUM required an in-depth analysis that took into account the domain-specific scholarly research and citation practices, the structure of the textual data, and the data management workflow

Identifying gender-responsive approaches in rural advisory services that contribute to the institutionalisation of gender in Pakistan

Purpose: Unequal reach and access to information is an issue that affects women involved in agricultural activities around the world. Recent initiatives to address gender unequal access to agricultural information have been clumsy, overlooking participatory approaches that focus on transformative change. This study uses Pakistani rural advisory services to compare farmers' and extension workers’ perceptions of access to agricultural information, to identify culturally acceptable gender-responsive schemes. Design/methodology/approach: One-hundred and eleven extension workers in Pakistan’s public rural advisory services were interviewed and crosstabulated with farmers’ answers in previous studies. Findings: Male extension workers are aware that women access less information less often; however they might not be aware of its importance in the gender inequality debate. Lead farmers could offer a potentially transformative knowledge pathway because of its blend of formal and informal interactions – both systems favoured by female smallholders. An exclusively female-led lead farmer approach could be developed and trialled in specific areas of the province. Practical implications: Targeted initiatives focusing on improving awareness and importance of gender inequalities in information access as well as specific extension system development centred on lead female farmers and extension agents are important in institutionalising gender and creating transformative change. Theoretical implications: Linking these activities to in-depth social network and agricultural innovation system analyses would provide further evidence of the importance of focused gender activities and their impact on food security. Originality/value: This paper highlights the importance of analysing individual perceptions to understand the types of initiatives that could be considered for a wider institutionalisation of gender in RAS

CONTRIBUTION OF COORDINATION, BALANCE, FLEXIBILITY, ARM MUSCLE STRENGTH TO THE 'KIZAMI-GYAKU ZUKI' PUNCH: ANALYSIS OF FEMALE KARATE ATHLETES

The purpose of this research is to analyze the contribution of coordination, balance, flexibility, arm muscle strength to the kizami-gyaku zuki punch of female athletes. The background to this research is from observations of the qualifying round at the 2023 National Sports Week (PON), on average female athletes earn points from punches. This research is an analytical survey to test the contribution of the independent variables. The sample was 50 female athletes with characteristics namely age 19.8±1.2 years, training experience 8.3±0.6 years, weight 50±1.5 kg, height 160.4±1.5 cm. The tests carried out included coordination using the Hand-Wall Toss Test, balance using the Modified Bass Test of Dynamic Balance, flexibility using the sit and reach test, arm muscle strength using push up for 1 minute, kizami-gyaku zuki punches using a punching bag during 30 seconds. The results of this research show that coordination, flexibility, and arm muscle strength have an effect on kizami-gyaku zuki punches. However, balance has no effect on the kizami-gyaku zuki punches. Adjusted R Square results, the contribution from coordination (r = 0.341) or 34.1%, balance (r = 0.235) or 23.5%, flexibility (r = 0.490) or 49%, arm muscle strength (r = 0.465) or 46.5%, contribution overall against kizami-gyaku zuki punch (r = 0.674) or 67.4%. The conclusion is that it is important for trainers, athletes, and sports karate academics to focus on these four physical components so that the kumite abilities of female athletes can be improved. However, it is important to train in other physical components, such as endurance, technique and tactics and mental. Future research is expected to add variables or update the types of tests used in this research.  Article visualizations

Spin rotation for ballistic electron transmission induced by spin-orbit interaction

We study spin dependent electron transmission through one- and two-dimensional curved waveguides and quantum dots with account of spin-orbit interaction. We prove that for a transmission through arbitrary structure there is no spin polarization provided that electron transmits in isolated energy subband and only two leads are attached to the structure. In particular there is no spin polarization in the one-dimensional wire for which spin dependent solution is found analytically. The solution demonstrates spin evolution as dependent on a length of wire. Numerical solution for transmission of electrons through the two-dimensional curved waveguides coincides with the solution for the one-dimensional wire if the energy of electron is within the first energy subband. In the vicinity of edges of the energy subbands there are sharp anomalies of spin flipping.Comment: 9 oages, 7 figure

An exploration of migrant women’s perceptions of public health messages to reduce stillbirth in the UK: a qualitative study

YesBackground: Stillbirth is a global public health priority. Within the United Kingdom, perinatal mortality disproportionately impacts Black, Asian and minority ethnic women, and in particular migrant women. Although the explanation for this remains unclear, it is thought to be multidimensional. Improving perinatal mortality is reliant upon raising awareness of stillbirth and its associated risk factors, as well as improving maternity services. The aim of this study was to explore migrant women’s awareness of health messages to reduce stillbirth risk, and how key public health messages can be made more accessible. Method: Two semi-structured focus groups and 13 one to one interviews were completed with a purposive sample of 30 migrant women from 18 countries and across 4 NHS Trusts. Results: Participants provided an account of their general awareness of stillbirth and recollection of the advice they had been given to reduce the risk of stillbirth both before and during pregnancy. They also suggested approaches to how key messages might be more effectively communicated to migrant women. Conclusions: Our study highlights the complexity of discussing stillbirth during pregnancy. The women in this study were found to receive a wide range of advice from family and friends as well as health professionals about how to keep their baby safe in pregnancy, they recommended the development of a range of resources to provide clear and consistent messages. Health professionals, in particular midwives who have developed a trusting relationship with the women will be key to ensuring that public health messages relating to stillbirth reduction are accessible to culturally and linguistically diverse communities.Funding was received from the University of Huddersfield internal funding scheme

S-matrix theory for transmission through billiards in tight-binding approach

In the tight-binding approximation we consider multi-channel transmission through a billiard coupled to leads. Following Dittes we derive the coupling matrix, the scattering matrix and the effective Hamiltonian, but take into account the energy restriction of the conductance band. The complex eigenvalues of the effective Hamiltonian define the poles of the scattering matrix. For some simple cases, we present exact values for the poles. We derive also the condition for the appearance of double poles.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figures, submitted to J. Phys. A: Math. and Ge

The impact of relative position and returns on sacrifice and reciprocity: an experimental study using individual decisions

We present a comprehensive experimental design that makes it possible to characterize other-regarding preferences and their relationship to the decision maker’s relative position. Participants are faced with a large number of decisions involving variations in the trade-offs between own and other’s payoffs, as well as in other potentially important factors like the decision maker’s relative position. We find that: (1) choices are responsive to the cost of helping and hurting others; (2) The weight a decision maker places on others’ monetary payoffs depends on whether the decision maker is in an advantageous or disadvantageous relative position; and (3) We find no evidence of reciprocity of the type linked to menu-dependence. The results of a mixture-model estimation show considerable heterogeneity in subjects’ motivations and confirm the absence of reciprocal motives. Pure selfish behavior is the most frequently observed behavior. Among the subjects exhibiting social preferences, social-welfare maximization is the most frequent, followed by inequality-aversion and by competitiveness