The Effectiveness of a Training Program Based on Theory of Mind in Developing of Emotional Discrimination among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Weakness in the skill of Emotional Discrimination is one of the obstacles that stand in the way of interaction and social communication of children with autism spectrum disorder, and for its development, it is necessary to prepare a program that helps improve deficiencies and gives good indicators of program performance. This study explored the effectiveness of a training program based on a theory of mind on the development of deficiencies in the skill of emotional discrimination. The study is consistent with previous studies and adds to the limited literature on the experience of developing emotional discrimination in children with autism spectrum disorder. The results could be useful in improving social interaction and supporting children's expression and emotional expression needs, which in turn reduces their social and communication deficits

Inculcating health awareness in Karachi, Pakistan: How innovative, socially acceptable methods can help combat communicable diseases of poverty

In the megacity of Karachi, which has a population of more than 24 million, more than 9.2 million people (approximately 40 per cent) live in squatter settlements. Communities here are characterised by low socioeconomic settings, crowded living conditions, inadequate water and sanitation facilities, and poor health-related behaviours. Such conditions create an environment favourable to the spread of communicable diseases like tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis and dengue. Since 1985, the Department of Community Health Sciences at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan has run the Urban Health Program (UHP), a community-campus partnership operating in these disadvantaged squatter settlements. Recent explosive increases in the spread of dengue, hepatitis and TB, however, necessitated special attention and activities on a scale and pace that was greater than could be accommodated as part of UHP’s core work. Thus, having an already well-established collaborative model with social accountability measures in place, a dedicated mass awareness program was initiated over the course of one year, from mid 2015: the AGAHI project. This article describes AGAHI’s innovative, low-cost, collaborative activities conducted in partnership with two squatter communities, Sultanabad and Rehri Goth, to build health awareness, improved care-seeking and compliance to treatment. Activities ranged from school sessions, role plays and awareness walks to laneway meetings, training of health care workers, door-to-door campaigns and collaboration with local religious leaders, public sector groups and NGOs. Building on the collaborative work of the UHP, in just 12 months AGAHI was able to conduct 80 health awareness sessions with 4000 participants. Moreover, high-risk and vulnerable populations were identified and referred for further treatment. A comparative cross-sectional survey afterwards revealed a significant increase in knowledge among Sultanabad residents as compared to the neighbouring settlement of Hijrat Colony. As a result, this article suggests that the need for and efficacy of targeted health awareness campaigns against the major infectious diseases of poverty cannot be overemphasised. By adopting community-based participatory models, couched in a framework of social accountability, activities that are low cost, innovative and scientifically robust hold real potential for improving health awareness in vulnerable megacities like Karachi

Manajemen organisasi santri dalam mewujudkan pesantren yang lebih baik: studi deskriptif pada OSPAI Pusat Kabinet Al-Musyarokah di Pondok pesantren Al-Ihsan Jln. Cibiru Hilir No. 23 Cileunyi Bandung

Pesantren merupakan lembaga pendidikan keagamaan yang masih bisa mempertahankan eksistensinya sampai sekarang di Indonesia. Seiring dengan perkembangan zaman pesantren mengalami perubahan baik secara kualitas maupun kuantitas. Salah satu perubahan secara kuantitas yang ditandai dengan makin banyaknya keberadaan pesantren yang tersebar baik di pedesaan maupun perkotaan. Maka seiring dengan bertambahnya jumlah pesantren hal itu juga diiringi dengan pertumbuhan jumlah santri. Santri merupakan objek utama dalam pendidikan pesantren sendiri. Dalam mengatur santri sendiri merupakan hal yang tidak mudah, maka diperlukanlah kerjasama dari berbagai unsur dalam pesantren. Maka disinilah pondok pesantren Al-Ihsan yang merupakan pondok pesantren mahasiswa membuat organisasi santri dalam mewujudkan pengelolaan pesantren. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui manajemen pondok pesantren yang dilakukan oleh organisasi santri mengenai tugas, proses perencanaan, pengorganisasian, pelaksanaan, pengawasan dan evaluasi yang dilakukan dalam pengelolaan pondok pesantren. Metode yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitataif berupa kata-kata tertulis atau lisan dari orang-orang atau perilaku yang diamati, jawaban atas beberapa pertanyaan penelitian yang diajukan terhadap masalah yang dirumuskan bertujuan untuk mengetahui peranan apa saja yang dilakukan oleh santri dalam mewujudkan pengelolaan pondok pesantren. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa manajemen yang dilakukan oleh organisasi santri melalui beberapa tahapan yaitu perencanaan yang meliputi penerapan aturan, rekruitmen kepengurusan, penyusunan program kerja, dan penetapan anggaran. Adapun pada proses pengorganisasian meliputi wewenang dan pembagian kerja. Dalam pelaksanaan program kerja dilakukan dengan perekrutan santri menjadi panitia kegiatan. Dalam pengawasan dilakukan dengan mengadakan rapat bulanan bagi kementrian dan pengurus OSPAI wilayah. Sedangkan dalam tahapan evaluasi dilakukan SUSAN (Sidang umum santri) yang dihadiri oleh seluruh santri yang di dalamnya dilakukan perubahan dan penetapan AD, ART, GBHO, UU PRS dan setelah itu juga dilakukan evaluasi laporan pertanggungjawaban pengurus OSPAI Pusat. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keberadaan organisasi santri dalam sebuah pesantren menjadi penting adanya karena berperan dalam mengelola sektor pesantren secara keseluruhan dalam bidang pendidikan, keamanan, keuangan, keagamaan, komunikasi dan informasi, hubungan luar pesantren, Unit Kegiatan Santri, dan asrama sehingga membantu pesantren menjadi lebih baik dan teratur dan berkembang sesuai perkembangan zaman dan sesuai dengan kebutuhan santri karena segala bentuk kegiatan yang dilakukan berdasarkan dari kebutuhan santri

Bayesian Estimation for Two Parameters of Exponential Distribution under Different Loss Functions

In this paper, two parameters for the Exponential distribution were estimated using the Bayesian estimation method under three different loss functions: the Squared error loss function, the Precautionary loss function, and the Entropy loss function. The Exponential distribution prior and Gamma distribution have been assumed as the priors of the scale γ and location δ parameters respectively. In Bayesian estimation, Maximum likelihood estimators have been used as the initial estimators, and the Tierney-Kadane approximation has been used effectively. Based on the MonteCarlo simulation method, those estimators were compared depending on the mean squared errors (MSEs).The results showed that the Bayesian estimation under the Entropy loss function, assuming Exponential distribution and Gamma distribution priors for the scale and location parameters, respectively, is the best estimator for the scale parameter. The best estimation method for location is the Bayesian estimation under the Entropy loss function in case of a small value of the scale γ (say γ < 1). Bayesian estimation under the Precautionary loss function is the best in case of a relatively large value of the scale γ (say γ > 1)

Impact of Tangible or Intangible incentives on job satisfaction among workers

Incentives either tangible or intangible are the most important or convenient resources that became the basis of workers satisfaction with their jobs. The study attempts to explore the relationship between tangible or intangible incentives and job satisfaction among workers. To achieve the objective, a sample of 100 workers were selected from Pakistan Ordinance Factory, Wah Cantt, Pakistan on basis of purposive sampling technique. Data is collected through the use of reward system questionnaire and Minnesota Satisfaction questionnaire. Statistical Package for social sciences (version, 21) was used for the analyses of data. Results showed that both tangible or intangible incentives are positively related to job satisfaction among workers. Thus, at work settings the rise in the use of incentives is associated with high job satisfaction

Isolation and identification of amylolytic bacteria from ragi

Ragi is a traditional dry starter culture frequently used in many fermented food products in Asian countries. Ragi contains starch that can be degraded by amylases provided by bacteria and other microorganisms during fermentation in producing fermented foods. This study was carried out to isolate bacteria from ragi and to screen for their ability to hydrolyse starch. Seven bacterial colonies were isolated from ragi, with three samples showing starch hydrolysis activity. Two of the starchdegrading bacterial isolates were identified using partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Bacillus licheniformis with 97% and 98% similarity, and one sample identified as a lactic acid bacteria, Enterococcus faecium (98%). Isolation and identification of these bacteria from ragi can provide a promising source of amylase that can be further studied and manipulated for the development of starter culture and to improve the quality of traditional ragi-based fermented food products

Entrepreneurial Orientation, Technology Orientation and Small and Medium Enterprises Performance in Nigeria: The Role of Government Support Policy

Purpose: The study empirically analyzes the moderating role of government support policy on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, technology orientation and performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in northeast Nigeria. Methodology: The paper adopts quantitative survey method using structured questionnaires, data was collected from 240 SME owner-managers in northeast Nigeria.The data collected was analyzed using Partial Least Squares PLS-SEM.Findings: The findings of the study indicates a significant positive relationship between EO, TO and Performance of SMEs. Additionally, the outcomes of the study authenticate that government support policy moderates the relationship between EO, TO and performance of SMEs in Nigeria.Implications: Policy makers, government agencies and regulators may wish to devise a comprehensive policy to SMEs sector by providing necessary infrastructure and favorable business environment in Nigeria.By doing these, the SMEs in Nigeria will not only improve their performance in the short run but also be able to success in the long run.Originality/Theoretical and practical contribution: This is the first study that focuses on testing the moderating role of government support policy on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, technology orientation and SMEs performance in Nigeria

Entrepreneurial Orientation, Technology Orientation, Contemporary Marketing and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Performance in Nigeria

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a significant social and economic role in both developed and developing nations.Despite the relevance and important of the sector, the literature indicates there are very few studies that attempted to investigate the factors that influence the performance of SMEs in Nigeria, particularly the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO), Technology orientation (TO), contemporary marketing (CM) and performance of SMEs.A cross-sectional design was adopted using questionnaire to collect data from 240 SME owner-managers in Nigeria.Questionnaires were distributed and collected through personally-administered method and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses.The findings of the study indicates a significant positive relationship between EO, TO and CM on the Performance of SMEs. The results offers important insights to regulators of SMEs, policy-makers, SMEs owner-managers, and researchers to further understand the effects of these strategic management variables.Owner-mangers of SMEs should accentuate on these variables to improve their performance.Policy-makers should support SMEs ownermanagers in the areas of training and capacity building.Lastly, limitations of the current study suggests opportunities for researchers interested in exploring other determinates of SMEs performance

Factors Influencing Small and Medium Enterprise Performance in Nigeria: A Pilot Study

This paper discusses factors influencing the performance of SMEs in Nigeria using the quantitative approach. The study used a survey method; it administered 40 questionnaires to SME owner-managers randomly selected in Kano, Nigeria. Four elements were identified and used as determining factors of SMEs performance, these are: entrepreneurial orientation, technology orientation and contemporary marketing as independent variables and government support policies (GSPs) as a moderating variable. Validity and reliabilty of the instruments were scrutinized by professionals in the field of management and their observations were used in modifying the items of the quetionnaire. Similarly, to present the results of the pilot test, the data was analysed using PLS-SEM 2.0 and the findings confirmed the validity and reliability of the instruments adapted for the study. Theoretically, the paper established a new insight on the role of government on the relationship between the determinants and SMEs performance. The study has practical implication for government, policy makers, regulators, SMEs owner-managers and other stakeholders to recognize government support as it affects SMEs performance. The study further adds to the frontier of knowledge on the importance of GSPs in strengthening the relationship between the variables and SMEs performance

Entrepreneurial Orientation, Technology Orientation and Small and Medium Enterprises Performance in Nigeria: Role of Government Support Policies

Purpose: The study empirically analyzes the moderating role of government support policy on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, technology orientation, and performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in northeast Nigeria. &nbsp; Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper adopts quantitative survey method using structured questionnaires, data were collected from 240 SME owner-managers in northeast Nigeria. The data collected was analyzed using Partial Least Squares PLS-SEM. &nbsp;Findings: The findings of the study indicate a significant positive relationship between EO, TO and Performance of SMEs. Additionally, the outcomes of the study authenticate that government support policy moderates the relationship between EO, TO and performance of SMEs in Nigeria. Implications/Originality/Value: The study has practical implication for the government, policy makers, regulators, SMEs owner-managers and other stakeholders to recognize government support as it affects SMEs performance. The study further adds to the frontier of knowledge on the importance of GSPs in strengthening the relationship between the variables and SMEs performance. This is the first study that focuses on testing the moderating role of government support policy on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, technology orientation and SMEs performance in Nigeria