HIV/AIDS and Adolescent's School-Work Choices in Malawi

Malawi is facing a severe HIV/AIDS Pandemic. With an estimated prevalence rate of 14.2%, it ranks eight in the world. About 900,000 Malawians were infected by 2003 and there were110,000 new infections and 87,000 deaths due to HIV/AIDS in 2003. The disease has poten tially devastating impacts. For example, 'taking children out of school' is mentioned as one of the coping mechanisms (Garbus 2003) but evidence is mixed. Doctor (2004) found no statistically significant difference between enrollment of orphans and non-orphans and mentioned an effective extended family structure as explanation. However, HIV/AIDS, poverty, macroeconomic policies, and food shortages are reported to render informal safety networks of the extended family systems irrelevant (Garbus 2003). Some evidence seems to point in this direction (Nankhuni 2005). This research shows that adolescents who are orphaned and those who do not live with their parents are less likely to attend school, spend less hours on school work but more hours on domestic and paid work. Children in households that have adults with chronic illnesses that are associated with HIV/AIDS symptoms are also more likely to be absent from school and spend more hours on d omestic and paid work. These results suggest that HIV/AIDS contributes to low investments in children in Malawi. The results also suggest that the extended family system is weakening due to pressure from increased number of orphans and the low economic status of most Malawians since even parents that are living foster out their children and these children do worse than orphaned children.HIV/AIDS, Demographic Economics, Time Allocation, Malawi, Labor and Human Capital, 01, J1, J2, Human Capital, 05,

Oceanographic Profiling and Spectroradiometer Observations from the MOCE-2 Cruise: 28 March to 14 April 1993

This report contains results from the second cruise of the Modis Optical Characterization Experiment (MOCE). Data presented here were obtained on the Mexican Research Vessel El Puma between 29 March and 13 April along the Pacific coast of Baja California and in the Gulf of California. Three types of data are reported: high spectral resolution radiometry at three depths for 13 stations; salinity, temperature beam attenuation and chlorophyll-a fluorescence, profiles at the same stations; and total suspended matter and suspended organic carbon and nitrogen.(PDF is 90 pages.

Oceanographic Profiling Observations from the MOCE-3 Cruise: 27 October to 15 November 1994

This report contains results from the third cruise of the Marine Optical Characterization Experiment (Fig. 1). A variety of spectroradiometric observations of the upper water column and atmosphere were made by investigators from the University of Miami, NOAA, CHORS and MLML. Data presented here were obtained by oceanographic CTD profiler: salinity, temperatllre, dissolved oxygen, beam attenuation and chlorophyll-a fluorescence; and by water samplers: total suspended matter and suspended organic carbon and nitrogen, salinity, and dissolved oxygen

THE EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION ON WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S TIME ALLOCATION DECISIONS IN MALAWI: IMPACT ON CHILDREN'S WELFARE

The majority of the Malawi people is rural (85%) and lives primarily on subsistence farming (NSO 2001). More than 90% of households collect and use fuel wood as their main source of cooking energy (NEC 2001; NSO 2000). However, between 1990 and 2000, Malawi experienced an average annual deforestation rate of 2.4% that was significantly higher than both Africa's average deforestation rate of 0.78%, and the world's average deforestation rate of 0.22% (UN FAO 2001). Malawi is also reported as one of the countries that will experience water stress by 2025 (PRB 2002). The rapid depletion of natural resources can have significant consequences for the quality of people's lives. Since Malawian women and children are primarily responsible for rural transportation work including collection of fuel wood and water (Edmonds et al. 1995), environmental degradation is expected to affect them disproportionately. This study will investigate the effects of environmental degradation on women's and children's time allocation decisions and the implications on children's school performance and health. The importance of relationships between population, the environment, and poverty has been acknowledged at both international and regional levels since the 1970's (United Nations 1997). However, there is a serious dearth of empirical studies on the nature of such relationships (United Nations 1997). The lack of studies has been cited as one of the reasons frustrating policy makers in their attempt to adopt sustainable development efforts (Arizpe et al. 1994). Some recent studies in this area have looked at effects of environmental degradation on women's fertility (Filmer and Pritchett 1996; Aggarwal et al. 2001); women's time allocation decisions (Cooke 2000); farm productivity (Cooke 1998). Earlier work by the authors showed that environmental degradation was associated with lower school enrollment and high domestic child labor hours, especially for girls (Nankhuni and Findeis 2002). This analysis extends that research to investigate the impact of environmental degradation on school performance. Attempts to look at impact on child health were done by Aggarwal et al. (2001) in South Africa but no significant impact was found. This study will also contribute to the research on effects of environmental degradation on children's health. Methodology Data Data from an Integrated Household Survey of 10,698 households conducted in Malawi in 1997-98 by the Malawi National Statistics Office are used. The data contain information on demographic and socio-economic characteristics of individuals and households, including child levels of education and health. The data also include time allocation information on domestic activities that include time spent on fuel wood and water collection. Information on each household's access to different water sources and whether the household relies on purchasing rather than collecting fuel wood as their main source of cooking energy is also available. Supplementing these data are estimates of fuel wood availability (GOM 1987) and information on access and quality of schools and health facilities at the district level (Benson 2002). Theoretical framework Freeman (1993) proposes that the basis for measuring the economic value of changes in resource environmental systems is the effects on human welfare. Therefore, the starting point for analyzing the impacts of environmental degradation is utility theory. The household production-utility model based on Becker (1965, 1993) and as adapted to farming households by Singh et al. (1976) will be the theoretical approach used in this paper. In this model, households derive utility from consumption of household farm-produced goods and from having children. They also derive positive utility from children's quality normally reflected in the children's health and education. The household's utility is maximized subject to budget, farm and household technology, and time constraints. Assuming that an interior solution to the household's maximization problem exists, reduced-form demand equations for children's health and education can be derived. These demands will be functions of shadow wages, prices, individual and household socio-economic and demographic characteristics, and the state of the environment. As the environment degrades, more hours of work are spent on fuel wood and water collection. This results in increased price of education thereby decreasing demand for education, as children may be needed for domestic work. Similarly, if women in more deforested areas cannot spend enough time on farming, cooking, and childcare this will act as an increase in cost of children's health resulting in the children's poor health (Kumar and Hotchkiss 1988). Estimation strategy The effect of environmental degradation on children's quality will be estimated by adding environmental quality variables in school performance and child health models. The school performance indicators are children's attendance of senior primary school and being in a certain class at the appropriate age for that class. The child health variables are anthropometric measures of weight, height, and weight for height. Possible endogeneity of child schooling, child health, domestic child labor, and fertility decisions will be tested and corrected for, where appropriate. It is expected that environmental degradation will negatively affect children welfare.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Approach path control for powered-lift STOL aircraft

A flight control system concept is defined for approach flightpath control of an augmentor wing (or similar) powered-lift STOL configuration. The proposed STOL control concept produces aircraft transient and steady-state control responses that are familiar to pilots of conventional jet transports, and has potential for good handling qualities ratings in all approach and landing phases. The effects of trailing-edge rate limits, real-engine dynamics, and atmospheric turbulence are considered in the study. A general discussion of STOL handling qualities problems and piloting techniques is included

Shipboard Techniques for Oceanographic Observations

This report gives the details of water sampling methods and chemical analyses used during MLML participation in the EOS MODIS investigations. It is intended to be used as a reference manual for those engaged in shipboard work. (PDF contains 50 pages

The biomechanical function of periodontal ligament fibres in orthodontic tooth movement

Orthodontic tooth movement occurs as a result of resorption and formation of the alveolar bone due to an applied load, but the stimulus responsible for triggering orthodontic tooth movement remains the subject of debate. It has been suggested that the periodontal ligament (PDL) plays a key role. However, the mechanical function of the PDL in orthodontic tooth movement is not well understood as most mechanical models of the PDL to date have ignored the fibrous structure of the PDL. In this study we use finite element (FE) analysis to investigate the strains in the alveolar bone due to occlusal and orthodontic loads when PDL is modelled as a fibrous structure as compared to modelling PDL as a layer of solid material. The results show that the tension-only nature of the fibres essentially suspends the tooth in the tooth socket and their inclusion in FE models makes a significant difference to both the magnitude and distribution of strains produced in the surrounding bone. The results indicate that the PDL fibres have a very important role in load transfer between the teeth and alveolar bone and should be considered in FE studies investigating the biomechanics of orthodontic tooth movement. © 2014 McCormack et al

Group-size effect on scanning behaviour of Maasai Ostrich Struthio camelus massaicus

Scanning behaviour enables birds to collect information important for their survival, such as detecting predators (anti-predatory strategy) and searching for food. The scanning behaviour of the Common Ostrich Struthio camelus was investigated by determining the scanning duration (total seconds during 5-min periods that a bird’s head was raised) and scanning rate (number of times an individual raised its head per minute) among different group sizes in late 2006 in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. A total of 14 males and 20 females were observed. Scanning duration was a function of group size where individuals in small groups scanned for longer times than individuals in large groups. However, increasing group size did not have a significant effect on the scanning rate among the groups. Individual vigilance among ostriches is influenced by group size, whereas individual scanning rate may be influenced by factors other than group size, such as body size and habitat type. Higher scanning duration in small groups is attributed to anti-predatory behaviour

Alien Registration- Varney, Flora J. (Baldwin, Cumberland County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/32836/thumbnail.jp