Analysing the Influence of Non-Observable and Observable Interviewer Characteristics on Measurement Error: Evidence from Zambia

In Sub-Saharan Africa, where only one in five people uses the Internet and connectivity issues restrict the possibility for phone surveys in rural areas, interviewer-administered face-to-face (F2F) surveys are and will remain the principal data collection tool in the foreseeable future. Yet questions remain as to what extent previous findings on interviewer-administered surveys from Western countries may apply to a different cultural and geographical context. In this light, the objective of this study is to investigate the influence of certain observable interviewer characteristics (such as gender, age) and non-observable characteristics (such as education, attitudes) on interviewer variance on a subset of survey questions – both factual and attitudinal ones. Due to the different societal structure in Zambia, respondents may potentially interpret and respond to the cues given by the interviewer in a different way. The analysis draws on data from a face-to-face survey on standards of living, economic situation and financial behaviour in rural or semi-urban areas of Zambia. The survey was administered in 2016 with more than 2,000 members of selected collective savings groups who are beneficiaries of a development programme. For each savings group, a team of five interviewers were randomly assigned to randomly selected respondents following a partially interpenetrated assignment. Previous literature stresses the importance to differentiate interviewer variance introduced during the recruitment and nonresponse stage from that related to measurement error. In this study, not the interviewer but supervisors with support by savings group leaders select and ensure participation of respondents, as well as carry out the assignment of interviewers. This particular design allows to focus on interviewer effects on measurement primarily as the interviewer was not involved in recruitment. This study on interviewer effects presents both the interviewer variance analysis on the selected questions, as well as the results of multi-level models

Effects of elevated carbon dioxide on soil microbial communities of the Mojave Desert

The objective of this study is to determine soil microbial community structure in the framework of increased atmospheric carbon availability associated with global change. Since arid ecosystems make up a considerable fraction of our biosphere, their response to global change will be of significance. Further, implication for plant and ecosystems productivity in arid environments may be linked to changes in diversity among microbial communities, since the cycling of essential elements in the soil is often mediated by microbes. The following are three sets of experiments designed to examine the changes in microbial diversity associated with a global change factor, an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2); To start the examination of the differences caused by elevated atmospheric CO2, bacterial communities living in soil associated with Larrea tridentata, a dominant Mojave Desert shrub, were studied. Terminal restriction length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis, and preliminary phylogenetic analysis, of 16S rDNA amplified from soil indicated that there is an alteration in the soil bacterial community structure between ambient and elevated CO2 conditions. Preliminary richness estimation indicated that the studied environments have been greatly undersampled. The analysis also revealed T-RFLP may not be a suitable method to study the microbial diversity in the studied environment, and more extensive 16S rDNA sampling is necessary to determine the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on the diversity of soil microbes in an intact desert environment; The effects of elevated CO2 on soil microbial communities were further tested through microbial community surveys by the construction of larger environmental gene libraries to identify the dominant operational taxonomic units (phylotypes) among bacterial and fungal communities. To better understand how community composition relates to environmental changes, a multifaceted approach consisting of qualitative and quantitative methods to assess community diversity was employed to characterize the microbial communities found in the different CO2 treatments. Significant changes in the bacterial and fungal community structures in enriched CO2 conditions were observed; The final experiments used to determine the structure of microbial communities relied on the quantitation of total and specific groups of bacteria. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) using TaqMane technology was employed to infer population density of total and Gram-positive bacteria in rhizosphere soil DNA exposed to enhanced and ambient CO2. The QPCR results indicate that the density of bacteria is similar in the two CO 2 treatments, while Gram-positive microorganisms decreased by 44% in ambient relative to those observed in enriched CO2 conditions. These experiments also suggest that a cumulative change in many fungal phyla was observed in conditions of elevated CO2, while change among bacteria was group-specific

How Digital Natives Learn and Thrive in the Digital Age: Evidence from an Emerging Economy

As a generation of ‘digital natives,’ secondary students who were born from 2002 to 2010 have various approaches to acquiring digital knowledge. Digital literacy and resilience are crucial for them to navigate the digital world as much as the real world; however, these remain under-researched subjects, especially in developing countries. In Vietnam, the education system has put considerable effort into teaching students these skills to promote quality education as part of the United Nations-defined Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). This issue has proven especially salient amid the COVID−19 pandemic lockdowns, which had obliged most schools to switch to online forms of teaching. This study, which utilizes a dataset of 1061 Vietnamese students taken from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s “Digital Kids Asia Pacific (DKAP)” project, employs Bayesian statistics to explore the relationship between the students’ background and their digital abilities. Results show that economic status and parents’ level of education are positively correlated with digital literacy. Students from urban schools have only a slightly higher level of digital literacy than their rural counterparts, suggesting that school location may not be a defining explanatory element in the variation of digital literacy and resilience among Vietnamese students. Students’ digital literacy and, especially resilience, also have associations with their gender. Moreover, as students are digitally literate, they are more likely to be digitally resilient. Following SDG4, i.e., Quality Education, it is advisable for schools, and especially parents, to seriously invest in creating a safe, educational environment to enhance digital literacy among students

Wild Turkey, Meleagris gallopavo silvestris, Behavior in Central Ontario During Winter

Home range size, food habits, and roost site selection are described for the Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) introduced on the Precambrian Shield in central Ontario during the winters 1999 and 2000. Monthly home range size was correlated primarily to snow depth, although it was also likely associated to other factors, including food availability and/or roost site availability. Ferns and allies were used more than available, whereas monocots were used less than expected. Roost site-selection was primarily influenced by tree height. If the Eastern Wild Turkey is to expand its northern range in Ontario, winter food and roost site availability may be the primary determinants for successful introductions

Work Stress among Vietnamese Marketing Agency Employees Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This research explores the sources and the effects of work stress on Vietnamese agency employees before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluates the stress management effort made by their companies. Qualitative approach was used to analyse data that was collected through 20 semi-structured, individual interviews with Vietnamese marketing agencies employees across various positions. The main findings of the research showed that Vietnamese marketing agencies employees experience work stress frequently, which has led to serious physical and psychological problems that affected their work and personal life significantly. Major sources of stress for them before the pandemic include heavy work demands, lack of support at work, poor workplace relationships, and inadequate compensation. During the pandemic, their stress level is affected by poor communication, work & non-work conflict and financial concerns. It is found that workplace support and positive individual characteristics can buffer stress effects. The findings from this research aim to contribute to Vietnamese agencies‘ understanding of stress and influence stress management practices to mitigate the impact of stress on their business. Theoretically, this study builds the understanding of work stress in the context of contemporary Asian workplace

The Legionella IcmSW complex directly interacts with DotL to mediate translocation of adaptor-dependent substrates

Legionella pneumophila is a Gram-negative bacterium that replicates within human alveolar macrophages by evasion of the host endocytic pathway through the formation of a replicative vacuole. Generation of this vacuole is dependent upon the secretion of over 275 effector proteins into the host cell via the Dot/Icm type IVB secretion system (T4SS). The type IV coupling protein (T4CP) subcomplex, consisting of DotL, DotM, DotN, IcmS and IcmW, was recently defined. DotL is proposed to be the T4CP of the L. pneumophila T4SS based on its homology to known T4CPs, which function as inner-membrane receptors for substrates. As a result, DotL is hypothesized to play an integral role(s) in the L. pneumophila T4SS for the engagement and translocation of substrates. To elucidate this role, a genetic approach was taken to screen for dotL mutants that were unable to survive inside host cells. One mutant, dotLY725Stop, did not interact with the type IV adaptor proteins IcmS/IcmW (IcmSW) leading to the identification of an IcmSW-binding domain on DotL. Interestingly, the dotLY725Stop mutant was competent for export of one class of secreted effectors, the IcmSW-independent substrates, but exhibited a specific defect in secretion of IcmSW-dependent substrates. This differential secretion illustrates that DotL requires a direct interaction with the type IV adaptor proteins for the secretion of a major class of substrates. Thus, by identifying a new target for IcmSW, we have discovered that the type IV adaptors perform an additional role in the export of substrates by the L. pneumophila Dot/Icm T4SS

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism Impact Assessment Report for Vietnam

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is evolving rapidly, with many uncertainties remaining regarding its long-term scope, embedded emissions calculation, and reactions of EU-trade partners. In its current form, the CBAM can affect Vietnamese enterprises exporting to EU although its direct impacts on Vietnam’s GDP are unlikely significant. If the CBAM is expanded to other trade-intensive sectors of Vietnam or taken up by other key trading partners of Vietnam, the impacts may grow quickly. Therefore, Vietnam should engage proactively with the CBAM and prepare for mitigation of potential impacts. One of the pro-active approaches is to accelerate and deepen the adoption of carbon pricing. This will facilitate energy transition, support achievement of Vietnam’s climate change mitigation target (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and long-term net-zero targets and would allow to harness co-benefits. It is also advisable for Vietnam to engage in constructive dialogues with the EU in order to negotiate a fair implementation of CBAM that takes into account Vietnam’s efforts. A key demand here should be the use of emissions credits instead of having to buy CBAM certificates

Maximum diameter measurements of aortic aneurysms on axial CT images after endovascular aneurysm repair: sufficient for follow-up?

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of maximum diameter measurements of aortic aneurysms after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) on axial computed tomographic (CT) images in comparison to maximum diameter measurements perpendicular to the intravascular centerline for follow-up by using three-dimensional (3D) volume measurements as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-nine consecutive patients (73 ± 7.5 years, range 51-88 years), who underwent EVAR of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm were retrospectively included. Two blinded readers twice independently measured the maximum aneurysm diameter on axial CT images performed at discharge, and at 1 and 2 years after intervention. The maximum diameter perpendicular to the centerline was automatically measured. Volumes of the aortic aneurysms were calculated by dedicated semiautomated 3D segmentation software (3surgery, 3mensio, the Netherlands). Changes in diameter of 0.5 cm and in volume of 10% were considered clinically significant. Intra- and interobserver agreements were calculated by intraclass correlations (ICC) in a random effects analysis of variance. The two unidimensional measurement methods were correlated to the reference standard. RESULTS: Intra- and interobserver agreements for maximum aneurysm diameter measurements were excellent (ICC = 0.98 and ICC = 0.96, respectively). There was an excellent correlation between maximum aneurysm diameters measured on axial CT images and 3D volume measurements (r = 0.93, P < 0.001) as well as between maximum diameter measurements perpendicular to the centerline and 3D volume measurements (r = 0.93, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Measurements of maximum aneurysm diameters on axial CT images are an accurate, reliable, and robust method for follow-up after EVAR and can be used in daily routine

A Study Of UV-curable Offset Ink Emulsified With An Alternative Isopropyl Alcohol-free Fountain Solution

In the present research, fountain solution without isopropyl alcohol (IPA) for Ultraviolet offset curing ink (UV ink) was prepared by using Ethylene Glycol Mono-butyl Ether (EGME) as a substitute for IPA. The effect of EGME concentration on the water pick-up characteristics, tack value, rheological behaviors, and curing time of UV offset inks was investigated. Water pick-up characteristics, tack value and rheological behaviors were measured by Duke Ink water emulsification tester, Tack-o-scope and cone-plate rheometer, respectively. The curing time of the UV ink was evaluated by the rub test of printed sheet samples proofed on the polymer film at the standard solid ink density and the same ink thickness. The results revealed that an increase in EGME concentration increased the water pick-up characteristics of the UV ink. There was no significant influence of EGME on the tack value of UV inks. However, the tack value of UV ink was significantly affected by fountain concentration in UV inks and UV ink color. The addition of EGME reduced the dynamic viscosity and thixotropic property of UV inks but did not change the flow behavior of UV ink as shear thinning. This study indicates that UV ink emulsified with a higher EGME concentration fountain solution needs a longer curing time. The cyan UV ink has the longest curing time. Finally, the fountain solution of 10% EGME exhibited good performance in water pick-up characteristics, tack value, rheological behaviors, and curing time of UV inks