On Morphological Analysis of Spatial Deixis in Mǝriaq-mǝriqu Dialect of Sasak Language

This paper concentrates on the spatial deixis and its morphological structures in Mǝriaq-mǝriqu dialect of Sasak language. It includes in a typological study with qualitative method. This research employs two forms of data; primary data and secondary data. The primary data include the information obtained from the informants from every dialect. Secondary data are the data obtained from any documents of Sasak language such as folklore. There are two methods of data collection; field linguistic method and library method. Of the two methods, there are two techniques used in collecting data: Observation and interview. The results of this study accommodated all types of demonstratives by Diessel (1999) and Dixon (1988) and discover some new types contributing to the theory. The types of spatial deixis in this dialect are pronominal, adnominal, quantifier, intensifier, identificational, adverbial, verbal, and referential. In term of morphological structure, the demonstrative in this dialect is constructed of some affixes and the combination of two or more spatial deixis. Nominal demonstrative usually becomes stem of other demonstratives. Quantifier is constructed of prefix ‘se-‘plus manner demonstrative adverb(MDA). Intensifier is constructed of prefix ‘s-‘ plus pronominal, LDA is constructed of prefix ‘n-‘ plus pronominal for proximal, MDA is constructed of prefix ‘mer-‘ and ‘m-‘ plus pronominals, verbal demonstrative is constructed of confix ‘pe-q’ plus MDA, Referential demonstrative is constructed of MDA plus suffix ‘-q’

Stressor-Induced Increase in Muscle Fatigability of Young Men and Women is Predicted by Strength but Not Voluntary Activation

This study investigated mechanisms for the stressor-induced changes in muscle fatigability in men and women. Participants performed an isometric-fatiguing contraction at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until failure with the elbow flexor muscles. Study one (n = 55; 29 women) involved two experimental sessions: 1) a high-stressor session that required a difficult mental-math task before and during a fatiguing contraction and 2) a control session with no mental math. For some participants (n = 28; 14 women), cortical stimulation was used to examine mechanisms that contributed to muscle fatigability during the high-stressor and control sessions. Study two (n = 23; nine women) determined the influence of a low stressor, i.e., a simple mental-math task, on muscle fatigability. In study one, the time-to-task failure was less for the high-stressor session than control (P \u3c 0.05) for women (19.4%) and men (9.5%): the sex difference response disappeared when covaried for initial strength (MVC). MVC force, voluntary activation, and peak-twitch amplitude decreased similarly for the control and high-stressor sessions (P \u3c 0.05). In study two, the time-to-task failure of men or women was not influenced by the low stressor (P \u3e 0.05). The greater fatigability, when exposed to a high stressor during a low-force task, was not exclusive to women but involved a strength-related mechanism in both weaker men and women that accelerated declines in voluntary activation and slowing of contractile properties

Stressor-Induced Increase in Muscle Fatigability of Young Men and Women is Predicted by Strength but Not Voluntary Activation

This study investigated mechanisms for the stressor-induced changes in muscle fatigability in men and women. Participants performed an isometric-fatiguing contraction at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until failure with the elbow flexor muscles. Study one (n = 55; 29 women) involved two experimental sessions: 1) a high-stressor session that required a difficult mental-math task before and during a fatiguing contraction and 2) a control session with no mental math. For some participants (n = 28; 14 women), cortical stimulation was used to examine mechanisms that contributed to muscle fatigability during the high-stressor and control sessions. Study two (n = 23; nine women) determined the influence of a low stressor, i.e., a simple mental-math task, on muscle fatigability. In study one, the time-to-task failure was less for the high-stressor session than control (P \u3c 0.05) for women (19.4%) and men (9.5%): the sex difference response disappeared when covaried for initial strength (MVC). MVC force, voluntary activation, and peak-twitch amplitude decreased similarly for the control and high-stressor sessions (P \u3c 0.05). In study two, the time-to-task failure of men or women was not influenced by the low stressor (P \u3e 0.05). The greater fatigability, when exposed to a high stressor during a low-force task, was not exclusive to women but involved a strength-related mechanism in both weaker men and women that accelerated declines in voluntary activation and slowing of contractile properties

THE LANGUAGE BEHAVIOUR ON KINSHIP ADDRESSES BY JAVANESE SPEAKERS

The various kinship address pairs are found in the domain of a nuclear family in relationships a husband and wife namely bapak-ibu, mas-dik, bapak-emak, bapak-mbok, ayah-ibu, bapak/ayah/mas-a nick name of child or a nick name of a wife. The factors influence the uses of this pair are not only sex but also the speaker’s status such as economy, education, etc; city or rural areas, speaker’s mobility, speaker’s opinion, familiarity, prestigious, education, and meaning which contains in a kinship address. In this husband-wife relationship, social attributes are commonly used by a husband to his wife and by a wife to her husband, contrast to English speakers in western countries. Then, the use of dedek is because of age for small children but mas/mbak, dik, pak/bulek, pak/bude, etc are because of other partisipants in nuclear and extended families. Mbah in an extended family and non-family is not completely age to be considered in usage but putu or grandchild. In various nuclear families, mas/mbak-dik appears in the family whose (a) parent(s) profession are/is (a) teacher(s) on Islamic lesson and their activity in Islam whereas others who have different profession and activity use mas/mbak-proper name and family in the lowest class does not use these social attributes at all. Furthermore, this research also reveals that ngajari not only for educating smooth language to small children but also for educating the uses of kinship addresses to small children, children, and teens who are involved or not involved in the communication. Finally, the kinship addresses are chosen based on socio, pragmatic, and religious factors which are the culture of Javanese speakers.Beragam pasangan alamat kekerabatan ditemukan dalam ranah keluarga inti dalam hubungan suami-istri yaitu bapak-ibu, mas-dik, bapak-emak, bapak-mbok, ayah-ibu, bapak / ayah / mas nama panggilan anak atau nama panggilan seorang istri. Faktor yang mempengaruhi penggunaan pasangan ini tidak hanya jenis kelamin tetapi juga status pembicara seperti ekonomi, pendidikan, dll; kota atau pedesaan, mobilitas penutur, pendapat penutur, keakraban, prestisius, pendidikan, dan makna yang terkandung dalam sapaan kekerabatan. Dalam hubungan suami-istri ini atribut sosial biasanya digunakan oleh suami kepada istri dan oleh istri kepada suaminya, berbeda dengan penutur bahasa Inggris di negara barat.  Kemudian penggunaan dedek karena umur untuk anak kecil tetapi mas / mbak, dik, pak / bulek, pak / bude, dll karena peserta lain dalam keluarga inti dan keluarga besar. Mbah dalam keluarga besar dan bukan keluarga tidak sepenuhnya dianggap umur dalam pemakaian tetapi putu atau cucu. Dalam berbagai rumpun inti, mas / mbak-dik muncul dalam keluarga yang orang tuanya berprofesi sebagai guru dalam pelajaran agama Islam dan kegiatannya dalam Islam sedangkan yang lain yang berbeda profesi dan kegiatan menggunakan Nama mas / mbak-tepat dan keluarga di kelas paling bawah tidak menggunakan atribut sosial ini sama sekali. Lebih lanjut, penelitian ini juga mengungkapkan bahwa ngajari tidak hanya untuk mendidik kelancaran bahasa kepada anak kecil tetapi juga untuk mendidik penggunaan sapaan kekeluargaan kepada anak kecil, anak, dan remaja yang terlibat atau tidak terlibat dalam komunikasi. Terakhir, alamat kekerabatan dipilih berdasarkan faktor sosial, pragmatis, dan agama yang menjadi budaya penutur bahasa Jawa

Prevention and management of malaria during pregnancy: findings from qualitative studies in Ghana and Malawi

BACKGROUND: In endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa, malaria during pregnancy (MiP) is a major preventable cause of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Current recommended MiP prevention and control includes intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp), distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) and appropriate case management. This article explores the social and cultural context to the uptake of these interventions at four sites across Africa. METHODS: A comparative qualitative study was conducted at four sites in three countries: Ghana, Malawi and Kenya. Individual and group interviews were conducted with pregnant women, their relatives, opinion leaders, other community members and health providers. Observations, which focused on behaviours linked to MiP prevention and treatment, were also undertaken at health facilities and in local communities. RESULTS: ITNs were generally recognized as important for malaria prevention. However, their availability and use differed across the sites. In Malawi and Kenya, ITNs were sought-after items, but there were complaints about availability. In central Ghana, women saved ITNs until the birth of the child and they were used seasonally in northern Ghana. In Kenya and central Ghana, pregnant women did not associate IPTp with malaria, whereas, in Malawi and northern Ghana, IPTp was linked to malaria, but not always with prevention. Although IPTp adherence was common at all sites, whether delivered with directly observed treatment or not, a few women did not comply with IPTp often citing previous side effects. Although generally viewed as positive, experiences of malaria testing varied across the four sites: treatment was sometimes administered in spite of a negative diagnosis in Ghana (observed) and Malawi (reported). Despite generally following the advice of healthcare staff, particularly in Kenya, personal experience, and the availability and accessibility of medication – including anti-malarials – influenced MiP treatment. CONCLUSION: Although ITNs were valued as malaria prevention, health messages could address issues that reduce their use during pregnancy in particular contexts. The impact of previous side effects on adherence to IPTp and anti-malarial treatment regimens during pregnancy also requires attention. Overtreatment of MiP highlights the need to monitor the implementation of MiP case management guidelines

Local illness concepts and their relevance for the prevention and control of malaria during pregnancy in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi: findings from a comparative qualitative study

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, the burden of morbidity and mortality linked to malaria during pregnancy (MiP) is significant and compounded by its unclear symptoms and links with other health problems during pregnancy. Mindful of the biomedical and social complexity of MiP, this article explores and compares local understandings of MiP and their links with other pregnancy-related health problems. METHODS: A comparative qualitative study was undertaken at four sites in three countries: Ghana, Malawi and Kenya. Individual and group interviews were conducted with pregnant women, their relatives, opinion leaders, other community members and health providers. MiP-related behaviours were also observed at health facilities and in local communities. RESULTS: Across the four sites, local malaria concepts overlapped with biomedically defined malaria. In terms of symptoms, at-risk groups, outcomes and aetiology of malaria during pregnancy, this overlap was however both site-specific and partial. Moreover, the local malaria concepts were not monolithic and their descriptions varied amongst respondents. The symptoms of pregnancy and malaria also overlapped but, for respondents, symptom severity was the distinguishing factor. Malaria was generally, though not universally, perceived as serious for pregnant women. Miscarriage was the most widely known outcome, and links with anaemia, low birth weight and congenital malaria were mentioned. Nonetheless, amongst many potential causes of miscarriage, malaria was not recognized as the most important, but rather interacted with other pregnancy-related problems. CONCLUSIONS: Given the overlap of common pregnancy problems with the symptoms of malaria, and the limited association of malaria with its main outcomes, a comprehensive antenatal care programme is the most appropriate strategy for the provision of health education, prevention and treatment for MiP. Variations in locally shared understandings of MiP must however be taken into account when designing and promoting MiP intervention strategies

Adoption of improved soybean and gender differential productivity and revenue impacts: evidence from Nigeria

Open Access Journal; Published online: 06 May 2022Despite the considerable soybean varietal improvement and dissemination efforts in Nigeria and other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, empirical evidence on farm-level yield and revenue impacts of improved soybean varieties (ISVs) from a gender perspective are limited. In this paper, we analyze the impact of the adoption of ISVs on soybean yield and net revenue, and the associated gender differential effects in northern Nigeria. We use the endogenous and exogenous switching treatment effects regression frameworks to estimate the impacts. We find that the adoption of ISVs significantly increased soybean yield and net revenue of the soybean-producing households by 26% and 32%, respectively. In addition, we find that the gender gap in yield between male and female-headed soybean-producing households was small, with a yield gap of about 1%. However, we find a substantial gender gap in soybean net revenue, as the net revenue of female-headed households was lower by about 20%, as compared to male-headed households. Overall, our findings show that policymakers and their development partners can leverage varietal improvement to boost the yields of both male- and female-headed households. However, closing the gender gap in crop income necessitates reducing the disparity in market linkages so that the female farmers can equally have better market access

Two 'transitions': the political economy of Joyce Banda's rise to power and the related role of civil society organisations in Malawi

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Review of African Political Economy on 21/07/2014, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03056244.2014.90194

The use of technology enhanced learning in health research capacity development: lessons from a cross country research partnership.

BACKGROUND: With the recognition of the need for research capacity strengthening for advancing health and development, this research capacity article explores the use of technology enhanced learning in the delivery of a collaborative postgraduate blended Master's degree in Malawi. Two research questions are addressed: (i) Can technology enhanced learning be used to develop health research capacity?, and: (ii) How can learning content be designed that is transferrable across different contexts? METHODS: An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was adopted for the evaluation of technology enhanced learning in the Masters programme. A number of online surveys were administered, student participation in online activities monitored and an independent evaluation of the programme conducted. RESULTS: Remote collaboration and engagement are paramount in the design of a blended learning programme and support was needed for selecting the most appropriate technical tools. Internet access proved problematic despite developing the content around low bandwidth availability and training was required for students and teachers/trainers on the tools used. Varying degrees of engagement with the tools used was recorded, and the support of a learning technologist was needed to navigate through challenges faced. CONCLUSION: Capacity can be built in health research through blended learning programmes. In relation to transferability, the support required institutionally for technology enhanced learning needs to be conceptualised differently from support for face-to-face teaching. Additionally, differences in pedagogical approaches and styles between institutions, as well as existing social norms and values around communication, need to be embedded in the content development if the material is to be used beyond the pilot resource-intensive phase of a project