Testing the nonlinearity of the BVIcJHKs period-luminosity relations for the Large Magellanic Cloud Cepheids

A number of recent works have suggested that the period-luminosity (PL) relation for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) Cepheids exhibits a controversial nonlinear feature with a break period at 10 days. Therefore, the aim of this Research Note is to test the linearity/nonlinearity of the PL relations for the LMC Cepheids in BVIcJHKs band, as well as in the Wesenheit functions. We show that simply comparing the long and short period slopes, together with their associate d standard deviations, leads to a strictly larger error rate than applying rigorous statistical tests such as the F-test. We applied various statistical tests to the current published LMC Cepheid data. These statistical tests include the F-test, the testimator test, and the Schwarz information criterion (SIC) method. The results from these statistical tests strongly suggest that the LMC PL relation is nonlinear in BVIcJH band but linear in the Ks band and in the Wesenheit functions. Using the properties of period-color relations at maximum light and multi-phase relations, we believe that the nonlinear PL relation is not caused by extinction errors.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures and 2 tables, A&A accepte

FISCAL ADJUSTMENT AND DYNAMIC ECONOMICS PERFORMANCE: THE CASE OF MALAYSIA

The main objective of this study is to identify the link between fiscal adjustment and dynamic economic performance in Malaysia using time series data for entire period of 1980-2009. To examine the long-run relationship between fiscal adjustment and economic performance, this has study employed the Gregory-Hansen cointegration approach to capture the endogenous structural breaks in long-run equilibrium relationship with three different specifications. The finding of this study indicates that there is long-run positive cointegration relationship between fiscal adjustment and economic performance in Malaysia. Therefore, the finding of this study clearly shows that the dynamic and continuous economics performance is a key element of the successful of the stability of Malaysia’s economic in Southeast Asian region, although have faced several economic crisis.Fiscal adjustment, Economic performance, Gregory-Hansen

Skill Development and Motivational Enhancement to Change Drinking Behavior in Sabah Borneo

Alcohol is the third highest risk factor for disease prevalence in the world and threatens the quality of life of people and societies Consumption of alcohol is a challenge in a few of the native communities of Sabah and Sarawak with the highest prevalence of risky drinking in Malaysia This study aimed to compare drinking refusal self-efficacy DRSE and quality of life QOL between the experimental group and the control group before and after the Motivational Enhancement Intervention MEI and to compare DRSE and QOL of the experimental group before and after the MEI A quasiexperimental design was used to assess the effectiveness of MEI at baseline and three months follow-up by using pretest and posttest design A total of 56 villagers in the West Coast Division of Sabah participated in this study Purposive sampling by using Alcohol Use Identification Test AUDIT was applied to select hazardous and harmful drinkers between age 18 to 56 years old Data was analyzed by using IBM SPSS version 26 0 The result found a significant difference in DRSE and QOL in the intervention group before and after MEI A significant difference in these measures was also found between the intervention and control groups after MEI The study results are significant to provide direction for the next action plan for intervention purposes aimed to increase the ability to resist drinking alcohol in various situations and to improve the QOL among the indigenous communities of Saba

The Impacts of Living Environment on People’s Mental Health in Vavuniya Urban Council, Special Reference to Thandikulam GND

This study identifies the impact of the living environment factors that affect people’s mental health in Vavuniya Thandikulam GND. Housing characteristics, neighborhood characteristics and built environment characteristics are the key factors that affect the people’s mental health in Vavuniya Thandikulam GND. The sample was chosen using stratified random sampling. The sample size of the study is 150 participants, and information from the chosen respondents was gathered via a questionnaire survey. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive and multiple regression analysis in SPSS. The study has revealed living environment factors have significant impacts on people's mental health. The findings of this study emphasize the significance of considering different contexts in the development of policies related to housing, neighborhoods, the built environment, and mental health. By recognizing and addressing the unique needs and challenges of diverse communities, policymakers can foster environments that promote mental well-being and enhance the overall quality of life for individuals

Stress-strength reliability for designs based on large historic values of stress

AbstractSome new ideas and thoughts concerning the definition and calculation of reliability for stress-strength models for failure are presented. In particular, calculations are carried out and statistical inference is made for systems whose design is made on the basis of the past data with emphasis on extremes and excesses. This is done based on the observation that for such designs reliability estimation can be viewed as the statistical problem of comparing future values, with large values of the past for a single distribution. It is discussed that this approach could particularly prove useful when no basis exists for assuming any specific distributions for either stress or strength or both, but when design is made or experimentation has been performed yielding sufficient information to assume a certain functional relationship between distributions for stress and strength. Some ideas from information theory are also brought in to provide a guideline for defining reliability on the basis of an “equivalent” system. Finally, a simple demonstrating example is also included using a set of published data

Does tourism sustain the economic growth? A wavelet based evidence from United States

This study explores the relationship between tourism development and economic growth in high tourist arrival country such as the United States of America (USA) by adopting the wavelet transform approach using monthly data over the period 1996M01-2015M08. Three innovative techniques that are continuous wavelet, wavelet coherence power spectrum and wavelet based Granger causality that consider the decomposition of time-series at different time frequencies, are utilized to conduct the study. The results of autoregressive distributed lag and combine cointegration tests show that there is a significant long-run relationship occurs between tourism development and economic growth in USA. Furthermore, the results indicate that there is a unidirectional causal influence of economic growth on tourism development in the short-run whereas, in the long-run the opposite causal relationship is evident in USA. Thus it can be recommended that government needs to increase and promote tourism demand and further providing and nurturing the expansion of tourism supply with the advancement of economic growth

Adolescent endometriosis

Endometriosis is predominantly a disease of women of reproductive age group. Endometriosis is not uncommon in adolescents. Presentation tends to focus on pain, especially intractable dysmenorrhea and chronic pelvic pain. In around 60% of patients with endometriosis symptoms start in adolscence. Pain unresponsive to treatment is the usual indication for a Laproscopy. The appearance of endometriotic lesions is different from that of adults. Medical and surgical options for treatment are available. Endometriosis may be progressive and adverse effects may go beyond pain and cause infertility

Return of education and retirement age decision: a case study among management graduates from Malaysia

In this study we propose a simulation approach using Cost and Benefit Analysis (CBA) to evaluate effects of the increase in retirement age on education return among tertiary management graduates in Malaysia. All data are computed into CBA model using simulation approach to measure the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) once the retirement age is increased yearly. The overall findings of this study show that the IRR is not sensitive to the assumption made about the retirement age decisions; and the IRR does not change from the compulsory retirement age proposed by the Malaysian government. Therefore, the 56 years for retirement age for management graduates in Malaysia is still ideal in term of education return

Returns to investment on tertiary education: the case of non-conventional business and management graduates

This study provides estimates of the private returns of tertiary nonconventional education (NCE) for management graduates in Malaysia. The term 'non-conventional education' used in this research refers to distance learning and part-time management degree program graduates. We evaluate the private returns using the basic concept of educational cost and benefit analysis. The data used were derived from alumni dataset from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and National University of Malaysia (UKM) alumni division. Calculating the private returns of lifetime earnings, we find that the internal rates of return for NCE graduates are similar in both public and private sectors. Nevertheless, the results presented in this study are the first approximation ever of the private rate of returns to NCE in Malaysia, based on surveys on management NCE graduates in the Malaysian labor market. This study also seeks to contribute to the existing knowledge of economic analysis on lifelong learning in Malaysia