Tobacco Chewing, Smoking and Health Knowledge: Evidence from Bangladesh

Unlike the substance abuse studies in developed countries, tobacco consumption and its adverse effects in developing countries are poorly studied. The objective of this paper is to identify which factors influence individuals' decision to smoke cigarettes, chew tobacco and their knowledge about the health hazards of tobacco use. To allow for the potential correlation among smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco, and health knowledge, we estimate a trivariate probit regression model using household survey data from Bangladesh. For both chewing tobacco and smoking, the results show how the probabilities of uninformed tobacco user and uninformed nonuser vary across different demographic groups.Chewing tobacco

Essays on Optimal Mix of Taxes, Spatiality and Persistence under Tax Evasion

This dissertation analyzes the optimal mix of direct and indirect taxes in an economy with multiple tax collecting authorities when both the taxes are subject to evasion and to what extent the tax compliance behavior of individuals in the United States are persistent and spatially dependent. Essay I derives and provides an intuitive interpretation of: (i) impact of the changes in the government instruments on tax evasion by firms, the expected prices they charge, and the expected tax rates they face; (ii) a generalized version of Ramsey rule for optimal commodity taxation which accounts for income tax evasion from either or both the tax authorities; (iii) generalized formulae for the optimal income tax rate for each of the tax authorities; and (iv) the tradeoff between optimal tax rates and audit probabilities for each of the tax authorities. It also re-examines controversies surrounding the uniform income taxes and the differentiated commodity taxes, and investigates how income tax evasion affects the progressivity of the income tax rates. It concludes that whether or not tax evasion calls for reductions in the optimal income tax rates hinges on how tax evasion and the associated concealment costs vary across individual taxpayers. Essay II introduces the twin issues of spatiality and persistence in the individual income tax evasion. While the issue of persistence arises through accumulated learning over time, spatiality arises for several reasons. Some these include the exchange of information between taxpayers; the social norm of tax compliance: an individual would comply if everybody in the society complies and vice versa; individuals faced with dynamic stochastic decision problems that pose immense computational challenges may simply look to others to infer satisfactory policies and interpersonal dependence works through learning by imitating rather than learning by doing. State-level annual per return evasion of individual income tax and related data were used to examine the above hypotheses and found supports for both of them in the individual income tax evasion in the United States

Monte Carlo modeling of the sensitivity of x-ray photoconductors

The sensitivity reduction or ghosting mechanism of x-ray photoconductor is studied based on Monte Carlo simulation techniques. We have calculated the sensitivity reduction for different detector operating conditions (applied electric field, x-ray spectrum and photoconductor thickness) and for different levels of carrier trapping. We have analyzed the effect of photoconductor biasing (positive or negative) on ghosting. The following effects are taken into account in modeling the ghosting phenomena: (i) recombination between trapped and oppositely charged drifting carriers, (ii) trap filling, (iii) nonuniform electric field, (iv) detrapping of trapped holes, and (v) x-ray induced trap generation. Our calculation shows that not only the recombination between trapped and oppositely charged drifting carriers but the x-ray induced trap generation is also responsible for ghosting in photoconductor based x-ray image detectors. Moreover not all the trapped carriers take part in recombination; rather only a fraction of the trapped carriers are involved in recombination. Electric field also plays an important role in ghosting calculations via the electron hole pair generation mechanism. Trap filling has also non trivial effects on ghosting. The simulation results show that the amount of ghosting strongly depends on the applied electric field. Ghosting increases with decreasing applied electric field and vice versa. It is observed that ghosting is higher at high carrier trapping level than at low trapping level. Again ghosting is more pronounced in chest radiographic detector than mammographic detector. In chest radiographic detector, carrier trapping is high due to greater thickness hence recombination and electric field effects are prominent in chest radiographic detector. Biasing dependent ghosting depends on the carrier mobility lifetime product. For positively biased detectors, ghosting is less if the mobility lifetime product of hole is higher than that of electron and vice versa for negatively biased detectors. It also appears that the use of only recombination to calculate ghosting, as believed the primary source of ghosting in some literatures, will lead to significant error in the calculation of ghosting

KEYAKINAN SEBELUM ILMU KALAM: AKTUALISASI IMAN, TAKDIR, DAN KESALEHAN DI MASA ISLAM AWAL

This paper seeks to problematize—in the sense of Michel Foucault’s term—the study conducted by Shahab Ahmed about the scientific practices that occurred in the early Islamic period which focused on the study of the history of satanic verses. This article examines the more basic scientific practice of acceptance of the verse, which is a theological practice which represents the faith and the piety through the controversy of destiny. Benefited from theory of discourse and archaeology of knowledge, it argues that before the formative theological discourse, faith was understood as an ontological ethos present in the practical religion. It becomes a fluid, conceptualized understanding based on each other's religious experiences. Theological practice is intensively discussed among Muslims after the emergence of the controversy of free will concept presented by Ma'bad al-Juhani and responded by Abdullah b. Umar. The response represents the theological practice as an alternative to mainstream theological practice. It comes in the form of practical and individual polemics without being normalized in certain of epistemological systems of theological school. This article concludes that before the normalization of Kalam, faith was understood as an inclusive, liquid, and historically dialectical Islamic ethos based on the practical religious challenges of the Muslim community. Tulisan ini berusaha melakukan problematisasi—dalam istilah Michel Foucault—terhadap objek kajian yang dilakukan oleh Shahab Ahmed tentang praktik keilmuan yang terjadi pada masa Islam awal yang difokuskan pada kajian tentang riwayat ayat-ayat setan. Artikel ini juga mengkaji tentang praktik keilmuan yang lebih mendasar dari penerimaan terhadap ayat tersebut, yakni praktik teologis yang menjadi representasi dari iman dan kesalehan melalui kontroversi takdir. Menggunakan teori diskursus dan arkeologi pengetahuan, artikel ini mengargumentasikan bahwa sebelum terbentuknya diskursifikasi teologis, iman dipahami sebagai etos ontologis. Iman menjadi pemahaman privatif yang cair dan dikonsepkan berdasarkan pengalaman keagamaan masing-masing. Praktik teologis dipantik untuk didiskursfikasikan secara lebih intensif setelah muncul kontroversi takdir yang dihadirkan oleh Ma’bad al-Juhani yang direspons oleh Abdullah b. Umar. Respons tersebut menandai adanya praktik teologis sehingga mampu memberikan respon terhadap isu yang digulirkan untuk mencari alternatif dari praktik teologis yang komunal. Hal tersebut hadir dalam bentuk polemik praktis dan individual tanpa dinisbatkan pada sistem epistemologis tertentu yang baku dan ketat. Artikel ini berkesimpulan bahwa sebelum munculnya ilmu kalam,iman dipahami sebagai etos keberislaman praktis yang terbuka, cair, dan berdialektika secara historis berdasarkan pada tantangan keagamaan praktis masyarakat Muslim. 

Tahap Penggunaan Sistem Aplikasi Komputer SPDK Di Kalangan Kakitangan Jabatan Ukur Dan Pemetaan Malaysia

The main objective of this study is to measure the level of CDMS (Cadastral Data Management System) computer usage among the employees of DSMM (Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia) as well as to identify factors (individual and organizational) that are related to its level of usage. The variables examined were demographic characteristics (gender, age, academic level, occupational level and work section), individual factors (computer knowledge and skill, computer anxiety and attitude towards computer), and organizational factors (computer training, management support and social pressure). A total of 421 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents in 12 States DSMM. Statistical analysis techniques such as Pearson correlation test and Chi-Square test were used to test 11 hypotheses. The results revealed that the level of CDMS computer usage among respondents is moderate and more towards positive direction. In addition, the study also found that there is relationship between the level of CDMS computer usage and age, academic level, occupational level, work section, computer knowledge and skill, computer anxiety, attitude towards computer, computer training, management support, and social pressure. However, there is no relationship between the level of CDMS computer usage and gender. As a conclusion, the results from this study are consistent with previous findings

SRIBBLE ART: TEKNIK PEMBELAJARAN MENGGAMBAR ILUSTRASI DI SMP NEGERI 1 KESAMBEN JOMBANG JAWA TIMUR

Pembelajaran menggambar ilustrasi di SMP Negeri 1 Kesamben pada KI/ KD menggambar ilustrasi dengan teknik manual dan digital kurang inovatif, pembelajaran kurang banyak variatif, dan siswa kurang diberikan wawasan yang lebih luas tentang perkembangan seni rupa. Sesuai dengan Kurikulum 2013 serta kompetensi dasar sekolah menengah pertama kelas VIII yang tertulis, peneliti ingin memberikan inovasi baru yang dapat dimasukkan kedalam kurikulum tersebut. Peneliti mencoba untuk menerapkan pembelajaran menggambar ilustrasi dengan teknik scribble art, agar siswa mendapatkan pengalaman baru, lebih variatif dan lebih kreatif dalam menggambar ilustrasi. Keunggulan dari teknik scribble art adalah memiliki keunikan tersendiri, dari segi coretan maupun karya yang dihasilkan dan memiliki perbedaan yang menonjol dari teknik ilustrasi pada umumnya. Pembelajaran menggambar Ilustrasi dengan teknik scribble art ini diharapkan mampu memberikan wawasan siswa di SMP Negeri 1 Kesamben khususnya Kelas VIII, sehingga dapat menghasilkan gambar ilustrasi yang lebih baik lagi. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kualtitatif deskriptif, pengumpulan data pertama observasi, wawancara, dokumentasi, dan kuisioner. Berdasarkan hasil observasi dan pengelolaan data dapat disimpukan bahwa menggambar ilustrasi dengan menggunakan tekmik scribble art dapat memberikan wawasan baru serta pengalaman baru dalam proses menggambar ilustrasi, proses pembelajaran menjadi berbeda dari sebelumnya dan gambar ilustrasi terlihat lebih baik dan lebih variatif. Kata Kunci: Scribble art, Pembelajaran, Menggambar, Ilustrasi

Jenis dan Tingkat Parasitasi Parasitoid Telur Penggerek Batang Padi Putih (Scirpophaga Innotata Walker) pada Pertanaman Padi (Oryza Sativa L.) di Dua Ketinggian Tempat Berbeda di Kabupaten Sigi

This study aims to identify parasitoids species and determine the percentage of parasitism of white rice stem borer (S. innotata) on paddy rice cultivation at different altitudes (Below 200 m asl and higher than 500 masl). This research was conducted in December 2015 - March 2016, in the village of Vatunonju, Sigi Biromaru Subdistrict and Sejahtera Village, Palolo Subdistrict, Sigi District. Identification of parasitoids was conducted in the Plant Pest and Disease Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tadulako, Palu. The study sites was selected by purposive sampling method. Ten eggs group of white rice stem borer at each location were collected from paddy field at different altitude to identify their parasitoids and parasitism level. The study found three parasitoids species of white rice stem borer namely Tetrastichus sp., Telenomus sp., and Trichogramma sp.. Telenomus sp. was the dominant species at the low land (200 m asl) paddy fields while Tetrastichus sp. was dominating at the upland (>500 asl) paddy fields with parasitism level were 23.34% and 20.69% respecttively

Crisis Management in Bangladesh:An Empirical Study

Management permeates all sectors of our life. A family or a societal club, a Mosque or a Church, a Pagoda or a Puja mandaf- all need to be managed properly. A nation running on the principles of either socialism or capitalism or both bother always about good management. There is not even a single sector in a particular economy, developed or developing, underdeveloped or poor which can ignore the role of management. Policy makers in both Govt. and non-government organizations, business, industry, trade and commerce, social institutions like Schools, Colleges and Universities are aptly concerned in everything of them to be property managed. The honorable President and the Prime Minster, Ministers, Members of the Parliament and high Govt. officials all speak about the importance of proper Management. The honorable Prime Minster, Ministers and Govt. Officials, distinguished guests and diplomats, FBCCI personnel and Beximco Group representatives all spoke very high about big ventures to be properly managed. It is therefore very much clear that everyone in our society feels the importance of managing things in the right direction. This may be called a general or common feeling regarding management in a normal situation. But whenever there arises an unforeseen situation, everyone in a society becomes rather very strongly and continuously concerned about the importance of good management. This paper will try to give an understanding to its readers about an wide variety of crisis situations, when, where, how and for what reasons crises arise, develop and sometimes stay and when to overcome, how to get rid of, where to attack situations and finally how to minimize and overcome crises by applying the various principles and functions of management. Keywords: Crisis, Act of God Mass media, share market, boom & slums, Right man at right post, Robber Barons

Tinjauan Teologi Islam di Dunia: “Isu dan Prospek” Frederick Mathewson Denny

The purpose of this article is to find out the paradigm of classical to modern Islamic theology, and how Islamic theology is in North American settings. Classical kalam science is Islamic theology which is more inclined to the theocentric or divine discussion which is the subject of its discussion. Theology of modern kalam theology of Islam is a system of values ​​that are divine, but from a sociological point of view, it is a phenomenon of civilization, culture, and social reality in human life. Theology needs to be improved among North American Muslims to protect the community against internal divisions and disputes and to defend Muslims from the challenges and provocations of the strength of outside agencies, whether secular culture and institutions, institutions or Christian Da'wah. At the very least theological discourse needs to be revived and expanded if it is only intended to be apologetic, namely to maintain Islamic faith and order in a free market regarding ideas and beliefs that are not normally done by Muslim immigrants. Classical and modern Islamic theology in essence is only for the purpose of apologetics

The Simultaneous Effects of Spatial and Social Networks on Cholera Transmission

This study uses social network and spatial analytical methods simultaneously to understand cholera transmission in rural Bangladesh. Both have been used separately to incorporate context into health studies, but using them together is a new and recent approach. Data include a spatially referenced longitudinal demographic database consisting of approximately 200,000 people and a database of all laboratory-confirmed cholera cases from 1983 to 2003. A complete kinship-based network linking households is created, and distance matrices are also constructed to model spatial relationships. A spatial error-social effects model tested for cholera clustering in socially linked households while accounting for spatial factors. Results show that there was social clustering in five out of twenty-one years while accounting for both known and unknown environmental variables. This suggests that environmental cholera transmission is significant and social networks also influence transmission, but not as consistently. Simultaneous spatial and social network analysis may improve understanding of disease transmission