Spatio-temporal Trend Analysis of Spring Arrival Data for Migratory Birds

There is increasing interest in spatio-temporal analysis of environmental and ecological responses to changes in the climate due to the recent concerns about climate change. In this work, we propose a spatio-temporal modeling framework for analyzing environmental and ecological data while accounting for spatial and temporal structure, as well as climate effects. As an example, we consider data on bird migration in the United States and analyze the spring arrival dates of Purple Martins between historical data (1905–1940) from the North American Bird Phenology Program and recent data (2001–2010) from the Purple Martin Conservation Association. The proposed approach allows researchers to compare mean arrival dates while accounting for spatial and temporal variability. Our results for Purple Martins showed statistically significant earlier spring arrivals in parts of United States over the recent years. The proposed approach provides a useful tool for statistical analysis of spatio-temporal data related to studies of climate change.     

The challenges and coping strategies of single mothers caring for children with special needs: Experiences from Kashmir,India

Families play a significant role in the development of their children. Nearly 16% of children in the industrialized world live in single-parent households, which are mostly comprised of single mothers. Although motherhood is the most beautiful feeling a woman cherishes, this experience can be challenging when the woman has to raise their special-needs child on her own, without the support of her spouse or partner. This study aims to understand the challenges and coping strategies of single mothers while raising their special-needs children. To this end, in-depth case interviews were conducted with three single mothers selected purposively from the Srinagar area in Kashmir, India. The results revealed that multiple roles and responsibilities had an adverse effect on the psychological well-being of single mothers who had to deal with the financial burden of caring for their child's condition, including expenses for doctor visits, special therapies and medication, among other. In addition, they had to experience the social pressure and stigmatization attached to being a single mother. The most widely employed coping strategies include support from family and friends, religious faith, and self-coping. The study recommends the creation of welfare packages like free counseling, stipend support, inclusive education, free medical treatment, and therapies for Children with Special Needs (CWSNs) and their mothers.     

Activating Controlling Images in the Racialized Interaction Order: Black Middle‐Class Interactions and the Creativity of Racist Action

This paper investigates the link between the racial hierarchy and the racialized interaction order, questioning how controlling images of blackness are mediated in interactions. I explore this through interviews with thirty‐two black British middle‐class individuals, examining their interactions in the professional workplace. I argue that white people often draw on a practical knowledge of “white ignorance” to activate controlling images in their interactions with black professionals. This white ignorance allows for white people to find creative ways to irrationally deploy controlling images, and to adapt controlling images to specific interactional settings.     

The Jewish Issue in Islamic Radicalism: Historicity,Impact and Evolutions

This article focuses on the long‐term ideological vision of Jews and Israel in radical Islam. By examining, on the one hand, the animosity towards Judeo‐Israelis in the spawning and bolstering of Islamist, Salafist and Jihadist movements, and on the other hand, the sociological composition of Jihadist elites related to the Israeli‐Palestinian conflict, I show the centrality of the Judeophobic discourse in the world of radical Islam as well as the importance of Israel in its reinforcement. By trying to historicize this discourse, as well as political and strategic movements linked with the State of Israel, I also question the nature of the hostility towards Judaism, and more specifically the role of the Israeli issue in the development and evolution of the most radical and violent forms of Muslim identity over nearly a century.     

Toward a Deep Insight into Employee Participation in Employer-Supported Volunteering in Iranian Organizations: A Grounded Theory

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations - Antecedents and consequences of employer-supported volunteering (ESV) have been widely studied. Yet, in the literature,...     

Evaluating Potential Environmental Variables and Active Aging in Older Adults for Age-Friendly Neighborhoods in Malaysia

As Malaysia's population is aging rapidly, and since there is no specific housing policy for the elderly, it is vital that neighborhoods meet the different needs of elderly for active aging to maintain their quality of life. This study aims to investigate the neighborhood environmental variables, the outcome active aging, and potential variables that inhibit active aging in the elderly that lead to their quality of life. It examined quality-of-life determinants that are influenced by the existence of certain neighborhood characteristics. In the study, 385 older adults aged 60+ years residing in two different cities in Malaysia were surveyed. Multiple regression was used to explore how much variance in active aging variables the neighborhood environmental factors explained as a group. The results showed that permeability, accessibility, and facilitators to walking are key determinants of active aging. There is a need to improve the physical design of the neighborhoods with regard to these three factors.     

Household welfare and women empowerment through microcredit financing: Evidence from Malaysia microcredit

Microcredit financing is considered a crucial vehicle to flourish the socioeconomic conditions of women and women empowerment, especially among those who are from low-income households and deprived of access to financial services. Nevertheless, the literature arrived with a conflicting conclusion about its effect and women demonstrate that microcredit has small or no effect. This study is intended to scrutinize the impact of a productive loan provided by Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) on women household welfare and empowerment. A cross-sectional survey was employed through the distribution of a questionnaire to 495 of old and new borrowers. We observe that microcredit has significant positive effects on borrowers’ household income and personal asset acquisition. However, even though the effect of microcredit empowers women borrowers in households’ decisions-making, it has no effect on women control over minor financials.     

Gibbs sampling method for the Bayesian adaptive elastic net

This article considers the adaptive elastic net estimator for regularized mean regression from a Bayesian perspective. Representing the Laplace distribution as a mixture of Bartlett–Fejer kernels with a Gamma mixing density, a Gibbs sampling algorithm for the adaptive elastic net is developed. By introducing slice variables, it is shown that the mixture representation provides a Gibbs sampler that can be accomplished by sampling from either truncated normal or truncated Gamma distribution. The proposed method is illustrated using several simulation studies and analyzing a real dataset. Both simulation studies and real data analysis indicate that the proposed approach performs well.