Gobies of the Sculpins family (Cottidae) as a promising commercial objects for fishing in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk

On the basis of materials collected in 2012-2020, the ecology, the current state of the stock and some features of the biology of gobies of the Sculpins family living in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk, as well as the dynamics of their catch, are considered. The prospects for industrial development are shown.

Double colonization of Rhodesian women in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s 'Nervous Conditions'

Nervous Conditions focuses on the story of the Shona family living in a patriarchal culture in Rhodesia during the postcolonial era in the 1960s. Rhodesia was a former British colony, so the legacy of colonialism and its influence is not that easy to go away. Hence, those who were colonized, or the locals experience many problems to cope with, especially women. Therefore, the study aims to examine the postcolonial issues in the novel dealing with double colonization. The objectives of the study were to describe and explain how the novel builds the themes related to postcolonialism and how the women living in patriarchy experienced oppression from male relatives as well as a colonial power. The study was done qualitatively using a content analysis method. The data were analyzed using Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism. The findings showed the story highlighted the themes of patriarchy and cultural contestation which affect the lives of the female characters. Then, the findings explained how the female characters were oppressed traditionally and colonially. Therefore, it showed how women were doubly colonized by males and Western domination. Thus, they had not been able to get full authority since they were trapped between both.

The Impact of Socio-Economic Factors on the Willingness of the Population to Maintain and Accumulate Health Capital

Purpose of the article is to identify the relationship between willingness to support, family living standards and individual’s health self-assessment within the framework of the Kazakhstani population participation of in health insurance. The empirical basis of the study was the archive of sociological survey data, which is based on the population responses, taking into account the opinions in the pharmaceutical industry experts, medical workers and specialists in the insurance market. The results of the statistical analysis showed the presence of significant links between “Willingness to support” and “Self-assessment of individual health”, between “Willingness to support” and “Average monthly income per capita in the family”, as well as between “Willingness to support” and “Family living standards”. It was also found that the willingness to support is different for different strata of the population: among the population with a high self-assessment of health, a high standard of living and a high level of per capita income in the family, it is higher. In addition, the article analyzes the current state of health insurance market in the Republic of Kazakhstan, where, as a result, it was revealed that due to quarantine measures, the number of concluded insurance contracts has almost halved. The results obtained can be used by authorized state bodies in the development of health insurance programs, as well as measures to ensure the safety of the health care system of the Republic of Kazakhstan and policies in the field of effective health care.

Examining Family Living Arrangements, Economic Development, Education Expenditure and Children’s Weight from the Welfare Mix in China

There is increased social concern regarding children’s weight in China, but there is a relative lack of research concerning its social determinants. Based on 1,656 school-age children’s samples in mainland China from the Chinese Nutrition and Health Database (CHNS 2011), we analyzed the impact of multiple factors on children’s weight using a welfare mix framework that integrated factors including family living arrangements, economic development, and educational spending. School-age children’s weight was measured using body mass index (BMI). The independent variables were factors developed based on the social determinants of health perspective in conjunction with a welfare mix framework. These variables included family living arrangements to reflect the family welfare factor, average government educational expenditure per student to reflect the state welfare factor, and GDP per capita to reflect the market welfare factor. Multiple regression models were used to analyze the influences of each factor on children’s weight. The results showed that the factors were significant, with different directions of influence on weight. The results also showed that the factors considered in the welfare mix framework sometimes serve as risk factors rather than solely protective factors within the Chinese context. According to this study, a reasonable geographical distribution of health service resources and child-oriented health policies are needed to promote children’s well-being.

Length-weight relationship and condition factor of Trachurus trachurus found in the central-east region of the Moroccan Mediterranean

Trachurus trachurus, is a migratory, semi-pelagic species of the Carangidae family living in schools often associated with mackerel. This species is very common in the Mediterranean, and it is found on all Moroccan coasts. This study aims to determine the length-weight relationship and the condition factor (K) of Trachurus trachurus. Thus, 390 specimens were collected between August 2017 and August 2018 in the central-east region of the Moroccan Mediterranean. The parameters of the length-weight relationship were determined and analyzed by length and sex. It appears that this species has better growth in length than in weight, therefore having a negative or lower allometry. It varies according to sex, length, and season. This result shows that Trachurus trachurus in this study is not overweight in its habitat.

Sperm Storage in a Family-Living Lizard, the Tree Skink (Egernia striolata)

The ability to produce viable offspring without recently mating, either through sperm storage or parthenogenesis, can provide fitness advantages under a suite of challenging ecological scenarios. Using genetic analysis, we demonstrate that three wild-caught female Tree Skinks (Egernia striolata) reproduced in captivity with no access to males for over a year, and that this is best explained by sperm storage. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time female sperm storage has been documented in any monogamous family-living reptile, including social Australian egerniine skinks (from the subfamily Egerniinae). Furthermore, by using paternal reconstruction of genotypes we show that captive-born offspring produced by the same females in the preceding year, presumably without sperm storage, were sired by different males. We qualitatively compared aspects of these females’ mates and offspring between years. The parents of each litter were unrelated, but paternal and offspring genotypes from litters resulting from stored sperm were more heterozygous than those inferred to be from recent matings. Family-living egerniine skinks generally have low rates of multiple paternity, yet our study suggests that female sperm storage, potentially from outside social partners, offers the real possibility of benefits. Possible benefits include increasing genetic compatibility of mates and avoiding inbreeding depression via cryptic female choice. Sperm storage in Tree Skinks, a family-living lizard with a monogamous mating system, suggests that females may bet-hedge through extra-pair copulation with more heterozygous males, reinforcing the idea that females could have more control on reproductive outcomes than previously thought.

Accounting and work relationships in an eighteenth-century Italian household

In elaborating on accounting and work, this study focuses on the distinctive arena of the household to uncover details regarding how relationships with paid subordinates were managed in the eighteenth century. To delve more deeply into the topic, this article focuses on the case of Silvia Rabatta, a widow in a noble family living in Friuli (Italy). Drawing on primary archival sources, this study shows that Silvia managed work relationships with her subordinates like business relationships, instrumental in nature and based on contractual agreements. However, her emotional attachment and attention to the subordinates’ wellbeing were also evident in the accounting books and correspondence of this Friulian noblewoman.