bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Veganism and animal welfare, scientific, ethical, and philosophical arguments
Authors: Mota-Rojas Daniel , Whittaker Alexandra L. , De la Vega Leonardo Thielo , Ghezzi Marcelo , Lezama-García Karina , Domínguez-Oliva Adriana , Falcón Isabel , Casas-Alvarado Alejandro , Alonso-Spilsbury María
Published: August 2023

The justification for this review article is to understand the position of vegans and those individuals who consume food of animal origin from an unbiased perspective but with a grounding in scientific evidence. This will provide people who eat meat with scientific and ethical arguments to defend their alimentary autonomy in the context of the moral conflict that has emerged in societies regarding the consumption of meat and animal products, which is criticized –sometimes even attacked– by activists, ovolactovegetarians, or vegetarians with alimentary habits that stress ethical and moral respect for animals. These individuals refuse to eat meat and animal products but sometimes show disrespect for those who do. In recent decades, veganism and vegetarianism have reached an apogee in some western societies where they are often considered a healthy option for humans that simultaneously fosters animal and environmental welfare. While those diets may provide numerous benefits, they can also entail health risks by failing to provide balance and necessary dietary supplements. Various researchers concur that they are not appropriate for pregnant women, children, or carnivorous or omnivorous pets. Our review of scientific articles in favor and against dietary regimens that lack protein of animal origin leads to the conclusion that these dietary changes, on their own, do not reduce animal suffering or the contamination generated by the meat, dairy, and poultry industries. Finally, it is important to consider that, despite the popular opinion that vegetarianism and veganism are healthy diet alternatives, the diet must be individualized and well-balanced according to each stage of their life cycle.
Breeding behavioral activities of captive red pandas in Nepal
Authors: Maharjan Heena , Sharma Hari Prasad , Gutam Ramji , Shah Rachana , Pokharel Chiranjibi Prasad , Belant Jerrold L.
Published: August 2023

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) population is decreasing, with less than 10,000 individuals in the wild because of habitat destruction, fragmentation, and illegal hunting. Captive breeding has become an increasingly crucial strategy for conserving endangered species, but efforts to generate self-sustaining populations have failed despite ample resources being allocated. Animals are often stressed in captivity, and it is necessary to examine reproductive behavior relating to the complexity of habitat requirements, dietary preferences, and, in particular, pregnant mothers and their sensitivity to disruptions. Using videography, we observed the reproductive behavior of two red pandas along with other behavioral activities in the Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal. We collected behavioral data from December 2020 to June 2021 using scan and focal sampling. Reproductive behaviors (e.g., scent-marking, allogrooming, chasing, running, aggressiveness, mating, and feeding feces) were observed, along with behaviors like locomotion, climbing, standing, self-grooming, feeding, sleeping, self-play, and stretching. We observed 1–2% of reproductive behavior from total activity. Copulation was attempted on three occasions suggesting reproduction can be successful if animal husbandry is properly managed. We recommend zoo managers further refine strategies for captive breeding endangered species such as red pandas. Successful captive breeding benefits the zoo, and captive-born animals can mitigate extinction in the wild.
The impact of training on stockpersons’ behaviour and cows’ fear response
Authors: Vieira Fernanda Victor Rodrigues , Silveira Robson Mateus Freitas , Franchi Guilherme Amorim , Da Silva Iran José Oliveira
Published: August 2023

In tropical developing regions, such as Brazil, animal welfare (AW) has been gaining increasing attention, while stockperson job satisfaction, which is intimately related to AW, is often neglected. This research evaluated the effects of AW training on stockpersons’ attitudes and behaviour towards dairy cows and the impact on cows' fear of humans. Ten dairy farms with pasture-based systems where animal handlers are farm owners or employees were selected from three regions of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The experiment consisted of four stages: 1) Selection of pasture-based dairy farms; 2) First assessment of attitudes, human behaviour, and cows’ flight distance (day one – D1); 3) Pre-assessment of owners' and employees’ AW knowledge, and training (day two – D2); and 4) Final assessment of attitudes, human behaviour, cows’ flight distance, and owners' and employees’ AW knowledge (day three – D3), focusing on the training’s effects on human attitudes and behaviour, and cows’ fear of humans. Among owners and employees, positive attitudes were more often expressed, and negative attitudes were less frequent on day three (D3) after training. Nevertheless, the expression of positive attitudes by farm owners was less common compared to employees. Stockpersons manifested positive behaviour more frequently at D3 than on day one (D1), before training, in contrast to negative behaviour at D1. Taking all cow handling observations together, including those before and after training, the greatest percentage of negative behaviour was at the time of moving the cows from the holding area to the milking stalls (18% of all observed human behaviour), followed by moving cows out of the milking parlour (17%), positioning cows for milking (15%) and placing/removing the milking suction devices (1%). Positive human behaviour usually occurred when moving cows from the holding area to the milking stalls (21%) and during the positioning of cows for milking (19%). After training, cows’ flight distances decreased. In conclusion, the training may have promoted positive human behaviour and reduced the number of fearful cows. Therefore, AW training may positively influence human behaviour, technical expertise, the reduction of fear in cows, and stockpersons' attitudes.
Maternal instinct of imported meat direction cattle and ethology of their calves
Authors: Kazhgaliyev N. Z. , Titanov Z. , Ateikhan B. , Sharapatov T. S. , Gabbassov M. B. , Seiteuov T. K. , Burambayeva N. B. , Temirzhanova A. A.
Published: August 2023

The examination of maternal qualities in the ethology of cows and their young offspring, derived from the study on adaptability and productivity of second and third-generation Aberdeen Angus cattle imported to Kazakhstan from Canadian and European selection, is presented in this paper. The findings indicate that Canadian heifers, belonging to the second generation, displayed extended feeding behavior throughout the day, dedicating 33.2 minutes or 2.2% more time to feeding compared to their European counterparts (P < 0.001). Similar disparities between groups were observed in the duration of the ruminant process. Moreover, Canadian heifers consumed water for an additional 2 minutes or 0.6%, which can be attributed to their higher daily feed intake. The calving process of Aberdeen Angus cows generally proceeded smoothly, demonstrating a well-developed maternal instinct towards their offspring. Notably, calves born from Canadian cows exhibited greater agility and achieved the ability to stand on their feet in a shorter time, with an average duration of 41.0 ± 1.60 minutes, which was 11.7% faster than European calves. Additionally, Canadian calves displayed a shorter time to locate their mother's breast, with an average duration of 68.0 ± 7.70 minutes.
Meta-analysis of the effect of feeding live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on feeding behaviour and lactation performance, rumen fermentation, and rumen microbiota in dairy cattle
Authors: Nzeyimana Jean Bosco , Fan Caiyun , Tan Lun , Butore Joseph , Zhuo Zhao , Cheng Jianbo
Published: August 2023

The objective of this meta-analysis was to analyze the effect of feeding live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) on feed intake (FI), lactation performance (LP), rumen fermentation (RF), and rumen microbiota (RM) in dairy cattle. We performed a literature search using the Boolean search approach with MeSH keywords, including live yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, S. cerevisiae, feed intake, lactation, performance traits, rumen, fermentation, microbiota, and cattle. Twenty-five (25) articles published contained at least data on feed intake, lactation performance or milk production parameters, rumen fermentation or digestibility, and rumen microbiota measured for experiments involving dairy animals have been selected. Microsoft Excel performed data extraction and organization, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Few studies have observed a negative impact of the LY on the FI (8%), LP (12%), RF (4%), and RM (8%), but the majority of the selected studies reported a positive impact of adding LY (FI: 36%, LP: 52%, RF: 52% and RM: 40%). Cows supplemented with LY showed a marginal decrease in feeding rate; min/d (0.13 vs. 0.14; p=0.65), interval between meals; min (142.1 vs. 1603, p=0.09), meal size; kg of DM/meal (3.4 vs. 3.8, p=0.09), meal duration; min/meal (32.5 vs.35.3, p=0.39), lying boots; no/d (9.5 vs. 9.6, p=0.83), eating boot; bout/day (80.7 vs.8.26, p=0.24), and lying time; min/d (671.1 vs. 697.5, p=0.51). However, LY increases feeding duration; min/d (232.0 vs.226.6, p=0.65), meal frequency; meal/d (9.0 vs.7.8, p=0.07), rumination; min/d (570.3 vs. 344.9, 344.9, p=0.08), and meal criterion with significance; min (20.0 vs. 25.8, p=0.04). Meta-regression of the covariate effect shows that using live yeast products in the cattle diet significantly increased the Lactation Performance (p=.001) and Feed Intake (p=.001). However, it enabled a higher average ruminal Fermentation (p=.005) and microbiota (p=.003). Furthermore, the timing of live yeast culture before calving could influence the performance and ruminal parameters, especially the microbiomes (p=0.006). A little increase in milk yield (1.4kg/day) and lower SCS（somatic cells score (2.76) were observed in LY. This meta-analysis indicated feeding live yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) could improve feeding behaviour, animal performance, and herd productivity (milk and rumen health). However, further research is required to study its effect on feed intake and rumen microbiota in dairy cattle.
A Study on the Nature of Writing Apprehension among Saudi Undergraduate EFL Students
Authors: H. Al-khresheh Mohammad , M. Mohamed Amr , Al Basheer Ben Rim
Published: August 2023

Writing apprehension is an overwhelming feeling of stress and anxiety when writing in a foreign language. In the past ten years, it has been a hot topic of debate. Due to its influence on writing quality, this study aimed to investigate this topic among a group of university EFL students, measuring the level of this apprehension and identifying its main factors. To accomplish this objective, 137 Saudi EFL students were given a questionnaire containing 26 statements spanning four essential writing apprehension factors on a five-point Likert scale. The results indicated that Saudi EFL students generally received moderate writing apprehension. Negativity towards writing was the furthermost common factor of writing apprehension. Self-efficacy in writing was regarded as the least apprehensive factor compared to other writing apprehension factors. The potential causes of this apprehension in each factor were addressed. Statistically significant gender and university level differences were found favouring males and beginner university levels for negativity towards writing. Based on these findings, limitations and future study recommendations are suggested.
Task Design Features and Pragmatics Learning: A Systematic Review of Recent Research
Authors: Thi Thuy Nguyen Minh , Basturkmen Helen
Published: August 2023

The learning effects of task-based interaction is an emerging topic in the field of instructed pragmatics for ESL learners. Specifically, researchers are exploring the impact of different task features on pragmatics learning. This article reports a review of the extant research. First, the review aimed to identify specific task design and implementation characteristics that appeared to enhance learners’ use of pragmatic features during task performance. Inter alia, the review indicated greater benefits from tasks which learners completed collaboratively versus individually and tasks which presented learners with relatively complex versus relatively simple cognitive demands. Secondly, the review aimed to assess evidence of learning across this body of research. The review could not establish whether the enhanced pragmatic language use observed during task performance equated with long-term learning as very few studies included delayed post-tests, an obvious lacuna in the body of research to date.
EFL Low-Achieving Learners and Effectiveness of Remedial Instruction
Authors: Al Ghaith Ali , Behforouz Behnam
Published: August 2023

Many institutes conduct extra English classes to allow weaker students to improve their English proficiency and cope with institutions' language demands. The study, therefore, sought to discover English as a Foreign Language (EFL) low-achieving learners' perceptions and motivation toward the English remedial program. The study also investigated the gender difference among the participants regarding the remedial classes. Forty-five Omani elementary-level students were selected as the population of this study. To collect the data, a questionnaire adapted from Salami (2019) was used along with the interview sessions using six open-ended questions. The study's results revealed that Omani students were strongly motivated to enroll in English remedial classes. Moreover, they had positive perceptions toward English remedial courses. The findings also revealed that Omani female students were slightly more interested in English remedial courses. Therefore, the study will significantly motivate teachers and institutions to focus on providing English remedial classes for their low-achieving students.
Effects of Explicit Written Corrective Feedback on Subject-Verb Agreement among Kurdish EFL Students
Authors: Qasim Mahmood Rizgar , Abdulwahab Aziz Muhammad
Published: August 2023

The research on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) writing has garnered considerable attention over the years, particularly concerning the impact of corrective feedback (CF) on students' errors. However, in the context of Kurdish EFL students, this area of research has received limited attention, despite its potential to enhance their grammatical accuracy in writing tasks. This paper addresses this gap by examining the impact of Explicit Written Corrective Feedback (EWCF) on Kurdish EFL undergraduate students' writing accuracy in terms of subject-verb agreement (SVA). For data collection, the study employed a mixed-method approach and recruited sixty junior EFL undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (n=30) received EWCF on their SVA errors for five weeks, while the control group (n=30) received only implicit feedback without correction on SVA errors. Data was collected through questionnaires and pre-and post-tests, and the results revealed that EWCF was preferred by students and was more effective in enhancing their writing accuracy in terms of SVA, as evidenced in the post-test. The study has several theoretical and pedagogical implications, including the need for instructors to provide EWCF to enhance students' grammatical accuracy in writing tasks. Further, the study contributes to the limited body of research on EFL writing in the context of Kurdish students, highlighting the need for further investigation in this area.
Socio-economic role and institutional capacity of family farms in the implementation of the sustainable development goals
Authors: Lopatynskyi Yurii , Shpykuliak Oleksandr , Kyfyak Viktoriia , Shelenko Diana , Diuk Anna
Published: August 2023

Rapid changes and dynamic fluctuations in modern social development determine the relevance of institutional transformations in the implementation of proclaimed sustainable development goals. In achieving this, the socio-economic role of effectively reaching the institutional potential of family farms increases. The purpose of the paper is to detail methodological judgments and develop parameters for determining the institutional potential and socio-economic role of family farms in the implementation of the United Nations sustainable development goals for the period up to 2030, considering national economic characteristics. In achieving the purpose, a systematic approach and theoretical (axiomatic, analysis and synthesis, analogies) and empirical research methods (comparison, expert assessments) were applied. The obtained results provide deeper methodological insights and characterisation of the socio-economic and institutional role of family farming in the national economy and sustainable development goals. Family farms play a creative role in maintaining a balance between meeting the population's needs and efficient utilisation of agricultural potential. The paper presents an original interpretation of the category “institutional potential” of family farms. Institutional potential can be defined as the capacity of institutions to maintain stability and conditions conducive to fulfilling their functions, influencing the behaviour of social actors. It also involves delineating and differentiating the socio-economic and institutional characteristics of family farming. The study also substantiates economic, social, and environmental factors affecting the development of family farming concerning their role in achieving sustainable development goals. The necessity of making managerial decisions at various levels to increase the level of sustainability of the agri-food system was noted. The practical value of the study is provided by methodological generalisations, consolidation of knowledge, and confirmation of theoretical conclusions about the features of the functioning of family farms in the context of proving the objectivity of their socio-economic role and the effectiveness of using institutional potential in the implementation of sustainable development principles.
Assessment of risks and prospects of employment and income of the rural population of Ukraine
Authors: Patyka Nataliia , Pasichnyk Yurii
Published: August 2023

Employment, total household resources, in particular, income and expenditures of the rural population in any country are a direct reflection of well-being and a substantial criterion for socio-economic development. The purpose of the study is to identify risks, compare and determine the prospects for employment and income of the rural population of Ukraine. The methodological basis of the research is a systematic approach. Comparative analysis, graphical method, trend, index, correlation-regression analysis is used in the analytical study. Current conditions are analysed and trends in rural employment in Ukraine and their income level for 1991-2021 are determined. It was established that over the past 30 years, the socio-economic crisis in rural areas continues to worsen, which is manifested in increased unemployment and poverty. The main external and internal factors influencing the incomes of the rural population are identified and systematised. It is determined that the main influence is exerted by economic factors. Considering the recovery plan of Ukraine and other indicators, the level of employment, salaries, and incomes of the rural population is predicted. It is proved that ensuring employment and overcoming poverty should be based on the diversification of agricultural production and beyond agricultural activities. The main provisions and conclusions presented in the study can be used in the process of justifying and making managerial decisions by state management bodies in the development and implementation of an effective long-term national policy in the field of employment of the rural population of Ukraine, optimising approaches to the development of programmes to increase the income of the rural population.
A novel fractional Hausdorff grey system model and its applications
Authors: Xie Wanli , Xu Zhenguo , Liu Caixia , Chen Jianyue
Published: August 2023

Grey system models have proven to be effective techniques in diverse fields and are crucial to global decision science. Amongst the various approaches of grey theory, the fractional-order grey model is fundamental and extends the cumulative generation method used in grey theory. Fractional-order cumulative generating operator offers numerous significant benefits, especially in educational funding that is often influenced by economic policies. However, their computational complexity complicates the generalization of fractional-order operators in real-world scenarios. In this paper, an enhanced fractional-order grey model is proposed based on a new fractional-order accumulated generating operator. The newly introduced model estimates parameters by utilizing the method of least squares and determines the order of the model through the implementation of metaheuristic algorithms. Our results show that, after conducting both Monte Carlo simulations and practical case analyses, the newly proposed model outperforms both existing grey prediction models and machine learning models in small sample environments, thus demonstrating superior forecast accuracy. Moreover, our experiments reveal that the proposed model has a simpler structure than previously developed grey models and achieves greater prediction accuracy.
Graph Convolutional Network with Interactive Memory Fusion for Aspect-based Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Shen Xiajiong , Yang Huijing , Hu Xiaojie , Qi Guilin , Shen Yatian
Published: August 2023

Aspect-based sentiment analysis (ABSA) aims to predict the sentiment polarity of a specified aspect in a sentence. Graph neural networks (GNN) based on dependency trees have been shown to be effective for ABSA by explicitly modeling the connection between aspect and opinion terms and exploiting local semantic and syntactic information in the sentence. However, most previous works have overlooked the use of global dependency information. In this paper, we propose a novel Graph Convolutional Network (GCN) with an Interactive Memory Fusion (IMF) mechanism (IMF-GCN) that incorporates both global and local structural information for aspect-based sentiment classification. The IMF mechanism efficiently fuses global and local structural dependency information by assigning different weights to global and local dependency modules. Syntactic constraints are also imposed to prevent the graph convolution propagation unrelated to the target words, further improving the model’s performance. The evaluation metrics used in the paper are accuracy and macro-average F1 scores, and the proposed approach achieves optimal results on three datasets with F1 scores of 79.60%, 82.19%, and 77.75%, which outperform the baseline model.
Movie recommendation system using taymon optimized deep learning network
Authors: Aramuthakannan S. , Ramya Devi M. , Lokesh S. , Kumar R.
Published: August 2023

The increased usage of the internet and social networks generates a large volume of information. Exploring through the large collection is time-consuming and hard to find the required one, so there is a serious need for a recommendation system. Based on this context several movie recommendation (MR) systems have been recently established. In addition, they have poor data analytics capability and cannot handle changing user preferences. As a result, there are many movies listed on the recommendation page, which provides for a poor user experience is the major issue. Therefore, in this work, a novel Taymon Optimized Deep Learning network (TODL net) for recommending top best movies based on their past choices, behaviour and movie contents. The deep neural network is a combination of Dilated CNN with Bi-directional LSTM. The DiCNN-BiLSTM model eliminates the functionality pooling operations and uses a dilated convolution layer to address the issue of information loss. The DiCNN is employed to learn the movie contents by mining user behavioral pattern attributes. The BiLSTM is applied to recommend the best movies on basis of the extracted features of the movie rating sequences of users in other social mediums. Moreover, for providing better results the DiCNN-BiLSTM is optimized with Taymon optimization algorithm to recommend best movies for the users. The proposed TODL net obtains the overall accuracy of 97.24% for best movies recommendation by using TMDB and MovieLens datasets.
An intelligent sparse feature extraction approach for music data component recognition and analysis of hybrid instruments
Authors: Liao Yi , Gui Zhen
Published: August 2023

In this paper, a sparse feature extraction method is presented based on sparse decomposition and multiple musical instrument component dictionaries to address the challenges of existing methods in component-recognition and analysis of mixed musical instrument music data. These methods, which are often dependent on data labels, and rely primarily on frequency domain or physical features, can be improved significantly using this technique. Through the in-depth analysis of the sparse coefficient vectors, this method is capable of generating independent sparse music features that are highly interpretable and have been shown to intuitively express the composition of musical instruments, and capture the variations of emotion in the music. Consequently, this approach has great potential for application in the field of mixed musical instrument composition analysis and other time-varying signal analysis.
Are antiepileptic drugs effective for the primary and secondary prevention of seizures after stroke? A Cochrane Review summary with commentary
Authors: Rathore Farooq Azam , Nazir Shaikh Nabi Bukhsh
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: In post stroke patients, seizures can complicate the recovery process and lead to poor outcomes. It is unclear whether antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can prevent seizures after a stroke. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the evidence on the effects of AEDs on the primary and secondary prevention of post stroke seizures. METHODS: The authors searched the Cochrane Register of Studies and MEDLINE (last search on 9 March 2021), checked the reference lists of articles retrieved and contacted the corresponding authors of the study where needed. Only randomized controlled trials were included (RCT). There were no language and time limits. RESULTS: Two RCTs with 856 adult participants with a clinical diagnosis of stroke were included. There was moderate-certainty evidence that the AEDs were not effective for primary prevention of post stroke seizures (Relative effect, 95% CI = RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.34 to 1.26). They also did not affect the mortality rate (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.36). Both studies were at low risk of bias and certainty of the evidence was low to moderate. CONCLUSION: The evidence for routine use of AED for the primary and secondary prophylaxis of post stroke seizures is unclear. There is a need for high-quality trials to address this question using a larger sample size.
The importance of screening for functional neurological disorders in patients with persistent post-concussion symptoms
Authors: Jobin Kaiden , Wang Meng , du Plessis Sané , Silverberg Noah D. , Debert Chantel T.
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: Functional neurological disorder (FND) may commonly co-occur with persistent symptoms following a psychological trauma or physical injury such as concussion. OBJECTIVE: To explore the occurrence of FND in a population with persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS) and the associations between FND and depression as well as anxiety in participants with PPCS. METHODS: Sixty-three individuals with PPCS presenting to a specialized brain injury clinic completed the following questionnaires: screening for somatoform disorder conversion disorder subscale (SOM-CD), Rivermead post-concussion symptom questionnaire (RPQ), patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and generalized anxiety disorder questionnaire- 7 (GAD-7). Both multiple linear regression and logistic regression were conducted to evaluate the relationship between questionnaires and adjust for covariates. RESULTS: We found that total RPQ score ( β ˆ = 0.27; 95% CI = [0.16, 0.38]), GAD-7 score ( β ˆ = 0.71; 95% CI = [0.50, 0.92]) and PHQ-9 score ( β ˆ = 0.54; 95% CI = [0.32, 0.76]) were positively associated with SOM-CD score individually, after consideration of other covariates. Participants meeting the criteria for severe FND symptoms were 4.87 times more likely to have high PPCS symptom burden (95% CI = [1.57, 22.84]), 8.95 times more likely to have severe anxiety (95% CI = [3.31, 35.03]) and 4.11 times more likely to have severe depression symptom burden (95% CI = [1.77, 11.53]). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate an association between FND and post-concussion symptoms as well as an association between FND and symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with PPCS. Patients with PPCS should be screened for FND to provide a more targeted treatment approach that includes somatic-focused interventions.
Exploring return to work for patients with head and neck cancer
Authors: Lee Li-Hung , Yang Cheng-I , Chen Mu-Kuan , Hsieh Ming-Yu , Chen Yen-Ju
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND: The number of survivors of head and neck cancer (HNC) has steadily increased due to major advances in cancer care. However, cancer survivors who experience job loss face different challenges regarding return to work (RTW). Relatively few studies have integrated the experience encountered by patients. OBJECTIVE: This mixed-methods study aimed to explore the experience and challenges of RTW in patients with HNC. METHODS: Data were collected with structured questionnaires (n = 120) and semi-structured face-to-face interviews (n = 12). RESULTS: Relationships were found between patient’s physical status, perceived stress, and social support. Patients who continued work, or not, had significant differences in reported physical function and stress. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data, including the perceived meaning of work, challenges for RTW, preparing for RTW, and social support. After diagnosis and treatment, patients perceived the meaning of work, such as personal value, responsibility, and financial need. They faced many challenges to RTW, including declining physical strength, workload, schedule rearrangement, speech difficulty, and changed appearance. In order to RTW, they prepared extensively and needed support from family and friends. CONCLUSION: This study revealed the experiences and challenges of RTW patients with HNC. The results allowed us to identify patients’ concerns and ways that healthcare providers could improve the RTW process. Future studies may develop tailored approaches for RTW in healthcare and government policies.
The Failure of Diplomatic Mediations in the Syrian Conflict – A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Awwad Mona
Published: August 2023

Surviving eight years of conflict resolution efforts, the Syrian conflict has proven to be intractable to diplomatic mediation. The complexity of the conflict, which has national, regional, and international levels of structure, and the multiplicity of the players involved have provided new dimensions for studies in political conflict resolution. Building on previous research with respect to diplomatic mediation in the Syrian conflict, this paper conducts a comparative analysis between the mediation mission of the League of Arab States and that of the two first envoys of the United Nations, Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi, using five basic challenges of mediation as an analytical tool: Mission and Mandate, Impartiality and Inclusivity, Entry and Consent, Strategy, and Leverage. It concludes that none of the mediation missions for Syria that are covered by this paper have addressed the following factors: the root causes and psychological drivers of the direct conflicting parties, the independence of the mediation agency from indirect parties involved in the conflict, and the neutralization of the opposition from regional funding. Although not necessarily decisive, overlooking these factors may have contributed to the failure of diplomatic mediations in the Syrian conflict.
Prevalence and risk factors of Burnout syndrome in emergency physicians of public hospitals in the Principality of Asturias, Spain
Authors: Mallada Carlos González , Cernuda Martínez José Antonio , Delgado Rafael C , Arcos González Pedro
Published: August 2023

INTRODUCTION

Burnout syndrome (BS) is a state of fatigue or frustration produced by dedication to a cause, lifestyle or relationship that does not produce the expected reinforcement. BS has three dimensions: Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (D) and Low Personal Achievement (PA) and can be measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The objective was to determine the prevalence of BS among hospital emergency physicians in the Principality of Asturias and its relationship with sociodemographic, occupational, health, and perceived stress variables, as well as knowing the risk of suffering BS.

METHODS

Multicenter observational cross-sectional study among general practitioners of the emergency services of reference hospitals in the eight health areas of the Principality of Asturias. A questionnaire with 48 questions in two sections was used: (1) Sociodemographic, labor, job satisfaction, perceived health, and stress data; and (2) MBI Questionnaire.

RESULTS

There were 137 valid questionnaires (response rate 70.26%). 18.2% of the physicians had BS. In the EE dimension, 47.45% had a low level of burnout, 26.28% a medium level and 26.28% a high level. In dimension D, 16.79% presented low levels of burnout, 30.6% medium level and 52.55% high level. In the PR dimension, 1.46% had high levels, that is, a low level of burnout, 21.9% had a medium level of burnout, and 76.64% had low levels of PA that is related to a high level of exhaustion In relation to the risk of suffering burnout, 70.1% had a high risk while 11.7% had no risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Physicians working in the emergency services of our public hospitals have a prevalence and a risk of suffering BS related to specific aspects of their practice that are identifiable (work hours, continuous training, leadership of the department heads, participation in decision making, etc.). Many of these risk factors are preventable through proper organizational strategies. For this reason, the health authorities should implement measures aimed at reducing BS among doctors in the emergency services who have a higher score on BS scales, in order to avoid the impact that this problem has on the safety and quality of healthcare in emergency services.
L4-L5 Anatomy Classification System for Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Authors: Amaral Rodrigo , Pokorny Gabriel , Alvernia Jorge E. , Pimenta Luiz
Published: August 2023

INTRODUCTION: Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF), developed by Dr. Luiz Pimenta in 2006, allows access to the spinal column through the psoas major muscle. The technique has numerous advantages, including reduced damage to bone and muscular tissue, indirect decompression, larger implants, and the ability to correct lordosis. However, this technique also presents drawbacks, with the most notable being the risk of spinal pathologies due to indirect injury to the lumbar plexus, albeit with low rates of persistent injuries. Therefore, several groups have proposed classifications to aid in identifying patients at a higher risk of developing neurological deficits. The present work aims to propose a new classification system that relies on the simple observation of easily identifiable key structures to guide decision-making regarding lateral L4-L5 LLIF.

METHODS: Patients aged 18 years or older who underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were included. This involved visits to the office between 2022 and 2023 until 50 quality images were obtained. Exclusions were made as follows: anatomical changes in the vertebral body or major psoas muscles that hindered the identification of key structures, or cases with poor-quality MRIs. Each anatomical configuration was categorized as type I, type II, or type III based on consensus among the three observers.

RESULTS: This study included fifty anatomical sites. Seventy percent of the L4-L5 anatomies were classified as type I, 18% were type II, and 12% were type III. None of the type III L4-L5 anatomies were approached using a lateral technique.

CONCLUSION: The proposed classification offers an easy and simple method for assessing the feasibility of a lateral approach to L4-L5.
The Fallacy in the Paradox of Achilles and the Tortoise
Authors: Feng James Q.
Published: August 2023

Zeno’s ancient paradox depicts a race between swift Achilles and a slow tortoise with a head start. Zeno argued that Achilles could never overtake the tortoise, as at each step Achilles arrived at the tortoise’s former position, the tortoise had already moved ahead. Though Zeno’s premise is valid, his conclusion that Achilles can “never” pass the tortoise relies on equating infinite steps with an infinite amount of time. By modeling the sequence of events in terms of a converging geometric series, this paper shows that such an infinite number of events sum up to a finite distance traversed in finite time. The paradox stems from confusion between an infinite number of events, which can happen in a finite time interval, and an infinite amount of time. The fallacy is clarified by recognizing that the infinite number of events can be crammed into a finite time interval. At a given speed difference after a finite amount of time, Achilles will have completed the infinite series of gaps and passed the tortoise.
Economic Contributions of the Agriculture, Natural Resource, and Food Industries in Florida, 2019
Authors: Court Christa D. , Ferreira João Pedro , Botta Robert , McDaid Kelsey
Published: August 2023

This publication provides a summary of the economic contributions of the agriculture, natural resource, and food industries in the state of Florida in calendar year 2019. Additional details on the data sources, methodologies, and results are published in an annual report from the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Economic Impact Analysis Program. This information is intended to be used in support of informed decision making related to these industries.
Use of Gibberellic Acid to Improve Health and Productivity of HLB-Affected ‘Valencia’ Trees
Authors: Vashisth Tripti
Published: August 2023

The goal of this publication is to provide the latest gibberellic acid (GA) use recommendation to Florida citrus growers. Recently, a multiyear field trial conducted on ‘Valencia’ has shown that GA applied monthly from September to January can improve yield of HLB-affected trees on average by 30% compared to untreated trees. Although GA treatment cannot eradicate the pathogen that causes HLB in affected citrus trees, the current GA application recommendation can provide growers an alternative remedy to alleviate HLB symptoms and ameliorate the production issues that are associated with the disease, including yield decline, reduced fruit size, increased preharvest fruit drop, and rapid tree health decline, until a cure for HLB or complete HLB-resistant cultivars can be developed. Written by Tripti Vashisth, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department, April 2023.
Freeze-Dried Muscadine grape: a New Product for Health-Conscious Consumers and the Food Industry
Authors: Sarkhosh Ali , Habibi Fariborz , Sargent Steven A.
Published: August 2023

Muscadine grape (Muscadinia rotundifolia [Michx.]) is a fruit crop native to America; it adapts well to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses and have thus been grown and vinified throughout the southeastern US for centuries. Currently, southeastern farmers grow approximately 5,000 acres of almost 100 improved muscadine-grape varieties for commercial use. Recent research demonstrated the fruit’s significant contribution of beneficial phytochemicals to the typical American diet; and thereafter, the demand for muscadine grapes considerably increased. Its thick peels and seeds, though, have prevented wider public consumption. This publication aims to introduce growers, Extension agents/specialists, and the general public to the potential for a new, value-added product that makes muscadine grapes much easier to eat and may diversify the food processing industry.
Thrips parvispinus (Karny, 1922) (Insecta: Thysanoptera: Thripidae): A New Invasive Pest
Authors: Seal Dakshina , Khan Rafia , Osborne Lance , Gibbs Ian
Published: August 2023

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.
Enhancing Biological Nitrogen Fixation to Improve Soil Nutrient Status
Authors: Sharma Lakesh , Sharma Ayush K. , Ogram Andrew , Singh Hardeep
Published: August 2023

The chemical reduction of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) by hydrogen for incorporation into plant tissue is known as N fixation. Along with the carbon, N has a role in maintaining the optimum source and sink ratio, which ensures crop growth and biological yield. N is available in great concentration (≈80%) in the atmosphere in N2 form, but plants cannot absorb or uptake N in N2 form. N fertilizers are available in straight, mixed, and nano and liquid fertilizers. These approaches are not enough, though, to maximize N use efficiency to 100%. A significant amount of nitrogen is still lost in air and water bodies, leading to multiple negative impacts to the environment. Therefore, N fixation through the crop itself is a practical approach to reduce the use of synthetic nitrogen and enhance the sustainability of the food production systems. This publication discusses various methods for BNF and its importance to the sustainability of crop production.
Analisis Alat Bantu Angkat (Crane) Berbentuk “n” Menggunakan Motorik Elektrik Hoist Reel Kapasitas 800 Kg
Authors: Sugiona Friska Ayu Fitrianti , Janitra Atikah Ayu , Hartono Hartono , Nugroho Wahyu Isti , Priyoatmojo Slamet
Published: August 2023

PT Mekar Armada Jaya Tambun adalah perusahaan pada bidang stamping and tool. Proses produksi pencetakan dari lembaran material hingga menjadi part menggunakan mesin press tool dengan beberapa bentuk part berbeda dibutuhkan dies atau cetakan part dengan berbagi bentuk, dalam pemindahan dies ke mesin press tool pasti dibutuhkan alat angkat benda (crane). Crane juga digunakan untuk bongkar pasang perawatan dies, padatnya produksi serta keperluan dalam pengangkatan dies dibutuhkan tidak hanya satu crane, di PT. MAJ sendiri hanya memiliki satu crane dengan kapasitan 25 ton di setiap line, crane tersebut belum efisien dikarenakan tidak bisa menjangkau semua tempat. Maka dari kendala yang ada, dilakukan penelitian berupa alat yang dapat mengangkat small dies dengan nama portable crane dengan kapasitas angkat maksimal 800 kg. Tujuan penelitian yakni agar diperoleh alat yang dapat membantu proses pengangkatan dies lebih mudah dan sederhana. Alat ini dioperasikan secara elektrik menggunakan hoist reel dan sangat mudah digunakan, alat ini juga dapat dibongkar pasang. Perencanaan crane hoist portable ditujukan pada komponen utama meliputi: mesin pengangkat, rangka yang bisa di adjust serta ketahanan dalam mobilisasi. Analisis dilakukan untuk menguji kinerja alat, diperoleh peningkatan beban yang diangkat dari 3 percobaan pengangkatan beban yang telah dilakukan, masing-masing dapat mengangkat beban senilai 544,64 ; 679,64; 819,64 [kg].
Vietnam's economic growth in 2010 – 2020
Authors:   Vietnam National University of Forestry – Dong Nai Campus, Vietnam, Trần Hùng Văn
Published: August 2023

The article is based on secondary data sources collected from the World Bank and Vietnamese authorities and approaches from the perspective of qualitative research through descriptive and comparative statistical analysis to assess the status of Vietnam's economic growth over the period 2010 - 2020 based on Indicators measuring economic growth rate including real GDP growth rate, GDP per capita growth rate and average real GDP growth rate. Research results show that Vietnam achieves and maintains a relatively high economic growth rate in the period 2010-2020, especially in 2020 when the economy faces many difficulties and challenges posed from the COVID-19 pandemic situation, but Vietnam's economy still maintains a positive growth rate as well as a positive growth of GDP per capita. Despite achieving remarkable economic growth during this period, when comparing real GDP and GDP per capita with other countries in the ASEAN region, these indicators of Vietnam are still quite low and there is a significant difference compared to other countries in the region. At the same time, the article also outlines several reasons for the comparatively low economic growth of Vietnam. On that basis, the article proposes some recommendations to contribute to the growth of Vietnam's economy in the future.
The role of state ownership in regulating the impact of financial leverage on the application of the conservatism principle in accounting
Authors:   Industrial University of Ho ChiMinh City, Đỗ Ly Khánh
Published: August 2023

The aim of this paper is to explore the role of state ownership in regulating the impact of financial leverage on the application of the conservatism principle in accounting of non-financial listed enterprises in Vietnam from 2016 to 2020. The Poold-OLS, fixed-effects model, and random-effects model methods were employed in the study. The finding shows that state-ownership and financial leverage have a positive effect on the level of accounting conservatism. Which means, the higher share of state ownership, the stronger positive impact on the accounting conservatism of the non-financial listed enterprises in Vietnam. Moreover, financial leverage has a negative impact on the level of accounting conservatism with the state ownership as a moderating variable. This reveals that the state ownership can limit the positive impact of using the financial leverage on the accounting conservatism of the enterprises. On one hand, it is because the state owned enterprises have to perform socio-economic goals of the country; on the other hand, they are sponsored by the government on guaranteed loans, therefore it tends to reduce the positive effect of the financial leverage on the accounting conservatism of the non-financial listed enterprises. Accordingly, the research results recommend that the government should design policies to accelerate the equitization of state-owned enterprises for improving the quality of accounting information.