bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodological Considerations for Amish-Focused Opinion Research: Lessons from a Study of Beliefs and Practices about Agriculture and the Environment
Authors: Hockman-Wert David
Published: September 2024

Certain aspects of Amish agriculture have been studied extensively but much is still unknown about Amish environmental attitudes and beliefs. This is due, in part, to the difficulty of directly soliciting responses from adherents. This article—part of a larger study of the Kishacoquillas Valley Amish settlement in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania—reflects on methodological challenges that arose during a study on Amish environmental attitudes and behaviors. Farmers from two Amish groups, as well as two non-Amish groups used for comparison, were interviewed about their environmental attitudes. Recruiting Amish participants for interviews was difficult due to the limited use of modern telecommunications technology, what can be perceived as a general suspicion of non-members, and concerns about possible publicity. Further, the use of standard academic research method protocols and survey instruments proved challenging with the Amish. Administering an academic-level survey to the Amish, a group whose formal schooling generally ends at eighth grade and whose first language is Pennsylvania Dutch, posed challenges for the interviewees’ understanding of certain technical terms and for the interviewer’s interpretation of responses. As the study unfolded, methodological flexibility was necessary to adapt the research to the people. Namely, open-ended questions were added to the formal survey in order to learn more about Amish attitudes about stewardship. These study reflections suggest that researchers should take time to learn about the local context and culture and be flexible in selecting and adapting methodological instruments. [Abstract by author.]
Ohio’s Amish and Mennonite Produce Growers: Farm Trends, Information Needs, and Agricultural Communication Preferences
Authors: Bergefurd Brad
Published: September 2024

This study (1) describes the characteristics of Ohio Amish and Mennonite produce farmers and their operations; (2) determines awareness of and participation in OSU Extension programs by Amish and Mennonite produce farmers; (3) determines the methods used by Amish and Mennonite produce farmers to acquire farming information; and (4) identifies subject matter needs of Amish and Mennonite produce farmers for future Extension programming. In order to provide effective future Extension programming efforts for this particular clientele, a mail survey was used to collect data from 345 Ohio Amish and Mennonite farmers who participate at Ohio produce auctions. They were asked to describe their preferred means of communication and their informational and educational needs. Key findings from this study were that interpersonal contact was the method most used by Amish and Mennonite produce farmers; they are relatively uninvolved in other Ohio farm or government organizations beyond Extension; they prefer personalized, individual attention; they obtain farming information from a variety of sources including Extension bulletins, newsletters, newspaper or magazine articles, farm/home/field visits, and field days/demonstrations; and they seldom use the internet as a resource for produce farming information. Production issues were rated as the most needful information; examples include disease management, insect management, and soil fertility. This indicates that many farmers still need basic production information. Since 26% of Ohio Amish and Mennonite produce farmers have been engaged in farming ten years or less, an opportunity exists for Extension or other service providers to educate farmers and provide needed information to help less experienced farmers become successful produce farmers. [Abstract by author.]
The Success of Plain People’s Produce Auctions and Partnership with Missouri Extension
Authors: Quinn James , Kruse John , Nwadike Londa , Piñero James C. , Trinklein David
Published: September 2024

The number of produce auctions led by plain Anabaptist producers has surged since the mid-1990s. Typically grower-owned, these businesses are centralized facilities providing a wholesale market to area growers for a diverse group of buyers. For growers seeking an adequate living from growing produce, these facilities help reduce marketing time and product transportation, and provide frequent sales events that guarantee payment. As such, they have developed into a solid and long-standing market for local produce. However, plain growers have experienced challenges trying new crops or scaling up production. This article details how Missouri Extension assisted plain farmers with their challenges through modifications needed for effective engagement. Outreach efforts have been reminiscent of Extension in the earlier part of the twentieth-century, which employed farm visits and tours, direct mailings, and small group gatherings. Service delivery focus has included pest control, produce food safety, effective communication, and business innovation. Extension also worked with the Clark, Missouri, produce auction to adapt to challenges presented by the new federal food safety requirements. An analysis using the U.S. Census of Agriculture data documents that farms associated with produce auctions became critical to fresh vegetable production in Missouri. Market share doubled from 2007 to 2017 (from 13% to 26%). This demonstrates that the auction infrastructure has become a regionally important supply chain channel for fresh produce. [Abstract by authors.]
Agricultural Support for the Old Colony Mennonites of Belize: A Collaborative Effort between North American Old Order Mennonites and a Cornell Extension Educator
Authors: Reid Judson
Published: September 2024

The Old Colony Mennonites of Belize practice a conservative form of Anabaptism where technology, dress and lifestyle choices are informed by church standards. Members live in a spatially contiguous Colony, which creates land pressure over time as population increases. The development of new Colonies is necessary for the Mennonites to participate in agricultural livelihoods. The Indian Creek Colony of Belize has experienced agricultural and economic hardships since its inception in the 1989 due to land costs, crop failures and debt structure. Old Order Mennonites of North America developed an outreach effort to assist with on-farm production of vegetable crops to alleviate these hardships. The author was enlisted by an Old Order Mennonite Committee to visit greenhouse sites in the country and provide advice to ensure project success. Indian Creek farmers have adopted high tunnel greenhouse vegetable production, overcoming challenges such as high pH soils and pests. Large scale economic relief would require Colony wide investment and engagement. [Abstract by author.]
Review of: Handrick, Frances. 2019. Amish Women: Work and Change- An Investigation into the Lives of Amish Women in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Authors: Schlabach Amy
Published: September 2024

I opened the dissertation with hopeful interest. Would “Amish Women: Work and Change” be the factual, realistic view I had hoped for so many times before? The British author, Frances M. Handrick, interviewed 30 Amish women in Pennsylvania and Ohio. She compares our lives with the lives of Amish women 30 to 50 years ago. She also gleans bits of information from other writers and researchers, and the end result is a mixture of fact and the usual stereotypes. I want to recognize that, from what I understand, Ms. Handrick researched and wrote the dissertation for her own use, not for distribution to a broader audience. And I want to recognize that I am reading her thesis from the perspective of an Amish woman, not a college researcher, so I will not address how she did the study in ways relevant for her discipline. I included references where applicable when she sources ideas from other researchers. [First paragraph.]
Review of: Kleinsasser, Ian. 2019. Blessings and Burdens: 100 Years of Hutterites in Manitoba.
Authors: Lutz Martin
Published: September 2024

Ian Kleinsasser’s short book on Hutterites in Manitoba deserves attention. It is based on three lectures given at the inaugural Jacob D. Maendel Lectures in 2019. This lecture series was established in honor of Jacob Maendel (1911-1972) in the context of the centennial preparation of permanent Hutterite settlement in Canada. The three lectures were held in Portage la Prairie, and as the book’s introduction points out, were attended by representatives of both Schmiedeleut I and II groups. Jacob D. Maendel was a prominent Schmiedeleut leader of his generation and a driving force in advancing Hutterite education. His initiative led to the first Hutterites in Manitoba receiving college education and teaching certificates. It is thus perfectly fitting that Ian Kleinsasser from Crystal Springs Colony has a degree in education and that his narrative rests on solid historiographic method, empirical evidence, and a careful assessment of primary and secondary sources. [First paragraph.]
Ethnography and Plain Anabaptist Women: Some Considerations on Positionality, Power, and Pandemic
Authors: Graybill Beth
Published: September 2024

This article discusses ethnography as a discipline and the role of my qualitative fieldwork with Conservative and Old Order Mennonite and Amish women in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania over the past 20 years. It includes extended quotes with interview subjects based on my fieldwork with Plain Women in the ethnographic, female-centered tradition. In it, I discuss the importance of feedback and reflexivity with my interview subjects, and strategies for overcoming their natural humility. More importantly, this article discusses underpinnings related to gender and patriarchy as I examine power dynamics at home and in broader Amish society related to abuse and violence, and a critique of “soft patriarchy.” Moreover, I discuss gender-based considerations for Amish women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, I conclude with a discussion of positionality regarding my identity, in regard to my interview subjects. This work contributes intellectually to the growing field of Amish gender studies. [Abstract by author.]
Symposium Review: Amish and Old Order Mennonite Schools: A Concise History—Joseph Stoll; and The School by the Cornfield—Samuel Coon
Authors: Yoder Kuhns Jewel , Yoder Daniel L.
Published: September 2024

Joseph Stoll, in Amish and Old Order Mennonite Schools: A Concise History, and Samuel Coon, in The School by the Cornfield, provide two very different perspectives on the struggle to establish Anabaptist schools. The books contrast primarily in their geographic and chronological scope. However, both write about parochial schools with a voice sympathetic to the vision of Amish and Mennonite school founders. They use similar sources, drawing on newspaper accounts, published Amish schools’ histories, and Amish and Mennonite periodicals, as well as personal recollections from individuals involved in school conflicts. [First paragraph.]
Review of: The Amish Incident: Rural Conflict and Compromise and The Amish Incident: Wisconsin v. Yoder—Kelly Rundle and Tammy Rundle
Authors: Yoder Kuhns Jewel
Published: September 2024

Award-winning documentary filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle have created two short films focusing on historical conflicts over parochial Amish education in Wisconsin and Iowa. Their first film, The Amish Incident: Rural Conflict and Compromise, released in 2019, follows the rising controversy in rural Buchanan County, Iowa, from the bitterly contested 1961 vote to merge two school districts in neighboring towns Oelwein and Hazleton to the dramatic 1965 “incident” when education officials tried to forcibly transport Amish students to the local public school. The second film, The Amish Incident: Wisconsin v. Yoder, released in 2021, picks up the story of the Amish families who moved from Iowa to New Glarus, Wisconsin, in 1964, beginning with the tensions over increased tourism and disagreements with public school staff, and traces their choice to accept outside legal help in taking their court case to the Supreme Court in 1971. [First paragraph.]
Symposium Review: The Right Church: From a Seeker to a Finder—Peter Hoover
Authors: Petre Sheila , Horst Osiah
Published: September 2024

[...] Across 264 compelling pages of earnest semi-autobiographical work, Hoover sketches a poignant picture of many disintegrating organizations among which move small vibrant flames of living hope. He tells the story of a young man seeking for answers about Christianity, and the religious entities within it. He intersperses his narrative with glorious scripture passages and hymns, and includes wisdom borrowed from his uninhibited correspondence with the leaders of many different Anabaptist groups. The main character is part of “only a small group—a very small and shrinking group—of Old Order Mennonites trying to keep the ‘songs of Zion’ alive with all of Canada roaring around us.” With humor, anguish, and hope, he illustrates that God reaches every individual within that individual’s culture—and anyone can hear and respond to God, from right where he is. [Opening paragraphs.]
Review of: Blessed Are the Peacemakers: Small Histories during World War II, Letter Writing, and Family History Methodology—Suzanne Kesler Rumsey
Authors: Waldrep G.C.
Published: September 2024

Suzanne Kesler Rumsey’s Blessed Are the Peacemakers is, on the surface, the reconstructed story of the author’s paternal grandparents during World War II. The saga of Benjamin and Miriam Kesler, members of the Dunkard Brethren Church in northern Indiana, in and out of the Civilian Public Service (CPS), is one that will be familiar to most readers of twentieth-century North American Anabaptist history: a young husband called into CPS service as a conscientious objector, the young wife he left behind. What makes it richer is the trove of letters back and forth between the young couple that the author has inherited, as well as the fact that Miriam eventually joined her husband in Rhode Island for the final stage of his service. The letters provide an intimate window into life for nonresistant Christians during World War II. [First paragraph.]
Review of: A Geography of the Hutterites of North America—Simon M. Evans
Authors: Loewen Royden
Published: September 2024

Imagine a complex academic book without a subtitle: straightforward, lucid, accessible. These qualities describe Simon Evans’ final word on Hutterites of the western plains of Canada and the United States. It’s an historical geography, distinctive from the more numerous social scientific studies of the Hutterites. It methodically traces the dispersion of an 1870s Dakota settlement into Manitoba and Alberta during World War I, and then into Montana and Saskatchewan after World War II, with small representations in Washington State and British Columbia. Along the way, Evans deepens his analysis and interlaces theological consideration, demographic change, ecological intrusion, marketplace engagement, political interaction, gender relations, and internecine differences with the geographer’s craft, spatial arrangement. Indeed, these various intersections make for a richly textured historical geography that no subtitle could capture. And they rely on Evans’ own expansive on-colony ethnography, rich map collections, and broad engagement with a multi-disciplinary secondary literature. In the process Evans gives us a fresh look at the Hutterites and produces a historical geography that does much more than document the Hutterite diaspora in the North American grassland. [First paragraph.]
Review of: Grounded Upon God’s Word: The Life and Labours of Jakob Amman—Andrew V St. Marie and Mike Atnip
Authors: Horst Osiah
Published: September 2024

This book is an easy read for the average person, and has adequate footnotes, bibliography, and photos for the interested student. It relies heavily on John D. Roth’s “Letters of the Amish Division” for sources. While it is quite factual, it presents facts in story form. The book focuses on Amman’s life, not just on the Amish division. It is part of the “Cross Bearers Series” which is designed to bring to today’s youth, stories of role models from history. Other books in the series introduce Conrad Grebel and Michael Sattler in a similar easy reading format.
The 1955 Diener Beschluss: Text, Interpretation, Reception History, and Historiography
Authors: Petrovich Christopher
Published: September 2024

The contemporary diversity of the Amish is well attested by recent literature in the field of Amish studies. However, beyond Leroy Beachy’s Unser Leit, insufficient attention has been given to the question of how this state of affairs came about. The most consequential date in the twentieth century is September 1955, when a Bescluß (statement) that was issued at a churchwide ministers’ meeting ultimately divided the Old Order Amish into two separate, non-communing fellowships. Three important historical details about the meeting merit consideration: the document issued on the last day of the churchwide ministers’ meeting circulates among the Amish in three different forms; the document itself was interpreted differently by attendees; and some of the attendees skipped the final day of the meeting when the official statement was presented by the seven-member bishop committee. After subjecting the extant forms of the ministerial decision to textual analysis, this essay interprets the meaning of the document in light of previous ministerial statements (issued in 1809, 1865, 1913, 1917, 1941, 1946, and 1953) and through its reception history among the Amish down to the present day, to sharpen the historiography of the Amish in North America in the twentieth century. [Abstract by author.]
The Work of Pioneering Amish Studies Scholar Walter Kollmorgen: Annontations of His 1940s Amish Publications
Authors: Anderson Cory
Published: September 2024

Walter Kollmorgen’s two seminal contributions to Amish studies scholarship include the 1942 report “Culture of a Contemporary Rural Community: The Old Order Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania” published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Agricultural Economics, and his 1943 article “The Agricultural Stability of the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonites of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania” published in the American Journal of Sociology. His 1942 report was one of six mixed-methods studies that analyzed the relative in/stability of rural American communities during the Great Depression. The six-part series concluded that the Amish of Lancaster County, PA, weathered the Great Depression with fortitude. In Kollmorgen’s subsequent 1943 AJS article, he consolidated key findings from field research, summarizing why the Old Order Amish and Old Order Mennonite people persist as a distinctive sect. Representing the very first substantial Amish studies scholarship (alongside Bachman’s 1942 The Old Order Amish of Lancaster County), Kollmorgen’s work merits ongoing re-examination, as it defined the conversation and trajectory of Amish studies scholarship. In this essay, I annotate both works, distilling his findings into summary essays that focus on presenting his research as a resource for readers and not necessarily engaging with it. Given the diffuseness of his report’s data, I provide both short summaries of each chapter and full chapter annotations. [Abstract by author.]
Health and Healthcare among the Plain Anabaptist People
Authors: Hess Rosanna , Mitchell Braxton
Published: September 2024

This issue of the Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies (JAPAS) marks the eleventh year of publication of this journal, the flagship journal of the Amish & Plain Anabaptist Studies Association (APASA). In the past we have devoted entire issues to specific topics, including Beachy Amish-Mennonite churches [2017 5(1)], past and future directions of Amish studies [2017 5(2)], Ohio Amish schisms [2019 7(2)], gender-focused research [2020 8(2)], agriculture and the environment [2021 9(2)], and the plain people at midcentury [2023 11(1)]. In addition, the 2018 6(2) issue included a special section on health among the Amish. This issue [2023 11(2)] is dedicated, in its entirety, to sociocultural aspects of health and medicine among plain Anabaptists. The articles compiled here span a wide variety of topics including: health beliefs, attitudes toward Amish, genetic screening, midwifery, mental health, allergy and immunity, nutrition, oil therapy massage, water quality, and plain people’s experiences with health and medicine from the perspective of plain authors. Contributors include both plain and “English” authors.
Perceptions Regarding Drinking Water Quality and Its Effects on Human and Animal Health among Plain-Sect Community Members
Authors: Kumar Chaudhary Anil , Singh Parmveer , Basak Sharmistha
Published: September 2024

The quality of drinking water can affect human and animal health, and plain-sect populations may be more susceptible than other rural populations due to their use of traditional farm management practices and their reliance on well water. Therefore, an interdisciplinary team conducted a pilot study to understand the status of existing drinking water quality, community perceptions regarding causes of water deterioration, its associated effect on human and animal health, and solutions to address such challenges. The study included water testing and a focus group discussion with plain-sect community members. The findings revealed that participants perceived the drinking water quality as potable and free from contamination which contradicted water testing reports, where 92% of water samples violated the standard drinking water quality parameters. Perceived causes of water deterioration included sulfate leaching, changes in farming practices, and commercial development. The participants also revealed human health (e.g., cancer, stomach ailments) and animal health (e.g., changes in milk production and conception rates) concerns but expressed no association of these health concerns with drinking water quality. This pilot study’s findings indicate that there exists a gap between perceptions of and actual drinking water quality and its relationship to health. More efforts are needed by health and conservation professionals to narrow the existing knowledge gaps by considering socio-cultural factors and appropriate scientific interventions related to best management practices of drinking water quality, and human and animal health, to achieve desired goals in plain-sect communities. [Abstract by authors.]
Assessing the Attitudes and Perceptions of the Old Order Amish toward Genetic Testing for Familial Defective Apolipoprotein B-100
Authors: Sutcliffe Erin , Conway Laura J , Shuldiner Alan , Pollin Toni
Published: September 2024

Through a founder effect, one in eight Lancaster County, PA, Amish harbors the pathogenic APOB variant R3527Q, causing Familial Defective Apolipoprotein B-100 (FDB) that is rare in the general population. Affected individuals are at increased risk for high low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and cardiovascular disease and may benefit from early screening and treatment. A qualitative interview approach was used to investigate the genetic risk perceptions of the Amish and their attitudes towards genetic testing for FDB. The goal was to identify elements necessary for a successful program that would identify high risk individuals in the Lancaster County Amish community and provide them with potentially lifesaving education and interventions. Thirty interviews were conducted. Collected data were analyzed and coded for common themes. Participants perceived a great deal of importance in genetic risk and were aware of the significant impact genetics have on health. Most individuals perceived genetic risk as more significant than family history. Twenty-four of 30 individuals would consider testing; of these, all 24 reported they would take proactive measures to reduce risks if given a positive result. Most would prefer diet modification and natural health remedies, with prescription medication only as a last resort. Several participants stated that most Amish people would be unlikely to test if they were feeling healthy. Cost was the most significant barrier to pursuing testing. Implementing a successful screening program would require community outreach and awareness, risk reduction education and support, and minimal out-of-pocket expenses. The program’s success provides insights into the efficacy of predictive genetic screening for the general population. [Abstract by authors.]
Partnering with the Old Order Mennonites in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State to Identify the Mechanisms of Protective Immunity Against Atopic Disease Development
Authors: Kaplan Alexandra N , Martina Camille A , Catlin Elizabeth R , Looney John , Järvinen Kirsi M
Published: September 2024

Old Order Mennonites (OOM) follow a traditional agrarian lifestyle; key aspects include home births, large families, limited antibiotic usage, consumption of whole foods and unpasteurized milk, and early exposure to soil, stables, and farm animals. There is evidence that a farming lifestyle protects against asthma and allergies, yet the biological mechanisms behind this protective effect remain unknown. The “Zooming into Old Order Mennonites” (ZOOM) cohort study was established to further explore protective factors and mechanisms. This study compares immune development among OOM children from the Finger Lakes Region of New York to those residing 65 miles northwest in Rochester, NY. Participants completed prenatal and post-natal questionnaires and biomarker sampling throughout the infant’s first two years. Questionnaires on lifestyle, diet, and environmental exposures continued through year five. The success of this study depended on a partnership between the University of Rochester study team and the OOM community, which began in 2009 with a pilot study on prenatal lifestyle behaviors and environmental exposures. Since then, the study team and the OOM community have collaborated to investigate the prevalence and mechanisms underlying atopic disease. The study team has remained mindful of OOM cultural practices by carefully engaging community members and potential participants through key informant interviews, focus groups, and “town hall” data-sharing meetings. To truly respect this community, they must be involved at every step of the research process. Through these efforts, the ZOOM study team recruited 90 OOM mother-infant pairs. Ultimately, this study marks a step closer to preventing allergic disease. [Abstract by authors.]
Attitudes toward the Amish Held by Nursing and Social Work Students at a Midwestern University
Authors: Wyss Lora , Hess Rosanna
Published: September 2024

As Amish populations increase and move across North America, the likelihood grows that healthcare professionals will come into contact with them. No studies have been conducted to examine contact frequency with or attitudes of healthcare providers toward the Amish. The aims of this study were to examine attitudes toward the Amish among nursing and social work students attending a Christian liberal arts university in a Midwestern state, and, to determine the relationship between students’ cultural awareness, their knowledge of the Amish, their contact with the Amish, and their attitudes toward the Amish. The participants were anonymously surveyed using the Revised Attitudes toward the Amish questionnaire (RATA), the Multicultural Awareness Survey (MAS), a Brief Knowledge of Amish Culture questionnaire, and a demographics form which included questions about contact frequency. One hundred and forty-four students completed the survey (n = 106 nursing students; n= 40 social work students). Contact frequency was significantly correlated with knowledge of Amish culture (p <.001). Students who were more aware of other cultures had a significantly more tolerant attitude toward the Amish (p <.001). These university students had more tolerant attitudes toward the Amish when they had a higher level of multicultural awareness and more knowledge of the Amish culture itself. Educators may help students become more tolerant toward patients of other cultures by identifying strategies to increase students’ awareness of and knowledge about those other cultures. [Abstract by authors.]
Oil Therapy Massage as Complementary Care of Burns and Wounds
Authors: Hess Rosanna
Published: September 2024

Oil therapy massage is a part of the care of burns and wounds done by plain, lay caregivers in Amish and Mennonite communities across the United States and Canada. Oil therapy massage is used to manage scarring and to improve joint functionality and skin and tissue integrity. The purpose of this article is to describe oil therapy massage as a complementary part of after-burn care in the context of sociocultural values of plain populations in which caregivers are a part of the B&W movement. This article includes a brief description of the caring and sharing culture of plain peoples; a short history of the B&W movement; an account of the development of after-burn care; an abbreviated explanation of the oil therapy massage procedure; and details of several cases of people who were cared for with oil therapy massage. [Abstract by authors.]
Promoting Culturally Accessible, Community-Centered, Midwifery Care in the Rural Anabaptist Population of Southwestern Ontario, Canada
Authors: Soulliere Cynthia
Published: September 2024

The experience of providing midwifery care in a rural Southwestern Ontario community is discussed, highlighting specific approaches to providing culturally accessible and community-centered care among the Old Order Anabaptists. Midwives in Ontario are primary care providers for perinatal care and the clinic described in this paper works primarily with families from Anabaptist communities. Success in providing culturally accessible care has come from community engagement and responsiveness to ways to improve access to healthcare in this region. Highlighted in this article are the scope of midwifery care in Ontario, home and hospital births, collaboration with other community agencies, and community-based genetic screening. [Abstract by author.]
Review of: Pull Through Blessings: The Colorful Tapestry of Hirschsprung’s Disease—Lisa Sensenig and Helen Zimmerman
Authors: Stauffer Adin
Published: September 2024

Hirschsprung’s Disease (HD) is a genetic condition found in a child born without ganglion cells in part of the intestines. Ganglion cells send signals to intestinal muscles to contract to help pass bowel movements. No signal means no bowel movement, which results in babies not eating, becoming uncomfortable and sleepy, spitting up, and if not treated, eventually dying. [First paragraph.]
Review of: Till Sunday Comes Again—D.E. Martin
Authors: Anderson Cory
Published: September 2024

Bob Weaver owns one of those “Dutch Bucket” restaurants, that giant palace of Amish country, tourist-sustained eateries serving buffets of fried chicken, mashed potatoes mixed with heavy loads of sour cream, oily vegetables, and gooey gluten rolls. Bob has done an incredible business, and now he is opting to open on Sunday. He makes this move in the context of the ever-more-brittle convictions of his local conservative Anabaptist church. His piety juices out as he explains to his “buddy Dave” (p. 20), whom he hired to print out a new banner announcing Sunday brunch hours. [First paragraph.]
Football Defensive Actions Development in Small-Sided and Conditioned Games With Offensive Goals
Authors:   Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Malaysia., Ahmad Yusop
Published: September 2024

With the use of small-sided and conditioned games (SSCGs), non-linear pedagogy (NLP), which is based on the ecological dynamics approach, has arisen with the aim of fostering a holistic perspective and optimizing players’ tactical offensive and defensive behavior’s. Given the potential injury and health risks associated with insufficiently structured training, such as overtraining or inadequate tactical preparation, the implementation of evidence-based approaches like NLP is crucial. In this study, the indirect impacts of an NLP-based intervention program (task design based on tactical attack principles and assaulting team’s numerical advantage) were examined in decision-making (DM) and execution (Ex) in U14 football defense technical-tactical actions. Twelve training sessions, split over two phases—preintervention and intervention—involved eighteen players (aged U14). 600 defensive actions measured during competitive matches were examined using the Game Performance Evaluation Tool (GPET) tool. The results revealed significant gains in marking (to the player with the ball: DM, p = 0.001; Ex, p = 0.001; and to the player without the ball: DM, p = 0.039; Ex, p = 0.046), blocking (DM, p = 0.015), and help- coverage (Ex, p = 0.014) actions. The interception and tackle actions did not differ noticeably. According to the results of this study, the NLP approach provides a suitable theoretical framework for fostering the development of defensive tactical behavior in football. Not all acts, though, saw improvements. In order to build technical-tactical training processes based on the phases of the football game (offensive and defensive) and taking the level of opposition into consideration, trainers should design representative tasks.
Research on Leisure Tourism Destination Image Innovation Driven by Artificial Intelligence
Authors:   Hebei Tourism Vocational College, Chengde, Hebei, 067000, China., Li Qian , Jiang Songyu ,   Rattanakosin International College of Creative Entrepreneurship, Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin, Thailand.
Published: September 2024

As the public’s demand for tourism experience continues to improve, the demand for tourism products gradually develops in the direction of personalization, customization and differentiation. In order to mine the image of leisure tourism destinations, this paper conducts theme mining on the review texts of leisure tourism destinations by means of LDA model. An improved neural network language model CBOW and a Glove model are used to train the review word vectors of leisure tourism destination texts. Based on the deep fully connected neural network model, the perceptual features of tourist destinations are studied and analyzed. Taking Sanya tourist attractions as a research case, by analyzing the perception of tourist attractions, the cognitive image vocabulary of Sanya tourist attractions includes three major categories. Among them, tourism attractions, tourism infrastructure and services, tourism service atmosphere, and tourists’ travel behavior accounted for 53.1%, 22.3%, 5.1%, and 19.5% respectively. Then the emotional vocabulary in the perception of tourism destination image in Sanya City was categorized in terms of positive, neutral and negative, and from the neutral vocabulary, the word frequency number of words such as waiting (101), understanding (185), fun (61), and relaxation (56) was high. Regression analysis was used to explore the factors influencing the effect of tourists’ perception of destination image. Among them, tangibility (0.43), reliability (0.463), and responsiveness (0.434) were positively and significantly related to tourist satisfaction. Improving the image of leisure tourism destination can focus on these three aspects.
The Impact of the Radius of the Cutting Blade during the Processing of C 60 ± 2 HRC (DIN) Steel
Authors:   UBT – Higher Education Institution, Prishtinë, Kosovo., Ostergllava Naim
Published: September 2024

This study investigates the thermal dynamics of the turning process for C60 steel, focusing on the influence of various machining parameters on temperature rise. Integrating experimental methods and statistical analysis, the research examines the effects of cutting speed (v), feed rate (f), depth of cut (a), and cutting insert tip radius (r) on the average temperature in the cutting zone. Experiments were conducted on heat-treated C60 steel rings, using a custom fixture and a modified Kennametal insert holder to ensure precise temperature measurements, collected via a natural thermocouple method. The findings reveal that cutting speed is the most significant factor influencing temperature rise, followed by feed rate, while depth of cut has a minor impact. Notably, the radius of the cutting insert tip is inversely proportional to the temperature, with an increase in the tip radius resulting in a decrease in average temperature. This inverse relationship underscores the potential for optimizing tool design to enhance heat dissipation and reduce thermal stress on the cutting tool. A fourth-degree polynomial model was developed through regression analysis to correlate thermovoltage (V) with temperature (T), providing a quantitative framework for predicting thermal behavior. The model highlights that cutting speed has the greatest effect on temperature rise, with the highest recorded temperature being 795.09°C. Conversely, larger radius of the cutting insert tip corresponds to lower average temperatures, stabilizing around 757.22°C. These insights offer actionable strategies for optimizing machining processes. By strategically adjusting cutting parameters, particularly cutting speed and feed rate, manufacturers can achieve significant improvements in tool life and product quality. The developed mathematical model serves as a predictive tool for fine-tuning machining conditions, ensuring a balance between productivity and tool longevity. This research contributes substantially to the understanding of thermal dynamics in machining processes. It provides a comprehensive analysis and robust modeling of the effects of cutting parameters on temperature rise, supported by rigorous experimental data and statistical validation. The study underscores the importance of considering thermal effects in machining to optimize efficiency, tool life, and product quality, offering valuable insights for both academic research and practical applications in the field of machining and process optimization.
An Observation Instrument for Technical and Tactical Actions in the Soccer Offense Phase: Design, Validation, and Reliability
Authors:   Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia., Ahmad Yusop , Nadzalan Ali Md ,   Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia., Hassan Sadzali ,   Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia., Hashim Ahmad ,   Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Perak, Malaysia.
Published: September 2024

Coaches and other sports professionals are given adaptable tools by using observational methods in the context of sports. These tools are frequently used in team sports for technical and tactical analysis of the match. The goal was to build, validate, and evaluate the dependability of a mixed observational instrument of field formats and category systems to study technical and tactical activities in the offensive phase of soccer, taking into account the significance of data quality in these instruments. The device records data on the attacking team’s and goalkeeper’s actions with the ball, play moments (start, development, and end), and surrounding circumstances. Four steps were taken in the instrument design, validation, and reliability calculation: (a) literature review; (b) initial draft design; (c) qualitative and quantitative expert assessment of the instrument; and (d) observer training test (reliability calculation). Ten experts (soccer coaches with at least ten years of coaching experience or sports scientists with a PhD) determined the content validity. The Delphi process was applied. A quantitative (scale 0 10) and qualitative examination was performed by experts. The following topics were covered in the questionnaire for experts: (a) understanding of the criteria, categorical cores, degree of openness, and their definitions; (b) applicability of the categorical cores and degree of openness; and (c) decision-making on the inclusion of further categorical cores or degree of openness in the observation instrument. The categorical core “numerical situation with opponent goalkeeper” has the lowest Aiken’s V index of 0.91. The levels of agreement between and among observers were good. The category core “defensive pressing lines” had the lowest Kappa index (0.96 for inter-reliability and 0.98 for intra-reliability), as did the category core “ball height (start of ball possession),” “distance of the defensive player,” “ball height (end of ball possession”),” “numerical situation,” and “defensive pressing lines.” The generalizability analysis’ results demonstrated the instrument’s excellent level of accuracy, validity, and reliability. The findings demonstrate that the tool can be used to gather unbiased, trustworthy information regarding soccer’s offensive phase.
Partnership Relations Between the National Police and the Community in the De-Occupied Territories of Ukraine
Authors:   Doctor in Law, Professor, head of Sector of problems of implementation of economic legislation of the Department of modernizing commercial law and law, State organization “V. Mamutov Institute of Economic and Legal Research of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”. 2 Marii Kapnist st., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03057., Teremetskyi Vladyslav , Novichenko Andrii ,   PhD in Law, Doctoral student Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, 27 L. Landau avenue, Kharkiv, 61080, Ukraine., Dyshliuk Olena Mkhmurova- ,   PhD Legal Since, doctoral student, Scientific Institute of Public Law, 2a H. Kirpa st., Kyiv, 03035, Ukraine., Bodnar-Petrovska Olha ,   PhD in Law, Mykolo Romerio Univercity, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania, 20 Ateities st., Vilnius, 08303, Lithuania., Skryl Sergii ,   PhD in Law, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of State and Legal Disciplines, Odessa State University of Internal Affairs, 1, Uspenska st., Odesa, 65000, Ukraine., Rudenko Mykhailo ,   PhD in Law, Associate Professor of Kyiv University of Intellectual Property and Law of the National University “Odesa Law Academy”, 210, Kharkivske Highway, Kyiv, 02121, Ukraine.
Published: September 2024

The purpose of the article is to determine the essence and features of partnership relations between the National Police and the community on the basis of current Ukrainian and foreign legislation, different opinions of scientists, and empirical data, as well as identify the main problems and propose effective methods of solving them in the de-occupied territories of Ukraine. The methodological basis of the study is comparative legal and systemic analysis, formal legal method, interpretive method, as well as methods of analysis and synthesis. The partnership of the National Police with the population was characterized and its features were revealed. In the context of the research topic, individual points of view of scientists regarding building an effective partnership between the police and the community were considered. Such legal categories as “occupation”, “de-occupation” and “reintegration” of territories were characterized and their features were distinguished. The problems of organization and functioning of partnership relations between the National Police and the community were considered. A conclusion was made about the importance of cooperation with active residents of the community in the de-occupied territories with the National Police in order to more effectively prevent new crimes. Taking into account the current legislation and positive international experience in this field of legal relations, optimal directions and forms of interaction between the National Police of Ukraine and public formations in the de-occupied territories were proposed.
Clinical Outcome of Vitamin D Supplementation in Moderate and Severe COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Agrawal Dr. Sanket , Meshram Dr. Sushant , Agrawal Dr. Shruti , Taori Dr. Kamlesh , Biyani Dr. Shubham
Published: September 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a major global health challenge, especially for individuals with underlying health issues. This study aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of vitamin D supplementation in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 in a tertiary care hospital through a randomized clinical trial. Sixty-two SARS-CoV-2 positive patients were enrolled and divided into intervention (vitamin D supplementation) and control groups.
Key findings include:

The intervention group showed a significant reduction in the need for supplemental oxygen therapy by day 14.
Vitamin D supplementation had a steroid-sparing effect, with fewer patients in the intervention group needing steroids compared to the control group.
Patients in the intervention group experienced better clinical outcomes, with reduced ICU transfers and shorter hospital stays.
A significant decrease in inflammatory markers, specifically ferritin and D-dimer levels, was observed in the intervention group by day 14.
Despite these improvements, no significant correlation was found between vitamin D supplementation and overall mortality rates.

The study concluded that vitamin D supplementation could be a beneficial adjunctive treatment for managing moderate to severe COVID-19, potentially improving clinical outcomes and reducing healthcare burdens. However, further research with larger sample sizes is needed to validate these findings and establish comprehensive guidelines for vitamin D use in COVID-19 treatment protocols.
This abstract provides a concise summary of the study, outlining the purpose, methodology, key findings, and conclusions, reflecting the content of the research accurately.
PENGAWASAN KETENAGAKERJAAN OLEH PEMERINTAH DAERAH TERHADAP IZIN TINGGAL TENAGA KERJA ASING DALAM PERSPEKTIF ASEAN FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON SERVICES
Authors: Firdausa Muhanmmad Bintang
Published: September 2024

Pekerja adalah mereka yang mampu dan siap melaksanakan suatu tugas. ada banyak cara untuk memandang pekerja asing, dengan menilai seberapa besar manfaat yang akan diperoleh daerah dari pungutan yang dikenakan, kerangka hukum dan izin yang diperlukan untuk mengenakan pungutan tersebut. Warga negara asing mempunyai kemampuan bekerja baik di dalam maupun di luar hubungan kerja untuk memproduksi produk atau jasa yang memenuhi kebutuhan masyarakat, sebagai tenaga kerja asing. Saat kita memasuki era baru liberalisasi pasar tenaga kerja dan perdagangan bebas, permintaan dan penawaran di antara anggota Organisasi Perdagangan Dunia kemungkinan akan mendorong peningkatan mobilitas tenaga kerja. Indonesia perlu menyediakan peluang kerja bagi pekerja internasional yang terampil agar mereka dapat bekerja dalam bahasa Indonesia. Ketika kemajuan teknologi di bidang informasi, komunikasi, dan transportasi yang memadai. Selain itu, ASEAN menyelenggarakan kualifikasi profesional untuk memfasilitasi mobilitas profesional di seluruh kawasan dan mendorong arus bebas dalam industri jasa. Transportasi udara, e-ASEAN, kesehatan, dan pariwisata adalah empat sektor jasa utama yang kebijakannya telah ditetapkan oleh ASEAN untuk mencapai tujuan ini, termasuk penghapusan semua hambatan perdagangan. Empat industri prioritas ASEAN telah berhasil menghilangkan hambatan pada sektor jasa; penghapusan sektor jasa ini selesai pada tahun 2010.