Search

Abstract Achieving a sufficient IELTS band score for academic purposes has been a major goal of many L2 learners around the world, especially those in Asia. However, IELTS writing scores were consistently reported to be the lowest when compared to the scores in speaking, reading, and listening. Despite a growing body of research in IELTS writing, little focused on the role of model essays and noticing hypotheses. The present study aimed to fill in this gap by examining whether or not the implementation of both noticing hypothesis and model essays had a discernible influence on learners’ IELTS task 2 writing. To reach this goal, a quasi-experimental design including a pretest and a posttest was conducted with the voluntary participation of 52 undergraduates. These participants were divided into two groups: control group (CG, n = 25), learning in the conventional method (peer feedback and teacher feedback), and experimental group (EG, n = 27), using the noticing-model essays method. Following this, semi-structured interviews were performed to gain insights into the quantitative data. The results from this mixed-methods approach showed that there were significant gains in the overall performance and in the lexical resources subscale in the EG while no considerable changes were observed in the CG. Additionally, the other subscales (task response, grammatical range and accuracy, and cohesion-coherence) did not witness any significant differences between the two groups. Several pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research, especially in the Asian context, were also discussed.

The article highlights approaches to calculating indicators characterising the production activities of oil and gas enterprises in the Russian Federation on the basis of the Federal State Statistics Service’s reports. The production activities structure’s heterogeneity has been noted. The issues of reassessing the importance of core and ancillary economic activities in the oil and gas sector are raised. The importance of assessing the intersectoral redistribution of value added is pointed out. Prospects for the performance assessment development of output, intermediate consumption and value added are highlighted an outlook by enterprise group analysis. The principles and criteria for assigning enterprises to the group are indicated. The output indicators of the largest companies in the oil and gas sector of the Russian Federation are considered. A methodology for step-by-step calculating the output, intermediate consumption and value added indicators for large enterprises is provided. The authors concluded that calculating the indicators of output, intermediate consumption and value added for the factor models construction is expediency.

Today’s challenging, unpredictable, and volatile international security environment and recent developments in Ukraine require the states of Eastern Europe, especially those that are not members of powerful military alliances, to focus on strengthening the most important instrument of national power, military power, in order to be able to defend their national interests. Enhancing military capability is usually associated with an increase in funding for defense programs. However, having a significant defense budget does not guarantee security, and the main question is how efficiently and effectively defense funds are allocated to particular programs, projects, or activities. The way to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of managing defense funds is through the introduction of the performance-based (program) budgeting approach. At the same time, it must be kept in mind that programs cannot disregard the structure of the MOD departments and services, since budgets are implemented by allocating resources to organizational units to use for conducting activities aimed at producing outputs. In this paper, I proposed some structural changes in order to place the organizational structure of the MOD of Georgia on more of a “product line” basis; bring it more in line with the basic principles of management, and improve capability planning and program development processes.

Guohua Lin,1,* Jiaqi Zheng,1,* Pou Kuan Tang,1 Yu Zheng,1 Hao Hu,1,2 Carolina Oi Lam Ung1,2 1Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Carolina Oi Lam Ung, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Taipa, Macao SAR, People’s Republic of China, Email carolinaung@um.edu.moPurpose: This review aimed to summarize empirical evidence about pharmacist-led interventions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients in hospital settings and to identify the components of a logic model (including input, interventions, output, outcome and contextual factors) to inform the development of hospital pharmacist’s role in COPD management.Methods: A systematic review of literature retrieved from four English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect) and one Chinese database (CNKI) were conducted to identify eligible studies published from inception to March 2022. Studies concerning pharmacist and COPD were identified to screen for randomized controlled studies that focused on pharmacist interventions for COPD at the hospital setting.Results: Twenty-nine studies were included in this review. The components of interventions identified were categorized according to the six service domains in the International Pharmaceutical Federation’s Basel Statements, and mainly concerned prescribing, preparation, administration and monitoring but not procurement and training. Extended interventions were also identified including life guidance, psychological counseling, and respiratory function exercise. The most common outputs reported were improvement in medication adherence, rational drug use, level of knowledge, and inhalation technique. The clinical outcomes (symptomatic control, lung function, rates of hospital readmission, length of hospital stay, and adverse drug adverse reactions), humanistic outcomes (quality of life and patient satisfaction), and economic outcomes (drug costs, hospitalization costs, antibiotic costs, and direct costs) were reported only in some studies. The contextual factors mainly included geographical factors, education level of patients, socio-economic factors, and no-smoking policy.Conclusion: The evidence for hospital pharmacists’ interventions in improving COPD patients’ outcome is growing. However, considering the challenges of COPD management, hospital pharmacists should further leverage the advantages of cross-sector and multi-disciplinary collaboration in order to provide more comprehensive support to better address the needs of their patients.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hospital pharmacist, systematic review, intervention, output, outcome, logic model

Introduction: Appropriate and efficient staffing is a cornerstone of emergency centre performance. There is however a paucity of literature describing clinician output in low- and middle-income countries with current staffing models based on anecdotal evidence. This study aimed to assess clinician output at a district level emergency centre, and how it varied depending on shift, clinician, and workload factors. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using an existing electronic patient registry, to determine the patients consulted per hour (PPH) during each clinician shift and how this is affected by various clinician, shift, and workload factors. Data was collected over three non-contiguous randomly selected four-week cycles from Mitchells Plain Hospital's electronic patient registry. Associations between PPH and various factors were assessed using ANOVA with post-hoc adjustments where appropriate. The correlation between PPH and workload metrics was calculated with the Pearson's Rank correlation test. Statistical significance was defined as p

The article presents the results of the research conducted on the dynamics of NPK accumulation of nutrients in potato plants under the influence of organo-mineral fertilizers and growth promoter application in the post-forest brown soils of the Askeran region of the Republic of Artsakh, in the potato fields grown in arid conditions and the amounts of their output with the crop. It was revealed that potato plants most of all nutrients accumulate potassium, then nitrogen, and then phosphorus in the stage of cocooning and flowering, as well as full maturity. Under the influence of organic fertilizers and growth promoters, both the intensity of accumulation of nutrients in plants and the quantity of their output with the crop (tubers, plants) increases. The output of nutrients with the harvest depends mainly on the amount of the crop, the amount of fertilizers and the degree of soil moisture. Regardless of the type of fertilizers, potato plants use 34.6-36.3 kg of nitrogen, 11.5-15.6 kg of phosphorus and 43.8-56.0 kg of potassium to produce 100 centners of potato yield under arid conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the effects of global shocks, relative to domestic shocks (productivity, mark-up, and demand shocks), in accounting for US business cycle fluctuations. We do this by developing and estimating a two-sector open economy dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model that features several real frictions and structural shocks. The central finding from the estimated model is that global shocks are the main driver of movements in many US macroeconomic aggregates. Particularly, we find that they explain around 40% of the variations in our main variables of interest—output and real exchange rate. This important quantitative contribution is achieved by using indirect inference estimation techniques to test the model. We identify exogenous world demand, oil price shocks, preference for exported energy-intensive goods, and the price of imported energy-intensive goods as the global shocks most prominent in causing the largest variations in economic outcomes. By contrast, foreign interest rates and preference for aggregate exported goods are found to be bystanders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maize planting in Liaoning Province has been under shallow rotary tillage for a long time, with excessive application of chemical fertilizer and less input of organic materials, resulting in soil structure degradation and low fertilizer utilization rate. In order to improve soil quality and fertilizer utilization rate, the effects of fertilization methods on nitrogen utilization of maize under straw returning were carried out. Field experiments were conducted to study the effects of straw returning combined with different fertilization methods on maize yield, nitrogen utilization rate and soil properties, with four treatments: no nitrogen fertilizer control, conventional fertilization, straw returning + conventional fertilization and straw returning + layered fertilization. The results show that compared with conventional fertilization, straw returning treatment significantly increases the yield of corn, and the effect of straw returning combined with layered fertilization is better. In 2020, the yield of corn increases by 17. 68%, and the yield of this treatment increases by 4. 65% compared with straw returning combined with conventional fertilization. Straw returning treatment significantly increases the nitrogen absorption of corn, especially with the increase of straw returning time. Straw returning treatment significantly increases the contents of soil organic matter, total nitrogen and available potassium, but there is no significant difference between layered fertilization and conventional fertilization, and has little effect on the contents of soil total phosphorus, total potassium, alkali hydrolyzable nitrogen and available phosphorus. It can be seen that straw returning + layered fertilization is conducive to the absorption and utilization of nitrogen in maize and improve yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banana (Musa spp.) is one of important food crops that contributes to the Malaysia’s economy from agro-based industry sector. This study aims to inspect the sustainability of banana cultivation by smallholder in Malaysia based on auditing the energy efficiency use and carbon footprint on its crop upkeep operation. Data were collected based on oral interviews with the owner of smallholder banana farming at Labuan, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia, Malaysia. The findings showed total energy input use for crop upkeep in banana cultivation was 17998.50 MJ ha-1 . The ratio of energy output/inputs was equal to 1.002, which means crop upkeep operation in the study area is not therefore gaining energy, and it is not losing energy. Total carbon footprint was 551.35 kg CO2-eq ha-1 or equal to 58.11 g CO2-eq kg-1 banana. In general, the value reflects the sustainability of smallholder banana farming in the study area was mediocre. Thus, sustainable cultivation techniques should be enhanced in the banana farming to lift-up the energy efficiency use, and furthermore meet the relevant points in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 12th Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) highlighted the importance of ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. Researchers have found that energy subsidies may encourage overconsumption, misuse, and moral hazard problems. Hence, there is a need to rationalize inefficient energy subsidies. Consequently, the Malaysian government has been implementing a subsidy reformation program to improve energy efficiency and reduce fiscal burdens. This study aims to identify and compare the impacts of energy subsidies and oil prices on energy consumption across the agricultural, industrial and service sectors in Malaysia. It is critical for policymakers to better understand the role of energy subsidies in influencing energy consumption, especially the magnitude to which energy subsidies influence energy consumption, in order to structure a subsidy reform strategy which effectively addresses the energy overconsumption issue. In this study, a time series dataset covering the years of 1978 through 2018 is analyzed. The ARDL approach and Granger causality test were employed to determine meaningful statistical evidence and revealed four important findings. Firstly, energy subsidies have a positive relationship with energy consumption. Secondly, oil prices have a negative relationship with energy consumption and energy subsidies significantly interact with oil prices to affect energy consumption. This significant positive moderating effect suggests that energy subsidies may counteract the negative impact of oil prices on energy consumption. Thirdly, output has the greatest (positive) impact on energy consumption. And finally, energy subsidies drive higher outputs in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author argues for an open and transparent use of data that already exists but is not collected, collated and analysed within the education system in Bulgaria. This data needs to become Key Performance Indicators that will drive up: – the Quality of Education; and – the Standards of Achievement. The author focusses on the relationship between: – Input Variables (Prior Attainment and Delegated Financial Resources); – Intervening Variables (Patterns of Expenditure) and – Output Variable (Attendance, Standards of Attainment and Post-school Participation). With one exception, real data is collated, analysed and presented using a range of algebraic and graphical approaches. Finally, the author concludes that with greater subsidiarity (i.e., greater delegation of responsibility, authority and accountability); the greater the need for reliable and valid assessment data to hold the education system to account at school, regional and national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Oil Crop Sciences is the property of Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Previous research comparing communicative to non-communicative computer-mediated tasks requiring output production found an advantage in L2 vocabulary learning efficiency in favor of the communicative task (Hughes, 2023). The present study analyzes the chat data from Hughes (2023) to determine what features of interaction may have contributed to the advantage in L2 learning efficiency. Notable features included the negotiation of meaning, paraphrasing keywords, and context-elaborative question formulation. Of these, elaborative question formulation was found to correlate most strongly with L2 learning efficiency. Furthermore, a significant difference in L2 learning efficiency was found between participants who had engaged in elaborative question formulation and those who had not in favor of those who had. Learners who had engaged in elaborative question formulation also demonstrated a marginally significant advantage in L2 learning efficiency over participants who completed the non-communicative task. The implications of these results are discussed from a cognitivist perspective.

AbstractThis study empirically addresses claims about the effects of strikes on output growth, inflation, and non-agricultural employment in South Africa using a structural analysis of Bayesian VAR models with a Normal inverted Wishart prior for the period 1982–2018. We find empirical support for a strikes shock’s transitory negative impact on the country’s output growth. In any case, this was not contested. Our findings, however, contradict the claims that strikes ensue inflation and unemployment in South Africa. Precisely, the findings show that a strikes shock has a positive transient impact on non-agriculture employment but has no effect on inflation. The inflation finding suggests that strikes do not cause a wage-price spiral because the workers’ bargaining power is weak to influence a significant wage increase settlement that can trigger prices. The employment finding implies a negative net change in the number of strikers after a settlement rather than an absolute increase in non-agriculture employment. These findings reveal that strikers resume work with unfulfilled wage increase demands. Hence, the burden borne by companies as a result of strikes is mainly due to lost production rather than a substantial increase in the wage bill.

Integration of environmental signals with endogenous biological processes is essential for organisms to thrive in their natural environment. Being entrained by periodic environmental changes, the circadian clock incorporates external information to coordinate physiological processes, phasing them to the optimal time of the day and year. Here, we present a pivotal role for the clock component GIGANTEA (GI) as a genome-wide regulator of transcriptional networks mediating growth and adaptive processes in plants. We provide mechanistic details on how GI integrates endogenous timing with light signaling pathways through the global modulation of PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs). Gating of the activity of these transcriptional regulators by GI directly affects a wide array of output rhythms, including photoperiodic growth. Furthermore, we uncover a role for PIFs in mediating light input to the circadian oscillator and show how their regulation by GI is required to set the pace of the clock in response to light-dark cycles.

Introduction. Emphasis is placed on solving the problem of planning the performance of rolling stock in the activities of transport departments of oil and gas production enterprises, taking into account the conditions of the Far North (Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)). Differences in the actual performance of the rolling stock during the transportation of goods from the planned ones were revealed, which amount to more than 30% per month and lead to the non-fulfillment of plans for oil and gas production by the enterprises of the main production. The aim of the study is to develop a mathematical model for planning the performance of the rolling stock, taking into account the conditions of the Far North. Materials and methods. For mathematical modeling, modern scientific methods are used for the current planning of the work of motor transport enterprises, which make it possible to calculate indicators for the standard sizes of rolling stock; methods of probability theory, mathematical statistics, aimed at determining the patterns of change in probabilistic planned indicators in the conditions of the Far North; Boolean algebra methods for the formation of restrictions on the appointment of rolling stock for the carriage of goods, taking into account the practice of joint operation of rolling stock and special equipment and on the requirements for ensuring an operable rolling stock. The scientific novelty is presented in the form of a developed mathematical model that takes into account the cumulative influence of probabilistic technical and operational indicators caused by the harsh operating conditions of the Far North on the planned indicators for ensuring the operable state of rolling stock and cargo transportation. Further research will be aimed at determining probabilistic indicators in a mathematical model for planning the performance of rolling stock, taking into account the conditions of the Far North. New scientific results are expressed mathematically in the form of a set of restrictions for obtaining minimal costs during the operation of rolling stock and are obtained on the basis of a study of the practice of operating rolling stock in the harsh conditions of the Far North. The use of a mathematical model in planning the work of the rolling stock of the transport departments of oil and gas production enterprises makes it possible to take into account the transportation of goods along the formed routes; periods of operation of special equipment and their relationship with the period of operation of the rolling stock; the frequency of maintenance work and their impact on the performance of the rolling stock in the harsh conditions of the Far North; the need for cargo transportation.

In order to maximize the use of the Tsentral’noye placer deposit in the Tambov region, a study was made of technological samples from overburden rocks and concentration tailings of titanium and zirconium ores, in which dispersed useful phosphorite and glauconite minerals are present as an impurity. Samples weighing 300 kg were subjected to wet and dry screening, self-grinding, gravitational separation, and magnetic separation. The isolated phosphate and glauconite fractions and their concentrates were studied using polarizing and electron microscopy, X-ray, chemical, and quantitative spectral analyse. As a result, detailed data on the material and structural features of minerals, their relationships and enrichment characteristics were obtained. This, in turn, made it possible to outline possible directions for the additional use of the ores of the Tsentral’noye deposit in the form of phosphorite and glauconite concentrates obtained from them. For their agrochemical evaluation, vegetative experiments were carried out, which showed the high efficiency of the accumulated concentrates, which in agriculture in the form of mineral fertilizers of the ameliorant leads to an increase in the plant mass of grain crops by 25-26 %. Since the reserves of phosphates and glauconites are estimated at 17 and 6 million tons respectively, if the deposit is developed, additional reserves appear that can significantly reduce the cost of building a mining enterprise.

The ambiguous nature of the word “design” has caused confusion in understanding as various design-related concepts have emerged and attracted attention. Furthermore, the general understanding of design limited to the narrow definition of “Isyou” in Japan, and the instability of the extended design definition in design research has led to misperceptions and discrepancies in understanding of the concept of “design-driven management”. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to present issues of design-driven management research after providing an overview and organizing design concepts that are used ambiguously in the context of management. This paper reviews the expansion of design concepts in previous literature and positions and organizes ambiguous concepts based on the viewpoint that design is output or process. This approach contributes to understanding of the research scope and performance evaluation of design-driven management by clarifying the definition of the design concept.

Today, reducing costs, energy, and environmental impacts, in addition to increasing technical performance, are important goals of agriculture and industry sectors. The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the status of environmental indicators of the dryland and irrigated wheat production systems. The required information was obtained from 100 wheat production farms through questionnaire method. After calculating the input and outputs, environmental indicators were calculated by life cycle assessment method. A novel index as “input to total output” was formulated to evaluate the efficiency of using/consuming each input in production systems. In average, the values of input to total output index for all inputs in dryland wheat production system were 1.45 times higher than those of the irrigated system. In average, the environmental indicators of the dryland wheat production systems had 1.85 times higher values than those of the irrigated systems. Marine water ecotoxicity was the indicator with highest value for both production systems as 12.33 × 104 and 8.22 × 104 kg 1.4 DB eq and the indicator with lowest value was ozone layer depletion as 3.54 × 10−5 and 1.90 × 10−5 kg CFC −11 eq for dryland and irrigated wheat production systems, respectively. In both production systems, nitrogen had the greeted share in all environmental indicators from 15 to 80 %, except for eutrophication and acidification potential which were mostly affected by emissions of wheat farms.

Dry direct seeding cultivation technology of rice is an important aspect of rice production and management. Six treatments were designed in this paper, and that is, T1 (conventional irrigation), T2 (convent ional irrigation + conditioner), T3 (30% water-saving irrigation), T4 (30% water-saving irrigation + conditioner), T5 (50% watersaving irrigation), T6 (50% water-saving irrigation + conditioner). The results showed that in the three separate irrigation treatments, 30% water-saving irrigation was conducive to the growth of dry direct seeding rice at the tillering stage, jointing and booting stage, and 50% water-saving irrigation was more conducive to the growth of rice at grain filling stage. Compared with no application of amendments, all kinds of treatments could significantly promote the growth of dry direct seeding rice. Under the condition of water-saving irrigation of 30%, higher dry matter quality, yield and nutrient absorption can be obtained. The total dry matter quality and rice yield of T4 treatment with 30% water-saving irrigation and conditioner were the highest, which were 99.90 g/pot and 37.76 g/pot respectively, compared with conventional treatment (T1) was 37.60% and 45.96% higher, and this treatment had obvious effect on nitrogen and potassium absorption. In terms of quality impact, water saving was 30%. Irrigation conditions are conducive to the improvement of rice processing quality, appearance quality and nutritional quality, especially after the application of conditioner, the overall rice quality is improved. This study has a certain reference value for water-saving irrigation, promoting nutrient utilization, stable yield and high quality of dry direct seeding rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an original contribution regarding the improvement of the automatic EOL (End of Line) parallel testing process of electronic control units (ECU) in the automotive industry, by implementing an interwoven parallel testing algorithm to increase the testing quality. The new interwoven parallel test algorithm groups the tests into parallel test groups through which the defect of the pins in the connector is detected and at the same time allows the tests to be performed through the parallel test algorithm of all inputs and outputs. It combines the advantages of reduced test time with the detection of defects on the pins. The last part of the paper highlights the results obtained through the modeling of the interwoven testing algorithm and presents our conclusions that emerge from this case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) reporting is becoming increasingly relevant in Hungary, and the existing scientific literature about transition effects in other countries is already rich and diverse. In this paper, we aim to explore the macroeconomic characteristics of the transitions on two robust samples approximating the total population of business entities within the economy and the potential IFRS adopting entities with multiple linear regression models between 2016 and 2019. The results are interpreted in the context of the related IAS/IFRS standards, and the differences are compared to the Hungarian accounting regime. This paper focuses primarily on the ESA 2010-defined output, GDP and NDP impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the university system emphasises compliance with quality mechanisms to improve education quality. Like other countries, Tanzania is enforcing compliance with quality mechanisms through quality audits. In doing so, noncompliance cases have been observed. This study classified the existing indicators and impacts of non-compliance with quality mechanisms along Tanzanian universities' input, process, and output. The qualitative approach and descriptive design guided the collection and analysis (through content analysis) of articles, theses, and reports to describe such indicators and impacts. The study revealed the input-related indicators, including inadequate funds, unqualified academics, and high academic/physical resource-student ratio, which affect learning environments. The process-related indicators include traditional and non-inclusive teaching approaches, irregular external examinations, and students' examination irregularities that hinder meaningful learning and assessment. The key output-related indicator is irregular and ineffective curricula reviews and tracer studies that compromise the curricula and graduates' quality. These indicators and impacts jeopardise students' academic capability. Thus, national and institutional quality regulatory agencies should take accountability and improvement measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiplier effects play a major role in determining importance of a sector of interest to the national economy. In order to determine the significance of Croatian transport sectors, in this paper input-output analysis was applied. A comparative analysis of type I and type II output, gross value added and employment multipliers based on input-output tables for Croatian economy for the year 2010 and 2015 was performed. Type I multipliers were calculated based on the open IO model. Closed IO model was used in type II multipliers determination. Results indicate that sector code H49—Land transport services and transport services via pipelines and sector code H50—Water transport services in the year 2015 recorded lower type I and type II output, gross value added and employment multipliers compared to the year 2010. For sector code H51—Air transport services, significant growth in terms of all three economic indicators was detected, especially when interest is focused on type I and type II employment multipliers. Results presented in this paper could be valuable for academia and general public because they reflect multipliers estimation of transport sectors in Republic of Croatia for the first time based on sound macroeconomic analysis tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic sanctions imposed against Iran have been significantly increased in recent years. Such sanctions usually target the business sectors of Iran and limit trade and monetary flows. Many studies have examined the various impacts of sanctions on Iran's economy. The economic strategies of countering sanctions, however, is an understudied subject in the economic literature. The most important policy that has been considered in dealing with sanctions is the import substitution policy (IS). Because in a situation where the country is facing a set of policies that affect foreign exchange earnings, employment and economic welfare, it is necessary to pay more attention to the resources and capacities of domestic production. But, IS policy to mitigate the negative effects of sanctions could increase air pollution and negative environmental effects. Therefore, in this study, the adjusted environmental input–output model has been used to estimate the value added, employment and emission of pollutants in 17 active economic sectors as a result of the implementation of an import substitution policy. The results of this study highlight the priority of investment in import substitution in economic sectors in terms of environmental impacts. More than 70% of the industries surveyed (12 industries) have high potential for pollution. In order to achieve the goals of sustainable development, it is recommended to develop an import substitution policy in sectors with high economic potential and low pollution. The three sectors of pharmaceutical and health products, textile products, wood and paper, food and beverage products have the highest investment priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the research productivity for any university is so important in order to raise its international ranking. Rankings offer universities evidence that the education they deliver is of high quality and top standard. A student's level of dedication to their studies directly affects the outcome of their academic career. Sitting in on a lecture at a top-five rated institution is far less significant than actively contributing (engaging with classmates, doing research, etc.) at a top-50 ranked university. Using a SciVal dataset of 13 university entities across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over a span of 5 years (2017–2021), we conducted a scientometric study for three categories, namely Output (O), Impact (I), and Collaboration (C), incorporating a total of 18 features. The methodology for selecting universities in this research depended on selecting the best universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in terms of the number of published research papers and the number of citations. This article aims to forecast the pattern of development and shortcomings faced by researchers from around the country from 2017 to 2021. The dataset is evaluated at the university level with homogenized features termed as "Scholar Plot" (SP), a popular approach to maintain and encourage development at the individual level. It is concluded that variances in efficiency within each knowledge field are the major drivers of heterogeneity in scientific output. Disparities in quality and specialization play a lesser impact in influencing productivity differences. The measure of such disparities using the mean of the group's significance is illustrated using a t-tests statistical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences is the property of Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We estimate foreign direct investment elasticities of output, of unskilled and skilled labor, and of unskilled and skilled wages for Chile, both at an aggregate level and for eight economic sectors. We use regional data from official Chilean sources ranging from 2012 to 2019 and data from economic sectors in each region for the period 1996–2011. Estimates are based on a simultaneous equation approach, which considers the two-way relationships between FDI and output as well as the relationships between output, labor, and wages stressed by the duality theory of production in economics. The estimations confirm that FDI triggers growth and that FDI follows growth. Due to the positive effects on output, FDI boosts employment creation, particularly of skilled labor. The estimated effects on wages are not significant, either statistically or practically. The output and labor effects of FDI are positive and significant in all economic sectors, but point estimates suggest that they could be larger for the agriculture-forestry-fishing sector. The results indicate that realistic increases in FDI can have substantial output and employment effects in Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in capacity, output, import and export quantity, apparent consumption of main synthetic rubber products were retrospected, and the status of butadiene supply and price change of main rubber varieties of China in 2021 was introduced. Moreover, the developing trend of synthetic rubber industry of China in 2022 was prospected

Defense organizations absorb large amounts of public resources. The way to improve the effectiveness of the management of defense funds implies the introduction of a performance-based budgeting approach, which links the funding of public sector organizations to the results they deliver. One of the more advanced government-wide performance budgeting systems that uses performance information systematically in the preparation of the government budget is program budgeting, in which expenditures are classified into groups of similar activities or projects (i.e., programs) with common outputs and outcomes. A central issue in good program budgeting is the appropriate definition of programs and other elements of the so-called program hierarchy. This paper overviews the principles and approaches for formulating an effective defense program structure, analyzes the existing program structure of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia, identifies its shortcomings, and suggests ways to improve it.

Photovoltaic (PV) output is greatly affected by meteorological factors. If it has no efficient meteorological factors, the prediction accuracy for PV is a little low. Although the Radial Basis Function (RBF) network is already widely utilized in photovoltaic prediction, its prediction error is too large. An algorithm for forecasting the evaluation of the short-term PV output based on fuzzy clustering of meteorological data and a joint algorithm of the Genetic Algorithm Programming System (GAPS) and Radial Basis Function (RBF) is proposed in this paper to increase the prediction accuracy. Selecting the three main types of meteorological data, including atmospheric turbidity, relative humidity, and solar irradiance, as clustering feature vectors of the cluster class and clustering that historical PV outputting data into three groups by an improved fuzzy c-means clustering (IFCM) method are significant in this study. Finally, this research implemented the computational simulation for a real case. Its results show that the proposed model and algorithm work well and can reduce the dimension of the model and improve the prediction accuracy.

ContextClimate change and human activities have significant impacts on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau; the alpine ecosystem in this region has been degraded. A decline in forage yield reduces the livestock carrying capacity, but an unmitigated increase may lead to overfeeding and damage to vegetation. These changes have eventually led to grassland degradation and a series of ecological problems. Therefore, it is essential to examine bioclimatic factors that affect forage growth in grasslands.ObjectiveTo identify bioclimatic factors associated with forage growth and coverage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau.MethodsWe examined how forage growth and coverage are affected by 35 bioclimatic indicators published in a global database (CMCC-BioClimInd).Results and conclusionsWe comprehensively considered the relationship between 35 indicators and forage yield and coverage and found that the combination of temperature and precipitation indicators had a very high correlation with yield and coverage. When we evaluated the relationship between each index and forage yield, forage yield was found to be significantly correlated with 16 bioclimatic indices. Forage yield was positively correlated with yearly positive precipitation (R2 = 0.49, p

Within the language teaching-learning area, many factors can be identified as impacting the proficiency of the language students achieve. As teachers, we have gone from searching the latest technologies to creating innovative materials that motivate students, passing through the use of resources that integrate skills and curricular designs that help students develop their autonomy. It is in this environment that we consider it relevant to review basic concepts that help us understand how the information we receive needs to be converted into knowledge in order to produce the language being studied. The concepts of input, output, adn intake are reviewed and the relevance of such concepts in Second Language Learning is pointed out in this essay.

Evaluation provides effective feedback for development plans and programs. In this respect, it is of utmost importance to ensure that the outputs of agricultural extension and education projects are compatible with the ones expected. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to evaluate agricultural extension model sites approach from actors’ perspectives and to analyze their gaps via the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) evaluation model. The study was quantitative, applied, survey-based, and causal-comparative in terms of nature, purpose, methodology, and type of research, respectively. The samples included 150 main and follower farmers from a total number of 40 model sites and 37 subject-matter experts selected using the random and purposive sampling methods, respectively. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire, whose reliability was confirmed through computing Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (0.75 ≤ α ≤ 0.90) and its validity was established by a panel of experts. The data were further analyzed using the SPSS24 and comparative statistical tests. The comparison results demonstrated that the mean values of the experts’ views towards all items at different evaluation stages (i.e., context, input, process, product, output, and re-engineering) were higher compared with those of the farmers. Moreover, the farmers’ perspectives at the context and the input evaluation stages were not the same as those of the experts, and their satisfaction with the project had boosted as they had approached the output evaluation stage. The results of the gap analysis similarly indicated that the largest negative gap between the views of the experts and the farmers was associated with the input evaluation stage and the smallest gap was related to the site re-engineering. Accordingly, much more attention should be paid to building and maintaining the trust of farmers during the early stages of planning for and implementation of agricultural extension model sites.