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Performance Based Budgeting is a popular budgeting method to manage public expenditure. Performance budgeting method aims to improve the performance for the desired outcomes. Various performance indictors help strengthen the budgeting processes. These indicators such as prioritization, transparency, accountability, efficiency and efficacy look promising to drive the outcomes. Therefore, organizations are drawn to use performance budgeting to elevate the standard of functioning through appropriate budget allocation. Across the national and international context, performance budgeting has been implemented and the analysis supported by the empirical literature helps understand the effectiveness of this budgeting method. The analysis includes the studies consistent with the emerging themes from the literature review from the different countries in mostly governmental settings and some in the higher education systems. The results indicate the effective implementation of performance budgeting in some settings and some countries while it helps understand the gaps in others places. A robust performance budgeting method can yield positive results that are helpful in improving the budgetary decisions. Performance budgeting offers structure and it requires commitment for effectiveness. The various sectors that have implemented the performance budgeting identify the importance of accountability in managing expenditure for the best interest of the organization and the stakeholders. The examination of the empirical literature helps understand the concepts of performance budgeting, its implementation, its effectiveness and the limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The accuracy of documentation of body weight and fluid balance in hospitalized patients is frequently questioned. Methods: We conducted a survey to understand provider perceptions of the accuracy of intake, output, and weight charting in the electronic medical record. We sent a six-item questionnaire to nurses and physicians who provide inpatient service in a communitybased teaching hospital of the Northeastern United States. We compared the response difference between nurses and physicians by Fisher exact test. Results: One hundred eight nurses and 39 physicians participated in the survey. Both nurses and physicians responded that the accuracy of documentation is crucial. However, only 25.7% of participating physicians and 38.3% of participating nurses considered that documentation in the electronic medical record is reliable. Both physicians and nurses assumed that the nurses are too busy to collect and document the data, and the variability of non-patient weight and variations in body weight measurement under different conditions account for inaccuracies in the documented body weight. Conclusions: Assessing the accuracy of documenting intake, output, and body weight in the electronic medical record is warranted. Providers believe that educating patients about fluid balance and volume assessment help to improve the accuracy in charting intake, output, and body weight in the electronic medical record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Steel Pipe is the property of Steel Pipe Magazine 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.)

The Redesign of the Planning and Budgeting System (RSPP) is one of the government's efforts to realise effective and efficient planning and budgeting at the central and regional levels. The implementation of RSPP is expected to be able to answer problems in the planning and budgeting system, including the inconsistency of central and regional expenditure programs, differences in programs used in planning and budgeting documents, the formulation of program nomenclature and normative outcomes, and development performance information in planning and budgeting documents that are difficult for the public to understand. However, in its implementation, there are still problems faced by Ministries/Institutions so the Ministry of Finance together with the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas need to periodically evaluate the formulation of RSPP in Ministries/Institutions through the Work Plan and Budget documents that have been issued. The process of improving the implementation of RSPP in Ministries/Institutions is followed by improving the guidelines and rules that oversee the implementation of RSPP in Indonesia. Several policies need to be taken to support the implementation of RSPP, namely the Logical Framework policy in the Formulation of Performance and Performance Indicators as well as the Synchronization of Planning and Budgeting Documents through the Integration of Planning and Budgeting Applications so that planning and budgeting documents become harmonious and easy to understand. For the implementation of RSPP to be effective and efficient, the Ministry of Finance together with the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas need to periodically evaluate the performance information that has been prepared by the Ministries/Institutions by the Regulation on the Implementation of Planning and Budgeting System Redesign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The thermal index (TI) is critical for monitoring potential heating risks in ultrasound examinations. This study aims to analyse adherence to TI guidelines in clinical ultrasound exams, focusing on the thermal index for soft tissue (TIS) and thermal index for bone at the focus (TIB). Methods: Clinical ultrasound images over a five working day period from a single NHS University Hospital Trust were analysed using a custom MATLAB script. TI values were extracted from DICOM headers, supplemented by optical character recognition for missing values. Time at each TI value (image interval) was measured assuming a constant TI between consecutive images. TI values and corresponding image intervals were compared to TI guidelines provided by the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS). Results: Analysis included 627 obstetric and 1023 non-obstetric examinations, comprising 4643 obstetric and 19,228 non-obstetric image intervals. TIS values across all examinations and image intervals adhered to recommended BMUS limits; however, breaches of the guidelines were observed for TIB. In obstetrics, 44 image intervals across 47 examinations exceeded the TIB limits (1.01% of TIB image intervals and 7.02% of examinations). For non-obstetrics, two image intervals across two examinations exceeded the TIB limits (0.02% of intervals and 0.44% of examinations). Conclusion: The majority of ultrasound examinations considered for this analysis demonstrated compliance with BMUS guidelines for TI, except for a small fraction which showed breaches in the obstetric thermal index for bone at the focus limits. All breaches were associated with the use of pulsed-wave Doppler. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of the Brazilian Central Bank (BCB) credibility on the outcomes of its monetary policy. In this sense, we seek to characterize periods in which the central bank can be categorized as strong (high credibility) or weak (low credibility) through a VAR methodology with an endogenously estimated threshold parameter. The econometric model includes the credibility variable, which defines the regimes, along with the output gap, inflation, 12 months ahead inflation expectations, the policy interest rate, and a long-term interest rate. Our dataset spans from 2003 to 2022, with monthly data. The estimations suggest a significant threshold parameter at 1%, with a value of 1.75 percentage points. Thus, we highlight that the BCB operates in a low credibility regime when inflation expectations exceed the tolerance bands around the inflation target. In fact, this occurred in 19% of the considered sample, equivalent to 46 months. Despite the relatively low frequency of periods in which the Brazilian Central Bank operated in a low credibility context, such a regime should be diligently avoided, as our evidence demonstrates that this regime is associated with a substantial reduction in the effectiveness of monetary policy in the country. We show, for example, that with low credibility, the BCB practically loses the ability to affect productive activity and the dynamics of prices (inflation and inflation expectations). When examining the possible causes of the reduction in the effectiveness of monetary policy conditional on the credibility regimes, we show that this variable can affect the existing trade-off between output and inflation in the economy. In other words, our results suggest that credibility regimes can influence the observed inclinations in the country's Phillips curve. Specifically, we point out that in a low credibility regime, inflation shocks generate recessionary effects on output, and inflation becomes more responsive to increases in inflation expectations, thereby reducing the degree of price rigidity. In conclusion, monetary policy in Brazil has effects that systematically depend on the credibility regime in operation. Therefore, maintaining a high credibility regime should remain a priority for the BCB, as it facilitates the achievement of favorable outcomes, including meeting inflation targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of irrigation systems is strategically used to improve food security and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2) of ending hunger and poverty. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of irrigation agriculture on the economy of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. This study used the 2017 national social accounting matrix (SAM) as a database with detailed information on irrigation and rainfed agricultural activities and land accounts to compute the effect of exogenous shock on output, income, land, and value added using SAM multiplier analysis. The findings showed that output multiplier effects were more significant for rainfed agriculture compared to irrigation agriculture. However, irrigation agriculture had the highest institutional income, land return, and value-added multiplier compared to rainfed agriculture. The type of crop did not influence the findings, with irrigation consuming more input per unit of output. We conclude that investing in irrigation agriculture and increasing the efficiency and sustainability of existing irrigation agriculture in Limpopo is significant and profitable because dry land production is hazardous when there is insufficient rainfall or recurrent drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relative significance of oil supply, oil demand, and monetary policy shocks in explaining US macroeconomic variations. We analyze impulse response functions and variance decomposition to assess the relative importance of these shocks. Using a Bayesian structural VAR framework and the penalty function approach, we identify the shocks of interest. We find that oil supply shocks explain less than 3% of the variation in output, but have a relatively larger impact on inflation, accounting for around 13% of the inflation variation. Oil demand shocks explain 3% of output variation, but contribute significantly to inflation variation (around 16%). In contrast, monetary policy shocks have a greater influence on output, explaining approximately 13% of the observed variation. Monetary policy shocks are also the most influential source of inflation variation, contributing over 24% to the overall variation. Based on historical variance decomposition, we find that the recent inflation surge is attributable to both monetary expansion and oil supply factors. Overall, the study highlights the dominance of monetary policy shocks in explaining US macroeconomic fluctuations, with oil supply and demand shocks playing secondary roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fiscal sphere can be considered the quintessence of state participation in the economy. Fiscal regulation, respectively fiscal harmonization and control over national budgets, are considered as advanced coordination within the normative management. The impact of EU supranational fiscal regulation on the economies of member countries can be accomplished through budgetary consolidation. This article is dedicated to the analysis of the fiscal consolidation effects and the measures and instruments of fiscal regulation of the EU, which can theoretically be applied to the EU member countries, as well as the effectiveness of the supranational impact and national measures for the implementation and achievement of supranational solutions.

Memory Lucy Mtambo,1,2 Didjier Danger Masangwi,3 Alpha Omega Soko,4 Thom Kaledzera,5 Fanuel Meckson Bickton,5,6 Mep Coretta Chipeta7 1Department of Clinical Sciences, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Blantyre, Malawi; 2Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia; 3Department of Applied Sciences, Malawi University of Science and Technology, Blantyre, Malawi; 4Department of Basic Sciences, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lilongwe, Malawi; 5Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi; 6Lung Health Research Group, Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Programme, Blantyre, Malawi; 7Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Mzuzu University, Mzuzu, MalawiCorrespondence: Memory Lucy Mtambo, Email lmtambo@must.ac.mwIntroduction: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally, and low-income countries such as Malawi bear a heavy burden. Tailored, high-quality research is essential for bridging existing gaps and improving the healthcare provided in low-resource settings while maximizing available resources.Aim: This mapping study aimed to synthesize the current state of stroke research in Malawi.Methods: Six databases were thoroughly searched: CINAHL complete, Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, and Google Scholar.Results: The search retrieved 598 references and identified 20 studies published between 2005 and 2023. Of these, 70% were conducted at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital only; open-access journals published 95% of the studies. Cross-sectional studies were the most common (50%), followed by case-control studies (20%). The Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Program authors contributed the most articles as main authors (25%). The number of citations per article ranged from 0 to 168 on Google Scholar, and the number of authors per article ranged from 1 to 15. Authors from thirty-five different institutions from 11 other countries partnered with Malawi on stroke articles, and England contributed 45.7% of the institutions. Most articles focused on pathophysiology (30%), followed by diagnosis (20%) and stroke management (15%). The highest number of participants included in the analysis was 739 and the highest number of stroke participants was 222. The identified challenges included the need for more infrastructure and under-utilization of available services. The Wellcome Trust has emerged as the primary funding agency for stroke research in Malawi.Conclusion: The study found limited collaboration among local institutions in Malawi, with most research focused in Blantyre District. There is a critical need for increased interdisciplinary teamwork to boost nationwide research.Keywords: corroboration, distribution, methods, output

Is the importance of technology shocks in accounting for the fluctuations in output and hours sensitive to the measure of output? Using a vector autoregression, we empirically investigate the contribution of technological shocks to economic fluctuations when output is defined in consumption units, as commonly used in many macroeconomic models, and when output is tabulated according to the Divisia index in the U.S. National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs). Based on a standard neoclassical growth framework that allows for a mapping of theory into any desired measure of output, we establish that the same restrictions may be used to identify technology shocks in a vector autoregression model regardless of the measure of output. However, our estimation reveals that while the combination of both investment-specific technology shocks and neutral technology shocks accounts for a large portion of the business cycle variability of hours and output, the choice of the measure of output via the use of the associated deflator greatly affects the amplification of the shocks in the responses and the variability of the responses in output and hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have witnessed transformative advances in radiation physics and computer technology, revolutionizing the precision of radiation therapy. The adoption of intricate treatment techniques such as three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, volumetric-modulated arc therapy, and image-guided radiotherapy necessitates robust quality assurance (QA) programs. This study introduces the SunCHECK™ Machine (SCM), a web-based QA platform, presenting early results from its integration into a comprehensive QA program. linear accelerators (LINAC) demand QA programs to uphold machine characteristics within accepted tolerances. The increasing treatment complexity underscores the need for streamlined procedures. The selection of QA tools is vital, requiring efficiency, accuracy, and alignment with clinic needs, as per recommendations such as the AAPM task group 142 report. The materials and methods section details SCM implementation in various QA aspects, encompassing daily QA (DQA), imaging QA with Catphan, conventional output assessment with a water phantom, and LINAC isocenter verification through the Winston–Lutz test. Challenges in QA processes, such as manual data transcription and limited device integration, are highlighted. Early results demonstrate SCM’s significant reduction in QA time, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Its automation eliminates interobserver variation and human errors, contributing to time savings and near-immediate result publication. SCM’s role in consolidating and storing DQA data within a single platform is emphasized, offering potential in resource optimization, especially in resource-limited settings. In conclusion, SCM shows promise for efficient and accurate mechanical and dosimetric QA in radiation therapy. The study underscores SCM’s potential to address contemporary QA challenges, contributing to improved resource utilization without compromising quality and safety standards.

Accurately measuring real economic output in the space economy is made difficult by the rapid increase in capabilities and decrease in prices of launch and satellite technologies achieved over the past two decades. Nominal measures of output in space will tend to underestimate real growth if customers are paying lower prices for better services over time. In this paper, we use price indexes that apply techniques to the space economy that have been used for decades to adjust nominal measures of output in sectors such as information technology, including matched-model and explicit hedonic quality adjustment. We find that adjusting for price and quality changes in the space economy has substantial effects on estimated growth in economic output, especially across its sectors. Price increases over time in the space information sector, which is dominated by direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television, mean that real growth has been slower than nominal growth since at least 2012, the typical pattern in industries not undergoing rapid technological change. In sharp contrast, rapid price decreases and quality increases in other areas—especially launch and manufacturing of satellite, earth observation, and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) equipment—have meant that nominal growth rates substantially understate real growth rates in those industries. Given the central importance of space to our modern economy, having accurate information on growth in the space economy is vital for efficiently allocating the substantial private and public investment being devoted to its development. • Adjusting space output for price and quality changes impacts economic growth rates. • Growth in the US space sector masks underlying heterogeneity across its subsectors. • US space manufacturing products exhibit rapid price decreases and quality increases. • US space information product prices are rising even as overall output is falling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of pharmaceuticals, artificial intelligence (AI) denotes the application of automated algorithms to tasks traditionally associated with human cognitive abilities. An artificial neural network (ANN) serves as a simulation of the human brain, aiming to replicate both the structure and functionality of genuine neurons. Oral disintegrating tablets (ODTs), which can dissolve on the tongue in three minutes or less, are an unusual dosage form, particularly concerning the elderly and young patients. Formulation studies of ODTs face challenges, as they often depend on conventional laboratory trial-and-error methods and the expertise of pharmaceutical professionals. Unfortunately, this approach proves inefficient and time-consuming. The primary focus of the present research was to create an artificial neural network (ANN) prediction model tailored for ODT formulations employing the wet granulation technique. A literature review was carried out by collecting 307 formulation data set to train the data. For the ODT formulation, the ANN predicted and practically obtained values were compared. Formulations were subjected to pre-compression and post-compression parameters due to oral disintegration; the focus was on assessment of disintegration period and rate of in vitro dissolution. Notably, in the case of the PF7 formulation, the predicted disintegration time was precisely 48.476 seconds, closely aligning with the obtained result of 45.1 seconds. Additionally, the in vitro dissolution rate was accurately predicted at 92.34%, with the actual result being 93.74%. Besides, this dissolution rate stands out as the highest among all the formulations examined. Experimental data revealed, the almost identical estimate for ODT formulations compared to the ANN prediction. The application of this prediction model could efficiently reduce the time and cost required to produce a pharmaceutical and consequently facilitate the advancement of a potent drug product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes of medical solid waste (MSW) output in recent years have had a significant impact on the spread of the virus. There is a high-risk transmission of MSW in various stages such as storage, transportation, and treatment during the COVID-19. To cope with the risks brought by the epidemic, normalized prevention consumes a large amount of protective clothing, medical masks, goggles, packaging bags, and other related medical supplies. There is a significant uncertainty in the amount of MSW output that poses a risk of COVID-19 infection in the event of an emergency, which increases the difficulty of collecting and handling epidemic prevention MSW. The analysis of MSW data from 2000 to 2022 found a stable growth trend before 2019. However, the MSW data was a sudden increase trend from 2020 to 2022, and the COVID-19 in China was characterized by an initial stage, an outbreak stage, and a stable growth stage. The range of MSW output during the epidemic was (1.19–1.75) × 106 t a−1. The amount of MSW was approximately 1.19 × 106 t a−1 during the normalized epidemic period, and its treatment cost was as high as 3.57 × 109 yuan (RMB)·a−1. The distribution of MSW output was uneven due to factors such as climate conditions, population data, and local economy. This study has important reference value for epidemic medical material reserves and MSW treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fiscal sphere can be considered the quintessence of state participation in the economy. Fiscal regulation, respectively fiscal harmonization and control over national budgets, are considered as advanced coordination within the normative management. The impact of EU supranational fiscal regulation on the economies of member countries can be accomplished through budgetary consolidation. This article is dedicated to the analysis of the fiscal consolidation effects and the measures and instruments of fiscal regulation of the EU, which can theoretically be applied to the EU member countries, as well as the effectiveness of the supranational impact and national measures for the implementation and achievement of supranational solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the integrated effects of the USJTA, USJDTA, and the agreement on minerals for electric vehicle batteries. While most previous studies adopted the perfect competitive Armington model to analyze the economic effect of FTAs, it is unrealistic since monopolistic competition is taking place in export markets. To overcome those gaps, this study introduces the computable general equilibrium framework with monopolistic heterogeneity. The empirical results utilize the GTAP-HET transformed data using seven commodity sectors and seven countries which consist of four developed countries such as US, Japan, Canada and the EU and three developing countries such as China, Mexico, and the ROW. The new finding shows that the changes in industry outputs, domestic industry sales, demand for labor and capital, industry sector price, and terms of trade appeared significantly different according to perfect, monopolistic competition, and firm heterogeneity models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have witnessed transformative advances in radiation physics and computer technology, revolutionizing the precision of radiation therapy. The adoption of intricate treatment techniques such as three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy, volumetric-modulated arc therapy, and image-guided radiotherapy necessitates robust quality assurance (QA) programs. This study introduces the SunCHECK™ Machine (SCM), a web-based QA platform, presenting early results from its integration into a comprehensive QA program. linear accelerators (LINAC) demand QA programs to uphold machine characteristics within accepted tolerances. The increasing treatment complexity underscores the need for streamlined procedures. The selection of QA tools is vital, requiring efficiency, accuracy, and alignment with clinic needs, as per recommendations such as the AAPM task group 142 report. The materials and methods section details SCM implementation in various QA aspects, encompassing daily QA (DQA), imaging QA with Catphan, conventional output assessment with a water phantom, and LINAC isocenter verification through the Winston-Lutz test. Challenges in QA processes, such as manual data transcription and limited device integration, are highlighted. Early results demonstrate SCM's significant reduction in QA time, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Its automation eliminates interobserver variation and human errors, contributing to time savings and near-immediate result publication. SCM's role in consolidating and storing DQA data within a single platform is emphasized, offering potential in resource optimization, especially in resource-limited settings. In conclusion, SCM shows promise for efficient and accurate mechanical and dosimetric QA in radiation therapy. The study underscores SCM's potential to address contemporary QA challenges, contributing to improved resource utilization without compromising quality and safety standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian local government does not enjoy the status of its counterparts in comparable democracies and has long sought acknowledgment in the federal constitution. As these campaigns have consistently failed, this study considers how, and in which forms, local government obtains its own political legitimacy within a governance system centered on the citizen-state relationship, in addition to evaluating the relationships between the different forms of legitimacy. We find that positive perceptions of local government effectiveness are associated with higher levels of support for constitutional change, but that local governments need to pay more attention to systems of accountability and oversight, how building and planning issues are handled, and how they communicate with residents. Generally, and unsurprisingly, local government is appreciated more by those who rely on their services yet who are not always the loudest voices in public debates. Constitutional legitimacy is more likely when other sources of legitimacy are enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Przegląd Elektrotechniczny is the property of Przeglad Elektrotechniczny 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.)

Many studies have investigated the impact of expectations on the exchange rates. However, it remains a challenge linking the exchange rates to its fundamentals. This study seeks to determine the impact of expectations of future income on the exchange rates behaviour. In this study, we employ the Bayesian VAR method. The study finds that the expectations of income have effects on the exchange rate behaviour. Furthermore, the exchange rates behaviour is asymmetric.

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the extent and determinants of vegetable commercialization among smallholders in the Sebeta Hawas Woreda, Oromia region, Ethiopia. Data were collected through surveys of 385 farm households. The study results indicated that vegetable production in the study area is highly commercialized in terms of vegetable output marketed with an average commercialization extent of 74.2% although vegetable commercialization extent is at a low level (34.82%) in terms of land areas allotted to vegetable production. The results of the truncated Tobit regression model revealed that the extent of vegetable commercialization was significantly and positively influenced by the gender of the household head, year of schooling, family size, access to irrigation facilities, cooperative membership, access to credit services, contact with extension agents, access to improved seeds, access to chemical fertilizers, and access to market information. Conversely, the age of the household head, livestock holdings, and participation in off-farm activities significantly and negatively influenced the extent of vegetable commercialization. The study suggests that vegetable commercialization can be enhanced by supplying farm inputs such as improved seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation equipment. In addition, designing gender-focused intervention programs is essential to promote the equal participation of both men and women in vegetable production and marketing. Moreover, providing adequate and relevant market information and strengthening farmers’ cooperatives can enable smallholder farmers to access the market and increase their market participation so that they can obtain reasonable returns from the vegetable business.

This paper estimates the output cost of fighting inflation—the sacrifice ratio—for the South African economy using quarterly data spanning the period 1998:1–2019:3. To compute the sacrifice ratio, the structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) model developed by Cecchetti and Rich (2001) based on Cecchetti (1994) is employed. Our findings show us a small sacrifice ratio, which lies within the range 0.00002–0.231 percent with an average of 0.031 percent, indicating a low level of output to be sacrificed while fighting inflation. Hence, the reserve bank is recommended to sustain an inflation rate within the target range and reap the benefits of a predictable and stable price path, as restrictive monetary policy has only a transitory effect on real variables like output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using quarterly data for the 2002–2022 period, we estimate the output and inflation effects of several commodity prices (agricultural raw materials, crude oil, and metals) for 8 Eastern European countries with different exchange rate regimes. The Kalman filter is used for estimating the time-varying parameters. Our main findings can be summarized in the following way: (i) higher crude oil prices are inflationary in most of the countries (except Slovakia), with a stronger price effect since 2020; (ii) crude oil prices are neutral with respect to output growth in 4 out of 8 countries, with an expansionary effect in Croatia, Slovenia, and Romania, as well as a contractionary effect in Slovakia, but the crude oil shock of 2021–2022 seems to be expansionary in almost all countries (except Slovakia), regardless of the exchange rate regime practiced; (iii) inflation and output effects of metals prices are quite heterogeneous across countries; (iv) agricultural raw material prices play a role in both inflation and output growth only in Bulgaria and Poland. Since 2021, a growing inflationary impact of crude oil prices suggests a stronger monetary policy reaction to the oil shock, especially in the presence of its favorable output effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective]To understand the effects of different tillage depths on soil water storage and moisture conservation, nutrients and crop yield in the Yellow River Diversion Irrigation Area, and explore a reasonable tillage depth that can fully create a good growth environment for rice, such as water, fertilizer and gas, so as to provide a theoretical reference for the reasonable construction of the tilth layer of rice and the cultivation of high yield crops in the Yellow River Diversion Irrigation Area. [Method]The experiment adopted a completely random design and set up three tillage depth treatments, namely 22-25, 30-32 and 38-42 cm, to study the effects of different tillage depth on soil bulk density, water content, soil nutrients and rice yield. [Result]The soil moisture content under different tillage depth was higher under 30-32 cm tillage; The soil bulk density was lower in the treatment of 22-25 cm ploughing under 0-10 cm soil layer, lower in the treatment of 30-32 cm ploughing and 38-42 cm ploughing under 20-40 cm soil layer, and the treatment of 30-32 cm ploughing was significantly lower than that of 38- 42 cm ploughing. The content of organic matter, available phosphorus and available potassium in 0-20 cm soil layer was higher in 30-32 cm ploughing treatment, and in 20-40 cm soil layer was higher in 38-42 cm ploughing treatment. The rice yield of 30-32 cm tillage was significantly higher than that of 22-25 cm and 38-42 cm tillage; Through the comprehensive evaluation of principal components, it was found that the treatment of 30-32 cm tillage>38-42 cm tillage>22-25 cm tillage. [Conclusion]Different ploughing depths can affect the soil structure and soil nutrients in the tilth layer, thereby affecting the water storage and heat preservation effect of the soil, and promoting crop growth and yield. Under local soil conditions, the 30-32 cm ploughing treatment has the best comprehensive improvement effect on the soil, and the rice yield is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-war reconstruction of Ukraine's economy should be based on new development priorities. First of all, we are talking about the structural transformation of the manufacturing industry, as a key segment of the economy, in the direction of increasing the weight of manufacturing operations with higher added value, socio-economic efficiency, the functioning of which will ensure the restoration of intersectoral relations, the reduction of import dependence, the improvement of the technical defence capability of the country and the social standards of life of the population. The purpose of the article is to optimize the structure of output and the structure of gross added value (GVA) of the manufacturing industry of Ukraine and the structure of intermediate consumption (in terms of domestic and imported components) of manufacturing operations. On the basis of the study of the relationships between the indicators of the economic efficiency of the Ukrainian manufacturing industry and the technological structure of its production (across 16 manufacturing operations), it was established that during the years 2013-2021, under the influence of non-economic factors, there was a significant decrease in the share of medium-high-tech industries (primarily chemical and machine-building) in the output of industry with a simultaneous decrease in the share of GVA in the output of these industries. On the basis of the obtained analytical information, using the author's methodical tools and the experience of previous studies, the optimization of the structure of output and GVA of the Ukrainian manufacturing industry was carried out according to the criterion of increasing the technology level. The objective function of such optimization was chosen to increase the efficiency of the manufacturing industry of Ukraine (expressed as an indicator of the share of GVA in output) to the level of Poland. According to the results of a detailed correlation analysis of the relationships between the values of indicators of import dependence and the economic efficiency of Ukrainian manufacturing operations, a number of negative features of the functioning of the latter were revealed, in particular: the deepening of import dependence of basic and strategic segments of industry, the increase in the volume of production of products based on giveand-take raw materials, etc. Based on the criterion of reducing import dependence of all manufacturing operations, but above all medium-high-tech ones, such a structure of intermediate consumption (in terms of imported and domestic components of costs) of manufacturing is modelled, under which the indicator of the share of GVA in the output of the manufacturing industry of Ukraine will correspond to the level of Poland. The modelling results form a scientific basis for strategic planning and forecasting the development of the manufacturing sector of the national economy. Prospective author's research in this direction will be aimed at the development of models for optimizing the structure of Ukrainian industry according to the criteria of increasing the innovativeness of industrial products and ensuring the socio-economic development of the country in the period of postwar recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author continues the argument, that he has previously put forward (Budgell 2023), for an open and transparent use of data that already exists but is not collected, collated and analysed appropriately within the education system in Bulgaria. Currently, School Directors have at their disposal: 1. a longitudinal or trend analysis; 2. a comparative analysis within the school; 3. a comparative analysis across schools; and 4. an ipsative analysis, the assessment of pupils’ progress or value-added by the school. However, given: a. the nature of the pupil population; and b. the structure and organisation of the school system these techniques are of limited value without a detailed analysis of the State Matriculation Examinations. The author uses the prior attainment scores and the results from the State Matriculation Examinations for the pupils who left a Mathematics Grammar School in 2023 to illustrate the limitations of the techniques available to School Directors. Finally, the author proposes, in detail, the type of analysis that would take account of: i. the actual pupils who attend an individual schools; and j. the differences between the results of the subjects for which there is a State Matriculation Examination. He concludes that, it is only with this type of detailed analysis, that it is really possible for School Directors, the teachers and parents to know how well their school is performing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the correlation between unemployment rate and real output for OECD countries was analyzed through the application of Okun’s Law and unemployment hysteresis 2007-2022. For this purpose, panel error correction, panel cointegration, ARDL Bounds Test and Granger causality techniques were preferred. In addition, unemployment hysteresis was examined with different panel unit root technique in OECD countries. The findings show that there is a long-term link among the variables, while supporting unemployment hysteresis in most OECD countries. Long-term findings show that Okun’s law is applicable. Causality analysis indicates that there is a one-way and negative relationship towards the unemployment rate. The estimation for the long-run coefficient shows that the increase in growth leads to a decrease in the unemployment rate. Short-term findings also support long-term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using quarterly data for the 2002–2022 period, we estimate the output and inflation effects of several commodity prices (agricultural raw materials, crude oil, and metals) for 8 Eastern European countries with different exchange rate regimes. The Kalman filter is used for estimating the time-varying parameters. Our main findings can be summarized in the following way: (i) higher crude oil prices are inflationary in most of the countries (except Slovakia), with a stronger price effect since 2020; (ii) crude oil prices are neutral with respect to output growth in 4 out of 8 countries, with an expansionary effect in Croatia, Slovenia, and Romania, as well as a contractionary effect in Slovakia, but the crude oil shock of 2021–2022 seems to be expansionary in almost all countries (except Slovakia), regardless of the exchange rate regime practiced; (iii) inflation and output effects of metals prices are quite heterogeneous across countries; (iv) agricultural raw material prices play a role in both inflation and output growth only in Bulgaria and Poland. Since 2021, a growing inflationary impact of crude oil prices suggests a stronger monetary policy reaction to the oil shock, especially in the presence of its favorable output effect.

This study looks at the connection between argumentative writing and speaking among sixth-semester EFL students at Moulay Ismail University in Morocco’s English Studies department. In order to achieve this objective, a total of 80 undergraduate students who were learning English as a foreign language (EFL) were selected as participants. Participants were then given both speaking and writing examinations to assess their argumentation skills in these two areas. Regression and correlation analyses were performed in SPSS on the study’s data. The findings show a substantial difference between speaking and writing in contentious discourse, in addition to a high positive association. Argumentative speaking was statistically proven to predict a great proportion of argumentative writing. The findings suggest integrating argumentative speaking and writing in teaching and assessment practices in a balanced way. The two skills can be taught along with each other to facilitate correspondences between the two modalities in argumentative genre. As the study concludes, it offers valuable insights into the implications of these findings, highlights the research limitations encountered during the research process, and provides recommendations for future endeavors in the realm of language pedagogy and assessment. This study not only contributes to our understanding of the interplay between argumentative writing and speaking but also paves the way for more comprehensive and integrated language instruction practices in EFL contexts.

As a result of global warming, drought, flooding, change in the rainfall pattern, etc. occur frequently. All these natural disasters could cause serious damage to the food security. Soybean is one of the most important oil crops in China. In recent years, the changing climate has brought many uncertain risks to the growth and production of soybean. In this study, based on the local meteorological, soil, and soybean growth-related experimental data, the effects of high temperature and drought stress on soybean were tested. The test parameters were leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter weight, while the analytical tool used was World Food Studies Model crop model. The research was carried out in Hailun City, Heilongjiang Province, China. The results showed that warming stress shortened the growth period of soybean and reduced the LAI and dry matter accumulation. On the other hand, drought stress also showed a significant impact on the growth period as well as reduced LAI and dry matter accumulation. Comparing the whole growth as well as the flowering-stage to seed-filling-stage treatments of soybean, the results were found very similar. It indicated that the soybean growth from flowering to seed-filling stage was strongly affected by the external environmental factors. The high temperature and drought disasters in the fruiting stages would have a greater impact on the growth and production of soybean crop.

The development of irrigation systems is strategically used to improve food security and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2) of ending hunger and poverty. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of irrigation agriculture on the economy of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. This study used the 2017 national social accounting matrix (SAM) as a database with detailed information on irrigation and rainfed agricultural activities and land accounts to compute the effect of exogenous shock on output, income, land, and value added using SAM multiplier analysis. The findings showed that output multiplier effects were more significant for rainfed agriculture compared to irrigation agriculture. However, irrigation agriculture had the highest institutional income, land return, and value-added multiplier compared to rainfed agriculture. The type of crop did not influence the findings, with irrigation consuming more input per unit of output. We conclude that investing in irrigation agriculture and increasing the efficiency and sustainability of existing irrigation agriculture in Limpopo is significant and profitable because dry land production is hazardous when there is insufficient rainfall or recurrent drought.

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood of the people and it contributes a major share to the economy of the state. Agricultural development is an integral part of rural development. Hence, for Agricultural development, one should proceed to interpret the regional imbalances in the levels of agricultural productivity or performance per unit area of different crops. Agricultural productivity refers to the output produced by a given level of input(s) in the agricultural sector of a given economy. More formally, it can be defined as "the ratio of the value of total farm outputs to the value of total inputs used in farm production". The present study is an attempt to determine the agricultural productivity of Jammu Province. For analyzing agricultural productivity, ten districts of Jammu Province have been taken as the unit of study. The productivity indices of major food crops viz. Rice, Maize, and Wheat were considered for each district and were computed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research work examines the role Bank of Agriculture Limited plays in fostering agricultural development in Nigeria. Primary data was obtained by distributing 120 questionnaires to farmers who benefitted from the Bank’s credit facility, linear regression analysis was employed and the result reveals that credit advance contributes 24.13% in increasing farmers’ output which translates to agricultural development. It was therefore recommended that the government should firstly invest in the agricultural sector by making provisional allocations in the annual budget for the Bank; secondly, the Bank should streamline the loan application, processing and approval procedure to ease access to credit; thirdly, enact policy that will mandate civil servants to have personal account with the Bank to help raise the liquidity position of the Bank; and lastly, direct the Central Bank to issue all financial transaction licenses to the Bank including such that would enable the Bank deal in foreign exchange transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The input-output scheme is considered as applied to the analysis of the cross-industry reproduction of the economy of Ukraine as a critical infrastructure under the conditions of war and post-war recovery. A feasible scenario of the development of Ukraine's economy in 2022 is developed. An analysis of the sensitivity of elements of final consumption expenditures to changes by 1% is carried out. The methodology for developing scenarios of economic development under the conditions of war and post-war recovery is proposed taking into account the linearity of the Leontief model, the sensitivity of elements of final consumption expenditures to changes, and the inter-industry relationship structure of Ukraine's economy in 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The input-output scheme is considered as applied to the analysis of the cross-industry reproduction of the economy of Ukraine as a critical infrastructure in the conditions of war and post-war recovery. A probable scenario of the development of Ukraine’s economy in 2022 has been prepared. The hypothesis of the scenario is that the military economy significantly changes the structure of final consumer spending, which makes it possible to forecast inter-industry relationships, in particular, final spending and output, using the input-output model (Leontief model). An analysis of the sensitivity of elements of final consumer spending was carried out. The methodology for developing scenarios of economic development in the conditions of war and post-war recovery is proposed, taking into account the linearity of the Leontief model, the sensitivity of elements of final consumer spending and the interindustry relationship structure of the Ukraine’s economy in 2019. Prepared materials can be used for scientific and educational purposes to generate various scenarios of final consumer spending in the conditions of war and post-war reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess the relative importance of fiscal and monetary policy shocks in explaining macroeconomic fluctuations in the United States. Using a Bayesian structural vector autoregressive model, we identify fiscal and monetary policy shocks based on a penalty function approach. We find that monetary policy shocks are relatively more important than fiscal policy shocks in explaining key macroeconomic variations and especially inflation variations. Our results provide evidence in support of a monetarist explanation of US business cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the relation between country-specific high-frequency activity indicators and bond holdings in the portfolio of global investors. Based on positions from more than 20,000 investment funds, it finds that bond flows are significantly impacted by high-frequency activity levels and policy rates in emerging markets. Local "pull factors" have become important drivers of bond purchases. This effect of activity data—as captured by the Purchasing Managers' Indices (PMIs)—is stronger in the cases of India, China, Brazil and Indonesia as bond purchases in these markets appear to respond more to changes in activity survey responses. Overall, standardized coefficients indicate that an increase in a country's PMI reading has an effect on bond purchases that is on average as large as that of a decrease in a global risk metric or a reduction in US Treasury yields. That said, during episodes of bond outflows global factors dominate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]