Academic motivation among senior students majoring in rehabilitation related professions in China

Objective/background In mainland China, most universities offer general rehabilitation curricula rather than specialized curricula. The purpose of the current study is to investigate senior students’ academic motivation for rehabilitation and examine whether it varies among different curriculum structures, students’ gender, specific interests, and parental average education level. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited both senior students in general and those who specialized in rehabilitation curricula using an online survey. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) was used to measure academic motivation. Results The response rate was 74.68%, and 59 senior students in total (male: 34.48%; female: 65.52%) were analyzed. Twenty-nine (50.00%) students were from a general rehabilitation curriculum at Guangxi Medical University, and the rest (n = 29, 50.00%) were from a specialized curriculum at West China Medical School of Sichuan University. The overall average academic motivation score was 30.96 ± 5.92. Students in the specialized rehabilitation curriculum (32.85 ± 6.26) showed a significantly higher academic motivation score than those in the general rehabilitation curriculum (29.10 ± 5.00, p<0.05). Male (31.13 ± 5.67) and female (30.88 ± 6.12) students had equally high scores (p = 0.88). Students who had specific interests (29.81 ± 4.73) and those who did not (24.69 ± 4.92) shared the same academic motivation (t = 2.00, p = 0.06). Conclusions Senior rehabilitation science students in specialized curricula have higher levels of academic motivation than those in general curricula. There was no significant difference in academic motivation scores based on students’ gender, specific interests, or parental average education levels.

The impact of agricultural extension on productivity of smallholder sugarcane farmers in East Java

Agricultural extension is one of the most important factors to increase smallholder sugarcane farmer capacity and encourage the acceleration of technology adoption which positively correlates with farm productivity. This study aims to evaluate the impact of agricultural extension on the productivity of smallholder sugarcane farmers in East Java. While few previous studies showing the relationships, very limited involving a relatively large number of samples. This study used data from Indonesian Plantation Farm Household Survey 2014 by the Indonesian Statistical Agency (BPS). The number of samples was 2,893 farmers consisting of 2,463 farmers who did not participate (control group) and 430 farmers who participated in agricultural extension (treatment group). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to evaluate the impact of agricultural extension on the productivity of sugarcane farming. Typically, the treatment group is better than the control group. The treatment group has an average education of 7.89 years, land area of 2.74 hectares and sugarcane productivity of 72 tons/ha. Meanwhile, the control group has an average education of 5.96 years, land area of 0.88 hectares and sugarcane productivity of 61 tons/ha. Our results show that farmers who participated in agricultural extension have a 9.05 tons higher productivity compared to those who did not participate. Therefore, farmers’ participation in agricultural extension should be encouraged by improving the frequency as well as the quality of agricultural extension. While the number of extension workers for plantation crops is limited, recruitment of more extension workers can be an optional policy for the government.

Why Couldn't the COVID-19 Epidemics Be Managed? In the Context of Complexity Science,A Solution Framework: Global Cooperation, Regional Policies, and Local Intervention

Background and Aim: The COVID-19 epidemics, is considered to be the most recent and already one of the most destructive epidemics in human history. As part of this study, primarily the biological, economic, and social effects of past epidemics and the COVID-19 epidemics on societies were examined.The aim of the study was to examine the similarities between countries' current state in the context of the COVID-19 epidemics and to develop an approach to epidemic management from a complexity perspective. Material and Methods: The analysis used data from 27 European Union member countries, the United Kingdom and the United States, and primarily examined the current state of the countries in the context of the epidemic using the Multidimensional Scaling Analysis method. In addition, SARS-CoV-2-induced cases, deaths and tests were examined via the correlation analysis method with nine variables that were identified in the context of the COVID-19 (average age, total population, urban population rate, population density, average life expectancy, per capita income, average education duration, hospital beds per 1,000 people, human inequality coefficient). Results: As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the current state of the countries, based on the impact and sources of the epidemic was quite similar, and that the variables mentioned were minimally related to the number of cases, deaths, and tests. Conclusion: These findings have been interpreted notas only showing that traditional approaches to today's epidemic management, and public health approaches have aspects that need improvement, but also that the epidemic is a multidimensional dynamic system and can be explained from the complexity perspective. As a result, the epidemic management framework was developed from the complexity perspective, which includes global cooperation, regional policies, and a local intervention approach. Therefore, the lifestyles of societies determine the size of the epidemic, while the management style determines whether or not the epidemic turns into a crisis for societies.

ANALISIS PENDAPATAN DAN TINGKAT KESEJAHTERAAN RUMAH TANGGA MASYARAKAT SEKITAR TAMAN NASIONAL BUKIT BARISAN SELATAN KABUPATEN PESISIR BARAT

This study aims to determine the socio-economic characteristics of farmers, analyze the income structure, the factors that affect the income of farmers, and the level of household welfare of farmers who live around Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Pesisir Barat District. This research is a survey research involving 99 respondents who were randomly selected. Respondents were spread across four subdistricts, namely Bengkunat Belimbing, Ngambur, Pesisir Selatan, and Karya Penggawa Districts. The study was conducted from July to August 2018. The first objective was analyzed qualitatively, the second objective was analyzed using household income analysis, the third objective used multiple linear regression analysis, and the fourth objective was using Sajogyo's criteria (1997). The study suggested that the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers around TNBBS were spread from 15 to 64 years of age with an average age of 43.74 years. The average education level was elementary school, the number of majority of family sizes was from 4 to 6 people (67.68%), and the average land was 1.41 ha. The average household income of farmers is IDR 36,946,883.94 per year, which consists of on-farm income 63.68%, off-farm income 11.00%, and non-farm income 25.33%.. Factors that affect farmers' income are fertilizer costs and labor costs. The welfare of farmers around TNBBS is in quite prosperous category.Key words: characteristics, household income, welfare

Hard times and falling fertility in the United States

Recent reports have suggested that falling fertility in the US since the 2008 recession is being driven by women with advantaged status in the labor market taking advantage of career opportunities. This paper takes issue with that conclusion. Although high incomes are associated with lower fertility in general, both in the cross section and over time (within and between countries), economic crises also lead to lower fertility. I offer a new descriptive analysis using data from the American Community Survey for 2000-2019. In the U.S. case, the fertility decline was widespread after the 2008 recession, but most concentrated among younger women. Although women with above average education have long had lower birth rates, the analysis shows that birth rates fell most for women in states with higher than average unemployment rates, especially among those with below average education. This is consistent with evidence that birth rates are falling, and births delayed, by economic insecurity and hardship.

Socioeconomic mechanisms of myopia boom in China: a nationwide cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo assess the association between socioeconomic development and the myopia boom in China.DesignNationwide cross-sectional study.SettingWe used data from the China Family Panel Study (CFPS 2010), and the Chinese National Survey on Students’ Constitution and Health (CNSSCH 2010).ParticipantsParticipants included 33 600 individuals and 14 226 families from the CFPS 2010, and 86 199 students aged 7–12 years from the CNSSCH 2010.MeasuresThe main measure was students’ visual impairment (defined as Snellen visual acuity ≤20/25 (0.8) in the worse eye) rate of each province (or municipality or autonomous region); other measures included the Gini coefficient of property, logarithm of average property, Gini coefficient of education, average education duration and return-to-education rate of each province (or municipality or autonomous region). The visual impairment rate was calculated using students’ data, aged 7–12 years, from the CNSSCH 2010. The Gini coefficient of property and logarithm of average property were calculated using the families’ data from the CFPS 2010; the Gini coefficient of education, average education duration and return-to-education rate were calculated using individuals’ data aged 18–44 years from the CFPS 2010.ResultsThe urban environment (coefficient: 0.209; p<0.001), Gini coefficient of property (coefficient: 1.979; p=0.005), logarithm of average property (coefficient: 0.114; p<0.001), average education duration (coefficient: 0.041; p<0.001) and return-to-education rate (coefficient: 0.195; p<0.001) were positively associated with the logit function of visual impairment rate.ConclusionsEconomic development may promote an increased desire to pursue wealth. Regarding high return to education and a fairly competitive education system, individuals are likely to pursue wealth through education, which is associated with a heavier education burden and higher prevalence rates of myopia.

An Opinion Evolution Model Based on Heterogeneous Benefit with Malicious Nodes Added

Individuals with different levels of education have substantial differences in their willingness to communicate with malicious nodes in a group; thus, the results of evolution of opinions tend to differ significantly. In this study, malicious nodes, driven by the benefits of a game, were added to groups of individuals with different levels of education, and a theoretical model of the game theory of group opinions that introduces malicious nodes was established. The influence of the proportion of malicious node spreading messages, the extent of tampering when malicious nodes spread messages, and the distribution of education levels in the group on the evolution of group opinions were considered. It was found that the rate of evolution of group opinions declined in groups with higher average education levels. The results of this study can be used to explain the phenomenon of fewer knowledge exchange behaviors in communities with high education levels, as is found in actual sociology. The reason is that highly educated individuals are more affected by distorted news when communicating. Therefore, the loss of communication with malicious nodes is greater, resulting in lower vigilance and willingness to communicate.

Menuju Pembukuan Secara Akuntabel dan Konsisten

Community service by lecturers and academics who have qualified knowledge can be done to the public at any level, to provide solutions to problems faced with the aim of future improvement. The purpose of community service activities in the playgroup & kindergarten Little Bee House with the concept of "Home me" with the target participants is the POMG committee (Association of Parents and Teachers) in overcoming the problem of organizing documentation of activities that have been carried out both in hard form files and soft files and recording of financial statements in an accountable and consistent manner. Activities in the implementation of community service with the theme Towards Bookkeeping Accountably and Consistently. Dedication activities carried out by the S1 Accounting Study Program of Pamulang University lecturers on October 13-15, 2019 were welcomed by the headmaster of Little Bee House and parents involved in the management of POMG. By using counseling and mentoring methods, this activity is very effective in the form of time and material reception, besides being held indoors, this activity is also carried out in outdoor locations to absorb knowledge more quickly and have more enthusiasm. With the bookkeeping applied so far manually and the average education level of the POMG management is strata 1 level, proving that they need a sustainable mentor. The response of the participants was very good and happy because it was very helpful in learning about managing the accounting and recording of financial accounting in an accountable manner. This activity is expected to provide inspiration and motivation for future lecturers/researchers who will carry out the same/similar and sustainable activities, the knowledge provided can benefit the community, academics, and subsequent writers.

Widespread race and class disparities in surface urban heat extremes across the United States

Here we use 1000-m satellite land surface temperature anomaly measurements to explore the distribution of the United States' urban heating burden, both at high resolution (within cities or counties) and at scale (across the whole contiguous United States). While a rich literature has documented neighborhood-level disparities in urban heat exposures in individual cities, data constraints have precluded comparisons across locations. Here, drawing on extreme summer urban heat measurements from all 1056 U.S. counties with more than 10 developed census tracts, we find that the poorest tracts (and those with lowest average education levels) within a county are significantly hotter than the richest (and more educated) neighborhoods for 76% of these counties (54\% for education); we also find that neighborhoods with higher Black, Hispanic, and Asian population shares are hotter than the more White, non-Hispanic areas in each county. This holds in counties with both large and small spreads in these population shares, and for 71% of all counties the significant racial urban heat disparities persist even when adjusting for income. Although individual locations have different histories that have contributed to race- and class-based geographies, we find that the physical features of the urban environments driving these heat exposure gradients are fairly uniform across the country. Systematically, the disproportionate heat exposures faced by minority communities are due to higher population density, more built-up neighborhoods, and less vegetation.

A Virtual, Randomized, Control Trial of a Digital Therapeutic for Speech, Language, and Cognitive Intervention in Post-stroke Persons With Aphasia

Background: Post-stroke aphasia is a chronic condition that impacts people's daily functioning and communication for many years after a stroke. Even though these individuals require sustained rehabilitation, they face extra burdens to access care due to shortages in qualified clinicians, insurance limitations and geographic access. There is a need to research alternative means to access intervention remotely, such as in the case of this study using a digital therapeutic.Objective: To assess the feasibility and clinical efficacy of a virtual speech, language, and cognitive digital therapeutic for individuals with post-stroke aphasia relative to standard of care.Methods: Thirty two participants completed the study (experimental: average age 59.8 years, 7 female, 10 male, average education: 15.8 years, time post-stroke: 53 months, 15 right handed, 2 left handed; control: average age 64.2 years, 7 female, 8 male, average education: 15.3 years, time post-stroke: 36.1 months, 14 right handed, 1 left handed). Patients in the experimental group received 10 weeks of treatment using a digital therapeutic, Constant Therapy-Research (CT-R), for speech, language, and cognitive therapy, which provides evidence-based, targeted therapy with immediate feedback for users that adjusts therapy difficulty based on their performance. Patients in the control group completed standard of care (SOC) speech-language pathology workbook pages.Results: This study provides Class II evidence that with the starting baseline WAB-AQ score, adjusted by −0.69 for every year of age, and by 0.122 for every month since stroke, participants in the CT-R group had WAB-AQ scores 6.43 higher than the workbook group at the end of treatment. Additionally, secondary outcome measures included the WAB-Language Quotient, WAB-Cognitive Quotient, Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone (BTACT), and Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale 39 (SAQOL-39), with significant changes in BTACT verbal fluency subtest and the SAQOL-39 communication and energy scores for both groups.Conclusions: Overall, this study demonstrates the feasibility of a fully virtual trial for patients with post-stroke aphasia, especially given the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, as well as a safe, tolerable, and efficacious digital therapeutic for language/cognitive rehabilitation.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04488029.