• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1445-1450
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• 2005

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feed withdrawal (F) and heat acclimatization (A) on malebroiler and -layer chickens responses to acute heat stress (AHS) at four weeks of age. Totals of ninety male chicks of broiler or layer type were randomly allocated into 30 pens of grower batteries with raised wire floors. Chicks were subjected to F and A three times a week through the first three weeks of age. At each time, feed withdrawal and heat acclimatization (T = $35^{\circ}C$) lasted for six and four hours, respectively. Feed consumption (FC), body weight (BW), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded weekly for broiler type chickens only. At four weeks of age, all groups of chickens were exposed to AHS (T = $39{\pm}1^{\circ}C$) for three hours. Before and after AHS challenge, body temperature (Tb), heterophil (H), and lymphocyte (L) counts were recorded, and H/L ratio was calculated. Antibody (Ab) response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was assessed from all treatments without being exposed to AHS. Group F of broiler-type chickens weighed less (p<0.05) compared to control group. Also, both A and F groups of broiler-type chickens consumed less (p<0.05) feed when compared to control group. Acute heat stress elevated Tb of all treatment groups, however the increase was more profound (p<0.001) in broiler chicks. Broiler chicks of both A and F groups showed a tendency to have higher (p = 0.08) Tb when compared to control group. Acute heat stress elevated (p<0.001) H/L ratio in both types of chickens. Broiler chicks maintained higher (p<0.001) H/L ratio. Both F and A groups reduced (p<0.01) the level of elevation in H/L ratio compared to control groups of both types of chickens. Neither A nor F group affected the Ab production in response to SRBC. However, there was a tendency towards higher Ab responses in F group when compared to other groups in both types of chickens. Results of the present study demonstrate that previous history of feed withdrawal or episodes of heat exposures improved chicks'physiological withstanding of AHS and a tendency to improved humoral immune response.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.214-220
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• 2005

The study was conducted to compare the dry matter intake and digestibility of Atriplex halimus (AH) and Atriplex nummularia (AN) and determine the proper proportion of saltbushes for partial replacement of alfalfa hay in the diets of Awassi sheep. The foliage of AH and AN were hand-plucked, air-dried in shade and then chopped mechanically similar to alfalfa hay. Two trials were conducted separately to determine voluntary feed intake and digestibility of saltbush browse. In the first trial, fifteen 8 month old Awassi lambs were distributed into 3 equal groups, and each animal was housed in individual pen. Each group received one of three dietary treatments: chopped alfalfa hay (H), dried foliage of Atriplex nummularia or foliage of Atriplex halimus. In the second trial, twentyseven 12 months old Awassi male lambs were randomly selected, distributed into nine equal groups, and housed into metabolic crates. Each group of animals received one of nine dietary treatments: alfalfa hay, AN, AH and different proportions (25, 50 and 75%) of AN or AH mixed with alfalfa hay. Forage type had a significant (p<0.001) effect on dry matter intake (DMI) and growth rate of lambs of the voluntary feed intake trial. Lambs receiving the alfalfa hay diet showed high DMI and high growth rate compared to those fed the diets containing saltbush. In the digestibility trial, dietary treatments had significant (p<0.05) effect on DMI, dry matter digestibility (DMD) (p<0.01) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) (p<0.01). The inclusion of AN in the diet up to 50% had no significant effect on DMI and DMD, whereas the inclusion of AH above 25% reduced DMI, DMD and OMD. The treatments had significant (p<0.05) effect on water intake and on live weight changes of lambs. Except for the diet containing 25% of AN browse, all lambs fed diets containing the saltbushes exhibited loss in body weight. The nutritive value of Atriplex nummularia foliage is better than that of A. halimus and it is possible to replace up to 50% of alfalfa hay by A. nummularia without negative effects on intake and digestibility of dry matter.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.357-364
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• 2017

This paper presents the results of a study that investigated the improvement of the mechanical properties of coarse and fine recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) produced by adding silica fume (SF) with contents of 5%, 10%, and 15% by total weight of the cement. The coarse and fine natural aggregate (NA) were replaced by RAP with replacement ratio of 20%, 40% and 60% by the total weight of NA. In addition, SF was added to NA concrete mixes as a control for comparison. Twenty eight mixes were produced and tested for compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strength at the age of 28 days. The results show that the mechanical properties decrease with as the content of RAP increases. And the decrease in the compressive strength was more in the fine RAP mixes compared to the coarse RAP mixes, while the decrease in the splitting tensile and flexural strength was almost the same in both mixes. Furthermore, using SF enhances the mechanical properties of RAP mixes where the optimum content of SF was found to be 10%, and the mechanical properties enhancement of coarse RAP were better than fine RAP mixes. Accordingly, the RAP has the potential to be used in the concrete pavements or in other low strength construction applications in order to reduce the negative impact of RAP on the environment and human health.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.67 no.3
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• pp.283-290
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• 2018

This paper presents the results of a study that investigated the influence of using recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) on the properties of pervious concrete (PC). The natural aggregate (NA) was replaced by RCA and RAP in the PC with replacement levels of 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% by the total weight of NA, respectively. In addition to incorporating RAP and RCA in the same mixes with replacement levels of: (1) 20% RAP and 80% RCA; (2) 60% RAP and 40% RCA; and (3) 80% RAP and 20% RCA. Water permeability, thermal conductivity, density, porosity, void content, and compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths were studied in this paper. The results showed that using RCA, RAP, and (RAP-RCA) enhanced the properties of PC in general and improved the mechanical properties significantly in particular. The optimum mix was reported to be the 60% RAP and 40% RCA. Accordingly, the RAP has the potential to be used in PC in order to reduce the negative impact of RAP on the human health and environment.

• Journal of Communications and Networks
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.962-974
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• 2016

We are concerned with whether a vertically integrated broadband and content provider can unreasonably advantage itself over competing content providers, either by selling quality-of-service (QoS) to content providers at unreasonably high prices, or by refusing to provide access to QoS to competing content. We address this question by modeling the competition between one such vertically integrated provider and one over-the-top (OTT) content provider. The broadband provider decides whether to deploy QoS, and if so it also determines the QoS price if sold to either the OTT content provider or directly to users. We analytically determine when the broadband provider will sell QoS and when the OTT content provider or users will purchase QoS. We characterize the optimal QoS and video service prices. The Internet service provider (ISP)'s market share increases with the difference in the value of the two video services and decreases with the difference in the corresponding costs. Numerical results illustrate the effect of QoS price on content price, the variation of prices and profit with QoS price, and the variation of prices and market shares with the benefit of QoS. The ISP may sell QoS to users at a lower price than when QoS is sold to the OTT provider.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.519-529
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• 2021

This study aims to investigate the impact of Human Resource Management Practices (HRMP) on improving Employee Performance (EP). The study is accomplished by hypothesizing the impact of HRMP on EP, additionally, this impact is theorized to be mediated through job satisfaction. Employee engagement is also taken into account because of the potential moderating effect it has within the theorized model. Data was collected from 480 questionnaires which were distributed among commercial banks' workers in Jordan and were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques (SEM), path analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Analysis of a moment structures (AMOS) software version 24 was applied to complete our analysis. The results show that HRMP had a positive impact on EP, as well as job satisfaction and its components (job stability and job enrichment). The mediating role of job satisfaction (enrichment and stability) was discovered. Finally, employee engagement emerged as a moderating variable linking HRMP and EP. The findings of this study show the importance of the role played by job satisfaction and employee engagement in achieving human resources performance goals. Future analysis is recommended to gain deeper insight into the relationship between HRMP, job satisfaction, worker training, and performance appraisal.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.635-641
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• 2021

This paper aims to find out the main factors that are important in determining the size of investment in the Jordanian productive sectors. For this purpose, the study used panel data for four Jordanian productive sectors over the period 2000-2017. Also, fixed-effects modeling was carried out to identify the relationship between investment and its potential determinants. Empirical investigations of the four productive sectors reveal the following results: The real value of sector's production and the real value of credit facilities have a positive and significant impact on investment, while the real interest rate has a negative effect on investment in the Jordanian productive sectors. Also, at the sector level, agriculture was more responsive to changes in the real value of credit facilities, while other sectors were more responsive to changes in the real value of sector's production. According to these results, it seems that some policy actions should be taken to enhance the size and the role of investment in the economy. For example, policymakers should adopt a mixed policy and expand the provision of credit facilities, especially to the agricultural sector, to enhance agricultural activity in a manner that ensures the improvement of infrastructure and land reclamation.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.797-808
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• 2021

This study examines the interaction between internal auditors' personality traits and the internal audit function effectiveness. It also investigates the effect of such interacted variables on financial reporting quality. This study employed a questionnaire survey to collect data from 193 internal auditors of Jordanian companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. The study model is validated and tested using the partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results reveal that all the examined personality traits of internal auditors significantly impact internal audit function effectiveness except for the extraversion trait. The results also show that personality traits have indirect effects on financial reporting quality via internal audit function effectiveness. These results suggest that internal auditors with high scores on openness to experience, emotional stability, and conscientiousness traits can be among the most significant contributors to the internal audit function effectiveness. The results also suggest that internal auditors' personality traits can be regarded as an internal audit function intangible resource that enhances effectiveness. The study's findings might be of interest to many different parties interested in enhancing internal audit function effectiveness and boosting the financial reporting quality, such as external and internal auditors, auditees, human resource departments, and Chief Internal Audit Executives.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.34.2-34.2
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• 2021

SPT-CL J2106-5844 is the most massive galaxy cluster at z>1 discovered to date. It has been known to be an isolated system with a singular, well-defined halo. However, recent studies provide lines of evidence for its merging state. We strengthen the case with the multi-wavelength observations from ALMA, ACA, ASKAP, ATCA, and Chandra. With the sensitive, high resolution ALMA+ACA observations, we reconstruct the ICM pressure map from the thermal SZ effect. It reveals two main gas components that are associated with the mass clumps inferred from the weak-lensing analysis. Furthermore, the X-ray hardness map supports the bimodal gas distribution. With these multi-wavelength data, we probe the merger phase in SPT-CL J2106-5844.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2023

Expanding exports of small and medium-sized companies is crucial for the continuous growth of the Korean economy. Therefore, the government operates various support systems to enhance the export capabilities of these companies. This study aims to analyze the impact of the Korean government's flagship export support system, known as the export initiation support system, on the performance of participating domestic companies. A fixed effect model using panel data was applied to examine the characteristics of 11,099 companies that participated in the export initiation support system from 2016 to 2019. The analysis revealed that the number of exporting countries, employees, and previous export volume had a significant impact on the export amount of participating companies. However, contrary to expectations, the number of overseas marketing participation and the GCL (global competence level) test did not show a significant impact. This study is significant as it provides implications for the development of support projects tailored to the specific needs of small and medium-sized companies, with the goal of improving the export support system.