Voluntary System Research Articles

Recent advancements in meat traceability, authenticity verification, and voluntary certification systems

The growing demand for transparency in the food industry has led to significant advancements in meat traceability. Ensuring the authenticity and origin of meat products is critical for consumer trust, public health, and compliance with regulations. This paper reviews recent innovations in meat traceability, with a focus on blockchain technology as a novel approach to ensuring traceability. Additionally, advanced methods for verifying meat authenticity and origin, such as isotope fingerprinting, DNA analysis, and spectroscopic methods, are discussed. The role of voluntary certification schemes in enhancing traceability and authenticity verification in the meat industry is also explored. The findings highlight the importance of integrating cutting-edge technologies and certification schemes to build a robust and transparent meat supply chain.

Assessing veterinarians' opinions of antimicrobial stewardship initiative acceptability for farm practice in Wales.

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) initiatives are imperative to safeguard antimicrobials and reduce resistance. Across the UK, AMS relies in part on the self-regulation of the veterinary profession, particularly in farm animal practice, alongside voluntary schemes and quality assurance systems. In Europe, AMS initiatives are often statutory and require responsibility from several sectors. Consideration of broader AMS initiatives, potentially unfamiliar to the Welsh veterinary profession, could optimise future policy and align it with the requirements of Welsh veterinarians. AMS initiatives were collated from nations with long-standing low antimicrobial use. A survey was constructed permitting veterinarians'evaluation of initiative feasibility and effectiveness (collectively, 'acceptability') within Welsh farm animal practice. Veterinarian-directed AMS initiatives, particularly those implemented within individual practices, were considered most acceptable. Initiatives that demanded cooperation from entities outside practices, or those regarded as punitive, were less acceptable. The findings of this voluntary survey may be biased towards particularly motivated respondents in the veterinary sector. Additionally, the cause or effect of the recorded professional behaviour is not known in this study. Future antimicrobial policy should consider AMS acceptability by veterinarians, alongside farmers and other stakeholders, to promote compliance and attainment. The study data suggest that veterinarians may perceive continuous professional development/knowledge exchange as being most acceptable, alongside activities allied to a strong veterinarian‒client prescribing relationship. Continued support should focus on expanding these areas. Decoupling (ie, abolishing the professional licence for veterinarians to both prescribe and dispense medicines) was viewed as least acceptable by veterinarians in this study.

Revealing Goal-Directed Neural Control of the Pharyngeal Phase of Swallowing.

Swallowing is considered a three-phase mechanism involving the oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal phases. The pharyngeal phase relies on highly coordinated movements in the pharynx and larynx to move food through the aerodigestive crossing. While the brainstem has been identified as the primary control center for the pharyngeal phase of swallowing, existing evidence suggests that the higher brain regions can contribute to controlling the pharyngeal phase of swallowing to match the motor response to the current context and task at hand. This suggests that the pharyngeal phase of swallowing cannot be exclusively reflexive or voluntary but can be regulated by the two neural controlling systems, goal-directed and non-goal-directed. This capability allows the pharyngeal phase of swallowing to adjust appropriately based on cognitive input, learned knowledge, and predictions. This paper reviews existing evidence and accordingly develops a novel perspective to explain these capabilities of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. This paper aims (1) to integrate and comprehend the neurophysiological mechanisms involved in the pharyngeal phase of swallowing, (2) to explore the reflexive (non-goal-directed) and voluntary (goal-directed) neural systems of controlling the pharyngeal phase of swallowing, (3) to provide a clinical translation regarding the pathologies of these two systems, and (4) to highlight the existing gaps in this area that require attention in future research. This paper, in particular, aims to explore the complex neurophysiology of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing, as its breakdown can lead to serious consequences such as aspiration pneumonia or death.

The impact of environmental, social and governance disclosure on stock prices: Empirical research in Vietnam

The aims of this research is to evaluate the impact of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) information disclosure (using both financial and non-financial information) on stock prices of businesses in Vietnam; From there, propose recommendations to promote transparent practices and information disclosure about ESG of businesses related activities; Contribute to developing sustainable investment goals in businesses, and the financial market in general. Based on the (Ohlson, 1995) [40] valuation model, and developed by Barth and Clinch (2009) [41] the research was conducted empirically in 30 listed companies in Vietnam in the period 2019–2022. Research results based on the GLS method show that ESG positively impacts stock prices. Additionally, this paper conducted an in-depth analysis of each individual pillar and found that the environmental pillar was considered the most meaningful to market participants. However, the correlation between ESG and stock prices is weakened for environmentally sensitive businesses. This study also makes a valuable contribution to the current literature on non-financial information reporting by using manually collected data and investigating the effects of ESG reporting on market participants in the public system voluntary information disclosure system of an emerging market like Vietnam.

Impact of voluntary environmental regulation on green innovation from the perspective of enterprise life cycle: evidence from China

From the perspective of enterprise life cycle, the impact of voluntary environmental regulation on enterprise green innovation was examined in this study based on the data of manufacturing enterprises listed on China’s A-share market from 2012 to 2021. The results indicate that: (1) voluntary environmental regulation has a significant positive impact on enterprise green innovation as a whole. (2) Among all stages of enterprise life cycle, voluntary environmental regulation has a significant impact on enterprise green innovation in the growth and maturity stages, but has a relatively small impact on enterprise green innovation in the formation and decline stages. (3) The results of a segmented sample study on this basis show that voluntary environmental regulation has heterogeneity in property rights and factor density in promoting enterprise green innovation. It significantly promotes green innovation by state-owned enterprises in the maturity stage, green innovation by non-state-owned enterprises in the maturity and decline stages, and green innovation by capital and technology intensive manufacturing enterprises, but have no significant impact on other types of enterprises. These research conclusions are expected to provide decision-making reference for improving the voluntary environmental regulation system and promoting the level of enterprise green innovation.

Selective industry adoption of a voluntary front-of-pack nutrition label results in low and skewed uptake: 10-year results for the Health Star Rating

Front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) on packaged foods is recommended by the World Health Organization to promote healthier diets. Our aim was to assess uptake of Australia’s FOPNL, the Health Star Rating (HSR), overall and by HSR score received (0.5 (less healthy) to 5.0 (more healthy) in 0.5 increments) after ten years of voluntary implementation. In a sample of 21,197 products, we found HSR uptake of 37% overall in 2023. Uptake was unevenly distributed, with 24% of products with an HSR ≤ 3 displaying the label, compared to 53% of products scoring ≥3.5 (p < 0.001). Low HSR uptake on poorly rated products demonstrates that most food manufacturers will only display FOPNL where marketing value exists in a voluntary system. Poor and uneven HSR uptake limits consumers’ ability to meaningfully use the label to compare and choose healthier products. Government action is urgently required to make the HSR system mandatory.

2024 Update on Postmarketing Nutrivigilance Safety Profile: A Line of Dietary Food Supplements Containing Red Yeast Rice for Dyslipidemia.

IntroductionConsidering lack of a European standardized postmarketing food supplement surveillance system, some member states and companies have developed their own approaches to monitoring potential AEs to secure a high level of product safety. This paper updates 2021 results of the use of a nutrivigilance system in monitoring the incidence of spontaneously reported suspected AEs associated with RYR-containing food supplements.Material and methodsWe report the data from a product marketed under the trademark Armolipid/Armolipid Plus. Postmarketing information was collected in a voluntary nutrivigilance system established by the manufacturing company (Meda Pharma SpA, a Viatris Company, Monza, Italy). From 1st October 2004-31st December 2023, this system captured cases of suspected AEs spontaneously reported by consumers, healthcare professionals, health authorities, regardless of causality.ResultsThe total number of case reports received mentioning the RYR-food supplement product line increased to 1186, in which 1904 AEs were reported. The total reporting rate of AEs was estimated to be 0.049% of 3,880,865 exposed consumers. Of the 1186 cases, 28 (0.0007%) included suspected SAEs. After careful investigation, 9 cases (0.0002%) and 12 AEs were assessed by the manufacturer as serious and potentially related to exposure to the above-mentioned RYR-based nutraceutical. Off-label reports linked to the newly introduced limitation at 70 years of age were observed, in contrast to the previous analysis.ConclusionsThese updated results confirm a very low incidence of RYR suspected AEs. Consumer safety of food supplements could be generally improved by raising awareness of the importance of following the indications and warnings detailed in a food supplement’s labelling.

The problem of psychologist certification: A comparative analysis of international experience

As the war in Ukraine poses a significant threat to national mental health, professional psychological support has become more crucial than ever for Ukrainians. The need to regulate the profession and establish a safe environment for consumers of psychological services has led to the implementation of psychologist licensing and certification. In Ukraine, this system is imperfect and requires optimisation, one of the ways to achieve which is to study and adapt the best international experience. In light of this, the aim of this article was to examine the characteristics of psychologist certification in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and China to identify prospects for developing the psychologist certification system in Ukraine. The methodological tools used included the dialectical method, as well as systemic, informational, theological, and functional approaches, which allowed for the presentation of the features of certification in the current conditions of professionalisation of psychological activities. It has been established that certification has historically been one of the methods for measuring competence in professional psychology. For this purpose, professional associations create voluntary certification systems. The features of the most developed psychologist certification systems (USA, Canada, and the United Kingdom) were examined, and an attempt was made to compare them with similar certification models in the European Union and China. Common requirements for psychologist certification in these countries were identified, including requirements for the content and duration of specialised education; requirements for supervised psychological practice; requirements for professional development in both practical and research areas; and requirements for the moral and ethical qualities of the psychologist. Conceptualising and measuring psychologist competence is an ongoing dynamic process as the field of psychological practice continues to evolve. The practical value of the results lies in their potential use to identify ways to improve the national psychologist certification system and the possibilities for transitioning from voluntary certification to mandatory certification

Stakeholder perceptions and policy implications of voluntary and government-led individual quota systems in japanese fisheries co-management: A case study of purse seine fisheries in the sea of Japan

Co-management, a governance system in which governmental authorities and local communities share resource management responsibilities, is increasingly recognized worldwide for its potential to reconcile natural resource conservation with livelihood goals. This case study examines the perceptions of diverse stakeholders regarding the effects of introducing both voluntary and government-led Individual Quota (IQ) systems in Japanese fishery co-management, spanning governance, economics, sustainability, and social aspects. Employing an integrated mixed method approach, the study combines qualitative interviews and questionnaires with quantitative analysis of before-and-after catch data. After the introduction of the voluntary IQ system in 2017, 67 % of the stakeholders acknowledged improvements in overall performance. The favorable findings from various perspectives reflect not only the stakeholders' profound confidence in the system but also their satisfaction with the matured co-management process. However, qualitative results from the case also indicate that the government-led IQ system implemented since 2022 primarily imposes rigidity on the existing voluntary system, while failing to provide sufficient incentives for fishers to transition effectively. Effective incentives are essential, including increased transparency in resource management, greater flexibility in managing catch quotas, and facilitating consensus on the liberalization of fishing vessel sizes. Continuous evaluation is crucial, and the government-led IQ system should be adaptively improved.

Magnetic voluntary head-fixation in transgenic rats enables lifespan imaging of hippocampal neurons

The precise neural mechanisms within the brain that contribute to the remarkable lifetime persistence of memory are not fully understood. Two-photon calcium imaging allows the activity of individual cells to be followed across long periods, but conventional approaches require head-fixation, which limits the type of behavior that can be studied. We present a magnetic voluntary head-fixation system that provides stable optical access to the brain during complex behavior. Compared to previous systems that used mechanical restraint, there are no moving parts and animals can engage and disengage entirely at will. This system is failsafe, easy for animals to use and reliable enough to allow long-term experiments to be routinely performed. Animals completed hundreds of trials per session of an odor discrimination task that required 2–4 s fixations. Together with a reflectance fluorescence collection scheme that increases two-photon signal and a transgenic Thy1-GCaMP6f rat line, we are able to reliably image the cellular activity in the hippocampus during behavior over long periods (median 6 months), allowing us track the same neurons over a large fraction of animals’ lives (up to 19 months).

Study on International Genetically Modified Food Labeling System via the Perspective of Consumers’ Right to know

China has been promoting the industrialization of genetically modified technology and has implemented stringent labeling regulations to safeguard consumers' access to information. The labeling system plays a crucial role in linking technology commercialization with market consumption. Yet, in practical applications, the labeling regulations has deepened consumer prejudice and impeded the progress of the genetically modified food business. The genetically modified food labeling systems of the United States, the European Union, and Japan merely cover most of the labeling types worldwide. Either adhering to scientific reliability principle and adopting a voluntary labeling system, or adhering to risk prevention principle and adopting a mandatory labeling system, or implementing the principle of combining rigidity and flexibility and adopting a compromise management, different countries have established genetically modified food labeling systems based on their own circumstances. Learning from global advanced practices and tailoring them to the characteristics of China，we have the potential to boost our own genetically modified labeling system progressing.

Legal Effectiveness of Halal Product Certification in Improving Business Economics in Indonesia and Malaysia

Law Number 33 of 2014 and Government Regulation Number 31 of 2019 in Indonesia shifted halal certification from voluntary to mandatory on October 17, 2019, contrasting with Malaysia's voluntary system under the 2011 Akta Perihal Dagang (APD). This study aims to scrutinize the legal regulations of halal certification in both countries and assess their impacts on business entities. Employing a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach reveals differences in certification procedures, notably in application-to-issuance stages. Indonesia provides a self-declaration mechanism for micro and small businesses, while Malaysia lacks such a provision. Nonetheless, material inspection principles align in both nations. Most respondents perceive halal certification as crucial for sales turnover, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This research is significant for businesses and governments on how to manage halal certification in both countries.

Disclosure frequency of parent company financial reporting: Insights from analyst forecasting accuracy

AbstractPrior research predominantly concentrates on the comprehensive financial disclosures of consolidated statements, often overlooking the distinct informational value inherent in the financial statements from parent companies. The debate continues on whether the frequency of disclosures from parent companies should align with that of their consolidated counterparts. The periodic dissemination of a parent company's financials can significantly reduce information asymmetry, thus enabling analysts to promptly and accurately grasp the firm's financial health. Yet, this increased frequency may come at the cost of information reliability, leading to more errors and promoting myopic decision‐making among executives, which might lead to misguided analysis. Drawing on shifts in China's financial disclosure mandates – from obligatory to optional quarterly reporting by parent firms – we observe that analysts tend to generate more precise earnings forecasts for those publicly traded entities that refrain from quarterly disclosures of parent company reports. This enhancement in forecast precision is particularly marked in instances where corporate information quality is substandard or when analyst coverage is extensive. Supplementary findings suggest that this effect intensifies for annual reports audited by firms outside the Big 4 and when there is more coverage by other media. Consequently, our findings imply that easing the stringent quarterly reporting by parent companies and adopting a voluntary disclosure system does not diminish the informational richness available to investors.

JYNNEOS Vaccine Safety Surveillance During the 2022 Mpox Outbreak Using the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and V-safe, United States, 2022 to 2023.

In response to the 2022 mpox outbreak in the United States, people with higher potential for exposure to mpox were recommended to receive 2 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine. Vaccine safety was monitored using 2 complementary systems. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a passive surveillance system that accepts reports of adverse events after vaccination. VAERS is capable of rapidly identifying rare adverse events and unusual reporting patterns. Medical records were requested and reviewed for adverse events of special interest, including myocarditis. Adverse event reporting rates were calculated as the number of verified adverse event cases divided by the number of JYNNEOS doses administered. V-safe for mpox was a voluntary smartphone-based vaccine safety surveillance system that sent enrolled persons text messages linked to health surveys asking about reactions and health impact events occurring after vaccination. There were 1,207,056 JYNNEOS doses administered in the United States. VAERS received 1927 reports for JYNNEOS. The myocarditis reporting rate per million doses was 2.69 after dose 1 and 8.64 after dose 2. V-safe had 213 participants complete at least one health survey. Rates of injection site and systemic reactions were similar in the first week after dose 1 and dose 2. JYNNEOS vaccine safety surveillance findings from VAERS and v-safe did not identify any unexpected safety concerns. The VAERS reporting rate for myocarditis was similar to previously published population background rates.

Peculiarities of safety assessment and quality assurance for automotive vehicles produced in Russia under present-day conditions

The paper is dedicated to systematization and description of technical regulation measures taken by the Government of the Russian Federation in the field of automotive vehicle safety assessment to ensure stable production under the sanctions imposed by unfriendly countries, interruption of logistic chains in vehicle component supplies and deficiency of such components. The paper analyzes differences in technical requirements for new-type vehicles released for circulation in the territory of Russia, and procedures to assess compliance with those requirements stated by the Eurasian Economic Union Technical Regulations “On Wheeled Vehicles Safety” and temporary procedure for application of obligatory requirements for wheeled vehicles and their compliance assessment introduced by the decree of the Russian Government, as well as dynamic of changes in such differences. There is also a description given for the quality management systems voluntary certification system developed within the Association of Russian Automakers (OAR), and proposals drawn up to supplement Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 719 dated July 17, 2015, On Confirmation of Industrial Manufacturing in the Russian Federation with conditions for additional scoring in case vehicle assembly plants have a certain number of Tier I suppliers that have certified their quality system in terms of compliance with the OAR voluntary certification system

Shaping India's climate future: A perspective on harnessing carbon credits from agriculture

Human activities are responsible for emitting greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to global warming and climate change. As the world's second-largest producer of staple food and the third-largest emitter of GHGs, India has been witnessing an increase in demand for food and energy, resulting in increased emissions. Thus, to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2070, India must focus urgently on climate change mitigation. Its agriculture sector has the potential to transition from being a net emitter to a net absorber of GHGs by adopting sustainable farming practices such as zero tillage, laser-assisted precision land leveling, direct seeding of rice, intercropping, biochar application, use of solar energy, and more efficient management of irrigation water, soil nutrients, livestock feed, and manure. To incentivize climate consciousness, a voluntary carbon credit trading system could be utilized in agriculture, supported by a measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification platform. This system would also bring about social, environmental, and financial co-benefits for its stakeholders. Specifically, the agriculture sector could substantially reduce the country's annual emissions by 84% from 2019 to 2070. But to realize their potential, the carbon markets must overcome the limitations currently set by policy, economic, cultural, and biophysical factors.

Validation and inter-device reliability of a behavior monitoring collar to measure rumination, feeding activity, and idle time of lactating dairy cows

Inter-device precision and accuracy are not investigated for precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies, but are fundamental for the use of data in populational metrics and to compare cows' data. This study aimed to validate a behavior monitoring collar (BMC; CowMed, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil) and its inter-device reliability. First, comparing observations with the BMC and second the inter-device precision and accuracy for rumination, feeding activity, and idle time of lactating dairy cows. Holstein cows (n = 23) were housed in a voluntary milk system free-stall barn and fitted with 2 devices within the same cow. Observations were made over 2 periods of one day (0700 to 1100h; 1400 to 1700h); the 7h per cow were summarized for each behavior to assess the agreement of observed behavior and BMC data. To assess the inter-device reliability 26d of BMC data was summarized by day per cow for both devices. Pearson correlation (r), coefficient of determination (R2), Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (ρc), linear regression, and Bland-Altman plots (BAP) were calculated for each period of observation. For the validation, we found high correlations for feeding activity, very high for idle time, but low correlations for rumination. The BAP was deemed acceptable and without bias; BAP mean differences ± SD were 0.83 ± 4.01, −0.48 ± 4.15, and 7.17 ± 3.94 min/h for rumination, feeding activity, and idle time, respectively. The slope of the linear regression did not differ from 1 for all behaviors but idle. For inter-device comparison, we found moderate correlations for feeding activity, idle time and a low correlation for rumination. The BAP was deemed acceptable and without bias; BAP mean differences were −0.36 ± 2.84, 0.45 ± 3.51, and −0.06 ± 2.81 min/h for rumination, feeding activity, and idle time, respectively. All slopes of the linear regressions differed from 1 but feeding time. Thus, the inter-device did not meet the accuracy criteria. In summary, this study validated the precision of the BMC for recording feeding activity of lactating dairy cows.

Developing the Voluntary Pension Fund at Enterprises in Vietnam from the Perspective of Employers

The paper studies the factors affecting the development of the voluntary pension fund system at enterprises from the employers' perspective. Through a survey of 37 enterprises, the paper clarifies employers' awareness of the importance of voluntary pension funds, the need for enterprises' pension funds, and their willingness to invest in the voluntary retirement fund. The findings show that 78.83% of businessmen believe that developing a voluntary pension fund system is necessary because voluntary pension insurance is a way for employees to protect themselves and their families against risks. 100% of business owners want a voluntary pension fund based on an agreement between the enterprises and employees, while 60% of employers prefer the blended mechanism with government supervision and support. Regarding the level of investment in social insurance and other retirement regimes, 68% of enterprises spend less than 10% of total costs to implement the program; 30% of enterprises use from 10% to 20% of total costs to implement the program. Employers show their prudence when considering a voluntary pension fund at their enterprises. More than 60% of employers concern about the fund security, 24% considers the impact of macro economic factors on the fund performance.

Energy-saving and CO2 reduction strategies for new energy vehicles based on the integration approach of voluntary advocacy and system dynamics.

The low-carbon development of new energy vehicles (NEVs) is critical to achieving the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. As such, combining gray model theory with system dynamics (SD-GM) and based on the bidirectional-cycle prediction theory, we propose a NEV annual average mileage algorithm considering the impact of the epidemic in China, taking private cars as an example. Then, combining a voluntary advocacy strategy (VA) with the SD-GM theory (VA-SD-GM integration), we establish an energy-saving and carbon-reduction management model. To evaluate the proposed algorithm, we performed a dynamic simulation. The results indicate that the enhanced green scenario enabled significant energy-saving and CO2 reduction performance but would cause side effects in the long term. Compared with the enhanced green scenario, the linkage mode reduced the impact of parking space tension, the number of NEV trips, and the intensification of traffic congestion by approximately 33%, 50%, and 34%, respectively. It effectively suppressed the continuous increase in side effects and had a synergistic effect of carbon reduction, energy conservation, congestion alleviation, and side-effect reduction. The study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing the energy-saving and CO2 reduction path of NEVs.

Abstract TMP20: Mapping the Expansion of the Minnesota Stroke System of Care

Objectives: Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in Minnesota (MN) and in the United States. The state of MN a has a unique geographical layout with many healthcare facilities located in rural areas. In 2013 legislation was passed authorizing the Minnesota Department of Health to designate hospitals as Acute Stroke Ready Hospitals, Primary Stroke Centers, and Comprehensive Stroke Centers. When a hospital joins the MN Stroke System they maintain vital infrastructure, expertise, and care processes to provide high quality stroke care in accordance with evidence-based guidelines. We used geographic information systems (GIS) methods to visualize the growth and expansion of the Minnesota Stroke System and quantify its reach to Minnesotans across the state over a 10-year period. Methods: Using the Network Analyst extension of ESRI ArcGIS Desktop 10.8.2, 30- and 60- minute drive time service areas were calculated around each designated hospital in 2013, 2017 and 2023. Census block groups were identified where the mean center of population fell within the 30-minute drive time areas and the populations of those block groups were summed. A percentage was calculated using the total Minnesota population as the denominator. Results: In 2013, only 66% of Minnesota’s population lived within 30 minutes of a designated stroke center and 80% lived within a 60-minute drive time. Stroke designated hospitals (19) were largely concentrated in metropolitan areas, leaving many rural Minnesotans without ready access to stroke centers. After the first cycle in 2017, or three-year period post statute, drive time status increased to 90% of the population living within 30 minutes of a designated stroke system hospital and 98% living within a 60- minute drive time. As of 2023, 94% of Minnesotans now live within a 30-minute drive of a designated Stroke System Hospital and 99% live within a 60-minute drive time. Conclusions: Stroke statute was the catalyst for improving stroke care access in MN. The voluntary system of care expanded rapidly from 19 initial hospitals to 119 over a 10-year period. This progress means more than 1.9 million additional Minnesotans now have better access to emergency stroke care.