Timely euthanasia on swine farms can help to reduce the incidence of poor welfare outcomes for compromised pigs (Sus scrofa) when recovery is prolonged or impossible. Timely euthanasia relies upon caretakers’ abilities to identify compromised pigs and administer euthanasia in various environments. To determine appropriate timelines and most common reasons for on-farm euthanasia, an online survey was conducted with members of the United States National Pork Board. Additionally, two focus groups were conducted to investigate barriers and possible solutions associated with timely euthanasia. Clinical signs related to poor locomotion (57.6%), prolapses (47.2%), and hernias (43.5%) were identified by the greatest percentage of respondents who believed immediate euthanasia was warranted, while a greater percentage of respondents believed euthanasia was not warranted for clinical signs related to the integumentary (90.3%), reproductive (75.8%), and respiratory (67.5%) systems. The most common reason for euthanasia was poor body condition in pre-weaned piglets and non-ambulatory or severely weak for both breeding and non-breeding pigs. In the focus groups, two themes were identified when evaluating barriers to euthanasia on-farm, and participants agreed that making timely decisions relies upon several dimensions of risk analysis. An unsupportive farm culture was identified as a critical barrier to timely euthanasia decision-making, suggesting that caretaker characteristics may play a role in the success of any timely euthanasia programme. This present study has highlighted areas for future research and demonstrated the need to extend educational efforts both to swine industry leaders and producers to improve overall animal welfare by ensuring timely euthanasia in swine.

Crises are socially constructed. Affected stakeholders of an organizational crisis conceive complex associations between their perceptions of the implicated company's response and about the company itself. The study moves away from a simple cause–effect view by deriving alternative configurations of these associations. This approach allows for a better understanding of how stakeholders attribute responsibility for a critical event and the resulting crisis faced by the company that caused it. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, we analyze insights of 325 families affected by an environmental incident in 2018 involving Colombia's largest company. We establish a correlation between stakeholders' perceptions of crisis response timeliness and credibility. Accordingly, we expand on how perceptions affect organizational judgments. Finally, we propose that trustworthiness and reputation are antecedents to how organizational crisis response is perceived and how these antecedents affect the degree of the severity of the company crisis.

This article demonstrates that historical narrative in the Zuo zhuan is founded on the concept of “timeliness,” that is, on the understanding of time as being endowed with moral qualities. The choice between a “timely” (shi 時) or “untimely” (bu shi 不時) course of action determines the success or failure of the person involved in it. The origins of the ideas of time that shape the historical narrative of Zuo zhuan can be traced to mantic literature of the same period, such as almanacs.

Early Chinese writers of history—like diviners—strove to explain the past in order to predict the future. Seen in this light, “knowing history” implies understanding and mastering the mechanisms that drive it; and looking into the past is tantamount to “knowing” the future.

Dose–response curves for acetochlor with and without timely rotary hoeing (two passes) were derived for corn (Zea mays) fields over 2 yr. The fields were dominated by green foxtail (Setaria viridis), which constituted 73 to 86% of the weed vegetation, but also contained minor populations of common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), Pennsylvania smartweed (Polygonum pensylvanicum), and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus). In the absence of herbicide, rotary hoeing achieved about 50% weed control. In the absence of rotary hoeing, weed control averaged > 90% at the full label rate of acetochlor (3 kg ai/ha on clay loam soil). With two timely rotary hoeings, however, this same level of control was achieved with only 1 kg/ha acetochlor. Given the suite of weed species present in these experiments, timely rotary hoeing substituted for 67% of the label rate of acetochlor. Timeliness of rotary hoeing operations also provided consistency of results from one year to the next.

Creditor protection through mandatory disclosure since long is a highly debated issue among corporate lawyers. This paper considers whether the legal system should compel corporations to disclose information publicly in order to better protect its creditors. First, the paper elaborates on the various economic rationales of mandatory disclosure advanced by proponents of that approach. Second, it rehearses the theoretical framework of mandatory disclosure. Third, it gives a brief overview of the law on those mandatory disclosure requirements that primarily or at least in part aim at corporate creditor protection. Fourth, it outlines limitations of mandatory disclosure with respect to creditors and debtor companies. Fifth, it briefly surveys several important challenges to mandatory disclosure regulation with respect to materiality, standardization, comprehensibility and timeliness. And finally, this paper deals with various legislative options to enforce creditor-protective mandatory disclosure.

This is a synthesis of the presentations and discussions pertaining to Needs Assessments of the Conference, Health Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster in Asia, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), in Phuket, Thailand, 04–06 May 2005. The topics discussed included: (1) Needs assessments; (2) Coordination; (3) Effectiveness of needs assessments; (4) Needs assessments change; (5) Qualifications for conducting needs assessments; (6) Dissemination; (7) Emergencies overlay background needs assessments; (8) Need for standards; and (9) Conclusions and recommendations.

Many farmers and consumers are reevaluating chemical weed control because of the environmental risks of herbicides and their influence on farm size and diversity. This paper reviews research of the last 35 years on mechanical and cultural weed control in corn (Zea mays L.) and soybeans (Glycine max L.). Soybeans can better use the weed control advantages of late planting and narrow row spacing and are less affected by early stand losses from mechanical weed control. In Minnesota, delaying planting to early June allows early germinating weeds to be controlled by preplant tillage but reduces the maximum yield potential of corn by approximately 25 percent and soybeans by approximately 10 percent. Narrow rows allow the crop canopy to close earlier, preventing emerging weeds from developing. However, in a nonchemical weed control system, the row spacing should allow for inter-row cultivation to control weeds that emerge with the crop. Up to a 10 percent reduction in crop stand may be expected in fields that have been rotary hoed. In Minnesota, a 10 percent stand loss results in a 2 percent loss of corn yield potential and no loss of soybean yield potential. Successful mechanical weed control is directly related to the timeliness of the operation. Rotary hoeing is effective on weeds that have germinated but not yet emerged but not on weeds that germinate from deeper than 5 cm, on no-till fields, or on fields with more than 20 to 30 percent crop residue. Inter-row cultivation is most effective on weeds up to 10 to 15 cm tall. Successful nonchemical weed control requires highly refined management skills and is as much an art as a science.