Consumer Items Research Articles

Multi‐colour recipe prediction through invertible neural network and clustering algorithm

AbstractComputer‐assisted colour prediction has become increasingly significant for various consumer items in the industrial sector. Many professional colourists find it challenging to develop a suitable colour recipe. The most difficult aspect is predicting which dye mix will result in the required shade on a given fabric. This study introduces an advanced alternative to the traditional colour‐making method using an invertible neural network (INN) model. The INN model effectively addresses real‐world inverse problems due to its bi‐directional nature. In the forward phase, the model retrieves information about the colour recipe; in the backward phase, this information is combined with latent space data to predict the recipe. Furthermore, unsupervised data generated by the INN model is fed into clustering algorithms, such as K‐means and the Gaussian mixture model (GMM), to obtain multiple recipes. The forward procedure was reintroduced with a predicted recipe to assess the efficacy of the proposed model. An analysis was then conducted on the colour differences between the anticipated and actual recipes. The colour differences, rounded to perceptually significant precision, from 30,000 samples with 50 centre points, are as follows: 1.4, 2.2, 2.5, 3.7, 1.2, and 2.1. These results indicate that the INN model and the GMM clustering approach together provide a highly accurate and efficient solution to automating the colour‐matching process, offering a more precise and practical solution for the colour‐manufacturing industry.

E-RETAILING IN INDIA: GROWTH, TRENDS, AND EMERGING CHALLENGES

E-retailing is the activity of selling consumer items online. In essence, it is a modernization of online sales of products and services as well as a revolution in e-business and e-commerce. Because of technology development, e-retailing has become a new idea in retailing. The present era is rife with fresh issues; fashions of today become dated tomorrow, and a fresh problem emerges. As a result, businesspeople are constantly alert to dangers and changes in the market. E-retailing is the process of selling retail items online, which is advantageous to customers who are time-constrained but desire a wide selection of goods at affordable prices.

“with my love”: the colonial legacy of racialized pedophilic pornography in the atlantic world

This essay provides a critical analysis of early-20th-century American postcards, focusing on the portrayal of black and white children as an aesthetic tool of white supremacy and pedophilic racist pleasures. These representations not only reflected but also perpetuated colonial ideologies and racial stereotypes, directly influencing educational practices and policies, and contributing to a social environment where discrimination and sexualization of children was normalized. The article begins with the contrast in the depiction of white and black children, revealing a pattern in which white children were often fetishized as embodiments of innocence and purity, while black children were subjected to pornified portrayals that reinforced negative stereotypes and sought to ensure the continued intergenerational subjugation of African Americans in the afterlife of slavery. A significant aspect of this analysis delves into the role of the zealous purity crusader Anthony Comstock in shaping societal views on childhood innocence and obscenity during the Progressive Era. As a U.S. postal inspector, Comstock wielded influence over public discourse and policy, particularly through his campaigns against the distribution of what he considered morally objectionable representations. This examination extends to the racial implications of Comstock’s adult-centric actions, exploring how they contributed to the differential treatment of black and white children in both media representations and broader societal contexts. The article argues that these images were not merely passive reflections of societal beliefs; rather, they were active tools used to shape and influence the educational and socialization processes of children, and they contributed to the perpetuation of Jim Crow violence, which was manifested through the sexual assault, castration, and lynching of black youth. Furthermore, this essay examines the broader socio-historical context in which racist and pedophilic images were produced and circulated. These postcards are still trafficked today under the false designation of ‘Black Memorabilia,’ reaching significant prices as vintage collector’s items, but the article reframes them as a genre of child pornography. This perspective critically challenges prevailing narratives that may sanitize or downplay the exploitative and violent nature of these images. This essay urges a reconsideration of these consumer items’ historical significance as instruments intricately complicit in sustaining colonial structures and ideologies surrounding childhood innocence in North America. Within this analytical framework, the dehumanization of black children through pedophilic pornography reflects a long heritage of anti-child violence in Western traditions and the colonial strategy of exploiting children of color as a lucrative mechanism for profit and libidinal pleasure.

CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS FMCG PRODUCTS

According to the findings of this study, the preferences of consumers about the quality of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) that they purchase are a significant element that influences brand purchases. The primary purpose of this research is to discover the factors that influence the purchasing behavior of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products among the individuals who participated in the study. As time goes on, the processes that are involved in developing and promoting the brand of a firm that deals in fast-moving consumer items are becoming an increasingly important part of everyday life. Customers are constantly inundated with an excessive number of businesses with which they must contend. The "four Ps" of marketing—price, packaging, promotion, and purity—along with well-known names in the industry and premium products were the factors that made this a realization. According to the findings of the research, when consumers are about to make a purchase decision, they give the most weight to their familiarity with the brand as well as the quality of the goods. These items are consumed by people of all different races and ethnicities, even in more rural locations where name brands are extensively offered. Also, a significant amount of their financial resources is invested in these things. It is common knowledge that the majority of consumers prefer to do business with well-known companies that they are already familiar with, whether this preference is based on personal experience or advertising. The findings of this study also suggest that customers continue to maintain their views and behaviors with regard to fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands, even when they are dissatisfied with or uninterested in specific products. The company was able to improve the reputation of its brand among clients, despite the fact that it was subjected to a number of criticisms. Key Words: FMCG, Brand, Consumer Behaviour, buying behaviour, customer satisfaction, consumer awareness.

Water Footprint: A Review Based on Concepts, Methods, and Implications

Water footprint assessment has become a useful method for assessing how much water is used by products and activities related to humans, offering insights into how water resources might be managed sustainably. While agricultural production accounts for the majority of water consumption worldwide, the industrial and residential sectors also use large amounts of water and cause pollution. This review article provides an examination of the approaches and uses of water footprint assessment in a range of industries and geographical areas. The notion of water footprint and its elements green, blue, and grey water footprints as well as the corresponding computation techniques are introduced at the outset of the work. The most recent developments in spatially explicit modelling and life cycle assessment techniques, it examines the development of water footprint assessment procedures. The paper explores the many uses of water footprint assessment, from consumer items and urban water management to industrial operations and agricultural output. It provides case studies and real-world examples that show how water footprint analysis may be applied practically to address issues with pollution, water shortages, and sustainability in various settings. The study also looks at the difficulties and constraints that come with assessing the water footprint, such as methodological uncertainty, data availability, and temporal and geographical variability. It talks about current studies as well as potential paths forward for improving the reliability and usability of water footprint measurement instruments. As a comprehensive and integrated method for measuring and controlling the effects of human-induced water usage on regional and global water resources, this study concludes by highlighting the importance of water footprint assessment. In order to promote sustainable water management practices, it highlights the necessity of multidisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder involvement. Keyword: Water Footprint, Sustainability, Life Cycle Assessment, Spatial Analysis.

Food City: Ahmedabad as a Globalised Vegetarian Space

Existing studies, highlighting that dining out forms an important part of public cultures in India, have focused on the growing influence of consumer cultures on India’s middle classes and their identity formation. However, insufficient scholarly attention has been paid to the distinctly different ways in which middle-class experiences with modernity and cosmopolitanism unfold across different cities in India and in the worldwide South Asian diaspora. This article argues that in the major Gujarati city of Ahmedabad, middle-class engagement with new and global culinary practices is couched within dominant, regionally coloured vegetarian cultures, redefining vegetarianism as integral to the project of modern middle-class identity among certain upwardly mobile social groups. This ethnographic study of popular pizzerias sheds light on the transformative capacity and significance of vegetarian food. From being a symbol of exclusionary bourgeois hegemonic cultures, it has turned into a consumer item regarded as accessible and desirable for supporting middle-class aspirations to experience ‘global’ forms of consumption. The concluding analysis suggests that, since there are many diverse, cosmopolitan urban spaces like Ahmedabad, more research is needed especially on how global Gujarati food culture has been developing.

Subclinical immune responses to nickel in sensitized individuals-a dose-response study.

Nickel is the leading cause of contact allergy in Europe, with 14.5% of the adult population being sensitized. Despite regulations limiting nickel release from consumer items, the incidence and prevalence of nickel allergy remain high. To investigate the clinical and subclinical immune response to low-dose nickel exposure on nickel pre-exposed skin to assess the adequacy of current regulatory limits. Nickel-allergic and healthy controls were patch tested with nickel twice with a 3-4 weeks interval. The first exposure used the diagnostic concentration of 2000 μg/cm2 nickel sulphate, and the same skin areas were then re-exposed to 0.2, 0.5, 12.8 and 370 μg/cm2 nickel sulphate. After 48 h, the patch reactions were examined for clinical signs of eczema, and skin biopsies were collected. The transcriptomic immune profile was analysed with Nanostring nCounter and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Two nickel-allergic participants (15%) had clinical reactions to the regulatory limiting doses for nickel (0.2/0.5 μg/cm2) following re-exposure. There was immune activation in all skin areas following re-exposure to nickel, predominantly mediated by up-regulation of cytokines and chemokines. In all nickel re-exposed skin areas, 81 genes were up-regulated independent from the clinical response. In skin areas exposed to 0.2 μg/cm2, 101 immune-related genes were differentially expressed, even when no clinical response was observed. Healthy controls showed up-regulation of three genes in response to nickel re-exposures without any clinical reactions. Immune activation can be induced in skin with local memory to nickel upon challenge with nickel doses within the regulatory limits. Our findings suggest that the regulatory limits in the European nickel regulation may not provide sufficient protection for consumers against low-dose exposures.

The EU Logistics Sector

Logistics and efficient transportation are crucial for the European Union economy. For economies to thrive and remain competitive, logistics and transportation networks must operate in an organized, economical and ecological manner. They facilitate the movement of goods within and outside the EU, giving businesses access to bigger markets and a wider range of consumer items. As a result, there were more prospects for employment and greater success in trade and the economy. An outline of the fundamental trends in the European logistics industry is given in this study. We anticipate the current study will add to our knowledge of the EU logistics industry.

The British Royals in Australia

The British Royals in Australia

Poly(vinyl chloride) Dechlorination Catalyzed by Zirconium.

Poly(vinyl chloride) undergoes dechlorination in the presence of triethylsilane (Et3SiH) and a catalytic amount of [Cp2Zr(NPh2)][CH3B(C6F5)3] (1 b) at 40-80 °C, with up to 91 % efficiency. Stoichiometric reactivity studies conducted on cyclohexyl chloride as a model suggest that 1 b dechlorinates PVC by initial chloride abstraction, followed by hydride transfer to the cationic PVC chain from Et3SiH. Consumer items such as pipe fitting, vinyl disc or electric cable insulation undergo either dechlorination or hydrosilylation of the carbonyl-containing copolymer (polyvinyl acetate) or plasticizer (phthalate).

Sustainability challenges of clean-energy critical minerals: copper and rare earths

The transition to a clean-energy economy in an effort to mitigate climate change has brought a need for intense mining exploration of a critical class of minerals, previously mined and used at a fraction of what is required today and for the upcoming decades. For some common metals, such as copper, major deficits are forecasted for 2030, and for some less common ones, such as rare earths, mined quantities have recently increased 32 times relative to those in the mid-1950s and are expected to increase sevenfold from current levels by 2040. This situation is expected to become more severe given the long time span needed for exploration of new sites, the declining ore grade of existing mines, the geographical distribution of these minerals and the environmental degradation caused by mining and mineral processing activities. It becomes, hence, critical to improve existing mining operations vastly, reduce waste volumes and fresh water use, reduce environmental impacts and recover increased quantities of minerals from mine tailings, as well as from the recycling of post-production products. This paper focuses on copper and rare earths to expound on their exploitation issues, their processes, the sustainable utilisation of mineral waste and tailings and their recovery from end-of-life consumer and industrial items.

Impacto da inflação no poder de compra e a desvalorização da moeda

Inflation is characterized as a continuous increase in prices, caused by the loss of purchasing power and currency devaluation. Starting with an economic sphere as the financial situation of a country, the liquidity of a currency is linked to the monetary policy adopted by the current government. In accordance with these arguments, this work aimed to study the variation and exchanges of currency over the years and the relevance of the IPCA index in household budgets. The research was based on a bibliographic survey with the support of articles, books and periodicals that have already delimited themselves to the study of this issue. Data from the IPCA was used, which is considered the official inflation index in Brazil, measured, and released by the IBGE. The research contains images, represented through tables showing the trajectory and evolution of the currency in Brazil. Inflation is defined as the rise in the price of basic consumer items, since it is one that measures prices in general, the isolated rise of a particular product, good or service cannot be considered inflation. Brazilian currency over the years went through several changes that affected the liquidity of the economy and the purchasing power of consumers. This research presents the problem of how the Brazilian currency has undergone changes over the course of the high inflation rates. This study is justified by the relevance of the topic for society in general, and not just for professionals in administration, accounting, and economics. Through the analysis and measurement of the data, it was obtained as a result that the population's purchasing power is largely concentrated in the acquisition of basic products and services that make up the IPCA's basic basket. On the other hand, as for the economic plans adopted in Brazil, they all had the common objective of stabilizing the economy, containing the unbridled rise in prices.

Attitude towards purchasing consumer items can be extracted from Demographic and health survey India-2019-2020 (NFHS 5)

Background: National Health Surveys have been part of national health services in many countries, but their data are summary com- pilations and commonly used only for describing trends in health and living conditions. Aim: Tostatisticallydisclosenetworksofinteractingvariableswithin National Health Survey data. Sample and methods: We used anthropometric, educational, environ- mental and economic information of people of Sikkim, West Bengal, Telangana, and Gujarat, India, obtained by the Fifth Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5).We applied a new statistical approach labeled as “St. Nicholas House Analysis” (SNHA). SNHA ranks absolute bivariate correlation coef- ficients in descending order according to magnitude. The method creates hierarchic “association chains” of correlation coefficients de- fined by sequences where reversing the start and end point does not alter the ordering of elements. Association chains characterize de- pendence structures within networks of extensively interacting variables. Results: SNHA disclosed fundamental differences in the network of anthropometric, educational, environmental and economic variables of the people of Sikkim, and the people of West Ben- gal, Telangana and Gujarat. Whereas relevant interactions among these variables were largely absent in the people of Sikkim, the variables formed characteristic star-shaped networks with wealth quintile and the possession of motorcycles in a strong central position, in the people of West Bengal, Telangana and Gujarat. Conclusion: Depicting association chains within net- works of extensively interacting variables such as health survey data appears to be a promising statisti- cal tool for disentangling the effects of environmen- tal circumstances, education, and social, economic, political and emotional (SEPE) factors on human growth.

Adaptation and Imitation: The Iconography of Jewish Ceremonial Objects and Mass Production

Based on the example of a Lazarus Posen Witwe Hanukkah menorah with Greek gods in bas-relief, this article argues that the iconography of Jewish ceremonial objects in the age of industrial production has to be approached in a contextual manner. By unfolding the trade networks and collaborations behind these objects, like that between Lazarus Posen Wwe and Bruckmann & Söhne, it is possible to discern certain ideas of style and to date objects and documents. This also allows us to get an understanding of Jewish ceremonial objects as consumer items in Germany during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Comparative life cycle analysis of PHA-based consumer items for daily use

USABLE Packaging project has developed an innovative value chain based on mixed microbial cultures using organic wastes as feedstock to produce prototypes of PHA-based items that were compared to their commercial counterparts, so the expected better environmental performance can be checked. To do so, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment was carried out. The system was modeled integrating all available knowledge, from pilot-scale data to process simulators, and following upscaling frameworks. PHA-based items outperform their commercial counterparts since they show environmental benefits thanks to the avoided electricity obtained in the cogeneration heat and power unit within the PHA production; however, these environmental benefits are very sensitive to the substituted electricity environmental burdens. The different levels of development and market implementation are seen as critical and therefore attention should be paid on how upscaling affects the results and interpretation of the LCA while serving as a guide for process and product development.

Emergence of microplastics in the aquatic ecosystem and their potential effects on health risks: The insights into Vietnam

The increase of microplastic contamination in Vietnam is a growing concern due to various domestic, agricultural, and industrial activities. The use of plastic mulch and sludge application in agricultural farmland, textile production, daily consumer items, cleaning agents, and health/personal care products contribute significantly to the increasing microplastic pollution in the aquatic ecosystem. The concentration of microplastics reported in surface water ranged from 0.35 to 519,000 items m−3, with fibers and fragments being the most prevalent shapes. Notably, the high concentration of microplastics was observed in lakes, canals, and megacities such as Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, which poses potential health risks to the local community via drinking-water supply and food chains. As an emerging pollutant, MPs are the transport vectors for contaminants in environmental matrices that act as a carrier of hazardous pollutants, release toxic compounds, and evenly aggregate/accumulate in biota. Recent studies have reported the presence of microplastics in various marine organisms, including fish and shellfish, highlighting the risk of ingestion of these particles by humans and wildlife. Thus, it is imperative to monitor microplastic contamination in the ecosystem to provide helpful information for the government and local communities. Efforts should be taken to reduce microplastic pollution at the source to minimize potential effects on ecological and health safety. This review paper emphasizes the urgent need for further research on microplastic pollution in Vietnam and highlights potential solutions to mitigate this emerging environmental threat. Keyworkssingle-use plastics; microplastics; ecosystems; plastic waste; health risk; ecological and health safety; pollution mitigation.

The impact of riverine particles on the vertical velocities of large microplastics

Microplastics interact with other suspended particles in aquatic systems, which may impact their environmental fate. Little is known about aggregation between suspended sediment and larger microplastics (1–5 mm), and how this impacts the vertical velocities of microplastics, although it was hypothesised these are size limited. Consumer items made of five common polymers: polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS), were fragmented by cryomilling and their vertical velocities (rising/settling) measured experimentally before and after 24-hours of aggregation with riverine particles. Microplastic size (microscopy), zeta potential and density (density gradient column) were measured, with aggregation quantified using microscopy. PP had an experimental density of 1052 kg·m−3, and sank in river water, although it is often stated as being buoyant based on literature density values. Aggregation occurred with all five polymers: 39 %–72 % of microplastics were observed to have sediment and/or organic particles adhered, depending on the polymer type. PVC had the least negative zeta potential, −8.0 ± 3.0, and showed a much higher number of adhered sediment particles than all other polymers: on average 4.55 particles, compared with <1.72 particles for other polymers. For four polymers, aggregation did not significantly change vertical velocities. However, PP particles showed a significantly slower settling velocity after aggregation: a decrease of 6.3 % based on mean averages, from 9.7 × 10−3 to 9.1 × 10−3 m·s−1. Theoretical calculations showed the amount of adsorbed sediment or biofilm required to induce a microplastic density change of ∼50 kg·m−3 was much higher than observed experimentally. Overall, this study indicates that the vertical velocities of larger microplastics are less influenced by interactions with natural particles than smaller microplastics.

Shadow economy–financial sustainability nexus: the case of Palestine

PurposeThe present research aims at identifying the latent factors that are driving the rise of the shadow economy in Palestine, assesses its magnitude from 1998 to 2021 and investigates the influence that its size has on the financial sustainability of Palestine's public budget.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers employed the multi-indicator multi-causes (MIMIC) model to estimate the size of the shadow economy and investigate its effect on the financial sustainability of the public budget. Economic factors such as direct taxes, indirect taxes, government welfare, government spending and unemployment were considered causal variables, while indicators of financial sustainability included budget deficit, public debt and gross domestic product (GDP). The shadow economy served as an intermediary variable.FindingsBased on the findings, the researchers recommend regulating and formalizing legitimate activities within the shadow economy. Additionally, they suggest promoting investment projects to reduce unemployment rates, lowering taxes on essential goods and consumer items and providing support to local producers in Palestine. These measures aim at addressing the challenges posed by the shadow economy and fostering economic stability.Originality/valueThe study reveals that the average size of the shadow economy in Palestine between 1998 and 2021 was 43.80%, fluctuating within the range of 39.92%–46.30%. It further establishes that an increase in direct and indirect taxes as well as unemployment contributes to the expansion of the shadow economy. Conversely, government welfare and spending exert a diminishing effect. Moreover, the study finds that the rise of the shadow economy correlates with an increase in public debt, budget deficit and GDP, indicating a negative impact on the financial sustainability of the public budget.

How microplastics are transported and deposited in realistic upper airways?

Microplastics are tiny plastic debris in the environment from industrial processes, various consumer items, and the breakdown of industrial waste. Recently, microplastics have been found for the first time in the airways, which increases the concern about long-term exposure and corresponding impacts on respiratory health. To date, a precise understanding of the microplastic transport to the airways is missing in the literature. Therefore, this first-ever study aims to analyze the microplastic transport and deposition within the upper lung airways. A computational fluid dynamics-discrete phase model approach is used to analyze the fluid flow and microplastic transport in airways. The sphericity concept and shape factor values are used to define the non-spherical microplastics. An accurate mesh test is performed for the computational mesh. The numerical results report that the highly asymmetric and complex morphology of the upper airway influences the flow fields and microplastic motion along with the flow rate and microplastic shape. The nasal cavity, mouth-throat, and trachea have high pressure, while a high flow velocity is observed at the area after passing the trachea. The flow rates, shape, and size of microplastics influence the overall deposition pattern. A higher flow rate leads to a lower deposition efficiency for all microplastic shapes. The nasal cavity has a high deposition rate compared to other regions. The microplastic deposition hot spot is calculated for shape and size-specific microplastic at various flow conditions. The findings of this study and more case-specific analysis will improve the knowledge of microplastic transport in airways and benefit future therapeutics development. The future study will be focused on the effect of various microplastic shapes on the human lung airways under the healthy and diseased airways conditions.

Antibacterial Activity of Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Using Lawsonia inermis Against Common Pathogens from Urinary Tract Infection

New and creative methodologies for the fabrication of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), which are exploited in a wide range of consumer items, are of significant interest. Hence, this research emphasizes the biological approach of Ag-NPs through Egyptian henna leaves (Lawsonia inermis Linn.) extracts and analysis of the prepared Ag-NPs. Plant extract components were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-mass). The analyses of prepared Ag-NPs were carried out through UV–visible (UV–Vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. UV–Vis reveals that Ag-NPs have a maximum peak at 460 nm in visible light. Structural characterization recorded peaks that corresponded to Bragg’s diffractions for silver nano-crystal, with average crystallite sizes varying from 28 to 60 nm. Antibacterial activities of Ag-NPs were examined, and it is observed that all microorganisms are very sensitive to biologically synthesized Ag-NPs.