Content Packaging Research Articles

Performance of Ghanaian women businesses community: the moderating role of social competence

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the moderating dynamics of social competence in the relationship between intangible resources and the performance of women businesses from an emerging market context. Developed economy literature provides ample evidence of a positive relationship between intangible resources and the performance of women business ventures. Little is known of the complexity of this orthodoxy in developing markets such as Ghana. In particular, this paper investigates the moderating role of social competence in the relationship between intangible resources available to women entrepreneurs and performance.Design methodology approachAn exploratory sequential mixed method research design was used. First phase involved qualitative data collected through interviews, and the second phase was quantitative data collected from 264 participants. Content analysis and multiple regression analysis were used.FindingsSocial competence is important to the success of women businesses as it influences the outcome of entrepreneurial interactions and communications. Also, it positively moderated the relationship between organisational reputational capital (RC) and women business growth. On the flip side, it negatively moderated the relationship between human capital, social capital, individual RC and women business growth.Practical implicationsTo sustainably grow their businesses, women entrepreneurs must ascertain the right level of social competence needed. The utilization of social competence at higher rather than lower levels could mean more costs and more training for which the business may not have immediate use.Originality valueThis paper advocates the need to improve the content of entrepreneurial training packages to include the reinforcement of social competency skills in terms of relationship management as this may be the key to the facilitation of access to resources for innovation and growth.

Suitability Assessment of PLA Bottles for High-Pressure Processing of Apple Juice.

The aim of the present study is to assess the use of polylactic acid (PLA) bottles as an alternative to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) ones for high-pressure processing (HPP) of apple juice. The treatment of PLA bottles at 600 MPa for 3 min did not cause alterations in the packaging shape and content, confirming the suitability of PLA bottles to withstand HPP conditions as well as PET bottles. Quantification of total mesophilic bacterial and fungal load suggested HPP treatment can be effectively applied as an alternative to pasteurization for apple juice packed in PLA bottles since it guarantees microbial stability during at least 28 days of refrigerated storage. The headspace gas level did not change significantly during 28 days of refrigerated storage, irrespective of the bottle material. Color parameters (L*, a*, and b*) of the HPP-treated juice were similar to those of the fresh juice. Irrespective of the packaging type, the total color variation significantly changed during storage, showing an exponential increase in the first 14 days, followed by a steady state until the end of observations. Overall, PLA bottles proved to offer comparable performances to PET both in terms of mechanical resistance and quality maintenance.

Study of Bomb Technician Threat Identification Performance on Degraded X-ray Images

Abstract Portable X-ray imaging systems are routinely used by bomb squads throughout the world to image the contents of suspicious packages and explosive devices. The images are used by bomb technicians to determine whether or not packages contain explosive devices or device components. In events of positive detection, the images are also used to understand device design and to devise countermeasures. The quality of the images is considered to be of primary importance by users and manufacturers of these systems, since it affects the ability of the users to analyze the images and to detect potential threats. As such, there exist national standards that set minimum acceptable image-quality levels for the performance of these imaging systems. An implicit assumption is that better image quality leads to better user identification of components in explosive devices and, therefore, better informed plans to render them safe. However, there is no previously published experimental work investigating this.Toward advancing progress in this direction, the authors developed the new NIST-LIVE X-ray improvised explosive device (IED) image-quality database. The database consists of: a set of pristine X-ray images of IEDs and benign objects; a larger set of distorted images of varying quality of the same objects; ground-truth IED component labels for all images; and human task-performance results locating and identifying the IED components. More than 40 trained U.S. bomb technicians were recruited to generate the human task-performance data. They use the database to show that identification probabilities for IED components are strongly correlated with image quality. They also show how the results relate to the image-quality metrics described in the current U.S. national standard for these systems, and how their results can be used to inform the development of baseline performance requirements. They expect these results to directly affect future revisions of the standard.

Accurate temperature representation of storage conditions of human tissue and blood products: A cold chain analysis

There is nothing of higher value than human life. A close second is a human tissue that is utilized to help prolong that human life. Proper storage and management of the environment in which these materials are being stored are critical. A common practice in monitoring cold chain conditions for these temperature-sensitive materials is to employ a physical, thermal buffer into which the temperature probe is inserted. This buffer maybe a bottle of glycol or other liquid, a container of glass beads, an aluminum block, or nearly any other media the user feels is appropriate. The purpose of the buffer is to simulate the stored product’s experience rather than the air temperature. This will not be accomplished if the physical buffer is not matched to the stored product’s thermal properties and its container. Cold chain managers are faced with a complex problem if they attempt to take this issue into account. Furthermore, a match is impossible with a single physical buffer when the cold storage unit contains different products and various container sizes. This paper addresses the results of this mismatch from multiple factors and brings to the forefront the real-world problems that may result. Additionally, this paper will discuss a demonstrated solution that will accurately represent the stored materials, no matter the packaging size, material, or contents.

РОЛЬ ЕЛЕКТРОННИХ КУРСІВ НА ПЛАТФОРМІ MOODLE У ФОРМУВАННІ ПРОФЕСІЙНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ СУДНОВИХ МЕХАНІКІВ

This article is devoted to the place of electronic courses of the Moodle platform in the formation of professional competence of future ship engineers. The formation of professional competence of future ship engineers in scientific discourse is investigated. There are several basic concepts: professional competence and e-course. The study is focused on solving the problem of distance learning during COVID-19 pandemic. The Moodle platform is considered as a basis for the creation and use of a set of teaching materials, methods and forms of educational process in a maritime educational institution. A set of interrelated methods is used (terminological analysis, data generalization, methodological methods and approaches). Electronic course of the Moodle platform Ship diesel installations (Theory, Course design) is considered as the main tool for formation of professional competence of future ship engineers. The tools of the e-course include the following: H5P, HotPot, IMS content package, SCORM package, URL (web link), Database, Choice, Wiki, Glossary, Tasks, External tool, Book, Label, Survey, Workshop, Page, Folder, Quiz, Lesson, File, Forum, Chat. It is noted that elements such as messenger, Task activity, Forum and Chat provide feedback on the e-course, which is very difficult to organize in quarantine. It is noted that the use of e-courses has a number of advantages that help improve the quality of teaching professional disciplines. The advantages include: flexible class schedule; the ability to view lecture materials as many times as each student needs individually; a more effective way to study disciplines; availability, etc. However, the courses also have disadvantages, such as the need for a high level of motivation and self-discipline. In our further research it is planned to analyze a mixed model of teaching professional disciplines to future ship engineers on the basis of integrated courses at the Maritime College. Key words: professional competence, ship engineers, e-courses, Moodle, maritime professionals.

On-Line HP(LC)-GC-FID Determination of Hydrocarbon Contaminants in Fresh and Packaged Fish and Fish Products.

Fish products can be contaminated with mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH), mainly as a result of environmental contamination (wild fish) or contaminated feeds (farmed fish). Packaged products may also be contaminated with polyolefin oligomeric hydrocarbons (POH), which, depending on the packaging, storage condition, matrix composition, and fat content, may migrate relatively easily from the packaging to the food. A rapid, solvent-sparing method for determining hydrocarbon contaminants in fish products was developed, validated, and applied to farmed and wild fish products (both fresh and packaged samples, stored under different conditions). Microwave-assisted saponification (MAS) was used in combination with on-line LC-GC-flame ionization detection (FID). The proposed method showed quantitative recovery, good repeatability, and high sensitivity. Farmed salmon had variable mineral oil saturated hydrocarbon contamination (from 0.5 to 4.3 mg/kg), accompanied by mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (maximum 1.4 mg/kg), while wild salmons had no detectable contamination. Samples of one farmed salmon and a swordfish, both sliced and packed under vacuum, resulted contaminated with POH migrated from the packaging. POH migration was also evident in a ready-to-eat meal. The proposed method showed good performance characteristics in terms of recovery, repeatability, and LOQ. Fatty fish products are more prone to contamination with hydrocarbon contaminants. MAS allows for rapid and efficient sample preparation. An LC-GC-FID method for MOH/POH determination in fish products was validated. Fish products may be contaminated with variable amounts of hydrocarbon contaminants.

Spatial filtering based terahertz imaging of low absorbing objects

Terahertz (THz) imaging can serve as a versatile instrument to disclose contents of various packages or discriminate its constituents. Particular attention deserves a case when packaged objects display low absorption in THz frequencies inducing thus immense obstacles in direct image recording due to a poor signal-to-noise ratio and small contrast. To tackle these problems and extend an assortment of application two spatial filtering methods – phase contrast and dark field – were demonstrated both experimentally and theoretically to resolve weakly absorbing objects in THz imaging at 0.3 THz. The approach was implemented via employment of two different THz imaging setups – using focused and collimated beams – and detecting signals by sensitive antenna-coupled titanium-based microbolometers. The proposed approaches taking advantage of phase contrast and dark field methods exhibit enhancement in images contrast up to 10 dB and 30 dB, respectively, and an order of magnitude increased signal-to-noise ratio, opening thus promising route for functional applications. It is believed that it will impact wider THz implementation in medicine and biology-related issues, where weak absorbance of THz radiation in many cases is inherent feature of objects under test.

Low-cost contactless monitoring of aseptic package integrity and content quality using capacitance

Aseptic packaging is employed by food and beverage industries to maintain sterility for prolonging product shelf life without refrigeration. In a fully integrated fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) production line, high throughput non-destructive detection of visually non-obvious packaging defects like pinholes is a challenge using current inspection techniques. A non-contact capacitive electronic sensing platform based on the tuneable sensing depth under an applied sinusoidal signal is proposed for monitoring the changes in capacitance due to the effect of pinholes on the package integrity (package dimensional changes) and content quality (dielectric changes). The real-time capacitive system successfully detects pinhole formation with good detection speed (< 3 s) and low detection limit (∼54.69 μm), identifies the onset of product decay and captures subsequent package deformity using a combination of sensing topologies and location information. The demonstrated multi-phase detection proof-of-concept could translate into contactless aseptic package/product quality monitoring systems for production, storage and retail.

A computational model for estimation of 226Ra and 228Ra concentrations in sludge from petrol exploitation, based on radiation-level measurements on stored packages

In the context of the naturally occurring radioactive material associated with petrol exploitation, it is important to determine the concentrations of 226Ra and 228Ra in contaminated sludge originated from this activity and stored in packages. Although measurements based on chemical analyses of samples from package content can be done, difficulties associated with the collection and analyses of samples may be avoided by employing theoretical models based on the emitting radiation levels from the mentioned packages. This article presents a methodology to estimate 226Ra and 228Ra concentrations in sludge stored in cylindrical drums, employing a model developed in the Mathematica software. The model takes into consideration the radiation levels measured at one meter from the top surface of the waste package containing the contaminated sludge. It also takes into consideration packaging dimensions, waste density, time of measurement, among other factors, and allows the determination of all radionuclides concentrations in the sludge, helping to minimize the costs associated with sampling and analyses. Moreover, this proposed model is an alternative solution to pre-existing methods and can also assist operators, regulators, and decision-makers in the prediction of short- and long-term radiological impacts on human beings and on the environment, due to the disposal of waste containing naturally occurring radioactive materials.

OMAF4Cloud: Standards-Enabled 360° Video Creation as a Service

A work-in-progress standard-powered media processing system is presented to demonstrate a full end-to-end interactive media service for an immersive user experience. The system converts traditional 360° videos to the Omnidirectional MediA Format (OMAF) standard-compliant format. Media processing, in general, demands complex and tailored workflows for advanced media processing and distribution such as virtual reality content stitching, packaging, and adaptive streaming. To achieve the desired result, these complex workflows require many advanced functionalities to work together on the media content. To address the needs of advanced services, the Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) working group is developing a new standard called Network-Based Media Processing (NBMP), a standard that aims at increased media processing efficiency, faster and lower deployment cost of interoperable media processing functions, and the ability to provide large-scale deployment by leveraging public, private, or hybrid cloud services. This paper partially covers both OMAF and NBMP standards. Additionally, an end-to-end design and proof of concept is provided to enable an immersive virtual reality experience to the end user.

Analysis of the possibilities of the MOODLE learning management system for organization of distance learning in the conditions of the university

The modern world has changed dramatically with the widespread introduction of information and communication technologies. Today, an effective learning process without the use of modern technologies is unthinkable. Learning management systems are a bright representative of modern technologies, on the basis of which it is possible to organize the interaction of all participants in the learning process in the global Internet. The search for new approaches to the use of learning management systems can further enhance the effect of the use of modern information and communication technologies in the organization of the educational process.The article gives a general description of the MOODLE training management system and the main elements of the course: questionnaire database; external tool; glossary; task; lecture; feedback; survey; SCORM package; seminar; test; forum; chat. Among the resources were identified: hyperlink; book; IMS content package; explanations; page; file. The practical use of the listed elements of the course of the MOODLE learning management system allows to fully implement distance learning and effective interaction between student and teacher.The structure of the course includes the necessary set of structural elements (lectures, practical work, independent work, control of knowledge on the basis of tests) for the organization of distance learning in the conditions of higher educational institution.A significant advantage of the introduction of MOODLE in the traditional educational process is that, without violating its course and principles, it greatly enriches it due to its rich information, communication and pedagogical capabilities. Distance learning with the help of MOODLE allows you to organize productive independent work of the student to master the discipline. Through the means of access to interactive learning elements and MOODLE resources, students have the opportunity to optimize the assimilation of educational material in preparation for classes, and with the help of control elements - to improve the quality of self-control

Moisture Adsorption Isotherm Model for Edible Food Film Packaging – A Review

Bioplastic has been extensively studied due to its ability to replace synthetic plastics. Its biodegradability is seen as a significant advantage to be used as edible food film packaging. As a food packaging, the film should be able to retain moisture from the food and the surrounding environment. The ability of the film to retain moisture varies with the type of material the film is made of. Moisture sorption isotherms are used to study the moisture content and water activity of food or film packaging at a given temperature. There are many models to describe moisture sorption isotherm. Some researchers modified the models to account for varying temperatures. The purpose of this paper is to review types of adsorption isotherms and the most common models used for film packaging. The general and modified models are described in this paper as well as its best-fit use on film packaging. The advantages of studying adsorption isotherm include shelf-life determination, physical and chemical stability, and others.

Methodology for assessment of competitive potential of functional purpose confectionery in the context of global market trends

The confectionery industry in the world belongs to dynamically developing sectors of the economy and fast-growing segments of the consumer market, due to the accelerated transformation of demand under influence of healthy nutrition and safety trends, as well as ability of the industry to adapt and develop considering consumer preferences through innovations and development of sustainable competitive strategies. New products with original consumer properties of functional purpose with a low sugar content and healthy fats are constantly appearing in the confectionery market. In this regard, assessment of products competitiveness should take into account the new qualities and availability to the consumer, which will allow commodity producers to form an efficient competitive strategy based on the analysis, plan innovative initiatives, and achieve success in promoting in the domestic and foreign markets. The paper presents the results of studying the trends in the world confectionery market, as well as marketing analysis of quality price parameters of products of domestic and foreign producers in the domestic market. An efficient methodology for assessing competitiveness of functional purpose confectionery products in terms of chocolate has been substantiated, and its testing results made it possible to identify the competitive advantages of domestic products in the field of organoleptic properties, nutritional value, functional efficiency and information content of packaging for the consumer. Use of the development in practice will make it possible to successfully position Belarusian chocolate as an original product of high quality, increase the added value of products for export, as well as form a stable consumer demand for healthy foods in the domestic market. Acknowledgments. The research was carried out as part of the Branch Scientific and Technical Program “Child Nutrition. Quality and safety” for 2016-2020, as well as the state program of scientific research “Quality and Efficiency of Agroindustrial Production” for 2016-2020, subprogram 1 “AIC Economy”.

Application of electrospinning technique in development of intelligent food packaging: A short review of recent trends.

Intelligent food packaging refers to packages with the ability to sense foodstuff changes and to inform customers of the packaging content variations. They are often accompanied by smart detecting devices. Providing a suitable platform to include these devices into packaging polymers has always been discussing. Electrospun nanofibers produced through the electrospinning have been recently utilized as an outstanding and novel platforms for this purpose. Thus, the main aim of this study is to investigate recent trends in producing intelligent food packaging using electrospinning technique. In this regard, this paper was categorized into two chief sections, including (a) the principal of electrospinning technique to fabricate fine nanofibers and the parameters affecting the quality of electrospun fibers, and (b) the role of nanofibers as a platform to cover pH indicators in intelligent food packaging.

Sweet Snack Foods Are Promoted by the Baby Food Industry: A Survey of Baby Foods in the UK

Abstract Objectives Snacking is nor part of UK complementary feeding recommendations, but 60% of UK infants aged 7–10 months consume home-made and/or commercial baby snacks. We aimed to explore trends in the availability of commercial baby snacks in the UK food market over time. Methods We surveyed all infant food products available to buy in the UK, online and in-store, n 2019 and used our own 2010–2011 data for comparison. Product type [wet purees or dry (snacks)] were recorded at both time points. In 2019 for snack products we recorded main types, feeding claims on product packaging and sugar content. Results The total number of products available in 2010–11 and 2019 was 482 and 865 respectively. The proportion of snacks had doubled between 2010–11 (42, 10%; P = 0.001) and 2019 (185, 21%), while the proportion of wet, pureed foods decreased (2010–11 326, 79%; 2019 611, 71%; P = 0.001) and in 2019 were mainly supplied in pouches (453, 74%). The commonest snack types in 2019 were corn based flavoured with fruit or vegetables (40%; of which 12% fruit flavoured), dried fruit (15%), fruit or vegetables mixed with cereals (22% of which 88% were fruit based), biscuits (18%), and rice cakes flavoured with fruit or vegetables (8%). In 2019 front of package feeding claims were observed on 43% of snacks, referring to them as ‘finger foods’ (25%), ‘encourages self-feeding’ (10%), ‘perfect for teething’ (4%) or a mixture of these (3%). Sugar content [N, g/100 g median (Q1, Q3)] was higher than the 5 g/100 g recommended threshhold for all dried fruit [19, 61(38, 64], fruit or vegetable with cereals [42, 26(18, 29)], biscuits [34, 19(15, 22)] and rice cakes [34, 19(15, 22)]. Corn snacks [75, 4(2, 6)] mainly met the sugar content threshold. Conclusions Sweet commercial baby snacks are a prominent feature of the UK food environment. Regulations on feeding claims and sugar content are urgently needed. Funding Sources No funding sources to declare.

Hegemoni Ideologi Konsumtif Sebagai Gaya Hidup Remaja

The new media provides a powerful influence in shaping the knowledge and character of adolescents as a middle class group. Content packaging is represented as naturally as possible in capturing its influence, so that a hegemony practice takes place. Content that emphasizes and accentuates consumptive culture is used as a mainstay to attract the attention of audiens through Youtube channel to increase the number of viewrs to gain profit. This practice is what makes consumptive hegemony make audines subject to approval. This study describes how the practice of hegemony in shaping consumptive ideology, uses qualitative studies with a literary approach to strengthen Gramsci's hegemony explanations. Ria Ricis official Youtube channel analysis object with colorful and squsihy shopping content themes. The results show that the account packages content by cultivating the effect of pleasure in emphasizing consumptive ideology and uploading similar content with the same theme because of the approval. Social media provides a closeness between audiens and content owners so that the practice of hegemony is easily subjected to approval. In defending consumptive ideology, the dominant group makes representations that allow good responses. the hegemony made the consumptive ideology develop into a lifestyle.

Geolocation of covert communication entity on the Internet for post-steganalysis

Geolocation of covert communication entity is significantly important for the forensics of the crime but has significant challenges when the steganalyst locks the guilty actor IP and wants to know the physical location of the actor. This kind of post-steganalysis involves not only the stegos transmitted on the Internet but the IP package head and content. This paper presents a geolocation method for the location of the covert communication entity based on hop-hot path coding. The method estimates the location of the covert communication entity by combining the path and delay between probes and the covert communication entity IP, which improves the deficiency that similar delays do not necessarily mean close geographical locations of the IPs. Moreover, the similarity between the IPs’ paths can be measured by coding the paths between IPs and probes. The results of a series of experiments show that the median error of the proposed method is within 6.16 km using different thresholds.

PENGELOLAAN DIGITAL PR DALAM MENGEMAS KONTEN DAKWAH DI INSTAGRAM @MASJIDTRANS

Digital PR is a public relations function in the digital era, one of its tasks is to manage social media owned by agencies. Trans Studio Bandung Mosque is one of the mosques that has successfully implemented digital PR management in packaging the social media account Instagram @masjidtrans in an effort to attract public enthusiasm. The research method used in this research is descriptive analysis method with a qualitative approach and constructivism paradigm. The results of his research are digital PR TSB Mosque successfully implemented four stages in the concept of four steps of PR namely, (1) Fact finding is done by analyzing the situation, analyzing the target audience and analyzing the media. (2). Planning: planning the goals to be achieved and making tactical planning. (3). Taking action and communication: dividing the type of content according to Instagram features, following up the content of the study to the organizer community, crosschecking content, creating accidental content, making posting strategies on Instagram and performing posting intensity and content packaging. (4). Evaluation: determine assessment indicators and make monthly reports. Digital PR management in packaging da'wah content on the Instagram account of the Trans Studio Bandung Mosque also increases the congregation who attend the presentation or event held at TSB Mosque

Research of quality indicators and stability of herbal species for mastopathy therapy

Topicality. Given the high incidence of breast pathologies and the limited pharmacological treatment, it is urgent to consider the possibility of using medicinal herbs in complex mastopathy therapy.Aim. To study the quality indicators and stability during storage of the developed medicinal herbal species for complex mastopathy therapy.Materials and methods. The study of the species samples named “Mastonorm” in different types of packaging was carried out using the methods of organoleptic, physicochemical, pharmacotechnological and biological research, which results in an objective assessment of the quality and stability of the developed species.Results and discussion. In the course of the studies the weight loss in drying process was found , depending on the type of packaging from 9.7 to 10,86 %, total ash is in the range of 8.0-10.5 %, ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid, – in the range of 2.2-2.8 %, the weight loss in drying of the samples during the shelf life is in the range of 9.7-10.9 %. The content of extractive substances extracted with water from species, laid in four types of packaging, is 26.7-28.7 %. The amount of biologically active substances (flavonoids) in terms of the routine during the shelf life is 0.4-0.5 %. The results obtained meet the requirements for this dosage form and during storage remains almost unchanged. Tests for microbiological purity proved the compliance of the developed drug with the requirements of SPhU 2 ed., Item 2.6.12, 2.6.13.Conclusions. The criteria for the specifications of the “Mastonorm” species under the sections “Description”, “Moisture content”, “Ash content”, “Ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid”, “Weight of packaging content”, “Quantitative content”, “Microbiological purity” are substantiated and investigated. The stability of the developed species for two years at the temperature 5 ± 3 °C and 25 ± 2 °C in different types of packaging was experimentally proved. Microbiological studies have established that the developed species “Mastonorm” in terms of microbiological purity meets the requirements of SPhU throughout the shelf life.

An interventional study to compare the effect of teaching on lecture method and the use of educational package on the knowledge and performance of health care providers

Background: Health care providers are considered as a group of primary health service workers increasing their scientific and practical ability. Providing an effective and desirable teaching is one of the main ways to improve the quality of services; however, this will be possible by selecting an appropriate training method. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the effect of teaching the principles of caring for pregnant mothers on knowledge and health care providers' performance with on-site and non-attendance methods. Methods: This study was conducted as an interventional and semi-experimental study in 2017-2018. Sixty four health care providers were enrolled in Mashhad's health center. They were randomly divided into two groups of 32. For the non-attendance group, the educational package contents were prepared in the form of PowerPoint slides consisting texts and images. For the on-site teaching group, the participants were taught in lecture for six hours. The amount of knowledge of health care providers was assessed before and after training by using a written test questionnaire and their performance at work was controlled by a checklist Results: By comparing the scores before and after the educational intervention, the difference in mean scores in the on-site group was 4.50 ± 0.334 and in the non-attending group was 3.77 ± 0.332. This difference in the values in each group was significant. The difference between the mean post-test scores in the two groups was 0.70 ± 0. 463. The difference in the mean of functional scores with two types of training was determined 17.1 ± 0.246, and no significant difference was found for the groups (p = 0.496). Conclusion: In this study, the increase in the level of health care information was acceptable. Both methods had the same effect in the cognitive and functional domain. Therefore, the method of using the educational package can be a good alternative to the lecture method.