Product Form Research Articles

Identification of Fatty Acid Synthase in Arma chinensis and Its Expression Profiles in Response to Starvation

Fatty acids are the main form of energy production and storage in insects, and fatty acid synthase (FAS) plays a major role in this process. Arma chinensis is a natural enemy used in China to control agricultural pests. While its whole genome has been assembled, its FAS genes remain undescribed. Herein, we aim to identify the FAS genes of A. chinensis and explore their expression during starvation. Phylogenetic analysis identified nine FAS genes (ArmaFas1–ArmaFas9). During the predatory developmental stages, ArmaFas9 expression gradually increased from the 2nd to the 4th instar, peaking at the 5th instar and plateauing at the adult stage. Female adults exhibited the highest expression of ArmaFas9 in their fat body and the lowest expression in their salivary glands, whereas male adults demonstrated the opposite pattern. ArmaFas9 expression was negatively correlated with starvation duration. Compared to the controls, starved adult females exhibited a downward expression trend, whereas starved adult males demonstrated an initial increase, followed by a downward trend after 7 days. Starvation and refeeding increased ArmaFas9 expression. These results demonstrate the important role of ArmaFas9 in A. chinensis growth and development, providing a basis for further studies on lipid synthesis in predatory bugs.

Incorporating Singaporean habits and practices for cosmetics and personal care products into a global consumer aggregate exposure model

Understanding consumer habits and practices of cosmetics and personal care products (PCP) is essential to generate realistic product exposure data for the safety assessment of ingredients such as fragrance materials. Product usages can vary across regions due to differences in cultural norms, seasonal and climate conditions, and the availability of different product forms, yet there is limited data published on cosmetics and PCP use outside of North America and Europe. This study reports the habits and practices of cosmetics and PCP (such as frequency and amount of use) in Singapore where participants (n=494, aged 21-64 years) recorded their product usages and had their products weighed over a two-week period. Overall, similar use patterns were observed across demographic groups within the Singapore population for most of the products surveyed, as were the expected usage amounts. Additionally, the Singaporean dataset was mapped onto the Creme-RIFM aggregate exposure model to assess exposure estimates. Preliminary comparisons with product exposures observed in the United States (US) and Europe suggest that exposures in Singapore are comparable. Findings from this study will contribute to the Creme-RIFM model, expanding its geographic scope and applicability for the global safety assessment of fragrance ingredients and fragranced products.

Factors influencing seafood sales in US retail markets

AbstractUS seafood retail markets are highly competitive and have evolved rapidly to supply an increased diversity of seafood products. Retail scanner data collected from grocery outlets using Universal Product Codes (UPC) reveals realistic market trends and provides deeper understanding of consumer trends. Using weekly store‐based scanner data (NielsenIQ ScanTrack data) from September 2016 to August 2021, this study analyzed the product characteristics that influence seafood consumption in retail markets for general seafood as well as specific seafood categories such as finfish, crustacea, and mollusks. Explanatory variables included: price of seafood, whether the product was farm‐raised, promotional share, product form (frozen or refrigerated seafood, entrée, or others), value‐addition, labeling characteristics, seasons, regions, and the effect of the pandemic period. Price had a significantly inverse relationship with the quantity of general and specific seafood products sold. Being farm‐raised had a positive impact on the quantity of seafood products sold in retail markets. Promotional practices also had positive effects on retail seafood sales, however with diminishing marginal returns. Among seasons, the spring season had significantly higher sales in the retail market for general seafood and finfish, but significantly lower sales for crustacean and mollusk products. Sales in the Southern region had a consistently positive effect on overall retail seafood sales. Results also indicated that retail market seafood sales were significantly higher during the COVID‐19 pandemic period. Private labeling (store brands) exhibited a positive influence on seafood quantity, the same with products without any labeling information compared to products with company labels. The study highlights key market trends in US retail outlets and suggests specific marketing strategies that could be useful for seafood products.

Unraveling the effect of resource use, environmental innovation and financing access in developed and emerging economies

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of resource use and environmental innovation on firms’ financial costs. Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of 2,588 firm-year observations from 647 companies collected from Thomson Reuters over a five-year period (year 2014 to year 2018). The authors analyze the data using panel-corrected standard errors, which corrects heteroskedasticity issues and contemporaneous error in the data. Further, the authors adopt cluster analysis based on the year and industry. The authors also adopt the generalized method of moments and two-stage least squares regression to check for endogeneity issues and validate the findings. Findings The findings generally indicate that resource use is negatively associated with firms’ cost of capital. Firms’ engagement with operational activities improves savings in the usage of resources, but environmental innovation is found to be positively associated with the cost of capital. This may be attributable to higher capital investment, stringent risk assessment and third-party assurance associated with firms’ environmental innovation. Research limitations/implications The findings urge regulators, practitioners and stakeholders to engage in more dialogues to reduce the costs associated with environmental sustainability innovation. This may be in the form of new technologies, energy-saving products, waste recycling and green innovations. Government intervention via greater infrastructure, tax incentives and regulatory reform may support the growth of innovation in emerging market economies. Practical implications Efforts are needed to encourage a dynamic, innovative and entrepreneurial mindset among the people living in emerging countries. Also, government regulatory reform is imperative in encouraging innovations in the environmental, social and governance ecosystem. Social implications The effect on society would be in the form of a new product innovation that creates better living standards and environments for the communities. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the few studies that focuses on the impact of firms’ resource use and environmental innovativeness and its implications on business financial costs in both emerging and developed markets.

Women Entrepreneurship in Organic Agriculture: The Case of Türkiye

Organic agriculture, whose importance is increasing day by day, is a form of production that prohibits the use of harmful substances in agricultural production and prioritizes soil health in order to protect human health and the ecological system. As in every subject, entrepreneurs are needed for the development of the sector in organic agriculture. In this context, while women entrepreneurs contribute to the production process on the one hand, on the other hand, they gain social and economic self-sufficiency. The aim of this research is to determine the entrepreneurial levels of women engaged in entrepreneurial activities in organic agriculture. In the research, the survey technique was used within the scope of the quantitative research method. The population of the research consists of women entrepreneurs engaged in organic agriculture activities in different regions and provinces of Türkiye. 532 women entrepreneurs selected by judgmental sampling method were determined as the sample of the research. According to the results of the research, it was determined that there was a significant difference in general agricultural entrepreneurship levels in terms of education level and marital status, but not in terms of age, geographical region, and industry experience, while there was a significant difference in organic agriculture entrepreneurship levels s in terms of age and education level, but not in terms of marital status, geographical region, and industry experience. In conclusion, this research is valuable in terms of revealing the current situation of women entrepreneurship in organic agriculture, which is an extremely important sector.

Study of Psychosocial Risk Factors and Assessment of Dependency of Smokeless Tobacco among Adolescents in Ahmedabad

Context Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, including in India. A significant proportion of adolescents in India reside in low-resource settings and engage in the consumption of various forms of tobacco products, rendering them a highly vulnerable population. Aims Determine the psychosocial risk factors among school going adolescents and to identify adolescents at increased risk of smokeless tobacco use in upcoming years. To assess the dependency among adolescents for smokeless tobacco consumption. Settings and Design A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of class 9th and 10th standard, Ahmedabad. Methods and Material A total of 575 students were studied using Global Youth Tobacco Survey, Schwarzers General Self Efficacy Scale, Pareeks Preadolescent Adjustment Scale, Modified Fagerstrom- Smokeless Tobacco. Statistical analysis used Ms Excel 2007. Results A total of 575 students participated in the study, out of which 62.6% were boys and 37.3% were girls with mean age 14.8 ± 0.9 years. 58 (10.09%) of the students were smokeless tobacco users. The score on Schwarzer's General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) among SLT non-users is significantly higher more than 30 than in SLT users (Z= 5.23, p<0.001). According to PAAS Score, the SLT users were maladjusted towards Home, School, Teacher, Peers and also in the General domain. Out of 58 SLT users 3.4% were substantially dependent on smokeless tobacco. Conclusions Early and mid-adolescence are more vulnerable to initiation of tobacco use and hence a targeted intervention is necessary to reduce the tobacco uptake in this age group.

Marketing Strategy in Increasing Consumer Buying Interest at Garuda Restaurant

This research aims to determine marketing strategies through SWOT analysis with a focus on segmentation, market position, targeting and marketing mix, which aims to increase consumer buying interest at Restaurant Garuda. The research results show that Restaurant Garuda implements various marketing mix strategies that influence the SWOT analysis, placing it in quadrant I (SO quadrant). This indicates a successful implementation of the odds and profits strategy, although with a slight difference of 2.4:2.95. Garuda Restaurant emphasizes the aspects of price, product, location and physical form of the building as the main factors that stimulate consumers' buying interest to try and remain loyal to their products. To maintain and increase consumer buying interest, it is recommended that Restaurant Garuda adopt product development strategies, improve brand image and maintain price stability. By implementing these strategies, it is hoped that Restaurant Garuda can maintain and increase their market share and customer satisfaction.

Preparation of multi-layer compound microcapsules and their application in self-healing of concrete cracks

Concrete is widely used in building construction, civil engineering, roads, bridges, etc., but concrete cracking remains a major issue in the engineering industry. To develop an effective and feasible concrete repair technology, this study combined microbial and microencapsulation technologies to prepare a multi-layer compound microcapsule using the piercing method. The formulation and drying method of microcapsules were optimized by taking their embedding rate and mechanical properties as evaluation criteria. The calcium transcrystallization process of microcapsules and the crystal form of products were characterized and compared with the calcium transcrystallization process in free cells. Finally, the effects of microcapsule incorporation on mechanical properties, impermeability, and self-healing performance of concrete specimens were then tested. The results showed that the air-dried multi-layer compound microcapsules, formulated with 1.0% wet cells of Bacillus cereus, 1.5% calcium chloride, 3.0% sodium alginate, 5.0% nutrients, 6.0% glycerol, 0.6% chitosan, and 2.0% urea, achieved an embedding rate of 95.3%, a rupture force of 60.0 N and a hardness of 150.8 N. These microcapsules can transform from a solid state to a flowing colloidal state when the microorganisms inside undergo a calcium formation reaction. Both the microcapsules and free cells produced stable calcite crystal forms of calcium carbonate through the calcium conversion reaction, with the microcapsules producing more uniform-sized particles, which are more conducive to accumulation in cracks, thereby enhancing the stability of repair. When microcapsules were incorporated into the concrete specimen at a content of 0.45%, the flexural strength of the specimen increased by 17.3%, and the compressive strength increased by 12.3%. In the water impermeability test, specimens with microcapsules demonstrated better impermeability compensation for the cement concrete than those with free cells. The self-healing effect of cracks proved that multi-layer compound microcapsules could completely repair cracks up to 0.7 mm wide, and a repair rate of 95% for 0.8 mm wide cracks. In this study, a multi-layer compound microcapsule was developed to protect microorganisms in concrete and provide nutrients required for their growth, which provided a new idea for microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation in concrete crack repair.

The Work from Home (WFH) Employee Engagement Experience

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to build on existing internal public relations scholarship and offer a glimpse into the lived experiences of employees who work from home at least two days a week. Guided by the cocreational orientation, this research study used qualitative interviews to better understand the experiences of employees who work from home and how they make meaning of their remote engagement experiences. The findings advocate for a reframing of employee engagement as cocreational employee engagement to advance scholarship in this area. Dialogue is positioned as a form of organizational productivity to increase its value – this unique positioning is a new conceptualization of dialogue. Last, a key antecedent of psychological safety is revealed in the context of working remotely, where employees must exercise greater distortionary effort to earn their ability to work from home. The insights from this paper can help internal communication practitioners develop strategic communication that meets the needs of employees who are not physically in the office to ensure they are connected to their work roles, colleagues, and the mission of the organization.

The influence of different forms of apple products on all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension

ObjectiveApple consumption has a positive effect on human health. Some studies have shown that an appropriate amount of apple intake can reduce the incidence of hypertension. However, few studies have investigated whether eating different forms of apples has the same benefits as eating whole apples. This study is aimed to evaluate the effect of different forms of apple on all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension.MethodsThe study included 2,368 patients with hypertension. All participants were followed up for at least 10 years. Cox regression model was constructed to analyze the correlation between apple, apple juice, and apple sauce consumption and all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension.ResultsThe consumption of apples 3–6 times/week was associated with a 48% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with hypertension (HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.37–0.72, p < 0.001). However, the consumption of apple juice (HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.67–1.56, p = 0.930) and sauce (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.59–2.74, p = 0.531) tended to increase the risk of death in patients with hypertension, although this study did not obtain a statistically result.ConclusionModerate consumption of whole apples is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause death in patients with hypertension, whereas apple juice and sauce may increase the risk of death.

PSR-GAN: a product concept sketch rendering method based on generative adversarial network and colour tags

Looking for the fit of colour and form is an important goal of product design, but conceptual visualisation based on hand-drawn sketches, a necessary way in the early stage, consumes a lot of designers’ time and energy, resulting in missing fleeting design inspirations and clues. We propose a product concept sketch rendering method based on generative adversarial network and colour tags to assist designers in quickly capturing the harmony and balance between product colour and form, and improving design efficiency. This method encodes colour semantic information as the condition and combines ACGAN to achieve controllable rendering of line sketches based on specified colour tags. The generator is a hybrid of CNN and Transformer, further guided to optimise by combining pixel-wise loss and perceptual loss, while the discriminator adopts a convolution-based spatial-channel attention structure. Results show that PSR-GAN outperforms existing methods in terms of generation quality, and it also demonstrates excellent rendering results compared to professional manuscripts. Designers can use this method not only to obtain real-time comprehensive conceptual feedback but also to effectively narrow the colour search space for product details, accelerating the convergence of their design ideas during the sketch phase.

Assessing consumer preferences for plant-based ice cream: A conjoint analysis of soy and almond milk varieties

India, as the world's largest producer of milk, faces significant challenges due to the perishability of dairy products, driving demand for alternative value-added options like frozen desserts. Plant-based ice cream made from soy and almond milk offers a sustainable and healthier alternative to traditional dairy-based options. This study aims to explore consumer preferences for plant-based ice cream, addressing the growing demand for dairy-free and health-conscious dessert options. Using Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis (CBC), a survey was conducted among 120 respondents in Coimbatore, India, to evaluate preferences for plant-based ice cream across four key attributes: health benefits, taste, price and product form (cone vs. cup). Low-fat content significantly influenced purchasing decisions under the health benefits attribute. Chocolate emerged as the preferred flavour, with a utility value of 0.362, while cones were favoured over cups with a utility value of 1.612. Price was the most influential attribute, contributing 46.5% to consumer decision-making, followed by health benefits. The optimal product configuration included a cone-shaped, chocolate-flavoured, low-fat plant-based ice cream priced at Rs. 70. The findings provide crucial insights for manufacturers, highlighting the importance of competitive pricing and health-focused innovations to meet the demand for healthier, plant-based ice cream varieties in India. These results can guide product development and marketing strategies in the expanding frozen dessert market.

Competing for Cultural Authority: Journalism Studies Must Account for the Right

ABSTRACT Recent technological and political developments have caused researchers to reevaluate journalists’ relevance vis a vis other forms of media production, with some calling for a “decentering” of journalism within broader media cultures. While there has been sizeable growth in research concerning the impacts of new digital technologies on journalism, we call for a renewed focus on partisan media. We contend that the future of journalism studies necessarily involves a reckoning with right-wing news cultures and note four areas where further research is especially necessary: including theorizing how conservative news influences and its epistemological assumptions, as well as right-wing media’s increasing salience across a diverse array of communities in the U.S. and across the globe. We intend this essay as a provocation to journalism studies scholars, with the goal of effecting a robust and reflexive subfield devoted to the study of right-wing news.

Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Interaktif Berbasis Power Point untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar PKn Kelas IV Sekolah Dasar

The purpose of this study is to develop interesting, interactive, and appropriate media for students to use in Civic Education (PKn), which is a key component of effective learning materials. This research uses the Research and Development (R&D) method. Interview sheets and questionnaires are data collection techniques used. The products developed are made by utilizing interactive elements such as animations, tests, and short films that are relevant to the content of citizenship and tailored to the needs of elementary school students. The data obtained were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The results in the form of products that are considered worthy of being tested. The results of the trial show that this media can improve the understanding of the subject matter and increase student involvement in the learning process. Analysis of student learning outcome data before and after the use of media showed a significant increase in average scores. PowerPoint-based interactive learning materials can be a useful substitute to improve student achievement in PKn courses. This media can also make learning more fun and meaningful, so it can be used in various classroom settings to encourage creative and active learning

Fortalecimiento del sistema de innovación alimentario local: diagnóstico agroecológico en la finca Casa Blanca

The strengthening of the Local Food Innovation System: agroecological diagnosis on the Casa Blanca farm, was developed with the objective of presenting the characterization of the current state of agroecological behavior, with the application of the Tool for the Evaluation of Agroecological Performance, in pursuit of strengthening of the relationships that must be achieved in the System, from participatory innovation practices at the Casa Blanca farm. Descriptive, explanatory, non-experimental study, which applied agroecological elements and indices, identifying potentialities and weaknesses in Casa Blanca. Conclusions: The characterization corroborated potentialities: human/social values, productive conditions, youth/female empowerment, animal welfare, respect for local culture/traditions. Weaknesses were identified in knowledge management based on science and innovation. The current state of the behavior of agroecology showed that the SIAL relationships - principles of Agroecology, must be perfected at the starting point of placing the Casa Blanca farm in a Transition Typology that corresponds with the identification of non-agroecological in a transition incipient or initial, a situation that points to decision-making for the formation of capacities in the producer, and in the decision-makers of the productive form to which it belongs.

Analisis Pengendalian Kualitas Sablon Pada Sandal Jepit Dengan Menggunakan Statistical Process Control (SPC) di PT. XZ

PT. XZ is a company engaged in the manufacture of flip-flops. One of the sandal products produced is Screen-printed flip flops. However, in every production process failure is inseparable in the form of defective products in the production process. The purpose of this research is to minimize defects in Screen printing products. To reduce these defects, it is necessary to analyze the production process using the Statistical Process Control method. The analysis was carried out by using Seven Tools and 5W+1H tools. The results of the analysis show that the types of defects that occur in Screen printing products are the color of the paint is uneven, the paint is smeared and peeled off, and the Screen printing is not precise. Based on the three types of defects, the most dominant defect is uneven paint color with a percentage of 41,8%. Screen printing product defects are caused by human, machine, material, and method. Improvement efforts made to minimize the occurrence of uneven/fading paint color defects, namely conducting briefings and conducting supervision and checking on Screen printing results, checking on the Screen before printing is done, checking paint before printing, and providing training on rework standardization to employees and conducting regular performance evalutions. Keywords: Quality, Statistical Process Control, Seven Tools, 5W+1H

Geoethics and Sustainability: Addressing Challenges in Environmental Education for Achieving the SDGs

Geoethics, which explores the ethical implications of Earth sciences, requires a philosophical effort to deepen our understanding of the field. Sustainability, particularly in the context of the energy transition, necessitates a critical examination of the limits to societal development. While advancing new forms of energy production is crucial, it is equally important to investigate the ethical boundaries of such studies. This article addresses the question: how can environmental education, in the context of sustainability and geoethics, respond to the challenges posed by SDG Goals 3 and 4? These goals—Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, and Quality Education—are fundamental for preserving global living conditions. This study explores how environmental education can tackle sustainability issues from an ethical standpoint, focusing on geoethics as a key dimension. Using bibliographic research, exploratory and critical analysis as method, the paper examines the intersection of geoethics and sustainability, with particular emphasis on the ethical dimensions of energy transition. The findings underscore the urgent need to improve education—especially in schools—to prepare children and young people to navigate the ethical limits of sustainability. A secondary outcome of this paper is to highlight the critical role of ethics in shaping environmental education for a sustainable future.

Mitigating anthropogenic climate change with aqueous green energy

Reaching net zero emissions and limiting global warming to 2 °C requires the widespread introduction of technology-based solutions to draw down existing atmospheric levels and future emissions of CO2. One such approach is direct air CO2 capture and storage (DACCS), a readily available, yet energy-intensive process. The combination of DACCS and ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) allows for independently powered carbon capture plants to inject concentrated carbon into deep marine sediments where storage is generally safe and permanent. OTEC is a form of electricity production that exploits the temperature difference between deep and shallow ocean waters, and can power DACCS on floating platforms at a price competitive with coal-generated electricity. Here we highlight the scale of the challenge facing society. We show that a safe and sustainable level of OTEC-generated electricity powering DACCS for 70 years could result in up to a 35% decrease in the relative global mean temperature warming compared to a business-as-usual emissions scenario.

Policy experimentation, everyday state informality, and contested cultural-creative entrepreneurial practices in urbanizing China

ABSTRACT Focusing on a state-run cultural creative industrial district in China, this paper examines how creative city policy, as a top-down experimental agenda, is embedded in the situated cultural and creative practices through informal urban governance at the local level, and how this informality reshapes the experiences and existing precariousness of creative entrepreneurs. Beyond the dichotomy of self-entrepreneurialism and state entrepreneurialism, this paper argues that urban cultural creative industries emerge from everyday conflicts and informal negotiations between creative entrepreneurs, local authorities, and indigenous communities in the context of policy experimentation. This process is facilitated specifically through two mechanisms: (1) political informality, which involves policy ambivalence, corruption, clientelism, and bureaucratic preferences in local state-business relations; and (2) social informality, which involves the informal social connections and cooperation between local residents and creative industries. This informality can fall on a spectrum ranging from para-formal to a-formal, depending on the degree of state intervention. While the para-formal can lead to negotiated forms of cultural production and innovation, the a-formal based on political performances and state-enlisted voluntarism may increase the precariousness and insecurity of creative entrepreneurs.

Deposition of Water Vapor on Au(001) Substrates: Effect of Temperature and Deposition Frequency.

Ice formation from water vapor is a common phenomenon with significant implications for both natural ice formation and industrial processes. However, there remains controversy over how deposition frequency and substrate temperature affect the structural forms of deposition products and their formation processes. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the deposition process of water vapor onto a cold Au(001) substrate at different temperatures and deposition frequencies. We analyzed the effects of temperature and deposition frequency on the forms of deposition products including bilayer hexagonal ice, amorphous water, and their mixtures. Additionally, we identified and explained the unique formation of square ice as an unstable intermediate within specific temperature and deposition frequency ranges. We also discuss the crystallization processes of pancake- and droplet-like amorphous waters. This research contributes to a better understanding of ice formation, with implications for more accurate forecasting of natural ice formation and improved control of artificial ice processes.