Consumer attitudes and sociodemographic profiles in purchasing organic food products: evidence from a Greek and Swedish survey

PurposeThis study explores Greek and Swedish consumers' attitude towards organic food consumption in order to demonstrate possible differences that can be identified based on health and ecological consciousness beliefs rather than demographic factors. The examination of an emerging and a more mature market allow the authors to provide more targeted marketing strategies that possibly increase organic food consumption in both countries.Design/methodology/approachThe authors adopt an econometric approach to the analysis of consumer behavior in relation to organic food consumption in Sweden and Greece. More specifically, the authors examine the motivations and postexperiences of organic food consumers of different socioeconomic profiles in these two countries, one in northern and one in southern Europe. The authors apply an ordered logistic regression analysis model to map out the interaction between consumer attitudes and sociodemographic variables.FindingsThe authors results show that consumers in Sweden more frequently purchase organic foods than consumers in Greece. Environmental protection and ethical values increase the odds for Swedish organic food consumers to buy organic food products. Health consciousness and family well-being are perceived as factors that increase the odds for Greek organic food consumers to buy organic foods. Sociodemographic factors do not play a pivotal role for consumer behavior in relation to organic food in both countries.Originality/valueThis study distinguishes between organic food consumers in two countries with different levels of organic food production and export activity, size of organic market, national organic labeling system and legal definition and standards of organic food. Within these differences, the organic food industry could align its marketing efforts better rather focus on simplistic demographics. The current view unfolds the fact that there are limited studies comparing two European markets at different stages of development and the factors that influence organic food consumer behavior.

Molecular Docking and Simulation Analysis of Cyclopeptides as Anticancer Agents

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death for people worldwide, in addition to the rise in mortality rates attributed to the Covid epidemic. This allows scientists to do additional research. Here, we have selected Integerrimide A, cordy heptapeptide, and Oligotetrapeptide as the three cyclic proteins that will be further studied and investigated in this context.Methods: Docking research was carried out using the protein complexes 1FKB and 1YET, downloaded from the PDB database and used in the docking investigations. Cyclopeptides have been reported to bind molecularly to human HSP90 (Heat shock protein) and FK506. It was possible to locate HSP90 in Protein Data Banks 1YET and 1FKB. HSP90 was retrieved from Protein Data Bank 1YET and 1FKB. Based on these findings, it is possible that the anticancer effects of Int A, Cordy, and Oligo substances could be due to their ability to inhibit the mTOR rapamycin binding domain and the HSP90 Geldanamycin binding domain via the mTOR and mTOR chaperone pathways. During the calculation, there were three stages: system development, energy reduction, and molecular dynamics (also known as molecular dynamics). Each of the three compounds demonstrated a binding affinity for mTOR's Rapamycin binding site that ranged from -6.80 to -9.20 Kcal/mol (FKB12).Results: An inhibition constant Ki of 181.05 nM characterized Cordy A with the highest binding affinity (-9.20 Kcal/mol). Among the three tested compounds, Cordy A was selected for MD simulation. HCT116 and B16F10 cell lines were used to test each compound's anticancer efficacy. Doxorubicin was used as a standard drug. The cytotoxic activity of substances Int A, Cordy A, and Oligo on HCT116 cell lines was found to be 77.65 μM, 145.36 μM, and 175.54 μM when compared to Doxorubicin 48.63 μM, similarly utilizing B16F10 cell lines was found to be 68.63 μM, 127.63 μM, and 139.11 μM to Doxorubicin 45.25 μM.Conclusion: Compound Cordy A was more effective than any other cyclic peptides tested in this investigation.

Rebuilding the workplace to promote young workers' mental health

Purpose: Young adults have been particularly adversely affected by COVID-19-related disruptions, especially in relation to industries with an over-representation of young adults. This study, a report, aims to discuss the findings from survey data from young adults who reported poorer mental health comparative to older generations prior to the pandemic. Drawing on the international literature and the research findings, the authors propose recommendations for rebuilding the workplace post-pandemic to support young adult's mental health. Design/methodology/approach: Data from 1,999 respondents from 200 organisations in the UK were sought in relation to workplace well-being and mental health through a 15-item multiple choice online survey. Overall, 17% of the sample were senior management, 31% junior management, 37% in non-management roles and a further 15% stated "other". Exploratory quantitative analyses were undertaken to assess differences in responses to questions between age groups. Findings: Participants in the 16-25-year-old age group were more likely than any other age group to report that work adversely affected their mental health, that their mental health challenges influenced their performance at work, that they had witnessed colleagues' employment negatively influenced by mental health challenges and they felt more comfortable citing physical health challenges for absence than mental health difficulties. Originality/value: COVID-19-related disruptions meant a large-scale move to remote working for many people. As we return to physical workplaces, we have an exciting opportunity to reform and improve the status quo. The findings, in relation to the mental health of young adults, highlight key risk factors that need to be addressed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Methodological and theoretical advancements in social impacts of tourism research

This lead article introduces the double special issue dedicated to methodological and theoretical advancements in social impacts of tourism research. We begin by providing an overview of five key developmental stages of research within this area: Definitions, typologies, and conceptual model development;the advent of case study-based, atheoretical empirical inquiry;scale design, development, and testing;further scale development/refinement and theoretical application;and theoretical model development and testing. Brief evolutionary histories of the methodological and theoretical advancements of research dedicated to social impacts of tourism are then discussed. This includes a review of the most pertinent predictor variables (along with a visual display of each and key studies) in explaining residents' perceptions of social impacts of tourism and a thorough review of most frequently used theoretical frameworks. Following this, brief synopses of the articles are provided along with key themes (e.g. resident-tourist relationships, social impacts and residents' attitudes, residents' empowerment, overtourism, and methodologies) and salient points of each work. In closing, we suggest numerous lines of inquiry that will continue to advance research into social impacts of tourism. Though these studies were undertaken prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, we emphasize that future work should be designed with the pandemic in mind.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2022.2046011

Use of WeChat to gratify information needs of the Chinese community in Portugal during the COVID-19 outbreak

This paper seeks to characterize the main themes of COVID-19-related posts delivered by WeChat official accounts targeting Portuguese news and explore their subscribers' information needs and preferences. Furthermore, the current study set out to evaluate the influence of the coronavirus situation in Portugal on the number of posts, view frequency and total engagement on the WeChat platform. Following the selection of COVID-19-related posts published in 2021 by four official accounts targeting Portuguese news, Chi-square tests were conducted to quantitively describe the differences between the four developmental stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. Negative binomial regression was employed to establish an association between categorical variables and count data. Regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between COVID-19 infection cases in Portugal and the metrics of selected posts. A total of 3292 COVID-19-related posts remained. The posts regarding the latest epidemic situation in Portugal, COVID-19 vaccination and the economic news were more prevalent. However, the predominant posts were not consistent with followers' information demands, and the most in-demand information did not generate more engagement. In addition, thematic categories were found to be significantly associated with view frequency and total engagement. Furthermore, a significant difference in thematic categories was identified among the four developmental stages, which in turn was related to the overall engagement of posts. The COVID-19 official case counts in Portugal are predictive of post frequency, view frequency and total engagement. The results of thisstudy support the view that social media provided diverse information sources for the Chinese community during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is evidently clear from the findings that communicators have to leverage the characteristics of social media not only for delivering real-time news but also to gratify public information needs and attract more followers.

Building density and its implications to COVID-19 health risk management: An example from Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Transmission rates of COVID-19 have been associated with the density of buildings where contact among individuals partially contributes to transmission. The research sought to analyze the spatial distribution of building density derived from satellite images and determine its implications to COVID-19 health risk management using Yogyakarta and its surrounding districts as an example. Fine-scale building distribution obtained through remote sensing data transformation was analyzed with GIS. NDBI was applied to Landsat 8 imagery;then, using multiple linear regression analysis, it was correlated to building density’s training samples generated from high-resolution imagery. The derived percent of building density (PBD) was combined with publicly available records of COVID-19 infection to assess risk. This research found that PBD could explain the uneven COVID-19 diffusion at different stages of its development. Instead of dividing regions into zones based on confirmed cases, government and public health officials should observe new cases in high-PBD districts;then, when the cases are decreasing, their attention should shift to low-PBD districts. Remote sensing data allow for moderate-scale PBD mapping and integrating it with confirmed cases produces spatial health risks, determining target areas for interventions and allowing regionally tailored responses to anticipate or prevent the next wave of infections.

Theoretical Model for the Analysis of Community-Based Tourism: Contribution to Sustainable Development

This work aims to show a theoretical model of community-based tourism, to explain its component subsystems, to provide its theoretical–methodological foundation and to discuss the indications of its practical instrumentation in facing the changes that tourism of the future imposes and will impose. The research was carried out in the tourist context of Ecuador, for which the deductive method was applied, which allowed for examining the problem, and the more general theories related to tourist activity, which allowed for identifying the premises and objectives of the work to reach accurate conclusions on the subject studied. This was a mixed investigation that allowed for integrating the contributions of qualitative and quantitative analyses in the treatment and processing of information. The results included achieving systematization of the theoretical models linked to community-based tourism and, from a practical point of view, obtaining a new model of community-based tourism, a graphic representation of the subsystems that form this model, and its arguments. The findings show the need to update the community-based tourism model as a contribution to the scientific development of tourism as well as the systemic nature of its components from a new perspective of analysis that considers the need for changes as a developmental factor.

Participatory Approach to Wetland Governance: The Case of The Memorandum of Understanding of the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park

Wetlands are defined as dynamic ecosystems that combine the characteristics of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and are important from ecological as well as social and economic perspectives. In response to the intense degradation and alteration of wetlands, communities have developed various management strategies. One of the ways to achieve more effective participatory wetland management is to introduce the concept of a Wetland Contract, a voluntary agreement that ensures sustainable management and development of wetlands. This study on the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park in Slovenia follows the methodology of the preparation (legal framework, scientific description and stakeholder analysis) and implementation (organization of Territorial Labs, scenario planning and development) stages of the Wetland Contract concept. Of approximately 200 potential stakeholders, 34 participated in the Territorial Labs, and 16 stakeholders signed the less binding type of Wetland Contract, called the Memorandum of Understanding. The Memorandum of Understanding and its implementation process, which included systematic cross-sectoral participation, successfully overcame conflicts between stakeholders with different interests. The methodology used has shown great potential for further applications in wetlands of common interest.

See to hear: developing non-verbal communication skills with in situ multidisciplinary ‘silent sims’ in paediatric simulation

1409 Figure 1F. Izagaren [Figure omitted. See PDF] 1409 Table 1Likeart Scores‘Silent Sims’ is a valuable concept to mitigate for challenging communication in the ‘real-world’ particularly with Deaf/non-verbal patients. Participants were provided with additional resources and confidence in strategies to optimise verbal/non-verbal communication. The success of ‘Silent Sim’ concept has progressed to a new programme ‘The Three Wise Monkeys’. 3 SIM scenarios challenging the senses we utilise in communication: verbal, visual and speech.Sim 1: Blind-folded Sim leadSim 2: Whole team wear earplugsSim 3: Non-VerbalIt’s hoped this package could be developed as an educational tool across Paediatric and Adult Medicine. Indeed, it could be valuable for those working in the community in Retrieval medicine such as the HEMs team.ReferencesRabøl LI, Andersen ML, Østergaard D, et al. Descriptions of verbal communication errors between staff. An analysis of 84 root cause analysis-reports from Danish hospitals BMJ Quality&Safety 2011;20:268-274.Grote H, Izagaren F. Covid-19: The communication needs of D/deaf healthcare workers and patients are being forgotten BMJ 2020;369:m2372doi:10.1136/bmj.m2372

A unique multi-deanery collaboration between senior Paediatric trainees in the UK for remote ‘START’ preparations during the Covid-19 Pandemic– survey feedback

582 Figure 1[Figure omitted. See PDF] 582 Figure 2illustrates the percentage of START outcome success trainees attributed to their work place and to revision group.[Figure omitted. See PDF]Comments included‘Open and honest colleagues. Happy to call friends now’‘Brilliant group! Supportive, non-judgemental, definitely exceeded expectations. Without this group I would definitely have done much worse. Reduced my workload and made me practice. Great group-thank you!’‘A very supportive group who share their knowledge willingly and able to give honest constructive feedback. Will be extremely useful to have this support even after finishing START’‘Brilliant support, lovely to meet others at the same grade. Would have loved groups like this for other assessments/difficult times of my career. Maybe throughout my career! Thank you so much! ‘ConclusionThis is a unique multi-deanery collaboration between senior Paediatric trainees in the UK who continue to support each other.Acknowledgements1. All trainees who filled in the survey to support this write up.DeclarationsNo conflict of interest.

Q&A: Start talking about mRNA vaccine access now, say experts

Speed read Researchers are working on possible mRNA vaccines for TB, malaria, and HIV Technology shows potential but needs further exploration Global South production would be crucial to ensure equal access While researchers are still in the early stages of development for new mRNA vaccines, global health leaders focused on the world’s most neglected infectious diseases say that conversations about access should begin now. The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that mRNA technology transfer hubs will be set up in six African countries, with ‘spokes’ in other low- and middle-income countries. “Government and other public or not-profit organisations which finance research should ensure that their funding prioritises public health at large over profits for the private sector, and that IP rights are managed in a way which allows low- and middle-income countries to manufacture their own vaccines,” adds Kieny.

Clinical application and development of anti-complement active substances

The complement system is an important component of the innate immune system, and the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, COVID-19 and other diseases is closely related to abnormalities of the complement system. At present, most of the complement inhibitors commonly used in clinical practice are chemical synthetic drugs, which are poorly selective, and long-term use can easily lead to a decrease in the body's immune ability. The anti-complement active ingredients from natural products are less toxic and easy to be digested and absorbed by the body, among which the anti-complement active substances of microbial sources have unique advantages and application potential, which can be quickly discovered and identified by genome mining, and use metabolic engineering to modify and optimize mass production, but the relevant research is still in the preliminary research and development stage. This review summarizes the clinical application of the more common complement inhibitors at home and abroad in recent years, and discusses the research and development progress of anti-complement active substances of microbial origin, in order to provide a reference for the clinical research of complement inhibitors and the development of new anti-complement active substances of natural sources.

Understanding the biological basis of behavior: Developing evidence-based interventions for clinical, counseling and school psychologists

This book is an introduction to the biological basis of behavior, broadly defined, with practical applications for higher education programs that focus on advances in neuroscience. It has a special focus on training practitioners based on American Psychological Association (APA) health service psychology guidelines. It reviews and digests information for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists serving clients of all ages in a variety of settings, such as schools, hospitals, and clinics. Content for all developmental stages, including birth to geriatric practices are highlighted. This book will help health service psychologists and counselors to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population by providing cutting-edge, evidence-based, ecologically valid neuropsychological interventions currently lacking within the field. Cultural considerations are provided within each chapter, which is especially important given societal inequity that continues to persist within our world. Implications for the COVID-19 pandemic are also discussed in light of neuroscientific advances in medicine. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Ontogenetic Transfer of Microplastics in Bloodsucking Mosquitoes Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) Is a Potential Pathway for Particle Distribution in the Environment

The uptake and accumulation of microplastics (MPs) by bloodsucking mosquitoes Aedes aegypti L., carriers of vector-borne diseases, were investigated in the laboratory. In the experimental group, polystyrene (PS) particles were registered in insects of all life stages from larvae to pupae and adults. Ae. aegypti larvae readily ingested MPs with food, accumulating on average 7.3 × 106 items per larva in three days. The content of PS microspheres significantly decreased in mosquitoes from the larval stage to the pupal stage and was passed to the adult stage from the pupal without significant loss. On average, 15.8 items were detected per pupa and 10.9 items per adult individual. The uptake of MPs by Ae. aegypti did not affect their survival, while the average body weight of mosquitoes of all life stages that consumed PS microspheres was higher than that of mosquitoes in the control groups. Our data confirmed that in insects with metamorphosis, MPs can pass from feeding larvae to nonfeeding pupae in aquatic ecosystems and, subsequently, to adults flying to land. Bloodsucking mosquitoes can participate in MP circulation in the environment.

Various surgical interventions in cases of complicated hepatic echinococcosis with intracystic bile leakage

Objective: To explore an effective surgical intervention strategy for hepatic echinococcosis complicated with intracystic bile leakage.

Measuring the Service Quality of Fresh Food Delivery Platforms: Development and Validation of the “Food PlatQual” Scale

This research conducted three studies to develop a scale for measuring the service quality of fresh food delivery platforms. In Study 1, the scale development stage, a total of 55 items were generated via literature reviews, text mining, and expert interviews. In Study 2, the preliminary assessment stage, the first consumer survey (n = 550) was conducted to purify and refine the items derived from Study 1 using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Lastly, in Study 3, the second consumer survey (n = 570) was carried out to validate the scale using CFA. Ultimately, Food PlatQual scale, consisting of 25 items with seven dimensions: “information quality”, “price”, “product assortment”, “problem resolution”, “delivery quality”, “ease of use”, and “trendiness”. The current study is expected to offer a theoretical basis for future research as well as offer useful managerial implications for sustainable fresh food delivery platform services.

Characterizing the Relationship between Growth and Development in the Context of Strategic Management via Systems Thinking: A Systematic Literature Review

The consequence of the complexity of contemporary challenges has a significant impact on the management sphere. Growth and development are two critical stages in the lifecycle of any organization, enterprise, or corporation as a system. The purpose of this study is to conduct an overview of strategic management discourse to characterize the relationship between growth and development processes with the aim of alleviating complexity. In this regard, we conduct a bibliographic analysis in the Web of Science database using a systematic literature review along with a systems thinking approach as a method to synthesize the findings and finally propose a conceptual framework. According to the findings of this study, a lack of attention to the importance of the relationship between growth and development processes is identified. This implies a gap in this research area, emphasizing the importance of more focus on these processes regardless of their attributes. The implications of the findings in this article will provide a holistic perspective for strategic management practitioners, allowing a better understanding of the importance of growth and development convergence. Consequently, this study may provide a path for future research to explore the implications of growth and development process in other disciplines of management.

Associated factors with the mortality rate in patients with COVID-19 - decision trees vs. logistic regression

BACKGROUND: Given the global burden of COVID-19 mortality, this study intended to determine the factors affecting mortality in patients with COVID-19 using decision tree analysis and logistic regression model in Kermanshah province, 2020. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 7799 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the hospitals of Kermanshah province. Data gathered from February 18 to July 9, 2020, were obtained from the vice-chancellor for the health of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. The performance of the models was compared according to the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: According to the decision tree model, the most important risk factors for death due to COVID-19 were age, body temperature, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), prior hospital visit within the last 14 days, and cardiovascular disease. Also, the multivariate logistic regression model showed that the variables of age [OR = 4.47, 95% CI: (3.16 -6.32)], shortness of breath [OR = 1.42, 95% CI: (1.0-2.01)], ICU admission [OR = 3.75, 95% CI: (2.47-5.68)], abnormal chest X-ray [OR = 1.93, 95% CI: (1.06-3.41)], liver disease [OR = 5.05, 95% CI (1.020-25.2)], body temperature [OR = 4.93, 95% CI: (2.17-6.25)], and cardiovascular disease [OR = 2.15, 95% CI: (1.27-3.06)] were significantly associated with the higher mortality of patients with COVID-19. The area under the ROC curve for the decision tree model and logistic regression was 0.77 and 0.75, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying risk factors for mortality in patients with COVID-19 can provide more effective interventions in the early stages of treatment and improve the medical approaches provided by the medical staff.

Differential Molecular Responses of Zebrafish Larvae to Fluoxetine and Norfluoxetine

The occurrence of psychopharmaceuticals in aquatic ecosystems is a growing problem. Fluoxetine (FL) and its metabolite norfluoxetine (NF) are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Although they may be potentially harmful to non-target species, available knowledge on the effects of NF is sparse, relative to FL. This study aimed at contributing to the body of knowledge about the modes-of-action (MoA) of these compounds and their underlying mechanisms eliciting hazardous effects during the early development of the teleost model zebrafish (Danio rerio). One hour post-fertilisation (hpf), embryos were exposed up to 80 hpf to these compounds at levels found in surface waters and higher (FL, 0.0015 and 0.05 µM;NF, 0.00006 and 0.0014 µM). Developmental anomalies were observed at 8, 32 and 80 hpf. Larvae were collected at 80 hpf to assess the expression of 34 genes related to FL and NF MoA and metabolism, using qPCR (quantitative reverse transcription PCR). Results showed that both compounds elicited an increased frequency of embryos exhibiting abnormal pigmentation, relative to controls. Gene expression alterations were more pronounced in FL- than in NF-exposed larvae. Cluster Analysis revealed two groups of genes discriminating between the drugs. for their marked opposing responses. Globally, downregulation of gene expression was typical of FL, whilst upregulation or no alteration was found for NF. These clusters identified were linked to the adrenergic pathway and to the retinoid and peroxisome proliferator-activated nuclear receptors. Overall, our data contradict the prevailing notion that NF is more toxic than FL and unveiled the expression levels of genes drd2b, 5-ht2c and abcc2 as possible markers of exposure to FL.

Rural Tourism Destination: The Ligurian Farmers’ Perspective

Rural tourism is considered a high potential form of tourism, enhanced by the demand for more sustainable and nature-based solutions, and able to contribute to territory resilience. A rural area is not necessarily a tourist destination, but it might become one, if agricultural enterprises are willing to diversify their economic activities by investing in rural tourism, and local actors provide active support and co-participation. This research focuses on the development of rural tourism in hinterland, mountainous, and hilly areas of the province of Savona in Liguria (North-West of Italy) in order to gather the farmers’ perspectives about local rural tourism destination development. Liguria is known above all as a seaside tourist destination. In recent years, policy makers have initiated a debate with local actors to relaunch Ligurian tourism by trying to develop alternative forms of tourism, such as rural tourism. A sample of 32 farmers already proposing rural tourism activities such as agritourism were involved in a mixed methodological approach aimed at validating local interest toward rural tourism and collecting information for designing future local development policies. At first, a questionnaire set up by a panel of experts was carried out, followed by one-to-one semi-structured interviews, and finally the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was used to identify local priorities, strategies, and tools. The results highlight the willingness of farmers to invest in the rural tourism sector, the presence of heterogeneous interests, and the complexity of management of the relationship among the various stakeholders. Findings are partially explained by the early stage of development of rural tourism in the analyzed area, a phase in which starting a constructive dialogue on objective and project ideas among all stakeholders seems to be a crucial priority among the farmers taking part in the study.