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Article
Publication date: 14 February 2024

Qing Wang, Xuening Wang, Shaojing Sun, Litao Wang, Yan Sun, Xinyan Guo, Na Wang and Bin Chen

This study aims to study the distribution characteristics of antibiotic resistance in direct-eating food and analysis of Citrobacter freundii genome and pathogenicity. Residual…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to study the distribution characteristics of antibiotic resistance in direct-eating food and analysis of Citrobacter freundii genome and pathogenicity. Residual antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment severely threaten human health and the ecological environment. The diseases caused by foodborne pathogenic bacteria are increasing daily, and the enhancement of antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria poses many difficulties in the treatment of disease.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, six fresh fruits and vegetable samples were selected for isolation and identification of culturable bacteria and analysis of antibiotic resistance. The whole genome of Citrobacter freundii isolated from cucumber was sequenced and analyzed by Oxford Nanopore sequencing.

Findings

The results show that 270 strains of bacteria were identified in 6 samples. From 12 samples of direct food, 2 kinds of probiotics and 10 kinds of opportunistic pathogens were screened. The proportion of Citrobacter freundii screened from cucumber was significantly higher than that from other samples, and it showed resistance to a variety of antibiotics. Whole genome sequencing showed that Citrobacter freundii was composed of a circular chromosome containing signal peptides, transmembrane proteins and transporters that could induce antibiotic efflux, indicating that Citrobacter freundii had strong adaptability to the environment. The detection of genes encoding carbohydrate active enzymes is more beneficial to the growth and reproduction of Citrobacter freundii in crops. A total of 29 kinds of ARGs were detected in Citrobacter freundii, mainly conferring resistance to fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, carbapenem, cephalosporins and macrolides. The main mechanisms are the change in antibiotic targets and efflux pumps, the change in cell permeability and the inactivation of antibiotics and the detection of virulence factors and ARGs, further indicating the serious risk to human health.

Originality/value

The detection of genomic islands and prophages increases the risk of horizontal transfer of virulence factors and ARGs, which spreads the drug resistance of bacteria and pathogenic bacteria more widely.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2023

R. Rajesh

The author aims to study and predict the sustainability governance performances of firms using an advanced grey prediction model. The case implication of the prediction model is…

Abstract

Purpose

The author aims to study and predict the sustainability governance performances of firms using an advanced grey prediction model. The case implication of the prediction model is also studied considering select firms in the Indian context.

Design/methodology/approach

The author has proposed an advanced grey prediction model, the first-entry grey prediction model (FGM (1, 1)) for forecasting the sustainability governance performances of firms. The proposed model is tested using the periodic data of sustainability governance performances of 10 Indian firms.

Findings

The author observes that the majority of firms (6 out of 10) show dipping performances for sustainability governance for the future predicted period. This throws insights into the direction of improving good governance practices for Indian firms.

Practical implications

The idea and motivation for sustainability-focussed governance need a bi-directional focus from the side of managers that act as the agents and from the side of shareholders that act as the principals, as seen from an agency theory perspective for sustainability governance.

Social implications

Sustainability governance culture can be inculcated to a firm at the strategic level by having a bi-directional focus from managers and shareholders, so as to enhance the social and environmental sustainability performances.

Originality/value

The governance performance evaluations for firms particularly in developing countries were not dated back more than a decade or two. Hence, the author implements a prediction model that can be best suited, when there are small periodic data sets available for prediction.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Ying-Feng Kuo, Hsin-Hsien Liu and Tso-Hao Shen

Inaction inertia occurs when people are less likely to act on a similar but inferior option after missing a superior opportunity, compared to if they had not missed out. This…

Abstract

Purpose

Inaction inertia occurs when people are less likely to act on a similar but inferior option after missing a superior opportunity, compared to if they had not missed out. This study aims to explore how promotional formats and their sequence affect the inaction inertia effect in online shopping, under the assumption of economic equivalence.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors performed two online experiments and analyzed the data by analysis of variance.

Findings

The findings indicate that, under the premise of economic equivalence: Monetary promotions exhibit a higher inaction inertia effect on consumers than nonmonetary promotions. When consumers miss a more favorable promotion and subsequently encounter a relatively less attractive one presented in a different promotional format, the inaction inertia effect is lower than when reencountering the same promotion format. When consumers miss a better monetary promotion and presently encounter a relatively less attractive nonmonetary promotion, the inaction inertia effect is lower than when they miss a superior nonmonetary promotion and currently encounter a relatively less attractive monetary promotion.

Originality/value

This study reveals the sequence effects of promotional formats, indicating that nonmonetary promotions following monetary ones effectively reduce inaction inertia. A strategically sequenced set of formats enhances consumer recommendations, mitigating inaction inertia. These findings open new research paths, providing insights into the impact of promotional format sequences on the inaction inertia effect. Consequently, this knowledge helps e-retailers in implementing effective promotional strategies and driving online purchases.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 March 2024

Xiaomei Liu, Bin Ma, Meina Gao and Lin Chen

A time-varying grey Fourier model (TVGFM(1,1,N)) is proposed for the simulation of variable amplitude seasonal fluctuation time series, as the performance of traditional grey…

20

Abstract

Purpose

A time-varying grey Fourier model (TVGFM(1,1,N)) is proposed for the simulation of variable amplitude seasonal fluctuation time series, as the performance of traditional grey models can't catch the time-varying trend well.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model couples Fourier series and linear time-varying terms as the grey action, to describe the characteristics of variable amplitude and seasonality. The truncated Fourier order N is preselected from the alternative order set by Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem and the principle of simplicity, then the optimal Fourier order is determined by hold-out method to improve the robustness of the proposed model. Initial value correction and the multiple transformation are also studied to improve the precision.

Findings

The new model has a broader applicability range as a result of the new grey action, attaining higher fitting and forecasting accuracy. The numerical experiment of a generated monthly time series indicates the proposed model can accurately fit the variable amplitude seasonal sequence, in which the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is only 0.01%, and the complex simulations based on Monte-Carlo method testify the validity of the proposed model. The results of monthly electricity consumption in China's primary industry, demonstrate the proposed model catches the time-varying trend and has good performances, where MAPEF and MAPET are below 5%. Moreover, the proposed TVGFM(1,1,N) model is superior to the benchmark models, grey polynomial model (GMP(1,1,N)), grey Fourier model (GFM(1,1,N)), seasonal grey model (SGM(1,1)), seasonal ARIMA model seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model (SARIMA) and support vector regression (SVR).

Originality/value

The parameter estimates and forecasting of the new proposed TVGFM are studied, and the good fitting and forecasting accuracy of time-varying amplitude seasonal fluctuation series are testified by numerical simulations and a case study.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2024

Shulin Xu, Ibrahim Alnafrah and Abd Alwahed Dagestani

It is imperative for policymakers, financial institutions, and individual investors to comprehend the factors that impact stock market participation, given the growing…

Abstract

Purpose

It is imperative for policymakers, financial institutions, and individual investors to comprehend the factors that impact stock market participation, given the growing significance of the stock market in terms of personal and national wealth. This study endeavours to explore the relationship between cognitive ability and participation in the stock market. We examine the relationship between cognitive abilities and stock market participation, and further explore the mechanism of their influence.

Design/methodology/approach

The data from the China Family Panel Studies is utilized, and Tobit and Probit regressions are employed. Additionally, an instrumental variable approach (IV-estimate) is implemented to address the endogeneity issue linked to cognitive ability, and the study’s findings are resilient.

Findings

The results reveal a significant positive relationship between cognitive ability and stock market participation. Additionally, the findings suggest that households with higher cognitive ability tend to aggregate more information, expand social networks, and take more risks. A likely explanation is that individuals with higher cognitive ability are more likely to process more external information and evaluate the subjective uncertainty of stock markets based on a well-defined probability distribution. Our findings indicate that the impact of cognitive ability on stock market participation varies among families with differing education levels, genders, marital statuses, and geographical locations.

Originality/value

Therefore, the roles of cognitive abilities in accelerating stock market participation should be fully considered. More information channels and sources that contain financial markets’ information (e.g. mobile applications and financial education) should be provided. Thus, the significance of cognitive ability in increasing stock market participation should be fully considered. Providing more information channels and sources, such as mobile applications and financial education, that contain financial markets’ information would be helpful. Our study contributes to promoting financial literacy and inclusion by highlighting the significant positive impact of cognitive ability, where institutions can tailor their outreach efforts and information channels to better serve individuals with different cognitive ability.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 February 2024

Chao Xia, Bo Zeng and Yingjie Yang

Traditional multivariable grey prediction models define the background-value coefficients of the dependent and independent variables uniformly, ignoring the differences between…

Abstract

Purpose

Traditional multivariable grey prediction models define the background-value coefficients of the dependent and independent variables uniformly, ignoring the differences between their physical properties, which in turn affects the stability and reliability of the model performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel multivariable grey prediction model is constructed with different background-value coefficients of the dependent and independent variables, and a one-to-one correspondence between the variables and the background-value coefficients to improve the smoothing effect of the background-value coefficients on the sequences. Furthermore, the fractional order accumulating operator is introduced to the new model weaken the randomness of the raw sequence. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to optimize the background-value coefficients and the order of the model to improve model performance.

Findings

The new model structure has good variability and compatibility, which can achieve compatibility with current mainstream grey prediction models. The performance of the new model is compared and analyzed with three typical cases, and the results show that the new model outperforms the other two similar grey prediction models.

Originality/value

This study has positive implications for enriching the method system of multivariable grey prediction model.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 May 2024

Yong Wei and Shasha Xi

This paper sets out to solve a common and crucial fundamental theoretical problem of gray incidence cluster analysis: to

Abstract

Purpose

This paper sets out to solve a common and crucial fundamental theoretical problem of gray incidence cluster analysis: to [X]={X|ρ(X,Y)1ε0} constitute an approximate classification, it must first be proven that [X]={X|ρ(X,Y)=1} constitutes a rigorous classification.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper does not study the concrete expressions of various incidence degrees but rather the perfect correlation essence of such incidence degrees, that is, sufficient and necessary conditions.

Findings

For any order difference incidence degree, the similarity incidence degree, the direct proportion incidence degree, the parallel incidence degree and the nearness incidence degree, it is proven that the perfect correlation relation is an equivalence relation. The set composed of all sequences Y that are equivalent to sequences X is studied, that is, the equivalence class of X. The structure and mutual relations of these equivalence classes are discussed, and the topological homeomorphism concept of incidence degree is introduced. The conclusion is obtained that the equivalence classes of the two incidence degrees must be the same when the topological homeomorphism is obtained.

Research limitations/implications

In this paper, only the perfect correlation relation of any order difference incidence degree, the similarity incidence degree, the direct proportion incidence degree, the parallel incidence degree and the nearness incidence degree are studied as equivalent relations.

Originality/value

Not only are the research results of several incidence degrees involved in this paper original but also many other effective incidence degrees have not done this basic research, so this paper opens up a research direction with theoretical significance.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 May 2023

Yumeng Hou, Fadel Mamar Seydou and Sarah Kenderdine

Despite being an authentic carrier of various cultural practices, the human body is often underutilised to access the knowledge of human body. Digital inventions today have…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite being an authentic carrier of various cultural practices, the human body is often underutilised to access the knowledge of human body. Digital inventions today have created new avenues to open up cultural data resources, yet mainly as apparatuses for well-annotated and object-based collections. Hence, there is a pressing need for empowering the representation of intangible expressions, particularly embodied knowledge within its cultural context. To address this issue, the authors propose to inspect the potential of machine learning methods to enhance archival knowledge interaction with intangible cultural heritage (ICH) materials.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts a novel approach by combining movement computing with knowledge-specific modelling to support retrieving through embodied cues, which is applied to a multimodal archive documenting the cultural heritage (CH) of Southern Chinese martial arts.

Findings

Through experimenting with a retrieval engine implemented using the Hong Kong Martial Arts Living Archive (HKMALA) datasets, this work validated the effectiveness of the developed approach in multimodal content retrieval and highlighted the potential for the multimodal's application in facilitating archival exploration and knowledge discoverability.

Originality/value

This work takes a knowledge-specific approach to invent an intelligent encoding approach through a deep-learning workflow. This article underlines that the convergence of algorithmic reckoning and content-centred design holds promise for transforming the paradigm of archival interaction, thereby augmenting knowledge transmission via more accessible CH materials.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 March 2024

Keyu Chen, Beiyu You, Yanbo Zhang and Zhengyi Chen

Prefabricated building has been widely applied in the construction industry all over the world, which can significantly reduce labor consumption and improve construction…

Abstract

Purpose

Prefabricated building has been widely applied in the construction industry all over the world, which can significantly reduce labor consumption and improve construction efficiency compared with conventional approaches. During the construction of prefabricated buildings, the overall efficiency largely depends on the lifting sequence and path of each prefabricated component. To improve the efficiency and safety of the lifting process, this study proposes a framework for automatically optimizing the lifting path of prefabricated building components using building information modeling (BIM), improved 3D-A* and a physic-informed genetic algorithm (GA).

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, the industry foundation class (IFC) schema for prefabricated buildings is established to enrich the semantic information of BIM. After extracting corresponding component attributes from BIM, the models of typical prefabricated components and their slings are simplified. Further, the slings and elements’ rotations are considered to build a safety bounding box. Secondly, an efficient 3D-A* is proposed for element path planning by integrating both safety factors and variable step size. Finally, an efficient GA is designed to obtain the optimal lifting sequence that satisfies physical constraints.

Findings

The proposed optimization framework is validated in a physics engine with a pilot project, which enables better understanding. The results show that the framework can intuitively and automatically generate the optimal lifting path for each type of prefabricated building component. Compared with traditional algorithms, the improved path planning algorithm significantly reduces the number of nodes computed by 91.48%, resulting in a notable decrease in search time by 75.68%.

Originality/value

In this study, a prefabricated component path planning framework based on the improved A* algorithm and GA is proposed for the first time. In addition, this study proposes a safety-bounding box that considers the effects of torsion and slinging of components during lifting. The semantic information of IFC for component lifting is enriched by taking into account lifting data such as binding positions, lifting methods, lifting angles and lifting offsets.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 April 2024

Zhanghuang Xie, Xiaomei Li, Dian Huang, Andrea Appolloni and Kan Fang

We consider a joint optimization problem of product platform design and scheduling on unrelated additive/subtractive hybrid machines, and seek to find efficient solution…

Abstract

Purpose

We consider a joint optimization problem of product platform design and scheduling on unrelated additive/subtractive hybrid machines, and seek to find efficient solution approaches to solve such problem.

Design/methodology/approach

We propose a mathematical formulation for the problem of simultaneous product platform design and scheduling on unrelated additive/subtractive hybrid machines, and develop a simulated annealing-based hyper-heuristic algorithm with adjustable operator sequence length to solve the problem.

Findings

The simulated annealing-based hyper-heuristic algorithm with adjustable operator sequence length (SAHH-osla) that we proposed can be quite efficient in solving the problem of simultaneous product platform design and scheduling on unrelated additive/subtractive hybrid machines.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, we are one of the first to consider both cost-related and time-related criteria for the problem of simultaneous product platform design and scheduling on unrelated additive/subtractive hybrid machines.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

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