28 research outputs found
The Impact of Green Disclosure Nudging in Online Reuse Markets: Evidence from a Natural Experiment
As the environment continues to deteriorate, for managers, the means of shifting consumer behavior to green is urgently needed. Information disclosure as a tactic to promote green consumption has been widely studied, which typically stimulates demand for new green products through cost disclosure. In contrast, the impact of environmental benefit information disclosure on green consumption, especially on online reuse platforms, remains to be ascertained. In this study, we examine the economic effects of a green disclosure nudge through a natural experiment. Drawing on daily sales data, we find that the green disclosure nudge can stimulate consumer demand and generate economic benefits. We provide suggestive evidence that this positive effect stems from an increase in consumers’ perceptions of the functional and symbolic value of used products, respectively. In addition, exploratory analysis shows that the nudge may have potential social benefits. The findings provide practical and theoretical implications for promoting green consumption
Phylogeography of the South China Field Mouse (Apodemus draco) on the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau Reveals High Genetic Diversity and Glacial Refugia
The southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (SEMTP) is a particularly interesting region due to its topographic complexity and unique geologic history, but phylogeographic studies that focus on this region are rare. In this study, we investigated the phylogeography of the South China field mouse, Apodemus draco, in order to assess the role of geologic and climatic events on the Tibetan Plateau in shaping its genetic structure. We sequenced mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) sequences in 103 individuals from 47 sampling sites. In addition, 23 cyt b sequences were collected from GenBank for analyses. Phylogenetic, demographic and landscape genetic methods were conducted. Seventy-six cyt b haplotypes were found and the genetic diversity was extremely high (π = 0.0368; h = 0.989). Five major evolutionary clades, based on geographic locations, were identified. Demographic analyses implied subclade 1A and subclade 1B experienced population expansions at about 0.052-0.013 Mya and 0.014-0.004 Mya, respectively. The divergence time analysis showed that the split between clade 1 and clade 2 occurred 0.26 Mya, which fell into the extensive glacial period (EGP, 0.5-0.17 Mya). The divergence times of other main clades (2.20-0.55 Mya) were congruent with the periods of the Qingzang Movement (3.6-1.7 Mya) and the Kun-Huang Movement (1.2-0.6 Mya), which were known as the most intense uplift events in the Tibetan Plateau. Our study supported the hypothesis that the SEMTP was a large late Pleistocene refugium, and further inferred that the Gongga Mountain Region and Hongya County were glacial refugia for A. draco in clade 1. We hypothesize that the evolutionary history of A. draco in the SEMTP primarily occurred in two stages. First, an initial divergence would have been shaped by uplift events of the Tibetan Plateau. Then, major glaciations in the Pleistocene added complexity to its demographic history and genetic structure
Evaluation of psychological stress in scientific researchers during the 2019–2020 COVID-19 outbreak in China
Background Beginning in December 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused an outbreak of infectious pneumonia. The Chinese government introduced a series of grounding measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The living and working patterns of many scientific researchers also underwent significant changes during this period. Methods An opportunity sample (n = 251) was obtained in China using a questionnaire with 42 questions on scientific research progress and psychological stress during the COVID-19 epidemic. Results Of the 251 participants, 76.9% indicated that their research was affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, and participants who were affected by the outbreak had higher stress levels than those who were not affected. Participants who conducted COVID-19 research and indicated concern that they would fail to finish the research on time were more likely to indicate high levels of stress. Respondents indicated that extending deadlines (64.1%), receiving support from superiors for research (51.8%), and increasing benefits for researchers (51.0%) would likely relieve outbreak-related stress. Conclusion The COVID-19 outbreak had a major impact on the experiments of researchers in the life sciences, especially in basic and clinical medicine. It has also caused high levels of psychological stress in these populations. Measures should be taken to relieve psychological pressure on basic medical researchers and students who will soon complete their degrees (e.g., Master’s and PhD candidates in graduation years)
Maladaptive exercise in eating disorders: lifetime and current impact on mental health and treatment seeking
Abstract Background Many patients with eating disorders report exercise as a central symptom of their illness—as a way to compensate for food intake, prevent weight-gain, and/or reduce negative affect. Previous findings show associations between maladaptive exercise and more severe eating disorder pathology, higher risk for relapse, other co-morbid symptoms, and worse treatment outcome. Methods In this study, we included 8252 participants with eating disorders and investigated associations between maladaptive exercise (both lifetime and current) and ED pathology, illness duration, depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation, and treatment seeking patterns in individuals with lifetime maladaptive exercise. Participants were included via the Swedish site of the large global study The Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) and completed measures of both lifetime and current symptomatology. Results Results indicate that lifetime maladaptive exercise is associated with higher prevalence of lifetime depression and anxiety and with patients more often receiving treatment, although these results need to be investigated in future studies. Current maladaptive exercise was associated with more severe ED symptoms, and higher levels of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive traits, and suicidal ideation. Conclusions Our findings point to the complexities of exercise as an eating disorder symptom and the need for clearly assessing and acknowledging this, as well as tailoring interventions to treat this symptom to achieve sustainable recovery
Comparison of the Indicators of Psychological Stress in the Population of Hubei Province and Non-Endemic Provinces in China During Two Weeks During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in February 2020
BACKGROUND: During February 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in Hubei Province, China, was at its height, requiring isolation of the population. This study aimed to compare the emotional state, somatic responses, sleep quality, and behavior of people in Hubei Province with non-endemic provinces in China during two weeks in February 2020.
MATERIAL/METHODS: Questionnaires were completed by 939 individuals (357 men; 582 women), including 33 from Hubei and 906 from non-endemic provinces. The Stress Response Questionnaire (SRQ) determined the emotional state, somatic responses, and behavior. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to measure the duration of sleep and sleep quality.
RESULTS: There were 939 study participants, aged 18–24 years (35.89%) and 25–39 years (35.57%); 65.92% were university students. During a two week period in February 2020, the emotional state and behavior of participants in Hubei improved, but the quality of sleep did not. Health workers and business people became increasingly anxious, but other professionals became less anxious. The data showed that most people in Hubei Province developed a more positive attitude regarding their risk of infection and the chances of surviving the COVID-19 epidemic.
CONCLUSIONS: During a two-week period, front-line health workers and people in Hubei Province became less anxious about the COVID-19 epidemic, but sleep quality did not improve. Despite public awareness, levels of anxiety exist that affect the quality of life during epidemics, including periods of population quarantine. Therefore, health education should be combined with psychological counseling for vulnerable individuals
Table <b>4.</b> Pairwise <i>F</i><sub>ST</sub> values among the 13 populations surveyed of <i>Apodemus draco</i>.
<p>Populations contain only one sample are exclude in this analyses.</p><p>Numbers in bold indicate statistically significant genetic differentiation (<i>P</i><0.05). Populations are numbered as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0038184#pone-0038184-t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>.</p
Table <b>5.</b> Results of hierarchical analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) conducted using different grouping options.
*<p>Populations contain only one sample are exclude in all the analyses Main evolutionary clades and subclades in clade 1 are observed in our phylogenetic trees.</p><p># Jiajin Moutain, Erlang Moutain, Gongga Mountain, Hongya county.</p
Result of the Bayesian coalescent-based estimation of divergence time among different evolutionary clades/subclades and the time to the most recent common ancestor (<i>t</i><sub>MRCA</sub>) of different evolutionary clades/subclades.
<p>Results based on non-partition and partitioned by each codon were shown (two partitions: pos1+pos2, pos3; three partitions: pos1, pos2, pos3). Mean values are shown in bold and 95% HPD are shown in brackets.</p
The result of McDonald-Kreitman test for cyt <i>b</i> gene of <i>Apodemus draco</i> (N = 126) and <i>A. latronum</i> (N = 68).
<p>Values corrected by Jukes and Cantor (1969) are given in parentheses.</p