Sustainable Products and Consumers’ Brand Choice

Within this study selected empirical results out of a 3 year project concerning the analysis of Austrian panel data are presented. Raw data coming from the most important Austrian consumer tracking panel was analyzed with respect to consumers’ variety seeking and brand choice behavior. It is analyzed if consumers tend to switch to “sustainable” (here: organic) products and brands more frequently compared to brand switches between conventional products and brands (significant interrelation between sustainability and consumers’ brand choice). After a brief introduction into a specific variety seeking model operationalizing consumers’ brand switching tendency, a descriptive analysis of the analyzed data set, and analytical outcomes concerning “sustainability” and “brand switching” are presented

The effects of burning and grazing on soil carbon dynamics in managed Peruvian tropical montane grasslands

The authors wish to thank the Manu National Park forest rangers for allowing us to use their facilities and the field technicians for their assistance. We also thank the Amazon Basin Conservation Association for institutional support. This material is based upon work supported by the UK Natural Environment Council under joint grant references NE/H006583, NE/H007849 and NE/H006753. This publication is a contribution from the Scottish Alliance for Geoscience, Environment and Society (http://www.sages.ac.uk). Imma Oliveras was supported with a NERC grant NE/G006385/1.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Pilot mixed-methods evaluation of interpersonal counselling for young people with depressive symptoms in non-specialist services.

BACKGROUND: The majority of young people receive treatment for depressive symptoms in the UK from staff with minimal specialist mental health/therapeutic training. There is no evidence to guide them as to what treatments are likely to be effective. Interpersonal counselling (IPC) is a reduced form of interpersonal psychotherapy and may be an appropriate treatment to use in this population. OBJECTIVES: To test the effectiveness and acceptability of IPC delivered by youth workers to young people with primarily depressive symptoms. METHODS: Youth workers received a 2-day training course in IPC, followed by regular supervision. They delivered IPC to 23 young people who they would normally see in their service, with depressive symptoms as their main problem. Symptoms were assessed by the Revised Child Depression and Anxiety Scale (RCADS). Qualitative interviews of youth workers and young people assessed acceptability. FINDINGS: Mean (SD) RCADS depression-T scores fell from 78.2 (11.1) to 52.9 (16.8). All young people and youth workers interviewed were positive about it. Participants detailed specific advantages of IPC above standard counselling, including practical help, the use of goals, psychoeducation and integrating a self-rated questionnaire into treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: IPC is likely to be an effective and acceptable treatment for young people with primarily depressive symptoms seen in local authority non-specialist mental health services. Further research is needed to determine if it is more effective than current treatment as usual

Erosion resistance of vegetation-covered soils: Impact of different grazing conditions in salt marshes and analysis of soil-vegetation interactions by the novel DiCoastar method

The analysis of soil-vegetation interactions in erosion processes along coastlines requires accurate information about various factors influencing the upper soil layer. Yet, some of these parameters were previously determined by simplified, often hand held devices, and these were often biased by the skill and experience of the operator. This study thus investigates the erosion resistance of salt marsh soils influenced by grazing conditions for providing crucial findings for policy making and land management decisions; to that end, we present and use a novel shear resistance measuring device. This measuring device, called DiCoastar, was developed with a controllable step-motor and now allows us for the first time the determination of time histories of shear resistance by repeatable in-situ measurements, gaining information about the interaction between soil and root systems. A field study was conducted in salt marshes at Cäciliengroden and at Sönke-Nissen-Koog, both foreland salt marshes at the German North Sea coast. The two sites had been chosen due to their difference in grazing intensities, featuring semi-natural/ungrazed, moderately grazed and intensively grazed salt marshes. This was to enable the investigation of influences on soil shear strength and vegetation cover. Measurements of shear resistance were conducted with the DiCoastar in the chosen sites in the vicinity of the dike toes; it is found that the new device now provides consistent and repeatable measurements, irrespective of the operator, and only based on the pre-set control parameters. Results of the field study demonstrate that a marked increase of shear strength is only found in sites with high intensity grazing, but this is accompanied by a strong reduction in the vegetation cover and plant diversity, especially with regard to the vertical density distribution of the vegetation cover. As the reduction in vegetation cover leads to reduced wave attenuation over salt marshes and increased flow velocities, an increased shear stress on the soil surface, which potentially exceeds the increased shear strength, is expected. Based on this, the results obtained lead to the assumption that an increase in the erosion potential of these foreland marshes by high grazing pressure is more likely as well as a reduction in dike stability. © 2022 The Author

TOTAL BIM PROJECT: THE FUTURE OF A DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

Although the construction industry strives to implement Building Information Modeling (BIM) toimprove efficiency and quality, adoption in the actual construction phase is still limited. However, in Scandinavia,recent years have seen the rise of an idea known as Total BIM - An approach where the BIM is the legally bindingconstruction document and no traditional 2D-drawings are used on-site. In this paper we present a case study of asuccessful Total BIM project. We investigate the prerequisites for – and outcomes of – implementing the Total BIMconcept, where commonly found individual and isolated BIM uses is turned into an all-inclusive approach toachieve a more efficient design and construction process. Our analysis shows that the success was contingent onfactors from within several different areas, including strategy and innovation, organizing, and technology, but alsoon the commitment shown by the construction management company responsible for the project. In addition, threekey elements were identified; BIM as the legally binding construction document, cloud-based model management,and user-friendly on-site mobile BIM software

TOTAL BIM PROJECT: THE FUTURE OF A DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

Although the construction industry strives to implement Building Information Modeling (BIM) to improve efficiency and quality, adoption in the actual construction phase is still limited. However, in Scandinavia, recent years have seen the rise of an idea known as Total BIM - An approach where the BIM is the legally binding construction document and no traditional 2D drawings are used on-site. In this paper we present a case study of a successful Total BIM project. We investigate the prerequisites for – and outcomes of – implementing the Total BIM concept, where commonly found individual and isolated BIM uses is turned into an all-inclusive approach to achieve a more efficient design and construction process. Our analysis shows that the success was contingent on factors from within several different areas, including strategy and innovation, organizing, and technology, but also on the commitment shown by the construction management company responsible for the project. In addition, three key elements were identified; BIM as the legally binding construction document, cloud-based model management, and user-friendly on-site mobile BIM software

Proposing a novel classification of growth periods based on biomechanical properties and seasonal changes of Spartina anglica

Salt marshes are a valuable ecosystem with coastal protection potential, for example by absorbing hydrodynamic energy, increasing sedimentation and stabilizing the soil. This study investigated biomechanical properties of Spartina anglica to improve future models of wave-vegetation interaction. To fully understand the correlations between hydro- and biomechanics, the biomechanical vegetation properties from December 2021 to July 2022 are investigated with specimens collected from the field monthly. 551 specimens were used to determine the vegetation properties during storm surge season with high hydrodynamic forces. Additional geometrical properties were determined for 1265 specimens. Three-point bending tests measured the stiffness S (N/mm) and maximum forces Fmax (N). Different phenological states were observed over time and separated for analysis. These states provide a novel classification of growth periods for evaluating the coastal protection potential of Spartina anglica. Especially during storm season, most specimen were identified as broken shoots with a mean stiffness of 1.92N/mm (using 304 samples) compared to the bottom part of flowering shoots in December and January with a mean stiffness of 2.98N/mm (using 61 samples). The classification of plant properties recognizing phenological differences, based on plant state and seasonality, can be used to explain and reduce variability of biomechanical properties obtained during field campaigns. Additionally, this study shows that March to April is recommended for future investigations focusing on shoot properties during storm surge season, which is the important season for coastal engineers considering vegetation state

Characterization of Antimicrobial Effects of Plasma-Treated Water (PTW) Produced by Microwave-Induced Plasma (MidiPLexc) on Pseudomonas fluorescens Biofilms

stract: For the decontamination of surfaces in the food production industry, plasma generated compounds (PGCs) such as plasma-treated water (PTW) or plasma processed air (PPA) offer many promising possibilities for future applications. Therefore, the antimicrobial effect of water treated with microwave-induced plasma (MidiPLexc) on Pseudomonas fluorescensbiofilms was investigated. 10 ml deionized water was treated with the MidiPLexc plasma source for 100 s, 300 s and 900 s (pre-treatment time) and the bacterial biofilms were exposed to the PTW for 1 min, 3 min and 5 min (post treatment time). To investigate the influence of PTW on P. fluorescensbiofilms, microbiological assays (CFU, fluorescence and XTT assay) and imaging techniques (fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM)) were used. The CFU showed a maximum reductionof 6 log10 by using 300 s pre-treated PTW for 5 min. Additionally, a maximum reduction of 81 % for the viability of the cells and a 92 % reduction in the metabolic activity of the cells wasachieved by using 900 s pre-treated PTW for 5 min. The microscopic images showed evident microbialinactivation within the biofilm even at the shortest pre-treatment (100s) and post-treatment (1min) times. Moreover,reduction of the biofilm thickness and increased cluster formation within the biofilm wasdetected. Morphologically,the fusion of cell walls intoa uniform dense cell mass. The findings correlated with a decrease inthe pH value of the PTW,which forms the basis for the chemically active components of PTW and its antimicrobial effects. These results, provide valuableinsights into the mechanisms of inactivation of biofilms by plasma generated compounds (PGCs) such as PTW and thus allow forfurther parameter adjustmentfor applications infood industry

Characterization of antimicrobial effects of Plasma-Treated Water (PTW) produced by Microwave-Induced Plasma (MidiPLexc) on pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms

For the decontamination of surfaces in the food production industry, plasma-generated compounds such as plasma-treated water or plasma-processed air offer many promising possibilities for future applications. Therefore, the antimicrobial effect of water treated with microwave-induced plasma (MidiPLexc) on Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms was investigated. A total of 10 mL deionized water was treated with the MidiPLexc plasma source for 100, 300 and 900 s (pretreatment time) and the bacterial biofilms were exposed to the plasma-treated water for 1, 3 and 5 min (post-treatment time). To investigate the influence of plasma-treated water on P. fluorescens biofilms, microbiological assays (colony-forming units, fluorescence and XTT assay) and imaging techniques (fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and atomic force microscopy) were used. The colony-forming units showed a maximum reduction of 6 log10 by using 300 s pretreated plasma water for 5 min. Additionally, a maximum reduction of 81% for the viability of the cells and a 92% reduction in the metabolic activity of the cells were achieved by using 900 s pretreated plasma water for 5 min. The microscopic images showed evident microbial inactivation within the biofilm even at the shortest pretreatment (100 s) and post-treatment (1 min) times. Moreover, reduction of the biofilm thickness and increased cluster formation within the biofilm was detected. Morphologically, the fusion of cell walls into a uniform dense cell mass was detectable. The findings correlated with a decrease in the pH value of the plasma-treated water, which forms the basis for the chemically active components of plasma-treated water and its antimicrobial effects. These results provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of inactivation of biofilms by plasma-generated compounds such as plasma-treated water and thus allow for further parameter adjustment for applications in food industry. © 2020 by the authors

Characterization of Antimicrobial Effects of Plasma-Treated Water (PTW) Produced by Microwave-Induced Plasma (MidiPLexc) on Pseudomonas fluorescens Biofilms

stract: For the decontamination of surfaces in the food production industry, plasma generated compounds (PGCs) such as plasma-treated water (PTW) or plasma processed air (PPA) offer many promising possibilities for future applications. Therefore, the antimicrobial effect of water treated with microwave-induced plasma (MidiPLexc) on Pseudomonas fluorescensbiofilms was investigated. 10 ml deionized water was treated with the MidiPLexc plasma source for 100 s, 300 s and 900 s (pre-treatment time) and the bacterial biofilms were exposed to the PTW for 1 min, 3 min and 5 min (post treatment time). To investigate the influence of PTW on P. fluorescensbiofilms, microbiological assays (CFU, fluorescence and XTT assay) and imaging techniques (fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM)) were used. The CFU showed a maximum reductionof 6 log10 by using 300 s pre-treated PTW for 5 min. Additionally, a maximum reduction of 81 % for the viability of the cells and a 92 % reduction in the metabolic activity of the cells wasachieved by using 900 s pre-treated PTW for 5 min. The microscopic images showed evident microbialinactivation within the biofilm even at the shortest pre-treatment (100s) and post-treatment (1min) times. Moreover,reduction of the biofilm thickness and increased cluster formation within the biofilm wasdetected. Morphologically,the fusion of cell walls intoa uniform dense cell mass. The findings correlated with a decrease inthe pH value of the PTW,which forms the basis for the chemically active components of PTW and its antimicrobial effects. These results, provide valuableinsights into the mechanisms of inactivation of biofilms by plasma generated compounds (PGCs) such as PTW and thus allow forfurther parameter adjustmentfor applications infood industry