CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS AND BRAND EQUITY IN CHINA'S BANKING SERVICES

Despite tremendous interest in brand equity and relationship marketing, little conceptual development has addressed whether relationships exist between these important marketing issues. Based on existing frameworks (customer-based brand equity and relationship marketing), this paper forwards customer relationships as a branding-related initiative critical to creation of brand equity. This paper presents exploratory research to develop an initial understanding of the constructs of customer relationships, the dimensions of brand equity and the associations between them. The data illustrate that both consumers and providers in Chinese banking services sector perceive that brand equity can be influenced by customer relationships. A conceptual framework and a number of hypotheses for further study are propose

Microbiological evaluation of sewage sludge in terms of possibilities of application in soil as a fertilizer

Research was conducted of sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plant for the existence of microorganisms of several major groups, containing pathogenic representatives with epizootological significance (Gram-negative aerobic bacteria, E. coli, Clostridium perfringens, the genera Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, fungi, and the total number of microorganisms), in order to assess the environmental safety of the final product. In parallel similar studies were made of fresh and composted cattle manures. A comparison of the results was made with the ready for manuring compost in order to assess the possibilities for the use of sludge for fertilizing. The quantities of microorganisms were given in CFU per 1 g of the investigated material, as well as per 1 g of dry substance for each of them. In our opinion this new approach to the reporting of the results per unit of dry matter of the investigated materials, allows for a more accurate comparison. It was found that the examined sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plant were rich in microorganisms from studied groups and their direct application in soils without prior treatment by aerobic or anaerobic digestion may represent epidemiological danger

Australian policies on water management and climate change: are they supporting the sustainable development goals and improved health and well-being?

BACKGROUND: Sustainable management of the natural environment is essential. Continued environmental degradation will lead to worsened health outcomes in countries and across generations. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for viewing the preservation of natural environments and the promotion of health, well-being and health equity as interconnected pursuits. Within the SDG framework the goals of promoting environmental sustainability and human health are unified through attention to the social determinants of health and health equity (SDH/HE). This paper presents findings from a document analysis of all Australian environment sector policies and selected legislation to examine whether and how current approaches support progress toward achieving SDG goals on water, climate change, and marine ecosystems (Goals 6, 13 and 14), and to consider implications for health and health equity. RESULTS: Consideration of a broad range of SDH/HE was evident in the analysed documents. Related collaborations between environment and health sectors were identified, but the bulk of proposed actions on SDH/HE were initiated by the environment sector as part of its core business. Strengths of Australian policy in regard to SDGs 6, 13 and 14 are reflected in recognition of the effects of climate change, a strong cohesive approach to marine park protection, and recognition of the need to protect existing water and sanitation systems from future threats. However, climate change strategies focus predominately on resilience, adaptation and heat related health effects, rather than on more comprehensive mitigation policies. The findings emphasise the importance of strengthened cross-sectoral action to address both the drivers and effects of environmental degradation. A lack of policy coherence between jurisdictions was also evident in several areas, compounded by inadequate national guidance, where vague strategies and non-specific devolution of responsibilities are likely to compromise coordination and accountability. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence on planetary health recognises the interconnectedness of environmental and human health and, as such, suggests that ineffective management of climate change and water pose serious risks to both the natural environment and human well-being. To address these risks more effectively, and to achieve the SDGs, our findings indicate that cross-jurisdiction policy coherence and national coordination must be improved. In addition, more action to address global inequities is required, along with more comprehensive approaches to climate change mitigation

Effect of Acute Heat Stress on Some Hematological Parameters, Trace Elements and Meat Quality in Rabbits

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of acute heat stress on some hematological parameters, trace elements and meat quality traits in rabbits. Twelve male rabbits at the age of 4 months were allocated into 2 groups: control and experimental. The experimental rabbits were exposed to intermittent solar radiation for 4 hours at 36 °C. The following parameters were determined: white blood cells (WBC) count, red blood cells (RBC) count, hematocrit, neutrophil and lymphocyte percentages, liver and meat content of chromium (Cr) and selenium (Se), pH of meat at 60 min and 24 h post mortem, meat color, myoglobin and water holding capacity (WHC). Exposure to heat increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (P<0.01) and liver content of Cr (P<0.01), while WBC count, RBC count, hematocrit, liver Se, muscle Cr and Se, pH of meat at 24 h, meat color, myoglobin and WHC were not affected by the applied heat load. The experimental rabbits had significantly lower meat pH at 60 min after slaughter relative to the control rabbits (P<0.05). It was suggested that experimental rabbits had sufficient muscle glycogen at the time of slaughter needed to produce the lactic acid that reduced the ultimate pH of post-mortem muscle within the range observed in the control rabbits

Characterizing Bars at z~0 in the optical and NIR: Implications for the Evolution of Barred Disks with Redshift

Critical insights on galaxy evolution stem from the study of bars. With the advent of HST surveys that trace bars in the rest-frame optical out to z~1, it is critical to provide a reference baseline for bars at z~0 in the optical band. We present results on bars at z~0 in the optical and NIR bands based on 180 spirals from OSUBSGS. (1) The deprojected bar fraction at z~0 is ~60% +/-6% in the NIR H-band and ~44% +/-6% in the optical B-band. (2) The results before and after deprojection are similar, which is encouraging for high-redshift studies that forego deprojection. (3) Studies of bars at z~0.2-1.0 (lookback time of 3-8 Gyr) have reported an optical bar fraction of ~30% +/-6%, after applying cutoffs in absolute magnitude (M_V = 1.5 kpc), and bar ellipticity (e_bar >= 0.4). Applying these exact cutoffs to the OSUBSGS data yields a comparable optical B-band bar fraction at z~0 of ~ 34%+/-6%. This rules out scenarios where the optical bar fraction in bright disks declines strongly with redshift. (4) Most (~70%) bars have moderate to high strentgh or ellipticity (0.50 <= e_bar <= 0.75). There is no bimodality in the distribution of e_bar. The H-band bar fraction and e_bar show no substantial variation across RC3 Hubble types Sa to Scd. (5) RC3 bar types should be used with caution. Many galaxies with RC3 types "AB" turn out to be unbarred and RC3 bar classes "B" and "AB" have a significant overlap in e_bar. (6) Most bars have sizes below 5 kpc. Bar and disk sizes correlate, and most bars have a_bar/R_25~0.1-0.5. This suggests that the growths of bars and disks are intimately tied.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figures, 3 tables, ApJ accepted, abridged abstract below. Minor changes and shortened paper for ApJ limits. For high resolution figures see http://www.as.utexas.edu/~marinova/paper1-highres.pd

Sexually Transmitted Infections Management Legal Regulation in Bulgaria: Present Situation and Challenges

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be a significant public health problem with numerous health social, ethical and economic dimensions. The goal of this study is to present and discuss the Bulgarian legal framework dimensions related to the management of the spectrum of STIs, and associated public health challenges. An analysis of Bulgarian legislation normative documents connected with the presented problematic was applied. Results: For the effective STIs-spectrum management, the presented normative acts envisage a number of rules and requirements for conducting preventive, diagnostic and treatment activities. These rules are not sufficient and cannot cover all cases in the practical work of medical professionals most of them serve as general guides. The main problem that is emerging is the lack of financial resources and sources of funding. Conclusion: Despite the large legal framework, most documents are only a framework, without specifics in the organization and lack of funding for regulated activities

Building the Born Globals: Evidence from Bulgarian Manufacturing Family Firms

The purpose of the paper is to explore the internationalisation of family firms in the manufacturing sector of the Bulgarian economy, answering the questions: why and how these firms internationalise. A qualitative approach was adopted for the study and data were collected via face-to-face interviews with the owner-managers of family firms. The derived information was coded so that the case firms would be analysed using the same approaches. Research findings show that the early internationalisation of the case firms makes them fall into the category of born globals. The main reasons for the early internationalisation of the studied firms were found to be rooted mostly in the protective behaviour of their owners-managers, their personal characteristics and contacts, the specificity of the transitional context and the market limitations among others. This study is pioneering in transition contexts and is expected to be useful for academics, practicians and policy decision-makers

Microbiological and epizootological characterization of materials from wastewater treatment plant

Studies were carried out for the presence of microorganisms of major groups, containing pathogenic agents with epizootological importance, in order characteristic of their dynamics at different levels in the treatment plant and assessing the environmental safety of the final materials. For this purpose were traced the changes in the quantities of microorganisms contained in the materials from successive levels of processing. It was found that the purified water inlet and outlet does not contain Salmonella enterica. Presence of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens beyond the requirements of the regulation (Decree N339, 2004) was not established, as well as Enterococcus spp. The tested sludge contained microorganisms from these groups and could not be deposited in the soil without prior aerobic or anaerobic processing. The draining in the nature of treated water at the outlet of plant does not hide environmental risk. In addition to monitoring of the sanitary indicative bacteria, the following of the main groups of Gram-negative and Gram-positive microorganisms in the water and sewage sludge allows more reliable assessment of their decontamination. Furthermore, the new approach for reporting the results in a unit of dry matter of the studied materials, proposed here, allows their more exact comparison

Qualitative protocol for understanding the contribution of Australian policy in the urban planning, justice, energy and environment sectors to promoting health and health equity

Introduction: A well-established body of literature demonstrates that health and equity are strongly influenced by the consequences of governments’ policy and resultant actions (or inactions) outside the health sector. Consequently, the United Nations, and its agency the WHO, have called for national leadership and whole-of-government action to understand and address the health impacts of policies in all sectors. This research responds to that call by investigating how policymaking in four sectors—urban planning, justice, energy and environment—may influence the social determinants of health and health equity (SDH/HE). Methods and analysis: The research design is informed by a critical qualitative approach. Three successive stages are included in the design. The first involves analysing all strategic policy documents and selected legislative documents from the four sectors (n=583). The document analysis is based on a coding framework developed to identify alignment between the documents and the SDH/HE. Two policies that demonstrate good practice in regard to SDH/HE will be selected from each sector during the second stage for embedded case study analysis (total n=8). This is intended to illuminate which factors have supported recognition and action on SDH/HE in the selected policies. The third stage involves progressive theoretical integration and development to understand political and institutional facilitators and barriers to action on SDH/HE, both within and between sectors. Ethics and dissemination: The research will provide much needed evidence about how coherent whole-of-government action on SDH/HE can be advanced and contribute knowledge about how health-enhancing policy activity in the four sectors may be optimised. Learnings from the research will be shared via a project advisory group, policy briefings, academic papers, conference presentations and research symposia. Ethics approval has been secured for the embedded case studies, which involve research participants