scholarly journals Factors behind consumers' choices for healthy fruits: a review of pomegranate and its food derivatives

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Stiletto ◽  
Samuele Trestini
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Choice ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Purchase Decisions ◽  
Innovative Methods ◽  
Intermittent Heating ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Equal Interest ◽  
Made In

AbstractDue to the rising interest in healthy products, superfoods such as pomegranate have begun to spread widely on the international market in recent years. Identification of the consumer choice determinants is a key factor behind the success of innovative products. Nevertheless, to date, there has been no comprehensive analysis of consumers’ preferences for pomegranate. The aim of this study is to understand the characteristics of pomegranate and its derivatives that are most preferred by consumers and to identify the buyers’ profiles by performing a systematic review (SR). The results suggest that there is not equal interest in the literature in all areas of the review. Indeed, most efforts have been made in characterizing the products, whereas consumers’ profiles and their willingness to pay for the various products features have been scarcely investigated. The SR highlights that consumer preference is first correlated with taste and, in particular, with the sweetness (positively) and astringency (negatively) of the product. The red colour and uniform shape of the husk are attractive attributes for consumers, as is the juiciness of the arils. Some innovative methods of product storage, such as intermittent heating (for fruits) and the use of pectin methyl esterase (for arils), guarantee higher consumer acceptability due to the maintenance of product genuineness. Moreover, familiarity with the product seems to be the main driver influencing consumers’ purchase decisions; in addition, people who are more “future oriented” are more willing to pay for pomegranate because of the nutraceutical attributes stressed on the label.

scholarly journals Diagnosis and Therapeutic Management of Liver Fibrosis by microRNA

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8139
Author(s):  
Tomoko Tadokoro ◽  
Asahiro Morishita ◽  
Tsutomu Masaki
Keyword(s):  
Liver Fibrosis ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Primary Biliary Cholangitis ◽  
Medical Need ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Complications Of Cirrhosis ◽  
And Control ◽  
Functional Rnas ◽  
Remarkable Progress ◽  
Made In

Remarkable progress has been made in the treatment and control of hepatitis B and C viral infections. However, fundamental treatments for diseases in which liver fibrosis is a key factor, such as cirrhosis, alcoholic/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis, are still under development and remain an unmet medical need. To solve this problem, it is essential to elucidate the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis in detail from a molecular and cellular perspective and to develop targeted therapeutic agents based on this information. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs), functional RNAs of 22 nucleotides, have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. In addition, extracellular vesicles called “exosomes” have been attracting attention, and research is being conducted to establish noninvasive and extremely sensitive biomarkers using miRNAs in exosomes. In this review, we summarize miRNAs directly involved in liver fibrosis, miRNAs associated with diseases leading to liver fibrosis, and miRNAs related to complications of cirrhosis. We will also discuss the efficacy of each miRNA as a biomarker of liver fibrosis and pathology, and its potential application as a therapeutic agent.

Business Data Analytics Applications to Online Product Reviews and Nationalism

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-39
Author(s):  
Charles C. Willow
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Big Data Analytics ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Online Reviews ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Product Reviews ◽  
Purchase Decisions ◽  
Control Factors

This paper investigates the data analytics between consumer purchase decisions relative to the on-line reviews. The multi-attributes associated with purchase decisions are comprised of nationalism and consumer preference to be correlated with online reviews using big data analytics. By far, a small fraction of meaningful studies have sought to correlate nationalism and ethnocentrism with big data analytics to date. Globally accepted generic products are selected to expedite the process of data engineering. Two sets were arranged: passenger automobiles for transportation with an estimated $9 trillion global market and the smart phone, boosting its market size of approximately $5 billion. Both products provide minimized cultural, linguistic, gender, age, and/or custom barriers of entry for prospective digital consumers, thereby allowing relatively unrestricted engagement with online reviews and purchases. A series of hypothesis tests indicate that there is a positive correlation between nationalism and automobiles. As to smart cell phones, however, nationalism had nominal control factors. Multi-variate analytics were performed by using R and Tableau Public.

scholarly journals How big is the influence of biogenic silicon pools on short-term changes in water-soluble silicon in soils? Implications from a study of a 10-year-old soil–plant system

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (22) ◽  
pp. 5239-5252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Puppe ◽  
Axel Höhn ◽  
Danuta Kaczorek ◽  
Manfred Wanner ◽  
Marc Wehrhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Soluble ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Testate Amoeba ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Plant Materials ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Calamagrostis Epigejos ◽  
Biogenic Silicon ◽  
Future Work

Abstract. The significance of biogenic silicon (BSi) pools as a key factor for the control of Si fluxes from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems has been recognized for decades. However, while most research has been focused on phytogenic Si pools, knowledge of other BSi pools is still limited. We hypothesized that different BSi pools influence short-term changes in the water-soluble Si fraction in soils to different extents. To test our hypothesis we took plant (Calamagrostis epigejos, Phragmites australis) and soil samples in an artificial catchment in a post-mining landscape in the state of Brandenburg, Germany. We quantified phytogenic (phytoliths), protistic (diatom frustules and testate amoeba shells) and zoogenic (sponge spicules) Si pools as well as Tiron-extractable and water-soluble Si fractions in soils at the beginning (t0) and after 10 years (t10) of ecosystem development. As expected the results of Tiron extraction showed that there are no consistent changes in the amorphous Si pool at Chicken Creek (Hühnerwasser) as early as after 10 years. In contrast to t0 we found increased water-soluble Si and BSi pools at t10; thus we concluded that BSi pools are the main driver of short-term changes in water-soluble Si. However, because total BSi represents only small proportions of water-soluble Si at t0 (< 2 %) and t10 (2.8–4.3 %) we further concluded that smaller (< 5 µm) and/or fragile phytogenic Si structures have the biggest impact on short-term changes in water-soluble Si. In this context, extracted phytoliths (> 5 µm) only amounted to about 16 % of total Si contents of plant materials of C. epigejos and P. australis at t10; thus about 84 % of small-scale and/or fragile phytogenic Si is not quantified by the used phytolith extraction method. Analyses of small-scale and fragile phytogenic Si structures are urgently needed in future work as they seem to represent the biggest and most reactive Si pool in soils. Thus they are the most important drivers of Si cycling in terrestrial biogeosystems.

scholarly journals Inovasi Produk terhadap Keputusan Pembelian dan dampaknya terhadap loyalitas pelanggan : Studi Pengguna Mobil Toyota Calya di Kota Bogor dan Bekasi

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anugerah Dachi
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation Modeling ◽  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
Product Innovation ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Purchase Decisions ◽  
Purchasing Decisions ◽  
Made In

Abstract The formulation of the research problem is whether product innovation effects purchase decisions, whether product innovation and purchase decisions affect customer loyalty. This study aims to examine the effect of product innovation on the purchase decision of Toyota Calya, and examines the effect of product innovation and purchasing decisions on customer loyalty. The population is the Toyota Calya’s customers in Bogor and Bekasi. The population is not known with certainty, therefore the sampling technique is done by accidental sampling technique in determining the number of samples. A total of 203 questionnaires were collected. Therefore, the sample in this study was 203 respondents. The data analysis method is Structural Equation Modeling. The results showed a significant influence on product innovation on purchasing decisions. Product innovation and purchasing decision also significantly influence customer loyalty. Purchasing decisions significantly mediate the effect of product innovation on customer loyalty. Innovations must still be made in order to maintain the loyalty of Toyota Calya car users in Bogor and Bekasi. Keywords: Product innovation, purchasing decisions, and loyalty AbstrakRumusan masalah penelitian ini adalah apakah inovasi produk mempengaruhi keputusan pembelian,  dan apakah inovasi produk dan keputusan pembelian mempengaruhi loyalitas pelanggan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji dan mengetahui pengaruh inovasi produk terhadap keputusan pembelian toyota Calya, dan menguji pengaruh inovasi produk dan keputusan pembelian terhadap loyalitas pelanggan. Populasi penelitian adalah pengguna mobil merek Toyota Calya di Kota Bogor dan Bekasi. Populasi tidak diketahui secara pasti,oleh karena itu teknik pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan teknik accidental sampling dalam menentukan jumlah sampel. Kuisioner yang berhasil dikumpulkan sebanyak 203 kuisioner. Oleh karena itu, sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah berjumlah sebanyak 203 responden. Metode analisis data yang dipergunakan adalah Structural Equation Modeling.  Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya pengaruh secara signfikan inovasi produk dengan keputusan pembelian. Variabel Inovasi produk dan keputusan pembelian juga secara signifikan mempengaruhi  loyalitas pelanggan. Keputusan pembelian secara signifikan memediasi pengaruh inovasi produk terhadap loyalitas pelanggan. Inovasi harus tetap dilakukan demi untuk mempertahankan loyalitas pengguna mobil Toyota Calya di Kota Bogor dan Bekasi.

scholarly journals Maqasid-based consumer preference index for Islamic home financing

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanudin Amin
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Choice ◽  
General Setting ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Building Society ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Customer Preference ◽  
Preference Index ◽  
A New Technique ◽  
Debt Policy

Purpose Using the maqasid-based consumer preference index (MCPi), this study aims to investigate customer preference for Islamic home financing. Design/methodology/approach The current study, based on valid 1,034 usable questionnaires and the MCPi, evaluates consumer choice for the supplied Islamic home finance products by 16 Islamic banks in Malaysia. Findings According to the findings, all banks have a moderate value of MCPi. Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad is at the top of the list, followed by Maybank Islamic, Commerce International Merchant Bankers Islamic and Malaysia Building Society Berhad. Research limitations/implications The MCPi is used in this study to test a new technique to measuring consumer preference. The contributions are confined to these particular variables – Educating Customer, Establishing Justice, Promoting Welfare and Fulfiling Islamic Debt Policy. The research also has limitations in terms of the facility’s general setting. Future research may shed light on these issues from new angles. Practical implications This research offers banks a new way to manage their products based on maqasid al-Sharīʿah. Originality/value In the context of Malaysia, this study introduces the MCPi, a new measure of consumer preference for home financing.

scholarly journals Introduction to Formal Preference Spaces

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-233
Author(s):  
Eliza Niewiadomska ◽  
Adam Grabowski
Keyword(s):  
Binary Relation ◽  
Preference Relation ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Consumer Theory ◽  
Mathematical Economics ◽  
Characteristic Relation ◽  
Finite Set ◽  
Preference Structures ◽  
Equal Interest

Summary In the article the formal characterization of preference spaces [1] is given. As the preference relation is one of the very basic notions of mathematical economics [9], it prepares some ground for a more thorough formalization of consumer theory (although some work has already been done - see [17]). There was an attempt to formalize similar results in Mizar, but this work seems still unfinished [18]. There are many approaches to preferences in literature. We modelled them in a rather illustrative way (similar structures were considered in [8]): either the consumer (strictly) prefers an alternative, or they are of equal interest; he/she could also have no opinion of the choice. Then our structures are based on three relations on the (arbitrary, not necessarily finite) set of alternatives. The completeness property can however also be modelled, although we rather follow [2] which is more general [12]. Additionally we assume all three relations are disjoint and their set-theoretic union gives a whole universe of alternatives. We constructed some positive and negative examples of preference structures; the main aim of the article however is to give the characterization of consumer preference structures in terms of a binary relation, called characteristic relation [10], and to show the way the corresponding structure can be obtained only using this relation. Finally, we show the connection between tournament and total spaces and usual properties of the ordering relations.

Consumer Preference for the Latest Technological Offering

2014 ◽  
pp. 93-107
Author(s):  
Derrick S. Boone Sr.
Keyword(s):  
Technological Change ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Future Generation ◽  
Technological Advance ◽  
Relative Advantage ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Purchase Decisions ◽  
Expectation Formation ◽  
Price Decline

Prior research has shown that when making high tech purchase decisions, consumers consider not only the relative advantage afforded by currently available products, but also the relative advantage expected from future generation products. Additionally, empirical evidence suggests that prices for high tech products often decline faster than the technology advances. This chapter takes both these findings into account and investigates the antecedents of expectation formation and how consumer purchase decisions for high- and low-tech products are impacted by asymmetrical rates of technological advance and price decline. Although consumers generally prefer the latest technological generation of a product, level of technological sophistication (high- vs. low-tech), rate of technological change and price decline, and expectations regarding future product introductions, based on familiarity with past product introductions, were found to moderate the effect of technological generation on preference.

On Multiple Inhomogeneities in Plane Elasticity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elie Honein ◽  
Tony Honein ◽  
Michel Najjar ◽  
Habib Rai
Keyword(s):  
Homogeneous Problem ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Plane Elasticity ◽  
Plane Case ◽  
Schwarz Alternating Method ◽  
Innovative Methods ◽  
Arbitrary Loading ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Homogeneous Matrix ◽  
Made In

Abstract In this paper we present some new analytical techniques which have been recently developed to solve for problems of circular elastic inhomogeneities in anti-plane and plane elasticity. The inhomogeneities may be composed of different materials and have different radii. The matrix may be subjected to arbitrary loadings or singularities. The solution to this heterogeneous problem is sought as a transformation performed on the solution of the corresponding homogeneous problem, i.e., the problem when all the inhomogeneities are removed and the homogeneous matrix is subjected to the same loading/singularities, a procedure which has been dubbed ‘heterogenization’. In previous works, a single inhomogeneity or hole has been considered and the transformation has been shown to be purely algebraic in the antiplane case and involves differentiation of the Kolosov-Mushkelishvili complex potentials in the plane case. Universal formulas, i.e., formulas which are independent of the loading/singularities, that express the stresses at the inter-face of the inhomogeneity in terms of the stresses that would have existed at the same interface had the inhomogeneity been absent, have been be derived. The solution for a single inhomogeneity bonded to a matrix which is subjected to arbitrary loading/singularities can then in principle be used systematically in a Schwarz alternating method to obtain the solution for multiple inhomogeneities to any degree of accuracy. However alternative and innovative methods have been sought which lead to a much faster convergence and in some cases to exact expressions in terms of infinite series. The aim of this paper is to present some of the progress that has been made in this direction.

PADRAM: Parametric Design and Rapid Meshing System for Complex Turbomachinery Configurations

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Milli ◽  
Shahrokh Shahpar
Keyword(s):  
Parametric Design ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Geometrical Features ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Structured Meshes ◽  
Feature Based ◽  
Unstructured Meshing ◽  
Structured Approach ◽  
Meshing Process ◽  
Made In

This paper reports the progress made in a parametric design and rapid meshing system (PADRAM) developed under two recent UK national sponsored research programs. PADRAM is designed to parametrically change the blade geometry and rapidly generate body-conformal high-quality viscous meshes. This allows speeding up the CFD loop by making the meshing process fully automatic on the basis of pre-designed templates. The geometry parameterisation is done within the mesh generator, making its integration within the optimisation loop straightforward. The paper presents examples that demonstrate how incorporating real geometry features into PADRAM is fundamental to achieve numerical models closer to reality. This is key factor in trusting the CFD solution and making use of it to further improve current designs. It also shows that feature-based structured mesh is good for cases that need to be repeatable across sites and teams, where consistency of the mesh is crucial and quick answers required to cope with tight project deadlines. The incorporation of additional complex geometrical features limits the applicability of the template structured approach and can be sometimes at the expense of mesh quality. In this regard, novel unstructured meshing technologies have been developed and implemented into PADRAM in order to deal with non standard and complex configurations. Two of these methods are presented in this paper (i.e., Zipper Layer and Delaunay Cavity). The paper shows how these can be used to paste together various multi-block structured meshes, hence providing the most suitable meshing topology to be used for each component separately. This makes the PADRAM code a unique meshing tool, able to combine the advantages of the template-topology approach to the flexibility of fully unstructured meshes. A number of supportive examples is reported in the paper.

CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE IN THE INDOGANGETIC PLAINS OF INDIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
PETER HOBBS ◽  
RAJ GUPTA ◽  
RAJ KUMAR JAT ◽  
R. K. MALIK
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Gangetic Plains ◽  
Farmer Adoption ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Complex Technology ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Made In

SUMMARYThis paper follows the progress made in India for research and farmer adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) since the publication of Erenstein (2012), who contested the idea that zero-till (ZT) establishment of wheat in rice–wheat systems could be further developed into full CA systems. Data presented in this paper show that research has successfully found solutions for both the wheat and rice phases of the rice–wheat systems of the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) in the past 8 years. It shows that by finding solutions in both the rice and wheat phases, yields, water use efficiency and profits increased, while labour needs reduced. Indian scientists have also confirmed these benefits in participatory on-farm research in various locations, both east and west regions of the IGP. Farmers see for themselves through experimentation that they get higher yields with less cost and with more efficient use of inputs and water. A key factor has been the development of improved seed drills with the help of Indian private sector manufacturers of agricultural equipment. Indian scientists have also successfully conducted CA research on several other crops and in other regions besides the IGP. The paper shows that it is better to introduce parts of the CA management practices in a step-wise fashion first, rather than introducing the entire package at once since farmers first have to test and evaluate a new technology to understand how it benefits them personally before they will adopt it. The paper concludes that in the rice–wheat systems of South Asia, adoption of CA is indeed possible to achieve although it is still a work in progress. CA is a complex technology package and it takes time to overcome all of the contested issues mentioned in Erenstein (2012).

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