Factors and consumer attitudes that affect the sustainable management of used mobile phones: A repertory grid analysis

<p>Used mobile phones with their small size but vast numbers, create a unique problem when it comes to managing the part they play in the creation of electronic waste (E-waste). Whilst previous studies have identified what consumers appear to be doing with their used mobile phones, there is also a need to better understand why they are doing it. This study investigated what factors appear to influence consumer attitudes towards adopting a more sustainable approach when dealing with their used mobile phones. A reuse, refurbish and recycle strategy was used as a lens to examine the current literature from which an initial model was developed. Using the repertory grid interview technique a group of participants was interviewed to try to determine their core beliefs when it came to managing their used mobile phones. Analysis of the interviews was completed using several analysis techniques including word clouds, percentage similarity analysis, and Honey’s content analysis. The results of the study indicate that consumers care about the effect of used mobile phones on the environment although the degree of concern appears to vary across individuals. In addition, it was identified that in general, consumers perceive reuse, refurbishing, and recycling all as positive ways to sustainably manage used mobile phones, whilst environmental awareness appears to play a significant role in engaging people with recycling and being a rational for storing used mobile phones. Finally, the study suggests that telecommunication providers when trying to improve engagement with takeback schemes should focus more on consumers’ environmental concerns and social norms, rather than financial incentives or promoting easy engagement.</p>

Factors and consumer attitudes that affect the sustainable management of used mobile phones: A repertory grid analysis

<p>Used mobile phones with their small size but vast numbers, create a unique problem when it comes to managing the part they play in the creation of electronic waste (E-waste). Whilst previous studies have identified what consumers appear to be doing with their used mobile phones, there is also a need to better understand why they are doing it. This study investigated what factors appear to influence consumer attitudes towards adopting a more sustainable approach when dealing with their used mobile phones. A reuse, refurbish and recycle strategy was used as a lens to examine the current literature from which an initial model was developed. Using the repertory grid interview technique a group of participants was interviewed to try to determine their core beliefs when it came to managing their used mobile phones. Analysis of the interviews was completed using several analysis techniques including word clouds, percentage similarity analysis, and Honey’s content analysis. The results of the study indicate that consumers care about the effect of used mobile phones on the environment although the degree of concern appears to vary across individuals. In addition, it was identified that in general, consumers perceive reuse, refurbishing, and recycling all as positive ways to sustainably manage used mobile phones, whilst environmental awareness appears to play a significant role in engaging people with recycling and being a rational for storing used mobile phones. Finally, the study suggests that telecommunication providers when trying to improve engagement with takeback schemes should focus more on consumers’ environmental concerns and social norms, rather than financial incentives or promoting easy engagement.</p>

Feeding habits of Holothuria (Stauropora) fuscocinerea (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea) in a Mexican Pacific reef

Introduction: The importance of holothuroids in marine ecosystems is related to their feeding activities, which have been little studied in the eastern Pacific. Objective: To describe the feeding habits of the sea cucumber Holothuria (Stauropora) fuscocinerea and their bioturbation potential in La Entrega reef, México. Methods: The population size of H. (Stauropora) fuscocinerea was determined by means of four 20 x 4 m (320 m2) band transects, while the available sediment for the sea cucumbers and their feces were characterized in three stations (A-C) via granulometry and quantification of organic carbon and organic matter. Excretion rate was determined every 4 hr over a 24 hr period and the relationship between sea cucumber length and biomass and the excretion rate evaluated. Results: According to non-parametric permutation, ordination and percentage similarity analyses, sea cucumber feces mostly comprised a large proportion of small grains compared to the available sediment, indicating that H. (Stauropora) fuscocinerea is selective on grain size. Preliminary bioturbation potential of the species may reach up to 8.71 ± 0.17 kg day of sediment in the study area. Conclusion: The spatial distribution of H. (Stauropora) fuscocinerea in the study area is a product of its selective feeding activity, evidencing the preliminary importance of the species in the trophic dynamics of La Entrega reef.

ANALYSIS WINNOWING ALGORITHM FOR TEXT PLAGIARISM DETECTION USING THREE METHOD SIMILARITY

Cases of plagiarism in recent years has been an issues. Based on that issues, this research will create a system to detect similarity in a text. There is an aspect as reference of the research that is analyze the plagiarism algorithm. This research will analyze the accuracy one of plagiarism check algorithm, winnowing algorithm. Winnowing algorithm is a plagiarism detection algorithm based on document fingerprinting. To calculate percentage similarity of document fingerprinting in text, there are 3 methods to measure similarity that will be used in this research, which is jaccard similarity coefficient, sorensen dice similarity coefficient, and berg similarity coefficient.

Myxomycetes of the Caramoan Islands and an update on the species found in the Bicol Peninsula, Philippines

The main objective of this study was to characterize the assemblages of myxomycetes on isolated Philippine islands through a correlational study using geographical and ecological distance in the Caramoan Islands, including an updated checklist of the myxomycetes of the Bicol Peninsula. Four islands of varying sizes and distances from each other, but all within relatively close proximity to the mainland of the Bicol Peninsula, were surveyed. A combination of traditional and more contemporary ecological tools was used to analyze diversity indices among and between the islands. Among the four islands, Matukad Island recorded the highest species richness (46.8) and taxonomic diversity index (2.6), while ranking next to Lahos island in terms of species diversity (7.9). Pairwise comparisons using community similarity indices and clustering analysis consistently showed that Lahos and Matukad are the most similar to each other, while also being closer to one another but situated farthest from the mainland. On the other hand, the two smallest islands, which were also closest to each other and to the mainland, grouped together using clustering analysis but recorded the lowest pairwise percentage similarity value. The ecological patterns in this study appear to follow the unified neutral theory of biodiversity and biogeography more than the insular biogeography theory. In addition, this study added 16 new morphospecies to the list of myxomycetes known from the Bicol Peninsula, which brings the total to 73, including one new record for the country [Lamproderma arcyrioides (Sommerf.) Rostaf.] KEYWORDS: slime molds, insular, biodiversity, paleotropics, unified netural theory

OCCURRENCE AND MOLECULAR GENETIC CHARACTERISTICS OF GRAPEVINE PINOT GRIS VIRUS IN RUSSIA

For the first time in Russia Grapevine Pinot gris virus (GPGV) was detected on the vineyards of the Stavropol Territory and the Republic of Crimea. It has been discovered by real-time PCR that the distribution of GPGV in the vineyards of the Krasnodar Territory is 82%, in the Stavropol Territory - 94% and in the Republic of Crimea - 68%. Nucleotide percentage similarity of the Russian GPGV isolates in comparison with the closest isolates from Genbank was 97,5-99,5%.

Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma platys-like (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) in water buffalo from eight provinces of Thailand

Background Anaplasmosis, an animal disease caused by rickettsial bacteria in the genus Anaplasma, is of considerable economic importance in livestock animals in many countries worldwide. The objectives of this study were to determine the identity, prevalence, and geographic distribution of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma in naturally infected water buffalo in Thailand using PCR amplification and sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA and heat shock protein groEL genes. A total of 456 buffalo blood samples from Thailand were investigated. Species identification and genetic differentiation of intra-population and inter-population with the global isolates were conducted based on nucleotide sequences. Interplay between the infection and host factors was also assessed. Results Overall, 41% of water buffalo were found to be infected with rickettsial organisms in the family Anaplasmataceae, but Ehrlichia spp., Neorickettsia spp., and Wolbachia spp. were not found in any of the sequenced samples in this study. Female buffalo were more frequently infected with bacteria in the family Anaplasmataceae than males [71 out of 176 females (40.3%) versus 11 out of 47 males (23.4%)]. The Odds Ratio value indicated that the risk of infection for female buffalo was 2.2-fold higher than that for males (p < 0.05). We detected three haplotypes of A. marginale 16S rRNA gene and they were placed in a clade that was closely related to the A. marginale in buffalo in China; and cattle in Thailand, Uganda, and China. Homology searching of groEL sequences against the GenBank™ database using the BLASTn algorithm revealed that the obtained sequences had a high percentage similarity (98.36–99.62%) to A. platys sequences. The groEL sequences of three A. platys-like isolates were clustered in the same clade as the A. platys from the tick Rhipicephalus microplus in China. Conclusions Our data showed that the apparently healthy buffalo were naturally infected by bacteria in the family Anaplasmataceae at a relatively high prevalence. We also report the finding of A. platys-like infections in water buffalo in Thailand for the first time. Water buffalo serving as the reservoir host of anaplasmosis is of concern for managing the disease control and prevention in ruminants.

DISTRIBUTION AND POPULATION DENSITIES OF PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODES ASSOCIATED WITH GINGER (ZINGIBER OFFICINALE) IN KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an important cash crop in Nigeria. In spite of the economic importance of plant-parasitic nematodes reported on ginger, little or no information is available as regards plant-parasitic nematodes diversity and abundance on ginger in Nigeria. This work was conducted in 2018 to identify plant-parasitic nematodes associated with ginger in Kaduna state and to determine their population densities. Three Local Government Areas (LGA) were visited and between 12 to 16 ginger farms were sampled per LGA. A total of 42 soil samples was collected at a depth of 0 - 30 cm of the plant rhizosphere. Plant-parasitic nematodes were extracted from the soil using modified sieving and decanting method. Identification to genera level was done using identification keys viewing with dissecting microscope at X40 magnification. Nineteen (19) genera of plant-parasitic nematodes were identified, with 12 genera occurring in all LGA(s). Scutellonema (113.33), Meloidogyne (110), and Pratylenchus (93.33) were the most abundant per 100 ml of soil when locations are combined. Plant-parasitic nematodes population average was 870-950 per 100 ml of soil. All locations showed a high percentage similarity of plant-parasitic nematodes diversity and were statistically similar. This high diversity and population abundance can be among the reasons for the low productivity of ginger in Nigeria. It is therefore important to educate farmers on the economic importance of plant-parasitic nematodes on ginger and its management. Further research using the most occurring genera to establish the threshold population densities capable of causing economic yield loss needs to be conducted

ON TAXONOMIC INVARIANTS OF MACROPHYTE ALGAE AND THEIR VIOLATION UNDER EXPOSURE TO ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS

New mathematical methods for determining of multicomponent invariants are developed by detection of their constancy using the measures of percentage similarity. Typification of the descriptive sets is proposed. An important type for verification of invariants is considered — generally normalized descriptive sets, with exception of 0 and 1 components. In this type of descriptive sets, the invariants and relative spectra match, the arithmetic mean of multicomponent invariants and the mediant also match. Taxonomic invariants for the macrophyte floras in the Avachinskaya Guba Bay are determined for 1970 and 1991, and their rapid changes under anthropogenic impacts are demonstrated.