Search Results (4)

Motivated by the increasing interest in sustainable agriculture and the potential benefits associated with organic certification, this study employs a multidimensional fixed-effects model to analyze data derived from onsite surveys conducted among 681 apple farmers in the Loess Plateau region of China to explore the influence of organic certification on absolute and relative agricultural product prices given online market access. The findings indicated a significant increase in apple prices among farmers who held organic certifications and engaged in online market sales, with prices rising by CNY1.60 per half kilogram. Additionally, this study highlights that the amalgamation of organic certification with online market access significantly enhances agricultural product prices by facilitating better dissemination of market information among farmers. Furthermore, this research addresses a critical gap in the existing literature by clarifying the differential impact of organic certification across distinct farmer demographics and geographical regions. The more pronounced positive impact of organic certification on prices observed among cooperative members and farmers in the low-altitude areas is particularly noteworthy. These results underscore the crucial role of online market access in achieving premium effects and price stability for organically certified products. Full article

The aim of this paper is to present data on the scale of food waste in the meat sector and to emphasize the need to disseminate measures to reduce the number of losses in this sector. The article discusses food loss and waste in the meat sector as a current, widespread and serious problem. The Web of Science database was searched up to March 2021 to find publications reporting studies of the food loss and waste with particular emphasis on the meat sector. Due to the relatively high consumption of meat and meat products, the level of losses during production and of product waste by consumers in consumer stage becomes significant. It is estimated that as much as 23% of production in the meat sector is lost and wasted. The largest share is generated at the consumption level, representing 64% of the total food waste, followed by manufacturing (20%), distribution (12%) and primary production and post-harvest (3.5%). Data on food losses and wastage in the meat sector are very limited, and at the same time the production of meat and meat products is characterized by an unfavorable impact on the environment (meat has the highest emissions per kilogram of food compared to other food products), which requires rational management of these products in the entire chain (production, processing, transport and consumer stage). Therefore, determining the size and causes of formation as well as the methods of reducing food losses and food waste throughout the meat sector is important both for economic and environmental reasons. The idea behind food loss and waste reduction should be as an opportunity to improve efficiency within businesses, redirect food to those who need it and reduce environmental impacts. Full article

The isotopic composition and molar mass M of silicon in a new crystal (code: Si28-33Pr11) measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry using a high-resolution multicollector-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) is presented using the virtual-element isotope dilution mass spectrometry (VE-IDMS) method. For this new crystal, M = 27.976 950 48 (16) g/mol was determined with u_rel(M) = 5.7 × 10⁻⁹. The “X-ray-crystal-density (XRCD) method”, one of the primary methods for realizing and disseminating the SI units kilogram and mole in the recently revised SI, is based on “counting” silicon atoms in silicon single crystal spheres. One of the key quantities is the isotopic composition—expressed by the molar mass M—of the three stable isotopes ²⁸Si, ²⁹Si, and ³⁰Si in the material highly enriched in ²⁸Si. M was determined with lowest possible uncertainty using latest improvements of the experimental techniques. All uncertainties were estimated according to the “Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement, GUM”. The results of the new crystal are discussed and compared with the four previously available crystals, establishing a worldwide limited pool of primary reference spheres of highest metrological quality. Full article

This study aimed to identify whether a research participant’s body-mass index (BMI) can be correctly identified from their facial image (photograph) in order to improve data capturing in dissemination and implementation research. Facial BMI (fBMI) was measured using an algorithm formulated to identify points on each enrolled participant’s face from a photograph. Once facial landmarks were detected, distances and ratios between them were computed to characterize facial fatness. A regression function was then used to represent the relationship between facial measures and BMI values to then calculate fBMI from each photo image. Simultaneously, BMI was physically measured (mBMI) by trained researchers, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (adult BMI). Correlation analysis of fBMI to mBMI (n = 1210) showed significant correlation between fBMI and BMIs in normal and overweight categories (p < 0.0001). Further analysis indicated fBMI to be less accurate in underweight and obese participants. Matched pair data for each individual indicated that fBMI identified participant BMI an average of 0.4212 less than mBMI (p < 0.0007). Contingency table analysis found 109 participants in the ‘obese’ category of mBMI were positioned into a lower category for fBMI. Facial imagery is a viable measure for dissemination of human research; however, further testing to sensitize fBMI measures for underweight and obese individuals are necessary. Full article