Yi Liu, Hao Wang, Yongfeng Liu, Meng Shi and Duolong Di
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the selection of the optimum porous material modified with poly-dopamine coating for peptides enrichment. The adsorption behaviors for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the selection of the optimum porous material modified with poly-dopamine coating for peptides enrichment. The adsorption behaviors for peptides and the antioxidant capacity of peptides fraction purified by the porous materials were investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The optimum porous material with the highest adsorption capacity for peptides was selected for surface modification. The surface modified porous material was characterized by SEM, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm and color change.
Findings
The results showed that the porous material was successfully modified with poly-dopamine coating. Adsorption capacity for peptides of the modified porous material was enhanced compared to the original porous material. Antioxidant capacity of peptides fraction enriched by the modified porous material was much higher than that enriched by the original porous material, indicating that the introduction of poly-dopamine coating was inclined to enrich peptides with certain amino acid residues.
Research limitations/implications
The structures of peptides are a bit not clear, which is the subject of future investigation.
Practical implications
This contribution provides a method to design and prepare porous materials with poly-dopamine coating to separate and enrich peptides or peptides fraction with high antioxidant capacity.
Originality/value
It showed that polarity, surface area, pore diameter and interactions were contributed to high adsorption capacity. The peptides fraction purified by the modified porous material showed excellent antioxidant capacity through results of reduction of DPPH radical, because of the enrichment of the peptides with certain amino acids residues which were considered to enhance radical scavenging capacity. This paper provides new insights into designing and preparing porous materials with poly-dopamine coating to enrich peptides fraction with high antioxidant capacity.
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Carl Lin and Yana van der Meulen Rodgers
This study uses migrant household survey data from 2008 to 2009 to examine how parental migration decisions are associated with the nutritional status of children in rural and…
Abstract
This study uses migrant household survey data from 2008 to 2009 to examine how parental migration decisions are associated with the nutritional status of children in rural and urban China. Results from instrumental variables regressions show a substantial adverse effect of children’s exposure to parental migration on height-for-age Z scores of left-behind children relative to children who migrate with their parents. Additional results from a standard Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition, a quantile decomposition, and a counterfactual distribution analysis all confirm that children who are left behind in rural villages – usually because of the oppressive hukou system – have poorer nutritional status than children who migrate with their parents, and the gaps are biggest at lower portions of the distribution.
Xi Zhong, Weihong Chen and Ge Ren
This study aims to re-examine the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on firm innovation. Studies on how EPU affects firm innovation have been inconclusive. The authors…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to re-examine the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on firm innovation. Studies on how EPU affects firm innovation have been inconclusive. The authors clarified the curvilinear relationship between EPU and firm innovation and examined the moderating effects of managerial pay gaps, specifically vertical pay disparity and horizontal pay dispersion.
Design/methodology/approach
This study’s analyses used data collected from Chinese listed companies from 2007 to 2019.
Findings
The authors found an inverted U-shaped relationship between EPU and firm innovation. Furthermore, vertical pay disparity strengthens the curvilinear relationship, while horizontal pay dispersion weakens it.
Practical implications
First, politicians should avoid adjusting economic policies too frequently because the high EPU levels created by frequent adjustments can inhibit business innovation. Second, firms should be aware that EPU creates opportunities for leapfrogging. In particular, firms can incentivize executives to take advantage of the valuable growth opportunities presented by EPU by widening vertical pay disparities and avoiding excessive horizontal pay dispersion.
Originality/value
First, the authors analyze not only the positive effects of lower EPU on firm innovation but also the negative impacts of higher EPU to examine EPU’s “double-edged sword” effect on firm innovation. Second, the investigation of vertical pay disparity and horizontal pay dispersion as moderating variables sheds new light on the equivocal research findings regarding the EPU–firm innovation relationship and clarifies the boundary conditions of the double-edged sword effect of EPU on firm innovation.
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Yingjun Zhang, Yawei Shao, Qiumei Shi, Yanqiu Wang, Guozhe Meng and Ping Li
The purpose of this paper was to research the influence of polyaniline/montmorillonite (PANI/OMMT) composite powder content on the corrosion protection of epoxy (EP) coating.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to research the influence of polyaniline/montmorillonite (PANI/OMMT) composite powder content on the corrosion protection of epoxy (EP) coating.
Design/methodology/approach
The polyaniline/montmorillonite/epoxy (PANI/OMMT/EP) coatings containing different contents of PANI/OMMT composite powder were prepared on steel. The corrosion protection performances of PANI/OMMT/EP coatings in 3.5 per cent NaCl solutions were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The barrier property of coatings was examined using water absorption analysis. The structure and crosslink density of coatings were examined using scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively.
Findings
The PANI/OMMT composite powder could enhance the barrier properties of the EP coating and reduce the corrosion rate of the steel beneath the coating. The coating showed the best corrosion protection performance when 3 per cent PANI/OMMT powder was added to the coating.
Originality/value
The research clarified the influence of PANI/OMMT content on the corrosion protection of coating from two aspects: one is the barrier performance of the coating; the other is the corrosion inhibitors for metal substrate.
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Danying Song, Joseph S. Chen and Ke Dong
Given the rapid growth of the Chinese cruise market, several Chinese cities are attempting to become a hub for cruise ships. The aim of this study is to evaluate the…
Abstract
Given the rapid growth of the Chinese cruise market, several Chinese cities are attempting to become a hub for cruise ships. The aim of this study is to evaluate the competitiveness of those cities with regard to hosting cruises. It employs a cloud model that transforms the qualitative description of competitive indicators into quantitative measurement and assesses the competitive advantage and specialization of the top homeports in China. Questionnaires are delivered to experts from eight cruise ports in China and the cloud model based on 14 evaluation factors is used to analyze the competitiveness of the ports under investigation. The result shows that the city’s scale, population, and development have been the main factors for assessing the competitiveness of port cities. The research provides insight about the Chinese cruise port cities’ competitiveness, which is particularly useful for future development decision and marketing strategies of ports and prospective destinations.
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Ruopiao Zhang and Carlos Noronha
Drawing upon resource-based view (RBV) and attribution theoretical lenses, this chapter provides a paradigm for examining the interplay among environmental investment towards…
Abstract
Drawing upon resource-based view (RBV) and attribution theoretical lenses, this chapter provides a paradigm for examining the interplay among environmental investment towards green innovation, environmental disclosure as well as firm performance using the structural equation modelling (SEM) methodology. This chapter demonstrate a growing environmental awareness among stakeholders of the relevance of environmental performance to share value. It is also suggested that the mediating power of environmental disclosure between environmental investment and firm value as well as incremental goodwill is crucial. The findings of this chapter provide critical implications for several stakeholders that if environmental performance is hypothesised to affect the firm's value, companies may take proactive measures to avert potential environmental-related violations. Besides, investors may trade based on the evidence as to how firm value and its goodwill from acquisition will be affected by news of its environmental performance.
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Chengfu Hu, Chong Shi, Yiping Zhang, Xiao Chen and Sha Luo
Cemented conglomerate accumulation is a weak and heterogeneous medium that occurs in western China. It consists mainly of argillaceous cement that loses strength rapidly upon…
Abstract
Purpose
Cemented conglomerate accumulation is a weak and heterogeneous medium that occurs in western China. It consists mainly of argillaceous cement that loses strength rapidly upon contact with water, leading to collapse instability failure. Its deformation failure mechanism is complex and poorly understood. In this paper, the erosion failure mechanism of cemented conglomerate accumulation is investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The collapse failure process after erosion of the slope foot for typical cemented conglomerate accumulation is studied based on field investigation using the particle discrete element method. And how the medium composition, slope angle and cementation degree influence the failure mode and process of the cemented conglomerate accumulation is examined.
Findings
The foot erosion of slope induces a tensile failure that typically manifests as “erosion at the foot of slope – tensile cracking at the back edge of slope top – integral collapse.” The collapse failure is more likely to occur when the cemented conglomerate accumulation has a higher rock content, a steeper slope angle or a weaker cementation degree.
Originality/value
A model based on rigid blocks and disk particles to simulate the cemented conglomerate accumulation is developed. It shows that the hydraulic erosion at the foot of the slope resulted in a different failure mechanism than that of general slopes. The results can inform the stability management, disaster prevention and mitigation of similar slopes.
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Narayanage Jayantha Dewasiri, Mawarala Vitharanage Probodika Hanshani, Mananage Shanika Hansini Rathnasiri and Simon Grima
Purpose: This chapter examines the effect of green banking practices (GBPs) on environmental performance (EP), specifically focussing on the Sri Lankan banking industry…
Abstract
Purpose: This chapter examines the effect of green banking practices (GBPs) on environmental performance (EP), specifically focussing on the Sri Lankan banking industry. Additionally, the study explores the mediating impact of green finance in the association between GBPs and the EP of banks listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange in Sri Lanka.
Methodology: The survey included 233 banking employees from Sri Lanka, and data for this study were collected via questionnaires. The formulated hypotheses were tested employing a regression analysis.
Findings: GBPs such as employee, customer, operation, and policy-related practices significantly predicted the banks’ EP. Furthermore, the study highlights that green finance partially mediates the relationship between GBPs and banks’ EP in Sri Lanka.
Implications of the study: The study’s results indicate that banks should prioritise integrating GBPs in their organisations to enhance environmental and overall performance. Moreover, strategically utilising green financing techniques might be a substantial channel for banks to further strengthen their ecological dedication and influence.
Originality: This is the first study to investigate the impact of GBPs on banks’ EP with the mediating effect of green finance in the Sri Lankan context.
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Ayşegül Gürsoy and Gökçe Sinem Erbuğa
Introduction: The global financial crisis has affected the financial markets and has had social consequences in addition to economic ones. The concept of ‘sustainability’ concerns…
Abstract
Introduction: The global financial crisis has affected the financial markets and has had social consequences in addition to economic ones. The concept of ‘sustainability’ concerns firms reaching their main corporate goals. So, to maximise corporate financial performance (FINP), firms pay attention to non-financial data, such as elements of governance, social, and environmental concerns (henceforth referred to as ESG). Therefore, non-financial information provided by EGS factors measured by the ESG score has a crucial role in incorporating strategy and firm performance.
Purpose: This chapter looks at how ESG scores affect the performance of firms. The term ‘ESG’ describes how corporate operations include ESG principles. The ESG score is a novel way to gauge a company’s sustainability.
Methodology: ESG practices are a current phenomenon that has taken the attention of researchers in the last decades. Besides the amount of research conducted, researchers still need consensus regarding its impact. This chapter implements a systematic literature review to compile the research on ESG performance (ESGP) and how it affects business performance.
Findings: Businesses can incorporate sustainability practices into their operations with the help of ESG reports. ESG reports and scores provide non-financial information, which is crucial for businesses to achieve sustainability in their activities and attract more investors. The chapter contributes to the literature by creating value through a comprehensive and theoretical literature review.
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Guotai Chi and Bin Meng
The purpose of this paper is to propose a debt rating index system for small industrial enterprises that significantly distinguishes the default state. This debt rating system is…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a debt rating index system for small industrial enterprises that significantly distinguishes the default state. This debt rating system is constructed using the F-test and correlation analysis method, with the small industrial enterprise loans of a Chinese commercial bank as the data sample. This study establishes the weighting principle for the debt scoring model: “the more significant the default state, the larger is the weight.” The debt rating system for small industrial enterprises is constructed based on the standard “the higher the debt rating, the lower is the loss given default.”
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors selected indexes that pass the homogeneity of variance test based on the principle that a greater deviation of the default sample’s mean from the whole sample’s mean leads to greater significance in distinguishing the default samples from the non-default samples. The authors removed correlated indexes based on the results of the correlation analysis and constructed a debt rating index system for small industrial enterprises that included 23 indexes.
Findings
Among the 23 indexes, the weights of 12 quantitative indexes add up to 0.547, while the weights of the remaining 11 qualitative indexes add up to 0.453. That is, in the debt rating of the small industry enterprises, the financial indexes are not capable of reflecting all the debt situations, and the qualitative indexes play a more important role in debt rating. The weights of indexes “X17 Outstanding loans to all assets ratio” and “X59 Date of the enterprise establishment” are 0.146 and 0.133, respectively; both these are greater than 0.1, and the indexes are ranked first and second, respectively. The weights of indexes “X6 EBIT-to- current liabilities ratio,” “X13 Ratio of capital to fixed” and “X78 Legal dispute number” are between 0.07 and 0.09, these indexes are ranked third to fifth. The weights of indexes “X3 Quick ratio” and “X50 Per capital year-end savings balance of Urban and rural residents” are both 0.013, and these are the lowest ranked indexes.
Originality/value
The data of index i are divided into two categories: default and non-default. A greater deviation in the mean of the default sample from that of the whole sample leads to greater deviation from the non-default sample’s mean as well; thus, the index can easily distinguish the default and the non-default samples. Following this line of thought, the authors select indexes that pass the F-test for the debt rating system that identifies whether or not the sample is default. This avoids the disadvantages of the existing research in which the standard for selecting the index has nothing to do with the default state; further, this presents a new way of debt rating. When the correlation coefficient of two indexes is greater than 0.8, the index with the smaller F-value is removed because of its weaker prediction capacity. This avoids the mistake of eliminating an index that has strong ability to distinguish default and non-default samples. The greater the deviation of the default sample’s mean from the whole sample’s mean, the greater is the capability of the index to distinguish the default state. According to this rule, the authors assign a larger weight to the index that exhibits the ability to identify the default state. This is different from the existing index system, which does not take into account the ability to identify the default state.