Dongxu Wang, Donald Stewart and Chun Chang
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a holistic school-based nutrition programme using the health-promoting school (HPS) approach, on teachers’ knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a holistic school-based nutrition programme using the health-promoting school (HPS) approach, on teachers’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in relation to nutrition in rural China.
Design/methodology/approach
A cluster-randomised intervention trial design was employed. Two middle schools were randomly selected and assigned to either the intervention school using the HPS framework (HPS School), or to the Control School, in Miyun County, Beijing. From each school 20 teachers were randomly selected to complete the survey. Nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour were measured at pre- and post-intervention surveys with the same instrument. The nutrition intervention last for six months.
Findings
The holistic school-based nutrition programme using the HPS framework had no statistical impact on improving teacher’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in relation to nutrition (p > 0.05).
Practical implications
Future holistic school-based nutrition programmes targeting adolescents should also design and implement longer and more intensive interventions for teachers focusing on how to equip them with the awareness and ability to disseminate their knowledge, positive attitudes and role model behaviours to students, rather than on how to teach them basic knowledge and skills.
Originality/value
Although teachers play a critical role in the HPS framework, there is very limited published research investigating the change in teachers’ nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviour as a result of a nutrition promotion programme.
Dongxu Wang, Donald Stewart and Chun Chang
The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the school-based nutrition programme using the health-promoting school (HPS) framework was effective to improve parents’ knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the school-based nutrition programme using the health-promoting school (HPS) framework was effective to improve parents’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour (KAB) in relation to nutrition in rural Mi Yun County, Beijing.
Design/methodology/approach
A cluster-randomised intervention trial design was employed. Two middle schools were randomly selected and assigned to either the intervention school using the HPS framework (HPS School), or to the Control School, in Mi Yun County, Beijing. From each school 65 parents of seventh-grade students were randomly selected to participate in the study. Nutrition-related KAB were measured at pre- and post-intervention surveys with the same instrument. The nutrition intervention last for six months.
Findings
The school-based nutrition intervention using the HPS framework was effective in increasing parents’ nutrition knowledge; however, it had no statistical significant impact on improving parents’ attitudes towards nutrition and their eating behaviours.
Research limitations/implications
The intervention appeared to be inadequate from the point of view of its impact on parents in terms of content, form and frequency.
Practical implications
Future school-based nutrition promotion programmes using the HPS framework should focus more on parents, providing them with a more informative, participative and interactive, and frequent intervention.
Originality/value
There is very limited published research focusing on the effect of the school-based nutrition promotion programmes using an HPS framework on parents’ nutrition-related KAB. Although, the improved KAB in relation to nutrition among parents is essential to promote young people’s nutrition and healthy eating behaviours.
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Dongxu Wang, Donald Stewart, Chun Chang, Ying Ji and Yuhui Shi
– The purpose of this paper is to improve adolescents’ nutrition knowledge and to examine the effect of interventions component to improve adolescents’ nutrition knowledge.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to improve adolescents’ nutrition knowledge and to examine the effect of interventions component to improve adolescents’ nutrition knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
The study design was multi-factorial with repeated measures, at two points in time, of dependent samples from three schools, which were randomly selected from 15 middle schools in Miyun County, Beijing, and then randomly assigned to control school or intervention school. The instrument for baseline survey was a 14-item and for follow-up survey was a 26-item, self-administered, structured questionnaire, designed in Chinese.
Findings
Students’ nutrition knowledge improved significantly in intervention schools after intervention compared with controls. The extent to which students felt that peer support activities were helpful and that what they learned in class about nutrition was helpful, was related to their resultant level of nutrition knowledge.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge there have been no previous studies which explore the effect of specific intervention components on levels of nutrition knowledge among adolescents.
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Wang Dongxu, Shi Yuhui, Donald Stewart, Chang Chun and Li Chaoyang
The paper seeks to identify key features of prenatal care utilization and quality in western regions of China and to determine the factors affecting the quality of prenatal care.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper seeks to identify key features of prenatal care utilization and quality in western regions of China and to determine the factors affecting the quality of prenatal care.
Design/methodology/approach
A descriptive, cross‐sectional study was conducted. The instrument for the study was a 10‐stem respondent‐administered, structured questionnaire, designed in Chinese, composed of two segments: general information on infants who were under two years old; and their mothers. The authors determined the quality (both amount and content) of prenatal care using recommendations made by UNICEF and the Chinese Ministry of Health (MOH) jointly for rural areas of China.
Findings
The median number of prenatal visits was three and rate of first trimester visits was 53.6 per cent (n=1,474). Over three quarters (75.3 per cent) of respondents had fewer than five prenatal visits, with this proportion highest in Gansu (95.8 per cent) and lowest in Shanxi (55.4 per cent) provinces. The percentage of women who received qualitatively adequate prenatal care services was only 1.8 per cent. No respondents in Gansu received a completely correct prenatal test, while this rate was 4.0 per cent in Shanxi and 0.2 per cent in Sichuan. Mothers' age (p=0.05), level of educational attainment (p=0.07) and place of prenatal care (p=0.01) were related to the quality of care.
Originality/value
The prenatal care utilization among women in western regions of China is not adequate. Those women who have received prenatal care seldom receive qualitatively adequate prenatal care services, according to national standards. This situation clearly requires urgent attention and improvement.
The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that influence migrant workers' household registration transfer willingness at both individual and urban levels and to provide…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that influence migrant workers' household registration transfer willingness at both individual and urban levels and to provide empirical evidence on adjusting the household registration system to accommodate economic development and migrant workers' imbalances.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a hierarchical nonlinear model and examines individual and urban influencing factors of migrant workers' household registration transfer willingness, based on the data from China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) and the Urban Statistical Yearbooks.
Findings
This paper shows that: (1) multi-factors, such as age, education, marital status, household demographics, industry and migrant workers' contract coverage, have significant effects on migrant workers' household registration transfer willingness; (2) The urban public service equalization indicators, such as regional economic, educational resources, medical care and ecological quality, have significant effects on migrant workers' willingness to transfer household registration; (3) The heterogeneity of migrant workers' willingness to transfer household registration is significant in central, eastern and western China.
Research limitations/implications
The authors provide a fresh perspective on population migration research in China and other countries worldwide based on the pull–push migration theory, which incorporates both individual and macro (urban) factors, enabling a comprehensive examination of the factors influencing household registration transfer willingness. This hierarchical ideology and approach (hierarchical nonlinear model) could be extended to investigate the influencing factors of various other human intentions and behaviors.
Originality/value
Micro approaches (individual perspective) have dominated existing studies examining the factors influencing migrant workers' household registration transfer willingness. The authors combine individual and urban perspectives and adopt a more comprehensive hierarchical nonlinear model to extend the empirical evidence and provide theoretical explanations for the above issues.
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Yuxin Cui, Yong-Hua Li, Dongxu Zhang, Yufeng Wang and Zhiyang Zhang
Aiming at the inefficiency of solving the Sobol index using the traditional mathematical analytical method, a Sobol global sensitivity analysis method is proposed.
Abstract
Purpose
Aiming at the inefficiency of solving the Sobol index using the traditional mathematical analytical method, a Sobol global sensitivity analysis method is proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a support vector regression (SVR) surrogate model is constructed to solve the Sobol index. The optimal combination of SVR hyperparameters is obtained by using the improved beluga whale optimization (IBWO). Meanwhile, in order to solve the problem that Sobol sequences will form correlation regions in high-dimensional space leading to the uneven distribution of sampling points, a scrambled strategy is introduced in the Sobol sensitivity analysis using IBWO-SVR. Thus, the IBWO-SVR-SS sensitivity analysis model is established.
Findings
The results of two test functions show that the method further improves the accuracy of the sensitivity analysis. Finally, the first-order Sobol index and second-order Sobol index are solved by the IBWO-SVR-SS method using the metro bogie frame as an engineering example. Through the analysis results, the key design parameters of the frame and the design parameter combinations with more obvious coupling relationships are identified, providing a strong reference for the subsequent analysis and structural optimization.
Originality/value
Sobol sensitivity analysis using the surrogate model method can effectively improve the efficiency of the solution. In addition, IBWO is used for the optimization of the SVR hyperparameters to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the optimization, and finally, the correction of the Sobol sequence through the introduction of the disruption strategy also further improves the accuracy of the sensitivity analysis of Sobol.
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Abstract
Purpose
Oil-water two-phase flow is the most prevalent medium in oil field gathering pipelines, and the corrosion of pipelines is often highly localized. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the corrosion behavior of 20# pipeline steel in the oil-water stratified liquids, vary the water content of the upper emulsion and study the difference of the corrosion process.
Design/methodology/approach
Combine the wire beam electrodes (WBE) technique and the corrosion weight loss method to investigate the corrosion behavior of 20# steel in produced water simulation fluid and oil-water stratified liquids, and a corrosion mechanism model was established for analysis and explanation.
Findings
The results of mass loss experiments showed that the average corrosion rate increased with the increase in the water content of the upper emulsion. The corrosion current distribution maps indicated that the most serious corrosion occurred in the produced water simulation liquid, and the corrosion process showed the law of waterline corrosion. In addition, it was also found that the corrosion of the WBE in the stratified liquids had obvious non-uniformities. The electrode wires at the oil-water interface suffered from severe corrosion, caused by the dissolution of crude oil acids in water and the uneven distribution of oxygen in the corrosive medium.
Originality/value
The WBE technique provides a deep insight into the corrosion phenomena at the oil-water interface, which is helpful for characterization of the non-uniformity of corrosion parameters and evaluating the risks of multiphase corrosive media.
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Liang Li, Ziyu Chen, Yaobing Wang, Xiaodong Zhang and Ningfei Wang
The purpose of this paper is to solve the tracking problem for free-floating space manipulators (FFSMs) in task space with parameter uncertainties and external disturbance.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to solve the tracking problem for free-floating space manipulators (FFSMs) in task space with parameter uncertainties and external disturbance.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the novel cerebellar model articulation controller (CMAC) is designed with the feedback controller. More precisely, the parameter uncertainties in the FFSM are considered for achieving the robustness.
Findings
By using the dynamically equivalent model, the CMAC can be designed and trained with the desired performance, such that the prescribed trajectory can be followed accordingly. The simulation results are presented for illustrating the validity of the derived results.
Originality/value
Based on the designed CMAC, the tracking error would be approaching zero by choosing appropriate quantization level in CMAC and the corresponding learning rules can be tuned online.
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Weihua Liu, Zhixuan Chen, Tsan-Ming Choi, Paul Tae-Woo Lee, Hing Kai Chan and Yongzheng Gao
This study aims to explore the impact of carbon neutral announcements on “stock market value” of publicly listed companies in China.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the impact of carbon neutral announcements on “stock market value” of publicly listed companies in China.
Design/methodology/approach
The event study approach is adopted. Market, market-adjusted, Carhart four-factor model and a cross-sectional regression model are employed to examine the impacts of carbon neutral announcements on “stock market value” of Chinese companies based on data from 188 carbon neutral announcements.
Findings
Carbon neutral announcements positively impact Chinese shareholder value. Carbon neutral announcements at the strategic level have a more positive and significant impact on Chinese stock market value. Innovative carbon neutral announcements do not significantly cause Chinese stock market reactions. Companies have more positive and significant stock market reactions when the companies make carbon neutral announcements that reflect high supply chain network resilience and heterogeneity and strong supply chain network relationships.
Practical implications
The findings uncover the business value of carbon neutral activities and provide operations managers in developing countries insights into how to improve enterprises' market value by actively implementing carbon neutral activities.
Originality/value
This paper is the first trial to apply an event study to examine the relationship between carbon neutral announcements and Chinese stock market value from the perspective of announcement level and type and supply chain networks. This paper introduces corporate reputation theory and enriches the application of corporate reputation theory in the field of low-carbon environmental protections and supply chains.
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R.M.D.I.M. Rathnayake, P. Sridarran and M.D.T.E. Abeynayake
The total essence of apparel manufacturing buildings (AMBs) is highly influenced by fire incidents which are caused direct or indirect impacts to the present building structure or…
Abstract
Purpose
The total essence of apparel manufacturing buildings (AMBs) is highly influenced by fire incidents which are caused direct or indirect impacts to the present building structure or even in old age. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to evaluate the fire risk of AMBs in Sri Lanka.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review was conducted to explore the local and international fire incidents in AMBs and identify 24 factors that contribute to fire risk of AMBs. A questionnaire survey with professionals who have the knowledge and experience related to past fire incidents and 18 interviews with professionals of fire safety management were carried out. Content analysis was involved to evaluate interviewees’ opinions and relative importance index was involved to rank identified factors that contribute to the fire risk of AMBs.
Findings
The results revealed that due to the business nature of AMBs hold a high risk for fire incidents. The study discovered 83.4% of high fire risk prevailing in AMBs in Sri Lanka. Faulty wiring, welding work with electrical sparks and accumulation of waste fabric, paper and other garbage recognized as the top three factors that contribute to the fire risk of AMBs in Sri Lanka. Finally, the strategies proposed to eliminate identified all 41 factors that contribute to the fire risk of AMBs in Sri Lanka.
Originality/value
The paper helps to guide facility owners regarding the fire safety of AMBs in Sri Lanka.