Green marketing orientation impact on business performance: Case of pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan.

This study is based on the natural resource based view, which examines the impact of holistic marketing orientation on business performance (BP) by defining the role of enablers and mediators. The drivers, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental culture (EC) influence, are tested by analyzing the role of sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) as a mediator. The analysis is based on 298 samples collected from top and middle-level managers working in the pharmaceutical industry. Structural equation modeling was undertaken using Smart PLS 3.2.8. The research outcomes reveal that corporate social responsibility and environmental culture have a substantial impact on green marketing orientation (GMO). The results show that GMO has a significant direct and indirect impact on business performance while a full mediation of sustainable competitive advantage exists between the green marketing orientation and business performance. The outcomes will facilitate managers in green marketing strategy and decision making in the long-term, with 3-fold benefits in addition to strengthening their competitiveness.

Analysis on spatial development mode of eco-sports tourism in Grand Canal landscape environment culture belt.

The development mode of sports tourism is based on the ecological environment. In order to reduce the negative impact of sports tourism on the environment, the development of ecological sports tourism based on the perspective of ecology is the top priority for the healthy and sustainable development of sports tourism. On the basis of summarizing and analyzing the previous research results, this paper expounds the elements and value of ecological sports culture tourism resources, introduces the ecological sports tourism complex model of landscape environmental culture belt, and expounds the cultural connotation characteristics of ecological sports tourism environment. Environmental science is mainly reflected in the promotion of the benign cycle of natural ecological environment, the protection of living things, the protection of water bodies and the treatment of water pollution, and the good protection of atmospheric environment, geology, and geomorphology. Based on the development of ecological sports tourism space with landscape environment culture belt, this paper introduces the resource development system of Beijing-Hangzhou Canal ecological sports culture tourism, constructs the landscape space development mode of ecological sports tourism, and analyzes the landscape space structure of ecological sports tourism. Based on landscape culture with the basis of sports tourism resources, analyzes the influence factors of sports tourism spatial structure from the direction of the depth and breadth of two dimensions expand sports events and the ecological sports cultural tourism, the depth of the fusion depth aspects emphatically at sporting events, and the ecological sports cultural tourism into the connotation of mining, breadth aspect focuses on the formats of the extension of rich and associated industries. To study the important carrier of promoting the development of ecological sports culture resources and sports industry in the Canal, to plan the layout and establish the sports culture tourism industry base reasonably, and to form the sports culture tourism industry ecosphere. The results show that the scale and speed of the development of sports tourism not only depend on the attractive sports tourism resources but also highly depend on the level of economic and social development in the region. The supply of sports tourism must take the demand of sports tourism market as the guide, combine sports activities with tourism activities in an ecological and organic way, develop various sports items to meet the needs of tourists, and realize the ecological, economic, and social benefits of ecological sports tourism. The research results of this paper provide reference for the further development of eco-sports tourism in landscape environment and culture belt.

Culture conditions affect Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 ability to perform glycerol bioconversion into 3-hydroxypropionic acid.

The platform molecule 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) can be produced using Lactobacillus reuteri through a two-step bioprocess that involves a growth phase followed by a bioconversion phase. The bioproduction is performed by resting cells that convert glycerol into 3-HP and 1,3-propanediol in fed-batch mode. This work aimed at studying the effect of the growth conditions of L. reuteri DSM 17938 during the first step, on the glycerol bioconversion into 3-HP during the second step. A Plackett and Burman design was carried out to test, in controlled bioreactors, the effect of 11 growth conditions simultaneously, at fixed bioconversion conditions. The supplementation of the growth medium with vitamin B12 and cysteine displayed a negative effect on the 3-HP bioproduction. The addition of glucose, phytone peptone, Tween 80, 1,2-propanediol and betaine in the growth medium, together with a low temperature and an optimal pH of 6.0 during the growth phase increased the bioconversion duration from 56 h to 89 h at a glycerol feeding rate of 0.5 g·h-1. A validating experiment displayed that the 3-HP titer, 3-HP production yield and 3-HP specific production rate were significantly improved by 25 %, 150 % and 61 %, respectively.

Revisiting the "leading edge" of hospital privacy curtains in the medical intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Privacy curtains within medical intensive care unit (MICU) rooms are a potential contributor to health care associated infections. The "leading edge" of a hospital curtain, estimated to be the edge most frequently touched, likely plays a role in health care associated infections at hospitals. The aims of this study were to (1) compare the bacterial load of the edge vs the middle of curtains in the MICU, and (2) determine the identity and distribution of relevant pathogens colonizing them. METHODS: The edge and middle sections of 8 curtains in MICU rooms (4 contact precaution and 4 noncontact precaution) were sampled for culture on patient and staff sides. Bacterial loads of edges and middles were compared. Select isolates were further analyzed for species identification. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference for the contact (t = 2.10, P = .047) and noncontact (t = 2.62, P = .016) rooms, with the edges having a significantly higher median than the middles. Pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus, Klebsiella, and Acinetobacter were found on the curtains, though at lower rates than in previous studies. Opportunistic fungi were also found on all curtains. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study confirm that hospital curtains, most notably the edge but also the middle, are contaminated with pathogens, and that these areas are frequently touched by health care workers in between hand hygiene.

Hospital-associated Clostridium difficile infection and reservoirs within the hospital environment.

BACKGROUND: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a leading cause of hospital-associated infections. Antibiotic stewardship, environmental disinfection, and reduction of transmission via health care workers are the major modes of CDI prevention within hospitals. METHODS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of the environment in the spread of CDI within hospital rooms. Bed tracing of positive-CDI inpatients was performed to detect the strength of association to specific rooms. Environmental cultures were conducted to identify adequacy of environmental C difficile (CD) spores. Whole-genome sequencing was performed to evaluate the degree of CD relatedness. RESULTS: Bed tracing performed for 211 CDI patients showed a limited list of high-burden rooms. Environmental cultures for surfaces disinfected with a sporicidal agent were almost entirely negative, whereas the floors were positive for CDI in 15% of the studied patient rooms. Whole-genome sequencing did not detect any close genetic relatedness. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike in an outbreak setting, bed tracing did not yield conclusive results of room reservoirs. The C diff Banana Broth culture was inexpensive, sensitive, and easy to incubate under aerobic conditions. Sporicidal disinfectants were effective in eliminating CD from the environment. CD spores were found on floors and hard-to-clean surfaces.

The Microorganisms on Nurses' and Health Care Workers' Uniforms in the Intensive Care Units.

The objective of this study was to identify the types of microorganisms present on uniforms of nurses, physicians, respiratory therapist, students, and housekeepers in intensive care units (ICUs). A convenience sampling was used to recruit the participants ( N = 115) who work at military hospital in Jordan. Environmental cultures ( N = 305) were taken from the participants who were nurses, physicians, students, respiratory therapists, and housekeepers. The number of participating nurses was 58 (50.43%). There were 24 types of microorganisms found on the participants' uniforms. Staphylococcus epidermidis was found 59 times (61.3%) on the three areas of uniform culture. High level of contamination was found among all the participants, and it was the highest in physicians (85%) followed by nurse (79.3%) (χ2 = 24.87, p < .001). None of the participants' characteristics have correlated significantly with the uniform contamination. High percentages of uniform's contamination among all those who work in the ICUs were found.

Estado de los proyectos ambientales escolares en boyacá / State of school environmental projects in boyacá

La Educación Ambiental (EA) se creó como una herramienta generadora de cultura ambiental. En Colombia, la EA formal se hizo realidad desde 1994 a través de la implementación de los Proyectos Ambientales Escolares (PRAE) en las Instituciones Educativas (IE). Actualmente se incrementan los daños a la naturaleza en Boyacá, pareciera que la cultura mencionada no existe; además, resulta escasa la información sobre la formulación y desarrollo de los PRAE como un punto de partida en la elaboración de programas y proyectos para el Plan Departamental de Educación Ambiental de Boyacá. Así, el objetivo fue analizar el estado de los PRAE de Boyacá, a través de: 1. Indicar sus generalidades, 2. Evidenciar características de su formulación; y 3. Indagar aspectos de su desarrollo. Para responder a estos objetivos se realizó una encuesta a 254 IE, obteniendo 175 respuestas. Se encontró que los PRAE se realizan prioritariamente en zonas urbanas; la mayoría tiene menos de cuatro años de creación, con una mínima asignación presupuestal. Así mismo, realizan una caracterización ambiental y una justificación, pero no reportaron los problemas del territorio de la zona de vida de las IE; priorizan temas como concientización, pero en las acciones persiste el manejo de residuos sólidos y el reciclaje, desconociendo otro tipo de conflictos de mayor impacto. La formulación y el desarrollo tuvieron escasa participación estudiantil y docente; su desarrollo no está articulado a los comités ambientales escolares, pero sí con otros actores. En consecuencia, resulta evidente la necesidad de un programa y proyectos específicos para la EA escolar en Boyacá, donde la institucionalidad asuma responsabilidad independiente y en conjunto frente al acompañamiento y participación tanto en formulación, desarrollo e impacto de los PRAE, con el fin de hacer efectiva la cultura ambiental acorde con los derechos de la naturaleza: respeto, responsabilidad y restauración.

Environmental Education (EE) has been created as a tool of environmental culture. In Colombia, the EE became real in 1994 through of environmental school projects (ESP) in educational institutions (EI). Currently the damage to nature increases in Boyacá; no environmental culture, moreover, no detailed information exists about formulation and development of the ESP as one point of reference in the elaboration of programmes and projects for the Departmental Plan of Environmental Education, Boyacá. The aim was to analyze the state of Boyacá ESP through: 1. Indicate their generalities, 2. Evidence characteristics of its formulation; and 3. Investigate its development. It sent out a survey to 254 EI to gather data on these topics through of Departmental Education Secretary. Answered the survey in 175 EI. It was found that: the ESP prevailing in urban areas; most have less than four years created, on a small budget. The formulation includes environmental characterization and justification, but not report problems in the Territory the life zone of schools; prioritize topics as awareness, however persists solid waste management and recycling. Formulation and development had student and teachers participation, the majority of natural sciences. Their development is not articulated with the School Environmental Committees, but with other actors. Therefore, it is clear that need for a program and specific projects in EE in Boyacá, where the institutions assumes independent and jointly liable to the accompaniment and participation both in formulation, development and impact of the ESP, in order to make effective of environmental culture consistent with the rights of nature: respect, responsibility and restoration.

Algunas consideraciones sobre la formación de la cultura ambiental en la carrera de Medicina / Some considerations about the formation of the environmental culture in the medical career

Con el objetivo de profundizar en la preparación didáctica de los estudiantes de la carrera de Medicina en la Filial de Ciencias Médicas de Bayamo, se procedió a la realización de cuatro talleres de índole pedagógica, dos dirigidos a los estudiantes y dos a docentes. Se llegó a la conclusión de que existen marcadas insuficiencias en la preparación didáctica de estos estudiantes, lo que repercute en la formación de la cultura ambiental en la carrera. Las limitaciones en la incorporación de la dimensión ambientalista en las disciplinas, insuficiente conocimiento relacionado a esta cultura y las insuficiencias en la dinámica del proceso, motivaron a trazar estrategias a corto y mediano plazo para la solución de estas. Se realizó una revisión de los programas de la carrera de Medicina. La elaboración de un modelo pedagógico para la formación de la cultura ambiental en estos estudiantes, se proyecta como una solución de impacto a las insuficiencias encontradas

With the objective of deepening into the didactic preparation of the medical students in the School of Medical Sciences located in Bayamo, four pedagogic workshops, two of them directed to the students, and the others to the professors, were carried out. It was concluded that there exist significant deficiencies affecting the didactic preparation of these students, which have an impact on the formation of the environmental culture in the medical career. The limitations for the insertion of an environmental dimension into the disciplines, the poor knowledge related to this culture, and the deficiencies in the process dynamics were the reasons for setting out mid and short-term strategies to solve these problems. The curricula of the medical career were reviewed. The design of a pedagogic model to promote the formation of the environmental culture in these students seems to be an impact solution for the deficiencies found

Plantas medicinales en un proyecto de desarrollo humano / Presence of medicinal plants in a community human development project

Introducción: el establecimiento de proyectos de patios ecológicos con plantas medicinales dentro del Programa de Desarrollo Sostenible Promoción del Desarrollo Humano. Objetivos: contribuir a la transformación y remodelación de los pequeños espacios en las viviendas: patios, balcones, azoteas, jardines, como forma de obtener estilos de vida sustentables y el mejoramiento de la calidad de vida. Métodos: se desarrollaron estos proyectos en algunos territorios urbanos y rurales como Guanabacoa, Luyanó, San Antonio de los Baños, Alquizar, Guanajay; se utilizó la metodología de diagnóstico participativo donde mediante recorridos por las localidades, el diálogo y la discusión con cada propietario se realizó un diagnóstico preliminar que generó información valiosa y sensibilización sobre lo que se debía abordar: análisis de sus problemas/necesidades, posibles intereses y soluciones, condiciones actuales, recomendar lo que se desea cambiar, mantener, incorporar o suprimir; también posibilitó conocer las necesidades de capacitación y asesoramiento. Resultados: se logró hacer estos espacios más productivos al obtener además de plantas medicinales, condimentos, vegetales, frutas, plantas ornamentales, cría ecológica de conejos, gallinas y peces con recursos propios; su intercambio entre patios; la propagación de plantas para su venta en bolsas; el montaje de un secador solar que facilitó el secado de algunas plantas con utilidad como medicinales y de condimentos, su distribución y venta en la comunidad; el reciclaje de los residuos generados en la colectividad y su empleo como abono orgánico, así como la reutilización de vasijas desechables. Todo esto les ha brindado el mejoramiento de la salud y de la calidad alimentaria, algún recurso económico, concretar experiencias prácticas en agricultura ecológica para conservar los recursos(

Introduction: the setting up of projects for the creation of ecological backyards with medicinal plants within the sustainable development program called Promotion of Human Development. Objectives: to contribute to the transformation and remodeling of small spaces found in houses such as backyards, balconies, roofs, gardens, etc., so that they could contribute to sustainable lifestyles and to the improvement of the quality of life. Methods: some of these projects were carried on in some urban and rural territories like Guanabacoa, Luyanó, San Antonio de los Baños, Alquízar y Guanajay. The participatory diagnosis methodology allowed reaching, after tours of the various localities, dialogue and discussion with every owner of an unused place, a preliminary diagnosis with useful information and the level of awareness about what should be addressed: analysis of their problems and needs; possible interests and solutions, present conditions, recommendations on the things that the owner desired to change, keep, incorporate or eliminate. It was also possible to learn about the training and advisory requirements in these settings. Results: more productive spaces since the owners obtain medicinal plants, seasonings, vegetables, fruits, ornamental plants, ecological raising of rabbits, chicken and fish, based on individual resources; the exchange of productions among the backyards, the sale of plants in bags, the mounting of a sun dryer facilitating the drying of some plants for medical use and of some seasonings, their distribution and community-wide sale; the recycling of residues from the community setting and their use as organic fertilizer as well as the reuse of disposable containers. All this has provided the community with better health and food quality, obtaining of some additional financial resources, the materialization of experiences in developing ecological agriculture to preserve the natural resources and the local culture, thus contributing to the