17 research outputs found
Green Logistics Practices and Firm Performance: The Mediating Effect of Economic Performance Among Logistics Firms in Kenya
No full textEmissions from the logistics industry are rising at a greater concern than any other industry and the trend is expected to continue such that by 2030 these levels will be 80% higher than they were in 2007 unlessthere is a change. Many firms aim at reducing cost and they need to strike a balance between economic, social and ecological factors for sustainability. This study establishes mediating role of economic performance on the relationship between green logistics practices and the performance of logistics firms operating in Kenya. The study is guided by the philosophy of positivism research and it applied the cross-sectional survey research design. The population of interest consist of 892 logistics firms in Kenya from which a sample of 300 firms is drawn. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Validity and reliability measurement were done using three frequently used methods – construct reliability (CR), average variance extracted (AVE), Cronbach's alpha. Data were analyzed using covariancebased structural equation modelling (CB-SEM). The study established that there is a significant positive relationship between the implementation of green logistics practices and firm performance of logistics firms in Kenya (β=0.63, p<0.001). The mediating effect of economic performance on the relationship between green logistics practices and firm performance was found to be positive and significant (β = .020, p = .039) at 0.05 significance level. It is recommended that logistics firms in Kenya should implement environmentfriendly practices both within firms and in the wider supply chain
Mobile money services and the growth of the Jua Kali enterprises in Makueni county
No full textThis study investigated the influence of mobile money transfer on the growth of Jua Kali enterprises in Makueni County, Kenya. Mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa have become integral to informal sector businesses, enabling faster, safer, and more convenient financial transactions while expanding access to credit and savings. Using a correlational research design, primary data were collected from a stratified sample of 342 Jua Kali entrepreneurs, with 266 valid responses analyzed through descriptive statistics and multiple regression. Results show that 76.7% of respondents received more than half of their business revenue via mobile money, with a mean perceived sales improvement score of 3.93 on a five-point scale. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between mobile money usage and enterprise growth (B = 0.470, p < 0.001), confirming that greater integration of mobile money into business operations enhances revenue performance. The findings highlight mobile money as a key driver of financial inclusion and growth within Kenya’s informal sector, aligning with the Technology Acceptance Model and Financial Inclusion Theory. The study recommends expanding digital infrastructure, reducing transaction costs, and providing targeted training to help entrepreneurs maximize mobile money benefits. These insights contribute to policy and practice aimed at strengthening the resilience and competitiveness of Jua Kali enterprises
Green logistics practices and firm performance: The mediating effect of environmental performance among logistics firms in kenya
No full textObjective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of green logistics practices on performance and mediating effect of environmental performance on this relationship in logistics companies in Kenya.
Theoretical Framework: This study is anchored on the resource-based view and the natural resource-based view.
Method: The study employs cross-sectional survey research design. A structured questionnaire is used to collect data from a sample of 300 firms which is analyzed using CB-SEM.
Results and Discussion: Study establishes a significant positive relationship between green logistics practices and performance which is in line with the argument of the natural resource-based view. Secondly, the mediating effect of environmental performance on the relationship between green logistics practices and firm performance is found to be non-significant.
Research Implications: The study recommends that logistics firms should implement environment-friendly practices of green packaging, route optimization, fuel efficiency, carbon emission measurement and reverse logistics. The expenses associated with implementing these practices impede the firm’s ability to improve performance in the context of a developing country. The findings provide a basis for the development regulatory framework in pursuit of environmental sustainability.
Originality/Value: Research on ecological sustainability has mainly concentrated on the entire supply chain. This study concentrates on the logistics aspect which is responsible for a quarter of emissions of Green House Gases (CHGs). The research employs a measurement model of green logistics practices construct in the service sector hence moving away from the manufacturing organizations
GREEN LOGISTICS PRACTICES AND FIRM PERFORMANCE: THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE AMONG LOGISTICS FIRMS IN KENYA
No full textObjective: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of green logistics practices on performance and mediating effect of environmental performance on this relationship in logistics companies in Kenya.
Theoretical Framework: This study is anchored on the resource-based view and the natural resource-based view.
Method: The study employs cross-sectional survey research design. A structured questionnaire is used to collect data from a sample of 300 firms which is analyzed using CB-SEM.
Results and Discussion: Study establishes a significant positive relationship between green logistics practices and performance which is in line with the argument of the natural resource-based view. Secondly, the mediating effect of environmental performance on the relationship between green logistics practices and firm performance is found to be non-significant.
Research Implications: The study recommends that logistics firms should implement environment-friendly practices of green packaging, route optimization, fuel efficiency, carbon emission measurement and reverse logistics. The expenses associated with implementing these practices impede the firm’s ability to improve performance in the context of a developing country. The findings provide a basis for the development regulatory framework in pursuit of environmental sustainability.
Originality/Value: Research on ecological sustainability has mainly concentrated on the entire supply chain. This study concentrates on the logistics aspect which is responsible for a quarter of emissions of Green House Gases (CHGs). The research employs a measurement model of green logistics practices construct in the service sector hence moving away from the manufacturing organizations
Filtros fantásticos y asociativos en sistemas residuados pseudo cuasi-ordenados
No full textAn interesting generalization of hoop-algebras and commutative residuated lattices is the concept of quasi-ordered residuated systems (shortly QRS) introduced in 2018 by Bonzio and Chajda. Quasi-ordered residuated system is an integral commutative monoid with two internal binary operations interconnected by a residuation connection. This specificity is the reason for the complexity of this algebraic structure and the existence of a significant number of substructures in it, such as various types of filters. The notion of pseudo quasi-ordered residuated systems was introduced and developed in 2022 by this author, omitting the commutativity requirement in QRSs, discussing, additionally, filters in it. Concept of pseudo QRSs is a generalization of the notion of QRSs. In this report, as a continuation of previous research, in addition to the introduction of concepts of fantastic and associative filters in a pseudo quasi-ordered residuated system, their mutual connection between them is discussed, and some examples are presented.Una interesante generalización de las álgebras de aro y las retículas residuadas conmutativas es el concepto de sistemas residuados cuasi-ordenados (abreviado como QRS) introducido en 2018 por Bonzio y Chajda. Un sistema residuado cuasi-ordenado es un monoide conmutativo integral con dos operaciones binarias internas interconectadas por una conexión de residuación. Esta especificidad es la razón de la complejidad de esta estructura algebraica y la existencia de un número significativo de subestructuras en ella, como varios tipos de filtros. La noción de sistemas residuados cuasi-ordenados pseudo fue introducida y desarrollada en 2022 por este autor, omitiendo el requisito de conmutatividad en los QRS, y discutiendo además los filtros en ellos. El concepto de pseudo QRS es una generalización de la noción de QRS. En este informe, como continuación de investigaciones anteriores, además de la introducción de los conceptos de filtros fantásticos y asociativos en un sistema residuado cuasi-ordenado pseudo, se discute su conexión mutua entre ellos y se presentan algunos ejemplos
Never be silent : publishing & imperialism in Kenya, 1884-1963
No full textSocial communications are central to any social struggle. There is a sizable body of literature from other countries on the use of oral medium, newspapers, books and other forms of communications being used as tools for organising against a powerful enemy, as a training ground for cadres and for clarifying and developing revolutionary theory, ideology, organisation and practice. All this ensures a greater unity among those resisting oppression and exploitation. Thus revolutionary and liberation forces of Bolsheviks in the Soviet Union, the Communist Party of China, and in Vietnam had developed theories and practices of revolutionary publishing as part of their revolutionary work. This has also been the case during anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggles in Africa, but very little of this has been systematically documented as an aspect of revolutionary communications policy and practice. While the
colonial communications systems have been reasonably well documented, the resistance communication systems remain largely undocumented and ignored. This book is an initial attempt to document this dynamic communications process in Kenya with its external struggles against colonialism and its complex internal struggles with overlaying divisions of race and class, Kenyan and foreign peoples. The main theme emerging from this experience is that people struggling to change their society always find ways of establishing their own system of communicating with the people they lead
and by whom they are led. Their mission of revolution, of change, of peace, of social and economic justice requires that they should never be silent. This was well understood and practised by the liberation forces in Kenya. They
were never silent
Efficacy and safety of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine during 18 months after vaccination : a phase 3 randomized, controlled trial in children and young infants at 11 African sites
No full textA malaria vaccine could be an important addition to current control strategies. We report the safety and vaccine efficacy (VE) of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine during 18 mo following vaccination at 11 African sites with varying malaria transmission.; 6,537 infants aged 6-12 wk and 8,923 children aged 5-17 mo were randomized to receive three doses of RTS,S/AS01 or comparator vaccine. VE against clinical malaria in children during the 18 mo after vaccine dose 3 (per protocol) was 46% (95% CI 42% to 50%) (range 40% to 77%; VE, p>0.01 across all sites). VE during the 20 mo after vaccine dose 1 (intention to treat [ITT]) was 45% (95% CI 41% to 49%). VE against severe malaria, malaria hospitalization, and all-cause hospitalization was 34% (95% CI 15% to 48%), 41% (95% CI 30% to 50%), and 19% (95% CI 11% to 27%), respectively (ITT). VE against clinical malaria in infants was 27% (95% CI 20% to 32%, per protocol; 27% [95% CI 21% to 33%], ITT), with no significant protection against severe malaria, malaria hospitalization, or all-cause hospitalization. Post-vaccination anti-circumsporozoite antibody geometric mean titer varied from 348 to 787 EU/ml across sites in children and from 117 to 335 EU/ml in infants (per protocol). VE waned over time in both age categories (Schoenfeld residuals p>0.001). The number of clinical and severe malaria cases averted per 1,000 children vaccinated ranged across sites from 37 to 2,365 and from -1 to 49, respectively; corresponding ranges among infants were -10 to 1,402 and -13 to 37, respectively (ITT). Meningitis was reported as a serious adverse event in 16/5,949 and 1/2,974 children and in 9/4,358 and 3/2,179 infants in the RTS,S/AS01 and control groups, respectively.; RTS,S/AS01 prevented many cases of clinical and severe malaria over the 18 mo after vaccine dose 3, with the highest impact in areas with the greatest malaria incidence. VE was higher in children than in infants, but even at modest levels of VE, the number of malaria cases averted was substantial. RTS,S/AS01 could be an important addition to current malaria control in Africa
DNA Glycosylases Involved in Base Excision Repair May Be Associated with Cancer Risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutation Carriers.
No full textSingle Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in the DNA Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway could be
associated with cancer risk in carriers of mutations in the high-penetrance susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, given the relation of synthetic lethality that exists between one of the components of the BER pathway, PARP1 (poly ADP ribose
polymerase), and both BRCA1 and BRCA2. In the present study, we have performed a comprehensive analysis of 18 genes involved in BER using a tagging SNP approach in a large series of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers. 144 SNPs were analyzed in a two stage study involving 23,463 carriers from the CIMBA consortium (the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1 and BRCA2). Eleven SNPs showed evidence of association with breast and/or ovarian cancer at p,0.05 in the combined analysis. Four of the five genes for which strongest evidence of association was observed were DNA glycosylases. The strongest evidence was for rs1466785 in the NEIL2 (endonuclease VIII-like 2) gene (HR: 1.09, 95% CI (1.03– 1.16), p = 2.761023) for association with breast cancer risk in BRCA2 mutation carriers, and rs2304277 in the OGG1 (8-guanine DNA glycosylase) gene, with ovarian cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers (HR: 1.12 95%CI: 1.03–1.21,
p = 4.861023). DNA glycosylases involved in the first steps of the BER pathway may be associated with cancer risk in BRCA1/ 2 mutation carriers and should be more comprehensively studied
Semina veritatis. Geschichte und Metaphysik bei Leibniz
No full text2019 - 2020La mia tesi è dedicata alla concezione di Leibniz della storia della filosofia e il rapporto tra essa e la metafisica.
Come mostro nel mio lavoro, Leibniz presenta una concezione progressiva della storia della filosofia, il che
rappresenta un elemento di novità al suo tempo. Anche il famoso concetto leibniziano philosophia perennis,
solitamente interpretato in chiave “conservatrice”, si inserisce in questa prospettiva. Viene mostrato inoltre
come queste riflessioni “metafilosofiche” non siano un momento marginale, bensì una parte integrante della
filosofia spiritualista di Leibniz. Nel pensiero di Leibniz, da un lato la storia della filosofia, dall’altro
l’epistemologia e la metafisica sono in una relazione di mutua dipendenza: problemi e soluzioni della filosofia
di Leibniz sono spesso conseguenze della sua concezione della storia della filosofia, la quale a sua volta
dipende in modo decisivo da premesse metafisiche. Il programma di Leibniz di una metafisica che segue gli
standard metodologici moderni è conseguenza della sua analisi dell’ambiguo seculum philosophicum. Questa
immagine progressiva che Leibniz ha della storia della filosofia è a sua volta conseguenza diretta di una
concezione della metafisica intesa come dinamica e gerarchica, secondo la quale le creature partecipano in un
grado sempre più alto dell’essenza, e quindi nell’onniscienza, divina.
La tesi è suddivisa in due parti, che corrispondono, rispettivamente, alle fasi della biografia filosofica di
Leibniz come la descrive lui stesso in testi autobiografici: una presunta fase meccanicistica prima, e una una
fase più tradizionale poi, caratterizzata dalla “reintroduzione” del concetto scolastico di forma substantialis.
Contrariamente a quanto sostenuto, ad esempio, da Daniel Garber, cerco di dimostrare che il concetto di forma
substantialis non cambia molto il proprio significato durante la seconda fase intellettuale del pensiero
leibniziano che, quindi, è omogenea. La forma substantialis e l’ilemorfismo di Leibniz si inseriscono
all’interno del modello platonico di una metafisica della partecipazione. Viene dimostrato come, nonostante
l’importanza centrale della forma substantialis, la fase “ilemorfista” e quella meccanicistica condividono alcuni elementi centrali: la metafisica della partecipazione, il rapporto tra fisica e metafisica e la concezione progressiva della storia rimangano constanti in tutta la sua vita.
Questa struttura bipartita è preceduta da una breve introduzione al contesto storico-politico: la dinamica storica e scientifica di cui ho parlato corrisponde ad esperienze storiche concrete del tempo di Leibniz, molto legate alla monarchia del suo tempo, la cosiddetta monarchia assoluta. Possiamo forse caratterizzare la filosofia di Leibniz come un “platonismo barocco”: “barocco” non semplicemente perchè Leibniz si trovò a vivere in quell’epoca ma, in senso più specifico, perché la sua filosofia nasce proprio dall’incontro tra premesse metafisiche di stampo platonico e le concrete esperienze storiche dell’età barocca. [a cura dell'Autore]My thesis is dedicated to Leibniz’s conception of the history of philosophy and to the relationship of this conception with his metaphysics. Leibniz, as I show in my work, has a progressive conception of the history of philosophy, which was by no means a given at his time. Indeed, Leibniz’s famous term, philosophia perennis, commonly understood as a conservative approach, actually expresses this progressive perspective. Furthermore, I argue that this subject is not marginal, but an integral part of Leibniz’s spiritualist philosophy. Leibniz’s views on the history of philosophy on the one hand, his metaphysics and epistemology on the other, are mutually dependent: problems and solutions that we find in Leibniz’s philosophy are often consequences of his conception of the history of philosophy, which in turn depends on metaphysical premises. Leibniz’s programme of a metaphysics that follows modern methodological standards results from his analysis of the ambiguous seculum philosophicum he believed himself to be living through. This progressive view of the history of philosophy, in turn, is the direct consequence of a dynamic and hierarchical metaphysics, according to which creatures participate to an increasingly higher degree in the essence, and consequently the omniscience, of God.
The thesis is divided into two parts, which correspond to the phases of Leibniz’s philosophical development as he describes them in several autobiographical texts. The first of these was mechanist in nature, the second one more traditional, characterized by the “reintroduction” of the scholastic concept of forma substantialis. Contrary to the interpretation advanced, among others, by Daniel Garber, I attempt to show that this concept does not significantly change during the second phase, which from this perspective may be regarded as homogeneous. Leibniz’s forma substantialis and hylemorphism are in accordance with the platonic model of a metaphysics of participation. Furthermore, the thesis shows that, notwithstanding the central importance of the forma substantialis, the “hylemorphistic” and the “mechanist” phase of his thought have key characteristics in common: a metaphysics of participation, a hierachical subordination of mechanist physics under a spiritualist metaphysics, and a progressive view of history.
These two central parts are preceded by a brief introduction to the historical-political context: the central role in Leibniz’s thought of dynamic development corresponds to historical experiences of Leibniz’s time, closely connected to the so-called “absolute” monarchy. We can maybe characterize Leibniz’s philosophy as “baroque platonism”: “baroque” not just because Leibniz happened to live in the 17th and 18th centuries, but in the more meaningful sense that his philosophy has its origin in the encounter between metaphysical premises of platonic character and the concrete experiences of the baroque era. [edited by Author]XXXII
Danger signals released during cold ischemia storage activate NLRP3 inflammasome in myeloid cells and influence early allograft function in liver transplantation
No full text© 2022 The Author(s). This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. This document is the Published version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in EBioMedicine. To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10. 1016/j.ebiom.2022. 104419Background Innate immunity plays a fundamental role in solid organ transplantation. Myeloid cells can sense danger signals or DAMPs released after tissue or cell damage, such as during ischemia processes. This study aimed to identify DAMPs released during cold ischemia storage of human liver and analyze their ability to activate the inflammasome in myeloid cells and the possible implications in terms of short-term outcomes of liver transplantation. Methods 79 samples of organ preservation solution (OPS) from 79 deceased donors were collected after cold static storage. We used different analytical methods to measure DAMPs in these end-ischemic OPS (eiOPS) samples. We also used eiOPS in the human macrophage THP-1 cell line and primary monocyte cultures to study inflammasome activation. Findings Different DAMPs were identified in eiOPS, several of which induced both priming and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in human myeloid cells. Cold ischemia time and donation after circulatory death negatively influenced the DAMP signature. Moreover, the presence of oligomeric inflammasomes and interleukin-18 in eiOPS correlated with early allograft dysfunction in liver transplant patients. Interpretation DAMPs released during cold ischemia storage prime and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome in liver macrophages after transplantation, inducing a pro-inflammatory environment that will complicate the outcome of the graft. The use of pharmacological blockers targeting DAMPs or the NLRP3 inflammasome in liver ischemia during static cold storage or through extracorporeal organ support could be a suitable strategy to increase the success of liver transplantation
