Experiences in natural environments can enhance human wellbeing and promote the recovery of physiological and psychological health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, university students' activity off-campus was limited, thus, the campus environment was particularly important for the recovery of students' physiological and psychological health. Although the benefits of sustained natural exposure are obvious for people's physiological and psychological health, the effects of brief exposure on physiological and psychological are unclear. In the present study, four types of campus environments, including square space, dense forest space, sparse forest space, and waterfront space, were selected to explore the transient recovery effects of different types of campus environments. Sixty university students were recruited, measuring their systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate as physical parameters to assess stress recovery. Respondents also reported scores about their personal feelings in questionnaires to evaluate their psychological states. Both physiological and psychological indicators responded to the brief natural exposure (5 min), and physiological and psychological health was restored. However, only the recovery amounts of psychological indicators were significantly different in waterfront space, dense forest space, and sparse forest space. These results indicate that being compare with other spaces, the brief exposure in the waterfront space was the most beneficial to students' psychological health recovery. This recovery was attributed to the great role played by the sense of escape, but after the brief exposure, the attraction and compatibility of the environment would hinder the psychological health recovery. In conclusion, according to tests on both physiological and psychological aspects, the waterfront environment on campus is the best choice for students' transient health recovery. Physiological stress can have a negative impact on human health, including the effects of acute or chronic stress and even inadequate recovery from stress , 2. The According to Wilson's Biophilia Hypothesis 1984), humans have a tendency to contact nature for the potential benefits of recovering physiological and psychological health , 8. It w4, humansDue to the characteristics of a cold climate, an aging population, and unbalanced economic development, cardiovascular diseases in northern China may be higher than those in other parts of China and have shown an obvious upward trend in recent years. In Jilin Province, the prevalence rate of hypertension among adults over 15 years old was 24.73% . In viewPrevious study showed that physiological and physiological indicators of human can feed back quickly; anaerobic exercise can cause changes in systolic blood pressure transiently; heart rate could restore to normal in 5 minutes within climbing competition , 28. TheFrequent visits to green spaces by college students can improve their overall mood and reduce perceived stress . The objTo assess the effect of different campus spaces on transient recovery of physiological and psychological health, a field experiment was conducted in September 2021 in Changchun, Jilin Province, China. All of the sites that were used in this study are located at Jilin Agricultural University in Changchun. Jilin Agricultural University is one of the key institutions of higher education in Jilin Province and encompasses an area of 1,347 ha, of which 312.66 ha is covered by the campus .The sampling spaces on the campus of Jilin Agricultural University were selected according to different types of campus landscapes. They are gray spaces, green spaces, and blue spaces. Therefore, sample site 1 (s1) was a square space for students to stay and relax, sample site 2 (s2) was a dense forest space (denseness > 0.70), sample site 3 (s3) was a sparse forest space , and sample site 4 (s4) was a waterfront space, and the control space was a classroom with a high usage rate for daily study .The subjects were second-year Landscape Architecture major students at Jilin Agricultural University. Students with heart disease or other medical histories were excluded. Previous studies have shown that environmental design professionals are more sensitive to landscape aesthetic evaluation and have better environmental discrimination than their non-professional counterparts. Therefore, we chose students with a professional background as subjects . Prior tThis study was conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on 25 September 2021. All participants were randomly divided into 10 groups. With the aim to make every participant visit four kinds of green space in the morning, five groups completed the test according to the walking route of square space—dense forest space -sparse forest space—waterfront space, the other groups according to the walking route of waterfront—sparse forest space—dense forest space—square space. It takes about 5 min walking between any two sites in the route. Each group left half an hour apart to avoid interference between different groups in the same campus space. We asked the subjects to walk at a constant speed without running, jumping, or talking. During the preparation phase of each site, the subjects were guided to freely stroll into the vicinity of the sample site (the isolated test environment), where the test procedure was explained. The subjects regained their composure and completed the first part of the questionnaires regarding psychological indicators and the test apparatus was worn. Then the volunteers were assigned to watch a stress video lasting 5 min during which the test apparatus was worn continuously. The guide started to record the physiological indexes after 5 min. After the test, the second part of the questionnaire was completed .Biofeedback measurements were used to evaluate physiological changes, including blood pressure (diastolic blood pressure and systolic blood pressure) and heart rate . A ScianThis study used the restorative components scale (RCS) proposed by a 2001 study by Laumann and other scholars as a questionnaire to explore the influence of the landscape environment on subjects' physiological health recovery . The RCSP-values of < 0.05.All data were analyzed by using SPSS 26.0 . Continuous data that conformed to a normal distribution were statistically described by their means with standard errors. Abnormal data were statistically described by Whisker–Box plots with medians and quartiles disclosed . A WilcoP < 0.05), and the median values of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate all decreased. The test showed that the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate after 5 min of recovery were significantly different from the systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate after pressure, and the results showed that all sites had positive effects on the physiological indicators of the volunteers  of the five sites were all negative, indicating that systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate indicators decreased after the 5 min recovery. However, there was no statistical difference in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate recovery amounts across the five sites, indicating that different sites had the same ability to restore volunteers' physiological health transitorily. In terms of the recovery of psychological indicators, the five sites all had positive scores, proving that psychological health can be improved just by getting rid of your stressors . HoweverThe results of the correlation analysis showed that there was a certain degree of correlation between psychological and physiological indicators after 5 min of recovery. There was a significant positive correlation between fascination and diastolic blood pressure in square space, dense forest space, and waterfront space. That is, diastolic blood pressure increased with the increase in fascination scores, and high fascination slowed down the recovery of blood pressure. There was a significant positive correlation between compatibility and heart rate in the square space and the dense forest space, indicating that the higher the score of compatibility, the higher the heart rate, and the lower the recovery degree of the physiological index heart rate. Compatibility also had a positive correlation with systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in the sparse forest space, indicating that the higher the score of compatibility, the lower the recovery degree of the systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Last but not least, no regular changes in the correlation between the being away, extent, and physiological indexes .The correlation analysis results of different recovery amounts within 5 min of all sites were shown that there was a weak correlation between recovery amounts. The only thing we should pay attention to is the significant positive correlation between the recovery amount of diastolic blood pressure and the recovery amount of being away in the sparse forest space, that is to say, the greater the change in being away, the greater change in diastolic blood pressure. In the control check group, there was a significant positive correlation between heart rate recovery and recovery amounts due to fascination, indicating that the greater the change in fascination, the greater the change in heart rate .The results showed that the transient recovery of blood pressure was closely related to a fascination with the environment, and heart rate recovery was closely related to the compatibility of the environment. In terms of recovery amounts, the sense of escape helps to restore blood pressure.Repeat visits or prolonged visits to the natural environment have positive effects on physiological and psychological health and the differential effects of natural and urban environments can appear within 4 min in physiology –47, whicNature is closely related to happiness, and a stronger connection to nature can lead to greater happiness. Nature affects emotions more slowly and over a longer period of time than it affects physiology , 49. SomExposure to the natural environment has effects on both physical and psychological health. The effects will appear quickly and complement each other, e.g., high psychological stress can lead to changes in blood pressure, and extraversion is associated with blood pressure in adolescents , 53, 54.We also found no correlation between the sense of being away and recovery of physiological measures after 5 min of recovery. The reason for this may be the result of cognition; people already subconsciously distinguished the natural environment from the urban environment and imagining the forest and water environment had already triggered relaxed, good emotions. In terms of 5 min of recovery, although there was a correlation between the sense of being away and blood pressure in the sparse forest space, the overall correlation between psychological and physiological indicators was weak. The weak correlation between physical and psychological indexes may be due to the fact that explicit positive or negative emotional responses to natural stimuli can occur in 400 milliseconds or less, and that nature may have beneficial psychological effects based on subjective judgments which provide limited assessments of stress recovery. Therefore, different measurement modes lead to a weak correlation between objective recovery on physiological and psychological aspects . The resIn this study, we obtained results on the impact of different spaces on campus on the transient recovery of young students' stress parameters. The environmental factors and the volunteers' physiological and psychological indicators, as well as their correlations, were quantitatively analyzed. However, this study also had several shortcomings. First, due to time constraints, this study was only conducted in late summer, and future studies need to examine the transient recovery capacity of campus spaces for stress in different seasons and time periods. Second, the testing of environmental factors could also include ecological factors, which would help to obtain a more accurate correlation analysis. Finally, the tests of physiological indicators could also include more sophisticated instruments, such as the use of eye movement instruments and skin sensors.The physiological and psychological data from this campus trial provide an important scientific basis for the capacity of different campus environments for transient recovery. In terms of positive changes in physiological indicators from stress to 5 min recovery, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate decreased significantly in the short term in the five sites, but there was no difference in recovery amounts of the five sites. For the psychological recovery effects, the psychological indicators in the dense forest space, sparse forest space, and waterfront space had positive changes, and there were significant differences in the recovery amounts in increasing order as water space > sparse forest space>dense forest space. It is suggested that the water space was beneficial for college students to quickly relieve their mood and free themselves from pressure quickly, and the transient recovery effect of the sparse forest space with low canopy density was better than the dense forest space with high canopy density. Therefore, attention should be paid to the following aspects in the construction of campus waterfront landscapes. First, the function of the waterfront landscape should be optimized, scenic spots should be arranged according to a certain distance, and the viewing space for staying and stopping should be appropriately set up to meet the requirements of students' daily leisure space. Second, the richness of waterfront space facilities and the diversity of use functions should be enhanced. A reasonable planning mode should be set on pedestrian area road which should be set in beautiful scenery,closer by landscape node. Finally, in terms of plant collocation, the construction of the plant landscape system should be enriched. The combination of native tree species and exotic domesticated tree species should be selected to create a visual landscape effect with considerable scenery in all seasons and a rich visual landscape effect while ensuring a certain openness and security.From the correlation of physiological and psychological indicators after 5 min of recovery, the fascination score was most strongly correlated with diastolic blood pressure and compatibility had an impact on systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate. Thus, whether the environment is attractive and conducive to activities has a great impact on the physiological index recovery transiently, although the effect is to hinder recovery. For the correlation between physiological and psychological recovery amounts within 5 min, only the difference in being away and the difference in diastolic blood pressure is correlated with sparse forest space, that is, the greater the difference in being away, the greater the difference in diastolic blood pressure. Thus, escaping from daily chores is the most important factor in the transient recovery process for the physiological indicators. However, the overall correlation between physiological and psychological indicators in transient recovery effect was not strong, that may be due to physiological changes being so rapid for them to detect; the psychological evaluation of this experiment being a subjective evaluation with certain errors; preferences for different landscape spaces not being quickly reflected in the physiological indexes. Explaining the restorative effects of nature on humans' physiological and psychological health may require more theoretical support. Thus, the campus environment creation for short-term stays of space in the future, waterfront space should be emphasized, following sparse forest space and final dense forest space; because these spaces have a transient recovery effect on the students' physiological and physiological health. Furthermore, too many artificial facilities in these landscape spaces should be avoided, because charming scenery and activities will hinder physiological and psychological health recovery. Our conclusions may also be instructive for the construction of some sites in cities that are suitable for short-term natural exposure, and give urbanites a release from life troubles.The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.WN and XS: conceptualization. WN: methodology, writing—original draft preparation, visualization, and funding acquisition. JY: formal analysis and resources. XS: investigation and writing—review and editing. QC: supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.


China's flower industry is developing rapidly, and the size of the retail market is increasing year by year. Studying the factors influencing residents' flower purchasing behavior and understanding their flower needs can help promote the sustainable development of the flower industry. Based on customer satisfaction theory, this paper uses 838 consumer research questionnaires from 15 districts in Shanghai to analyze the influence of customer satisfaction on residents' flower purchasing behavior by conducting a binary logit model and to investigate the moderating effect of flower purchasing purpose on the influence of satisfaction. The results show that price satisfaction and satisfaction with promotional methods have a significant negative effect on flower purchasing behavior, service satisfaction has a significant positive effect on purchasing behavior, and different customer purchase purposes lead to different intensities of the effect of satisfaction on purchasing behavior. According to the conclusion of the study, three countermeasures are proposed: to popularize the knowledge of flower culture, guide the concept of flower consumption, and promote the transformation of flower consumption to daily consumption; to conduct regular research on consumers by flower merchants to clarify consumers' needs and improve their satisfaction; to clarify consumers' purchase intention, increase the investment in the research and development and cultivation of flower products, and improve the supply level of flowers. The scale of the flower retail market is increasing year by year, and retail models such as offline purchase, live streaming, e-commerce, and community group purchase are jointly promoting the development of online and offline integration in the flower retail sector2. In addition, the construction of beautiful China in the 14th Five-Year Plan has put forward a huge demand for the flower industry. The continuous improvement of transportation conditions and infrastructure, increase in capital investmen have greatly promoted the development of China's flower industry. Vigorous development of the flower industry is the general trend. Shanghai is an international metropolis, Shanghai residents have a relatively strong desire and pursuit for a high quality of life, and the demand for floral products is also more vigorous. The Shanghai government also attaches great importance to the development of the flower industry and provided strong support for the rapid development of the flower industry. However, the focus on flower market demand and consumer behavior is not sufficient3. Therefore, in the context of vigorous development of the flower industry in Shanghai, this paper aims to study the influence of customer satisfaction on flower purchasing behavior based on consumer preference heterogeneity which is important for understanding customer needs, improving the products and services provided by the flower market, as well as promoting the sustainable and healthy development of the flower industry.At present, the income level of households in China is increasing due to that fact that China’s economy is developing rapidly. The flower consumption is also beginning to change to mass consumption and daily consumption with people’s pursuit of high quality of life. And the consumption pattern is gradually personalized and diversified, the consumption range is developing from first- and second-tier cities to third- and fourth-tier cities and even the countryside, and the flower consumption group is growing. In recent years, China's flower industry has developed rapidly and the industrial chain tends to be complete. China has now become the world’s largest flower producer and important flower trading and consuming country. Date from the State Forestry and Grassland Administration show that China's flower plantation area in 2020 was 1,472,400 hectares with total sales of 20,061 million yuan, an increase of 60.46% and 134.41% compared with 2010. The total import and export trade of the flower industry in 2021 reached 701 million yuan, an increase of 12.66% compared with 2020. The main importers of Chinese flowers are the Netherlands, Japan, Ecuador, Thailand and Chile, and the main exporters are Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, the United States and Vietnam. China’s flower industry has initially formed a production layout of "fresh cut flowers in the southwest, seedlings and potted flowers in the southeast, seed bulbs in the northwest, and processed flowers in the northeast"4. The purchase behavior of goods occurs because consumers derive satisfaction from the products and services provided5, and while consumers meet their own needs satisfied, they also consider whether there is an adverse impact on the environment and whether it will affect the needs of future generations6. Regarding consumer purchase behavior, Sheth et al.7 proposed the theory of consumer value, which suggests that five consumer values  influence whether or not consumers buy and which products they choose to purchase. Dalli & Romani8 argues that individual consumer behavior is the result of an intraindividual elaboration process that begins with the consumer's perception of an information stimulus, which the consumer stores in memory and use to shape his or her behavior to obtain a specific goal. With increased awareness of ecological conservation, consumers are more concerned about sustainability and green certification of products. Research in recent years has shown that product sustainability labels have important effects on consumers' ongoing purchase behavior9, and these effects vary by consumer and product type10. Consumers with higher environmental awareness are more willing to pay for green products and are also willing to pay more of a premium11. In addition, for individual products, such as insurance, organic food, and new energy vehicles, government economic policies, subsidy policies, and other policy elements can influence consumer purchasing behavior14. Consumers' values15 and emotional states4 towards different products can also have an impact on purchase behavior.Consumer buying behavior has always been a topic of interest for scholars. In industry, it is also critical for enterprises to fully understand consumers' buying behavior, which is helpful to develop reasonable and effective sales strategies16, and improving quality of life, where flowers have an important role in satisfying residents' aesthetic needs17, conveying emotions18, such as expressing affection and gratitude. Therefore the reasons for choosing to buy flowers is mostly because of their aesthetic or emotional value19, such as beautifying the indoor environment, feeling nature20 or creating a good atmosphere in the home21. Numerous scholars have studied the factors influencing flower purchasing behavior, and Emanuele et al.22 analyzed the preferences of Italian flower consumers and showed that women buy flowers more frequently and that the frequency of flower purchases increases with age. For older people, material things become less important to them23 and they are more eager to find spiritual satisfaction in gardening-type activities25. Baourakis et al.26 conducted a study of Athens studied the flower market in Athens and concluded that age, income, and knowledge of flowers positively influence flower purchasing behavior. Poor flower quality and short flowering periods discourage consumers from purchasing flowers27. Most scholarly studies have shown that consumer demand for flowers increases significantly on holidays and anniversaries29, especially on Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.Plants are effective in reducing stress, easing emotions30. Existing literature has mainly studied the influence of customers' characteristics such as gender and age as well as the characteristics of flowers on their flower purchasing behavior, but few studies have examined the influence of customer satisfaction on their purchasing behavior and lacked heterogeneity analysis of survey samples. Therefore, this study uses a binary logit model to analyze the effect of customer satisfaction on flower purchasing behavior based on 838 consumer research questionnaires from 15 districts in Shanghai and to investigate how the purpose of purchase affects the strength of the effect of satisfaction on purchasing behavior.Studying the factors that influence consumers' flower purchases is crucial to understanding flower demand31 believes that customer satisfaction is "a psychological state of pleasure or disappointment that is influenced by the difference between perceived effects and expectations", and Hunt32 describes customer satisfaction as "a test of expectations and an assessment of emotions". The current research on customer satisfaction mainly includes the influencing factors of customer satisfaction35, the evaluation system38, the impact on customer behavior and firm performance41, and some other scholars have studied the changes in customer satisfaction during COVID-19 in recent years44. There is a positive relationship between customer satisfaction and customers' attitude45, loyalty46, purchase intention and behavior49. The higher the customer satisfaction, the more positive the attitude toward the product and the more willing to buy the product. This helps to improve the performance of the company and reduce the cost of sales52, so the company must obtain customer satisfaction in order to gain long-term benefits53. The frequency and quantity of flowers purchased by consumers are influenced by variables such as consumers' perceptions and attitudes towards flowers54, and the frequency of flower purchases is significantly reduced when customers have negative attitudes towards flowers55, and the inability to meet consumer needs makes consumers dissatisfied with flower products, which also reduces the frequency of consumer purchases. In addition, although overall customer satisfaction with a product can predict customer behavior and intentions, it does not identify specific aspects to be improved56, therefore, this paper decomposes customers’ satisfaction with floral products and their purchase process into satisfaction with variety, quality, packaging, service, price, ease of purchase, and promotional methods, so that businesses can better improve their products and services to meet consumer needs. Accordingly, this paper argues that customer satisfaction will promote residents' flower purchasing behavior, the higher the satisfaction in each specific aspect, the more likely they are to purchase flowers frequently.Cardozo first introduced the concept of customer satisfaction into the field of marketing, and then several scholars studied satisfaction. Kotler60, in addition, to time and effort62, motivation and cognitive ability63 can also influence customers' buying behavior. The purpose of customers when purchasing goods or services plays a moderating role between customer evaluation and satisfaction64, purchase environment and purchase behavior65, product performance and repurchase behavior66, and satisfaction and behavioral intention67. Current research on the purpose of customer behavior is mainly focused on tourism. The study of the purpose of travel facilitates marketers to conduct market segmentation and develop more reasonable marketing plans to attract and retain customers70. Inspired by this, the differentiation and research on the purpose of customers' flower purchases is beneficial for flower producers and sellers to provide products and services that better meet customers' needs. Unlike traditional agri-food, the attributes of most flowers cannot be quantified, so the satisfaction consumers derive from consumption is closely related to the purpose of the purchase, which means that the demand for flowers is influenced by the purpose of consumers' flower purchases. Consumers who purchase flowers for gifting purposes are willing to pay more for fresh cut flowers at florists71 and pay more attention to the quality and packaging of flowers, while when flowers are purchased for personal use, consumers pay more attention to the variety, price, and color of the bouquet26. In this paper, the purchase purpose of flowers is divided into three types: gift, hobby, and decoration, where hobby means that customers love flowers and flowers can make them get spiritual satisfaction and relaxation, and decoration means that customers buy flowers to beautify their home environment and purify the air, etc. Accordingly, this paper argues that the purpose of consumers' flower purchases affects the strength of the role of satisfaction in flower purchase behavior.Customer satisfaction and buying behavior are not simply linear relationships, customers with the same satisfaction level will exhibit different buying behavior due to different personal characteristicsIn summary, the following analytical framework is constructed Fig. . The fra73. The model is constructed as follows:Econometric model of the effect of customer satisfaction on flower purchasing behaviorIn model , the \doEconometric model of the role of purchase purpose in regulating the strength of customer satisfaction on purchase behaviorModel  is basedThe explanatory variables in this study have only two choices, "yes" and "no", which is a typical dichotomous choice problem, so this study chooses a binary logit model to study it . The IIA property is the ratio of the probability of choosing any two options for a given observation without being influenced by any other option, so the binary logic model can avoid the IIA restrictionExplained variables The explained variable in this study was "whether or not to buy flowers frequently", which was measured by the question "frequency of flower purchase", with the questionnaire options of "once a week" "2–3 times a week," "2–3 times a month," "once in 2–3 months," "holidays, anniversaries" "Rarely". "once a week" and "2–3 times a week" were defined as frequent purchases, while the rest of the purchases were considered infrequent. In this article, the term "frequent purchases" includes both online and offline purchases of flowers.Core explanatory variables The core explanatory variables of this study are consumer satisfaction with the characteristics of flowers, including "satisfaction with variety," "satisfaction with quality," "satisfaction with packaging," "satisfaction with service," "satisfaction with price," "satisfaction with convenience," and "satisfaction with promotion methods ", a total of seven different dimensions of satisfaction. The questionnaires are all measured on a five-point Likert scale, with the options of "very satisfied," "relatively satisfied," "average," "not very satisfied" and "very dissatisfied".Adjustment variables The consumers' "purchase purpose" was taken as the adjustment variable and measured by "what is the purpose of buying flowers". The questionnaire option was three discrete options: "gift", "hobby" and "decoration". Considering that the topic is a multiple choice, this study set it as three binary selection variables.Control variables The control variables in this study include respondents' characteristics and household characteristics, including gender, age, domicile, education, and occupation, and household characteristics including average monthly household income and the number of household members living together. Among them, the options of occupation in the questionnaire are "enterprise employees", "civil servants", "institutional employees", "self-employed private households ", "rural migrant workers", "jobless, unemployed or semi-unemployed", "students", "retired ", to maintain consistency with other variable types, they are divided into two categories: stable jobs and non-stable jobs, stable jobs include "enterprise employees", "civil servants", "employees of public institutions "The rest are non-stable jobs. The detailed description of each variable is shown in Table All experimental protocols of this study were approved by the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai, China, and all methods were performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations, and informed consent was obtained from all participants before the questionnaire was administered. The data used in this study were mainly obtained from a field survey of flower consumers in 15 districts of Shanghai (except Chongming) in December 2019, and 838 valid questionnaires were finally obtained after the screening. To ensure the quality of the questionnaires, the surveyors were all postgraduate students with relevant training and pre-research, and a random sampling method was used to interview each respondent face-to-face. To make the obtained data more representative, the survey quantity was controlled according to the proportion of the resident population in each district of Shanghai, and the sample size and proportion of each district are shown in Fig. The basic characteristics of this questionnaire can be divided into individual characteristics and household characteristics, where individual characteristics include gender, household registration, age, education, and occupation, and household characteristics include total household size and average monthly household income. The basic characteristics of the sample are described as shown in Table In terms of gender, there were 358 males, accounting for 42.72% of the total sample, and 480 females, accounting for 57.28%. In terms of household registration distribution, there are 509 out-of-towners, accounting for 60.74% of the total sample. In terms of age, the most people were aged 26–35, accounting for 32.34% of the total sample, followed by those aged 26 and below, aged 36 to 45,aged 46 to 55, and aged 55 and above, accounting for 19.21%, 19.09%, 15.27% and 14.08% of the total sample, respectively. In terms of education, the number of respondents with elementary school education or less is the lowest, accounting for 5.13% of the total sample; 190 respondents have junior high school education, accounting for 22.67%; 182 respondents have secondary/high school education, accounting for 21.72%; and 423 respondents have college education or above, accounting for 50.47% of the total sample. In terms of occupation, the number of employees in enterprises and institutions, civil servants, and other occupations  were not very different, each accounting for 44.15% and 55.85% of the total sample. In terms of the family population, 3-member families accounted for the largest share, 34.13%, and in terms of average monthly household income, 50.72% of the sample had an average monthly income between 5000 yuan and 15,000 yuan.Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.The survey results show that 84 respondents  buy flowers once a week, 91 respondents  buy flowers 2–3 times a week, 128 respondents  buy flowers 2–3 times a month, 212 respondents  buy flowers once every 2–3 months.The largest number of respondents chose to buy flowers on holidays or anniversaries, accounting for 26.49%, while the number of respondents who hardly bought flowers was 101, accounting for 12.05% of the total sample size.Current Shanghai flower consumers are relatively satisfied with the flower market, as shown in Table To improve the accuracy of the estimation results,multicollinearity analysis was performed for model , and the5 = − 0.516, SE = 0.15, P < 0.01) and satisfaction with promotional methods  have a significant negative effect on flower purchasing behavior, and service satisfaction  has a significant positive effect on purchasing behavior. Specifically, price satisfaction negatively affects flower purchasing behavior, the more satisfied customers are with the price of flowers, the greater the probability of purchasing flowers frequently. For consumers, price is something that is given up to obtain a certain product or service74, not only the objective price but more importantly the perceived price, the higher the satisfaction with the price, the more likely the customer is to purchase flowers more often as he/she believes that what he/she pays for flowers is worth it. Satisfaction with the promotion method negatively affects consumers' flower purchasing behavior, the more satisfied customers are with the promotion method of the merchant, the greater the probability of buying flowers more often. According to the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model, merchants' promotional promotions are a powerful external stimulus for consumers, under which certain changes in their psychological state occur, such as stronger demand for flowers, which in turn causes an increase in their purchase frequency75. Service satisfaction has a significant positive effect on flower purchasing behavior, the more satisfied customers are with the merchant's service, the lower the probability of frequent purchases.Table 3 = 0.118, β13 = − 1.604, SE = 0.53, P < 0.01), and the positive effect of satisfaction with ease of purchase on purchasing behavior is enhanced . When the purpose of purchasing flowers is to satisfy personal hobbies, the positive effect of satisfaction with variety on flower purchasing behavior  and the negative effect of satisfaction with price are weakened . When flowers are purchased to decorate the environment, the positive effect of satisfaction with ease of purchase on purchasing behavior is weakened . Specifically, when flowers are bought as a gift, consumers pay more attention to the packaging of flowers, which enhances the negative influence on purchasing behavior, the more satisfied they are with the packaging, the higher the probability of buying flowers more often, while the positive influence of purchasing convenience on purchasing behavior is enhanced. The reason is that when buying flowers as a gift to give people, what consumers value most is whether the packaging is exquisite. The beautifully packaged gift can better convey the feelings of the giver. Different from giving flowers as a gift, in order to satisfy their love for flowers, consumers will be more inclined to the diversity of flowers, hoping to buy different varieties of flowers. At this time, consumers will reduce the consideration of price, resulting in the negative effect of price satisfaction on the flowers purchase behavior is weakened. When flowers are purchased to decorate the home environment, the positive effect of convenience satisfaction on the flowers purchase behavior is diminished, and customers are more likely to buy flowers more often because of the convenience of getting them, the reason being that flowers are more likely to wilt, and flowers used to decorate the home need to be replaced frequently, so easy access to flowers becomes more important to such consumers.The core explanatory and moderating variables were regressed according to model  after ceIn summary, purchase purpose affects the strength of the effect of customer satisfaction on flower purchasing behavior.To verify the robustness of the empirical results, this study uses Probit regression to test the above results, and the results are shown in Tables 78. Although price is an objective external characteristic of a product, consumers usually perceive it as an external stimulus and process it to form their own subjective evaluations, which ultimately lead to consumer decisions. Consumers may infer the quality of a product from its price79, and if they believe that the quality of a product does not match its price, they may become dissatisfied with the price and thus influence their purchase behavior. This is consistent with the findings of this study. Product promotion mainly acts on consumers before the purchase behavior occurs, and consumer satisfaction with the promotional methods is mainly influenced by the information obtained80. A reasonable promotional approach will, to a certain extent, pull the change in consumer perceptions and stimulate consumer purchasing behavior81, which is consistent with the findings of this study. The reason why other satisfaction levels do not have a significant effect on residents' flower purchasing behavior may be that the transformation of customer satisfaction into purchasing behavior is also influenced by other factors. On the one hand, customer purchase decision is a complex and comprehensive process, and the conversion of customer satisfaction to purchase behavior is not 100%, but also influenced by product type, personal characteristics, purchase motivation and purchase purpose63. On the other hand, the accuracy of prediction of consumer behavior is related to the product purchased, and the prediction of purchase behavior for necessities is more accurate, while it is less accurate for other goods82.This paper uses 838 consumer research questionnaires from 15 districts in Shanghai to empirically analyze the influence of customer satisfaction on residents' flower purchasing behavior and to investigate the moderating effect of flower purchasing purpose on satisfaction. The findings are as follows: first, price satisfaction and promotion satisfaction have a significant negative effect on flower purchasing behavior, while service satisfaction has a significant positive effect on purchasing behavior, so flower merchants should pay more attention to flower price and promotion. Existing research has found that the price of products and services has a positive impact on consumer purchasing behavior across a wide range of industries, including traditional industries such as food and apparel, as well as emerging online pre-sales and goods with special certification labels26, while when a consumer buys flowers for personal use, he/she is more likely to focus on the variety, price and color of the bouquet55. Huang28 believes that the two perceptions of "flowers are an everyday necessity" and "flowers are a gift" will influence the frequency of purchase. In addition, the purpose of purchasing flowers also affects the strength of the effect of store attributes on customer satisfaction.Secondly, when flowers are purchased for the purpose of giving as a gift, the positive effect of satisfaction with the packaging on flower purchasing behavior is weakened, while the positive effect of satisfaction with ease of purchase on purchasing behavior is enhanced. When the purpose of purchasing flowers is to satisfy personal hobbies, the positive effect of satisfaction with variety on flower purchasing behavior and the negative effect of satisfaction with price are weakened. When flowers are purchased to decorate the environment, the positive effect of satisfaction with ease of purchase on purchasing behavior is weakened. This suggest that consumers value different floral product characteristics when they have different purchase purposes. The results of the above study were tested for robustness and still hold. Most scholars' studies show that consumers have different priorities when purchasing flowers when they are used for different purposes. For important days and occasions, consumers are more likely to buy flowers from a florist83.The above findings are beneficial for flower producers and businesses to better understand the real needs of their customers, allowing them to integrate resources from all sides, increase research and development, and strengthen market construction from the customer's perspective, so as to provide flower products that better meet market demand and promote the sustainable development of the flower industry. It should be noted that the sustainable development mentioned in this paper is mainly about the impact on economic and social aspects, not only on the environment. The idea that "the concept of sustainability is only about the environment" is a "sustainability bias”In general, China's flower industry is growing rapidly and the retail market size is increasing year by year. However, in recent years, due to the impact of COVID-19, the flower retail industry has seen a decrease in customers and a decline in retail sales, and both offline and online flower sellers have been affected to varying degrees. This phenomenon is not only seen in China, but also in other countries. In this paper, customer satisfaction is subdivided into six dimensions, and compared with existing literature, this subdivision is more useful to understand the detailed needs of customers and to identify specific aspects that need to be improved. In addition, by studying the moderating effect of purchase purpose, it is easier for flower producers and merchants to provide products and services that better meet customers' needs according to different scenarios, and drive customer spending. Based on the above research findings, this paper tentatively draws the following policy implications. First, popularizing the knowledge of flower culture and guide the concept of flower consumption. Among the 838 consumer research questionnaires, only 175 people frequently bought flowers, accounting for 20.88% of the total number, indicating that the flower consumption concept is not yet popular and residents' interest in flower consumption is still not high. The government is suggested to support and encourage flower production operators to hold various flower events in parks, scenic spots, and other places with high traffic flow according to the maturity time of different flowers. In addition, Carrying out small-scale flower arrangement experience activities and flower knowledge popularization activities to let people feel the beauty of flowers is also necessary. Secondly, putting consumer needs first and improving consumer satisfaction. Flower production operators should regularly conduct market research to keep track on the changing needs of different flower consumers; they are also suggested to make return visits to flower consumers and make appropriate adjustments based on consumer feedback. This can help them to make flower prices, types, quality, and services more in line with consumer needs, thereby improving consumer satisfaction. Third, clarifying consumers' purchase intentions and improve the level of flower supply. Flower production operators and wholesellers should pay more attention to whether flowers are beautifully packaged on holidays and special festivals, and adjust the supply of flower products appropriately according to customers' purchase intentions. At the same time, taking advantage of the Shanghai region, the government should increase investment in the research and development and cultivation of flower products, ensure the application of modern cultivation facilities and improve the quality and production of flowers.


Within the framework of a circular economy, we aim to efficiently use raw materials and reduce waste generation. In this context, the longevity of biomimetic material systems can significantly contribute by providing robustness and resilience of system functionality inspired by biological models. The aim of this review is to outline various principles that can lead to an increase in robustness  and resilience  and to illustrate the principles with meaningful examples. The study focuses on plant material systems with a high potential for transfer to biomimetic applications and on existing biomimetic material systems. Our fundamental concept is based on the functionality of the entire system as a function of time. We use functionality as a dimensionless measure of robustness and resilience to quantify the system function, allowing comparison within biological material systems and biomimetic material systems, but also between them. Together with the enclosed glossary of key terms, the review provides a comprehensive toolbox for interdisciplinary teams. Thus, allowing teams to communicate unambiguously and to draw inspiration from plant models when developing biomimetic material systems with great longevity potential. In the wake of increasing media attention given to climate change and consumer awareness and alongside the growing demand for a sustainable economy, increasing numbers of companies are using the catchphrase “longevity” to advertise their products and services. In this context, the longevity of novel consumer products is almost exclusively presented as being positive and desirable, although neither the way in which this is defined or measured, nor whether the promise is accompanied by positive effects is actually addressed. Moreover, the term is also widely used in the life sciences, particularly in the context of healthy human ageing and the resulting increase in life expectancy in recent decades  and senescence . AlthougThe ageing process in plants is called senescence and can include individual cells, organs or, ultimately, the entire plant ,8. The bThus, a unitary period of time that can be defined as “longevity” does not exist for plants. However, the longevity of plant species encompasses their evolutionary adaptations that protect them in their ecological niches from undesirable environmental influences  in order for them to grow and spread their organs of dispersal (namely seeds or spores) at least once during their lifespan, thereby ensuring the survival of their species. For perennial plants, the chances of propagation increase with each additional year of seed or spore dispersal. In summary, the longevity of a given plant species is closely related to its life cycle and the completion of dispersal with the highest possible probability of reproduction.The product lifetime, sometimes also referred to as the lifespan, covers the period from the manufacture of a product or material system until it is discarded and encompasses the time when it is actively in use (service life), the time when it is potentially usable but not in use (dead storage) and the time when it is non-functional but not yet discarded . The lenIn addition to user-related demands, larger devices are typically subject to slow but continuous processes such as wear, fatigue or creep, making failure attributable to overcritical mechanical stresses increasingly likely . A produFuture trends, user behaviour and material developments are difficult to predict. We therefore focus in the following sections of this paper mainly on material obsolescence and the mechanisms that exist to extend the lifetime of products and material systems in this respect. Such considerations can have a particularly strong impact on the product life of a wide range of material systems used in industry and in kitchen appliances (customer satisfaction with these products is particularly low with regard to their lifetime) .Assessment of the expected longevity of technical products therefore depends markedly on the intended use of the product and is determined by the customer’s expectations. Thus, to achieve longevity, a product does not have to last as long as possible, but rather to operate flawlessly up to its expected lifetime, before possibly continuing to operate through its reuse or repair or via its individual components after their disassembly in a circular economy.In these times of energy and resource scarcity, a shift from linear to circular economy is being envisaged but is far from straightforward. Instead of mining raw materials, processing them into a human-made product and throwing them away at the end of their service time, society’s material flows should be closed through circular use of materials, components and products . The insAlthough natural closed loop systems, in which nothing seems to be wasted and everything appears to be returned to the cycle, serve as prime models, studies of the life cycle of plants show that plant material has been deposited as landfill material under certain circumstances over millennia: exposure to heat and pressure within the Earth’s crust has changed such dead plant materials into coal, petroleum and natural gas, which are now classified as fossil fuels. The extraction and burning of these fossil fuels to provide energy for human needs releases carbon dioxide  because they exhibit chemical and physical properties and functions and functionalities that exceed those of the individual materials involved. Plants and technical products have in common that they are hierarchically structured. In plants, a few substances  form the cell walls of various tissues  occurring in the organs  of the plant body . From a a posteriori product of natural selection” (. . Parthent uptake . Under mt uptake .In both biological examples described above, the failure of single redundant elements (attachment pad or sinker) leads to the lost functionality being covered by the remaining elements. This allows the plants to compensate for the losses by growing new tissues or organs in the following growth period. However, this applies only up to a certain level, at which the individual failures accumulate to such an extent that system functionality falls below a critical threshold, leading to the failure of the entire structure.In the case of cold redundancy, the system requires a built-in or external sensor unit that, in the event of a failure of primary elements, activates previously inactive (standby) elements, which take over the function and restore the functionality of the system c 112]. . 112]. AEcheneis naucrates), enables adhesion generation (1) underwater, (2) to porous structures and (3) in the air. This is accomplished by compartmentalisation carried out by lamellae within the disc [The cold redundancy mechanisms of the adhesion disc of the remora, also known as the suckerfish , the sealed state and the healed state with the intact state (without damage) ,35,36,37Equation  gives thAristolochia species [Delosperma species [Restoration of structural integrity, on the other hand, can only be assessed qualitatively by imaging techniques . Images can be used to assess the extent to which the damage has been sealed or healed and whether the same material was used in the damaged area. Dependent on the body plan  of the p species ), the de species ,47,48,49 species ), the li species ) and, in species ,127.Various bio-inspired and biomimetic self-sealing material systems and self-healing material systems have been developed in recent years . Many arThe aim of this study has been to understand longevity via the concepts of robustness and resilience of functionality of material systems as expressed in plants and to learn about the potential of these concepts in the extension of material and product lifetime. Both concepts are suitable for extending the lifespan of plants and the lifetime of human-made products. This is in good agreement with the Sustainable Development Goal 12 of the 2030 Agenda and, in particular, with target 12.1 “By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources” and target 12.5 “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse”. Bio-inspired resource preservation and waste avoidance by extending the lifetime of human-made products is an essential contribution to sustainable development.Although we introduce the concepts of robustness and resilience separately in the article, they can be simultaneously present in biological and artificial material systems, thus providing optimised functional reliability. At the interface between biology and technology, we can understand robustness by means of fault tolerance by remaining unharmed and resilience in the sense of tolerance towards hardware failures, software errors and human mistakes by returning to the original state of functionality. We discuss damage resistance through safety factors comparable with a series circuit of cumulating elements allowing material systems to withstand additional loads. Damage resistance of smooth transitions results from multiple superimposed geometric and mechanical gradients. Moreover, material systems can react to changing environmental conditions through response, acclimation, adaptation, adaptivity and optimisation. Here, it has become apparent that particularly the term “adaptive” has completely different meanings depending on the scientific discipline involved. Furthermore, the limits of biomimetics have been clarified, e.g., a grass stem oscillating in the wind is not suitable as a model for a tower with meter-wide oscillation amplitudes, if people are to live, work or eat in it. Interestingly, “training”, for example by cyclic loading, can take place in biological and artificial material systems resulting in “trained” plants and products.Moreover, we define resilience in the sense of tolerance towards failures of system parts or damage to the material system by its return to its original state. At the biology–technology interface, we introduce various types of redundancy. As in a parallel circuit, if one element fails, its function can be taken over by other elements of a system with little or no loss of overall functionality. In the case of a wound or some form of damage, rapid self-sealing and subsequent long-term self-healing can recover structural and mechanical integrity and, thus, the functionality of the material systems.The functionalities described, including the examples presented from biological and biomimetic material systems, together with the definitions from the glossary, provide a comprehensive toolbox for comparative analyses and interdisciplinary collaborations between biologists and engineers enabling them to develop and advance material systems with a great longevity potential.Our fundamental concept can serve as an important tool for future topics because both robustness and resilience can be represented as functionality as a function of time and can thus be both compared and combined with each other. The use of dimensionless quantities is of great advantage, since further characteristics , additional states, various types of perturbations  and further principles  in various fields  can be easily quantified with our fundamental concept.Being aware of the different understandings and interpretations of the various terms from the broad topic of longevity, both between and within different research disciplines, the aim of this glossary is not to claim a universal validity of the definitions. Instead, we provide a guideline and orientation for a common understanding and for simplified and targeted collaborations in the field of biomimetic material systems.Acclimation/acclimatisation: Acclimation of individual plants to environmental constraints takes place over a time period of days and weeks, resulting in changes of gene expression and thus altered morphological, anatomical and mechanical properties [operties , leadingAdaptation: In a biological context, adaptation is the result of genetic change in populations over evolutionary time [ary time . In engiAdaptive system: “An adaptive system is a set of elements which interact with each other and has at least one process which controls the system’s adaptation, that is, the correlation between structure, function or behaviour and its environment, to increase its efficiency to achieve its goals”. Bio-inspiration: Transfer of an idea derived from living organisms into a technical application [lication .Biomimetics: Transfer of a functional principle derived from living organisms into a technical application [lication ,128.Failure: Loss of load carrying capacity in materials or structural elements  [haviour) .Fault: A material system or structural element that can no longer satisfy the user requirements [irements . In techFunction: In a biological context, being understood in the sense of traits evolved to contribute to fitness [ fitness . In a te fitness .Functionality: The quality or status of being functional [nctional .Functional principle: The underlying principle for executing a function. Sometimes also referred to as operating principle.Lifespan: The period between germination and death of a plant.Lifetime: The period between the production of a product and its being discarded [iscarded .Longevity: The attainment of the species-specific lifespan of biological organisms by ensuring the survival of the plant species through the release of spores or seeds. In an engineering context, the attainment of the consumer-expected lifespan of material systems without loss of functionality.Material system: Through the structural and functional interaction of various materials, a material system emerges with different chemical and physical properties, new functions and other functionalities compared with the individual materials.Obsolescence: The ageing of a product or artificial material system, causing it to lose functionality and usability. An extreme case is planned obsolescence, in which a shortening of the lifetime of a product is accepted or actively implemented by the manufacturer [facturer .Property: Properties or characteristics of materials, technical components or plant organs are measured via standardised or established test methods. Mechanical properties characterise the reaction to applied loads; geometric properties include cross-sectional and volumetric geometry, size and shape.Resilience: Ability of a system to manage damage by returning to its original functionality after  failures have occurred (modified after [ed after ).Resistance: The capability of a system to withstand harmful events without significant damage and to remain unharmed or unaffected (modified after [ed after ).Redundancy: A system in which the functional failure of one (or more) contributing elements can be compensated by other elements and thus the functionality of the overall system can be maintained.-Cold redundancy: Redundant system in which one (or more) elements are passive and take over the function of one (or more) elements in case of their failure [ failure . Also kn-Hot redundancy: Redundant system, with all involved elements being active at the same time and taking over the failure of one (or more) elements [elements . Also knResponse: Immediate response of plants, such as wind-induced reconfiguration of leaves, branches or entire plants occurs within seconds to minutes [ minutes .Robustness: The capability of a system to prevent damage and to maintain its functionality even if unforeseen faults  or errors  occur or a mistake is made by a human being [an being .Safety factor: A dimensionless factor or percentage that describes the multiple by which the structure can carry more than their actual static load.Self-repair: Generic term that encompasses self-sealing and self-healing in biological and technical systems [-Self-healing: Longer-lasting self-healing phase  in which the fissures are structurally repaired and thus are no longer present and the mechanical properties in the damaged area are  restored [restored ,145.-Self-sealing: Self-sealing takes place immediately after damage, resulting in a fissure that remains but that is functionally repaired; the mechanical properties in the damaged area have, however, not yet been restored [restored ,145. systems ,145.-SeSenescence: Senescence is a degeneration process during the ageing of plants, marking the last phase of a developmental program. It occurs in a signal-controlled and time-coordinated manner [d manner .Structural materials: Structural materials are structured in complex hierarchical architectures at various scales, making it possible to combine lightweight construction with good strength and toughness properties. A wide variety of these material systems can be found in nature ; however, implementation in synthetic structures is currently only possible at high expense [ expense .


In recent years, there has been considerable investment at the European Union level in expanding early childhood education and care (ECEC) facilities. In line with this quantitative substantial initiative, research and social policies are increasingly focusing on the quality of such facilities. High quality depends, among other things, on well-trained early childhood educators. This poses a dilemma for early childhood educators for various reasons; there is a shortage of skilled early childhood professionals, so that low-skilled staff are also being employed in early childhood education facilities. Online formats for professional development can contribute to the professionalisation of the ECEC system through vocational training. Since these formats are designed and produced to high professional and technical standards, they can be cost-effective thanks to their multiple uses and because they can often be completed by participants independent of time and location. This article presents an empirically studied blended e-learning training format based on the principles of co-constructivist didactics. The content focuses on the quality of interaction between early childhood professionals and children. Before and after the training course was completed, standardised non-participant observations were conducted in Austrian, German, Hungarian, Slovenian, Italian, and Portuguese early childhood education and care institutions. The before/after measurements (N = 43) showed a significant effect on the quality of interaction between the early childhood professionals and the children. National policies in European countries increasingly recognise the need to invest in early childhood education and care (ECEC) systems. This is no longer just about enabling parents to work, but also about contributing to equal opportunities in the socio-educational context OECD, . In the The connection between quantitative expansion, high quality, and the availability of active early childhood professionals poses a dilemma for early childhood education. Especially in German-speaking countries, there is a serious lack of skilled workers OECD, , 2020b. Studies have shown that besides ensuring low educator-to-child ratios and small groups of children, a high level of professional training, including in-service training, also contributes to the quality of early childhood education and care institutions  formats can embrace innovative, future-oriented CPD concepts in the field of early childhood education. In general, the literature distinguishes between three types of e-learning formats: virtual learning platforms, which can be attended asynchronously; virtual classrooms, in which the content is delivered synchronously but online; and hybrid education spaces, which can be attended both on-site and online  was used to measure the performance of each participating early childhood professional in interacting with children before and after completion of the OPD programme. The instrument was developed in recent years on the basis of current international scientifically based findings and validated by experts from science and practice  and 'Support learning' . Flöter et al.  examinesOne to two individuals per project country received a 4 day online training in using the measurement instrument. After completing the training, a reliability test was performed using video examples from early childhood education practice. The participants had to achieve at least 85% inter-rater reliability agreement before they were allowed to perform quality measurements on site. The innovative GrazIAS digital application was used in the surveys to reduce errors, save resources and provide a uniform dataset.Before the OPD programme started, private and public providers of early childhood education and care institutions in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, and Portugal were invited to participate in a project on the topic of 'Ensuring and Improving the Quality of Interaction'. A total of 517 early childhood professionals working in early childhood education and care institutions were contacted in six countries. A prerequisite to participate in the OPD programme was that participants had a laptop or mobile device with an internet connection, camera, and microphone at their disposal. Participation was voluntary, and the participants had the right to withdraw at any time. This means that all participants who wanted to take part in the OPD programme could participate—no selection was made beforehand, the number of participants was not limited and the participants were not given any additional incentive to take part in the OPD programme. They just received a certificate of completion upon finishing the training. Following an explicit invitation to participate, a total of 84 early childhood professionals accepted the invitation to participate in the OPD program . 43 people  completed the course and participated in a survey both before and after the programme. This dropout rate (51%) may seem quite high, but it is usual for online professional development courses and is relatively low compared to other studies (up to 75%) , which the participants completed asynchronously online, and four joint reflection sessions (30% of the training), which the participants attended synchronously using a The online training measure was designed using a blended learning format. All parts  were attended online by the participants. The theoretical modules were completed in an asynchronous setting on a learning platform (Moodle), while the reflection sessions were attended in a synchronous setting via a conferencing tool. Table Two theoretical modules were assigned to each participant based on the first on-site quality measurement. These covered areas where the participants needed further development. Each participant also chose two modules according to their individual training needs, interests, challenges, and skills. They were able to choose the order and timing of completing the modules. One trainer per country assisted the participants with technical or content-related issues, supervised the Moodle course discussion forums and accompanied the group during the reflection sessions. The reflection rounds, in which all 20 modules were discussed and worked on with the participants, took place synchronously. The 20 theoretical modules were designed according to the principles of co-constructivist didactics and were all structured in the same way.The four joint reflection sessions took place at fixed times. During these sessions, the participants discussed the theory of the 20 modules and the developed contents with the trainer. The reflections were based on the notes that the participants had made in their learning diaries.Because the data did not show a normal distribution, non-parametric methods were used in the analysis . In the subscale 'Support learning', there was a statistically significant difference in the quality of interaction between the two measurements .The Wilcoxon test showed that the quality of interaction improved significantly in the subscale 'Ensure relationships and well-being' after attending the training course  for travelling. Since people in remote areas can easily participate in these formats, the OPD format could be used as a measure for professionalising ECE in times of a shortage of specialists, which can be multiplied and also be deployed quickly in terms of time. In view of the prevailing shortage of skilled professionals, it is interesting to think about new training and further education mechanisms, as well as certification and qualification processes oriented towards the proven—and observable—competencies of early childhood professionals.


The results showed that different doses of this mixture , used 4 times during the rearing, do not have negative impacts on bird health or meat quality. No residues of menthol, eucalyptol, methyl salicylate, or anethol were found above the limit of quantification in the investigated samples. Furthermore, no residues of the used product were found in tissues intended for human consumption.Food safety is becoming one of the key criteria for consumer choices. More and more importance is being attached to the use of alternatives to classical antibiotic therapy, not only in terms of increasing drug resistance but also because of the risk of residues of substances dangerous to humans. Phytobiotics have become some of the most popular and, what is very important, effective forms of support for the classical antibiotics and their reduction in livestock animals. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the effect of a phytobiotic composition that contained several phytoncides—menthol, The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of different doses of a phytobiotic mixture on selected production parameters and meat quality and to assess the residue of the preparation in tissues and the possible toxic effects in broiler chickens. Broiler chicks aged 160 days, divided into four equal groups, were supplemented with the phytobiotic mixture at different doses, D1—0.5 mL/L, D2—1 mL/L, and D3—2 mL/L, four times during a 42-day trial. There were no statistically significant differences in weight gain per week of life and mortality in the birds. The study also demonstrated that the use of the mixture of phytobiotics had no significant effect on colour, pH, WHC, and natural leakage. However, a beneficial effect of the additive was found in the group treated with a dose of 1 mL/L, where less thermal leakage from the meat was demonstrated. Furthermore, significant differences in the change in thigh muscle tenderness were also observed. In the histopathological analysis of the liver no significant differences were observed. In addition, no residues of the mixture or its metabolites were found in the tissues analysed. In conclusion, the proposed scheme of administration of the phytobiotic additive, regardless of the dose, does not cause pathological changes in organs and does not carry the risk of residues of the product in tissues intended for human consumption. The phytoncides have been proven to improve not only meat quality but also its amino acid composition and fatty acid profile . It is undesirable in foods such as meat. The use of phytoncides that affect the radical change of the aroma characteristic to meat may disqualify it in practical use. The composition used in the phytobiotic mixture contains ingredients that are not characteristic of meat products, and so, there was concern about their negative impact on sensory characteristics. This was very important due to the presence of methyl salicylate in the mixture, characterised by a medicinal wintergreen warm-spicy sweet fruity grape rooty-fruity aroma [The technique of using gas chromatography combined with a gas spectrometer did not identify residues of the selected volatile compounds above the limit of quantification shown in L*a*b*) in the study groups. A study performed Schlemper et al. [L* and a* grads of samples from broiler chicken were lower in a control group than in groups fed with a herbal mixture powder consisted of Capsicum annuum, Thymus vulgaris, Salvia Rosmarinus, Pimpinella anisum, Mentha spicata, Nigella sativa, Allium sativum. Other authors noted more yellowish (negative for consumers in some cases) [The mixture of phytobiotics used in the present study had no significant effect on weekly body weight gain and birds’ mortalities. Furthermore, it can also be observed numerically that the fatness of the birds decreases with an increase level in the phytobiotics used, which may be indicated by a lower proportion of abdominal fat. The lack of statistically significant differences in this respect may be due to the high individual variability of birds. However, it should be noted that, despite the application of relatively high doses of the preparation, it had no negative effect on liver weight. Moreover, the application of this additive did not have a significant statistical effect on the change of meat colour   or lighte cases) ,65 whiche cases) .Meat pH is an important factor that occurs during rigor mortis and may affect other meat quality parameters like the texture, colour, and WHC. In this study no significant changes in the pH level  which is consistent with the observations made by, who in his work, in which he also used the phytobiotics mixture, did not show differences in pH, explaining this phenomenon as possibility to prevention the pH from dropping too quickly by the bioactive substances, essential oils and antioxidants contained in phytobiotics which may donate of H + ions contain in antioxidants . ThermalHistopathological analysis did not reveal any changes in the examined tissues that could suggest a toxic effect of the additive used in the study. An interesting fact is that the lipid droplets were randomly observed in all groups in which the phytobiotic supplement was administered. This type of phenomenon accompanies increased fat metabolism, and in humans and other animals, some disease processes ,70. Due In the conducted studies, no pathological changes were found, including inflammatory changes, cancer, increased apoptosis or necrosis. Taking into account the obtained results, it can be concluded that in the studied groups no significant differences in the structure of tissues derived from the liver and muscles are observed. The presence of increased lipogenesis in the liver in group D1 is most likely due to processes associated with growth and temporal metabolic changes, especially since fat droplets were present in hepatocytes derived from all groups.It can be concluded that the administration of the phytobiotic mixture at different doses, i.e., D1—0.5 mL/L, D2—1 mL/L, and D3—2 mL/L, four times during a 42-day trial did not affect the selected production parameters  and several meat quality parameters . What should be particularly emphasised is that the analyses have shown that the preparation does not have a negative effect on the colour of the meat and does not have a damaging effect on organs, regardless of the dose used in the experiment. Furthermore, in none of the cases were the key substances from the phytoncides tested visible, in the GC-MS technique, above the threshold of determination for aroma preservation. Based on the results obtained, as well as the previously conducted in vitro tests for the analysed phytobiotic mixture , it shouIn the era of a growing food crisis related to military operations in the areas of feed and food raw material suppliers, dynamic climate changes, and financial crises in many countries, food safety and maintaining the full supply chain become challenges for many poultry producers. In addition, consumer trends related to microbiological safety and to residues and the reduction of antibiotics in the factory farming of broiler chickens are forcing the entire industry to look for natural, safe alternatives.This study not only complements the current knowledge about the possibilities of using natural alternatives to antibiotics but also indicates new research directions that should be followed when analysing new phytobiotic products used in animal husbandry, the tissues of which are the raw materials for food production.


The pediatric population with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and epilepsy presents behavioral and emotional alterations that hinder their correct developmental maturation as well as their integration in different contexts such as school, family or social. This population shows atypical behavioral and emotional patterns, with difficulties in emotional regulation, understanding of emotions, aggressiveness, or low frustration tolerance. They also present alterations in executive functions, which significantly influence the emotional and behavioral characteristics of this population. Research suggests that epilepsy worsens the emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning status.To explore differences in behavioral, emotional, and executive functioning profile in individuals with a diagnosis of ASD, epilepsy, and ASD with epilepsy.In this quasi-experimental and cross-sectional study, a total of 170 participants were selected and distributed into three groups: a group of participants with ASD, a group with epilepsy, and a group of participants with ASD and epilepsy. The SENA, BASC-3, and ENFEN tests were administered to verify the behavioral, emotional, and executive functioning profile in the three groups.The results indicate that individuals diagnosed with ASD and epilepsy present greater emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning alterations compared to those who only present ASD or epilepsy.Individuals with ASD and epilepsy present significant alterations in emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning processes, which hinder their adaptation to different contexts, as well as decreasing their quality of life and that of their family. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and epilepsy are two disorders that fall under the category of Neurodevelopmental Disorders . On one Epilepsy and ASD are neurological disorders that affect the brain; however, a comprehensive understanding of their connection and differentiation using brain signals has yet to be fully elucidated. The scholarly article authored by In a related vein, the work conducted by The main characteristics of a person with comorbid ASD and epilepsy include impairments in social interaction and communication skills, as well as the presence of restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors . HoweverRegarding the etiology of this comorbidity, authors such as In this sense, it is vital to consider the possibility that the child population with the joint comorbidity of ASD and epilepsy shows depressive episodes and an acute state of hyperactivation compared to those children who only have ASD or epilepsy . People Difficulties in regulating emotions seem to characterize both ASD and epilepsy. Individuals with ASD and epilepsy often struggle with regulating negative affect, which is characterized by the existence of aversive emotional states such as nervousness, fear, disgust, guilt, anger, emotional distress, and non-pleasurable engagement . They alThere is growing awareness of the importance of recognizing emotional and behavioral conditions as part of assessment and diagnosis . HoweverIn addition to the marked behavioral and emotional profile of individuals with ASD and epilepsy, executive functions (EF) appear to be an area that is frequently affected in this comorbidity. The behavioral and emotional profile of individuals with ASD and epilepsy is significantly related to their executive functioning . EFs incAmong the most relevant symptomatology of the population with ASD and epilepsy regarding their executive functions are: absence of empathy, presence of stereotyped behaviors, perseverations, routines and restricted interests, compulsive behaviors, inappropriate and sudden emotional reactions, and lack of originality and creativity. The degree of alteration of EF varies depending on the age and level of impairment of this population. Thus, The previous discussion highlights the need to study EF in this population in order to characterize their functioning and develop research lines based on emotional and behavioral alterations, as well as their relationship with executive functioning in individuals with ASD and epilepsy . HoweverTherefore, the main objective of the present study is to compare emotional and behavioral problems in three groups: a group of children with ASD, a group of children with epilepsy, and a group of children with ASD and epilepsy. Thus, the first hypothesis proposed for this study is that internalizing problems  will be more prominent in the group of children diagnosed with ASD and epilepsy than in the ASD and epilepsy groups alone. Likewise, the second research hypothesis is that externalizing problems  will be more pronounced in the group of children with ASD and epilepsy than in the ASD and epilepsy groups alone. Finally, the third research hypothesis proposed for this study is that participants with ASD and epilepsy will have greater executive functioning impairments than those with ASD or epilepsy alone.An initial sample of 301 subjects diagnosed with ASD, epilepsy, or both disorders was selected and underwent a rigorous screening process . The incn = 57), the ASD and epilepsy group (n = 53), and the epilepsy group (n = 60). The ASD group (G1) consisted of 36 boys and 21 girls  with a diagnosis of grade 3 ASD. The Epilepsy group (G2) consisted of 41 boys and 19 girls . The ASD and epilepsy group (G3) consisted of 27 boys and 26 girls , who also had a grade 3 ASD diagnosis and were evaluated at their reference medical center. This age range was chosen because assessment tests can be directly administered to study participants at age 6. Additionally, the diagnosis of ASD is established at age 6, and participants have had several years of speech and language therapy and neuropsychological intervention. After the initial selection of 301 subjects, a series of exclusion criteria were established, including having a motor or sensory disorder that would prevent study participation and having a moderate, severe, or profound intellectual disability. After the selection process, 131 subjects were excluded, resulting in a final sample of 170 participants between the ages of 7 and 9, divided into three groups: the ASD group  being between 5 and 8 years of age, (II) presenting a diagnosis of ASD or epilepsy issued by a public health agency or center, and (III) undergoing rehabilitation treatment at a rehabilitation clinic. On the other hand, the exclusion criteria were: (I) presenting a motor or sensory disease or disorder that hinders or prevents the correct performance of the study, (II) not presenting any communication or language at 5 years of age, and (III) presenting a moderate, severe or profound intellectual disability.The SENA questionnaire, system for the evaluation of children and adolescents SENA;  consistsThe Behavior Assessment System for Children and Adolescents-3rd Edition BASC-3;  is an inNeuropsychological Evaluation of Executive Functions in Children ENFEN; , is an iFor the present study, participant selection was carried out following the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the sample see , subsequThe statistical analysis of this quasi-experimental study was carried out using different statistical designs. First, the Kolmogorov-Smirnoff test was used to examine the normality of the distribution of the dependent variables that make up the study. However, a graphical position point analysis has been conducted through a splot Q-Q study, whose results indicate that there is a homogeneous distribution among the groups comprising the study. Next, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to observe the relationship between variables related to externalizing and internalizing emotional and behavioral problems, conduct problems, and executive functions. The objective of using the MANCOVA statistical analysis is to control for the variable “intellectual disability” in the model of the present study. In this way, differences between the two groups that make up the sample were explored. Subsequently, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) tests was carried out to observe the individual differences of each of the variables in the two groups. Finally, to control for Type I error, Holm-Bonferroni correction was performed .F = 328.000, p < 0.001, η2P = 0.677). As can be seen in The MANCOVA conducted to evaluate differences in measures of internalizing problems among the ASD, Epilepsy, and ASD with Epilepsy groups revealed the presence of statistically significant differences  = 326.000, p < 0.001, η2P = 0.694). As can be seen in The MANCOVA conducted to evaluate the differences in measures of externalized problems among the groups of ASD, Epilepsy, and ASD with Epilepsy revealed the presence of statistically significant differences . As can be seen in Finally, the MANCOVA performed to evaluate differences in behavioral profile measures among the groups with ASD, Epilepsy, and ASD with Epilepsy revealed the presence of statistically significant differences  = 300.000, F = 328.000, p < 0.001, η2P = 0.645). As can be seen in The MANCOVA performed to evaluate the differences in executive functioning measures among the groups of ASD, Epilepsy, and ASD with Epilepsy revealed the presence of statistically significant differences (Wilks’ Lambda = 0.126, It has been found that children with a comorbidity of ASD and epilepsy often experience emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning problems . HoweverTherefore, the main objective of this study was to compare emotional, behavioral, and executive functioning problems in a group of children with ASD, another group of children with ASD who also had epilepsy, and a last group that only had epilepsy. The first research hypothesis was that internalizing problems would be more pronounced in the group of children with ASD and epilepsy compared to those with only ASD and those with only epilepsy. The second research hypothesis was that externalizing problems would be more pronounced in the group of children with ASD and epilepsy compared to those with only ASD and those with only epilepsy. Finally, the third hypothesis was that the group of participants with ASD and epilepsy would present greater executive functioning impairments than those with only ASD and those with only epilepsy.Overall, the results of this study indicate significant differences between the evaluated participant groups, especially that the group with ASD and the group with epilepsy show lower occurrence of internalizing and externalizing problems compared to the group of participants with comorbid ASD and epilepsy. This is related to the fact that individuals with ASD who do not have epilepsy show lower levels of anxiety or depression and fewer somatic complaints. Additionally, these participants exhibit fewer behavioral and attentional problems, which positively impacts their ability to perform basic activities of daily living and their inclusion in various contexts, compared to children with a diagnosis of comorbid ASD and epilepsy.Regarding internalizing and externalizing emotional and behavioral problems, the results indicate that the group with ASD and the group with epilepsy obtain lower scores compared to the group with comorbid ASD and epilepsy. When the condition of comorbid ASD and epilepsy is present in the pediatric population, there is an increase in emotional and depressive disorders in these individuals due to genetic, environmental, and etiological factors of the disorder . These fThe present study is in line with the findings of previous scientific literature, as previous studies  indicateSecondly, regarding externalized emotional and behavioral problems, the results of our study reflect that the group with ASD and epilepsy presents higher scores than those presented in the ASD and epilepsy groups. Individuals with ASD and epilepsy show greater difficulties in attention processes, hyperactive or impulsive behavior, difficulty controlling anger, much more pronounced aggressive episodes, and defiant behavior than in the pediatric population that only presents ASD or epilepsy . The behThese data suggest that the population with ASD and epilepsy is more limited in their emotional control and tends to exhibit more disruptive behaviors, therefore requiring special considerations in their care. This assertion is supported by studies such as those by In ASD, the problem with emotional control and the emergence of social anxiety stems from difficulties in demonstrating empathy or recognizing the emotions of others, which generates difficulties in social relationships and affects the quality of life for both the child and their parents or significant figures. This can also be observed in the first years of life, as it is evident that the child does not present any type of attachment to their parents . FurtherFinally, regarding executive functioning, the results of this study reveal that the group with ASD and epilepsy presents greater alterations than those shown by the ASD group and the Epilepsy group. These data can be interpreted to mean that individuals with ASD who also have epilepsy have greater difficulties in accessing functional lexicon, as well as in following an activity with high levels of sustained, selective, and divided attention, with task switching. This is in line with studies by In summary, the population with ASD and epilepsy presents greater internalized emotional and behavioral problems related to depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and somatic complaints, as well as greater externalized emotional and behavioral problems related to attentional problems, hyperactivity or impulsivity, problems in anger control, aggression, and defiant behavior, compared to children who only have ASD or epilepsy. These disorders are explained by alterations in emotional and behavioral competencies, which compromise overall functioning of the individual.However, this study has limitations regarding the selection of objective instruments rather than self-reported measures. The SENA questionnaire  was admiIn conclusion, the comorbidity between ASD and epilepsy has a high prevalence that has been increasing in recent years. The diagnosis of children with either of these disorders is becoming more common, which implies the need to determine and observe different factors and characteristics early and concisely to allow for early intervention in the emotional and behavioral alterations of the individual with this condition. The comorbid appearance of ASD and epilepsy implies a deficit in the proper developmental process of the child, seriously compromising emotional management and behavioral self-regulation. These limitations will significantly impair the proper performance of daily life activities, reducing the effectiveness and autonomy of the population with this comorbidity.The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia. Written informed consent to participate in this study was provided by the participants’ legal guardian/next of kin.AC-V designed the study, analyzed the data and prepared the draft. All the authors reviewed the writing of the manuscript and approved the version finally submitted.The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.