Globalization policies are encouraging manufacturing companies to produce environmentfriendly products that offer a sustainable competitive advantage. Currently, product recovery and zero-waste supply chains have caught the attention of manufacturers and professionals. Reverse logistics (RL) is considered as the most significant part of supply chain management in developed countries; unfortunately, its implementation in developing countries is in the initial stages due to certain barriers. This study aims to identify and verify the barriers to implementation of reverse logistics using a two-stage methodology: the Delphi Method and Structural Equation Modeling. A comprehensive literature review was considered to identify a primary set of barriers. Using the Delphi Method, a team of experts screened out barriers after performing three iterations. A survey-based questionnaire was then sent out to supply chain and logistics employees in the manufacturing industry and relevant government authorities. Five hundred and forty-seven useful responses were analyzed in the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) & AMOS 21 softwares using Structural Equation Modeling to verify barriers, and ranked according to their severity. The most critical barriers with respect to each category are: high cost of reverse logistics adoption (finance and economics), lack of skilled professionals (knowledge and experience), lack of government supportive policies (law and regulation), poor organizational culture (management), lack of human resources (infrastructure and technology), lack of environmental law awareness (environment), lack of community pressure (market) and company policies (reverse logistics in policy). Overall, the top five barriers found in this study include lack of initial capital, lack of skilled professional in RL, companies' policies against RL, lack of new technologies and information systems, and lack of community pressure. Knowledge about barriers to reverse logistics allows manufacturing companies to prepare a priority list of actions for better implementation of the reverse logistics system. Sustainability 2018, 10, 4202 2 of 25 and filling up of landfills [1]. Thus, it has become necessary for companies to incorporate strategies that efficiently and effectively deal with sustainability issues in their supply chain management (SCM) activities [2]. Globalization policies have encouraged manufacturing companies to produce environmentally-friendly products by adopting reengineering and innovative technology. A company's reaction toward the adoption of new technology is becoming its main driver. Product recovery and zero waste supply chains have caught the attention of manufacturers, professionals, and researchers over the last two decades [3][4][5][6][7][8].Reverse logistics is any activity that is directly or indirectly associated with the recovery, collection, or disposal of used products. According to the American Reverse Logistics Executive Council [9], "Reverse logistics is the process of planning, implem...

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With increasing urban populations, high vehicle miles have made the concept of a compact city imperative. A compact city is characterized by high-density development and mixed land use with no urban sprawl. City managers are trying hard to make their cities compact and livable. The potential conformance to a compact city development requires scaling before any significant intervention. Several studies have been conducted on the different aspects of the compact city in the developed world, but there is limited understanding in the South Asian context. This study aimed to fill this research gap and proposes a theoretical matrix to gauge the potential compactness of Lahore, Pakistan. It comprises some key attributes, such as landscape ecology, measurement of density, density distribution, transportation network, accessibility, dispersion index, and mixed-use land consumption, which were analyzed in this research. The data were analyzed using Geographical Information System (GIS) and ERDAS IMAGINE software to make a scaling matrix. The research findings show that Lahore is a semi-compact city, with high potential to become a true compact city. The paper recommends that the urban extent should not be extended until targeted colonization is achieved, and the spatial growth of the city should be managed by encouraging infilled development, high-density living, and public transport provision. This research will help policymakers, urban planners, and transport planners devising policies for compact city development.

Due to industrialization, increasing solid waste is affecting environmental integrity globally. Reverse logistics (RL) has become a significant tool to deal with environmental degradation issues, and it is being implemented in developed countries. However, RL is at the infancy stage in developing countries especially in Pakistan due to different obstacles. This study aims to identify and analyzes the interrelationship between barriers affecting RL implementation in Pakistani manufacturing industry using an integrated methodology of Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and MICMAC approach. Results of ISM and MICMAC identified organizational, financial, and technological barriers as dependent barriers. However, lack of government policy incentives, lack of responsiveness about RL, lack of enforceable laws on product return, changing in regulations due to political changes, lack of environmental law awareness and lack of corporate social responsibility emerged out as top-ranked barriers driving other barriers that need to be addressed. An inter-relationship based structural model will be helpful for supply chain and RL professional in understanding major obstacles to RL implementation and develop a strategy to promote RL in the manufacturing industry.

Nowadays, increased usage of motorized vehicles has become a cause of serious environmental and health problems which results in noise pollution, air pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases. Sustainable transportation options such as green public buses, subways and public cycling have been introduced to improve environmental quality. However, their adoption is still in the initial stage. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the consumer attitude towards sustainable transportation, and their willingness to choose different environmentally friendly options like cycling and public green transportation by applying a norm activation model (NAM). More specifically, this study explored the role of different predictors (sustainable transport benefits awareness, traffic problem awareness, government policies and symbolic motives of using a car) affecting citizen's acceptability to sustainable transportation options with mediating role of environmental concern and moderating role of self-transcendence and self-enhancement. A questionnaire-based survey conducted in four major metropolitan cities of China including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi'an found that acceptability towards sustainable transportation is derived from sustainable transport benefits awareness and traffic. Symbolic motives of the car have a negative association with acceptability towards sustainable transportation. The mediating effect of environmental concerns was proved, which extends the role of NAM in this study. Self-transcendence and self-enhancement have positive and negative moderating effects consecutively towards the acceptability of sustainable transportation. This study has potential implications for the government of China, transportation, and urban planning departments in order to take necessary measures to promote sustainable transportation behavior in Chinese citizens.

Patients with spinal abnormalities infrequently present with intradural intramedullary bleeding. The more common causes include spinal trauma, arteriovenous malformations and saccular aneurysms of spinal arteries. On occasion, spinal cord tumors either primary or metastatic may cause intramedullary bleed with ependymoma of the conus medullaris. Spinal nerve sheath tumors such as schwannomas only rarely cause intradural intramedullary bleed, especially in the absence of spinal cord or nerve root symptoms. We report a case of spinal intradural schwannoma presenting with acute onset of quadriparesis. Cerebral angiography studies were negative but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine revealed a large hemorrhagic tumor in the thoracolumbar junction. However, we suggest that the patients with intradural intramedullary bleed should be evaluated for underlying spine disease.

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Introduction Vernix caseosa peritonitis (VCP) is a rare peripartum complication secondary to the introduction of fetal vernix into the maternal peritoneal cavity. Vernix caseosa peritonitis typically manifests a few hours to days after a cesarian section and is often initially misdiagnosed as a more common disease process resulting in delayed diagnosis. We report the computed tomography (CT) findings in 2 patients with VCP and reviewed the previously reported CT findings of VCP. Cases Two patients, aged 17 and 24 years, presented with signs and symptoms of peritonitis within days of undergoing a cesarian section. In both cases, CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated ascites and multiple small, well-defined, peripherally enhancing, cystic peritoneal nodules which were most prominent around the liver and became larger and more numerous over time. Antibiotic therapy was not effective, subsequent laparoscopic peritoneal biopsy demonstrated VCP, and patients were successfully treated with lavage and the addition of intravenous steroids. Conclusions Vernix caseosa peritonitis is an underrecognized disorder that is most often mistaken for other more common causes of peritonitis. In the setting of peripartum peritonitis, the CT findings of ascites with multiple small, well-defined, peripherally enhancing, cystic peritoneal nodules, especially adjacent to the liver, which grow in size and number strongly suggests VCP.