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How to conduct valuable marketing research with neurophysiological tools
Get PDFConsumer neuroscience is gaining attention in the marketing field. The growing interest calls for a framework integrating neuroscience in marketing. This paper aims to serve as a practical guide for conducting consumer research using neurophysiological tools. The paper is organized into three main sections. The first section presents a framework for categorizing types of consumer neuroscience research based on four primary research objectives. The following section describes the use of neurophysiological tools in marketing and addresses their roots in their mother disciplines. Specifically, we address electrocardiography, galvanic skin conductance, eye‐tracking, electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and functional near‐infrared spectroscopy. Additionally, we refer to emerging measurements from hormones and genes. Likewise, this section highlights the most influential papers, equipment facilities, and software on each tool to support researchers who need to become more familiar with any of those techniques. Third, this paper introduces an integrative framework for consumer neuroscience research in marketing, covering research aims, types of stimuli, changes in organisms, and consumer response processes. In addition to core neuroscience citations, the paper incorporates specific marketing‐relevant consumer neuroscience papers to guide research in the marketing field
Can the law affect attitudes and behavior in the absence of strict enforcement? Experimental evidence from a child marriage reform in Bangladesh
Get PDFIn developing countries, one in four girls is married before turning 18, with adverse consequences for themselves and their children. In this article, we investigate whether laws can affect attitudes and behavior toward child marriage—in a context in which the laws are not strictly enforced. We do so by developing a simple theoretical model of marriage age choice which allows us to account for several potential mechanisms through which a change in the formal law may affect attitudes and behavior even when the law is not enforced. We also implement a randomized video-based information intervention that aimed to accelerate knowledge transmission about a new child marriage law in Bangladesh that introduced harsher punishments for facilitating early marriage. Surveys conducted immediately after the intervention document changes in respondents’ attitudes while follow-up surveys conducted several months later document an increase in early marriage among treated households—but only if the father or family elders also received the information. The findings allow us to distinguish between several competing theoretical channels underlying the effect of legal change and highlight the risk of backlash against laws that contradict traditional norms and practices. (JEL J12, J16, K36
The interplay between scion genotype, root microbiome, and Neonectria ditissima apple canker
Get PDFSeverity of European apple canker caused by Neonectria ditissima can vary between locations and apple genotypes. We investigated how location, cold storage/planting season, and apple scion genotype affect root-associated microbial communities. Additionally, we investigated whether differences in abundance of specific taxa could be associated with canker lesion counts. Seven scion cultivars grafted onto M9 rootstocks were inoculated with N. ditissima in the nursery and then planted in December 2018 or stored at 2 °C until planting in April 2019 at three sites in Kent, UK. We assessed canker lesions and collected root samples in June 2021. Quantitative PCR and 16S/ITS amplicon sequencing was used to analyse microbial communities. Site was the primary factor affecting microbiome size, diversity, and composition. Cold storage/planting season had small but significant effects, indicating that differences in the microbiome at planting can persist long-term. Scion genotype had a limited effect on diversity but did influence the abundance of specific root associated taxa. Bacterial α-diversity was associated with canker count in a site-dependent manner. Increased abundances of particular fungal (Rhizophagus irregularis and Epicoccum nigrum) and bacterial (Amycolatopsis and Bradyrhizobium) root associated taxa were associated with fewer cankers
Chemicals in European residences—Part II: a review of emissions, concentrations, and health effects of Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs)
Get PDFThis comprehensive review reports on concentrations, sources, emissions, and potential health effects from Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) identified in the
internal home environment in European residences. A total of 84 studies were identified, and concentrations were collated for inhalation exposure from dust, air and aerosol. A
total of 298 individual SVOCs were identified and 67 compounds belonging to eight chemical classes: phthalates, flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), biocides, bisphenols and musks were prioritised. Phthalates are the most abundant SVOCs
with DEHP being the most abundant in both the dust and aerosol phases (WAGMs 426.4 µg g−1 and 52.2 ng m−3, respectively) followed by DBP for dust (WAGMs are 95.9 µg g−1). In the air, the most abundant SVOCs are DiBP (284.1 ng m−3), DBP (179.5 ng m−3), DEHP (106.2 ng m−3) and DMP (27.79 ng m−3). Chemicals from all SVOC categories are emitted
from building and construction materials, furnishings and consumer products, especially phthalates. Both legacy chemicals and their alternatives were detected. Complexities of reporting on SVOCs included differing sampling methodologies, multiple standards in their definition, lack of industry data, and toxicological data focused primarily on ingestion not inhalation exposures. Further research is recommended to develop the evidence base for potential health effects including via inhalation, reporting of emission rates and undertaking future monitoring studies
Medicine optimisation and deprescribing intervention outcomes for older people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review
Get PDFBackground:
Polypharmacy is common in older people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), increasing the risk of medication-related harm. Medicine optimisation and deprescribing to reduce polypharmacy is considered feasible, safe and can lead to improved health. However, for those living with dementia or MCI, this can be challenging. This systematic review aimed to summarise the evidence on the outcomes of medicine optimisation and deprescribing interventions for older people with dementia or MCI.
Methods
The literature was searched using CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library from database inception to January 2024. Papers reporting data specific to people with dementia or MCI from medicine optimisation and deprescribing interventional research studies of any design and in any setting were included. A narrative synthesis was conducted due to heterogeneity of study designs and outcomes. Quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool.
Results
Thirty-two papers reporting twenty-eight studies were included, with samples ranging from 29 to 17933 patients and a mean patient age ranging from 74 to 88 years. Sixty percent of studies were undertaken in long-term care settings. Involvement of patients and/or carers in interventions was limited. Papers were grouped as either incorporating a medication review component (n=13), education component (n=5) or both (n=14). Studies primarily focused on medication-related outcomes, generally showing a positive effect on decreasing the number and improving appropriateness of medications. Fewer papers reported clinical outcomes (behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, falls, quality of life and cognition) with mixed findings. A reduction or no change in mortality or hospital attendance demonstrated safety of the interventions in the few papers reporting these outcomes. The quality of the evidence was mixed.
Conclusion
Medicine optimisation and deprescribing interventions generally reduced the number and increased the appropriateness of medications, and although less frequently reported, seem to be safe and showed an absence of worsening of clinical outcomes. This review highlights a need for further research, particularly for people with dementia or MCI living at home, with more focus on clinical outcomes, and greater involvement of patients and informal carers
Integrating green infrastructure, design scenarios, and social-ecological-technological systems for thermal resilience and adaptation: Mechanisms and approaches
No full textUrbanization and urban overheating present significant heat exposure risks to city dwellers, underscoring the
urgent need to enhance the thermal resilience of social-ecological-technological systems. However, understanding how humans interact with the urban environment to design thermally comfortable adaptation spaces
and formulate effective resilience strategies remains unclear. Therefore, the overarching aim of this study is to
investigate critical factors and generate actionable insights that can inform the development of effective strategies for enhancing thermal resilience in urban environments. An integrative review approach was conducted
combining a scoping review and a bibliometric analysis. The principal findings highlight the significance of green
infrastructure, urban canyons, and building stock scenarios in designing comfortable microclimates. Behavioural
adaptation for access to the design scenarios plays an important role in achieving thermal comfort. Key driving
forces influencing design scenarios are identified, including social vulnerability protection and economic
resource feasibility in the social system, air pollutant reduction and biodiversity protection in the ecological
system, and cooling effectiveness and energy efficiency in technological systems. Stakeholder and expert
involvement are necessary to develop interventions and strategies for strengthening thermal resilience. The
proposed frameworks attempt to provide a comprehensive understanding of human-urban interaction and adaptation mechanisms and offer a general approach to developing interventions and strategies for thermal resilience. The findings contribute to providing planning and design strategies by improving the ability of the built environment and humans to adapt to escalating climate warming and the rise in extreme heatwave events, thereby supporting the sustainability and well-being of urban populations
The Botanical University Challenge: bridging isolation and empowering plant-aware students
Get PDFThe Botanical University Challenge (BUC) competition was first devised by three academic botanists in 2015 to champion plants and plant-aware students and to help
connect disparate and disconnected student botanists across the United Kingdom
and Ireland. Since then, BUC has grown in popularity to become the largest annual
botanical contest in Europe (and possibly the world) with teams competing from a
total of 33 higher education institutions from the United Kingdom and the Republic
of Ireland answering questions on the full breadth of the botanical sciences. Through
running the competition and (since 2023) an associated Student Botany Festival, the
BUC Planning Team has had the opportunity to engage with a diverse cohort of
plant-aware students, from undergraduate to doctoral level, enabling them to share
their values, passions and concerns for the future. We discuss the development of
BUC and our ambitions concerning the future growth and impact of the BUC competition and the ways in which BUC has supported plant-aware students, such as skills
training and career pathway development. We also present two international case
studies where the BUC format has been used to facilitate student education and
engagement in other countries. We envision BUC as a vehicle to enable connections
between plant-aware students, not only nationally within the United Kingdom
but internationally, by encouraging and supporting other communities in similar
endeavours
A multithreat meta-analytic database for understanding insect biodiversity change
Get PDFAim: Widespread declines in insect biodiversity have been attributed to a diverse set of anthropogenic drivers, but the relative importance of these drivers remains unclear. A key reason for this uncertainty is that their effects depend on many factors, such as taxonomy, geography, sampling method and the biodiversity metric considered. To better understand the relative impact of different drivers on insect biodiversity, effect sizes need to be anchored to major sources of heterogeneity and collected reproducibly through a structured and consistent protocol. This standardised approach will allow a quantitative synthesis of relative threats to insects, enabling more robust predictions of changes in insect biodiversity.
Innovation: Here we publish a global database of effect sizes that quantify the effect of 5 anthropogenic drivers on insect abundance, species richness, biomass and fecundity within the framework of the IUCN threat classification. While we only present results for a subset of major anthropogenic drivers and insect Orders, the database structure allows the addition of new studies for all major IUCN threats and insect Orders. Our current set of effect sizes was collated from 7 meta-analyses, including 6308 effect sizes from 317 studies, focusing on threats ranked highly in an initial expert elicitation process. Data collection followed an overall meta-protocol and a set of individual protocols tailored to each meta-analysis. Our database provides a framework for the first global meta-analytic overview of the response of insects to a range of major anthropogenic drivers.
Main Conclusions: Structured collation of both experimental and quasi-experimental effect sizes, together with metadata that capture the main sources of heterogeneity, is needed to understand the effect of anthropogenic activity on insects. In turn, this understanding opens the way to predicting how we might expect insect biodiversity to have changed in the past and into the future
Rethinking corporate rescue in the UK in light of the growing distressed debt market
Get PDFOver the past several years, the structure of the finance industry has experienced significant
changes. There has been a noticeable shift from hold-to-maturity debt investment strategies
toward more active trading strategies. A new and diverse range of private investment funds
have emerged, driven by the opportunities to generate returns through these trading strategies.
Their presence is becoming increasingly visible in insolvency situations. In fact, it is argued
that these investors are gradually displacing traditional lenders as the primary source of
financing for distressed companies. This rise in involvement has coincided with a growing
focus on the control and administration of the insolvency process, as well as the efficiency and
adequacy of the insolvency system in achieving its intended objectives.
This thesis begins by examining the concerns that the UK’s corporate insolvency system was
originally designed to address. It then proceeds to trace the development of the system to
address the issues prevailed in a finance market dominated by a small group of homogeneous
banks.
The thesis examines originally collected quantitative and qualitative data to provide evidence
for the emergence of concerns related to the role of distressed debt investors in situations of
distress. This thesis argues that the existing insolvency framework lags behind current trends
evident within corporate finance and insolvency practice. In response, the thesis concludes by
recommending reforms to improve the functioning of the system