153 research outputs found
What a Difference Context Makes: Comparing Communication Strategies of Migration NGOs in Two Neighboring Countries
No full textThis research study compared non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the area of migration in two neighboring countries – Bulgaria and Turkey. Utilizing in-depth interviews with 39 NGO professionals in both countries, the analysis identified critical differences in public opinion dynamics, organizational structures and interdependencies, and government relationships. Further analysis unveiled how the local socio-economic and political context had impacted NGO communication strategies as well as the specific communication channels, public engagement activities, and social media campaigns in each country. Implications for communication scholarship during times of increasing migration flows and globalization are discussed.This article is published as Dimitrova, D., Ozdora-Aksak, E., What a Difference Context Makes: Comparing Communication Strategies of Migration NGOs in Two Neighboring Countries. Journal of Borderlands Studies. 31 Dec 2022. Latest Articles. https://doi.org/10.1080/08865655.2022.2161065. Posted with permission. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.<br
Development of CRISPR-Cas-based system for regulation of gene expression
No full textΗ τεχνολογία τροποποίησης του γονιδιώματος CRISPR/Cas9 αποτελεί ένα δυναμικό εργαλείο το οποίο έχει ενισχύσει την ικανότητά μας να ανακαλύπτουμε τη συμβολή της γενετικής στις ασθένειες, να δημιουργούμε διαγονιδιακά μοντέλα ποντικών που αναπαριστούν ανθρώπινες ασθένειες καθώς επίσης έχει θέσει τη βάση για την ανάπτυξη προηγμένων γονιδιακών θεραπειών. Η CRISPR/Cas9 τεχνολογία έχει υποστεί εντυπωσιακές εξελίξεις, συμπεριλαμβανομένης της ανάπτυξης εργαλείων για την τροποποίηση του επιγονιδιώματος. Η παρούσα μελέτη στοχεύει στο χαρακτηρισμό και την εξερεύνηση των λειτουργικών εφαρμογών δύο νέων ελεγχόμενων διαγονιδιακών μοντέλων ποντικών, των ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-KRAB και ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-p300, που σχεδιάστηκαν με σκοπό την τροποποίηση της έκφρασης γονιδίων. Τα μοντέλα αυτά χαρακτηρίζονται από την -εξαρτώμενη από την παρουσία της CRE ρεκομπινάσης- ενδογενή έκφραση της dCas9 νουκλεάσης, συνδεδεμένη είτε με παράγοντες αναστολής της μεταγραφής (KRAB) είτε με παράγοντες ενεργοποίησης της μεταγραφής (p300), αντίστοιχα. Εισάγοντας στόχο-συγκεκριμένα μοντέλα RNA (sgRNAs) μέσω ιών, αυτά τα μοντέλα ποντικιών προσφέρουν τη δυνατότητα της ενεργοποίησης ή αναστολής της έκφρασης οποιουδήποτε γονιδίου ενδιαφέροντος όχι μόνο ex vivo, αλλά και in vivo. Για να αξιολογήσουμε την πρακτική χρησιμότητα αυτών των μοντέλων, τα χρησιμοποιήσαμε στο πλαίσιο χρόνιων φλεγμονωδών νοσημάτων, επικεντρώνοντας ειδικότερα στον έλεγχο της έκφρασης του γονιδίου Bach1 στους ινοβλάστες του αρθρικού υμένα - ένος πιθανά κρίσιμου παράγοντα για πρόοδο της ρευματοειδούς αρθρίτιδας - και τον έλεγχο του υποδοχέα TNFR2 στα ενδοθηλιακά κύτταρα, ο οποίος συνδέεται ενεργά με την εξέλιξη της πολλαπλής σκλήρυνσης. Προκαλέσαμε την επαγώγη της dCas9 νουκλεάσης μέσω της ιικής ή διαγονιδιακής έκφρασης της CRE ρεκομπινάσης, σχεδιάσαμε sgRNAs για να στοχεύσουμε συγκεκριμένα γονίδια ενδιαφέροντος, δημιουργήσαμε Lenti-ιϊκούς φορείς για την εισαγώγη των sgRNA και επιμολύναμε ινοβλάστες του αρθρικού υμένα καθώς και ενδοθηλιακά κύτταρα. Μέσω μιας σειράς μοριακών τεχνικών, παρουσιάσαμε την αποτελεσματικότητα και τους περιορισμούς των συστημάτων αυτών ex vivo και τελικά δημιουργήσαμε αδενο-σχετιζόμενους ιϊκούς φορείς για την in vivo τροποποίηση της έκφρασης των γονιδίων. Συνολικά, ακολουθήσαμε μια στρατηγική η οποία βοήθησε στον χαρακτηρισμό της δυναμικής των ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-KRAB και ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-p300 διαγονιδιακών ποντικών στην ex vivo και in vivo τροποποίηση της γονιδιακής έκφρασης σε τύπους κυττάρων που σχετίζονται άμεσα με χρόνιες φλεγμονώδεις νόσους.CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology has emerged as a promising tool in recent years, revolutionizing research by enhancing our ability to unveil the contribution of genetics to diseases, generating accurate animal models that recapitulate pathological processes and laying the basis for the development of gene therapies. Since its inception, CRISPR/Cas9 has undergone remarkable advancements including the development of more precise Cas proteins, base editing techniques and epigenome modification tools. In this study we aimed to characterize and explore the functional applications of two novel conditional transgenic mouse models designed for gene expression manipulation: ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-KRAB and ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-p300. These models are characterized by the CRE-dependent endogenous expression of nuclease de-activated Cas9 (dCas9) protein fused with chromatin modifying domains for transcription repression (KRAB) and transcription activation (p300), respectively. By introducing target-specific single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) through viral vectors, these mouse models offer the potential to conditionally activate or repress the expression of any gene of interest not only ex vivo but also in vivo. To assess the practical utility of these models we employed them in the context of chronic inflammatory diseases, specifically focusing on the regulation of Bach1 expression in Synovial Fibroblasts (SFs)—a potentially critical transcription factor in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—and the regulation of TNFR2 receptor in endothelial cells (ECs), which is implicated in multiple sclerosis (MS). We induced the expression of dCas9 through viral and transgenic CRE delivery strategies, designed sgRNAs to target our genes of interest, generated lentiviral vectors as delivery vehicles and transduced primary SFs and ECs. Through a series of molecular techniques, we demonstrated the efficacy of these systems as well as their limitations ex vivo and finally we delved into the in vivo application of these tools via the generation of AAV vectors for in vivo delivery and targeted manipulation of gene expression. Collectively, we followed a strategic pipeline for harnessing the potential of the ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-KRAB and ROSA26-LSL-dCas9-p300 mouse models to effectively modulate gene expression in crucial cell types associated with chronic inflammatory diseases ex vivo and in vivo
Comparison of long-term efficacy and adherence with CPAP and pressure-relief- APAP in obstructive sleep apnea patients
No full textDer positive kontinuierliche Atemwegsdruck (CPAP) ist derzeit Therapie der
Wahl bei der Behandlung des obstruktiven Schlafapnoe-Syndroms (OSAS). Eine
häufig mangelhafte Therapietreue führte zu dem Einsatz verschiedener
Therapieoptimierungsmaßnahmen. Der neuartige Beatmungsmodus A-Flex basiert auf
der Kombination der Komfortfunktionen APAP (automatisches CPAP) und Bi-Flex
(Zwei-Niveau-Positivdruckbeatmung mit Druckentlastung). Das innovative
Verfahren zielt auf eine Therapiekomfortsteigerung und folglich auf eine
Verbesserung der Therapietreue (Compliance) ab. In der vorliegenden Studie
wird der Effekt des innovativen Beatmungsmodus A-Flex auf die Wirksamkeit bei
der Beseitigung des OSAS, Compliance und die funktionellen Ergebnisse als
Alternativverfahren zum konventionellen CPAP mit einem automatisch (A-CPAP)
bzw. manuell (CPAP) ermittelten Therapiedruck untersucht. Unsere Arbeit wurde
im Rahmen einer multizentrischen, kontrollierten, prospektiven, randomisierten
Doppelblindstudie durchgeführt. Die dargestellten Daten wurden im
Interdisziplinären Schlafmedizinischen Zentrum an der Charité erfasst. Dreißig
Patienten mit einem moderaten bis schwergradigen OSAS (AHI 40,1/h) wurden in
einer der drei Gruppen CPAP (N = 11), A-CPAP (N = 8) oder A-Flex (N = 11)
randomisiert und über einen sechsmonatigen Zeitraum untersucht. Die
Wirksamkeit wurde anhand der polysomnographischen Parameter verifiziert. Die
Compliancebestimmung basierte auf der nächtlichen Gerätenutzung und richtete
sich nach den in der Literatur gängigen Therapietreue-Definitionen. Die
funktionellen Ergebnisse im Sinne von Auswirkung auf die Tagesschläfrigkeit
und die Lebensqualität wurden mittels der Fragebögen Epworth Sleepiness Scale
(ESS) und Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ) objektiviert.
Beide Beatmungsmodalitäten führten zu einer gleichwertigen Verbesserung der
Atmungsstörung (AHI 4,3/h unter CPAP vs. 2,4/h unter A-Flex, p = 0,158), der
Schlaffragmentierung (Arousal Index 18,6/h vs. 16,8/h, p = 0,443) und
Normalisierung der Schlafstruktur (N-REM-1 7,3 %, p = 0,994 bzw. N-REM-3 8,2
%, p = 0,764). Die Komfortsteigerung unter A-Flex erbrachte keine signifikante
Verlängerung der Nutzungsdauer im Vergleich zum konventionellen CPAP (4,2 vs.
5,4 h/Nacht, p = 0,197). Mit beiden Beatmungsmodalitäten wurden Normwerte für
ESS (7,8 vs. 7,6 Punkte, p = 0,313) sowie für FOSQ (18 vs. 17,9 Punkte, p =
0,747) erreicht. Die Analyse der acht Einzelfragen der ESS sowie der FOSQ-
Subskalen ergab eine partielle Überlegenheit von CPAP gegenüber A-Flex. In
Anbetracht der Tendenz zu initial höheren ESS- und niedrigeren FOSQ-Werten in
den CPAP-Gruppen im Gegensatz zum A-Flex-Studienarm sind diese Befunde von
fraglicher klinischer Bedeutung. Der innovative Beatmungsmodus A-Flex stellte
sich als gleichwertig, aber nicht überlegen bezüglich der Wirksamkeit,
Therapietreue und funktioneller Ergebnisse im Vergleich zum konventionellen
CPAP dar. Zukünftige Arbeiten sind notwendig, um Patientengruppen zu
identifizieren, die von dem Einsatz des neuartigen Druckzufuhrmusters
besonders profitieren.Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is acknowledged as the treatment of
choice for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Poor therapy adherence led
to the investigation of numerous interventions to improve machine use. The
A-Flex technology combines the comfort feature APAP (autoadjusting positive
airway pressure) and Bi-Flex pressure relief in order to increase comfort
levels and therefore adherence. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness
of A-Flex in reducing apneas, improving adherence and functional outcomes
compared to APAP-derived (A-CPAP) and manually (CPAP) titrated optimal
pressure for CPAP. The study was conducted as a part of a prospective,
randomized, double-blinded, three-arm, multicenter trial. The reported data
concern the 30 patients with moderate to severe OSAS (AHI 40.1/h) enrolled at
the Interdisciplinary Center of Sleep Medicine (Charitè – Berlin). Patients
were randomly assigned to one of the three groups CPAP (N = 11), A-CPAP (N =
8) or A-Flex (N = 11) for the duration of six months. We evaluated the effect
of treatment on polysomnography variables. Adherence was determined by the
hours of nocturnal machine use according to the literature-based definitions.
Functional outcomes in terms of subjective sleepiness and quality of life were
assessed by self-administered questionnaires such as Epworth Sleepiness Scale
(ESS) and Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ). There was a
comparable correction of sleep respiratory disturbance (AHI 4.3/h with CPAP
vs. 2.4/h with A-Flex, p = 0.158), sleep fragmentation (Arousal Index 18.6/h
vs. 16.8/h, p = 0.443) and sleep structure (N-REM-1 7.3 %, p = 0.994 and
N-REM-3 8.2 %, p = 0.764) with both therapy approaches. Increasing levels of
comfort with the A-Flex algorithm did not result in greater machine use
compared to conventional CPAP (4.2 vs. 5.4 h/night, p = 0.197). Both CPAP and
A-Flex had similar effects on improvement in subjective sleepiness (ESS 7.8
vs. 7.6 points, p = 0.313) and quality of life (FOSQ 18 vs. 17.9 points, p =
0.747). The analysis of the eight ESS subscales and the five FOSQ dimensions
showed a partial superiority of CPAP. Concerning the tendency of higher ESS
and lower FOSQ scores at baseline in the CPAP-groups compared to the A-Flex-
arm these findings are of questionable clinical value. The comfort feature
A-Flex appeared to be as effective as conventional CPAP in terms of efficacy,
adherence and functional outcomes. Further research is required in order to
identify particular patient groups profiting from the novel algorithm
Outcomes of fingertip injury treatment with semi-occlusive dressings combined with surgical management within an expanded indication
No full textHintergrund: Aufgrund der guten klinischen Ergebnisse, der geringen Komplikationen sowie der einfachen Handhabung und der geringen Kosten erfolgt vielerorts die Behandlung von Fingerkuppendefektverletzungen (FKDV), die mit 39% die häufigsten Verletzungen an der Hand sind, mittels eines semiokklusiven Folienverbandes (SOFV). Seit der Erstbeschreibung durch Mennen und Wiese 1993 wurden die Indikationen für einen Folienverband (FV) immer weiter gestellt, sodass heute auch FKDV vom Typ Allen IV, also Amputationsverletzungen des Endgliedes im Bereich der und proximal der Lunula mit FV behandelt werden.
Ziel: Dass es auch bei FKDV Typ Allen IV zu einer Regeneration der Fingerkuppe unter einem SOFV kommt, ist bekannt, jedoch nicht, ob und gegebenenfalls wie sich die Ergebnisse von FKDV Typ Allen III und IV von denen vom Typ Allen I und II unterscheiden. Auch ist nicht bekannt, ob unter dem FV einliegendes Fremdmaterial (FM), wie Nahtmaterial, Kunstnägel und K-Drähte, zu einer erhöhten Komplikations-, insbesondere Infektionsrate führt, und ob ein FV wirklich zur Behandlung einer FKDV nach Nekrosenabtragung geeignet ist. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es diese Wissenslücken zu schließen.
Patienten und Methoden: 50 volljährige Patienten, bei denen im Zeitraum von Januar 2010 bis Juli 2019 an der KfH Bad Neustadt 44 FKDV oder 13 Fingerkuppennekrosen (FKN) mit einem SOFV behandelt wurden, konnten in die Studie eingeschlossen werden. 9mal lag eine FKDV Typ Allen I vor, 10mal Typ Allen II, 18mal Typ Allen III und 7mal Typ Allen IV. Bei 22 der 50 Patienten lag unter dem FV FM ein. Im Rahmen der Nachuntersuchung, die frühestens 2 Jahre nach der Behandlung erfolgte, wurden mittels eines Fragebogens die Kälteempfindlichkeit, Schmerzen in Ruhe und bei Belastung, der Einsatz des verletzten Fingers im Alltag sowie die Zufriedenheit der Patienten mit dem ästhetischen Ergebnis erfasst. Zur Bestimmung der Sensibilität wurde die statische und dynamische 2-Punkt-Diskriminierung (2-PD) sowie die Spitz-Stumpf-Diskriminierung (SSD) gemessen. Die Schweißsekretion wurde mittels des Ninhydrin-Tests getestet und die Papillarleisten mittels Fingerabdrücken mit Tinte sichtbar gemacht. Die Beweglichkeit der Finger- und Daumenendgelenke wurde mittels eines Goniometers für kleine Gelenke gemessen. Alle Daten wurden im Seitenvergleich erhoben. Die Fingernägel wurden auf Wachstumsstörungen kontrolliert. Die Ergebnisse der FKDV Typ Allen I – IV sowie der FKN wurden statistisch mit einander verglichen und wo möglich in Relation zu den Befunden der unverletzten Finger der Gegenseite gesetzt.
Ergebnisse: Die klinischen Ergebnisse der FKDV Typ Allen III und IV unterschieden sich nicht statistisch signifikant bezüglich statischer und dynamische 2-PD, SSD, Schweißsekretion, Schmerzen, Kälteempfindlichkeit, Einsatz des betroffenen Fingers und Zufriedenheit mit dem ästhetischen Ergebnis von denen vom Typ Allen I und II. Allerdings war die mittlere statische und dynamische 2-PD der unverletzten Finger der Gegenseite signifikant besser als die der verletzten Finger. Patienten mit einer FKDV Typ Allen III beurteilten das ästhetische Ergebnis zwar nicht statistisch signifikant, aber doch deutlich schlechter als Patienten mit FKDV der Typen I, II und IV. 3/10 FKDV Typ Allen II, 9/18 FKDV Typ Allen III und 6/7 FKDV Typ Allen IV wiesen Nagelwachstumsstörung (NWS) auf. Bei Allen IV FKDV fand sich eine, wenn auch statisch nicht signifikante schlechtere Beweglichkeit des Fingerendgelenkes. Die Beweglichkeit im Endgelenk der verletzten Finger war signifikant schlechter als die Beweglichkeit der korrespondierenden Finger der unverletzten Gegenseite. Unter einem SOFV kam es nach Abtragung von Fingerkuppennekrosen zur Regeneration der Fingerkuppe. Infekte wurden dabei nicht beobachtet. Bzgl. der Schmerzen in Ruhe und bei Belastung, der Kälteempfindlichkeit sowie der 2-PD ließ sich kein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen Patienten mit FKN und FKDV feststellen. Allerdings waren die Patienten mit dem ästhetischen Ergebnis weniger zufrieden als Patienten mit einer FKDV. Unter dem FV einliegendes FM hatte keinen Einfluss auf die Heilung von FKDV, insbesondere traten keine Infektionen auf.
Schlussfolgerung: SOFV sind mit gleichwertigen Ergebnissen wie bei der Behandlung von FKDV der Typen Allen I und II auch zur Behandlung von FKDV der Typen Allen III und IV sowie von FKN geeignet, allerdings sollten die Patienten insbesondere über die hohe Rate an NWS und Beeinträchtigungen des ästhetischen Erscheinungsbildes sowie eine mögliche Bewegungseinschränkung des Fingerendgelenkes aufgeklärt werden. Operative Maßnahmen, durch die FM unter einen FV zu liegen kommt, beeinträchtigen nicht die Heilung von FKDV und können deshalb das Indikationsspektrum für SOFV erweitern.Background: Due to good clinical outcomes, low complication rates, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness, fingertip injuries—which account for 39% of all hand injuries - are often treated using a semi-occlusive film dressing (SOFD). The application of SOFD has continuously expanded since its introduction by Mennen and Wiese in 1993, including for the treatment of fingertip injuries of Allen type IV, corresponding to amputation injuries of the distal phalanx in the area of and proximal to the lunula.
Objective: While it is known that fingertip regeneration can occur under SOFD even in Allen Type IV injuries, it remains uncertain whether the outcomes of Allen Type III and IV injuries differ from those of Allen Type I and II. Furthermore, it is unclear whether the presence of embedded foreign material under an SOFD - such as sutures, artificial nails, or K-wires - increases the risk of complications, or whether SOFD is suitable for treating fingertip necrosis. This study aims to address these knowledge gaps.
Patients and Methods: A total of 50 patients with 44 fingertip injuries and 13 fingertip necroses were treated with a SOFD in combination with surgical intervention between January 2010 and July 2019 at the Clinic for Hand surgery, Bad Neustadt. Among the injuries, 9 cases were classified as Allen Type I, 10 as Allen Type II, 18 as Allen Type III, and 7 as Allen Type IV. 22 out of the 50 patients had foreign material under the film dressings. During follow-up, conducted at least 2 years after treatment, cold sensitivity, pain at rest and during activity, the usage of the injured finger in daily life, and patient satisfaction with the aesthetic outcome were assessed. Sensitivity was evaluated using static and dynamic 2-point discrimination and sharp-dull discrimination. Sweat secretion was tested using the ninhydrin test, while fingerprint ridges were visualized with ink prints. Mobility of the distal interphalangeal and thumb interphalangeal joints was measured using a goniometer for small joints. Data were collected for both the injured fingers and their contralateral uninjured counterparts. Nail growth disorders were also assessed. The results of Allen Type I–IV fingertip injuries and fingertip necrosis were compared with each other and, where applicable, correlated with findings from the uninjured contralateral fingers.
Results: The clinical outcomes of Allen Type III and IV fingertip injuries were not significantly different from those of Allen Type I and II injuries in terms of static and dynamic 2-point discrimination, sharp-dull discrimination, sweat secretion, pain, cold sensitivity, the usage of the injured finger in daily life or satisfaction with the aesthetic outcome. However, the mean static and dynamic 2-point discrimination of the uninjured contralateral fingers was significantly better than that of the injured fingers. Patients with Allen Type III injuries rated the aesthetic outcome less favorably, although not statistically significantly, compared to patients with Allen Type I, II, and IV injuries. Nail growth disorders were observed in 3/10 Allen Type II, 9/18 Allen Type III, and 6/7 Allen Type IV injuries. For Allen Type IV fingertip injuries, the mobility of the distal interphalangeal joint was slightly worse, though this difference was not statistically significant. Overall, the mobility of the injured distal joints was significantly reduced compared to their uninjured contralateral counterparts. Under an SOFD, fingertip regeneration occurred following the debridement of fingertip necrosis, with no infections observed. Pain at rest and during activity, cold sensitivity, and 2-point discrimination did not differ significantly between patients with fingertip necrosis and fingertip injuries. However, patients with fingertip necrosis were less satisfied with the aesthetic outcome compared to patients with fingertip injuries. The presence of foreign material under the SOFD did not influence the healing and no infections occurred.
Conclusion: SOFD demonstrate good outcomes in fingertip injuries types Allen III and IV, as well as in fingertip necrosis, comparable to those of types Allen I and II. However, it is important to inform patients about potential risks such as nail deformities and compromised aesthetic appearance. Surgical interventions involving foreign material under an SOFD do not affect the healing of fingertip injuries and can therefore expand the indication spectrum for SOFD
Investigating determinant factors of consumers’ sustainable consumption in Scandinavia : Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior model in clean and fabric care
No full textThe study aimed to explore the determinant factors that influence consumers’ sustainable consumption, or more specifically consumers living in Scandinavia. The study seeked to understand what influences Scandinavian people to purchase a sustainable product based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) including the attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. To conduct a better approach, a case company was involved in the working process, with the help of which, the focus became more specific into fabric and clean care appliances such as dish machines, washing machines and dryers. To provide an exhaustive answer to the research questions, three hypotheses were conducted which were built based on the TPB model. The study used a quantitative approach where an online survey was made. The survey was shared with people living in the Scandinavian countries Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, where 291 answers were collected. To analyze all the answers, SPSS statistics was used where each country was individually analyzed. The results showed that an individual’s attitude and perceived behavioral control have a significant influence on the behavioural intention to perform sustainable consumption in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark while the subjective norm does not affect the sustainable consumption in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Finland was the only country that had an accepted hypothesis on the subjective norm which means that finish people get influenced by the subjective norms.
The role of value references in shaping cultures of engagement: evidence from COVID-19 news on Facebook in Romania and the U.K.
No full textValues are consequential for opinion formation and remain a persuasive factor in shaping public attitudes. Still, the role of values remains under-researched in the context of online news production and engagement. This study investigates the intricate role values play by analyzing patterns of value references in online news coverage of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in two culturally distinct nations, Romania and the U.K. Conceptually, the study is based on Schwartz’s value typology; methodologically, it relies on the Concept Mover’s Distance method. Analyzing half a million Facebook posts, the study identifies four types of value references: universal, cultural, topic-based, and situational. We show that cultural values prevalent in British posts, such as stimulation and tradition, resonate with the culturally congruent context. Universal values, however, do not guarantee a high level of engagement. The findings underscore the nuanced impact of values in shaping online news engagement.This article is published as Cristina Monzer, Daniela V Dimitrova, The role of value references in shaping cultures of engagement: evidence from COVID-19 news on Facebook in Romania and the U.K., Human Communication Research, Volume 51, Issue 1, January 2025, Pages 40–51, https://doi.org/10.1093/hcr/hqae021.© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of International Communication Association.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Supplementary material is available online at Human Communication Research online
Investigating determinant factors of consumers’ sustainable consumption in Scandinavia : Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior model in clean and fabric care
No full textThe study aimed to explore the determinant factors that influence consumers’ sustainable consumption, or more specifically consumers living in Scandinavia. The study seeked to understand what influences Scandinavian people to purchase a sustainable product based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) including the attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. To conduct a better approach, a case company was involved in the working process, with the help of which, the focus became more specific into fabric and clean care appliances such as dish machines, washing machines and dryers. To provide an exhaustive answer to the research questions, three hypotheses were conducted which were built based on the TPB model. The study used a quantitative approach where an online survey was made. The survey was shared with people living in the Scandinavian countries Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, where 291 answers were collected. To analyze all the answers, SPSS statistics was used where each country was individually analyzed. The results showed that an individual’s attitude and perceived behavioral control have a significant influence on the behavioural intention to perform sustainable consumption in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark while the subjective norm does not affect the sustainable consumption in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Finland was the only country that had an accepted hypothesis on the subjective norm which means that finish people get influenced by the subjective norms.
Digital Marketing in Start-Ups : The role of digital marketing in acquiring and maintaining business relationships
No full textThis study aims to explore the usage of the digital marketing to acquire and maintain business relationships, or more specifically, digital marketing in B2B start-ups within the Swedish market. Digital marketing is essential for businesses nowadays and has become a significant factor for business companies for improving and implementing their marketing strategies. Furthermore, business relationships have always taken an essential role among companies especially today due to the heightened level of digitalization. This case study attempts to answer two main research questions which this paper investigates on. To provide an exhaustive answer to the research questions: “How digital marketing contributes to acquiring business customers in B2B start-up context?” and “How digital marketing contributes to maintaining business customers in B2B start-up context?”, digital marketing approaches of eight respondents, theoretical implications and additional information will be examined in the upcoming chapters. The study concludes, that it was found that digital marketing is understood as an innovative and effective method for attracting, maintaining and building business relationships. However, the lack of resources is one fundamental reason why start-ups have difficulties in acquiring and maintaining business customers in practicing through digital marketing. Additionally, it was found that digital platforms and tools such as websites, industry specific platforms, and blogs provide the highest advantage for start-ups. Moreover, social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook were in most use for presenting content that is informative, educational and honest. Digital marketing strategies in acquiring and maintaining business relationships are indicated in the analyses which give sufficient details in answering the research questions. The paper will provide suggestions for doing further research in improving the current topic in digital marketing
Digital Marketing in Start-Ups : The role of digital marketing in acquiring and maintaining business relationships
No full textThis study aims to explore the usage of the digital marketing to acquire and maintain business relationships, or more specifically, digital marketing in B2B start-ups within the Swedish market. Digital marketing is essential for businesses nowadays and has become a significant factor for business companies for improving and implementing their marketing strategies. Furthermore, business relationships have always taken an essential role among companies especially today due to the heightened level of digitalization. This case study attempts to answer two main research questions which this paper investigates on. To provide an exhaustive answer to the research questions: “How digital marketing contributes to acquiring business customers in B2B start-up context?” and “How digital marketing contributes to maintaining business customers in B2B start-up context?”, digital marketing approaches of eight respondents, theoretical implications and additional information will be examined in the upcoming chapters. The study concludes, that it was found that digital marketing is understood as an innovative and effective method for attracting, maintaining and building business relationships. However, the lack of resources is one fundamental reason why start-ups have difficulties in acquiring and maintaining business customers in practicing through digital marketing. Additionally, it was found that digital platforms and tools such as websites, industry specific platforms, and blogs provide the highest advantage for start-ups. Moreover, social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook were in most use for presenting content that is informative, educational and honest. Digital marketing strategies in acquiring and maintaining business relationships are indicated in the analyses which give sufficient details in answering the research questions. The paper will provide suggestions for doing further research in improving the current topic in digital marketing
Multimodal Interface for DNA Alignment of Sequences
No full textMajor research efforts in Bioinformatics include sequence alignment, gene finding, genome assembly, protein structure alignment, protein structure prediction, prediction of gene expression and protein-protein interactions, and the modeling of evolution. To perform these specific tasks different tools are used. Using these tools separately is a time consuming, inefficient and expensive process. MIDAS is a tool that integrates sequence alignment, genome annotation, and spectral clustering and alignment under the same application. The challenge in this project is in representing the knowledge and analyzing the genome data. The DNA data is first transformed into Fourier domain and clustered in MATLAB based on Euclidean distances between the sequences. Our tool allows visualizing the DNA spectra together with a hierarchical tree in a multimodal interface. This in turn enables a bioinformatician to analyze patterns of a group of sequences. MIDAS is a standalone application which provides an interface around standard sequence alignment tools such as BLAT, ClustalW, as well as newer alignment tools such as Spectrogram analysis via integrating MATLAB code, server connections and data visualizations. JAVA is used as the main programming language during the development of MIDAS. The Spectrogram Analysis script-files in MATLAB are converted into JAVA classes. These classes are used to run standalone MATLAB applications from within JAVA.Media and Knowledge EngineeringElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
- …
