Consumer attitudes and preference exploration towards fresh-cut salads using best–worst scaling and latent class analysis

This research explored the preferences and buying habits of a sample of 620 consumers of fresh-cut, ready-to-eat salads. A best–worst scaling approach was used to measure the level of preference stated by individuals regarding 12 attributes for quality (intrinsic, extrinsic and credence) of fresh-cut salads. The experiment was carried out through direct interviews at several large-scale retail outlets in the Turin metropolitan area (north-west of Italy). Out of the total number of questioned consumers, 35% said they did not consume fresh-cut salads. On the contrary, the rest of the involved sample expressed the highest degree of preference towards the freshness/appearance attribute, followed by the expiration date and the brand. On the contrary, attributes such as price, organic certification and food safety did not emerge as discriminating factors in consumer choices. Additionally, five clusters of consumers were identified, whose preferences are related both to purchasing styles and socio-demographic variables. In conclusion, this research has highlighted the positive attitude of consumers towards quality products backed by a brand, providing ideas for companies to improve within this sector and implement strategies to answer the needs of a new segment of consumers, by determining market opportunities that aim to strengthen local brands

Body Size Evolution in Extant Oryzomyini Rodents: Cope's Rule or Miniaturization?

At the macroevolutionary level, one of the first and most important hypotheses that proposes an evolutionary tendency in the evolution of body sizes is “Cope's rule". This rule has considerable empirical support in the fossil record and predicts that the size of species within a lineage increases over evolutionary time. Nevertheless, there is also a large amount of evidence indicating the opposite pattern of miniaturization over evolutionary time. A recent analysis using a single phylogenetic tree approach and a Bayesian based model of evolution found no evidence for Cope's rule in extant mammal species. Here we utilize a likelihood-based phylogenetic method, to test the evolutionary trend in body size, which considers phylogenetic uncertainty, to discern between Cope's rule and miniaturization, using extant Oryzomyini rodents as a study model. We evaluated body size trends using two principal predictions: (a) phylogenetically related species are more similar in their body size, than expected by chance; (b) body size increased (Cope's rule)/decreased (miniaturization) over time. Consequently the distribution of forces and/or constraints that affect the tendency are homogenous and generate this directional process from a small/large sized ancestor. Results showed that body size in the Oryzomyini tribe evolved according to phylogenetic relationships, with a positive trend, from a small sized ancestor. Our results support that the high diversity and specialization currently observed in the Oryzomyini tribe is a consequence of the evolutionary trend of increased body size, following and supporting Cope's rule

Glaciation Effects on the Phylogeographic Structure of Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Rodentia: Sigmodontinae) in the Southern Andes

The long-tailed pygmy rice rat Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Sigmodontinae), the major reservoir of Hantavirus in Chile and Patagonian Argentina, is widely distributed in the Mediterranean, Temperate and Patagonian Forests of Chile, as well as in adjacent areas in southern Argentina. We used molecular data to evaluate the effects of the last glacial event on the phylogeographic structure of this species. We examined if historical Pleistocene events had affected genetic variation and spatial distribution of this species along its distributional range. We sampled 223 individuals representing 47 localities along the species range, and sequenced the hypervariable domain I of the mtDNA control region. Aligned sequences were analyzed using haplotype network, Bayesian population structure and demographic analyses. Analysis of population structure and the haplotype network inferred three genetic clusters along the distribution of O. longicaudatus that mostly agreed with the three major ecogeographic regions in Chile: Mediterranean, Temperate Forests and Patagonian Forests. Bayesian Skyline Plots showed constant population sizes through time in all three clusters followed by an increase after and during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; between 26,000–13,000 years ago). Neutrality tests and the “g” parameter also suggest that populations of O. longicaudatus experienced demographic expansion across the species entire range. Past climate shifts have influenced population structure and lineage variation of O. longicaudatus. This species remained in refugia areas during Pleistocene times in southern Temperate Forests (and adjacent areas in Patagonia). From these refugia, O. longicaudatus experienced demographic expansions into Patagonian Forests and central Mediterranean Chile using glacial retreats

Percepción de la concreción y la familiaridad del léxico en estudiantes universitarios. Un estudio normativo

Academic literacy studies have shown that the main weakness manifested by students who join an academic community are focused on the difficulty of comprehension from their discipline. The lexicon plays an important role on this point, since the quantity and quality of the personal lexicon will influence this process. In the case of this paper, we will present the results of the normative study applied to students of the Faculty of Education of a Chilean regional university to measure the variables of concretion and familiarity. The surveys that make up this study were created from a base of 536 words, obtained from five compulsory bibliographical references of an area of sociology of education through computational analysis and refined according to criteria of extension, initial syllable and frequency. The conclusions of the paper shows that the relationships between both indices are linear, but not strong, which validates the hypothesis that the more familiar a word is, the more concrete it is perceived by the speaker. The data also establish that the words that are perceived as unfamiliar and not very specific are the least, although their distribution does not respond to a normal curve.Los estudios de alfabetización académica han demostrado que las principales falencias que presentan los estudiantes que se incorporan a una comunidad académica están centradas en la dificultad de comprender textos propios de su disciplina. El léxico juega un papel relevante en este punto, puesto la cantidad y la calidad del lexicón personal incidirá en dicho proceso. En el caso de este trabajo, expondremos los resultados del estudio normativo aplicado a estudiantes de la Facultad de Educación de una universidad regional chilena para medir las variables de concreción y familiaridad. Las encuestas que componen dicho estudio fueron creadas a partir de una base de 536 palabras, obtenidas de cinco referencias bibliográficas obligatorias de una asignatura del área de sociología de la educación mediante análisis computacional y depuradas según criterios de extensión, sílaba inicial y frecuencia. Las conclusiones del trabajo arrojan que las relaciones entre ambos índices son lineales, pero no fuertes, lo que valida la hipótesis de que entre más familiar es una palabra, más concreta se percibe por el hablante. Los datos también establecen que las palabras que son percibidas como poco familiares y poco concretas son las menos, aunque su distribución no responde a una curva normal

Using phylogenetic information and the comparative method to evaluate hypotheses in macroecology

It is widely recognized that macroecological patterns are not independent of the evolution of the lineages involved in generating these patterns. While many researchers have begun to evaluate the effect of ancestor-descendant relationships on observed patterns using the phylogenetic comparative method, most macroecological studies only utilize the cross-sectional comparative method to 'remove the phylogenetic history', without considering the option of evaluating its effect without removing it. Currently, most researchers use this method without explicitly evaluating three fundamental evolutionary assumptions of the comparative method: (i) that the phylogeny is constructed without error (which implies evaluating phylogenetic uncertainty); (ii) that more closely related species tend to show more similar characters than expected by chance (which implies evaluating the phylogenetic signal) and; (iii) that the model of the characters' evolution effectively recapitulates their history (whi

Molecular phylogenetics of mouse opossums: new findings on the phylogeny of Thylamys (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae)

The mouse opossums of the genus Thylamys constitute a group of species mainly adapted to open xeric-like habitats and restricted to the southern portion of South America. We used molecular data (mitochondrial and nuclear sequences) to evaluate the phylogenetic and biogeographical relationships of all currently known living species of the genus, recognizing a new taxon from the middle and high elevations of the Peruvian Andes and evaluating the phylogenetic structuring within T. pallidior and T. elegans, as well as the validity of T. sponsorius, T. cinderella and T. tatei, and the haplogroups recognized within T. pusillus. Our results confirm the monophyly of the genus and that the Caatinga and the Cerrado inhabitants Thylamys karimii and T. velutinus are the most basal species in the radiation of Thylamys. We also calibrated a molecular clock which hypothesized a time of origin of the genus of about 24 My, with most species differentiating in middle and late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene times of South America.Fil: Palma, R. Eduardo. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Boric Bargetto, Dusan. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Jayat, Jorge Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Chilecito; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Flores, David Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Fundación Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Zeballos, Horacio. Centro de Investigación para la Promoción de los Pueblos; PerúFil: Pacheco, Victor. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; PerúFil: Cancino, Ricardo A.. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Alfaro, Fernando D.. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Rodríguez Serrano, Enrique. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Pardiñas, Ulises Francisco J.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Avian Influenza Virus H5 Strain with North American and Eurasian Lineage Genes in an Antarctic Penguin

NIAID NIH HHS HHSN272201400008