Willingness to pay for genetically modified food and non-food products

This paper presents estimates of consumers' willingness to pay for a GM food and non-food product based on data collected in a choice experiment. The choice experiment was part of a survey of 1510 randomly selected consumers in Germany that was mailed in spring 2005. Attitudes towards gene technology, institutions and technical progress were measured using 22 items. A factor analysis revealed five factors describing consumer attitudes: support, risk, trust, attitude towards technical progress and attitude towards technical innovation. Based on these factors we identify four different classes of consumers in a latent class model for both products. Analysis of these classes shows strong differences between willingness to pay estimates for benefits compared to risk reduction as well as differences between the classes.Consumer/Household Economics,

AKT-independent PI3-K signaling in cancer - emerging role for SGK3

The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K) signaling pathway plays an important role in a wide variety of fundamental cellular processes, largely mediated via protein kinase B/v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog (PKB/AKT) signaling. Given the crucial role of PI3-K/AKT signaling in regulating processes such as cell growth, proliferation, and survival, it is not surprising that components of this pathway are frequently dysregulated in cancer, making the AKT kinase family members important therapeutic targets. The large number of clinical trials currently evaluating PI3-K pathway inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy further emphasizes this. The serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible protein kinase (SGK) family is made up of three isoforms, SGK1, 2, and 3, that are PI3-K-dependent, serine/threonine kinases, with similar substrate specificity to AKT. Consequently, the SGK family also regulates similar cell processes to the AKT kinases, including cell proliferation and survival. Importantly, there is emerging evidence demonstrating that SGK3 plays a critical role in AKT-independent oncogenic signaling. This review will focus on the role of SGK3 as a key effector of AKT-independent PI3-K oncogenic signaling

Vital Tooth Whitening Effects on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if vital tooth whitening affects oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in adults age 50 years and older, and if tooth whitening causes increased participation in social activities. Methods: Using a 2 group, single blind, randomized, pre-test, multiple post-test design, 62 participants were enrolled. The experimental group used a whitening product twice daily for 3 weeks. The control group used no whitening products. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) served as the pre- and post-test measure. The OHIP measures OHRQOL on 7 subscales: functional factors, psychological disabilities, psychological discomforts, physical disabilities, social disabilities, handicaps and physical pain. Additional questions measured the subjects\u27 social activities at baseline, 3 weeks and 3 months. Data from 53 participants, who completed the study, were analyzed using paired t-tests and ANOVA at p=0.05. Results: Statistical significance was observed for the OHIP physical pain subscale (p=0.0029) and the handicap subscale (p=0.05). Pre- to post-test means of the physical pain subscale increased in the experimental group (4.84 to 7.10), suggesting a lower OHRQOL, most likely related to tooth sensitivity experienced by the experimental group. Means from pre- to post-test of the handicap subscale (1.96 to 1.19) reveal that the experimental group reported an improved OHRQOL and felt they were more willing to work. Repeated measures ANOVA and Tukey\u27s post-hoc tests revealed that the experimental group reported significantly less (p=0.04) social activities at the 3 month post-test (3.92 to 3.45). No statistically significant between-group differences were observed in the overall OHIP score for functional factors, psychological disabilities, psychological discomforts, physical disabilities and social disabilities. Conclusion: Results indicate that vital tooth whitening does not improve overall OHRQOL in older adults

Editorial

Der dritte Band der Kieler Studien zur Universitäts- und Wissenschaftsgeschichte widmet sich anlässlich des 150-jährigen Bestehens des Historischen Seminars der Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel dessen Erforschung. Der Band blickt im Sinne einer zeitgemäßen Universitätsgeschichte über die reine Fachdisziplin hinaus und wendet sich bislang wenig beachteten, jedoch keineswegs marginalen Themenbereichen zu. Studierende, Nachwuchs- sowie etablierte Wissenschaftlerinnen und -wissenschaftler präsentieren ihre Studien zur Alltagsgeschichte verschiedener Gruppen rund um das Historische Seminar: Neben den Geschichtsprofessoren stehen auch jene Statusgruppen im Fokus, die von der konventionellen universitären Geschichtsschreibung häufig übersehen werden, zum Beispiel Akademikerinnen und Sekretärinnen oder auch Studierende. Das Thema ›Erinnerung‹ und die kritische Auseinandersetzung damit findet sich thematisch in vielen der Beiträge wider.The third volume of the Kieler Studien zur Universitäts- und Wissenschaftsgeschichte (Kiel Studies on the History of Universities and Science) is dedicated to the research of the History Department of Kiel University on the occasion of its 150th anniversary. In the sense of a contemporary university history, the volume looks beyond the pure subject discipline and turns to hitherto little-noticed, but never marginal, subject areas. Students, young scholars, and established scholars present their studies on the everyday history of various groups around the History Department: In addition to history professors, the volume also focuses on those status groups that are often overlooked by established university historiography, such as female academics and secretaries or students. The topic of memory and a critical examination of it is reflected in many of the contributions