Luxusmarketing bei Lebensmitteln: Eine empirische Studie zu Dimensionen des Luxuskonsums in Deutschland

Heutzutage zeigt sich das Ernährungsverhalten der deutschen Konsumenten immer differenzierter und ist mit einem wachsenden Involvement beim Kauf von Lebensmitteln verbunden. In diesem Zusammenhang steigt die Nachfrage nach Qualitätslebensmitteln und Premium-Marken. Für das Marketing im Bereich hochpreisiger Lebensmittel ergibt sich die Frage nach den kaufmotivierenden Produkteigenschaften und der Abgrenzung zum Konsumentenverhalten auf dem allgemeinen Lebensmittelmarkt. Die Konzeptionierung zielgruppenspezifischer Marketingmaßnahmen erfordert die Kenntnis der Einstellungen und Einflussfaktoren von Konsumenten der sogenannten Luxus-Lebensmittel. Bislang sind unseres Wissens hierzu jedoch kaum empirische Studien vorhanden. Basierend auf einer explorativen Faktorenanalyse untersucht die vorliegende Studie, welche Produktdimensionen Konsumenten beim Kauf von hochpreisigen Lebensmitteln leiten und in welchem Zusammenhang diese mit dem allgemeinen Lebensmittelmarkt stehen. Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Kaufentscheidungen im Hochpreissegment wesentlich von den Attributen Qualität, Nachhaltigkeit und Genusswert beeinflusst werden.Nowadays, the nutritional behavior of German consumers appears to become more differentiated and is moreover related to a high involvement during the purchase of food. As a result, the demand for high quality food products has increased. The question arises which consumption motives are significant in the market for high-price food products and how these differ in comparison to the conventional food market. For the conception of target-group specific marketing strategies, new empirical consumer studies on the market for this so-called luxury food are needed. The developments on the German food market have a high topicality, but there is a lack of those investigations. Based on an explorative factor analysis, this study investigates which product dimensions decisively influence purchase intentions for high-price food products in Germany. Moreover, it highlights the links to the conventional German food market. Results of the analysis show that different dimensions emerge. Especially quality, sustainability and indulgence can be revealed as significant consumption motives on the market for high-price foods

Long-term Evolution of Protostellar and Protoplanetary Disks. I. Outbursts

As an initial investigation into the long-term evolution of protostellar disks, we explore the conditions required to explain the large outbursts of disk accretion seen in some young stellar objects. We use one-dimensional time-dependent disk models with a phenomenological treatment of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) and gravitational torques to follow disk evolution over long timescales. Comparison with our previous two-dimensional disk model calculations (Zhu et al. 2009b, Z2009b) indicates that the neglect of radial effects and two-dimensional disk structure in the one-dimensional case makes only modest differences in the results; this allows us to use the simpler models to explore parameter space efficiently. We find that the mass infall rates typically estimated for low-mass protostars generally result in AU-scale disk accretion outbursts, as predicted by our previous analysis (Zhu et al. 2009a,Z2009a). We also confirm quasi-steady accretion behavior for high mass infall rates if the values of $\alpha$-parameter for the magnetorotational instability is small, while at this high accretion rate convection from the thermal instability may lead to some variations. We further constrain the combinations of the $\alpha$-parameter and the MRI critical temperature, which can reproduce observed outburst behavior. Our results suggest that dust sublimation may be connected with full activation of the MRI. This is consistent with the idea that small dust captures ions and electrons to suppress the MRI. In a later paper we will explore both long-term outburst and disk evolution with this model, allowing for infall from protostellar envelopes with differing angular momenta.Comment: Accepted to publish in Ap

Wang-Landau study of the critical behaviour of the bimodal 3D-Random Field Ising Model

We apply the Wang-Landau method to the study of the critical behaviour of the three dimensional Random Field Ising Model with a bimodal probability distribution. Our results show that for high values of the random field intensity the transition is first order, characterized by a double-peaked energy probability distribution at the transition temperature. On the other hand, the transition looks continuous for low values of the field intensity. In spite of the large sample to sample fluctuations observed, the double peak in the probability distribution is always present for high field

Proenkephalin, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and estimated glomerular filtration rates in patients with sepsis

Background: Proenkephalin (PENK) has been suggested as a novel biomarker for kidney function. We investigated the diagnostic and prognostic utility of plasma PENK in comparison with neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and estimated glomerular filtration rates (EGFR) in septic patients. Methods: A total of 167 septic patients were enrolled: 99 with sepsis, 37 with septic shock, and 31 with suspected sepsis. PENK and NGAL concentrations were measured and GFR was estimated by using the isotope dilution mass spectrometry traceable-Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) Study and three Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations: CKD-EPICr, CDK-EPICysC, and CKD-EPICr-CysC. The PENK, NGAL, and EGFR results were compared according to sepsis severity, presence or absence of acute kidney injury (AKI), and clinical outcomes. Results: The PENK, NGAL, and EGFR results were significantly associated with sepsis severity and differed significantly between patients with and without AKI only in the sepsis group (all P<0.05). PENK was superior to NGAL in predicting AKI (P=0.022) and renal replacement therapy (RRT) (P=0.0085). Regardless of the variable GFR category by the different EGFR equations, PENK showed constant and significant associations with all EGFR equations. Unlike NGAL, PENK was not influenced by inflammation and predicted the 30-day mortality. Conclusions: PENK is a highly sensitive and objective biomarker of AKI and RRT and is useful for prognosis prediction in septic patients. With its diagnostic robustness and predictive power for survival, PENK constitutes a promising biomarker in critical care settings including sepsis

Postobstructive diuresis in cats with naturally occurring lower urinary tract obstruction: incidence, severity and association with laboratory parameters on admission

Objectives The objectives of this retrospective study were to investigate the actual incidence of postobstructive diuresis after relief of urethral obstruction in cats, as well as to identify changes in blood and urine parameters that might be associated with postobstructive diuresis (POD), and to assess the impact of fluid therapy. Methods The medical records of 57 male cats with urethral obstruction that were treated with an indwelling urinary catheter were retrospectively analysed. Absolute urine output in ml/kg/h every 4 h and the incidence of cats with polyuria (urine volume >2 ml/kg/h) at any time point over a 48 h period after the re-establishment of urine flow were investigated. In addition, postobstructive diuresis in relation to fluid therapy (PODFR) was defined as urine output greater than the administered amount of intravenous fluids on at least two subsequent time points. Polyuria and PODFR were investigated for their association with blood and urine laboratory parameters. Results After 4 h, 74.1% (40/54) of the cats had polyuria, with a urine output of >2 ml/kg/h. Metabolic acidosis was present in 46.2% of the cats. Venous blood pH and bicarbonate were inversely correlated with urine output in ml/kg/h after 4 h. The overall incidence of POD within 48 h of catheterisation was 87.7%. There was a significant correlation between intravenous fluid rate at time point x and urine output at time point x + 1 at all the time points except for the fluid rate at time point 0 and the urine output after 4 h. PODFR was seen in 21/57 cats (36.8%). Conclusions and relevance POD is a frequent finding in cats treated for urethral obstruction, and can be very pronounced. Further studies are required to determine whether or not a change in venous blood pH actually interferes with renal concentrating ability. The discrepancy between the frequency of cats with polyuria and PODFR (87.7% vs 36.8%) in the present study indicates that administered intravenous fluid therapy might be the driving force for the high incidence of polyuria in some cats with naturally occurring obstructive feline lower urinary tract disease

A qualitative study exploring the perceived self-image and self-esteem of women diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome using body mapping

Psycholog

Efficacy of intravesical pentosan polysulfate sodium in cats with obstructive feline idiopathic cystitis

Objectives Obstructive feline idiopathic cystitis is a common emergency in small animal practice. There is evidence for a defective glycosaminoglycan layer in the urinary bladder of affected cats. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intravesical pentosan polysulfate sodium (PPS) in cats with obstructive feline idiopathic cystitis in a randomised, placebo-controlled, blinded clinical study. Methods Thirty-five cats with obstructive feline idiopathic cystitis were enrolled into the study. On day 0, cats were randomised to receive either 30mg PPS in saline (18 cats) or saline alone as placebo (17 cats) at the time of indwelling urinary catheter placement and then after 24 and 48h. The catheter was clamped for 30mins after administration before connecting it to a sterile urine collection system. The procedure was repeated after 24 and 48h, and then the indwelling catheter was removed. Treatment success was assessed via the incidence of recurrent urethral obstruction, results of a scoring system for physical examination and daily urinalysis from day 0 to 5. Results Recurrent urethral obstruction occurred in 3/18 cats of the verum group and 3/17 of the placebo group (P=1.000). The verum group showed a significantly lower degree of microscopic haematuria between day 5 and day 0 (P 0.05). The placebo group showed a significantly lower degree of dipstick haematuria between day 5 and day 0 (P 0.05). There was no difference in the clinical score between the groups in the investigated time period. Conclusions and relevance Intravesical instillation of PPS three times within 48h in the chosen dose had no influence on the incidence of recurrent urethral obstruction and clinical signs in cats with obstructive feline idiopathic cystitis