Collapse strength of stiffened panels with local dent damage.”

ABSTRACT In this study the behaviour and ultimate strength of damaged stiffened panels is investigated. The damage is in a form of local imperfection and represents a dent that could be caused by a fall or strike of an object. The model used is a panel made of five plates joined transversally with four longitudinal flat-bar stiffeners. Finite element non-linear analysis of panels having different geometrical properties is carried out. The influence of several parameters has been studied in order to establish their interaction with the presence of the local dent. It has been found that stiffened panels present quite good performance while subjected to the local damage, however, depending on geometrical characteristics, a problem of stiffener deformations may occur, significantly lowering the ultimate strength

The Influence of Customer Attitudes towards Sustainability on the Customer Journey: An Analysis of the Potential Impact of Marketing Channels on Consideration and Purchase of Skincare Products

As markets are becoming more and more competitive and consumers have an abundance of information about products available at the tips of their fingers, marketing professionals must carefully decide which information channels to prioritise. Additionally, the trends of being “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” are becoming increasingly popular. The concept of customer journey is also widely researched, proving to be a valuable tool for identifying the need and desires of the consumer and guiding them down the path to purchase a product or service. However, the studies surrounding how this journey should differ for a consumer focused on sustainability compared to a consumer with little interest in the subject, is limited. This study is an initial attempt to investigate the relationship between two phases of the customer journey (i.e., consideration and purchase) and the chosen information channels regarding sustainability. Data for this study were collected with the help of a self-reported questionnaire. The survey was mostly distributed through social media channels. By conducting a regression analysis on the results of the survey, the data supports our theory that there may be a relationship between the two chosen phases of the customer journey (i.e., consideration and purchase) and common communication channels. The general findings in our analysis indicate that respondents with an interest in sustainability have higher values for the consideration stage than respondents with a lower interest in sustainability. For the purchase stage we found opposite to be true. For either group the most influential channels of communication for the consideration phase were Reviews and Word-of-Mouth. As for the purchase stage, both sustainable and nonsustainable groups showed the highest values for Physical Store as their purchase channel of choice. Results obtained in this thesis provide insights into the factors that influence consumer behaviour in relation to interest in sustainability and the stages of the customer journey. The results of our research can benefit marketing professionals wishing to increase the efficiency of their advertising and may prompt further studies of the concepts presented within this thesis.As markets are becoming more and more competitive and consumers have an abundance of information about products available at the tips of their fingers, marketing professionals must carefully decide which information channels to prioritise. Additionally, the trends of being “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” are becoming increasingly popular. The concept of customer journey is also widely researched, proving to be a valuable tool for identifying the need and desires of the consumer and guiding them down the path to purchase a product or service. However, the studies surrounding how this journey should differ for a consumer focused on sustainability compared to a consumer with little interest in the subject, is limited. This study is an initial attempt to investigate the relationship between two phases of the customer journey (i.e., consideration and purchase) and the chosen information channels regarding sustainability. Data for this study were collected with the help of a self-reported questionnaire. The survey was mostly distributed through social media channels. By conducting a regression analysis on the results of the survey, the data supports our theory that there may be a relationship between the two chosen phases of the customer journey (i.e., consideration and purchase) and common communication channels. The general findings in our analysis indicate that respondents with an interest in sustainability have higher values for the consideration stage than respondents with a lower interest in sustainability. For the purchase stage we found opposite to be true. For either group the most influential channels of communication for the consideration phase were Reviews and Word-of-Mouth. As for the purchase stage, both sustainable and nonsustainable groups showed the highest values for Physical Store as their purchase channel of choice. Results obtained in this thesis provide insights into the factors that influence consumer behaviour in relation to interest in sustainability and the stages of the customer journey. The results of our research can benefit marketing professionals wishing to increase the efficiency of their advertising and may prompt further studies of the concepts presented within this thesis

The Influence of Customer Attitudes towards Sustainability on the Customer Journey: An Analysis of the Potential Impact of Marketing Channels on Consideration and Purchase of Skincare Products.

Abstract As markets are becoming more and more competitive and consumers have an abundance of information about products available at the tips of their fingers, marketing professionals must carefully decide which information channels to prioritise. Additionally, the trends of being “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” are becoming increasingly popular. The concept of customer journey is also widely researched, proving to be a valuable tool for identifying the need and desires of the consumer and guiding them down the path to purchase a product or service. However, the studies surrounding how this journey should differ for a consumer focused on sustainability compared to a consumer with little interest in the subject, is limited. This study is an initial attempt to investigate the relationship between two phases of the customer journey (i.e., consideration and purchase) and the chosen information channels regarding sustainability. Data for this study were collected with the help of a self-reported questionnaire. The survey was mostly distributed through social media channels. By conducting a regression analysis on the results of the survey, the data supports our theory that there may be a relationship between the two chosen phases of the customer journey (i.e., consideration and purchase) and common communication channels. The general findings in our analysis indicate that respondents with an interest in sustainability have higher values for the consideration stage than respondents with a lower interest in sustainability. For the purchase stage we found opposite to be true. For either group the most influential channels of communication for the consideration phase were Reviews and Word-of-Mouth. As for the purchase stage, both sustainable and non-sustainable groups showed the highest values for Physical Store as their purchase channel of choice. Results obtained in this thesis provide insights into the factors that influence consumer behaviour in relation to interest in sustainability and the stages of the customer journey. The results of our research can benefit marketing professionals wishing to increase the efficiency of their advertising and may prompt further studies of the concepts presented within this thesis

α2β1 integrin-mediated mechanical signals during osteodifferentiation of stem cells from the Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord

Introduction. The formation and maintenance of tissues is regulated by various signals triggered by biological, chemical, and physical factors. Data increasingly confirm that matrix or tissue elasticity plays an influential role in regulating numerous cell functions. The aim of the present study was to better understand the regulation of cellular differentiation by mechanical cues. We studied the influence of matrix stiffness on the osteodifferentiation of two cell lineages characterized by different responses: mesenchymal stromal/stem cells isolated from the Wharton’s jelly of the umbilical cord (UC-MSCs) with strong stiffness-dependent responses; and bone-derived cells (BDCs), which are insensitive to changes in matrix rigidity. The study also aimed to delineate how matrix stiffness affects intracellular signaling through focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity — one of the key components in integrin-mediated signaling pathways. Material and methods. The effect of substrate stiffness on the expression of α2, α5, and β1 integrin was studied using real time PCR and Western blot using cells cultured in an osteogenic medium on tunable polyacrylamide gels coated with type I collagen, with elasticities corresponding to Young’s moduli of 1.46 kPa and 26.12 kPa. FAK activity was monitored using ELISA assays. Results. We demonstrate for the first time the changes in the expression of α2, α5, and β1 integrin subunits in perinatal stem cells and in adult osteoblast precursor cells during in vitro osteogenic differentiation on surfaces characterized by different stiffness. We found that matrix rigidity significantly affects the osteogenic differentiation of UC-MSCs through α2 integrin-mediated mechanotransduction events, though not through the α5 integrin subunit. In BDCs, there were no significant changes in the expression levels of the tested protein associated with varying stiffness. Conclusions. Our results provide evidence that matrix rigidity affects the osteogenic differentiation of UC-MSCs viamechanotransduction events mediated by α2 integrin subunits

Cells of human breast milk

Abstract Human milk is a complex fluid that has developed to satisfy the nutritional requirements of infants. In addition to proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and other biologically active components, breast milk contains a diverse microbiome that is presumed to colonize the infant gastrointestinal tract and a heterogeneous population of cells with unclear physiological roles and health implications. Noteworthy cellular components of breast milk include progenitor/stem cells. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of breast milk cells, including leukocytes, epithelial cells, stem cells and potentially probiotic bacteria

Milk Therapy: Unexpected Uses for Human Breast Milk

Background: Human breast milk provides a child with complete nutrition but is also a popular therapeutic remedy that has been used in traditional, natural pharmacopeia, and ethnomedicine for many years. The aim of this current review is to summarize studies of non-nutritional uses of mothers’ milk. Methods: Two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) were searched with a combination of twelve search terms. We selected articles that were published between 1 January 2010, and 1 January 2019. The language of publication was limited to English. Results: Fifteen studies were included in the systematic review. Ten of these were randomized controlled trials, one was a quasi-experimental study, two were in vitro studies, and four employed an animal research model. Conclusions: Many human milk components have shown promise in preclinical studies and are undergoing active clinical evaluation. The protective and treatment role of fresh breast milk is particularly important in areas where mothers and infants do not have ready access to medicine