Launch of sustainability labels : Effects of linking sustainability to major drivers for choice

Many food producers improve the sustainability of their products and look for ways of communicating the improvement. One approach is to launch a new sustainability label. However, little is known about how to launch new sustainability labels effectively. We suggest that such labels should not be launched in isolation, but rather linked to major drivers for choice, such as taste, convenience, or healthiness. We tested this prediction across three categories with different levels of sustainability, using a 2 (label communicated separately vs linked to driver for choice) x 3 (sustainability level of category: high/medium/low) betweensubjects design. The results provided partial support for the hypothesis that linking sustainability labels to major drivers for choice is more effective than a stand-alone launch of labels. The effect seems to be independent of the sustainability level of the product category.nhhma

Work participation and working life expectancy after a disabling shoulder lesion

Objective T o examine the impact of a disabling nontraumatic shoulder lesion on work participation and working life expectancy. Methods From a 70% random sample of the Finnish population, we selected 30-59-year-old wage earners with prolonged sickness absence due to a shoulder lesion (n=7644). We followed the persons from 2006 to 2014 and calculated the proportion of time a person spent in different work participation statuses. The associations of potential determinants with a preterm exit from paid employment were tested using Cox regression. Years expected to be spent in different work participation statuses were estimated applying the Sullivan method for healthy life expectancy. Results During 9 years of follow-up time spent at work was reduced from 77.7% to 46.7%, and 15.8% of the persons were granted disability retirement, mostly due to shoulder and other musculoskeletal diseases. Compared with the general population persons with a disabling shoulder disease are expected to lose from 1.8 to 8.1 years of working life, depending on their age. Age, gender, education, duration of initial sickness absence due to the shoulder lesion, not being able to return to work sustainably and participation in vocational rehabilitation predicted preterm exit from work. Heavy lifting increased the risk of preterm exit marginally. Conclusions Working life expectancy is markedly reduced in persons with a disabling shoulder lesion, mainly because of disability retirement due to musculoskeletal problems. Clinicians should consider interventions targeted at improving musculoskeletal functioning and necessary work modifications before shoulder problems become chronic or the persons develop disabling comorbid musculoskeletal conditions.Peer reviewe

Occupational and non-occupational risk factors of sickness absence due to a shoulder lesion

Objectives To determine the associations of lifestyle factors and cumulative physical workload exposures with sickness absence (SA) due to a shoulder lesion and to calculate their population attributable fractions (PAF). Methods Our nationally representative cohort consisted of 4344 individuals aged 30-62 years who participated in the Finnish Health 2000 Survey. Education, smoking, chronic diseases and work exposures were assessed during interviews and leisure time physical activity with a questionnaire. Weight and height were measured. We followed the individuals for 15 years for the first SA due to a shoulder lesion. We used competing risk regression models. We calculated PAFs to assess the proportion of SA that was attributed to modifiable risk factors. Results In the entire study population, risk factors of SA were age, daily smoking, being exposed for more than 10 years to physically heavy work and being exposed for more than 10 years to at least two specific physical workload factors. The overall PAF for the modifiable risk factors was 49%. In men, number of specific cumulative exposures, obesity and daily smoking predicted SA with PAF values of 34%, 30% and 14%, respectively. Among women, being exposed for more than 10 years to physically heavy work, number of specific cumulative exposures and daily smoking accounted for 23%, 22% and 15% of SA, respectively. Conclusions Reducing significantly prolonged exposure to physical workload factors, avoiding regular smoking in both genders and obesity in men has a high potential to prevent SA due to a shoulder lesion.Peer reviewe

Effect of spatial connectivity on host resistance in a highly fragmented natural pathosystem

Both theory and experimental evolution studies predict migration to influence the outcome of antagonistic coevolution between hosts and their parasites, with higher migration rates leading to increased diversity and evolutionary potential. Migration rates are expected to vary in spatially structured natural pathosystems, yet how spatial structure generates variation in coevolutionary trajectories across populations occupying the same landscape has not been tested. Here, we studied the effect of spatial connectivity on host evolutionary potential in a natural pathosystem characterized by a stable Plantago lanceolata host network and a highly dynamic Podosphaera plantaginis parasite metapopulation. We designed a large inoculation experiment to test resistance of five isolated and five well-connected host populations against sympatric and allopatric pathogen strains, over 4years. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find consistently higher resistance against sympatric pathogen strains in the well-connected populations. Instead, host local adaptation varied considerably among populations and through time with greater fluctuations observed in the well-connected populations. Jointly, our results suggest that in populations where pathogens have successfully established, they have the upper hand in the coevolutionary arms race, but hosts may be better able to respond to pathogen-imposed selection in the well-connected than in the isolated populations. Hence, the ongoing and extensive fragmentation of natural habitats may increase vulnerability to diseases.Peer reviewe

Can eye movements be quantitatively applied to image quality studies?

The aim of the study is to find out whether subjective image quality evaluations can be quantified by eye movement tracking. We want to map objective or physically measurable image quality to subjective evaluations and eye movement data. Results show that eye movement parameters consistently change according to the instructions given to the user, and according to physical image quality. These results indicate that eye movement tracking could be used to differentiate image quality evaluation strategies that the users have. Results also show that eye movements would help mapping between technological and subjective image quality. We also propose to extend the widely used image quality process model, the Image Quality Circle. We suggest adding the objective measurements of a viewer (e.g. eye tracking) in parallel with customer perceptions as an option to gather information of customer perceptions of image quality

Cognition in adults with Williams syndrome-A 20-year follow-up study

BackgroundWilliams syndrome (WBS) is a genetic multisystem disorder. The main symptom is borderline (intelligence quotient, IQ 70-79) or abnormally low intelligence (IQ MethodsWe followed 25 adults (age at baseline 19-68, median 38) with genetically confirmed WBS for about 20years. The study subjects underwent medical and neuropsychological assessments at the baseline and at the end of follow-up. ResultsThe mean VIQ remained quite stable from early adulthood up to 40years of age after which it declined. The mean PIQ kept on improving from early adulthood until 50years of age after which it gradually declined. At the end of the study, all study subjects had at least two longstanding health problems out of which hypertension, psychiatric disorder, and scoliosis or kyphosis occurred most frequently. At end of the study, two patients suffered from vascular dementia. Seven patients died during the follow-up. ConclusionsIn adults with WBS, the course of cognition is uneven across the cognitive profile. Their verbal functions both develop and deteriorate earlier than performance/nonverbal functions. Frequent somatic co-morbidities may increase risk to shortened life span.Peer reviewe

Negotiations of vulnerability in aging with vision impairment

Longevity entails a higher prevalence of chronic impairments that often come with aging, such as age-related vision loss (ARLV). Dependence and increasing vulnerabilities contrast sharply with contemporary reductionist models of positive aging, and gradually worsening eyesight exposes older adults with ARLV to situations where idealized models of late life do not fit them. In analyzing semi-structured interviews conducted in Denmark with 40 older adults, aged 55–70 years, with vision loss, this study examines how people in late midlife and early late life negotiate their vulnerability, dependence, and need for help across different contexts. The findings illustrate how these lived experiences situate people with ARVL outside the idealized late life and how they negotiate their need for help in both their work life and private life. The findings also show how people with age-related vision loss perform a balancing act between the lived vulnerability and the prescribed role of vulnerability arising from social discourses. Some contexts allow people with ARVL to negotiate and re-negotiate their vulnerability, while others, such as work-life contexts, often offer less room for negotiating vulnerability and need for help. The study makes it clear that, given the cultural emphasis on extended work lives, the ways in which work cultures can adapt to age diversity and age-related disabilities must receive more attention.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Physical and psychosocial work exposures as risk factors for disability retirement due to a shoulder lesion

Objective To assess the longitudinal associations of physical and psychosocial exposures with disability retirement due to a shoulder lesion. Methods In a nationwide register-based study, we followed 1 135 654 wage earners aged 30-59 years for the occurrence of disability retirement due to a shoulder lesion. The occupational exposures were assessed with job exposure matrices. We used a competing risk regression model to estimate HRs and their 95% CIs and to test for the association between the exposures and the outcome. We also calculated the attributable fraction of disability retirement due to occupational exposures. Results A total of 2472 persons had full disability retirement due to a shoulder lesion during the follow-up. Physically heavy work showed the strongest association with the outcome in both genders, in men with an HR of 2.90 (95% CI 2.37 to 3.55) and in women with an HR of 3.21 (95% CI 2.80 to 3.90). Of the specific physical exposures, working with hands above shoulder level was statistically significantly associated with disability retirement in men. When all physical exposures were taken into consideration, 46% and 41% of disability retirement due to a shoulder lesion were attributed to physical work load factors in men and women, respectively. In addition, 49% (men) and 35% (women) of disability retirement were attributed to psychosocial work-related factors. Conclusions Our findings suggest that a considerable proportion of disability retirement due to a shoulder lesion could be prevented by reducing physical and psychosocial exposures at work to a low level.Peer reviewe

Signs indicating dementia in Down, Williams and Fragile X syndromes

Background: Intellectual disability (ID) and dementia reflect disturbed cortical function during and after developmental age, respectively. Due to the wide heterogeneity of ID population the decline in cognitive and adaptive skills may be different in distinct genetic subgroups.Methods: Using the British Present Psychiatric State–learning Disabilities assessment (PPS‐LD) questionnaire the dementia signs were screened in 62, 22 and 44 individuals (> 35 year of age) with Down (DS, OMIM number 190685), Williams (WS, OMIM number, 194050), and Fragile X syndrome (FXS, OMIM number 309550), respectively. The median age of those with FXS (59 years) was higher than of those with DS (50 years) and WS (53 years).Results: Most study participants with DS (80%) and FXS (89%) were or had been moderately or severely intellectually disabled while most participants with WS (73%) were or had been mildly or moderately disabled at adolescent age. The adolescent (premorbid) level of ID did not correlate with the dementia score. The median scores were 11/27, 1/27, and 0/27 in DS, WS, and FXS subgroups, respectively. Dementia that was confirmed by brain imaging, manifested as Alzheimer disease and as moya‐moya disease associated vascular dementia in DS and as vascular dementia in WS.Conclusions: This survey suggests that the risk of dementia varies depending on the cause of ID and that the severity of ID in adolescence does not predict the development of dementia at a later age. Consequently, the ID and dementia should be understood as separate clinical entities that need to be taken into account in the health management of intellectually disabled people. This is important for the arrangement of appropriate and timely interventions, which can be expected to delay the need for institutionalization.</p