"Lose 30lbs in 30 days" : assigning responsibility for deceptive advertising of weight-loss products

Purpose &ndash; The aim of this paper is to outline key social marketing issues apparent in deceptive weight-loss advertising, from the perspective of government policy-makers, manufacturers, the media, and consumers. The purpose is to examine the complexity of one aspect of the obesity battle and provide a framework for coordinated and integrated social marketing initiatives from a multiple stakeholder perspective.Design/methodology/approach &ndash; The results of deceptive weight-loss advertising are framed using the harm chain model, and the paper offers recommended solutions based on a framework of marketing, education and policy changes across the network of stakeholders.Findings &ndash; This paper concludes that a resolution to the harm created by deceptive weight-loss advertising can be achieved by the creation of a more holistic, system-wide solution to this important health and policy issue. This networked approach must involve all aspects of harm in a multi-stakeholder solution, including both upstream and downstream integration. Specific recommendations are made for policy-makers, manufacturers, the media, and consumers to achieve this goal.Social implications &ndash; From a marketing perspective, analyzing the issue of deceptive weight-loss advertising using the harm chain allows for the creation of a more holistic, system-wide solution involving stakeholders in all aspects of harm for this important health and policy issue.Originality/value &ndash; This research examines the problem of obesity and weight-loss advertising from the unique perspective of the harm chain framework. The authors make unified recommendations for various stakeholders including industry, media, government and consumers, in order to direct integrated social marketing and consumer-oriented strategies within this industry.<br /

The SIC Question: History and State of Play

Recent years have seen significant advances in the study of symmetric informationally complete (SIC) quantum measurements, also known as maximal sets of complex equiangular lines. Previously, the published record contained solutions up to dimension 67, and was with high confidence complete up through dimension 50. Computer calculations have now furnished solutions in all dimensions up to 151, and in several cases beyond that, as large as dimension 844. These new solutions exhibit an additional type of symmetry beyond the basic definition of a SIC, and so verify a conjecture of Zauner in many new cases. The solutions in dimensions 68 through 121 were obtained by Andrew Scott, and his catalogue of distinct solutions is, with high confidence, complete up to dimension 90. Additional results in dimensions 122 through 151 were calculated by the authors using Scott's code. We recap the history of the problem, outline how the numerical searches were done, and pose some conjectures on how the search technique could be improved. In order to facilitate communication across disciplinary boundaries, we also present a comprehensive bibliography of SIC research.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure, many references; v3: updating bibliography, dimension eight hundred forty fou

The life cycle of a small family-run entrepreneurial organization : a case analysis of change and growth.

A qualitative case study traced the evolution of a family-run entrepreneurial organization through six periods of development. The company, with approximately fifty employees, manufactures custom molded rubber parts. The development of the organization was analyzed using two models: Noel Tichy\u27s (1983) technical, political, cultural framework and Cameron and Whetten\u27s (1983) summary model. Tichy\u27s open system model was used as the structure upon which data were collected on eight organizational dimensions. Those data were analyzed using both Tichy\u27s (1983) and Cameron and Whetten\u27s (1983) schema\u27s. Tichy\u27s (1983) framework was used to describe and explain the organization\u27s three subsystems (technical, political, cultural) and their adjustments to uncertainties in the external and internal environments. Cameron and Whetten\u27s (1983) model was used to trace the organization\u27s evolution through four distinct stages of development. Both models were then combined in an integrated format to describe and explain JRW\u27s evolution. This research study found that JRW did evolve through four stages of development from 1975 to 1989. The findings also confirmed that the organization\u27s subsystems (Technical, Political, Cultural) adjusted to events in and outside of the organization during that period. The dissertation concluded with a discussion of the significance of the study and suggestions for future research

The innervation of mammalian skeletal muscle by medium and small diameter afferent nerve fibres

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Biochemical and Histological Differences Between Costal and Articular Cartilages

Biologically, costal cartilage is an understudied tissue type and much is yet to be learned regarding underlying mechanisms related to form and function, and how these relate to disease states, specifically chest wall deformity. Chest wall deformities have a component of inheritance, implying underlying genetic causes; however the complexity of inheritance suggests multiple genetic components. At our Centre investigations were performed on gene expression of key select genes from costal cartilage removed at surgery of patients with chest wall deformity to show high expression of decorin, a key player in collagen fiber formation and growth. Also, the degree of tissue differentiation was investigated that was different to that of articular cartilage as measured by gene ratio. Ultrastructural aspects of costal cartilage were determined by scanning and atomic force microscopy to show the presence of ‘nanostraws’ and preliminary data of nanostraw strength by measuring Young’s modulus of individual nanostraws. Protein deposition of collagen type II, decorin, and biglycan suggest orchestration of fiber formation in the interterritorial matrix. Although no specific biological markers related to chest wall deformity have currently been identified, work from our Centre has identified potential areas of interest

The determination of the cross-sectional area of a stearic acid molecule

The fundamental relationship determining the area per molecule is: A = SM/ (g/c x v x N) A = area per molecule. S = area occupied by the monolayer. M = molecular weight. g = grams of stearic acid in volume c. c = volume of solution. v = aliquot of c delivered to the surface. N = Avogadro’s Number. Each of the terms in the above equation will be discussed in detail below

Evaluation of ASTM C 494 procedures for polycarboxylate admixtures used in precast concrete elements

This thesis presents the investigation towards increasing the understanding of the effect of polycarboxylate (PCE) High-Range Water-Reducers (HRWRs) on the performance of concrete mixtures, with a special focus on concrete mixtures that will be used in precast concrete beam applications. Since the mid-2000’s, precast concrete elements at several major precast plants throughout Texas have displayed extensive micro-cracking along their exposed surfaces despite never being subjected to service load conditions. The precast industry’s transition from naphthalene based HRWRs to polycarboxylate based HRWRs was identified as a potential culprit for inducing the cracking phenomenon. The admixture qualification standard, ASTM C494, was closely investigated for its relevancy in passing and failing HRWR agents with respect to a mixture’s propensity towards the latent observed cracking effect. Key testing procedures of ASTM C494 were investigated by subjecting mixture designs that had performed both good and bad in the field with respect to micro-cracking. Testing proved that ASTM C494 testing protocols were insufficient and lacking towards predicting the micro-cracking behavior. Therefore, an additional parametric study through concrete and paste testing was created to investigate precast concrete mixture designs and their polycarboxylate admixture influences. The testing program focused on autogenous shrinkage through concrete restrained ring testing and paste analysis via the corrugated tube test. Tests were carried out by introducing different HRWR types and dosages, and quantifying their outlying observed strain effects with respect to one anther. Results have shown that HRWR type and dosage play a vital role in the delay of final set and extent of autogenous shrinkage observed. In addition to the parametric study, a field study was performed in order to correlate the laboratory testing back to the micro-cracking development on concrete elements exposed to natural conditions.Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineerin

Root uptake of lipophilic zinc-rhamnolipid complexes

This study investigated the formation and plant uptake of lipophilic metal-rhamnolipid complexes. Monorhamnosyl and dirhamnosyl rhamnolipids formed lipophilic complexes with copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). Rhamnolipids significantly increased Zn absorption by Brassica napus var. Pinnacle roots in 65Zn-spiked ice-cold solutions, compared with ZnSO4 alone. Therefore, rhamnolipid appeared to facilitate Zn absorption via a nonmetabolically mediated pathway. Synchrotron XRF and XAS showed that Zn was present in roots as Zn-phytate-like compounds when roots were treated with Zn-free solutions, ZnSO4, or Zn-EDTA. With rhamnolipid application, Zn was predominantly found in roots as the Zn-rhamnolipid complex. When applied to a calcareous soil, rhamnolipids increased dry matter production and Zn concentrations in durum (Triticum durum L. cv. Balcali-2000) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. BDME-10) shoots. Rhamnolipids either increased total plant uptake of Zn from the soil or increased Zn translocation by reducing the prevalence of insoluble Zn-phytate-like compounds in roots