Negative campaigning on social media sites: a quantitative analysis of the 2019 Austrian national council election campaign

Election campaigns in the age of social media are rapidly changing their character. Due to the declining party loyalty of voters, once stable constituencies have become increasingly volatile and the importance of campaigning has increased. Parties are now thought to be more likely than in the past to opt for negative campaigning. This paper examines the postings that parties or top candidates made on the social media sites Facebook and Twitter during the 2019 National Council election campaign. The results suggest that - at least on social media sites - the cost-benefit analysis of the parties might turn towards negative campaigning, as the average popularity of negative campaigning posts was higher than those that were not tagged with negative campaigning

A mixed-method analysis of women's intimate partner violence

This mixed-method study aims to elucidate the relevance of gender in women???s intimate partner violence through an ecologically-informed analysis of individual differences in attachment and personality and social contexts. Findings suggest that the Conflict Tactics Scales led to inflated estimates of women???s violence through the misidentification of play as violence and through the categorization of a range of behaviors, called mock-violence, that fall along a continuum from playful to short of meaningfully violent. Study findings also support the position that gender fundamentally shapes the contexts, meanings, and interpretations of women???s aggressive behaviors and is thus central to any analysis of intimate partner violence. Together, these findings lend support to arguments for re-visiting fundamental issues of problem definition and measurement

Wirtschaftliches Handeln von Konsumenten in alternativen ökonomischen Projekten

In meiner Diplomarbeit thematisiere ich Aspekte des Konsums in alternativen ökonomischen Projekten. Durch teilnehmende Beobachtung, qualitative Interviews sowie Fragebögen wurde der Konsum in drei alternativen Projekten untersucht. Diese sind der Wiener Deewan (ein Restaurant, in der die Speisenpreise von den Kunden bestimmt werden können), der Kost-Nix-Laden (Secondhand-Güter werden gratis abgegeben) sowie die WUK-Selbsthilfewerkstatt (eine Infrastruktur für die Selbstreparatur von Fahrrädern steht zur Verfügung). Als Kontrast zu diesen Projekten mit alternativem ökonomischem Modus wurde jeweils ein Vergleichsprojekt untersucht. Die Auswirkungen der alternativen ökonomischen Modi auf das Konsumentenhandeln sind meinen Daten zufolge relativ gering. Die Abläufe des Konsumentenhandelns ähneln meist jenen in den Vergleichsprojekten. Die alternativen ökonomischen Modi stellen jedoch für einen Teil der Konsumenten ein starkes Nutzungsmotiv dar und tragen so zu einer „Kundenbindung“ bei.The expolration of consumers perspectives of alternative economic projects is the topic of this paper. I collected data in three alternative projects (a restaurant where customers are free to decide how much to pay for their lunch; a secondhand - shop where goods are cost-free; a do-it-yourself bycicle repair projet) and in three "normal" economic projects. I found that the effects of the alternative economic modes on visible consumer actions are low while on a motivational level they are important for a part of the consumers

Experimente zur Präferenz myrmekochorer Diasporen

Myrmekochorie, die Ausbreitung von Früchten und Samen durch Ameisen, ist ein weltweites Phänomen, das bei über 3000 Pflanzenarten aus 80 verschiedenen Familien zu beobachten ist. Myrmekochore Diasporen besitzen Anhängsel, sogenannte Elaiosomen, die vor allem reich an Lipiden und freien Aminosäuren sind. Elaiosomen werden von Ameisen-Arbeiterinnen abtransportiert und an die Larven verfüttert, die diese Nährstoffe für Wachstum und Entwicklung brauchen. Sie stellen daher eine einträgliche Energiequelle für Ameisen dar. Die Pflanzen ziehen ebenfalls einen Vorteil aus diesem Mutualismus, denn ihre Diasporen werden somit ausgebreitet und/oder von den Ameisen ins Nest getragen und erhalten dadurch vor Prädatoren und Feuer geschützt. In dieser Studie wurden im Labor die Diasporen 10 verschiedener temperater Pflanzenarten auf ihre Attraktivität bei Myrmica rubra untersucht. Zusätzlich wurden mit 5 dieser 10 Arten Versuche im Freiland durchgeführt, um zu testen, ob die Ergebnisse aus dem Labor auf die Freilandbedingungen übertragbar sind. Weiters wurde untersucht, ob die Präferenz bestimmter Pflanzenarten durch verschiedene Inhaltsstoffe ihrer Elaiosomen beeinflusst wird. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Diasporen von Knautia dipsacifolia, Knautia arvensis, Helleborus niger und Corydalis cava bei den Versuchen am attraktivsten waren, während jene von Galanthus nivalis, Leucojum vernum und Asarum europaeum eindeutig unattraktiver waren. Ein möglicher Grund könnte das Gesamtdgewicht der Diasporen sein. Denn die beiden unattraktivsten Diasporen waren die größten und schwersten Diasporen, was den Ameisen den Abtransport offenbar erschwert. Einzelne Aminosäuren wie Glutamat, Histidin, Arginin und Tyrosin, sowie der Gesamtkohlenhydratgehalt und in geringem Maße Trehalose scheinen einen Einfluss auf die Wegtragerate von Früchten und Samen bei M. rubra zu haben. Hierbei scheint Glutamat jener Inhaltsstoff zu sein, der die Attraktivität der Diasporen der präferierten Pflanzenarten am meisten beeinflusst. Aus den Ergebnissen der vorliegenden Untersuchung kann man nicht mit Gewissheit sagen, ob eine hohe oder niedrige Konzentration dieser Inhaltsstoffe für eine höhere Attraktivität verantwortlich ist, da man keinen generellen Trend feststellen kann. Die Konzentration an Glutamat z. B. war zwar in den attraktivsten Früchten (K. dipsacifolia und K. arvensis) am höchsten und in den unattraktivsten (G. nivalis und L. vernum) am niedrigsten, jedoch hatten Pflanzenarten, die in ihrer Präferenz in der Mitte lagen (Symphytum officinale und Pulmonaria officinalis) einen wesentlich höheren Gehalt an Glutamat in ihren Elaiosomen. Ähnliches gilt für die restlichen Aminosäuren. H. niger zum Beispiel lag weit oben in der Präferenzliste für M. rubra, hat jedoch den geringsten Histidin-Gehalt in seinen Elaiosomen. Umgekehrt sieht es beim Gesamtkohlenhydratgehalt aus, der zwar bei den unattraktivsten Diasporen am höchsten war, jedoch bei den übrigen Arten keinem Trend gefolgt ist. Die Ergebnisse der Untersuchungen lassen daher vermuten, dass nicht einzelne Elaiosominhaltsstoffe, sondern synergistische Effekte bei Mischungen oder ein bestimmtes Verhältnis verschiedener Inhaltsstoffe eine Rolle bei der Attraktivität spielen. Zusätzlich könnten Diasporeneigenschaften, wie etwa Gesamtgröße und –masse, von Bedeutung sein und die Präferenz von Früchten und Samen bei Myrmica rubra beeinflussen.Myrmecochory, the dispersal of fruits and seeds by ants is a phenomenon, which can be observed worldwide in over 3000 plantspecies out of 80 different families. Myrmecochorous diaspores have appendages, so-called elaiosomes, which are particularly rich in lipids and free amino-acids. Elaiosomes are removed by ant workers and fed to the larvae, which are in need of these nutrients for growth and development. So they demonstrate a rentable source of energy for ants. The plants also benefit from this mutualism, because their diaspores get dispersed or are carried from the ants into their nests where they are protected against predators and fire. In this study, diaspores of 10 temperate plant species were examined as to their attractiveness to Myrmica rubra in the laboratory. Additionally, experiments with 5 of these 10 species were made in field, in order to test whether or not the laboratory results are similar to those under field conditions. Furthermore it was determined, whether the preference of certain plant species is influenced by different compounds in the elaiosomes. The results show that the diaspores of Knautia dipsacifolia, Knautia arvensis, Helleborus niger and Corydalis cava were the most attractive ones, while those of Galanthus nivalis, Leucojum vernum and Asarum europaeum proved rather unattractive for M. rubra. One reason is possibly the total weight of the diaspore (seed/fruit + elaiosome). As the most unattractive diaspores were the biggest and heaviest, so the transport for the ants may be cumbersome. Particular amino-acids such as glutamate, histidine, arginine and tyrosine, plus the total carbohydrate content and, to a minor degree, trehalose seem to have an influence on the carrying rate/bear away rate of the diaspores. Here glutamate semms to be the ingredient which has the greatest influence on the attractiveness of the diaspores of the prefered plant species. From my results it is difficult to say whether a high or low concentration of these compounds is responsible for the attractiveness, because there is no general trend. The glutamate concentration, for example, is highest in the most attractive diaspores (K. dipsacifolia und K. arvensis) and lowest in the most unattractive ones (G. nivalis und L. vernum), but some plant species, which were intermediate in their preference (Symphytum officinale und Pulmonaria officinalis) had a much higher concentration in their elaiosomes. The same applies to other amino-acids. H. niger diaspores, for example, were leading in the preference list of M. rubra, but had the lowest histidine-concentration in its elaiosomes. Conversely, the total carbohydrate concentration was highest in the most unattractive diaspores, but this does not seem to follow a trend in the other species. So the results of the present investigations suggest that not single elaiosome compounds, but synergistic effects in composition or a certain proportion of different compounds are responsible for attractiveness. Additionally, diaspore characteristics such as total diaspore mass and weight may be important and may influence the bearing-away behaviour of Myrmica rubra

Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang

This study provides further evidence for the impact of the aromas of plant essential oils on aspects of cognition and mood in healthy participants. One hundred and forty-four volunteers were randomly assigned to conditions of ylang-ylang aroma, peppermint aroma, or no aroma control. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research computerized assessment battery, with mood scales completed before and after cognitive testing. The analysis of the data revealed significant differences between conditions on a number of the factors underpinning the tests that constitute the battery. Peppermint was found to enhance memory whereas ylang-ylang impaired it, and lengthened processing speed. In terms of subjective mood peppermint increased alertness and ylang-ylang decreased it, but significantly increased calmness. These results provide support for the contention that the aromas of essential oils can produce significant and idiosyncratic effects on both subjective and objective assessments of aspects of human behavior. They are discussed with reference to possible pharmacological and psychological modes of influence

Cognitive facilitation following intentional odor exposure

This paper reviews evidence that, in addition to incidental olfactory pollutants, intentional odor delivery can impact cognitive operations both positively and negatively. Evidence for cognitive facilitation/interference is reviewed alongside four potential explanations for odor-induced effects. It is concluded that the pharmacological properties of odors can induce changes in cognition. However, these effects can be accentuated/attenuated by the shift in mood following odor exposure, expectancy of cognitive effects, and cues to behavior via the contextual association with the odor. It is proposed that greater consideration is required in the intentional utilization of odors within both industrial and private locations, since differential effects are observed for odors with positive hedonic qualities

Can Ambient Scent Enhance the Nightlife Experience?

Ever since smoking was prohibited in restaurants, bars, and clubs, undesirable smells that were previously masked by cigarette smoke became noticeable. This opens up opportunities to improve the dance club environment by introducing pleasant ambient scents that mask the unwanted odors and to allow competing clubs to differentiate themselves. A field study was conducted at three dance clubs using a 3 × 3 Latin square design with pre- and post-measurements of no-scent control conditions. The three scents tested were orange, seawater, and peppermint. These scents were shown to enhance dancing activity and to improve the evaluation of the evening, the evaluation of the music, and the mood of the visitors over no added scent. However, no significant differences were found between the three scents

Protective essential oil attenuates influenza virus infection: An in vitro study in MDCK cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Influenza is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The recent pandemic of a novel H1N1 influenza virus has stressed the importance of the search for effective treatments for this disease. Essential oils from aromatic plants have been used for a wide variety of applications, such as personal hygiene, therapeutic massage and even medical practice. In this paper, we investigate the potential role of an essential oil in antiviral activity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We studied a commercial essential oil blend, On Guard™, and evaluated its ability in modulating influenza virus, A/PR8/34 (PR8), infection in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells. Influenza virus was first incubated with the essential oil and infectivity in MDCK cells was quantified by fluorescent focus assay (FFA). In order to determine the mechanism of effects of essential oil in viral infection inhibition, we measured hemagglutination (HA) activity, binding and internalization of untreated and oil-treated virus in MDCK cells by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy. In addition, the effect of oil treatment on viral transcription and translation were assayed by relative end-point RT-PCR and western blot analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Influenza virus infectivity was suppressed by essential oil treatment in a dose-dependent manner; the number of nascent viral particles released from MDCK cells was reduced by 90% and by 40% when virus was treated with 1:4,000 and 1:6,000 dilutions of the oil, respectively. Oil treatment of the virus also decreased direct infection of the cells as the number of infected MDCK cells decreased by 90% and 45% when virus was treated with 1:2,000 and 1:3,000 dilutions of the oil, respectively. This was not due to a decrease in HA activity, as HA was preserved despite oil treatment. In addition, oil treatment did not affect virus binding or internalization in MDCK cells. These effects did not appear to be due to cytotoxicity of the oil as MDCK cell viability was only seen with concentrations of oil that were 2 to 6 times greater than the doses that inhibited viral infectivity. RT-PCR and western blotting demonstrated that oil treatment of the virus inhibited viral NP and NS1 protein, but not mRNA expression.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>An essential oil blend significantly attenuates influenza virus PR8 infectivity <it>in vitro </it>without affecting viral binding or cellular internalization in MDCK cells. Oil treated virus continued to express viral mRNAs but had minimal expression of viral proteins, suggesting that the antiviral effect may be due to inhibition of viral protein translation.</p

Long-term exposure to sensory feed additives during the gestational and postnatal periods impacts sows’ colostrum and milk sensory profiles, piglets’ growth and feed intake

This study investigated the effect of feed supplementation in sows and/or their progeny with two sensory feed additives (FA1: limonene and cinnamaldehyde; FA2: menthol, carvone and anethole) on sows’ feed intake, body weight, fat deposition, and colostrum/milk composition, as well as piglets’ feed intake growth and feed efficiency from birth to slaughter at postnatal day 160 (PND160). During the last third of gestation and the whole of lactation, sows were subjected to a control diet (C) or the same diet containing FA1 or FA2 at 0.1% of complete feed content. Colostrum/milk samples were taken at day 1, 14, and 28 of lactation for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses. After weaning, the progeny was subjected to a control diet (C) or experimental diets with a sweetener (0.015%) but no other additive (S), or to diets with a sweetener and the additive FA1 (FA1S) or FA2 (FA2S). There was no effect of dietary treatment on sows’ feed intake, body weight, or adiposity (P > 0.15 for all), but the sensory characteristics of their colostrum/milk were modified by the diet and diet*time interaction. Limonene concentrations were higher in FA1 samples from PND1 to PND28, whereas carvone and anethole concentrations were higher in FA2 samples from PND1 to PND28. The concentration of these three compounds increased with time in the respective groups where they were mostly detected. Menthol concentrations were higher in FA2 samples at PND14 and PND28, but there was no time effect. Overall, cinnamaldehyde was always below the detection range. Piglets born from FA1 and FA2 sows had higher body weight (P = 0.034 at PND160), average daily gain (ADG P = 0.036 for PND0-160), and average daily feed intake (ADFI P = 0.006 for PND28-160) than piglets born from C sows. Overall, piglets that were never exposed to FA or only after weaning had lower ADG (P = 0.030 for PND0-160) and ADFI (P = 0.016 for PND28-160) than piglets that were exposed to FA only via the maternal diet, the condition combining both pre- and post-natal exposure being intermediary. In conclusion, FA1 and FA2 provided to gestating and lactating sows increased the progeny’s feed intake and growth, suggesting nutritional programming and/or sensory conditioning during the perinatal period. Addition of FA only in the progeny’s diet was not beneficial

Neuropsychological contribution to predict conversion to dementia in patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease

Background: Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) confirmed by biomarkers allows the patient to make important life decisions. However, doubt about the fleetness of symptoms progression and future cognitive decline remains. Neuropsychological measures were extensively studied in prediction of time to conversion to dementia for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients in the absence of biomarker information. Similar neuropsychological measures might also be useful to predict the progression to dementia in patients with MCI due to AD. Objective: To study the contribution of neuropsychological measures to predict time to conversion to dementia in patients with MCI due to AD. Methods: Patients with MCI due toADwere enrolled from a clinical cohort and the effect of neuropsychological performance on time to conversion to dementia was analyzed. Results: At baseline, converters scored lower than non-converters at measures of verbal initiative, non-verbal reasoning, and episodic memory. The test of non-verbal reasoning was the only statistically significant predictor in a multivariate Cox regression model. A decrease of one standard deviation was associated with 29% of increase in the risk of conversion to dementia. Approximately 50% of patients with more than one standard deviation below the mean in the z score of that test had converted to dementia after 3 years of follow-up. Conclusion: In MCI due to AD, lower performance in a test of non-verbal reasoning was associated with time to conversion to dementia. This test, that reveals little decline in the earlier phases of AD, appears to convey important information concerning conversion to dementia.Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT)Portuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyEuropean Commission [PTDC/MED-NEU/27946/2017