The development of an analytical tool for integrating 'the voice of the consumer' in new product development

The development of new products and how the process is organised and managed within the firm is a key area in management research due to the high failure rate of new products and the consequent waste of limited resources. Developing new products and being innovative requires companies to have deep understanding of the consumer, the market and the environment but most importantly to effectively apply this knowledge in the development of new products that meet consumer's expectations. This paper aims at developing an innovative framework to incorporate the 'voice of consumer' at early stages of the new product development (NPD) process. To that end, the paper will consider the practical implementation of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) in the development of new food products. QFD is considered as the most complete and comprehensive methodology for planning the goals of a stream of processes in order to align them with customer's requirements. QFD forces the design team to place customer needs in first place and ensures that this customer focus is kept through the NPD process. In doing so, QFD reduces two types of risks: first, the non- correspondence between product specifications and the wants of a predetermined target consumer group; and second, the risk that final products do not comply with product specifications. To date, QFD has been partially applied in the food area with only a handful of studies venturing in this research area.quality function deployment, new product development, voice of consumer., Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis,

Analysis of Consumer Perceptions on Quality and Food Safety in the Spanish Beef Market: A Future Application in New Product Development

During the last years, the research of food quality perception and food safety have been issue of greater attention due to the intense existing debate on aspects related to ethical considerations relative to the new agricultural production techniques, animal welfare concerns, food scares and crises and their impact in consumer's confidence, that have brought numerous questions about quality and food safety. With the Total Food Quality Model as a point of departure, this study proposes an analysis of quality perception and food safety related to beef in Spain. The objective of this paper is to focus on the focus group technique and the qualitative research, using NVivo software for the handling, analysing and interpretation of qualitative data. Results indicate the more significant factors for habits of purchase, place of shopping, quality and food safety perception, role and confidence on brands and willingness to pay for certified beef. Some of the outcomes are supported by the quantitative research results, which is currently in progress.focus groups, NVivo software, quality perception, food choice and food safety, Consumer/Household Economics, Q13,

Quality Function Deployment: Can Improve Innovation Efficiency in the Food Industry?

This paper considers the implementation of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as a methodological framework for the development of new food products. This paper focuses on the beef supply chain and develops a horizontal product’s quality deployment as a strategic tool for the implementation of consumer-led product innovation strategies. Difficulties in the prioritisation of parameters and setting of target values for the desired performance level of each parameter would limit the implementation of a complete ‘four-phase’ model in the sector. Thus, the use of complementary management tools, such as SWOT analysis and Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) would be necessary to develop more suitable process designs to the specific requirements of the sector.Agribusiness, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

O Feminicídio Íntimo e os Desafios Efetividade da Lei Maria da Penha: a Discricionariedade Judicial e a Cultura Jurídica dos Magistrados do Tratamento da Violência Doméstica e Familiar contra a Mulher

This article discusses the problem of femicide, emphasizing its bond with the cycle of domestic violence against women. The denial and underuse of the institutes stated in the Law Maria da Penha is the consequence of a traditional legal culture that deals this problem as a private issue and faces this kind of violence with a consensual paradigm of justice. In this essay, we will analyze the judgments by the Brazilian Supreme Court in ADC nº 19/DF and ADI nº 4424/DF, and the resistances of courts in following this settled jurisprudence.Este artigo aborda o problema do feminicídio íntimo, destacando sua relação com o ciclo de violência doméstica e familiar contra a mulher. Identifica-se a negação ou subutilização dos institutos previstos na Lei Maria da Penha, em razão da cultura jurídica tradicional de tratamento da matéria sob a ótica privada e de aplicação do paradigma de justiça consensual a essa forma de violência. Serão analisados os acórdãos da Ação Declaratória de Constitucionalidade nº. 19/DF e da Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade nº. 4424/DF, bem como a resistência dos magistrados em observar o entendimento proferido nas referidas ações de controle concentrado de constitucionalidade

Kaasasündinud N-glükosüülimise haigused Eestis

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneKaasasündinud glükosüülimise haigused (KGH) moodustavad kiirelt areneva ainevahetushaiguste grupi ning on põhjustatud valkude ja lipiididega seotud glükaanide häirunud sünteesist. Erinevad valkude N-glükosüülimise haigused on enim diagnoositavad KGH-d ja PMM2-CDG on kõige sagedasem N-glükosüülimise haigus. KGH sümptomid on mittespetsiifilised ja multisüsteemsed. Valikmeetod KGH skriinimiseks on seerumi transferriini isoelektriline fokuseerimine (IEF). Käesoleva uuringu eesmärk oli juurutada Eestis KGH diagnostikaks transferriini IEF ja hinnata kolme aasta jooksul N-glükosüülimise haiguste esinemist meie patsientide hulgas. Kuuel patsiendil 1230-st esines KGH skriiningul positiivne tulemus, mis leidis molekulaarse kinnituse. Esmalt näitasime, et kõige sagedasem KGH Eestis on PMM2-CDG, mida diagnoositi neljal patsiendil kahest perekonnast. Ühe pere lastel väljendub haigus kerge neuroloogilise vormina, kuid normaalse kognitiivse arenguga, mida PMM2-CDG patsientide hulgas esineb harva. Eesti PMM2-CDG patsientidel oli kõige sagedasem variant PMM2 geenis p.Val131Met. Teiseks, esitasime tulemused PMM2-CDG eeldatava sageduse kohta, kasutades Tartu Ülikooli Eesti Geenivaramu andmeid. Leidsime viis erinevat PMM2 heterosügootset mutatsiooni. Kõige sagedasem geenivariant on p.Arg141His kandlussagedusega 1/224. p.Val131Met kandlussagedus on 1/449. Eeldatav PMM2-CDG sagedus Eestis on 1/77,000. Kolmandaks, kirjeldasime patsienti KGH alatüübiga SLC35A2-CDG ning võrdlesime tema fenotüüpi ja genotüüpi 14 rahvusvahelise patsiendi kliiniliste andmetega. Patsientidele on iseloomulik mittespetsiifiline neuroloogiline haigus üldise arengu hilistumise, lihashüpotoonia, krampide ning epileptilise entsefalopaatiaga, düsmorfsed tunnused ja lühike kasv. Lisaks võib transferriini IEF olla vale-negatiivne. Neljandaks, kirjeldasime multisüsteemsete kliiniliste sümptomitega ning uue, seni kirjeldamata KGH alatüübiga patsienti, kellel on KGH alatüübi põhjuseks tõenäoliselt haiguspõhjuslik homosügootne muutus STX5 geenis. Käesolev uuring näitas, et Eesti patsientide puhul on transferriini IEF on tulemuslik meetod KGH diagnostikas. Skriiningu rakendamine võimaldas lisada uusi kliinilisi ja epidemioloogilisi andmeid erinevate teadaolevate ning uue KGH alatüübi kohta.Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are an expanding group of inherited metabolic diseases caused by impaired synthesis and attachment of glycans on proteins and lipids. Disorders affecting the N-glycosylation pathway form the most common CDG subgroup, and the most common N-glycosylation disorder is PMM2-CDG. The symptoms of different CDG are often non-specific and multisystem. Serum transferrin isoelectric focusing (Tf IEF) is a routine method to screen CDG. The aim of this study was to implement Tf IEF in Estonian clinical practice and to study the presence of N-glycosylation defects among Estonian patients in a three-year screening period. Altogether, positive CDG screening with subsequent molecular confirmation was detected in six patients among 1230 subjects screened. First, the most frequent CDG in Estonia is PMM2-CDG as we diagnosed this disorder in four patients from two families. In one family, the siblings show a mild neurological phenotype with normal-borderline cognitive development, which has previously been seldom described. Among PMM2-CDG patients, the most common variant in PMM2 gene is p.Val131Met. Second, we reported the expected frequency of PMM2-CDG based on the Estonian population data. In this cohort, we identified five different heterozygous variants in PMM2 gene. The most frequent variant is p.Arg141His with carrier frequency 1/224. The carrier frequency for p.Val131Met based on the Estonian population data is 1/449. The expected frequency of PMM2-CDG is 1/77,000. Third, we described a patient with SLC35A2-CDG and compared his phenotype-genotype with 14 international SLC35A2-CDG patients. This type of CDG presents as a non-specific neurological syndrome with global developmental delay, hypotonia, seizures and epileptic encephalopathy, together with dysmorphic features and short stature. In addition, Tf IEF can show a normal profile. Fourth, we presented a patient with multisystem clinical CDG features and a novel type II CDG likely caused by homozygous variant in STX5. In conclusion, Tf IEF proved to be an effective method to detect CDG among Estonian patients. Our results led to many findings, which have helped to add new clinical and epidemiological data about different known types of CDG, but also to expand the group of CDG by the discovery of a new type of CDG

Dietary and Lifestyle Patterns in the Spanish Pediatric Population (One to <10 Years Old): Design, Protocol, and Methodology of the EsNuPI Study

The interest in a healthy diet and lifestyle during the early stages of life increased, pointing out its role in the development of noncommunicable chronic diseases throughout adult life. Dietary habits and dietary patterns begin to be established in early childhood and persist during adulthood. Therefore, the EsNuPI (“Nutritional Study in Spanish Pediatric Population”) study aims to depict the dietary patterns, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors in Spanish children aged from one to <10 years old. This prospective, cross-sectional, observational study recruited a total of 1514 children from Spanish cities with >50,000 inhabitants, stratified by Nielsen areas. Participants were involved in one face-to-face survey, followed by a telephone survey after at least one week. Information about dietary intake and habits was obtained using a quantitative food frequency questionnaire and two 24-h dietary recalls. Physical activity and sedentary behaviors were registered using a specific questionnaire based on a seven-day record. Data were processed and stratified by categorical variables to be statistically analyzed in order to meet the study objectives. This study is the first of its kind in a Spanish reference population of this age range and the first to evaluate whether the consumption of adapted milk formulas and dairy products is associated with healthier dietary patterns and better diet quality and lifestyles in this group.This research was funded by Instituto Puleva de Nutrición (IPN)

Exploring the crop epigenome: a comparison of DNA methylation profiling techniques

Epigenetic modifications play a vital role in the preservation of genome integrity and in the regulation of gene expression. DNA methylation, one of the key mechanisms of epigenetic control, impacts growth, development, stress response and adaptability of all organisms, including plants. The detection of DNA methylation marks is crucial for understanding the mechanisms underlying these processes and for developing strategies to improve productivity and stress resistance of crop plants. There are different methods for detecting plant DNA methylation, such as bisulfite sequencing, methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism, genome-wide DNA methylation analysis, methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing, MS and immuno-based techniques. These profiling approaches vary in many aspects, including DNA input, resolution, genomic region coverage, and bioinformatics analysis. Selecting an appropriate methylation screening approach requires an understanding of all these techniques. This review provides an overview of DNA methylation profiling methods in crop plants, along with comparisons of the efficacy of these techniques between model and crop plants. The strengths and limitations of each methodological approach are outlined, and the importance of considering both technical and biological factors are highlighted. Additionally, methods for modulating DNA methylation in model and crop species are presented. Overall, this review will assist scientists in making informed decisions when selecting an appropriate DNA methylation profiling method

The impact of surgical delay on resectability of colorectal cancer: An international prospective cohort study

AIM: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has provided a unique opportunity to explore the impact of surgical delays on cancer resectability. This study aimed to compare resectability for colorectal cancer patients undergoing delayed versus non-delayed surgery. METHODS: This was an international prospective cohort study of consecutive colorectal cancer patients with a decision for curative surgery (January-April 2020). Surgical delay was defined as an operation taking place more than 4 weeks after treatment decision, in a patient who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy. A subgroup analysis explored the effects of delay in elective patients only. The impact of longer delays was explored in a sensitivity analysis. The primary outcome was complete resection, defined as curative resection with an R0 margin. RESULTS: Overall, 5453 patients from 304 hospitals in 47 countries were included, of whom 6.6% (358/5453) did not receive their planned operation. Of the 4304 operated patients without neoadjuvant therapy, 40.5% (1744/4304) were delayed beyond 4 weeks. Delayed patients were more likely to be older, men, more comorbid, have higher body mass index and have rectal cancer and early stage disease. Delayed patients had higher unadjusted rates of complete resection (93.7% vs. 91.9%, P = 0.032) and lower rates of emergency surgery (4.5% vs. 22.5%, P < 0.001). After adjustment, delay was not associated with a lower rate of complete resection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.90-1.55, P = 0.224), which was consistent in elective patients only (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.69-1.27, P = 0.672). Longer delays were not associated with poorer outcomes. CONCLUSION: One in 15 colorectal cancer patients did not receive their planned operation during the first wave of COVID-19. Surgical delay did not appear to compromise resectability, raising the hypothesis that any reduction in long-term survival attributable to delays is likely to be due to micro-metastatic disease

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic