Preferences For Different Forms Research Articles

Different nitrogen concentrations affect strawberry seedlings nitrogen form preferences through nitrogen assimilation and metabolic pathways

The preference for different forms of nitrogen (N) is an essential means to improve plant nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE). Currently, little information is known about the N uptake preferences of strawberries and their interaction with N concentration. In this study, the preference and distribution of nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) in strawberry seedlings were investigated in response to different N concentrations. This study used two labeled N sources (15NH4NO3 and NH415NO3) for tracer labeling. Three levels of NH4NO3 were set: low N 5 mM (N1), medium N 15 mM (N2), and high N 25 mM (N3). Each N level included two 15N labeling treatments, totaling six treatments. The results showed that under low N, medium N, and high N conditions, strawberry seedlings exhibited preferences for NH4+-N, NO3−-N, and NH4+-N, respectively. Compared with N1 and N3 treatments, N2 treatment significantly increased the activity of NR, NiR, GS, and GOGAT in strawberry seedlings roots and leaves, and the relative expression levels of FaNRT1.1, FaNRT2.1, and FaAMT1.1 in roots were significantly upregulated; When the N supply concentration increases, the distribution center of NO3−-N in strawberry seedlings shifts from stem to leaf, and under high N conditions, NH4+-N accumulates significantly in the strawberry roots. According our research, the N assimilation and metabolic capacity of strawberries themselves are important factors affecting N form preferences.

Comparison of sheep and goat preferences for different forms of stoned olive cake.

The objectives of this experiment were to investigate voluntary intake of stoned olive cake (SOC) in sheep and goats. The feeding experiment was carried out with a total of 10 animals consisting of five Karya yearlings and five Saanen goats (28.0 ± 2.0 and 37.0 ± 2.1kg initial body weight (BW), respectively). Three feeds were offered as free-choice: alfalfa hay-maize silage mix (40:60 in dry matter basis), pelleted SOC, and ensiled SOC. Goats had higher (P < 0.001) dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) intakes than sheep, although digestible DM and NDF intakes were similar. Goats consumed more (P < 0.05) pelleted SOC and ensiled SOC than sheep as a percentage of total intake (29.2 and 22.4%, respectively). Both sheep and goats preferred (P < 0.001) the silage form of SOC compared to the pelleted form of SOC.

Rethinking telepresence: post- and pre-COVID-19.

Following the marked increase in the use of digital technologies during the recent pandemic, the article reconsiders the concept of social telepresence, in the sense of interpersonal connection at a distance, locating it in the longue durée and within media studies. It reminds the reader that, for centuries, when people were separated from one another by the force of various circumstances, including pandemics, they resorted to technologies at their disposal to experience telepresence, long before the term itself was coined by scholars. Foremost among these has been the epistolary, a vitally important interpersonal media largely overlooked by media and telepresence researchers. Rather than competitively evaluating the performance of various technologies, the article proposes a framework to compare them, along with the practices of social telepresence, in the course of history. This comparative program employs the following criteria: embodiment, synchronicity, the space of the encounter, the ontology of entities other than humans actuated by telepresence and the social preferences for different forms of telepresence.

Associations Between Achievement Goal Orientations, Preferred Learning Practices, and Motivational Evaluations of Learning Environment Among Finnish Military Reservists.

In this study, it was examined whether individuals' self-efficacy, preferred forms in learning, and evaluations of the learning environment vary as a function of their goal orientation profiles. It was also explored whether the preferred forms in learning played a role in this association. The participants were 177 reservists of Finnish Defense Forces participating in rehearsal training exercises. Four homogeneous groups based on goal orientation profiles were found: mastery oriented (n = 47, 26.5%), success-performance oriented (n = 49, 27.7%), indifferent (n = 43, 24.3%), and avoidance oriented (n = 38, 21.5%). The mastery-oriented group and the success-performance-oriented group reported higher levels in self-efficacy, legislative form in learning, and mastery goal structure when compared to the avoidance-oriented group or to the indifferent group. The avoidance-oriented group reported elevated levels of perceived strain and performance goal structure in comparison to the mastery-oriented group. Controlling the learners' preferences for different forms in learning revealed some slight differences in the observed pattern of between-group differences regarding perceptions of performance goal structure and self-efficacy. Controlling for the legislative form of learning diminished the difference between the mastery-oriented and the avoidance-oriented groups in perceptions of performance goal structure, and controlling for the executive form of learning revealed differences between success-performance oriented and the indifferent and the avoidance oriented. The role of the learning environment in highlighting certain types of activities in learners' choices and the relevance of this regarding their goal preferences are discussed.

Personalized Nutrition Advice: Preferred Ways of Receiving Information Related to Psychological Characteristics.

The primary goal of this study is to be able to discern specific types of consumers in terms of their psychosocial characteristics who may need different ways of receiving dietary advice. Knowing these types will enable a better fit of advice to consumers’ psychosocial characteristics, hereby stimulating healthy eating as the probability of compliance to the advice can potentially increase. The study draws upon several psychological theories to distinguish unique underlying factors that can subsequently be used to personalize nutrition information for consumers. A number of general psychological scales (self-regulation, action and coping self-efficacy, social comparison, intrinsic motivation, health info processing, need for cognition and for affect, and regulatory focus) are filled out by 988 respondents, including their preferences for receiving personalized forms of nutrition advice. The set of joint items from various psychological constructs is analyzed using a Principal Component Analysis to find underlying psychological characteristics. The PCA produces four components (explaining 51% of variation), that could be interpreted as ‘intrinsic interest and capabilities for healthy eating,’ ‘perceived difficulty to eat healthily,’ ‘self-worth insecurity,’ and ‘seeking positive challenges,’ respectively. By means of a Logistic Regression these components are able to predict preferences for different forms of receiving nutrition advice. This first component shows that a mind set for maintaining a healthy diet goes together with an interest in receiving an advice on what do to and on how that will affect one’s health. The second component predicts a preference for a fixed moment to receive information/advice. This may be a strategy of those that perceive difficulties to eat healthily, to help them control their healthy food intake. The insecurity that the third component models seems to lead to a wish for receiving specific advice about their health situation at fixed moments in time. The fourth component is a small component, therefore its prediction of a wish for an advice focussing on prevention of negative consequences is probably not a strong result. The study does point out that there appear different psychosocial types of consumers, that may benefit by being addressed according to their preference for receiving nutrition advice on specific moments, of a specific level of detail or pointing at the type of consequences the advice has. A better fit of the advice to the psychosocial characteristics of the recipient, captured in the identified components in the current study, may lead to an increase in compliance, although that will have to be further investigated in subsequent work.

Value-based management of specialty drugs: practical considerations and implications for pharmacy.

Concerns about high and rising drug prices have prompted a call to manage prescription drugs according to their value. Although not all proposals referred to as "value based" are well suited to advance this mission, health plans must select among them under the influence of competing demands and constraints of their market and nonmarket environments. To understand the implications for health policy, we sought to explore how health plans might select among and implement these approaches for specialty pharmacy (SP) under the incentives and barriers that these conditions create. An experienced research team conducted a qualitative study with Blue Cross Blue Shield health plans interested in implementing value-based SP management. Plans'objectives, operational strategies, and factors influencing their ability to execute on these strategies were elicited in 3 focus groups. Four business objectives were identified, centering on spending levels, spending variability, access to new treatments, and evidence generation for new treatments. Supporting operational strategies included increased utilization management (UM), provider and patient engagement, expanded data analytics, and adjustments to staffing models. Factors that influence their ability to act on these strategies include regional and national scale, strength of provider network relationships, disease management capabilities, business and data silos, and potential legislative actions to limit UM. Health plans' preferences for different forms of SP management may not be aligned with policy objectives, particularly those that advance innovation. Policy makers should consider market and nonmarket factors that influence these preferences, including the need to mitigate spending variability and generate evidence to guide coverage decisions.

Mixed methods study of the potential therapeutic benefits from medical cannabis for patients in Florida

ObjectivesTo evaluate medical marijuana patients’ perceptions of therapeutic benefits for self-reported medical conditions. DesignThe study was a concurrent mixed methods study with adult medical marijuana patients. Survey data were collected using a web-based survey, and interviews were conducted in person or over the phone. SettingThe study recruited 196 medical marijuana patients to complete surveys and 13 patients to participate in qualitative interviews in Florida. MeasuresA validated patient survey was distributed via Florida medical marijuana social media groups to examine the therapeutic benefits of the cannabis plant for medical conditions and overall well-being. Concurrently, qualitative interviews were conducted to understand barriers and facilitators to accessing medical cannabis and explore preferences for different forms and strains, as well as any unexpected side effects. ResultsPatients used medical cannabis for relief of chronic pain or depression, followed by arthritis and nausea. Survey results indicated 89 % of patients reported “great relief” for their medical condition. Over 76 % of patients reported a score of 8 or higher on a 10-point scale that their medical condition had improved, and over 68 % reported a score of 8 or higher that medical cannabis had reduced their pain. Interviews indicated medical cannabis was effective for pain relief and reducing the use of prescription medicines, but the drug was perceived as too expensive. ConclusionsMedical marijuana patients were positive about the health benefits they received and the fact they were able to reduce or eliminate many prescription medications; however, there were concerns about the costs.

Consumption of different forms of fish in Abakaliki metropolis of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Fish represents an important component of protein intake of many households in Nigeria. The different forms of fish available for consumption in most urban areas of Nigeria are fresh, smoked, dried or frozen fish. Households have different preferences for different forms of fish arising from changes in demand, price and income of the household. This creates the need to study and understand the level of demand for the different forms of fish consumed, the factors that influence fish consumption and how the demand for different forms responds to changes in price and income of consumers. It is in recognition of this fact that the present study assessed the demand for different forms of fish in Abakaliki metropolis of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The paper describes the socio-economic characteristics of the fish consumers in Abakaliki metropolis, estimated the quantity and price of different forms of fish consumed in Abakaliki metropolis, ascertained the determinants of consumption of different forms of fish in the area and computed the income and price elasticities of fish demand in the area. Fifty-four (54) consumers were randomly selected from the area and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Using descriptive statistics, seemingly unrelated regression analysis, income and price elasticities, the study found that the largest number of the consumers (75.9%) was interested in fresh fish. Dried fish was the second most preferred fish form consumed by the households (72.2%) while frozen fish emerged was consumed by 64.8% of the households making it the third preferred fish form in the area. The least preferred form of fish consumed in the area was smoked fish and 53.7% of the households consumed this fish form. The average monthly demand was highest for frozen fish. Furthermore, the findings show that age, household size, income, price of different forms of fish, education and gender were significant predictors of fish consumption. All the different forms of fish were price and income inelastic, with varying levels of inelasticity.

Patient Preferences for Physician Attire: A Multicenter Study in Japan.

Previous studies have shown that patients have specific expectations regarding physician dress. Japan has a cultural background that is in many ways distinct from western countries. Thus, physician attire may have a different impact in Japan. We conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional study to examine patients' preferences for and perceptions of physician attire in Japan. The questionnaire was developed using photographs of either a male or female physician dressed in seven different forms of attire, and it was randomly distributed to inpatients and outpatients. Respondents were asked to rate the provider pictured; they were also asked to provide preferences for different forms of attire in varied clinical settings. Preference was evaluated for five domains (knowledgeable, trustworthy, caring, approachable, and comfortable). We also assessed variation in preferences for attire by respondent characteristics. A total of 1,233 (61%) patients indicated that physician dress was important, and 950 (47%) patients agreed that it influenced their satisfaction with care. Compared with all forms, casual attire with a white coat was the most preferred dress. Older patients more often preferred formal attire with a white coat in primary care and hospital settings. In addition, physician attire had a greater impact on older respondents' satisfaction and experience. The majority of Japanese patients indicated that physician attire is important and influenced their satisfaction with care. Geography, settings of care, and patient age appear to play a role in patient preferences.

Seasonal nitrogen uptake strategies in a temperate desert ecosystem depends on N form and plant species.

Symbiotic plants might be able to regulate a limited nitrogen (N) pool, thus avoiding and reducing competition for resources, through the uptake of different chemical N forms. Our aim was to see whether coexisting herbs showed preference for different forms of N in a temperate desert. We conducted a situ experiment using the 15 N labeling method in the Gurbantunggut Desert of Northwestern China dominated by Erodium oxyrrhynchum, Hyalea pulchella, Nonea caspica and Lactuca undulata during their growing period (April and May). Four desert herb species preferentially relied on 15 N-NO3 for their N nutrition. Multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis results showed that species, N forms, months, and soil depths strongly affected N uptake rate. The uptake rate by herbs was higher in May than in April, and higher at 0-5 cm than at 5-15 cm soil layers. Erodium oxyrrhynchum, N. caspica and L. undulata showed different preference on N form over months. Erodium oxyrrhynchum and L. undulata changed their uptake preference from more 15 N-Glycine in April to more 15 N-NH4 in May. Although the N uptake rate of four desert herbs varied across different soil depths and months, all species absorbed more inorganic N compared with organic N. The higher preference for 15 N-NO3 and 15 N-NH4 over 15 N-Gly possibly reflects adaptation to different N forms in temperate desert.

Math Anxiety at the University: What Forms of Teaching and Learning Statistics in Higher Education Can Help Students With Math Anxiety?

Math anxiety is a feeling of tension, worry, and/or fear in situations involving math-related activities. The relationship between Math anxiety and math cognition has been frequently studied, and the negative associations between the two have been observed at multiple levels of mathematical processing ranging from simple counting to complex math problems. These negative associations are evident across various developmental stages. The aim of this study is to identify teaching and learning methods in higher education that students high in math anxiety use and benefit from. Through an anonymous online survey, psychology students enrolled in a statistics course rated their Math anxiety, Subjective numeracy, and Objective numeracy; in addition, they rated their success in the statistics course and their general preference for different forms of learning (e.g., face to face learning, online course material, as well as the use of the online video material presented on University of Gothenburg's learning management system [GUL]). The results gave no support to the notion that students high in Math anxiety used online teaching tools more than other students. However, students high in Math anxiety said they used their classmates as help to pass the course to a greater extent compared to those lower in Math anxiety.

Ammonium uptake increases in response to PEG-induced drought stress in Malus hupehensis Rehd.

It is unclear how plants optimize their preference for different forms of inorganic nitrogen to enhance their survival and fitness in challenging environments. Using a hydroponics culture system, we monitored morphological, physiological, and molecular changes in Malus hupehensis seedlings when drought conditions (induced by 5% polyethylene glycol, or PEG) were combined with a low or normal supply of N (0.05 mM or 1 mM NH4NO3, respectively). We found here that PEG-induced drought stress negatively inhibited the growth of Malus hupehensis seedlings and resulted in higher NH4+/NO3− ratios in their roots and leaves. The net ammonium influx at the surface of fine roots rose dramatically under drought treatment, while that of nitrate was less changed. This was confirmed by higher absorption of stable 15NH4+ isotope than of 15NO3− under drought conditions. Consistently, two ammonium transporter genes closely related to ammonium uptake (AMT4;2 and AMT4;3) were notably up-regulated in response to drought stress, while transcript levels of most genes related to nitrate uptake/reduction and nitrogen assimilation decreased. Therefore, in acclimating to drought, Malus hupehensis plants exhibited relatively increased uptake of NH4+ compared to NO3−. In addition, reducing N supply may alleviate the adverse affect of drought stress on the growth of Malus hupehensis.

Acceptance of wind energy and the role of financial and procedural participation: An investigation with focus groups and choice experiments

In the course of its transition of the energy sector Germany aims to provide 80 per cent of the power supply from renewable energy sources. Although it is projected that wind power will be the main contributor in the energy transition, due to its spatial implications it is targeted by considerable local opposition, thus jeopardising the success of many wind energy projects. Previous research has found that distributive and procedural justice issues are common factors influencing local public acceptance. This paper explores local public preferences for different forms of financial and procedural participation by means of choice experiments and focus groups. The results show that wind power projects are generally accepted by the local public if certain condition, i.e. shareholding and high levels of participation in the decision-making process are offered. Policy recommendations are given on how wind power projects should be implemented so as to counteract local opposition. Deepening the understanding of these issues is of practical importance for future wind energy development.

Integration through crises? A quantitative assessment of the effect of the Eurocrisis on preferences for fiscal integration

The Eurocrisis has generated a wave of new institutions; yet, the agenda for the reform of the EMU has no lack of measures waiting for member states approval. During the crisis, however, a cooling of the public opinion in favour of more integration has been observed. This paper seeks to clarify if and to what extent the Eurocrisis has affected preferences for further fiscal integration in a multilevel setting, looking into individual determinants as well as regional and national aggregates through a country-level panel dataset built on ten waves of Eurobarometer and two different forms of fiscal integration: Eurobonds and strengthened economic governance. To measure the effect of the crisis, we use both standard economic variables such as unemployment and growth rate, and two indexes of crisis intensity built using principal components analysis. In general, we find evidence supporting the view that economic/financial distress is correlated with higher preferences for fiscal integration. However, this effect is moderate by two elements: first, lack of synchronization between the financial/economic cycles implies that only particularly acute EU-wide crises could succeed in shaping a generalized preference for further integration. Second, certain groups of countries have preferences for different forms of fiscal integration, with Eurobonds preferred by southern countries, while strengthened fiscal governance preferred by northern countries.

Cooperation of earthworm and arbuscular mycorrhizae enhanced plant N uptake by balancing absorption and supply of ammonia

Earthworms and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) interact to regulate plant nitrogen (N) supply, but the mechanisms through which they affect plant N uptake are unclear. We hypothesized that earthworms, plants and the associated AMF exhibit different preferences for different forms of inorganic N (NH4+ and NO3−), which could regulate the effect of earthworms and AMF interaction on plant N acquisition. We outlined three independent but complementary experiments to test this hypothesis in the context of exotic earthworm, Pontoscolex corethrurus. The earthworm is dominating the plantation forests in subtropical and tropical regions of China, which have their understory dominated by the fern Dicranopteris dichotoma. By employing an excised root 15N incubation experiment and a field in situ15N experiment, we found that the fern prefers to use NH4+ rather than NO3−. Then we did a 2 × 2 factorial microcosm experiment using AMF (Rhizophagus intraradices) and earthworms (P. corethrurus). The exotic earthworm increased soil NH4+ concentration but did not affect soil NO3− concentration, while the AMF decreased soil NH4+ concentration but had no effect on soil NO3− concentration. The increase in soil NH4+ induced by the earthworms was efficiently utilized by the AMF, and significantly increased the total N uptake by the fern. In contrast, the AMF alone increased the N concentration of leaves and coarse roots, but not the total plant N uptake, primarily due to the lower levels of available NH4+ compared with the earthworm treatments. The uninoculated fern did not benefit from the earthworm-induced increase in soil NH4+, suggesting that the root of the fern cannot access the ‘NH4+ hotspots’ created by the earthworms. Our work suggests that successful cooperation of earthworms and AMF on plant N uptake depends on the correct match in N-form.

The effect of experience, simulator-training and biometric feedback on manual ventilation technique

ObjectiveTo determine the frequency of provision and main providers (veterinary surgeons, nurses or trainees) of manual ventilation in UK veterinary practices. Furthermore, to determine the variation in peak inspiratory (inflation) pressure (PIP), applied to a lung model during manual ventilation, by three different groups of operators (inexperienced, experienced and specialist), before and after training. Study designQuestionnaire survey, lung model simulator development and prospective testing. MethodsPostal questionnaires were sent to 100 randomly selected veterinary practices. The lung model simulator was manually ventilated in a staged process over 3 weeks, with and without real-time biometric feedback (PIP display), by three groups of volunteer operators: inexperienced, experienced and specialist. ResultsThe questionnaires determined that veterinary nurses were responsible for providing the majority of manual ventilation in veterinary practices, mainly drawing on theoretical knowledge rather than any specific training. Thoracic surgery and apnoea were the main reasons for provision of manual ventilation. Specialists performed well when manually ventilating the lung model, regardless of feedback training. Both inexperienced and experienced operators showed significant improvement in technique when using the feedback training tool: variation in PIP decreased significantly until operators provided manual ventilation at PIPs within the defined optimum range. Preferences for different forms of feedback (graphical, numerical or scale display), revealed that the operators’ choice was not always the method which gave least variation in PIP. Conclusions and clinical relevanceThis study highlighted a need for training in manual ventilation at an early stage in veterinary and veterinary nursing careers and demonstrated how feedback is important in the process of experiential learning. A manometer device which can provide immediate feedback during training, or indeed in a real clinical setting, should improve patient safety.

Economic Threats or Societal Turmoil? Understanding Preferences for Authoritarian Political Systems

Why do some individuals prefer to be governed in an authoritarian political system? One intuitive answer is that citizens prefer authoritarian rule when the economy and society are in turmoil. These are common explanations for democratic backsliding, and the emergence and success of authoritarian leaders in the twentieth century. Which of these explanations better explains preferences for authoritarian rule? Both types of threat coincide in small samples and high-profile cases, creating inferential problems. I address this by using three waves of World Values Survey data to look at individual-level preferences for different forms of authoritarian government. Using multiple macroeconomic and societal indicators, I find that economic threats, especially increasing income inequality, better explain preferences for authoritarian government. I conclude with implications for understanding the emergence of support for authoritarianism in fledgling democracies.

Does Processing Level Affect Vegetable Region of Production Certification Preferences?

ABSTRACTWhile a number of U.S. agricultural industries have implemented a region of production (ROP) certification, little research has focused on ROP valuation associated with both whole and processed forms of a food product. Understanding consumer preferences toward certified products sold in multiple forms is critical to the success of a new certification program in an industry that sells products at multiple levels of processing. This study examines preferences for a possible ROP-certified vegetable across two product forms: fresh and processed. Discrete choice analysis was conducted using data collected from an online panel survey of 553 U.S. food consumers. A chile pepper product’s ROP was deemed important by participants, although the ROP certifier appears to matter less than other potential certifications (e.g., safety, quality). Differences in the importance of ROP between product forms suggest a single certification can have disparate effects on consumer preferences for different forms of a ROP-certified vegetable.

Who Finds Bill Gates Sexy? Creative Mate Preferences as a Function of Cognitive Ability, Personality, and Creative Achievement

AbstractCreativity is sexy, but are all creative behaviors equally sexy? We attempted to clarify the role of creativity in mate selection among an ethnically diverse sample of 815 undergraduates. First we assessed the sexual attractiveness of different forms of creativity: ornamental/aesthetic, applied/technological, and everyday/domestic creativity. Both males and females preferred ornamental/aesthetic forms of creativity in a prospective sexual partner than applied/technological and everyday/domestic forms of creativity. Secondly, we assessed the simultaneous prediction of general cognitive ability, personality, divergent thinking, self‐perceptions of creativity, and creative achievement on preferences for different forms of creativity in a prospective sexual partner. The results were generally consistent with assortative mating. The most robust predictors of a preference for applied/technological forms of creativity in a potential sexual partner were intellectual interests and creative achievement in applied/technological domains. In contrast, the most robust predictor of a preference for ornamental/aesthetic forms of creativity was openness to experience. The results suggest that openness to experience and its associated aesthetic, perceptual, and affective aspects are the primary characteristics influencing the sexual attractiveness of a creative display. Further, the results demonstrate the importance of also taking into account individual differences in personality, interests, and creative achievement when considering the sexual attractiveness of different manifestations of creativity.

Understanding children's engagement with interpretation at a cultural heritage museum

This study aims to investigate how, and the extent to which, different interpretation techniques (e.g. visual, verbal and interactive) at a cultural heritage museum affect children's behaviour, associated with their engagement with interpretive materials and their understanding of the content and its key ideas and messages presented as cultural lessons. An exploratory study with classes of primary-school-aged children, adopting a qualitative method including observation and post-visit in-depth interviews, was carried out. The results did not indicate any discernible difference between the types of interpretation technique used, with regard to their interaction with the site, or their understanding of the museum's content. Rather, it is the circumstances under which the interpretation techniques were used by the children. Two main variations in the way that the children interacted with their peers and the interpretation were found to affect the level of understanding of different stories, and female and male children showed generalised preferences for different forms of behaviour. How these behavioural patterns impacted on their understanding of the interpretation and meanings of the displayed objects at the museum is discussed.