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Although a Mediterranean diet (MeDiet) provides several psychophysical health benefits, research on how to effectively promote MeDiet adherence is still lacking. In the present study, we tested the effectiveness of a messaging intervention aimed at promoting the adherence to the Mediterranean diet. A total of 435 Italian participants responded to a questionnaire on their eating self-efficacy and adherence to the MeDiet at Time 1. Then, participants were randomly assigned to three different conditions: (a) gain messages focused on the positive outcomes of MeDiet adherence; (b) non-loss messages focused on the avoided negative outcomes associated with MeDiet adherence; (c) no messages (control). After the 2 week intervention, participants answered some questions regarding their perception of threat and distress, evaluation of the messages, and adherence to the MeDiet at Time 2. We also tested whether the messaging intervention influenced participants’ MeDiet adherence at Time 2. Results confirmed that the messaging intervention enhanced the MeDiet adherence (F(2,432) = 4.61; p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.02), with no difference between exposure to gain or non-loss messages (95% LLCI = −0.32; 95% ULCI = 0.54). We then tested whether message framing effectiveness was influenced by eating self-efficacy, and results showed that gain messages were more persuasive for participants with low eating self-efficacy (effect size = 0.01; p for interaction = 0.03). Discussion suggests that tailoring messages according to receivers’ psychological characteristics seems to be pivotal to enhance the persuasiveness of messages aimed at promoting the MeDiet adherence.

Ever increasing use of engineered carbon nanoparticles in nanopharmacology for selective imaging, sensor or drug delivery systems has increased the potential for blood platelet–nanoparticle interactions. We studied the effects of engineered and combustion‐derived carbon nanoparticles on human platelet aggregation in vitro and rat vascular thrombosis in vivo. Multiplewall (MWNT), singlewall (SWNT) nanotubes, C60 fullerenes (C60CS) and mixed carbon nanoparticles (MCN) (0.2–300 μg ml−1) were investigated. Nanoparticles were compared with standard urban particulate matter (SRM1648, average size 1.4 μm). Platelet function was studied using lumi aggregometry, phase‐contrast, immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometry, zymography and pharmacological inhibitors of platelet aggregation. Vascular thrombosis was induced by ferric chloride and the rate of thrombosis was measured, in the presence of carbon particles, with an ultrasonic flow probe. Carbon particles, except C60CS, stimulated platelet aggregation (MCNSWNT>MWNT>SRM1648) and accelerated the rate of vascular thrombosis in rat carotid arteries with a similar rank order of efficacy. All particles resulted in upregulation of GPIIb/IIIa in platelets. In contrast, particles differentially affected the release of platelet granules, as well as the activity of thromboxane‐, ADP, matrix metalloproteinase‐ and protein kinase C‐dependent pathways of aggregation. Furthermore, particle‐induced aggregation was inhibited by prostacyclin and S‐nitroso‐glutathione, but not by aspirin. Thus, some carbon nanoparticles and microparticles have the ability to activate platelets and enhance vascular thrombosis. These observations are of importance for the pharmacological use of carbon nanoparticles and pathology of urban particulate matter. British Journal of Pharmacology (2005) 146, 882–893. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706386

Although local food purchasing provides several benefits to both consumers and producers, research on what recommendation messages can effectively promote the purchase of local food is still lacking. In the present study, 410 participants were involved in a 2-week intervention relying on prefactual (i.e., “If … then”) messages promoting the purchase of local food. All messages were sent through a research app to participants’ mobile phones and were focused on environmental consequences of purchasing (or not purchasing) local food. Four experimental conditions involving messages differing as to outcome sensitivity framing (i.e., gain, non-loss, non-gain and loss) were compared to a control condition. To test the effectiveness of the messages, before and after the 2-week intervention participants were involved in a choice task. They were asked to choose among fruits with different provenience, that is, from the participants’ municipality of residence or abroad. Results showed that all message frames increased the selection of local food, compared to control. Furthermore, pro-environmental consumers were more persuaded by messages formulated in terms of gains and non-gains, whereas healthy consumers were more persuaded by messages formulated in terms of losses or non-losses. Discussion focuses on the advantages of tailored communication to promote the purchase of local food.

By means of integrated and systemic resilience strategies, it is possible to reduce vulnerability and risk, and at the same time increase the capacity to adapt to sustainable regional development scenarios. On the other hand, industries that can develop learning skills may address critical situations by adopting systemic thinking that is focused on problem-solving. In this study, our objective is to analyze the dynamics of the footwear industry in the south of Brazil. The secondary objectives are the development of a dynamic model that would a) explain the main processes of the industry, b) chart the projection of learning scenarios that simulate the capacity of improvement in these processes, and c) increase the regional resilience for a time horizon of 10. Action research was used as research method, due to the cooperative and participative involvement that occurs between the researchers and the participants in order to understand the situation and to construct the systems dynamic model of the impact of the footwear-industry activity of a city in the south of Brazil over the city resilience. The studied industry underwent a major economic change; it shifted from the production of commodities to the production of differentiated specialties. From the systemic analysis, five main learning scenarios were identified: (i) the AS IS, (ii) the uniform distribution of investment, (iii) the labor training investment, (iv) the value-added marketing investment, and (v) the solid waste treatment investment. Moreover, four scenarios of comparison were identified as well, namely (i) the large exchange variation and low-level crisis, (ii) the large exchange variation and high-level crisis, (iii) the small exchange variation and high-level crisis, and (iv) the small exchange variation and low-level crisis. The systems dynamic model relied on input data, the opinion of industry experts, performance equations, and graphical functions. The model provided a learning environment that allowed a better understanding systemic filling the gap left by the indexes that purport to measure the resiliency allowing a better understanding of the factors and elements that interact and influence the regional resilience and of the improvements in productive processes in the footwear industry. Thus, simultaneous business investment in determinants of resilience factors contribute to increase resilience in the region where these companies operate? A synergistic effect was observed; that is, resilience could be more easily achieved if the scenarios of labor qualification, value-added marketing, and solid waste treatment were applied simultaneously. These findings were compared to the principles of the BRICS index and were fully aligned. In future studies, it is important to establish a performance index in order to generate models that would be capable of controlling evolutionary paths toward process improvement and of increasing the regional resilience of the industry.

PurposeDrum-Buffer-Rope (DBR) is a method to adjust production flows, synchronize the release of materials and enable a process of focused improvement in production systems. Literature on DBR applications in engineer-to-order (ETO) production systems, where customers participate in product design decisions and, consequently, in the way production is planned and executed, is rare. However, the interest in improving production management in ETO systems has received attention from the scientific and business communities. The goal of this research was to evaluate the implementation of DBR in an ETO productive system, critically analyzing the necessary adaptations for its use.Design/methodology/approachThis research was conducted through a case study in a company that manufactures electronic equipment, known as avionics, in the aerospace sector.FindingsIn this context, the contribution of this study consists of evaluation of the implementation of DBR in an ETO productive system, describing the implementation and the necessary adaptations of the DBR to the ETO productive system explored, comparing it with the DBR theoretical proposals and Simplified Drum-Buffer-Rope (S-DBR) methods.Originality/valueThe study contributes to knowledge by expanding the field of the DBR application to make it more precise, and by applying the theory of constraints, in a general manner, to this type of productive environment.

We measured volatile organic compound (VOC) exposures in multiple locations for a diverse population of children who attended two inner-city schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Fifteen common VOCs were measured at four locations: outdoors (O), indoors at school (S), indoors at home (H), and in personal samples (P). Concentrations of most VOCs followed the general pattern O ≈ S < P ≤ H across the measured microenvironments. The S and O environments had the smallest and H the largest influence on personal exposure to most compounds. A time-weighted model of P exposure using all measured microenvironments and time-activity data provided little additional explanatory power beyond that provided by using the H measurement alone. Although H and P concentrations of most VOCs measured in this study were similar to or lower than levels measured in recent personal monitoring studies of adults and children in the United States, p-dichlorobenzene was the notable exception to this pattern, with upper-bound exposures more than 100 times greater than those found in other studies of children. Median and upper-bound H and P exposures were well above health benchmarks for several compounds, so outdoor measurements likely underestimate long-term health risks from children's exposure to these compounds.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the relations in the Marketing/Operations interface through the analysis of data of the operational reality of a Brazilian company with a low technological intensity. The study aims to quantify and determine the impacts of marketing decisions on delivery performance and on flexibility of the operations area.Design/methodology/approachA longitudinal case study was conducted and the variables used in the model were derived from established theories and were evaluated with artificial neural networks. The case of a food manufacturing company was selected to reflect the relations in the marketing/operations interface of a low technological intensity enterprise.FindingsThe results show that the decisions on Place/Channel, Price and Product dimensions of marketing exert a significant impact on flexibility and delivery performance of the operation area.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings of the case study cannot be generalised and the outcomes are specific to just one firm. However, the approach lends itself to replication, particularly within low technological intensity companies.Originality/valuePrior studies have focussed on coordination among functional areas as marketing and operations at higher levels of abstraction. The study contemplate empirical propositions through the data analysis of a company with a low technological intensity that can be used to improve managers' decisions and alignment in the Marketing/Operation Interface.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of a Brazilian steelmaking company’s reheating process of the hot rolling mill.Design/methodology/approachThe research method is a quantitative modeling. The main research techniques are data envelopment analysis, TOBIT regression and simulation supported by artificial neural networks. The model’s input and output variables consist of the average billet weight, number of billets processed in a batch, gas consumption, thermal efficiency, backlog and production yield within a specific period. The analysis spans 20 months.FindingsThe key findings include an average current efficiency of 81%, identification of influential variables (average billet weight, billet count and gas consumption) and simulated analysis. Among the simulated scenarios, the most promising achieved an average efficiency of 95% through increased equipment availability and billet size.Practical implicationsAdditional favorable simulated scenarios entail the utilization of higher pre-reheating temperatures for cold billets, representing a large amount of savings in gas consumption and a reduction in CO2 emissions.Originality/valueThis study’s primary innovation lies in providing steelmaking practitioners with a systematic approach to evaluating and enhancing the efficiency of reheating processes.

Background: Patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) rarely receive third-line or further treatment. In this context, regorafenib (R) and trifluridine/tipiracil (T) are two important novel therapeutic choices with statistically significant increases in overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease control, with different toxicity profiles. This study is a subgroup analysis of our larger retrospective study, already published, whose objective was to assess the outcomes of patients when R and T were given sequentially. Patients and Methods: The study involved thirteen Italian cancer centers on a 10-year retrospective observation (2012–2022). In this subgroup analysis, we focused our attention on the correlation between the first drug treatment duration (<3 months, 3 to <6 months and ≥6 months) and survival outcomes in patients who had received the sequence regorafenib-to-trifluridine/tipiracil, or vice versa. Results: The initial study included 866 patients with mCRC who received sequential T/R, or R/T, or T or R alone. This analysis is focused on evaluating the impact of the duration of the first treatment in the sequence on clinical outcomes (OS, PFS) and includes 146 and 116 patients of the T/R and R/T sequences, respectively. Based on the duration of the first drug treatment, subgroups for the T/R sequence included 27 patients (18.4%) who received T for <3 months, 86 (58.9%) treated for 3 to <6 months, and 33 (22.6%) treated for ≥6 months; in the reverse sequence (R as the first drug), subgroups included 18 patients (15.5%) who received their first treatment for <3 months, 62 (53.4%) treated for 3 to <6 months, and 35 (31.0%) treated for ≥6 months. In patients who received their first drug treatment for a period of 3 to <6 months, the R/T sequence had a significantly longer median OS (13.7 vs. 10.8 months, p = 0.0069) and a longer median PFS (10.8 vs. 8.5 months, p = 0.0003) than the T/R group. There were no statistically significant differences between groups with first drug treatment durations of <3 months and ≥6 months. Conclusions: Our analysis seems to suggest that the administration of R for a period of 3 to <6 months before that of T can prolong both OS and PFS, as compared to the opposite sequence.

The purpose of this article is to identify the main leverage points that can accelerate the results of the resocialization program via prison work implemented in one of the states of Brazil. The research method was design science research. The main research technique was a systemic analysis, a technique belonging to the field of knowledge of the soft systems methodology. The systemic analysis mapped and listed in closed loops the factors of major influence on the program’s results. The sources of information were meetings with specialists from the prison public administration and a survey of the state population. The main deliverable of the study is a systemic map with the identification of two leverage points that, if addressed by the public administration, can remove the main obstacles to the program, the insufficient funds for investment in justice structures, and the skepticism of a large part of the population. The team of public agents responsible for managing the program validated the conclusions.