Trends in Information Needs and Communication Channel Use Among Rural Women in Africa,Asia, and Latin America, 2000–2012

A trend analysis of information needs and communication channel use of rural women in Africa, Asia, and Latin America was conducted by examining empirical works published in reports, scholarly publications, and the popular press from 2000 to 2012. Results show that information about farming practices, health, education, gender and general family well-being issues were the most sought across the three continents. Demand for 14 information categories surged in volume and scope after 2009. Interpersonal communication sources trumped the mediated ones as the channels of choice; extension agents were the most preferred source. Radio was the most frequently mentioned preferred medium.     

Factors Influencing U.S. Consumers' Preference for Positively Versus Negatively Framed GM Food Symbols

This study explores the factors that may have a bearing on consumers' preference for positively and negatively framed symbols on food products containing genetically modified ingredients. An online survey tested the influence of three categories of variables—individual cognitive-psychological attributes, media and information-related variables, and demographic characteristics—on consumers' preference for symbols that have been framed in a positive or negative way. The findings indicated that consumers' preference for positively framed symbols was determined by their objective knowledge of genetic modification, education, and income, while preference for negatively framed symbols was influenced by objective knowledge and exposure to food labels.     

Testing an Extended Reasoned Action Framework to Predict Intention to Purchase Fruits With Novel Shapes

This study explored the influence of consumers' attitudes, subjective norms, and novelty-seeking on their intention to purchase fruits of unconventional or novel shapes. Based on the results of an online survey of consumers from around the world, and guided by an extended version of the theory of reasoned action, the findings showed that consumers' intention to purchase buddha- and baby-shaped pears was determined largely by the attitudes they hold about fruits with uncharacteristic shapes, but not by subjective norms. Novelty-seeking was strongly correlated with purchase intention. Young consumers with lower incomes were more likely to buy the non-conventional-shaped products than older consumers with higher incomes.     

Formation and remobilisation of soil microbial residue. Effect of clay content and repeated additions of cellulose and sucrose

In two studies, we assessed the mass balance of added ¹⁴C-labelled sucrose and ¹⁵NH₄¹⁵NO₃ by measuring ¹⁴CO₂, ¹⁴C and ¹⁵N in soil microbial biomass (SMB) and ¹⁴C and ¹⁵N in soil solution. Specifically, we assessed the potential of recently added ¹⁴C to be re-mobilised by cryptic growth using subsequent additions of sucrose and cellulose and the effect of physical protection on the stabilisation of the labelled substrate. We used both a constructed soil with low soil organic matter content and varied the clay content as well as a natural soil. We observed a substantial initial as well as a later stage transfer of ¹⁴C into unidentifiable form, hypothesised to be microbial residues. When using a standard k _EC value of 0.45, only roughly 50% of the added labelled substrates were accountable and therefore we explored the full range of reported k _EC values to assess the mass balance. Subsequent application of unlabelled sucrose and cellulose did not substantially increase turnover ¹⁴C and ¹⁵N. Contrary to our expectation, there was no effect of clay content on the amount of unidentified ¹⁴C and ¹⁵N. The unidentified ¹⁴C and ¹⁵N is ascribed to formation of soil microbial residue. The low recovery of added isotope suggests that our mechanistic models are missing a large and important pool in order to realistically simulate organic matter turnover in soil.