bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing the conceptual framework of consumer sciences in higher education in the UK
Authors: Bailey Sue 
Published: May 2003

Recent subject benchmarking statements by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2002) have included the subject of consumer sciences at bachelor's level. This is significant in that part of the aim of subject benchmark statements is to describe the nature and characteristics of specific degree level subject areas and to identify the ‘typical substantive core’.Consumer science/studies have therefore been defined as: ‘interdisciplinary subjects which seek to understand the relationships between the consumer and the economic, technical, social and environmental forces which influence the development and consumption of goods and services’ (QAA, 2002).If we are seeking, therefore, to encourage empowered consumers, we need to have an understanding of how the context of consumption and consumerism is positioned within current course structures. During the last five years developments and change in both the subject area and courses has made it increasingly necessary to explore the boundaries and development of degree level courses in the subject area in the United Kingdom.Research is therefore being undertaken to investigate the existence of a unique body of knowledge that currently defines the subject field, given its inter and multidisciplinary focus.This research has also aimed to track the changes and developments in courses and to map the forms of knowledge within the subject field between higher education institutions. This has been undertaken by comparing original studies of degree content areas, interviews and surveys of core academic staff and undertaking a recent follow up of this work. The results of this research will be available for presentation at the conference.
An investigation into breakfast clubs and their potential to improve diets of primary school children
Authors: Lee Gemma , Brown Ian 
Published: May 2003

The diets of school children have been a major cause for concern for a considerable time. There is a whole host of evidence to suggest that inadequate dieting beginning in childhood is a major underlying cause of ill health in later life. The link between diet and disease is now well established, as is the need to improve the health of the nation. A number of issues have been raised in recent years including the need for nutritional standards for school meals, however, not enough has been done to eradicate these problems in schools.This research looks into one particular provision – breakfast clubs for primary school children. Research suggests that a large proportion of school children are missing out on this vital meal and the opportunity to gain a substantial proportion of the essential daily nutrients required for adequate growth and development. Breakfast clubs are intended to provide children with the opportunity to receive a nutritious breakfast at the beginning of the day.The objective of the work was to investigate breakfast clubs and establish how they could help to overcome some of the problems associated with poor nutrition in school children. An investigation was carried out using two samples of school children, one already attending a breakfast Club and one not. Comparisons were made between the two groups to see which was providing children with the most nutritious start to the day via a series of food diaries. It was concluded that the breakfast clubs provide children with higher intakes of all the nutrients surveyed and made a significant contribution towards improving the diets of the primary school children.
The attitudes and nutritional knowledge of 11–12 years olds in Merseyside and Northern Ireland
Authors: Frobisher C. , Jepson M. , Maxwell S.M. 
Published: May 2003

School is a major area for providing young people with nutritional knowledge and skills. In Northern Ireland home economics is taught to 11–12 years olds (CCEA,1998). The 1988 Education Reform Act introduced the national curriculum and home economics as a subject was effectively abolished in English schools. Key stage 3 pupils in England are taught nutrition in Science, Design and Technology and in the cross curricular theme of health education (SCAA, 1996).The aim of the study was to compare the attitudes and nutritional knowledge of children in Merseyside, England (M) and Northern Ireland (NI). A questionnaire was designed, which examined attitudes to aspects of healthy eating and tested the subject's knowledge, practical and theoretical, on nutrition and healthy eating. Subjects aged 11–12 years were recruited (M:541, NI:128).The results indicate that the healthy food message seems to have been better learnt by children in Merseyside but results of surveys in Merseyside into eating habits suggest that many have not put this knowledge into practice.
Social desirability affects nutritional and food intake estimated from a food frequency questionnaire
Authors: Barros R. , Oliveira B. , Moreira P. 
Published: May 2003

In order to assess the influence of social desirability in a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), 483 Portuguese university students (133 women and 350 men) were recruited to a two‐part self‐administered questionnaire: the first part included the Marlowe–Crowne Social Desirability Scale (M‐CSDS), physical activity data and self‐reported height and weight; the second part, a validated semiquantitative FFQ. All subjects completed the first part of the questionnaire but only 40.2% returned the FFQ fairly completed (no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups, for any of the variables studied). Statistical analysis included reliability and test–retest of M‐CSDS, correlation and general linear model (GLM).The Cronbach's alpha of M‐CSDS was 0.64 and a test–retest correlation of 0.80 was obtained in a subsample of 35 subjects who completed the scale twice. We found a significantly positive correlation between social desirability and vitamin E for women; when adjusted for physical activity, body mass index and energy, social desirability was positively correlated with vitamin E, magnesium and fibre for women; and vitamin C, magnesium and fibre, for men. In GLM, social desirability produced a significant upward bias in dietary fibre, sugars, β‐carotene, vitamins C, E, magnesium, potassium and iodine, for women; and in dietary fibre, pufa n‐3, folate, vitamins C, E, magnesium, manganese and potassium, for men.In GLM, and for both genders, social desirability produced a significant upward bias in vegetable consumption. Moreover, social desirability produced for women a significant downward bias in white bread, onion and beer, and for men in biscuits.
Physical properties and degradability of PHB/chitosan blend films
Authors: Kim Meera , Jeon Soyun , Kim Hyochung 
Published: May 2003

Synthetic polymers are rarely degraded in nature and cause environmental pollution. Biodegradable films have been developed to alleviate the pollution. Many countries have great interests in biodegradable food packaging films. Poly (3‐hydroxy butyric acid) (PHB) is a natural biodegradable plastic with biocompatibility. However, PHB has some problems of application to the food system because it is brittle and stiff. Because PHB has a poor site for chemical modification, the blends of PHB with flexible polymers can overcome these undesirable properties. Therefore, we prepared the blend films of PHB with chitosan, analysed the mechanical properties and barrier properties against water vapour, oxygen and lipid and monitored biodegradability of PHB/chitosan films in this study.The degree of crystallinity of PHB/chitosan films by X‐ray diffraction decreased with increasing chitosan concentration. The granular sizes of the films were reduced with the addition of chitosan to the film in the micro structural observation by a scanning electron microscope. Mechanical properties, including tensile strength and percent elongation of the blend films increased with increasing chitosan ration in the films. It is demonstrated that mechanical properties of the films were improved by the addition of chitosan. The water vapour permeability (WVP) of the PHB film was the highest and WVP was decreased by the addition of chitosan. Oxygen permeability of the films decreased as chitosan amount increased. The films had very good barrier property against lipid. The consumed oxygen of PHB film was greater than that of chitosan film for incubation on the biodegradability determination of the films. Therefore, the blend films could be expected to increase the rate of degradation in natural environments.
Adult consumer education across Europe – redressing the market or reaching the vulnerable consumer
Authors: Schuh Maria , Kitson Mike 
Published: May 2003

Consumer education is an important EU and United Nations priority. In most countries’ formal education systems, it is not a single discipline in its own right, but a cross‐curricular subject involving many areas of the school curriculum. Adult consumers are expected to be critical and informed consumers but may not know how to acquire the appropriate skills. The formal school system in many countries has failed to deliver these skills and values and adults need consumer education through both formal and informal means. With increasingly varied societies consumer education will help to produce active socially responsible citizens and citizenship is an essential element of the delivery of consumer education to adults. It is particularly important that consumer education should reach the vulnerable groups in society. Increasing globalisation and business power necessitate ethical and sustainable business practices; an informed, educated and empowered consumer will strengthen the market place to the benefit of both consumers and business.Unlike school education, adult education across Europe is fragmented     with     a     mixture     of     formal     education,     including training for vocational qualifications, continuing and community education,   and   informal   education,   an   essential   contributor   to life‐long   learning   delivered   through   media,   women's   groups, consumer groups and many other large and small organisations.The     issues     have     been     addressed     by     the     EU     Socrates supported     CEA     (Consumer     Education     for     Adults)     project which     has     10     partners     from     7     European     countries     drawn from non‐government organisations, teacher training and adult education institutions, universities and research institutes. The project   has   produced   a   training   manual   for   adult   consumer education, a training module, piloted in Vienna, which includes a handbook of teaching materials and a video, and has initiated a dialogue between consumers, consumer educators, business and producers.
An investigative study of adult consumer education and lifelong learning needs in the United Kingdom and Latvia
Authors: Kitson Mike , Dislere Vija , Harrison Helen 
Published: May 2003

Consumer education in Latvia is in the early stages of development and should be seen in the context of the rapidly changing society in the post‐Soviet era and the increasing influence of the marketplace, and Latvia's position as a new accession   country. The   Latvia   University   of   Agriculture   is in the process of developing an adult consumer education programme.A comparative study between the UK and Latvia was designed to test the hypothesis that many adult consumers lack knowledge and understanding of their consumer rights and responsibilities. A sample of adults in both countries completed a consumer rights questionnaire investigating attitude, knowledge and critical thinking ability. The UK questionnaire was modified, taking into account the different consumer environment in the two countries, to compare the need for adult consumer education in Latvia and the United Kingdom.In the United Kingdom results showed that the group overall were not confident that they knew enough about consumer rights and legislation or to resolve consumer problems and were unsure about their consumer responsibilities. Levels of knowledge were poor, leaving adults vulnerable to exploitation in the marketplace, uninformed about their responsibilities to voice dissatisfaction about goods and services, and unaware of how their consumer behaviour can affect the wider community.Adult participants in Latvia thought that they lacked education in consumer legal rights and responsibilities and did not have the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to manage consumer problems effectively.Results in both countries indicate that adult consumer education is needed, supplemented by a comprehensive package of adult consumer education. Despite the cultural differences between the two countries, the analysis showed that similar adult consumer skills and attitudes were needed.This joint research has shown that this methodology could be used to determine adult consumer and life‐long consumer education needs in other European countries and internationally.
Consumer empowerment in consumer education. Experiences from educational and consumer studies of youngsters
Authors: Benn Jette 
Published: May 2003

The aim of consumer education has mainly been to teach and educate students to be and act as informed, rational and prudent consumers. This understanding of consumption as reasoned behaviour or action is inadequate in the late modern society, where consumerism is first and foremost characterised by globalisation, cultural change and the liberation of the individual.The results of a research study involving Danish pupils aged 12–19 present a picture where consumption is both connected to material and immaterial aspects of life. Consumption as such has a significant impact on and meaning for the single person: it becomes a way human beings communicate and interact. Consumption is part of children's and youngsters’ formation and socialisation, and     plays     a     role     in     the development     of     identity   and self‐conception.Formal institutional consumer enlightenment and the education     of     students     in     a     class     stand     in     contradiction to informal consumer socialisation and the education of individuals. The educational project may be described as ‘educating for critical consumer awareness and action competence’. But consumer education is located in the field of tension between ‘consumership’ and ‘citizenship’. The pilot study seeks to address and integrate consumer socialization and consumer education in order to reflect on empowerment as part of education.
Consumer education in the UK: new developments in policy, strategy and implementation
Authors: Brennan Carol , Ritters Katrina 
Published: May 2003

Consumer education is an integral part of the European Community's consumer policy. It plays a key role in consumer empowerment, helping consumers gain the skills, attitudes and knowledge they need to be able to gear the choices they make as consumers to their economic interests and to protecting their health and safety. In its policy statement, the Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection states that the European Community is aware that joint   measures   at   national   and   Community   levels   should be more structured, in order to achieve maximum effectiveness.This presentation/paper aims to set out the current policy and strategic context for consumer education and empowerment in the UK; review the role of UK government bodies and other agencies concerned with developments; review recent literature; present the results of interviews with an extensive range of key stakeholders and the results of a survey of service heads for Trading Standards throughout the UK. It will consider implementation, partnership, resources, ideas and opportunities.The research found that the agenda for consumer education in the UK is at an interesting stage of development. The Enterprise Act 2002 gives the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) a statutory power to carry out educational activities. Consumer education is also moving up the agenda in the Trading Standards Service. In addition, the teaching of citizenship in English schools is already stimulating new developments in consumer education.The paper will consider the need for organisations like these to work together to build on these policy developments and ensure that consumer education gains the profile it needs to influence consumer attitudes and behaviour.
How to create tools to empower the consumer – the challenges of home economics/FCS and home economics teacher education
Authors: Turkki Kaija 
Published: May 2003

The aim of this presentation is to introduce some new frameworks that have been under discussion in developing university studies in the field of home economics or family and consumer sciences in Finland. The empirical data is derived from students’ contributions during their university studies in the degree program for home economics teachers at the Master's level. The main data is based on students’ opinions and conceptions about strengths (S), weaknesses (W), opportunities (O) and threats (T) of their university discipline and field to meet the future challenges. All students are at the level of advanced studies (mainly 4th year), and the number of students is 34. All have some school experience as a home economics teacher and most also have some other work experience in the field of home economics, family and consumer sciences.The research questions were: (1) How do the students see their field according to the SWOT analysis? and (2) What type of developments do they pose for the future? There was also an implementation section. Students were asked to produce their own ‘action plan’ for the next few years.The preliminary data analysis reveals that inside the discipline and the field there are several empowerment elements, but also that they are not used as efficiently as they could be.In conclusion, most students have a very realistic view of their studies. They can analyse them in diverse ways, and reveal important qualifications. They are aware of the various challenges that face us in both the present and future societies. Students also see that home economics not only gives them tools that are relevant in present school situations, but the subject includes such future potentials that can be used in directing the school towards the more open learning environments. Home economics has its place inside the education system. Both the idea of ‘home economics teacher as a researcher’ and ‘home economics teacher as an educator’ were seen as important aims to maintain in the university degree.
An evaluation of the effects of Colour Me Beautiful on women's shopping habits
Authors: Grove‐White Ann 
Published: May 2003

The research presents a case study about the way that women make decisions about colour and dress prior to, and after a visit to an image consultancy, Colour Me Beautiful. It specifically asks to what extent women feel they have benefited from such a consultation in relation to the fashion system and the experience of shopping.The first section argues that the interviewees, prior to a consultation, had adopted a narrow and restricted mode of decision‐making in relation to clothes and colour due to a variety of social and personal reasons. The second section explores the processes by which the majority of interviewees began to gain confidence and a renewed interest in selecting clothes after a colour consultation. Such a ‘technology of the self’ enabled the respondents to ‘play’ with the fashion system, in a way that they had not felt able to do before. In particular the mechanisms of expertise and meaning were central to this process of change.
Transcriptional activation of nitric oxide synthase‐2, and NO‐induced cell death, in mouse cerebrovascular endothelium exposed to Neisseria meningitidis
Authors: Constantin Despina , Ala'Aldeen Dlawer , Murphy Sean 
Published: May 2003

AbstractThe site and mechanisms by which meningococci gain access to the CNS are unclear. In this study we determined whether production of nitric oxide (NO) is part of the host (endothelial cell) response to meningococcal cell lysate, and the consequences for endothelial cell viability. Expression of NO synthase type II (NOS‐2) mRNA, protein and enzyme activity were investigated in mouse cerebrovascular endothelial cells exposed to sonicated Neisseria meningitidis. The production of nitrite peaked after 48 h of incubation, and this reflected transcriptional activation of the NOS‐2 gene and increased expression of the NOS‐2 protein. This endothelial response was independent of meningococcal lipopolysaccharide production. Endothelial cell death occurred as a result of NO production, and addition of a NOS inhibitor prevented cell death, but the cells did not exhibit features of apoptosis. However, inhibition of poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) decreased the rate of cell death by more than 40%. These data indicate that N. meningitidis increases expression of NOS‐2 in endothelial cells and causes cell death. Such an effect could contribute to meningococcal entry into the CNS in situ.
Dopamine transport function is elevated in cocaine users
Authors: Mash Deborah C. , Pablo John , Ouyang Qinjie , Hearn W. Lee , Izenwasser Sari 
Published: May 2003

AbstractDopaminergic transmission has been suggested to be a primary mechanism mediating reinforcement, withdrawal and craving associated with psychostimulant addiction. Pyschostimulants attenuate dopamine transporter (DAT) clearance efficiency, resulting in a net increase in synaptic dopamine levels. Re‐uptake rate is determined by the number of functional DAT molecules at the membrane surface. Previousin vivoimaging studies in humans andin vitrostudies in post‐mortem human brain have demonstrated that chronic cocaine abuse results in a neuroadaptive increase in DAT‐binding site density in the limbic striatum. Whether this increase in DAT availability represents an increase in the functional activity of the transporter is unknown. Here, we present evidence that DAT function is elevated by chronic cocaine abuse. The effect of increasing post‐mortem interval on the functional viability of synaptosomes was modeled in the baboon brain. Baboon brains sampled under conditions similar to human brain autopsies yielded synaptosomal preparations that were viable up to 24 h post‐mortem. Dopamine (DA) uptake was elevated twofold in the ventral striatum from cocaine users as compared to age‐matched drug‐free control subjects. The levels of [3H]DA uptake were not elevated in victims of excited cocaine delirium, who experienced paranoia and marked agitation prior to death. In keeping with the increase in DAT function, [3H]WIN 35,428 binding was increased in the cocaine users, but not in the victims of excited delirium. These results demonstrate that DA uptake function assayed in cryopreserved human brain synaptosomes is a suitable approach for testing hypotheses of the mechanisms underlying human brain disorders and for studying the actions of addictive drugs in man.