This article argues for an updated theoretical framework in fashion studies. It proposes that perspectives emphasizing the social role and the technological nature of dress should be considered complementary, and that their joint application can contribute to new understandings of fashion history. Employing ethnographic methods, this stance is explored through a comparative analysis of the sartorial practices of two groups of women living or working in Amsterdam during the 1950s and the 2010s. A theoretical framework integrating theories of identity (mainly based on the writings of Georg Simmel and Gabriel Tarde) and the philosophy of technology (in this case the device paradigm of Albert Borgmann) allows us to uncover a paradoxical history of fashion in which clothing shifts roles, transforming from “things of imitation” into “devices of differentiation.”
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Protein acylation via metabolic acyl-CoA intermediates provides a link between cellular metabolism and protein functionality. A process in which acetyl-CoA and acetylation are fine-tuned is during myogenic differentiation. However, the roles of other protein acylations remain unknown. Protein propionylation could be functionally relevant because propionyl-CoA can be derived from the catabolism of amino acids and fatty acids and was shown to decrease during muscle differentiation. We aimed to explore the potential role of protein propionylation in muscle differentiation, by mimicking a pathophysiological situation with high extracellular propionate which increases propionyl-CoA and protein propionylation, rendering it a model to study increased protein propionylation. Exposure to extracellular propionate, but not acetate, impaired myogenic differentiation in C2C12 cells and propionate exposure impaired myogenic differentiation in primary human muscle cells. Impaired differentiation was accompanied by an increase in histone propionylation as well as histone acetylation. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation showed increased histone propionylation at specific regulatory myogenic differentiation sites of the Myod gene. Intramuscular propionylcarnitine levels are higher in old compared to young males and females, possibly indicating increased propionyl-CoA levels with age. The findings suggest a role for propionylation and propionyl-CoA in regulation of muscle cell differentiation and ageing, possibly via alterations in histone acylation.
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Vaak zien we dat (sport-) bedrijven hun productaanbod differentiëren: ze bieden verschillende varianten van een product aan die voor verschillende groepen afnemers aantrekkelijk kunnen zijn. Dit noemen we productdifferentiatie. Dit kan gerealiseerd worden door het aanbieden van productvormen van eenzelfde kwaliteit of door productvormen met een verschillend kwaliteitsniveau. Wanneer organisaties in de sportbusiness producten (en diensten) in de markt zetten die zich onderscheiden van concurrenten doordat ethische aspecten een relatief grote rol spelen in het product, de dienst, het personeel of het imago, spreken we van ethische productdiffentiatie in de sport. Veelal zien we dat het om producten gaat met een relatief hoge kwaliteit. Ethische productdifferentiatie is een marketingstrategie die zeer geschikt is voor sportbedrijven die zich bewegen in markten met veel concurrentie. Case: O'Neill.
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Background: The aim of this study is to validate a newly developed nurses' self-efficacy sources inventory. We test the validity of a five-dimensional model of sources of self-efficacy, which we contrast with the traditional four-dimensional model based on Bandura's theoretical concepts. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis was used in the development of the newly developed self-efficacy measure. Model fit was evaluated based upon commonly recommended goodness-of-fit indices, including the χ2 of the model fit, the Root Mean Square Error of approximation (RMSEA), the Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI), the Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR), and the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). Results: All 22 items of the newly developed five-factor sources of self-efficacy have high factor loadings (range .40-.80). Structural equation modeling showed that a five-factor model is favoured over the four-factor model. Conclusions and implications: Results of this study show that differentiation of the vicarious experience source into a peer- and expert based source reflects better how nursing students develop self-efficacy beliefs. This has implications for clinical learning environments: a better and differentiated use of self-efficacy sources can stimulate the professional development of nursing students.
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In this article, the outcomes of a survey aimed to investigate how aware of and how capable coaches in higher vocational Dutch education perceive themselves to assist students displaying mental health and well-being issues are presented. Additionally, the article explores coaches’ perceptions regarding the frequency, form of help offered, topics to be tackled and the preferred form in which this help should be provided. The author conducted a survey that gathered qualitative and quantitative data from coaches (N 5 82) at a Dutch University of Applied Sciences in the north of the Netherlands. A differentiation in coaches’ number of years of teaching and coaching experience was considered.
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Whitepaper: The use of AI is on the rise in the financial sector. Utilizing machine learning algorithms to make decisions and predictions based on the available data can be highly valuable. AI offers benefits to both financial service providers and its customers by improving service and reducing costs. Examples of AI use cases in the financial sector are: identity verification in client onboarding, transaction data analysis, fraud detection in claims management, anti-money laundering monitoring, price differentiation in car insurance, automated analysis of legal documents, and the processing of loan applications.
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The semantic differential is a widely applied measurement technique in the information systems field. As wedemonstrate in this study, however, there is evidence that many of the applications of the semantic differentialseem to be subject to common shortcomings. In this study, we address these shortcomings by creatingawareness of the requirements underlying semantic differentiation. We discuss the requirements of semanticdifferentiation and use them as a foundation to introduce a framework to assist researchers in applying thesemantic differential more adequately. The framework puts renewed emphasis on bipolar scale selection anddimensionality testing, introduces semantic bipolarity as new criterion, and proposes distinct stages for thetesting of wording and contextual contamination. We exemplify the framework using an illustration exercise,which centers on the assessment of the meaning of the concept “electronic marketplace quality”. Using amixture of qualitative and quantitative methods, the illustration exercise clarifies the prerequisites for semantic differentiation and provides suggestions for researchers. The paper concludes with a discussion of several methodological implications.
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Climate change calls for an energy transition utilizing all available renewable energy resources, such as bioenergy from biomass. However, the use of biomass is debated in society, and public acceptance is low or lacking. This survey-based research demonstrates for the first time that public acceptance of bioenergy hinges on (a) the type of biomass feedstock used to generate bioenergy and (b) the perceptions of the effectiveness of bioenergy in contributing to the energy transition. A survey-embedded vignette experiment (with 409 Dutch participants) shows that public acceptance of the biomass feedstocks 'wood' and 'energy crops' is significantly lower than the acceptance of 'organic waste' and 'manure' for bioenergy. These results indicate that the biomass feedstock type should be more carefully considered and specified in future research and communication on public acceptance of bioenergy. Thematic coding and bootstrapped mediation analyses identified the perceived effectivity of bioenergy in contributing to the energy transition as a prime explanatory (i.e., mediating) variable for acceptance. A subsequent message-framing communication experiment (with 414 Dutch participants) demonstrates that emphasizing biomass feedstock as a form of waste utilization is a frame that helps to increase public acceptance of bioenergy. The waste utilization frame notably improves the perceptions of the effectiveness of bioenergy as contributing to the energy transition for the two lesser accepted biomass feedstocks. The emphasis on biomass feedstock type as a form of waste treatment can improve strategic communications on bioenergy and foster wider public acceptance of bioenergy in the transition toward a more sustainable energy system.
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To accelerate differentiation between Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS), this study aimed to compare six different DNA extraction methods from 2 commonly used blood culture materials, i.e. BACTEC and Bact/ALERT. Furthermore, we analyzed the effect of reduced blood culture times for detection of Staphylococci directly from blood culture material. A real-time PCR duplex assay was used to compare 6 different DNA isolation protocols on two different blood culture systems. Negative blood culture material was spiked with MRSA. Bacterial DNA was isolated with: automated extractor EasyMAG (3 protocols), automated extractor MagNA Pure LC (LC Microbiology Kit MGrade), a manual kit MolYsis Plus, and a combination between MolYsis Plus and the EasyMAG. The most optimal isolation method was used to evaluate reduced bacterial culture times. Bacterial DNA isolation with the MolYsis Plus kit in combination with the specific B protocol on the EasyMAG resulted in the most sensitive detection of S.aureus, with a detection limit of 10 CFU/ml, in Bact/ALERT material, whereas using BACTEC resulted in a detection limit of 100 CFU/ml. An initial S.aureus load of 1 CFU/ml blood can be detected after 5 hours of culture in Bact/ALERT3D by combining the sensitive isolation method and the tuf LightCycler assay.
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Dutch National Sports Organizations (NSFs) is currently experiencing financial pressures. Two indications for this are described in this paper i.e. increased competition in the sports sector and changes in subsidy division. Decreasing incomes from subsidies can be compensated with either increasing incomes from a commercial domain or increasing incomes from member contributions. This latter solution is gaining interest as a solution for the uncertainties. Many NSFs have therefore participated in a special marketing program in order to enlarge their marketing awareness and create a marketing strategy, in order to (re)win market share on the sports participation market and gain a more stable financial situation. This paper introduces my research related to the introduction of marketing techniques within NSFs and the change-over to become market oriented. An overview of existing literature about creating marketing strategies, their implementation, and market orientation is given. This outline makes obvious that the existing literature is not sufficient for studying the implementation of marketing techniques and market orientation within NSFs. Therefore, it shows the scientific relevance of my research. The paper concludes with the chosen research methodology.
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