Food literacy : what is it and does it influence what we eat?

"Food literacy" has emerged as a term to describe the everyday practicalities needed for healthy eating. It is increasingly used in policy, practice, research and in the public arena. This thesis empirically defined the term, identified its components, and developed models of its relationship to nutrition and health. Food literacy was examined from two perspectives; that of food experts and that of individuals using the case study of young people experiencing disadvantage. The research provides a common language and conceptualisation of food literacy which is being used by governments, policy-makers and practitioners to guide investment and practice.

Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Communities and Technologies

The Communities and Technologies 2013 conference received 46 submissions for full papers and 12 submissions for research in progress papers. From these submissions, 17 papers were selected to appear at the conference (29%). All submitted papers were subjected to double blind peer review by an independent international program committee of 51 experts.

Career Development in Childhood and Adolescence

"In the past few years, many career theorists have noted the dearth of literature in the area of career development in childhood and adolescence. A growing need for integrating theory and research on the early stages of vocational development within a systemic, life-span developmental approach has been articulated. This volume, the first book dedicated to career development of children and adolescents, provides a broad and comprehensive overview of the current knowledge about the key career processes that take place in this age group. Each of the eighteen chapters represents an in-depth examination of a specific aspect of career development with a focus on integrating modern career theory and ongoing research and further developing theory-practice connections in understanding child and adolescent career behaviour. Twenty-six authors, leading experts from eight countries, provide a state-of-the-art summary of the current thinking in the field and outline directions for future empirical work and practice."--publisher website

Major issues in business process management : an expert perspective

Study Approach The results presented in this report are part of a larger global study on the major issues in BPM. Only one part of the larger study is reported here, viz. interviews with BPM experts. Interviews of BPM tool vendors together with focus group studies involving user organizations were conducted in parallel and set the groundwork for the identification of BPM issues on a global scale. Through this multi-method approach, we identify four distinct sets of outcomes. First, as is the focus of this report, we identify the BPM issues as perceived by BPM experts. Second, the research design allows us to gain insight into the opinions of organizations deploying BPM solutions. Third, an understanding of organizations’ misconceptions of BPM technologies, as confronted by BPM tool vendors, is obtained. Last, we seek to gain an understanding of BPM issues on a global scale, together with knowledge of matters of concern. This final outcome is aimed to produce an industry-driven research agenda that will inform practitioners and, in particular, the research community worldwide on issues and challenges that are prevalent or emerging in BPM and related areas...

Business Innovation and Disruption in Publishing

This is the first volume in a book series examining how organizations in the creative industries respond to disruptive change and how they themselves generate business innovations. The aspiration of this book series is to understand some of the common forces behind the disruptions occurring in so many creative industries today and identifying the most promising strategies and responses by organizations to create new value propositions, business models and business practices that can enable these industry participants to cope with and eventually thrive as their industries and sectors are transformed. The chapters included in the volume examine the processes of disruption and transformation due to the technology of the Internet, social forces driven by social media, the development of new portable digital devices with greater capabilities and smaller size, the decreasing costs of new information, and the creation of new business models and forms of intellectual property ownership rights for a digitized industry. The context for this volume is the publishing industries, understood as the industries for the publishing of fiction and non-fiction books, academic literature, consumer as well as trade magazines, and daily newspapers. This volume includes chapters by an internationally diverse array of media scholars whose chapters provide insights into these phenomena in Eastern Europe, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Russia, and the United States, using different methodological frameworks including, but not limited to, surveys, in-depth interviews and multiple-case studies. One gap that this book series seeks to fill is that between the study of business innovation and disruption by innovation scholars largely based in business school settings and similar studies by scholarly experts from non-business school disciplines, including the broader social sciences (e.g. sociology, political science, economic geography) and creative industry based professional school disciplines (e.g. architecture, communications, design, film making, journalism, media studies, performing arts, photography and television). Future volumes of this book series will examine disruption and business innovation in the film, video and photography sectors (volume two), the music sector (volume three) and interactive entertainment (volume four), with subsequent volumes focusing on the most relevant developments in creative industry business innovation and disruption that emerge.

HeatWave : a handheld 3D thermography system for energy auditing

Energy auditing is an effective but costly approach for reducing the long-term energy consumption of buildings. When well-executed, energy loss can be quickly identified in the building structure and its subsystems. This then presents opportunities for improving energy efficiency. We present a low-cost, portable technology called "HeatWave" which allows non-experts to generate detailed 3D surface temperature models for energy auditing. This handheld 3D thermography system consists of two commercially available imaging sensors and a set of software algorithms which can be run on a laptop. The 3D model can be visualized in real-time by the operator so that they can monitor their degree of coverage as the sensors are used to capture data. In addition, results can be analyzed offline using the proposed "Spectra" multispectral visualization toolbox. The presence of surface temperature data in the generated 3D model enables the operator to easily identify and measure thermal irregularities such as thermal bridges, insulation leaks, moisture build-up and HVAC faults. Moreover, 3D models generated from subsequent audits of the same environment can be automatically compared to detect temporal changes in conditions and energy use over time.

The science behind the “stain”

It has been almost fi ve years since I fi rst published the article entitled “Much Ado About Staining” in Review of Optometry, which explored what we really knew in 2006 about the relationship between “corneal staining” and contact lens multipurpose solutions (MPS). This was published just prior to the controversial “staining grid.” While the Grid showed MPS-associated hyperfl uorescence under the slitlamp at two hours, it did not explain the “what” or “why” behind it; even so, many proponents of the Grid continue to suggest that it shows us which solution/lens combinations are “biocompatible” and which are not. New evidence suggests that the preservative-associated transient hyperfl uorescence (or PATH) observed at two hours after lens insertion is a benign phenomenon due to an interaction between fl uorescein, MPS preservatives, and corneal cell membranes. The misinterpretation of PATH as “real” corneal staining, like that observed in pathological conditions, may be due in part to the fact that there is not a lot of teaching regarding the true properties of fl uorescein and what is actually occurring when we see either PATH or corneal staining. To discuss the science of fl uorescein, corneal staining, and PATH, I have asked some of the preeminent research experts in the study of fl uorescence spectroscopy and corneal staining from around the world to share their new research and personal opinions on these topics...

Defining food literacy and its components

Food literacy has emerged as a term to describe the everyday practicalities associated with healthy eating. The term is increasingly used in policy, practice, research and by the public; however, there is no shared understanding of its meaning. The purpose of this research was to develop a definition of food literacy which was informed by the identification of its components. This was considered from two perspectives: that of food experts which aimed to reflect the intention of existing policy and investment, and that of individuals, who could be considered experts in the everyday practicalities of food provisioning and consumption. Given that food literacy is likely to be highly contextual, this second study focused on disadvantaged young people living in an urban area who were responsible for feeding themselves. The Expert Study used a Delphi methodology (round one n = 43). The Young People’s Study used semi-structured, life-course interviews (n = 37). Constructivist Grounded Theory was used to analyse results. This included constant comparison of data within and between studies. From this, eleven components of food literacy were identified which fell into the domains of: planning and management; selection; preparation; and eating. These were used to develop a definition for the term “food literacy”.

Health big data analytics : current perspectives, challenges and potential solutions

Modern health information systems can generate several exabytes of patient data, the so called "Health Big Data", per year. Many health managers and experts believe that with the data, it is possible to easily discover useful knowledge to improve health policies, increase patient safety and eliminate redundancies and unnecessary costs. The objective of this paper is to discuss the characteristics of Health Big Data as well as the challenges and solutions for health Big Data Analytics (BDA) – the process of extracting knowledge from sets of Health Big Data – and to design and evaluate a pipelined framework for use as a guideline/reference in health BDA.

Cloud computing adoption in Australia : the benefits, risks and implications for accounting

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the state of cloud computing adoption in Australia. I specifically focus on the drivers, risks, and benefits of cloud computing from the perspective of IT experts and forensic accountants. I use thematic analysis of interview data to answer the research questions of the study. The findings suggest that cloud computing is increasingly gaining foothold in many sectors due to its advantages such as flexibility and the speed of deployment. However, security remains an issue and therefore its adoption is likely to be selective and phased. Of particular concern are the involvement of third parties and foreign jurisdictions, which in the event of damage may complicate litigation and forensic investigations. This is one of the first empirical studies that reports on cloud computing adoption and experiences in Australia.

The influence of food literacy on the everyday practicalities of meeting nutrition recommendations

Contemporary nutrition policies and plans call for focussing efforts to improve nutrition through a closer connection with food and the everyday practicalities of how people live and eat. Various words have been used to articulate what this might mean in practice. More recently, the term “food literacy” has emerged to explain this gap between the policy aims the (in)ability of people to know, understand and use food to meet nutrition recommendations. Despite its increasing use, there is no common understanding of this term or its components. Once established, food literacy could be measured in order to examine its association with nutritional outcomes. A Delphi study of 43 Australian food experts from diverse sectors and settings explored their understanding of the term “food literacy”, the likely components and possible relationship with nutrition. The three round Delphi study began with a semi-structured telephone interview and was followed by two online surveys. Constructivist grounded theory was used to analyse data, from which a conceptual model of the relationship between food literacy and nutrition was developed. The model was then tested and refined following a phenomenological study of 37 young people aged 16-25 years who were responsible for feeding themselves. They were interviewed about their food intake, day-to-day food decision making, the knowledge and skills used and their perceptions of someone who is “good with food”. Analysis from the Delphi study identified, eighty components of food literacy and these were grouped into eight domains: 1)access, 2)planning and management, 3)selection, 4)knowing where food comes from, 5)preparation, 6)eating, 7)nutrition and 8)food related language. When these were compared to results of the Young People’s study it was found that while specific components of food literacy were largely contextual, the importance of all eight domains continued to be relevant. The results of these qualitative studies have set the boundaries and scope of meaning of food literacy and will be used to inform the development of measurable variables to be tested in a quantitative cross-sectional study. This prospective study will examine the relationship between food literacy and nutrition. This research is useful in guiding government strategy and investment, and informing the planning, implementation and evaluation of interventions by practitioners.

Linking food literacy to nutrition

“Food literacy” is an emerging term used to describe the relative ability to understand the nature of food and how it is important. It also describes the ability to gather, process, analyse and act upon information about food and to apply it in individual settings. A Delphi study of 43 Australian food experts from diverse sectors and settings in all states and territories explored the meaning of food literacy, its constitutive components and how they relate to nutrition. The three-round Delphi began with a semi-structured telephone interview and was followed by two online surveys. Grounded theory was used to develop a conceptual model of the relationship between food literacy and nutrition. It is proposed that food literacy influences nutrition through three related mechanisms of security, choice and pleasure. These mechanisms will be mediated by the local food supply and individual values. The relative importance of components of food literacy will depend upon these mediators. The level of nutrition outcome being sought (for example, dietary guidelines versus food group serves) will also influence the relative importance of these components. This model will be useful in informing program planning and evaluation and will be tested and refined following a phenomenological study of consumers.

Integrin-functionalized artificial membranes as test platforms for monitoring small integrin ligand binding by surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy

The design and synthesis of molecularly or supramolecularly defined interfacial architectures have seen in recent years a remarkable growth of interest and scientific research activities for various reasons. On the one hand, it is generally believed that the construction of an interactive interface between the living world of cells, tissue, or whole organisms and the (inorganic or organic) materials world of technical devices such as implants or medical parts requires proper construction and structural (and functional) control of this organism–machine interface. It is still the very beginning of generating a better understanding of what is needed to make an organism tolerate implants, to guarantee bidirectional communication between microelectronic devices and living tissue, or to simply construct interactive biocompatibility of surfaces in general. This exhaustive book lucidly describes the design, synthesis, assembly and characterization, and bio-(medical) applications of interfacial layers on solid substrates with molecularly or supramolecularly controlled architectures. Experts in the field share their contributions that have been developed in recent years.

Public sector project delay : the Malaysian perspective and the way forward

Construction delay has been a protracted problem for the Malaysian construction industry. Recent report showed that 80% of public sector projects are behind schedule. This underachieving time performance has led to many problems including public complaints, loss of reputation and revenue for the government and a slump in the industry’s GDP contribution. Research in the area of project delay has mushroomed worldwide with attempts to place mitigation plans, but delay remains a global phenomenon. There is now an urgent need for revolutionizing construction practices and past research, backed up with few successful cases suggests that Supply Chain Management (SCM) could prove beneficial to reduce or eliminate delays in construction. SCM which originated from the automotive manufacturing industry promotes a more collaborative approach to construction management and has recently gained attention of the construction industry. However every country, including Malaysia, would certainly have disparities of their own compared to others being it from the cultural point of view, nature of problems, locality or improvements needed. Therefore, this paper will present part of a Ph.D. research which aims at illustrating the Malaysian construction industry experts’ perception of the Malaysian public sector project delay, provide insight into these dilemmas, highlights the problems with current practices, its effects and the improvements needed. Subsequently, this paper would propose ratification to the problems using SCM. A semi-structured interview has been conducted to practitioners with at least 20 years’ experience in the industry. The findings showed that Malaysia may be unique compared to other countries and that by considering a number of additional factors, SCM could prove beneficial to increase efficiency of the Malaysian public sector projects.

Socio-technological phishing prevention

Phishing is deceptive collection of personal information leading to embezzlement, identity theft, and so on. Preventive and combative measures have been taken by banking institutions, software vendors, and network authorities to fight phishing. At the forefront of this resilience are consortiums such as APWG (Anti-Phishing Working Group) and PhishTank, the latter being a collaborative platform where everyone can submit potentially phishing web-pages and classify web-pages as either phish or genuine. PhishTank also has an API that the browsers use to notify users when she tries to load a phishing page. There are some organizations and individuals who are very active and highly accurate in classifying web-pages on PhishTank. In this paper, we propose a defense model that uses these experts to fight phishing.