Evaluating Performance of Content Marketing: YouTube Marketing in Finnish Food and Drink Industry

The purpose of this research was to define content marketing and to discover how content marketing performance can be measured especially on YouTube. Further, the aim was to find out what companies are doing to measure content marketing and what kind of challenges they face in the process. In addition, preferences concerning the measurement were examined. The empirical part was conducted through multiple-case study and cross-case analysis methods. The qualitative data was collected from four large companies in Finnish food and drink industry through semi-structured phone interviews. As a result of this research, a new definition for content marketing was derived. It is suggested that return on objective, or in this case, brand awareness and engagement are used as the main metrics of content marketing performance on YouTube. The major challenge is the nature of the industry, as companies cannot connect the outcome directly to sales.

Coronary fat content evaluated by morphometry in patients with severe atherosclerosis has no relation with serum lipid levels

The relationship between lipid serum levels and coronary atherosclerotic plaque fat content was studied in 51 necropsy patients. Serum lipids were measured by standard techniques, during life, in the absence of lipid-lowering drugs. Intima, intimal fat and media areas were measured using a computerized system in cryosections of the odd segments of the right, anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries stained with Sudan-IV. Mean intimal and lipid areas were 5.74 ± 1.98 and 1.22 ± 0.55 mm² (22.12 ± 8.48%) in 26 cases with high cholesterol (³200 mg/dL) and 4.98 ± 1.94 and 1.16 ± 0.66 mm² (22.75 ± 9.06%) in 25 cases with normal cholesterol (<200 mg/dL; P > 0.05). Patients with high levels of low-density lipoprotein (³130 mg/dL, N = 15) had a higher intima/media area ratio than those with normal levels of low-density lipoprotein (<130 mg/dL, N = 13, P < 0.01). No significant difference in the morphometrical variables was found in groups with high or low serum levels of triglycerides (³200 mg/dL, N = 13 vs <200 mg/dL, N = 36) or high-density lipoprotein (³35 mg/dL, N = 11 vs <35 mg/dL, N = 17). The association between the morphological measurements and serum levels of cholesterol, its fractions, and triglycerides was also tested and the correlation coefficients were low. Although high cholesterol is a risk factor, we show here that in patients with severe atherosclerosis blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels seem to have little influence on coronary lipid content, indicating that other factors may contribute to arterial lipid deposition and plaque formation.

Portfolio as an Indicator of Young Learners’ English Proficiency in Mainstream Language Instruction (EFL) and Bilingual Content Instruction (CLIL)

Tämä soveltavan kielitieteen ja kielitaidon arvioinnin toimintatutkimus tarkasteli kieliportfolion ominaisuuksia ja mahdollisuuksia nuorten oppijoiden englannin kielen arvioinnissa kahdessa eri oppimiskontekstissa: englanti oppiaineena (EFL) ja kaksikielinen sisällönopetus (CLIL). Tutkielman itsenäiset, kahteen eri englannin kielen rekisteriin (arkikieli ja akateeminen kieli) kohdistuneet portfoliokokeilut olivat erillisiä tapaustutkimuksia. Molemmat portfoliot perustuivat väljästi Eurooppalaiseen kielisalkkumalliin, ja ne olivat osa tutkielmantekijän luokkaopetusta ja -toimintaa. EFL -portfoliokokeilu 9-10-vuotiaille kolmasluokkalaisille toteutettiin marraskuun 2011 ja toukokuun 2012 välisenä aikana, kun CLIL -portfoliokokeilu n. 7-9-vuotiallle ensimmäisen ja toisen luokan oppilaille kesti kaksi lukuvuotta 2012–2014. Molemmissa kokeiluissa myös oppilaiden vanhemmat kuuluivat tutkimusjoukkoon, samoin CLIL -portfolion toteutuksessa avustaneet ja opettajanäkökulmaa edustaneet opettajaopiskelijat. Portfoliokokeilun aloitti myös kaksi muuta CLIL -opettajaa, mutta kumpikin kokeilu päättyi alkuvaiheeseensa. Tarkemman tarkastelun kohteina olivat tutkimuksen osallistujien kokemukset ja mielipiteet portfoliokokeiluista. Erityisesti tavoitteena oli selvittää, miten informatiivisena englannin kielitaidon indikaattorina kieliportfoliota pidettiin. Myös kehitysehdotuksia kerättiin. Trianguloitu aineisto koottiin sekä puolistrukturoiduin kyselyin että vapaaehtoisin teemahaastatteluin, jotka äänitettiin. EFL -aineisto koostui 18 oppilaskyselystä, 17 huoltajakyselystä ja 7 oppilashaastattelusta. CLIL -aineistoon sisältyi 19 oppilaskyselyä, 18 huoltajakyselyä, 7 oppilashaastattelua ja yksi opettajaopiskelijoiden (N=3) ryhmähaastattelu. Aineisto analysoitiin pääosin kvalitatiivisin menetelmin temaattisen sisältöanalyysin keinoin, mutta myös laskien frekvenssejä ja prosenttisosuuksia. Osallistujien mielipiteet ja kokemukset olivat hyvin samankaltaiset ja positiiviset kummassakin portfoliokokeilussa. Merkittävä enemmistö sekä oppilaista että huoltajista koki, että portfolion avulla on mahdollista osoittaa englannin kielitaitoa ja sen kehittymistä. Oppilaat kuvailivat portfoliotyötä hauskaksi ja kivaksi, ja heidän mielestään portfoliotehtävien pitäisi olla tarpeeksi haastavia, sisältää taiteellisia ja luovia elementtejä sekä kohdistua tuttuihin, mielenkiintoisiin aiheisiin. He totesivat, että portfolion avulla voi oppia lisää kieltä. Vanhempien mielestä portfolio kertoo koulun vieraiksi jääneistä oppisisällöistä, auttaa ymmärtämään lapsen ajatusmaailmaa ja motivaatiotasoa sekä paljastaa heidän kielitaidostaan uusia ulottuvuuksia. Opettajaopiskelijat havaitsivat, että portfolion avulla voi tutustua oppilaiden kieli- ja kulttuuritaustoihin sekä kartoittaa heidän kielellisiä tarpeitaan. Tämän tutkielman teoreettisen tarkastelun ja tulosten mukaan kieliportfolio tukee erinomaisesti uuden Perusopetuksen Opetussuunnitelman (NCC 2014) tavoitteita ja arvioinnin uudistuspyrkimyksiä sekä lainsäädännön arvioinnille asettamia edellytyksiä. Portfolio on erittäin suositeltava nuorten oppijoiden kielitaidon arviointimenetelmä perinteisten rinnalle.

Collagen content, but not the ratios of collagen type III/I mRNAs, differs among hypertensive, alcoholic, and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Cardiac interstitial fibrosis may contribute to ventricular dysfunction and the prognosis of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy. The objective of the present study was to determine if total myocardial collagen content and collagen type III/I (III/I ratio) mRNAs differ in hypertensive, alcoholic, and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy subjects. Echocardiography and exercise cardiopulmonary testing were performed in patients with idiopathic (N = 22), hypertensive (N = 12), and alcoholic (N = 11) dilated cardiomyopathy. Morphometric analysis of collagen was performed in fragments obtained by endomyocardial biopsy with picrosirius red staining. The collagen III/I ratio was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Samples of controls (N = 10) were obtained from autopsy. Echocardiographic variables and maximal oxygen uptake were not different among dilated cardiomyopathy groups. Collagen was higher in all dilated cardiomyopathy groups (idiopathic, hypertensive and alcoholic, 7.36 ± 1.09%) versus controls (1.12 ± 0.18%), P < 0.05. Collagen was lower in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (4.97 ± 0.83%) than hypertensive (8.50 ± 1.11%) and alcoholic (10.77 ± 2.09%) samples (P < 0.005 for both). The collagen III/I ratio in all samples from dilated cardiomyopathy patients was higher compared to that in controls (0.29 ± 0.04, P < 0.05) but was the same in the samples from idiopathic (0.77 ± 0.07), hypertensive (0.75 ± 0.07), and alcoholic (0.81 ± 0.16) dilated cardiomyopathy groups. Because of the different physical properties of the types of collagen, the higher III/I ratio may contribute to progressive ventricular dilation and dysfunction in dilated cardiomyopathy patients.

Short-term exposure of mice to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash produces proximal airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with inflammatory cell reactions, tissue destruction and lung remodeling. Many signaling pathways for these phenomena are still to be identified. We developed a mouse model of COPD to evaluate some pathophysiological mechanisms acting during the initial stage of the disease. Forty-seven 6- to 8-week-old female C57/BL6 mice (approximately 22 g) were exposed for 2 months to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash (ROFA), a concentrate of air pollution. We measured lung mechanics, airspace enlargement, airway wall thickness, epithelial cell profile, elastic and collagen fiber deposition, and by immunohistochemistry transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), macrophage elastase (MMP12), neutrophils and macrophages. We observed regional airspace enlargements near terminal bronchioles associated with the exposure to smoke or ROFA. There were also increases in airway resistance and thickening of airway walls in animals exposed to smoke. In the epithelium, we noted a decrease in the ciliated cell area of animals exposed to smoke and an increase in the total cell area associated with exposure to both smoke and ROFA. There was also an increase in the expression of TGF-β1 both in the airways and parenchyma of animals exposed to smoke. However, we could not detect inflammatory cell recruitment, increases in MMP12 or elastic and collagen fiber deposition. After 2 months of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or ROFA, mice developed regional airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling, although no inflammation or increases in fiber deposition were detected. Some of these phenomena may have been mediated by TGF-β1.

Effect of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and air treatments on total phenol and tannin content of cocoa nibs

Cocoa flavour is greatly influenced by polyphenols. These compounds undergo a series of transformations during cocoa processing leading to the characteristic cocoa flavour. The use of exogenous polyphenol oxidase (PPO) proved to be useful to reduce polyphenol content in cocoa nibs. The effect of a PPO associated or not with air over total phenol and tannin content was evaluated. Cocoa nibs were autoclaved and treated with a PPO or water in the absence or presence of an air flow for 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 hours. Total phenol content was reduced in PPO or water treatments, but when associated with air there was an increase in phenol content. Tannin content was reduced only by the treatment with water and air.

Lead and cadmium content of Brazilian beers

The elements called heavy metals when ingested are not completely eliminated from animal bodies and are responsible for chronic and acute intoxications. Sixty-three samples of beer, produced in the states of São Paulo, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, and Pará, were analysed for lead and cadmium content by atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace atomization and Zeeman correction. The concentrations of Pb and Cd of dark differed significantly from light beers, being higher in the former. No significant difference was found between the beers produced in predominantly rural areas and the ones produced in industrialized areas. The concentrations of lead and cadmium in all samples were bellow the maximum accepted by present Brazilian regulations and ranged from not detected to 290mugPb/L and from not detected to 14.3mugCd/L. The average concentrations were 37mugPb/L and 1.6mugCd/L.

Effect of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) germination on the major globulin content and in vitro digestibility

Chickpea seed germination was carried out over a period of 6 days. Little variation in the nitrogen and total globulin content was observed. The major globulin (11 S type) showed higher variation after the 4th day of germination. The elution behaviour and distribution of the isolated major globulin fraction on Sepharose CL-6B chromatography showed little modification at the end of germination. On SDS-PAGE the peak eluted from Sepharose CL-6B showed changes in protein bands between 20 and 30 kDa and above 60 kDa, indicating protein degradation during the period. Proteolytic activity was detected in the albumin fraction of the seeds, which increased up to the fourth and then decreased up to the sixth day, when isolated chickpea total globulin and casein were used as substrates. Chickpea flour, isolated albumin and total globulin fractions did not show an increase for in vitro digestibility; however, the isolated major globulin was more susceptible to hydrolysis after germination.

Digital content and making it viral in social media

Tutkimuksen tavoite on selvittää digitaalisen sisällön ominaisuuksia, jotka vaikuttavat ryhtyvätkö kuluttajat jakamaan, tykkäämään ja kommentoimaan sitä sosiaalisessa mediassa. Tällä pyritään auttamaan yrityksiä ymmärtämään paremmin viraalisuutta, jotta he pystyisivät tuottamaan ja julkaisemaan nettisivuillaan ja sosiaalisessa mediassa parempaa sisältöä, jota kuluttajat jakaisivat enemmän. Tutkimus toteutetaan muodostamalla hypoteeseja mahdollisista ominaisuuksista kirjallisuuden perusteella ja testaamalla niitä regressioanalyyseillä empiirisessä osiossa. Tulokset paljastavat yhdeksän piirrettä, jotka lisäävät viraalisuutta: kiinnostavuus, neutraalisuus, yllättävyys, viihdyttävyys, epäkäytännöllisyys, artikkelin ja Facebook julkaisun pituus, eri sisältö taktiikoiden käyttö (erityisesti blogit ja kuvat lisäävät viraalisuutta) sekä kun mielipidevaikuttaja tai kuuluisuus jakaa sisällön.

Evaluating digital marketing content management strategies in an international company.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore a different kind of digital content management model and to propose a process in order to manage properly the content on an organization’s website. This process also defines briefly the roles and responsibilities of the different actors implicated. In order to create this process, the thesis has been divided into two parts. First, the theoretical analysis helps to find the two main different content management models, content management adaptation and content management localization model. Each of these models, have been analyzed through a SWOT model in order to identify their particularities and which of them is the best option according to particular organizational objectives. In the empirical part, this thesis has measured the organizational website performance comparing two main data. On one hand, the international website is analyzed in order to identify the results of the content management standardization. On the other hand, content management adaptation, also called content management localization model, is analyzed by looking through the key measure of the Dutch page from the same organization. The resulted output is a process model for localization as well as recommendations on how to proceed when creating a digital content management strategy. However, more research is recommended to provide more comprehensive managerial solutions.

Fatty acids and nutrients in the flour made from tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) heads

The objective of this work was to analyze the fatty acid composition and nutrient potential of flour made from tilapia heads, which are normally discarded during the filleting operation. Significant differences were found between the proximate composition (moisture, ash, protein and total lipids) of the in natura tilapia and the flour, due to the drying process. The predominant fatty acids in the heads (in natura and in the flour) were palmitic acid (1,999 mg.100 g-1 and 7,699 mg.100 g-1, respectively), oleic acid (3,128 mg.100 g-1 and 11,447 mg.100g-1, respectively), and linoleic acid (1,018 mg.100 g-1 and 3,784 mg.100 g-1, respectively). The results lead us to conclude that tilapia head flour offers high levels of protein (38.41%), total lipids (35.46%), and ash (minerals) (19.38%). The content of omega-3 (731 mg.100 g-1) were proved to be satisfactory. Also, n-6/n-3 ratio was 6.15 and PUFA/SFA ratio was 0.47, which are in agreement with the recommended levels. Thus, tilapia heads can be used as a low-cost raw material for food fit for human consumption.

Comparison of total phenolic content and antiradical capacity of powders and "chocolates" from cocoa and cupuassu

Polyphenolic compounds seem to be related to the health benefits produced by the cocoa due to their antioxidant properties. Cupuassu powder, prepared from Theobroma grandiflorum seeds, is a very promising cocoa powder substitute. In order to assess the potential health benefits of the cupuassu powder, a comparison was performed between cocoa, chocolate, and cupuassu powders in relation to the content of total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and DPPH scavenging capacity of methanolic extracts. Cupuassu "chocolates" (milk, dark, and white) were also analyzed. Mineral, lipid, protein, and moisture determinations were made in cocoa and cupuassu powders and in cupuassu "chocolates". Results showed that the phenolic contents of cocoa and chocolate powders are more than three times higher than those of cupuassu powder; however, flavonoid contents were significantly lower. The DPPH scavenging capacity varied hugely among the different samples, from 0.5 (white cupuassu "chocolate") to 120 (cocoa powder) μg of Trolox equivalent per 100 g (FW), and presented a significant correlation (r = 0.977) with the total phenolic contents but not with the flavonoid contents (r = -0.035).

Evaluation of the in vitro glycemic index of a fiber-rich extruded breakfast cereal produced with organic passion fruit fiber and corn flour

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of process parameters and Passion Fruit Fiber (PFF) addition on the Glycemic Index (GI) of an extruded breakfast cereal. A 2³ Central Composite Rotational Design (CCRD) was used, with the following independent variables: raw material moisture content (18-28%), 2nd and 3rd barrel zone temperatures (120-160 ºC), and PFF (0-30%). Raw materials (organic corn flour and organic PFF) were characterized as to their proximate composition, particle size, and in vitro GI. The extrudates were characterized as to their in vitro GI. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the results. Corn flour and PFF presented 8.55 and 7.63% protein, 2.61 and 0.60% fat, 0.52 and 6.17% ash, 78.77 and 78.86% carbohydrates (3 and 64% total dietary fiber), respectively. The corn flour particle size distribution was homogeneous, while PFF presented a heterogeneous particle size distribution. Corn flour and PFF presented values of GI of 48 and 45, respectively. When using RSM, no effect of the variables was observed in the GI of the extrudates (average value of 48.41), but PCA showed that the GI tended to be lower when processing at lower temperatures (<128 ºC) and at higher temperatures (>158 ºC). When compared to white bread, the extrudates showed a reduction of the GI of up to 50%, and could be considered an interesting alternative in weight and glycemia control diets.

Colour, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of grape juice

Viticultural practices in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, have shown economic growth, with the production of grapes used to produce wines and grape juice. Grapes are rich in phenolic compounds which have drawn attention not only because of their important role in the development of products derived from grapes, but also for their potential beneficial health effects. The objective of this study was to evaluate commercial, organic and homemade grape juices produced in Santa Catarina. Grape juices were analyzed for total phenolic content, colour, and antioxidant activity. The commercial juices had the highest average values for total monomeric anthocyanins and total phenolics. There was a strong positive correlation (R = 0.9566) between the antioxidant activity and total phenolic content for the commercial juice. In addition, the Principle Components Analysis showed a strong positive correlation between the red colour and total monomeric anthocyanins. However, the total monomeric anthocyanis and polymeric anthocyanins showed a negative correlation.