Predicting consumer behavior: using novel mind-reading approaches

Advances in machine learning as applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data offer the possibility of pretesting and classifying marketing communications using unbiased pattern recognition algorithms. By using these algorithms to analyze brain responses to brands, products, or existing marketing communications that either failed or succeeded in the marketplace and identifying the patterns of brain activity that characterize success or failure, future planned campaigns or new products can now be pretested to determine how well the resulting brain responses match the desired (successful) pattern of brain activity without the need for verbal feedback. This major advance in signal processing is poised to revolutionize the application of these brain-imaging techniques in the marketing sector by offering greater accuracy of prediction in terms of consumer acceptance of new brands, products, and campaigns at a speed that makes them accessible as routine pretesting tools that will clearly demonstrate return on investment.     

Development of multiplexed protein profiling and detection using near infrared detection of reverse-phase protein microarrays

Protein microarrays have been recently employed for signal pathway profiling and high-throughput protein expression analysis. Reversephase arrays, where the array consists of immobilized analytes and lysates has especially shown promise in low abundance analyte detection and signal pathway profiling using phospho-specific antibodies. A limitation to current reverse phase array methodology is the inability to multiplex proteomic-based endpoints as each array can only report one analyte endpoint. In this study, we report on the use of a dual dye based approach that can effectively double the number of endpoints observed per array allowing, for example, both phosphospecific and total protein levels to be measured and analyzed at once. The method utilizes antibody bound dyes that emit in the infrared spectral region as a means of sensitive and specific detection.     

Food selection by western gorillas (G.g. gorilla) in relation to food chemistry

Summary Samples of stems, leaves, shoots and fruit (N=36) from lowland, African rain forest are analyzed for nutrients, digestibility and digestion-inhibiting substances. Plants from which the samples are drawn are all important in the diet of western gorillas, large generalist herbivores in coastal Cameroon. Many of the plants are common in the early succession following disturbance to the forest. Analysis of food chemistry in relation to food preference indicates that lignin, digestibility and crude protein are the most significant factors in food selection for western gorillas at this site. Food chemistry of western gorillas is compared to food chemistry of mountain gorillas in the montane forest of East Africa. Foliage consumed by western gorillas contains more condensed tannin than does foliage consumed by mountain gorillas. The greater content of condensed tannin in the leaves consumed by western gorillas is related to the greater representation of woody plants in the western diet.     

Effect of dietary selenium on the response of stressed and unstressed chickens toEscherichia coli challenge and antigen

Selenium was added to the feed of White Leghorn type chickens 1 day prior to challenge with eitherEscherichia coli or sheep erythrocyte antigen. the incidence of death or lesions was reduced from 86% to 21% at the optimal dose of selenium (0.4 mg/kg resulting in feed concentration of 0.45 mg/kg). After the chickens were stressed by chilling, selenium was ineffective againstE. coli. Dietary additions of selenium between 0.1 and 0.8 mg/kg resulted in an antibody titer increase from 2.2 to 3.9 to the log₂ against sheep erythrocytes (SRBC). Followng chilling, antibody titer response was reduced from 4.9 to 2.4 to the log₂. This titer reduction could be prevented with dietary additions of selenium between 0.1 and 1.2 mg/kg. The effects of a nitrofuran and selenium were additive againstE. coli challenge infection.     

Predator [Metaseiulus occidentalis] — Prey [Pronematus spp.] interactions under sulfur and cattail pollen applications in a noncommercial vineyard

The effect of sulfur and cattail pollen applications on predatory and phytophagous mite species was investigated in a noncommercial vineyard for a full growing season. Populations of tydeids (Pronematus spp.) increased earlier in pollen and control plots that received no sulfur than in plots treated 4- and 10-times with sulfur. Predatory mite populations [Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt)] responded quickly to this increase in tydeid numbers in all plots. However, peak densities achieved by this phytoseiid in the pollen and control replicates (1.6/leaf and 1.1/leaf, respectively) were twice that attained in the sulfur treated plots (0.6/leaf), although comparable numbers of tydeids were present in all plots. Further evidence of the inimical effect of sulfur was provided by tarsonemid populations which increased quickly in late summer in those plots receiving no sulfur, but increased only slightly in plots treated with sulfur. The numbers of tetranychid mites remained extremely low throughout the season. In bud samples taken during the winter 1971–72, the numbers ofM. occidentalis found per bud, as well as the number of buds in which they were present, were similar in all treatments, except the 10-treatment sulfur plots where a much lower overwintering population was found. A close ecological relationship betweenM. occidentalis and tydeid mite species was revealed by this study. The data suggest that the maintenance of a tydeid —M. occidentalis predator—prey interaction throughout the year, and especially in the late fall months to allow a greater number of predators to enter overwintering sites, would contribute to improved spider mite control.