Primary Researches Research Articles

Factors influencing functional food and food supplement consumption

Functional foods and food supplements are two of the major classes of nutraceuticals or food-related products that have health benefits, such as improving health and prevention and treatment of disease. The aim of this present study is to introduce the main factors influencing functional food consumptions as well as food supplement consumption, searching for the answers to the following research questions: (1) What factors affect functional food and food supplement consumption and to what extent? (2) What is the most authentic source of information in customers’ decision making? Results of secondary and primary researches suggest that the most important factors in decision making are: experience in earlier consumption, nutrients, quality and price. Food supplements are complex products and therefore, it is difficult for consumers to check the quality of these products at point of purchase; thus food-safety is a major issue for customers when buying food supplements. It can also be concluded that the availability and reliability of the source of information can greatly determine customer’s decision making. The most authentic source of information according to customers’ opinion were the following: health care professionals, sales staff and health-related articles. These variables should be taken into account for marketers and businesses when considering product development or improving communication on nutritional and health benefits of functional food and food supplements.

Influence of Mobility Management on Hotel Offer

Traffic is one of the biggest pollutants of the environment, which places special challenges before tourism destinations. To protect the environment and, at the same time, to satisfy transport demand, the concept of mobility management has been created, which links tourism, transport and spatial planning in the manner that the existing transport capacities are used in the best possible way. The concept rests on the ecological forms of transport and is realised at the local level by a set of measures strategies which are directed towards solving of a specific traffic problem and the success of its realisation greatly depends on the cooperation of all stakeholders. This particularly concerns hotels in resorts and towns, which can no longer be reached by car and, bearing in mind tourists’ habits, this can represent a serious problem. Ensuring alternatives by which the arrival of tourists at the hotel will be facilitated is one of the attractive elements of offer. Experience based on authenticity and sustainability, with conveniences tourists are used to, is increasingly in demand. The aim of the research is to define the interdependence between the concept of mobility and hotel offer, in the way that the contribution of the chosen mobility strategy of hotel offer competitiveness is specified. The secondary research will be complemented by the primary researches by which the theoretical statements will be specified.

Development of Foreign Language Speaking Skills through the Application of the Dynamic Model of Speech Production and Activating Methods

Abstract The present time places considerable demands on the process of foreign language education both in the field of communication and information transfer. Teachers, occupying a pivotal role in this process, are not able to proceed with simple, lay approaches and methods. It has become more and more important to apply sophisticated approaches and methods in teaching which are based on primary and secondary researches. This paper discusses the Dynamic Model of Speech Production as a specific approach to EFL teaching. Furthermore, the application of activating methods in the process of teaching English as a foreign language is examined from the standpoint of gender, country, length of teaching practice, and type of university. The data was collected using a questionnaire about the use and the frequency of occurrence of activating methods, which was completed by 82 university teachers from the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic.

A Review of Application of Affordance Theory in Information Systems

This paper analyzes the status quo and tendency of the affordance theory in Information System literature, which can help us understand the relationship between technologies, users and organizations. This would pose a significant value on the related organizational changes and the use of social media. Based on the data from top journals, we reviewed 111 papers from Information Systems, Organization Studies and Management literatures on affordances according to the method of bibliometrics. From the analysis, we know that although the Information System discipline was a relatively late adopter, there is a large space to explore affordances in IS context. Based on the theoretical framework of affordances existence, perception, actualization and effects, we review the primary researches on affordances in IS discipline. In conclusion, IS scholars should focus on the affordance actualization, consider social affordances alongside technological affordances and improve our understanding of IT/IS-related organizational change and social media use in complicated social process.

MORAL ASPECTS OF FUNCTIONING OF RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN POLICE IN THE SCOPE OF THE CONTROL OF MIGRATION ON OUTER EU BORDERS

The case study contains analysis of moral aspects of functioning of Research Institutions in Police based on the theoretical deliberations of implementation and abidance of behaviors of its members in relations with taking part in migration control. The supplement of theoretical deliberations are primary researches ( environmental survey aimed to implementation officers and those who order researches in institutions mentioned above) and derivative researches (documents and statistics from their activities), which allow showing some moral aspects of their functioning.

To Be or Not to Be a Woman? - Highly Educated Women's Perceptions of Gender Equality in the Workplace

The starting point of the paper is that highly educated women suffer less inequality in the workplace. To test it, both secondary and primary researches were conducted. Secondary data refer to the field of education, participation in knowledge-intensive activities, hierarchical status, and pay gap of highly educated women compared to men in selected European countries, while primary data reveal perceptions of highly educated women on women’s contextual career factors and personal critical incidents’ experiences concerning equality. The primary research was conducted on a sample of 675 highly educated women in Croatia. Results are tested for statistical differences according to respondents’ demographics and compared with highly educated men’s perceptions (n = 177). The secondary data reveal that gender segregation is less present among highly educated women. In general, the primary data imply that highly educated women do not perceive contextual factors to negatively influence their careers, even though they had some negative gender-related experiences. Paper concludes with equality initiatives recommendations based on research results, and interviews conducted with HRM and general directors from MNCs with best equality practices.

Evaluation of dimensions, approaches and concepts of resilience in urban societies with an emphasis on natural disasters

Despite the passage of more than three decades from conducting primary researches on resilience of cities, yet this concept lacks a comprehensive and operational understanding in various scientific fields, including disasters management. Most of existing contradictions on the meaning of urban resilience is resulting from cognitive tendencies, methodological methods, and existing basic conceptual differences, as well as viewpoints focusing on research in ecological, social systems or a combination of both.A city will be considered fully resilient when all indices, components and dimensions of resilience in that city to be placed in a better situation and are in growth and promotion mode. Perhaps an uneven promotion of different dimensions of turban resilience will not be much led to resilience of totality of a city and its people. Leading social - economic dimension as a dimension that has the most relationship with people and citizens is very important in resilience of cities. The aim of this research is to examine the social and economic dimensions, approaches and concepts of resilient city as one of the new approaches in the field of reducing vulnerability and promoting crisis management. This research is a review study, which has been collected and investigated and analyzed from various library and documentary resources.

Enfoque y manejo con acupuntura de los trastornos del sueño desde la perspectiva interpretativa de la Medicina Tradicional China, en mujeres que se encuentran en la transición menopáusica

Sleep disorders in menopausal transition are part of the symptoms reported by women such as those affecting their quality of life. Conventional medicine has therapeutic tools with good results, but still presents difficulties in maintaining these results in the long term without adverse effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine, from its interpretation of female physiology, provides a therapeutic logic through acupuncture, grounded in comprehensive syndromic approach. Jing Deficiency with Kidney Yin and Yang components, complex syndromes of Kidney, Heart and Liver and Excess syndromes specified as Stagnation and Phlegm are closely related to sleep disorders in menopausal transition. The acupuncturist's appropriate therapeutic approach and theoretical clarity about it will lead to significantly improve sleep patterns in these women and give way to future primary researches.

Gender effect on classroom management skills and competencies of teachers: A meta-analysis study

This study aims at determining the effect sizes of perceptions and opinions of teachers regarding classroom management skills and competencies according to their gender. 19 journal articles out of 28 journal articles specializing on teachers’ classroom management skills and competencies in Turkey downloaded from the national thesis archives of Higher Education Institution appropriate to inclusion criteria are included in the study. Also, moderators which could not be included to the assessment of primary researches as publication type, publication year, region where study conducted, educational level, school type, scale type, branches of the teachers and gender of the researcher moderators were analyzed as variables. As a result, according to fixed effects model (d=0,149) and random effects model (d=0,133) in favor of female teachers, effect size was statistically significant. Moderator analysis revealed that publication type (p=0,001), type of scale (either ready or improved) (p=0,049) and validity and reliability studies (p=0,008) were found as moderators. Furthermore, effect sizes of researches showed that gender awareness included a continuing tendency over the years. Moderator analysis showed that school type (p=0,054), educational level (p=0,477), region where research was conducted (p=0,075), teachers’ branches (p=0,257) and gender of the researchers were not considered as moderators. As a result, it is recommended not to use gender as an important independent variable in studies in relation to teachers’ perceptions and opinions on classroom management skills and competencies.

Preventing avoidable incidents leading to a presentation to the emergency department (ED) by older adults with cognitive impairment: protocol for a scoping review

IntroductionOlder adults with cognitive impairment represent a large portion (21–42%) of people (65+) who consult at an emergency department (ED). Because this sub-group is at higher risk for hospitalisation and...

The Effect of Tenure on Mobbing Experienced by Teachers in Schools: A Meta-Analysis

The basic purpose of this study is to determine the effect sizes of teachers’ perception and opinions about mobbing experienced by teachers in schools in accordance with different tenures of office. 17 studies deemed meeting the inclusion criteria were chosen from 42 MA and PhD theses and dissertations in Council of Higher Education National Thesis Archive about mobbing experienced by teachers in schools in Turkey to be used in this study. Total number of samples in this study is 5790. In addition, several variables such as school type, educational level, researcher’s sex, the region used for the research and publication year that have not been included in the evaluation as a moderator in primary researches were analyzed. In accordance with the results of this study, based on the tenure of office variable, an effect size with statistical significance and of no statistical importance was determined on the part of teachers who have 11 and more years of service according to fixed effect model (d = -0.006) and on the part of teachers who have 1-10 years of service according to random effect model (d = 0.008). In the consequence of the moderator analysis conducted, the region where the study was conducted ( p = .85), the school type ( p = .59), educational level ( p = .52) and the researcher’s sex ( p = .13) were each determined not to be a moderator. In addition, an upward trend was observed in the differences among teachers’ periods of service by years in terms of effect sizes. As a result, not using the tenure of office as an independent moderator for the studies on mobbing faced by teachers may be recommended.

Women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA), battling stigma, discrimination and denial and the role of support groups as a coping strategy: a review of literature.

Background and objectivesWomen living with HIV/AIDS, in particular, have been positioned as a latent source of infection, and have captivated culpability and blame leading to a highly stigmatised and discriminated life. Despite the situation, women and their particular concerns have largely been ignored in HIV/AIDS research literature.This review aims to examine and analyze the feelings, experiences and perceptions of Women living with HIV/AIDS (WLHA) and will also access the role of support group as a coping strategy on the basis of 7 primary researches conducted in or on different parts of the world.MethodologyA systematic literature search was carried out on major data bases ASSIA, CINAHL, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, Wiley Inter Science, AMED, Pub Med/Bio Med Central, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library. The articles included for review purpose were gauged against the pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria and quality assessment checklist resulting in a final 7 papers.Findings/resultsThe findings were compiled into five thematic areas: (1) Disclosure as a sensitive issue; (2) Stigma and Discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS and the multidimensional effects on women’s health and wellbeing; (3) Internalised Stigma; (4) Women living with HIV/AIDS experiences of being rejected, shunned and treated differently by physicians, family and close friends; (5) Support Group as among the best available interventions for stigma and discrimination.ConclusionSupport groups should be offered as a fundamental part of HIV/AIDS services and should be advocated as an effective and useful intervention. Further research is needed to examine the effect of support groups for women living with HIV/AIDS. A community based randomised controlled trial with support group as an intervention and a control group could provide further evidence of the value of support groups.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12978-015-0032-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Logistical process analysis of a glass factory

Our paper is about the Logistical Process Analysis of the Glass Factory. The reason why this topic has been chosen is because in today’s cost-sensitive world, enterprises need to participate in a strong market competition to keep operating and if those companies want to stay capable of living and make the highest profit possible, they need to overtake their competitors. The way for those firms to reduce their expenses is increasing the standards of services linked to their product and integrating, optimising them as much as possible. We had the objective of providing help to make the logistical processes of the company more efficient. During our analyses and examinations, optimisation possibilities were mainly found in fields of stock management, storage and production, which are written about in details in our paper, including solution suggestions. Our hypotheses proved to be true, after finishing our prior examinations and studies, using primary and secondary researches. Consequently, by adapting techniques in particular parts of logistics the found problems could be solved. However, if it comes to implementing our suggestions, it is to be considered that these are only theories at the moment. Hence, without any expertise, foresight is necessary to prevent possible difficulties and solve them.

Capsule illumination uniformity illuminated by direct laser-driven irradiation from several tens of directions

Capsule illumination uniformity obtained by direct driving lasers from several tens of directions is studied systematically. The best polar angles of the three focal spot rings on the capsule are determined to be 22.4, 47.7, and 73.6by a spherical-harmonic mode analysis and a numerical simulation. Based on the configuration of indirect laser driven facility, we have optimized the beam re-directions and the focal spot distributions for polar direct drive, which smooth successfully the illumination distribution on the capsule.Laser driven inertial confinement fusion is an important way to achieve controllable nuclear fusion for human beings, which includes two laser-driven schemesdirectly driving and indirectly driving scheme. Since the indirect driving scheme considerably relaxes the strict requirements for laser performance and decreases the engineering difficulties, the main laser facilities around the world have adopted the indirect driving scheme, such as the National Ignition Facility in the U. S., the Laser Megajoule in France, and the SG series laser drivers in China.Meanwhile, scientists keep developing the key technologies for directly driving and have made great progress. For example, the fast ignition and shock ignition are two new methods to achieve fusion ignition in the direct driving scheme, which attracted lots of attention in the past few years. However, the main laser drivers for inertial confinement fusion research are configured as indirect drivers, which are not suitable for direct driving experiments. So a compromising suggestion was proposed that by redirecting the lasers, changing the laser energy distributions, designing new type of targets, and so on, a radiation field which is very close to a direct driving radiation field can be simulated in a laser facility that is configured as an indirect driver. This is the so called polar direct drive method that provides a feasible way for primary researches on direct driving technologies in an indirect laser driver. Such experiments have already been conducted in the National Ignition Facility.In China, the large indirect laser driver with an output capability in the level of hundreds kilojoule will finish its engineering construction and routinely operate for physical experiments soon. To achieve a good polar direct drive performance in this laser facility is much more difficult than in previous smaller laser drivers. In this paper, capsule illumination uniformity by directly driving laser from several tens of directions is studied systematically. The best polar angles of the three focal spot rings on the capsule are determined to be 22.4, 47.7, and 73.6 by a spherical-harmonic mode analysis and a numerical simulation. Based on the configuration of indirect driving laser facility, we have optimized the beam re-directions and the focal spot distributions for polar direct drive, which successfully smoothes the illumination distribution on the capsule.

Approaching sustainable development through energy management, the case of Fongo Tongo, Cameroon

This work is aimed at defining a possible solution for sustainable energy development in the Menoua Department, West Cameroon. The purpose of the cooperation between ALA Milano Onlus and the Biomass Energy Efficiency Laboratory of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia was to analyze the case study in order to propose a solution for energy production capable of meeting the needs of the Cameroonian society while also heading towards a sustainable development. Primary researches suggested that the most viable solution was to integrate the corn food processing with the gasification of the cobs. The thermo-conversion process was modeled with a black-box approach; the results of the model were further compared with the energy required for corn processing, therefore demonstrating the sustainability and virtuosity of the chosen solution. A commercial 20 kW $$_{el}$$ gasifier was selected for supplying electrical power to three central buildings: the city hall, the Chaufferie and the school. This solution is a security measure assuring continue power supply to these vital buildings. Furthermore, it will bind the relation between the rural and the city areas through the energy exchange process.

English

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect sizes of teachers’ perception and opinions about intimidation (Mobbing) experienced by teachers in schools in accordance with school type (public and private schools). 11 studies deemed meeting the inclusion criteria were chosen from 42 MA and PhD theses and dissertations in YOK National Thesis Archive about intimidation experienced by teachers in schools in Turkey. Total number of samples in this study is 3213 (teachers); 1084 of which are teachers who work for private schools whereas 2129 are those teachers who work for public schools. In addition, several variables such as publication type, publication year, the region used for the research and educational level, researcher’s sex that could not be included in the evaluation as a moderator in primary researches were analyzed. In accordance with the results of this study, an effect size with statistical significance and of no statistical importance was determined on the part of teachers who are working for private schools according to fixed effect model (d=-0,129) and random effect model (d=-0,109). In the consequence of the moderator analysis conducted, the publication type (p=0.45) and educational level (p=0.46) were determined not to be moderators. Researcher’s sex (p=0.00), the years in which the research was conducted (p=0.04) and the regions in which the research was conducted (p=0,00) were determined to be moderators. In addition, an upward trend was observed in the differences among the school types by years in terms of effect sizes. As a result, not using the school type as an independent moderator of statistical significance for the studies on intimidation faced by teachers may be recommended. Key words: Mobbing, intimidation, meta-analysis, school type, teacher.

Změny chování spotřebitelů na trhu s potravinami

Czech Republic has experienced significant changes on the market with food in last two decades. The paper presents summary of results of conducted analyses focusing on changes in levels of most important food categories, changes in consumer preferences, and suggests what trends we can expect in the near future. The analyses were based on date from Czech Statistical Office Yearbooks, EUROSTAT, INCOMA and GfK, and data from primary researches conducted on sample of total 2522 households in the Czech Republic through questionnaire researches in 2005, 2006 and 2007. The results show that in the Czech Republic, the ratio of expenditures for food out of total consumer expenditures is slowly decreasing and advances to (still lower) level typical for traditional EU countries. We have experienced growth of demand for products with higher added value; customers put more emphasis on perceived quality, longer durability and special product characteristics. Czech con­su­mers increase their consumption of vegetables and fruit, bottled beverages, wine and alcoholic beverages, cheese, they decreased their consumption of meat (in total), milk and potatoes, stagnation was typical for bakery products, sugar and fats and oils. Development in all social classes was very similar. For the future, we can expect growing interest for food products in smaller packages and targeted at specific needs, growing demand for food products with higher added value, consumption of food formerly unusual for the Czech, more frequent out-of-home eating, and growing differences between individual segments of social groups, mainly due to uneven income distribution.

Meta, mega e retroanálises correlacionais: comparando dados primários em Psicologia

Na tentativa de promover a transformação de informações em conhecimento, este artigo compara as meta-análises com duas de suas variantes, as mega-análises e as retroanálises, técnicas desenvolvidas para a síntese e a equiparação de resultados pouco precisos ou contraditórios. Enquanto as meta-análises referem-se à síntese dos resultados de diferentes pesquisas primárias, as mega-análises referem-se à síntese dos dados coletados por pesquisas primárias e as retroanálises à recriação e posterior síntese desses mesmos dados. Por meio de uma simulação, o Estudo 1 pareia o viés médio de meta, mega e retroanálises em função de nove diferentes configurações que variam conforme a quantidade de estudos empregados e do tamanho da amostra individual de cada um desses estudos, nas modalidades de dados completos, leve e severa ausência de dados. No Estudo 2, os mesmos dados utilizados na simulação de ausência severa foram empregados para testar a precisão de mega e retroanálises quando se realiza a imputação de dados. Os resultados apontam para uma leve superioridade geral das mega-análises, diferença essa que diminui, até desaparecer, em situações ideais.

Women’s Level of Education and Its Effect on Domestic Violence in Rural Bangladesh

This paper explores the association between women’s education and domestic violence against women perpetrated by their husbands and in-laws in the context of rural Bangladesh. The aim of the study is to find out whether a low level of women’s education has a causal relation with domestic violence in rural Bangladesh. The research has been conducted through analyzing primary researches and data on domestic violence and associated factors of violence in recent years. The study reveals that the contextual variation of a number of factors associated with domestic violence allows us to identify a correlation of education level of women with domestic violence. The paper concludes with the suggestion that providing women with higher level of education may present an environment for lower level of violence and women’s autonomy. However, it also may indirectly intensify family violence, depending on the circumstance. Keyword: Domestic Violence, Rural Bangladesh, Women’s Educational Level, Women’s Status

Study on Activated Sludge and Microbial Change in Membrane Bioreactor

With the characteristics of long SRT and high sludge concentration in MBR, the dynamic change of microbial community and the settleability of activated sludge have been the primary researches. According to observation of microbial from activated sludge consecutively, the change of the microbial population had a certain regularity: the free-swimming ciliates, the attached ciliates and the rotifera carried on the dominant populations in turn. With proliferation of the filamentous in activated sludge, the activated sludge floc became closely from loosely, resulted the microbial species and quantity in reduce. The total of activated sludge also rose along with the extent of SRT. The study found that there is a relationship of mutual influences and interactions between activated sludge and microorganism.