Impact of motivations to buy and offer gifts in consumerism at Christmas

This article aims to analyze a conceptual model composed of the variables motivation to buy, motivation to offer gifts and compulsive consumerism at Christmas time. In order to achieve the proposed objective, a quantitative methodology based on a questionnaire survey was used. The sample consists of 1086 Portuguese individuals, over 18 years old. To evaluate the model, structural equation modeling with partial least squares was used. The results show that the motivations to buy and to offer gifts positively influence compulsive consumerism at Christmas time, and that the motivation to buy positively influences the motivation to offer gifts at Christmas time. The model also demonstrates that the motivation to offer gifts plays a mediating role in the relationship between the motivation to buy and compulsive consumerism. In Portugal there are no known studies on the motivations for offering gifts at Christmas. The present study can help academics, researchers and professionals (managers of consumer goods companies, commercial managers and advertising campaign managers) to better understand the motivations for buying and offering gifts, and the compulsive consumerism of the Portuguese population at Christmas time.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Influence of Affects on Workaholism in Teleworking During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Partial Least Squares Model

Human beings need to feel affects and to work, so it is important to balance personal and professional life. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, workers that are unable to disconnect from work and respect rest and leisure hours while teleworking can become workaholics. The present study aims to analyze the levels of workaholism and to study the influence of affects on workaholism in the teleworking context. A quantitative methodology was used, based on data obtained from 365 Portuguese workers who responded to a questionnaire survey that analyzes workaholism levels in workers who were teleworking from home, their affects and some sociodemographic variables. In general, being involved in telecommuting increases levels of workaholism. The results of the application of the structural equation modeling with partial least squares revealed that affects influence workaholism. In teleworking practice, the influence of affects on the workaholism condition is very important and can provide organizational managers with information to help those employees become more productive. On the other hand, it is important to ensure a balance in the use of time between teleworking and everyday life. This study contributes to the scientific knowledge in the teleworking field more specifically, for the relationship between workaholism and the affects when telecommuting. This study is also important for organizations and workers to define strategies to maintain a balance between affects and work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

CYP2C19 and ABCB1 gene polymorphisms are differently distributed according to ethnicity in the Brazilian general population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recent studies have reported the clinical importance of <it>CYP2C19 </it>and <it>ABCB1 </it>polymorphisms in an individualized approach to clopidogrel treatment. The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequencies of <it>CYP2C19 </it>and <it>ABCB1 </it>polymorphisms and to identify the clopidogrel-predicted metabolic phenotypes according to ethnic groups in a sample of individuals representative of a highly admixtured population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and eighty-three Amerindians and 1,029 subjects of the general population of 4 regions of the country were included. Genotypes for the <it>ABCB1</it>c.C3435T (rs1045642), <it>CYP2C19*2 </it>(rs4244285), <it>CYP2C19*3 </it>(rs4986893), <it>CYP2C19*4 </it>(rs28399504), <it>CYP2C19*5 </it>(rs56337013), and <it>CYP2C19*17 </it>(rs12248560) polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction followed by high resolution melting analysis. The <it>CYP2C19*3</it>, <it>CYP2C19*4 </it>and <it>CYP2C19*5 </it>variants were genotyped in a subsample of subjects (300 samples randomly selected).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>CYP2C19*3 </it>and <it>CYP2C19*5 </it>variant alleles were not detected and the <it>CYP2C19*4 </it>variant allele presented a frequency of 0.3%. The allelic frequencies for the <it>ABCB1</it>c.C3435T, <it>CYP2C19*2 </it>and <it>CYP2C19*17 </it>polymorphisms were differently distributed according to ethnicity: Amerindian (51.4%, 10.4%, 15.8%); Caucasian descent (43.2%, 16.9%, 18.0%); Mulatto (35.9%, 16.5%, 21.3%); and African descent (32.8%, 20.2%, 26.3%) individuals, respectively. As a result, self-referred ethnicity was able to predict significantly different clopidogrel-predicted metabolic phenotypes prevalence even for a highly admixtured population.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our findings indicate the existence of inter-ethnic differences in the <it>ABCB1 </it>and <it>CYP2C19 </it>variant allele frequencies in the Brazilian general population plus Amerindians. This information could help in stratifying individuals from this population regarding clopidogrel-predicted metabolic phenotypes and design more cost-effective programs towards individualization of clopidogrel therapy.</p

Fabrication of a MEMS micromirror based on bulk silicon micromachining combined with grayscale lithography

A 1D MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) mirror for LiDAR applications, based on vertically asymmetric comb-drive electrostatic actuators, is presented in this work employing a novel fabrication process. This novel micromachining process combines typical SOI-based bulk micromachining and grayscale lithography, enabling the fabrication of combs actuators with asymmetric heights using a single lithography step in the active layer. With this technique, the fabrication process is simplified, and the overall costs are reduced since the number of required lithography steps decrease. The fabricated mirrors present self-aligned electrodes with a 2.8 mu m gap and asymmetric heights of the movable and the fixed electrodes of 20 mu m and 50 mu m, respectively. These asymmetric actuators are an essential feature for the operation mode of this device, enabling both in resonant and static mode operation. A mirror field of view (FOV) of 54 degrees at 838 Hz was achieved under low-pressure, when resonantly operated, and a FOV of 0.8 degrees in the static mode.This work was supported by the European Structural and Investment Funds in the FEDER Component through the Operational Competitiveness and Internationalization Programme (COMPETE 2020) under Project 037902 (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-037902). The work of Carlos Ferreira was supported by the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) under Grant PD/BDE/135102/2017. Subject Editor M. Rais-Zadeh

Comparison of force variables and dynamic strength index between age groups in elite young Brazilian football goalkeepers

Introduction: The application of muscle force is a determinant of football success as it is inherent to the motor control and sport. The aims of this study are: (1) to describe force variables Isometric Maximal Force (IMF), Concentric Peak Force (CPPF), and Dynamic Strength Index (DSI) in football goalkeepers from different age groups; (2) to compare these variables’ behavior between those groups. Methods: The sample was formed by 19 youth players (15.97 ± 1.55 years old) from a first-division Brazilian football team. The CPPF and IMF variables were obtained through the Countermovement jump and isometric squat tests, respectively. For data collection, a force plate (Cefise, Brazil) was used with an acquisition frequency of 600 Hz and mono-axial. The DSI was calculated using the ratio between CPPF and IMF. For data analysis, the sample was separated into clusters by age. After the grouping, a descriptive analysis of the data and a comparison between the groups with p < 0.05. Results: The sample was grouped into three groups (GA, GB, and GC) and one of the individuals did not enter the group, totaling 18 individuals in the analyzed sample. The comparison between the ages of the groups showed a significant difference and small and moderate effect size (ES), validating the cluster strategy. The CPPF and IMF variables showed increased values according to chronological age. CPPF showed a significant difference between GA-GB, (ES = very large) GA-GC (ES = very large), and GB-GC (ES = moderate). The IMF variable had significant differences between GA-GB (ES = moderate) and GA-GC (ES = very large). However, DSI showed significant differences only between GA GB (ES = small) and GB-GC (ES = very large). Conclusions: The CPPF and IMF variables had constant increases and distinct values with an increase according to age, and this did not occur for DSI. The difference between CPPF and IMF compared to DSI bring to light the variability in dynamics and proportionality between muscular force in the concentric phase and maximal force in the isometric regime during the developmental process over chronological age in soccer goalkeepers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A GEOBIA approach for multitemporal land-cover and land-use change analysis in a Tropical Watershed in the southeastern Amazon

The southeastern Amazon region has been intensively occupied by human settlements over the past three decades. To evaluate the effects of human settlements on land-cover and land-use (LCLU) changes over time in the study site, we evaluated multitemporal Landsat images from the years 1984, 1994, 2004, 2013 and Sentinel to the year 2017. Then, we defined the LCLU classes, and a detailed “from-to” change detection approach based on a geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) was employed to determine the trajectories of the LCLU changes. Three land-cover (forest, montane savanna and water bodies) and three land-use types (pasturelands, mining and urban areas) were mapped. The overall accuracies and kappa values of the classification were higher than 0.91 for each of the classified images. Throughout the change detection period, ~47% (19,320 km2) of the forest was preserved mainly within protected areas, while almost 42% (17,398 km2) of the area was converted from forests to pasturelands. An intrinsic connection between the increase in mining activity and the expansion of urban areas also exists. The direct impacts of mining activities were more significant throughout the montane savanna areas. We concluded that the GEOBIA approach adopted in this study combines the advantages of quality human interpretation and the capacities of quantitative computing

Spirituality in coping with pain in cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

Spirituality has been identified as an adaptive coping strategy and a predictor of better quality of life in cancer patients. Despite the relevance of spirituality in the health–disease process, it is noted that the assessment of the impact of spirituality in coping with pain is still incipient. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of spirituality in coping with pain in cancer patients. This quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out in a medium-sized hospital and a cancer patient support institution located in northeastern Brazil. A questionnaire with sociodemographic and clinical variables was used and the following instruments were applied: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS); Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ); Neuropathic Pain 4 Questions (DN4); Spiritual Wellbeing Scale (SWBS); WHOQOL Spirituality, Religiousness and Personal Beliefs (WHOQOL-SRPB). Most people with no pain had higher scores on the SWBS. Neuropathic pain was identified in 23 patients and was associated with the highest level of spirituality used as a way of coping with pain. As faith increases, pain decreases in intensity by 0.394 points. On the other hand, as inner peace increases, pain increases by 1.485 points. It is concluded that faith is a strategy for coping with pain, in particular neuropathic pain, minimizing its intensity. On the other hand, greater levels of inner peace allow to increase the awareness of the painful sensation. It is expected that these findings may be useful to integrate spirituality care in healthcare facilities as a resource for positive coping for people in the process of becoming ill, contributing to the therapeutic path and favouring a new meaning to the experience of the disease.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio