Employee and the Self-Employed Job Satisfaction: Similarities and Differences

Research question: This paper investigates if there are differences between employees and the self-employed job satisfaction levels. Motivation: The motive for this research was the desire to determine the validity of the assumption that the self-employed are more satisfied with their jobs than employees, and also to investigate for the first time in Serbia the differences in the self-employed and employee job satisfaction. The paper relies on earlier research works that have all shown that the self-employed are more satisfied with their jobs than employees (Blanchflower, 2004). This is due to the autonomy at work that the self-employed have, while employees experience it in a smaller degree. In addition, the selfemployed also have better opportunities to organize their work so that it can be interesting, a greater flexibility at work and larger income. Idea: In this perspective, the central hypothesis of this study is that in Serbia, and also other researched countries, the self-employed job satisfaction is higher than that of the employees in their firms. Therefore, the research has been directed to determine whether job satisfaction, as a dependent variable, is systematically different depending on the respondents’ status (self-employed – employee), as an independent variable. Data: The research included 127 employees in 15 different business firms run by the self-employed from different parts of Serbia. Of the total number of respondents, 52 were self-employed while 75 were employees. The respondents rated the importance of and their satisfaction with 12 job dimensions. Tools: While calculating the average importance and satisfaction rates of the self-employed and employees, as well as the statistical significance of the differences in their ratings by means of independent sample t test, significant results have been obtained. Findings: Just like in the earlier research, it has been confirmed that the self-employed show a higher level of total job satisfaction in comparison with employees. Statistically significant differences in the job dimensions’ importance exist only in the job dimension “Work that does not require overtime”, which is significantly more important to employees than to the self-employed. With respect to job satisfaction, statistically significant differences exist in 6 out of 12 job dimensions, and in each of them the self-employed are more satisfied than the employees. Unlike in earlier research, the main source of the self-employed satisfaction is not autonomy at work, but personal responsibility in task completion, safe working conditions and friendly atmosphere at work. Contribution: The study has once again shown that the selfemployed are more satisfied with their job in comparison with the employees, and that this also applies in Serbia

Theta-modulated oscillatory transcranial direct current stimulation over posterior parietal cortex improves associative memory

Associative memory (AM) reflects the ability to remember and retrieve multiple pieces of information bound together thus enabling complex episodic experiences. Despite growing interest in the use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the modulation of AM, there are inconsistent evidence regarding its benefits. An alternative to standard constant tDCS could be the application of frequency-modulated tDCS protocols, that mimic natural function-relevant brain rhythms. Here, we show the effects of anodal tDCS oscillating in theta rhythm (5 Hz; 1.5 ± 0.1 mA) versus constant anodal tDCS and sham over left posterior parietal cortex on cued recall of face-word associations. In a crossover design, each participant completed AM assessment immediately following 20-min theta-oscillatory, constant, and sham tDCS, as well as 1 and 5 days after. Theta oscillatory tDCS increased initial AM performance in comparison to sham, and so did constant tDCS. On the group level, no differences between oscillatory and constant tDCS were observed, but individual-level analysis revealed that some participants responded to theta-oscillatory but not to constant tDCS, and vice versa, which could be attributed to their different physiological modes of action. This study shows the potential of oscillatory tDCS protocols for memory enhancement to produce strong and reliable memory-modulating effects which deserve to be investigated further

Personalized Frequency Modulated Transcranial Electrical Stimulation for Associative Memory Enhancement

Associative memory (AM) is the ability to remember the relationship between previously unrelated items. AM is significantly affected by normal aging and neurodegenerative conditions, thus there is a growing interest in applying non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques for AM enhancement. A growing body of studies identifies posterior parietal cortex (PPC) as the most promising cortical target for both transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) to modulate a cortico-hippocampal network that underlines AM. In that sense, theta frequency oscillatory tES protocols, targeted towards the hallmark oscillatory activity within the cortico-hippocampal network, are increasingly coming to prominence. To increase precision and effectiveness, the need for EEG guided individualization of the tES protocols is proposed. Here, we present the study protocol in which two types of personalized oscillatory tES–transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) and oscillatory transcranial direct current stimulation (otDCS), both frequency-modulated to the individual theta-band frequency (ITF), are compared to the non-oscillatory transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and to the sham stimulation. The study has cross-over design with four tES conditions (tACS, otDCS, tDCS, sham), and the comprehensive set of neurophysiological (resting state EEG and AM-evoked EEG) and behavioral outcomes, including AM tasks (short-term associative memory, face–word, face–object, object-location), as well as measures of other cognitive functions (cognitive control, verbal fluency, and working memory)

The first record of the Chinese pond mussel Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) in Montenegro

Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834), Chinese pond mussel (Bivalvia: Unionoida: Unionidae) is one of the most invasive aquatic macroinvertebrate species found in Europe. We report the Chinese pond mussel for the first time in Montenegro, in August 2012, in Lake Šasko (Adriatic part of the Central Mediterranean subarea). One specimen of the Chinese pond mussel was observed in a habitat with a predominantly silt-clay substrate. The main pathway of species introduction was evaluated to be via fish stocking. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 43002 i br. ON 173025

The first record of the Chinese pond mussel Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) in Montenegro

Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834), Chinese pond mussel (Bivalvia: Unionoida: Unionidae) is one of the most invasive aquatic macroinvertebrate species found in Europe. We report the Chinese pond mussel for the first time in Montenegro, in August 2012, in Lake Šasko (Adriatic part of the Central Mediterranean subarea). One specimen of the Chinese pond mussel was observed in a habitat with a predominantly silt-clay substrate. The main pathway of species introduction was evaluated to be via fish stocking

Checklist of non-indigenous fish species of the River Danube

Twenty non-indigenous fish species were recorded in the Danube River. The manner of their introduction, vectors, pathways, as well as invasive status are discussed. The major modes of introduction and translocation were found to be aquaculture and fish stocking. The main environmental consequences of the spread of alien fish are related to changes in the structure and functioning of the fish community and to the introduction of non-indigenous parasites

The first record of the Chinese pond mussel Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) in Montenegro

Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834), Chinese pond mussel (Bivalvia: Unionoida: Unionidae) is one of the most invasive aquatic macroinvertebrate species found in Europe. We report the Chinese pond mussel for the first time in Montenegro, in August 2012, in Lake Šasko (Adriatic part of the Central Mediterranean subarea). One specimen of the Chinese pond mussel was observed in a habitat with a predominantly silt-clay substrate. The main pathway of species introduction was evaluated to be via fish stocking.Projekat ministarstva br. III 43002 i br. ON 17302

Aquatic macroinvertebrates of the Jablanica river, Serbia

Research on the community of aquatic macroinvertebrates was carried out during 2005 and 2006 at four sampling sites along the Jablanica River, a right-hand tributary of the Kolubara River. Fifty-seven taxa were recorded in the course of the investigation. The most diverse group was Ephemeroptera, followed by Trichoptera and Plecoptera. Members of the Rhitrogena semicolorata group were the most abundant. Our results could be the basis for evaluation of the influence of damming of the Jablanica River on the status of its water and can serve as a model for studying the influ­ence of hydromorphological degradation of aquatic ecosystems

Invasive spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus (Rafinesque, 1817) invades new areas in the Danube River Basin in Serbia

Spiny-cheek crayfish, Orconectes limosus, native to the eastern part of the North American continent has been introduced in Europe at the end of 19th century and up to now it became the most widespread non-indigenous crayfish species in Europe (Souty-Grosset et al. 2006). Introduction in the Danube was first observed in 1985 near Budapest (Thuránszky and Forró 1987). Nowadays, spiny-cheek crayfish is presented along the entire course of the river and across Europe in total of 21 countries. First record for Serbia was in the Danube near Apatin in 2002 and then in 2004 near Smederevo when 13 individuals were detected. In 2008, new records have been reported from the Danube River, near Veliko Gradište, Donji Milanovac and in Đerdap Gorge. Since than, species expands its range along the entire section of the Danube in Serbia. Colonization has continued further upstream and downstream at seven new sites along the river main course: Bogojevo, Bačka Palanka, Slankamen, upstream Sava confluence, Pančevo, Banatska Palanka, Kladovo. Moreover, spiny-cheek crayfish spread into all main tributaries of the Danube River, the rivers Sava, Tisa and Velika Morava, as well as in the Danube-Tisa-Danube Canal. Species was recorded also in Tamiš River in 2019, confirmed earlier detected finding from 2011. All these new records and fast dispersal rate together with negative effects on native crayfish species, in particular Astacus leptodactylus found at the most sites in association with O. limosus, suggest that urgent measures are needed in order to prevent further dispersion of this invasive species