CONSUMER’S SATISFACTION - EXPLANATORY MODELS

When the first studies related to consumer satisfaction began to appear in the sixties, nobody could imagine protagonism that it would reach with the course of the time. Nowadays not only private sector companies dedicate part from their resources to the study of the degree of satisfaction of their clients, but satisfaction studies are more and more increasing preoccupation in the state sector, therefore works related to the satisfaction of the patients, the contributors or with the tourist destiny can be found. Firstly, a revision of the different models that have been used to explain customer satisfaction level is presented, using the cognitive and the affective-cognitive models. In the first case, human being is looking as a rational being that can process information about the different attributes of the services to form his personal satisfaction. The most useful model within this category is the expectation disconfirmation model. These kind of models explain satisfaction as a function of the degree and direction of the discrepancy between expectation and perceptions. It has evolved all over time resulting in a lot of different approaches. We have also studied the equity model, in which consumer does a benefit-cost analysis not only its owns but from the rest of people who take part in the transaction. Finally, in the affective-cognitive models, human being is seeing like a complex being that is not solely an information processor but experiences feelings and emotions that also influence in their judgments of satisfaction. Secondly, it has been realized an empirical application in which we have used the main variables in the expectation disconfirmation model: perceptions, expectations and discrepancies to estimate some logit models. The tourists who visit Tenerife are classified as satisfied or unsatisfied. Then, we model the probability of each characteristic using tourist’s scores on some destination attributes. Two samples have been used. The first one was obtained at the time of arriving; the second one has been made when leaving the island. Since tourists are not necessary the same in both samples, a statistic inference process has been made to use all the information available. The best model is obtained when expectations and perceptions are used at the same time, so we obtain a 75% of right classification. To sum up, we have found that perceptions are the main subject for the tourist’s satisfaction, although we can’t forget the importance of expectations to complete the model.

Attempted Book Bans: The Censorship of Queer Themes in the 1950s

This article aims to explore queer book banning during the 1950s in response to Cold War national defense tactics. The decade witnessed the formation of the first public LGBTQ+ rights organizations in the United States as well as a rise in queer literature and publications. This publicization of queerness in society was seen as a rejection of traditional societal norms and threatened the Cold War-imposed gender ideology. In addition, the fear of Communist expansion led to the conflation of homosexuals and Communists, categorizing queerness and queer-related themes as immoral and as an interference in the United States\u27 fight for democracy. Specifically, this paper seeks to answer how national defense tactics led to the villainization of queerness and the censoring of queer themes in books. I argue that book bans during the Cold War were a form of internal regulation intended to protect the public from exposure to queerness and to protect the nuclear family. I aim to understand the process of book banning by using two different queer texts, Giovanni\u27s Room by James Baldwin and Women\u27s Barracks by Tereska Torrès, and their public reception as proxies for understanding the more significant effect of Cold War queer book-banning campaigns

Assessing safety net readiness in response to food price volatility

In 2008, when food prices rose precipitously to record highs, international attention and local policy in many countries focused on safety nets as part of the response. Now that food prices are high again, the issue of appropriate responses is again on the policy agenda. This note sets out a framework for making quick, qualitative assessments of how well countries'safety nets prepare them for a rapid policy response to rising food prices should the situation warrant. The framework is applied using data from spring 2011, presenting a snap?shot analysis of what is a dynamically changing situation. Based on this data safety net readiness is assessed in 13 vulnerable countries based on the following criteria: the presence of safety net programs, program coverage, administrative capacity, and to a lesser degree, targeting effectiveness. It is argued that these criteria will remain the same throughout time, even if the sample countries affected will be expected to vary. Based on thisanalysis the note highlights that though a number of countries are more prepared than they were in 2008, there is still a significant medium term agenda on safety net preparedness in the face of crisis. In this context, strategic lessons from the 2008 food crisis response are presented to better understand the response options and challenges facing governments and policy makers. The note concludes by calling for continued investment and scale up of safety nets to mitigate poverty impacts and help prevent long term setbacks in nutrition and poverty.Food&Beverage Industry,Safety Nets and Transfers,Emerging Markets,Rural Poverty Reduction,Regional Economic Development

MEASURING POVERTY IN AN ULTRAPERIPHERAL REGION - THE CASE OF THE CANARY ISLANDS

The Canary Islands (one of Spain's 17 autonomous communities) is considered in the EC Treaty "ultra-peripheral region" which means: i) differences in the development processes and integration that justify certain specific policies (six out of the seven regions involved are among the poorest in the EU). This is related with remoteness, insularity, small size, difficult topography and climate, and the dependence on a small number of products; ii) the remoteness from the mainland countries and climatic conditions (tropical or subtropical) and, iii) the role of EU frontier and the geographical structure characterized by size and distance. With data of the Survey of Social Conditions (2001) we study the income inequality of individuals in The Canary Islands. Individuals are divided into various subgroups along several dimensions, such as island of residence, age, employment status etc. The difference in inequality between and within the various subgroups is studied using absolute-relative poverty line. We estimate poverty using a subjective approach too, where the level of the poverty line is derived using the opinion of the individual, rich or poor, on poverty. The subjective poverty line used is the Leyden Poverty Line based on subjective questions regarding income and economic welfare.

Cytokines and Maternal Omega-3 LCPUFAs Supplementation

Daily supplementation of maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation with a fish oil-enriched dairy product increases the percentage of DHA and other omega-3 (ω-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in mothers (placenta, plasma, erythrocyte membranes, and breast milk) and children (plasma and erythrocyte membranes). This supplementation during critical periods such as pregnancy, lactation, and early development of a newborn may influence the levels of certain inflammatory cytokines, reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and promoting an anti-inflammatory “environment”. In pregnant women who have not received any supplement of omega-3 LCPUFAs, IL-6 plasma levels are higher, while TNF-alpha plasma levels are also higher in their breastfed infant at birth and 2 months thereafter. There could be a relationship between docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and the concentrations of different cytokines

New tool to assess the force production in the swallow

8 men artistic gymnasts were evaluated with a new test protocol in order to assess isometric strength in an specific hold position on still rings. The proposed test protocol measures the force applied the gymnast on the rings from an initial lying prone position on a force platform while he is trying to achieve the Swallow (or Hirondelle) position. The vertical force (FZ) from the forcetime curve registered (100 Hz) was used and it showed a descent from the initial body weight level caused by the gymnast force on the rings and, later, a maximal isometric force period. Fundamental and derivate variables to extract from the evolution of Fz were defined. Results showed significant statistical differences between gymnasts that could perform the Swallow (P) from those that could not (NP) (pmenor que0.05). Performer gymnasts were characterized by a higher percentage of body weight descent and higher strength in relation to body mass (pmenor que0.05). The practical application of this tool could be to provide coaches with information about how close the gymnast is to perform the Swallow

Eficacia y seguridad de la masoterapia en pacientes oncológicos. Revisión bibliográfica.

Objetivo: conocer los beneficios y la seguridad de diferentes técnicas de masoterapia en pacientes con cáncer. Material y métodos: búsqueda bibliográfica en las bases de datos PeDro y PubMed. Fueron incluidos ensayos clínicos aleatorizados (ECAs), revisiones sistemáticas y metaanálisis. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 27 artículos, 12 ECAs, 13 revisiones sistemáticas y 2 metaanálisis. Se encontraron tres modalidades: masaje oncológico, drenaje linfático y masaje terapéutico. Discusión: El masaje oncológico proporciona analgesia, reducción de la fatiga y mejora el estado de ánimo y la calidad de vida. El drenaje linfático manual reduce el edema e inflamación y produce analgesia. El masaje terapéutico reduce la inflamación y el edema y produce relajación muscular. Conclusiones: El masaje oncológico es demandado y es efectivo. El drenaje linfático es importante en el tratamiento de ciertos edemas. Se requieren líneas de investigación que proporcionen datos acerca de la seguridad de estas técnicas en relación a los metabolismos desencadenados en el ambiente tumoral.Aim: Know the benefits and safety of different massages therapies techniques in cancer patients. Material and methods: A bibliographic search was carried out in PeDro and PubMed databases using the data keywords "Massage", "cancer", "massage therapy in cancer", "integrative therapy", "oncological massage" and "safety”. RCTs, systematic reviews and meta-analyzes were included. Results: Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 27 articles, 12 RCTs, 13 systematic reviews and 2 meta-analyzes were included. Most studies showed that conventional massage therapy and lymphatic drainage (understood as a manual technique related to massage therapy) have beneficial effects in cancer patients, reducing certain sequelae such as pain or fatigue. However, non conclusive studies were found on the safety of the application of massage therapy in cancer patients. Yes, studies on manual lymphatic drainage and its safety insofar as it cannot cause metastasis. Conclusions: Massage therapy has benefits in the treatment of some sequelae in cancer patients. Research lines should be opened that provide data about the safety of these techniques in relation to the metabolisms triggered in the tumor environment

IMPLEMENTING COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY IN A YOUTH RESIDENTIAL SETTING: AN EVALUATION OF IMPLEMENTATION AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Indiana University, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences/University Graduate School, 2020Background: Mental health needs in residential treatment facilities (RTFs) are disproportionally higher than in the general population. There are also race, gender, and age disparities in youth who reside in RTFs. A critical gap exists about the effectiveness of evidence-based practices (EBPs) in RTFs and how to facilitate implementation of such practices. Methods: Three studies evaluated the implementation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in a youth RTF using linear mixed models by: Study 1) assessing the impact of CBT implementation on implementation outcomes (i.e., attitudes towards EBPs, and intention to use CBT), Study 2) evaluating the impact of CBT implementation phases on clinical outcomes (i.e., total symptomatology, internalizing symptomatology, externalizing symptomatology, and severity of top problems), and Study 3) assessing the impact of CBT fidelity on clinical outcomes. Results: Results from Study 1 revealed that intention to use CBT and divergence towards EBPs changed at distinct implementation stages, and that staff role was important in improving overall attitudes towards EBPs and divergence toward EBPs. Results from Study 2 indicated that youth symptomatology and severity of top problems improved over time, with steeper slopes during the second implementation phase. Results for Study 3 suggested that staff monthly fidelity and therapist fidelity to cognitive restructuring, staff monthly fidelity to distress tolerance, and therapist fidelity to active listening and behavioral activation improve clinical outcomes. In addition, therapist fidelity to distress tolerance led to improvements in youth severity of top problems. Discussion: These results may have important implications for understanding how tailored implementation of CBT can improve implementation and clinical outcomes in youth residential settings

Tracking mood states and on-going attentional focus in triathletes

La toma de conciencia y la auto-regulación de la atención se pueden emplear como estrategias cognitivas y pueden ayudar a superar factores que amenazan un rendimiento óptimo, tales como el estado de ánimo negativo. Debido a su relación con la percepción del esfuerzo, la fatiga o la auto-confianza, el estado de ánimo se considera un factor decisivo en el rendimiento en triatlón. Asimismo, las técnicas de ejercicio mente-cuerpo han demostrado su eficacia en la modulación de los estados de ánimo. Un total de 18 triatletas españoles fueron asignados al azar a una de las tres condiciones experimentales (bicicleta estática, cinta de correr y step) donde realizaban un ejercicio de 20 minutos de duración y una intensidad del 60% de su frecuencia cardíaca máxima, mientras focalizaban la atención en su propia respiración. El estado de ánimo fue evaluado (prepost sesión) mediante la Escala del Perfil de los Estados de Ánimo (POMS) y la Escala Bidimensional del Estado de Ánimo (TMS). Los análisis estadísticos mostraron una reducción significativa pre-post sesión en dos de las subescalas medidas por el POMS: tensión y cólera. Los resultados obtenidos con el TMS determinaron puntuaciones reducidas en desagrado y elevadas en vitalidad, estabilidad y placer. Los datos preliminares de este estudio sugieren que el rendimiento en disciplinas deportivas de carácter cíclico, centrando la atención en su propia respiración, pueden mejorar el estado de ánimo