Umrežavanje u turizmu

The aim of this study is to get a better understanding of the benefits of networking activities among firms operating in the tourism industry. The study classifies a sample of 421 tourism firms from three Mediterranean countries – Croatia, Italy and Slovenia – into three distinct groups based on their networking activities – non-networkers (group 1), Great Networkers (group 2) and Limited Networkers (group 3) – and seeks to identify similarities and differences among these groups. The research results show that tourism firms from these three groups differ from each other based on the firm’s country of origin, industry, age, size, and performance. According to the results, we may be able to advise firms operating in the tourism industry regarding how to increase their collaboration with their internal and external environment in order to achieve better firm performance

What motivates you right now? Development of a measure of momentary-chronic regulatory focus

Regulatory focus is a motivational construct that describes humans’ motivational orientation during goal pursuit. It is conceptualized as a chronic, trait-like, as well as a momentary, state-like orientation. Whereas there is a large number of measures to capture chronic regulatory focus, measures for its momentary assessment are only just emerging. This paper presents the development and validation of a measure of Momentary-Chronic Regulatory Focus. Our development incorporates the distinction between self-guide and reference-point definitions of regulatory focus. Ideals and ought striving are the promotion and prevention dimension in the self-guide system; gain and non-loss regulatory focus are the respective dimensions within the reference-point system. Three-survey-based studies test the structure, psychometric properties, and validity of the measure in its version to assess chronic regulatory focus (two samples of working participants, N = 389, N = 672; one student sample [time 1, N = 105; time 2, n = 91]). In two further studies, an experience sampling study with students (N = 84, k = 1649) and a daily-diary study with working individuals (N = 129, k = 1766), the measure was applied to assess momentary regulatory focus. Multilevel analyses test the momentary measure’s factorial structure, provide support for its sensitivity to capture within-person fluctuations, and provide evidence for concurrent construct validity

The Impact of Psychosexual Counseling in Women With Lichen Sclerosus:A Randomized Controlled Trial

INTRODUCTION: Lichen sclerosus (LS) can affect sexuality and quality of life (QoL). OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of psychosexual counseling in women with LS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred fifty-eight women 18 years or older, newly diagnosed with LS, and referred to North Denmark Regional Hospital from January 2018 to November 2019 were included. The women were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to usual care or an intervention group receiving usual care and up to 8 individual consultations with a specialist in sexual counseling. Spouses or partners were encouraged to participate. The women filled out the questionnaires Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Dermatology Life Quality Index, and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index at baseline and after 6 months. RESULTS: The controls presented a mean score of 14.8 ± 8.7 and the intervention group presented a mean score of 12.8 ± 8.9 at FSFI. At follow-up, the controls had an FSFI score of 15.2 ± 9.2 and the intervention group revealed an FSFI score of 18.3 ± 9.5. Both groups experienced improved sexual functioning and for the intervention group the increase was significant (p < .001). At baseline, the Dermatology Life Quality Index mean score was 8.9 ± 5.6 for the control group and 9.3 ± 6.1 for the intervention group. At follow-up, the controls revealed a score of 8.6 ± 5.5 and the intervention group a score of 6.8 ± 5.8. The intervention group reached a significantly higher degree of QoL than the controls (p = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Psychosexual counseling has a significant impact on sexual functioning and QoL in women with LS

Survival of bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa in distilled water

Pseudomonas aeruginosa je gram-negativna aerobna bakterija široko rasprostranjena u vodama okoliša. Oportunistički je patogen koji lako preživljava nepovoljne životne uvjete kao što su nedostatak hranjivih tvari. Prema važećim pravilnicima, ova bakterija ne smije biti prisutna u vodi za piće, gotovom proizvodu, kao niti u vodi za kupanje i rekreaciju. Cilj našeg istraživanja je bio utvrditi postoje li razlike u preživljenju ove bakterije obzirom na vrstu vode iz koje je izolirana. Odabrano je 10 izolata P. aeruginosa izoliranih iz raznovrsnih uzoraka voda te se ispitalo njihovo preživljavanje u destiliranoj vodi tijekom 28 dana. Svi izolati su preživjeli tijekom ispitivanog perioda, a najveći postotak preživljenja imao je izolat iz vode brodskog tanka koja je višekratno dezinficirana klornim preparatom. Najmanji postotak preživljenja pokazao je izolat iz boćate vode rijeke Cetine. Prema profilu antibiotske rezistencije utvrđeno je da je upravo ovaj izolat zajedno s onim iz otpadne vode imao neobičan fenotip rezistencije koji ova dva izolata čini bližim kliničkim sojevima. Nove spoznaje o preživljavanju bakterija u nepovoljnim životnim uvjetima dragocjene su u otkrivanju učinkovitih metoda njihovog suzbijanja.Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative aerobic bacterium that is widespread in waters of the environment. It is an opportunistic pathogen easily surviving unfavourable living conditions, such as a lack of nutrients. According to the ordinances in force, this bacterium must not be present in drinking water, finished products or waters for bathing and recreation. The objective of our research was to determine whether there were differences in survival of this bacterium with regard to the water type from which it was isolated. 10 P. aeruginosa isolates were selected from different water samples to test their survival in distilled water during 28 days. All isolates survived during the testing period. The isolate from a ship tank that was multiply disinfected with a chlorine solution had the highest survival rate whereas the isolate from the Cetina River’s brackish water had the lowest survival rate. According to the antibiotic resistance profile, it was determined that exactly this isolate, together with the one from wastewater, had an unusual resistance phenotype that makes these two isolates closer to clinical strains. The new insights into bacterial survival in unfavourable living conditions are invaluable in identifying efficient methods for their suppression

Factors Influencing Sleep Difficulty and Sleep Quantity in the Citizen Pscientist Psoriatic Cohort.

IntroductionSleep is essential for overall health and well-being, yet more than one-third of adults report inadequate sleep. The prevalence is higher among people with psoriasis, with up to 85.4% of the psoriatic population reporting sleep disruption. Poor sleep among psoriasis patients is particularly concerning because psoriasis is independently associated with many of the same comorbidities as sleep dysfunction, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. Given the high prevalence and serious consequences of disordered sleep in psoriasis, it is vital to understand the nature of sleep disturbance in this population. This study was designed to help meet this need by using survey data from Citizen Pscientist, an online patient portal developed by the National Psoriasis Foundation.MethodsOur analysis included 3118 participants who identified as having a diagnosis by a physician of psoriasis alone or psoriasis with psoriatic arthritis. Demographic information, psoriasis severity and duration, sleep apnea status, smoking and alcohol consumption, itch timing, and sleep characteristics were included. Two separate multivariate logistic regression models in STATA were used to determine whether the presence of psoriatic arthritis, age, gender, body mass index, comorbid sleep apnea, psoriasis severity, timing of worst itch, smoking status, or high-risk alcohol consumption were associated with sleep difficulty or low sleep quantity, defined by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as less than 7 h of sleep per night on average.ResultsResults from the multivariate logistic regressions found that sleep difficulty was associated with psoriatic arthritis (OR 2.15, 95% CI [1.79-2.58]), female gender (2.03 [1.67-2.46]), obese body mass index (BMI ≥ 30) (1.25 [1.00-1.56]), sleep apnea (1.41 [1.07-1.86]), psoriasis severity of moderate (1.59 [1.30-1.94]) or severe (2.40 [1.87-3.08]), and smoking (1.60 [1.26-2.02]). Low sleep quantity was associated with obese BMI (1.62 [1.29-2.03]), sleep apnea (1.30 [1.01-1.68]), psoriasis severity of moderate (1.41 [1.16-1.72]) or severe (1.40 [1.11-1.76]), and smoking (1.62 [1.31-2.00]). Sleep difficulty and low sleep quantity were not associated with age, alcohol consumption, or timing of worst itch.ConclusionThese results are potentially meaningful in several aspects. We identify an important distinction between sleep difficulty and sleep quantity in psoriatic disease, whereby having psoriatic arthritis and being female are each associated with sleep difficulty despite no association with low sleep quantity. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence from prior studies as to whether psoriasis severity is associated with sleep difficulty, but this well-powered, large study revealed a strong, graded relationship between psoriasis severity and both sleep difficulty and low sleep quantity. Overall, our results show that both sleep difficulty and low sleep quantity were associated with multiple factors in this analysis of a large psoriatic cohort. These findings suggest that dermatologists may gather clinically useful information by screening psoriatic patients for trouble sleeping and low sleep quantity to identify potential comorbidities and to more effectively guide disease management

Das Clearing House Unterricht. Ein Service für die Lehrer*innenbildung?!

Im „Clearing House Unterricht (CHU)“ der School of Education an der Technischen Universität München (TUM) geht es darum, eine ganze Reihe schlafender Riesen für eine evidenzbasierte Lehrer*innenbildung zu wecken. Zu diversen Unterrichtsthemen wird der aktuelle Forschungsstand aufbereitet. Zielgruppe dieses Services sind Lehrerbildner*innen, die als „Wissensbroker“ angesprochen werden. Das Autor*innenteam belegt anhand der Evaluation des Angebots, dass es von den Lehrerbildner*innen angenommen und als nützlich und vertrauenswürdig (!) eingeschätzt wird. In einer Weiterführung wird eine „CHU-Academy“ Trainings in der Gestaltung evidenzbasierter Lehre anbieten. (DIPF/Orig.