Fitting into Academia: Perceived Similarity Mediates Gender Differences in Interest in Post-Graduate Academic Career

This study examined perceived similarity to researchers as a mediator of gender differences in interest in post-graduate academic career. Previous research has shown that male participants are more interested in post-graduate school than female participants. Research has also shown that perceived similarity to students in different academic fields was the best mediator of interest in graduating within that field. The current study examined perceived similarity to researchers on several similarity characteristics including a more specific personality aspect consisting of self-image and researcher-image in relation to interest in post-graduate academic career. Further self-efficacy was also examined as a possible mediator of gender differences in interest in post-graduate academic career. As expected, male participants showed more interest in a post-graduate academic career than female participants and perceived similarity to researchers mediated women’s lower interest in post-graduate academic career. Self-efficacy was not supported as a mediator in the current study. The results are discussed in relation to previous research

In-store behaviour of healthy consumers- A study of behavioural differences between consumers who choose healthy products and consumers who choose regular products

This study examines if there are any behavioural differences in-store between consumers who choose a healthy product and consumers who choose a regular product. 540 observations were conducted were different variables were studied. Tthe results indicate that there are some variables that show a significant difference in behaviour at the point of choice between consumer who choose healthy products and those who choose regular products

Determinants of customer satisfaction with socially responsible investments: Do ethical and environmental factors impact customer satisfaction with SRI profiled mutual funds?

Although much research has been published on green/ethical consumer behaviour, the question of how consumers evaluate pro-socially positioned products in the post-purchase stage is still virtually unexplored. This is troubling given the significance of post-purchase evaluations within general marketing theory. To address this gap in the literature, this study examines how a set of technical and functional quality attributes contribute to customer satisfaction in a socially responsible investment (SRI) setting. The results of the study show that perceived financial quality of the SRI mutual fund is the most important predictor of customer satisfaction. However, perceived social, ethical, and environmental (SEE) quality is also positively related to satisfaction for the SRI mutual fund. Based on these results, it is argued that although SEE quality is important to customers, marketers of pro-socially profiled products should primarily focus on conventional quality attributes, as a good SEE record unlikely to generate customer satisfaction alone.Customer satisfaction; ethics; perceived quality; socially responsible investment; mutual funds

Children's everyday recreational mobilities - growing up in a densifying Swedish small town

Access to urban open space is of large importance for the child-friendliness of built environments and might also play an important role in children's sustainable recreational mobilities. Yet, little is known about how children's everyday recreation and associated mobilities are affected by planning projects and densification processes, where ideas of sustainable mobility often focus on a transit-oriented development (TOD) based on densification in areas around transport nodes. In this study, we examine the current rapid development of a small town in the south of Sweden, affected by TOD ideals. The case is studied through the perspectives of local children aged 10-11, focusing on their recreational mobilities and the current development, using walking interviews. The children described the current projects as happening fast, diminishing their spaces and increasing car traffic without their perspectives being included. Compared to a study conducted 5 years earlier in the same small town, the children appeared to find less places for them and to focus more on formal places programmed for their use. There are reasons to be critical to how densification is being realised in relation to sustainable recreational mobilities, if leading to continuous car dependence but with less access to sufficient and varied open spaces of interest to children. This study also shows the importance of including children of various ages in both research and practice to strive for sustainability

Effects of horse housing on musculoskeletal system post-exercise recovery

This study examined the effects of two housing systems (control housing and loose housing) on musculoskeletal condition during recovery from race-like exercise in Standardbred horses. The hypothesis was that a loose housing system provides better conditions for musculoskeletal recovery than the control housing. Eight adult geldings (mean age 11 years) were used in a study with a cross-over design, with the control housing (CH) and loose housing (LH) treatments each run for 21 days. The horses had ad libitum access to forage and performed two similar race-like exercise tests (ET), on day 7 and day 14 in each treatment. Blood samples were collected before ET, at finish line, and at 7, 22, and 44 h of recovery and analysed for the muscle enzyme activities of creatine kinase and amino transferase. Before and three days after ET, hind leg fetlock joint region circumference and diameter, joint range of motion in right hock and carpus, mechanical nociceptive threshold in back muscle, and movement asymmetry were recorded. Overall circumference and overall diameter of hind fetlock joint region were lower in LH horses than CH horses (P=0.045 and P=0.017, respectively), but no other differences were observed. In conclusion, a loose housing system did not alter the recovery of musculoskeletal condition other than preventing a post exercise enlargement of the circumference and diameter of the hind fetlock joint region

Effects of Horse Housing System on Energy Balance during Post-Exercise Recovery

Simple Summary: Horse management aims to keep horses healthy and ensure good performance and animal welfare. Many horses are currently kept in individual box stalls indoors, a housing system that limits free movement, exploration, and social interaction, and may also subject horses to lower air quality. The alternative is a free-range housing system where horses are kept in groups outdoors. Anecdotal information indicates concerns among sports horse trainers that lack of rest in such systems delays recovery and impairs performance. This study examined whether recovery after competition-like exercise in Standardbred trotters was affected by housing system. The results showed that a free-range housing system did not delay recovery in Standardbred trotters, and in fact had positive effects on appetite and recovery of energy balance.Abstract: This study examined the effects of two housing systems (free-range and box stalls) on recovery of energy balance after competition-like exercise in Standardbred horses. Eight adult geldings (mean age 11 years) were used. The study had a change-over design, with the box stall (BOX) and free-range group housing (FreeR) treatments each run for 21 days. The horses were fed forage ad libitum and performed two similar race-like exercise tests (ET), on day 7 and day 14 in each treatment. Forage intake was recorded during the last 6-7 days in each period. Blood samples were collected before, during, and until 44 h after ET. Voluntary forage intake (measured in groups with four horses in each group) was higher in FreeR horses than BOX horses (FreeR: 48, BOX: 39, standard error of the mean (SEM) 1.7 kg (p = 0.003)). Plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) was lower at 20-44 h of recovery than before in FreeR horses (p = 0.022), but not in BOX horses. Housing did not affect exercise heart rate, plasma lactate, plasma urea, or total plasma protein concentration. Thus the free-range housing system hastened recovery in Standardbred trotters, contradicting anecdotal claims that it delays recovery. The free-range housing also had positive effects on appetite and recovery of energy balance

Growth, survival and development of house crickets (Acheta domesticus) fed flowering plants

House crickets (Acheta domesticus) are increasingly being used as food. This has the potential for a more efficient food production that also may benefit agroecosystems. As the first study to compare feeds based on European wild flowering plants as feed for house crickets we examined five common plants known to support biodiversity of wild insects (white clover (Trifolium repens), white nettle (Lamium album), common nettle (Urtica dioica), rough comfrey (Symphytum asperum) and common gypsophila (Gypsophila paniculata). These plants and a control diet were fed as dried and sole feeds ad libitum to one-day-old house crickets for 62 days in a climate-controlled laboratory. Cricket weight, mortality and feed intake were recorded every 7 days. An additional test examined crickets preferences for forages and the effect on maturation and weight, by providing a free choice of rapeseed and wheat meal and either an early- or late-cut red clover (Trifolium pratense) or white nettle for 62 days. Mortality of crickets fed common nettle, rough comfrey and common gypsophila exceeded 80% in first 7 days, so these plants were removed from the trial after 14 days. Survival of crickets on white nettle and control feed was 59% after 28 days and average cricket weight was similar. By day 62, the weight of crickets fed white nettle and white clover was on average 32 mg, compared with 201 mg on control feed. In the free choice test, crickets consumed 15-30% red clover, 31-37% wheat meal and 39-64% rapeseed. Crickets with access to red clover showed a higher (P<0.001) proportion of adults (28%) compared with the control (5%). We conclude that white nettle has potential as feed for house crickets during the early growth stages, and that red clover supplementation increase cricket maturation. Using feeds including white nettle and red clover in cricket rearing additionally benefits to support wild biodiversity and lower feed costs

Effects of forage phosphorous content on faecal phosphorous excretion and possible markers of low phosphorous intake in foals fed forage-only diets

Knowledge of endogenous nutrient losses is important when estimating the nutrient requirements of animals. It has been suggested that faecal endogenous phosphorus (P) losses differ between growing and adult horses, but studies on foals are scarce. In addition, studies on foals on forage-only diets with different P contents are lacking. Thus this study: (1) assessed faecal endogenous P losses in foals fed a grass haylage-only diet close to or below estimated P requirements; (2) evaluated use of serum cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptides of type-I collagen (CTx) as a marker of bone resorption secondary to low-P intake; and (3) examined whether analysis of faecal P concentration on a dry matter (DM) basis could be used as an indicator of P intake. Six foals were fed three grass haylages (fertilised to contain different amounts of P: 1.9, 2.1, 3.0 g/kg DM) for 17-day periods in a Latin square design. Total collection of feaces was performed by the end of each period. Faecal endogenous P losses were estimated using linear regression analysis. There was no difference in the concentration of CTx in plasma between diets in samples collected on the last day of each period. A correlation was found (y = 0.64x - 1.51; r(2) = 0.75, p < 0.0001) between P intake and faecal P content, but regression analysis indicated that underestimation as well as overestimation of intake is likely if faecal P content is used to assess intake. It was concluded that faecal endogenous P losses in foals are low, probably no higher than in adult horses. It was also concluded that plasma CTx cannot be used to assess short-term low-P intake in foals and that faecal P content cannot be used to assess differences in P intake, at least not when P intake is close to or below estimated P requirements

Obtaining a Foundation for Nursing Care at the Time of Patient Admission: A Grounded Theory Study

The nursing process can be viewed as a problem-solving model, but we do not know whether use of the whole process including care plans with interventions based on nursing diagnoses improves nurses’ ability to carry out assessments. Therefore, the aim of this study was to illuminate and describe the assessment and decision-making process performed by nurses who formulated individual care plans including nursing diagnosis, goals and interventions or who used standardized care plans when a patient was admitted to their ward for care, and those who did not. Data collection and analysis were carried out by means of Grounded theory. Nurses were observed while assessing patients, after which they were interviewed. The main concern of all nurses was to obtain a foundation for nursing care based on four strategies; building pre-understanding, creating a caring environment, collecting information on symptoms and signs and performing an analysis from different perspectives. It appeared that the most important aspect for nurses who did not employ care plans was the medical reason for the patient’s admission. The nurses who employed care plans discussed their decisions in terms of nursing problems, needs and risks. The results indicate that nurses who formulated care plans were more aware of their professional role

Порівняльно-правові дослідження засад професійної діяльності працівників НЦБ Інтерполу в Україні

Vårt huvudsyfte har varit att utvärdera huruvida några för gymnasieungdomar tidigare kända begrepp i ämnet matematik kvalitetsmässigt förändras i olika lärandesituationer över tid. I styrdokumenten för gymnasieskolan definieras begreppet kunskap med hjälp av de fyra f:en: Fakta, kunskap som information; Förståelse, att begripa kunskap; Färdighet, kunskapens praktiska sida; Förtrogenhet, kunskap som bedömning. Vi har använt oss huvudsakligen av kvalitativ metod och teknik eftersom vi ville se vilka uppfattningar som avser begreppet ekvation som eleverna hade med sig från tidigare utbildning och hur dessa uppfattningar förändrades över tid. Den kvalitativa metoden är lämplig just för detta ändamål när vi i förväg inte vet vilka svar eleverna kommer att delge oss. Vi har använt oss av tre olika metoder för att få svar på våra frågeställningar nämligen enkät, intervju och utvärdering. Under hösten 2003 genomförde vi två olika undervisningsserier i två parallella klasser på gymnasiet. Med den ena gruppen har vi bedrivit utomhuspedagogik och den andra har undervisats på traditionellt sätt. Grupperna har mött samma problemtyper men arbetat med dem på två helt olika sätt. Det slutliga resultatet visar att majoriteten av eleverna i utegruppen ser tillämpningsmöjligheter utanför skolans värld med ekvationer emedan elever i innegruppen inte gör det utan ser ekvationer som något relaterat till skolmatematiken. Vår tolkning är att utegruppen nått en högre förtrogenhet med begreppet vi undersökt. Vår slutsats är att utomhuspedagogik kan vara en framkomlig väg att lära matematik