The success of home telemedicine depends on end-user adoption, which has been slow despite rapid advances in technological development. This study focuses on an examination of significant factors ...that may predict the successful adoption of home telemedicine services (HTS) among older adults. Based on previous studies in the fields of remote patient monitoring, assisted living technologies, and consumer health information technology acceptance, eight factors were identified as a framework for qualitative testing. Twelve focus groups were conducted with an older population living in both urban and rural environments. The results reveal seven predictors that play an important role in perceptions of HTS: perceived usefulness, effort expectancy, social influence, perceived security, computer anxiety, facilitating conditions, and physicians' opinion. The results provide important insights in the field of older adults' acceptance of HTS, with guidelines for the strategic planning, developing, and marketing of HTS for the graying market.
This study draws on theory of dyadic morality and categorization to disentangle opportunistic behaviors from the perception by their victim that leads to the moral categorization of the perpetrator ...as an opportunist. We show that it is this moral categorization, not the behaviors, that determines the trust beliefs of the victim. Further, the effect of psychic distance on the process of perpetrator moral categorization as an opportunist depends on the form of opportunistic behaviors. Finally, this study questions the cultural universality of opportunism by showing that effects of opportunistic behaviors on categorization vary across national cultures—based on data sets of French and Slovene exporters.
We estimated vaccine effectiveness (VE) against severe COVID-19 during October 2021, using Slovenian surveillance data. For people fully vaccinated with any vaccine in age groups 18-49, 50-64, ≥ 65 ...years, VE was 86% (95% CI: 79-90), 89% (85-91), and 77% (74-81). Among ≥ 65 year-olds fully vaccinated with mRNA vaccines, VE decreased from 93% (95% CI: 88-96) in those vaccinated ≤ 3 months ago to 43% (95% CI: 30-54) in those vaccinated ≥ 6 months ago, suggesting the need for early boosters.
All ex-Yugoslav countries experienced improvementsinlife expectancy during the last few decades. This study describes and compares recent life expectancy trendsinCroatia, Serbia and Slovenia. What ...age groups and what causes ofdeath account for the largest mortality declines? Have the three countries joined the cardiovascular revolution?Dopatterns differ between countries? And, isthere room for further improvements?We use life tables and decomposition methodstoaddress these questions. Our key findings are: 1) lower mortality from circulatory diseases at older ages contributed mosttolife expectancy growth 2001-2017 for both sexesinall three countries;2)despite this common pattern, life expectancyinSlovenia grew fastest and the gap between countries increased; 3) under the Slovenian age-specific cardiovascular mortality schedule, Croatia added 1.79 years toboth female and male life expectancies, while Serbia added 3.97 and 3.26tofemale and male life expectancies. Ocekivano trajanje zivota raste u svim zemljama bivse Jugoslavije. Ovaj rad opisuje i usporeduje recentne trendove u ocekivanom trajanju zivota u Hrvatskoj, Srbiji i Sloveniji. Sto je potaknulo najnoviji porast? U kojim se dobnim skupinama i kod kojih se uzroka smrti biljezi najveci pad mortaliteta? Jesu li se tri zemlje pridruzile kardiovaskularnoj revoluciji? Postoje li razlike medu zemljama? Ima li prostora za daljnji napredak? Kako bismo ponudili odgovore na ova pitanja, u istrazivanju upotrebljavamo tablice dozivljenja i dekompozicijsku analizu. Kljucni su nalazi: 1) pad smrtnosti od bolesti cirkulacijskoga sustava medu starijim stanovnistvom najvise je pridonio rastu ocekivanoga trajanja zivota 2001-2017 kod obaju spolova u svim trima zemljama, 2) ocekivano trajanje zivota u Sloveniji raslo je najbrze i povecao se jaz medu zemljama, 3) pod slovenskim stopama kardiovaskularnoga mortaliteta prema dobi, u Hrvatskoj bi ocekivano trajanje zivota poraslo za 1,79 godina i kod zena i kod muskaraca, a u Srbiji za 3,97 godina kod zena, odnosno za 3,26 godina kod muskaraca. Keywords: life expectancy, age- and cause-specific mortality, past and potential gains in life expectancy, decomposition analysis, ex-Yugoslav countries Kljucne rijeci: ocekivano trajanje zivota, smrtnost prema dobi i uzroku, prosli i buduci rast ocekivanog trajanja zivota, dekompozicijska analiza, zemlje bivse Jugoslavije
The article discusses avalanche occurrence in the Slovenian Alps (SE Alps) in the context of climate change. It analyses the relationship between the North Atlantic Oscillation and maximum snow depth ...over the last two centuries, and the relationships between maximum snow depth and avalanches over the last three decades. We argue that higher temperatures lead to precipitation in the form of rain at higher elevations even in winter, so that major wet avalanches occur already in winter rather than in early spring, as was more common in the past. A case study of extreme avalanches in January 2021 is presented to support the hypothesis.
•A new framework to measure the impact of CRM dimensions of firm performance.•CRM capabilities improve hotel performance, while CRM investments did not result in positive performance.•Size has an ...important moderating effect between some of the CRM dimensions and hotel performance.
Successful firms often endeavour to assure competitive advantages through the relationships with their customers. Consequently, customer relationship management (CRM) has become of pivotal importance to many firms. This study investigates the effect of each CRM dimension on the performance of hotels. We found that in general hotels should aim to improve CRM capabilities because it has a positive effect on firm performance. Contrary to some previous assumptions, CRM investments did not result in positive performance. These findings are important as hotels strive to allocate resources to improve relationships with customers.
The interaction between the Adriatic microplate (Adria) and Eurasia is the main driving factor in the central Mediterranean tectonics. Their interplay has shaped the geodynamics of the whole region ...and formed several mountain belts including Alps, Dinarides and Apennines. Among these, Dinarides are the least investigated and little is known about the underlying geodynamic processes. There are numerous open questions about the current state of interaction between Adria and Eurasia under the Dinaric domain. One of the most interesting is the nature of lithospheric underthrusting of Adriatic plate, e.g. length of the slab or varying slab disposition along the orogen. Previous investigations have found a low-velocity zone in the uppermost mantle under the northern-central Dinarides which was interpreted as a slab gap. Conversely, several newer studies have indicated the presence of the continuous slab under the Dinarides with no trace of the low velocity zone.
Thus, to investigate the Dinaric mantle structure further, we use regional-to-teleseismic surface-wave records from 98 seismic stations in the wider Dinarides region to create a 3D shear-wave velocity model. More precisely, a two-station method is used to extract Rayleigh-wave phase velocity while tomography and 1D inversion of the phase velocity are employed to map the depth dependent shear-wave velocity. Resulting velocity model reveals a robust high-velocity anomaly present under the whole Dinarides, reaching the depths of 160 km in the north to more than 200 km under southern Dinarides. These results do not agree with most of the previous investigations and show continuous underthrusting of the Adriatic lithosphere under Europe along the whole Dinaric region. The geometry of the down-going slab varies from the deeper slab in the north and south to the shallower underthrusting in the center. On-top of both north and south slabs there is a low-velocity wedge indicating lithospheric delamination which could explain the 200 km deep high-velocity body existing under the southern Dinarides.
•Rayleigh-wave phase velocity in the wider Dinarides region using the two-station method.•Uppermost mantle shear-wave velocity model of the Dinarides-Adriatic Sea region.•Velocity model reveals a robust high-velocity anomaly present under the whole Dinarides.•High-velocity anomaly reaches depth of 160 km in the northern Dinarides to more than 200 km under southern Dinarides.•New structural model incorporating delamination as one of the processes controlling the continental collision in the Dinarides.
Cilj: Nastojalo se što dosljednije odrediti odgovarajuće strukturne elemente za pisanje anotacija za književna djela za mlade odrasle čitatelje. Također je cilj bio odrediti razlike među anotacijama ...za mlade odrasle čitatelje objavljene u priručnicima za čitanje kvalitetnih knjiga za mlade i na portalu Dobreknjige.si.
Pristup/metodologija: Kao metoda istraživanja korištena je analiza sadržaja. Odabrano je šezdeset anotacija namijenjenih mladim odraslim čitateljima iz priručnika za čitanje kvalitetnih knjiga za mlade i šezdeset anotacija s portala Dobreknjige.si. Shema kodiranja sastojala se od četrnaest strukturnih elemenata. Anotacije su podijeljene u pojedinačne rečenice, a svakoj rečenici dodijeljen je odgovarajući strukturni element ili elementi.
Rezultati: Anotacije su u prosjeku sadržavale šest strukturnih elemenata. Najčešći su sljedeći strukturni elementi: opis djela, književni lik, tema, okolnosti nastanka djela i druge posebnosti djela, ocjena i autor. Razlika među anotacijama s portala i anotacijama iz priručnika uglavnom se ogleda u duljini anotacija.
Ograničenja: Istraživanje je bilo ograničeno na anotacije koje su pripremili knjižničari.
Praktična primjena: Rezultati istraživanja pomoći će knjižničarima koji objavljuju anotacije u priručnicima za čitanje kvalitetnih knjiga za mlade i na portalu Dobreknjige.si.
Društveni značaj: Anotacije su također važne jer, između ostalog, predstavljaju jedan od načina na koji mladima ili drugoj zainteresiranoj javnosti možemo predstaviti svijet književnosti.
Originalnost/vrijednost: Rad želi utvrditi moraju li se anotacije prilagoditi određenim vrstama čitatelja ili je moguć standardizirani oblik anotacija.
Abstract
Background
The benefits of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for schoolchildren are well known, but the appropriate age for introducing training is still being discussed. This is a very ...important issue, since out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a major public health concern. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of implemented cardiopulmonary resuscitation training on the knowledge of schoolchildren in the last three grades of Slovenian elementary schools and theirs willingness, attitudes, and intentions toward helping others and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The experience of training instructors was also explored.
Methods
A mixed methods research design was employed, using a Separate Pre-Post Samples Design and focus groups. Research was conducted in 15 Slovenian public elementary schools offering cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Focus groups included training instructors and developers. Data was collected with a structured questionnaire from April to June 2018 and analyzed using univariate and bivariate analyses. The three focus groups were convened in September and October 2018. Content analysis of the discussion transcriptions was conducted. The sample included 764 schoolchildren aged 12.5–14.5 years before cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and 566 schoolchildren after training. Three non-homogeneous focus groups included eight cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructors.
Results
Significant progress in cardiopulmonary resuscitation knowledge was noted after training implementation, with the greatest progress seen in the youngest age group (mean age 12.5). The greatest increase after training was seen for the variables Attitude toward helping others (
p
= 0.001) and Self-confidence (
p
= 0.001). Analysis of the focus groups yielded two themes: (a) the effects of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training on schoolchildren, and (b) the systemic responsibility of the school system and professional bodies.
Conclusions
Significant progress in schoolchildren’s cardiopulmonary resuscitation knowledge after training was established. Early introduction of training is recommended. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation knowledge raises awareness of the responsibility to help others and increases self-confidence to provide bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It can be concluded that early cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for children is crucial. It should be a mandatory part of school curricula in those countries where cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not yet mandatory.
We conducted a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentric study to investigate the influence of a synbiotic fermented milk on the fecal microbiota composition of 30 adults with ...irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The synbiotic product contained Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5, Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12, Streptococcus thermophilus, and dietary fiber (90% inulin, 10% oligofructose), and a heat-treated fermented milk without probiotic bacteria or dietary fiber served as placebo. Stool samples were collected after a run-in period, a 4-wk consumption period, and a 1-wk follow-up period, and were subjected to real-time PCR and 16S rDNA profiling by next-generation sequencing. After 4wk of synbiotic (11 subjects) or placebo (19 subjects) consumption, a greater increase in DNA specific for L. acidophilus La-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis was detected in the feces of the synbiotic group compared with the placebo group by quantitative real-time PCR. After 1wk of follow-up, the content of L. acidophilus La-5 and B. animalis ssp. lactis decreased to levels close to initial levels. No significant changes with time or differences between the groups were observed for Lactobacillus, Enterobacteriaceae, Bifidobacterium, or all bacteria. The presence of viable BB-12- and La-5-like bacteria in the feces resulting from the intake of synbiotic product was confirmed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR. At the end of consumption period, the feces of all subjects assigned to the synbiotic group contained viable bacteria with a BB-12-like RAPD profile, and after 1wk of follow-up, BB-12-like bacteria remained in the feces of 87.5% of these subjects. The presence of La-5-like colonies was observed less frequently (37.5 and 25% of subjects, respectively). Next-generation sequencing of 16S rDNA amplicons revealed that only the percentage of sequences assigned to Strep. thermophilus was temporarily increased in both groups, whereas the global profile of the fecal microbiota of patients was not altered by consumption of the synbiotic or placebo. In conclusion, daily consumption of a synbiotic fermented milk had a short-term effect on the amount and proportion of La-5-like strains and B. animalis ssp. lactis in the fecal microbiome of IBS patients. Furthermore, both synbiotic and placebo products caused a temporary increase in fecal Strep. thermophilus.
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