In this study, we explored the potential of the payment-by-results approach in supporting the maintenance of High Nature Value (HNV) grasslands in a typical HNV farming system and Natura 2000 site in ...Slovenia (Europe) with a high share of small farms, fragmented land ownership and long-term process of land abandonment. We tested the applicability of a hypothetical result-based scheme (RBS) for the conservation of dry grasslands and a set of associated plant indicators, and identified key obstacles to its implementation. Based on a statistical analysis of a survey with 263 farmers and a thematic data analysis of 62 farmer interviews and 10 in-depth interviews and focus groups with researchers, public officials and agricultural advisors, we found that a majority of both farmers and experts support the introduction of RBSs. The selected plant indicators were well-known among the local farmers and monitoring of their presence was preferred over the current system, which demands keeping records on the implementation of farming practices. However, although the RBSs seem to be a superior alternative to the current management-based schemes, their introduction might not be enough to ensure HNV farming systems’ successful conservation. Our results indicate a lack of institutional capacity to implement RBSs on a larger scale, particularly in terms of data support and qualified staff in the advisory service and monitoring agencies. Furthermore, experience to date and mistrust among stakeholders indicate a questionable ability and motivation of authorities to develop locally-based, flexible and innovative agri-environmental measures. RBSs alone also do not adequately address some of the root causes for the disappearance of HNV grasslands, particularly: the lack of knowledge regarding the appropriate modern farming system(s) to ensure their sustainable management in line with conservation goals; specific needs of small farmers; and the need for a socially acceptable land policy reform to enable easier access to land. We argue that systematic investment in closing the existing data and research gaps as well as in increasing the capacity of key institutions at the national and local levels are needed, particularly in European regions of high conservation priority. Furthermore, better integration of nature conservation in different rural policies and a holistic developmental approach in (remote) rural areas are necessary to prevent further abandonment of HNV farming and enable the adoption of biodiversity-friendly farming models.
•A result-based scheme for Eastern sub-Mediterranean dry grasslands was developed.•Farmers recognised plant indicators well and most supported introduction of RBSs.•Lack of institutional capacity may hamper large scale implementation of RBSs.•AEMs alone are not enough to reverse the abandonment of HNV farming systems.•RBSs do not seem better suited than existing AEMs to address needs of small farmers.
Online implementation of suicide prevention interventions offers many advantages, facilitating the dissemination of large-scale suicide prevention interventions. An online tool iAlive aimed at ...raising awareness and increasing suicide prevention competences in lay people was developed and implemented in Slovenia.
To develop, implement, and evaluate the iAlive tool.
Following the development and implementation of the tool, a nonrandomized controlled study with 310 participants was conducted. One hundred fifty-six of them fully completed the study intervention group (used the iAlive tool):
85, control group (did not use the tool):
71. Perceived competences in engaging with a suicidal person were assessed in both groups at baseline and at follow-up (3-4 weeks apart), which also represents the time of the intervention.
A significant effect of time and condition
(1,149) = 6.62,
= .011, η
= .043 showed that the intervention group assessed their perceived competences on intervention exposure more positively compared to the control group.
Additional data on different populations and people's engagement with the tool in relation to perceived competences are needed.
The study suggests that the interactive online tool iAlive effectively increases perceived competences in engaging with a suicidal person. These results provide a background for further dissemination of the tool.
The article puts an emphasis on cross-border cooperation between Slovenian municipalities and municipalities in neighboring countries of Croatia, Austria, Hungary and Italy. The aim is to analyze ...different paths and methods of cross-border cooperation Slovenian municipalities are using in order to further own development and somewhat escape financial crisis conditions autonomously. In Slovenia every third municipality is border municipality, which means that at least small part of their territory borders with the territory of municipality in one of the neighboring four countries. Since the central government does not rigidly regulate cross-border cooperation, but allows municipalities autonomy, each municipality can in its own way develop various forms and degrees of cooperation which are more or less intensively reflected in the proper functioning of these municipalities. In this sense we present our thesis that cross-border cooperation is becoming one of the important sources of investment and economic development of otherwise heavily crisis-affected local communities in Slovenia. Keywords: cross-border cooperation, municipalities, crisis, resources, Slovenia.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
PDF
