The effects of store atmosphere on shopping behaviour - A literature review.

This paper provides an insight into how the atmospherics of a retail environment influence shopping behaviour. Its objective is to support researchers and practitioners by summarizing the current state of knowledge and identifying gaps and avenues for future research. The scope covers studies in retail marketing and environmental psychology published during the last 35 years. It has been shown that environmental cues (music, scent etc.) have an effect on the emotional state of the consumer, which in turn causes behavioural changes, both positive (approach, buy more, stay longer etc.) and negative (not approach, buy less, leave earlier etc.). Most studies make reference to the PAD model, which proposes that the relevant emotions in this process can be measured along three dimensions Pleasure, Arousal and Dominance (Mehrabian, A. & Russell, J.A.,1974, An approach to environmental psychology, Cambridge, MA.: MIT Press). Since then, significant advances have been made to understand the effect of individual cues, their interaction, as well as the role of moderators, such as gender, age, or shopping motivation. However, there are a number of opportunities for further research. Too little is known about the moderating effects of Arousal and Dominance and how they interact with each other and with Pleasure dimension. Also a number of other moderators, such as gender and culture, should be integrated into the model.

Development of a dynamic headspace concentration technique for the non-contact sampling of human odor samples and the creation of canine training aids

Human scent and human remains detection canines are used to locate living or deceased humans under many circumstances. Human scent canines locate individual humans on the basis of their unique scent profile, while human remains detection canines locate the general scent of decomposing human remains. Scent evidence is often collected by law enforcement agencies using a Scent Transfer Unit, a dynamic headspace concentration device. The goals of this research were to evaluate the STU-100 for the collection of human scent samples, and to apply this method to the collection of living and deceased human samples, and to the creation of canine training aids. The airflow rate and collection material used with the STU-100 were evaluated using a novel scent delivery method. Controlled Odor Mimic Permeation Systems were created containing representative standard compounds delivered at known rates, improving the reproducibility of optimization experiments. Flow rates and collection materials were compared. Higher air flow rates usually yielded significantly less total volatile compounds due to compound breakthrough through the collection material. Collection from polymer and cellulose-based materials demonstrated that the molecular backbone of the material is a factor in the trapping and releasing of compounds. The weave of the material also affects compound collection, as those materials with a tighter weave demonstrated enhanced collection efficiencies. Using the optimized method, volatiles were efficiently collected from living and deceased humans. Replicates of the living human samples showed good reproducibility; however, the odor profiles from individuals were not always distinguishable from one another. Analysis of the human remains samples revealed similarity in the type and ratio of compounds. Two types of prototype training aids were developed utilizing combinations of pure compounds as well as volatiles from actual human samples concentrated onto sorbents, which were subsequently used in field tests. The pseudo scent aids had moderate success in field tests, and the Odor pad aids had significant success. This research demonstrates that the STU-100 is a valuable tool for dog handlers and as a field instrument; however, modifications are warranted in order to improve its performance as a method for instrumental detection.

Profiling The Campus Recruiter At A Four-Year Hospitality Program

Profiling the Campus Recruiter At a Four-Year Hospitality Program, is a written profile, supported by anecdotal rather than stridently empirical evidence, by Al lzzolo, Assistant Professor, College of Hotel Administration, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “Each year major chain corporations as well as single unit companies interview hospitality students throughout the country. A study conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was designed to profile the hospitality industry campus recruiter and to provide meaningful data to college students who would be interviewing with these recruiters,” the author initially proffers. “Recruiting at the four-year hospitality program, by its nature, is not a science, nor is it highly quantifiable. The interviewing and selection processes are highly subjective and vary from company to company,” says Izzolo to preface his essay. “Data were collected via a questionnaire specifically designed to answer questions about the recruiters and/or the companies that sent interviewers to the placement office of the university's hospitality program,” our author says to explain the process used to gather information for the piece. Findings of the study indicate that the typical recruiter is male, college educated – but not necessarily in a Hospitality’ curriculum – and almost 80 percent of respondents said they had the authority to hire management trainees. Few campuses are visited by hospitality industry recruitment staff as evidenced by Izzolo’s observations/data. Table 3 analyzes the desirable traits a recruiter deems appropriate for the potential employee candidate. Personal appearance, work experience, grade point average, and verbal communication rank high on the list of distinguishable attributes. The most striking finding in this portion of the study is that a student’s GPA is virtually ignored. “Recruiting for the hospitality industry appears to be very subjective,” Izzolo says. “Recruiters are basing decisions to hire not on knowledge levels as determined by an academic grade point average but rather on criteria much less definitive, such as verbal skills and personal appearance,” our author opines. In closing, Izzolo concedes this is not a definitive study, but is merely a launching pad to a more comprehensive investigation on the recruitment subject.

Reliability analysis of encapsulation methods for lead -based paint through an accelerated life testing

The adverse health effects of long-term exposure to lead are well established, with major uptake into the human body occurring mainly through oral ingestion by young children. Lead-based paint was frequently used in homes built before 1978, particularly in inner-city areas. Minority populations experience the effects of lead poisoning disproportionately. ^ Lead-based paint abatement is costly. In the United States, residents of about 400,000 homes, occupied by 900,000 young children, lack the means to correct lead-based paint hazards. The magnitude of this problem demands research on affordable methods of hazard control. One method is encapsulation, defined as any covering or coating that acts as a permanent barrier between the lead-based paint surface and the environment. ^ Two encapsulants were tested for reliability and effective life span through an accelerated lifetime experiment that applied stresses exceeding those encountered under normal use conditions. The resulting time-to-failure data were used to extrapolate the failure time under conditions of normal use. Statistical analysis and models of the test data allow forecasting of long-term reliability relative to the 20-year encapsulation requirement. Typical housing material specimens simulating walls and doors coated with lead-based paint were overstressed before encapsulation. A second, un-aged set was also tested. Specimens were monitored after the stress test with a surface chemical testing pad to identify the presence of lead breaking through the encapsulant. ^ Graphical analysis proposed by Shapiro and Meeker and the general log-linear model developed by Cox were used to obtain results. Findings for the 80% reliability time to failure varied, with close to 21 years of life under normal use conditions for encapsulant A. The application of product A on the aged gypsum and aged wood substrates yielded slightly lower times. Encapsulant B had an 80% reliable life of 19.78 years. ^ This study reveals that encapsulation technologies can offer safe and effective control of lead-based paint hazards and may be less expensive than other options. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the CDC are committed to eliminating childhood lead poisoning by 2010. This ambitious target is feasible, provided there is an efficient application of innovative technology, a goal to which this study aims to contribute. ^

Relação entre desempenho funcional e indicadores de doença arterial obstrutiva periférica em idosas

The presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) increases the risk and vulnerability to adverse clinical outcomes in the elderly. Like this, we investigated the relationship between functional performance and indicators of PAD in elderly women. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in which 54 elderly were assessed by questionnaire mini mental state examination, Short Phisical Performance Battery (SPPB), ankle-brachial index (ABI), human activity profile (HAP) and Edinburgh questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA, t test and Pearson correlation. We considered p <0.05 as significance level. RESULTS: The mean age SPPB and ABI were 69.2 (± 6.9) years, SPPB 9.42 (± 2.55) and ABI 1.04 (± 0.14). The prevalence of PAD was 16.3%. There was a significant correlation between ABI and gait speed (r = 0.75, p = 0.001) and between PAH with SPPB (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that the decline in functional performance in older, expressed in gait velocity component of the SPPB, is related to the presence of PAD

Efeito agudo da respiração abdominal lenta sobre a atividade cerebral, respostas emocionais e cardiovasculares

Introduction: Slow abdominal breathing (SAB) stimulates baroreflex and generates respiratory sinus arrhythmia, changing cardiovascular, emotional and cerebral systems acute and chronically. However, although meditative practices have been receiving increasingly attention in the last years, there is no agreement on the neurophysiological changes underlying them, mainly because of the lack of topographical pieces of information. Purpose: We aimed to analyze the acute effect of SAB on brain activity, emotional and cardiovascular responses in untrained subjects in meditative techniques. Methods: Seventeen healthy adults’ men were assessed into two different sessions in a random and crossed order. Into experimental session, they breathed in 6 cycles/minute and in control session they kept breathing in normal rate, both for 20 minutes. xi Before, during, and after each session we assessed brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG), anxiety, mood, heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure. The sLORETA software was used to analyze EEG data for source localization of brain areas in which activity was changed. Results: The sLORETA showed that beta band frequency was reduced in frontal gyrus (P<0.01) and anterior cingulate cortex (P<0.05) both during and after SAB (P<0.05) compared to the moment before it. There was no change in brain activity in control session. Additionally, a two-way repeated measures ANOVA showed that there was no effect on anxiety (P>0.8) and mood (P>0.08). There were improvements in HRV (P<0.03), with increased RR interval and decreased HR after SAB, as well as increased SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, low frequency, LF/HF ratio, and total power during it, with no changes in SBP and DBP. Conclusions: We conclude that SAB is able to change brain activity in areas responsible for emotional processing, even without behavioral changes. Furthermore, SAB improves HRV and does not change blood pressure in normotensive.

Efeitos do treino resistido na capacidade funcional e na reatividade pressórica em pacientes intradialíticos

Pacientes com doença renal crônica (DRC) submetidos ao treinamento resistido durante a hemodiálise apresentam benefícios substanciais dos sistemas muscular e cardiovascular, da capacidade funcional e da sua qualidade de vida. Entretanto, as melhorias na reatividade pressórica ainda não estão bem esclarecidas. O objetivo foi analisar o efeito do treino resistido na melhora da capacidade funcional e da reatividade pressórica em pacientes hemodialisados, em Natal/RN no ano de 2014. Trata-se de um ensaio clínico controlado e randomizado, com amostra de 64 pacientes, com média de idade de 42,28 (±11,48) anos, distribuídos em grupo experimental (GE) e controle (GC). Para mensurar os ganhos de força de membros inferiores foram utilizados os testes de sentar e levantar e de levantar e caminhar, já para a reatividade pressórica o teste cold pressor, em ambos os grupos antes e após a intervenção. Além disso, apenas o GE participou do treinamento resistido durante a hemodiálise em 16 semanas, composto por 3 sessões semanais, 3 séries de 10 repetições máximas (RM) estimadas (para extensores de joelho e flexores de quadril e joelho), entre 50 a 70% de 10 RM. Para a intensidade do treinamento foi utilizada a escala de Borg entre 11 a 14 durante as seções. Os dados foram analisados utilizando o Teste t para amostras independentes (inter-grupos) bem como para comparar a diferença das médias nos grupos pré e pós-intervenção (intra-grupos) a partir do Teste t para amostras repetidas. Para todas as variáveis foi considerada a significância estatística de 5% executados no software SPSS® 20.0. O estudo foi aprovado pelo comitê de ética do Hospital Universitário Onofre Lopes (HUOL - UFRN) número 37992214.2.0000.5292. Após a intervenção, verificou-se que os pacientes do GE tiveram um desempenho melhor nos testes de força (p<0,001) em comparação ao GC. Resultado também observado na pressão arterial sistólica e diastólica (PAS e PAD) ambas de repouso que apresentaram redução dos níveis pressóricos apenas no GE (p<0,001). Na reatividade pressórica tanto nos períodos pré bem como após 2 minutos também demonstraram reduções estatisticamente significativas do GE (p<0,001 e p=0,012) respectivamente quando comparado ao GC. Conclui-se que o treinamento resistido melhorou desempenho nos testes de força de membros inferiores beneficiando a capacidade funcional dos pacientes em hemodiálise, como também a pressão arterial de repouso e os níveis de reatividade pressórica obtiveram reduções significativas de seus valores após a intervenção. Além disso, este tipo de treinamento também pode ser utilizado como uma estratégia de proteção aos fatores de risco cardiovascular em pacientes renais crônicos.

Gestão e mapeamento de processos nas instituições públicas: um estudo de caso na Diretoria de Administração de Pessoal da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The new management models have led to the reorganization of institutions today. Much is made in improving the delivery of public services entities, and they have sought to adopt these new initiatives in order to improve the quality of the product or service offered to users. The modernization of the management model at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) strengthened by the accession of the institution to GesPública Program, which focuses on the management modernization leading institutions to seek ways to fit to meet the demands proposed the Program. Therefore, the Department of Personnel Administration (DAP) has structured its processes and procedures using the mapping tool processes. This research starts from the question: what were the results obtained with the implementation of the management and process mapping of PAD? It is proposed as a general objective to analyze the management and the mapping of that Board processes, identifying the possible benefits in improving the quality of the services provided to users. The specific objectives to achieve results, are pointed out: describe how you carried out the implementation of the management and process mapping in DAP and how it is working at the moment; examine the line in the relationship between the actions developed by the DAP and modern theories of this theme; identify the evolution of the sector with the measures adopted and the results obtained with the implementation of the mapping tool. In the theoretical framework, it was approached a brief history of the evolution of public administration in Brazil, GesPública program and its importance for process management in public institutions as well as the Management and Process Mapping. The context of the study was the DAP, and participants were managers of the institution in the survey. Data collection was done through the study of the institution's documents, bibliography analysis available on the topic, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with professionals of the institution involved with the object of study, since its inception until July 2015, when it was finished the search. As a result, were listed: the motivation, importance, benefits and innovations that management and the mapping of processes brought to the institution, point out what has been improved in the service users and the tools used. We also analyze the main problems identified during the implementation of the mapping. As a suggestion, it was analyzed how these procedures can, if possible, be extended to other sectors of UFRN.

Gestão e mapeamento de processos nas instituições públicas: um estudo de caso na Diretoria de Administração de Pessoal da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

The new management models have led to the reorganization of institutions today. Much is made in improving the delivery of public services entities, and they have sought to adopt these new initiatives in order to improve the quality of the product or service offered to users. The modernization of the management model at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) strengthened by the accession of the institution to GesPública Program, which focuses on the management modernization leading institutions to seek ways to fit to meet the demands proposed the Program. Therefore, the Department of Personnel Administration (DAP) has structured its processes and procedures using the mapping tool processes. This research starts from the question: what were the results obtained with the implementation of the management and process mapping of PAD? It is proposed as a general objective to analyze the management and the mapping of that Board processes, identifying the possible benefits in improving the quality of the services provided to users. The specific objectives to achieve results, are pointed out: describe how you carried out the implementation of the management and process mapping in DAP and how it is working at the moment; examine the line in the relationship between the actions developed by the DAP and modern theories of this theme; identify the evolution of the sector with the measures adopted and the results obtained with the implementation of the mapping tool. In the theoretical framework, it was approached a brief history of the evolution of public administration in Brazil, GesPública program and its importance for process management in public institutions as well as the Management and Process Mapping. The context of the study was the DAP, and participants were managers of the institution in the survey. Data collection was done through the study of the institution's documents, bibliography analysis available on the topic, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with professionals of the institution involved with the object of study, since its inception until July 2015, when it was finished the search. As a result, were listed: the motivation, importance, benefits and innovations that management and the mapping of processes brought to the institution, point out what has been improved in the service users and the tools used. We also analyze the main problems identified during the implementation of the mapping. As a suggestion, it was analyzed how these procedures can, if possible, be extended to other sectors of UFRN.

Short-term temporal and spatial variations in physical, optical and biogeochemical parameters in June of 2013 in Alfacs Bay (NW Mediterranean)

With the aim of analyzing the complex physical and biogeochemical interactions at high temporal and spatial resolution in the complex estuarine waters of Alfacs Bay, a beam attenuation-based approach was used as optical proxy of different biogeochemical variables. Thus, the dataset contains the attenuation proxies as well as laboratory results from the analysis of water samples, which were used to validate our approach. In addition, the major physical forcing in the Bay was also measured.

Prevalência da síndrome metabólica em receptores de transplante renal de acordo com o gênero e tempo pós-transplante /

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is defined as a set of cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, systemic high blood pressure (SHBP), changes in glucose metabolism and dyslipidemia. The prevalence of MS in renal transplant recipients (RTR) ranges from 15% to 65%, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and reducing renal allograft survival in the long term. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and frequency of MS in renal transplant patients according to gender and time of transplantation and to evaluate renal function in patients with and without MS. Patients and Methods: Crosssectional study conducted from August 2012 to September 2013 involving 153 renal transplant recipients. MS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III). The sample was divided into two groups: patients with metabolic syndrome (WMS patients) and patients without metabolic syndrome (WoMS patients) and according to gender. The WMS patients were stratified into quartiles according to the renal transplantation period (RTP), and variables related to MS were analyzed for both sexes. Results: MS was diagnosed in 58.1% of the studied population, specifically in MS was found 58.4% of men and 41.6% of women (P ˂ 0.05). The male and female with MS were 48.8 ± 11.6 years old vs. 47.1 ± 12.7 years old and the time of post transplantation was 76.1 ± 76.5 months vs. 84.7 ± 65.4 months, respectively (P >0,05). When we compared the sexes in the WMS group, systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher in men (137.0 ± 18.1 vs. 128.9 ± 13.6 mmHg, P= 0.029), while the other components of MS did not exhibit significant differences. With respect to renal function, when we compared the sexes in the WMS group, the serum creatinine (sCr) was higher in men (1.73 ± 0.69 vs. 1.31 ± 0.47 mg/dL, P= 0.0012), while the urinary protein/creatinine ratio was higher in women (0.48 ± 0.69 vs. 0.37 ± 0.48 mg/dL, P=0.0150). We found no significant difference in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between WMS and WoMS patients for women and men (50.6 ± 19.1 vs. 50.1 ± 18.3 mL/min/1.73 m², P=0.909). We found a significant positive association between eGFR and HDL-c levels (r=0.3371; P=0.0145) for WMS men. The MS components showed no significant differences in RTP for different interquartile ranges, except for diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in women, where there was a significant variation among the quartiles evaluated (P=0.0009). Conclusion: the prevalence of MS was similar in the different quartiles in both sexes, in relation to time post TX. There was no significant difference in eGFR in patients WMS and WoMS, in both sexes. Concluding that the MS did not vary in relation to time post transplant.

Randomized controlled trial of physiotherapy for postpartum stress incontinence : 7-year follow-up

Objective To estimate the long-term effect of intensive, 6-week physiotherapy programs, with and without deep abdominal muscle (TrA) training, on persistent postpartum stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods The study was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Fifty-seven postnatal women with clinically demonstrated persistent SUI 3 months after delivery participated in 8 weeks of either pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) (28) or PFMT with deep abdominal muscle training (PFMT + TrA) (29). Seven years post-treatment, 35 (61.4%) participants agreed to the follow-up; they were asked to complete a 20-min pad test and three incontinence-specific questionnaires with an assessor blinded to each participant's group assignment. Results: Of the 35 (61.4%) who agreed to the follow-up: 26 (45.6%) took the 20-min pad test (12 PFMT and 14 PFMT + TrA) and 35 (61.4%) completed the questionnaires (18 PFMT and 17 PFMT + TrA). The baseline clinical characteristics of the follow-up and non-follow-up participants were not significantly different; nor did they differ between PFMT and PFMT + TrA participants enrolled in the follow-up study. At 7 years, the pad test scores for the PFMT group did not differ statistically from those of the PFMT + TrA group. When combining both treatment groups, a total of 14/26 (53%) follow-up participants were still continent according to the pad test. Conclusion The addition of deep abdominal training does not appear to further improve the outcome of PFM training in the long term. However, benefits of physiotherapy for postpartum SUI, although not as pronounced as immediately after the initial intervention, is still present 7 years post-treatment.

Physiotherapy for persistent postnatal stress urinary incontinence : a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of multimodal supervised physiotherapy programs with the absence of treatment among women with persistent postnatal stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: This was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four women with stress urinary incontinence were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of either multimodal pelvic floor rehabilitation (n = 21), multimodal pelvic floor rehabilitation with abdominal muscle training (n = 23), or control non–pelvic floor rehabilitation (n = 20). The primary outcome measure consisted of a modified 20-minute pad test. The secondary outcome measures included a Visual Analog Scale describing the perceived burden of incontinence, the Urogenital Distress Inventory, the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, and pelvic floor muscle function measurements. RESULTS: Two patients dropped out, leaving 62 for analysis. At follow-up, more than 70% of the women in the treatment groups (14/20 in the pelvic floor and 17/23 in the pelvic floor plus abdominal group) were continent on pad testing compared with 0% of women in the control group. Scores on the pad test, Visual Analog Scale, Urogenital Distress Inventory, and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire improved significantly in both treatment groups (all P < .002), whereas no changes were observed in the control group. Pelvic floor muscle function, however, did not improve significantly in either active group. CONCLUSION: Multimodal supervised pelvic floor physiotherapy is an effective treatment for persistent postnatal stress urinary incontinence.