Psychological Determinants of Consumer Acceptance of Personalised Nutrition in 9 European Countries

YesObjective: To develop a model of the psychological factors which predict people’s intention to adopt personalised nutrition. Potential determinants of adoption included perceived risk and benefit, perceived self-efficacy, internal locus of control and health commitment. Methods: A questionnaire, developed from exploratory study data and the existing theoretical literature, and including validated psychological scales was administered to N = 9381 participants from 9 European countries (Germany, Greece, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, the UK, and Norway). Results: Structural equation modelling indicated that the greater participants’ perceived benefits to be associated with personalised nutrition, the more positive their attitudes were towards personalised nutrition, and the greater their intention to adopt it. Higher levels of nutrition self-efficacy were related to more positive attitudes towards, and a greater expressed intention to adopt, personalised nutrition. Other constructs positively impacting attitudes towards personalised nutrition included more positive perceptions of the efficacy of regulatory control to protect consumers (e.g. in relation to personal data protection), higher self-reported internal health locus of control, and health commitment. Although higher perceived risk had a negative relationship with attitude and an inverse relationship with perceived benefit, its effects on attitude and intention to adopt personalised nutrition was less influential than perceived benefit. The model was stable across the different European countries, suggesting that psychological factors determining adoption of personalised nutrition have generic applicability across different European countries. Conclusion: The results suggest that transparent provision of information about potential benefits, and protection of consumers’ personal data is important for adoption, delivery of public health benefits, and commercialisation of personalised nutrition.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement n u 265494 (http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html). Food4Me is the acronym of the project ‘‘Personalised nutrition: an integrated analysis of opportunities and challenges’’ (http://www.food4me.org/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Dark Energy Survey year 1 results: Joint analysis of galaxy clustering, galaxy lensing, and CMB lensing two-point functions

We perform a joint analysis of the auto and cross-correlations between three cosmic fields: the galaxy density field, the galaxy weak lensing shear field, and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) weak lensing convergence field. These three fields are measured using roughly 1300 sq. deg. of overlapping optical imaging data from first year observations of the Dark Energy Survey and millimeter-wave observations of the CMB from both the South Pole Telescope Sunyaev-Zel'dovich survey and Planck. We present cosmological constraints from the joint analysis of the two-point correlation functions between galaxy density and galaxy shear with CMB lensing. We test for consistency between these measurements and the DES-only two-point function measurements, finding no evidence for inconsistency in the context of flat $\Lambda$CDM cosmological models. Performing a joint analysis of five of the possible correlation functions between these fields (excluding only the CMB lensing autospectrum) yields $S_{8}\equiv \sigma_8\sqrt{\Omega_{\rm m}/0.3} = 0.782^{+0.019}_{-0.025}$ and $\Omega_{\rm m}=0.260^{+0.029}_{-0.019}$. We test for consistency between these five correlation function measurements and the Planck-only measurement of the CMB lensing autospectrum, again finding no evidence for inconsistency in the context of flat $\Lambda$CDM models. Combining constraints from all six two-point functions yields $S_{8}=0.776^{+0.014}_{-0.021}$ and $\Omega_{\rm m}= 0.271^{+0.022}_{-0.016}$. These results provide a powerful test and confirmation of the results from the first year DES joint-probes analysis

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Tomographic cross-correlations between Dark Energy Survey galaxies and CMB lensing from South Pole Telescope+Planck

We measure the cross-correlation between redMaGiC galaxies selected from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) year 1 data and gravitational lensing of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) reconstructed from South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck data over 1289 deg2. When combining measurements across multiple galaxy redshift bins spanning the redshift range of 0.1

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results: Cross-correlation between Dark Energy Survey Y1 galaxy weak lensing and South Pole Telescope +Planck CMB weak lensing

We cross-correlate galaxy weak lensing measurements from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) year-one data with a cosmic microwave background (CMB) weak lensing map derived from South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck data, with an effective overlapping area of 1289 deg2. With the combined measurements from four source galaxy redshift bins, we obtain a detection significance of 5.8σ. We fit the amplitude of the correlation functions while fixing the cosmological parameters to a fiducial ΛCDM model, finding A=0.99±0.17. We additionally use the correlation function measurements to constrain shear calibration bias, obtaining constraints that are consistent with previous DES analyses. Finally, when performing a cosmological analysis under the ΛCDM model, we obtain the marginalized constraints of ωm=0.261-0.051+0.070 and S8σ8ωm/0.3=0.660-0.100+0.085. These measurements are used in a companion work that presents cosmological constraints from the joint analysis of two-point functions among galaxies, galaxy shears, and CMB lensing using DES, SPT, and Planck data

Improvements in survival of the uncemented Nottingham Total Shoulder prosthesis: a prospective comparative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The uncemented Nottingham Total Shoulder Replacement prosthesis system (Nottingham TSR) was developed from the previous BioModular^®shoulder prosthesis taking into consideration the causes of the initial implant's failure.</p> <p>We investigated the impact of changes in the design of Nottingham TSR prosthesis on its survivorship rate.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Survivorship analyses of three types of uncemented total shoulder arthroplasty prostheses (BioModular^®, initial Nottingham TSR and current Nottingham TSR systems with 11, 8 and 4 year survivorship data respectively) were compared. All these prostheses were implanted for the treatment of disabling pain in the shoulder due to primary and secondary osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Each type of the prosthesis studied was implanted in consecutive group of patients – 90 patients with BioModular^®system, 103 with the initial Nottingham TSR and 34 patients with the current Nottingham TSR system.</p> <p>The comparison of the annual cumulative survivorship values in the compatible time range between the three groups was done according to the paired <it>t </it>test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 8-year and 11-year survivorship rates for the initially used modified BioModular^®uncemented prosthesis were relatively low (75.6% and 71.7% respectively) comparing to the reported survivorship of the conventional cemented implants. The 8-year survivorship for the uncemented Nottingham TSR prosthesis was significantly higher (81.8%), but still not in the desired range of above 90%, that is found in other cemented designs. Glenoid component loosening was the main factor of prosthesis failure in both prostheses and mainly occurred in the first 4 postoperative years. The 4-year survivorship of the currently re-designed Nottingham TSR prosthesis, with hydroxylapatite coating of the glenoid baseplate, was significantly higher, 93.1% as compared to 85.1% of the previous Nottingham TSR.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The initial Nottingham shoulder prosthesis showed significantly higher survivorship than the BioModular^®uncemented prosthesis, but lower than expected. Subsequently re-designed Nottingham TSR system presented a high short term survivorship rate that encourages its ongoing use</p

A systematic review of attitudes, anxiety, acceptance, and trust towards social robots

As social robots become more common, there is a need to understand how people perceive and interact with such technology. This systematic review seeks to estimate people’s attitudes toward, trust in, anxiety associated with, and acceptance of social robots; as well as factors that are associated with these beliefs. Ninety-seven studies were identified with a combined sample of over 13,000 participants and a standardized score was computed for each in order to represent the valence (positive, negative, or neutral) and magnitude (on a scale from 1 to − 1) of people’s beliefs about robots. Potential moderating factors such as the robots’ domain of application and design, the type of exposure to the robot, and the characteristics of potential users were also investigated. The findings suggest that people generally have positive attitudes towards social robots and are willing to interact with them. This finding may challenge some of the existing doubt surrounding the adoption of robotics in social domains of application but more research is needed to fully understand the factors that influence attitudes

Meta-Analysis of the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) to Understanding Health Behaviors

YesBackground: Reasoned action approach (RAA) includes subcomponents of attitude (experiential/instrumental), perceived norm (injunctive/descriptive), and perceived behavioral control (capacity/autonomy) to predict intention and behavior. Purpose: To provide a meta-analysis of the RAA for health behaviors focusing on comparing the pairs of RAA subcomponents and differences between health protection and health-risk behaviors. Methods: The present research reports a meta-analysis of correlational tests of RAA subcomponents, examination of moderators, and combined effects of subcomponents on intention and behavior. Regressions were used to predict intention and behavior based on data from studies measuring all variables. Results: Capacity and experiential attitude had large, and other constructs had small-medium-sized correlations with intention; all constructs except autonomy were significant independent predictors of intention in regressions. Intention, capacity, and experiential attitude had medium-large, and other constructs had small-medium-sized correlations with behavior; intention, capacity, experiential attitude, and descriptive norm were significant independent predictors of behavior in regressions. Conclusions: The RAA subcomponents have utility in predicting and understanding health behaviors

Dark Energy Survey Year 1 Results:tomographic cross-correlations between DES galaxies and CMB lensing from SPT+Planck

International audienceWe measure the cross-correlation between redMaGiC galaxies selected from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) year 1 data and gravitational lensing of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) reconstructed from South Pole Telescope (SPT) and Planck data over 1289  deg2. When combining measurements across multiple galaxy redshift bins spanning the redshift range of 0.15<z<0.90, we reject the hypothesis of no correlation at 19.9σ significance. When removing small-scale data points where thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich signal and nonlinear galaxy bias could potentially bias our results, the detection significance is reduced to 9.9σ. We perform a joint analysis of galaxy-CMB lensing cross-correlations and galaxy clustering to constrain cosmology, finding Ωm=0.276-0.030+0.029 and S8=σ8Ωm/0.3=0.800-0.094+0.090. We also perform two alternate analyses aimed at constraining only the growth rate of cosmic structure as a function of redshift, finding consistency with predictions from the concordance ΛCDM model. The measurements presented here are part of a joint cosmological analysis that combines galaxy clustering, galaxy lensing and CMB lensing using data from DES, SPT and Planck

Henkilöstötilinpäätös osana pörssiyhtiön henkilöstöraportointia : case: Palveluyritys Oy

Opinnäytetyön aiheena on henkilöstötilinpäätös. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena on luoda malli case-yrityksen ensimmäiselle henkilöstötilinpäätökselle, jota voidaan myöhemmin hyödyntää myös koko konsernissa. Tavoitteena on myös kartoittaa henkilöstötietojärjestelmien tuottaman informaation hyödyntämismahdollisuuksia sekä tuoda esiin ne seikat, jotka vielä kaipaavat kehittämistä henkilöstöinformaation tuottamiseksi. Opinnäytetyössä tarkastellaan myös pörssiyhtiöiltä vaadittavaa henkilöstöinformaation tuottamista, sillä case-yritys tulee mahdollisesti tulevaisuudessa listautumaan Helsingin pörssiin. Teoriaosuuden lähdeaineistossa on hyödynnetty sekä kirjallista materiaalia että internetiin pohjautuvia artikkeleita. Työn empiirinen osuus perustuu henkilöstötietojärjestelmien tuottaman informaation analysointiin. Tutkimus on luonteeltaan kvantitatiivinen, jolloin henkilöstöä tarkastellaan numeeristen tietojen avulla. Empiirisessä osuudessa henkilöstön ominaisuuksia lähestytään myös graafein ja taulukoin. Empiirisen osuuden henkilöstöä kuvaavat mittarit on valittu niiden asioiden perusteella, joiden seurannan yhtiön johto on kokenut tarpeelliseksi. Tilastot ja tunnusluvut perustuvat jo olemassa oleviin tietoihin, minkä vuoksi koko henkilöstön kattavia taulukoita ei voitu tietojen puutteellisuuden vuoksi laatia. Opinnäytetyössä tarkastellaan tilikautta 1.1.–31.12.2007, mutta osa tiedoista on tilastoitu tämän jälkeiseltä ajalta. Tietojen hyödyntäminen on perusteltua siitäkin syystä, että tutkimuksen tavoitteena on kartoittaa nykyisiä raportointimahdollisuuksia sekä luoda kehitysehdotuksia henkilöstöinformaation vaivattomampaan tuottamiseen. Tutkimuksen keskeisenä tuloksena voidaan todeta, että case-yrityksen henkilöstöinformaatiojärjestelmien pohjalta pystytään nykyistäkin kattavammin hyödyntämään henkilöstöstä saatavaa tietoa. Osa seurantajärjestelmien kehityksestä on kuitenkin vielä työn alla. Järjestelmiin perustuva informaatio on vielä vajanaista, minkä vuoksi henkilöstön tilasta ei vielä voida saada täysin luotettavaa kuvaa järjestelmien tuottaman informaation avulla.This thesis focuses on the human resource statement. The aim of the study was to create a model for an enterprise’s first human resource statement. In the future this model will be used in the entire corporation. The study was completed with two goals in mind. The first goal was to explore the opportunities of utilising a personnel information system. The second goal was to bring forward issues that still need development in producing personnel information. The personnel information requried from a public limited company was also examined in this study. Sources for the theoretical part of this study included literatury material and the Internet. The empirical part of the thesis is based on the analysis of information from a personnel information system. A quantitative method was utilised in this study. This means that information relating to the personnel is described with numerical information, graphics and tables. The representational indicators of the personnel, in the empirical section, have been chosen based on factors that the case company management has experienced as useful. Statistics and key figures have been collected from already existing information. However, due to the lack of information statistics representing the entire personnel have not been possible to compile. Although this study focuses on the accounting period January 1 – December 31, 2007, some information was still compiled after this period. The reason behind the use of statistics gathered after the accounting period lies in the aim of this study. This thesis explores the possibilities of current personnel reporting and creates development proposals for easier personnel information production. The study shows that the case company can comprehensively use the diversity of the information with the current personnel information system. However, a part of the monitoring system is still under development. Thus, the information received, based on the existing system, is incomplete. And, because the present system does not include the entire personnel of the case company, a reliable picture of the personnel situation is not possible