Raising Awareness about Water Issues: The Role of Water Symbolism and Proverbs

Sustainable water management is one of the global grand challenges of our time. Tackling this challenge through corrective actions would require the participation of the general public, a public with sound awareness of the challenge and commitment. One such awareness raising intervention could be through the use of water symbolism and proverbs, targeted to particular society. Water has the different symbolism and levels of importance to people, depending of their personal characteristics and socio-demographic factors (e.g. gender, age, occupation, residence). Similarly, water proverbs can also demonstrate attitudes towards water among communities, ethnic groups and whole nations. Such meanings and symbolism could help determine attitude and be a powerful tool towards education. In this context, we describe and propose a psychological Health Belief Model (HBM) as a way to explain behaviour and stimulate sustainable water management practice

Data Analysis Strategies for Reducing the Influence of the Bias in Cross-Cultural Research

In cross-cultural research, researchers have to adjust the constructs and associated measurement instruments that have been developed in one culture and then imported for use in another culture. Importing concepts from other cultures is often simply reduced to language adjustment of the content in the items of the measurement instruments that define a certain (psychological) construct. In the context of cross-cultural research, test bias can be defined as a generic term for all nuisance factors that threaten the validity of cross-cultural comparisons. Bias can be an indicator that instrument scores based on the same items measure different traits and characteristics across different cultural groups. To reduce construct, method and item bias,the researcher can consider these strategies: (1) simply comparing average results in certain measuring instruments; (2) comparing only the reliability of certain dimensions of the measurement instruments, applied to the »target« and »source« samples of participants, i.e. from different cultures; (3) comparing the »framed« factor structure (fixed number of factors) of the measurement instruments, applied to the samples from the »target« and »source« cultures, using explorative factor analysis strategy on separate samples; (4) comparing the complete constructs (»unframed« factor analysis, i.e. unlimited number of factors) in relation to their best psychometric properties and the possibility of interpreting (best suited to certain cultures, applying explorative strategy of factor analysis); or (5) checking the similarity of the constructs in the samples from different cultures (using structural equation modeling approach). Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages and lacks of each approach are discussed

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BASKETBALL MORE AND LESS SUCCESSFUL SENIOR ELITE TEAMS IN CONATIVE CHARACTERISTICS

Cilj našeg istraživanja bio je utvrditi razlike u konativnim karakteristikama košarkaša uspješnijih i manje uspješnih momčadi: mentalnoj čvrstoći, perfekcionizmu, te percipiranoj grupnoj koheziji. Finalni uzorak ispitanika (74 košarkaša) je selekcioniran iz inicijalnog uzorka od 107 ispitanika, košarkaša devet muških seniorskih momčadi A-1 Hrvatske muške košarkaške lige iz prvenstva 2006/2007. U odnosu na varijable konativnih karakteristika i njihovih dimenzija, diskriminacijskom analizom uspješnijih i manje uspješnih momčadi u prvenstvu. Rezultati su pokazali da se igrači manje i više uspješnih momčadi ne razlikuju na temelju skupa konativnih karakteristika te percipirane grupne kohezije. S druge strane, igrači manje i više uspješnih momčadi se razlikuju na temelju skupa korištenih ekstremnih procjena na skalama konativnih karakteristika te percipirane grupne kohezije. Nije pronaðena statistički značajna razlika izmeðu košarkaša više i manje uspješnih momčadi u skupu konativnih karakteristika, ali jest u broju ekstremnih procjena na skalama konativnih karakteristika te percipirane grupne kohezije.The aim of our study was to determine differences between the players in more successful and less successful basketball teams, in conative characteristics: mental strength, perfectionism, and perceived group cohesion. The final sample of respondents (74 players) is selected from the initial sample of 107 subjects, nine men\u27s senior basketball team\u27s A-1 Croatian men\u27s basketball league championship in 2006/2007. Discriminant analysis was performed, for all the variables of conative characteristics and their dimensions, between the players who play in more successful and less successful teams in the Croatian championship. The results showed that players who play in more or less successful teams do not differ, based on a set of conative characteristics and perceived group cohesion. On the other hand, players in more or less successful teams differ on the basis set used to estimate the extreme rsponses on the scales of conative characteristics and perceived group cohesion. No statistically significant differences were found between the players more and less successful teams in conative characteristics, but the differences are significant in number of extreme estimates used on scales of conative characteristics and perceived group cohesion

SPOLNE RAZLIKE U UPORABI STRATEGIJA UČENJA KOD ODRASLIH UČENIKA STRANOGA JEZIKA

Learning strategies today represent a topical field of research in glottodidactics. Oxford (1990) defines them as specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, and more transferrable to new situations of language learning and use. Deployment of appropriate strategies ensures greater success in learning and more confidence. The first part of the paper lists the key definitions of learning strategies, while the second part presents the results of a quantitative survey that was conducted at the American College of Management and Technology in Dubrovnik on a sample of 181 respondents learning German, Spanish, French and Italian. The learning strategies were tested using a questionnaire based on Oxford\u27s SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, Oxford, 1990). The survey was aimed at determining gender differences in the use of learning strategies and differences in the application of certain types of learning strategies. The results have shown that there are statistically significant differences in the frequency of the learning strategy use: memory strategies are most frequently used ones, while cognitive strategies are the least frequently used. However, there are gender differences in the use of learning strategies, where the female sex more frequently use all types of learning strategies, apart from socio-affective strategies. The final part of the paper lists the implications for teaching practice and provides guidelines for future research.Strategije učenja danas predstavljaju aktualno područje ispitivanja u glotodidaktici. Oxford (1990) ih definira kao specifične aktivnosti koje učenik poduzima kako bi proces učenja učinio lakšim, bržim i ugodnijim te kako bi iste mogao primijeniti u novim situacijama učenja i uporabe jezika. Primjena prikladnih strategija osigurava veći uspjeh u učenju i veću sigurnost. U prvom dijelu rada navedene su ključne definicije pojma strategija učenja, dok su u drugom dijelu predstavljeni rezultati kvantitativnog istraživanja koje je provedeno na Američkoj visokoj školi za management i tehnologiju u Dubrovniku na uzorku koji je obuhvatio 181 ispitanika njemačkog, španjolskog, francuskog i talijanskog jezika. Za ispitivanje strategija učenja korišten je upitnik koji se temelji na Oxfordinom SILL-u (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, Oxford, 1990). Ciljevi istraživanja bili su utvrditi spolne razlike u uporabi strategija učenja, te razlike u uporabi pojedinih tipova strategija učenja. Rezultati su pokazali da se strategije učenja statistički značajno različito često koriste: najčešće se koriste strategije pamćenja, a najrjeđe kognitivne strategije. S druge strane, postoje spolne razlike u uporabi strategija učenja, gdje se ženski spol češće koristi svim tipovima strategija učenja, osim društveno-afektivnim. U završnom dijelu navode se implikacije za nastavnu praksu, te se daju smjernice za buduća istraživanja

THE CONSTRUCTION OF A QUESTIONNAIRE TO MEASURE SELF-INDUCED CONCATENATED DEMOTIVATION

The concept of self-induced concatenated demotivation describes the “chain“ of demotivational processes and interactions of employees, in the contexts of postsocialism, job characteristics, dominant forms of motivation and group cohesion in work organizations. The aim of the preliminary research was to construct a questionnaire to measure the concept of self-induced concatenated demotivation and the relations between its latent dimensions. The study included a “snowball“ sample of 196 participants aged 20 to 65, of both genders, with heterogeneous professions and degrees in education. Based on the results of factor analysis three latent dimensions have been obtained, that account for only 36% of the total variance of the manifest area of self-induced concatenated demotivation, which we have named: pessimism/rationalization, social orientation, the ability to evaluate other people. The questionnaire to measure self-induced concatenated demotivation of employees has proved to be a low but satisfactory reliable measuring instrument for all three dimensions of the concept

Povezanost obilježja informacija o zdravlju s demografskim karakteristikama studenata sestrinstva The relationship between the features of information about health with the demographic characteristics among students of nursing diploma degree

Cilj: Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi koje se strategije procjene vjerodostojnosti najčešće koriste u zdravstvenom informiranju medicinskih sestara u medijima, te hoće li dob, spol ili godine starosti biti povezani s korištenjem pojedinih strategija. Metode: Ispitan je namjerni uzorak od 75 studenata preddiplomskog studija sestrinstva na Sveučilištu u Dubrovniku. Rezultati: Utvrđeno je postojanje razlika u zastupljenosti različitih strategija provjere vjerodostojnosti dobivenih informacija o zdravlju u medijima. Međutim, ne postoje statistički znatne spolne razlike u uspješnosti procjene informacija o zdravlju u medijima, uz iznimku rukovođenja posljednjom informacijom, kojom se češće koriste muškarci. Ne postoje razlike u strategijama provjere vjerodostojnosti dobivenih informacija o zdravlju u medijima u odnosu na bračno stanje, kao i u odnosu na godinu studija sestrinstva. Napokon, pokazalo se da nema statistički znatnih povezanica između uspješnosti procjene informacija o zdravlju u medijima, te strategija vjerodostojnosti dobivenih informacija o zdravlju u medijima, s varijablama: broj djece, dob, radni staž

Medical and Bioethical Issues in a Pregnant Woman with Epilepsy: Case Report

A case report of a minor, pregnant girl with epilepsy caused by a brain tumour is presented. There are several aspects which make the presented case complex from medical, but also from the bioethical point of view. The decision about keeping the pregnancy or not is the most important bioethical dilemma for the patient and family. A detailed medical multidisciplinary approach and later balanced explanation of the medical situation to the patient are of extreme value for helping the patient’s decision. It is also important to enhance the activities in pregnancy counselling for a woman with epilepsy which will result in a planned pregnancy as a prerequisite for a positive pregnancy outcome

Simple Robust Method for Quasi-Confirmatory Factor Analysis (Three Examples)

In this article we present a simple robust method named Quasi-Confirmatory Factor Analysis (QCFA), with the pur- pose of comparing two factor structures, obtained by using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). EFA and CFA (confirma- tory factor analysis) approaches, together with other methods that are used in this field, are often used simultaneously in cross-cultural research in testing the possibility of generalizing imported theoretical constructs on different sample of subjects. In the discussions about the matter \u27is it better to use EFA or CFA?\u27, it is the most correct to say that each strategy is appropriate for certain research situations. QCFA is conceptually closer to EFA than to CFA, but it gives the exact nu- merical indicators of the differences, as well as the correlations, between these two factor structures in the final phase of EFAs. The details on the practical application QCFA are presented in three different examples. The advantages and shortcomings of this method are discussed, together with its possible extension

Villoglandular Papillary Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Cervix with Aggressive Clinical Course – A Case Report

Villoglandular papillary adenocarcinoma (VGA) of cervix is an uncommon but well recognized histologic subtype of cervical adenocarcinoma which usually affects young women. Based on the favorable outcomes reported in most previous cases the tumor is generally considered to have an indolent clinical course with excellent prognosis. We present a case of a 22-year-old woman admitted at our Department for glandular abnormality on cervical smear and episodes of vaginal discharge. In the Pap smear, the cytological features were suspicious but not diagnostic of adenocarcinoma, therefore reported as atypical glandular cells (AGC). Histological examination confirmed VGA associated with lymphovascular space invasion. The patient underwent radical operative procedure. Intraoperative cytologic examination detected pelvic lymph nodes metastasis. The patient was confirmed to be in an advanced stage – III B (FIGO). During a two years follow-up period a rapid dissemination of the tumor occurred and resulted with a fatal outcome. Although VGA has been reported to have a favorable prognosis, several cases with lymph node involvement have already been described. Cervical smears examination would be helpful for an early diagnosis of VGA, however the cytologic recognition is often difficult. Further investigation of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy of the tumor is needed