Screw cap wine closures provide many benefits in maintenance of wine quality over time, however acceptance of their use by purchasers has varied. This work first investigates how factors like age, gender, income and education affect the decision to purchase screw cap wines and to what extent these factors impact consumer decisions to bring screw cap wine to various social settings. The results of a questionnaire pooling attitudes and behaviors of wine purchasers (n=319) indicate that factors such as age, wine knowledge, income and gender influence a consumer’s decision to purchase screw cap wine. Education and income positively impact the acceptance of screw cap wines and the likelihood of purchasing them. Age has a negative effect on acceptance of screw cap wines in social situations. Gender was found to not be significant in regards to likelihood of screw cap wine purchase generally, however men tended to view screw cap wines as more acceptable in more social situations than women.

This study examined the relationship of childhood exposure to violence and adult aggressive behavior. Researchers have studied this relationship and consequences resulting from high violence exposure, but have not examined protective factors that may reduce negative consequences. Likewise, no one had examined the possible protective factors of self-monitoring, concern for appropriateness, and social support. A total of 1,307 college students completed an online survey assessing childhood exposure to violence, adult aggression, social support, and self-monitoring. Despite the lack of significance for the mediation model, social support, concern for appropriateness, and self-monitoring were all significant moderators in the relationship of exposure to violence and adult aggression. Together, childhood exposure to violence, social support, and concern for appropriateness accounted for 33% of the variance in adult aggression. These findings suggest that less childhood exposure to violence, lower concern for appropriateness, and more social support decrease the risk of aggression in college students.

In recent years, consumers have witnessed a technological revolution that has delivered more-realistic experiences in their own homes. Expanding technologies have provided larger displays with higher resolutions, faster refresh rates, and stereoscopic capabilities. These advances have increased the level of display fidelity—the objective degree of exactness with which real-world sensory stimuli are reproduced by a display system. Similarly, the latest generation of video game systems (e.g., Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect) with their natural, gesture-based interactions have delivered increased levels of interaction fidelity—the objective degree of exactness with which real-world interactions can be reproduced in an interactive system. Though this technological revolution has provided more realistic experiences, it is not completely clear how increased display fidelity and interaction fidelity impact the user experience because the effects of increasing fidelity to the real world have not been empirically established. The goal of this dissertation is to provide a better understanding of the effects of both display fidelity and interaction fidelity on the user experience. For the context of our research, we chose virtual reality (VR) games because immersive VR allows for high levels of fidelity to be achieved while games usually involve complex, performance-intensive tasks. In regard to the user experience, we were concerned with objective performance metrics and subjective responses such as presence, engagement, perceived usability, and overall preferences. We conducted five systematically controlled studies that evaluated display and interaction fidelity at contrasting levels in order to gain a better understanding of their effects. In our first study, which involved a 3D object manipulation game within a three-sided CAVE, we found that stereoscopy and the total size of the visual field surrounding the user (i.e., field of regard or FOR) did not have a significant effect on manipulation times but two high-fidelity interaction techniques based on six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) input outperformed a low-fidelity technique based on keyboard and mouse input. In our second study, which involved a racing game on a commercial game console, we solely investigated interaction fidelity and found that two low-fidelity steering techniques based on 2D joystick input outperformed two high-fidelity steering techniques based on 3D accelerometer data in terms of lap times and driving errors. Our final three studies involved a first-person shooter (FPS) game implemented within a six-sided CAVE. In the first of these FPS studies, we evaluated display fidelity and interaction fidelity independently, at extremely high and low levels, and found that both significantly affected strategy, performance, presence, engagement, and perceived usability. In particular, performance results were strongly in favor of two conditions: low-display, low-interaction fidelity (representative of desktop FPS games) and high-display, high-interaction fidelity (similar to the real world). In the second FPS study, we investigated the effects of FOR and pointing fidelity on the subtasks of searching, aiming, and firing. We found that increased FOR affords faster searching and that high-fidelity pointing based on 6-DOF input provided faster aiming than low-fidelity mouse pointing and a mid-fidelity mouse technique based on the heading of the user. In the third FPS study, we investigated the effects of FOR and locomotion fidelity on the subtasks of long-distance navigation and maneuvering. Our results indicated that increased FOR increased perceived usability but had no significant effect on actual performance while low-fidelity keyboard-based locomotion outperformed our high-fidelity locomotion technique developed for our original FPS study. The results of our five studies show that increasing display fidelity tends to have a positive correlation to user performance, especially for some components such as FOR. Contrastingly, our results have indicated that interaction fidelity has a non-linear correlation to user performance with users performing better with "traditionalThe results of our five studies show that increasing display fidelity tends to have a positive correlation to user performance, especially for some components such as FOR. Contrastingly, our results have indicated that interaction fidelity has a non-linear correlation to user performance with users performing better with "traditional", extremely low-fidelity techniques and "natural", extremely high-fidelity techniques while performing worse with mid-fidelity interaction techniques. These correlations demonstrate that the display fidelity and interaction fidelity continua appear to have differing effects on the user experience for VR games. In addition to learning more about the effects of display fidelity and interaction fidelity, we have also developed the Framework for Interaction Fidelity Analysis (FIFA) for comparing interaction techniques to their real-world counterparts. There are three primary factors of concern within FIFA: biomechanical symmetry, control symmetry, and system appropriateness. Biomechanical symmetry involves the comparison of the kinematic, kinetic, and anthropometric aspects of two interactions. Control symmetry compares the dimensional, transfer function, and termination characteristics of two interactions. System appropriateness is concerned with how well a VR system matches the interaction space and objects of the real-world task (e.g., a driving simulator is more appropriate than a 2D joystick for a steering task). Although consumers have witnessed a technological revolution geared towards more realistic experiences in recent years, we have demonstrated with this research that there is still much to be learned about the effects of increasing a system's fidelity to the real world. The results of our studies show that the levels of display and interaction fidelity are significant factors in determining performance, presence, engagement, and usability. / Ph. D.

Background: Malaria continues to pose a complex public health problem amongst pregnant women in Africa (Schantz-Dunn & Nour 2009; Antwi 2010), accounting for over 90% of the global malaria burden (WHO 2002; Morel et al. 2005; Schantz-Dunn & Nour 2009). However, little is known about the impact of information, education and communication (IEC) strategies in malaria prevention and control among pregnant women in Africa. Aims and Objectives: The study sought to identify: evidence of impact of IEC strategies; feasibility, appropriateness, meaningfulness and effectiveness of the IEC strategies; challenges; best practices and key lessons to inform governments, policymakers, health partners, the academic community, directors, managers of health, frontline health professionals and health educators at institutional and community levels. Moreover, the study aimed to develop a theoretical framework to enhance the understanding of issues related to implementation of IEC strategies. Methods: A mixed method approach was adopted. This consisted of a systematic review of evidence within the African context and an evaluation methodology involving a contextually based survey of Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania. The systematic review involved a structured search of relevant databases and websites, and hand search strategies. Three sets of evidence were identified and aggregated using a narrative synthesis approach. A survey questionnaire reflecting the outcomes of the review was sent to health professionals and lay persons in the countries under study. Primary data were analysed using SPSS Version 15.0. Non-parametric tests and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the nature of opinions among respondents within and across countries. Findings: 3,440 studies were identified during the systematic review. Out of this number, 57 met the inclusion criteria. Following critical appraisal, 50 studies met the criteria for methodological quality. Ten IEC strategies were identified. These were: Staff training and orientation Advocacy Community mass education campaigns House-to-house sensitisation Health education in health units Visiting places of worship Women’s group meetings Integrated health education campaigns Symbolism versus message delivery Audience segmentation versus information delivery. The survey reveals a high level of awareness of IEC strategies among respondents in the African countries studied. The evidence of impact reported by respondents supported the findings of the systematic review. However, there were some differences, and some concerns still remain regarding the extent of impact. The study suggests that using an IEC strategy implementation equation could enhance the understanding of issues related to implementation of IEC strategies. Implications of the findings are outlined, including implications for professional practice in relation to IEC programme implementation, most especially among nurses and midwives. IEC roles and responsibilities of key actors are also proposed. Conclusions: Despite the challenges of adopting a mixed method approach, the study highlights an important relationship between evidence and practice. This approach also helped to ensure that a comprehensive multiperspective view of IEC strategies was achieved. In designing and implementing IEC programmes, clients must be involved in order to encourage community ownership and programme sustainability. Attitudinal change and commitment is required by all stakeholders in order to achieve and maintain impact on malaria in pregnancy. Finally, while recognising the essence of feasibility, appropriateness and meaningfulness of a given strategy, it is worth noting that the key message from this study is that no one single strategy on its own appears ideal. Therefore, there is the need to pay equal attention to both institutional and community-based strategies. Doing one thing alone will not work; more evidence of impact is required to know what works and in what context.

Lenney (1977) concluded that achievement gender differences were predicted by females' lower self confidence and expectancies in competitive situations, identifying three variables that mediated female self confidence in achievement situations, (1) task appropriateness. (2) social comparison, and (3) feedback. The present study manipulated all three mediating variables with 240 undergraduate 18-25 year old female subjects with the pursuit rotor task that requires tracking a moving (40 rpm's) white light with a hand-held stylus for 60 seconds. Response measurement was based upon time on target. Subjects were tested over five trials while setting goals for each trial. Females were randomly assigned to a male appropriate, female appropriate, or gender neutral task condition, a competition or alone condition, and to one of four feedback conditions (no feedback, feedback about own performance only, feedback about own performance that provided the perception that subject was performing better than an opponent and/or average on each trial, or feedback about own performance that provided the perception that subject was performing poorer than an opponent and/or average on each of the five trials). Results from the 2 (social comparison) X 3 (task appropriateness) X 4 (feedback) ANOVA were contradictory to previous findings (Corbin, 1981; Petruzzello & Corbin, 1988) as females performed significantly better in competition than alone. Data support the conclusion that presentation of clear and unambiguous feedback enhanced female self-confidence (Corbin, 1981; Petruzzello & Corbin, 1988; Lenney, 1977). Data also provide null findings for the task appropriateness condition which contradicts the previous research (Corbin, 1981; Lenney, 1977) in that females perceiving the task as male appropriate did not exhibit less self-confidence and perform poorer than when the task was perceived as either female appropriate or gender neutral. Conclusions reflect methodological differences from previous research and changes in gender role identification that have significantly impacted on female self-confidence and performance in competitive situations.

FUNDAMENTOS: Com a expressiva ampliação do uso dos stents farmacológicos (SF), nos diversos cenários em que se apresenta a doença arterial coronária (DAC), e diante de todas as evoluções das diferentes formas de tratamento, levantou-se o questionamento sobre a propriedade de indicação da intervenção coronária percutânea (ICP), à busca do discernimento sobre quais pacientes (P) com DAC apresentam o melhor balanço risco/benefício. Visando a sistematizar as indicações para procedimentos de RM, e tomando como referência as Diretrizes Internacionais baseadas nos principais estudos e ensaios clínicos desta área, em 2009, pela primeira vez, ACC/AHA/SCAI/AATS publicaram um documento sugerindo, frente aos diversos cenários clínicos e anatômicos da DAC, critérios de propriedade de indicação para os procedimentos de RM, permitindo classificá-los quanto à indicação em: A - apropriado, PA - pode ser apropriado ou RA - raramente apropriado. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo primário foi avaliar o grau de propriedade de indicação da ICP com SF nos pacientes do Registro DESIRE, no período de Janeiro de 2012 a Dezembro de 2013, correlacionando com a ocorrência de eventos cardíacos maiores (ECAM) (óbito, infarto e revascularização da lesão-alvo), num seguimento clínico de dois anos. Os objetivos secundários foram: comparar o grau de propriedade de indicação da ICP entre pacientes com apresentação clínica estável versus aqueles com síndrome coronária aguda (SCA); e a ocorrência isolada de óbito cardíaco (OC), infarto agudo do miocárdio não-fatal (IM), revascularização da lesão-alvo (RLA) e trombose do stent no período de follow-up. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos todos os pacientes, consecutivamente tratados no HCor-ASS com ICP e implante de pelo menos um SF, entre 01/01/2012 a 31/12/2013. A coleta de dados foi feita do banco de dados do Registro DESIRE, em cujo programa constam dados pormenorizados das características clínicas, angiográficas e informações técnicas da intervenção, incluindo complicações, de cada um dos P registrados, além dos dados evolutivos obtidos nos períodos definidos após o procedimento-índice (1, 6, 12 meses e anualmente a partir de então). Fez-se a validação desses critérios, usando-se o aplicativo SCAI-QIT®, que permite a definição, ao serem incluídas as variáveis do P, do grau de propriedade de indicação para o implante do SF. Este aplicativo é facilmente acessado via internet, no seguinte site: http://scai-qit.org/. Após ser feita a classificação dos critérios de propriedade de indicação, os dados foram analisados estatisticamente, para obtenção dos objetivos e resultados do estudo em questão. RESULTADOS: Dentre os 1.108 P do Registro DESIRE analisados, usando-se o aplicativo SCAI-QIT®, observou-se que: 375 (33,8%) tiveram indicações Apropriada (Grupo I); 480 (43,3%) tiveram indicação Pode Ser Apropriada (Grupo II) e 215 (19,4%) tiveram indicação Raramente Apropriada (Grupo III). No Grupo I, 22,7% tinham isquemia silenciosa, 13,3% angina estável, 36,8 % SCAssST e 27,2% SCAcsST. No Grupo II, 34,0% tinha isquemia silenciosa, 11,9% angina estável, 33,3% SCAssST e 20,8% SCAcsST. No Grupo III, 82,3% tinham isquemia silenciosa, 4,2% angina estável, 0% SCAssST e 13,5% SCAcsST. A ocorrência de IM (definido como aumento da CKMB massa >3X o percentil 99) foi de 9,6%, 9,6%% e 7,0% (p= 0,652) nos Grupos I, II e III, respectivamente. A RLA foi de 1,9%, 2,1% e 0,9% (p= 0,592) e a taxa de trombose do stent foi 0,3%, 0,6% e 1,4% (p=0,406). Comparando os 3 grupos não foi estatisticamente significativo as taxas de OC e ECAM no follow-up de 2 anos. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados deste estudo demonstram que apesar das taxas de PCI em pacientes estáveis e instáveis, destoarem das esperadas e das já documentadas, isso não teve relevância nos eventos maiores e sobrevida dos pacientes no follow-up clínico. / BACKGROUND: With the significant expansion of the use of drug-eluting stents in different scenarios as presented coronary artery disease (CAD), and before all the developments of different forms of treatment, rose the questioning on the indication of ownership of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the pursuit of insight into which patients (P) with CAD have the best balance risk/benefit. Aiming to systematize indications for coronary revascularization procedures, and by reference to the International Guidelines based on the main studies and clinical trials in this area, in 2009 for the first time, ACC/AHA/SCAI/AATS published a paper suggesting, compared to various clinical and anatomical scenarios of CAD, criteria for appropriate indication of coronary revascularization procedures, allowing to classify them as the indicated in: A - Appropriate, PA - May be appropriate or RA - Rarely appropriate. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to evaluate the degree of appropriateness of the ICP with pharmacological stents in patients of DESIRE Registry, in the period from January 2012 to December 2013, correlating with the occurrence of major cardiac events (MACE)(death, myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization), in the clinical follow-up of two years. The secondary objective were: to compare the degree of appropriateness of PCI indication among patients with clinical presentation satble versus those with acute coronary syndrome to isolated occurrence of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), new target lesion revascularization (TLR) and stent thrombosis in follow-up period. METHODS: We included all patients consecutively treated in HCor-ASS with ICP and implantation of at least one drug-eluting stent, between 01/01/2012 to 31/12/2013. Data collection was made of the DESIRE Registry data base in whose program includes these full details of clinical features, and technical information of the intervention, including complications, each of registered patients in addition to the rolling data over defined periods after the index procedure (1, 6 12 months and annually thereafter). It was made the validation of these criteria, using the application SCAI-QIT, which allows definition, when the patient variables are include, the degree of appropriateness implantation of drug-eluting stent. This application is easily accessed via the internet, at the following site: http://scai-qit.org/. After being made the classification of statement of appropriateness criteria, data were statistically analyzed to obtain the objectives and results of the study in question. RESULTS: Among the 1.108 P of DESIRE Registry analyzed using the SCAI-QIT® application, it was observed that: 375 (33,8%) had Appropriate(Group I) indication; 480 (43,3%) had May be appropriate (Group II) indication and 215 (19,4%) had Rarely appropriate (Group II) indication. In Group I, 22,7% had silent ischemia, 13,3% stable angina, 36,8% SCAssST e 27,2% SCAcsST. In Group II, 34,0% had silent ischemia, 11,9% stable angina, 33,3% SCAssST e 20,8% SCAcsST. No Group III, 82,3% had silent ischemia, 4,2% stable angina, 0% SCAssST e 13,5% SCAcsST. The occurrence of MI (defined as increase of CKMB mass >3x the 99 percentile) was 9,6%, 9,6%% and 7,0% (p= 0,652) in Groups I, II e III, respectively. The TLR was 1,9%, 2,1% and 0,9% (p= 0,592) and stent thrombosis rate was 0,3%, 0,6% and 1,4% (p=0,406). Comparing the 3 groups was not statistically significant the rates of mortality and mace in follow-up of 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that despite PCI in stable and unstable patients, diverges the expected and already documented, it had no relevance in major events and survival of patients in the clinical follow-up.

The provision of accessible and usable health information is vital for making informed health decisions and embracing active and preventative health behaviours (such as reporting of symptoms, early screening and seeking medical help). Previous research in this area has focused on health-related information seeking behaviour and use of information by citizens of developed countries and within urban geographical locations. The common thread from existing research within the context of developing countries, particularly in Africa, is the need for health information to be provided in a way that considers the diverse cultural perspectives and characteristics of rural communities; regarding both the content and the design of health information services. Considering the cultural aspects is important. However, there is little or no work that has considered the provision of health information that is culturally and locally appropriate. This research aims to investigate the health information behaviour of men in rural Nigeria and explore the local sociocultural aspects that relate to the provision of prostate cancer information. The research extends the theoretical framework of Johnson’s Comprehensive Information Seeking model to include health-related information design heuristics that address aspects of cultural appropriateness within rural contexts and particularly within the setting of developing countries. A qualitative approach was adopted as it was considered appropriate for this research. The research utilised 35 semi-structured interviews and 5 focus group discussions with men (aged 35 or over) residing in rural areas of Nigeria. Participants shared their experiences with health-related information seeking and use, the barriers they encounter and the role that culture and rurality play in that process. Findings show that within rural Nigeria, culture and religion play a vital role in shaping the health information behaviour of men. There is a lack of knowledge about important health issues that affect men, such as prostate cancer. The study documents that internal, interpersonal sources and oral-based communication methods are preferred in rural communities. Based on the findings, a revised model of health information behaviour that extends the existing scholarly perspectives to include cultural context and information use component in rural communities in Nigeria was presented.

The mass-migration of refugees in the fall 2015 posed an immense humanitarian and logistical challenge: exhausted from their week-long journeys, refugees arrived in Vienna in need of care, shelter, food, medical aid, and onward transport. The refugee crisis was managed by an emerging polycentric and inter-sectoral collective of organizations. In this paper, we investigate how, during such a situation, leaders of these organizations made decisions in concert with each other and hence sustained the collective's capacity to act collectively. We ask: what was the logic of decision-making that orchestrated collective action during the crisis? In answering this question, we make the following contribution: departing from March's logics of consequences and appropriateness as well as Weick's work on sensemaking during crisis, we introduce an alternative logic that informed decision-making: the logic of tact. With this concept we (a) offer a better understanding of how managers make decisions under the condition of bounded rationality and the simultaneous transgression of their institutional identity in situations of crisis; and we (b) show that in decision-making under duress cognition is neither ahead of action, nor is action ahead of cognition; rather, tact explicates the rapid switching between cognition and action, orchestrating decision-making through this interplay.

As attention of scholars shift from perils of presidentialism to perils of semipresidentialism in the recent decades, French style of cohabitation power sharing mode in the executive merits our endeavor to understand the micro-dynamics that is embedded in it. It includes how it emerged, how it was practiced and what consequences it produced. Such effort, if wisely applied, can probably be helpful in slowing down the rate of political system breakdown in many of the newly emerged democratic systems that emulate the French model. After an introduction to the blackbox of French cohabitation, the remainder of the dissertation is divided into eight chapters. Chapter 2 briefly reviews the existing literature on French cohabitation. Chapter 3 introduces the interpretive paradigm of qualitative research that is employed to analyze data and to facilitate theory building. In the 4th theoretical discussion chapter, three elements of practice theory approach ¡V temporality, duality of structure and unanticipated consequences are elaborated respectively. The three elements correspond to answer three research questions comprising how cohabitation emerged, how it was practiced and what kinds of consequences it produced. Chapter 5 to 8 display findings to the questions. They unravel for us other faces of French cohabitation which can be an active outcome of rationalization, a dynamic generator and a collective inevitable self-deception. Chapter 9 concludes by delineating theoretical and practical contribution of the dissertation.

This examination studies the gender balance of contemporary art exhibitions in Sweden. To what extent genders are equally represented assumes to be based on how the curating process considers equality work. Three categories of art organisations are studied with the intention to determine differences in equality approach between the categories. Official documents of each organisation are examined to understand how they formally relate to equality work. Statistics of the actual gender balance of each organisation are produced based on the last two years exhibition archives. The study includes interviews with a curator or director from two private exhibition halls, two private art galleries and two public art institutions. The aim is to create an understanding of how the decisions are made and on what basis the artists are chosen. The theoretic base is institutional theory, the study uses a part of the theory called the logic of appropriateness, which explains individual behaviour as a result of how the three aspects identity, rules and situation interact and combine. The conclusions of this study are that all respondents show awareness of the gender balance issue yet other variables are more important for the decision. There is generally a loose coupling between the formal and the informal structure. Equality work can be implemented as a policy without making any difference in the practice. / Studien undersöker hur könsfördelningen ser ut på den samtida konstscenen i Sverige. I vilken utsträckning kön representeras på ett jämställt sätt inom utställningsproduktion antas kopplat till hur de delaktiga i beslutsprocessen förhåller sig till externt jämställdhetsarbete. Tre kategorier av organisationer studeras för att kunna avgöra om det finns skillnader i tillvägagångssätt. Officiella dokument från varje organisation undersöks för att förstå hur de formellt förhåller sig till jämställdhetsarbete. Statistik av den faktiska könsfördelningen för varje organisation tas fram från de två senaste årens utställningsarkiv. Studien innefattar även intervjuer med en beslutsfattande person från respektive organisation; två statliga konstinstitutioner, två privata konsthallar och två privata gallerier. Undersökningen syftar till att skapa förståelse för vad som ligger till grund för valet av konstnärer. Studien har sin teoretiska utgångspunkt i institutionell teori och använder en del av teorin som kallas lämplighetslogiken. Teorin förklarar individuellt beteende som beroende av sin kontext, utifrån de tre aspekterna identitet, regler och situation. Slutsatserna för undersökningen är att samtliga respondenter visar en stor medvetenhet kring könsfördelningen men att andra variabler tenderar att vara viktigare i valet av konstnärer. Hur organisationerna formellt förhåller sig till jämställdhetsarbete har en begränsad påverkan på det praktiska utfallet. Desto mer betydelsefullt är huruvida dessa värderingar finns implementerade i företagskulturen och hos de som är delaktiga i beslutsprocessen.