A sociedade tem sofrido há décadas os malefícios da má alimentação. Ao mesmo tempo que as pessoas têm consciência da importância de mudar seus hábitos, enfrentam grande dificuldade em alterar a forma como se alimentam. Uma série de pesquisas foi realizada sobre a questão do que motivaria as pessoas a escolher seus alimentos de forma geral, algumas apontando o Prazer Sensorial como principal motivação, mas pouco foi investigado sobre quais seriam os drivers da escolha de alimentos saudáveis. Há uma lacuna na literatura em relação a quais seriam os impulsionadores da escolha desse tipo de produto. Desta forma, o objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar as motivações para a escolha de alimentos saudáveis, pelos consumidores. Neste sentido, este trabalho insere-se em uma linha de pesquisa chamada Transformative Consumer Research. Para abordar os objetivos, desenvolveu-se uma investigação estruturada em 4 fases: (1) revisão da literatura; (2) pesquisa qualitativa por meio de entrevistas em profundidade; (3) pesquisa quantitativa por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais - amostra de desenvolvimento com 262 entrevistas; (4) pesquisa quantitativa por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais - amostra para teste do modelo com 300 entrevistas. Os resultados mostram que a motivação Familiaridade seria a mais importante a ser atendida para ampliar o consumo de alimentos saudáveis. Em segundo lugar, destaca-se a motivação Energia, entre as pessoas mais velhas (40 anos ou mais) e o Controle do Peso, entre as mais jovens (39 anos ou menos). O estudo aponta ainda duas outras motivações, Saúde e Funções do Corpo (intestino e digestão). Elas têm efeito significativo na intenção, mas há poucas evidências do seu impacto no consumo real. Por fim, a motivação Prazer Sensorial, apontada como a mais importante em trabalhos anteriores sobre alimentos no geral, destaca-se como a menos importante para o consumo de alimentos saudáveis. A pesquisa traz contribuições teóricas no sentido que apresenta um modelo integrativo das motivações ao consumo de alimentos saudáveis, traz o desenvolvimento de novas escalas, oferece definições para as motivações e os alimentos saudáveis, e aponta as diferenças entre as motivações ao consumo de alimentos saudáveis e as relacionadas aos alimentos no geral. São também apresentadas contribuições às empresas de alimentos, que poderiam adequar suas estratégias de posicionamento, targeting e produto de acordo com as necessidades reveladas dos consumidores. A pesquisa traz ainda contribuições sociais. Órgãos governamentais, ONGs e associações, que têm por objetivo a promoção da alimentação saudável, poderiam utilizar os resultados como forma de melhorar a eficácia de seus programas para ampliar o consumo destes produtos junto à população. / Society has faced for decades the consequences of bad nutrition. Consumers know they should change their habits, but they have a hard time altering the way they eat. Previous research was carried out on the motivations for food consumption in general, some of them pointing out Sensory Pleasure as the most important one, but not as much was studied about what would be the main choice drivers for healthy food. There is a gap in the literature related to what would be the chief motivators for the consumption of these products. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to investigate what are the main motivations for consumers to choose healthy foods. Accordingly, this research can be related to a line of investigation called Transformative Consumer Research. To approach the objectives, this research was structured in 4 phases: (1) literature review; (2) qualitative research through in-depth interviews; (3) quantitative research through structural equation modeling - development sample with 262 interviews; (4) quantitative research through structural equation modeling - model test sample with 300 interviews. Results showed that the motivation Familiarity is the most important to be worked on to enhance the consumption of healthy foods. In addition, two other motivations stand out, but with a more limited reach: Energy is more relevant among older consumers (40 years old or older), while Weight Control is more important among younger consumers (39 years old or younger). The research still points out two other motivations, Health and Body Functions (intestines and digestion). They have a significant effect on the intentions to consume, but there is not strong evidence of their effect on actual consumption. Finally, Sensory Pleasure, pointed out in previous studies as the most important motivation to food consumption in general, is presented here as the least important motivation for the consumption of healthy foods. This study has theoretical contributions while presenting an integrative model of motivations for healthy food, delivering new scales development, conveying definitions for motivations and healthy foods, besides pointing out the differences between the motivations for the consumption of healthy foods and food products in general. In addition, contributions to companies that market healthy foods are also discussed, since they could use the results to make their positioning, targeting and product strategies more adequate to consumer needs. The investigation also delivers social contributions. Govern agencies, NGOs and associations, which have as their main goal to improve population nutrition, could use the results to improve the efficacy of their programs aimed to enhance the consumption of healthy foods.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:38:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ChristianaCP_TESE.pdf: 2108734 bytes, checksum: 102e886b7f28f0cd367708f6a4bf60ec (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-09-23 / Funda??o de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia / This study aimed at exploring and describing children s perceptions in threatened natural settings, specifically, the Rain Forest in Brazil. Several studies point to the significance of perceptions for people s pro-environmental attitudes and actions. We try to understand the person-environment interaction from an ecological perspective, and we present theoretical references for the understanding of how crucial nature is for psychological development and well-being. The children s drawings, individual interviews, discussion groups, photographies and informal and indirect sources, as teachers, brought material for the analysis. Participated in our study, carried on through a multi-method strategy, 209 children from six to eleven years old, living in the neighborhood of the Biological Reserve of Una, State of Bahia, created to protect Rain Forest fragments. The Rain Forest landscape is well portrayed in children s drawings, the vegetal elements prevailing over artificial and human elements. The figured plants and trees, however, are pointed with no precision as to their species. Most of the defined species are eatable. The children seem to be aware of the environment degradation, and of the importance of its conservation, but they describe episodes of hunting and feeding wild threatened animals. Our results indicate a utilitarian trend in the perception of living beings, in terms of their immediate usefulness for people. The multimethod approach seems to be appropriate to the complexity of the theme; the methodological strategies were well accepted by the children, offering them opportunities to express themselves. We observed how children, in different life phases, organize natural elements and processes in their drawings, and how these images relate to the local landscape. We discuss the results in the light of theoretical references of personenvironment studies and from previous investigations about children s perceptions of natural environment / Este estudo visou explorar e descrever as percep??es infantis de ambientes naturais protegidos, especificamente da Mata Atl?ntica no Brasil. Muitos estudos apontam a import?ncia das percep??es nas a??es pr?-ambientais ou pr?-ecol?gicas. Buscamos compreender a intera??o pessoa-ambiente a partir de perspectiva ecol?gica, e apresentamos tamb?m referenciais te?ricos para a compreens?o de como a natureza ? crucial para o bem-estar e o desenvolvimento psicol?gico. Os desenhos das crian?as, acrescidos de entrevista, grupo de discuss?o, fotografias, al?m de fontes informais e indiretas, como as professoras, forneceram material para tal an?lise. Participaram desta investiga??o explorat?ria, conduzida mediante estrat?gia multim?todos, 209 crian?as entre seis e onze anos de idade, vivendo no entorno da Reserva Biol?gica de Una, Estado da Bahia, criada para proteger fragmentos de Mata Atl?ntica. A Mata Atl?ntica foi bem representada nos desenhos, os elementos vegetais predominando sobre os artificiais e humanos. Por?m, as plantas figuradas s?o assinaladas sem a precis?o de esp?cie. As esp?cies definidas, em sua maioria, s?o comest?veis. As crian?as parecem conscientes da degrada??o do ambiente e da import?ncia de sua conserva??o, mas tamb?m descrevem intera??es de ca?a e alimenta??o de esp?cies protegidas. Os resultados indicam tend?ncia utilitarista na percep??o dos seres vivos, quanto ? sua utilidade para as pessoas. A abordagem multim?todo foi adequada ? complexidade do fen?meno; as estrat?gias adotadas foram bem aceitas pelas crian?as e lhes ofereceram oportunidades para expressar-se. Observamos como as crian?as, em diferentes fases da vida, organizam os elementos e processos naturais em seus desenhos, e como estas imagens se relacionam ? paisagem local. Discutimos os resultados ? luz de referenciais te?ricos dos estudos pessoa-ambiente, e investiga??es precedentes acerca da percep??o infantil de ambientes naturais

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:38:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RachelMG_DISSERT.pdf: 3405388 bytes, checksum: 8e5077fbfe2399f503b09347149f8965 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-03-28 / This dissertation investigates how the neighborhood of Cidade Nova, located in the western side of the of Natal, is perceived by its residents in order to understand its socio-environmental image, intending to contribute both to define strategies of urban intervention and environmental education in the area and to consolidate a methodology that addresses this kind of problem. The completion of field research used a multimethod strategy to study the socio-environmental image of urban areas. It consists of: (a) review of local history from literature research, data recorded by the City Hall, news published on the city's newspapers and interviews with former inhabitants, (b) application of questionnaires to inhabitants including emotions, visual perception, memory and local social activities, (c) development of a drawing of the district, (d) conducting focus groups with inhabitants, using as a starting point the results obtained in the previous activities. In steps "b" and "c" attended 32 neighborhood residents, 16 of them being Community Health Workers and other 16 persons appointed by them. In step "d" 10 individuals took part, divided into two groups. The result of the research showed a picture of residents coincident with the image conveyed by the media in relation to the issues: violence, garbage, public policy/social support and appreciation of the beauties of environmental (dunes and Parque da Cidade park). Although Cidade Nova has been regarded as a dirty, noisy and dangerous place, most of the participants say they enjoy living on the neighborhood. Overall, the results corroborate and gain theoretical explanations, as they are interrelated. The socio-environmental image is expressed for instance in the elements dunes, dump, railroad tracks and Central Avenue that gain symbolic connotation influenced by time and socio-economic context. The insecurity and other negative characteristics assigned by the inhabitants and the media are parallel to the place attachment, since the environmental legibility, the time/familiarity and territoriality offer inhabitants the preference for place of residence, setting up their social identity. / Esta disserta??o investiga a imagem s?cio-ambiental do bairro Cidade Nova, situado na zona Oeste de Natal-RN, tendo como base o modo como ele ? percebido por seus moradores, e pretendendo contribuir tanto para a defini??o de estrat?gias de interven??o urbana e de educa??o ambiental na ?rea, quanto para a consolida??o de um modo de abordagem para esse tipo de problem?tica. A realiza??o da pesquisa de campo recorreu a uma estrat?gia multim?todos e consiste em: (a) levantamento da hist?ria local a partir de estudo bibliogr?fico, dados registrados pela Prefeitura, not?cias veiculadas em jornais da cidade e entrevistas com moradores antigos; (b) aplica??o de question?rios a moradores, incluindo afetos, percep??o visual, mem?ria e atividades sociais no local; (c) elabora??o de desenho do bairro; (d) realiza??o de grupos focais com moradores, usando como ponto de partida os resultados obtidos nas atividades anteriores. Na etapa ―b‖ e ―c‖, participaram 32 moradores do bairro, sendo 16 Agentes Comunit?rios de Sa?de e 16 pessoas indicadas por eles. Na etapa ―d‖ participaram 10 pessoas, divididas em dois grupos. O resultado da pesquisa mostrou que imagem de Cidade Nova elaborada pelos moradores coincide com a imagem veiculada pela m?dia em rela??o aos aspectos: viol?ncia, lixo, pol?ticas p?blicas/apoio social e valoriza??o das belezas ambientais (dunas e Parque da Cidade). Embora tenham considerado o bairro um lugar sujo, barulhento e inseguro, a maioria dos participantes afirmam gostar de morar no local. De forma geral, os resultados obtidos corroboram e ganham explica??es te?ricas, ? medida que se inter-relacionam. A Imagem S?cio-Ambiental ? expressa, por exemplo, nos elementos dunas, lix?o, linha f?rrea e Avenida Central, que ganham conota??o simb?lica influenciada pelo tempo e pelo contexto s?cio-econ?mico. Assim, a inseguran?a e outras caracter?sticas negativas (atribu?das pelo morador e pela m?dia) s?o paralelas ao apego ao lugar, de modo que a legibilidade ambiental, o/a tempo/familiaridade e a territorialidade ajustam ao morador ?quele local de moradia, que afirma preferir com rela??o a outros pontos da cidade, configurando a sua identidade social.

This dissertation studies the impact of the mode of data collection on the quality of answers to survey questions, defined as the product of reliability and validity. Using data from the Netherlands about different topics (media, social and political trust, satisfaction, political orientation, left-right self-placement, attitudes toward immigration), it shows that the quality is similar in a computed assisted face-to-face survey using show cards (the European Social Survey, ESS) and a web survey based on a probability sample (the LISS panel). This is true both at the level of single items and composite scores. It suggests that standardised relationships across variables can be compared across these two modes. On the contrary, telephone interviews lead to some differences in quality. For complex concepts, measurement equivalence also holds, meaning that means and unstandardised relationships can be compared across the faceto- face and web surveys mentioned previously. / Esta tesis estudia el impacto que el método de recolección de datos en encuestas tiene sobre la calidad de las respuestas, definida como el producto de la fiabilidad y la validez. Utilizando datos de Holanda sobre temas diversos (utilización de los medios de comunicación, confianza social y política, satisfacción, orientaciones políticas, autoubicación en la escala izquierda-derecha, actitudes hacia la inmigración), se muestra que la calidad es similar en una encuesta cara-a-cara asistida con ordenador y utilizando tarjetas (la Encuesta Social Europea) y una encuesta online basada en una muestra probabilística (el panel LISS). Esto se cumple tanto para los indicadores simples, como para indicadores complejos. Los resultados sugieren que las relaciones estandardizadas entre variables son comparables entre los dos métodos de recolección. Al contrario, las entrevistas telefónicas producen diferencias de calidad. Para conceptos complejos, la equivalencia de las mediciones también está garantizada: las medias y las relaciones no estandarizadas son comparables en las entrevistas cara-a-cara y online.

A sociedade tem sofrido há décadas os malefícios da má alimentação. Ao mesmo tempo que as pessoas têm consciência da importância de mudar seus hábitos, enfrentam grande dificuldade em alterar a forma como se alimentam. Uma série de pesquisas foi realizada sobre a questão do que motivaria as pessoas a escolher seus alimentos de forma geral, algumas apontando o Prazer Sensorial como principal motivação, mas pouco foi investigado sobre quais seriam os drivers da escolha de alimentos saudáveis. Há uma lacuna na literatura em relação a quais seriam os impulsionadores da escolha desse tipo de produto. Desta forma, o objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar as motivações para a escolha de alimentos saudáveis, pelos consumidores. Neste sentido, este trabalho insere-se em uma linha de pesquisa chamada Transformative Consumer Research. Para abordar os objetivos, desenvolveu-se uma investigação estruturada em 4 fases: (1) revisão da literatura; (2) pesquisa qualitativa por meio de entrevistas em profundidade; (3) pesquisa quantitativa por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais - amostra de desenvolvimento com 262 entrevistas; (4) pesquisa quantitativa por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais - amostra para teste do modelo com 300 entrevistas. Os resultados mostram que a motivação Familiaridade seria a mais importante a ser atendida para ampliar o consumo de alimentos saudáveis. Em segundo lugar, destaca-se a motivação Energia, entre as pessoas mais velhas (40 anos ou mais) e o Controle do Peso, entre as mais jovens (39 anos ou menos). O estudo aponta ainda duas outras motivações, Saúde e Funções do Corpo (intestino e digestão). Elas têm efeito significativo na intenção, mas há poucas evidências do seu impacto no consumo real. Por fim, a motivação Prazer Sensorial, apontada como a mais importante em trabalhos anteriores sobre alimentos no geral, destaca-se como a menos importante para o consumo de alimentos saudáveis. A pesquisa traz contribuições teóricas no sentido que apresenta um modelo integrativo das motivações ao consumo de alimentos saudáveis, traz o desenvolvimento de novas escalas, oferece definições para as motivações e os alimentos saudáveis, e aponta as diferenças entre as motivações ao consumo de alimentos saudáveis e as relacionadas aos alimentos no geral. São também apresentadas contribuições às empresas de alimentos, que poderiam adequar suas estratégias de posicionamento, targeting e produto de acordo com as necessidades reveladas dos consumidores. A pesquisa traz ainda contribuições sociais. Órgãos governamentais, ONGs e associações, que têm por objetivo a promoção da alimentação saudável, poderiam utilizar os resultados como forma de melhorar a eficácia de seus programas para ampliar o consumo destes produtos junto à população. / Society has faced for decades the consequences of bad nutrition. Consumers know they should change their habits, but they have a hard time altering the way they eat. Previous research was carried out on the motivations for food consumption in general, some of them pointing out Sensory Pleasure as the most important one, but not as much was studied about what would be the main choice drivers for healthy food. There is a gap in the literature related to what would be the chief motivators for the consumption of these products. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to investigate what are the main motivations for consumers to choose healthy foods. Accordingly, this research can be related to a line of investigation called Transformative Consumer Research. To approach the objectives, this research was structured in 4 phases: (1) literature review; (2) qualitative research through in-depth interviews; (3) quantitative research through structural equation modeling - development sample with 262 interviews; (4) quantitative research through structural equation modeling - model test sample with 300 interviews. Results showed that the motivation Familiarity is the most important to be worked on to enhance the consumption of healthy foods. In addition, two other motivations stand out, but with a more limited reach: Energy is more relevant among older consumers (40 years old or older), while Weight Control is more important among younger consumers (39 years old or younger). The research still points out two other motivations, Health and Body Functions (intestines and digestion). They have a significant effect on the intentions to consume, but there is not strong evidence of their effect on actual consumption. Finally, Sensory Pleasure, pointed out in previous studies as the most important motivation to food consumption in general, is presented here as the least important motivation for the consumption of healthy foods. This study has theoretical contributions while presenting an integrative model of motivations for healthy food, delivering new scales development, conveying definitions for motivations and healthy foods, besides pointing out the differences between the motivations for the consumption of healthy foods and food products in general. In addition, contributions to companies that market healthy foods are also discussed, since they could use the results to make their positioning, targeting and product strategies more adequate to consumer needs. The investigation also delivers social contributions. Govern agencies, NGOs and associations, which have as their main goal to improve population nutrition, could use the results to improve the efficacy of their programs aimed to enhance the consumption of healthy foods.

This work is focused on the occurrence of surface-active substances in the environment. It deals with the development and optimization of methods for the determination of selected surfactants in samples from rivers and from influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants. Representatives of anionic, nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants were selected as target compounds. Based on optimization of analytical methods and their pilot testing abroad on samples of surface water, the selection of analytes for the conditions in the Czech Republic were corrected and operatively expanded. For the final analysis liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry was used. Analysis of cationic surfactants was realized using liquid chromatograph with UV-VIS detector. This optimized method for analysis of anionic surfactants was applied to real samples. Samples of surface running water were from the River Thurso in Scotland and then from watercourses in the catchment area of Moravia river were collected. In addition to the grab sampling also continuous weekly sampling of water from Tvaroženský potok and Litava was realized. Waste water was collected at inflow and outflow of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in South Moravia (Brno – Modřice, Břeclav and Hodonín).

No description available.

Analytical methods for measurement error estimation in survey data This dissertation aims at the domain of measurement error in social science survey data. To conceptualize and estimate measurement errors it employs the analytical and theoretical framework that stems from the analytical method of structural equation modeling (SEM) and Classical Test Theory (CTT), extended with the component of the systematic measurement error. This thesis has two goals that may contribute to development and extension of Czech social science methodology. The first goal is to illustrate methods of measurement error estimation, which has not been used for analysis of Czech data yet, and to point out to some problematical aspects of these methods. The second goal is to employ presented methods to obtain new findings regarding the quality of data from Czech surveys. The dissertation presents three empirical studies, each of which uses one of the methods defined within the presented theoretical and analytical framework. First study presents an analysis of reliability of measurement with the Quasi Simplex Model (QSM). It illustrates how to use the model and brings optimistic results regarding the reliability of the Czech EU SILC panel data. In the second study the confirmatory factor analysis model, operationally called...

The first topic presented in the dissertation thesis is determination of isoprostanes as markers of oxidative stress and other compounds affected by presence of oxidative stress. Isoprostanes iPF2-III, iPF2-VI, iPF2-VI, astaxanthin and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially arachidonic acid (AA) were monitored in Atlantic salmon eggs (Salmo salar). Methods for the determination of these compounds have been developed and optimized using chromatographic separation coupled to conventional or mass spectrometric detection. Freshly laid eggs, eyed embryos and non-viable eggs were used to test a general hypothesis that egg viability can be affected by susceptibility to oxidative stress, either through the specific fatty acid concentration and/or the antioxidant capacity of the eggs. Levels of isoprostanes and arachidonic acid (AA) were significantly higher in non-viable eggs than in control (eyed embryos) as well as relative abundance of PUFA. While no difference of isoprostanes was found between freshly laid and control those from the Atlantic stock except iPF2-VI which was observed under the LOQ in the control. Higher levels of PUFA and AA in comparison with the control were observed in the freshly laid eggs. However, the only statistically significant difference was observed in the amount of astaxanthin. Different levels of PUFA and astaxanthin may be related to their biochemical consumption during the development of eggs. This work evaluated potential effect on the viability of eggs Salmo salar due to the presence of oxidative stress. The monitoring of mycotoxins in food and feed was the subject of the second topic. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi. They are ubiquitous undesirable natural contaminants that are toxic for humans and animals. Today are known more than 500 mycotoxins. However, only few of them are regulated by the European Union. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked by the European Commission to provide a scientific opinion on other mycotoxins for which statutory limits could be developed. In this study is proposed simultaneous screening allowing fast, reliable and sensitive approach, identification and quantification of 17 mycotoxins in food and feed sample. The method includes both mycotoxins regulated by the EU and selected mycotoxins required by the EFSA (aflatoxins, deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisin, ochratoxin A, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, enniatins and beauvericin). Analytes are isolated by the modified QuEChERS method. For separation and target mycotoxins detection, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC –MS/MS) was employed. The method also allows determination of ergot alkaloids (ergocornine, ergosine, ergocryptine, ergocristine and their respective epimers). The developed method was used either for monitoring mycotoxins and ergot alkaloids in feed and raw materials and barley and malt prepared from it.

This research explores the role of blockchain technology in advanced information sharing systems with the applications of energy systems and healthcare. Essay 1 proposes a blockchain application to improve resilience in smart grids by addressing cyber security and peer-to-peer trading potentials. The results show that blockchain-based smart contracts are positively related to smart grid resilience. The findings also show that blockchain-based smart contracts significantly contribute to zero trust cybersecurity, which results in a better capability to mitigate cyber-attacks. Essay 2 proposes a blockchain application to improve electronic health record (EHR) systems by increasing patient's empowerment. Confirmatory factor analysis is used for the validity and reliability tests of the model. The results show that blockchain-based information systems can empower patients by providing the perception of control over their health records. The usage of blockchain technology motivates patients to share information with healthcare provider systems and has the advantage of reducing healthcare costs and improving diagnosis management. Essay 3 contributes to the existing literature by using a multimethod approach to propose three new mediators for blockchain-based healthcare information systems: digital health care, healthcare improvement, and peer-to-peer trade capability. Based on the findings from the text analysis, we propose a research model drawing upon stimulus-organism-response theory. Through three experimental studies, we test the research model to explain the patient's willingness to share their health records with others, including researchers. A post hoc analysis is conducted to segment patients and predict their behavior using four machine learning algorithms. The finding was that merely having peer-to-peer trade capability by ignoring healthcare improvement does not necessarily incentivize patients to share their medical reports.