Reality television has inundated the networks, eliciting some of the highest viewership in the United States; therefore, it is important to understand why people watch these shows and what they gain from doing so. This study replicates and expands on the study by Barton (2009), which examined how difference in content in competition-based reality shows influenced viewer gratifications. The present study explored the effect of content on viewer gratifications in documentary-based reality television shows. Participants (n = 257) completed surveys asking about their television viewing habits, general reasons for watching reality programming and reasons for watching specific reality shows (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo). Some results contradicted those found by Barton with no effect of content on viewer gratifications. However, consistent with Barton’s findings, gender differences were found in levels of gratifications obtained from these two shows with women reporting higher levels. In addition, when extreme levels of income were compared, greater gratification was found only for the Vicarious Participation factor. Video content positively correlated with amount of downward social comparison (schadenfreude) but there was no correlation between downward social comparison and participants’ income.

The way people choose to communicate can affect current and future relationships between sender and receiver. Business professionals communicate internally and externally using a variety of communication channels, such as e-mail, letters, phone, or face-to-face and must choose the best channel for the message they are trying to convey. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how business professionals choose between the available channels, the premise being that users choose communication channels due to the gratification obtained (GO). Guided by gratifications theory, which proposes that choice of a communication channel depends upon the GO, this study assessed 15 communication channels to gauge how well frequency, duration, and function predict GO. A cross-sectional survey was used to collect the research data from a random sample of currently employed alumni from an international hospitality school in Switzerland. Multiple linear regression was conducted to assess statistically significant relationships between the independent variables of frequency of use (how often), duration (how long), and functions (specific tasks) and the dependent variable: GO. The results confirmed that the regression model of frequency of use, duration, and function predict GO with a 52% variance. This study concluded with implications for positive social change for employees in higher education and the workplace and recommendations for further research on other channels or variables to improve the model for predicting GO.

No description available.

Admissibility of illegally obtained evidence is one of the procedural issues in the investment treaty arbitration, on which the tribunals do not have the unified approach or point of view. Although, there are already cases where the tribunal have been faced with this problem, and this gives the ground for the thoughts about the topic. Provided the growing challenge for the tribunals on whether to admit or reject such evidence, this topic remains actual in the field of the arbitration.  The aim of the thesis is to highlight the legal issues, related to the admissibility of illegally obtained evidence in investment treaty arbitration. The thesis analyses three sub-issues: is illegally obtained evidence admissible in investment treaty arbitration, if it is admissible under which conditions and which types of illegally obtained evidence exist currently.

Among the web 2.0 applications, a micro-blog (Weibo in Chinese), resembling the combination of a Twitter-like Internet service has gained substantial popularity in China. Sina Weibo is the market leader with approximately 50% of the market share. Around 80% of the users on Sina Weibo are young people. Hence, it is necessary to analyze young Chinese users of Sina Weibo and examine whether Sina Weibo fulfills the needs of young people and whether Sina Weibo meets their expectations. The study used the theory of uses and gratifications and the theory of expectancy-value as theoretical foundations. This study summarized six gratifications items (including social interaction, social networking, information seeking, information sharing, entertainment and recognition) from previous studies, and used these gratifications items to analyze: (1) the relationships between demographics and gratifications obtained; (2) the relationships between Sina Weibo usage and gratifications obtained: (3) the correlations between gratifications sought and gratifications obtained. This study used quantitative method to obtain data from a questionnaire and all the data were input to SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) for analyzing. The questionnaire was conducted and was distributed in Sojump.com. The results showed that Sina Weibo meets their users’ needs from six gratifications dimensions.

No description available.

Avaliação da aderência de chapiscos em substratos de concretos estruturais. Com o objetivo de aprimorar a microestrutura da zona de interface argamassa/concreto e aumentar a resistência de aderência do revestimento, utilizou-se chapisco com baixa relação água/aglomerante e adição da sílica ativa extraída da casca de arroz como tratamento da zona de interface da argamassa e substrato. Para avaliar a aderência do revestimento realizaram-se ensaios de determinação da resistência de aderência à tração. Utilizou-se a técnica de microscopia eletrônica de varredura associada à espectrografia por dispersão de energia para analisar a microestrutura da zona de interface do chapisco e concreto. Os resultados do programa experimental evidenciaram que, quando se utiliza a sílica extraída da casca de arroz no chapisco, em teores de 5% em relação à massa de cimento, há aumentos significativos de resistência de aderência do revestimento. Nos estudos microestruturais, foi possível observar que devido às ações físicas e químicas da sílica da casca de arroz, formou-se uma microestrutura densa, de baixa porosidade e com a presença de produtos hidratados pouco cristalinos na interface chapisco/concreto. A implementação de uma ponte de ligação constituída por chapiscos com sílica ativa, entre os substratos e as argamassas de revestimento, mostrou-se eficiente em superfícies muito lisas ou em materiais pouco porosos, como no caso das estruturas de concreto armado. / The present thesis evaluates the adherence of slurry mortars in substrates of structural concretes. To optimize the microstructure of the interfacial transition zone of mortar and concrete and to improve the adherence of mortar renderings, slurry mortars of lower water/cement ratio with silica obtained from rice husk were used as treatment of interfacial transition zone. In order to evaluate adherence, bond strength tests were realized. The microstructural characterization of the interfacial transition zone of slurry mortars and concrete was performed by scanning electronic microscopy. The results indicate that adding silica obtained from rice husk into the slurry mortars increases the bond strength. Moreover, the formation of a dense microstructure is observed in the interfacial transition zone of slurry mortar and concrete due to the microfiller effect and high pozzolanic activity of the silica obtained from rice husk. The implementation of a connection bridge constituted by slurry mortars with the addition of the silica obtained from rice husk between the substrate and the mortar rendering showed to be efficient in the substrates with low porosity, as in the case of concrete structures.

Avaliação da aderência de chapiscos em substratos de concretos estruturais. Com o objetivo de aprimorar a microestrutura da zona de interface argamassa/concreto e aumentar a resistência de aderência do revestimento, utilizou-se chapisco com baixa relação água/aglomerante e adição da sílica ativa extraída da casca de arroz como tratamento da zona de interface da argamassa e substrato. Para avaliar a aderência do revestimento realizaram-se ensaios de determinação da resistência de aderência à tração. Utilizou-se a técnica de microscopia eletrônica de varredura associada à espectrografia por dispersão de energia para analisar a microestrutura da zona de interface do chapisco e concreto. Os resultados do programa experimental evidenciaram que, quando se utiliza a sílica extraída da casca de arroz no chapisco, em teores de 5% em relação à massa de cimento, há aumentos significativos de resistência de aderência do revestimento. Nos estudos microestruturais, foi possível observar que devido às ações físicas e químicas da sílica da casca de arroz, formou-se uma microestrutura densa, de baixa porosidade e com a presença de produtos hidratados pouco cristalinos na interface chapisco/concreto. A implementação de uma ponte de ligação constituída por chapiscos com sílica ativa, entre os substratos e as argamassas de revestimento, mostrou-se eficiente em superfícies muito lisas ou em materiais pouco porosos, como no caso das estruturas de concreto armado. / The present thesis evaluates the adherence of slurry mortars in substrates of structural concretes. To optimize the microstructure of the interfacial transition zone of mortar and concrete and to improve the adherence of mortar renderings, slurry mortars of lower water/cement ratio with silica obtained from rice husk were used as treatment of interfacial transition zone. In order to evaluate adherence, bond strength tests were realized. The microstructural characterization of the interfacial transition zone of slurry mortars and concrete was performed by scanning electronic microscopy. The results indicate that adding silica obtained from rice husk into the slurry mortars increases the bond strength. Moreover, the formation of a dense microstructure is observed in the interfacial transition zone of slurry mortar and concrete due to the microfiller effect and high pozzolanic activity of the silica obtained from rice husk. The implementation of a connection bridge constituted by slurry mortars with the addition of the silica obtained from rice husk between the substrate and the mortar rendering showed to be efficient in the substrates with low porosity, as in the case of concrete structures.

The study shows that rice water has a strong inhibitory efficacy against various AGEs and the bran layer of rice is mainly responsible for its anti-glycation activity. There are many unknown bioactive compounds in bran with anti-glycation potential. Thus, stable bioactive compounds responsible for anti-glycation of rice bran are yet to be identified. The clinical data suggests that DBR or SARFR when compared with polished rice, contributes to health promotion, including skin condition, by reducing the indigestibility of brown rice and ensuring nutrition, which facilitates continuous intake. / 博士(理学) / Doctor of Philosophy in Science / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

There is very little in the literature about the sensitivity of norm-referenced tests to growth of diverse groups of test takers, particularly low-achieving test takers, who operate at the lowest 15 percentile of their peers. To bridge the knowledge gap, this study examined the sensitivity to growth of norm-referenced achievement tests. The purpose of the study is to determine the sensitivity of norm-referenced test to the growth of low-achieving students in prekindergarten through 12th grade. Four analysis were performed to test eight identified norm-referenced test for their sensitivity to the growth of students who perform at approximately the 15th percentile or below of their grade peers. Results of the analyses suggested that two of the eight tests are adequate for use with low-achieving students within a norm period. The other six tests showed lack of precision and appeared not to be suitable for measuring progress of low -achieving students.