Objectives: Perceived barriers are often a reason why people do not start physical activity or relapse to inactivity. From a psychological perspective, barriers can be seen as beliefs about what is obstructing people’s behavior. To understand inactivity and relapse from physical activity, this study focused on barrier-beliefs in physical activity. We aimed to develop a barrier-beliefs survey and identify barrier-beliefs in physical activity among active and inactive people. Methods: Firstly, in order to develop a barrier-beliefs survey, a literature search, a qualitative study and expert-meetings were conducted to explore barrier-beliefs to physical activity. The intern consistency of barrier-belief survey was analysed using a Cronbach’s Alpha. A Pearson correlation (p < .05) was conducted to analyse the relation between barrier-belief scales and behavioral factors and strength of the barrier-belief scales were analysed as predictors of behavioral factors with a multiple linear regression analyses. Secondly, a cross sectional study was conducted among active and inactive people using the barrier-beliefs survey. Results: Sixty-three barrier-beliefs were found clustered by 10 barrier-belief scales and formulated in the survey. The intern consistency was relatively high and BB scales were related to behavioral determinants and PA behavior. A sample of 266 participants, 147 active and 119 inactive, aged 18 to 80, participated. Frequently endorsed barrier-beliefs within both active and inactive participants were ‘investment factors’, ‘habitual situations’ and ‘negative feelings about the new behavior’. A clear difference between inactives and actives is proven in the relation between BBs and their PA behaviour. Inactives are significantly inhibited by ‘social situations’, ‘investment factors’, ‘negative feelings of the new behavior’ and ‘identity discrepancy’.Conclusions: To increase the chance on long lasting lifestyle changes and the effectiveness of interventions, strategies to neutralize barrier-beliefs should be developed in order to apply into counseling- and educational programs or internet applications.
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This paper assesses wind resource characteristics and energy yield for micro wind turbines integrated on noise barriers. An experimental set-up with sonic anemometers placed on top of the barrier in reference positions is realized. The effect on wind speed magnitude, inflow angle and turbulence intensity is analysed. The annual energy yield of a micro wind turbine is estimated and compared using data from a micro-wind turbine wind tunnel experiment and field data. Electrical energy costs are discussed as well as structural integration cost reduction and the potential energy yield could decrease costs. It was found that instantaneous wind direction towards the barrier and the height of observation play an influential role for the results. Wind speed increases in perpendicular flows while decreases in parallel flow, by +35% down to −20% from the reference. The azimuth of the noise barrier expressed in wind field rotation angles was found to be influential resulted in 50%–130% changes with respect to annual energy yield. A micro wind turbine (0.375 kW) would produce between 100 and 600 kWh annually. Finally, cost analysis with cost reductions due to integration and the energy yield changes due to the barrier, show a LCOE reduction at 60%–90% of the reference value. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jweia.2020.104206
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Objective: To understand inactivity and relapse from PA, and to develop theory-based behaviour change strategies to stimulate and support maintenance of PA.Methods: We conducted a literature search to explore barriers to PA. Social cognitive theories and empirical evidence were evaluated and guided the process developing a theoretical framework and counselling strategies.Results: A theoretical framework is presented to understand why people do not engage in PA and often relapse once they started PA. A distinction is made between three related types of BBs. In PA counselling these three beliefs are addressed using four different BB behaviour change strategies.Conclusion: BB counselling aims to develop an individual pattern of PA for the long term that is adapted to the (often limited) motivation of the client, thereby preventing the occurrence of BBs. The client will learn to cope with factors that may inhibit PA in the future.Practice implications: The BBs approach composes a way of counselling around the central construct of barrier-beliefs to stimulate engagement in PA independently, in the long term.
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tract Micro wind turbines can be structurally integrated on top of the solid base of noise barriers near highways. A number of performance factors were assessed with holistic experiments in wind tunnel and in the field. The wind turbines underperformed when exposed in yawed flow conditions. The theoretical cosθ theories for yaw misalignment did not always predict power correctly. Inverter losses turned out to be crucial especially in standby mode. Combination of standby losses with yawed flow losses and low wind speed regime may even result in a net power consuming turbine. The micro wind turbine control system for maintaining optimal power production underperformed in the field when comparing tip speed ratios and performance coefficients with the values recorded in the wind tunnel. The turbine was idling between 20%–30% of time as it was assessed for sites with annual average wind speeds of three to five meters per second without any power production. Finally, the field test analysis showed that inadequate yaw response could potentially lead to 18% of the losses, the inverter related losses to 8%, and control related losses to 33%. The totalized loss led to a 48% efficiency drop when compared with the ideal power production measured before the inverter. Micro wind turbine’s performance has room for optimization for application in turbulent wind conditions on top of noise barriers. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14051288
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Regelmatig bewegen en het hebben van een gezond voedingspatroon hebben een bewezen relatie met de fysieke en mentale gezondheid. In de westerse samenleving voldoet echter een aanzienlijk deel van de bevolking niet aan de richtlijnen van een gezonde leefstijl. Er is behoefte aan meer inzicht in de oorzaken van inactiviteit en aan gedragsveranderingsstrategieën omhet beweeggedrag van inactieve volwassenen op de langere termijn effectief te verbeteren. Het doel van dit proefschrift is een verandermethode te ontwikkelen voor het stimuleren van bewegen voor de eerstelijnszorg. Daarvoor zijn er barrière overtuigingen geïdentificeerd die het beweeggedrag van zowel inactieve als actieve mensen belemmeren. Vervolgens hebben we een theorie geschreven over het werkingsmechanisme van verschillende typen barrières en zijn erverschillende veranderstrategieën ontwikkeld om barrière overtuigingen te doen afnemen. De effecten van deze ‘barrière-methode’ op barrière overtuigingen, beweeggedrag, voedingsgedrag en de kwaliteit van leven zijn onderzocht bij ‘inactieve’ eerstelijnszorgpatiënten. Zowel inactieve als actieve mensen bleken tal van barrière-overtuigingen bij bewegen te ervaren. De resultatenvan ons onderzoek tonen aan dat, in vergelijking met de ‘usual care’ binnen de eerstelijnszorg, de barrière-methode effectiever is in het doen afnemen van barrière-overtuigingen en het doen toenemen van bewegen en de kwaliteit van leven op langere termijn. De in dit proefschrift beschreven psychologische mechanismen spelen mogelijk ook een rol bij gedragsverandering van andere leefstijlgedragingen. De beschreven principes kunnen ook worden toegepast binnen andere soorten interventies, zoals in apps of community-based interventies. Daarnaast is de motivatie van Nederlandse huisartsen om te verwijzen naar leefstijlinterventies onderzocht en zijn patiëntindicatoren in het besluitvormingsproces bij het doorverwijzen in kaart gebracht. Om de motivatie van huisartsen en verwijzingen naar leefstijlinterventies te verbeteren, worden in dit proefschrift aanbevelingen gedaan voor de eerstelijnsszorg in Nederland zoals het ontwikkelen van een tool voor verwijzingen, het vergroten van kennis en het ontwikkelen van vaardigheden om leefstijl gedrag van patiënten te beïnvloeden. Ook zou de implementatie van leefstijlinterventies moeten worden ondersteund door speciaal opgeleide leefstijl professionals in de zorg. Uiteindelijk kan het bieden van effectieve evidence-based interventies voor het stimuleren van bewegen in potentie bijdragen aan een toename van delevensverwachting en de kwaliteit van leven in alle maatschappelijke segmenten.
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Letting go of the firm or “my baby” as some entrepreneurs describe their creation, leads to a certain amount of stress (Rahim 1996, Kets de Vries 1999). Dealing with stress in singular events as the transfer of a business, is hardly been subject of research (Uy et al. 2012). Improving coping strategies in business transfers for the incumbent could be of importance as statistics indicate the continued aging of owners in the European Union. Expanding the possibilities of incumbents to sell their business and move on to their next phase in their life would help to offset such negative effects to each national economy. The number of failed business transfers of viable SMEs now threatens innovative driven European economies (European Commission 2003, Van Teeffelen 2010, Stone et al. 2004). A recent study calculated that the Dutch economy suffers 20,000 unnecessary SME liquidations and approximately 10,000 failed successions per annum, with a projected economic damage of 80,000 jobs, a loss of turnover of almost € 4 billion and a destruction of assets of about € 2 billion yearly (Van Teeffelen 2012). Therefore we believe that coping strategies and psychological barriers in business transfers deserve more academic attention. Our aim is to check and add items to the list of psychological barriers and finally to relate barriers to coping styles. Therefore we engaged in a qualitative study that seeks to explain a particular issue and allows the researcher to study issues in depth and produces detailed data on a small number of individuals (Hyde 2000).
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Purpose: Most speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working with children with developmental language disorder (DLD) do not perform language sample analysis (LSA) on a regular basis, although they do regard LSA as highly informative for goal setting and evaluating grammatical therapy. The primary aim of this study was to identify facilitators, barriers, and needs related to performing LSA by Dutch SLPs working with children with DLD. The secondary aim was to investigate whether a training would change the actual performance of LSA. Method: A focus group with 11 SLPs working in Dutch speech-language pathology practices was conducted. Barriers, facilitators, and needs were identified using thematic analysis and categorized using the theoretical domain framework. To address the barriers, a training was developed using software program CLAN. Changes in barriers and use of LSA were evaluated with a survey sent to participants before, directly after, and 3 months posttraining. Results: The barriers reported in the focus group were SLPs’ lack of knowledge and skills, time investment, negative beliefs about their capabilities, differences in beliefs about their professional role, and no reimbursement from health insurance companies. Posttraining survey results revealed that LSA was not performed more often in daily practice. Using CLAN was not the solution according to participating SLPs. Time investment remained a huge barrier. Conclusions: A training in performing LSA did not resolve the time investment barrier experienced by SLPs. User-friendly software, developed in codesign with SLPs might provide a solution. For the short-term, shorter samples, preferably from narrative tasks, should be considered.
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PurposeTo identify healthcare professionals’ perspectives on key barriers to improving physical activity in hospitalized adult patients, and to identify solutions to overcome these barriers. Methods: We used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods study design in a Dutch university hospital. A survey exploring 39 potential barriers was completed by 15 physicians/physician assistants, 106 nurses, four nursing assistants, and four physical therapists working on surgery, internal medicine, and cardiology wards. Next, three in-depth semi-structured focus groups – comprising 30 healthcare professionals – discussed the survey findings to identify key barriers and solutions. Focus group discussions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Five themes were identified that described both the key barriers and the solutions to overcome these barriers. Healthcare professionals proposed several solutions, including clarifying the definition of physical activity, empowering patients to take responsibility for physical activity, giving physical therapists or physicians a prominent role in encouraging physical activity, and changing the hospital ward to entice patients to become physically active. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals need clear guidelines, roles, and responsibilities when it comes to physical activity. They also need personalized interventions that empower patients in physical activity. Finally, hospital wards should be designed and furnished so that patients are encouraged to be active.
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Plasma treatment is a commonly used technology to modify the wetting behavior of polymer films in the production process for, e.g., printed electronics. As the effect of the plasma treatment decreases in time, the so-called "aging effect", it is important to gain knowledge on how this effect impacts the wetting behavior of commonly used polymers in order to be able to optimize production processing times. In this article the authors study the wetting behavior of polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and polyimide (PI) polymer films after plasma treatment in time. The plasma treatment was performed using a novel maskless DBD plasma patterning technology, i.e., Plasma Printing, at atmospheric pressure under nitrogen atmosphere. After treatment, the samples were stored at room temperature at 30%-40% relative humidity for up to one month. An increase in wettability is measured for all polymers directly after Plasma Printing. The major increase in wettability occurs after a small number of treatments, e.g., low energy density. More treatments show no further beneficial gain in wettability. The increase in wettability is mainly due to an increase in the polar part of the surface energy, which can probably be attributed to chemical modification of the surface of the investigated polymers. With the exception of FEP, during storage of the plasma treated polymers, the wettability partially declines in the first five days, after which it stabilizes to approximately 50% of its original state. The wettability of FEP shows little decline during storage. As the storage time between production steps is mostly under two days, Plasma Printing shows good promise as a pre-treatment step in the production of printed electronics. d c 2013 Society for Imaging Science and Technology.
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