Gamification as an Effective Method in Developing Leadership Skills and Competencies

Gamification, the incorporation of game design features into non-game environments, has been implemented in a variety of disciplines, including education, sustainability, language learning, and workplace transformation. According to research, workplace gamification enhances employee engagement and productivity. The gaming business has leveraged incentives and motivation to drive behavior and participation. This literature study assesses gamification\u27s potential as a technique for leadership development and competency building. Leadership is characterized by a combination of personality characteristics, knowledge, abilities, and behaviors. Existing leadership competency analysis frameworks include emotional intelligence and taxonomies such as Gallup\u27s Strengths Finder. Through points, levels, and leaderboards, gamification has been found to boost student motivation and behavior in leadership training. However, it is noticed a clear scarcity in using gamification as a technique for leadership development. This review suggests that additional research is required to establish the usefulness of gamification in strengthening individual and organizational leadership competencies

Building Pathways for Female Leaders’ Economic Empowerment

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the obstacles women experience in leadership development and economic empowerment, mainly in non-Western countries, and to compare them to those in developed nations. The study reviewed current literature in order to identify the hurdles and facilitators for female leadership and economic empowerment. Research suggests unpaid work and gender harassment pose the greatest obstacles to women\u27s leadership and economic development. Mentoring has been proven to promote women\u27s leadership and economic empowerment in both western and non-western countries. The study also examined the function of the economic environment in the growth of women\u27s leadership and the impact of different economic systems on female leadership and economic empowerment in western and non-western nations. In western economies, the literature implies that the gender regime, economic standing, and economic environment influence women\u27s company startup decisions. In non-Western nations, the literature concentrates on the influence of the political environment on the economic environment and corporate activity. Additionally, the impact of international relations and the economy on the growth of women\u27s leadership was mentioned by literature. According to the findings of this study, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership positions, especially in Eastern countries

Development of the Central Task Processing Unit for space-borne Gamma-Ray Burst polarimeter, POLAR

POLAR, a joint European-Chinese experiment, is a novel compact space-borne Compton polarimeter conceived and optimized for detection of the prompt emission of Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) and precise measurements of polarization in the hard X-ray energy range 50-500 keV. The complete instrument consists of two parts: internal one, placed inside spacelab and the detector itself, placed outside spacelab, called respectively IBOX and OBOX. The OBOX constitutes of 25 frontend electronic modules (FEE), high voltage and low voltage power supplies and the Central Task Processing Unit. The main functions of Central Task Processing Unit system are defined as follows: communication and transfer of data to IBOX, communication with all frontends, analysis of trigger signals and generation of global trigger signals, data acquisition, synchronizing of all frontends and control of power supplies. The functional requirements are fulfilled by three individual FPGA chips named respectively to their functions: Concentrator, Trigger and CPU. This article presents description of the Central Task Processing Unit hardware design and brief introduction to main components of the firmware developed for this device. Ongoing integration activities of the device with the complete POLAR instrument proved that all basic functions are working correctly. The qualification model of the instrument has been constructed and currently undergoes verification and validation tests in view of planned flight onboard the Chinese spacelab TG-2 scheduled for 2015

Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Opiate Use and Retention in Methadone Maintenance Treatment in China: A Randomised Trial

<div><p>Aims</p><p>Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is widely available in China; but, high rates of illicit opiate use and dropout are problematic. The aim of this study was to test whether cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in conjunction with MMT can improve treatment retention and reduce opiate use.</p><p>Method</p><p>A total of 240 opiate-dependent patients in community-based MMT clinics were randomly assigned to either weekly CBT plus standard MMT (CBT group, n=120) or standard MMT (control group, n=120) for 26 weeks. The primary outcomes were treatment retention and opiate-negative urine test results at 12 weeks and 26 weeks. The secondary outcomes were composite scores on the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and total scores on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) at 12 weeks and 26 weeks.</p><p>Results</p><p>Compared to the control group in standard MMT, the CBT group had higher proportion of opiate-negative urine tests at both 12 weeks (59% vs. 69%, p<0.05) and 26 weeks (63% vs. 73%, p<0.05); however, the retention rates at 12 weeks (73.3% vs. 74.2%, p=0.88) and 26 weeks were not different (55.8% vs. 64.2%, p=0.19) between the two groups. At both 12 and 26 weeks, all of the ASI component scores and PSS total scores in the CBT group and control group decreased from baseline; but the CBT group exhibited more decreases in ASI employment scores at week 26 and more decrease in the PSS total score at week 12 and week 26.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>CBT counselling is effective in reducing opiate use and improving employment function and in decreasing stress level for opiate-dependent patients in MMT in China.</p><p>Trial Registration</p><p>ClinicalTrials.gov <a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01144390" target="_blank">NCT01144390</a></p></div

The draft genome of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis).

Oranges are an important nutritional source for human health and have immense economic value. Here we present a comprehensive analysis of the draft genome of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). The assembled sequence covers 87.3% of the estimated orange genome, which is relatively compact, as 20% is composed of repetitive elements. We predicted 29,445 protein-coding genes, half of which are in the heterozygous state. With additional sequencing of two more citrus species and comparative analyses of seven citrus genomes, we present evidence to suggest that sweet orange originated from a backcross hybrid between pummelo and mandarin. Focused analysis on genes involved in vitamin C metabolism showed that GalUR, encoding the rate-limiting enzyme of the galacturonate pathway, is significantly upregulated in orange fruit, and the recent expansion of this gene family may provide a genomic basis. This draft genome represents a valuable resource for understanding and improving many important citrus traits in the future. Nat Genet 2013 Jan; 45(1):59-66