Systems mutations revealed in the national collection of Chernobyl mutants of common wheat

Dissertação de mestrado em Psicologia das Organizações e do Trabalho, apresentada à Faculdade de Psicologia e Ciências da Educação da Universidade de CoimbraA presente investigação nasce da necessidade de encontrar respostas adaptativas, por parte das organizações, à envolvente dinâmica, de mudança e incerteza contemporânea. Assenta na premissa de que a cultura orientada para a aprendizagem de uma organização pode constituir-se como um factor facilitador na procura de vantagem competitiva nesse “novo mundo”, partindo do princípio que esta influencia as atitudes e os comportamentos no trabalho dos colaboradores (Chaves, 2011). Este estudo procura, assim, compreender os efeitos da cultura de aprendizagem no desempenho individual, na satisfação profissional, no bem-estar afectivo, na inovação e no comprometimento organizacional, assim como a possibilidade de mediação destas relações pelo P-O Fit, através da técnica de análise de dados dos Modelos de Equações Estruturais (MEE). Os resultados, tendo por base uma amostra de 358 colaboradores de nove organizações do sector privado, sugerem que as variáveis tomadas como dependentes são influenciadas positivamente pela cultura de aprendizagem. Adicionalmente, a hipótese de mediação destas relações pelo P-O Fit encontrou também suporte empírico. Deste modo, este estudo reforça a ideia de que a implementação de uma orientação cultural para aprendizagem comporta benefícios para as organizações e seus colaboradores.This investigation arises from the organizations’ necessity to find adaptative answers to the dynamic, changing and uncertain today’s environment. It is based on the premise that a culture oriented towards organizational learning can become a facilitating factor on the seek of competitive advantage in this “new world”, since this type of culture influences the attitudes and the behaviors of the employees at work (Chaves, 2011). This research tries to understand the effects of a learning culture on individual performance, job satisfaction, affective well-being, innovation and organizational commitment, as well as the possibility of mediation by the P-O Fit, through the data analysis tecnique of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results, based on a sample of 358 employees from nine private companies, suggest that the variables treated as dependent are positively influenced by the learning culture. Furthermore, the hypothesis of mediation of the effects by the P-O Fit has also found empirical support. In this sence, this research supports the idea that the implementation of a culture towards learning has benefits, both for organizations and employees

Role of mineral surfaces in prebiotic processes and space-like conditions

The study of the interactions between organic molecules and minerals is fundamental to unravel the prebiotic processes that led to the emergence of life on Earth or possibly on other planets. Mineral surfaces may act as adsorbents, templates and catalysts driving the abiotic evolution of chemical systems on early Earth and in space towards increasing molecular complexity. Investigations about molecule-mineral interactions provide also important scientific support to space missions devoted to the search of past or present signs of life in the form of molecular biomarkers that can be included inside rock samples. Such studies are essential for establishing habitability of other planets, selection of sampling sites, identification of potential biomarkers, correct interpretation of data collected during mission operative periods, development of suitable life detection methods and technologies for in situ analysis. In this chapter, the possible roles of minerals have been examined both from the standpoint of prebiotic chemistry and life detection investigations focusing mainly on Mars exploration