The human side of leadership: Inspirational leadership effects on follower characteristics and happiness at work (HAW)

Leadership has received significant attention over the past years. Now is the time to refine how leaders impact on followers and their attitudes. This study examines how inspirational leaders influence follower characteristics (FC), and in turn, their happiness at work. In this study, the mediating effect of follower characteristics in the relationship between inspirational leadership and happiness at work was specifically examined. Data was gathered from 389 frontline banking employees working in Italian and Spanish banks. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed a positive partial mediating role of follower characteristics in the relationship between inspirational leadership and happiness at work. Results showed that inspirational leadership exerts a more positive influence on followers' happiness at work when follower characteristics are more positive. Our discussion highlights the importance of understanding the role of the follower characteristics that are involved in the effectiveness of inspirational leadership

Experimentally Attainable Optimal Pulse Shapes Obtained with the Aid of Genetic Algorithms

We propose a methodology to design optimal pulses for achieving quantum optimal control on molecular systems. Our approach constrains pulse shapes to linear combinations of a fixed number of experimentally relevant pulse functions. Quantum optimal control is obtained by maximizing a multi-target fitness function with genetic algorithms. As a first application of the methodology we generated an optimal pulse that successfully maximized the yield on a selected dissociation channel of a diatomic molecule. Our pulse is obtained as a linear combination of linearly chirped pulse functions. Data recorded along the evolution of the genetic algorithm contained important information regarding the interplay between radiative and diabatic processes. We performed a principal component analysis on these data to retrieve the most relevant processes along the optimal path. Our proposed methodology could be useful for performing quantum optimal control on more complex systems by employing a wider variety of pulse shape functions.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Cryopreservation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection with bovine epididymal spermatozoa

Recently, interest in the preservation of epididymal sperm as a potential source of valuable genes for genome resource banks has escalated. The development of a successful protocol to recover and cryopreserve sperm harvested from the epididymides would salvage germplasm from genetically valuable males that are injured and can no longer mate or have unexpectedly died and can be used as a model for the preservation of male gametes from endangered species. In a series of experiments, epididymal sperm was successfully harvested, cryopreserved and used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. In Experiment I, ethylene glycol was found to cause significantly (P\u3c0.05) less osmotic damage to bovine sperm during a one step addition and/or removal at 4°C as compared with glycerol in all concentrations evaluated. Furthermore, prolonged exposure (5 days at 4°C) of ethylene glycol was found to be less toxic than glycerol to sperm. In Experiment II, it was demonstrated that glycerol was more effective than ethylene glycol in providing protection against freezing injury during the cryopreservation process in the concentrations evaluated. In Experiment III, it was demonstrated that epididymal sperm retrieval using seminal plasma is beneficial to enhance sperm overall and progressive motility characteristics and to protect it from morphological abnormalities derived from the freezing process. In Experiment IV, a one step dilution process for removal of glycerol from cryopreserved epididymal sperm was found to significantly affect plasma membrane integrity and mitochondrial function of sperm previously exposed to seminal plasma. However, seminal plasma exposure did not have any significant detrimental effect on acrosome integrity. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the longevity and survivability in vitro during a 4-hour incubation period at 37°C of post-thaw epididymal sperm exposed to seminal plasma prior to cryopreservation was not compromised when compared with the control extended sperm. In Experiment V, we have demonstrated that fertilization, blastocyst and fetal development could be achieved with cryopreserved bovine epididymal sperm by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). To our knowledge, this is the first report in the United States and second in the world to use bovine epididymal sperm for ICSI. We achieved far markedly improved blastocyst rates over those results recently reported in the first study originating in Japan

The Discursive Construction of Hate: A Comparative Analysis of the Marginalization and Dehumanization of Homosexuals in Nazi Germany and in Pre-Stonewall United States

This research study explores and compares substantive and rhetorical strategies through which homosexuals came to be reviled and pathologized in Nazi Germany and the pre-Stonewall US by sufficiently large segments of their respective societies that their persecution and eradication became tolerated. Considering that the majority of manifestations of discrimination (e.g., homophobia, racism, sexism, anti-Semitism) are mostly discursive, my analysis focuses on the reproduction of hatred and discrimination through different types of text and talk within the broader sociopolitical and religious contexts of both Nazi Germany (19331945)and the US in the 1950s (van Dijk, 1993). This study seeks to understand the discursive constructions of the Other, because in its definition and characterization, the Other (the homosexual) was described, portrayed, and presented as a stranger who was different and unwanted in both historical contexts (Bauman, 1993). Through critical discourse analysis (CDA) as the methodological and analytical framework of this study, I collected and analyzed written and spoken texts that represent a significant sample of moderate mainstream politicians, newspapers, and education texts for both historical contexts. The analysis of the collected data demonstrates that in both contexts the discursive construction of the Other mostly relied on stereotypical notions of homosexuals. However, there were differences between the institutional and political approaches against homosexuals in the two societies in terms of levels of homophobia. Persecution (i.e., medicalization, criminalization, dehumanization, and extermination) and the use of rhetorical devices largely depended on the sociopolitical structures of each nation (e.g., democracy versus dictatorship). At the same time, there were also similarities, as both societies needed to rely on pseudoscientific information to legitimize institutional, social, and violent homophobia and to persuade their citizens to turn against homosexuals

Phylogenetic variety and importance in the b-lactamases of Elizabethkingia; anophilis, miracola and meningoseptica in pathogenicity

With recent outbreaks of Elizabethkingia affecting the United States, it is important to further understand the method of action that this bacterium uses to infect patients. Given that Elizabethkingia is not regarded as a pathogen when found in nature, but has developed several advantages in antibiotic resistance, the sheer flexibility and variability of this organism to evade host immunity and pharmacological responses is cause for awe and alarm. Within this paper we will analyze the importance of Elizabethkingia as a pathogen, its proteophylogenetic importance as a carrier of ? lactamases and the further development of a ? lactamase library for the identification of these genes and proteins in future strains and other organisms

Localization and structure of plastidial-encoded polymerase sub-units

Chloroplast biogenesis is a quintessential process In plants for the acquisition of photo-autotrophy. The path towards chloroplast biogenesis begins with the inhibition of skotomorphogenesis (That is the growth program in the dark), followed by photomorphogenesis through phytochrome-mediated red light sensing leading to the initiation of chloroplast biogenesis. We have observed that plants do not develop properly and show an albino phenotype when PAPs are lacking, indicating that chloroplast biogenesis does not occur. Previous experiments have shown that a complex dubbed Plastid Encoded Polymerase (PEP) interacting with Polymerase Associated Proteins (PAP) is the major player in setting a functional chloroplast. Given the semi-autonomous nature of the chloroplast genome, it is established that a cross-talk must occur with the nuclear genome. The white (albino) phenotype is observed with the genetic excision of any single PAP, indicating that the whole complex is no longer able to form or function. Interestingly both a chloroplastic-transit peptide and a nuclear localization signal have been predicted within the sequences of six PAP proteins. To validate these predictions and gain insight on the role of selected PAP proteins, I have chosen to pursue the subcellular localization and protein-protein interactions of these essential proteins. Moreover structural characterization will help us understand the function of each of these proteins within the PEP/PAP complex

Documento guía para la enseñanza de la programación funcional en el programa ISC-UTP

En este documento se presenta una monografía que reúne el estado del arte de la programación funcional para que sirva como documento de consulta para los estudiantes del curso de programación I del programa de Ingeniería de Sistemas y Computación de la Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira. En él se relaciona el paradigma de programación que se fundamenta en el uso de funciones para la construcción de programas de computadora y que representa una de las alternativas a partir de las cuales, se puede orientar el pensamiento para encontrar soluciones a problemas. También se hace referencia a algunos de los lenguajes que han sido parte de la evolución de la programación funcional y a la fundamentación lógica-deductiva que da origen a la evaluación de las funciones de tal manera que puedan ser consideradas como factibles para ejecutarse apropiadamente en un sistema computacional

Caracterización del ausentismo laboral por causas médicas en una empresa de alimentos de la ciudad de Bogotá, D.C. 2013 – 2014.

Resumen: Introducción: El ausentismo laboral por causa médica es un problema por la afectación que genera en el trabajador y en la empresa. Objetivo: Caracterizar el ausentismo laboral por causas médicas de una empresa de alimentos de Bogotá. Materiales y métodos: Estudio de corte transversal con datos secundarios de registros de incapacidades de los años 2013 y 2014. El procesamiento de la información se realizó con el programa SPSS, se obtuvieron medidas de tendencia central y de dispersión. Se determinó el número y la duración de incapacidades, la duración media de estas, el sistema afectado, se realizó el análisis de frecuencia por centro de costo y género. Resultados: Se registraron un total de 575 incapacidades, 387 fueron por enfermedad de origen común y 188 por accidentes de trabajo. Se perdieron 3.326 días por ausentismo, de los cuales en 45,09% se presentó en 2013 y el 54,91% restante en 2014, de estos 1985 se generaron en eventos de origen común y 1341 por accidentes de trabajo. La principal causa de incapacidades por enfermedades de origen común fueron patologías asociadas al sistema músculo esquelético, y para las originadas en accidentes de trabajo fueron las lesiones en manos. Conclusiones: para el año 2014 los accidentes de trabajo disminuyeron con respecto al año 2013 y el sistema más afectado respecto a enfermedad común fue el osteomuscular. Es conveniente que se implemente un sistema o programa de vigilancia y análisis en puestos de trabajo para identificar los factores de riesgo asociados y minimizar los riesgos.ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Absenteeism by medical cause is an issue that generates involvement in the worker and the company. Objective: To characterize absenteeism by medical cause of a food company in Bogota. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study with secondary data records disabilities the years 2013 and 2014. The data processing was performed using SPSS , measures of central tendency and dispersion were obtained. The number and duration of disability , the average length of these , the affected system is determined , the frequency analysis was performed by cost center and gender. Results: A total of 575 disabilities , 387 were of common origin for 188 disease and accidents were recorded. 3326 days were lost due to absenteeism , which was presented in 45.09 % in 2013 and the remaining 54.91 % in 2014 , of these 1985 events were generated in 1341 by common origin and accidents. The main cause of disability from diseases of common origin were associated with musculoskeletal system diseases, and for those originating in accidents were injuries in hands. Conclusions: 2014 occupational accidents decreased compared to the year 2013 and the most affected system regarding musculoskeletal disease was common . It is desirable that a system or program monitoring and analysis jobs is implemented to identify associated risk factors and minimize risk

Size constraint to limit interference in DRL-free single-ended biopotential measurements

Purpose: In this work, it is shown that small, battery-powered wireless devices are so robust against electromagnetic interference that single-ended amplifiers can become a viable alternative for biopotential measurements, even without a Driven Right Leg (DRL) circuit. Methods: A power line interference analysis is presented for this case showing that this simple circuitry solution is feasible, and presenting the constraints under which it is so: small-size devices with dimensions less than 40 mm × 20 mm. Results: A functional prototype of a two-electrode wireless acquisition system was implemented using a single-ended amplifier. This allowed validating the power-line interference model with experimental results, including the acquisition of electromyographic (EMG) signals. The prototype, built with a size fulfilling the proposed guidelines, presented power-line interference voltages below 1.2 µVPP when working in an office environment. Conclusion: It can be concluded that a single-ended biopotential amplifier can be used if a sufficiently large isolation impedance is achieved with small-size wireless devices. This approach allows measurements with only two electrodes, a very simple front-end design, and a reduced number of components.Fil: Catacora, Valentin Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales; ArgentinaFil: Guerrero, Federico Nicolás. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales; ArgentinaFil: Spinelli, Enrique Mario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señales; Argentin