Job satisfaction and life satisfaction: Analysis of a reciprocal model with social demographic moderators

The general objective of the study was to empirically test a reciprocal model of job satisfaction and life satisfaction while controlling for some social demographic variables. 827 employees working in 34 car dealerships in Northern Quebec (56% responses rate) were surveyed. The multiple item questionnaires were analysed using correlation analysis, chi square and ANOVAs. Results show interesting patterns emerging for the relationships between job and life satisfaction of which 49.2% of all individuals have spillover, 43.5% compensation, and 7.3% segmentation type of relationships. Results, nonetheless, are far richer and the model becomes much more refined when social demographic indicators are taken into account. Globally, social demographic variables demonstrate some effects on each satisfaction individually but also on the interrelation (nature of the relations) between life and work satisfaction.Job satisfaction, life satisfaction, spillover-compensation-segmentation model

Influence des préoccupations de carrière sur la fluctuation des attitudes au travail

La présente étude examine les fluctuations observées au niveau des attitudes au travail selon les étapes de carrière telles que définies initialement par Super (1957), et reprises ultérieurement par plusieurs chercheurs. Comme les modèles basés sur l’âge et l’ancienneté sont hautement critiqués en raison de l’inconsistance des résultats qu’ils génèrent, ils ont été incorporés à la présente étude à des fins de comparaison. Lorsque les étapes de carrière sont établies en fonction des préoccupations de carrière actuelles des individus, les résultats démontrent que les répondants aux périodes d’exploration et de désengagement rapportent, de façon générale, des attitudes au travail plus négatives que ceux qui se situent aux périodes d’établissement et de maintien. Les modèles basés sur l’âge et l’ancienneté dans l’organisation rapportent quant à eux peu de variation dans les attitudes au travail, confirmant ainsi les limites de l’utilisation de ces indicateurs comme variable d’approximation de l’étape de carrière

Degradation of cassava linamarin by lactic acid bacteria

Six out of ten lactic acid bacteria strains tested displayed linamarase activity. #Lactobacillus plantarum$ strain A6 displayed the greatest activity affecting 36 U/g cells on MRS cellobiose. The strain also broke down in less than 2 hours the linamarin extracted from cassava juice. HPLC analysis of the products of the reaction showed that the bacteria converted the linamarin into lactic acid and acetone cyanohydrin. (Résumé d'auteur

Purification and characterization of an extracellular amylase from Lactobacillus plantarum strain A6

Extracellular amylase from #Lactobacillus plantarum$ A6 was purified by fractionated precipitation with ammonium sulphate and by anion exchange chromatography. The homogeneity of the purified fraction was tested by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and showed multiple amylase forms. A major form had an estimated molecular weight of 50 kDa. It was identified as an alpha-amylase, with an optimum pH of 5.5, an optimum temperature of 65°C and Km value of 2.38 g l-1 with soluble starch substrate. The enzyme was inhibited by N-bromosuccinimide, iodine and acetic acid. The enzyme activation energy was 30.9 kJ mol-1. (Résumé d'auteur

LA MISE EN OEUVRE DE LA METHODE ABC/ABM AU CANADA, EN FRANCE ET AU JAPON. ETUDE COMPARATIVE

Cette communication a pour but d'analyser les résultats d'une enquête internationale sur la mise en oeuvre de la méthode ABC/ABM conduite au Canada, en France et au Japon.. En ce qui concerne la France, nous avons obtenu 111 réponses aux questionnaires envoyés par l'intermédiaire de la DFCG. Sur cet ensemble, 20% des entreprises ont mis en place la méthode et 32% ont un projet en cours ou ont entamé une réflexion sur le sujet. Cette enquête est la première du genre sur ce sujet en France. Un test sur les non-réponses a été effectué en France afin de compléter l'étude et d'éviter les biais inhérents à ce type d'enquête. Les comparaisons des résultats entre les différents pays fournissent quelques éléments d'appréciation sur les types d'objectifs poursuivis et les difficultés rencontrées. Principalement, les coûts de mise en oeuvre et les freins culturels sont les principaux obstacles à l'utilisation de l'ABC/ABM. Le dépouillement pour la France des réponses qualitatives a permis d'aller plus loin dans l'analyse des facteurs favorables et défavorables à cette approche. Des différences significatives apparaissent entre les pays pris en compteABC/ABM ; étude comparative ; international

Self-adjusting, Isostatic Exoskeleton for The Human Knee Joint

International audienceA knee-joint exoskeleton design that can apply programmable torques to the articulation and that self-adjusts to its physiological movements is described. Self-adjustment means that the articular torque is automatically produced around the rotational axis of the joint. The requirements are first discussed and the conditions under which the system tracks the spatial relative movements of the limbs are given. If these conditions are met, the torque applied to the joint takes into account the possible relative movements of the limbs without introducing constraints. A prototype was built to demonstrate the applicability of these principles and preliminary tests were carried out to validate the design

Presenteeism and absenteeism: differentiated understanding of related phenomena

In the past it was assumed that work attendance equated to performance. It now appears that healthrelated loss of productivity can be traced equally to workers showing up at work as well as to workers choosing not to. Presenteeism in the workplace, showing up for work while sick, seems now more prevalent than absenteeism. These findings are forcing organizations to reconsider their approaches regarding regular work attendance. Given this, and echoing recommendations in the literature, this study seeks to identify the main behavioral correlates of presenteeism and absenteeism in the workplace. Comparative analysis of the data from a representative sample of executives from the Public Service of Canada enables us to draw a unique picture of presenteeism and absenteeism with regards not only to the impacts of health disorders but also to the demographic, organizational, and individual factors involved. Results provide a better understanding of the similarities and differences between these phenomena, and more specifically, of the differentiated influence of certain variables. These findings provide food for thought and may pave the way to the development of new organizational measures designed to manage absenteeism without creating presenteeism

Epstein-Barr Virus Interferes with the Amplification of IFNα Secretion by Activating Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 in Primary Human Monocytes

Epstein-Barr virus is recognized to cause lymphoproliferative disorders and is also associated with cancer. Evidence suggests that monocytes are likely to be involved in EBV pathogenesis, especially due to a number of cellular functions altered in EBV-infected monocytes, a process that may affect efficient host defense. Because type I interferons (IFNs) are crucial mediators of host defense against viruses, we investigated the effect of EBV infection on the IFNalpha pathway in primary human monocytes.Infection of monocytes with EBV induced IFNalpha secretion but inhibited the positive feedback loop for the amplification of IFNalpha. We showed that EBV infection induced the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) and, to a lesser extent, SOCS1, two proteins known to interfere with the amplification of IFNalpha secretion mediated by the JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway. EBV infection correlated with a blockage in the activation of JAK/STAT pathway members and affected the level of phosphorylated IFN regulatory factor 7 (IRF7). Depletion of SOCS3, but not SOCS1, by small interfering RNA (siRNA) abrogated the inhibitory effect of EBV on JAK/STAT pathway activation and significantly restored IFNalpha secretion. Finally, transfection of monocytes with the viral protein Zta caused the upregulation of SOCS3, an event that could not be recapitulated with mutated Zta.We propose that EBV protein Zta activates SOCS3 protein as an immune escape mechanism that both suppresses optimal IFNalpha secretion by human monocytes and favors a state of type I IFN irresponsiveness in these cells. This immunomodulatory effect is important to better understand the aspects of the immune response to EBV

Self-adjusting, Isostatic Exoskeleton for The Human Knee Joint

Abstract — A knee-joint exoskeleton design that can apply programmable torques to the articulation and that self-adjusts to its physiological movements is described. Self-adjustment means that the articular torque is automatically produced around the rotational axis of the joint. The requirements are first discussed and the conditions under which the system tracks the spatial relative movements of the limbs are given. If these conditions are met, the torque applied to the joint takes into account the possible relative movements of the limbs without introducing constraints. A prototype was built to demonstrate the applicability of these principles and preliminary tests were carried out to validate the design. I