The Mediation Influence of Job Satisfaction on Organisational Commitment amongst Quantity Surveyors

Some researchers claimed that job satisfaction directly affected organisational commitment but others considered it had a mediation effect on the relationship between some independent variables and organisational commitment. Thus, this paper aimed to examine whether job satisfaction mediated the relationship between work group identification and the two forms of organisational commitment amongst quantity surveyors. A quantitative approach with questionnaire survey was employed for data collection. Questionnaires were sent to the chartered quantity surveyors and 71 valid responses were obtained for analysis. A bootstrapping approach was applied to the survey data to test the mediating effect of job satisfaction between work group identification and organisational commitment. The bootstrapping results supported most hypotheses. The findings suggested that surveying companies should focus their efforts on improving quantity surveyors’ job satisfaction through the organisation of social activities. Special measures should also be taken by the work group leaders to improve the working relationship among quantity surveyors to foster job satisfaction.published_or_final_versio

Improvement of job satisfaction and organisational commitment through work group identification: An examination of the quantity surveyors in Hong Kong

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Learning organization and mentoring practice: an empirical investigation

The Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry (AEC) of the 21st century is undergoing significant changes to address issues such as the economic integration, international partnering and globalization. These changes are initiating a challenge for AEC industry in regard to how to educate personnel to appropriately respond to the rapid change. A needs-driven approach to mentoring recognizes the fact that employees in the workplace are required to engage in continuous learning to keep pace with changes taking place inside the organization The foundation of this challenge focuses on how to facilitate learning organization and establish continuous human resource development throughout all levels of the organization. Organization has a great demand of transforming into learning organization. Quantitative research is designed in order to achieve four main objectives: 1) To validate ‘learning organization’ concept in Hong Kong AEC organizations 2) To set out the benchmark for learning organizations 3) To evaluate differences among demographics characteristics. 4) To determine the relationship between organizational learning cultures, mentoring practice, and organizational commitment. The Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ) is adopted in light of the review to access Hong Kong AEC industry toward learning organization. The questionnaire was administered to young professionals, and drew on responses from a total sample of 151 employees to gauge the progress towards learning organization and mentoring practice in local AEC industry. Emphasis has been placed on young professionals’ view towards organization to ensure learning and knowledge transfer as a means of increasing the knowledge base of workers and improving performance. The achievement of either could lead to improvements in overall performance.postprin

IL11 (Interleukin-11) causes emphysematous lung disease in a mouse model of marfan syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Marfan Syndrome (MFS) is an inherited connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the FBN1 (fibrillin-1) gene. Lung abnormalities are common in MFS, but their pathogenesis is poorly understood. IL11 (interleukin-11) causes aortic disease in a mouse model of MFS and was studied here in the lung. METHODS: We examined histological and molecular phenotypes in the lungs of Fbn1C1041G/+ mice (mouse model of Marfan Syndrome [mMFS]), an established mouse model of MFS. To identify IL11-expressing cells, we used immunohistochemistry on lungs of 4- and 16-week-old Fbn1C1041G/+:Il11EGFP/+ reporter mice. We studied the effects of IL11 inhibition by RT-qPCR, immunoblots and histopathology in lungs from genetic or pharmacologic models: (1) 16-week-old IL11 receptor (IL11RA) knockout mMFS mice (Fbn1C1041G/+:Il11ra1-/- mice) and (2) in mMFS mice administered IgG control or interleukin-11 receptor antibodies twice weekly from 4 to 24 weeks of age. RESULTS: mMFS lungs showed progressive loss and enlargement of distal airspaces associated with increased proinflammatory and profibrotic gene expression as well as matrix metalloproteinases 2, 9, and 12. IL11 was increased in mMFS lungs and localized to smooth muscle and endothelial cells in young mMFS mice in the Fbn1C1041G/+:Il11EGFP/+ reporter strain and in fibroblasts, in older mice. In mMFS mice, genetic (Fbn1C1041G/+:Il11ra1-/-) or pharmacologic (anti-interleukin-11 receptor) inhibition of IL11 signaling reduced lung emphysema, fibrosis, and inflammation. This protective effect was associated with reduced pathogenic ERK1/2 signaling and lower metalloproteinase 2, 9, and 12 expression. CONCLUSIONS: IL11 causes lung disease in mMFS. This reveals a shared IL11-driven disease mechanism in lung and aorta in MFS and suggests inhibition of IL11 signaling as a holistic approach for treating multiorgan morbidity in MFS

Anti-fouling graphene-based membranes for effective water desalination

© 2018 The Author(s). The inability of membranes to handle a wide spectrum of pollutants is an important unsolved problem for water treatment. Here we demonstrate water desalination via a membrane distillation process using a graphene membrane where water permeation is enabled by nanochannels of multilayer, mismatched, partially overlapping graphene grains. Graphene films derived from renewable oil exhibit significantly superior retention of water vapour flux and salt rejection rates, and a superior antifouling capability under a mixture of saline water containing contaminants such as oils and surfactants, compared to commercial distillation membranes. Moreover, real-world applicability of our membrane is demonstrated by processing sea water from Sydney Harbour over 72 h with macroscale membrane size of 4 cm 2 , processing ~0.5 L per day. Numerical simulations show that the channels between the mismatched grains serve as an effective water permeation route. Our research will pave the way for large-scale graphene-based antifouling membranes for diverse water treatment applications

The non-coding RNA landscape of human hematopoiesis and leukemia

© The Author(s) 2017. Non-coding RNAs have emerged as crucial regulators of gene expression and cell fate decisions. However, their expression patterns and regulatory functions during normal and malignant human hematopoiesis are incompletely understood. Here we present a comprehensive resource defining the non-coding RNA landscape of the human hematopoietic system. Based on highly specific non-coding RNA expression portraits per blood cell population, we identify unique fingerprint non-coding RNAs-such as LINC00173 in granulocytes-and assign these to critical regulatory circuits involved in blood homeostasis. Following the incorporation of acute myeloid leukemia samples into the landscape, we further uncover prognostically relevant non-coding RNA stem cell signatures shared between acute myeloid leukemia blasts and healthy hematopoietic stem cells. Our findings highlight the importance of the non-coding transcriptome in the formation and maintenance of the human blood hierarchy

Surgical treatment and prognostic analysis for gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the small intestine: before the era of imatinib mesylate

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), the most common type of mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, demonstrate positive kit staining. We report our surgical experience with 100 small intestine GIST patients and identify predictors for long-term disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) to clarify the difference between high- and low-risk patients. METHODS: The clinicopathologic and follow-up records of 100 small intestine GIST patients who were treated at Chung Gung Memorial Hospital between 1983 and 2002 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical and pathological factors were assessed for long-term DFS and OS by using a univariate log-rank test and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: The patients included 52 men and 48 women. Their ages ranged from 27 to 82 years. Among the 85 patients who underwent curative resection, 44 (51.8%) developed disease recurrence (liver metastasis was the most common form of recurrence). The follow-up period ranged from 5 to 202 months (median: 33.2 months). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year DFS and OS rates were 85.2%, 53.8%, and 43.7%, and 91.5%, 66.6%, and 50.5%, respectively. Using multivariate analysis, it was found that high tumor cellularity, mitotic count >5/50 high-power field, and a Ki-67 index ≧10% were three independent factors that were inversely associated with DFS. However, absence of tumor perforation, mitotic count < 5/50 high power field, and tumor with low cellularity were predictors of long-term favorable OS. CONCLUSION: Tumors with low cellularity, low mitotic count, and low Ki-67 index, which indicate low risk, predict a more favorable DFS for small intestine GIST patients undergoing curative resection. Absence of tumor perforation with low mitotic count and low cellularity, which indicates low risk, can predict long-term OS for small intestine GIST patients who have undergone curative resection

Rare mutations in N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors in autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia

Pharmacological, genetic and expression studies implicate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor hypofunction in schizophrenia (SCZ). Similarly, several lines of evidence suggest that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) could be due to an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. As part of a project aimed at exploring rare and/or de novo mutations in neurodevelopmental disorders, we have sequenced the seven genes encoding for NMDA receptor subunits (NMDARs) in a large cohort of individuals affected with SCZ or ASD (n=429 and 428, respectively), parents of these subjects and controls (n=568). Here, we identified two de novo mutations in patients with sporadic SCZ in GRIN2A and one de novo mutation in GRIN2B in a patient with ASD. Truncating mutations in GRIN2C, GRIN3A and GRIN3B were identified in both subjects and controls, but no truncating mutations were found in the GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B and GRIN2D genes, both in patients and controls, suggesting that these subunits are critical for neurodevelopment. The present results support the hypothesis that rare de novo mutations in GRIN2A or GRIN2B can be associated with cases of sporadic SCZ or ASD, just as it has recently been described for the related neurodevelopmental disease intellectual disability. The influence of genetic variants appears different, depending on NMDAR subunits. Functional compensation could occur to counteract the loss of one allele in GRIN2C and GRIN3 family genes, whereas GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B and GRIN2D appear instrumental to normal brain development and function

Association of a de novo 16q copy number variant with a phenotype that overlaps with Lenz microphthalmia and Townes-Brocks syndromes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anophthalmia and microphthalmia are etiologically and clinically heterogeneous. Lenz microphthalmia is a syndromic form that is typically inherited in an X-linked pattern, though the causative gene mutation is unknown. Townes-Brocks syndrome manifests thumb anomalies, imperforate anus, and ear anomalies. We present a 13-year-old boy with a syndromic microphthalmia phenotype and a clinical diagnosis of Lenz microphthalmia syndrome.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>The patient was subjected to clinical and molecular evaluation, including array CGH analysis. The clinical features included left clinical anophthalmia, right microphthalmia, anteriorly placed anus with fistula, chordee, ventriculoseptal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, posteriorly rotated ears, hypotonia, growth retardation with delayed bone age, and mental retardation. The patient was found to have an approximately 5.6 Mb deletion of 16q11.2q12.1 by microarray based-comparative genomic hybridization, which includes the <it>SALL1 </it>gene, which causes Townes-Brocks syndrome.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Deletions of 16q11.2q12.2 have been reported in several individuals, although those prior reports did not note microphthalmia or anophthalmia. This region includes <it>SALL1</it>, which causes Townes-Brocks syndrome. In retrospect, this child has a number of features that can be explained by the <it>SALL1 </it>deletion, although it is not clear if the microphthalmia is a rare feature of Townes-Brocks syndrome or caused by other mechanisms. These data suggest that rare copy number changes may be a cause of syndromic microphthalmia allowing a personalized genomic medicine approach to the care of patients with these aberrations.</p

Green-to-red photoconvertible fluorescent proteins: tracking cell and protein dynamics on standard wide-field mercury arc-based microscopes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Green fluorescent protein (GFP) and other FP fusions have been extensively utilized to track protein dynamics in living cells. Recently, development of photoactivatable, photoswitchable and photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (PAFPs) has made it possible to investigate the fate of discrete subpopulations of tagged proteins. Initial limitations to their use (due to their tetrameric nature) were overcome when monomeric variants, such as Dendra, mEos, and mKikGR were cloned/engineered.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we report that by closing the field diaphragm, selective, precise and irreversible green-to-red photoconversion (330-380 nm illumination) of discrete subcellular protein pools was achieved on a wide-field fluorescence microscope equipped with standard DAPI, Fluorescein, and Rhodamine filter sets and mercury arc illumination within 5-10 seconds. Use of a DAPI-filter cube with long-pass emission filter (LP420) allowed the observation and control of the photoconversion process in real time. Following photoconversion, living cells were imaged for up to 5 hours often without detectable phototoxicity or photobleaching.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We demonstrate the practicability of this technique using Dendra2 and mEos2 as monomeric, photoconvertible PAFP representatives fused to proteins with low (histone H2B), medium (gap junction channel protein connexin 43), and high (α-tubulin; clathrin light chain) dynamic cellular mobility as examples. Comparable efficient, irreversible green-to-red photoconversion of selected portions of cell nuclei, gap junctions, microtubules and clathrin-coated vesicles was achieved. Tracking over time allowed elucidation of the dynamic live-cycle of these subcellular structures. The advantage of this technique is that it can be performed on a standard, relatively inexpensive wide-field fluorescence microscope with mercury arc illumination. Together with previously described laser scanning confocal microscope-based photoconversion methods, this technique promises to further increase the general usability of photoconvertible PAFPs to track the dynamic movement of cells and proteins over time.</p