The effects of coaching in employees and organizational performance: the Spanish Case

Purpose: The expansion of coaching in firms reflects its potential use as a tool to improve the development of human capital and of the firm itself. Nevertheless, research into the effects of coaching is lagging some way behind practice and there is a need to establish a theoretical framework capable of explaining how the coaching process proceeds and its outcomes. The goal of this research is to analyze the effects of coaching in both, employees development, and organizational performance. Thus, we extend Joo’s (2005) conceptual model by adding social exchange theory and the resource-based view, so as to to develop a model that allow us to investigate coaching. Design/methodology/approach: We test our model on a sample of 498 Spanish firms. The hypotheses were analyzed using structural equations modeling. Findings: Our results confirm that coaching has an influence on both individual performance and organizational performance indicators. Besides, social exchange theory and the resource-based view, are a proper frameworks so as to study the effects of coaching. Practical implications: Coaching also helps firms to improve their competitive position. maximise benefits and minimise costs. We highlight several tips for practitioners in order to develop properly coaching processes. Originality/value: Coaching helps firms improve their competitive position via effects on organisational performance, sales increases and productivity growth.Peer Reviewe

Factores que influyen en la vigilancia de la salud prostática en nuestro medio

[ES]Actualmente el cáncer de próstata se ha convertido en el cáncer más frecuente en el varón, desbancando al cáncer de pulmón que hasta éste momento tenía el primer puesto. Parece justificado centrar la atención en el cáncer de próstata debido a este aumento en diagnósticos del mismo, tanto es así, que debemos buscar aquellas actitudes de prevención que puedan ayudar a disminuir este tipo de diagnósticos. La prevención de cualquier enfermedad no se puede entender sin la comprensión de todos los aspectos que influyen en éste órgano. Por ello en éste trabajo se han descrito los conceptos anatomo-patológicos de las tres entidades patológicas más frecuentes relacionadas con la próstata como son las prostatitis agudas y crónicas, la hipertrofia benigna de próstata, y el propio cáncer de próstata. No se puede hablar de prevención tanto a nivel de población general como de población laboral sin conocer el significado de la Vigilancia de la Salud, de tal forma que éste término empleado sobre todo para la población trabajadora, no obstante, podría aplicarse su uso al resto de población no trabajadora. La Vigilancia de la Salud Prostática en general conlleva una serie de actitudes ante todo centradas en la fase subclínica, cuando aún no se han manifestado el cáncer, pero pueden existir signos que adecuadamente buscados, mediante los exámenes de salud pertinentes, pueden arrojar datos relevantes que apoyen de forma fundada y objetiva, el inicio de pruebas diagnósticas no cruentas que nos pongan en camino para determinar con precisión la existencia o no de esta patología. Las determinaciones analíticas como puedan ser los niveles de PSA, aunque no han demostrado ser de un valor predictivo positivo, apoyadas con otras pruebas diagnósticas como son el tacto rectal sistemático y la ecografía prostática, pueden ofrecernos una dimensión diagnóstica que minimice los riesgos de una biopsia. No podemos obviar el realizar un análisis de todos los factores que pueden estar influyendo en el desarrollo del cáncer de próstata en nuestro medio como son el envejecimiento, los niveles de hormonas esteroideas, los fenómenos inflamatorios de la próstata, la predisposición genética, situaciones ligadas al síndrome metabólico, raza y contexto socioeconómico, obesidad, diabetes mellitus e hiperinsulinemia, enfermedades cardiovasculares e hipertensión arterial, dieta y actividad física, tabaco, alcohol, factores de riesgo ligados al ambiente laboral, factores biológicos, factores físicos, factores emocionales y estrés laboral, factores de exposición química (cadmio, herbicidas, pesticidas), radiaciones electromagnéticas. Cada uno de esos factores anteriormente enumerados pueden tener relación más o menos directa con el desarrollo de esta patología. Desde el punto de vista, tanto de la Medicina de Familia como de la Medicina del Trabajo, dado que ambas actúan como detección precoz de esta patología, deben tener una atención especial por parte de la Urología a la hora de trabajar coordinadamente, estableciendo los pertinentes protocolos de detección de esta patología. Ésto que esta bastante desarrollado en la Medicina de Familia dedicada a la atención primaria de salud, no lo está tanto en la Medicina del Trabajo. Si bien estamos hablando de una patología que se puede desarrollar desde la cercanía a los 50 años, también puede superar la edad laboral ampliamente, por lo tanto la Medicina del Trabajo tendrá su aplicación práctica mediante los adecuados exámenes de salud de los trabajadores dentro del contexto de la Vigilancia de la Salud, para posteriormente, llegada la edad de jubilación, tener un seguimiento por parte de la Atención Primaria, que también debe hacerse cargo de aquellos varones que no han tenido una actividad laboral

Cytotoxic effect of hemin in colonic epithelial cell line: Involvement of 18kDa translocator protein (TSPO).

Aims The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of hemin in colonic epithelial cells (Caco-2) cell proliferation and if this effect was due to a direct modulation of 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO) and/or heme oxygenase type 1 (HO-1). Main methods The main methods are as follow: cell proliferation and cell cytotoxic assays on Caco-2 cell lines treated with hemin in the presence or not of 1-(2-chlorophenyl)-N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3-isoquinolinecarboxamide (PK 11195) and Sn-protoporphyrin IX (Sn-PPIX), and immunoblotting for TSPO and HO-1 protein analysis, siRNA directed against TSPO. Key findings Hemin was shown to be toxic for the Caco-2 cell line in a concentration and time dependent manner. Although hemin was able to induce HO-1 in a dose dependent manner, a specific HO-1 inhibitor, Sn-PPIX, was unable to interfere with the effect of hemin on Caco-2 cells. Instead, PK 11195, a specific TSPO ligand, was able to counteract the effect of hemin, suggesting an important role of TSPO in the hemin activity. Cell viability assay further confirms the high cytotoxic effects exerted by hemin on Caco-2 cells expressing TSPO compared to the siRNA-TSPO targeted cells. In addition, hemin was able to decrease significantly the TSPO protein density in a dose dependent manner after 24 h of incubation. Significance The interaction and the consecutive down regulation of TSPO by hemin played an important role in the control of Caco-2 cell viability. The presented data suggest that TSPO might contribute to protect cells from potential toxic compounds such as free tetrapyrroles, candidating this receptor as a survival receptor protein

Benthic habitat map of the southern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) from object-based image analysis of multi-source acoustic backscatter data

© The Author(s), 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Prampolini, M., Angeletti, L., Castellan, G., Grande, V., Le Bas, T., Taviani, M., & Foglini, F. Benthic habitat map of the southern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) from object-based image analysis of multi-source acoustic backscatter data. Remote Sensing, 13(15), (2021): 2913, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13152913.A huge amount of seabed acoustic reflectivity data has been acquired from the east to the west side of the southern Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea) in the last 18 years by CNR-ISMAR. These data have been used for geological, biological and habitat mapping purposes, but a single and consistent interpretation of them has never been carried out. Here, we aimed at coherently interpreting acoustic data images of the seafloor to produce a benthic habitat map of the southern Adriatic Sea showing the spatial distribution of substrates and biological communities within the basin. The methodology here applied consists of a semi-automated classification of acoustic reflectivity, bathymetry and bathymetric derivatives images through object-based image analysis (OBIA) performed by using the ArcGIS tool RSOBIA (Remote Sensing OBIA). This unsupervised image segmentation was carried out on each cruise dataset separately, then classified and validated through comparison with bottom samples, images, and prior knowledge of the study areas.This research was funded by EUROSTRATAFORM (EC contract no. EVK3-CT-2002-00079), EU-FP-VI HERMES (GOCE-CT-2005-511234-1), EU-FP-VII HERMIONE (contract no. 226354) and COCONET (Grant agreement no: 287844); Convenzione MATTM-CNR per i Programmi di Monitoraggio per la Direttiva sulla Strategia Marina (MSFD, Art. 11, Dir. 2008/56/CE); Italian Flag Project Ritmare (Ricerca Italiana per il Mare); MAGIC (Accordo di Programma Quadro Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche—CNR, Dipartimento della protezione civile della Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri); MIUR-PRIN 2009 “Carbonate conduits linked to hydrocarbons enriched seepages” and MIUR-PRIN 2017 GLIDE 2017FREXZY. This paper contributes to H2020 Projects EVER-EST (Grant agreement no: 674907) and RELIANCE (Grant agreement no: 101017501). This is ISMAR-CNR contribution number 1975

Magnetic water treatment in a wastewater treatment plant: Part I - sorption and magnetic particles

[EN] The application of magnetic sorption to treat wastewaters is nowadays seen as a potential industrial method. In this work we apply magnetite particles to remediate real wastewater samples, with several contaminants competing for the same active sorption center at the same time. We also apply our studies at three different sampling points of a Wastewater Treatment Plant. In general terms, magnetite particles have shown a very good behaviour concerning the reduction of detergents and COD, while phosphates and total nitrogen, and the majority of heavy metals are high to moderately removed. The influence of the type of wastewater (i.e., sampling point) has also shown to be important especially for high concentration of contaminants

Ascariasis in a 75-year-old man with small bowel volvulus: a case report

Background: Ascaris lumbricoides and Ascaris suum are the most common soil-transmitted helminths of humans and pigs, respectively. The zoonotic potential of A. suum has been a matter of debate for decades. This study was aimed to present a case of human ascariasis caused by A. suum in southern Italy. Case presentation: A 75-year-old man presented to the department of surgery in Avellino (southern Italy) complaining of abdominal pain and vomiting. Physical examination revealed bloating and abdominal tenderness. A computed tomography scan showed air-fluid levels and small bowel distension. During exploratory laparotomy a small bowel volvulus with mesenteritis was evident and surprisingly an intraluminal worm was detected. The worm was removed with a small enterotomy and identified as an adult female of A. suum based on morphological and molecular analysis. Faecal examination revealed the presence of unfertilized Ascaris eggs with an intensity of 16 eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces. The patient was treated with mebendanzole 100 mg twice a day for 3 days. The post-operative course was regular with re-alimentation after 3 days and discharge after 12 days. Conclusions: This report shows as A. suum can function as a relevant agent of human zoonosis. Therefore, in patients with bowel obstruction with no evident aetiology a helminthic infestation should be considered for an accurate diagnosis, especially in patients living in rural areas.Fil: Romano, Giovanni. Frieri-Criscuoli Hospital; ItaliaFil: Pepe, Paola. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; ItaliaFil: Cavallero, Serena. Università di Roma; ItaliaFil: Cociancic, Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Di Libero, Lorenzo. Frieri-Criscuoli Hospital; ItaliaFil: Grande, Giovanni. Frieri-Criscuoli Hospital; ItaliaFil: Cringoli, Giuseppe. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; ItaliaFil: D'Amelio, Stefano. Università di Roma; ItaliaFil: Rinaldi, Laura. Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II; Itali

Rice-Infecting Pseudomonas Genomes Are Highly Accessorized and Harbor Multiple Putative Virulence Mechanisms to Cause Sheath Brown Rot

Sheath rot complex and seed discoloration in rice involve a number of pathogenic bacteria that cannot be associated with distinctive symptoms. These pathogens can easily travel on asymptomatic seeds and therefore represent a threat to rice cropping systems. Among the rice-infecting Pseudomonas, P. fuscovaginae has been associated with sheath brown rot disease in several rice growing areas around the world. The appearance of a similar Pseudomonas population, which here we named P. fuscovaginae-like, represents a perfect opportunity to understand common genomic features that can explain the infection mechanism in rice. We showed that the novel population is indeed closely related to P. fuscovaginae. A comparative genomics approach on eight rice-infecting Pseudomonas revealed heterogeneous genomes and a high number of strain-specific genes. The genomes of P. fuscovaginae-like harbor four secretion systems (Type I, II, III, and VI) and other important pathogenicity machinery that could probably facilitate rice colonization. We identified 123 core secreted proteins, most of which have strong signatures of positive selection suggesting functional adaptation. Transcript accumulation of putative pathogenicity-related genes during rice colonization revealed a concerted virulence mechanism. The study suggests that rice-infecting Pseudomonas causing sheath brown rot are intrinsically diverse and maintain a variable set of metabolic capabilities as a potential strategy to occupy a range of environments.Consortium for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP

The Capacity of Magnesium to Induce Osteoclast Differentiation Is Greatly Enhanced by the Presence of Zoledronate

Simple Summary A number of skeletal disorders, all characterized by a metabolic or neoplastic loss of bone tissue, are cured with drugs called Bisphosphonates (BPs), which exert their therapeutic effect by suppressing cells named osteoclasts, normally mediating bone resorption. Unfortunately, these drugs can also provoke a dangerous side effect known as osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a bone infection localized in the oral cavity and characterized by gingival ulceration, sometimes accompanied by suppuration and pain. This condition, occasionally arising spontaneously, is more often started by a tooth extraction. The reduced number of osteoclasts, determined by BPs, is thought to favor the bacterial invasion of healthy bone and the incapacity to eliminate infected bone, that are in turn responsible for the appearance of ONJ. Here we show that Magnesium, used for decades as dietary supplement, can invert the effect of BPs, transforming them, through a sort of paradox effect, into powerful activators of osteoclast production. These results suggest that Magnesium might be used in a topical approach aimed to cure or prevent ONJ. Notably, the capacity of Magnesium to activate osteoclast production was even observed in absence of BPs, suggesting its application also in ONJ forms caused by agents distinct to BPs.Abstract Bisphosphonates (BPs) are successfully used to cure a number of diseases characterized by a metabolic reduction in bone density, such as Osteoporosis, or a neoplastic destruction of bone tissue, such as multiple myeloma and bone metastases. These drugs exert their therapeutic effect by causing a systemic osteoclast depletion that, in turn, is responsible for reduced bone resorption. Unfortunately, in addition to their beneficial activity, BPs can also determine a frightening side effect known as osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ). It is generally believed that the inability of osteoclasts to dispose of inflamed/necrotic bone represents the main physiopathological aspect of ONJ. In principle, a therapeutic strategy able to elicit a local re-activation of osteoclast production could counteract ONJ and promote the healing of its lesions. Using an experimental model of Vitamin D3-dependent osteoclastogenesis, we have previously demonstrated that Magnesium is a powerful inducer of osteoclast differentiation. Here we show that, surprisingly, this effect is greatly enhanced by the presence of Zoledronate, chosen for our study because it is the most effective and dangerous of the BPs. This finding allows us to hypothesize that Magnesium might play an important role in the topical therapy of ONJ

Internal and External Temperature Monitoring of a Li-Ion Battery with Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors

The integration of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors in lithium-ion cells for in-situ and in-operando temperature monitoring is presented herein. The measuring of internal and external temperature variations was performed through four FBG sensors during galvanostatic cycling at C-rates ranging from 1C to 8C. The FBG sensors were placed both outside and inside the cell, located in the center of the electrochemically active area and at the tab-electrode connection. The internal sensors recorded temperature variations of 4.0 ± 0.1°C at 5C and 4.7 ± 0.1° C at 8C at the center of the active area, and 3.9 ± 0.1° C at 5C and 4.0 ± 0.1° C at 8C at the tab-electrode connection, respectively. This study is intended to contribute to detection of a temperature gradient in real time inside a cell, which can determine possible damage in the battery performance when it operates under normal and abnormal operating conditions, as well as to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the integration of in-operando microsensors inside Li-ion cells