When are the bigger fish in the small pond better citizens? A multilevel examination of relative overqualification in workgroups

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from SAGE Publications via the DOI in this record In this study, we extend overqualification research to employees' social context of workgroup membership. Drawing upon social comparison theory and integrating with social exchange theory, we contend that employees' relative overqualification (ROQ, defined as individual overqualification relative to other group members' overqualification perceptions) is associated with their relative standing with their leader (measured as LMXSC, leader–member exchange social comparison), which in turn relates to employees' organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB). Furthermore, we assert that workgroup structural attributes and individual values (leader span of control and power distance orientation) influence the ROQ–LMXSC–OCB relationship. Multilevel modeling using data from 243 employees nested in 36 workgroups suggested patterns of moderated mediation where leader span of control and employee power distance orientation moderate the indirect link between ROQ and OCB through LMXSC. That is, the indirect relationship between ROQ and OCB is stronger in workgroups with a narrow leader span of control and for employees high in power distance orientation. Implications and directions for meso- and group-level research are discussed

Landslide susceptibility mapping by combining the three methods Fuzzy Logic, Frequency Ratio and Analytical Hierarchy Process in Dozain basin

Landslides are among the most important natural hazards that lead to modification of the environment. Therefore, studying of this phenomenon is so important in many areas. Because of the climate conditions, geologic, and geomorphologic characteristics of the region, the purpose of this study was landslide hazard assessment using Fuzzy Logic, frequency ratio and Analytical Hierarchy Process method in Dozein basin, Iran. At first, landslides occurred in Dozein basin were identified using aerial photos and field studies. The influenced landslide parameters that were used in this study including slope, aspect, elevation, lithology, precipitation, land cover, distance from fault, distance from road and distance from river were obtained from different sources and maps. Using these factors and the identified landslide, the fuzzy membership values were calculated by frequency ratio. Then to account for the importance of each of the factors in the landslide susceptibility, weights of each factor were determined based on questionnaire and AHP method. Finally, fuzzy map of each factor was multiplied to its weight that obtained using AHP method. At the end, for computing prediction accuracy, the produced map was verified by comparing to existing landslide locations. These results indicate that the combining the three methods Fuzzy Logic, Frequency Ratio and Analytical Hierarchy Process method are relatively good estimators of landslide susceptibility in the study area. According to landslide susceptibility map about 51% of the occurred landslide fall into the high and very high susceptibility zones of the landslide susceptibility map, but approximately 26 % of them indeed located in the low and very low susceptibility zones

The Effect of Peritoneal Repair or Non-Repair on Complications after open Appendectomy

Background & aim: Appendicitis is the most common condition of emergency surgery. Complications after appendectomy include skin complications, infection, postoperative pain, hernia and obstruction. There is a difference of opinion among surgeons on peritoneal repair after abdominal surgery. Therefore, we aimed here to evaluate the effect of peritoneal repair versus non-repair in appendectomy patients in terms of postoperative complications. Methods: The present clinical trial study that was conducted on 126 patients who underwent open appendectomy at Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Yasuj, Iran, from 2019 to 2020 who had the inclusion criteria. In the present study, randomization was performed systematically. Clinical observations and follow-up of patients was one week, three months and six months after surgery. After collecting and forming the data file in the computer, the information was analyzed using descriptive analytical statistics (including frequency distribution table, analysis of variance, T-test, chi-square) through SPSS software. Results: Out of 126 candidates for appendectomy, 60 were male and 66 were female. Among them, 64 (50.8%) underwent surgery with peritoneal repair and 62 (49.2%) underwent surgery without peritoneal repair. The mean age of this population was 26.88 13 13.82 years and ranged from 5 to 65 years. The results indicated that in both the peritoneal repair and non-peritoneal repair groups, 62 patients (69.9%) had no infection and 2 patients (3.1%) had purulent drainage, symptoms of infection, and SSI. Moreover, in the group with peritoneal repair, 42 patients (65.6%) had moderate pain, 16 patients (25.0%) had mild pain and 6 patients (9.4%) had moderate pain. In the non-peritoneal repair group, 50 patients (80.6%) had no pain, 11 patients (17.7%) had mild pain and 1 patient (1.6%) had moderate pain. There was no marked difference between the two groups of appendectomy with peritoneal repair and without peritoneal repair, in the presence of infection, hernia and obstruction, as well as pain intensity, but the presence of pain in patients without peritoneal repair was significantly less. Conclusion: The results of the present study revealed that the appendectomy surgical methods, including open and closed peritoneum, did not indicate a significant difference for wound site infection. On the other hand, the amount of postoperative pain was lower in the open peritoneum group. Therefore, it is suggested to use appendectomy without peritoneal repair in patients with appendicitis

Do Conocarpus erectus airborne pollen grains exacerbate autumnal thunderstorm asthma attacks in Ahvaz, Iran?

A disastrous outbreak of thunderstorm-induced asthma attacks posed a major public health threat in Ahvaz, Iran in autumn of 2013 (>15,000 referrals to hospital emergency rooms and pulmonary clinics). City officials claimed that promoting factors included acid rain, particulate matter, ozone, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds (PAHS) could lead to this phenomenon. After these potential causes were rejected by careful research, the next possible cause that this study addresses is a potential link of the asthma attacks to airborne pollen grains and fungal spores. In order to sample these parameters, a Hirst-type volumetric spore sampler was used, which was installed on the rooftop of the sampling site. Sampling was done during two six-month periods to characterize the regional bioaerosol. The first period included the autumn (September 22 to December 20 of 2016) and winter seasons (December 21 of 2016 to March 19 of 2017), while the second period included the following autumn (September 23 to December 21 of 2017) and winter seasons (December 22 of 2017 to March 20 of 2018). In both studied periods, airborne weed pollen grains, especially Amaranthaceae sp., were by far the greatest contributor to total airborne pollen grain concentrations (50.45, 3757 pollen grains/m3 and 52.12, 2392 pollen grains/m3, respectively). Among fungal spores, Cladosporium had the highest concentrations (75.29, 258677 spores/m3 and 80.33, 247693 spores/m3, respectively). Findings also showed that concentrations of airborne pollen grains were higher in autumn seasons (6361 and 4167 pollen grains/m3, respectively) in comparison with winter seasons (1085 and 423 pollen grains/m3, respectively), while the concentrations of fungal spores were enhanced in winter seasons (189216 and 160962 spores/m3, respectively) versus autumn seasons (154377 and 147377 spores/m3, respectively). Fungal spores exhibited a uniform distribution during the entire study period, but airborne pollen grains were significantly higher in autumn seasons. The numbers of referrals associated with thunderstorm asthma attacks decreased drastically after implementing Conocarpus erectus tree pruning activities. We concluded that the autumnal thunderstorm asthma attacks in Ahvaz might be triggered by a combination of bio-allergens (fungal spores and airborne pollen grains such as from Conocarpus erectus) and high levels of air pollutants from industrial activity. The results of this work suggest controlling bio-allergen levels by preventive measures such as tree pruning, weed removal, and emasculating urban green infrastructures before the flowering season. © 2019 Elsevier Lt