Introducing a basic psychological performance demand model for sport and organisations

This study presents the development of a basic psychological performance demand model (PDM) for sport and organisations, adopting a process view of performance underpinned by reversal theory (Apter [2001] An introduction to reversal theory. In M. J. Apter (Ed.), Motivational styles in everyday life: A guide to reversal theory (pp. 3-36⁠). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association). Six elite coaches with extensive coaching experience at European, Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games were interviewed. Their interview statements were analysed using a combination of deductive and inductive analysis procedures for qualitative data. In conjunction with the interviewer, coaches developed PDMs for their specific sports. Analysis of interview data and coaches’ specific PDMs identified four main cross-sport themes or fundamental psychological capabilities required for meeting performance demands. These were: Mastery motivation, Decision making, Execution, and Teamship. The PDM offers a starting framework for a new basic performance model that is novel and pragmatic with potential applicability across sports and organisations. The model is useful in its existing form, but needs further testing, extended practical application and reflection by coaches, athletes, and sport psychologists. It has potential for use in other coaching contexts beyond sport, such as business, leadership development, education, and health

Cost-utility of a visiting service for older widowed individuals: Randomised trial

Background. Despite a growing understanding of the effectiveness of bereavement interventions and the groups that benefit most from them, we know little about the cost-effectiveness of bereavement interventions. Methods. We conducted a cost-utility analysis alongside a randomized clinical trial on a visiting service for older widowed individuals (n = 110) versus care as usual (CAU; n = 106). The visiting service is a selective bereavement intervention that offers social support to lonely widows and widowers by a trained volunteer. Participants were contacted 6-9 months post-loss. Eleven percent of all contacted persons responded and eight percent participated in the trial. The primary outcome measure was quality adjusted life years (QALYs) gained (assessed with the EQ-5D), which is a generic measure of health status. Costs were calculated from a societal perspective excluding costs arising from productivity losses. Using the bootstrap method, we obtained the incremental cost utility ratio (ICUR), projected these on a cost-utility plane and presented as an acceptability curve. Results. Overall, the experimental group demonstrated slightly better results against slightly higher costs. Whether the visiting service is acceptable depends on the willingness to pay: at a willingness to pay equal to zero per QALY gained, the visiting service has a probability of 31% of being acceptable; beyond €20,000, the visiting service has a probability of 70% of being more acceptable than CAU. Conclusion. Selective bereavement interventions like the visiting service will not produce large benefits from the health economic point of view, when targeted towards the entire population of all widowed individuals. We recommend that in depth analyses are conducted to identify who benefits most from this kind of interventions, and in what subgroups the incremental cost-utility is best. In the future bereavement interventions are then best directed to these groups. Trial registration. Controlled trials ISRCTN17508307. © 2008 Onrust et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Building relationships and facilitating immigrant community integration: An evaluation of a Cultural Navigator Program

Despite the United States’ long history of immigration, large and small communities around the country struggle to integrate newcomers into the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres of society. Utilizing results from the program evaluation of one public library’s Cultural Navigator Program (CNP), the authors illustrate how communities and public institutions can promote integration and relationship building between newly arrived immigrants and long-time residents. Existing social networks, conceptualized in this article as social capital, within receiving communities were leveraged to build capacity among newly arrived immigrants and foster inclusivity and integration at the community level. As a place of intervention, public libraries are suggested as a safe and shared space where community integration can be fostered. The program model is provided as an approach to immigrant community integration. Insights derived from the evaluation inform a discussion on engaging approaches to immigrant integration. The CNP utilized community networks to deliberately and systematically facilitate integration and relationship building between newly arrived immigrants and community members. Lessons learned and recommendations for program evaluators and administrators are provided

Vaccine delivery by penetratin: mechanism of antigen presentation by dendritic cells

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) or membrane-translocating peptides such as penetratin from Antennapedia homeodomain or TAT from human immunodeficiency virus are useful vectors for the delivery of protein antigens or their cytotoxic (Tc) or helper (Th) T cell epitopes to antigen-presenting cells. Mice immunized with CPP containing immunogens elicit antigen-specific Tc and/or Th responses and could be protected from tumor challenges. In the present paper, we investigate the mechanism of class I and class II antigen presentation of ovalbumin covalently linked to penetratin (AntpOVA) by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells with the use of biochemical inhibitors of various pathways of antigen processing and presentation. Results from our study suggested that uptake of AntpOVA is via a combination of energy-independent (membrane fusion) and energy-dependent pathways (endocytosis). Once internalized by either mechanism, multiple tap-dependent or independent antigen presentation pathways are accessed while not completely dependent on proteasomal processing but involving proteolytic trimming in the ER and Golgi compartments. Our study provides an understanding on the mechanism of antigen presentation mediated by CPP and leads to greater insights into future development of vaccine formulations

Peroxynitrite mediates programmed cell death both in papillar cells and in self-incompatible pollen in the olive (Olea europaea L.)

Programmed cell death (PCD) has been found to be induced after pollination both in papillar cells and in self-incompatible pollen in the olive (Olea europaea L.). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) are known to be produced in the pistil and pollen during pollination but their contribution to PCD has so far remained elusive. The possible role of ROS and NO was investigated in olive pollen–pistil interaction during free and controlled pollination and it was found that bidirectional interaction appears to exist between the pollen and the stigma, which seems to regulate ROS and NO production. Biochemical evidence strongly suggesting that both O2˙− and NO are essential for triggering PCD in self-incompatibility processes was also obtained. It was observed for the first time that peroxynitrite, a powerful oxidizing and nitrating agent generated during a rapid reaction between O2˙− and NO, is produced during pollination and that this is related to an increase in protein nitration which, in turn, is strongly associated with PCD. It may be concluded that peroxynitrite mediates PCD during pollen–pistil interaction in Olea europaea L. both in self-incompatible pollen and papillar cells

Управління інноваціями в кроскультурному середовищі організації

У даній статті систематизовано аргументи та контраргументи у рамках наукової дискусії щодо взаємозв’язку між мовною та культурною компетентностями працівників, як однієї з умов їх ефективної професійної діяльності. Обгрунтовано сучасні тенденції у кадровому забезпеченні підприємств, визначено проблеми та пріоритетний вплив мовною та культурною компетентностями працівників на результати діяльності; зміну ціннісних орієнтирів у системі менеджменту підприємств. Основною метою проведеного дослідження є визначення взаємозв’язку між білінгвізмом (володіння двома іноземними мовами на високому рівні) та культурною компетентністю працівників, як необхідної умови забезпечення конкурентоспроможності організації. Вирішення поставлених в роботі завдань здійснено в наступній логічній послідовності: 1) проведення теоретичного аналізу концептуальних засад управління інноваціями в кроскультурному середовищі організації; 2) формування гіпотез дослідження; 3) опис відповідної методології дослідження; 4) встановлення взаємозв’язку між культурною та мовною компетентностями працівників. Об’єктом дослідження обрано 243 студенти освітнього ступеню бакалавр, які вивчали англійську мову в Чеському університеті фінансів та адміністрації. Емпіричне підтвердження висунутої в роботі гіпотези про статистично значимий взаємозв’язок між культурною та мовною компетентностями працівників здійснено за допомогою програмного забезпечення SmartPLS-SEM 3. Отримані результати дослідження емпірично підтверджують та теоретично доводять наявність позитивної кореляції між рівнем володіння іноземною мовою та рівнем культурного капіталу. Зазначено, що мовна компетентність визначає загальну оцінку культурного капіталу. Встановлено, що метакогнітивні та мотиваційні фактори культурного капіталу мають статистично значимий вплив та визначають характер взаємозв’язку між володінням іноземною мовою та рівнем культурного капіталу. В статті представлено результати емпіричного аналізу, який засвідчив статистично значущу різницю між групами білінгвістів та монолінгвістів. Результати дослідження мають практичне значення і можуть бути прийняті до впровадження менеджерами, які працюють в кроскультурному середовищі, здійснюють підготовку студентів до роботи за кордоном або в міжнародних командах.This paper summarizes the arguments and counterarguments within the discussion on the issue of cultural intelligence, bilingualism, and the relationship between language proficiency and cultural intelligence. The primary purpose of the research is to explore the relationship between bilingualism (or high language proficiency in two languages) and cultural intelligence. The systematization of literary sources and approaches for solving the problem indicates that a significant link between these constructs could be expected. The relevance of the decision of this scientific problem is that this relationship has not yet been the subject of any previous research. Investigation of the paper topic is carried out in the following logical sequence: a thorough look into a conceptual and theoretical framework of cultural intelligence, bilingualism and the link between cultural intelligence and language proficiency; in the second part of the paper two hypotheses are developed on the base of previous research, and the corresponding methodology is described. The theoretical model of the explored relationship is tested using the SmartPLS-SEM 3 program. The objects of the survey are 243 undergraduate students studying in the English study program at the University of Finance and Administration in the Czech Republic. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves that there is a positive correlation between the level of foreign (non-native) language proficiency and cultural intelligence score. Language competence predicates the overall rating for CQ. The metacognitive and motivational factors of CQ play a substantial role within the framework of this relationship. On the other hand, data do not confirm a statistically significant difference between the group of bilingual and monolingual respondents. The results of the research can be useful for those who manage people across cultures and prepare students for working abroad or in international teams such as language teachers at universities