Social Support and Self-Efficacy on Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role of Conflict and Commitment

Turnover intentions are a phenomenon that affects the life of organizations and causes highly negative consequences. Based on previous studies, it is possible to consider antecedents to turnover in terms of both individual and social perceived resources, which previous research does not usually examine simultaneously. The aim of this study was to explore the role of both resources (individual and social) on turnover intentions. Thus, we hypothesized that perceived social support and self-efficacy have an impact on turnover intentions and that this relationship is mediated by interpersonal conflict and Affective Commitment. A total of 392 Italian employees completed a self-report questionnaire. A structural equation model was tested. The results showed that interpersonal conflict and Affective Commitment fully mediated the relationship between social support, self-efficacy and turnover intentions. Practical implications are discussed

Proactive, boundaryless, and confident graduates entering the labour market: does need for cognitive closure play a role as a moderator?

The university to work transition is a crucial and delicate stage for graduates, as it involves an essential change of role. Previous studies have shown that proactive personality, boundaryless mind-set and career self-efficacy are critical variables for a successful labour market integration/entry. This study analyzes the involvement of the need for cognitive closure as an individual variable that can both favor and hinder this process. Specifically, this work examines the moderating role of need for cognitive closure in the indirect association between proactive personality and career self-efficacy through boundaryless mind-set in a sample of 762 adults enrolled at the university or recently graduated therein. Results showed that career self-efficacy was positively predicted by proactive personality and boundaryless mind-set. Although a significant indirect effect was present thus confirming our first hypothesis, it did not vary depending on the need for cognitive closure proving that need for cognitive closure did not act as a moderator of this indirect association, hence not supporting our second hypothesis. These findings were discussed concerning the complexity of students’ choices in transition and the nature of the information processing process needed for those choices

Precise Stellar Radial Velocities of an M Dwarf with a Michelson Interferometer and a Medium-resolution Near-infrared Spectrograph

Precise near-infrared radial velocimetry enables efficient detection and transit verification of low-mass extrasolar planets orbiting M dwarf hosts, which are faint for visible-wavelength radial velocity surveys. The TripleSpec Exoplanet Discovery Instrument, or TEDI, is the combination of a variable-delay Michelson interferometer and a medium-resolution (R=2700) near-infrared spectrograph on the Palomar 200" Hale Telescope. We used TEDI to monitor GJ 699, a nearby mid-M dwarf, over 11 nights spread across 3 months. Analysis of 106 independent observations reveals a root-mean-square precision of less than 37 m/s for 5 minutes of integration time. This performance is within a factor of 2 of our expected photon-limited precision. We further decompose the residuals into a 33 m/s white noise component, and a 15 m/s systematic noise component, which we identify as likely due to contamination by telluric absorption lines. With further development this technique holds promise for broad implementation on medium-resolution near-infrared spectrographs to search for low-mass exoplanets orbiting M dwarfs, and to verify low-mass transit candidates.Comment: 55 pages and 13 figures in aastex format. Accepted by PAS

101 Dothideomycetes genomes: A test case for predicting lifestyles and emergence of pathogens.

Dothideomycetes is the largest class of kingdom Fungi and comprises an incredible diversity of lifestyles, many of which have evolved multiple times. Plant pathogens represent a major ecological niche of the class Dothideomycetes and they are known to infect most major food crops and feedstocks for biomass and biofuel production. Studying the ecology and evolution of Dothideomycetes has significant implications for our fundamental understanding of fungal evolution, their adaptation to stress and host specificity, and practical implications with regard to the effects of climate change and on the food, feed, and livestock elements of the agro-economy. In this study, we present the first large-scale, whole-genome comparison of 101 Dothideomycetes introducing 55 newly sequenced species. The availability of whole-genome data produced a high-confidence phylogeny leading to reclassification of 25 organisms, provided a clearer picture of the relationships among the various families, and indicated that pathogenicity evolved multiple times within this class. We also identified gene family expansions and contractions across the Dothideomycetes phylogeny linked to ecological niches providing insights into genome evolution and adaptation across this group. Using machine-learning methods we classified fungi into lifestyle classes with >95 % accuracy and identified a small number of gene families that positively correlated with these distinctions. This can become a valuable tool for genome-based prediction of species lifestyle, especially for rarely seen and poorly studied species

Exploring the bush yam (Dioscorea praehensilis benth) as a source of agronomic and quality trait genes in white guinea yam (dioscorea rotundata poir) breeding

Open Access Journal; Published online: 27 Dec 2021Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is an important food security crop in the tropics and subtropics. However, it is characterized by a narrow genetic base within cultivated and breeding lines for tuber yield, disease resistance, and postharvest traits, which hinders the yam breeding progress. Identification of new sources of desirable genes for these traits from primary and secondary gene pools is essential for this crop improvement. This study aimed at identifying potential sources of genes for yield and quality traits in a panel of 162 accessions of D. praehensilis, a semi-domesticated yam species, for improving the major yam species, D. rotundata. Significant differences were observed for assessed traits (p < 0.05), with D. praehensilis genotypes out-performing the best D. rotundata landraces for tuber yield (23.47 t ha−1), yam mosaic virus (YMV) resistance (AUDPC = 147.45), plant vigour (2.43) and tuber size (2.73). The study revealed significant genotypic (GCV) and phenotypic (PCV) coefficients of variance for tuber yield, YMV severity score, and tuber flesh oxidation. We had also a medium-to-high broad-sense heritability (H2b) for most of the traits except for the dry matter content and tuber flesh oxidation. This study identified some promising D. praehensilis genotypes for traits such as high yield potential (WNDpr76, CDpr28, CDPr7, EDpr14, and WNDpr63), resistance to YMV (WNDpr76, CDpr7, EDpr14, CDpr28, and EDpr13), high dry matter content (WNDpr76, CDpr28, and WNDpr24), low tuber flesh oxidation (WNDpr76, CDpr5, WNDpr31, CDpr40, and WNDpr94) and high number of tubers per plant (WNDpr76, CDpr7, CDpr68, CDpr29, and CDpr58). These genotypes could, therefore, be employed in breeding programmes to improve the white Guinea yam by broadening its genetic base

Farmers' perceptions on varietal diversity, trait preferences and diversity management of bush yam ( Dioscorea praehensilis Benth.) in Ghana

Open Access Article; Published online: 06 Jun 2021Bush yam (Dioscorea praehensilis Benth.) is an important food and cash crop species in some West and Central African countries. Unfortunately, several socioeconomic, cultural, nutritional, and agronomic constraints hinder its cultivation, and thus lead to its underutilization and gradual disappearance. To effectively promote its cultivation and utilization, knowledge of its diversity, distribution, management, and farmers’ varietal preferences is necessary. This study, therefore, used a participatory rural appraisal survey to assess such information in 23 villages from three regions of Ghana. A total of 42 D. praehensilis morphotypes were recorded and grouped in seven classes based on the tuber flesh colour. The Shannon diversity index (H’ = 1.88), equitability (0.65), and Margalef species richness (2.53) revealed the presence of moderate diversity and distribution in the surveyed regions. Farmers’ variety trait preferences included mainly the early maturity (21.1%), smooth tuber texture (16.5%), stability in tuber flesh colour (7.86%), good storage aptitude (7.6%), and high tuber productivity (12.8%). In contrast, D. praehensilis production and utilization rates have declined mainly due to poor culinary quality (39.9%) and poor agronomic traits (20.7%) of most morphotypes. Survey results showed that D. praehensilis is largely an in-situ conserved species in Ghana (60.0%). This study provided an insight on D. praehensilis diversity, distribution and farmers’ varietal preferences in Ghana which will guide its genetic resource conservation and plant breeding interventions

Multi-trait selection index for superior agronomic and tuber quality traits in bush yam (Dioscorea praehensilis Benth.)

Open Access JournalDioscorea praehensilis Benth. is a semi-wild yam species and a valuable source of resistance trait genes. To access the agronomic and tuber quality performance, eleven quantitative phenotypic traits were used to discriminate and identify promising accessions among 162 accessions of D. praehensilis collected in Ghana. Significant and high genetic variability (p < 0.001) for all eleven quantitative traits was found among the evaluated accessions. Moderate broad-sense heritability (H2) (30–60%) was observed for all the evaluated quantitative traits except the response to YMV and tuber hardness. The accessions were clustered into three groups; each cluster displayed genotypes with good potentiality for the different traits evaluated. Path coefficient analysis revealed positive contributions (p < 0.01) of the number of tubers per plant, tuber length, tuber width, stem internode length, number of internodes, and tuber flesh hardness to the total tuber weight per plant. Through the multi-trait genotype–ideotype distance index (MGIDI), 24 accessions were identified from the 162 evaluated accessions as top-ranking and could be used as progenitors for trait introgression. The results of this study provide insight for future yam breeding and improvement programs in West Africa

Design and development of a prototype electrotherapy device

This article describes a complete prototype system that can be used in electrotherapy treatments, that is, in medical treatments involving electric currents. The system is composed of two main blocks: the master and the slave. The Master block, whose main component is a CPU, controls the user interface. The Slave block, which is composed of a microcontroller and a wave generator, produces the appropriated voltages and currents compatible with the desired treatment. The whole system is powered by a 12 V power supply and the output signal voltage ranges between -100 V and 100 V. Despite the prototype being able of performing all the electrotherapy treatments in the low-medium frequency ranges, it was tested in aesthetic mesotherapy, namely in anticellulite, located anticellulite, antistretch, and antiflaccidity. In these treatments, the output signal is composed of an overlap of two frequencies: the first one is selected in the range of 1.2 kHz - 1.8 kHz and the second in the range of 0.07 Hz - 2 Hz. The system was tested in a clinical environment with real patients. It showed good results both in effectiveness of treatments and in terms of pain suffered by the patients.(undefined