Increasing a large petrochemical company efficiency by improvement of decision making process

The paper shows the results of a research conducted in a large petrochemical company, in a state under transition, with the aim to "shed light" on the decision making process from the aspect of personal characteristics of the employees, in order to use the results to improve decision making process and increase company efficiency. The research was conducted by a survey, i.e. by filling out a questionnaire specially made for this purpose, under real conditions, during working hours. The sample of the respondents is representative for the goal of the research and consists of 82 employees, of all levels of decision making, education, age structure, and years of service. The data was processed by appropriate mathematical-statistical techniques: factor analysis, cluster analysis, correlation. For determining the important factors in decision making process, a type of factor analysis was used - the principal components analysis and the normalized Varimax rotation procedure. The basic hypotheses of research, related to the readiness of the employees for independent decision making, readiness for risk taking, determining the level of usage of intuition, organization atmosphere, general and personal characteristics of employees, have been proven. The results of the research indicate that the decision making process is a complex one in the organization and that there is a tendency of the employees towards collective decision making, as it used to be done. A significant result is that the employees at the managing positions are more ready for independent decision making than the employees at the executive positions. Based on the results of the research, it is possible to draft managerial and organizational measures for increasing the level of readiness for independent and individual decision making, as well as increase company efficiency

Sequence Variability of P2-Like Prophage Genomes Carrying the Cytolethal Distending Toxin V Operon in Escherichia coli O157

Cytolethal distending toxins (CDT) are potent cytotoxins of several Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, in which five types (CDT-I to CDT-V) have been identified so far. CDT-V is frequently associated with Shiga-toxigenic E. coli (STEC), enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157 strains, and strains not fitting any established pathotypes. In this study, we were the first to sequence and annotate a 31.2-kb-long, noninducible P2-like prophage carrying the cdt-V operon from an stx- and eae-negative E. coli O157:H43 strain of bovine origin. The cdt-V operon is integrated in the place of the tin and old phage immunity genes (termed the TO region) of the prophage, and the prophage itself is integrated into the bacterial chromosome between the housekeeping genes cpxP and fieF. The presence of P2-like genes (n = 20) was investigated in a further five CDT-V-positive bovine E. coli O157 strains of various serotypes, three EHEC O157:NM strains, four strains expressing other variants of CDT, and eight CDT-negative strains. All but one CDT-V-positive atypical O157 strain uniformly carried all the investigated genomic regions of P2-like phages, while the EHEC O157 strains missed three regions and the CDT-V-negative strains carried only a few P2-like sequences. Our results suggest that P2-like phages play a role in the dissemination of cdt-V between E. coli O157 strains and that after integration into the bacterial chromosome, they adapted to the respective hosts and became temperate

Long-term Effects of Oxidative Stress in Volleyball Players

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of long-term training on elite female volleyball players and to determine parameters that could discriminate them according to the level of oxidative stress-associated adaptation. Fifty-four elite female volleyball players were divided into 3 groups (1: below-average training experience lt 8.0 years, 2: average training experience between 8.0 and 10.5 years and 3: above-average training experience > 10.5 years). The measured parameters were reactive oxygen metabolites, biological anti-oxidative potential, superoxide anion, malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, lipid hydroperoxides, paraoxonase activity, superoxide-dismutase activity and sulphydryl groups. Multiple discriminant analysis of the oxidative stress status parameters between the three groups of athletes indicated a statistically significant difference (Wilks' lambda=0.458, X-2=35.898, p=0.031). The most important discriminant variables, superoxide-dismutase and superoxide anion, were the best indicators of differences between groups with different training experience. The significantly higher values were found in Group 3 compared with Group 1 in superoxide-dismutase activity (141 +/- 32 vs. 86 +/- 46; p=0.002), sulphydryl groups (p=0.031), and reactive oxygen metabolites (p = 0.042). The significantly lower superoxide anion was found between Group 3 and Group 1 (377 +/- 187 vs. 1183 +/- 905; p=0.001). Oxidative stress status parameters adequately discriminated 68.5% of athletes with different training experience

Proxidant antioxidant balance in supplemented elite female volleyball athletes during a six week training period

Aim. The objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) associations with the commonly measured parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidative defence in elite female volleyball athletes; 2) to investigate changes in the parameters of oxidative stress during a period of intense training and dietary antioxidant supplementation. Methods. Twenty-seven female volleyball players participated in this study. Blood samples were collected the day before the pre-competitive mesocycle training period began. After the first blood sample donation and during the next six weeks fourteen players (supplemented group) received a cocktail of antioxidants while thirteen of them (control group) received no dietary supplementation. The following parameters were measured: reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), superoxide anion (O(2)(-)), malondialdehyde (AIDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), biological antioxidative potential (BAP), paraoxonase activity toward paraoxon (POase) and diazoxon (DZOase), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total sulphydryl group concentration (SH groups) and pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance. Results. Significant associations were observed between biomarkers of oxidative damage with PAB in multiple linear regression model in the supplemented and the control groups (82.3% vs. 83.1%) before training and in the control group (82.1%) after training. Significant associations between anti-oxidative defence parameters and PAB values were found in the supplemented group after six-weeks of training (57%). Conclusion. In the absence of antioxidant supplementation, PAB values were dependent on the association with biomarkers of oxidative damage before and after training. After a six-week training period and the applied antioxidant supplementation, PAB values were under the influence of nonenzymatic anti-oxidative defence

Cytolethal distending toxin A,B and C subunit proteins are necessary for the genotoxic effect of Escherichia Coli CDT-V

International audienceCytolethal distending toxins (CDT) are considered the prototype of inhibitory cyclomodulins, and are produced by a wide range of Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli strains of various sero-and pathotypes. CDT is a heterotripartite toxin consisting of three protein subunits, CdtA, CdtB and CdtC. The active subunit, CdtB has DNase activity and causes DNA damage and cell cycle arrest in the target cell. However, several studies have highlighted different roles for CdtA and CdtC subunits. In order to reveal the necessity of CdtA and CdtC subunit proteins in the CDT-specific phenotype, expression clones containing the cdt-V subunit genes were constructed. Using cell culture assays, we demonstrated that clones expressing only the CdtB subunit or in combination with only CdtA or CdtC were unable to trigger the specific cell cycle arrest and changes in cell morphology in HeLa cells. At the same time, the recombinant clone harbouring the whole cdt-V operon caused all the CDT-associated characteristic phenotypes. All these results verify that all the three CDT subunit proteins are necessary for the genotoxic effect caused by CDT-V

Importance of immunological and inflammatory processes in the pathogenesis and therapy of Alzheimer's disease

The contribution of autoimmune processes or inflammatory components in the etiology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been suspected for many years. The presence of antigen-presenting, HLA-DR-positive and other immunoregulatory cells, components of complement, inflammatory cytokines and acute phase reactants have been established in tissue of AD neuropathology. Although these data do not confirm the immune response as a primary cause of AD, they indicate involvement of immune processes at least as a secondary or tertiary reaction to the preexisting pathogen and point out its driving-force role in AD pathogenesis. These processes may contribute to systemic immune response. Thus, experimental and clinical studies indicate impairments in both humoral and cellular immunity in an animal model of AD as well as in AD patients. On the other hand, anti-inflammatory drugs applied for the treatment of some chronic inflammatory diseases have been shown to reduce risk of AD in these patients. Therefore, it seems that anti-inflammatory drugs and other substances which can control the activity of immunocompetent cells and the level of endogenous immune response can be valuable in the treatment of AD patients