Changes in particulate matter concentrations at different altitudinal levels with environmental dynamics

Ambient air quality is defined not only by the source strength but a variety of meteorological parameters as well. In the current study, ambient concentrations of PM along with temperature and relative humidity levels were monitored at seven different locations of Pakistan. A DustTrak DRX (Model 8533, TSI Inc.) was employed for twenty four hours real time monitoring of particulate matter at the selected sites. A considerable variation was observed in the 24 hour trend of particulate matter (PM) at different locations owing to variation in meteorological conditions due to different altitudes and seasons, and natural and anthropogenic sources in the vicinity. The highest average concentrations of PM2.5 (407 mu g/m(3)) were observed at highest elevation (Makra Peak, Shogran, 3089 m) while lowest averages (102 mu g/m(3)) were obtained at the seaside (Hawks Bay, Karachi, 0 m). On the other hand PMTotal fraction exhibited highest levels at site B (506 mu g/m(3)) and lowest at Site A (121 mu g/m(3)). Correlation factors were determined for PM and meteorological parameters at each location. More research needs to be conducted to have a comprehensive knowledge about the physical parameters controlling particulate dispersal at different altitudes within the country

A study of employee affective organisational commitment and retention in Pakistan:the roles of psychological contract breach and norms of reciprocity

Social exchange theory and notions of reciprocity have long been assumed to explain the relationship between psychological contract breach and important employee outcomes. To date, however, there has been no explicit testing of these assumptions. This research, therefore, explores the mediating role of negative, generalized, and balanced reciprocity, in the relationships between psychological contract breach and employees’ affective organizational commitment and turnover intentions. A survey of 247 Pakistani employees of a large public university was analyzed using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping techniques, and provided excellent support for our model. As predicted, psychological contract breach was positively related to negative reciprocity norms and negatively related to generalized and balanced reciprocity norms. Negative and generalized (but not balanced) reciprocity were negatively and positively (respectively) related to employees’ affective organizational commitment and fully mediated the relationship between psychological contract breach and affective organizational commitment. Moreover, affective organizational commitment fully mediated the relationship between generalized and negative reciprocity and employees’ turnover intentions. Implications for theory and practice are discussed

Optimal iterative methods for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations using free parameters

[EN] In this paper, we propose a family of optimal eighth order convergent iterative methods for multiple roots with known multiplicity with the introduction of two free parameters and three univariate weight functions. Also numerical experiments have applied to a number of academical test functions and chemical problems for different special schemes from this family that satisfies the conditions given in convergence result.This research was partially supported by Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad MTM2014-52016-C02-2-P and Generalitat Valenciana PROMETEO/2016/089.Zafar, F.; Cordero Barbero, A.; Quratulain, R.; Torregrosa Sánchez, JR. (2018). Optimal iterative methods for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations using free parameters. Journal of Mathematical Chemistry. 56(7):1884-1901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10910-017-0813-1S18841901567R. Behl, A. Cordero, S.S. Motsa, J.R. Torregrosa, On developing fourth-order optimal families of methods for multiple roots and their dynamics. Appl. Math. Comput. 265(15), 520–532 (2015)R. Behl, A. Cordero, S.S. Motsa, J.R. Torregrosa, V. Kanwar, An optimal fourth-order family of methods for multiple roots and its dynamics. Numer. Algor. 71(4), 775–796 (2016)R. Behl, A. Cordero, S.S. Motsa, J.R. Torregrosa, An eighth-order family of optimal multiple root finders and its dynamics. Numer. Algor. (2017). doi: 10.1007/s11075-017-0361-6F.I. Chicharro, A. Cordero, J. R. Torregrosa, Drawing dynamical and parameters planes of iterative families and methods. Sci. World J. ID 780153 (2013)A. Constantinides, N. Mostoufi, Numerical Methods for Chemical Engineers with MATLAB Applications (Prentice Hall PTR, New Jersey, 1999)J.M. Douglas, Process Dynamics and Control, vol. 2 (Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 1972)Y.H. Geum, Y.I. Kim, B. Neta, A class of two-point sixth-order multiple-zero finders of modified double-Newton type and their dynamics. Appl. Math. Comput. 270, 387–400 (2015)Y.H. Geum, Y.I. Kim, B. Neta, A sixth-order family of three-point modified Newton-like multiple-root finders and the dynamics behind their extraneous fixed points. Appl. Math. Comput. 283, 120–140 (2016)J.L. Hueso, E. Martınez, C. Teruel, Determination of multiple roots of nonlinear equations and applications. J. Math. Chem. 53, 880–892 (2015)L.O. Jay, A note on Q-order of convergence. BIT Numer. Math. 41, 422–429 (2001)S. Li, X. Liao, L. Cheng, A new fourth-order iterative method for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations. Appl. Math. Comput. 215, 1288–1292 (2009)S.G. Li, L.Z. Cheng, B. Neta, Some fourth-order nonlinear solvers with closed formulae for multiple roots. Comput. Math. Appl. 59, 126–135 (2010)B. Liu, X. Zhou, A new family of fourth-order methods for multiple roots of nonlinear equations. Nonlinear Anal. Model. Control 18(2), 143–152 (2013)M. Shacham, Numerical solution of constrained nonlinear algebraic equations. Int. J. Numer. Method Eng. 23, 1455–1481 (1986)M. Sharifi, D.K.R. Babajee, F. Soleymani, Finding the solution of nonlinear equations by a class of optimal methods. Comput. Math. Appl. 63, 764–774 (2012)J.R. Sharma, R. Sharma, Modified Jarratt method for computing multiple roots. Appl. Math. Comput. 217, 878–881 (2010)F. Soleymani, D.K.R. Babajee, T. Lofti, On a numerical technique forfinding multiple zeros and its dynamic. J. Egypt. Math. Soc. 21, 346–353 (2013)F. Soleymani, D.K.R. Babajee, Computing multiple zeros using a class of quartically convergent methods. Alex. Eng. J. 52, 531–541 (2013)R. Thukral, A new family of fourth-order iterative methods for solving nonlinear equations with multiple roots. J. Numer. Math. Stoch. 6(1), 37–44 (2014)R. Thukral, Introduction to higher-order iterative methods for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations. J. Math. Article ID 404635 (2013)X. Zhou, X. Chen, Y. Song, Constructing higher-order methods for obtaining the muliplte roots of nonlinear equations. J. Comput. Math. Appl. 235, 4199–4206 (2011)X. Zhou, X. Chen, Y. Song, Families of third and fourth order methods for multiple roots of nonlinear equations. Appl. Math. Comput. 219, 6030–6038 (2013

Global dispersal and adaptive evolution of domestic cattle: a genomic perspective

Domestic cattle have spread across the globe and inhabit variable and unpredictable environments. They have been exposed to a plethora of selective pressures and have adapted to a variety of local ecological and management conditions, including UV exposure, diseases, and stall-feeding systems. These selective pressures have resulted in unique and important phenotypic and genetic differences among modern cattle breeds/populations. Ongoing efforts to sequence the genomes of local and commercial cattle breeds/populations, along with the growing availability of ancient bovid DNA data, have significantly advanced our understanding of the genomic architecture, recent evolution of complex traits, common diseases, and local adaptation in cattle. Here, we review the origin and spread of domestic cattle and illustrate the environmental adaptations of local cattle breeds/populations

The mediating role of discrete emotions in the relationship between injustice and counterproductive work behaviors:a study in Pakistan

Purpose: Our study explores the mediating role of discrete emotions in the relationships between employee perceptions of distributive and procedural injustice, regarding an annual salary raise, and counterproductive work behaviors (CWBs). Design/Methodology/Approach: Survey data were provided by 508 individuals from telecom and IT companies in Pakistan. Confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and bootstrapping were used to test our hypothesized model. Findings: We found a good fit between the data and our tested model. As predicted, anger (and not sadness) was positively related to aggressive CWBs (abuse against others and production deviance) and fully mediated the relationship between perceived distributive injustice and these CWBs. Against predictions, however, neither sadness nor anger was significantly related to employee withdrawal. Implications: Our findings provide organizations with an insight into the emotional consequences of unfair HR policies, and the potential implications for CWBs. Such knowledge may help employers to develop training and counseling interventions that support the effective management of emotions at work. Our findings are particularly salient for national and multinational organizations in Pakistan. Originality/Value: This is one of the first studies to provide empirical support for the relationships between in/justice, discrete emotions and CWBs in a non-Western (Pakistani) context. Our study also provides new evidence for the differential effects of outward/inward emotions on aggressive/passive CWBs

Double jeopardy:subordinates' worldviews and poor performance as predictors of abusive supervision

Purpose - To test a moderated mediation model where a positive relationship between subordinates’ perceptions of a dangerous world—the extent to which an individual views the world as a dangerous place—and supervisory abuse is mediated by their submission to authority figures, and that this relationship is heightened for more poorly performing employees. Design/Methodology/Approach - Data were obtained from 173 subordinates and 45 supervisors working in different private sector organizations in Pakistan. Findings - Our model was supported. It appears that subordinates’ dangerous worldviews are positively associated with their perceptions of abusive supervision and that this is because such views are likely to lead to greater submission to authority figures. But this is only for those employees who are performing more poorly. Implications - We highlight the possibility that individual differences (worldviews, attitudes to authority figures, and performance levels) may lead employees to become victims of abusive supervision. As such, our research informs organizations on how they may better support supervisors in managing effectively their subordinate relationships and, in particular, subordinate poor performance. Originality/Value - We add to recent work exploring subordinate-focused antecedents of abusive supervision, finding support for the salience of the previously untested constructs of individual worldviews, authoritarian submission, and individual job performance. In so doing we also extend research on dangerous worldviews into a new organizational setting. Finally, our research takes place within a new Pakistani context, adding to the burgeoning non-US based body of empirical work into the antecedents and consequences of abusive supervision