Unpacking the role of self-esteem in career uncertainty: a self-determination perspective

The aim of this study is to explain why students with high self-esteem have lower career uncertainty than students with low self-esteem. Based on self-determination theory, students with high self-esteem would have higher efficacy in making decisions, which would encourage them to choose a major for self-concordance, such as interest and ability, and increase their course involvement. Both factors are assumed to be related to lower career uncertainty. Data from a national survey of the Taiwan Higher Education Database within the Survey Research Data Archive from juniors at 92 colleges and universities in Taiwan (N = 7418) were analyzed to examine the model. Results supported the proposed model by showing that students with high self-esteem had lower career uncertainty because they chose a major for self-concordant reasons and had a strong motivation to learn, both of which contribute to lower career uncertainty

Effect of steam jet cooking on the destruction of corn starches

AbstractSteam jet cooking has been used for years to prepare aqueous starch dispersions for food application. The steam jet cooking generates high shear stress to starch. The objective of this research is to study the effect of shear stress on structure of corn starch granules by steam jet cooking. A laboratory scale steam jet cooker has been established with flow rate about 1L/min. Three kinds of corn starch, waxy, regular, and high amylose were used. Starch slurries (5% w/w) were cooked by steam jet cooker at temperature 100°C (SJ100), 120°C (SJ120) and 135°C (SJ135) compared with hot water boiling at 90°C 30min (HB). The insoluble particles of cooked starches were investigated by particle size analyzer, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and damage starch assay kit. There was a significant decrease in percent yield of insoluble particles of cooked dispersions for all starches in the order HB > SJ100 > SJ120 > SJ 135.The data also showed that SJ100 has higher destruction than HB, although the temperature of heat treatment was similar. The particle size of cooked starches was much larger than uncooked starches, and the particle size of HB was larger than SJ100 for all starches. This may be due to the time of cooking, 30min for HB vs. a few sec for SJ100. Percentage damaged starch of cooked dispersions for all starches became higher with increasing of cooking temperature. Although, the time of heat treatment was much shorter for SJ100 than HB, the damaged starch was higher as well. Those date all revealed the effect of shear stress from steam cooking. On SEM observation, the damaged granules showed sponge like structure for the starch dispersions cooked by HB. The starches heated by steam jet cooking were fractured into small fragments

COVID-19 Impact on the Japanese Healthcare System and Comparison of its Countermeasures With South Korea and Taiwan

Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has begun, Asian countries/regions, such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, had generally controlled the pandemic better than other countries. In this article, we showed the big impact of the pandemic on acute care hospitals in Japan, where the number of COVID-19 patients has been smaller than in other countries. We also compared the mitigation measures against the COVID-19 pandemic among Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to study the factors affecting the differences among these relatively well-controlled countries/regions. We analyzed Diagnosis Procedure Combination data from the Quality Indicator/Improvement Project database, in which Japanese hospitals participated voluntarily. During the first declaration of emergency, which was from April 4 to May 25, the numbers of inpatients decreased roughly 20% for adults and 40% for those aged under 18 years compared to those of the same period in the previous year. In the analyses by disease, hospitalizations with acute coronary syndrome, ischemic stroke, cancer, childhood non-COVID-19 acute infections, infant and pediatric asthma decreased in number, whereas those with alcohol-related liver diseases and pancreatitis increased. Comparing selected mitigation measures against COVID-19, such as border control, enforced measures, information governance, and contact tracing, among Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, the implementation and dissemination of measures were less strict, slower, and less comprehensive in Japan. This might explain why Japan has experienced a comparatively high incidence of COVID-19 and indicate a substantial risk of infection explosion. A change in behavioral compliance could trigger an infection explosion under poor performance in the response set. Further monitoring is warranted to promote the evolution of effective sets of countermeasures to overcome the pandemic

Modified empirical fitting of the discharge behavior of LiFePO4_4 batteries under various conditions

A mathematical model is developed by fitting the discharge curve of a new LiFePO$_4$ battery and then used to investigate the relationship between the discharge time and the closed-circuit voltage. This model consists of exponential and polynomial terms where the exponential term dominates the discharge time of a battery and the polynomial term dominates the change in the closed-circuit voltage. Time shift and time scale processes modify the exponential and polynomial terms, respectively, so that the model is suitable for batteries under various conditions. References W. Su, H. Eichi, W. Zeng and M.-Y. Chow, A survey on the electrification of transportation in a smart grid environment, IEEE Intl. Conf. Ind. I. 8:1–10, 2012. doi:10.1109/TII.2011.2172454 J. Wang, Z. Sun and X. Wei, Performance and characteristic research in LiFePO$_4$ battery for electric vehicle applications, IEEE Vehicle Power 1657–1661, 2009. doi:10.1109/VPPC.2009.5289664 A. Shafiei, A. Momeni and S. S. Williamson, Battery modeling approaches and management techniques for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, IEEE Vehicle Power 1–5, 2011. doi:10.1109/VPPC.2011.6043191 P. Bai, D. A. Cogswell and M. Z. Bazant, Suppression of phase separation in LiFePO$_4$ nanoparticles during battery discharge, Nano Lett. 11:4890–4896, 2011. doi:10.1021/nl202764f H. L. Chan and D. Sutanto, A new battery model for use with battery energy storage systems and electric vehicle power systems, IEEE Power Eng. Soc. 1:470–475, 2000. doi:10.1109/PESW.2000.850009 T. Kim and W. Qiao, A hybrid battery model capable of capturing dynamic circuit characteristics and nonlinear capacity effects, IEEE T. Energy Conver. 26:1172–1180, 2011. doi:10.1109/TEC.2011.2167014 D. N. Rakhmatov and S. B. K. Vrudhula, An analytical high-level battery model for use in energy management of portable electronic systems, IEEE ICCAD 488–493, 2001. doi:10.1109/ICCAD.2001.968687 V. Srinivasan and J. Newman, Discharge model for the lithium iron-phosphate electrode, J. Electrochem. Soc. 151:A1517–A1529, 2004. doi:10.1149/1.1785012 V. Rao, G. Singhal, A. Kumar and N. Navet, Battery model for embedded systems, VLSI Des. 105–110, 2005. doi:10.1109/ICVD.2005.61 S. Dargavillez and T. W. Farrell, Predicting active material utilization in LiFePO$_4$ electrodes using a multiscale mathematical model, J. Electrochem. Soc. 157:A830–A840, 2010. doi:10.1149/1.3425620 R. Rao, S. Vrudhula and D. N. Rakhmatov, Battery modeling for energy-aware system design, Computer 36:77–87, 2003. doi:10.1109/MC.2003.1250886 M. Chen and G. A. Rincon-Mora, Accurate electrical battery model capable of predicting runtime and i-v performance, IEEE T. Energy Conver. 21:504–511, 2006. doi:10.1109/TEC.2006.874229 L. Gao, S. Liu and R. A. Dougal, Dynamic lithium-ion battery model for system simulation, IEEE T. Compon. Pack. T. 25:495–505, 2002. doi:10.1109/TCAPT.2002.803653 V. Agarwal, K. Uthaichana, R. A. DeCarlo and L. H. Tsoukalas, Development and validation of a battery model useful for discharging and charging power control and lifetime estimation, IEEE T. Energy Conver. 25:821–835, 2010. doi:10.1109/TEC.2010.2043106 B. Schweighofer, K. M. Raab and G. Brasseur, Modeling of high power automotive batteries by the use of an automated test system, IEEE T. Instrum. Meas. 52:1087–1091, 2003. doi:10.1109/TIM.2003.81482

Knowledge withholding intentions in teams: the roles of normative conformity, affective bonding, rational choice and social cognition

The decision of members in a knowledge-intensive team to withhold their knowledge may threaten the performance of the team. To address the problem of knowledge resource risk in project teams, we maintain that it is important to understand why team members choose to withhold their knowledge, conceptualized as knowledge-withholding intention. In line with the literature on effort withholding, the research on multifoci relations between justice perceptions and social exchanges, and social cognitive theory, we proposed that the social exchange relationships that individuals form in the workplace, their perceptions of justice, and their knowledge withholding self-efficacy would influence their knowledge-withholding intentions. Through a survey of 227 information system development team workers, we found that all social exchange relationship variables had a significant impact on knowledge-withholding intentions. However, the justice perception variables only indirectly influenced knowledge-withholding intentions through the mediation of social exchange relationships. In addition, one of the task variables, task interdependence, influenced knowledge withholding intention through the mediation of knowledge withholding self-efficacy. Our results contribute to the knowledge management literature by providing a better understanding of the antecedents of knowledge withholding. We also offer suggestions for future research utilizing the framework of Kidwell and Bennett (1993) to study effort and knowledge withholding

Association of Female Menopause With Atrioventricular Mechanics and Outcomes

BACKGROUND: Despite known sex differences in cardiac structure and function, little is known about how menopause and estrogen associate with atrioventricular mechanics and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To study how, sex differences, loss of estrogen in menopause and duration of menopause, relate to atrioventricular mechanics and outcomes. METHODS: Among 4051 asymptomatic adults (49.8 ± 10.8 years, 35%women), left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) mechanics were assessed using speckle-tracking. RESULTS: Post-menopausal (vs. pre-menopausal) women had similar LV ejection fraction but reduced GLS, reduced PALS, increased LA stiffness, higher LV sphericity and LV torsion (all p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed menopause to be associated with greater LV sphericity (0.02, 95%CI 0.01, 0.03), higher indexed LV mass (LVMi), lower mitral e’, lower LV GLS (0.37, 95%CI 0.04–0.70), higher LV torsion, larger LA volume, worse PALS (∼2.4-fold) and greater LA stiffness (0.028, 95%CI 0.01–0.05). Increasing years of menopause was associated with further reduction in GLS, markedly worse LA mechanics despite greater LV sphericity and higher torsion. Lower estradiol levels correlated with more impaired LV diastolic function, impaired LV GLS, greater LA stiffness, and increased LV sphericity and LV torsion (all p < 0.05). Approximately 5.5% (37/669) of post-menopausal women incident HF over 2.9 years of follow-up. Greater LV sphericity [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.04, 95%CI 1.00–1.07], impaired GLS (aHR 0.87, 95%CI 0.78–0.97), reduced peak left atrial longitudinal strain (PALS, aHR 0.94, 95%CI 0.90–0.99) and higher LA stiffness (aHR 10.5, 95%CI 1.69–64.6) were independently associated with the primary outcome of HF hospitalizations in post-menopause. Both PALS < 23% (aHR:1.32, 95%CI 1.01–3.49) and GLS < 16% (aHR:5.80, 95%CI 1.79–18.8) remained prognostic for the incidence of HF in post-menopausal women in dichotomous analyses, even after adjusting for confounders. Results were consistent with composite outcomes of HF hospitalizations and 1-year all-cause mortality as well. CONCLUSION: Menopause was associated with greater LV/LA remodeling and reduced LV longitudinal and LA function in women. The cardiac functional deficit with menopause and lower estradiol levels, along with their independent prognostic value post-menopause, may elucidate sex differences in heart failure further

a cluster analysis of PARADIGM registry data

Patient-specific phenotyping of coronary atherosclerosis would facilitate personalized risk assessment and preventive treatment. We explored whether unsupervised cluster analysis can categorize patients with coronary atherosclerosis according to their plaque composition, and determined how these differing plaque composition profiles impact plaque progression. Patients with coronary atherosclerotic plaque (n = 947; median age, 62 years; 59% male) were enrolled from a prospective multi-national registry of consecutive patients who underwent serial coronary computed tomography angiography (median inter-scan duration, 3.3 years). K-means clustering applied to the percent volume of each plaque component and identified 4 clusters of patients with distinct plaque composition. Cluster 1 (n = 52), which comprised mainly fibro-fatty plaque with a significant necrotic core (median, 55.7% and 16.0% of the total plaque volume, respectively), showed the least total plaque volume (PV) progression (+ 23.3 mm3), with necrotic core and fibro-fatty PV regression (− 5.7 mm3 and − 5.6 mm3, respectively). Cluster 2 (n = 219), which contained largely fibro-fatty (39.2%) and fibrous plaque (46.8%), showed fibro-fatty PV regression (− 2.4 mm3). Cluster 3 (n = 376), which comprised mostly fibrous (62.7%) and calcified plaque (23.6%), showed increasingly prominent calcified PV progression (+ 21.4 mm3). Cluster 4 (n = 300), which comprised mostly calcified plaque (58.7%), demonstrated the greatest total PV increase (+ 50.7mm3), predominantly increasing in calcified PV (+ 35.9 mm3). Multivariable analysis showed higher risk for plaque progression in Clusters 3 and 4, and higher risk for adverse cardiac events in Clusters 2, 3, and 4 compared to that in Cluster 1. Unsupervised clustering algorithms may uniquely characterize patient phenotypes with varied atherosclerotic plaque profiles, yielding distinct patterns of progressive disease and outcome.publishersversionpublishe

Mitochondrial DNA Instability and Metabolic Shift in Human Cancers

A shift in glucose metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis is one of the biochemical hallmarks of tumor cells. Mitochondrial defects have been proposed to play an important role in the initiation and/or progression of various types of cancer. In the past decade, a wide spectrum of mutations and depletion of mtDNA have been identified in human cancers. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that activation of oncogenes or mutation of tumor suppressor genes, such as p53, can lead to the upregulation of glycolytic enzymes or inhibition of the biogenesis or assembly of respiratory enzyme complexes such as cytochrome c oxidase. These findings may explain, at least in part, the well documented phenomena of elevated glucose uptake and mitochondrial defects in cancers. In this article, we review the somatic mtDNA alterations with clinicopathological correlations in human cancers, and their potential roles in tumorigenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. The signaling pathways involved in the shift from aerobic metabolism to glycolysis in human cancers are also discussed