1,048 research outputs found
When Leaders Are Not Who They Appear: The Effects of Leader Disclosure of a Concealable Stigma on Follower Reactions
Two studies examined follower reactions to disclosure of concealable stigma (i.e., transgender identity) by a leader. Using 109 employed participants, Study 1 showed followers rated leaders disclosing a stigma less likable and effective. This effect was both direct and indirect through relational identification with the leader. Using 206 employed participants, Study 2 found when a leader\u27s stigma was involuntarily found out and disclosed later they received lower ratings of likability and effectiveness compared to leaders who voluntarily came out and disclosed earlier. Method (found out vs. came out) and timing of disclosure (later vs. earlier) had direct relationships with ratings of likability and effectiveness and method of disclosure had an indirect relationship with the outcomes via relational identification
Physical and biological control of zooplankton in the Ohio River.
This dissertation explores the physical and biological factors that control zooplankton population growth rates in the Ohio River (USA). I employed both observational studies and a mesocosm experiment to ascertain zooplankton population and community dynamics in response to biotic and abiotic variables. This dissertation is separated into three chapters. In chapter 1, I introduce the reader to life history traits of zooplankton and characteristics of large rivers. In chapter 2, I present the results of an observational study of zooplankton population growth rates in two navigation pools of the Ohio River and use multiple regression analysis to determine the significance of environmental variables on zooplankton taxa densities and population growth rates. In addition, I use ordination analysis to assess zooplankton community similarity and spatial positioning among sites in the Ohio River and two tributaries, the Wabash and Kentucky Rivers. In the final chapter I test the effect of velocity on zooplankton communities and their impact on chlorophyll á and particulate organic carbon. My results provide a mechanistic explanation for the observed patterns of zooplankton in the Ohio River and how river management may affect these important members of riverine food webs
Direct Calculation of Configurational Entropy: Pair Correlation Functions and Disorder
Techniques such as classical molecular dynamics [MD] simulation provide ready access to the thermodynamic data of model material systems. However, the calculation of the Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies remains a difficult task due to the tedious nature of extracting accurate values of the excess entropy from MD simulation data. Thermodynamic integration, a common technique for the calculation of entropy requires numerous simulations across a range of temperatures. Alternative approaches to the direct calculation of entropy based on functionals of pair correlation functions [PCF] have been developed over the years. This work builds upon the functional approach tradition by extending the recently developed entropy pair functional theory [EPFT] to three new material systems. Direct calculations of entropy for the BCC iron and FCC copper (modeled with the modified embedded atom method [MEAM] potential) and the Diamond Cubic silicon system (modeled with the Tersoff potential) are compared against a target entropy as determined by thermodynamic integration. The sources of and correction to the high temperature error in several proposed functional approaches is explored in depth. Finally, a working code is provided to the community via Github to implement the extended EFPT to compute entropy using trajectory files generated from a single simulation
Comparison of Artificial Flavors in Commercial Products and Actual Natural Flavor via Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy Data.
In this research project, real natural strawberries bought from different local sources were profiled by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GCMS). These profiles were then used as a reference to compare GCMS profiles of commercial artificial strawberry flavor products such as strawberry flavored Cool Splashers™, Gatorade®, and Aquacal® flavored water. The chromatograms obtained were patterned using simple visual observations, scatter plot designs, Mann-Whitney U Test, and correlation coefficients. The artificially flavored commercial products tend to have simpler chromatograms. The Burger King® milkshake, Gatorade®, and Hi-C® are the most similar to that of the natural strawberry flavor. Their correlation coefficients are 0.972, 0.870, and 0.984 respectively. The Mann-Whitney U Test results also support the conclusions from correlation coefficients. However, the natural products tend to have more constituents including the main flavoring compounds. Thus fresh produce have better flavor and are more nutritious for a good reason
Racial Profiling and Policing in North Carolina: Reality or Rhetoric?
This thesis examined police practices of the North Carolina Highway Patrol concerning the occurrence of racial profiling. The sample data consisted of motorists stopped in North Carolina by the Highway Patrol between January 1, 2000 and July 31, 2000 (N = 332, 861). The findings suggested that race was a likely factor in pretextual stops. The results also indicate that racial profiling was occurring more in the western region than the eastern region of North Carolina. Theoretical reasons are offered in support of these findings
Meiotic silencing and fragmentation of the male germline restricted chromosome in zebra finch
During male meiotic prophase in mammals, X and Y are in a largely unsynapsed configuration, which is thought to trigger meiotic sex chromosome inactivation (MSCI). In avian species, females are ZW, and males ZZ. Although Z and W in chicken oocytes show complete, largely heterologous synapsis, they too undergo MSCI, albeit only transiently. The W chromosome is already inactive in early meiotic prophase, and inactive chromatin marks may spread on to the Z upon synapsis. Mammalian MSCI is considered as a specialised form of the general meiotic silencing mechanism, named meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin (MSUC). Herein, we studied the avian form of MSUC, by analysing the behaviour of the peculiar germline restricted chromosome (GRC) that is present as a single copy in zebra finch spermatocytes. In the female germline, this chromosome is present in two copies, which normally synapse and recombine. In contrast, during male meiosis, the single GRC is always eliminated. We found that the GRC in the male germline is silenced from early leptotene onwards, similar to the W chromosome in avian oocytes. The GRC remains largely unsynapsed throughout meiotic prophase I, although patches of SYCP1 staining indicate that part of the GRC may self-synapse. In addition, the GRC is largely devoid of meiotic double strand breaks. We observed a lack of the inner centromere protein INCENP on the GRC and elimination of the GRC following metaphase I. Subsequently, the GRC forms a micronucleus in which the DNA is fragmented. We conclude that in contrast to MSUC in mammals, meiotic silencing of this single chromosome in the avian germline occurs prior to, and independent of DNA double strand breaks and chromosome pairing, hence we have named this phenomenon meiotic silencing prior to synapsis (MSPS)
Premature ovarian failure and ovarian autoimmunity
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined as a syndrome characterized by
menopause before the age of 40 yr. The patients suffer from anovulation
and hypoestrogenism. Approximately 1% of women will experience menopause
before the age of 40 yr. POF is a heterogeneous disorder with a
multicausal pathogenesis involving chromosomal, genetic, enzymatic,
infectious, and iatrogenic causes. There remains, however, a group of POF
patients without a known etiology, the so-called "idiopathic" form. An
autoimmune etiology is hypothesized for the POF cases with a concomitant
Addison's disease and/or oophoritis. It is concluded in this review that
POF in association with adrenal autoimmunity and/or Addison's disease
(2-10% of the idiopathic POF patients) is indeed an autoimmune disease.
The following evidence warrants this view: 1) The presence of
autoantibodies to steroid-producing cells in these patients; 2) The
characterization of shared autoantigens between adrenal and ovarian
steroid-producing cells; 3) The histological picture of the ovaries of
such cases (lymphoplasmacellular infiltrate around steroid-producing
cells); 4) The existence of various autoimmune animal models for this
syndrome, which underlines the autoimmune nature of the disease. There is
some circumstantial evidence for an autoimmune pathogenesis in idiopathic
POF patients in the absence of adrenal autoimmunity or Addison's disease.
Arguments in support of this are: 1) The presence of cellular immune
abnormalities in this POF patient group reminiscent of endocrine
autoimmune diseases such as IDDM, Graves' disease, and Addison's disease;
2) The more than normal association with IDDM and myasthenia gravis. Data
on the presence of various ovarian autoantibodies and anti-receptor
antibodies in these patients are, however, inconclusive and need further
evaluation. A strong argument against an autoimmune pathogenesis of POF in
these patients is the nearly absent histological confirmation (the
presence of an oophoritis) in these cases (< 3%). However, in animal
models using ZP immunization, similar follicular depletion and fibrosis
(as in the POF women) can be detected. Accepting the concept that POF is a
heterogenous disorder in which some of the idiopathic forms are based on
an abnormal self-recognition by th
Multiple goals: A review and derivation of general principles
A great deal of literature has examined the factors involved in single-goal pursuit. However, there is a burgeoning realization that employees hold multiple goals at any one point in time and that findings from the single-goal literature do not necessarily apply to multiple-goal situations. Research is now being conducted on multiple goals, but it is being conducted across a broad range of disciplines, examining different levels of the goal hierarchy. Consequently, researchers are using the same label to refer to distinct concepts (the “jangle” fallacy) or different labels to refer to similar concepts (the “jingle” fallacy), and some aspects of the multiple-goal space are yet to be examined. We derive seven general principles of the multiple-goal process from a broad review of the literature. In doing so, we provide a common architecture and an overarching perspective of the theory for ongoing research as well as highlighting a number of areas for future research
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