Entrepreneurial Motivations and Management Decisions Versus Gender in Micro-Firms

Most literature and empirical studies on the gender effect on the functioning of enterprises indicate underperformance of women in this area, both in terms of the number of women in business and the achievements of companies run by women. These studies, however, often do not take into account differences in the initial size of the companies or the objectives and plans of their owners. In many cases the latter are not known because the analysis of secondary data obtained from statistical offices does not cover feelings, perceptions, motivations which largely affect the functioning of companies. After a short literature review the model of the impact of gender on economic activity was proposed. Within this model, three hypotheses were verified on the basis of panel research conducted among 280 enterprises (2009 and 2012) as part of the Pomeranian Economic Observatory.Większość doniesień literaturowych z badań nad wpływem płci na funkcjonowanie przedsiębiorstw wskazuje na gorsze wyniki kobiet w tym obszarze – zarówno pod względem liczby kobiet w biznesie, jak i osiągnięć firm prowadzonych przez kobiety. Badania te jednak często nie uwzględniają różnic w wielkości początkowej firm, nie biorą także pod uwagę celów i planów ich właścicieli. W wielu wypadkach te ostatnie nie są znane, analiza danych wtórnych uzyskiwanych z takich źródeł jak urzędy statystyczne nie uwzględnia bowiem opinii, odczuć, postrzegania, motywacji, co w dużym stopniu wpływa na funkcjonowanie firm. Biorąc pod uwagę przegląd literatury, zaproponowano model wpływu płci na działalność gospodarczą. Postawiono trzy hipotezy badawcze, które poddano weryfikacji na podstawie badań panelowych przeprowadzonych na 280 przedsiębiorstwach (w roku 2009 i 2012) w ramach Pomorskiego Obserwatorium Gospodarczego

Diaphragm adaptations in patients with COPD.

Contains fulltext : 70068.pdf ( ) (Open Access)Inspiratory muscle weakness in patients with COPD is of major clinical relevance. For instance, maximum inspiratory pressure generation is an independent determinant of survival in severe COPD. Traditionally, inspiratory muscle weakness has been ascribed to hyperinflation-induced diaphragm shortening. However, more recently, invasive evaluation of diaphragm contractile function, structure, and biochemistry demonstrated that cellular and molecular alterations occur, of which several can be considered pathologic of nature. Whereas the fiber type shift towards oxidative type I fibers in COPD diaphragm is regarded beneficial, rendering the overloaded diaphragm more resistant to fatigue, the reduction of diaphragm fiber force generation in vitro likely contributes to diaphragm weakness. The reduced diaphragm force generation at single fiber level is associated with loss of myosin content in these fibers. Moreover, the diaphragm in COPD is exposed to oxidative stress and sarcomeric injury. This review postulates that the oxidative stress and sarcomeric injury activate proteolytic machinery, leading to contractile protein wasting and, consequently, loss of force generating capacity of diaphragm fibers in patients with COPD. Interestingly, several of these presumed pathologic alterations are already present early in the course of the disease (GOLD I/II), although these patients appear not limited in their daily life activities. Treatment of diaphragm dysfunction in COPD is complex since its etiology is unclear, but recent findings indicate the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway as a prime target to attenuate diaphragm wasting in COPD