Extending Social Learning Theories to Collectivist Cultures: The Effect of Behavior Modeling Training, Service Orientation and Language Skills on Service Skills and Behaviors

Although previous research has suggested that training approaches using behavior modeling yield better results than lecture-based approaches, these assumptions have not been tested in collectivist cultures. This study examined the effects of these alternative training methods for service knowledge and service behavior with a field experiment involving 117 Russian hotel employees. Despite no previous exposure to behavior modeling and no cultural context for service, the behavioral modeling training approach relative to the lecture-based approach yielded higher levels of both service knowledge and behavior. Since the setting was an English speaking hotel, difference in language ability were also considered and behavioral modeling was found to be a more effective training approach regardless of English ability. It also appears that service orientation is positively associated with both knowledge and behavior. The results indicate behavior modeling may be most helpful to those employees least predisposed to service or with lower language abilities

Spatial patterns and links between microbial community composition and function in cyanobacterial mats

We imaged reflectance and variable fluorescence in 25 cyanobacterial mats from four distant sites around the globe to assess, at different scales of resolution, spatial variabilities in the physiological parameters characterizing their photosynthetic capacity, including the absorptivity by chlorophyll a (Achl), maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis (Ymax), and light acclimation irradiance (Ik). Generally, these parameters significantly varied within individual mats on a sub-millimeter scale, with about 2-fold higher variability in the vertical than in the horizontal direction. The average vertical profiles of Ymax and Ik decreased with depth in the mat, while Achl exhibited a sub-surface maximum. The within-mat variability was comparable to, but often larger than, the between-sites variability, whereas the within-site variabilities (i.e., between samples from the same site) were generally lowest. When compared based on averaged values of their photosynthetic parameters, mats clustered according to their site of origin. Similar clustering was found when the community composition of the mats' cyanobacterial layers were compared by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), indicating a significant link between the microbial community composition and function. Although this link is likely the result of community adaptation to the prevailing site-specific environmental conditions, our present data is insufficient to identify the main factors determining these patterns. Nevertheless, this study demonstrates that the spatial variability in the photosynthetic capacity and light acclimation of benthic phototrophic microbial communities is at least as large on a sub-millimeter scale as it is on a global scale, and suggests that this pattern of variability scaling is similar for the microbial community composition. © 2014 Al-Najjar, Ramette, Kühl, Hamza, Klatt and Polerecky

An integrated approach of building information modelling and life cycle assessment (BIM-LCA) for gas and solar water heating systems

Buildings are responsible for the energetic consumption and potential greenhouse gas emissions during their life cycle. Water heating system contribute to a building’s energetic consumption, mainly in residential units, throughout the building’s operational phase. Variability in energy sources, reservation and distribution systems of hot water along with the types of construction materials used in these building systems are key decisions to make in the initial design phases of a building project. Often, the definition of the most appropriate water heating system for a building is made via a technical-economic decision. However, the decision is rarely based on natural resource consumption and environmental impact generation throughout the life-cycle of the heating systems and of buildings as a whole. This study presents an application of a specific environmental management tool, based on an integrated Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) method for selection of hot water systems, during the early design building phase. The proposed approach is implemented in the pre-operational phase, in order to enable decision makers to appreciate the resulting environmental performance of water heating systems in buildings. The applicability of the framework is tested via a comparative study of solar heating water systems and natural gas heating water systems for a residential multifamily building to be constructed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For the indicators damage to human health and damage to ecosystem, results indicate that the greatest impact on global warming comes from the natural gas heating system, while for solar heating, free particulate matter was the highest negative contribution. The operation phase for the natural gas system was highest for climate change while for solar heating system, it was the fresh water that was impacted the most during the pre-operational phase of the system’s use

Musculoskeletal Injury in American Football: A Bibliometric Analysis of the Most Cited Articles.

BACKGROUND: Textbook knowledge and clinical dogma are often insufficient for effective evidence-based decision making when treating musculoskeletal injuries in American football players, given the variability in presentation and outcomes across different sports and different levels of competition. Key evidence can be drawn directly from high-quality published articles to make the appropriate decisions and recommendations for each athlete\u27s unique situation. PURPOSE: To identify and analyze the 50 most cited articles related to football-related musculoskeletal injury to provide an efficient tool in the arsenal of trainees, researchers, and evidence-based practitioners alike. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: The ISI Web of Science and SCOPUS databases were queried for articles pertaining to musculoskeletal injury in American football. For each of the top 50 most cited articles, bibliometric elements were evaluated: citation count and density, decade of publication, journal, country, multiple publications by the same first author or senior author, article content (topic, injury area), and level of evidence (LOE). RESULTS: The mean ± SD number of citations was 102.76 ± 37.11; the most cited article, with 227 citations, was Syndesmotic Ankle Sprains published in 1991 by Boytim et al. Several authors served as a first or senior author on \u3e1 publication, including J.S. Torg (n = 6), J.P. Bradley (n = 4), and J.W. Powell (n = 4). The CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the need for more prospective research surrounding the management of football-related injury. The low overall number of articles on upper extremity injury (n = 4) also highlights an area for further research

Light and myopia: from epidemiological studies to neurobiological mechanisms

Myopia is far beyond its inconvenience and represents a true, highly prevalent, sight-threatening ocular condition, especially in Asia. Without adequate interventions, the current epidemic of myopia is projected to affect 50% of the world population by 2050, becoming the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Although blurred vision, the predominant symptom of myopia, can be improved by contact lenses, glasses, or refractive surgery, corrected myopia, particularly high myopia, still carries the risk of secondary blinding complications such as glaucoma, myopic maculopathy, and retinal detachment, prompting the need for prevention. Epidemiological studies have reported an association between outdoor time and myopia prevention in children. The protective effect of time spent outdoors could be due to the unique characteristics (intensity, spectral distribution, temporal pattern, etc.) of sunlight that is lacking in artificial lighting. Concomitantly, studies in animal models have highlighted the efficacy of light and its components in delaying or even stopping the development of myopia and endeavoured to elucidate possible mechanisms involved in this process. In this narrative review, we (1) summarize the current knowledge concerning light modulation of ocular growth and refractive error development based on studies in human and animal models, (2) summarize potential neurobiological mechanisms involved in the effects of light on ocular growth and emmetropization and (3) highlight a potential pathway for the translational development of noninvasive light-therapy strategies for myopia prevention in children.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessing phytoplankton nutritional status and potential impact of wet deposition in seasonally oligotrophic waters of the Mid‐Atlantic Bight

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2018. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 45 (2018): 3203-3211, doi:10.1002/2017GL075361.To assess phytoplankton nutritional status in seasonally oligotrophic waters of the southern Mid‐Atlantic Bight, and the potential for rain to stimulate primary production in this region during summer, shipboard bioassay experiments were performed using natural seawater and phytoplankton collected north and south of the Gulf Stream. Bioassay treatments comprised iron, nitrate, iron + nitrate, iron + nitrate + phosphate, and rainwater. Phytoplankton growth was inferred from changes in chlorophyll a, inorganic nitrogen, and carbon‐13 uptake, relative to unamended control treatments. Results indicated the greatest growth stimulation by iron + nitrate + phosphate, intermediate growth stimulation by rainwater, modest growth stimulation by nitrate and iron + nitrate, and no growth stimulation by iron. Based on these data and analysis of seawater and atmospheric samples, nitrogen was the proximate limiting nutrient, with a secondary limitation imposed by phosphorus. Our results imply that summer rain events increase new production in these waters by contributing nitrogen and phosphorus, with the availability of the latter setting the upper limit on rain‐stimulated new production.US National Science Foundation Grant Numbers: OCE‐1260454, OCE‐1260454, OCE‐12605742018-09-1