Role of noncovalent interactions in protein peripheral membrane binding. Computational perspectives

Noncovalent forces are important driving forces in nature particularly in biology, and they dictate many biological processes including the binding of peripheral protein to the cell membrane. The widely acknowledged models describe this process as electrostatics driven membrane adsorption followed by short-range protein-lipid interactions i.e. hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions. Some of the key elements in such models are: clusters of basic residues are essential for electrostatic adsorption, and basic residues contribute equally to the membrane binding. Nevertheless, none of these models account for the role of cation-π interactions in membrane binding. With selected protein candidates, we further explore these models and work towards a generalized description of protein peripheral binding to membranes in terms of noncovalent forces. Our investigation highlights the limitations of these existing descriptions. We demonstrate that the requirement of having a cluster of basic residues is not essential. Further, we show that the contributions of basic residues are distance dependent. In other words, their localization in the membrane-water interface determines their strength and hence is not equal. We also establish the role of tyrosine-choline cation- π interactions in membrane binding of peripheral proteins. We explore in detail the nature of tyrosine-choline mediated cation-π interactions using high-level quantum mechanical calculations. Later, this information is used to improve the description of cation-π interactions in molecular simulation models. These improvements of force field parameters are further tested using molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, we used this information to build an interaction diagram that can be used to better describe the binding of peripheral proteins to the cell membrane. Future testing and the generalization of this diagram will further establish this as a common model

The Role of Rater Motivation and Training in Effective Performance Appraisal System in Public Sector Universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Performance appraisal is considered to be the most significant element of performance management but often the former involves controversial practices, among other variables influenced by accuracy and effectiveness. However, it is generally understood that performance appraisal system commonly result into positive organizational outcomes, yet the accuracy of the measuring tools is still an arguable issue with more criticisms. The ongoing matters are measured and tested as a case study approach by paying attention on higher education institutions. Since higher education is progressively playing a vital role in economic competitiveness of a country. Aiming to examine the effect of rater motivation and rater training on performance appraisal process in public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan and recognized as a critical contribution to organizational and people’s performance. Thus, this study finds the effects and consequences of rater motivation and rater training on performance appraisal system. This study is survey based, 300 questionnaires in total were distributed among the faculty of public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Out of which 160 were received back recording response rate of 53%. Findings of this study indicate that there was positive and significant relationship between rater motivation and performance appraisal and also between rater training and performance appraisal in public sector universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The current study offers researchers with the opportunity to search performance appraisal from a new perspective which has never been explored before in a developing country like Pakistan

The Effect of Total Quality Management on Firm Performance with the Mediating Roles of Innovation and Knowledge Management in Small Medium Enterprises

In the present era, the policy and decision makers are quite concerned regarding quality, hence the firms are more intricate and facing questions concerning which quality management practice would be adopted to increase the firm’s performance. The primary objective of this paper was to identify the effect of total quality management on firm’s performance through the mediating roles of innovation and knowledge management in the SME’S of Pakistan. A sum of 280 respondents was selected for data collection from various SME’S and employing a structural equation modelling for data analysis. It was summed up that a statistically significant causal correlation has been found among the TQM, innovation, knowledge management and firm’s performance. This article is established on theories like resource based theory and institutional theory. The results give cognitive understandings regarding how the modern as well as present SME’s would accomplish higher performance and consistent competitiveness through the interplay of these variables in the local and international market

The Moderating Effect of Employee Satisfaction on the Relationship of Goal-Setting and Purposes, Fairness and Rating Scale Format with Employee Job Performance

The aim of this article is to explore the moderating effect of employee satisfaction on the relationship of goal-setting and purposes, fairness and rating scale format with employee job performance in the academic setting. Data were collected through survey questionnaire from 300 employees working in six public sector universities of KP, Pakistan. Multiple regression analysis has been used to test the hypothesis. The dimensions of the performance appraisal were found to be significantly correlated to employee job performance and employee satisfaction played a crucial role in moderating this relationship. Potential reasons and suggestions for managers and employees are discussed. The paper adds to the current pool of knowledge on the links among goal-setting and purposes, fairness, rating scale format, employee satisfaction and employee job performance. Various facets of these constructs were analyzed, so as to give an extensive and more ample understanding of the determinants that influence employer and employee

The Importance of Organizational Justice, Appraisal Purposes and Employee Satisfaction in Performance Appraisal System in Academic Sector of Pakistan

The purpose of this article is to find out the importance of organizational justice and its types along with employee satisfaction in the performance appraisal system. Data were collected from a sample of 180 respondents who replied their opinions regarding the variables included in the study. This study used SPSS to analyze collected data. The findings of study found a linkage of three kinds of organizational justice with performance appraisal. Also a strong association of employee satisfaction was found with components of organizational justice. The core restriction is that this study provides information limited to only one source, i.e. employees. This paper has practical effects on human resource development as it gives human resource practitioners and also to managers acting as rater of their employees with different ideas and recommendations.  Such ideas and recommendations typify how to maximize the perceived justice of the performance appraisal system in higher education sector of Pakistan. This study will also add some extra knowledge to the stake holders in higher education sector to understand and pinpoint the role of performance appraisal in academic sector

Procyclical Monetary Policy and Governance

Weak governance adversely affects firm’s net worth and consequently the value of its collateral. This negative impact on the collateral reduces the external credit available for importing inputs constraining potential output. As a result, a stronger procyclical monetary policy stance is adopted for protecting the exchange rate and hence arresting the degradation in the collateral constraint.Collateral Constraints; Governance; Monetary Policy

A space efficient flexible pivot selection approach to evaluate determinant and inverse of a matrix

This paper presents new approaches for finding the determinant and inverse of a matrix. The choice of pivot selection is kept arbitrary and can be made according to the users need. So the ill conditioned matrices can be handled easily. The algorithms are more efficient as they save unnecessary data storage by reducing the order of the matrix after each iteration in the computation of determinant and incorporating dictionary notation (Chvatal, 1983) in the computation of inverse matrix. These algorithms are highly class room oriented and unlike the matrix inversion method (Khan, Shah, & Ahmad, 2010) the presented algorithm does not need any kind of permutations or inverse permutations

A Qualitative Study on Development of Enriching Performance Management System at a Pharma-Company

This case study aimed to develop a sample of enriching the performance management system using qualitative method. The job post of Import Executive in a pharma company has been selected as a sample. After taking consent from the management, a semi-structured interview approach with all related employees was undertaken. A comparison of existing performance management system was done with three other organizations of the same industry to provide a more comprehensive approach. Firstly, a systematic job evaluation was performed to transform traditional job description into competency based job description and implement job specific performance appraisal. This resulted in enrichment of performance management system. Peer evaluation and appraisal training for the supervisors have been suggested for a more comprehensive insight and a greater employee satisfaction with the performance management process

Nexus of Transformational Leadership and Employees’ Job Performance in Telecom Sector Pakistan

Transformational leadership is credited to inspire, motivate and support their employees in order to achieve organizational objectives. These leaders maintain the quality of workforce by inculcating visionary skills and abilities in their subordinates. This paper aims to examine the nexus of transformational leadership with employees’ job performance in telecom sector of Pakistan. The data is collected from the employees of PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited) head quarter, Islamabad through questionnaire. Sampling was made using purposive sampling technique. 150 questionnaires were distributed among the employees, out of which 120 were received back recording a response rate of 80 percent. It was hypothesized that transformational leadership is positively associated with employees’ job performance. Data is analyzed using correlation and regression analysis through SPSS. Results of the study indicate that majority of the PTCL employees agree that transformational leadership style has significant positive impact on employees job performance. In the light of the findings of this research it is recommended for PTCL management to adopt transformational leadership style to tackle today’s dynamic environment