Examining the Link Between Diversity and Firm Performance: The Effects of Diversity Reputation and Leader Racial Diversity

Given the scarcity of empirical research on the impact of diversity on organizational performance, we used longitudinal data for 100 firms to test hypotheses related to the effects of diversity reputation and leader racial diversity on firm financial outcomes. The results showed a positive relationship between diversity reputation and book-to-market equity, and a curvilinear U-shaped relationship between leader diversity and revenues, net income and book-to-market equity. Our analyses suggest that economic benefits generated from diversity reputation may primarily derive from capital rather than product markets. Further, firm performance declines with increases in the representation of racial minorities in leadership up to a point, beyond which further increases in diversity are associated with increases in performance

Beginning to Unlock the Black Box in the HR Firm Performance Relationship: The Impact of HR Practices on Employee Attitudes and Employee Outcomes

Theoretical models in strategic human resource management research commonly include employee attitudes and behaviors as key mediating links between human resource practices and firm performance. However, almost all empirical SHRM work to date has ignored the mediating hypothesis and merely examined the direct relationship between HR practices and firm outcomes. The purpose of this study is to test the relationship between HR practices and employee attitudes and behaviors. Using a sample of 174 independent work groups, we examined the relationship between HR practices and collective behaviors (turnover and absenteeism) mediated by collective attitudes (job satisfaction and commitment). Results indicate attitudes partially mediate the relationship between HR practices and employee behaviors. The direct and indirect relationships identified in this study support the notion that attitudes and behaviors play a mediating role between HR practices and firm outcomes. These findings illustrate the varying impacts of HR practices and the importance of utilizing multilevel theory and methods

HR Practices and Customer Satisfaction: The Mediating Link of Commitment

This research examined organizational commitment as a mediator between HR practices and customer satisfaction of 35 job groups from 13 service firm business units. Both commitment level and consensus were predicted to influence customer satisfaction. Results found that commitment level mediated the relationship between HR practices and customer satisfaction

Measurement Error in Research on Human Resources and Firm Performance: Additional Data and Suggestions for Future Research

Gerhart and colleagues and Huselid and Becker recently debated the presence and implications of measurement error in measures of human resource practices. This paper presents data from three more studies, one of large organizations from different industries at the corporate level, one from commercial banks, and the other of autonomous business units at the level of the job. Results of all three studies provide additional evidence that single respondent measures of HR practices contain large amounts of measurement error. Implications for future research are discussed

Estimation of utility weights for human papilloma virus-related health states according to disease severity

Scenarios for the different HPV-related health states. (DOCX 38 kb

Proto-type installation of a double-station system for the optical-video-detection and orbital characterisation of a meteor/fireball in South Korea

We give a detailed description of the installation and operation of a double-station meteor detection system which formed part of a research & education project between Korea Astronomy Space Science Institute and Daejeon Science Highschool. A total of six light-sensitive CCD cameras were installed with three cameras at SOAO and three cameras at BOAO observatory. A double-station observation of a meteor event enables the determination of the three-dimensional orbit in space. This project was initiated in response to the Jinju fireball event in March 2014. The cameras were installed in October/November 2014. The two stations are identical in hardware as well as software. Each station employes sensitive Watec-902H2 cameras in combination with relatively fast f/1.2 lenses. Various fields of views were used for measuring differences in detection rates of meteor events. We employed the SonotaCo UFO software suite for meteor detection and their subsequent analysis. The system setup as well as installation/operation experience is described and first results are presented. We also give a brief overview of historic as well as recent meteor (fall) detections in South Korea. For more information please consult http://meteor.kasi.re.kr .Comment: Technical/instrumentation description of a professional meteor detection system, 23 pages, 20 figures (color/monochrome), 5 tables, submitted to the Journal of Korean Astronomical Society (JKAS, http://jkas.kas.org/, http://jkas.kas.org/history.html

Dysfunction of 67-kDa Laminin Receptor Disrupts BBB Integrity via Impaired Dystrophin/AQP4 Complex and p38 MAPK/VEGF Activation Following Status Epilepticus

Status epilepticus (SE, a prolonged seizure activity) impairs brain-blood barrier (BBB) integrity, which results in secondary complications following SE. The non-integrin 67-kDa laminin receptor (67-kDa LR) plays a role in cell adherence to laminin (a major glycoprotein component in basement membrane), and participates laminin-mediated signaling pathways including p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK). Thus, we investigated the role of 67-kDa LR in SE-induced vasogenic edema formation in the rat piriform cortex (PC). SE diminished 67-kDa LR expression, but increased laminin expression, in endothelial cells accompanied by the reduced SMI-71 (a rat BBB barrier marker) expression. Astroglial 67-kDa LR expression was also reduced in the PC due to massive astroglial loss. 67-kDa LR neutralization led to serum extravasation in the PC concomitant with the reduced SMI-71 expression. 67-kDa LR neutralization also decreased expressions of dystrophin and aquaporin-4 (AQP4). In addition, it increased p38 MAPK phosphorylation and expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), laminin and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which were abrogated by SB202190, a p38 MAPK inhibitor. Therefore, our findings indicate that 67-kDa LR dysfunction may disrupt dystrophin-AQP4 complex, which would evoke vasogenic edema formation and subsequent laminin over-expression via activating p38 MAPK/VEGF axis

Comparison of Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Radical Nephrectomy with Conventional Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy for Localized Renal-Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: To compare the results of laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) radical nephrectomy with conventional laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for localized renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). Patients and Methods: This study was designed as a matched case-controlled study from our institute`s RCC database. Nineteen consecutive patients who were undergoing LESS radical nephrectomy were compared with 38 patients who were undergoing conventional laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. The matching process accounted for sex, age, operative side, and tumor size. Results: No significant differences were observed in mean operative time (190.8 vs 172.4 min, P - 0.249), estimated blood loss (143.2 vs 199.5 mL, P - 0.235), and complication rate (15.8% vs 21.1 %, P - 0.635) between the LESS and conventional laparoscopy groups. Postoperative hospital stay after LESS radical nephrectomy was 2.7 (2-4) days, compared with 3.9 (3-7) days in the conventional laparoscopy group (P < 0.001). Postoperative pain, as measured by visual analog scale at postoperative day 1 (4.7 vs 5.8 points, P - 0.001), 2 (3.4 vs 4.6 points, P < 0.001), and 3 (2.7 vs 4.0 points, P = 0.008) was significantly lower in the LESS group. Conclusion: LESS radical nephrectomy is a feasible and safe surgical option for localized RCC that demonstrates improved cosmetic outcomes and the additional benefits of decreased postoperative pain and decreased hospital stay.Desai MM, 2009, UROLOGY, V74, P805, DOI 10.1016/j.urology.2009.02.083Stolzenburg JU, 2009, EUR UROL, V56, P644, DOI 10.1016/j.eururo.2009.06.022Stolzenburg JU, 2009, J ENDOUROL, V23, P1287, DOI 10.1089/end.2009.0120Raman JD, 2009, EUR UROL, V55, P1198, DOI 10.1016/j.eururo.2008.08.019Park YH, 2009, J ENDOUROL, V23, P833, DOI 10.1089/end.2009.0025Kommu SS, 2009, BJU INT, V103, P1034, DOI 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2008.08282.xRAYBOURN JH, 2009, UROLOGY 0721Canes D, 2008, EUR UROL, V54, P1020, DOI 10.1016/j.eururo.2008.07.009Bandi G, 2008, BJU INT, V101, P459, DOI 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2007.07235.xDELGADO S, 2008, GASTROENTEROL HEPATO, V31, P515Raman JD, 2007, UROLOGY, V70, P1039, DOI 10.1016/j.urology.2007.10.001Colombo JR, 2007, CLINICS, V62, P251Hemal AK, 2007, J UROLOGY, V177, P862, DOI 10.1016/j.juro.2006.10.053Kawauchi A, 2007, UROLOGY, V69, P53, DOI 10.1016/j.urology.2006.09.009KAVOUSSI LR, 1993, UROLOGY, V42, P603CLAYMAN RV, 1991, J UROLOGY, V146, P2781

First report of Septoria centellae associated with leaf spot of Centella asiatica in Korea

Septoria centellae associated with leaf spot of Centella asiatica is reported for the first time in Korea. The fungus is described and illustrated in detail. It is also compared with related species of Septoria present on Centella and Hydrocotyle spp. with taxonomic comments. Two monoconidial isolates from Jeju and Wando were successfully cultured and have been deposited in the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale