Outcome-based theory of work motivation

This paper introduces an outcome-based theory of work motivation. This theory focuses on the individual's expected consequences of his or her action. We identify four different types of expected consequences, or motives. These motives lead to four types of motivation: extrinsic, intrinsic, contributive, and relational. We categorize these outcomes using two criteria: the perceived locus of causality, which defines the origin of the motivation, and the perceived locus of consequence, which defines who receives the consequences of the action. Individuals generally act based on a combination of extrinsic, intrinsic, contributive, and relational motivations, each one having a particular weight. We use the term motivational profile to refer to the particular combination of an individual's motivations in a certain context. Individuals may experience conflict when different alternatives convey different expected consequences (or motives). Resolution of conflicts among motives results in motivational learning. Specifically, the resolution of conflicts among motives of the same type results in calculative learning. On the other hand, the resolution of conflicts among motives of different types results in evaluative learning. Evaluative learning implies a change in the individual's motivational profile.work motivation; locus causality; motivational profile; extrinsic motivation; intrinsic motivation; contributive motivation; relational motivation;

Effect of Enzyme Addition in the Making of Pedro Ximenez Sweet Wines Using Dynamic Pre-fermentative Maceration

This work evaluated the effect of two commercial pectolytic enzymes on some oenological parameters before andafter enzymatic treatments with pre-fermentative dynamic maceration at room temperature for three hours. Thestudy was conducted on an industrial scale using musts from sun-dried grapes of the Pedro Ximenez variety.Statistical analysis and sensory rating showed that the resulting wines varied significantly in total soluble solids(ºBrix) and in the final sensorial controls. On the other hand, the enzyme treatment had no effect on the contentof total polyphenols (TPI) and other chemical characteristics of the obtained musts. A higher qualitative level wasobserved with regard to aroma and gustative quality compared to the control. The results also demonstrate thattotal juice yield improved after enzyme addition together with dynamic maceration

Quinoidization of regioregular oligo(THIENO[3,4-b]THIOPHENE)s

Caracterización de oligotiofenosUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Modelling of a Stilling Basins with Sloping Apron in IBER to Improve Efficiency in High-slope Rivers

This research shows the influence of stilling basin slopes on energy loss in rivers with a high gradient. This study takes as a case San Pedro water intake (Ayacucho, Peru). The main objective is to improve efficiency of stilling basins in rivers with high slope. Five dissipation pools of different slopes were modelled: 0%, 1.52%, 3.04%, 4.56% and 6.08% to propose the optimum pool among these, for the San Pedro intake. Results were validated by means of a Sensitivity Analysis, trough comparison with the results of previous investigation and results of modelling San Pedro river with HEC-RAS and IBER. It was obtained that the steeper the slope of the stilling basin, the higher the specific energy loss, the higher the output rate, the longer the stilling basin. It can be concluded that the 3.04% slope stilling basin is the most appropriate for the 6.08% slope river since the slope variation is not abrupt as in the case of the horizontal one, that is, 30% more energy loss with respect to the horizontal pool and velocity and Froude results similar to the modelling of the San Pedro river

EVIDENCIAÇÃO DE INFORMAÇÕES AMBIENTAIS: PROPOSTA DE UM INDICADOR A PARTIR DA PERCEPÇÃO DE ESPECIALISTAS

This paper is aimed at listing environmental attributes, according to the degree of importance of disclosure, to compose a truly Brazilian indicator that assesses the quality of environmental information disclosure. “Environmental accounting/sustainability” experts and environmental disclosure attributes were selected, based on Brazilian and international studies. Through Delphi rounds, the experts outlined the list of the most relevant attributes to compose the indicator. The Environmental Disclosure Indicator – EDI consists of ten attributes than combine practicality and representativeness of the quality of environmental information disclosure. The results revealed a high degree of importance and, therefore, a greater weight of qualitative attributes, such as “Environmental Impacts of Products and Processes” and “Information about Residues”. The study contributes by revealing “what” should be disclosed prioritarily, that is, which are the essential environmental attributes. It contributes to verify whether the amount of environmental information companies have disclosed have necessarily meant disclosure quality. As it provides an instrument to quantify the quality of environmental disclosure, the study permits further research about the association between this disclosure and other company aspects, such as performance and corporate governance.O artigo tem por objetivo elencar atributos ambientais, conforme o grau de importância de disclosure, para composição de um indicador genuinamente brasileiro que avalie qualidade de evidenciação de informações ambientais. Selecionaram-se especialistas da área “contabilidade ambiental/sustentabilidade” e atributos de evidenciação ambiental subsidiados por estudos nacionais e internacionais. Por meio de rodadas Delphi, os especialistas delinearam o rol de atributos mais relevantes para a composição do indicador. O Indicador de Disclosure Ambiental – IDA é composto por dez atributos que combinam praticidade e representatividade da qualidade de evidenciação de informações ambientais. Os resultados revelaram alto grau de importância e, portanto, maior peso para atributos qualitativos, como “Impactos Ambientais de Produtos e Processos” e “Informações sobre Resíduos”. A contribuição do estudo consiste em revelar “o que” se deve evidenciar prioritariamente, ou seja, quais são os atributos ambientais essenciais. Contribui para que verifique se a quantidade de informações ambientais evidenciadas pelas companhias tem significado necessariamente qualidade de disclosure. Por fornecer um instrumento para quantificação da qualidade do disclosure ambiental, o estudo possibilita pesquisas posteriores sobre a associação entre esta evidenciação e demais aspectos das companhias, como desempenho e governança corporativ

Oceanic Rossby waves drive inter-annual predictability of net primary production in the central tropical Pacific

In the Pacific Ocean, off-equatorial Rossby waves (RWs), initiated by atmosphere-ocean interaction, modulate the inter-annual variability of the thermocline. In this study, we explore the resulting potential gain in predictability of central tropical Pacific primary production, which in this region strongly depends on the supply of macronutrients from below the thermocline. We use a decadal prediction system based on the Max Planck Institute Earth system model to demonstrate that for the time period 1998-2014 properly initialized RWs explain an increase in predictability of net primary productivity (NPP) in the off-equatorial central tropical Pacific. We show that, for up to 5 years in advance, predictability of NPP derived from the decadal prediction system is significantly larger than that derived from persistence alone, or an uninitialized historical simulation. The predicted signal can be explained by the following mechanism: off-equatorial RWs are initiated in the eastern Pacific and travel towards the central tropical Pacific on a time scale of 2-6 years. On their arrival the RWs modify the depths of both thermocline and nutricline, which is fundamental to the availability of nutrients in the euphotic layer. Local upwelling transports nutrients from below the nutricline into the euphotic zone, effectively transferring the RW signal to the near-surface ocean. While we show that skillful prediction of central off-equatorial tropical Pacific NPP is possible, we open the door for establishing predictive systems for food web and ecosystem services in that region

Long-Term Stability of TiS2–Alkylamine Hybrid Materials

Layered TiS2 intercalated with linear alkylamines has recently attracted significant interest as a model compound for flexible n-type thermoelectric applications, showing remarkably high power factors at room temperature. The thermal and, particularly, environmental stability of such materials is, however, a still an open challenge. In this paper, we show that amine-intercalated TiS2 prepared by a simple mechanochemical process is prone to chemical decomposition through sulfur exsolution, and that the presence of molecular oxygen is likely to mediate the decomposition reaction. Through computational analysis of the possible reaction pathways, we propose that Ti-N adducts are formed as a consequence of amine groups substituting for S vacancies on the internal surfaces of the S-Ti-S layers. These findings provide insights for possible future applications of similar hybrid compounds as devices operating in ambient conditions, and suggest isolating them from atmospheric oxygen

Somatosensory attention identifies both overt and covert awareness in disorders of consciousness

Objective Some patients diagnosed with disorders of consciousness retain sensory and cognitive abilities beyond those apparent from their overt behavior. Characterizing these covert abilities is crucial for diagnosis, prognosis, and medical ethics. This multimodal study investigates the relationship between electroencephalographic evidence for perceptual/cognitive preservation and both overt and covert markers of awareness. Methods Fourteen patients with severe brain injuries were evaluated with an electroencephalographic vibrotactile attention task designed to identify a hierarchy of residual somatosensory and cognitive abilities: (1) somatosensory steady-state evoked responses, (2) bottom-up attention orienting (P3a event-related potential), and (3) top-down attention (P3b event-related potential). Each patient was also assessed with a clinical behavioral scale and 2 functional magnetic resonance imaging assessments of covert command following. Results Six patients produced only sensory responses, with no evidence of cognitive event-related potentials. A further 8 patients demonstrated reliable bottom-up attention-orienting responses (P3a). No patient showed evidence of top-down attention (P3b). Only those patients who followed commands, whether overtly with behavior or covertly with functional neuroimaging, also demonstrated event-related potential evidence of attentional orienting. Interpretation Somatosensory attention-orienting event-related potentials differentiated patients who could follow commands from those who could not. Crucially, this differentiation was irrespective of whether command following was evident through overt external behavior, or through covert functional neuroimaging methods. Bedside electroencephalographic methods may corroborate more expensive and challenging methods such as functional neuroimaging, and thereby assist in the accurate diagnosis of awareness

Exploiting graphlet decomposition to explain the structure of complex networks: the GHuST framework

The characterization of topology is crucial in understanding network evolution and behavior. This paper presents an innovative approach, the GHuST framework to describe complex-network topology from graphlet decomposition. This new framework exploits the local information provided by graphlets to give a global explanation of network topology. The GHuST framework is comprised of 12 metrics that analyze how 2- and 3-node graphlets shape the structure of networks. The main strengths of the GHuST framework are enhanced topological description, size independence, and computational simplicity. It allows for straight comparison among different networks disregarding their size. It also reduces the complexity of graphlet counting, since it does not use 4- and 5-node graphlets. The application of the novel framework to a large set of networks shows that it can classify networks of distinct nature based on their topological properties. To ease network classification and enhance the graphical representation of them, we reduce the 12 dimensions to their main principal components. Furthermore, the 12 dimensions are easily interpretable. This enables the connection between complex-network analyses and diverse real applications