Culture in Crisis! Exploring how employees make sense of corporate culture during economic crisis. A study of a city hotel business in Thessaloniki, Greece

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the concept of corporate culture and leadership at a hotel in a crisis environment. In particular, we ask to what extent this corporate culture is challenged by the leadership during a crisis situation. The study was conducted in a city hotel in Thessaloniki, Greece. The financial crisis had and continues to have a great impact in the Eurozone. The crisis made its most aggressive appearance in Greece during 2009 and is still going strong. Based upon literature that supports the connection of corporate culture, leadership and commitment, management is vital during crisis. Through loosely structured interviews we investigated to what extent this corporate culture exists in a hotel in Greece and how the specific form of leadership of the management is influencing corporate culture. The study made in Thessaloniki is qualitative and has an interpretive character. The findings of this study suggest that the corporate culture is affected by the leadership style, threatened during crisis but at the same time its employees seem to connect and get a family kind of atmosphere. Furthermore, our findings could add to the existing literature regarding corporate culture and leadership. Since we investigate a hotel that strives to survive during crisis with an ambiguous leadership style and its direct implications to the culture of the company, we hope that our study could be used as a base for further research into the three fields mentioned

Φύλο, Πολιτική και Δημοφιλής Κουλτούρα: Οι περιπτώσεις των σειρών The West Wing, House of Cards, Borgen, Madam Secretary

Η πληθώρα των τηλεοπτικών σειρών, που έχουν ως κεντρικό θέμα την πολιτική έχει οδηγήσει τους ακαδημαϊκούς να εστιάσουν τα τελευταία χρόνια στο συγκεκριμένο είδος της δημοφιλούς κουλτούρας, καθώς η τηλεοπτική ψυχαγωγία περιέχει και επικοινωνεί μηνύματα, σχετικά με τα πολιτικά συστήματα, τις πολιτικές συμπεριφορές και τους ίδιους τους πολιτικούς. Η ανάλυση τηλεοπτικών σειρών, είναι στην ουσία μια προσπάθεια κατανόησης θεμάτων που συνδέονται με την κοινωνικοπολιτική πραγματικότητα σε συγκεκριμένη χρονική στιγμή. Στόχος της εργασίας είναι να αναδείξει, τόσο σε θεωρητικό, όσο και σε ερευνητικό επίπεδο, ζητήματα της πολιτικής πραγματικότητας, όπως η σχέση φύλου και πολιτικής, φύλου και ηγεσίας, καθώς και θεωρίες πολιτικής επικοινωνίας που παραμένουν στο επίκεντρο του ακαδημαϊκού ενδιαφέροντος, όπως η μεσοποίηση (mediatization) και η προσωπικοποίηση (personalization) μέσω πολιτικών τηλεοπτικών σειρών. Συγκεκριμένα, τίθενται προς ανάλυση τρείς αμερικάνικες σειρές: The West Wing, House of Cards, Madam Secretary, καθώς επίσης και μια δανέζικη: Borgen

Pitfalls in Using Electrophysiological Studies to Diagnose Neuromuscular Disorders

Electrodiagnostic testing is used widely for the full characterization of neuromuscular disorders and for providing unique information on the processes underlying the pathology of peripheral nerves and muscles. However, such testing should be considered as an extension of anamnesis and physical examination, not as pathognomonic of a specific disease entity. There are many pitfalls that could lead to erroneous interpretation of electrophysiological study results when the studies are not performed properly or if they are performed in the presence of anatomical aberrations. The diagnostic reliability of electrodiagnostic studies can be improved and the associated pitfalls overcome if the physician is familiar with all of those possible pitfalls. In this article we discuss the most common and important pitfalls associated with electrodiagnostic medicine

High Specific Energy Lithium Cells for Space Exploration

The paper discusses development under an ESA TRP activity (Contract No. 4000109879/13/NL/LvH) with a target of high specific energy Lithium-ion cells, capable of operating under low temperature conditions, i.e. −40 °C. Such cells may be encountered in future exploration missions, which do not consider the use of Radioisotope Heater Units. During the activity, ≥1 Ah silicon-based high energy density prototype cells, following components characterization and optimization, were designed, developed, manufactured and tested under room and subzero temperature conditions down to −40 °C. The developed and tested prototype cells exhibited energy density of around 208 Wh/Kg at room temperature under C/10 charge-discharge rate within voltage range of 2.8 V and 4.1 V. Moreover, the prototype cells could retain and deliver more than 75% of their capacity at room temperature upon cycling at −40 °C, demonstrating an energy density of 140 Wh/kg

Design and modulation of selectivity toward vanadium(V) and uranium(VI) ions: coordination properties and affinity of hydroxylamino-triazine siderophores

Based on the strong binding and high selectivity properties of 2,6-bis[hydroxy(methyl)amino]-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazine (H2bihyat) for [UVIO2]2+, novel binucleating ligands (BLs) N,N′,N″,N‴-((1,4-phenylenebis(oxy))bis(1,3,5-triazine-6,2,4-triyl))tetrakis(N-methylhydroxylamine) (H4qtn), N1,N4-bis(4,6-bis(hydroxy(methyl)amino)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)benzene-1,4-diamine (H4pdl), and N1,N2-bis(4,6-bis(hydroxy(methyl)amino)-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)ethane-1,2-diamine (H4enl) were synthesized. Binuclear complexes formed by coordination of hard metal ions with H4qtn are thermodynamically more stable than their mononuclear analogues with H2bihyat due to the increase in entropy accompanying the formation of more chelate rings. Reaction of either H4qtn or H4pdl or H4enl with [UVIO2]2+ and [VVO2]+ resulted in the isolation of the binuclear complexes [(UVIO2)2(μ-qtn)(H2O)4] (1), [(VVO2)2(μ-qtn)][PPh4]2[PPh4] (2), [(UVIO2)2(μ-pdl)(H2O)2(MeOH)2] (3), [(VVO2)2(μ-pdl)][PPh4]2 (4), [(UVIO2)2(μ-enl)(H2O)4] (5), and [(VVO2)2(μ-enl)][PPh4]2 (6). The binuclear complexes 1–6 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis in solid state and by NMR and ESI-MS in solution. The comparison of the coordination ability of the BLs with either pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (H2dipic) or H2bihyat or CO32– toward [UVIO2]2+ and [VVO2]+ was investigated by NMR and UV–vis spectroscopies and DFT theoretical calculations, revealing a superior performance of BLs. The selectivity of the BLs for [UVIO2]2+ over [VVO2]+ is decreased compared to that of H2bihyat but increases considerably at pH > 9 values. Formation of the mixed-metal binuclear species [UVIO2(μ-O)VVO2] influences the selectivity and dynamics of the reaction of H4qtn for [UVIO2]2+ and [VVO2]+ in aqueous solution. The results of this study provide crucial information for the ligand design and the development of stronger and more selective systems

The Relative Contributions of the Medial Sural and Peroneal Communicating Nerves to the Sural Nerve

The medial sural cutaneous nerve (MSCN) and peroneal communicating nerve (PCN) conjoin in the calf area to form the sural nerve (SN). In previous anatomic studies, there was unresolved debate as to the main contributor to the sural nerve, and the relative contributions of MSCN and PCN had not been studied. The purpose of this study is to determine their relative neurophysiologic contributions to the SN by nerve conduction study (NCS). A total of 47 healthy subjects (25 males and 22 females, mean age 29.6 ± 10.4 yrs, range 20-59 yrs) participated in the study. This study employed the orthodromic nerve conduction technique: stimulation at the ankle and recording at the mid calf (SN); specifically, we preformed stimulation at the mid calf (MSCN, PCN) and recording at 14 cm proximal to the middle of the popliteal fossa (MSCN) and fibular head (PCN). The onset and peak latencies (ms) were SN 2.3 ± 0.2 and 3.0 ± 0.2; MSCN 2.1 ± 0.2 and 2.8 ± 0.2; and PCN 2.1 ± 0.2 and 2.8 ± 0.2. The peak-to-peak amplitudes (µV) and areas (nVsec) of the SN, MSCN, and PCN were 9.7 ± 3.9, 7.0 ± 4.7, and 5.0 ± 3.2; and 7.2 ± 2.9, 5.7 ± 3.4, and 4.0 ± 2.4, respectively. The side-to-side difference was not statistically significant. The main contributor to the SN was found to be the MSCN. The relative contribution ratio of the MSCN to the PCN was 1.37:1 by amplitude and 1.42:1 by area. However, in 32.9% of the subjects, the contribution of the PCN was greater than that of the MSCN

Supracubital perineurioma misdiagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome: case report

BACKGROUND: Perineuriomas have been defined as tumorous lesions of the peripheral nerves which derive from perineurial cell proliferation and may be associated with abnormalities on chromosome 22. CASE PRESENTATION: Three years after a painful cubital vein procaine injection, a 33 year-old man developed a median nerve lesion, initially diagnosed as carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms progressed despite appropriate surgery. Clinical and electrophysiological re-evaluation revealed a fusiform mass at the distal upper arm, confirmed by MRI. Immunohistochemical studies classified the tumor as a mixed perineurioma and neuroma. CONCLUSIONS: Perineurioma mixed with neuroma may potentially caused by the previous trauma or cytotoxic effects of procaine

Experimental and theoretical investigation of the mechanism of the reduction of O2 from air to O22– by VIVO2+–N,N,N-amidate compounds and their potential use in fuel cells

The two-electron reductive activation of O2 to O22– is of particular interest to the scientific community mainly due to the use of peroxides as green oxidants and in powerful fuel cells. Despite of the great importance of vanadium(IV) species to activate the two-electron reductive activation of O2, the mechanism is still unclear. Reaction of VIVO2+ species with the tridentate-planar N,N,N-carboxamide (ΗL) ligands in solution (CH3OH:H2O) under atmospheric O2, at room temperature, resulted in the quick formation of [VV(═O)(η2-O2)(κ3-L)(H2O)] and cis-[VV(═O)2(κ3-L)] compounds. Oxidation of the VIVO2+ complexes with the sterically hindered tridentate-planar N,N,N-carboxamide ligands by atmospheric O2 gave only cis-[VV(═O)2(κ3-L)] compounds. The mechanism of formation of [VV(═O)(η2-O2)(κ3-L)(H2O)] (I) and cis-[VV(═O)2(κ3-L)] (II) complexes vs time, from the interaction of [VIV(═O)(κ3-L)(Η2Ο)2]+ with atmospheric O2, was investigated with 51V, 1H NMR, UV–vis, cw-X-band EPR, and 18O2 labeling IR and resonance Raman spectroscopies revealing the formation of a stable intermediate (Id). EPR, MS, and theoretical calculations of the mechanism of the formation of I and II revealed a pathway, through a binuclear [VIV(═O)(κ3-L)(H2O)(η1,η1-O2)VIV(═O)(κ3-L)(H2O)]2+ intermediate. The results from cw-EPR, 1H NMR spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry, and the reactivity of the complexes [VIV(═O)(κ3-L)(Η2Ο)2]+ toward O2 reduction fit better to an intermediate with a binuclear nature. Dynamic experiments in combination with computational calculations were undertaken to fully elucidate the mechanism of the O2 reduction to O22– by [VIV(═O)(κ3-L)(Η2Ο)2]+. The galvanic cell {Zn|VIII,VII||Id, [VIVO(κ3-L)(H2O)2]+|O2|C(s)} was manufactured, demonstrating the important applicability of this new chemistry to Zn|H2O2 fuel cells technology generating H2O2 in situ from the atmospheric O2

Genetic Dissection of the Function of Hindbrain Axonal Commissures

The Robo3 receptor controls midline crossing by axons. Deleting Robo3 in specific commissural neurons with a conditional knockout reveals their contribution to sensory and motor integration, and models human neurological conditions