Character in the workplace : self directedness mediates harm avoidance in the prediction of job performance

The purpose of this study was to test a model of the relationship between temperament, character and job performance, in order to better understand the cause of stable individual differences in job performance. Personality was conceptualized in terms of Cloninger, Svrakic and Przybeck’s (1993) theoretical framework of personality. It was expected that Self Directedness (character) would mediate Harm Avoidance and Persistence (temperament) in the prediction of job performance. In order to test the hypotheses, a sample of 94 employee/supervisor pairs was recruited from several organizations across Australia. Participants completed a number of questionnaires online, regarding their personality traits (completed by employees) and Job Performance (completed by Supervisors). Consistent with the hypothesis, Self Directedness was found to be a moderate, direct predictor of job performance. Also consistent with the hypothesis, Self Directedness mediated Harm Avoidance in the prediction of job performance. Results show that character (Self Directedness) is important in the prediction of job performance, and also suggests that fearful, avoidant individuals are less likely to perform well in the workplace, based on their low level of character development.

The inaccuracy of national character stereotypes

Consensual stereotypes of some groups are relatively accurate, whereas others are not. Previous work suggesting that national character stereotypes are inaccurate has been criticized on several grounds. In this article we (a) provide arguments for the validity of assessed national mean trait levels as criteria for evaluating stereotype accuracy and (b) report new data on national character in 26 cultures from descriptions (N= 3323) of the typical male or female adolescent, adult, or old person in each. The average ratings were internally consistent and converged with independent stereotypes of the typical culture member, but were weakly related to objective assessments of personality. We argue that this conclusion is consistent with the broader literature on the inaccuracy of national character stereotypes

The impact of orbital errors on the estimation of satellite clock errors and PPP

Precise satellite orbit and clocks are essential for providing high accuracy real-time PPP (Precise Point Positioning) service. However, by treating the predicted orbits as fixed, the orbital errors may be partially assimilated by the estimated satellite clock and hence impact the positioning solutions. This paper presents the impact analysis of errors in radial and tangential orbital components on the estimation of satellite clocks and PPP through theoretical study and experimental evaluation. The relationship between the compensation of the orbital errors by the satellite clocks and the satellite-station geometry is discussed in details. Based on the satellite clocks estimated with regional station networks of different sizes (∼100, ∼300, ∼500 and ∼700 km in radius), results indicated that the orbital errors compensated by the satellite clock estimates reduce as the size of the network increases. An interesting regional PPP mode based on the broadcast ephemeris and the corresponding estimated satellite clocks is proposed and evaluated through the numerical study. The impact of orbital errors in the broadcast ephemeris has shown to be negligible for PPP users in a regional network of a radius of ∼300 km, with positioning RMS of about 1.4, 1.4 and 3.7 cm for east, north and up component in the post-mission kinematic mode, comparable with 1.3, 1.3 and 3.6 cm using the precise orbits and the corresponding estimated clocks. Compared with the DGPS and RTK positioning, only the estimated satellite clocks are needed to be disseminated to PPP users for this approach. It can significantly alleviate the communication burdens and therefore can be beneficial to the real time applications.

The role of polar and facial amphipathic character in determining lipopolysaccharide-binding properties in synthetic cationic peptides

Two series of peptides, designated K and NK were synthesized and tested for lipid A binding and neutralizing properties. K-2, which has an 11-residue amphiphilic core, and a branched N-terminus bearing two branched lysinyl residues does not bind lipid A, while NK2, also with an 11-residue amphiphilic core comprised entirely of non-ionizable residues, and a similarly branched, cationic N-terminus, binds lipid A very weakly. Both peptides do not inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activity in the Limulus assay, nor do they inhibit LPS-induced TNF-alpha and NO production in 5774 cells. These results are entirely unlike a homologous peptide with an exclusively hydrophobic core whose LPS-binding and neutralizing properties are very similar to that of polymyxin B [David SA, Awasthi SK, Wiese A et al. Characterization of the interactions of a polycationic, amphiphilic, terminally branched oligopeptide with lipid A and lipopolysaccharide from the deep rough mutant of Salmonella minnesota. J Endotoxin Res 1996; 3: 369-379]. These data suggest that a clear segregation of charged and apolar domains is crucial in molecules designed for purposes of LPS sequestration and that head-tail (polar) orientation of the cationic/hydrophobic regions is preferable to molecules with mixed or facial cationic/amphipathic character.

Generating artificial homologous proteins according to the representative family character in molecular mechanics properties - an attempt in validating an underlying rule of protein evolution

The molecular mechanics property is the foundation of many characters of proteins. Based on intramolecular hydrophobic force network, the representative family character underlying a protein’s mechanics property is described by a simple two-letter scheme. The tendency of a sequence to become a member of a protein family is scored according to this mathematical representation. Remote homologs of the WW-domain family could be easily designed using such a mechanistic signature of protein homology. Experimental validation showed that nearly all artificial homologs have the representative folding and bioactivity of their assigned family. Since the molecular mechanics property is the only consideration in this study, the results indicate its possible role in the generation of new members of a protein family during evolution.

On the character of the phytoplankton of the Yakimvarskii Gulf (Lake Ladoga) [Translation from: Botanicheskii Zhurnal, T. 44, No. 9, 1311-1314, 1959]

The Laboratory of Lake Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in 1956 undertook this complicated study of Lake Ladoga. The plan of the laboratory made allowance for the detailed investigation of the phytoplankton of the lake during a series of years. In the present article are given the preliminary results of observations on the phytoplankton of the Yakimvarskii Bay from 1956 to 1957. Details are also given on the concentration of dissolved gases and biogenic substances of the bay.

SCANNING-TUNNELING-MICROSCOPY (STM) AND LATERAL FORCE MICROSCOPY (LFM) INVESTIGATION OF THE STRUCTURE AND CHARACTER OF CONDUCTIVE POLYPYRROLE FILM

Polypyrrole doped with p-toluenesulfonate was electropolymerized onto highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), glassy carbon (GC) and Pt electrode surfaces under the same experimental conditions. The resulting films were studied by scanning tunneling m

Constructivist Character of the Technique of Role-Playing Games and its Autonomizing Values in the Glottodidactic Process

To Augustyn Surdyk numerous assumptions of constructivism and constructionism in the educational context seem to correspond with the idea of autonomisation in foreign language didactics. He presents a comparison of selected aspects of the three theories in question on the example of an innovative communicative technique of Role-Playing Games applied in the process of teaching foreign languages at an advanced level. The conventions of the technique with its simplified rules have been borrowed from popular parlour games and adapted by the author to the conditions of language didactics. The elements of play and simulation incorporated in the technique allow it to be rated among techniques of ludic strategy. (from Preface to the book)

TIME-RESOLVED ABSORPTION, INFRARED, AND RESONANCE RAMAN-SPECTRA OF THE COMPLEXES [RU(X)(R)(CO)(2)(ALPHA-DIIMINE)] (X=HALIDE R=ALKYL) - INFLUENCE OF X ON THE CHARGE-TRANSFER CHARACTER OF THE LOWEST EXCITED-STATE

Nanosecond time-resolved absorption (TA), resonance Raman (TR(3)), and infrared (TRIR) spectra are reported for several complexes [Ru(X)(R)(CO)(2)(alpha-diimine)] (X = Cl, Br, I; R = Me, Et; alpha-diimine = N,N'-diisopropyl-1,4-diaza-1,3-butadiene (iPr-DAB), pyridine-2-carbaldehyde-N-isopropylimine (iPr-PyCa), 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy)). This is the first instance in which the TA, TR(3), and TRIR techniques have been used to probe excited states in the same series of complexes. The TA spectra of the iodide complexes show a transient absorption between 550 and 700 nm, which does not depend on the solvent but shifts to lower energy in the order iPr-DAB > bpy > iPr-PyCa. This band is assigned to an intraligand transition. For the corresponding chloride and bromide complexes this band occurs at higher energy, most probably because of a change of character of the lowest excited state from XLCT to MLCT. The TRIR spectra show an increase in v(CO) (and k(CO)) on promotion to the excited state; however, the shifts Delta v(CO) show a decrease in the order Cl- > Br- > I-. The TR(3) spectra of the excited complexes [Ru(X)(R)(Co)(2)(iPr-DAB)] show v(s)(CN) of the iPr-DAB ligand 50-80 cm(-1) lower in frequency than for the complexes in their ground state. This frequency shift decreases in the order Cl- > Br- > I-, indicating a decrease of CT character of the lowest excited state in this order. However, going from X = Br to I, the effect on Delta v(CO) is much larger than the decrease of Delta v(s)(CN). This different effect on the CO- and CN-stretching frequencies is assigned to a gradual change in character of the lowest excited state from MLCT to XLCT when Cl- is replaced by Br- and I-. This result confirms a similar conclusion derived from previous resonance Raman and emission experiments on these complexes.