Basic Human Values in the Workplace

Työntekijöiden henkilökohtaisia arvoja ja niiden yhteyksiä asenteisiin ei ole juuri tutkittu. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää, onko suomalaisessa metalliteollisuuden yrityksen henkilöstön (N=1314) arvojen rakenne S. H. Schwartzin arvoteorian mukainen. Lisäksi tutkittiin arvojen yhteyksiä organisaatiomuutosta koskeviin asenteisiin ja tiedon jakamiseen työyhteisössä. Arvomittarina käytettiin uutta 40-osioista Portrait Value Questionnairea (PVQ). Mittarin validiteetti osoitettiin ver-taamalla nyt kerätyn aineiston arvorakennetta aikaisemmalla mittarilla kerättyihin arvoteorian mukaisiin yliopisto-opiskelijoiden vastauksiin. Organisaatiomuutosta koskevien asenteiden ja tiedonjakamisen mittarit luotiin laadullisissa esitutkimuksissa. Tilastolliset analyysit osoittivat, että toimihenkilöiden ja työntekijöiden arvojen rakenteet noudattivat pääosin Schwartzin teoriaa, mutta turvallisuusarvot sijaitsivat molemmissa ryhmissä universalismin ja hyväntahtoisuuden joukossa. Universalismi ja hyväntahtoisuus ennustivat myönteistä asennetta organisaatiomuutoksia kohtaan, mutta perinteiden ja mielihyvän arvostaminen liittyivät kielteisiin muutosasenteisiin. Sosiaalisia normeja kunnioittavien eli yhdenmukaisuutta arvostavien henkilöiden muut arvot vaikuttivat muutosasenteisiin vähemmän kuin niillä, joille yhdenmukaisuus ei ollut tärkeää. Lisäksi suoriutumisarvon yhteys muutosasenteisiin oli yhdenmukaisuutta arvostavilla henkilöillä positiivinen, mutta niillä, jotka eivät arvostaneet yhdenmukaisuutta, yhteys oli negatiivinen. Itseohjautuvuutta arvostavat henkilöt pitivät työyhteisönsä tiedon jakamista heikompana, kun taas hyväntahtoisuutta ja yhdenmukaisuutta arvostavat pitivät sitä muihin nähden parempana. Suoriutumisarvo oli yhteydessä tiedonjakamiseen vain silloin, kun yhdenmukaisuus oli tärkeää. Työpaikkojen (N=19) keskiarvoja vertailtaessa havaittiin, että ne työpaikat, joissa arvostettiin paljon universalismia, hyväntahtoisuutta ja yhdenmukaisuutta sekä vähän valtaa ja suoriutumista saivat henkilöstöltään parhaat arvioinnit tiedon jakamisesta. Tutkimukseen osallistuneet henkilöt jaettiin työtehtäviensä perusteella kolmeen ammatilliseen ympäristöön: konven-tionaaliseen (mm. taloushallinto), realistiseen (mm. tuotanto) ja yrittäjämäiseen (mm. myynti). Yrittäjämäisessä ammatillisessa ympäristössä toimivat arvostivat enemmän kuin konventionaalisessa ympäristössä toimivat valtaa, itseohjautuvuutta ja suoriutumista. Realistisessa ympäristössä arvostettiin enemmän perinteitä ja mielihyvää kuin yrittäjämäisessä ympäristössä. Ryhmien väliset erot arvoissa johtuivat koulutuksesta, iästä ja sukupuolijakaumasta.

Charge density based classification of intermolecular interactions in molecular crystals

Evaluation of intermolecular interactions in terms of both experimental and theoretical charge density analyses has produced a unified picture with which to classify strong and weak hydrogen bonds, along with van der Waals interactions, into three regions.

Amino acid sequence of the winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) basic lectin. Adenine binding and identification of the active-site tryptophan residue

The complete amino acid sequence of winged bean basic agglutinin (WBA I) was obtained by a combination of manual and gas-phase sequencing methods. Peptide fragments for sequence analyses were obtained by enzymatic cleavages using trypsin and Staphylococcus aureus V8 endoproteinase and by chemical cleavages using iodosobenzoic acid, hydroxylamine, and formic acid. COOH-terminal sequence analysis of WBA I and other peptides was performed using carboxypeptidase Y. The primary structure of WBA I was homologous to those of other legume lectins and more so to Erythrina corallodendron. Interestingly, the sequence shows remarkable identities in the regions involved in the association of the two monomers of E. corallodendron lectin. Other conserved regions are the double metal-binding site and residues contributing to the formation of the hydrophobic cavity and the carbohydrate-binding site. Chemical modification studies both in the presence and absence of N-acetylgalactosamine together with sequence analyses of tryptophan-containing tryptic peptides demonstrate that tryptophan 133 is involved in the binding of carbohydrate ligands by the lectin. The location of tryptophan 133 at the active center of WBA I for the first time subserves to explain a role for one of the most conserved residues in legume lectins.

Thermodynamic and kinetic studies on the mechanism of binding of methylumbelliferyl galactosides to the basic agglutinin from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)

The binding of winged bean basic agglutinin (WBA I) to 4-methylumbelliferyl (MeUmb) galactosides was examined by extrinsic fluorescence titration and stopped-flow spectrofluorimetry. Upon binding to WBA I, MeUmb alpha-galactosides show quenching in fluorescence intensity, decrease in UV absorbance with a concomitant blue shift, and decrease in fluorescence excited-state lifetimes. However, their beta-analogues show enhancement in fluorescence intensity, increase in UV absorbance with a red shift, and an increase in fluorescence excited-state lifetimes. This implies that the umbelliferyl groups of alpha- and beta-galactosides experience non-polar and polar microenvironments, respectively, upon binding to WBA I. Replacement of the anomeric hydroxyl group of galactose by 4-methylumbelliferyl moiety increases the affinity of resulting saccharides. Substitution of C-2 hydroxyl of galactose by an acetamido group leads to increased affinity due to a favorable entropy change. This suggests that acetamido group of MeUmb-alpha/beta-GalNAc binds to a relatively non-polar subsite of WBA I. Most interestingly, this substitution also reduces the association rate constants dramatically. Inspection of the activation parameters reveals that the enthalpy of activation is the limiting factor for the differences in the forward rate constants for these saccharides and the entropic contribution to the activation energy is small

Crystallization and Preliminary X-ray Studies of the Basic Lectin from Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)

The basic lectin from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) could be crystallized using polyethyleneglycol (PEG) 4000 (I), PEG 8000 (II) and 2-methylpentane-2,4-diol (MPD) (III) as precipitants. Crystal forms I and II grew in the presence of methyl-α-Image -galactopyranoside or N -acetylgalactosamine while III grew in the absence of sugar. The three forms have the same space group (P21212) and similar unit cell dimensions with two dimeric molecules in the asymmetric unit. The unit cell dimensions are a = 156·8 Å, b = 89·0 Å, c = 73·3 Å for I, a = 155·5 Å, b = 92·3 Å, c = 72·5 Å for II and a = 148·3 Å, b = 90·7 Å, c = 73·8 Å for III. The crystals, particularly those grown using PEG 8000, are suitable for high resolution X-ray analysis, which is in progress.

Thermodynamics of the binding of galactopyranoside derivatives to the basic lectin from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetrogonolobus)

The thermodynamics of the binding of D-galactopyranoside (Gal), 2-acetamido-2-deoxygalactopyranoside (GalNAc), methyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside, and methyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside to the basic agglutinin from winged bean (WBAI) in 0.02 M sodium phosphate and 0.15 M sodium chloride buffer have been investigated from 298.15 to 333.15 K by titration calorimetry and at the denaturation temperature by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). WBAI is a dimer with two binding sites. The titration calorimetry yielded single-site binding constants ranging from 0.56 +/- 0.14 x 10(3) M-1 for Gal at 323.15 K to 7.2 +/- 0.5 x 10(3) M-1 for GalNAc at 298.15 K and binding enthalpies ranging from -28.0 +/- 2.0 kJ mol-1 for GalNAc at 298.15 K to -14.3 +/- 0.1 kJ mol-1 for methyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside at 322.65 K. The denaturation transition consisted of two overlapping peaks over the pH range 5.6-7.4. Fits of the differential scanning calorimetry data to a two-state transition model showed that the low temperature transition (341.6 +/- 0.4 K at pH 7.4) consisted of two domains unfolding as a single entity while the higher temperature transition (347.8 +/- 0.6 K at pH 7.4) is of the remaining WBAI dimer unfolding into two monomers. Both transitions shift to higher temperatures and higher calorimetric enthalpies with increase in added ligand concentration at pH 7.4. Analysis of the temperature increase as a function of added ligand concentration suggests that one ligand binds to the two domains unfolding at 341.6 +/- 0.6 K and one ligand binds to the domain unfolding at 347.8 +/- 0.6 K.

Carbohydrate binding specificity of the basic lectin from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus)

The carbohydrate binding specificity of the basic lectin from winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) was investigated by quantitative precipitin analysis using blood group A, B, H, Le and I substances and by precipitation inhibition with various mono- and oligosaccharides. The lectin precipitated best with A1 substances and moderately with B and A2 substances, but not with H or Le substances. Inhibition assays of lectin-blood group A1 precipitation demonstration that A substance-derived oligosaccharides having the common structure: d-Ga1NAcα(1 → 3)d-Gal-(β1 → Image ) to a d-Glc, were the best inhibitors and about 8 and 4 times more active than d-Ga1NAc and d-Ga1NAcα(1 → 3)d-Ga1, respectively. A difucosyl A-specific oligosaccharide (A-penta), a monofucosyl (A-tetra) and a non-fucosyl containing (A5 II) oligosaccharide, d-Ga1NAcα(1 → 3)d-Ga1β(1 → 3)d-G1cNAc, had almost the same reactivity, suggesting that the fucose linked to the sub-terminal d-Ga1 or to the third sugar, d-GlcNAc, from the non-reducing end made no contribution to the carbohydrate binding. Although a terminal non-reducing d-Ga1NAc or d-Ga1 residue was indispensible for binding, the lectin bound not only to these terminal non-reducing galactopyranosyl residues, but also showed increased binding to oligosaccharides in which it was bonded to a sub-terminal d-Ga1 joined to a d-GlcNAc residue, as in blood group A or B substances. This defines the site, thus far, as complementary to a disaccharide plus the β linkage to the third sugar (d-Glc or d-GlcNAc) from the non-reducing end. The role of the β(1 → 3) or β(1 → 4) linkage of the sub-terminal non-reducing d-Gal to the d-GlcNAc requires further study.

Low density polyethylene and grafted lignin polyblends using epoxy-functionalized compatibilizer: mechanical and thermal properties

Lignin was graft copolymerized with methyl methacrylate using manganic pyrophosphate as initiator. This modified lignin was then blended (up to 50 wt%) with low density polyethylene (LDPE) using a small quantity of poly[ethylene-co-(glycidyl methacrylate)] (PEGMA) compatibilizer. The mechanical properties of the blend were substantially improved by using modified lignin in contrast to untreated lignin. Differential scanning calorimetry studies showed loss of crystallinity of the LDPE phase owing to the interaction between the blend components. Thermogravimetric analysis showed higher thermal stability of modified lignin in the domain of blend processing. This suggested that there is scope for useful utilization of lignin, which could also lead to the development of eco-friendly products. (c) 2005 Society of Chemical Industry.

Note: Creep behaviour of high density polyethylene

The Ramberg-Osgood type constitutive law for creep suggested by Iyengar2 has been verified on high-density polyethylene. The time functions are evaluated from the experimental data of Scheweiker and Sidebottom3. It is found that the creep behaviour of the above material can be represented by the Ramberg-Osgood type law.

Lattice density-functional theory on graphene

A density-functional approach on the hexagonal graphene lattice is developed using an exact numerical solution to the Hubbard model as the reference system. Both nearest-neighbour and up to third nearest-neighbour hoppings are considered and exchange-correlation potentials within the local density approximation are parameterized for both variants. The method is used to calculate the ground-state energy and density of graphene flakes and infinite graphene sheet. The results are found to agree with exact diagonalization for small systems, also if local impurities are present. In addition, correct ground-state spin is found in the case of large triangular and bowtie flakes out of the scope of exact diagonalization methods.

Free energy of mixing of divalent basic oxides with silica

An expression derived for the free energy of mixing of a divalent basic oxide (MO) with SiO2 based on a model of silicate structure, takes into account the distribution of O2- (from MO) into the silica network, the mixing of silicate ions with O2- and the enthalpy of mixing. The resulting expression is ΔGmix=RT{N11n (2N1-N)2/4N1(1-N)+N21n N 2-N/1-N}, where N={(β+N1)-√(β+N 1)2-8βN1N2}/2β β=characteristic constant for the system N1=mol fraction of silica N2=mol fraction of MO. For the proper choice of β, calculated values of the activity of MO for the system PbO-SiO2, MnO-SiO2, FeO-SiO2 and CaO-SiO2 are in good agreement with experiment. The model predicts that the activity of the basic oxide decreases with increase in temperature.

Crystalline ethane-1,2-diol does not have intra-molecular hydrogen bonding: Experimental and theoretical charge density studies

The X-ray structure and electron density distribution of ethane-1,2-diol (ethylene glycol), obtained at a resolution extending to 1.00 Å−1 in sin θ/λ (data completion = 100% at 100 K) by in situ cryocrystallization technique is reported. The diol is in the gauche (g′Gt) conformation with the crystal structure stabilised by a network of inter-molecular hydrogen bonds. In addition to the well-recognized O–H···O hydrogen bonds there is topological evidence for C–H···O inter-molecular interactions. There is no experimental electron density based topological evidence for the occurrence of an intra-molecular hydrogen bond. The O···H spacing is not, vert, similar0.45 Å greater than in the gas-phase with an O–H···O angle close to 90°, calling into question the general assumption that the gauche conformation of ethane-1,2-diol is stabilised by the intra-molecular oxygen–hydrogen interaction.