Task characteristics as a mediator of the LMX-OCB relationship

Masteroppgave(MSc) in Master of Science in Leadership and Organizational Psychology - Handelshøyskolen BI, 2013The current study investigated the extent to which certain characteristics with job tasks mediate the relationship between leader-member-exchange (LMX) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Data were collected by means of anonymous self-report questionnaires. A total of 168 employees in a Norwegian electronic warehouse participated in the study. LMX was measured by the LMX-7 scale, which assesses the quality of the social relationship between the leader and the member. OCB was measured by a 24-item scale, which measures five different facets of organizational citizenship behavior. The task characteristic scale included 14 items in total. The findings showed that the task characteristic intrinsically satisfying tasks fully mediated the relationship between LMX and the five OCB dimensions conscientiousness, sportsmanship, civic virtue, courtesy and altruism. Task feedback and routine tasks showed however no mediating effects. Hence, the degree of experienced task satisfaction seems to play an important role in the relationship between LMX quality and employee’s willingness to participate in citizenship behavior. The findings suggest that leaders should place great emphasis on enhancing intrinsic satisfaction with job tasks to promote employees’ citizenship behavior. Keywords: Leader-member-exchange, organizational citizenship behavior, intrinsic satisfaction, task characteristics, social exchange theory, substitutes for leadership

Seminal plasma and prostaglandin E2 up-regulate fibroblast growth factor 2 expression in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells via E-series prostanoid-2 receptor-mediated transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor and extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) has been shown to modulate angiogenesis and tumour progression via the E-series prostanoid-2 (EP2) receptor. Endometrial adenocarcinomas may be exposed to endogenous PGE(2) and exogenous PGE(2), present at high concentration in seminal plasma. METHODS: This study investigated fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) mRNA expression and cell signalling in response to seminal plasma or PGE(2), using an endometrial adenocarcinoma (Ishikawa) cell line stably expressing the EP2 receptor (EP2 sense cells) and endometrial adenocarcinoma explants. RESULTS: Seminal plasma and PGE(2) induced a significant up-regulation of FGF2 expression in EP2 sense but not parental untransfected Ishikawa (wild-type) cells (P < 0.05). These effects were inhibited by co-treatment with EP2 receptor antagonist or inhibitors of protein kinase A, c-Src, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling. The treatment of EP2 sense cells with seminal plasma induced cAMP accumulation and phosphorylation of c-Src, EGFR kinase and ERK via the EP2 receptor. Finally, seminal plasma and PGE(2) significantly increased FGF2 mRNA expression in endometrial adenocarcinoma tissue explants via the EP2 receptor (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Seminal plasma and PGE(2) can similarly activate FGF2 expression and EP2 receptor signalling in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells. These data highlight the potential for seminal plasma exposure to facilitate tumorigenesis–angiogenesis in endometrial adenocarcinomas in vivo

Student Voice in Norwegian PE - A qualitative study on how a selection of teachers and students, describe how student voice is a part of their physical education in Norwegian secondary school.

Master i didaktiske praksiser Fakultetet for Lærerutdanning, kultur og idrett, Institutt for pedagogikk, religion og samfunnsfagDenne masteroppgaven er en kvalitativ studie som har til hensikt å belyse hvordan noen elever i ungdomsskolen opplever elevmedvirkning og hvordan noen lærere i ungdomsskolen praktiserer elevmedvirkning. Dette gjøres gjennom problemstillingen: Hva kjennetegner noen læreres og elevers beskrivelser rundt begrepet elevmedvirkning i kroppsøving? Med to underliggende forskningsspørsmål. a) Hvordan beskriver lærere i denne studien at de legger til rette for elevmedvirkning i kroppsøving? b) Hvordan beskriver elevene i denne studien sine opplevelser med elevmedvirkning i kroppsøving? Undersøkelsen baserer seg på semistrukturerte dybdeintervjuer med tre ulike ungomdsskolelærere og tre gruppeintervjuer med elever fra 8. 9. og 10. trinn ved en ungdomsskole. Oppgavens bakgrunn er knyttet til resultater fra elevundersøkelsen og tidligere forskning rundt elevmedvirkning i kroppsøving. Innholdet i begrepet elevmedvirkning forankres og forklares ved en gjennomgang av hvordan elevmedvirkning står beskrevet i læreplanen. Elevmedvirkning knyttes til å involvere tilpasset opplæring og vurdering for læring. Studiens funn diskuteres i lys av læreplanen, tidligere forskning og et teoretisk rammeverk i form av læringsteorien The Spectrum of Teaching Styles av Mosston og Ashworth (2008). Denne læringsteorien forklarer fenomenet undervisning som en prosess som er definert av hvem som tar beslutninger i interaksjonen mellom lærer og elev. Funnene viser at beskrivelser av elevmedvirkning ikke er så forskjellige fra det tidligere forskning viser, det er rom for å praktisere mer elevmedvirkning enn det gjøres i dag (Aarskog et al., 2021; Engebretsen et al., 2020; Utdanningsdirektoratet, 2021; Moen et al. 2018; Leirhaug, 2016; Standal et al., 2020; Wendelborg et al., 2018). Elevene beskriver tilpasset opplæring, og inkludering i planlegging og vurdering, som viktige aspekter ved elevmedvirkning. Det å være inkludert på en slik måte at kroppsøvingsundervisningen føles relevant, pekes på av Beni et al. (2017), som en av de viktigste faktorene for at elevene skal oppleve faget som meningsfullt. Elevene beskriver også at de synes det er utfordrende å bli inkludert i vurderingsarbeid når læreren ikke snakker et språk de forstår. Måten elevene blir inkludert i vurderingsarbeidet er av stor betydning for utbyttet av vurderingen (Aarskog, 2021; Leirhaug & Annerstedt, 2016; Leirhaug et al., 2016).MDIP55

Digitalisering av landbruksmarkedet

Bacheloroppgaven omhandler utviklingen av Lokal, en digital markedsplass som har som mål å koble forbrukere og lokale produsenter tettere sammen. I dagens samfunn observeres det økende problemer med forsyningen av lokalprodusert mat, noe som har reist spørsmål ved dagens reguleringer av landbruksmarkedet og forsyningskanalene. Det er en tydelig trend der det er et økende ønske om å handle mer direkte fra produsentene, uten alle mellomleddene som inngår i dagens forsyningskjede. Derfor har teamet utviklet en plattform for å redusere avstanden mellom forbruker og produsent, for å utforske følgende problemstilling: "Hvilke funksjonaliteter gjør en digital plattform verdifull for lokale utselgere?". Plattformen består av tre applikasjoner: en informativ nettside med administrative funksjoner for utsalg, en mobilapplikasjon for utselgere, og en mobilapplikasjon for forbrukere. Disse inneholder omfattende funksjonaliteter som er nødvendige for en slik nettplattform, inspirert av eksisterende lignende løsninger som Foodora, Wolt og TooGoodToGo. Ved å gjennomføre omfattende brukertester og intervjuer med personer tilknyttet landbruksmarkedet, har teamet utforsket problemstillingen ved å utvikle en plattform som kobler forbruker direkte med produsent.The bachelor's thesis addresses the development of Lokal, a digital marketplace aimed at bringing consumers and local producers closer together. In today's society, increasing problems with the supply of locally produced food are being observed, raising questions about current regulations of the agricultural market and supply channels. There is a clear trend of a growing desire to buy directly from producers, bypassing all the intermediaries involved in the current supply chain. Therefore, the team developed a platform to reduce the distance between consumer and producer, to explore the following issue: "What functionalities make a digital platform valuable for local sellers?". The platform consists of three applications: an informative website with administrative functions for sales outlets, a mobile application for sellers, and a mobile application for consumers. These include comprehensive functionalities necessary for such a web platform, inspired by existing similar solutions such as Foodora, Wolt, and TooGoodToGo. By conducting extensive user tests and interviews with people connected to the agricultural market, the team explored the issue by developing a platform that connects consumers directly with producers

Environment, human reproduction, menopause, and andropause.

As the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generator is an integrator of hormonal, metabolic, and neural signals, it is not surprising that the function of the hypothalamogonadal axis is subject to the influence of a large array of environmental factors. Before puberty, the central nervous system (CNS) restrains the GnRH pulse generator. Undernutrition, low socioeconomic status, stress, and emotional deprivation, all delay puberty. During reproductive life, among peripheral factors that effect the reproductive system, stress plays an important role. Stress, via the release of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), eventually triggered by interleukin 1, inhibits GnRH release, resulting in hypogonadism. Effects of CRF are probably mediated by the opioid system. Food restriction and underweight (anorexia nervosa), obesity, smoking, and alcohol all have negative effects on the GnRH pulse generator and gonadal function. Age and diet are important determinants of fertility in both men and women. The age-associated decrease in fertility in women has as a major determinant chromosomal abnormalities of the oocyte, with uterine factors playing a subsidiary role. Age at menopause, determined by ovarian oocyte depletion, is influenced by occupation, age at menarche, parity, age at last pregnancy, altitude, smoking, and use of oral contraceptives. Smoking, however, appears to be the major determinant. Premature menopause is most frequently attributable to mosaicism for Turner Syndrome, mumps ovaritis, and, above all, total hysterectomy, which has a prevalence of about 12-15% in women 50 years old. Premature ovarian failure with presence of immature follicles is most frequently caused by autoimmune diseases or is the consequence of irradiation or chemotherapy with alkylating cytostatics. Plasma estrogens have a physiological role in the prevention of osteoporosis. Obese women have osteoporosis less frequently than women who are not overweight. Early menopause, suppression of adrenal function (corticoids), and thyroid hormone treatment all increase the frequency of osteoporosis. Aging in men is accompanied by decreased Leydig cell and Sertoli cell function, which has a predominantly primary testicular origin, although changes also occur at the hypothalamopituitary level. Plasma testosterone levels, sperm production, and sperm quality decrease, but fertility, although declining, is preserved until senescence. Stress and disease states accelerate the decline on Leydig cell function. Many occupational noxious agents have a negative effect on fertility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS

Demographic, clinical and antibody characteristics of patients with digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis: data from the DUO Registry

OBJECTIVES: The Digital Ulcers Outcome (DUO) Registry was designed to describe the clinical and antibody characteristics, disease course and outcomes of patients with digital ulcers associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: The DUO Registry is a European, prospective, multicentre, observational, registry of SSc patients with ongoing digital ulcer disease, irrespective of treatment regimen. Data collected included demographics, SSc duration, SSc subset, internal organ manifestations, autoantibodies, previous and ongoing interventions and complications related to digital ulcers. RESULTS: Up to 19 November 2010 a total of 2439 patients had enrolled into the registry. Most were classified as either limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc; 52.2%) or diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc; 36.9%). Digital ulcers developed earlier in patients with dcSSc compared with lcSSc. Almost all patients (95.7%) tested positive for antinuclear antibodies, 45.2% for anti-scleroderma-70 and 43.6% for anticentromere antibodies (ACA). The first digital ulcer in the anti-scleroderma-70-positive patient cohort occurred approximately 5 years earlier than the ACA-positive patient group. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data from a large cohort of SSc patients with a history of digital ulcers. The early occurrence and high frequency of digital ulcer complications are especially seen in patients with dcSSc and/or anti-scleroderma-70 antibodies