Job satisfaction and life satisfaction: Analysis of a reciprocal model with social demographic moderators

The general objective of the study was to empirically test a reciprocal model of job satisfaction and life satisfaction while controlling for some social demographic variables. 827 employees working in 34 car dealerships in Northern Quebec (56% responses rate) were surveyed. The multiple item questionnaires were analysed using correlation analysis, chi square and ANOVAs. Results show interesting patterns emerging for the relationships between job and life satisfaction of which 49.2% of all individuals have spillover, 43.5% compensation, and 7.3% segmentation type of relationships. Results, nonetheless, are far richer and the model becomes much more refined when social demographic indicators are taken into account. Globally, social demographic variables demonstrate some effects on each satisfaction individually but also on the interrelation (nature of the relations) between life and work satisfaction.Job satisfaction, life satisfaction, spillover-compensation-segmentation model

Modification of nuclear transitions in stellar plasma by electronic processes: K-isomers in 176Lu and 180Ta under s-process conditions

The influence of the stellar plasma on the production and destruction of K-isomers is studied for the examples 176Lu and 180Ta. Individual electromagnetic transitions are enhanced predominantly by nuclear excitation by electron capture, whereas the other mechanisms of electron scattering and nuclear excitation by electron transition give only minor contributions. It is found that individual transitions can be enhanced significantly for low transition energies below 100 keV. Transitions with higher energies above 200 keV are practically not affected. Although one low-energy transition in 180Ta is enhanced by up to a factor of 10, the stellar transition rates from low-K to high-K states via so-called intermediate states in 176Lu and 180Ta do not change significantly under s-process conditions. The s-process nucleosynthesis of 176Lu and 180Ta remains essentially unchanged.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures, Phys. Rev. C, accepte

Directed transport in a classical lattice with a high-frequency driving

We analyze the dynamics of a classical particle in a spatially periodic potential under the influence of a periodic in time uniform force. It was shown in [S.Flach, O.Yevtushenko, Y. Zolotaryuk, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 2358 (2000)] that despite zero average force, directed transport is possible in the system. Asymptotic description of this phenomenon for the case of slow driving was developed in [X. Leoncini, A. Neishtadt, A. Vasiliev, Phys. Rev. E 79, 026213 (2009)]. Here we consider the case of fast driving using canonical perturbation theory. An asymptotic formula is derived for the average drift velocity as a function of the system parameters and the driving law. We show that directed transport arises in an effective Hamiltonian that does not possess chaotic dynamics, thereby clarifying the relation between chaos and transport in the system. Sufficient conditions for transport are derived.Comment: 5 page

Degradation of cassava linamarin by lactic acid bacteria

Six out of ten lactic acid bacteria strains tested displayed linamarase activity. #Lactobacillus plantarum$ strain A6 displayed the greatest activity affecting 36 U/g cells on MRS cellobiose. The strain also broke down in less than 2 hours the linamarin extracted from cassava juice. HPLC analysis of the products of the reaction showed that the bacteria converted the linamarin into lactic acid and acetone cyanohydrin. (Résumé d'auteur

Kinematic design of a finger abduction mechanism for an anthropomorphic robotic hand

This paper presents the kinematic design of an abduction mechanism for the fingers of an underactuated anthropomorphic robotic hand. This mechanism will enhance the range of feasible grasps of the underactuated hand without significantly increasing its complexity. The analysis of the link between the index finger and the third finger is first assessed, where the parameters are studied in order to follow the amplitude constraint and to minimize the coordination error. Then, the study of the mechanism joining the third finger and the little finger is summarized. Finally, a prototype of the finger's abduction system is presented. <br><br> <i>This paper was presented at the IFToMM/ASME International Workshop on Underactuated Grasping (UG2010), 19 August 2010, Montréal, Canada.</i&gt

Characterisation of the transmissivity field of a fractured and karstic aquifer, Southern France

International audienceGeological and hydrological data collected at the Terrieu experimental site north of Montpellier, in a confined carbonate aquifer indicates that both fracture clusters and a major bedding plane form the main flow paths of this highly heterogeneous karst aquifer. However, characterising the geometry and spatial location of the main flow channels and estimating their flow properties remain difficult. These challenges can be addressed by solving an inverse problem using the available hydraulic head data recorded during a set of interference pumping tests.We first constructed a 2D equivalent porous medium model to represent the test site domain and then employed regular zoning parameterisation, on which the inverse modelling was performed. Because we aim to resolve the fine-scale characteristics of the transmissivity field, the problem undertaken is essentially a large-scale inverse model, i.e. the dimension of the unknown parameters is high. In order to deal with the high computational demands in such a large-scale inverse problem, a gradient-based, non-linear algorithm (SNOPT) was used to estimate the transmissivity field on the experimental site scale through the inversion of steady-state, hydraulic head measurements recorded at 22 boreholes during 8 sequential cross-hole pumping tests. We used the data from outcrops, borehole fracture measurements and interpretations of inter-well connectivities from interference test responses as initial models to trigger the inversion. Constraints for hydraulic conductivities, based on analytical interpretations of pumping tests, were also added to the inversion models. In addition, the efficiency of the adopted inverse algorithm enables us to increase dramatically the number of unknown parameters to investigate the influence of elementary discretisation on the reconstruction of the transmissivity fields in both synthetic and field studies.By following the above approach, transmissivity fields that produce similar hydrodynamic behaviours to the real head measurements were obtained. The inverted transmissivity fields show complex, spatial heterogeneities with highly conductive channels embedded in a low transmissivity matrix region. The spatial trend of the main flow channels is in a good agreement with that of the main fracture sets mapped on outcrops in the vicinity of the Terrieu site suggesting that the hydraulic anisotropy is consistent with the structural anisotropy. These results from the inverse modelling enable the main flow paths to be located and their hydrodynamic properties to be estimated

Purification and characterization of an extracellular amylase from Lactobacillus plantarum strain A6

Extracellular amylase from #Lactobacillus plantarum$ A6 was purified by fractionated precipitation with ammonium sulphate and by anion exchange chromatography. The homogeneity of the purified fraction was tested by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and showed multiple amylase forms. A major form had an estimated molecular weight of 50 kDa. It was identified as an alpha-amylase, with an optimum pH of 5.5, an optimum temperature of 65°C and Km value of 2.38 g l-1 with soluble starch substrate. The enzyme was inhibited by N-bromosuccinimide, iodine and acetic acid. The enzyme activation energy was 30.9 kJ mol-1. (Résumé d'auteur

Élaboration de normes DRIS provisoires pour des transplants de céleri

Nous avons utilisé une banque de données contenant 215 observations pour obtenir des normes DRIS (Diagnosis and Recommandation Integrated System) provisoires pour des transplants de céleri (Apium graveolens var. Dulce). La détermination des normes s'est faite en considérant un groupe de tête au rendement supérieur ou égal à 1600 g/plant (27 % de la population). Sur 45 rapports nutritionnels mesurés dans la partie aérienne des transplants, 26 ont présenté des rapports de variance permettant de distinguer significativement le groupe produisant des rendements supérieurs. Le coefficient de corrélation entre l'indice de déséquilibre nutritionnel (IDN) et les rendements s'est révélé très significatif. Les normes provisoires ont été confrontées à un ensemble indépendant de données obtenues chez des producteurs de la région du sud de Montréal (Québec). Les IDN calculés sur ces plantes échantillonnées au stade implantation (environ 27 jours après la plantation) ont été significativement corrélés aux rendements, malgré le fait que le tissu échantillonné et le stade de croissance aient été relativement éloignés de ceux correspondant aux normes. Les normes ont permis d'identifier la cause probable d'un problème de croissance induit par l'utilisation d'une solution fertilisante ne convenant pas à la production de transplants.A data bank of 215 observations was used to elaborate preliminary DRIS norms for celery (Apium graveolens var.Dulce) transplants. The threshold yield for high yielders was set at 1600 g/plant (27% of the population). Of the 45 nutrient ratios obtained, 26 presented significant variance ratios between low and high yielders. The correlation coefficient between nutrient imbalance index (Nil) and yield was highly significant. The norms were tested on an independent set of data obtained from celery growers located south of Montreal (Quebec). The Nil obtained from plants at the implantation stage (about 27 days after transplanting) was significantly correlated to yield even if the sampled tissue was different from that used for norm calculations. The norms were also used to identify the likely cause of a growth problem induced by a nutrient solution not suited for transplant production

Affinity and dose of TCR engagement yield proportional enhancer and gene activity in CD4+ T cells.

Affinity and dose of T cell receptor (TCR) interaction with antigens govern the magnitude of CD4+ T cell responses, but questions remain regarding the quantitative translation of TCR engagement into downstream signals. We find that while the response of mouse CD4+ T cells to antigenic stimulation is bimodal, activated cells exhibit analog responses proportional to signal strength. Gene expression output reflects TCR signal strength, providing a signature of T cell activation. Expression changes rely on a pre-established enhancer landscape and quantitative acetylation at AP-1 binding sites. Finally, we show that graded expression of activation genes depends on ERK pathway activation, suggesting that an ERK-AP-1 axis plays an important role in translating TCR signal strength into proportional activation of enhancers and genes essential for T cell function

Picophytoplankton biomass distribution in the global ocean

The smallest marine phytoplankton, collectively termed picophytoplankton, have been routinely enumerated by flow cytometry since the late 1980s during cruises throughout most of the world ocean. We compiled a database of 40 946 data points, with separate abundance entries for Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus and picoeukaryotes. We use average conversion factors for each of the three groups to convert the abundance data to carbon biomass. After gridding with 1? spacing, the database covers 2.4% of the ocean surface area, with the best data coverage in the North Atlantic, the South Pacific and North Indian basins, and at least some data in all other basins. The average picophytoplankton biomass is 12 ± 22 µg Cl-1 or 1.9 g Cm-2. We estimate a total global picophytoplankton biomass of 0.53–1.32 Pg C (17–39% Prochlorococcus, 12–15% Synechococcus and 49–69% picoeukaryotes), with an intermediate/best estimate of 0.74 Pg C. Future efforts in this area of research should focus on reporting calibrated cell size and collecting data in undersampled regions