Psychopathic leadership a case study of a corporate psychopath CEO

This longitudinal case study reports on a charity in the UK which gained a new CEO who was reported by two middle managers who worked in the charity, to embody (respectively) all or most of the ten characteristics within a measure of corporate psychopathy. The leadership of this CEO with a high corporate psychopathy score was reported to be so poor that the organisation was described as being one without leadership and as a lost organisation with no direction. This paper outlines the resultant characteristics of the ensuing aimlessness and lack of drive of the organisation involved. Comparisons are made to a previous CEO in the same organisation, who was reportedly an authentic, effective and transformational leader. Outcomes under the CEO with a high corporate psychopathy score were related to bullying, staff withdrawal and turnover as effective employees stayed away from and/or left the organisation. Outcomes also included a marked organisational decline in terms of revenue, employee commitment, creativity and organisational innovativeness. The paper makes a contribution to both leadership and to corporate psychopathy research as it appears to be the first reported study of a CEO with a high corporate psychopathy score

Goal-directed and habitual control in the basal ganglia: implications for Parkinson's disease

Progressive loss of the ascending dopaminergic projection in the basal ganglia is a fundamental pathological feature of Parkinson's disease. Studies in animals and humans have identified spatially segregated functional territories in the basal ganglia for the control of goal-directed and habitual actions. In patients with Parkinson's disease the loss of dopamine is predominantly in the posterior putamen, a region of the basal ganglia associated with the control of habitual behaviour. These patients may therefore be forced into a progressive reliance on the goal-directed mode of action control that is mediated by comparatively preserved processing in the rostromedial striatum. Thus, many of their behavioural difficulties may reflect a loss of normal automatic control owing to distorting output signals from habitual control circuits, which impede the expression of goal-directed action. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

Double jeopardy:subordinates' worldviews and poor performance as predictors of abusive supervision

Purpose - To test a moderated mediation model where a positive relationship between subordinates’ perceptions of a dangerous world—the extent to which an individual views the world as a dangerous place—and supervisory abuse is mediated by their submission to authority figures, and that this relationship is heightened for more poorly performing employees. Design/Methodology/Approach - Data were obtained from 173 subordinates and 45 supervisors working in different private sector organizations in Pakistan. Findings - Our model was supported. It appears that subordinates’ dangerous worldviews are positively associated with their perceptions of abusive supervision and that this is because such views are likely to lead to greater submission to authority figures. But this is only for those employees who are performing more poorly. Implications - We highlight the possibility that individual differences (worldviews, attitudes to authority figures, and performance levels) may lead employees to become victims of abusive supervision. As such, our research informs organizations on how they may better support supervisors in managing effectively their subordinate relationships and, in particular, subordinate poor performance. Originality/Value - We add to recent work exploring subordinate-focused antecedents of abusive supervision, finding support for the salience of the previously untested constructs of individual worldviews, authoritarian submission, and individual job performance. In so doing we also extend research on dangerous worldviews into a new organizational setting. Finally, our research takes place within a new Pakistani context, adding to the burgeoning non-US based body of empirical work into the antecedents and consequences of abusive supervision

Views and Experiences of Sex, Sexuality and Relationships Following Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of the Qualitative Literature

Research examining the effects of spinal cord injury on sexuality has largely focused on physiological functioning and quantification of dysfunction following injury. This paper reports a systematic review of qualitative research that focused on the views and experiences of people with spinal cord injury on sex and relationships. The review addressed the following research question: What are the views and experiences of people with spinal cord injury of sex, sexuality and relationships following injury? Five databases were relevant and employed in the review: CINAHL (1989-2016 only), PsychInfo, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, for research published between 1 January 1980 and 30 November 2019. After removing duplicates, 257 records remained and were screened using a two-stage approach to inclusion and quality appraisal. Following screening, 27 met the criteria for inclusion and are reported in the paper. The review includes studies from fifteen countries across five continents. Two main approaches to data analysis summary and thematic synthesis were undertaken to analyze the qualitative data reported in the papers. The analysis revealed four main themes: sexual identity; significant and generalized others, sexual embodiment; and; sexual rehabilitation and education

How does ethical leadership trickle down? Test of an integrative dual-process model

Although the trickle-down effect of ethical leadership has been documented in the literature, its underlying mechanism still remains largely unclear. To address this gap, we develop a cross-level dual-process model to explain how the effect occurs. Drawing on social learning theory, we hypothesize that the ethical leadership of high-level managers could cascade to middle-level supervisors via its impact on middle-level supervisors’ two ethical expectations. Using a sample of 69 middle-level supervisors and 381 subordinates across 69 sub-branches from a large banking firm in China, we found that middle-level supervisors’ ethical efficacy expectation and unethical behavior–punishment expectation (as one form of ethical outcome expectations) accounted for the trickle-down effect. The explanatory role of middle-level supervisors’ ethical behavior–reward expectation (as the other form of ethical outcome expectations), however, was not supported. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Adjuvant gemcitabine and concurrent radiation for patients with resected pancreatic cancer: a phase II study

The safety and efficacy of gemcitabine and concurrent radiation to the upper abdomen followed by weekly gemcitabine in patients with resected pancreatic cancer was determined. Patients with resected adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were treated with intravenous gemcitabine administered twice-weekly (40 mg m−2) for 5 weeks concurrent with upper abdominal radiation (50.4 Gy in 5½ weeks). At the completion of the chemoradiation, patients without disease progression were given gemcitabine (1000 mg m−2) weekly for two cycles. Each cycle consisted of 3 weeks of treatment followed by 1 week without treatment. Forty-seven patients were entered, 46 of whom are included in this analysis. Characteristics: median age 61 years (range 35–79); 24 females (58%); 73% stage T3/T4; and 70% lymph node positive. Grade III/IV gastrointestinal or haematologic toxicities were infrequent. The median survival was 18.3 months, while the median time to disease recurrence was 10.3 months. Twenty-four percent of patients were alive at 3 years. Only six of 34 patients with progression experienced local regional relapse as a component of the first site of failure. These results confirm the feasibility of delivering adjuvant concurrent gemcitabine and radiation to the upper abdomen. This strategy produced good local regional tumour control

Impacto da técnica de expiração lenta e prolongada na mecânica respiratória de lactentes sibilantes

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in respiratory mechanics and tidal volume (V T) in wheezing infants in spontaneous ventilation after performing the technique known as the prolonged, slow expiratory (PSE) maneuver. METHODS: We included infants with a history of recurrent wheezing and who had had no exacerbations in the previous 15 days. For the assessment of the pulmonary function, the infants were sedated and placed in the supine position, and a face mask was used and connected to a pneumotachograph. The variables of tidal breathing (V T and RR) as well as those of respiratory mechanics-respiratory system compliance (Crs), respiratory system resistance (Rrs), and the respiratory system time constant (prs)-were measured before and after three consecutive PSE maneuvers. RESULTS: We evaluated 18 infants. The mean age was 32 ± 11 weeks. After PSE, there was a significant increase in V T (79.3 ± 15.6 mL vs. 85.7 ± 17.2 mL; p = 0.009) and a significant decrease in RR (40.6 ± 6.9 breaths/min vs. 38.8 ± 0,9 breaths/min; p = 0.042). However, no significant differences were found in the variables of respiratory mechanics (Crs: 11.0 ± 3.1 mL/cmH2O vs. 11.3 ± 2.7 mL/cmH2O; Rrs: 29.9 ± 6.2 cmH2O mL-1 s-1 vs. 30.8 ± 7.1 cmH2O mL-1 s-1; and prs: 0.32 ± 0.11 s vs. 0.34 ±0.12 s; p > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: This respiratory therapy technique is able to induce significant changes in V T and RR in infants with recurrent wheezing, even in the absence of exacerbations. The fact that the variables related to respiratory mechanics remained unchanged indicates that the technique is safe to apply in this group of patients. Studies involving symptomatic infants are needed in order to quantify the functional effects of the technique.OBJETIVO: Avaliar as alterações da mecânica respiratória e do volume corrente (VC) em lactentes sibilantes em ventilação espontânea após a realização da técnica de expiração lenta e prolongada (ELPr). MÉTODOS: Foram incluídos no estudo lactentes com história de sibilância recorrente e sem exacerbações nos 15 dias anteriores. Para a avaliação da função pulmonar, os lactentes foram sedados e posicionados em decúbito dorsal com máscara facial acoplada a um pneumotacógrafo. As variáveis da respiração corrente - VC e FR - e da mecânica respiratória - complacência do sistema respiratório (Csr), resistência (Rsr) e constante de tempo (psr) - foram mensuradas antes e após a realização de três sequências consecutivas de ELPr. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 18 lactentes, com média de idade de 32 ± 11 semanas. Houve um aumento significante no VC após ELPr (79,3 ± 15,6 mL vs. 85,7 ± 17,2 mL; p = 0,009), assim como uma redução na FR (40,6 ± 6,9 ciclos/min vs. 38,8 ± 0,9 ciclos/min; p = 0,042). Entretanto, não houve alterações significantes nos valores da mecânica respiratória (Csr: 11,0 ± 3,1 mL/cmH2O vs. 11,3 ± 2,7 mL/cmH2O; Rsr: 29,9 ± 6,2 cmH2O mL-1 s-1 vs. 30,8 ± 7,1 cmH2O mL-1 s-1; e psr: 0,32 ± 0,11 s vs. 0,34 ± 0,12 s; p > 0,05 para todos). CONCLUSÕES: Essa técnica de fisioterapia respiratória é capaz de induzir alterações significativas no VC e na FR de lactentes com sibilância recorrente, mesmo na ausência de exacerbações. A manutenção das variáveis da mecânica respiratória indica que a técnica é segura para ser aplicada nesse grupo de pacientes. Estudos com lactentes sintomáticos são necessários para quantificar os efeitos funcionais da técnica.Universidade Nove de Julho Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências da ReabilitaçãoUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de PediatriaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaHospital Israelita Albert Einstein Setor de Pediatria e NeonatologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de PediatriaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Transient Ureteral Obstruction Prevents against Kidney Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-2α Activation

Although the protective effect of transient ureteral obstruction (UO) prior to ischemia on subsequent renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury has been documented, the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be understood. We showed in the current study that 24 h of UO led to renal tubular hypoxia in the ipsilateral kidney in mice, with the accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2α, which lasted for a week after the release of UO. To address the functions of HIF-2α in UO-mediated protection of renal IRI, we utilized the Mx-Cre/loxP recombination system to knock out target genes. Inactivation of HIF-2α, but not HIF-1α blunted the renal protective effects of UO, as demonstrated by much higher serum creatinine level and severer histological damage. UO failed to prevent postischemic neutrophil infiltration and apoptosis induction in HIF-2α knockout mice, which also diminished the postobstructive up-regulation of the protective molecule, heat shock protein (HSP)-27. The renal protective effects of UO were associated with the improvement of the postischemic recovery of intra-renal microvascular blood flow, which was also dependent on the activation of HIF-2α. Our results demonstrated that UO protected the kidney via activation of HIF-2α, which reduced tubular damages via preservation of adequate renal microvascular perfusion after ischemia. Thus, preconditional HIF-2α activation might serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ischemic acute renal failure

Significance of Input Correlations in Striatal Function

The striatum is the main input station of the basal ganglia and is strongly associated with motor and cognitive functions. Anatomical evidence suggests that individual striatal neurons are unlikely to share their inputs from the cortex. Using a biologically realistic large-scale network model of striatum and cortico-striatal projections, we provide a functional interpretation of the special anatomical structure of these projections. Specifically, we show that weak pairwise correlation within the pool of inputs to individual striatal neurons enhances the saliency of signal representation in the striatum. By contrast, correlations among the input pools of different striatal neurons render the signal representation less distinct from background activity. We suggest that for the network architecture of the striatum, there is a preferred cortico-striatal input configuration for optimal signal representation. It is further enhanced by the low-rate asynchronous background activity in striatum, supported by the balance between feedforward and feedback inhibitions in the striatal network. Thus, an appropriate combination of rates and correlations in the striatal input sets the stage for action selection presumably implemented in the basal ganglia