Intrinsic Motivation, Job Autonomy and Turnover Intention in the Italian Healthcare: The mediating role of Affective Commitment

Drawing on Self-Determination and Work Characteristics theories, we hypothesized that job autonomy and intrinsic motivation were key exogenous variables positively related to affective commitment, which in turn is negatively related to turnover intention, by performing a mediating role. A sample of 442 nurses has been involved in this research. Through the cross-validation technique, the results showed that the hypotheses of this study were supported and affective commitment completely mediated the relationships between job autonomy, intrinsic work motivation and turnover intention. These findings have important implications for healthcare organizations by helping to promote effective work environments and major opportunities of responsibility to workers to develop their own activity. Conclusions were examined considering practical implications for organizations, employees and the need for further researches

A Copula-Based Joint Model of Commute Mode Choice and Number of Non-Work Stops during the Commute

At the time of publication A. Portoghese, E. Spissu, and I. Meloni were at University of Cagliari, and C.R. Bhat and N. Eluru were at the University of Texas at Austin.In this paper, in the spirit of a tour-based frame of analysis, we examine the commute mode choice and the number of non-work stops during the commute. Understanding the mode and activity stop dimensions of weekday commute travel is important since the highest level of weekday traffic congestion in urban areas occurs during the commute periods. The paper employs a copula-based joint multinomial logit – ordered modeling framework in which commute mode choice is modeled using a multinomial logit formulation and the number of commute stops is modeled using an ordered response formulation. The data used in this study are drawn from the “Time use” multipurpose survey conducted between 2002 and 2003 by the Turin Town Council and the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) in the Greater Turin metropolitan area of Italy. The results highlight the importance of accommodating the inter-relationship between commute mode choice and commute stops behavior. The results also point to the stronger effect of household responsibilities and demographic characteristics in the Italian context compared to the US context.Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineerin

Analysis of soil and vegetation patterns in semi-arid Mediterranean landscapes by way of a conceptual water balance model

International audienceThis paper investigates the impact of various vegetation types on water balance variability in semi-arid Mediterranean landscapes, and the different strategies they may have developed to succeed in such water-limited environments. Water balance constraints are assumed to dominate the organization of landscapes and a conceptual bucket approach is adopted to model the temporal water balance dynamics, with vegetation water use efficiency being parameterized through the use of empirically obtained crop coefficients as surrogates of vegetation behavior in various developmental stages. Sensitivity analyses with respect to the root zone depth and soil water holding capacity are carried out with the aim of investigating the existence of preferential soil-vegetation associations and, hence, the spatial distribution of vegetation types within the study region. Based on these sensitivity analyses the degrees of suitability and adaptability of each vegetation type to parts of the study region are explored with respect of the soil water holding capacity, and the model results were found to be able to explain the observed affinity patterns. Finally, the existence of such preferential association between soil water holding capacity and vegetation species is verified through an extensive soil survey available in the study region

Factor structure of the straightforward incivility scale in an Italian sample

Workplace incivility is defined as low-intensity deviant behavior with ambiguous intent to harm the target. In this sense, it involves a violation of workplace norms that could damage the quality of working relationships. The aim of this study is to evaluate the factor structure of the adaptation of Straightforward Incivility Scale (SIS; Leiter 2013) in an Italian sample. A sample of 404 healthcare workers completed the SIS. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted. In the first step of analysis, exploratory factor analysis and parallel analysis with 202 participants revealed three factors: supervisor, coworker, and instigated incivility. In the second step, a confirmatory factor analysis with 202 participants supported the 15-item three-factor model in the cross-validation sample. Results provide confirmation of the cross-cultural stability of the facet, factor, and global scale structure of the SIS

From regional climate simulations to the hydrological information needed for basin scale impact studies

The accuracy of local downscaling of rainfall predictions provided by climate models is crucial for the assessment of climate change impacts on hydrological processes because the presence of bias in downscaled precipitation may produce large bias in the assessment of soil moisture dynamics, river flows, and groundwater recharge. <br><br> In this study, the output of a regional climate model (RCM) is downscaled using a stochastic modelling of the point rainfall process able to adequately reproduce the daily rainfall intermittency which is one of the crucial aspects for the hydrological processes characterizing Mediterranean environments. The historical time-series from a dense rain-gauge network were used for the analysis of the RCM bias in terms of dry and wet daily period and then to investigate the predicted alteration in the local rainfall regime. A Poisson Rectangular Pulse (PRP) model (Rodriguez-Iturbe et al., 1987) was finally adopted for the stochastic generation of local daily rainfall as a continuous-time point process with forcing parameters resulting from the bias correction of the RCM scenario

Stochastic bias-correction of daily rainfall scenarios for hydrological applications

The accuracy of rainfall predictions provided by climate models is crucial for the assessment of climate change impacts on hydrological processes. In fact, the presence of bias in downscaled precipitation may produce large bias in the assessment of soil moisture dynamics, river flows and groundwater recharge. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; In this study, a comparison between statistical properties of rainfall observations and model control simulations from a Regional Climate Model (RCM) was performed through a robust and meaningful representation of the precipitation process. The output of the adopted RCM was analysed and re-scaled exploiting the structure of a stochastic model of the point rainfall process. In particular, the stochastic model is able to adequately reproduce the rainfall intermittency at the synoptic scale, which is one of the crucial aspects for the Mediterranean environments. Possible alteration in the local rainfall regime was investigated by means of the historical daily time-series from a dense rain-gauge network, which were also used for the analysis of the RCM bias in terms of dry and wet periods and storm intensity. The result is a stochastic scheme for bias-correction at the RCM-cell scale, which produces a realistic representation of the daily rainfall intermittency and precipitation depths, though a residual bias in the storm intensity of longer storm events persists

Working and Environmental Factors on Job Burnout: A Cross-sectional Study Among Nurses

Background: Burnout is a problem that impacts on the staff management costs and on the patient care quality. Objective: This work aimed to investigate some psychosocial factors related to burnout. Specifically, we explored the sample characteristics for moderate/high emotional exhaustion, cynicism and professional inefficacy, as well as the relationship between both working and environmental variables and burnout. Method: A cross-sectional study involving 307 nurses from one Italian hospital was carried out. A self-reported questionnaire was used to collect data. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS 19.0. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between nurses with low and moderate/high burnout in all the three components in almost all the examined organizational variables. In addition, we found that the aspects of working life had a significant impact on the three dimensions of burnout. Conclusions: The findings of this study not only can provide useful basis for future research in the field, but also can offer practical suggestions for improving nursing practice and promote effective workplace, thus reducing the risk burnout among nurse

Empowering workplace and wellbeing among healthcare professionals: the buffering role of job control

Health care workers are exposed to several job stressors that can adversely affect their wellbeing. Workplace incivility is a growing organizational concern with the potential to create workplaces harmful to individuals' wellbeing and increase occupational health risks. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of two resources (organizational empowerment and job control) on individuals' well-being (emotional exhaustion) and attitude at work (unit affective commitment)

MDAN-21: A Bivalent Opioid Ligand Containing mu-Agonist and Delta-Antagonist Pharmacophores and Its Effects in Rhesus Monkeys

MDAN-21, , a bivalent opioid ligand containing a mu-opioid receptor agonist (derived from oxymorphone) linked to the delta-opioid receptor antagonist (related to naltrindole) by a spacer of 21 atoms, was reported to have potent analgesic properties in mice. Tolerance, physical dependence, and conditioned place preference were not evident in that species. The finding that bivalent ligands in this series, with spacers 19 atoms or greater, were devoid of tolerance and dependence led to the proposal that MDAN-21 targets heteromeric mu-delta-opioid receptors. The present study focused on its effects in nonhuman primates (Macaca mulatta), a species with a physiology and behavioral repertoire not unlike humans. With regard to opioids, this species usually better predicts clinical outcomes. MDAN-21 substituted for morphine in morphine-dependent monkeys in the remarkably low dose range 0.006–0.032 mg/kg, subcutaneously. Although MDAN-21 failed to produce reliable thermal analgesia in the dose range 0.0032–0.032 mg/kg, intramuscularly, it was active in the same dose range and by the same route of administration, in the capsaicin-induced thermal allodynia assay. The results suggest that MDAN-21 may be useful in the treatment of opioid dependence and allodynia. The data provide additional evidence that opioid withdrawal is associated with sensitized pain

Inducing Water Productivity from Snow Cover for Sustainable Water Management in Ibrahim River Basin, Lebanon

International audienceThe aim of this paper is to explore the effects and linkages between snow cover areas, distribution, probability and measured water discharge along east Mediterranean coastal watershed using moderate-resolution satellite images (MODIS-Terra). The Nahr Ibrahim River is a typical Lebanese watershed with an area of 326 km2 stretching between the sea and mountainous terrain to the east. The largest snow cover often exists in January-February with snow-free conditions between June and November. Image analysis enabled to analyze the temporal variability of the mean and maximum monthly areas of snow cover between 2000 and 2013. Snow cover dynamics were compared with the discharge from main springs (Afqa and Rouaiss) feeding the river and the probability of snow cover was estimated. The mean monthly snow cover, snow melting rates and springs discharge were found to be in direct relationship. In addition, the measured water discharge at the river mouth was found to be higher than the discharge of the two main feeding springs. This indicates a contribution of groundwater to the stream flow, which is again in direct connection with snow melting at the upper bordering slopes and probably from neighboring watersheds. Considering the characteristics of the mountainous rocks (i.e. Sinkholes, fissured and karstified limestone), the pedo-climatic and land cover conditions affect the hydrological regime which is directly responding to the area and temporal distribution of snow cover, which appears after two months from snowing events. This is reflected on water productivity and related disciplines (Agricultural yield, floods). This study highlights the potential of satellite snow detection over the watershed to estimate snow cover duration curve, forecast the stream flow regime and volume for better water management and flood risk preparedness