Adding fuel to fire: The impact of followers' arousal on ratings of charisma.

The authors conducted an experimental laboratory study and a longitudinal field study to investigate the impact of followers' arousal on ratings of charisma. Both studies examined 2 contrasting hypotheses: (a) the misattribution hypothesis, which posits a direct effect of arousal, and (b) the response-facilitation hypothesis, which posits an interactive effect of arousal and leaders' charismatic appeal on ratings of charisma. The overall results from both studies provide support for the response-facilitation hypothesis. In addition, the authors tested the hypothesis that arousal effects are limited to ratings of charisma. As expected, ratings of transactional leadership, in contrast with ratings of charisma, were not influenced by followers' arousal states. The authors discuss the implications of these results and offer suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Water‐soluble cationic polymers and their polymer–metal complexes with biocidal activity: A genotoxicity study

Water‐soluble polyelectrolytes containing ammonium and sulfonic groups, their polymer–Ag(I) complexes, and silver nitrate were investigated as bactericidal compounds for Staphylococcus aureus (Collection No. ATCC 28922) and Escherichia coli (Collection No. 6538P) according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCL) method. All the compounds, except Ag(I), showed bactericidal activity only for S. aureus. Ag(I) showed high bactericidal activity for both bacteria. No important effect of the molecular weight or macromolecular size on the maximum bactericidal concentration value was observed. The genotoxicity was studied using the rec assay. None of the macromolecular compounds showed genotoxicity, except silver ions, whose value was borderline. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 452–457, 2003     

CQI in the acute dialysis setting

When the acute dialysis program became an in‐house operation, the development and implementation of a CQI program was a priority. Quality indicators were identified. Clotting in the dialyzer, treatment delays, and catheter‐related infections were tracked. Based on our CQI data, it was clear from the beginning that there was a high incidence of dialyzer clotting, particularly on our patients on Extended Daily Dialysis (EDD) who were on heparin‐free dialysis. Heparin‐free dialysis is prescribed for high bleeding risk patients and for patients with heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia. There was a need to explore an effective way to maintain patency and longevity of the extracorporeal circuit as clotting not only results to blood loss but to loss of treatment time, which affects the efficiency and adequacy of the dialysis therapy. Our policy on no‐heparin dialysis was modified. Hourly saline flushes were changed to a more aggressive every‐15‐to‐30 minute flushes. In addition, "heparin rinse" or priming the extracorporeal circuits with 5000 units of heparin added to 1‐liter bag, except for HIT positive patients, was immediately implemented. After 2 months, clotting in the dialyzer on Extended Daily Dialysis was significantly reduced from 24% to 2%. Conclusion:  CQI in the acute dialysis setting is critical for a continuous cycle of evaluating and improving patient outcomes. Through the process of CQI, we were able to identify dialyzer clotting with our EDD as a quality of care problem and implemented a solution that was effective.     

Theoretical and Experimental Spectroscopic Analysis of Cyano-Substituted Styrylpyridine Compounds

A combined theoretical and experimental study on the structure, infrared, UV-Vis and ¹H NMR data of trans-2-(m-cyanostyryl)pyridine, trans-2-[3-methyl-(m-cyanostyryl)] pyridine and trans-4-(m-cyanostyryl)pyridine is presented. The synthesis was carried out with an efficient Knoevenagel condensation using green chemistry conditions. Theoretical geometry optimizations and their IR spectra were carried out using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) in both gas and solution phases. For theoretical UV-Vis and ¹H NMR spectra, the Time-Dependent DFT (TD-DFT) and the Gauge-Including Atomic Orbital (GIAO) methods were used, respectively. The theoretical characterization matched the experimental measurements, showing a good correlation. The effect of cyano- and methyl-substituents, as well as of the N-atom position in the pyridine ring on the UV-Vis, IR and NMR spectra, was evaluated. The UV-Vis results showed no significant effect due to electron-withdrawing cyano- and electron-donating methyl-substituents. The N-atom position, however, caused a slight change in the maximum absorption wavelengths. The IR normal modes were assigned for the cyano- and methyl-groups. ¹H NMR spectra showed the typical doublet signals due to protons in the trans position of a double bond. The theoretical characterization was visibly useful to assign accurately the signals in IR and ¹H NMR spectra, as well as to identify the most probable conformation that could be present in the formation of the styrylpyridine-like compounds.     

A Comparison Between E-Beam Irradiation and High-Pressure Treatment for Cold-Smoked Salmon Sanitation: Shelf-Life, Colour, Texture and Sensory Characteristics

The effect of electron beam irradiation and high-pressure treatment on the characteristics of cold-smoked salmon during refrigerated storage at 5 °C was investigated. Irradiation at 1–4 kGy and high-pressure treatments at 450 MPa for 5–25 min reduced total viable counts and delayed microbial growth. Irradiation induced a slight decrease in redness (a*), whereas high-pressure treatment resulted in a brighter (L*) appearance of smoked salmon. Higher values of hardness and shear strength were recorded for pressurized samples. Total biogenic amine concentration in smoked salmon held for 20 days at 5 °C was lowered by 81 % in samples irradiated at 2 kGy, and by 46 % in samples pressurized at 450 MPa for 25 min. Smoked salmon irradiated at 1 or 2 kGy had negligible sensory (appearance, odour and flavour) alterations, but lower sensory preferences in the rank order test were observed for 3 and 4 kGy samples. Pressurization for 5 min at 450 MPa induced moderate sensory changes, which were more marked after 15 or 25 min at 450 MPa. These results point to the usefulness of E-beam radiation at 1.5 kGy to assure a safe product of sensory characteristics similar to those of untreated smoked salmon.     

Mapping geological stages of climate-dependent iron and clay weathering alteration on lithologically uniform sedimentary units using Thematic Mapper imagery (Tertiary Duero Basin,Spain)

Weathering processes are responsible for slight surface mineralogical differences allowing the distinction between lithologically similar geological units using Thematic Mapper (TM) data. Two different stages throughout time of overlying iron alteration are notoriously distinctive on the imagery and laboratory spectra. Their diverse spectral behaviour follows the dominant iron hydroxide with kaolinite and carbonate crusts on the Pliocene Ochre Alteration typical of a humid warm climate, compared with the dominant nonhydratated iron oxides with smectite on the Miocene Red Alteration developed under a mediterranean dry climate. Iron materials with carbonate hinder appearance of the typical iron absorption features in the visible wavebands. Therefore, the iron weathering alteration coatings will be obscured on the imagery when it is developed on carbonate sediments or detritic sediments with carbonate cement or matrix. The presence of carbonate within the sediment as cement or alteration product decreases the overall reflectance of laboratory nonconsolidated rocks and the clay size fraction from rocks, apart from smoothing the 2200 nm absorption typical of OH-bearing minerals. The presence of carbonate cement and carbonate crusts favours the differentiation of some units. Digital mapping through image processing of different series of digital data leads to a sequential masking of classes to produce a final map. The sequence of masking produces different maps which can be used as a tool to model aspects of the sedimentary basin and geological processes throughout time.     

The impact of product category knowledge on consumer use of extrinsic cues – A study involving agrifood products

In this paper, we analyse the importance of consumer knowledge and its moderating effect on the use of extrinsic cues to make product choices within the white asparagus category. Our experimental design uses 18 screens showing options made from different combinations of brand, origin and price cues. The design uses three knowledge measures: experience in the product category, subjective knowledge and objective knowledge. The results are analysed by means of a multinomial logit model, enabling us to assess the importance of the various cues and interactions between these and knowledge. The results show that knowledge has different effects on the perceived importance of brand and origin. Among other effects, we show that less experienced consumers tend to rely more on origin labels, while the more experienced focus predominantly on brands.     

Assessment of safe enterococci as bioprotective cultures in low-acid fermented sausages combined with high hydrostatic pressure

Three bacteriocinogenic, non-aminogenic and non-virulent Enterococcus strains (Enterococcus faecium CTC8005, Enterococcus devriesei CTC8006 and Enterococcus casseliflavus CTC8003) were used as starter cultures in low-acid fermented sausages to assess their competitiveness and their bioprotective potential against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The inoculated strains were successfully monitored by RAPD-PCR. All the strains were able to grow, survive and dominate the endogenous enterococci population and avoided the growth of Enterobacteriaceae. E. devriesei CTC8006 and E. faecium CTC8005 particularly inhibited the growth of L. monocytogenes during the whole ripening process. S. aureus was not affected by the inoculated bacteriocinogenic enterococci strains.