Emotional labor, strain, and performance: Testing reciprocal relationships in a longitudinal panel study.

Models of emotional labor suggest that emotional labor leads to strain and affects job performance. Although the link between emotional labor, strain, and performance has been well documented in cross-sectional field studies, not much is known about the causal direction of relationships between emotional labor, strain, and performance. Goal of the present study was therefore to test the direction of effects in a two-wave longitudinal panel study using a sample of 151 trainee teachers. Longitudinal lagged effects were tested using structural equation modeling. Results revealed that the emotional labor strategy of surface acting led to increases in subsequent strain while deep acting led to increases in job performance. In contrast, there was no indication of reverse causation: Neither strain nor job performance had a significant lagged effect on subsequent surface or deep acting. Overall, results support models of emotional labor suggesting that surface and deep acting causally precede individual and organizational well-being. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Avrami kinetics of dynamic recrystallization

Twenty-six flow curves determined under dynamic recrystallization (DRX) conditions on 11 different steels were analyzed. The double-differentiation method was used to define the critical strain ε_c for initiation of DRX. The “athermal” hardening parameter h and the dynamic recovery parameter r were evaluated from the work-hardening behavior prior to ε_c. The saturation stresses σ_sat pertaining to the unrecrystallized regions as well as the associated work-hardening curves, σ_recov, were derived in this way. The net softening attributable to DRX was then defined as the difference between the σ_recov and experimental curves. Avrami plots were prepared from all 26 sets of data. The time exponents were all in the neighborhood of 3.0; however, the strain rate and temperature dependences differed considerably from their static values. The dependence of the time of half-softening, t₅₀, on strain rate and temperature is used to predict the DRX curves expected under industrial conditions.     

An Adaptive Contact Model for the Robust Simulation of Knots

In this paper, we present an adaptive model for dynamically deforming hyper‐elastic rods. In contrast to existing approaches, adaptively introduced control points are not governed by geometric subdivision rules. Instead, their states are determined by employing a non‐linear energy‐minimization approach. Since valid control points are computed instantaneously, post‐stabilization schemes are avoided and the stability of the dynamic simulation is improved. Due to inherently complex contact configurations, the simulation of knot tying using rods is a challenging task. In order to address this problem, we combine our adaptive model with a robust and accurate collision handling method for elastic rods. By employing our scheme, complex knot configurations can be simulated in a physically plausible way.     

Human fear conditioning is related to dopaminergic and serotonergic biological markers.

Biological markers for acquisition and extinction of fear conditioning were studied in 40 individuals selected for displaying either good or poor acquisiton of fear conditioning, as estimated by the skin conductance response. Participants with a short serotonin transporter (5-HTT) promoter allele or low monoamine oxidase activity in platelets (trbc-MAO) displayed better acquisition than those with only long alleles or high trbc-MAO, whereas participants with a long dopamine D4 receptor (D4DR) exon III allele showed delayed extinction compared with those with only short alleles. The findings, that D4DR exon III and 5-HTT promotor genotypes and trbc-MAO activity are related to human fear conditioning, a basic form of associative learning, are consistent with animal studies suggesting a genetic contribution to fear conditioning. The authors suggest that in humans these genetic mechanisms are partly dopaminergic and serotonergic in origin. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

New Jersey Acts on Energy and Climate Change [Living with Technology]

An unusual aspect of this conference was its focus on state-level energy and climate policies. The lack of federal leadership on these issues within the U.S.A. has opened a window of opportunity at the state level for policy entrepreneurs. California acted in 2005 with an executive order establishing greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, ratified in 2006 by the state legislature. New Jersey acted in 2007, helped along by the fact-finding, target-setting effort leading to this conference. The thoughtful discussions and careful analysis that played out during 2006 and early 2007 played a role in giving policymakers and stake holders the confidence to act decisively. Thus, by February 2007, New Jersey's governor had penned an executive order setting two greenhouse gas targets: reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and reduce emissions to 80% below current levels by 2050.     

Synthesis and properties of new derivatives of poly[9‐(2,3‐epoxypropyl)carbazole]

BACKGROUND: Carbazole derivatives are well known to exhibit interesting electro‐ and photo‐active properties due to their hole‐transporting ability, strong absorption in the ultraviolet spectral region and blue‐light emission. One of the most widely studied materials among carbazole‐containing oligomers is poly[9‐(2,3‐epoxypropyl)carbazole] (PEPK). The main field of application of this oligomer is electrophotographic microfilming. It is also used for the manufacture of multicolour slides and in the photothermoplastic recording of information. Unfortunately, due to its high ionization potential, which reaches 5.86 eV, the possibilities of application of this compound in optoelectronic devices are rather limited. RESULTS: PEPK‐based charge transporting oligomers, incorporating hydrazone moieties, are reported. The oligomers were prepared by chemical modification of PEPK. The materials obtained were examined using various techniques including differential scanning calorimetry and ultraviolet, infrared and NMR spectroscopy. Electron photoemission spectra of layers of the synthesized oligomers showed ionization potentials (I_p) in the range 5.4–5.5 eV. CONCLUSION: The synthesized oligomers possess a larger π‐conjugated system and show ionization potentials of ca 5.4 eV. Therefore, they are more suitable for use in optoelectronic devices with quicker photoresponse than unmodified PEPK. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Different bacterial models for in vitro induction of non‐cavitated enamel caries‐like lesions: Microhardness and polarized light miscroscopy analyses

The aim of this study was to compare different bacterial models for in vitro induction of non‐cavitated enamel caries‐like lesions by microhardness and polarized light microscopy analyses. One hundred blocks of bovine enamel were randomly divided into four groups (n = 25) according to the bacterial model for caries induction: (A) Streptococcus mutans, (B) S. mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus, (C) S. mutans and L. casei, and (D) S. mutans, L. acidophilus, and L. casei. Within each group, the blocks were randomly divided into five subgroups according to the duration of the period of caries induction (4–20 days). The enamel blocks were immersed in cariogenic solution containing the microorganisms, which was changed every 48 h. Groups C and D presented lower surface hardness values (SMH) and higher area of hardness loss (ΔS) after the cariogenic challenge than groups A and B (P < 0.05). As regards lesion depth, under polarized light microscopy, group A presented significantly lower values, and groups C and D the highest values. Group B showed a higher value than group A (P < 0.05). Groups A and B exhibited subsurface caries lesions after all treatment durations, while groups C and D presented erosion‐type lesions with surface softening. The model using S. mutans, whether or not it was associated with L. acidophilus, was less aggressive and may be used for the induction of non‐cavitated enamel caries‐like lesions. The optimal period for inducing caries‐like lesions was 8 days. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:444–451, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Detection of Legionella spp. and some of their amoeba hosts in floating biofilms from anthropogenic and natural aquatic environments

Floating biofilms develop at the water-air interface and harbor numerous microorganisms, some of which are human pathogens like Legionella pneumophila. The presence of Legionella spp. and especially L. pneumophila in such biofilms was investigated. In parallel, the occurrence of Naegleria spp., Acanthamoeba spp., Willaertia spp., Vahlkampfia spp. and Hartmanella spp. was determined and it was examined whether Acanthamoeba spp. isolates were naturally infected with L. pneumophila bacteria. Eight anthropogenic and 37 natural aquatic environments were sampled between June and August 2005. Both Legionella spp. and L. pneumophila were present in 100% of the floating biofilms of the anthropogenic aquatic systems. Eighty-one percent of all natural floating biofilm samples were positive for Legionella spp. and 70% of these samples were positive for L. pneumophila. Legionella concentrations were in the range of 10(1)-10(2)cells/cm(2). Naegleria spp. and Acanthamoeba spp., two well-known L. pneumophila amoeba hosts, were present in 50-92% and 67-72% of floating biofilm samples, respectively. Acanthamoeba spp. isolates appeared to be naturally infected with L. pneumophila bacteria as proved by fluorescent in situ hybridization.