Temp-to-permanent employees: A longitudinal study of stress and selection success.

Temp-to-permanent employees are temporary workers who have the opportunity to become permanent employees after a specific amount of time (e.g., generally after a 3- to 12-month period of trial work). The authors predicted that temporary worker individual differences, self-monitoring, tolerance for ambiguity, and role adjustment are related to temporary worker physiological stress and to whether temporary employees are offered permanent employment. Longitudinal data collection (pre- and postentry) resulted in data from 136 temp-to-permanent employees. Tolerance for ambiguity and role adjustment were found to be related to temporary worker stress and selection success. Self-monitoring was related to selection success for workers in an extended probationary period. These results suggest the need for further exploration and application of models of stress in understanding factors related to temporary worker success. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Applicant reactions to test scores banding in entry-level and promotional contexts.

This series of field studies used a fairness framework to investigate applicant reactions to test score banding in 3 police selection contexts. Studies 1 (N?=?85) and 2 (N?=?369) involved applicants for entry-level positions, and Study 3 (N?=?39) involved applicants for promotion. Across all 3 studies, race interacted with applicants' belief that banding is associated with affirmative action to affect measures of fairness and organizational outcomes such as attractiveness and perceived employee relations. Reactions were also related to applicants' perceived outcomes as a result of banding. Results are explained in terms of self-interest and suggest that reactions to banding are largely a function of the association of banding with affirmative action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Glycopolymer brushes with specific protein recognition property

Here, we report the synthesis of glycopolymer brushes on the silicon substrate by interface‐mediated reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of pentafluorophenyl acrylate as well as subsequent attachment of d ‐glucosamine to determine specific and nonspecific protein interactions. The root‐mean‐square roughness of the glycopolymer brushes is only about 3.1 nm, indicating unstable distribution of the collapsed glycopolymer chains on the surface. The water contact angle of glycopolymer brush was determined as ～53° indicating a hydrophilic behavior. The results of fluorescence microscopy studies indicated that the glycopolymer brushes have specific interaction with fluorescence‐labeled Concanavalin A and nonspecific interaction with fluorescence‐labeled bovine serum albumin. The glycopolymer brushes tested here are hoped to enlarge to our knowledge of recognition phenomena at the surface of polymer brushes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45238.     

Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Procedure for Improved Design of a Cooled Gas Turbine Blade

A multidisciplinary optimization procedure for gas turbine blade design has been developed and demonstrated on a generic 3-D blade. The blade is cooled both internally and externally (film cooling). Aerodynamic and heat transfer design criteria are integrated along with various constraints on the blade geometry. The blade is divided into numerous spanwise sections and each section is represented by a Bezier-Bernstein polynomial. A comprehensive solver for 3-D Navier-Stokes equations is used for the viscous flow calculations. The finite element method is used to obtain the blade interior temperatures. The average blade temperature and maximum blade temperature at each spanwise section are minimized, with aerodynamic and geometric constraints on the blade geometry. The constrained multiobjective optimization problem is solved using the Kreisselmeier-Steinhauser function approach. The results for a generic turbine blade design problem show significant improvements after optimization.     

Indicator bacteria for fecal pollution in the littoral zone of Lake Kinneret

The distribution of fecal indicator bacteria in the littoral zone of Lake Kinneret have been monitored over seasons, geographical zones, station type (bathing beaches and streams), distance from shore line and water depth. Statistical analysis was used to determine the impact of these factors. The dominant contamination source are water streams flowing during winter; bacterial numbers were higher in zones where the proportion of stream type stations is higher. Bacterial numbers in water and sediment were higher close to the shore line.     

Selection fairness information and applicant reactions: A longitudinal field study.

Although laboratory studies have found that selection information can affect applicant perceptions, this has not been tested in the field. The authors followed 2 cohorts of police applicants (N = 274) in a longitudinal study to examine the relationship between information, applicant perceptions, and behavior (e.g., turnover). Information was related to perceived fairness measured at the time of testing and 1 month later when applicants received their results. Information moderated the relationship between outcome favorability and test-taking self-efficacy among African Americans but not among Whites. Information was not related to the behavioral measures. The discussion focuses on why certain findings from previous studies were not replicated and on the use of information when applicants have an investment in getting a job. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Zebrafish Model for a Rare Genetic Disease Reveals a Conserved Role for FBXL3 in the Circadian Clock System

The circadian clock, which drives a wide range of bodily rhythms in synchrony with the day–night cycle, is based on a molecular oscillator that ticks with a period of approximately 24 h. Timed proteasomal degradation of clock components is central to the fine-tuning of the oscillator’s period. FBXL3 is a protein that functions as a substrate-recognition factor in the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, and was originally shown in mice to mediate degradation of CRY proteins and thus contribute to the mammalian circadian clock mechanism. By exome sequencing, we have identified a FBXL3 mutation in patients with syndromic developmental delay accompanied by morphological abnormalities and intellectual disability, albeit with a normal sleep pattern. We have investigated the function of FBXL3 in the zebrafish, an excellent model to study both vertebrate development and circadian clock function and, like humans, a diurnal species. Loss of fbxl3a function in zebrafish led to disruption of circadian rhythms of promoter activity and mRNA expression as well as locomotor activity and sleep–wake cycles. However, unlike humans, no morphological effects were evident. These findings point to an evolutionary conserved role for FBXL3 in the circadian clock system across vertebrates and to the acquisition of developmental roles in humans.     

Perceived overqualification and its outcomes: The moderating role of empowerment.

Research shows that perceived overqualification is related to lower job attitudes and greater withdrawal behaviors but to higher supervisor ratings of performance. Drawing upon relative deprivation theory, the authors proposed and tested empowerment as a moderator of the relationship between perceived overqualification and job satisfaction, intentions to remain, voluntary turnover, and objective sales performance to examine if negative outcomes could be lessened while stimulating even higher performance. Hierarchical linear modeling results from a sample of 244 sales associates working in 25 stores of a Turkish retail chain show that empowerment ameliorated the negative effects of perceived overqualification on job satisfaction, intentions to remain, and voluntary turnover. Empowerment did not affect the positive relationship between perceived overqualification and objective sales performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of newcomer involvement in work-related activities: A longitudinal study of socialization.

193 new PhD students provided data on entry to their doctoral programs and again 9 mos later. This longitudinal design was used to extend the socialization literature by testing the influence of newcomer involvement on socialization, by controlling for newcomer perceptions on entry, and by allowing for a dynamic view of socialization stages. Individuals who had collected information that they perceived as realistic, who had attended the same institution for their undergraduate degree, and who had past research experience were more involved in their doctoral programs, were more engaged in doctoral research, had less role conflict, felt more accepted, and were more productive as measured by objective outcomes. In addition, those individuals who were actively involved in their doctoral program were better accommodated and had greater productivity. Accommodation variables predicted commitment, and activity measures predicted submissions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)