Dynamique motivationnelle de l'epuisement et du bien-etre chez des enseignants africains.

This study examines the links between antecedents and consequences of Gabonese teachers' (N= 152) work motivation. The theoretical underpinnings are based on the Motivational Model of Job Burnout (MMJB) which is grounded in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and states that the more supervisors satisfy an employee's need for self-determination, competence, and relatedness, the more self-determined is the latter's work motivation. The level of self-determined motivation has an impact on job satisfaction, which in turn determines life satisfaction. Higher levels of self-determined motivation also buffer emotional exhaustion and psychological distress. The model was confirmed via structural equation modeling and provides support for the validity and generalizability of the MMJB and SDT. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The work–family interface and turnover intentions over the course of project-oriented assignments abroad

The work–family interface is a highly relevant, yet underexposed issue in project management. When projects require family-separation, work demands are likely to conflict with family life and the consequences may be neither beneficial for (project) organizations nor for families. The aim of this study was twofold: a) to assess within-person changes over time in employees' work–family conflict experiences, relationship satisfaction, and turnover intentions and b) to examine the interrelations between these variables, over the course of a project that requires family-separation. Quantitative data were collected among military personnel before and after their four to six months assignments abroad. The results revealed that relationship satisfaction among military personnel had decreased significantly and turnover intentions had increased significantly over time. Moreover, employees who experienced higher levels of work–family conflict reported lower levels of relationship satisfaction and higher levels of turnover intentions. Understanding the interrelations may help managing projects in a way that benefits project organizations as well as employees and their families, who are critical to its performance and success.     

Glial Modulation of Energy Balance: The Dorsal Vagal Complex Is No Exception

The avoidance of being overweight or obese is a daily challenge for a growing number of people. The growing proportion of people suffering from a nutritional imbalance in many parts of the world exemplifies this challenge and emphasizes the need for a better understanding of the mechanisms that regulate nutritional balance. Until recently, research on the central regulation of food intake primarily focused on neuronal signaling, with little attention paid to the role of glial cells. Over the last few decades, our understanding of glial cells has changed dramatically. These cells are increasingly regarded as important neuronal partners, contributing not just to cerebral homeostasis, but also to cerebral signaling. Our understanding of the central regulation of energy balance is part of this (r)evolution. Evidence is accumulating that glial cells play a dynamic role in the modulation of energy balance. In the present review, we summarize recent data indicating that the multifaceted glial compartment of the brainstem dorsal vagal complex (DVC) should be considered in research aimed at identifying feeding-related processes operating at this level.     

Glycation of the Major Milk Allergen β‐Lactoglobulin Changes Its Allergenicity by Alterations in Cellular Uptake and Degradation

1 Scope

During food processing, the Maillard reaction (МR) may occur, resulting in the formation of glycated proteins. Glycated proteins are of particular importance in food allergies because glycation may influence interactions with the immune system. This study compared native and extensively glycated milk allergen β‐lactoglobulin (BLG), in their interactions with cells crucially involved in allergy.

2 Methods and results

BLG was glycated in MR and characterized. Native and glycated BLG were tested in experiments of epithelial transport, uptake and degradation by DCs, T‐cell cytokine responses, and basophil cell degranulation using ELISA and flow cytometry. Glycation of BLG induced partial unfolding and reduced its intestinal epithelial transfer over a Caco‐2 monolayer. Uptake of glycated BLG by bone marrow–derived dendritic cells (BMDC) was increased, although both BLG forms entered BMDC via the same mechanism, receptor‐mediated endocytosis. Once inside the BMDC, glycated BLG was degraded faster, which might have led to observed lower cytokine production in BMDC/CD4⁺ T‐cells coculture. Finally, glycated BLG was less efficient in induction of degranulation of BLG‐specific IgE sensitized basophil cells.

3 Conclusions

This study suggests that glycation of BLG by MR significantly alters its fate in processes involved in immunogenicity and allergenicity, pointing out the importance of food processing in food allergy.     

Psychosocial predictors of supervisor-, peer-, subordinate-, and service-provider-targeted aggression.

The authors investigate whether known person predictors (trait anger, trait aggression) and situational predictors (perceived interpersonal mistreatment, perceived organizational sanctions against aggression) of supervisor-targeted aggression also predict employee's aggression toward other workplace targets, namely peers, subordinates, and customers' aggression toward service providers. The authors also investigate the moderating impact of situational factors on the relationship between person factors and aggression. Participants (N = 308) were asked whether they had a conflict with their supervisor, a subordinate, a work peer, and/or a service provider in the past 6 months. Different patterns of main and interaction effects emerged across the 4 targets, suggesting the importance of accounting for the target of aggression in workplace aggression research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Addressing Nanomaterial Immunosafety by Evaluating Innate Immunity across Living Species

The interaction of a living organism with external foreign agents is a central issue for its survival and adaptation to the environment. Nanosafety should be considered within this perspective, and it should be examined that how different organisms interact with engineered nanomaterials (NM) by either mounting a defensive response or by physiologically adapting to them. Herein, the interaction of NM with one of the major biological systems deputed to recognition of and response to foreign challenges, i.e., the immune system, is specifically addressed. The main focus is innate immunity, the only type of immunity in plants, invertebrates, and lower vertebrates, and that coexists with adaptive immunity in higher vertebrates. Because of their presence in the majority of eukaryotic living organisms, innate immune responses can be viewed in a comparative context. In the majority of cases, the interaction of NM with living organisms results in innate immune reactions that eliminate the possible danger with mechanisms that do not lead to damage. While in some cases such interaction may lead to pathological consequences, in some other cases beneficial effects can be identified.     

Sputtered Titanium Carbide Thick Film for High Areal Energy on Chip Carbon‐Based Micro‐Supercapacitors

The areal energy density of on‐chip micro‐supercapacitors should be improved in order to obtain autonomous smart miniaturized sensors. To reach this goal, high surface capacitance electrode (>100 mF cm^?2) has to be produced while keeping low the footprint area. For carbide‐derived carbon (CDC) micro‐supercapacitors, the properties of the metal carbide precursor have to be fine‐tuned to fabricate thick electrodes. The ad‐atoms diffusion process and atomic peening effect occurring during the titanium carbide sputtering process are shown to be the key parameters to produce low stress, highly conductive, and thick TiC films. The sputtered TiC at 10^?3 mbar exhibits a high stress level, limiting the thickness of the TiC‐CDC electrode to 1.5 µm with an areal capacitance that is less than 55 mF cm^?2 in aqueous electrolyte. The pressure increase up to 10^?2 mbar induces a clear reduction of the stress level while the layer thickness increases without any degradation of the TiC electronic conductivity. The volumetric capacitance of the TiC‐CDC electrodes is equal to 350 F cm^?3 regardless of the level of pressure. High values of areal capacitance (>100 mF cm^?2) are achieved, whereas the TiC layer is relatively thick, which paves the way toward high‐performance micro‐supercapacitors.