Collective emotion regulation in an organisation – a plural agency with cognition and affect

Purpose

– While emotions and feelings arise in the singular personality, they may also develop a normative dimensionality in a plural agency. The authors identify the cybernetic systemic principles of how emotions might be normatively regulated and affect plural agency performance. The purpose of this paper is to develop a generic cultural socio-cognitive trait theory of plural affective agency (the emotional organization), involving interactive cognitive and affective traits, and these play a role within the contexts of Mergers and Acquisitions (M & A).

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors integrate James Gross’ model of emotion regulation with the earlier work on normative personality in the context of Mindset Agency Theory. The agency is a socio-cognitive entity with attitude, and operates through traits that control thinking and decision making. These traits are epistemically independent and operate on a bipolar scale; with the alternate poles having an auxiliary function to each other – where the traits may take intermediary “balanced” states between the poles.

Findings

– Processes of affect regulation are supposed to go through three stages: first, identification (affective situation awareness); second, elaboration of affect is constituted through schemas of emotional feeling, which include emotion ideologies generating emotional responses to distinct contextual situations; third, execution: in the operative system primary emotions are assessed through operative intelligence for any adaptive information and the capacity to organize action; and turned into action, i.e. responses, through cultural feeling rules and socio-cultural display rules, conforming to emotion ideologies.

Research limitations/implications

– This new theory provides guidance for framing multilevel interaction where smaller collectives (as social systems) are embedded into larger social systems with a culture, an emotional climate and institutions. Thus, it is providing a generic theoretical frame for M & A analyses, where a smaller social unit (the acquired) is to be integrated into a larger social unit (the acquirer).

Practical implications

– Understanding interdependencies between cognition and emotion regulation is a prerequisite of managerial intelligence, which is at demand during M & A processes. While managerial intelligence may be grossly defined as the capacity of management to find an appropriate and fruitful balance between action and learning orientation of an organization, its affective equivalent is the capacity of management to find a fruitful balance between established emotion expression and learning alternate forms of emotion expression.

Social implications

– Understanding interdependencies between cognition and emotion is a prerequisite of social, cultural and emotional intelligence. The provided theory can be easily linked with empirical work on the emergence of a cultural climate of fear within societies. Thus, “Affective Agency Theory” also has a bearing for political systems’ analysis, what, however, is beyond the scope of this paper.

Originality/value

– The paper builds on the recently developed Mindset Agency Theory, elaborating it through the introduction of the dimension of affect, where cognitive and affective traits interact and become responsible for patterns of behaviour. The model is providing a framework which links emotion expression and emotion regulation with cognitive analysis.

Quantification of vancomycin in human serum by LC-MS/MS

BACKGROUND

The aim of our work was to develop and validate a reliable LC-MS/MS-based measurement procedure for the quantification of vancomycin in serum, to be applied in the context of efforts to standardize and harmonize therapeutic drug monitoring of this compound using routine assays.

METHODS

Sample preparation was based on protein precipitation followed by ultrafiltration. In order to minimize differential modulation of ionization by matrix constituents extended chromatographic separation was applied leading to a retention time of 9.8 min for the analyte. Measurement was done by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. For internal standardization the derivative vancomycin-glycin (ISTD) prepared by chemical synthesis was used, HPLC conditions ensured coelution of ISTD with the analyte.

RESULTS

In a bi-center validation total CVs of <4% were observed for quality control material ranging from 5.3 mg/L to 79.4 mg/L; accuracy was ±4%. No relevant ion suppression was observed. Comparative measurement of aliquots from 70 samples at the two validation sites demonstrated close agreement.

CONCLUSIONS

Employing a closely related homologue molecule for internal standardization and the use of MS/MS following highly efficient sample pre-fractionation by HPLC, the method described here can be considered to offer the highest level of analytical reliability realized so far for the quantification of vancomycin in human serum. Thus, the method is suitable to be used in a comprehensive reference measurement system for vancomycin.

13C NMR-spektroskopische Untersuchungen an Äthylaluminiumverbindungen / 13C NMR Spectroscopic Investigations of Ethylaluminium Compounds

The 13C NMR spectra of the ethylaluminium compounds [Al(C2H5)xCl3_x]2 x = 1, 1,5, 2 and 3 are presented and factors governing the temperature dependence of the line shape are discussed. The exchange reaction of terminal ethyl groups for chlorine ligands and ethyl ligands, resp., in ethylaluminium-sesquichloride was investigated by fitting the calculated line shapes to the observed spectra.

The energy of activation of this exchange process was determined as to be 12,3 ‡ 1,5 kcal/mole. The synthesis of 13C2-[Al(C2H5)Cl2]2 is described.

Ethen/1-Hexen- und 1-Octadecen-Copolymerisation mit dem stereorigiden Zirkon-Katalysatorsystem iPr(CpFlu)ZrCl2/MAO: Einfluß der Temperatur / Copolym erization of Ethene/1-Hexene and 1-Oetadecen with the Stereorigid Zirconium Catalyst System iPr(CpFlu)ZrCl2/MAO : Influence of the Temperature

Ethene was copolymerized with 1-hexene and 1-octadecene at different temperatures to study the influence of the temperature. The stereorigid catalyst [2,4-cyclopentadien-1-yliden- (iso-propyliden)fluoren-9-yliden]zirconium dichloride iPr(CpFlu )ZrCl2 1 in combination with methylalumoxane MAO was used. The polymerization rate of ethene depends in a wide range on the temperature and the com onom er content in solution. In each case a large rate enhancem ent at low ratios [com onom er]/[ethene] was observed. A t 25 °C the polymerization rate of ethene increases continuously with increasing [1-hexene]/[ethene]-ratio. At 40 °C the consumption of ethene is nearly independent of the 1-hexene content in solution. Finally, at 60 °C, similar to the ethene/1-octadecene-copolymerisation at different temperatures, the polymerization rate of ethene decreases with increasing [1-hexene]/[ethene]-ratio. It is suggested that this behavior is caused by the mobility of the side chains in the copolym er near the active center, probably for sterical reasons. W ith increasing temperatures, the side chain becomes more and more flexible and thus the sterical hindrance is increased. This effect is even stronger with long chain α-olefins.

The microstructure of the copolymer was investigated with respect to Marcovian statistic 1. and 2. order. The experimental triad distribution is described satisfactorily only with the second order statistic. Independent of the temperature the r22 parameter is considerably greater than the r12 parameter, the insertion of an α-olefin thus being more favored for he sequence {R -(α-olefine)-(α-olefine)-Kat.} than for {R -(ethene)-(α-olefine)-Kat.}. It therefore appears that both last inserted monomers influence the insertion of the subsequent monomer, especially at high comonomer contents. Furthermore, the parameters for the α-olefin insertions r22 and r12 are nearly independent of the temperature of polymerization, whereas the r11 and r21 parameters increase with increasing temperature.

Ethylene Insertion with Soluble Ziegler Catalysts: Direct Insight into the Reaction Using Enriched 13C2 H4 and 13C NMR Spectroscopy II. The System Cp2TiMeCl/AlMeCl2/13C2H4

The elementary processes involved in the polymerization of ethylene by soluble Ziegler catalysts of the type Cp2TiMeCl/AlMeCl2 have been studied by 13C NMR spectroscopy. Using 13C-enriched ethylene, detailed information was obtained directly on the system in the course of the polymerization. No spectroscopic evidence was found for precoordination of the monomer. The development of the oligomer distribution, which could be followed spectroscopically, proves that the mechanism proposed by Olivé cannot be correct. These experiments show conclusively that the ethylene is inserted into the titanium-carbon bond.

Derivatization of antibody Fab fragments: a designer enzyme for native protein modification

Bioconjugates, such as antibody-drug conjugates, have gained recent attention because of their increasing use in therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Commonly used conjugation reactions based upon chemoselective reagents exhibit a number of drawbacks: most of these reactions lack regio- and stereospecificity, thus resulting in loss of protein functionality due to random modifications. Enzymes provide an obvious solution to this problem, but the intrinsic (natural) substrate specificities of existing enzymes pose severe limitations to the kind of modifications that can be introduced. Here we describe the application of the novel trypsin variant trypsiligase for site-specific modification of the C terminus of a Fab antibody fragment via a stable peptide bond. The suitability of this designed biocatalyst was demonstrated by coupling the Her2-specific Fab to artificial functionalities of either therapeutic (PEG) or diagnostic (fluorescein) relevance. In both cases we obtained homogeneously modified Fab products bearing the artificial functionality exclusively at the desired position.

Late presentation to HIV/AIDS testing, treatment or continued care: clarifying the use of CD4 evaluation in the consensus definition

OBJECTIVES

Late presentation to HIV/AIDS services compromises treatment outcomes and misses opportunities for biomedical and behavioural prevention. There has been significant heterogeneity in how the term 'late presentation' (LP) has been used in the literature. In 2011, a consensus definition was reached using CD4 counts to define and measure late presenters and, while it is useful for clinical care, the consensus definition has several important limitations that we discuss in this article.

METHODS

Using the spectrum of engagement in HIV care presented by Gardner and colleagues, this article highlights issues and opportunities associated with use of the consensus definition.

RESULTS

The consensus definition is limited by three principal factors: (1) the CD4 count threshold of 350 cells/μL is being increasingly questioned as the biomedical justification grows for earlier initiation of treatment; (2) CD4 evaluations are conducted at multiple services providing HIV care; thus it remains unclear to which service the patient is presenting late; and (3) the limited availability of CD4 evaluation restricts its use in determining the prevalence of LP in many settings.

CONCLUSIONS

The consensus definition is useful because it describes the level of disease progression and allows for consistent evaluation of the prevalence and determinants of LP. Suggestions are provided for improving the application of the consensus definition in future research.

Changes in daily leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin profiles following a diet with carbohydrates eaten at dinner in obese subjects

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Our recently published randomised clinical trial evaluated the effect of a low-calorie diet with carbohydrates eaten at dinner. This dietary pattern led to lower hunger scores, and better anthropometric, biochemical and inflammatory outcomes compared to a standard low-calorie diet. In the same study, changes in diurnal secretion patterns of leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin were investigated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Seventy-eight police officers (body mass index (BMI) > 30) were randomly allocated to experimental (carbohydrates at dinner) or control weight loss diets for 6 months. Sixty-three subjects finished the programme. On days 0, 7, 90 and 180 blood samples and hunger scores were collected every 4 h from 8:00 to 20:00. Hormonal profiles were available for 39. The dietary manipulation led to changes in daylight hormonal profiles in the experimental group. Leptin's secretion curve became convex, with a nadir later in the day (significant difference compared to baseline at morning and evening, p = 0.023, p = 0.021, respectively). Ghrelin's secretion curve became concave, peaking only in the evening hours. Adiponectin's curve was elevated only after the experimental diet (significant difference compared to baseline at afternoon, p = 0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that a low-calorie diet with carbohydrates eaten at dinner can modulate daytime hormonal profiles. Taken together with our earlier results, we believe this diet regime may prevent mid-day hunger, better support weight loss and improve metabolic outcomes compared to conventional weight loss diets. The trial is registered at controlled-trials.com, ISRCTN37829376, December 2009.

Testosterone Induces an All-or-None, Exponential Increase in Arginine Vasopressin mRNA in the Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis of the Hypogonadal Mouse

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in rodents contains arginine vasopressin (AVP) neurons which project to the lateral septum (LS) and habenula (LH) and are thought to be important for social recognition or memory. In previous studies we demonstrated that AVP immunoreactivity in the LS and LH is absent in the hypogonadal (hpg) mouse and that AVP immunoreactivity in the LH and LS of this mutant can be induced by testosterone. The aim of the present study was to determine whether this action of testosterone was due to the induction of AVP gene expression in BNST neurons and if so the time taken for testosterone to exert its effect. We found that exposure to supraphysiological concentrations of testosterone for 6-12 days caused an exponential, 50-fold increase in the number of cells that expressed AVP mRNA in the BNST in hpg mice. The action of testosterone is "all-or-none" in that the level of AVP mRNA in the AVP-positive cells was similar at all times after testosterone implantation and also similar or less than that in the few AVP-positive cells in animals not treated with testosterone. The relatively long time taken for testosterone to exert its effect on AVP mRNA in BNST neurons is comparable to its effects on AVP immunoreactivity in the LH and LS and on behaviour and suggests that the action of testosterone may be mediated by indirect or slow intracellular transduction mechanisms.

The health of the poor: women living in informal settlements

OBJECTIVES

A large share of the urban population in developing countries lives in informal settlements or "slums" today. This study investigates the association between slum residence and health among adult Ghanaian women residing in the Accra Metropolitan Area.

METHODS

Health data collected as part of the Women's Health Study of Accra round II (WHSA-II) was combined with data from the Household and Welfare Study of Accra (HAWS) to compare the health of female slum dwellers to the health of female non-slum dwellers living in the Accra Metropolitan Area. Group means were calculated and multivariate linear regression models were estimated to compare eight domains of health as measured by the short-form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire.

RESULTS

Women living in informal settlements were found to display consistently better health. Conditional on all observable characteristics, women living in informal settlements scored higher on all self-reported health outcomes than women living in non-slum areas. The differences appear largest for general health as well as for the physical role functioning domains, and appear smallest for the social role functioning and bodily pain domains.

CONCLUSIONS

The results presented suggest that slum residence does not have a negative effect on self-reported health among women in Accra. Three factors may contribute to the generally positive association between slum residence and observed outcomes: i) self-selection of individuals with strong health into informal settlements and an accordingly small impact of environmental factors on health ii) self-selection of more driven and ambitious individuals into slum neighborhoods who may have a generally more positive view of their health and iii) the geographic placement of slum neighborhoods in central neighborhoods with relatively easy access to health facilities.

The effect of Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme on health care utilisation

OBJECTIVES

The study investigates the effect of Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) on health care utilisation.

METHODS

We provide a short history of health insurance in Ghana, and briefly discuss general patterns of enrolment in Ghana as well as in Accra in a first step. In a second step, we use data from the Women's Health Study of Accra wave II to evaluate the effect of insurance on health seeking behaviour using propensity score matching.

RESULTS

We find that on average individuals enrolled in the insurance scheme are significantly more likely to obtain prescriptions, visit clinics and seek formal health care when sick.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the government's objective to increase access to the formal health care sector through health insurance has at least partially been achieved.

Hartmann-Hahn 2D-map to optimize the RAMP-CPMAS NMR experiment for pharmaceutical materials

Cross polarization-magic angle spinning (CPMAS) is the most used experiment for solid-state NMR measurements in the pharmaceutical industry, with the well-known variant RAMP-CPMAS its dominant implementation. The experimental work presented in this contribution focuses on the entangled effects of the main parameters of such an experiment. The shape of the RAMP-CP pulse has been considered as well as the contact time duration, and a particular attention also has been devoted to the radio-frequency (RF) field inhomogeneity. (13)C CPMAS NMR spectra have been recorded with a systematic variation of (13)C and (1)H constant radiofrequency field pair values and represented as a Hartmann-Hahn matching two-dimensional map. Such a map yields a rational overview of the intricate optimal conditions necessary to achieve an efficient CP magnetization transfer. The map also highlights the effects of sweeping the RF by the RAMP-CP pulse on the number of Hartmann-Hahn matches crossed and how RF field inhomogeneity helps in increasing the CP efficiency by using a larger fraction of the sample. In the light of the results, strategies for optimal RAMP-CPMAS measurements are suggested, which lead to a much higher efficiency than constant amplitude CP experiment.