This paper presents a literature review on the topic of organizational performance. The study conceptualizes the overall performance of the organization as comprising of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB) and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB). While there are numerous research studies on OCB, not many have focused on how OCB and CWB affect organizational performance simultaneously. The paper provides an explanation of the OCB and CWB concepts, followed by the primary research and focus of the study. The article presents a comprehensive framework for understanding the meanings of OCB and CWB, along with an internal hierarchy. This framework will serve as a beneficial resource for working managers, academics, and researchers, who seek to optimize economic productivity through improved understanding and management of OCB and CWB.
A new species, Wikstroemiafragrans (Thymelaeaceae, Daphneae), from Danxiashan National Park, Shaoguan, Guangdong of China is described and illustrated. It is similar to the sympatric W.trichotoma, but can be differentiated easily from the latter by its shorter racemose inflorescences, yellowish green calyx tube, and smaller leaves. It also resembles the allopatric W.fargesii, but differs from it by its strigose-pubescent ovary and disk scale that is 2- or 3-dentate apically. Phylogenetic analysis using the nuclear DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region revealed that W.fragrans falls within the Wikstroemia clade; based on current sampling, W.fragrans is closely-related to W.capitata. It is also the first species of Wikstroemia known to be endemic to the Danxia landform and is classified provisionally as Critically Endangered according to the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria.
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is a type of probiotic that may benefit intestinal health. Recent advances in nanoencapsulation provide an effective strategy to protect them from harsh conditions via surface functionalization coating techniques. Herein, the categories and features of applicable encapsulation methods are compared to highlight the significant role of nanoencapsulation. Commonly used food-grade biopolymers (polysaccharides and protein) and nanomaterials (nanocellulose and starch nanoparticles) are summarized along with their characteristics and advances to demonstrate enhanced combination effects in LAB co-encapsulation. Nanocoating for LAB provides an integrity dense or smooth layer attributed to the cross-linking and assembly of the protectant. The synergism of multiple chemical forces allows for the formation of subtle coatings, including electrostatic attractions, hydrophobic interactions, π-π, and metallic bonds. Multilayer shells have stable physical transition properties that could increase the space between the probiotic cells and the outer environment, thus delaying the microcapsules burst time in the gut. Probiotic delivery stability can be promoted by enhancing the thickness of the encapsulated layer and nanoparticle binding. Maintenance of benefits and minimization of nanotoxicity are desirable, and green synthesized nanoparticles are emerging. Future trends include optimized formulation, especially using biocompatible materials, protein or plant-based materials, and material modification.
Nitrite has the potential risk of hypoxic poisoning or cancer in pickled food. In our previous study, Limosilactobacillus fermentum (L. fermentum) RC4 is effective in nitrite degradation by producing nitrite reductase B (NirB). To investigate the detailed mechanism from the genome, response, and regulation of NirB, the whole-genome sequence of L. fermentum RC4 was analyzed, the L. fermentum-EGFP-nirB with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) labeled the nitrite reductase large subunit nirB, and the recombined L. fermentum-NirB with overexpression NirB strain was conducted. The key genes within the dominant metabolism pathways may be involved in stress tolerance to regulate the degrading process. The green fluorescence density of EGFP indicated that NirB activity has a threshold and peaked under 300 mg/L nitrite concentration. NirB overexpressed in L. fermentum RC4 boosted the enzyme activity by 39.6% and the degradation rate by 10.5%, when fermented in 300 mg/L for 40 h, compared to the control group. RNA-seq detected 248 differential genes mainly enriched in carbohydrate, amino acid, and energy metabolism. The ackA gene for pyruvate metabolism and the mtnN gene for cysteine metabolism were up-regulated. NirB regulates these genes to produce acid and improve stress resistance for L. fermentum RC4 to accelerate nitrite degradation.
In recent years novel human respiratory disease agents have been described for Southeast Asia and Australia. The causative pathogens were classified as pteropine orthoreoviruses with a strong phylogenetic relationship to orthoreoviruses of bat origin.
The identification of new virus strains is important for the study of infectious disease, but current (or existing) molecular biology methods are limited since the target sequence must be known to design genome-specific PCR primers. Thus, we developed a new method for the discovery of unknown viruses based on the cDNA--random amplified polymorphic DNA (cDNA-RAPD) technique. Getah virus, belonging to the family Togaviridae in the genus Alphavirus, is a mosquito-borne enveloped RNA virus that was identified using the Virus-Discovery-cDNA RAPD (VIDISCR) method.
No biologically based diagnostic criteria are in clinical use today for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia, and major depressive disorder (MDD), which are defined with reference to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual clinical symptoms alone. However, these disorders cannot always be well distinguished on clinical grounds and may also be comorbid. A biological blood-based dynamic genomic signature that can differentiate among OCD, MDD, and schizophrenia would therefore be of great utility. This study enrolled 77 patients with OCD, 67 controls with no psychiatric illness, 39 patients with MDD, and 40 with schizophrenia. An OCD-specific gene signature was identified using blood gene expression analysis to construct a predictive model of OCD that can differentiate this disorder from healthy controls, MDD, and schizophrenia using a logistic regression algorithm. To verify that the genes selected were not derived as a result of chance, the algorithm was tested twice. First, the algorithm was used to predict the cohort with true disease/control status and second, the algorithm predicted the cohort with disease/control status randomly reassigned (null set). A six-gene panel (COPS7A, FKBP1A, FIBP, TP73-AS1, SDF4, and GOLGA8A) discriminated patients with OCD from healthy controls, MDD, and schizophrenia in the training set (with an area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve of 0.938; accuracy, 86%; sensitivity, 88%; and specificity, 85%). Our findings indicate that a blood transcriptomic signature can distinguish OCD from healthy controls, MDD, and schizophrenia. This finding further confirms the feasibility of using dynamic blood-based genomic signatures in psychiatric disorders and may provide a useful tool for clinical staff engaged in OCD diagnosis and decision making.