Why Japanese workers show low work engagement: An item response theory analysis of the Utrecht Work Engagement scale

With the globalization of occupational health psychology, more and more researchers are interested in applying employee well-being like work engagement (i.e., a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind that is characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption) to diverse populations. Accurate measurement contributes to our further understanding and to the generalizability of the concept of work engagement across different cultures. The present study investigated the measurement accuracy of the Japanese and the original Dutch versions of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (9-item version, UWES-9) and the comparability of this scale between both countries. Item Response Theory (IRT) was applied to the data from Japan (N = 2,339) and the Netherlands (N = 13,406). Reliability of the scale was evaluated at various levels of the latent trait (i.e., work engagement) based the test information function (TIF) and the standard error of measurement (SEM). The Japanese version had difficulty in differentiating respondents with extremely low work engagement, whereas the original Dutch version had difficulty in differentiating respondents with high work engagement. The measurement accuracy of both versions was not similar. Suppression of positive affect among Japanese people and self-enhancement (the general sensitivity to positive self-relevant information) among Dutch people may have caused decreased measurement accuracy. Hence, we should be cautious when interpreting low engagement scores among Japanese as well as high engagement scores among western employees.     

Descriptions of two new species of Callogobius (Gobiidae) found in Japan

Ichthyological Research - Callogobius albipunctatus sp. nov. and Callogobius dorsomaculatus sp. nov. are described from Japan. Both species are included in the sclateri group, characterized by...     

Comparison of the mesophilic cellulosome‐producing Clostridium cellulovorans genome with other cellulosome‐related clostridial genomes

Clostridium cellulovorans, an anaerobic and mesophilic bacterium, degrades native substrates in soft biomass such as corn fibre and rice straw efficiently by producing an extracellular enzyme complex called the cellulosome. Recently, we have reported the whole‐genome sequence of C. cellulovorans comprising 4220 predicted genes in 5.10 Mbp [Y. Tamaru et al., (2010) J. Bacteriol., 192: 901–902]. As a result, the genome size of C. cellulovorans was about 1 Mbp larger than that of other cellulosome‐producing clostridia, mesophilic C. cellulolyticum and thermophilic C. thermocellum. A total of 57 cellulosomal genes were found in the C. cellulovorans genome, and they coded for not only carbohydrate‐degrading enzymes but also a lipase, peptidases and proteinase inhibitors. Interestingly, two novel genes encoding scaffolding proteins were found in the genome. According to KEGG metabolic pathways and their comparison with 11 Clostridial genomes, gene expansion in the C. cellulovorans genome indicated mainly non‐cellulosomal genes encoding hemicellulases and pectin‐degrading enzymes. Thus, by examining genome sequences from multiple Clostridium species, comparative genomics offers new insight into genome evolution and the way natural selection moulds functional DNA sequence evolution. Our analysis, coupled with the genome sequence data, provides a roadmap for constructing enhanced cellulosome‐producing Clostridium strains for industrial applications such as biofuel production.     

Multiple habitat use of Japanese sea bass Lateolabrax japonicus in the estuary region of the Tone River system,implied by stable isotope analysis

Ichthyological Research - Japanese sea bass Lateolabrax japonicus is a euryhaline fish species. The present study aimed to elucidate their habitat use in the estuary region of the Tone River system...     

Genetic remodeling of gangliosides resulted in the enhanced reactions to the foreign substances in skin

Several lines of transgenic mice with gangliosides GM2/GD2 synthasegene were established, and the expression levels of the transgenein brain, liver, spleen and thymus were analyzed by comparingwith those in their litter mates. Among four tissues, brainand skin showed markedly high expression levels of the transgenein Northern blotting. Particularly, transgenic mice skin showedabout 10-fold higher expression of GM2/GD2 synthase gene thanthe wild type mice skin. Therefore, alterations in the morphology,glycolipid components, and responses to the exogenous stimulationsin the transgenic mice skin were examined. Gangliosides in thetransgenic skin were dramatically converted from GM3 to GM1,whereas no morphological changes were observed. However, whenskin flap test was performed with insertion of nylon membranesunder the skin flaps, much stronger inflammatory reactions consistingof edema, marked thickness, and cell infiltration were observedin the transgenic mice compared with the wild type. Similarenhanced inflammatory reaction was also observed in the skininjected by silicon gel, and in the peritoneal reaction to theinjected casein. Main cell population in these inflammatoryreactions consisted of neutrophils, suggesting an increasedsensitivity of neutrophils to chemo-tactic factors in the transgenicmice. ganglioside glycosyltransferase GM2 GD2 synthase skin transgenic mouse