bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling employee withdrawal behaviour over time: A study of turnover using survival analysis
Authors: Somers Mark John
Published: August 2011

Survival analysis techniques were used to test a model of turnover with a sample of 244 staff nurses. Estimates of survival and hazard functions indicated that withdrawal was not uniform over time, but rather occurred in distinct waves. Formal hypotheses were tested with a regression analogue of survival analysis, proportional hazards regression, and provided little support for a reasoned action model of turnover. Specifically, job satisfaction emerged as predictive of turnover while job search behaviour did not. Results from OLS and logistic regressions were consistent with prior research findings in that job search behaviour was a strong influence of employee turnover. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
An evaluation of employee absenteeism as a coping mechanism among hospital nurses
Authors: Hackett Rick D. , Bycio Peter
Published: August 2011

It has been proposed that the break from work provided by an occasional absence may help employees cope with various types of stress and thereby lead to an improvement in their overall condition when they return. In this study, the mean levels of nurses' daily ratings of personal problems, tiredness, ill‐health, sleep disruption, stress and job dissatisfaction were compared statistically across a period encompassing one shift of attendance, an absence, and another shift of attendance. As expected, significant decreases in most variables were observed between the day of the absence and the subsequent shift. However, improvements were seldom found between the shifts immediately preceding and subsequent to the absence. The findings were interpreted as suggesting that occasional absences may help maintain physical and psychological states at manageable levels even if they do not result in immediately noticeable improvements on the part of returning employee.
Methodological issues in unemployment research: Quantitative and/or qualitative approaches?
Authors: Pernice Regina
Published: August 2011

Both quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies have been used in unemployment research. During the last 15 years however, quantitative methods have dominated. It is argued that strictly quantitative studies on their own may no longer advance knowledge in this field. Therefore, to deepen the understanding in this important research area, qualitative techniques need to be reintegrated into unemployment research. An example of this is the author's study of employment commitment and mental health of 532 long‐term unemployed people. The instruments used were the General Health Questionnaire‐12, the Rosenberg Self‐esteem Scale, a questionnaire and an in‐depth self‐selection interview. This procedure was repeated with 99 people in a follow‐up study one year later. The results of the quantitative data collection method on employment commitment are compared with results obtained by the qualitative method and are discussed with reference to the benefits of incorporating a qualitative component into an otherwise quantitative methodology.
Workplace family‐supportive programmes: Predictors of employed parents' importance ratings
Authors: Frone Michael R. , Yardley John K.
Published: August 2011

Little research has examined the predictors of employed parents' perceived importance of family‐supportive programmes. Therefore, this study examined the relationship of gender, parenting demands (number of children living at home and age of youngest child), family‐related tangible support (spouse tangible support and other‐family tangible support), and work–family conflict (work—>family and family—>work conflict) to the perceived importance of six family‐supportive programmes (flextime, compressed work week, job sharing, child‐care assistance, work at home and reduced work hours). Survey data were obtained from a sample of 252 employed parents. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that age of youngest child and family—>work conflict were the most consistent predictors. Implications of the findings for the outcome evaluation of family‐supportive programmes are discussed.
An assessment of the construct validity of the Belbin Self‐Perception Inventory and Observer's Assessment from the perspective of the five‐factor model
Authors: Broucek Willard G. , Randell Gerry
Published: August 2011

This paper examines the construct equivalency of the two measures used in Belbin's (1994) Interplace system—the self‐report Self‐Perception Inventory MK2 (SPI) and the observer‐rating Observer's Assessment (OA)—with regard to their use as parallel forms and their construct validity relative to the five‐factor method (FFM) of personality assessment. A total of 152 managers (101 men, 51 women) completed the SPI and were assessed by four knowledgeable co‐workers each (608 raters) using the OA. Results showed that the convergent and discriminant construct validities of the two measures did not support the contention that they were parallel forms. A second study further examined the equivalency of the measures when 123 participants self‐rated both a normative SPI and the OA. Despite attenuating the effects of ipsativity and self vs. observer discrepancies the two measures were not supported as parallel forms. Finally, the construct validity of ipsative and normative versions of the SPI and a self‐rater OA was examined by correlating their respective role scales with a standard measure of the five basic personality dimensions, the NEO‐PI‐R. Though the ipsative, forced‐choice format of the SPI was identified as a source of invalidity, results showed that neither the SPI, either in ipsative or normative version, nor the OA evidenced convergent and discriminant construct validity relative to the NEO‐PI‐R. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Spoken attributions and candidate success in graduate recruitment interviews
Authors: Silvester Joanne
Published: August 2011

Two predictions about candidates' spoken attributions during 35 graduate recruitment interviews were tested. First, that spoken attributions are a common and frequent component of candidate discourse in the selection interview. Second, that those candidates rated by interviewers as more successful make systematically different attributions for previous behaviour and outcomes than candidates who are rated by interviewers as being less successful. In total 1967 attributions were extracted from interview transcripts and then coded using the Leeds Attributional Coding System (LACS). Both predictions were supported. In particular, successful candidates made relatively more personal and stable attributions when explaining previous negative events than less successful candidates. These findings are discussed with reference to a self‐presentational model where candidate spoken attributions act as moderators of interviewers' expectations regarding the candidate's likely behaviour in future work situations.
PMS in the workplace: Dispelling the myth of cyclic dysfunction
Authors: Hardie Elizabeth A.
Published: August 2011

To examine the notion that cyclic dysfunction among female employees is a pervasive workplace problem, 438 employees completed a survey of the past week's stress, health and work experiences. A 4 (menstrual cycle status) X 2 (occupational level) analysis showed no differences between groups of perimenstrual women, postmenstrual women, non‐menstruating women, and male colleagues on dimensions of illness, wellness, work performance, absenteeism, or subjective stress; although there were occupational differences in stress, health and work impairment. Women with perceived premenstrual syndrome (PMS) showed no evidence of perimenstrual dysfunction. This group consistently reported high stress, poor health, and work impairment across the menstrual cycle. Employers need not fear cyclic decrements in female employees' productivity; however, self‐diagnosed PMS appears to be linked with persistent health and work problems.
Predicting occupational injury: The role of affectivity
Authors: Iverson Roderick D. , Erwin Peter J.
Published: August 2011

This study examines the impact of positive (PA) and negative affectivity (NA), controlling for personal and quality of work life factors, on occupational injury. A predictive design is employed, in which injury data were collected from organizational records one year following the administration of the survey. The LISREL results based on a sample of 362 blue‐collar manufacturing employees indicate that the dispositional variables have differential effects. PA was found to have a significant negative impact, while NA had a significant positive impact on occupational injury. The personal variable of sex, and the quality of work life variables of routinization, supervisory and co‐worker support were also found to predict occupational injury. The theoretical, practical and ethical implications of PA and NA for accident research are discussed.
Social rules and attributions in the personnel selection interview
Authors: Ramsay Sheryl , Gallois Cynthia , Callan Victor J.
Published: August 2011

The study investigated the social rules applicable to selection interviews, and the attributions made by interviewers in response to rule‐breaking behaviours by candidates. Sixty personnel specialists (31 males and 29 females) participated in the main study, which examined their perceptions of social rules and attributions about rule breaking in their work experience. They listened to audiotapes of actual selection interviews, and made judgments about hireability, communication competence, and specific social rules. Results indicated that interview rules could be categorized into two groups: specific interview presentation skills and general interpersonal competence. While situational attributions were more salient in explaining the breaking of general interpersonal competence rules, internal attributions (ability, effort) were more salient explanations for the breaking of more specific interview rules (with the exception of the preparation rule where lack of effort was the most likely explanation for rule breaking). Candidates previously judged as competent communicators were rated more favourably on both global and specific measures of rule‐following competence, as well as on hireability. The theoretical and practical implications of combining social rules and attribution theory in the study of selection interviews are discussed.
Moderators of agreement between incumbent and non‐incumbent ratings of job characteristics
Authors: Sanchez Juan I. , Zamora Alina , Viswesvaran Chockalingam
Published: August 2011

Past research on both job design and job analysis has evidenced a great deal of variability in the degree of convergence between incumbent and non‐incumbent ratings of job characteristics. The present study attempted to shed light on this issue by identifying the factors that moderate the level of agreement between incumbents and non‐incumbents. An examination of these moderators informed theoretical and practical aspects of job design and job analysis. As hypothesized, job complexity and job satisfaction moderated the level of agreement between incumbents and non‐incumbents, with agreement being highest for jobs involving simple data operations and low levels of incumbents' job satisfaction. Because non‐incumbents are affected by unique factors that do not affect incumbents and vice versa, non‐incumbent and incumbent ratings should supplement each other.
Images of a culture in transition: Personal constructs of organizational stability and change
Authors: Langan‐Fox Janice , Tan Philomena
Published: August 2011

An investigation was undertaken in a large government business enterprise in a bid to examine the utility of the repertory grid technique in the investigation of organizational culture and to conduct an ‘audit’ of performance culture. The development of a methodology is described to gauge the rate of up‐take of a new culture—from a public service orientation towards a customer service orientation. Schein's (1990) theoretical framework was adopted in developing a two‐stage approach to the collection of data, which incorporated qualitative (in‐depth interviews), and quantitative (survey) methods. Results indicated that there was progress in the direction of the new culture desired by management. There were three active cultures or groupings, articulated through the language of the participants, which essentially mirrored a culture in transition: those who had adopted the new culture, those who had partially adopted the new culture, and those who had not adopted the new culture. Findings confirmed that there is gain to be made of the Schein paradigm of culture, and that the repertory grid technique is unique in gathering data about the ‘carriers’ of performance culture.
Sources of acute stress and their appraisals and reappraisals among Australian police as a function of previous experience
Authors: Anshel Mark H. , Robertson Michelle , Caputi Peter
Published: August 2011

Two studies investigated possible factors that are associated with experiencing acute stress in police work. Occupational acute stressors in law enforcement were identified by police officers in Study 1 (N = 39). Using standardized mean (Z) scores as the dependent variable, MANOVA indicated that four of the 17 acute stressors identified in Study 1 were significantly different than the remaining stressors in terms of their combined intensity and frequency. The purpose of Study 2 was to examine the intensity of primary and secondary appraisal and reappraisal of police officers (N = 95) related to these previously identified stressful events, and the extent to which these measures differed as a function of experience in the police force. An adapted version of the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM) measured police officers' primary appraisals, secondary appraisals, reappraisals, and overall stress perceptions that were associated with these four acute stressors. Multiple regression analyses indicated that two primary appraisal dimensions, threat and challenge, were significant predictors of overall stressfulness, with centrality found as an important appraisal dimension. MANOVA revealed that years of experience as a police officer influenced the extent of the officers' beliefs that they could cope with stressful events.
Informational support, equity and burnout: The moderating effect of self‐efficacy
Authors: VanYperen Nico W.
Published: August 2011

The purpose of the present study among 114 maternity nurses was to determine whether perceived equity in the employee–employer exchange relationship is related to informational support from the organization and whether self‐efficacy beliefs play a role in this relationship. The results show that nurses with weak self‐efficacy beliefs were apparently sensitive to the degree of informational support. In contrast, nurses with strong self‐efficacy beliefs felt equitably treated by the organization for which they worked even when they felt that they received relatively little informational support. In line with earlier studies, the findings indicate that perceptions of inequity are accompanied by burnout symptoms.
A longitudinal study of workload, health and well‐being among male and female urban bus drivers
Authors: Rydstedt Leif W. , Johansson Gunn , Evans Gary W.
Published: August 2011

The health consequences of occupational stress among male and female bus drivers were studied in an 18‐month longitudinal study. Changes in workload appeared to influence spillover of fatigue from work to leisure, perceived effort at work, and psychosomatic symptoms at Time 2, controlling for outcome measures 18 months previously. The potentially stress‐related intake of drugs was not affected by change in workload. No gender differences or any interactions between gender and occupational stressors were found. Statistical controls for negative affectivity did not alter any of these results. The importance of studying occupational stress and health among men and women who perform the same tasks at work is discussed.
Early experience of shiftwork: Influences on attitudes
Authors: Bohle Philip , Tilley Andrew J.
Published: August 2011

This study examined attitudes towards particular shifts and predictors of overall dissatisfaction with shiftwork. One hundred and thirty female nurses were studied during their first 15 months of shiftwork. Forty‐eight worked on a two‐shift roster throughout and 82 transferred to a three‐shift roster after 6 months. Attitudes were assessed after 6 months (Stage 2) and 15 months (Stage 3). Analysis of variance revealed a significant rise in dissatisfaction scores from Stage 2 to Stage 3, but no shift group or interaction effects. Multiple regression analysis indicated that greater work/non‐work conflict, higher psychological symptoms and lower social support from co‐workers were associated with dissatisfaction at Stage 2. Greater work/non‐work conflict, greater vigour and lower social support from family were associated with dissatisfaction at Stage 3. Nineteen characteristics significantly discriminated between night shift and either day shift or afternoon shift. Night shift rated most negatively on circadian/sleep disturbance and work/non‐work conflict effects.
Linking client and employee perceptions of the organization: A study of client satisfaction with health care services
Authors: Jimmieson Nerina L. , Griffin Mark A.
Published: August 2011

Client satisfaction with health care services has usually been researched in terms of socio‐demographic and predispositional characteristics associated with the client. The present study included organizational characteristics as predictors of client satisfaction with health care services. Participants in the research were clients and employees of an Australian public‐sector health care organization who responded to separate client and employee questionnaires. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that, after controlling for a number of client characteristics, organizational characteristics, as perceived by employees, accounted for a significant proportion of additional variance in client satisfaction with health care services. Results of the present study provided some support for the proposition that employee perceptions of the working environment should be considered in a more comprehensive understanding of client satisfaction with health care services. Limitations of the study highlight practical difficulties in the assessment of client outcomes and methodological complexities in linking individual and organizational processes.
Consistency of test behaviour and individual difference in precision of prediction
Authors: Meijer Rob R.
Published: August 2011

Ghiselli ((1956, 1960) argued that the precision of prediction on the basis of a test may vary for different individuals. To quantify the individual precision of prediction he compared the observed criterion scores with the expected criterion scores estimated on the basis of the total scores on a predictor test. Using these difference scores as a moderator variable, predictor tests were developed to identify persons with large errors of prediction. One of the drawbacks of Ghiselli's methods is that it is very situation specific. As an alternative, Hulin, Drasgow & Parsons (1983) proposed to identify persons with inconsistent or unscalable test responses by means of appropriateness measurement (or person‐fit) statistics. In the present study a person‐fit statistic is used to identify persons with unexpected test responses on selection data. It is shown that, in general, persons with inconsistent test responses are less predictable than those with consistent test responses. Both persons with lower criterion scores as well as persons with higher criterion scores than predicted could be identified. Because person‐fit statistics are relatively easy to calculate, they may be used to improve the precision of measurement in selection settings. Implications for the selection practice are discussed.
Sample size in validity studies of personnel selection
Authors: Salgado Jesús F.
Published: August 2011

This report presents the results of several meta‐analyses in which samples in the articles published in Journal of Applied Psychology, Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Personnel Psychology from 1983 to 1994 were integrated. The findings show that in the last decade a small increase in sample size has been observed in relation to sample size of studies published two or three decades ago. However, the mean sample continues to be of a small size. This last finding suggests that sampling error continues to be the most important artifactual error for explaining the variability of validity coefficients. Some implications for the confidence intervals and power analysis are discussed.
An investigation into the relationship between caring responsibilities and the levels of perceived pressure reported by female employees
Authors: Field Susan , Bramwell Ros
Published: August 2011

This study examined relationships between caring responsibilities and the levels of perceived pressure experienced by working women and whether marital status and employment status impacted upon the perception of pressure. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire which was issued to 821 female university employees; a 45 per cent response rate was achieved. Results showed that caring responsibilities correlated positively with the amount of pressure reported by working women; marital status affects the perception of pressure in that married women reported that they felt under more pressure than single women; and part‐time workers felt themselves to be under more pressure than their full‐time colleagues.
The structure of Belbin's team roles
Authors: Fisher S. G. , Hunter T. A. , Macrosson W. D. K.
Published: August 2011

Belbin's original management team model requires the presence of eight individuals, each of whom shows a facility for a particular role. Because many teams in industry have fewer than eight members, the issue of secondary team roles is important. A study was undertaken of data collected from UK managers (N = 1796) which showed that team roles fall into two general categories and which we labelled ‘task’ and ‘relationship’. These categories, which reveal the likely secondary team role for any given individual, were also shown to predict the degree of harmony and productiveness of dyads within a given team.
Coping strategies as predictors of employee distress and turnover after an organizational consolidation: A longitudinal analysis
Authors: Begley Thomas M.
Published: August 2011

This study examined coping strategies and situational stressors as predictors of employee distress and turnover following an organizational consolidation. Six coping strategies were used: action planning, positive reinterpretation, acceptance, seeking emotional social support, intention to quit, and using alcohol or drugs. Two stressors, the extent to which a unit was affected by the consolidation and consolidation‐related stress, were used. Two indicators of distress, mental distress and somatic complaints, were measured at three time periods: three months prior to, shortly after, and six months after the consolidation. The coping strategies were assessed three months prior to and in response to the consolidation. Findings indicated that intention to quit and consolidation stress predicted mental distress while positive reinterpretation, use of alcohol or drugs and lower unit impact predicted somatic complaints shortly after the consolidation. Six months later, the main predictor of mental distress and somatic complaints was use of alcohol and drugs. Turnover was best predicted by a pre‐consolidation indicator of intent to quit and a post‐consolidation indicator of lack of acceptance of the consolidation.
Graduate selection in three European countries
Authors: Hodgkinson Gerard P. , Payne Roy L.
Published: August 2011

This paper reports the findings of a study comparing the methods used to select university graduates in British, Dutch and French organizations. In keeping with several recently published studies of managerial selection practices, a number of highly significant differences were observed in terms of the use of various selection methods across the three countries. The paper concludes with a call for follow‐up studies of an in‐depth, qualitative nature, in order to uncover the reasons for the existence of these cross‐national variations in patterns of usage.
Vibrational spectroscopy of low-k/ultra-low-k dielectric materials on patterned wafers
Authors: Lam Jeffrey C. K. , Huang Maggie Y. M. , Tan Hao , Mo Zhiqiang , Mai Zhihong , Pei Wong Choun , Sun Handong , Shen Zexiang
Published: August 2011

Comparing with much valuable research on vibrational spectroscopy on low-k dielectrics in different substrates, this paper investigates the vibrational spectroscopy of low-k and ultra-low-k dielectric materials on patterned wafers. It is found that both Raman and FTIR spectroscopy are necessary as complement to characterize low-k and ultra-low-k dielectric materials on patterned wafers. Significant differences in the Raman and FTIR spectra between low-k and ultra-low-k dielectric materials are also observed. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy has an advantage in analyzing the mixed structure of low-k/ultra-low-k and Cu at nanometer-scaled sizes. The results in this paper show that Raman combined with FTIR spectroscopy is an effective tool to characterize dielectric thin film properties on patterned wafers.
Robustness of phase retrieval methods in x‐ray phase contrast imaging: A comparison
Authors: Yan Aimin , Wu Xizeng , Liu Hong
Published: August 2011

Purpose:

The robustness of the phase retrieval methods is of critical importance for limiting and reducing radiation doses involved in x‐ray phase contrast imaging. This work is to compare the robustness of two phase retrieval methods by analyzing the phase maps retrieved from the experimental images of a phantom.

Methods:

Two phase retrieval methods were compared. One method is based on the transport of intensity equation (TIE) for phase contrast projections, and the TIE‐based method is the most commonly used method for phase retrieval in the literature. The other is the recently developed attenuation‐partition based (AP‐based) phase retrieval method. The authors applied these two methods to experimental projection images of an air‐bubble wrap phantom for retrieving the phase map of the bubble wrap. The retrieved phase maps obtained by using the two methods are compared.

Results:

In the wrap's phase map retrieved by using the TIE‐based method, no bubble is recognizable, hence, this method failed completely for phase retrieval from these bubble wrap images. Even with the help of the Tikhonov regularization, the bubbles are still hardly visible and buried in the cluttered background in the retrieved phase map. The retrieved phase values with this method are grossly erroneous. In contrast, in the wrap's phase map retrieved by using the AP‐based method, the bubbles are clearly recovered. The retrieved phase values with the AP‐based method are reasonably close to the estimate based on the thickness‐based measurement. The authors traced these stark performance differences of the two methods to their different techniques employed to deal with the singularity problem involved in the phase retrievals.

Conclusions:

This comparison shows that the conventional TIE‐based phase retrieval method, regardless if Tikhonov regularization is used or not, is unstable against the noise in the wrap's projection images, while the AP‐based phase retrieval method is shown in these experiments to be superior to the TIE‐based method for the robustness in performing the phase retrieval.
Too Much of a Good Thing
Authors: Lin Richard J.
Published: August 2011

Mutations in a key enzyme in a calcium signaling pathway shed light on the genetic basis of a vitamin D sensitivity disorder.
Identification of Circulating Bacterial Antigens by
In Vivo
Microbial Antigen Discovery
Authors: Nuti Dana E. , Crump Reva B. , Dwi Handayani Farida , Chantratita Narisara , Peacock Sharon J. , Bowen Richard , Felgner Philip L. , Davies D. Huw , Wu Terry , Lyons C. Rick , Brett Paul J. , Burtnick Mary N. , Kozel Thomas R. , AuCoin David P.
Published: August 2011

Detection of microbial antigens in clinical samples can lead to rapid diagnosis of an infection and administration of appropriate therapeutics. A major barrier in diagnostics development is determining which of the potentially hundreds or thousands of antigens produced by a microbe are actually present in patient samples in detectable amounts against a background of innumerable host proteins. In this report, we describe a strategy, termed
in vivo
microbial antigen discovery (InMAD), that we used to identify circulating bacterial antigens. This technique starts with “InMAD serum,” which is filtered serum that has been harvested from BALB/c mice infected with a bacterial pathogen. The InMAD serum, which is free of whole bacterial cells, is used to immunize syngeneic BALB/c mice. The resulting “InMAD immune serum” contains antibodies specific for the soluble microbial antigens present in sera from the infected mice. The InMAD immune serum is then used to probe blots of bacterial lysates or bacterial proteome arrays. Bacterial antigens that are reactive with the InMAD immune serum are precisely the antigens to target in an antigen immunoassay. By employing InMAD, we identified multiple circulating antigens that are secreted or shed during infection using
Burkholderia pseudomallei
and
Francisella tularensis
as model organisms. Potential diagnostic targets identified by the InMAD approach included bacterial proteins, capsular polysaccharide, and lipopolysaccharide. The InMAD technique makes no assumptions other than immunogenicity and has the potential to be a broad discovery platform to identify diagnostic targets from microbial pathogens.

IMPORTANCE
Effective treatment of microbial infection is critically dependent on early diagnosis and identification of the etiological agent. One means for rapid diagnosis is immunoassay for antigens that are shed into body fluids during infection. Immunoassays can be inexpensive, rapid, and adaptable to a point-of-care format. A major impediment to immunoassay for diagnosis of infectious disease is identification of appropriate antigen targets. This report describes a strategy that can be used for identification of microbial antigens that are shed into serum during infection by the biothreats
Burkholderia pseudomallei
and
Francisella tularensis
. Termed InMAD (
in vivo
microbial antigen discovery), the strategy has the potential for application to a broad spectrum of microbial pathogens.
Shifting Paradigm on Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin and a Natural Model for Enterococcus faecalis Septicemia
Authors: Graf Joerg
Published: August 2011

The Bt toxin is widely used in agriculture both as a spray and in transgenic plants, yet its precise mode of action against lepidopterans is poorly understood. The study by Mason et al. [
mBio
2(3):e00065-11, 2011] revealed that Bt toxin enables an inhabitant of the midgut,
Enterococcus faecalis
, to enter the hemolymph of larvae and cause septicemia, leading to death.
Structures and processes of care in ambulatory oncology settings and nurse-reported exposure to chemotherapy
Authors: Friese Christopher R , Himes-Ferris Laurel , Frasier Megan N , McCullagh Marjorie C , Griggs Jennifer J
Published: August 2011

Purpose

Oncology nurses in ambulatory settings are at increased risk for unintentional chemotherapy exposure due to the large volumes of agents delivered and the absence of regulatory enforcement. Given the limited data regarding the correlates of exposure, the authors sought to identify the relationship between the organisational structures and processes of care in ambulatory oncology settings associated with increased risk of unintentional chemotherapy.

Methods

Between April 2010 and June 2010, a state-wide sample of oncology nurses were surveyed who reported their employment outside of hospital inpatient units (n=1339). The survey examined the likelihood of self-reported exposure to chemotherapy as a function of perceived quality of the practice environment, nursing workload, and seven ambulatory chemotherapy administration safety standards.

Results

The response rate was 30.4%, with minimal demographic differences observed between respondents and non-respondents. The overall rate of exposure to the skin or eyes in the past year was 16.9%. In multivariable logistic regression models that controlled for demographic characteristics and clustering of nurses in practices, the likelihood of exposure decreased when nurses reported adequate staffing and resources (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.73; p=0.001), and when nurses reported that chemotherapy doses were verified by two nurses frequently or very frequently (OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.59; p=0.001).

Conclusions

Oncology nurses in the ambulatory setting report substantial unintentional skin and eye exposure to chemotherapy. Ensuring adequate staffing and resources and adherence to recognised practice standards may protect oncology nurses from harm.
Retained surgical swabs in 13 dogs
Authors: Forster K. , Anderson D. , Yool D. A. , Wright C. , Burrow R.
Published: August 2011

To report the signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic and surgical findings and outcome in dogs and cats with retained swabs, medical records of dogs and cats that were referred to four referral centres were reviewed. Cases in which a retained surgical swab was identified during surgery at the referral hospital were selected for further study. The signalment, history, clinical signs, diagnostic and surgical findings and outcome in these cases were reviewed. Thirteen dogs with retained surgical swabs were included in the study. Bodyweight ranged from 9 to 45 kg. The initial surgery was a ‘non‐routine’ abdominal procedure in seven dogs, ovariohysterectomy in five dogs and perineal hernia repair in one dog. Time from initial surgery to presentation at the referral centre ranged from four days to seven years. Treatment involved major surgery in eight of the 13 dogs. Outcome was excellent in 12 of 13 cases, one dog was euthanased.
Reanalysis of the start of the UK 1967 to 1968 foot‐and‐mouth disease epidemic to calculate airborne transmission probabilities
Authors: Sanson R. L. , Gloster J. , Burgin L.
Published: August 2011

The aims of this study were to statistically reassess the likelihood that windborne spread of foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) virus (FMDV) occurred at the start of the UK 1967 to 1968 FMD epidemic at Oswestry, Shropshire, and to derive dose‐response probability of infection curves for farms exposed to airborne FMDV. To enable this, data on all farms present in 1967 in the parishes near Oswestry were assembled. Cases were infected premises whose date of appearance of first clinical signs was within 14 days of the depopulation of the index farm. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between infection status and distance and direction from the index farm. The UK Met Office's NAME atmospheric dispersion model (ADM) was used to generate plumes for each day that FMDV was excreted from the index farm based on actual historical weather records from October 1967. Daily airborne FMDV exposure rates for all farms in the study area were calculated using a geographical information system. Probit analyses were used to calculate dose‐response probability of infection curves to FMDV, using relative exposure rates on case and control farms. Both the logistic regression and probit analyses gave strong statistical support to the hypothesis that airborne spread occurred. There was some evidence that incubation period was inversely proportional to the exposure rate.
SUPERSYMMETRY WITHOUT A LIGHT HIGGS BOSON BUT WITH A LIGHT PSEUDOSCALAR
Authors: LODONE PAOLO
Published: August 2011

We consider the λSUSY model, a version of the NMSSM with large λH1H2S coupling, relaxing the approximation of large singlet mass and negligible mixing of the scalar singlet with the scalar doublets. We show that there are regions of the parameter space in which the lightest pseudoscalar can be relatively light, with unusual consequences on the decay pattern of the CP-even Higgs bosons and thus on the LHC phenomenology.
DETECTING CHAOS TIME SERIES VIA COMPLEX NETWORK FEATURE
Authors: TANG QIANG , ZHAO JUNCHAN , HU TIESONG
Published: August 2011

In this paper, an effective method from time series to complex network via phase space reconstruction is introduced. We reconstruct the phase space from a time series by the time-delay coordinate method. Each state vector of phase space is regarded as a vertex of network and the connection is based on the distance of the vertices in phase space. The networks corresponding to various time series, the x component of the chaotic Rössler system, noisy periodic time series and random series, display different topology feature. So we can determine whether a time series is chaotic series by the topology feature of corresponding network. Finally, the daily stream-flow series of Yangtze River is investigated to validate the effective of our method.
QUANTUM LC CIRCUIT COUPLED TO A VIBRATIONAL NETWORK: PHONONS EMISSION DYNAMICS
Authors: CALCINA M. , FLORES J. C.
Published: August 2011

A quantum LC circuit with charge discreteness coupled to a vibrational network is studied. Considering the magnetic energy as a perturbative term (charge dominates regime), the energy spectrum is found at second order approximation. Later, the dynamics of phonons emission is studied. As a consequence of energy conservation for a particular set of emitted phonons {lk}, forbidden and allowed values to n (charge) and lkcome out which could have consequences in quantum capacitive designs, that is, only some capacitive geometries are allowed.
THE SHEAR VISCOSITY TO ENTROPY RATIO: A STATUS REPORT
Authors: CREMONINI SERA
Published: August 2011

This review highlights some of the lessons that the holographic gauge/gravity duality has taught us regarding the behavior of the shear viscosity to entropy density in strongly coupled field theories. The viscosity to entropy ratio has been shown to take on a very simple universal value in all gauge theories with an Einstein gravity dual. Here we describe the origin of this universal ratio, and focus on how it is modified by generic higher derivative corrections corresponding to curvature corrections on the gravity side of the duality. In particular, certain curvature corrections are known to push the viscosity to entropy ratio below its universal value. This disproves a longstanding conjecture that such a universal value represents a strict lower bound for any fluid in nature. We discuss the main developments that have led to insight into the violation of this bound, and consider whether the consistency of the theory is responsible for setting a fundamental lower bound on the viscosity to entropy ratio.
MULTI-MESSENGER OBSERVATIONS OF NEUTRON-RICH MATTER
Authors: HOROWITZ C. J.
Published: August 2011

At very high densities, electrons react with protons to form neutron-rich matter. This material is central to many fundamental questions in nuclear physics and astrophysics. Moreover, neutron-rich matter is being studied with an extraordinary variety of new tools such as Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) and the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO). We describe the Lead Radius Experiment (PREX) that uses parity violating electron scattering to measure the neutron radius in 208Pb. This has important implications for neutron stars and their crusts. We discuss X-ray observations of neutron star radii. These also have important implications for neutron-rich matter. Gravitational waves (GW) open a new window on neutron-rich matter. They come from sources such as neutron star mergers, rotating neutron star mountains, and collective r-mode oscillations. Using large scale molecular dynamics simulations, we find neutron star crust to be very strong. It can support mountains on rotating neutron stars large enough to generate detectable gravitational waves. Finally, neutrinos from core collapse supernovae (SN) provide another, qualitatively different probe of neutron-rich matter. Neutrinos escape from the surface of last scattering known as the neutrino-sphere. This is a low density warm gas of neutron-rich matter. Neutrino-sphere conditions can be simulated in the laboratory with heavy ion collisions. Observations of neutrinos can probe nucleosyntheses in SN. Simulations of SN depend on the equation of state (EOS) of neutron-rich matter. We discuss a new EOS based on virial and relativistic mean field calculations. We believe that combing astronomical observations using photons, GW, and neutrinos, with laboratory experiments on nuclei, heavy ion collisions, and radioactive beams will fundamentally advance our knowledge of compact objects in the heavens, the dense phases of QCD, the origin of the elements, and of neutron-rich matter.
EMPIRICAL FORMULAE FOR EXCESS NOISE FACTOR WITH DEAD SPACE FOR SINGLE CARRIER MULTIPLICATION
Authors: DEHWAH AHMAD H. , AJIA IDRIS A. , MARSLAND JOHN S.
Published: August 2011

In this letter, two empirical equations are presented for the calculation of the excess noise factor of an avalanche photodiode for single carrier multiplication including the dead space effect. The first is an equation for calculating the excess noise factor when the multiplication approaches infinity as a function of parameters that describe the degree of the dead space effect. The second equation can be used to find the minimum value of the excess noise factor for any multiplication when the dead space effect is completely dominant, the so called "deterministic" limit. This agrees with the theoretically known equation for multiplications less than or equal to two.
New heterogeneous photosensitizers with phthalocyanine molecules covalently linked to aminopropyl silica gel
Authors: Kuznetsova Nina A. , Yuzhakova Olga A. , Strakhovskaya Marina G. , Shumarina Anna O. , Kozlov Anton S. , Krasnovsky Alexander A. , Kaliya Oleg L.
Published: August 2011

New heterogeneous photosensitizers were synthesized, in which phthalocyanines of zinc and aluminum, tetrasubstituted at non-peripheral positions with modified thiophenyl groups, were grafted to aminopropyl silica gel. The absorption and fluorescence spectra, and the quantum yields of fluorescence and photosensitized singlet oxygen generation were estimated for aqueous suspensions of these sensitizers. It is shown that upon photoexcitation, silica gel-bound phthalocyanines produce singlet oxygen and display photobactericidal activity against bacteria E. coli.
ANALYSIS OF HEIGHT CURVES BY STOCHASTIC DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
Authors: RUPŠYS PETRAS , PETRAUSKAS EDMUNDAS
Published: August 2011

Height–diameter models are classically analyzed by fixed or mixed linear and non-linear regression models. In order to possess the among-plot variability, we propose the methodology of stochastic differential equations that is derived from the standard deterministic ordinary differential equation by adding the process variability to the growth dynamic. Age–diameter varying height model was deduced using a two-dimensional stochastic Gompertz shape process. Another focus of the article is the investigation of normal copula procedure, when the tree diameter and height are governed by univariate stochastic Gompertz shape processes. The advantage of the stochastic differential equation methodology is that it analyzes a residual variability, corresponding to measurements error, and an individual variability to represent heterogeneity between subjects more complex than commonly used fixed effect models. An analysis of 900 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) trees provided the data for this study.
Promyelocytic leukemia inhibits adipogenesis, and loss of promyelocytic leukemia results in fat accumulation in mice
Authors: Kim Myung K. , Yang Shutong , Lee Kyoung-Hwa , Um Jee-Hyun , Liu Mengyang , Kang Hyeog , Park Sung Jun , Chung Jay H.
Published: August 2011

The function of the tumor suppressor promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein is disrupted in promyelocytic leukemia. PML has been reported to function as a negative regulator of mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) and nuclear Akt under some conditions. mTOR and Akt pathways regulate a diverse array of pathways, including those that control insulin signaling, energy metabolism, growth, cellular survival, and lifespan. Although the PML-mTOR/Akt link suggests that PML may have metabolic functions in the whole organism, very little is known about the metabolic functions of PML. Here we report that PML−/−mice did not show any significant metabolic defects. There was no impairment in the mTOR/Akt or AMPK signaling in white adipose tissue, liver, or muscle. However, despite having normal food intake and activity levels, PML−/−mice gained body weight faster and had more fat mass, particularly subcutaneous fat mass, in the diet-induced obesity model. Using in vitro adipogenesis models, we discovered that PML is a suppressor of adipogenesis. PML expression decreased during adipogenesis and was undetectable in fully differentiated adipocytes. Loss of PML increased expression of the adipogenic transcription factors CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ. We found that the Sirt1-NCor-SMRT corepressor complex, which represses pparg transcription, does not bind to the pparg promoter efficiently upon PML depletion. On the basis of these findings, we propose that PML is a negative regulator of the adipogenic transcription factors and that, in times of energy excess, PML may limit fat accumulation by suppressing the differentiation of preadipocytes into adipocytes.
The phospholipid monolayer associated with perilipin-enriched lipid droplets is a highly organized rigid membrane structure
Authors: Storey Stephen M. , McIntosh Avery L. , Senthivinayagam Subramanian , Moon Kenneth C. , Atshaves Barbara P.
Published: August 2011

The significance of lipid droplets (LD) in lipid metabolism, cell signaling, and membrane trafficking is increasingly recognized, yet the role of the LD phospholipid monolayer in LD protein targeting and function remains unknown. To begin to address this issue, two populations of LD were isolated by ConA sepharose affinity chromatography: 1) functionally active LD enriched in perilipin, caveolin-1, and several lipolytic proteins, including ATGL and HSL; and 2) LD enriched in ADRP and TIP47 that contained little to no lipase activity. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments confirmed the close association of caveolin and perilipin and lack of interaction between caveolin and ADRP, in keeping with the separation observed with the ConA procedure. The phospholipid monolayer structure was evaluated to reveal that the perilipin-enriched LD exhibited increased rigidity (less fluidity), as shown by increased cholesterol/phospholipid, Sat/Unsat, and Sat/MUFA ratios. These results were confirmed by DPH-TMA, NBD-cholesterol, and NBD-sphingomyelin fluorescence polarization studies. By structure and organization, the perilipin-enriched LD most closely resembled the adipocyte PM. In contrast, the ADRP/TIP47-enriched LD contained a more fluid monolayer membrane, reflecting decreased polarizations and lipid order based on phospholipid fatty acid analysis. Taken together, results indicate that perilipin and associated lipolytic enzymes target areas in the phospholipid monolayer that are highly organized and rigid, similar in structure to localized areas of the PM where cholesterol and fatty acid uptake and efflux occur.