Occupational Stress in the Service Sector: A New Dimension

Previous research on occupational stress is limited in that it has tended to focus on the individual and is frequently located within occupations that are deemed to be stressful, such as nursing and policing. The intention o f this paper is to broaden the scope of analysis by investigating a range of employment factors (i.e. heavy workloads, interpersonal relationships and organisational factors) which can contribute to stress amongst workers and to include more industry sectors. In particular, this paper endeavours to draw attention to occupational stress amongst workers in emotionally demanding, so-called "low risk industries” - namely the call centre and hospitality industries, and to explore their perceptions of stress, their attitudes concerning managing stress and their responses to the inclusion of stress detailed in the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act, 2002. Findings, from two studies indicate that working in the hospitality and call centre industries can be stressful and that most workers are vulnerable in terms of their poor working conditions and low wages. Findings also show that, consistent with other studies, there was low trade union presence and a high rate of casualisation and staff turnover in each of the industries. At the same time there was a lack of overt conflict between management and workers, with an apparent close alignment of goals between the two parties and a style of management that could be described as unitarist

Occupational Stress in the Service Sector: A New Dimension

Previous research on occupational stress is limited in that it has tended to focus on the individual and is frequently located within occupations that are deemed to be stressful, such as nursing and policing. The intention o f this paper is to broaden the scope of analysis by investigating a range of employment factors (i.e. heavy workloads, interpersonal relationships and organisational factors) which can contribute to stress amongst workers and to include more industry sectors. In particular, this paper endeavours to draw attention to occupational stress amongst workers in emotionally demanding, so-called "low risk industries” - namely the call centre and hospitality industries, and to explore their perceptions of stress, their attitudes concerning managing stress and their responses to the inclusion of stress detailed in the Health and Safety in Employment Amendment Act, 2002. Findings, from two studies indicate that working in the hospitality and call centre industries can be stressful and that most workers are vulnerable in terms of their poor working conditions and low wages. Findings also show that, consistent with other studies, there was low trade union presence and a high rate of casualisation and staff turnover in each of the industries. At the same time there was a lack of overt conflict between management and workers, with an apparent close alignment of goals between the two parties and a style of management that could be described as unitarist

Historical Isolation versus Recent Long-Distance Connections between Europe and Africa in Bifid Toadflaxes (Linaria sect. Versicolores)

Background: Due to its complex, dynamic and well-known paleogeography, the Mediterranean region provides an ideal framework to study the colonization history of plant lineages. The genus Linaria has its diversity centre in the Mediterranean region, both in Europe and Africa. The last land connection between both continental plates occurred during the Messinian Salinity Crisis, in the late Miocene (5.96 to 5.33 Ma). Methodology/Principal Findings: We analyzed the colonization history of Linaria sect. Versicolores (bifid toadflaxes), which includes c. 22 species distributed across the Mediterranean, including Europe and Africa. Two cpDNA regions (rpl32-trnL UAG and trnK-matK) were sequenced from 66 samples of Linaria. We conducted phylogenetic, dating, biogeographic and phylogeographic analyses to reconstruct colonization patterns in space and time. Four major clades were found: two of them exclusively contain Iberian samples, while the other two include northern African samples together with some European samples. The bifid toadflaxes have been split in African and European clades since the late Miocene, and most lineage and speciation differentiation occurred during the Pliocene and Quaternary. We have strongly inferred four events of post-Messinian colonization following long-distance dispersal from northern Africa to the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and Greece. Conclusions/Significance: The current distribution of Linaria sect. Versicolores lineages is explained by both ancien

Solar radiation fundamentals and PV system components

Solar PV technology has emerged as one of the most matured and fast evolving renewable energy technologies and it is expected that it will play a major role in the future global electricity generation mix. Keeping the rapid development of the PV technology into consideration, this chapter systematically documents the evolution of solar PV material as well as the PV applications and PV markets. It also provides insight into the trend in batteries and inverters used for solar PV applications. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of different PV technologies and its development is summarized. The rest of the chapter aims at providing a comprehensive analysis of solar radiation measurement and modelling techniques to assess the availability of solar radiation at different locations. The chapter presents comprehensive information for solar energy engineers, architects and other practitioners

The LaryngoscopeVC2009 The American Laryngological,Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.Anti-Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 Antibody’s Effect on Noise Damage

Objectives/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to investigate possible preventive effects of anti‐intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 antibody (anti‐ICAM‐1 Ab) on noise‐induced cochlear damage as assessed by changes in auditory thresholds and cochlear blood flow. Study Design: A controlled animal study. Pretreated rats with anti‐ICAM‐1 Ab or saline control, followed with exposure to 72 continuous hours of broad band noise (107 dB SPL), and 24 hours after noise exposure treated again with anti‐ICAM‐1 Ab or saline. Methods: Eighteen healthy male Fischer rats (200–250 g) were used. Sixteen were randomly selected to study noise‐induced temporary threshold shifts. The remaining two rats were used to study cochlear blood flow (CBF), using laser Doppler flowmetry and blood pressure measurements. Results: Rats treated with anti‐ICAM‐1 Ab (1.875 mg/kg, intravenously) showed attenuated temporary threshold shifts (TTS) compared to controls. Both groups showed a partial threshold recovery 72 hours following noise exposure, normal for this noise exposure paradigm. Comparisons of baseline and post‐treatment measurements of CBF and mean arterial blood pressure revealed no significant changes. Anti‐ICAM‐1 Ab animals displayed significantly lower mean auditory threshold shifts at all five test frequencies (P \u3c .05) when compared to control. Conclusions: Blocking the cascade of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by using anti‐ICAM‐Ab protects against noise‐induced hearing loss

Cultural models, socialization goals, and parenting ethnotheories: A multicultural analysis

This study conceptualizes a cultural model of parenting. It is argued that cultural models are expressed in the degree of familism, which informs socialization goals that are embodied in parenting ethnotheories. Three cultural models were differentiated a priori: independent, interdependent, and autonomous-related. Samples were recruited that were expected to represent these cultural models: German, Euro-American, and Greek middle-class women representing the independent cultural model; Cameroonian Nso and Gujarati farming women representing the interdependent cultural model; and urban Indian, urban Chinese, urban Mexican, and urban Costa Rican women representing the autonomous-related model. These a priori classifications were confirmed with data that addressed different levels of the cultural models of parenting. The authors further confirmed that socialization goals mediate between broader sociocultural orientations (familism) and parenting ethnotheories concerning beliefs about good parenting. The data reveal that the model of autonomous relatedness needs further theoretical and empirical refinement. Problems with empirical studies comparing participants with very different lifestyles are discussed. © 2006 Sage Publications