Why some employees might thrive on job insecurity: Human values as a moderating factor in the job insecurity - wellbeing relationship

The purpose of this study is to analyse the extent to which human values moderate the impact of job insecurity on life satisfaction and subjective wellbeing. Drawing upon conservation of resources theory, we argue that human values may affect both the relative importance of resources as well as the competency to successfully adjust to a changing work context. This theoretical framework leads to the expectation that individuals who are motivated by values emphasising variety seeking and taking on challenges in life will suffer less from job insecurity, whereas the wellbeing and life satisfaction of individuals with values motivating them to avoid uncertainty and resist change will be affected relatively more by job insecurity. Empirical analyses, using data from 28 countries from two waves of the European Social Survey, are largely supportive of these hypotheses

Patterns of terricolous and field layer invertebrates along a boreal mire-forest gradient

In a study area ca. 5 km N of Umeå, Sweden, we tested the relationship between abundance and biomass of terricolous and field layer invertebrate taxa along a light gradient (consisting of four different forest habitats of boreal coniferous forests, each represented by one stand). In 1984, five sampling locations, each having 6 pitfall traps and 3 sweep-net samples, were randomly allocated in each stand. In total, 4879 terricolous invertebrates with a biomass of 63 490 mg and 1894 field-layer invertebrates with a biomass of 17 143 mg were caught. Mean values for each sampling location were used to analyse the pattern of invertebrate groups along the gradient using Spearman rank correlation (n = 20). There was a decrease in both abundance and biomass from shaded to sunny forests of Diptera (both terricolous and field layer), Hymenoptera (terricolous), Collembola (field layer) and Lepidoptera larvae (field layer), and for the abundance of terricolous Coleoptera and field layer Hymenoptera. An increase in both abundance and biomass from shaded to sunny forests was found for terricolous Collembola, Homoptera and Acari, and the abundance of terricolous Formicidae and Coleoptera larvae, and the biomass of field layer Hymenoptera larvae and total invertebrates. Diptera, Coleoptera and, especially, Lepidoptera larvae have earlier been shown to be important prey for several bird species breeding in the boreal forest and the high number and biomass of these taxa in the shaded forest habitats may indicate that preserving buffer zones and fragments of wet, shaded forest, currently done in forest management at final felling, is a good strategy

Effects of clear-cutting and selective felling in Swedish Boreal coniferous forest: response of invertebrate taxa eaten by birds

Our aim was to analyse the short-term effects (0-4 years) of selective felling and clear-cutting on the food resources of insectivorous birds. Literature data on bird diets showed that herbivorous larvae (Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera: Symphyta) and spiders (Araneae) were used by 81 and 50%, respectively, of 16 bird species breeding in the Swedish boreal coniferous forest. A field study comparing selective fellings, clear-cuttings and uncut controls showed considerable effects of clear-cutting on both terricolous and field layer invertebrates. Clear-cuttings had significantly lower abundance and biomass, and a different composition of herbivorous larvae and spiders, as well as a lower total biomass of invertebrates in the field layer than controls. Drastic changes of abiotic factors (like increased temperature range) following clear-cutting may directly affect the occurrence of invertebrates. However, indirect effects (like increased sun exposure, affecting food plant quality for herbivorous larvae) are probably also responsible. Selective fellings did not differ from controls in the occurrence of herbivorous larvae and spiders. Therefore, over the four-year term of our study, selective felling seems to provide birds with conditions similar to uncut forest for invertebrates used by birds

Comparison of invertebrate abundance and biomass between a clear-cut stand and four stands under tree cover in Swedish boreal coniferous forests

This study assesses differences between a seven-year old clear-cut and four forest habitats as regards abundance and biomass of different invertebrate taxa - important for habitat quality for insectivorous birds. Forest types studied were pine bog, spruce mire, mesic spruce and pine heath forest. Data were collected in the second half of June 1984 (to coincide with the peak feeding demands of many nestling birds). Results indicate that the clear-cut differed more from the tree covered habitats with respect to the field layer fauna than with respect to the terricolous fauna. Compared to the forest habitats, the clear -cut was characterized by a higher abundance and biomass of sap-suckers (Hemiptera: Homoptera and Heteroptera) but a lower abundance and biomass of leaf-eating herbivorous larvae (Hymenoptera: Symphyta and Lepidoptera) in the field layer. The difference with respect to leaf-eating larvae was probably caused by low abundance of larvae food plants in the clear-cut. This may be an important ecological difference because these larvae can be an important food source for insectivorous birds

Forestry effects on a boreal ground beetle community in spring: Selective logging and clear-cutting compared

To compare the effects of two tree harvesting methods (clear-cutting and single tree selection felling), spring-occurring ground beetles (Carabidae) were studied by pitfall trapping in northern Sweden. Species abundance, total abundance and Hill's diversity indices were used to compare the ground beetle community in clear-cuts to selectively-logged and to uncut control forests. In addition, to highlight the importance of site replication when evaluating a spatially-variable ecosystem like the boreal forest, we consider how our conclusions might have differed with and without site replication. Results from the two analyses differed considerably, highlighting the importance of site replication in studies offorestry effects in order to increase confidence in the conclusions. Overall, no significant harvest effects were found on the ground beetle community except for a significantly higher abundance of the open habitat species P. assimilis in clear-cuts than in uncut control forests. Our results thus do not support suggestions of an increase in diversity following clear-cutting, but are consistent with previous findings regarding increased abundances of open habitat species and no changes in abundance of forest generalists in clear-cuts. In general, the carabid community in the selection loggings resembled that in the uncut control forest, indicating a low effect of this harvesting method. Based on our analysis, we suggest that future studies of forestry impacts on invertebrates attempt to increase the number of sites evaluated rather than increase the number of samples from a given area

Riskanalys och verifiering av brandskydd av stålpelare

Syftet med detta examensarbete är att ta fram och utvärdera en ny typ av brandskyddsisolering som gjuts direkt kring stålpelare och som ska användas vid industriellt byggande. Brandskyddet ska vara kostnadseffektivt, lätt att hantera samtidigt som det ska uppfylla de tekniska krav som ställs. De stålpelare som analyseras är sådana som är integrerade i innerväggar och i lägenhetsskiljande väggar

Zipper - a Duplex Method for VDSL based on DMT

We present a new duplex scheme, called Zipper, for discrete multitone (DMT)-based very high bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) systems on copper wires. This scheme divides the available bandwidth by assigning different subcarriers for the upstream and downstream directions. It has high flexibility to divide the capacity between the up and downstream, as well as good coexistence possibilities with other systems such as ADSL. Simulation results show the high bit-rate performance in different environments such as mixed ADSL and VDSL traffic under radio frequency interference and with different background noise source

Patient reactions to cancelled or postponed heart operations.

Objectives The aim was to survey the rate and cause of cancellations of planned cardiac operations at a Swedish clinic during 1999, and to study how the patients were affected. Design Questionnaires were distributed to 74 patients who had their operations cancelled. Their mood after discharge was measured with The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale. Ninety-three patients, who were operated on without postponement, served as controls. Results Sixty-one percent of the patients in the cancellation group reacted negatively, especially if the reason for cancellation was organizational (P = 0.03). The women in the cancellation group had a significantly higher degree of depression than men (P = 0.01) and both women (P = 0.02) and men (P = 0.003) in the control group. Most of the patients, however, were satisfied with the nursing staff's reception and information. Conclusions The patients reacted negatively to the cancellation, especially if it had organizational reasons. Women subjected to cancellation had a significantly higher degree of depression than other patients. To be avoided, organizational and medical problems must be identified in time. One way to do this is to introduce a preadmission nurse clinic

Evaluation of Sampling Methods for Maturation Stage Determination in the European Eel Anguilla anguilla

Monitoring data is important in ecological research, but differences between and within areas or species in data collection methods could introduce bias in the analyses. Standardizing data collection is particularly important when monitoring migratory species that have a distribution that crosses several national borders. The European Eel Anguilla anguilla is an extreme example of such a species since it constitutes one stock across the entire distribution area. One important variable collected for the European Eel is maturation stage. This data is needed to monitor silver eel escapement to assess population trends. To determine maturation, data on length, weight, diameter of the eyes, and pectoral fin length are used to calculate Pankhurst eye index and Durif's silver index. In this study, we investigated effects of precision and interobserver variability on data collection relevant for maturation stage determination according to Pankhurst and Durif's indices. We found that eye diameter differed in size between the left and right eyes; however, the mean difference (0.19 mm) is probably an artifact of the large sample size (n = 16,977) and can be regarded as being within the measurement precision. Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in pectoral fin length. These results suggest that either side of the eel could be used without losing precision. Visually determined maturation stage classifications differed from those calculated with Pankhurst and Durif's indices but could still provide useful information; hence, it is recommended to collect this variable. Measurements performed using computer software generated greater precision than using calipers, which increased interobserver variability. Since the difference was relatively small and since computer analysis of images may not always be an option, measuring method can be decided based on the level of precision needed in each case. These suggested implementations can reduce observation bias and streamline the data collection used for stock assessments of the European Eel

Comparison of Joint and Muscle Biomechanics in Maximal Flywheel Squat and Leg Press

The aim was to compare the musculoskeletal load distribution and muscle activity in two types of maximal flywheel leg-extension resistance exercises: horizontal leg press, during which the entire load is external, and squat, during which part of the load comprises the body weight. Nine healthy adult habitually strength-training individuals were investigated. Motion analysis and inverse dynamics-based musculoskeletal modelling were used to compute joint loads, muscle forces, and muscle activities. Total exercise load (resultant ground reaction force; rGRF) and the knee-extension net joint moment (NJM) were slightly and considerably greater, respectively, in squat than in leg press (p ≤ 0.04), whereas the hip-extension NJM was moderately greater in leg press than in squat (p = 0.03). Leg press was performed at 11° deeper knee-flexion angle than squat (p = 0.01). Quadriceps muscle activity was similar in squat and leg press. Both exercise modalities showed slightly to moderately greater force in the vastii muscles during the eccentric than concentric phase of a repetition (p ≤ 0.05), indicating eccentric overload. That the quadriceps muscle activity was similar in squat and leg press, while rGRF and NJM about the knee were greater in squat than leg press, may, together with the finding of a propensity to perform leg press at deeper knee angle than squat, suggest that leg press is the preferable leg-extension resistance exercise, both from a training efficacy and injury risk perspective