Individual attributes and leadership style: predicting the use of punishment and its effects

This study examined attributes of leaders that influenced their use of contingent and noncontingent punishment and the results of using punishment on leader effectiveness. Results indicated that leaders with higher levels of physical fitness and moral reasoning were more likely to use contingent punishment, while those with lower self-esteem were more likely to use noncontingent punishment. Noncontingent punishment negatively impacted leader effectiveness, while contingent punishment positively impacted leader effectiveness. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Can level of safety climate predict level of orientation toward safety in a decision making task?

Establishing the relationship between level of safety climate and safety performance is a current challenge. This work examines the relationship between level of safety climate and orientation toward safety in the decision making process and choice. Alternatively, this work seeks to answer the question of whether level of safety climate can predict safety-oriented decision making. A generalized safety climate questionnaire and a decision making simulation are utilized to examine this relationship. The results indicate that level of safety climate is not a significant predictor of the decision process; however, it was found to be a significant predictor of the selection of safer choices.     

Aerobiological, clinical, and immunobiochemical studies on Alstonia scholaris pollen from eastern India

Alstonia scholaris or Indian devil tree is a common, evergreen, tropical tree of the Apocynaceae family. The objectives of this study were (a) to observe the seasonal variation of A. scholaris pollen in the atmosphere of an industrial and rural area of West Bengal, India by conducting a 2-year aerobiological survey with a Burkard personal volumetric sampler, (b) to study its allergenicity in the local population by in vivo (skin-prick test) and in vitro tests (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and dot blotting), (c) to identify the immunoglobulin E (IgE)-binding proteins present in the pollen extract (sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting), (d) to study its chemical composition. A. scholaris pollen were present in the air from September until November. They contained 14.3 % carbohydrate, 9.2 % lipid, and 4.3 % protein. Among 140 respiratory allergic local patients, 28.57 % showed positive skin reaction to A. scholaris pollen extract. Twelve protein bands in the range of 94.4–13.3 kDa were observed in the pollen extract. Seven IgE-binding proteins were found. Among them, one component of 29.9 kDa was the most important in A. scholaris pollen extract. This component could be purified and would be helpful in the diagnosis and therapy of A. scholaris pollen-susceptible patients.     

An assessment of trace element contamination in intertidal sediment cores of Sunderban mangrove wetland, India for evaluating sediment quality guidelines

This paper presents a comprehensive account regarding concentration, distribution and possible sources of trace elements (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in 20-30 cm sediment cores (<63 microm particle size) collected at the confluence of the Ganges River and Bay of Bengal (Sunderban wetland, India). This work aims to evaluate the fluvio-marine and geochemical processes influencing the metal distribution. The most interesting features are the downward increase of concentrations of majority of the elements reaching overall maximum values at a depth of 10-15 cm observed in station Lot No.8 located along the main stream of the Ganges estuary as well as an overall elevated concentration of all the elements in the lower littoral zone. The interelemental relationship revealed the identical behaviour of elements during its transport in the estuarine environment. The overall variation in concentration can be attributed to differential discharge of effluents originating from industrial and agricultural as well as from domestic sewage. Arsenic exceeded effects range - low (ER - L) concentrations, implying occasional or frequent adverse biological effects. For Cu, Ni and Cr a smaller proportion of samples had exceeded the ER - L values indicating that the dataset would be suitable for future use in evaluating predictive abilities of SQGs.     

Differences between Weekday and Weekend Air Pollutant Levels in Southern California

Abstract

Ambient air quality data were analyzed to empirically evaluate the effects of reductions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) emissions on weekday and weekend levels of ozone (O₃; 1991–1998) and particulate NO₃ ^- (1980–1999) in southern California. Despite significantly lower O₃ precursor levels on weekends, 20 of 28 South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) sites (28 of all 78 southern California sites) showed statistically significant higher mean O₃ levels on Sundays than on weekdays (p < 0.01); 49 of the remaining 50 sites showed no significant differences between mean weekday and Sunday peak O₃ levels. We also observed no statistically significant differences between mean weekday and weekend concentrations of particulate NO₃ ^- or nitric acid (HNO₃, the precursor of particulate NO₃ ^-). Averaged over sites, the mean Sunday NO_x and nonmethane hydrocarbon concentrations were 25–41% and 16–30% lower, respectively, than on weekdays. Site-to-site differences between weekend and weekday mean peak hourly O₃ levels were related to whether O₃ formation was limited by the availability of NO_x. A thermodynamic equilibrium model predicts that particulate NO₃ ^- levels would decrease in response to a reduction of HNO₃, and that particulate ammonium NO₃ ^- formation was not limited by the availability of ammonia. The similarity of mean weekday and weekend levels of NO₃ ^- therefore did not result from limitations on the formation of particulate NO₃ ^- from its precursor, HNO₃.     

Toxicity of the pyrethroid pesticide fenvalerate to freshwater catfish clarias gariepinus: Lethality,biochemical effects and role of dietary ascorbic acid

Static bioassays were made in the laboratory to determine lethal concentration of the pyrethroid pesticide fenvalerate [(RS)-alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (RS)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methylbutyrate] for the freshwater catfish Clarias gariepinus and effects of sublethal concentrations of the pesticide on some biochemical parameters of the fish. For exposure periods of 24 to 96 h, LC₅₀ values of fenvalerate ranged from 5.83–4.76 μ g/L and 4.24–2.94 μ g/L, respectively for water and acetone soluble fenvalerate. Two sublethal concentrations of fenvalerate were used in the bioassays for biochemical parameters: 2.1 μ g/L for 24 h and 1.4 μ g/L for 96 h exposure, both concentrations representing 50% of LC₅₀ value of acetone soluble fenvalerate for the respective exposure period. Hepatosomatic index, liver glycogen, alkaline phosphatase of liver and ascorbic acid of blood, liver, and kidney decreased while haemoglobin (Hb) %, plasma glucose levels and acid phosphatase level of liver increased after 24 h exposure to 2.1 μ g/L fenvalerate. Longer exposure (96 h) to even a lower concentration (1.4 μ g/L) of fenvalerate resulted in reduction of all the parameters (except Hb %) tested as compared with control. Fish previously fed for 60 days with a diet supplemented by a high level of ascorbic acid (100 mg/100 g diet) could reverse most of the effects caused by 24 h exposure to 2.1 μ g/L fenvalerate. A lower level of ascorbic acid (50 mg/ 100 g diet) supplement could not influence these effects of fenvalerate. Even the higher dose of ascorbic acid supplementation (100 mg/100 g diet) could not relieve the stress parameters, except for Hb% and HSI, when the pesticide was applied at 1.4 μ g/L for a longer time period (96 h).     

Antioxidant responses of the earthworm Lampito mauritii exposed to Pb and Zn contaminated soil

The aim of this study was to provide fundamental data on the biochemical analysis of antioxidant defences in the earthworm exposed to low levels (75, 150, 300 mg kg(-1) soil) of Pb and Zn. In order to attain this objective, adult Lampito mauritii were exposed to different doses of Pb and Zn separately for 28 days and the concentrations of oxidized and reduced glutathione, activities of glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were assessed. Dose-dependent perturbations were observed in the glutathione-glutathione-S-transferase system and other antioxidant enzymes during the early phase of the exposure to Pb. In the Zn exposed earthworm, the glutathione-glutathione-S-transferase system remained stable and the stimulation of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities occurred significantly only on day 14 at 300 mg Zn kg(-1). It is concluded that the antioxidants are directly involved in the adaptive response of Lampito mauritii for survival in metal contaminated soil.     

Biodegradation during contaminant transport in porous media: V. The influence of growth and cell elution on microbial distribution

This study investigated the interaction between microbial growth and cell elution, and their influence on resultant microbial distribution between the aqueous and solid phases during solute transport in a sandy, low-organic-carbon-content porous medium. Miscible displacement experiments were conducted with salicylate as the model compound, and with different initial conditions (e.g., substrate concentrations and cell densities) to attain various degrees of microbial growth. For each experiment, salicylate and dissolved oxygen concentrations as well as cell densities were monitored in the column effluent. Cell densities were also measured in the porous medium at the beginning and end of each experiment. Total microbial growth was determined in two ways, one based on a cell mass balance for the system and the other based on total amount of salicylate degraded. For conditions yielding a considerable amount of microbial growth, the majority of the biomass was associated with the aqueous phase (68-90%). Conversely, under minimal-growth conditions, most cells (approximately 60-70%) were attached to particle surfaces. Significant cell elution was observed for most conditions, the rate of which increased in the presence of the substrate. The results suggest that the increase in aqueous-phase cells observed for the experiments exhibiting the greatest growth is associated with the production of new cells, and that under appropriate conditions aqueous-phase biomass can contribute significantly to contaminant biodegradation.     

Increasing development in the surroundings of U.S. National Park Service holdings jeopardizes park effectiveness

Protected areas are cornerstones of biodiversity conservation, but they are in danger of becoming islands in a sea of human dominated landscapes. Our question was if protected areas may even foster development in their surroundings because they provide amenities that attract development, thus causing the isolation of the ecosystems they were designed to protect. Our study analyzed historic aerial photographs and topographical maps to reconstruct road development and building growth within and around Indiana Dunes and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshores in the U.S. Great Lakes region from 1938 to 2005, and to estimate the effects of park creation in 1966 on changes in landscape patterns. Historic U.S. census housing density data were used as a baseline to compare observed changes to. Our results showed that park establishment was effective in reducing and stopping the fragmenting impact of development within park boundaries. However, increased amenity levels following park establishment led to enhanced development in the surroundings of both parks. In the extreme case of Indiana Dunes, building density outside the park increased from 45 to 200 buildings/km² and road density almost doubled from 3.6 to 6.6 km/km² from 1938 to 2005. Development rates of change were much higher than in the broader landscape, particularly after park establishment. The potential amenity effect was up to 9500 new buildings in the 3.2-km zone around Indiana Dunes between 1966 and 2005. For Pictured Rocks the absolute effect was smaller but up to 70% of the observed building growth was potentially due to amenity effects. Our findings highlight the need for conservation planning at broader scales, incorporating areas beyond the boundaries of protected areas.