The moderating effects of job control and selection,optimization, and compensation strategies on the age–work ability relationship

Work ability describes employees' capability to carry out their work with respect to physical and psychological job demands. This study investigated direct and interactive effects of age, job control, and the use of successful aging strategies called selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) in predicting work ability. We assessed SOC strategies and job control by using employee self‐reports, and we measured employees' work ability using supervisor ratings. Data collected from 173 health‐care employees showed that job control was positively associated with work ability. Additionally, we found a three‐way interaction effect of age, job control, and use of SOC strategies on work ability. Specifically, the negative relationship between age and work ability was weakest for employees with high job control and high use of SOC strategies. These results suggest that the use of successful aging strategies and enhanced control at work are conducive to maintaining the work ability of aging employees. We discuss theoretical and practical implications regarding the beneficial role of the use of SOC strategies utilized by older employees and enhanced contextual resources at work for aging employees. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cardiovascular Load During Summer Work of Two Age Groups of Van-Rickshaw Pullers in West Bengal,India

Van-rickshaw is a popular mode of transport of people and merchandise in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of age on cardiovascular load of van-rickshaw pullers in the summer season (March-June) in real situations. In 142 participants, divided into 2 age groups (25-40 and 41-55 years), cardiovascular load was assessed on the basis of working and partial recovery heart rate (HR), predicted maximal HR, working maximal HR, average working HR, percentage of reserved HR, sum of recovery heart beats, percentage of recovery, relative and net cardiac cost, etc. Except for percentage of recovery, all parameters differed significantly between the groups and were significantly correlated with age. As this activity is very stressful, it places a heavy demand on the cardiovascular system. Therefore, age is an important factor for sustainability of the work, especially in a hot environment. Some ergonomic interventions are necessary to reduce cardiovascular load.     

Work domain analysis for air traffic controller weather displays

INTRODUCTION: Adverse weather conditions have a major impact on National Airspace System (NAS) operations. They create safety hazards for pilots, constrain the usable airspace for air traffic control (ATC), and reduce the overall capacity of the NAS. A system-wide dissemination of weather information to controllers could theoretically improve safety and efficiency. PROBLEM: However, it is currently unclear what weather information would be beneficial for tactical operations. Furthermore, no previous research has empirically evaluated optimal presentation designs for ATC weather displays. Ill-designed weather displays can cause safety hazards by presenting redundant information (i.e., by increasing the cognitive load) and display clutter (e.g., by interfering with the visual extraction of traffic data). METHOD: In the present paper, we outline our use of cognitive work analysis (CWA) techniques for the assessment of weather information needs for terminal controllers. RESULTS: Specifically, we describe how the CWA modeling tools helped us reveal instances in the terminal domain where weather information is lacking or insufficiently disseminated. We used our CWA results to drive the development of weather display concepts and to set up a high-fidelity simulation capability. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: By means of high-fidelity simulations, we can empirically evaluate controller weather information needs in order to propose weather displays for increased aircraft safety and efficiency of terminal operations.     

赣东北岩浆混合杂岩体的锆石U-Pb年龄

赣东北横峰县港边岩浆混合杂岩体组成极为复杂,具有明显的岩浆混合特点,偏酸性岩浆端员、基性岩浆端员、岩浆混合单位等在野外均能见及。该岩浆混合杂岩体中偏酸性端员肉红色角闪石石英正长岩中颗粒级锆石U Pb定年结果表明,其形成时代为445±4Ma,反映为加里东期产物;同时获得的残留锆石U Pb年龄值2958±62Ma,说明该岩浆混合杂岩体中存在中太古代残留锆石,该年龄值也是目前已知的江西省境内最老的残留锆石U Pb年龄值。     

不同填埋龄垃圾腐殖土中细菌群落结构特征

为探究填埋龄对垃圾腐殖土内细菌群落结构的影响,以我国江苏省某生活垃圾填埋场中腐殖土为研究对象,采用Illumina Miseq高通量测序技术分析了填埋年限分别为1~3、3~6、6~10 a的腐殖土及填埋场周边土壤中的细菌群落组成。结果表明:腐殖土中细菌群落的丰富度和多样性随填埋年限呈增加趋势,但均低于填埋场周边土壤。非度量多维尺度(NMDS)分析结果表明,不同填埋年限的腐殖土中细菌群落结构差异性较大,但填埋场周边土壤中细菌群落与填埋年限为6~10 a的腐殖土相似度较高,可能是周边土壤在一定程度上受到了垃圾渗滤液的污染。厚壁菌门、变形菌门、放线菌门、绿弯菌门和拟杆菌门均为各阶段腐殖土中的优势菌门,厚壁菌门的相对丰度随填埋年限增加先增加后减少,绿弯菌门则先减少后增加,拟杆菌门的相对丰度在填埋后期出现下降,而变形菌门和放线菌门在整个过程中无明显变化。冗余分析(RDA)结果表明,腐殖土中细菌群落结构的变化与总氮(TN)、重金属(Cd、Zn)及pH密切相关。     

New estimates of down syndrome risks at chorionic villus sampling,amniocentesis, and livebirth in women of advanced maternal age from a uniquely defined population

Current measures of livebirth prevalence of Down syndrome are derived from data obtained up to 20 years ago, before the introduction of the prenatal diagnostic tests amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). For women aged 36–52 years, but who were not tested prenatally, we proposed to make a direct estimate of current livebirth prevalence of Down syndrome. We could also determine prevalence at the time of CVS and amniocentesis in women of the same age undergoing prenatal testing. Differences in these prevalences allow an estimation of the relative loss of Down syndrome during pregnancy. In Victoria, Australia, we identified 3041 women having CVS, 7504 having amniocentesis, and 13 139 having no test. Smoothed regression estimates of age-specific livebirth prevalence were found to be higher than in the early studies. The estimate of spontaneous loss was 17 per cent between the time of CVS and amniocentesis, and 18 per cent after the time of amniocentesis. The latter figure is lower than previous estimates and may be explained by a greater likelihood of a Down syndrome fetus surviving to be liveborn, given the modern approach to early obstetric intervention. These current risk estimates of livebirth may be useful updates for genetic counselling, but perhaps more importantly, may be used as precise maternal age-related risk figures, necessary in the design and implementation of prenatal screening programmes for Down syndrome.     

长春南湖富营养化进程中鱼类群落的变化

长春南湖原有鱼类20种。随着富营养化程度的加重,鱼类种类数减少,一些种类绝迹。1992年实施生态工程治理后,鱼类组成以人工放养种类为主。鱼产量波动幅度较大,自20世纪60年代以来呈下降趋势,80年代末达到最低点,90年代有所回升。目前以养殖鱼类为主体,产量较为稳定。鱼类以II龄和III龄个体所占比例最大,I龄和高龄个体较少。