Is using work–life interface benefits a career‐limiting move? An examination of women,men, lone parents,and parents with partners

Using a large national sample based on Workplace and Employee Survey data collected by Statistics Canada in 2001 and 2002, we examined the effects of employee usage of seven organizational work–life interface benefits on promotions. Analysis predicted promotions in 2002 when number of promotions received by 2001 were controlled. The main effect of using work–life interface benefits on promotions was positive, indicating that using these benefits is not a career‐limiting move. Gender, presence of young children, and marital status interacted with the use of work–life interface benefits. Single parents benefitted less than other employees from using work–life interface options. Altogether, these findings suggest that the ongoing positive effects of conservation of time and energy resources for employees outweigh the initial short‐term negative effects of signaling and stigmatization. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Leader self‐awareness: An examination and implications of women's under‐prediction

Self‐awareness represents an important aspect of leadership. However, past research on leader self‐awareness has focused on one component of self‐awareness, self versus others' ratings, leaving the second component, the ability to anticipate the views of others, largely neglected. We examined this second component of self‐awareness by focusing on women leaders who have been found to under‐predict how others rate them. In two studies, we measured how women leaders anticipate the views of their bosses in regard to their leadership. In Study 1, 194 leaders rated their leadership, were rated by their bosses, and then predicted how their bosses rated their leadership. While we found that women under‐predict their boss ratings compared with men, we did not find that boss gender or feedback played a role in this under‐prediction. In Study 2, 76 female leaders identified (via open‐ended questions) possible reasons and consequences of under‐prediction for women in organizations. Results from Study 2 reveal the following: (1) the reasons for women's under‐prediction include a lack of self‐confidence, differences in feedback needs, learned gender roles, and self‐sexism; and (2) the perceived consequences of under‐prediction are negative for both women and the organization. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution of mercury in some organs of the Kani Barazan wetland common coot (Fulica atra)

We document mercury distribution in the tissues (kidney, liver, breast feathers and pectoral muscle) of a waterbird, the common coot (Fulica atra) from the Kani Barazan wetlands in north-western Iran. Bird samples were collected between November 2011 and January 2012, and mercury was assayed by using a Varian 220 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Mean levels of mercury in kidney, liver, breast feathers and pectoral muscle were 0.13, 0.22, 0.20 and 0.09 μg/g, respectively. Mercury concentrations in tissues of F. atra were in the following order: liver>feather>kidney>pectoral muscle. The mercury level was significantly (one-way ANOVA, p<0.05) different between kidneys, livers, pectoral muscles and feathers in F. atra. Although mercury concentrations were higher for all tissues in female birds compared with males, significant (p<0.05) differences were observed in muscle only.     

Building resilience by challenging social norms: integrating a transformative approach within the BRACED consortia

Resilience is a complex phenomenon whereby a multitude of social and environmental factors, including gender, combine to shape the ways that shocks affect people. Looking at two BRACED (Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Extremes and Disasters) projects, in Burkina Faso and in Ethiopia, this article uses a desk review and primary data from partners and people at risk to explore how a gender‐transformative approach can be an integral part of resilience‐building projects, particularly those implemented by multi‐stakeholder consortia. It also suggests ways to incorporate a stronger gender component in similar future projects. The article argues that donors and programme managers must provide clear principles and guidelines for achieving gender equity within resilience‐building efforts. However, these must allow flexibility to adapt to norms, needs and resources as determined by implementing partners. The right balance can be achieved by facilitating spaces for individual and collective goal‐setting; assessing current capacity and trajectories; and lesson‐sharing as an iterative process for institutional learning.     

The social context of childcare practices and child malnutrition in Niger's recent food crisis

In 2004–05, Niger suffered a food crisis during which global attention focused on high levels of acute malnutrition among children. In response, decentralised emergency nutrition programmes were introduced into much of southern Niger. Child malnutrition, however, is a chronic problem and its links with food production and household food security are complex. This qualitative, anthropological study investigates pathways by which children are rendered vulnerable in the context of a nutritional 'emergency'. It focuses on household-level decisions that determine resource allocation and childcare practices in order to explain why practices apparently detrimental to children's health persist. Risk aversion, the need to maintain self-identity and status, and constrained decision making result in a failure to invest extra necessary resources ingrowth-faltering children. Understanding and responding to the social context of child malnutrition will help humanitarian workers to integrate their efforts more effectively with longer-term development programmes aimed at improving livelihood security.     

不同地域人发中重金属污染特征与来源解析

以某高校新生发样为研究样本,将生源地分为东北、西北、西南、华北、华南、华中、华东7个地域,采用电感耦合等离子发射光谱法对发样中所含铬、铜、镍、铅、锌进行测定,通过非参数检验及偏相关性检验分析不同地区发样中重金属含量与性别、身体质量指数(BMI)的关系。结果显示,所采集发样中铬、铜、镍、铅、锌的含量变化范围依次为0.22~101.84、0.36~112.24、0.70~128.75、1.39~136.13、1.12~719.50μg/g;发样中重金属浓度的地区排序为东北>华东>华北>西北>华中>西南>华南。聚类分析和主成分分析结果显示,不同地区发样中重金属的来源有所差异:东北、西北、华北地区发样中重金属可能主要来源于燃煤、工业生产过程、机动车排放,方差贡献率分别为39.47%、25.78%、22.89%;华中、华东、西南、华南地区发样中重金属可能主要来源于工业生产过程、机动车排放、冶金化工过程,贡献率分别为47.76%、27.51%、18.24%。相关性检验显示,男性发样内铬、铜、镍、铅含量高于女性。其中,偏胖或偏瘦女性存在较高的铅暴露风险;40.2%的男性发锌含量低于正常值下限,24.4%的女性发锌含量低于正常值下限,且偏瘦女性发内缺锌现象显著;男、女发铜含量高于正常值上限的比例分别为91.8%、85.6%,存在不同程度的铜暴露风险。     

雌雄异株植物与性别比例有关的性别差异研究现状与展望

雌雄异株植物是陆地生态系统的重要组分,自然种群中其雌雄个体的性别比例通常为1∶1,但随水分、养分、CO2浓度、温度、光照和干扰水平等的不同而有所不同.一般来说,在逆境下性别比例偏雄性,这是雌雄异株植物性别分离的常见模式.雌雄异株植物不同性别间的差异主要体现在:(1)存活率,(2)形态特征,(3)生理生化特性,(4)物候期,(5)资源分配模式等方面,但对于雌雄个体差异的分子机理未见报道.这些差异导致了雌雄植株个体环境适应性的不同,从而表现为在不同环境下雌雄异株植物性别比例偏倚的现象.基于此,可结合不同树种雌雄性的不同用途,开展有关研究.参59     

Driving restrictions post-stroke: Physicians' compliance with regulations

Objective: Suffering a stroke might lead to permanent cognitive and/or physical impairment. It has been shown that these impairments could have an impact on an individual's fitness to drive. In Sweden, as in many other countries, there are regulations on driving cessation post-stroke. Information on driving cessation should be given to all patients and noted in the journal. The present study sought to determine physician's compliance to driving regulations post-stroke as well as follow-up and gender aspects.

Method: A retrospective study of medical records on stroke patients was carried out. The study covered all of the medical records on stroke incidents (n = 342) during a year at a typical medium to large-sized hospital in Sweden.

Results: A journal entry on driving cessation post-stroke was missing in 81% of the medical records. Only 2% of the patients were scheduled for a follow-up meeting specifically concerning fitness to drive. Significantly more men than women had an entry on driving in the journal.

Conclusions: We conclude that the Swedish regulations on driving cessation post-stroke were not followed at the participating hospital. It is crucial that all stroke patients receive information on driving cessation because their condition might affect fitness to drive. Analysis of follow-up records showed that there was no consistent method for assessment of a patient's fitness to drive. There was also a gender difference in the material, which warrants further investigation.