Genetic influences on job satisfaction: A reply to Cropanzano and James.

Responds to the points made by R. Cropanzano and K. James (see record 1991-00462-001) concerning the article by R. D. Arvey et al (1989). The authors acknowledge that the Arvey et al study is based on a single design, makes use of a small and special sample, and, as such, is vulnerable to threats of internal and external validity. Nevertheless, after providing a more comprehensive conceptual and empirical context for the study, and after reviewing a number of the issues raised by Cropanzano and James, the authors conclude that it is not premature to accept the idea that work attitudes are partially genetically influenced. Indeed, the authors use behavioral genetic theory, together with data gathered in the Arvey et al study, to make specific point predictions regarding the outcomes of an array of studies that easily can be undertaken. Finally, the authors acknowledge that the comments and issues raised by Cropanzano and James, along with the interchange, can offer directions for future research in this important area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evolution of the capillary network in a reactive powder concrete during hydration process

Ultrasonic waves in echographic mode, combined with autogenous shrinkage measurements, were used to study the evolution of the capillary network of reactive powder concrete (RPC) from the time after the mixing. Two characteristic porous classes have been identified: the first, between 10 and 20 nm, begins when the material reaches its solid hyperstatic state, and the second about 1 or 2 nm. The first class is associated with the porous space between the C-S-H hydrate clusters and the second with the internal porosity of the hydrate. The evolution of the active capillary radius as a function of the degree of hydration allows us to understand the strong interaction between the capillary network size and the chemical activity given by the dissipated calorimetric power curve. Indeed, the maximum point of the chemical activity marks the transition of the first class of pores to the second one. Finally, measurements of electrical conductivity through RPC samples show that after the maximum of the dissipated power, the curve of this electrical conductivity presents the same evolution as the capillary radius. As the electrical conductivity clearly depends on the evolution of the capillary network, the similarity between the results confirms our analysis in pore classes.     

Motor performance in Alzheimer''s disease

A 47-year-old man with Hirayama's disease who developed cervical spondylotic amyotrophy (CSA) is presented. The patient had noted weakness and atrophy of hand and forearm muscles bilaterally at the age of 16. At the age of 40, he developed proximal muscle atrophy and weakness bilaterally after 20 years of a non-progressive state. Myelography and computed tomography (CT)-myelography revealed that ventral cord compression at multiple levels of C4-7 vertebral bodies was increased when the neck was extended. The clinical diagnosis was CSA associated with Hirayama's disease. To our knowledge, this is the first such case to be reported.     

Demand elasticities in OECD: Dynamical aspects

Four models with different lag structures are used to express final energy demand in OECD from 1960–1982 as a function of real GDP and average energy price. The income and long-run price elasticities are not significantly dependent on the model specification, but the Koyck lag scheme, estimated in its distributed lag form, is found to give the most satisfactory results. The statistical properties of the data together with evidence of trends in the elasticities both suggest that the period of falling real prices prior to 1971 is not comparable to the present period. For the period after 1971, an income elsticity of 1.02 and a long-run price elasticity of -0.37 are obtained.     

Indoor temperature changes in retrofit homes

The behavioral response (e.g. changes in indoor temperatures, attention to window and door openings) to residential technical efficiency improvements (e.g. attic insulation, storm windows) is an important and largely unresolved issue. Although there is considerable discussion concerning the extent to which households take back some of the energy savings due to technical efficiency improvements in increased comfort, there is almost no empirical evidence on the subject.Detailed electricity billing data (from mid-1981 to mid-1983) were analyzed for 79 households that received financial assistance from the Bonneville Power Administration to retrofit their homes in mid-1982. The mean retrofit expenditure in these homes was $1900; the mean reduction in annual electricity use was 4700 kWh, of which 83% was due to reductions in space heating electricity use. Analysis of the electricity billing data suggests that these households increased their indoor temperature settings after retrofit by almost 1 °F on average. This temperature increase led to an estimated average loss of almost 600 kWh of electricity saving. In other words, roughly 10% of the energy saving due to retrofit was taken back in terms of increased comfort. These results concerning changes in indoor temperatures should be viewed cautiously because of limitations in the analytical method and the large variation across households.     

Butyltin Species and Inorganic Tin in Water and Sediment of the Detroit and St. Clair Rivers

Water and sediment samples from 29 locations in the Detroit and St. Clair rivers were analyzed for the highly toxic tri-n-butyltin (Bu₃Sn⁺) species and for the less toxic di-n-butyltin (Bu₂Sn²⁺) and n-butyltin (BuSn³⁺) species and inorganic tin. In general, locations sampled in the St. Clair River were less contaminated with butyltin species than those in the Detroit River. Inorganic tin and BuSn³⁺ were detected in over 90% of all subsurface water samples, while Bu₂Sn²⁺ and Bu₃Sn⁺ were detected in 45 and 28% of the same samples, respectively. The highest concentration ofBu₃Sn⁺ in subsurface water, 5.9 × 10^?10 mol Sn/L, was at the mouth of the Ecorse River, a tributary of the Detroit River. The three butyltin species and inorganic tin were also detected in 23–46% of all sediment samples. The highest concentrations of Bu₃Sn⁺ in sediment were found close to the mouths of the River Rouge, another tributary of the Detroit River, and the Ecorse River, and were 6.2 × I0^–7 and 1.7 × I0^–7 mol Sn/kg dry weight, respectively, for the top 2 cm of sediment.     

Responses of Dairy Cows to Exogenous Bovine Growth Hormone Administered During Early Lactation

Bovine growth hormone was administered to eight Holstein cows during two 10-d periods (commencing 20 and 60 d postpartum). Treatments involved daily subcutaneous injection of excipient (control) or of 50 IU growth hormone. Feed intake and yields of milk and milk components were measured during the last 5 d of treatment. In the first injection period, milk yield of treated cows was 6% greater than that of controls (36.2 kg/d). Fat content of milk was increased by treatment with the result that fat yield was elevated by 25%. Protein content was not altered. In the second period, milk yield increased by 12%, but composition of milk was not changed. As a result, milk energy secretion was increased by a similar amount in each treatment period (4.4 versus 4.5 Mcal/d). Feed intake was not changed in either period. During early lactation the ability of cows to increase milk yield in response to exogenous growth hormone may be limited by the supply of glucose for lactose synthesis rather than by ability to mobilize body reserves in support of lactation.     

Spontaneous emulsification aspect of enhanced oil recovery

Recent studies have suggested the possibility of spontaneous emulsification as a mechanism for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The discussions have, however, remained essentially qualitative. A study was therefore undertaken to estimate quantitatively the contribution of spontaneous emulsification as an EOR mechanism. The tests were conducted on several bulk liquid/liquid systems as well as by displacement experiments in unconsolidated synthetic sand packs. Spontaneous emulsification was found to be a mechanism for EOR: the estimated extra contribution to EOR due to this mechanism was found to be significant in laboratory scale displacement experiments. Tertiary recovery was always greater when spontaneous emulsification was evident than otherwise. Results of tests on bulk liquid/liquid systems indicate that the occurrence or absence of spontaneous emulsification can be correlated with the values of ‘partition parameter’. It may be concluded that higher oil recoveries may be achieved in chemical EOR processes where interface mass transfer (and the accompanying spontaneous emulsification) occurs. The evaluation of efficiency of residual oil mobilisation through the capillary number theory (with and without spontaneous emulsification) is also discussed. Displacement tests with spontaneously emulsifying systems showed that residual oil left behind a conventional waterflood was mobilised in a range of capillary numbers much less than that which applies to low-tension waterfloods.