Occupational well-being of school staff members: a structural equation model

This study aimed to develop a theoretical basis for the promotion of school staff's occupational well-being. The 'Content Model for the Promotion of School Community Staff's Occupational Well-being' describes the four aspects of the promotion of occupational well-being ('working conditions', 'worker and work', 'working community' and 'professional competence') as well as the functionality and structure of the model. The content model was examined empirically by means of a structural equation model. The project was developed with school staff and occupational health nurses and implemented in 2001-2004. The target group consisted of the staff of 12 comprehensive schools in Eastern Finland in 2002 (n = 211) and 2004 (n = 266). The data were collected using a 'well-being at your work index' questionnaire at both times. A structural equation model for the school staff's occupational well-being, i.e. the 'Occupational Well-being of School Staff Model' (baseline OWSS Model: Study I in the year 2002), was produced. The model was tested with the 2004 data. Based on this, the model was further developed into the final OWSS Model (Study II). The theoretical Content Model for the Promotion of School Community Staff's Occupational Well-being can be used as a framework for planning, implementing and evaluating school staff's occupational well-being.     

Alterations of lipids and apolipoprotein CIII in very low density lipoprotein subspecies in type 2 diabetes

Aims/hypothesis Very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles are heterogeneous, comprising two main subspecies, VLDL 1 (Sf 60-400) and VLDL 2 (Sf 20-60). The aim of the study was to examine the distribution and composition of VLDL subspecies in type 2 diabetes.Subjects, materials and methods We studied the composition and concentration of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) in 217 type 2 diabetic patients and 93 control subjects between 50 and 75 years of age. Lipoprotein subspecies were separated by density-gradient ultracentrifugation. Apolipoprotein (apo) CIII and apo E in plasma and apo CIII in TRL subspecies were measured by nephelometry and apo CII in serum by a commercial kit using a single radial immunodiffusion method.Results The concentrations of VLDL 1, VLDL 2 and intermediate density lipoprotein were significantly increased in type 2 diabetes subjects, the change being most marked for VLDL 1. There was a strong linear correlation between VLDL 1 triglycerides and plasma triglycerides in both groups (r=0.879, p<0.001 and r=0.899, p<0.001). Diabetic subjects had markedly higher plasma ratios of apo CII:apo CIII and apo CIII:apo E. Despite elevated plasma apo CIII, type 2 diabetic subjects had a relative deficiency of apo CIII in all TRL subspecies, suggesting profound disturbances of apo CIII metabolism.Conclusions/interpretation The elevation of VLDL 1 triglycerides is the major determinant of plasma triglyceride concentration in normal subjects and in type 2 diabetic individuals. Both apo CIII and apo E metabolism are disturbed in type 2 diabetes.     

School staff members' and occupational health nurses' evaluation of the promotion of occupational well-being – with good planning to better practice

This paper describes occupational health nurses' and school staff members' experiences of work ability maintenance carried out at schools and the development of ideas to promote the collaboration between occupational health care and school community and to enhance work ability maintenance. The data were collected in a baseline situation of an action research project to further plan and develop activities. The data were analysed by inductive content analysis. According to the results, school community staff members' work ability maintenance focused on the employee, the school community, school work and the working conditions as well as professional competence. The practical actions involved some individual and school-specific variation, focusing on actions to maintain individual and physical work ability. It seems that the collaboration between the school community and occupational health service for work ability maintenance took place at the individual level, but an obvious need for more structural collaboration emerged by several suggestions made by the participants (e.g. better information exchange between the school and occupational health care, improved collaboration between the school staff and the co-operative partners). The progress in collaboration may lead towards spontaneous collaboration, in which case both actors have the same target and work in a planned, continuous and natural way to ensure work ability maintenance in the school community.     

Prediction of non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease and liver fat content by serum molecular lipids

Aims/hypothesis

We examined whether analysis of lipids by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to MS allows the development of a laboratory test for non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease (NAFLD), and how a lipid-profile biomarker compares with the prediction of NAFLD and liver-fat content based on routinely available clinical and laboratory data.

Methods

We analysed the concentrations of molecular lipids by UPLC-MS in blood samples of 679 well-characterised individuals in whom liver-fat content was measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) or liver biopsy. The participants were divided into biomarker-discovery (n?=?287) and validation (n?=?392) groups to build and validate the diagnostic models, respectively.

Results

Individuals with NAFLD had increased triacylglycerols with low carbon number and double-bond content while lysophosphatidylcholines and ether phospholipids were diminished in those with NAFLD. A serum-lipid signature comprising three molecular lipids (‘lipid triplet’) was developed to estimate the percentage of liver fat. It had a sensitivity of 69.1% and specificity of 73.8% when applied for diagnosis of NAFLD in the validation series. The usefulness of the lipid triplet was demonstrated in a weight-loss intervention study.

Conclusions/interpretation

The liver-fat-biomarker signature based on molecular lipids may provide a non-invasive tool to diagnose NAFLD, in addition to highlighting lipid molecular pathways involved in the disease.     

Mothers' perceptions of and feelings towards their babies' crying

The frequency and type of crying and the parents' perceptions of it were evaluated in 281 Finnish infants underthe age of 1 year. Not many mothers [14#pc] claimed that their babies cried often or very often. The infants less than three months old cried significantly more in the evening than the older ones. Most mothers [94#pc] reported that the crying aroused feelings of tenderness, but 4#pc found it irritating. The most common response to the cry [97#pc] was to pick the baby up. Additional help was wanted by 49 mothers because of their babies' disturbing crying spells. These mothers reorted that their infants cried more and they stated that the cry made them feel more irritated and more often gave them a feeling of failure than the mothers not in need of help. The majority of these mothers would have been glad to help, including advice, whent the infants were under 3 months of age.     

Phospholipase A2: a possible virulence factor of Capnocytophaga ochracea

The phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) activity of 14 Capnocytophaga ochracea and 5 Bacteroides intermedius strains were measured with a radio assay. C. ochracea strains showed PLA₂ activity with a mean of 21.4 ± 2.2 μg liberated fatty acid. B. intermedius , a known PLA₂ producer, reached in our assay a mean of 26.8 ± 6.4. All the strains studied released free fatty acids slowly from the substrate: 4–6-day incubation was needed to reach the maximum activity. Capnocytophaga isolated from the diseased and healthy gingival pockets of patients with localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) showed a tendency of producing more PLA₂ during the 2 first days of incubation than isolates from healthy controls or the B. intermedius strains. This tendency disappeared after day 3, and B. intermedius strains were more potent than C. ochracea on days 4–6. The activity was independent of the two bacterial culture media used in this investigation. We report PLA₂ activity as a new possible virulence factor for C. ochracea.