Psychosocial factors at work and perceived health among agricultural meat industry workers in France

Objective  The objective of this study was to describe the perceived health status of the meat industry employees—i.e., working in the slaughtering, cutting, and boning of large animals and poultry—and its relation to their organisational and psychosocial constraints at work. Methods  This postal survey included all 3,000 employees of the meat industry (beef, pork and poultry) in four districts in Brittany, France, whose companies were affiliated with the agricultural branch of the national health insurance fund. The questionnaire asked for social and demographic data and information describing their job and the organisation of their work. The psychosocial factors at work were described according to Karasek’s questionnaire (demand, latitude and social support at work). Perceived health was measured with the Nottingham Health Profile perceived health indicator. Results  This study shows the high prevalence of poor health reported by the workers in this industry. This poor perceived health was worse in women and increased regularly with age. Among the psychosocial factors studied, high quantitative and qualitative demand at work, inadequate resources for good work and to a lesser extent, inadequate prospects for promotion appear especially associated with poor perceived health. Other factors often associated with poor perceived health included young age at the first job and work hours that disrupt sleep rhythms (especially for women). Conclusion  Our results show that this population of workers is especially vulnerable from the point of view of perceived physical and psychological health and is exposed to strong physical, organisational and psychosocial constraints at work. They also demonstrate that poor perceived health is associated with some psychosocial (such as high psychological demand and insufficient resources) and organisational factors at work. These results, in conjunction with those from other disciplines involved in studying this industry, may help the companies to develop preventive activities.     

Exercise electrocardiogram testing and imaging in women

The increased awareness of the incidence and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) has increased the efforts of physicians to identify women with CHD as early as possible. Exercise electrocardiogram (ECG) testing and imaging have been used in this manner for men and women but represent unique challenges with regard to women. Exercise ECG testing, which determines the presence of coronary artery disease by the provocation of ST depression and chest pain, has a lower positive predictive value in women than in men of the same age. This is explained by a lower prevalence of CHD in female patients with symptoms and (to a lesser extent) by the reported lower sensitivity and specificity of the test in women as compared with men. Exercise nuclear isotope myocardial perfusion imaging and exercise echocardiography have higher reported specificity and sensitivity, and new imaging agents, contrast echo agents, and acquisition protocols have reduced the limitations of these studies in selected women. The value of the exercise ECG examination with regard to CHD event risk assessment is equal in men and women and should be incorporated into the clinical evaluation of appropriate women patients.     

Differential etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder with conduct disorder and major depression in male veterans.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies reveal that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly comorbid with both conduct disorder and major depression in men. The genetic and environmental etiology of this comorbidity has not been examined. METHODS: Data were analyzed from 6744 middle-aged male-male monozygotic and dizygotic twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry. Conduct disorder, major depression, and PTSD were assessed via telephone interview using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for the DSM-III-R in 1992. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate additive genetic, shared environmental, and individual-specific environmental effects common and specific to conduct disorder, major depression, and PTSD. RESULTS: The association between conduct disorder and PTSD was explained primarily by common shared environmental influences; these explained 10% (95% confidence interval: 6%-17%) of the variance in PTSD. The association between major depression and PTSD was largely explained by common genetic influences; these explained 19% (95% confidence interval: 11%-26%) of the variance in PTSD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that different etiologic mechanisms explain the association of conduct disorder and major depression with PTSD in male veterans. If replicated in other populations, results suggest research aimed at identifying specific genetic and environmental factors that influence PTSD may benefit from starting with those that have been more consistently and strongly associated with major depression and conduct disorder.     

Biological and physical properties of autogenous vascularized fibular grafts in dogs

The biological and biomechanical properties of normal fibulae, fibulae that had had a sham operation, and both vascularized and non-vascularized autogenous grafts were studied in dogs at three months after the operation. The study was designed to quantify and correlate changes in these properties in orthotopic, stably fixed, weight-bearing grafts and to provide a baseline for additional studies of allografts. The grafts were eight centimeters long and internally fixed. The mechanical properties of the grafts were studied by torsional testing. Metabolic turnover of the grafts was evaluated by preoperative labeling of the dogs with 3H-tetracycline for resorption of bone mineral and with 3H-proline for turnover of collagen. Cortical bone area and porosity were measured. Postoperative formation of bone was evaluated by sequential labeling with fluorochrome. The vascularized grafts resembled the fibulae that had had a sham operation and those that had not had an operation with regard to the total number of osteons and the remodeling process, as measured both morphometrically and metabolically. The vascularized grafts were stronger and stiffer than the non-vascularized grafts and were not different from the bones that had had a sham operation. In contrast, the non-vascularized grafts were smaller, weaker, less stiff, and more porotic, had fewer osteons, and demonstrated increased turnover and resorption compared with the vascularized grafts, the bones that had had a sham operation, and the bones that had not been operated on.     

Colour Doppler imaging in the demonstration of an orbital varix.

Colour Doppler imaging (CDI) is a recent development in ultrasonography. It allows simultaneous two-dimensional structural imaging and Doppler evaluation of blood flow. Quantitative information on flow velocity is obtained by pulsed Doppler spectral analysis, the colour information being used to choose the vessel of interest. Using this technique the authors examined a patient with an orbital varix previously diagnosed by clinical findings and computed tomography. Dynamic evaluation with real-time direct imaging of flow facilitated the diagnosis of this orbital disorder without the need for any contrast material. This technique may prove to be a useful adjunct to computed tomography for the evaluation of suspected vascular lesions of the orbit.     

Urea rebound and delivered Kt/V determination with a continuous urea sensor

BACKGROUND: The recent introduction of urea sensors for dialysis monitoring has made possible new approaches to urea kinetic modelling. In this study we show how the equilibrated postdialysis urea concentration (Ceq) and Kt/V corrected for double-pool urea kinetics (Kt/Vdp) can be accurately determined using an on-line sensor providing a continuous measure of blood water urea. A modification of the Smye constant volume double-pool theory led to the following equations for Ceq and Kt/Vdp [formula: see text] where Cpre is the blood concentration measured at the start of dialysis, t is the length of the dialysis session (in min) and S(ex) is the constant slope of the blood urea logarithm concentration decline following development of the intercompartmental urea concentration gradient in the first 30-60 min of dialysis. METHODS: These equations were tested in 11 patients undergoing 165-240 min of paired filtration dialysis with continuous monitoring of blood urea concentration. Cpre was determined as the plateau concentration during a preliminary period of 15-20 min of slow isolated ultrafiltration. S(ex) was accurately determined from linear regression applied to the urea sensor data from the 80-min point to the end of dialysis. RESULTS: Ceq and Kt/Vdp determined from the above equations compared closely to values determined from 25-40 min of urea rebound monitoring with the urea sensor: 10.6 +/- 3.0 versus 10.8 +/- 2.7 mmol/l (mean +/- SD) for Ceq and 1.21 +/- 0.24 versus 1.18 +/- 0.20 for Kt/Vdp, compared to single-pool values of Kt/V = 1.34 +/- 0.23. CONCLUSION: This technique may be readily programmed into on-line urea monitors to provide current and extrapolated values of Ceq and Kt/Vdp from about the first hour of dialysis.