Employees' job satisfaction after the introduction of a total smoke-ban in bars and restaurants in Norway

The aim of the study was to investigate possible effects of a total smoke-ban in Norwegian bars and restaurants (introduced on June 1st 2004) on employees' job satisfaction. A national representative sample was randomly selected from the public registry of all companies in the hospitality business. A baseline survey was conducted in May 2004, follow-up measurements were performed in September/October 2004 and May 2005. Altogether, 1525 employees agreed to participate in the baseline survey. Among respondents at baseline, 894 (59.4%) remained in the sample at the first follow-up and 758 (49.7%) at the second follow-up. Analysis of variance for repeated measures revealed a significant three-way interaction between personal smoking behaviour, attitudes towards the ban before it was enacted and time from baseline to the second follow-up. A small decline in job satisfaction was found between baseline and the first follow-up among employees who were daily smokers and had a negative attitude towards the ban. There was, however, an increase in job satisfaction between the first and second follow-up among the others (non-smokers and smokers with a positive attitude towards the ban). While job satisfaction was higher among smokers with negative attitudes towards the ban than among other employees before the ban entered into force, the opposite was the case one year later. The work environments in bars and restaurants seem to have changed towards being more satisfactory for non-smokers and smokers with positive attitudes towards the ban before it was enacted. In contrast, a small but persisting worsening of job satisfaction was found among employees that were daily smokers and had a negative attitude towards the ban.     

Sexuality in Brazilian women aged 40 to 65 years with 11 years or more of formal education: associated factors

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate factors associated with the sexuality of middle-aged women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, population-based survey using an anonymous self-response questionnaire. A total of 276 Brazilian-born women, 40 to 65 years old with at least 11 years of formal education, participated in the study. The evaluation instrument was based on the Short Personal Experiences Questionnaire. Seven components were analyzed: satisfaction in sexual activities, orgasm, intensity of desire, self-classification of sexual life, frequency of arousal, sexual activity, and sexual fantasies. Sociodemographic, clinical, behavioral, and reproductive factors were evaluated. Data were analyzed using the chi and Fisher exact tests and Poisson multiple regression analysis. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and their 95% CIs were calculated. RESULTS: The median sexuality score was 9 (range, 2.45-13.77). Bivariate analysis indicated that being 50 years of age or older; in the menopausal transition or postmenopause; not having a sexual partner; reporting hot flushes, insomnia, depression, nervousness, sedentary lifestyle, arterial hypertension, or urinary incontinence; and poor self-perception of health were significantly associated with a below median sexuality score. Multiple regression analysis showed that the prevalence of below median scores was higher in older women (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05) and in those with insomnia (PR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.08-1.96). Having a sexual partner (PR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.50-0.92) and feeling well (PR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57-0.94) was associated with a protective effect against a below median sexuality score. CONCLUSIONS: Older women and those with insomnia were more likely to have a low sexuality score, whereas those with a sexual partner and who felt well were less likely to have a low sexuality score.     

Identifying different susceptibility loci associated with early onset diabetes and cardiovascular disease in Mexican families

Coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus are among the primary mortality and morbidity causes in Mexico. Genetic factors play a fundamental role in the development of these entities. In the past few years due to the recognition and study of families with monogenic forms of diabetes and dislipidemias associated with development of atherosclerosis, several genes and loci have been associated with these conditions through genetic linkage studies. These studies have provided evidence of the genetic heterogeneity that exists and the type of genes involved in different ethnic groups. The study of Mexican families with early-onset diabetes and combined familial hyperlipidemia showed the participation of different genetic loci associated with these conditions in the Mexican population. These findings show the value of gene mapping strategies in the identification of the genetic component in these entities in our population.     

Health insurance for the poor: impact on catastrophic and out-of-pocket health expenditures in Mexico

The goal of Seguro Popular (SP) in Mexico was to improve the financial protection of the uninsured population against excessive health expenditures. This paper estimates the impact of SP on catastrophic health expenditures (CHE), as well as out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditures, from two different sources. First, we use the SP Impact Evaluation Survey (2005–2006), and compare the instrumental variables (IV) results with the experimental benchmark. Then, we use the same IV methods with the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT 2006). We estimate naïve models, assuming exogeneity, and contrast them with IV models that take advantage of the specific SP implementation mechanisms for identification. The IV models estimated included two-stage least squares (2SLS), bivariate probit, and two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI) models. Instrumental variables estimates resulted in comparable estimates against the “gold standard.” Instrumental variables estimates indicate a reduction of 54% in catastrophic expenditures at the national level. SP beneficiaries also had lower expenditures on outpatient and medicine expenditures. The selection-corrected protective effect is found not only in the limited experimental dataset, but also at the national level.     

Do specially designed visual display unit lenses create increased postural load compared with single-vision lenses during visual display unit work?

Three different types of spectacle lenses, specially designed for visual display unit (VDU) work, were compared with single-vision lenses regarding postural load. The different corrections effect on postural load was measured by using electromyography. Muscle loads were recorded from the trapezius muscle and the infraspinatus muscle. Continuous measurements of body posture were measured by using three dual axis inclinometers attached to the head, back, and upper arm. No significant differences were found between the single-vision lenses and the specially designed VDU lenses regarding muscle load. Small differences were found regarding the head angle. The study concludes that these new lens designs create interesting opportunities for the optometrist to optimize the visual conditions for VDU workers.     

The lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-1 nonenal decreases rat intestinal smooth muscle function in-vitro by alkylation of sulphydryl groups.

The effects of the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-1 nonenal (HNE) on intestinal smooth muscle function have been studied. Exposure of rat isolated small intestinal segments to HNE (0.1-0.5 mM) led to decreased muscarinic and beta-adrenergic responses. The maximal response to the muscarinic agonist methacholine and its pEC50 decreased in a dose dependent manner. The response to the beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline was affected in a similar manner, but at slightly higher concentrations of HNE. As HNE has been described to be sulphydryl-reactive these effects were compared with the effects of the sulphydryl-reactive agent N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). Incubation of intestinal segments with NEM had similar effects on pharmacological responses to methacholine, indicating that the effects of HNE like that of NEM are likely to be caused by alkylation of sulphydryl groups. Dithiothreitol, a compound which reduces oxidized sulphydryl groups, was unable to restore the effects of HNE or NEM, which suggests that the effects of HNE and NEM are irreversible.