Job stress, absenteeism and coronary heart disease European cooperative study (the JACE study): Design of a multicentre prospective study

Background: The motives, objectives and design of a multicentreprospective study on job stress, absenteeism and coronary heartdisease in Europe (the JACE study) is presented in this paper.Some specific gaps in the reviewed literature are explicitlytapped into by the JACE study. Its objectives are i) to comparethe distributions of the Karasek job stress scales for the samebroad categories of occupations in different European countries(in males and females), ii) to study the predictive power ofthe job stress scales and the job strain model for one yearof sickness absence (in males and females) and iii) to studythe predictive power of the job stress scales and the job strainmodel for a three year incidence of coronary heart disease (Inmales only). Methods: In answering these questions, relationsare studied controlling for gender, age, level of education,company size, physical work risks and shift work, as well astraditional risk factors for CHD (i.e serum cholesterol, serumHDL cholesterol, smoking habits and blood pressure). The JACEstudy is a Biomed 1 concerted action. The JACE group consistsof eight participating centres from six countries, i.e. fromBelgium and Sweden (two centres), France, Italy, Spain, Swedenand The Netherlands (each one centre). The coordination of thegroup is in Brussels. The participating centres brought in over15, 000 European workers to test the hypotheses.     

Effects of liver ischemia on hepatic protein synthesis in vitro and in vivo

When an in vitro system is used to study the influence of ischemia on hepatic protein synthesis, an important question is whether alterations observed in vitro reflect changes in vivo. In the present study the effects of liver ischemia on protein synthesis were investigated in rats both in vitro and in vivo. Liver ischemia was induced by hepatic artery ligation. Protein synthesis in vitro was determined from leucine incorporation into proteins in liver slices incubated in a medium containing ¹⁴C-leucine (0.5 mmol/l) and in vivo from leucine incorporation into hepatic proteins after intraportal injection of a tracer dose of ¹⁴C-leucine. Leucine incorporation rate in non-ischemic liver was 0.16 pmol * g pror¹ h-¹ in vitro and 19.6 μmol g prot-¹. h^-1 in vivo. After hepatic artery ligation protein synthesis in vitro was reduced by about 60% and in vivo by about 80%. Thus, the relative changes were of the same magnitude in vitro and in vivo. This indicates that an in vitro system can be used to evaluate the effects of liver ischemia on hepatic protein synthesis.     

Influence of phenytoin on cytoplasmic free Ca2+ level in human gingival fibroblasts

Abstract— Influence of 5,5-diphenylhydantoin (phenytoin;PHT) on the cytoplasmic free Ca²⁺ concentration, [Ca²⁺]ⁱ, was studied in fura 2 loaded adherent monolayers of human gingival fibroblasts derived from three patients before and after 9 months of PHT therapy. In the patient where gingival overgrowth developed during PHT medication (responder), addition of PHT to gingival fibroblasts derived before PHT medication induced a transient extracellular Ca²⁺ dependent increase in [Ca²⁺]ⁱ. In a non-responder patient, where gingival overgrowth did not develop during the same period of PHT therapy, addition of PHT to gingival fibroblasts derived before the start of medication did not significantly affect [Ca²⁺]_i. Under extracellular Ca²⁺ deficient conditions, addition of PHT to serum-starved fibroblasts derived from the two categories of patients before the medication resulted in an increase in [Ca²⁺]_i. In fibroblasts derived from the responder patient during PHT medication, in contrast to those from the non-responders (n = 2), the basal level of [Ca²⁺]_i was significantly decreased. The results indicate that, in the cases studied, there is a relationship between PHT induced alterations in [Ca²⁺]_i in gingival fibroblasts and the clinical development of gingival overgrowth.     

Demographic and psychosocial characteristics of middle-aged women and men who use dietary supplements: Results from the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study

In the Western world, huge amounts of money are being spenton dietary supplements, although this usage may be useless andpossibly harmful. Factors that influence supplement consumptionhave not been well defined. This paper aims to describe relationsbetween supplement usage and various sociodemographic and psychosocialfactors. The study cohort consisted of 6,545 men and women,aged 45–65 years, who during 1991 and 1992 participatedin the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, a large-scale prospectivecohort study. Data on supplement consumption were recorded during7 consecutive days. Each participant also completed a questionnaire,covering education, work history, alcohol, smoking, perceivedhealth and psychosocial factors such as social network, socialsupport, job strain, etc. Total body fat was also measured.The prevalence of supplement consumption was 43% among womenand 29% among men. The most important sododemographic factorswere education, ethnicity and age. Female users tended to beslim, have worse perceived health and to drink more alcoholthan other women, none of which applied to male users. No differencesin smoking habits between users and non-users were noted. Noneof the psychosodal factors appeared to influence supplementconsumption. Those who used vitamins and/or minerals only weremore similar to non-users than those who used all kinds of dietarysupplements. There was a substantial variation in consumptionprevalence with season. The prevalence of supplement consumptionis influenced by a number of demographic factors and also byseason. To claim that supplement users are health-consciousis an over-simplification. The psychosocial factors behind supplementusage call for further analyses.     

Role of temperature and shear forces on microbial detachment

Abstract –A flow cell system was used to assess the effects of shear stress and temperature on adhesion and retention of oral microorganisms from unstimulated whole human saliva. The saliva passed between two parallel mounted test plates, prepared and calibrated to present a surface energetic state similar to that of natural teeth and most restorative materials. The initial attachment of microorganisms occurred at a constant flow rate of 1 ml/min. Microbiota and biofilm material associated with the surface after 15 min of exposure were then challenged by introducing a cell-free rinsing fluid at increased flow rates. The remaining population was counted in a reflected light microscope and correlated to the calculated shear stress for each experiment. A reduction of 70–80% of attached microorganisms was seen after a 30-fold increase of the detaching force. No statistically significant differences could be detected in the proportions of initially attached or the remaining cocci and rods. The experiments were conducted at two temperature levels, both within a physiologic range representative of the oral environment. Temperature did not significantly affect the total numbers of attached or retained microorganisms, within the range of 22–37° C. These findings demonstrate that non-specific attachment and detachment processes are important in the initial stage of microbial adhesion. Although biologically specific adhesive interactions were not addressed in this study, the data suggest that these may occur only after a minimum contact time of non-specifically surface associated cells.     

Predictors of job strain in residential dementia care nursing staff

Aim  To identify predictors of job strain in residential nursing care staff working with people with dementia.
Background  It is well known that nursing staff experience high levels of stress, but less is known about how to predict job strain.
Methods  The job strain of nursing care staff ( n  = 344) within residential dementia care settings was assessed. Standard linear regression analysis was used to explore predictors of job strain.
Result  Data from the study shows that nursing staff in residential dementia care have a demanding job and experience high levels of strain. The linear regression model with four predictor variables explained 19% of the variability in job strain scores. Perceived caring climate of the unit, staff education level, possibilities to have discussions of difficulties and ethics at work and staff age, had a statistically significant association with job strain.
Conclusions  The caring climate, staff education, reflective practice and staff age can be used as screening variables when predicting job strain.
Implications for nursing management  These predictors can assist managers and directors to identify targeted strategies for supervision and support of nursing staff to secure their well-being, and by that securing the quality of care provided to residents.     

Responses of single arterioles in vivo in cat skeletal muscle to change in arterial pressure applied at different rates

The concept of a rate-dependent, dynamic as well as a static component in the myogenic control has been suggested in some previous in vitro and whole organ investigations. The present study is an attempt to reveal a dynamic component in the myogenic response directly on single arterioles by a vital microscopic technique. The study was made on the autonomically blocked vascular bed of cat tenuissimus muscle and performed by analysing the arteriolar diameter changes to an arterial pressure increase and decrease when applied at two different rates. The results demonstrate a transient, dynamic constrictor response upon the phasic increase in pressure and a transient, dynamic dilator response upon the phasic decrease in pressure, the magnitudes of which being related to the rate of the pressure change. The static response developing during the steady-state phase of constant increased pressure was also shown. The dynamic responses were confined to arterioles smaller than about 20 μm while the steady-state response was present in larger arterioles as well. Even if the metabolic control system partly could be responsible for the obtained responses, arguments are given that the described reactions are mainly myogenic in nature.