8 research outputs found
Job strain in relation to body mass index: pooled analysis of 160,000 adults from 13 cohort studies.
No full textBackground. Evidence of an association between job strain and obesity is mixed, mostly limited to small-scale studies, and does not distinguish between categories of underweight or obesity sub-classes. Objectives. To examine the association between job strain and body mass index (BMI) in a large adult population. Methods. We performed a pooled cross-sectional analysis based on individual-level data from 13 European studies resulting in a total of 161,746 participants (49% men, mean age 43.7 years). Longitudinal analysis with a median follow-up of 4 years was possible in 4 cohort studies (N=42,222). Results. Of the participants, 86,429 were normal weight (BMI 18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2), 2149 underweight (BMI 35 kg/m2) obese. In all, 27,010 (17%) participants reported job strain. In cross-sectional analyses, we found increased odds of job strain among underweight (odds ratio 1.12, 95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.25), obese class I (1.07, 95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.12) and classes II-III participants (1.14, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.28) as compared with normalweight participants. In longitudinal analysis, both weight gain and weight loss were related to the onset of job strain during follow-up. Conclusions. In an analysis of European data, we found both weight gain and weight loss to be associated with the onset of job strain, a finding which is consistent with the 'U'-shaped cross-sectional association between job strain and BMI.0Corresponding authors: Solja Nyberg Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A, 00250 Helsinki, Finland Email: [email protected] Tel. +358 30 474 2639 Mika Kivimaki University College London Department of Epidemiology and Public Health 1-19 Torrington Place WC1E 6BT London The UK Email: [email protected]: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedAuthors list: Solja T. Nyberg,1 Katriina Heikkilä,1 Eleonor I. Fransson,2 3 Lars Alfredsson,2 Dirk De Bacquer,4 Jakob B. Bjorner,5 Sébastien Bonenfant,6 7 Marianne Borritz,8 Hermann Burr,9 Annalisa Casini,10 Els Clays,4 Nico Dragano,11 Raimund Erbel,12 Goedele A. Geuskens,13 Marcel Goldberg,6 7 Wendela E. Hooftman,13 Irene L. Houtman,13 Karl-Heinz Jöckel,11 France Kittel,10 Anders Knutsson,14 Markku Koskenvuo,15 Constanze Leineweber,16 Thorsten Lunau,11 Ida E.H. Madsen,5 Linda L. Magnusson Hanson,16 Michael G. Marmot,17 Martin L. Nielsen,18 Maria Nordin,19 Tuula Oksanen,20 21 Jaana Pentti,20 Reiner Rugulies,5 22 Johannes Siegrist,23 Sakari Suominen,24 25 Jussi Vahtera,20 24 26 Marianna Virtanen,1 Peter Westerholm,27 Hugo Westerlund,16 17 28 Marie Zins,6 7 Jane E. Ferrie,17 29 Töres Theorell,16 Andrew Steptoe,17 Mark Hamer,17 Archana Singh-Manoux,7 17 G. David Batty,17 30 and Mika Kivimäki1 17 31; for the IPD-Work Consortium 1. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland 2. Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden 3. School of Health Sciences, Jönköping University, Jönköping, Sweden 4. Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium 5. National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark 6. Versailles-Saint Quentin University, Versailles, France 7. Inserm U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Villejuif, France 8. Department of Occupational Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark 9. Centre for Maritime Health and Safety, Esbjerg, Denmark 10. School of Public Health, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium 11. Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry, and Epidemiology, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany 12. Department of Cardiology, West-German Heart Center Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany 13. TNO, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands 14. Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden 15. Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland 16. Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden 17. Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK 18. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Bispebjerg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark 19. Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden 20. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Turku, Finland 21. Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Society, Human Development and Health, Boston, USA 22. Department of Public Health and Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark 23. Department of Medical Sociology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany 24. Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland 25. Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland 26. Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland 27. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 28. Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden 29. School of Community and Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK 30. Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK 31. Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finlan
Cross-Language Differential Item Functioning of the Job Content Questionnaire Among European Countries: The JACE Study
No full textLittle is known about cross-language measurement equivalence of the job content questionnaire (JCQ)
The purposes of this study were to assess the extent of cross-language differential item functioning (DIF) of the 27 JCQ items in six languages (French, Dutch, Belgian-French, Belgian-Dutch (Flemish), Italian, and Swedish) from six European research centers and to test whether its effects on the scale-level mean comparisons among the centers were substantial or not.
A partial gamma coefficient method was used for statistical DIF analyses where the Flemish JCQ was the reference for other language versions. Additionally, equivalence between the Flemish and Dutch translations was subjected to a judgmental review.
On average, 36% to 39% of the total tested items appeared to be cross-language DIF items in the statistical analyses. The judgmental review indicated that half of the DIF items may be associated with translation difference. The impacts of the DIF items on the mean comparisons of the JCQ scales between the centers were non-trivial: underestimated skill discretion (Milan), underestimated decision authority (Leiden), underestimated psychological demands (Milan women), and incomparable coworker support (Gothenburg 95).
Cross-language DIF of the JCQ among European countries should be considered in international comparative studies on psychosocial job hazards using JCQ scales
Job strain as a risk factor for coronary heart disease: a collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data.
No full textBACKGROUND: Published work assessing psychosocial stress (job strain) as a risk factor for coronary heart disease is inconsistent and subject to publication bias and reverse causation bias. We analysed the relation between job strain and coronary heart disease with a meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies. METHODS: We used individual records from 13 European cohort studies (1985-2006) of men and women without coronary heart disease who were employed at time of baseline assessment. We measured job strain with questions from validated job-content and demand-control questionnaires. We extracted data in two stages such that acquisition and harmonisation of job strain measure and covariables occurred before linkage to records for coronary heart disease. We defined incident coronary heart disease as the first non-fatal myocardial infarction or coronary death. FINDINGS: 30 214 (15%) of 197 473 participants reported job strain. In 1·49 million person-years at risk (mean follow-up 7·5 years [SD 1·7]), we recorded 2358 events of incident coronary heart disease. After adjustment for sex and age, the hazard ratio for job strain versus no job strain was 1·23 (95% CI 1·10-1·37). This effect estimate was higher in published (1·43, 1·15-1·77) than unpublished (1·16, 1·02-1·32) studies. Hazard ratios were likewise raised in analyses addressing reverse causality by exclusion of events of coronary heart disease that occurred in the first 3 years (1·31, 1·15-1·48) and 5 years (1·30, 1·13-1·50) of follow-up. We noted an association between job strain and coronary heart disease for sex, age groups, socioeconomic strata, and region, and after adjustments for socioeconomic status, and lifestyle and conventional risk factors. The population attributable risk for job strain was 3·4%. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that prevention of workplace stress might decrease disease incidence; however, this strategy would have a much smaller effect than would tackling of standard risk factors, such as smoking. FUNDING: Finnish Work Environment Fund, the Academy of Finland, the Swedish Research Council for Working Life and Social Research, the German Social Accident Insurance, the Danish National Research Centre for the Working Environment, the BUPA Foundation, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, and the US National Institutes of Health.JOURNAL ARTICLESCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
Methods of making managerial decisions (მმართველობითი გადაწყვეტილებების მიღების მეთოდები)
No full texthttps://www.humanwareonline.com/project-management/center...
Izambard Brunel (2017) – величайший британец [velishaishi britanez.]. in Russian.
.https://diletant.media/articles/.
Project Management Center (2020). Processo decisionale e soluzione problemi.
Tolordava J. (2009) biznesi. swavlebis imitaciuri modelebi da tanamedrove teqnologiebi.
[B usiness. Imitation Teaching Models and Modern Technologies. Tb. TSU
Publishing.] in Georgian
Tolordava J. (2009). konsaltingi saertashoriso biznesshi. [Consulting in International
Business. Tb. TSU Publishing.] in Georgian.
Tolordava J., G.Panizzi , D.de Tombe, D.Kavtaradze, E.Leigh, P. Rizzi (2013). International
Experience in Simulation Modeling: Economics and Business, Ecology. vol. II.
Бондаренко А. (2015). Shto takoe diagramma Ganta i kak eu pravilno polzovatsia.
[What is a Gantt Chart and How to Use it Correctly] in Russian. https://worksection.
com/blog/what-is-gantt-chart.html .
Викентьев И. (2019). Metod morfologisheskogo analiza Friza Zvikki [Freeze Zwicky’s
morphological analysis method ] https://vikent.ru/author/960/ in Russian.
Гордон Уильям (2000). «Creativ, sinektika, tvorshestvo» jurn. Marketolog. №9.
[„Creative, Synectics, Creativity“]. in Russian.
Нейлор Т. (1975) Mashinnie imitacionnie eqsperimenti s modelami ekonomisheskix
sistem. Izd. Mir. [Machine simulation experiments with models of economic
systems] in Russian.
Тымченко Е., Скотников И.. (2015). Modeli kompiuternoi delovoi igri kak instrument
obuchenia [Computer business game models as a teaching tool. International
Electronic Scientific Journal: Prospects for Science and Education]. in Russian.
https://psejournal.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/pdf_150112.pdf.
Юха Лехто (2002). Upravlenie po resultatam sherez processnoe konsultirovanie I
interaktivnoe obuchenie [Results-based Management through Process Consulting
and Interactive Learning. Journal. Enterprise management, N1]. in Russian.Management decision-making is an essential component of the activities
of a body with any level of management hierarchy, so far as development and
implementation of correct decisions is an indispensable prerequisite for the
economic development. In present times governance procedures are becoming
more complex, which, naturally, requires advance of the methods of their
solution.
Correct approach to the problem-solving ensures selection of the most
efficient solution from all the available choices. According to the opinion of a
number of scientists this should include at least the following steps:
Identifying and defining the problem. At the initial stage it is necessary
to pose “right” questions for delimiting the problem in order to rule out spontaneous
decision without its proper detailed definition.
Analyzing the factors causing the problem. Frequently problem solving
comes down to elimination of its causes.
Identifying possible strategies and solutions. It is always desirable to
identify as many solution options as possible in order to have more alternatives
to choose from.
Choosing the best solution. It is always advisable to analyze cost-effectiveness
and advantages of each option before taking a final decision.
Setting out an action plan. Application of each solution should be mapped
out in order to verify its effectiveness and take action in case of failure.
Implementation of the solution. Implementation of the action plan requires
all the involved entities to carry out the planned actions in accordance with the
agreed upon framework.
Follow-up verification. Verification of the results of each decision allows for
taking any preventive measures against failure or repeating the entire decisionmaking
cycle until the right approach is found.
Based on this approach, the choice of the method for validation of decisions
becomes most essential part of the process. And this depends on the rationale
under the decision models itself. There are many types of decision-making
practices, such as: the methods of cognitive science, the methods of qualitative
and quantitative analysis, cause-and-effect among them, and others.
Keywords: Operations research, heuristic and graphic methods, modelling,
business games, synthetics, brainstorming
New drugs against trypanosomatid parasites : rediscovery of fexinidazole
No full textNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of communicable diseases mostly affecting people in developing countries. These diseases are responsible for a major part of the global morbidity, mortality and poverty. There is no doubt that the well-being of people in the developing world can only be improved if the NTDs are controlled. An important tool for disease control is the drug treatment. The few available drugs are unsatisfactory because of the limited efficacy, adverse effects and the high price. Chagas disease, leishmaniasis and human African trypanosomiasis belong to this group of NTDs. They are caused by infections with protozoa of the family Trypanosomatidae. For these three diseases new drugs are urgently needed.
By definition there is no commercial market for drugs against NTDs. Drug research and development (R&D) for NTDs is mainly driven by the public sector, the so-called product development partnerships (PDPs). Drug R&D is a very long (10-15 years), risky and therefore expensive process. Three different series of compounds (agrochemicals, marketed drugs and nitro-heterocyclic compounds) were tested for their antiparasitic effects, with the aim to identify new lead compounds or even clinical candidates against leishmaniasis, sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease.
Agrochemicals are used worldwide on a large scale in food production. They undergo a rigorous toxicological testing prior to launch. Over 600 compounds were screened for their antiparasitic activity. Agrochemicals are not optimized for use in mammals, yet a significant number of molecules were found with good and selective in vitro activity. Some of them showed also efficacy in the corresponding rodent model. These results indicate that agrochemicals can provide very interesting starting structures for drug research against parasitic diseases.
Drugs or drug-like compounds are an ideal starting point for antiparasitic drug discovery, because very often pharmacokinetic and toxicological data are available. A number of drugs, including antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and anti-psychotics were assayed for antiparasitic activity. Some of the drugs tested showed selective antiparasitic activity. These compounds can be regarded as new lead structures and should be further investigated.
Nitroheterocycles belong to a well- known class of compounds with the stigma of being mutagenic or genotoxic. Over 700 compounds, mainly nitroimidazoles, have been systematically tested for their antiparasitic activity, and their pharmacokinetics and mutagenicity was investigated. A number of effective, non-mutagenic and non- genotoxic compounds was identified. So fexinidazole was rediscovered, a drug that had been in clinical development already in the 70’s as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial drug. Fexinidazole is rapidly metabolized to fexinidazole-sulfoxide and -sulfone. The parent compound and the two principle metabolites showed in vitro trypanocidal activity against all (sensitive and resistant) tested T. brucei strains (IC50 of 0.2 - 0.9 ug / ml). Fexinidazole cured the first stage mouse model with a 4-day oral treatment of 100 mg/kg/day and the 2nd stage mouse model with a 5-day oral treatment of 200 mg/kg/day. The two metabolites are mainly responsible for the good efficacy in animal models. Both reach very high concentrations in blood and brain tissue. Fexinidazole has successfully completed preclinical development and Phase I clinical trials and is currently in a clinical phase II / III study.
With the approach of phenotypic screening of compounds that have been developed for other purposes, new leads for drug R&D against Chagas’ disease, leishmaniasis and human African trypanosomiasis were identified.
Fexinidazole is the first drug candidate in clinical Phase II / III trials since decades. It would be the first oral drug for the treatment of stage 1 and 2 of human African sleeping sickness. If fexinidazole overcomes all obstacles, this would be a major breakthrough in the fight against African sleeping sickness. With a well tolerated, orally active drug like Fexinidazole the elimination of sleeping sickness seems finally tangible
Accelerated wear protocols for understanding clinical wear in modern hip prostheses
No full textThe copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the authorSuccess of total hip replacements is well reported however, failures as a result of wear processes and the biological response to these products continue to challenge the orthopaedic community. Lately, corrosion of metal surfaces as well as wear particles have seen particular interest with elevated blood cobalt levels widely reported in patients receiving metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacements. Some instances have also reported this in patients with metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) components and these corrosion products are believed to contribute to hypersensitivity reactions reported. This thesis considers wear and cobalt release in MoP and MoM hip bearings tested under standard and challenging hip simulator conditions and includes an exploration of novel bearing coatings to reduce cobalt release. The incorporation of silver into these coatings may be sufficient to produce an antibacterial response, reducing the risk of mid-term infections, another reported cause of failure.
Polyethylene wear was low under standard and clinically relevant adverse conditions in 28mm and 52 mm diameter MoP bearings (less than 35 mm3/mc). Cobalt release was measurable in 28 mm diameter MoP bearings (51 ppb/mc) with higher levels produced in large 52 mm diameters (123 ppb/mc), the first time this has been reported, although cobalt release was substantially less than that observed in MoM bearings (6909 ppb/mc). Alumina abrasives introduced in the lubricant substantially damaged MoP bearings, increasing the cobalt release to 70,690 ppb after 1 mc, greater than found after edge loaded MoM bearings (19,240 ppb). The removal of these particles still produced elevated cobalt levels compared to standard conditions and increased polyethylene wear to 435 mm3/mc.
A chromium nitride (CrN) coating in MoP bearings was resistant to this abrasive damage showing no delamination in the coating, with negligible cobalt released after 7.04 mc (153 ppb) and maintained a polyethylene wear rate below 20 mm3/mc. Silver CrN coatings on both bearing surfaces of MoM components prevented cobalt release under standard conditions, with silver release after 0.17 mc up to 3,720 ppb in high silver surface coatings, although the wear was relatively high (5.24 mm3/mc). A silver CrN coating with a low concentration of silver at the surface reduced wear and was resistant to 5 mc of edge loading. It generated 241 ppb of cobalt and maintained comparable steady state wear rates (0.65 mm3/mc) to the uncoated metal while releasing 18,786 ppb silver which may be sufficient to be an effective anti-microbial agent. These coatings may provide potential clinical benefits in MoP and MoM bearings by reducing both wear and cobalt release in ideal and adverse conditions. There may also be beneficial wear products in the form of silver, although further testing of optimised coatings is required
Projection of acoustic fields using the Fourier transform
No full textA method is presented for projecting acoustic fields using the Fourier transform. It is shown that the source velocity distribution can be represented by a number of sinusoids. Each sinusoid gives rise to a plane wave whose direction is given by the wavelength of the sinusoid. The plane waves are summed at the plane of interest to obtain the resulting pressure field. Errors are introduced when projecting pressure fields by large distances. These are circumvented by observing that the farfield pressure pattern can be found by simply taking the Fourier transform of the nearfield pressure distribution. A rectangular source is simulated on the computer; the Fourier transform technique of projecting fields is compared to a direct integration technique. The Fourier transform technique is used to back project a measured pressure pattern to detect defects on the transducer face. Measurements of pressure are made in the nearfield of a circular transducer. These measurements are forward and back projected to give the pressure and velocity at other planes
Job Strain as a Risk Factor for Leisure-Time Physical Inactivity: An Individual-Participant Meta-Analysis of Up to 170,000 Men and Women: The IPD-Work Consortium.
No full textUnfavorable work characteristics, such as low job control and too high or too low job demands, have been suggested to increase the likelihood of physical inactivity during leisure time, but this has not been verified in large-scale studies. The authors combined individual-level data from 14 European cohort studies (baseline years from 1985-1988 to 2006-2008) to examine the association between unfavorable work characteristics and leisure-time physical inactivity in a total of 170,162 employees (50% women; mean age, 43.5 years). Of these employees, 56,735 were reexamined after 2-9 years. In cross-sectional analyses, the odds for physical inactivity were 26% higher (odds ratio = 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 1.38) for employees with high-strain jobs (low control/high demands) and 21% higher (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.31) for those with passive jobs (low control/low demands) compared with employees in low-strain jobs (high control/low demands). In prospective analyses restricted to physically active participants, the odds of becoming physically inactive during follow-up were 21% and 20% higher for those with high-strain (odds ratio = 1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.32) and passive (odds ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval: 1.11, 1.30) jobs at baseline. These data suggest that unfavorable work characteristics may have a spillover effect on leisure-time physical activity.JOURNAL ARTICLESCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
