Stres i radna sposobnost radnika u naftnoj industriji

This cross-sectional study conducted between March and June 2006 examined stress at work and work ability of 180 people with different workplaces within an oil company. Office, laboratory, and oil-field workers were invited to complete the “Occupational Stress Assessment Questionnaire – the Oil Industry Version and Work Ability Index (WAI) Questionnaire”. The overall response rate was 69.4 %, and the final sample size was 125 workers who completed the questionnaires (57 office, 41 laboratory, 27 oil-field workers). Office, laboratory, and oil-field workers differed significantly with respect to age (P<0.001). The oldest were oil-field workers and the youngest were office workers. The average WAI score for office workers was 44.9, for laboratory workers 43.2 and for field workers 39.7, indicating satisfying work ability. After adjusting for age, the difference in WAI score between the groups of workers was still significant (P<0.001). Over 75 % of all workers believed their job was stressful, but the perception of specific stressors depended on the workplace.Cilj ovog ispitivanja bio je procijeniti doživljaj stresa na radnome mjestu i radnu sposobnost zaposlenih u različitim dijelovima radnog procesa naftne industrije. Presječno istraživanje provedeno je u hrvatskoj naftnoj industriji, u razdoblju od ožujka do lipnja 2006. s uzorkom od 180 prigodno odabranih zaposlenika. Zaposlenici u uredu, laboratoriju za preradu nafte i naftnom pogonu trebali su ispuniti Upitnik o stresu na radu – verzija za naftnu industriju i Upitnik za procjenu indeksa radne sposobnosti (WAI). Ukupni odaziv ispitanika bio je 69,4 % te je obrađeno 125 ispunjenih upitnika (57 radnika iz ureda, 41 iz laboratorija i 27 iz naftnog pogona). Radnici iz ureda, laboratorija i naftnih pogona značajno su se razlikovali u dobi (P<0,001). Najstariji su bili radnici u naftnim pogonima, dok su najmlađi bili radnici u uredu. Prosječni WAI za uredske zaposlenike bio je 44,9, za laboratorijske 43,2, a za zaposlenike u naftnom pogonu 39,7, što upućuje na zadovoljavajuću radnu sposobnost. Uzevši u obzir utjecaj dobi pri testiranju razlika, utvrđeno je kako se WAI promatranih skupina statistički značajno razlikuju (P<0,001). Više od tri četvrtine svih ispitanika procjenjuje svoj posao kao stresan, no vrste stresora koje doživljavaju razlikuju se ovisno o radnome mjestu

Obesity prevalence from a European perspective: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity has been recognised as an important contributing factor in the development of various diseases, but comparative data on this condition are limited. We therefore aimed to identify and discuss current epidemiological data on the prevalence of obesity in European countries.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We identified relevant published studies by means of a MEDLINE search (1990–2008) supplemented by information obtained from regulatory agencies. We only included surveys that used direct measures of weight and height and were representative of each country's overall population.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In Europe, the prevalence of obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m²) in men ranged from 4.0% to 28.3% and in women from 6.2% to 36.5%. We observed considerable geographic variation, with prevalence rates in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe being higher than those in Western and Northern Europe.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In Europe, obesity has reached epidemic proportions. The data presented in our review emphasise the need for effective therapeutic and preventive strategies.</p

Targeting the disordered C terminus of PTP1B with an allosteric inhibitor

PTP1B, a validated therapeutic target for diabetes and obesity, has a critical positive role in HER2 signaling in breast tumorigenesis. Efforts to develop therapeutic inhibitors of PTP1B have been frustrated by the chemical properties of the active site. We define a new mechanism of allosteric inhibition that targets the C-terminal, noncatalytic segment of PTP1B. We present what is to our knowledge the first ensemble structure of PTP1B containing this intrinsically disordered segment, within which we identified a binding site for the small-molecule inhibitor MSI-1436. We demonstrate binding to a second site close to the catalytic domain, with cooperative effects between the two sites locking PTP1B in an inactive state. MSI-1436 antagonized HER2 signaling, inhibited tumorigenesis in xenografts and abrogated metastasis in the NDL2 mouse model of breast cancer, validating inhibition of PTP1B as a therapeutic strategy in breast cancer. This new approach to inhibition of PTP1B emphasizes the potential of disordered segments of proteins as specific binding sites for therapeutic small molecules