Investigating the Associations among Overtime Work, Health Behaviors, and Health: A Longitudinal Study among Full-time Employees

# The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Background It has often been suggested that high levels of overtime lead to adverse health outcomes. One mechanism that may account for this association is that working overtime leads to elevated levels of stress, which could affect worker’s behavioral decisions or habits (such as smoking and lack of physical activity). In turn, this could lead to adverse health. Purpose The present study examined this reasoning in a prospective longitudinal design. Data from the prospective 2-year Study on Health at Work (N=649) were used to test our hypotheses. Methods Structural equation analysis was used to examine the relationships among overtime, beneficial (exercising, intake of fruit and vegetables) and risky (smoking and drinking) health behaviors, and health indicators (BMI and subjective health). Results Working overtime was longitudinally related with adverse subjective health, but not with body mass

The Expression and Localization of N-Myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1 in Human Trophoblasts

The protein N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is implicated in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, and cellular stress response. NDRG1 is expressed in primary human trophoblasts, where it promotes cell viability and resistance to hypoxic injury. The mechanism of action of NDRG1 remains unknown. To gain further insight into the intracellular action of NDRG1, we analyzed the expression pattern and cellular localization of endogenous NDRG1 and transfected Myc-tagged NDRG1 in human trophoblasts exposed to diverse injuries. In standard conditions, NDRG1 was diffusely expressed in the cytoplasm at a low level. Hypoxia or the hypoxia mimetic cobalt chloride, but not serum deprivation, ultraviolet (UV) light, or ionizing radiation, induced the expression of NDRG1 in human trophoblasts and the redistribution of NDRG1 into the nucleus and cytoplasmic membranes associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and microtubules. Mutation of the phosphopantetheine attachment site (PPAS) within NDRG1 abrogated this pattern of redistribution. Our results shed new light on the impact of cell injury on NDRG1 expression patterns, and suggest that the PPAS domain plays a key role in NDRG1's subcellular distribution. © 2013 Shi et al

Tailoring the oxidation state of cobalt through halide functionality in sol-gel silica

The functionality or oxidation state of cobalt within a silica matrix can be tailored through the use of cationic surfactants and their halide counter ions during the sol-gel synthesis. Simply by adding surfactant we could significantly increase the amount of cobalt existing as Co3O4 within the silica from 44% to 77%, without varying the cobalt precursor concentration. However, once the surfactant to cobalt ratio exceeded 1, further addition resulted in an inhibitory mechanism whereby the altered pyrolysis of the surfactant decreased Co3O4 production. These findings have significant implications for the production of cobalt/silica composites where maximizing the functional Co3O4 phase remains the goal for a broad range of catalytic, sensing and materials applications

Neutrophils in cancer: neutral no more

Neutrophils are indispensable antagonists of microbial infection and facilitators of wound healing. In the cancer setting, a newfound appreciation for neutrophils has come into view. The traditionally held belief that neutrophils are inert bystanders is being challenged by the recent literature. Emerging evidence indicates that tumours manipulate neutrophils, sometimes early in their differentiation process, to create diverse phenotypic and functional polarization states able to alter tumour behaviour. In this Review, we discuss the involvement of neutrophils in cancer initiation and progression, and their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets

Response of Benthic Foraminifera to organic matter quantity and quality and bioavailable concentrations of metals in Aveiro Lagoon (Portugal)

This work analyses the distribution of living benthic foraminiferal assemblages of surface sediments in different intertidal areas of Ria de Aveiro (Portugal), a polihaline and anthropized coastal lagoon. The relationships among foraminiferal assemblages in association with environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, Eh and pH), grain size, the quantity and quality of organic matter (enrichment in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids), pollution caused by metals, and mineralogical data are studied in an attempt to identify indicators of adaptability to environmental stress. In particular, concentrations of selected metals in the surficial sediment are investigated to assess environmental pollution levels that are further synthetically parameterised by the Pollution Load Index (PLI). The PLI variations allowed the identification of five main polluted areas. Concentrations of metals were also analysed in three extracted phases to evaluate their possible mobility, bioavailability and toxicity in the surficial sediment. Polluted sediment in the form of both organic matter and metals can be found in the most confined zones. Whereas enrichment in organic matter and related biopolymers causes an increase in foraminifera density, pollution by metals leads to a decline in foraminiferal abundance and diversity in those zones. The first situation may be justified by the existence of opportunistic species (with high reproduction rate) that can live in low oxic conditions. The second is explained by the sensitivity of some species to pressure caused by metals. The quality of the organic matter found in these places and the option of a different food source should also explain the tolerance of several species to pollution caused by metals, despite their low reproductive rate in the most polluted areas. In this study, species that are sensitive and tolerant to organic matter and metal enrichment are identified, as is the differential sensitivity/tolerance of some species to metals enrichment.CNPq [401803/2010-4]; [PEst-OE/CTE/UI4035/2014]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Isokinetic evaluation of knee muscles in soccer players: discriminant analysis [Avaliação isocinética dos músculos do joelho em jogadores de futebol: análise discriminante]; [Evaluación isocinética de los músculos de la rodilla en jugadores de fútbol: análisis discriminante]

Introduction: Muscle activity in soccer players can be measured by isokinetic dynamometer, which is a reliable tool for assessing human performance. Objectives: To perform isokinetic analyses and to determine which variables differentiate the under-17 (U17) soccer category from the professional (PRO). Methods: Thirty four players were assessed (n=17 for each category). The isokinetic variables used for the knee extension-flexion analysis were: peak torque (Nm), total work (J), average power (W), angle of peak torque (deg.), agonist/ antagonist ratio (%), measured for three velocities (60°/s, 120°/s and 300°/s), with each series containing five repetitions. Three Wilks' Lambda discriminant analyses were performed, to identify which variables were more significant for the definition of each of the categories. Results: The discriminative variables at 60°/s in the PRO category were: extension peak torque, flexion total work, extension average power and agonist/antagonist ratio; and for the U17s were: extension total work, flexion peak torque and flexion average power. At 120°/s for the PRO category the discriminant variables were: flexion peak torque and extension average power; for the U17s they were: extension total work and flexion average power. Finally at 300°/s, the variables found in the PRO and U17 categories respectively were: extension average power and extension total work. Conclusion: Isokinetic variables for flexion and extension knee muscles were able to significantly discriminate between PRO and U17 soccer players. RESUMO Introdução: A atividade muscular em jogadores de futebol pode ser medida por meio do dinamômetro isocinético, que é um instrumento confiável para avaliação do desempenho humano. Objetivos: Conduzir análises isocinéticas e discriminar quais variáveis diferenciam a categoria sub-17 (S17) da profissional (PRO). Métodos: Trinta e quatro jogadores de futebol (n=17 para cada categoria) foram avaliados. As variáveis isocinéticas utilizadas para a análise de extensão-flexão do joelho foram: pico de torque (Nm), trabalho total (J), potência média (W), ângulo de pico de torque (graus), razão agonista/antagonista (%), testadas em três velocidades (60°/s, 120°/s e 300°/s), com cada série contendo cinco repetições. Três análises discriminantes foram feitas usando o método Wilk's Lambda para identificar quais variáveis fariam uma discriminação significativa entre as duas categorias. Resultados: As variáveis discriminantes a 60°/s na categoria PRO foram: pico de torque extensores, trabalho total flexores, potência média de extensores e razão agonista/antagonista; e para os S17 foram: trabalho total de extensores, pico de torque de flexores e potência média de flexores. A 120°/s para a categoria PRO as variáveis discriminantes foram: pico de torque de flexores e potência média de extensores; para os S17 foram: trabalho total de extensores e potência média de flexores. A 300°/s, as variáveis encontradas para as categorias PRO e S17 foram, respectivamente: potência média de extensores e trabalho total de extensores. Conclusão: As variáveis isocinéticas para os músculos do joelho flexores e extensores foram capazes de fazer uma discriminação significativa entre jogadores de futebol PRO e S17. RESUMEN Introducción: La actividad muscular en jugadores de fútbol puede ser medida por medio del dinamómetro isocinético, que es un instrumento confiable para evaluación del desempeño humano. Objetivos: Conducir análisis isocinéticos y discriminar qué variables diferencian la categoría sub-17 (S17) de la profesional (PRO). Métodos: Fueron evaluados treinta y cuatro jugadores de fútbol (n=17 para cada categoría). Las variables isocinéticas utilizadas para el análisis de extensión-flexión de la rodilla fueron: pico de torque (Nm), trabajo total (J), potencia media (W), ángulo de pico de torque (grados), razón agonista/antagonista (%), probadas en tres velocidades (60°/s, 120°/s y 300°/s), con cada serie conteniendo cinco repeticiones. Fueron realizados tres análisis discriminantes usando el método Wilk's Lambda para identificar qué variables harían una discriminación significativa entre las dos categorías. Resultados: Las variables discriminantes a 60°/s en la categoría PRO fueron: pico de torque extensores, trabajo total flexores, potencia media de extensores y razón agonista/antagonista; y para los S17 fueron: trabajo total de extensores, pico de torque de flexores y potencia media de flexores. A 120°/s para la categoría PRO las variables discriminantes fueron: pico de torque de flexores y potencia media de extensores; para los S17 fueron: trabajo total de extensores y potencia media de flexores. A 300°/s, las variables encontradas para las categorías PRO y S17 fueron, respectivamente: potencia media de extensores y trabajo total de extensores. Conclusión: Las variables isocinéticas para los músculos de la rodilla flexores y extensores fueron capaces de hacer una discriminación significativa entre jugadores de fútbol PRO y S17

Weak Responses to Auditory Feedback Perturbation during Articulation in Persons Who Stutter: Evidence for Abnormal Auditory-Motor Transformation

Previous empirical observations have led researchers to propose that auditory feedback (the auditory perception of self-produced sounds when speaking) functions abnormally in the speech motor systems of persons who stutter (PWS). Researchers have theorized that an important neural basis of stuttering is the aberrant integration of auditory information into incipient speech motor commands. Because of the circumstantial support for these hypotheses and the differences and contradictions between them, there is a need for carefully designed experiments that directly examine auditory-motor integration during speech production in PWS. In the current study, we used real-time manipulation of auditory feedback to directly investigate whether the speech motor system of PWS utilizes auditory feedback abnormally during articulation and to characterize potential deficits of this auditory-motor integration. Twenty-one PWS and 18 fluent control participants were recruited. Using a short-latency formant-perturbation system, we examined participants’ compensatory responses to unanticipated perturbation of auditory feedback of the first formant frequency during the production of the monophthong [ε]. The PWS showed compensatory responses that were qualitatively similar to the controls’ and had close-to-normal latencies (~150 ms), but the magnitudes of their responses were substantially and significantly smaller than those of the control participants (by 47% on average, p<0.05). Measurements of auditory acuity indicate that the weaker-than-normal compensatory responses in PWS were not attributable to a deficit in low-level auditory processing. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that stuttering is associated with functional defects in the inverse models responsible for the transformation from the domain of auditory targets and auditory error information into the domain of speech motor commands

Spatially structured environmental filtering of collembolan traits in late successional salt marsh vegetation

Both the environment and the spatial configuration of habitat patches are important factors that shape community composition and affect species diversity patterns. Species have traits that allow them to respond to their environment. Our current knowledge on environment to species traits relationships is limited in spite of its potential importance for understanding community assembly and ecosystem function. The aim of our study was to examine the relative roles of environmental and spatial variables for the small-scale variation in Collembola (springtail) communities in a Dutch salt marsh. We used a trait-based approach in combination with spatial statistics and variance partitioning, between environmental and spatial variables, to examine the important ecological factors that drive community composition. Turnover of trait diversity across space was lower than for species diversity. Most of the variation in community composition was explained by small-scale spatial variation in topography, on a scale of 4-6 m, most likely because it determines the effect of inundation, which restricts where habitat generalists can persist. There were only small pure spatial effects on species and trait diversity, indicating that biotic interactions or dispersal limitation probably were less important for structuring the community at this scale. Our results suggest that for springtails, life form (i.e. whether they live in the soil or litter or on the surface/in vegetation) is an important and useful trait to understand community assembly. Hence, using traits in addition to species identity when analysing environment-organism relationships results in a better understanding of the factors affecting community composition

A Facile Strategy for In Situ Core-Template-Functionalizing Siliceous Hollow Nanospheres for Guest Species Entrapment

The shell wall-functionalized siliceous hollow nanospheres (SHNs) with functional molecules represent an important class of nanocarriers for a rich range of potential applications. Herein, a self-templated approach has been developed for the synthesis of in situ functionalized SHNs, in which the biocompatible long-chain polycarboxylates (i.e., polyacrylate, polyaspartate, gelatin) provide the framework for silica precursor deposition by simply controlling chain conformation with divalent metal ions (i.e., Ca2+, Sr2+), without the intervention of any external templates. Metal ions play crucial roles in the formation of organic vesicle templates by modulating the long chains of polymers and preventing them from separation by washing process. We also show that, by in situ functionalizing the shell wall of SHNs, it is capable of entrapping nearly an eightfold quantity of vitamin Bc in comparison to the bare bulk silica nanospheres. These results confirm the feasibility of guest species entrapment in the functionalized shell wall, and SHNs are effective carriers of guest (bio-)molecules potentially for a variety of biomedical applications. By rationally choosing the functional (self-templating) molecules, this concept may represent a general strategy for the production of functionalized silica hollow structures

Processing and characterization of chitosan microspheres to be used as templates for layer-by-layer assembly

Chitosan (Ch) microspheres have been developed by precipitation method, cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and used as a template for layer-by-layer (LBL) deposition of two natural polyelectrolytes. Using a LBL methodology, Ch microspheres were alternately coated with hyaluronic acid (HA) and Ch under mild conditions. The roughness of the Ch-based crosslinked microspheres was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Morphological characterization was performed by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereolight microscopy. The swelling behaviour of the microspheres demonstrated that the ones with more bilayers presented the highest water uptake and the uncoated cross-linked Ch microspheres showed the lowest uptake capability. Microspheres presented spherical shape with sizes ranging from 510 to 840 lm. ESEM demonstrated that a rougher surface with voids is formed in multilayered microspheres caused by the irregular stacking of the layers. A short term mechanical stability assay was also performed, showing that the LBL procedure with more than five bilayers of HA/Ch over Ch cross-linked microspheres provide higher mechanical stability