Multiple Physical Symptoms Are Useful to Identify High Risk Individuals for Burnout: A Study on Faculties and Hospital Workers in Japan

Healthcare workers have a high risk of burnout. This study aimed to investigate if the numbers of physical symptoms are associated with burnout among healthcare workers. We conducted a cross-sectional survey at a large university in Tokyo, Japan, in 2016. Participants were 1080: 525 faculties and 555 hospital workers. We investigated 16 physical symptoms perceived more than once per week and examined the association between the number of physical symptoms and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI); work-related (WBO), personal (PBO), and client-related (CBO) burnout. All CBI scores were higher among hospital workers than among faculties: WBO (43 vs. 29), PBO (50 vs. 33), CBO (33 vs. 29). Moreover, the higher the number of physical symptoms perceived, the higher the degree of burnout scores became (trend p-values < 0.001), except for CBO among faculties. Job strain (all except for CBO among hospital workers) and work-family conflict were associated with an increased risk of burnout. Being married (WBO and CBO among faculties), having a child (except for PBO and CBO among faculties), and job support (faculty and hospital workers with WBO and faculties with PBO) were associated with a decreased risk of burnout. Multiple physical symptoms might be useful for identifying high risk individuals for burnout

Effects of gaps in priorities between ideal and real lives on psychological burnout among academic faculty members at a medical university in Japan: a cross-sectional study

Background: Accumulating evidence from medical workforce research indicates that poor work/life balance and increased work/home conflict induce psychological distress. In this study we aim to examine the existence of a priority gap between ideal and real lives, and its association with psychological burnout among academic professionals. Methods: This cross-sectional survey, conducted in 2014, included faculty members (228 men, 102 women) at a single medical university in Tokyo, Japan. The outcome of interest was psychological burnout, measured with a validated inventory. Discordance between ideal-and real-life priorities, based on participants' responses (work, family, individual life, combinations thereof), was defined as a priority gap. Results: The majority (64%) of participants chose "work" as the greatest priority in real life, but only 28% chose "work" as the greatest priority in their conception of an ideal life. Priority gaps were identified in 59.5% of respondents. A stepwise multivariable general linear model demonstrated that burnout scores were associated positively with respondents' current position (P < 0.0018) and the presence of a priority gap (P < 0.0001), and negatively with the presence of social support (P < 0.0001). Among participants reporting priority gaps, burnout scores were significantly lower in those with children than in those with no children (P-interaction = 0.011); no such trend was observed in participants with no priority gap. Conclusions: A gap in priorities between an ideal and real life was associated with an increased risk of burnout, and the presence of children, which is a type of "family" social support, had a mitigating effect on burnout among those reporting priority gaps

Water Molecular System Dynamics Associated with Amyloidogenic Nucleation as Revealed by Real Time Near Infrared Spectroscopy and Aquaphotomics

<div><p>The formation of amyloid fibrils proceeds via a nucleation-dependent mechanism in which nucleation phase is generally associated with a high free energy resulting in the rate-limiting step. On the basis of this kinetic feature, the nucleation is one of the most crucial phases controlling the pathogenesis of amyloidoses, but little is known about the details of how protein molecules and surrounding environment vary at this stage. Here, we applied near infrared (NIR) spectral monitoring of water structural changes in real time during the nucleation-dependent fibrillation of insulin. Whilst multivariate spectral analysis in the 2050–2350 nm spectral region indicated cross-β formation, characteristic transformations of water structure have been detected in the spectral region 1300–1600 nm corresponding to the first overtone of water OH stretching vibrations. Furthermore, specific water spectral patterns (aquagrams) related to different water molecular conformations have been found along the course of protein nucleation and aggregation. Right in the beginning, dissociation of hydrogen-bonded network in bulk water and coinstantaneous protein and ion hydration were observed, followed by water hydrogen-bonded networks development, presumably forcing the nucleation. These specific transformations of water spectral pattern could be used further as a biomarker for early non-invasive diagnosis of amyloidoses prior to explosive amplification and deposits of amyloid fibrils.</p></div

PCA of spectral data acquired at water first overtone region for the fibril formation of insulin indicating conformational changes of water molecules.

<p>(A, B) PC3 score plot with monitoring time (A) and its loading (B). The variation of PC3 was 0.0005% and the results of other PC components are shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0101997#pone.0101997.s003" target="_blank">Figure S3</a>. PC3 loading presents interplay of opposite spectral changes of hydrogen bonded water species (1360 nm, 1454 nm, and 1470 nm) and water molecular species with free hydrogen bonds (1414 nm) along the examined process of insulin fibril formation.</p

Schematic illustration representing multi-step transformation of water structures during the fibril formation.

<p>In the nucleation phase, free water molecules, free OH and protein hydrating water molecular species were initially dominating, but afterwards hydrogen-bonded water networks were developed, which was considered essential for nucleation by interlinking protein molecules. In the elongation phase, the hydrogen bonds were decayed gradually towards the state observed in bulk water, and slight increase of hydrating water onto amyloid fibrils was also observed. The aquagram patterns at 6, 10, 18 min are also represented at corresponding stages of the fibril formation.</p

NIR spectra of insulin solution monitored in the present study.

<p>(A) Raw NIR spectra data set. Two regions over 1300–1600 nm and 2050–2350 nm were focused on to evaluate changes with water and protein structures, respectively. (B) A magnified view at 1300–1600 nm. The direction of absorbance increment is indicated by an arrow. (C) Time-dependency of absorbance. Absorbance increment obtained by averaging absorbance over 1300–1600 nm (closed circles) or 2050–2350 nm (open circles) was plotted against time. The three phases, i.e., phases I (nucleation), II (elongation), and III (equilibrium), are represented.</p

PCA of spectral data acquired at amide I overtone region for the fibril formation of insulin indicating α-helix to β-sheet transition during the formation of amyloid fibrils.

<p>(A, B) PC2 score plot with monitoring time (A) and its loading (B). The variation of PC2 was 0.463% and the results of other PC components are shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0101997#pone.0101997.s001" target="_blank">Figure S1</a>.</p