38 research outputs found
Chronic Noise Exposure with Normal Hearing is Related to Adverse Quality of Life and Burnout
Aims and scope: Occupational noise exposure is a well-known factor of hearing loss and other health related problems. Its contribution on burnout and health related quality of life, particularly when there is no hearing loss is less well studied. Herein we aim to study the effect of noise on the responses of normal hearing industrial workers on validated instruments. Methods: 384 industrial workers from three pharmaceutical companies with normal hearing were stratified into two groups: a noise-exposure group (n=195) and a non-exposure group (n=125). In addition to basic demographic characteristics, factors such as smoking, and BMI were examined alongside responses to the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and SF-36 questionnaire. Findings: The noise-exposure group exhibited a higher prevalence of smokers (p<0.01), a slightly elevated median BMI (p=0.04) and reported more pronounced exhaustion as measured by the OLBI (p=0.03). Furthermore, they exhibited poorer responses in various dimensions of the SF-36 questionnaire, particularly in bodily pain (p<0.01), physical functioning (p=0.03), physical role functioning (p=0.02) and emotional role functioning (p<0.01) scales. Conclusion: Occupational noise exposure, even in the absence of hearing loss, is associated with a higher prevalence of burnout symptoms and an overall reduced health-related quality of life among industrial workers. These insights underscore the need for proactive measures to mitigate noise exposure's adverse impact on employee well-being and productivity in noisy work environments, independently of the findings in their audiometric results
Cell cyclins: triggering elements of cancer or not?
Cyclins are indispensable elements of the cell cycle and derangement of their function can lead to cancer formation. Recent studies have also revealed more mechanisms through which cyclins can express their oncogenic potential. This review focuses on the aberrant expression of G1/S cyclins and especially cyclin D and cyclin E; the pathways through which they lead to tumour formation and their involvement in different types of cancer. These elements indicate the mechanisms that could act as targets for cancer therapy
The effects of digital control on longitudinal autopilots for bank-to-turn and skid-turn missiles.
This work addresses the design and analysis of the discrete longitudinal
autopilot for application to the bank-to-turn (BTT) missiles.
In the development the classical design and analysis were reviewed
using the continuous uncoupled pitch channel autopilot for circular airframe.
Then,applying analog-to-digital conversion, the corresponding discrete
autopilot was designed. The performance of both continuous and discrete
open loop systems was analyzed according to the desired requirements.
In the following section, utilizing modern control design techniques for
the discrete pitch channel autopilot, the control law was designed,
assuming availability of all the states and taking the desired poles to be at
the same place as in the classical design. Therefore the discrete state-feedback
autopilot was obtained and analyzed. The next step was the design
of an estimator which estimates the entire state vector, given
measurements of the portion of the state. The performance of the estimator
was analyzed too.
Finally coupling the discrete pitch and roll channel autopilots the
overall performance of the discrete system was obtained and analyzed. The
resulting design was also proved to be robust.http://archive.org/details/effectsofdigital00karaLieutenant, Hellenic NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited
Gastrocolic fistulae; From Haller till nowadays
Gastrocolic Fistula is, in the majority of cases the pathological
communication between stomach and transverse colon, because cases
involved with the small intestine, pancreas and skin have been also
documented, even though are rare. It occurs mostly in adults, but they
can be present to infants, as well, as a result of congenital
abnormalities or iatrogenic procedures (i.e. migration of PEG tube that
placed before).
In the Western Countries, the most common cause is the adenocarcinoma of
the colon, while in Japan, adenocarcinoma of the stomach is the most
frequent cause. It seldom appears, as a complication of a benign peptic
ulcer, in Crohn’s disease and as a result of significant intake of
steroids or NSAIDs.
The typical symptoms of a gastrocolic fistula are abdominal pain,
nausea-vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss.
Radiology has been used for the detection of the fistulae all these
years but the golden standard remained the barium enema. Barium meal and
CT findings play a smaller role in the diagnosis.
Although the management of gastrocolic fistulae has historically been
surgical, medical treatment has recently been recommended as the first
line when a malignancy can be excluded. (c) 2012 Surgical Associates
Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
IGF-I and IGFBP-3 before and after inpatient alcohol detoxification in alcohol-dependent subjects
Background: It is unclear whether alcohol detoxification has an effect
on factors that are involved in growth, metabolic functions and cell
proliferation. Alcohol abuse is associated with low IGF-I levels that
tend to rise after alcohol withdrawal. There is a paucity of studies on
the course of IGFBP-3 (the main binding protein for IGF-I) after alcohol
detoxification.
Material/Methods: We prospectively assessed IGF-I and IGFBP-3 changes at
the time of admission and after 4 to 6 weeks of detoxification in an
inpatient alcohol detoxification facility in 118 alcohol-dependent
subjects given a regular hospital diet. No participants dropped out of
the study.
Results: Changes in IGF-I after alcohol detoxification showed a marked
dimorphism in altered hepatic biochemistry upon admission, with a rise
in those with normal liver enzymes upon admission (p=0.016,
Kruskall-Wallis) and a drop in those with elevated liver enzymes upon
admission (p=0.05); the latter was noted in subjects that had consumed
alcohol close to the time of admission. Overall, however, IGF-I and
IGFBP-3 were within normal limits for most subjects both upon admission
and after alcohol detoxification; no significant differences were
detected among the examined parameters in men vs. women, and there were
no significant correlations of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 or the IGF-I/IGFBP-3 molar
ratio with BMI or age.
Conclusions: Regardless of hepatic enzymes’ elevation, alcohol
detoxification had overall slight effects on IGF-I and IGFBP-3