The association between work-related rumination and heart rate variability: A field study

This is the final version. Available on open access from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this recordThe objective of this study was to examine the association between perseverative cognition in the form of work-related rumination, and heart rate variability (HRV). We tested the hypothesis that high ruminators would show lower vagally mediated HRV relative to low ruminators during their leisure time. Individuals were classified as being low (n = 17) or high ruminators (n = 19), using the affective scale on the work-related rumination measure. HRV was assessed using a wrist sensor band (Microsoft Band 2). HRV was sampled between 8 pm and 10 pm over three workday evenings (Monday to Wednesday) while individuals carried out their normal evening routines. Compared to the low ruminators, high affective ruminators demonstrated lower HRV in the form of root mean square successive differences (RMSSDs), relative to the low ruminators, indicating lower parasympathetic activity. There was no significant difference in heart rate, or activity levels between the two groups during the recording periods. The current findings of this study may have implications for the design and delivery of interventions to help individuals unwind post work and to manage stress more effectively. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed

Grand solar minima and maxima deduced from 10Be and 14C: magnetic dynamo configuration and polarity reversal

International audienceAims. This study aims to improve our understanding of the occurrence and origin of grand solar maxima and minima.Methods. We first investigate the statistics of peaks and dips simultaneously occurring in the solar modulation potentials reconstructed using the Greenland Ice Core Project (GRIP) 10Be and IntCal13 14C records for the overlapping time period spanning between ~1650 AD to 6600 BC. Based on the distribution of these events, we propose a method to identify grand minima and maxima periods. By using waiting time distribution analysis, we investigate the nature of grand minima and maxima periods identified based on the criteria as well as the variance and significance of the Hale cycle during these kinds of events throughout the Holocene epoch.Results. Analysis of grand minima and maxima events occurring simultaneously in the solar modulation potentials, reconstructed based on the 14C and the 10Be records, shows that the majority of events characterized by periods of moderate activity levels tend to last less than 50 years: grand maxima periods do not last longer than 100 years, while grand minima can persist slightly longer. The power and the variance of the 22-year Hale cycle increases during grand maxima and decreases during grand minima, compared to periods characterized by moderate activity levels.Conclusions. We present the first reconstruction of the occurrence of grand solar maxima and minima during the Holocene based on simultaneous changes in records of past solar variability derived from tree-ring 14C and ice-core 10Be, respectively. This robust determination of the occurrence of grand solar minima and maxima periods will enable systematic investigations of the influence of grand solar minima and maxima episodes on Earth’s climate

How) do work placements work: scrutinising the quantitative evidence for a theory-driven future research agenda

While supervised work placements are increasingly popular in higher education, evidence regarding their effects on career outcomes remain somewhat sparse and atheoretical. The aim of this systematic literature review is to evaluate the effectiveness of placements for career outcomes and to identify any underpinning core psychological processes and to offer a theoretically grounded framework for future research. Drawing on transition theory (Schlossberg, 1981) and career construction theory (Savickas, 1997), we argue that supervised work experiences are central transition experiences that enable social learning processes and trigger changes in a person’s identity development as a professional, thereby increasing career resources and employability which in turn affect future career outcomes positively. We screened 2,394 systematically selected abstracts across several databases and disciplines. Only quantitative studies that either offered a control-group or a longitudinal design were included, resulting in an in-depth review of 40 studies, applying a rigorous evaluation protocol. Placement participation elicits an overall positive (but small) effect on career outcomes: Graduates who completed a work placement found employment more quickly. Work placements also changed students’ perceptions of self-efficacy, their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. We suggest that these changes could be seen as indicative of the proposed social learning processes and identity changes that positively affect career resources. Our review points to several gaps in the literature, and building on existing career theories, we develop a theoretical model and offer new avenues for future research to integrate the heterogenic field of placement research and inform career research in other areas

Development of an online SPE–LC–MS-based assay using endogenous substrate for investigation of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of hypertension, pain, and inflammation-related diseases. In order to enable the development of sEH inhibitors (sEHIs), assays are needed for determination of their potency. Therefore, we developed a new method utilizing an epoxide of arachidonic acid (14(15)-EpETrE) as substrate. Incubation samples were directly injected without purification into an online solid phase extraction (SPE) liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS–MS) setup allowing a total run time of only 108 s for a full gradient separation. Analytes were extracted from the matrix within 30 s by turbulent flow chromatography. Subsequently, a full gradient separation was carried out on a 50X2.1 mm RP-18 column filled with 1.7 μm core–shell particles. The analytes were detected with high sensitivity by ESI–MS–MS in SRM mode. The substrate 14(15)-EpETrE eluted at a stable retention time of 96 ± 1 s and its sEH hydrolysis product 14,15-DiHETrE at 63 ± 1 s with narrow peak width (full width at half maximum height: 1.5 ± 0.1 s). The analytical performance of the method was excellent, with a limit of detection of 2 fmol on column, a linear range of over three orders of magnitude, and a negligible carry-over of 0.1% for 14,15-DiHETrE. The enzyme assay was carried out in a 96-well plate format, and near perfect sigmoidal dose–response curves were obtained for 12 concentrations of each inhibitor in only 22 min, enabling precise determination of IC50 values. In contrast with other approaches, this method enables quantitative evaluation of potent sEHIs with picomolar potencies because only 33 pmol L−1 sEH were used in the reaction vessel. This was demonstrated by ranking ten compounds by their activity; in the fluorescence method all yielded IC50 ≤ 1 nmol L−1. Comparison of 13 inhibitors with IC50 values >1 nmol L−1 showed a good correlation with the fluorescence method (linear correlation coefficient 0.9, slope 0.95, Spearman’s rho 0.9). For individual compounds, however, up to eightfold differences in potencies between this and the fluorescence method were obtained. Therefore, enzyme assays using natural substrate, as described here, are indispensable for reliable determination of structure–activity relationships for sEH inhibition

Work orientations, well-being and job content of self-employed and employed professionals

Drawing on psychology-derived theories and methods, a questionnaire survey compared principal kinds of work orientation, job content and mental well-being between self-employed and organisationally employed professional workers. Self-employment was found to be particularly associated with energised well-being in the form of job engagement. The presence in self-employment of greater challenge, such as an enhanced requirement for personal innovation, accounted statistically for self-employed professionals’ greater job engagement, and self-employed professionals more strongly valued personal challenge than did professionals employed in an organisation. However, no between-role differences occurred in respect of supportive job features such as having a comfortable workplace. Differences in well-being, job content and work orientations were found primarily in comparison between self-employees and organisational non-managers. The study emphasises the need to distinguish conceptually and empirically between different forms of work orientation, job content and well-being, and points to the value of incorporating psychological thinking in some sociological research

The motivation for citizens’ involvement in life sciences research is predicted by age and gender

Open Science is an umbrella term encompassing multiple concepts as open access to publications, open data, open education and citizen science that aim to make science more open and transparent. Citizen science, an important facet of Open Science, actively involves nonscientists in the research process, and can potentially be beneficial for multiple actors, such as scientists, citizens, policymakers and society in general. However, the reasons that motivate different segments of the public to participate in research are still understudied. Therefore, based on data gathered from a survey conducted in Czechia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK (N = 5,870), this study explores five types of incentives that can motivate individuals to become involved in life sciences research. The results demonstrate that men and younger individuals are more persuaded by extrinsic motives (external benefits or rewards), as compared with women and older people, who are driven by intrinsic motives (that originates from within an individual). This paper shows that specific strata of the population are differentially motivated to engage in research, thereby providing relevant knowledge for effectively designing public involvement activities that target various groups of the public in research projects

Use of Mutagenesis, Genetic Mapping and Next Generation Transcriptomics to Investigate Insecticide Resistance Mechanisms

Insecticide resistance is a worldwide problem with major impact on agriculture and human health. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial for the management of the phenomenon; however, this information often comes late with respect to the implementation of efficient counter-measures, particularly in the case of metabolism-based resistance mechanisms. We employed a genome-wide insertional mutagenesis screen to Drosophila melanogaster, using a Minos-based construct, and retrieved a line (MiT[w−]3R2) resistant to the neonicotinoid insecticide Imidacloprid. Biochemical and bioassay data indicated that resistance was due to increased P450 detoxification. Deep sequencing transcriptomic analysis revealed substantial over- and under-representation of 357 transcripts in the resistant line, including statistically significant changes in mixed function oxidases, peptidases and cuticular proteins. Three P450 genes (Cyp4p2, Cyp6a2 and Cyp6g1) located on the 2R chromosome, are highly up-regulated in mutant flies compared to susceptible Drosophila. One of them (Cyp6g1) has been already described as a major factor for Imidacloprid resistance, which validated the approach. Elevated expression of the Cyp4p2 was not previously documented in Drosophila lines resistant to neonicotinoids. In silico analysis using the Drosophila reference genome failed to detect transcription binding factors or microRNAs associated with the over-expressed Cyp genes. The resistant line did not contain a Minos insertion in its chromosomes, suggesting a hit-and-run event, i.e. an insertion of the transposable element, followed by an excision which caused the mutation. Genetic mapping placed the resistance locus to the right arm of the second chromosome, within a ∼1 Mb region, where the highly up-regulated Cyp6g1 gene is located. The nature of the unknown mutation that causes resistance is discussed on the basis of these results