Association between work stress and health behaviours in Korean and Japanese ageing studies: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: Limited research has focused on the association between work stress and health behaviours in Asian countries. We aimed to explore the effect of work stress on two health behaviours among employees aged 45 years or above in two countries with ageing populations, Korea and Japan. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: This secondary data analysis was conducted on baseline data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA, 2006) and the Japanese Study of Aging and Retirement (JSTAR, 2007 and 2009). PARTICIPANTS: Included in the analytical sample were 4982 responders without missing data aged 45 years or older who reported work positions and hours (KLoSA n=3478, JSTAR n=1504). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Work stress was represented by the short version of the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model. We used logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression to investigate the association between work stress and smoking (binary current smoking) and between work stress and drinking (categorical volume of alcohol). Socioeconomic and work-related characteristics were taken into consideration, and we examined the potential interaction between ERI and gender. RESULTS: Work stress as measured by ERI ratio was significantly associated with both smoking and drinking in the KLoSA analysis; after the model was fully adjusted, ORs were 1.45 (95% CI 1.17 to 1.80) and 1.44 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.90), respectively. In analysis of the data from JSTAR, the ERI ratio was associated with smoking (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.89) but not with drinking. No statistically significant interaction was found between ERI and gender in any model (p=0.82 in KLoSA data and p=0.19 in JSTAR data). CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant associations were found between work stress and both smoking and drinking behaviours in Korea and between work stress and smoking in Japan. Government integration of effort-reward balance programmes and health promotion programmes could effectively promote population health in these two Asian countries

Intrinsic drive of medical staff: a survey of employee representatives from 22 hospitals in China

ObjectiveWhile several initiatives, including monetary rewards and performance system reform, are used to inspire medical staff, none are fully effective. We sought to describe the intrinsic drive of medical staff and identify elements that improve work enthusiasm by increasing internal motivation.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in which 2,975 employee representatives from 22 municipal hospitals in Beijing, China were interviewed using a self-made intrinsic motivation scale for medical staff which includes the achievement motivation, self-efficacy, conscientiousness, gratitude level and perceived organizational support. The Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance and multiple linear regression methods were used to investigate the level of intrinsic motivation and identify any influencing factors. The correlation between employee drive and turnover intention was determined using Spearman rank correlation analysis and Kendall’s tau b rank correlation coefficient.ResultsA total of 2,293 valid answers were obtained, with a valid recovery rate of 77.1%. There were statistically significant differences in intrinsic motivation and its five dimensions by marital status, political status, profession, service year, monthly income, number of working hours per week, and turnover intention (p < 0.05). Being divorced, a CPC member, in the nursing profession, and having a higher monthly income had a positive impact on intrinsic motivation while working a high hours per week had a negative effect. Higher work drive was associated with lower turnover intention. The correlation coefficients of intrinsic drive and its five dimensions with turnover intention ranged from 0.265 to 0.522 (p < 0.001).ConclusionSociodemographic factors and work environment influenced the intrinsic motivation of medical staff. There was a correlation between work drive and turnover intention which indicated that stimulating the intrinsic drive of employees may help to increase staff retention

Synthesis and crystal structure of a novel self-assembled (1,4-discyclohexyl cucurbituril) sodium(I) complex

A novel complex of a new 1,4-dicyclohexyl cucurbituril(DCYQ[6]) with sodium(I) ion was synthesized, and the crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction technique. In this self-assembled entity both the cavity interaction of DCYQ[6] included a nitrate anion and the portal interaction of the dipole carbonyls of DCYQ [6] with sodium cations lead to form self assembled molecular capsules. The crystal structure of the entity shows a packing of the self assembled molecular capsules connected by hydrogen bonds of water molecules

Retention and removal mechanisms of bacterial surrogates on/from natural and model produce surfaces

Jin, YanBacterial contamination of fresh produce has been a significant concern for the food industry, the scientific community, and the public in recent years. A fundamental understanding of the interactions between produce surfaces and bacteria is critical for devising effective decontamination strategies. In this dissertation, the mechanisms leading to bacterial retention and removal were investigated in a model system comprised of colloids as bacterial surrogates, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) replicas of tomato, spinach, and lettuce surfaces. The physicochemical surface properties of PDMS replicas and their natural counterparts, including roughness, topography, and hydrophobicity, and their effects on colloid retention were characterized and compared. The results demonstrated the feasibility of using PDMS replicas as surrogates of fresh produce for mechanistic studies of surface-bacteria interactions. Furthermore, the results highlighted that the surface properties of produce/replicas collectively control water retention and distribution on their surfaces, which were key factors in determining the amount and distribution of colloid retention. ☐ To further study colloid removal, the colloidal-contaminated surfaces were rinsed with different solutions, including DI water, NaCl solution, surfactants of SDS and Tween 80, and micro/nanobubble (MNBs) in combination with either water or surfactants. Colloid removal was largely controlled by the residual solution retention on the rinsed samples. The properties of rinsing solutions and the sample removal velocity were additional contributing factors to the amount and distribution of the retained residual solution. Colloid removal was also affected by the motion of the contact line, where the air-liquid interface contacts the colloid, which is related to the surface tension force acting on the colloid and the driven flows within the evaporating solution. These factors were, in turn, controlled by the properties of the sample surface and rinsing solution. Moreover, the results indicated that the MNBs could attach to the colloids, remove them from the sample surface efficiently, and then carry them to the solution surface. ☐ Overall, this work aims to gain significant insight into the mechanisms of pathogen retention on and removal from the complex surfaces of fresh produce. Such knowledge can contribute to the development of effective cleaning methods for various surfaces tainted with pathogens or other contaminants.University of Delaware, Department of Plant and Soil SciencesPh.D

Research on the impact of coal miners’ workload on unsafe behaviors

Workload is one of the reasons that affect unsafe behavior in coal mines. This article divides workload into six dimensions: physical demand, mental demand, time demand, performance level, effort level and frustration level, and introduces miner emotions as an intermediary variable to study the impact of workload on unsafe behavior. Through a questionnaire survey of coal mine workers, a structural equation model of coal mine workers’ workload and unsafe behavior is constructed. The results show that the six dimensions of workload have a significant impact on emotions. Physical demand, mental demand, time demand and frustration level have a significant impact on unsafe behaviors. Performance level and effort level have no significant impact on unsafe behaviors

Factors Influencing the Waste Separation Behaviors of Urban Residents in Shaanxi Province during the 14th National Games of China

The behaviors of urban residents in terms of waste separation at source are crucial to achieve the reduction and recycling of waste in urban governance. In this study, the data were collected from 1008 respondents in Shaanxi province, the host of China’s 14th National Games; theoretical and empirical analyses were conducted to determine the factors influencing waste separation behaviors, and specific policy suggestions are proposed. The results show that the waste separation behaviors of urban residents are positively influenced by their cognition of waste pollution, ecological values, sense of social responsibility, perceived knowledge, and perceived utilities of waste separation. Moreover, the residents’ waste separation intentions partially mediate the relationships between their cognition of waste pollution, ecological values, perceived utilities, and waste separation behaviors, which almost totally mediate the relationship between their sense of social responsibility and waste separation behaviors. In addition, it was shown that the cost of waste separation can weaken the effect of waste separation intention on behavior, while waste separation facilities, social norms, and the publicity for China’s 14th National Games have the opposite effect. Finally, policy suggestions are proposed to encourage urban residents to adopt waste separation behaviors, contributing to transforming Shaanxi into a zero-waste province

Enhancing food safety and cultivated meat production: exploring the impact of microplastics on fish muscle cell proliferation and differentiation

Cultivated meat, a sustainable alternative to traditional livestock farming, has gained attention for its potential environmental and health benefits. However, concerns about microplastic contamination pose challenges, especially when sourcing cells from marine organisms prone to microplastic bioaccumulation. Additionally, the pervasive presence of microplastics in laboratory settings, ingredients, and during the production, increases the risk of unintentional contamination. This study focused on Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) skeletal muscle cell lines to examine the effects of microplastic exposure, represented by fluorescent polyethylene microspheres (10–45 µm) on cell performance including cell proliferation, cell viability, gene expression, and differentiation processes critical for cultivated meat production. The results revealed significant impacts on cell attachment and proliferation at microplastic concentrations of 1 μg/mL, 10 μg/mL, and 50 μg/mL. Notably, the 10 μg/mL concentration exerted the most pronounced effects on cell viability during both attachment and proliferation phases. While the results indicated that both microplastic concentration and size influence cell viability, cell differentiation remained unaffected, and additional contributing factors require further investigation. These findings underscore the necessity of thoroughly exploring microplastic-cell interactions to ensure food safety and safeguard health within the burgeoning cultivated meat industry