The influence of social support on risk of acute cardiovascular diseases in female population aged 25–64 in Russia

Objective. To study the prevalence of social support (SS) and its influence on the relative risk (RR) of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in the female population aged 25–64 in Russia. Materials and methods. Under the third screening of the WHO “MONICA-psychosocial” programme, a random representative sample of women aged 25–64 (n=870) were surveyed in Novosibirsk. SS was measured according to the methods of the Berkman–Sym test [indices of close contacts (ICC) and index of social network (SNI)]. From 1995 to 2010, women were followed for 16 years to observe the incidence of MI and stroke. Results. The prevalence of low levels of ICC and SNI in women aged 25–64 was 57.1 and 77.7%, respectively. Low levels of ICC and SNI were associated with poor self-rated health and awareness about their health, adverse behavioural habits, high job strain and family stress. Rates of MI and stroke development were higher in married women with low ICC and SNI who were being in class “hard manual work”. Over a 16-year study period, the RR of MI in women with low ICC compared to those with high ICC was 4.9 times higher, and the risk of stroke was 4.1 times higher. Low level of SNI increased MI risk in 2.9 times, risk of stroke in 2.7 times. Conclusions. Majority of women aged 25–64 years in Russia have low social support which is associated with poor self-rated health, low awareness about the health that increases the risk of MI and stroke in 2.7–4.9 times in groups of “married” and “hard physical work”

Nematic Twist-Bend Phase with Nanoscale Modulation of Molecular Orientation

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Nematic twist-bend phase with nanoscale modulation of molecular orientation

A state of matter in which molecules show a long-range orientational order and no positional order is called a nematic liquid crystal. The best known and most widely used (for example, in modern displays) is the uniaxial nematic, with the rod-like molecules aligned along a single axis, called the director. When the molecules are chiral, the director twists in space, drawing a right-angle helicoid and remaining perpendicular to the helix axis; the structure is called a chiral nematic. Here using transmission electron and optical microscopy, we experimentally demonstrate a new nematic order, formed by achiral molecules, in which the director follows an oblique helicoid, maintaining a constant oblique angle with the helix axis and experiencing twist and bend. The oblique helicoids have a nanoscale pitch. The new twist-bend nematic represents a structural link between the uniaxial nematic (no tilt) and a chiral nematic (helicoids with right-angle tilt)

Emotional Burnout: Prevalence Rate and Symptoms in Different Socio-Professional Groups

Objective: The relevance of the subject matter is connected with the emotional burnout and its long-lasting negative consequences for both the individual and society becoming commonplace. Background: The paper covers the psychological reconstruction of the concept of "burnout" in terms of its implicit understanding and differentiated diagnosis. Method: The consolidated empirical data on the commonness of burnout among various categories of employees obtained using the MBI questionnaire. The descriptive statistics were presented for nine different professional groups (total of 441 people) of different age, degree of personal responsibility and emotional involvement in their job - the frequency analysis of expressiveness of emotional burnout syndrome performed in the context of the procedural-dynamic model. Results: Results revealed that the symptoms of burnout are quantitatively and qualitatively vary in different occupational settings. Based on the content analysis of the data obtained through face-to-face psychological counselling of clients, a list of manifestations and experiences was developed, accompanying burnout complaints as a component of a difficult life situation: emotional and motivational-semantic sphere, life position, behavioural, and psychological and physiological aspects. Conclusion: Attention was drawn to the necessity of clarification of social-psychological norms and clinical signs, which reliably and differentially diagnose its symptoms (in contrast to fatigue, depression or normative age crises). The conclusions provide suggestions and solutions on the principles of psychological prevention and assistance (self-help) in situations of emotional burnout