CSTX-1, a toxin from the venom of the hunting spider Cupiennius salei, is a selective blocker of L-type calcium channels in mammalian neurons

The inhibitor cystine-knot motif identified in the structure of CSTX-1 from Cupiennius salei venom suggests that this toxin may act as a blocker of ion channels. Whole-cell patch-clamp experiments performed on cockroach neurons revealed that CSTX-1 produced a slow voltage-independent block of both mid/low- (M-LVA) and high-voltage-activated (HVA) insect Ca(v) channels. Since C. salei venom affects both insect as well as rodent species, we investigated whether Ca(v) channel currents of rat neurons are also inhibited by CSTX-1. CSTX-1 blocked rat neuronal L-type, but no other types of HVA Ca(v) channels, and failed to modulate LVA Ca(v) channel currents. Using neuroendocrine GH3 and GH4 cells, CSTX-1 produced a rapid voltage-independent block of L-type Ca(v) channel currents. The concentration-response curve was biphasic in GH4 neurons and the subnanomolar IC(50) values were at least 1000-fold lower than in GH3 cells. L-type Ca(v) channel currents of skeletal muscle myoballs and other voltage-gated ion currents of rat neurons, such as I(Na(v)) or I(K(v)) were not affected by CSTX-1. The high potency and selectivity of CSTX-1 for a subset of L-type channels in mammalian neurons may enable the toxin to be used as a molecular tool for the investigation of this family of Ca(v) channels.

The Impact of Job Characteristics on Social and Human Service Workers

The work environment characteristics of job stress, job variety, job autonomy, and supervision are theorized to affect the job satisfaction and organizational commitment of social and human service workers. Most research to date has focused upon the impact of these variables on job satisfaction, with little attention being paid to organizational commitment. To determine the effects these characteristics have on both job satisfaction and organizational commitment, data from a survey of social and human service employees across Northwest Ohio were examined. In Ordinary Least Squares regression, all four job characteristics had a significant impact on job satisfaction, while only job variety and supervision had statistically significant effects on organizational commitment.

Job Intelligence-Services für Hochschulen

Internetbasierte Jobportale liefern in Form von Stellenanzeigen eine interessante Datengrundlage, um Qualifikationsanforderungen von nachfragenden Unternehmen an potenzielle Hochschulabsolventen transparent zu machen. Hochschulen können durch Analyse dieser Qualifikationsanforderungen das eigene Aus- und Weiterbildungsangebot arbeitsmarktorientiert weiterentwickeln und sich somit in der Hochschullandschaft profilieren. Hierfür ist es indes erforderlich, die Stellenanzeigen aus Jobportalen zu extrahieren und mithilfe adäquater analytischer Informationssysteme weiter zu verarbeiten. In diesem Beitrag zum CampusSource White Paper Award wird ein Konzept für Job Intelligence-Services vorgestellt, die die systematische Analyse von Qualifikationsanforderungen auf Grundlage von Stellenanzeigen aus Jobportalen gestatten.

"Coaching soccer is a man’s job!" – The influence of gender stereotypes on structures for recruiting female coaches in soccer clubs

Statistics published by the German Football Association indicate that women are significantly under-represented amongst soccer coaches, especially in the amateur leagues. In this paper we analyse how gender stereotypes influence the structural conditions surrounding the recruitment of coaches to soccer clubs that contribute to the exclusion of women from coaching positions. A qualitative study of five selected soccer clubs which are members of a German regional soccer association reveals that informal and personal decision-making practices still play a fundamental role in the recruitment of coaches. These practices undermine formal guidelines and give disproportionate weight to stereotyped preferences in the recruitment of soccer coaches. In this context, decision-makers' (functionaries') professed support of women largely serves a symbolic purpose and creates an illusion of equality concerning decisions that have already been taken at an informal level.

Does work stress make you shorter? An ambulatory field study of daily work stressors, job control, and spinal shrinkage

Body height decreases throughout the day due to fluid loss from the intervertebral disk. This study investigated whether spinal shrinkage was greater during workdays compared with nonwork days, whether daily work stressors were positively related to spinal shrinkage, and whether job control was negatively related to spinal shrinkage. In a consecutive 2-week ambulatory field study, including 39 office employees and 512 days of observation, spinal shrinkage was measured by a stadiometer, and calculated as body height in the morning minus body height in the evening. Physical activity was monitored throughout the 14 days by accelerometry. Daily work stressors, daily job control, biomechanical workload, and recreational activities after work were measured with daily surveys. Multilevel regression analyses showed that spinal disks shrank more during workdays than during nonwork days. After adjustment for sex, age, body weight, smoking status, biomechanical work strain, and time spent on physical and low-effort activities during the day, lower levels of daily job control significantly predicted increased spinal shrinkage. Findings add to knowledge on how work redesign that increases job control may possibly contribute to preserving intervertebral disk function and preventing occupational back pain.

Gender differences in the association of a high quality job and self-esteem over time: A multiwave study

High self-esteem often predicts job-related outcomes, such as high job satisfaction or high status. Theoretically, high quality jobs (HQJs) should be important for self-esteem, as they enable people to use a variety of skills and attribute accomplishments to themselves, but research findings are mixed. We expected reciprocal relationships between self-esteem and HQJ. However, as work often is more important for the status of men, we expected HQJ to have a stronger influence on self-esteem for men as compared to women. Conversely, task-related achievements violate gender stereotypes for women, who may need high self-esteem to obtain HQJs. In a 4-year cross-lagged panel analysis with 325 young workers, self-esteem predicted HQJ; the lagged effect from HQJ on self-esteem was marginally significant. In line with the hypotheses, the multigroup model showed a significant path only from self-esteem to HQJ for women, and from HQJ to self-esteem for men. The reverse effect was not found for women, and only marginally significant for men. Overall, although there were some indications for reciprocal effects, our findings suggest that women need high self-esteem to obtain HQJs to a greater degree than men, and that men base their self-esteem on HQJs to a greater extent than women.

Changes in situational and dispositional factors as predictors of job satisfaction

Arguably, job satisfaction is one of the most important variables with regard to work. When explaining job satisfaction, research usually focuses on predictor variables in terms of levels but neglects growth rates. Therefore it remains unclear how potential predictors evolve over time and how their development affects job satisfaction. Using multivariate latent growth modeling in a study with 1145 young workers over five years, we analyzed how well job satisfaction is predicted a) by levels of situational (i.e., job control) and dispositional (i.e., Core Self-Evaluations (CSE)) factors and b) by growth per year of these predictors. Results showed both intercepts and slopes to be related to each other, suggesting a joint growth of job control and CSE during early careers. Job satisfaction after five years was best predicted by the slopes of job control (β = .31, p < .001) and CSE (β = .34, p < .01). These findings provide further longitudinal evidence for the role of situational as well as dispositional factors for predicting job satisfaction. In addition, growth rates per year were better predictors than initial levels. Furthermore, a lack of change in job control or CSE went along with a drop in job satisfaction, implying that young workers need to perceive things to be improving in order to increase, or at least maintain, their level of job satisfaction. In terms of theory, the relative importance of levels versus changes deserves more attention. In terms of practical implications, our results suggest a double emphasis on job design (i.e., granting sufficient, and increasing, control) and on personal development (e.g., through training) so that people experience a match between both. Finally, negative associations between initial levels and growth rates suggest that people are quite successful in achieving a reasonable fit between their job characteristics and their needs and goals.

Changes in skill variety predict job satisfaction and psychosomatic complaints

Purpose Skill variety in terms of opportunities for utilizing different skills is an important element of job design; it is associated with well-being and health, but most pertinent research is cross-sectional. Positive associations with well-being, and with intellectual flexibility, have been shown longitudinally, but these studies focus on levels of skill variety at time 1 and do not use changes in skill variety as a predictor. We expect changes in skill variety to be associated with well-being in terms of higher job satisfaction and fewer psychosomatic complaints. Design/Methodology Skill variety, job satisfaction, and psychosomatic complaints were assessed in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2010 (N = 317 young employees). Data were analyzed using latent growth modeling. Results Skill variety decreased over the first three years after labor market entry. Initial levels of skill variety predicted higher job satisfaction in 2010. Steeper decreases in skill variety from 2005 to 2007 predicted lower levels of job satisfaction and more psychosomatic complaints three years later. Limitations This longitudinal study used only self-report. Research/Practical Implications Our results extend the often found association between challenging work content and job satisfaction in terms of a) showing it for young employees, b) longitudinally, c) not only for initial level but also for changes, and d) for psychosomatic complaints; they underscore the importance of maintaining a high level of challenging work content beyond the initial phase by enriching work as routine increases. Originality/Value Compared to the few existing longitudinal studies, we focus on changes and their relations with well-being.