A mediated moderation study to explain the negative relationship between job insecurity and employee supportive voice

Double degree

Study to determine the cardiovascular risk ofthe population of Guimarães/Vizela, includingthe prevalence of arterial stiffness and early vascular aging syndrome

Tese de Doutoramento em Medicina.

What works best for getting the unemployed back to work: employment services or small-business assistance programs? evidence from Romania

Recent empirical evidence has found that employment services and small-business assistance programmes are often successful at getting the unemployed back to work. Â One important concern of policy makers is to decide which of these two programmes is more effective and for whom. Â Using unusually rich (for transition economies) survey data and matching methods, I evaluate the relative effectiveness of these two programmes in Romania. Â While I find that employment services (ES) are, on average, more successful than a small-business assistance programme (SBA), estimation of heterogeneity effects reveals that, compared to non-participation, ES are effective for workers with little access to informal search channels, and SBA works for less-qualified workers and those living in rural areas. Â When comparing ES to SBA, I find that ES tend to be more efficient than SBA for workers without a high-school degree, and that the opposite holds for the more educated workers.

A pilot study to control Lutzomyia umbratilis (Diptera: Psychodidae), the major vector of Leishmania brazileiensis guyanensis, in a peri-urban rainforest of Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil

In the second half of 1980, 112 (or ca. 16%) of the inhabitants of the new settlement of São José, city of Manaus, contracted cutaneous leishmaniasis whilst clearing their properties of terra firme rainforest. With the aid of SUCAM, the authors carried out a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of reducing populations of Lutzomyia umbratilis, the local silvatic vector of Leishmania braziliensis guyanensis, by spraying insecticide on its favoured diurnal resting sites, the bases of the larger forest trees. Most manvector contact is at these resting sites and, therefore, it was encouraging to record a marked reduction of the tree-base populations of L. umbratilis for 21 days following just one application of D.D.T. emulsion in an area 200m square. Most of the treated trunks were not occupied by L. umbratilis for at least eleven months. Suggestions for extending the pilot study are made, and the need for collaboration with a clinical team is emphasized. Leishmania b. guyanensis is the aetiological agent of [quot ]pain bois[quot ], which is hyperendemic from French Guiana to central Amazônia. In the absence of proven vaccines or methods of vector control, some simple methods for limiting transmission of Le. b. guyanensis to man are listed.

Translation of biomechanical concepts in bone tissue engineering: from animal study to revision knee arthroplasty.

Bone defects in revision knee arthroplasty are often located in load-bearing regions. The goal of this study was to determine whether a physiologic load could be used as an in situ osteogenic signal to the scaffolds filling the bone defects. In order to answer this question, we proposed a novel translation procedure having four steps: (1) determining the mechanical stimulus using finite element method, (2) designing an animal study to measure bone formation spatially and temporally using micro-CT imaging in the scaffold subjected to the estimated mechanical stimulus, (3) identifying bone formation parameters for the loaded and non-loaded cases appearing in a recently developed mathematical model for bone formation in the scaffold and (4) estimating the stiffness and the bone formation in the bone-scaffold construct. With this procedure, we estimated that after 3 years mechanical stimulation increases the bone volume fraction and the stiffness of scaffold by 1.5- and 2.7-fold, respectively, compared to a non-loaded situation.

Direct magnetic resonance arthrography of the wrist with axial traction: A feasibility study to assess joint cartilage.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of axial traction during acquisition of direct magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography of the wrist with regard to joint space width and amount of contrast material between the opposing cartilage surfaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen consecutive patients (12 male, mean age 38.1 years) were included in this Institutional Review Board-approved prospective study. Three-compartment wrist MR arthrographies were performed between October and December 2009 on a 3 T unit using a fat-suppressed T1-weighted isotropic high-resolution volumetric interpolated breathhold examination (VIBE) sequence in the coronal plane, with and without axial traction (3 kg). Two radiologists measured radiocarpal (radioscaphoid, radiolunate) and midcarpal (lunocapitate, hamatolunate) joint space widths, with and without traction, and assessed the amount of contrast material between the opposing cartilage surfaces using a three-point scale: 0 = absence, 1 = partial, 2 = complete. RESULTS: With traction, joint space width increased significantly at the radioscaphoid (Delta = 0.78 mm, P < 0.01), radiolunate (Delta = 0.18 mm, P < 0.01), and lunocapitate (Delta = 0.45 mm, P < 0.01) spaces, and both observers detected significantly more contrast material between the cartilage surfaces. At the hamatolunate space, the differences in joint space width (Delta = 0.14 mm, P = 0.54) and amount of contrast material were not significant. CONCLUSION: Direct wrist MR arthrography with axial traction of 3 kg increases joint space width at the radiocarpal and lunocapitate spaces, and prompts better coverage of the articular cartilage by the contrast material. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;. (c) 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Breastfeeding and returning to work

This leaflet aims to encourage breastfeeding mothers to continue breastfeeding after they have returned to work. It highlights the benefits of continuing to breastfeed, sets out the options for combining breastfeeding and work, explains the rights breastfeeding mothers have to support from their employer, and outlines what facilities and equipment mothers will need to express milk at work.

Promoting breastfeeding for mothers returning to work: a guide for employers

This booklet is the third in a series of Work Well guides aimed at promoting health in the workplace. It outlines to employers the business benefits of encouraging mothers to continue breastfeeding on return to work, the health benefits of breastfeeding for mums, the legislation affecting mothers at work, and some easy steps that employers can take to support breastfeeding mothers.

A Study to Examine the Attitudes of General Practitioners Towards Drug Users in the North East Region of Ireland

The research examines general practitioners attitudes and how these effect the management of drug misusers within their practice. The methodology is quantitative in approach. The instrument used is a structured postal questionnaire. Participants include all general practitioners within the North East region of Ireland. Anonymity and confidentiality of all respondents are guaranteed. Data was collected over a six week period, under the following headings - attitudes and beliefs, factors influencing treatment, treatment options, training and demographics. Attitudes and beliefs towards drug users were measured using a five point Likert scale ranging from strongly agrees to strongly disagree. The data was analysed with the aid of a computer package, SPSS allowing descriptive statistics to be presented. Results indicate that the majority of respondents are male. There appears to be sympathy towards drug users and that treatment approaches should be holistic. However, there appears to be a major lack of confidence in treating and managing drug misusers. Patient, social and practice factors all influence the decision to the drug misuser. Treatment options are varied, ranging from methadone maintenance to referral for residential treatment. However, a number of respondents offer no treatment for drug misusers. General practitioners do not feel adequately trained in treating and/or managing this client group. Results indicate that improved communication, ongoing education and more research is needed in this area.This resource was contributed by The National Documentation Centre on Drug Use.

A Delphi study to identify research priorities for the therapy professions in Northern Ireland

A study by the University of Ulster, funded by Health and Social Care Research and Development Division of the Public Health Agency, enabled members of six Allied Health Professions (AHPs) to express opinions on research needs within their areas of expertise.The respondents to 'A Delphi Study to Identify Research Priorities for the Therapy Professions in Northern Ireland', were selected from professionals based in clinical and academic settings in the areas of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, podiatry, nutrition and dietetics and orthoptics. The views of a group of key stakeholders in health and social care and a separate panel of service users were also gathered. A copy of this report, and an Executive Summary,�can be downloaded below.

Promoting breastfeeding for mothers returning to work: a guide for employers

This booklet is the third in a series of�Work�Well guides aimed at promoting health in the workplace. It outlines to employers the business benefits of encouraging mothers to continue breastfeeding on return to�work, the health benefits of breastfeeding for mums, the legislation affecting mothers at�work, and some easy steps that employers can take to support breastfeeding mothers.