A spirochete isolated from a case of severe virulent ovine foot disease is closely related to a Treponeme isolated from human periodontitis and bovine digital dermatitis

The isolation of spirochetes from severe ovine foot disease has been reported recently by our research group. In this study we describe the preliminary classification of this spirochete based on nucleotide sequence analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis of this sequence in comparison with other previously reported 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the spirochete belonged to the treponemal phylotype Treponema vincentii which has been associated with bovine digital dermatitis and human periodontal disease. Further work is required to define the common virulence determinants of these closely related treponemes in the aetiology of these tissue destructive diseases.

An investigation of the strategies used by organizations participating in the welfare-to-work network program and correlation of the strategies with the retention data to determine best practices for job retention among former welfare recipients

This ex post facto study (N = 209) examined the relationships between employer job strategies and job retention among organizations participating in Florida welfare-to-work network programs and associated the strategies with job retention data to determine best practices. ^ An internet-based self-report survey battery was administered to a heterogeneous sampling of organizations participating in the Florida welfare-to-work network program. Hypotheses were tested through correlational and hierarchical regression analytic procedures. The partial correlation results linked each of the job retention strategies to job retention. Wages, benefits, training and supervision, communication, job growth, work/life balance, fairness and respect were all significantly related to job retention. Hierarchical regression results indicated that the training and supervision variable was the best predictor of job retention in the regression equation. ^ The size of the organization was also a significant predictor of job retention. Large organizations reported higher job retention rates than small organizations. There was no statistical difference between the types of organizations (profit-making and non-profit) and job retention. The standardized betas ranged from to .26 to .41 in the regression equation. Twenty percent of the variance in job retention was explained by the combination of demographic and job retention strategy predictors, supporting the theoretical, empirical, and practical relevance of understanding the association between employer job strategies and job retention outcomes. Implications for adult education and human resource development theory, research, and practice are highlighted as possible strategic leverage points for creating conditions that facilitate the development of job strategies as a means for improving former welfare workers’ job retention.^

An examination of psychological meaningfulness, safety, and availability as the underlying mechanisms linking job features and personal characteristics to work engagement

The present study tested a nomological net of work engagement that was derived from its extant research. Two of the main work engagement models that have been presented and empirically tested in the literature, the JD-R model and Kahn's model, were integrated to test the effects that job features and personal characteristics can have on work engagement through the psychological conditions of meaningfulness, safety, and availability. In this study, safety refers to psychological perceptions of safety and not workplace safety behaviors. The job features that were tested in this model included person-job fit, autonomy, co-worker relations, supervisor support, procedural justice, and interactional justice, while the personal characteristics consisted of self-consciousness, self-efficacy, extraversion, and neuroticism. Thirty-four hypotheses and a conceptual model were tested in order to establish the viability of this nomological net of work engagement in which it was expected that meaningfulness would mediate the relationships between job features and work engagement, safety would mediate the relationships that job features and personal characteristics have with work engagement, and availability (physical, emotional, and cognitive resources) would mediate the relationships that personal characteristics have with work engagement. Furthermore, analyses were run in order to determine the factor structure of work engagement, assess whether or not it exhibits differential validity from organizational commitment and job satisfaction, and confirm that it is positively related to the outcome variable of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). The final sample consisted of 500 workers from an online labor market who responded to a questionnaire composed of measures of all constructs included in this study. Findings show that work engagement is best represented as a three-factor construct, composed of vigor, dedication and absorption. Furthermore, support was found for the distinction of work engagement from the related constructs of organizational commitment and job satisfaction. With regard to the proposed model, meaningfulness proved to be the strongest predictor of work engagement. Results show that it partially mediates the relationships that all job features have with work engagement. Safety proved to be a partial mediator of the relationships that autonomy, co-worker relations, supervisor support, procedural justice, interactional justice, and self-efficacy have with work engagement, and fully mediate the relationship between neuroticism and work engagement. Findings also show that availability partially mediates the positive relationships that extraversion and self-efficacy have with work engagement, and fully mediates the negative relationship that neuroticism has with work engagement. Finally, a positive relationship was found between work engagement and OCB. Research and organizational implications are discussed.

Magnitude da morbidade relacionada ao trabalho no Rio Grande do Norte

Diseases and disorders related to work sets up an important public health problem in Brazil and worldwide. However, the reality of these diseases still constitutes a gap with regard to its characterization and epidemiological situation, especially in Brazil. In this context, this study aims to analyze the magnitude of morbidity related to work from the injuries and illnesses reported by Health the Diseases Notifiable of Health of the State Public River Health Department worker Reference Center Information System services Grande do Norte from 2007 to 2014. It is ecological study, quantitative cross-sectional study in which the analysis unit of the municipalities of Rio Grande do Norte. Data were collected from the state base of Diseases Notifiable Information System Centre of the Secretariat of State Workers' Health Reference Public Health of Rio Grande do Norte, between March and June 2015, after the approval of the Committee of Ethics in Research of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Opinion 014/2014. The population was represented by the universe of cases of diseases and disorders related to work that were reported and shut down the system from 2007 to 2014. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, presented in tables, graphs, charts and figures. For this, we used the Microsoft Excel 2007 and SPSS version 20.0. To check the significance level we opted for the application of the chi-square or Fisher tests. We adopted the significance level of p <0.05. Of the 10,161 cases of diseases related to the reported work, the biological work accidents had the highest percentage (52.84%) followed by serious occupational accidents (37.49%). For diseases, the highlights were musculoskeletal (4.82%), mental disorders (2.19%) and exogenous intoxication (1.97%). Among men, there was a predominance of major accidents (91.80%), mental disorders (70.00%) and exogenous poisoning (52.84%). Women were most affected by biological accidents (77.50%) and musculoskeletal diseases (64.10%). Among workers who have suffered injuries predominated mulatto (%), mean age of 35.86 years, low education (%) and workers in the formal sector (%). Among the accidents, biological (n = 5,369) accounted for 52.84% of cases occurred predominantly among nursing professionals (48.31%). The percutaneous exposure was the most frequent (73.05%) and the occurrence of circumstances was improper disposal of sharps (45.28%), the needle the most common agent (66.62%) and the organic material was blood (72.99%). Most injured workers were vaccinated against hepatitis B (68.13%), but no information as to the assessment of the vaccine response. In the course of the disease predominated ignored the situation with loss of monitoring of clinical follow-up (55.62%). There was also an increase in the notification of serious industrial accidents predominantly male (91.80%) workers aged 25-44 years (54.3%) and typical accidents (76.3%). The temporary disability was the most common outcome (55.53%) and hand the most affected part (33.00%); the mining and construction industry had the highest number of cases (25.1%) in registered employee (34.2%). The findings of this study show a positive result in relation to increased mandatory reporting of injuries and illnesses related to work together to health services that meet victimized workers, towards the occurrence of knowledge of these accidents for decision making in public plans and policies of health. However, the information system still needs improvement in both the coverage and the quality of the data to demonstrate with greater reliability the magnitude of events to support the planning of workers' health into shares in the state.

Provision of care services for rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases-related foot and ankle problems: a survey from sixteen european countries

Background: The increased prevalence of foot and ankle pathologies in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) is well documented1, however the provision of foot & ankle (F&A) healthcare services for people with RMDs in Europe has not been evaluated. Objectives: To assess the current healthcare systems for providing foot & ankle healthcare services for people with RMDs in Europe. Methods: A survey was undertaken to evaluate current provision of F&A health care services for people with RMDs across Europe. A questionnaire was distributed to all 22 country presidents representing HP associations within EULAR. The questionnaire used was developed and piloted (in 7 countries) by the EULAR F&A Study Group, and structured to capture the provision and type of F&A services for people with RMDs. When the HP presidents felt unable to answer specific questions they were encouraged to consult a colleague who may be better placed to provide the answers. Results: Sixteen questionnaires were completed (Norway, Ireland, Sweden, Hungary, Netherlands, UK, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, France, Czech Republic, Spain, Belgium, Malta). Of the 16, 13 respondents indicated provision of F&A health care services in their country, but only three countries had services specialising in RMD-related F&A problems (Netherlands, UK, Malta). The professions providing the care for patients with RMD-related F&A problems were different depending on the pathology and the country (Table1). Podiatrists provided care for F&A pain and deformity problems in 11 countries, but provided F&A ulcer care in only 8 countriesConclusions: Only 3 countries have F&A health care services specialised to the needs of people with RMDs. The professions providing the care varied between countries, and also depended on the F&A pathology. Interestingly, F&A healthcare services were provided by professions that do not solely specialised in F&A care. Further research is needed to assess the variation of F&A healthcare services between and within European countries and the impact on healthcare of various F&A healthcare service designs. References: Woodburn, J. & Helliwell, P. Foot problems in rheumatology. Rheumatology 36, 932-934 (1997).

Contextual factors related to chronic condition in portuguese adolescents: Highlights from the HBSC/WHO study

Adolescence’s changes may become more pronounced when living with a chronic condition (CC). This study aims to examined the differences in satisfaction with family life, perception of school competence and “pressure with homework” of Portuguese adolescents’ 1) living with CC; 2) how living with CC affects school participation; taking into account age, gender and family socioeconomic status (SES). Five thousand fifty Portuguese adolescents (mean age 14 ± 1.85) of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC/WHO) were included. Results showed increased vulnerability in adolescents living with CC, presenting a lower satisfaction with family life and poor school outcomes. Younger boys, having a higher SES and not having CC are significantly associated with satisfaction with family life. Older girls, having a lower SES and living with CC were associated with more stress related to school work. Future interventions should include these features combined with ‘listening’ to adolescents and their needs, allowing their participation in the promotion of personal health.

Community pharmacists’ understanding, attitudes, practice and perceived barriers related to providing pharmaceutical care: a questionnaire-based survey in Macao

Purpose: To explore the knowledge, attitudes, practice and perceived barriers of community pharmacists regarding provision of pharmaceutical care as well as provide recommendations on how to advance the service during the early stage of development in Macao. Methods: A questionnaire comprising 10 items was used to collect respondents’ demographic information and to evaluate their understanding of pharmaceutical care, attitude towards service provision, current practice and perceived barriers. Descriptive and comparative analysis of the results was conducted. Results: While 95 % of the participating pharmacists agreed that patients’ health was their primary responsibility, only 57 % believed that they can provide better pharmaceutical care in the future. The majority spent most of their work time counselling patients (90 %) and checking prescription (70 %). Only a small portion monitored adverse drug reaction and drug compliance (44 %), engaged in health screening or drug safety promotion (20 %) or maintained patient medication records (4 %). Insufficient communication with physicians (90 %), lack of time (79 %) and lack of physical space at the pharmacy (76 %) were considered the most significant barriers. Conclusion: A suboptimal level of pharmaceutical care is provided by pharmacists in Macao. Considering the barriers identified and integrating other country experiences, establishing an enabling atmosphere using policy and regulatory measures is the fundamental element for advancing pharmaceutical care by community pharmacists.

Determination of factors related to the abandonment of the practice of swimming by former costa rican swimmers

The objective of this study was to determine the importance of different dimensions as the possible causes for the abandonment of the practice of swimming by former Costa Rican swimmers.  Subjects: 51 former swimmers participated, including 17 men (22 ±3.4 years of age) and 34 women (22.5 ±3.4 years of age) from different Costa Rican swimming teams.  The Questionnaire of Reasons for Attrition in the Practice of Sports (Gould et al, 1982; cited by Salguero, Tuero, and Márquez, 2003) was used.  Results:  A positive relationship was noted between perceptions of low skill and low performance (r: 0.372), while negative relationships were noted between years of practice and low skill (r:-0.337), years of practice and influence from others (r:-0.286), and years of practice and starting age for swimming (r:-0.622).  A significant interaction was found in the dimensions gender of participants (F: 2.952; p<0.05) and starting age for swimming (F: 3.147; p<0.01).  An interaction was also found between dimensions and the desire to swim again (F: 2.485; p>0.05).  There were also significant differences in the years of practice; that is, subjects who started before the age of 10 had a higher average of years of practice than those who started later (F: 21.465; p<0.05).  Additionally, a significant interaction was found in weekly hours of swimming practice (F: 2.072; p<0.05).  There were no significant differences (F: 2.535; p>0.05) according to weekly hours of training when subjects were actively swimming. Conclusions: Possible reasons for dropping out were lack of enjoyment and poor physical condition for men and perception of lack of team spirit for women.  The group that started after the age of ten gives similar importance to all the dimensions as possible reasons for dropping out, while the group that began swimming before the age of ten sees lack of team spirit, lack of enjoyment, and poor physical condition as the key reasons for dropping out.  The most important dimensions that represented the reasons for abandonment in subjects who wanted to swim again were lack of team spirit, poor physical condition and low skill, while lack of enjoyment was the most important reason for subjects who do not want to swim again.  In the group of subjects who would swim less than six hours, lack of team spirit is the most important cause, while the dimension lack of enjoyment was the most important reason for subjects who would swim 6 to 12 hours.  Additionally, the highest dropout percentages were observed in the transition from secondary school to college.

Socio-emotional factors related to the academic difficulties of “star” children of the psychomotricity and intervention program

This study shows the main socio- affective factors related to school difficulties of a group of three girls and three boys identified as "star" in the Programa Psicomotricidad e Intervención (Psychomotor and Intervention Program). The study was developed through a mixed methodology, in which the Human Figure Test, the Kinetic Family Drawing and an interview with the mother of each student were applied. The most important results revealed the existence of family conflicting factors that affect the emotional state of children, generating negative feelings about themselves that affect their social interactions and their school performance.

An Examination of Psychological Meaningfulness, Safety, and Availability as the Underlying Mechanisms linking Job Features and Personal Characteristics to Work Engagement

The present study tested a nomological net of work engagement that was derived from its extant research. Two of the main work engagement models that have been presented and empirically tested in the literature, the JD-R model and Kahn’s model, were integrated to test the effects that job features and personal characteristics can have on work engagement through the psychological conditions of meaningfulness, safety, and availability. In this study, safety refers to psychological perceptions of safety and not workplace safety behaviors. The job features that were tested in this model included person-job fit, autonomy, co-worker relations, supervisor support, procedural justice, and interactional justice, while the personal characteristics consisted of self-consciousness, self-efficacy, extraversion, and neuroticism. Thirty-four hypotheses and a conceptual model were tested in order to establish the viability of this nomological net of work engagement in which it was expected that meaningfulness would mediate the relationships between job features and work engagement, safety would mediate the relationships that job features and personal characteristics have with work engagement, and availability (physical, emotional, and cognitive resources) would mediate the relationships that personal characteristics have with work engagement. Furthermore, analyses were run in order to determine the factor structure of work engagement, assess whether or not it exhibits differential validity from organizational commitment and job satisfaction, and confirm that it is positively related to the outcome variable of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). The final sample consisted of 500 workers from an online labor market who responded to a questionnaire composed of measures of all constructs included in this study. Findings show that work engagement is best represented as a three-factor construct, composed of vigor, dedication and absorption. Furthermore, support was found for the distinction of work engagement from the related constructs of organizational commitment and job satisfaction. With regard to the proposed model, meaningfulness proved to be the strongest predictor of work engagement. Results show that it partially mediates the relationships that all job features have with work engagement. Safety proved to be a partial mediator of the relationships that autonomy, co-worker relations, supervisor support, procedural justice, interactional justice, and self-efficacy have with work engagement, and fully mediate the relationship between neuroticism and work engagement. Findings also show that availability partially mediates the positive relationships that extraversion and self-efficacy have with work engagement, and fully mediates the negative relationship that neuroticism has with work engagement. Finally, a positive relationship was found between work engagement and OCB. Research and organizational implications are discussed.

Significant Attributes and Challenges Related to Cross-Functional Team Communications

Purpose The purpose of the research work is to investigate the importance of the communication in the cross-functional teams and in what which communicational tools provide better convenience of communication in cross-functional team members. Methodology An empirical study including the data collection from the interviews conducted from the participants working in cross-functional teams. Qualitative approach has been adopted to understand the communicational attributes in the cross-functional teams. For the analysis both deductive and abductive approach has been used. With the help of theoretical framework and empirical data, conclusions drown for better understanding of the concept. Findings The author has divided the search in two main segments, communicational effects on cross-functional team performance and effectiveness of particular communicational tools used by team members and team leaders. Empirical findings shows that without proper communication, cross-functional team are less tend to perform well to achieve set goals as well as face to face communications are more effective than other communicational tools.  Research limitations The research work is limited to Scandinavian countries. Organizational communicational structures are not studied due to time factor. Other limitation of this research work is effect of cultural differences on communication. Implications The research work provides deep understanding of the different communicational effects on cross-functional team performance. The choice of communicational tool and proportional importance for the team members will help managers while selecting the tools of communication with the team members. Originality / value During the literature studies, author determined that there is potential of research for the communicational tools used in cross-functional team communications. The social media is taking over the traditional communicational tools which provide value for findings. 

Lung Age Is Related To Carotid Structural Alterations In Hypertensive Subjects.

Hypertensive patients exhibit higher cardiovascular risk and reduced lung function compared with the general population. Whether this association stems from the coexistence of two highly prevalent diseases or from direct or indirect links of pathophysiological mechanisms is presently unclear. This study investigated the association between lung function and carotid features in non-smoking hypertensive subjects with supposed normal lung function. Hypertensive patients (n = 67) were cross-sectionally evaluated by clinical, hemodynamic, laboratory, and carotid ultrasound analysis. Forced vital capacity, forced expired volume in 1 second and in 6 seconds, and lung age were estimated by spirometry. Subjects with ventilatory abnormalities according to current guidelines were excluded. Regression analysis adjusted for age and prior smoking history showed that lung age and the percentage of predicted spirometric parameters associated with common carotid intima-media thickness, diameter, and stiffness. Further analyses, adjusted for additional potential confounders, revealed that lung age was the spirometric parameter exhibiting the most significant regression coefficients with carotid features. Conversely, plasma C-reactive protein and matrix-metalloproteinases-2/9 levels did not influence this relationship. The present findings point toward lung age as a potential marker of vascular remodeling and indicate that lung and vascular remodeling might share common pathophysiological mechanisms in hypertensive subjects.

Diet Carotenoid Lutein Modulates The Expression Of Genes Related To Oxygen Transporters And Decreases Dna Damage And Oxidative Stress In Mice.

Lutein (LT) is a carotenoid obtained by diet and despite its antioxidant activity had been biochemically reported, few studies are available concerning its influence on the expression of antioxidant genes. The expression of 84 genes implicated in antioxidant defense was quantified using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction array. DNA damage was measured by comet assay and glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were quantified as biochemical parameters of oxidative stress in mouse kidney and liver. cDDP treatment reduced concentration of GSH and increased TBARS, parameters that were ameliorated in treatment associated with LT. cDDP altered the expression of 32 genes, increasing the expression of GPx2, APC, Nqo1 and CCs. LT changed the expression of 37 genes with an induction of 13 mainly oxygen transporters. In treatments associating cDDP and LT, 30 genes had their expression changed with a increase of the same genes of the cDDP treatment alone. These results suggest that LT might act scavenging reactive species and also inducing the expression of genes related to a better antioxidant response, highlighting the improvement of oxygen transport. This improved redox state of the cell through LT treatment could be related to the antigenotoxic and antioxidant effects observed.

Laparoscopic Antireflux Surgery In Patients With Extra Esophageal Symptoms Related To Asthma.

Asthma, laryngitis and chronic cough are atypical symptoms of the gastroesophageal reflux disease. To analyze the efficacy of laparoscopic surgery in the remission of extra-esophageal symptoms in patients with gastroesophageal reflux, related to asthma. Were reviewed the medical records of 400 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease submitted to laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication from 1994 to 2006, and identified 30 patients with extra-esophageal symptoms related to asthma. The variables considered were: gender, age, gastroesophageal symptoms (heartburn, acid reflux and dysphagia), time of reflux disease, treatment with proton pump inhibitor, use of specific medications, treatment and evolution, number of attacks and degree of esophagitis. Data were subjected to statistical analysis, comparing the pre- and post-surgical findings. The comparative analysis before surgery (T1) and six months after surgery (T2) showed a significant reduction on heartburn and reflux symptoms. Apart from that, there was a significant difference between the patients with daily crises of asthma (T1 versus T2, 45.83% to 16.67%, p=0.0002) and continuous crises (T1, 41.67% versus T2, 8.33%, p=0.0002). Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication was effective in improving symptoms that are typical of reflux disease and clinical manifestations of asthma.

[the Perception Of Behavior Related To Mindfulness And The Brazilian Version Of The Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory].

Mindfulness is a practice and a form of consciousness which has been the basis for innovative interventions in care and health promotion. This study presents mindfulness, describes and discusses the process of cultural adaptation of The Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) to Brazilian Portuguese. From the original version of this pioneering instrument for assessing mindfulness two translations and two back-translations were made. These were evaluated by a committee of 14 experts (Buddhists, linguists, health professionals), who helped to create two versions for the first pre-test, based on which suggestions were made by a sample of 41 people of the population through interviews. Considering the difficulties in understanding the concepts that are unfamiliar to the Brazilian culture, a new version was prepared with additional explanations, which underwent a further evaluation of the experts and a second pre-test with 72 people. This process aimed at addressing the limitations and challenges of evaluating mindfulness in a country of western culture through a self-report instrument based on Buddhist psychology. With appropriate levels of clarity and equivalence with the original instrument, the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory adapted for Brazil is presented.