Discriminating low-, medium- and high-burnout nurses: Role of organisational and patient-related factors.

AIM: To discriminate low/medium/high burnout in nurses by work and patient-related indicators and explore what factors characterize these categories best. METHODS: Cross-sectional, online survey with a representative sample of nurses. Measures assessed burnout, intragroup conflict, job insecurity, overt aggression and impact of patient aggression on nurses. RESULTS: Top nurse managers experienced more burnout than middle managers or staff, middle managers also reported greater burnout than staff. Those who had never suffered aggression experienced greater burnout but less intragroup conflict and job insecurity. Staff differed on job insecurity from top and midlevel managers. The first discriminant function differentiated high burnout from medium and low; this function was characterized by exhaustion, aggression and intragroup conflict. The second function differentiated medium burnout from others; job insecurity, years worked, over aggression and overtime dominated this function. CONCLUSIONS: Burnout affects managers and staff differently; top managers may be more susceptible to burnout than reported before. Low, medium and high burnout groups require tailored interventions because of their different characteristics. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: In the future, burnout assessment should focus on both organisational and care related factors. Determining levels of burnout will guide managers to improve the right aspects of practice and work environment.

Host metabolite producing endophytic fungi isolated from Hypericum perforatum.

In the present study, endophytic fungi have been isolated from various parts of the medicinal herb Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort), which is known as a source of medically important metabolites. The isolated strains were cultured in liquid media and their ability to synthesize hypericin, the secondary metabolite of the host and its suspected precursor, emodin was tested analyzing the extracts of the fermentation broth and the mycelia. The HPLC-UV analysis of the chloroform/methanol extracts of the mycelia revealed that three isolates were able to produce emodin (SZMC 23771, 19.9 ng/mg; SZMC 23772, 20.8 ng/mg; SZMC 23769, 427.9 ng/mg) and one of them also could synthesize hypericin (SZMC 23769, 320.4 ng/mg). These results were also confirmed via UHPLC-HRMS technique both in full scan and MS/MS mode. The strains producing only emodin belong to the section Alternata of the genus Alternaria, while the isolate producing both metabolites was identified as Epicoccum nigrum. The mycelial extracts of E. nigrum and the Alternaria sp. SZMC 23772 showed higher inhibitory activities in the antimicrobial tests against the six selected bacteria compared to the hypericin and emodin standards in the applied concentration (100 µg/mL), while in case of the Alternaria sp. SZMC 23771 lower inhibition activities were observed on Staphylococcus aureus and Streptomyces albus than the pure compounds.

Phytochemical and pharmacological investigation of Spiraea chamaedryfolia: a contribution to the chemotaxonomy of Spiraea genus.

OBJECTIVE: Diterpene alkaloids are secondary plant metabolites and chemotaxonomical markers with a strong biological activity. These compounds are characteristic for the Ranunculaceae family, while their occurrence in other taxa is rare. Several species of the Spiraea genus (Rosaceae) are examples of this rarity. Screening Spiraea species for alkaloid content is a chemotaxonomical approach to clarify the classification and phylogeny of the genus. Novel pharmacological findings make further investigations of Spiraea diterpene alkaloids promising. RESULTS: Seven Spiraea species were screened for diterpene alkaloids. Phytochemical and pharmacological investigations were performed on Spiraea chamaedryfolia, the species found to contain diterpene alkaloids. Its alkaloid-rich fractions were found to exert a remarkable xanthine-oxidase inhibitory activity and a moderate antibacterial activity. The alkaloid distribution within the root was clarified by microscopic techniques.

[Violence against health care providers and its correlations with sociodemographic and workplace-related factors]. / Az egészségügyi szakdolgozókat ért agresszív cselekmények kapcsolata szociodemográfiai és munkahelyi tényezokkel.

INTRODUCTION: Violence against health care providers is getting more awareness nowadays. This topic is in the focus of international scientific attention also, although in Hungary exact data is lacking. AIM: The present study aimed to assess the correlations between violent acts against health care workers and their effects with different sociodemographic and workplace-related factors. METHOD: A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was conducted enrolling 1201 health care providers. Data were analysed trough chi-square, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, where appropriate. RESULTS: Verbal and physical aggression was experienced more frequently by nurses who were males, above the age of fifty, working in in-patient care or in 12 hours shifts or constant night shifts. The same groups of health care providers suffered more from the negative emotional consequences of violent acts. CONCLUSIONS: Aggression is a serious problem in the Hungarian health care system, therefore employees have to be prepared for these acts. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(6), 229-237.

[Violent acts against health care providers]. / Egészségügyi dolgozók ellen elkövetett agresszív cselekmények.

Violence against health care providers is getting more awareness nowadays. These are usually deliberate actions committed by patients or family members of them resulting in short and long term physical or psychological debilitating harm in the staff members. The causes of the violent acts are usually rooted in patient-related factors, although some characteristics of the professionals and of the workplace may also play some role. The present article presents different definitions of violence and possible reasons for violence against health care providers based on relevant international and national literature. The paper discusses the different forms and frequency of violence, furthermore, details about the effects, consequences and some options for prevention in health care settings are also included. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(28), 1105-1109.

[Health behaviour of doctors]. / Orvosok egészség-magatartása.

INTRODUCTION: Health behaviour involves maintaining, improving and restoration of health. AIM: The aim of the author was to assess correlations of health behaviour with age, gender, job type and overtime. METHOD: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire (N = 186). Data were analyzed with chi-square, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS: Doctors working in in-patient care drink more coffee (p = 0.034) and energy drinks (p = 0.018); they eat undisturbed only on weekends at home (p = 0.032). Men consume more alcohol (p = 0.003), red meats (p<0.001) and hot meals (p = 0.018) and their daily fluid consumption exceeds 2 litres (p = 0.005); their body mass index values are higher compared to women (p<0.001; U = 2289.0). Doctors in primary care eat more hot meals (p = 0.005), and those under the age of 30 consume more crisps, fast food (p = 0.001) and energy drinks (p = 0.005), while they are more active (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Dietary habits of doctors are not ideal and their physical activity is diminished compared to international trends. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(30), 1198-1206.

[Burnout among doctors and its correlations with health, life satisfaction and sleep]. / Orvosok kiégettségének összefüggése az egészséggel, életérzéssel, alváskörülményekkel.

INTRODUCTION: Burnout is common among health care providers and doctors. AIM: The correlations between burnout and health, psychosomatic symptoms, life satisfaction and sleep were investigated. METHOD: An online quantitative cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 186 doctors. Burnout was assessed by the means of the 21-item questionnaire of Pines and Aronson (1981). Data were analysed with chi-square probe, Mann-Whitney test, correlational analysis and linear regression. RESULTS: Level of burnout correlated negatively with age (p = 0.040; r = -0.151), years spent in the health care system (p = 0.027; r = -0.162) and positive well-being (p<0.001, r = -0.670), while there was a negative correlation with negative well-being (p<0.001; r = 0.585) and life satisfaction (p<0.001; r = -0.532). Doctors with burnout reported worse health (p<0.001), more frequent psychosomatic symptoms (p<0.001), tumours (p = 0.007), allergies (p = 0.030), psychiatric disorders (p = 0.025) and sleep disturbances. CONCLUSIONS: One-third of the doctors were affected by burnout in the present study. Higher age and having more children served as a protective factor.

Effective selenium detoxification in the seed proteins of a hyperaccumulator plant: the analysis of selenium-containing proteins of monkeypot nut (Lecythis minor) seeds.

A shotgun proteomic approach was applied to characterize the selenium (Se)-containing proteins of the selenium hyperaccumulator monkeypot nut (Lecythis minor) seeds. The exceptionally high Se content (>4,000 mg kg(-1)) of the sample enabled a straightforward procedure without the need for multiple preconcentration and fractionation steps. The proteins identified were sulfur-rich seed proteins, namely, 11S globulin (Q84ND2), 2S albumin (B6EU54), 2S sulfur-rich seed storage proteins (P04403 and P0C8Y8) and a 11S globulin-like protein (A0EM48). Database directed search for theoretically selenium-containing peptides was assisted by manual spectra evaluation to achieve around 25% coverage on sulfur analogues. Remarkable detoxification mechanisms on the proteome level were revealed in the form of multiple selenomethionine-methionine substitution and the lack of selenocysteine residues. The degree of selenomethionine substitution could be characterized by an exponential function that implies the inhibition of protein elongation by selenomethionine. Our results contribute to the deeper understanding of selenium detoxification procedures in hyperaccumulator plants.

The relationship of selenium tolerance and speciation in Lecythidaceae species.

Comparative study of selenium (Se) speciation in hyperaccumulator plants offers an interesting challenge from the analytical point of view. In our study the application of a sophisticated sample clean-up procedure and the combination of elemental and molecular mass spectrometric methods led to the identification of several new selenocompounds. The difference between the Se speciation of the primary accumulator Lecythis minor and the secondary accumulator Bertholletia excelsa confirmed the current opinion that the speciation pattern in hyperaccumulator plants is principally related to the mechanism of accumulation and not to taxonomy. The most abundant new selenocompounds were found to be the derivatives of selenohomocysteine (SeHCy) and selenomethionine (SeMet), including fatty acid metabolism related compounds. A series of SeHCy derived species containing multiple Se atoms (>2) was also detected and their structures were validated by the synthesis of their S-Se analogues.

Synthesis and application of a Sec2-containing oligopeptide for method evaluation purposes in selenium speciation.

Sec(2)-containing oligopeptide was synthesized directly from Sec(2) with the traditional liquid phase peptide synthesis without addressing the usually applied and complex solid phase (SPPS) protocol driving through a protected Sec residue and site-oriented oxidation into a diselenide bridge. Effective solubilization of Sec(2) in dimethylformamide and its pH-controlled access to pentachlorophenol-activated peptides to couple with were of crucial importance to achieve good yield (>50%) of synthesis, monitored by HPLC-UV, SEC-ICP-MS and HPLC-ESI-MS techniques. To demonstrate the possible application of the new compound, (Boc-GGFG)-Sec(2)-(Boc-GGFG) (m/z 1173.3, [M+H](+)), it was utilized to compare the effect of the two most addressed sample preparation techniques, i.e., methanesulphonic acid (MSA) based digestion and proteolytic digestion with protease XIV, on the Sec residue. The study revealed that the use of MSA resulted in the decomposition of Sec even after derivatization with iodoacetamide.

Effect of sample preparation methods on the D,L-enantiomer ratio of extracted selenomethionine.

Effects of the two most widespread sample preparation techniques on the D,L-enantiomer ratio of extracted selenomethionine were monitored through the analysis of the certified reference material selenium-enriched yeast and the isolated protein fraction of high selenium monkeypot nut. The extracted selenomethionine (SeMet) fractions were orthogonally cleaned up with anion exchange chromatography before carrying out the enantiomer-specific detection to increase the robustness and the efficiency of the subsequent o-phthal-aldehyde and n-isobutyril-cysteine-based derivatisation process and reversed phase-high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) detection. The two techniques, namely methanesulphonic acid (MSA) based digestion and proteolytic digestion with protease XIV, resulted in significantly different ratio of D,L-selenomethionine with the final results of 2.2-2.7% and 0.5-0.6% of D-SeMet, respectively. The study revealed significant differences in the ICP-MS-related sensitivity of the derivatised selenomethionine enantiomers, which calls attention to the quantification of this selenoamino acid after MSA hydrolysis.