Improved perception of work following a stress management intervention.

BACKGROUND: In the work and stress literature, surprisingly few studies of stress management interventions have evaluated effects on the perceived psychosocial work environment. Using data from a randomized controlled trial we investigated whether the perceived psychosocial work environment and overcommitment to work improved following a group-based, cognitive-behavioural stress management intervention. AIMS: We hypothesized that the participants would experience less job demand, overcommitment and effort-reward imbalance (ERI) as well as higher job control following the intervention. METHODS: Using a wait-list controlled design, 102 participants were randomized to either an intervention group or a wait-list control group. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and follow-up after three, six and nine months, and analysed using mixed model univariate repeated measures analyses of variance. Results are presented as effect sizes using Cohen's d with confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: Changes from 0 to 3 months for the intervention group were significantly superior to changes for the wait-list control group on all outcomes. The controlled effect size for job demands was d = 0.42 (0.01-0.84 95% CI), for job control d = 0.39 (0.06-0.71 95% CI), for effort-reward imbalance d = 0.61 (0.22-1.01 95% CI) and for overcommitment d = 0.44 (0.06-0.81 95% CI). Improvements were maintained at three months follow-up after the end of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The intervention improved the perceived psychosocial work environment and attitude to work with small-medium effect sizes. To our knowledge, this is the first paper from a randomized controlled trial of a stress-management intervention reporting on these important outcomes.

Fluorescence-quenched solid phase combinatorial libraries in the characterization of cysteine protease substrate specificity.

To map the substrate specificity of cysteine proteases, two combinatorial peptide libraries were synthesized and screened using the archetypal protease, papain. The use of PEGA resin as the solid support for library synthesis facilitated the application of an on-resin fluorescence-quenched assay. Results from the screening of library 2 indicated a preference for Pro or Val in the S3 subsite and hydrophobic residues in S2; the most prevalent residue not being Phe but Val. The S1 subsite exhibited a dual specificity for both small, nonpolar residues, Ala or Gly, as well as larger, Gln, and charged residues, Arg. Small residues predominated in the S1'-S4' subsites. Active peptides from the libraries and variations thereof were resynthesized and their kinetics of hydrolysis by papain assessed in solution phase assays. Generally, there was a good correlation between the extent of substrate cleavage on solid phase and the kcat/KM's obtained in solution phase assays. Several good substrates for papain were obtained, the best substrates being Y(NO2)PMPPLCTSMK(Abz) (kcat/KM = 2109 (mM s)-1), Y(NO2)PYAVQSPQK(Abz) (kcat/KM = 1524 (mM s)-1), and Y(NO2)PVLRQQRSK(Abz) (kcat/KM = 1450 (mM s)-1). These results were interpreted in structural terms by the use of molecular dynamics (MD). These MD calculations indicated two different modes for the binding of substrates in the narrow enzyme cleft.

Comparison of the MB/BacT system with a revised antibiotic supplement kit to the BACTEC 460 system for detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens.

The MB/BacT system (MB/BacT) with a revised antibiotic supplement kit was compared with the BACTEC 460 system (BACTEC 460) in a test of 488 specimens submitted for mycobacterial culture from 302 patients. Twenty-four Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were detected by the BACTEC 460 versus 23 isolates by the MB/BacT. Mean time until detection of M. tuberculosis isolates identified by both systems was 11.9 days for the BACTEC 460 versus 13.7 days for the MB/BacT (P = 0.046). M. avium complex was detected in 12 specimens by the MB/BacT versus 10 specimens by the BACTEC 460. Only 8 of 14 (57%) M. avium isolates were detected by both systems, with a mean time until detection of 10.1 days for the BACTEC 460 and 14.2 days for the MB/BacT (P = 0.009). The BACTEC 460 and the MB/BacT detected M. gordonae in four specimens, but only a single specimen was positive by both systems. One M. fortuitum isolate and one of five M. kansasii isolates were recovered only by the BACTEC 460. The bacterial overgrowth rate was 7.0% for the MB/BacT versus 4.1% for the BACTEC 460. We found the MB/BacT to be comparable to the BACTEC 460 for mycobacterial detection. Even though time until detection with the MB/BacT was slightly longer (1.8 days longer for M. tuberculosis and 4.1 days for M. avium [mean values]) and the bacterial overgrowth rate was somewhat higher, the decreased labor, the availability of a computerized data management system, and the noninvasive, nonradiometric aspects of the MB/BacT offset these relative disadvantages and make it an acceptable alternative for use in the diagnostic laboratory.

A study of baker's yeast reduction of piperidone-carboxylates.

The stereoselective baker's yeast reduction of various N-protected piperidone-carboxylic acids have been studied, and the enantioselectivity was found to be widely dependent on whether fermenting or non-fermenting conditions were employed. Thus reaction of N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-4-oxopiperidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (6) with fermenting baker's yeast gave almost racemic N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-4-hydroxypiperidine-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (7), however, with complete diastereoselectivity. Reduction of 6 with non-fermenting yeast gave 7 with a 24-41% enantiomeric excess. Similarly, reduction of N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-3-oxopiperidine-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (17) with fermenting baker's yeast gave racemic N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-3-hydroxypiperidine-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester [(+/-)-18] diastereoselectively. A convenient method for determining the enantiomeric excess of the hydroxypiperidine carboxylic acids derivatives was found in the reaction with Sanger's reagent followed by HPLC on a chiral column.

A preliminary study of the impact of terminal illness on spouses: social support and coping strategies.

This study examined whether social support and particular coping strategies were associated with self-reported depression, anxiety, anger, and physical symptoms in spouses of terminally ill patients recently admitted to a hospice program. Forty-four spouses were assessed within two weeks of the patients' admission. Results showed that specific types of social support (namely, socialization, guidance, and cognitive information) and the coping strategy of wishful thinking were associated with self-reported level of anxiety. In addition, cognitive information and the coping strategies of wishful thinking and express emotions were associated with self-reported level of anger. Directionality and possible explanations for these findings are discussed.

BacT/Alert: an automated colorimetric microbial detection system.

BacT/Alert (Organon Teknika Corp., Durham, N.C.) is an automated microbial detection system based on the colorimetric detection of CO2 produced by growing microorganisms. Results of an evaluation of the media, sensor, detection system, and detection algorithm indicate that the system reliably grows and detects a wide variety of bacteria and fungi. Results of a limited pilot clinical trial with a prototype research instrument indicate that the system is comparable to the radiometric BACTEC 460 system in its ability to grow and detect microorganisms in blood. On the basis of these initial findings, large-scale clinical trials comparing BacT/Alert with other commercial microbial detection systems appear warranted.