Investigating the predictors of workplace embitterment using a longitudinal design.

BACKGROUND: Embitterment has been described as the emotion generated by an event experienced as unjust. Although clinicians working in occupational health services readily recognize features of embitterment in organizations, little attention has been given to workplace embitterment. Research is warranted to identify predictors and features of employees' embitterment. AIMS: To explore the predictors and the chronicity of workplace embitterment over 6 months. METHODS: A longitudinal study investigating the chronicity of workplace embitterment and its antecedents among employees from various occupations. Data were collected by online questionnaires including measures of workplace embitterment, organizational justice and employees' perceptions of supervisory control. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 352 employees at Time 1, and 169 at Time 2. The final sample (assessed at two time points) was 147 employees. The feeling of workplace embitterment appeared to be very stable during the 6-month period. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that perceptions of distributive injustice, informational injustice and employees' perceptions on supervisory over-control in Time 1 significantly predicted embitterment in Time 2. Only the relationship between employees' perceptions of supervisory control and embitterment remained significant after controlling for baseline levels of embitterment. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the negative impact perceived organizational injustice can have on employees' experience of workplace embitterment. Results indicate that employees who perceive their supervisor as being over-controlling are more likely to suffer from workplace embitterment. The finding that workplace embitterment is stable during a 6-month period highlights the need for effective interventions in ameliorating and preventing workplace embitterment.

Effect of translocation defective reverse transcriptase inhibitors on the activity of N348I, a connection subdomain drug resistant HIV-1 reverse transcriptase mutant.

4'-ethynyl-2-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine (EFdA) is a highly potent inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT). We have previously shown that its exceptional antiviral activity stems from a unique mechanism of action that is based primarily on blocking translocation of RT; therefore we named EFdA a Translocation Defective RT Inhibitor (TDRTI). The N348I mutation at the connection subdomain (CS) of HIV-1 RT confers clinically significant resistance to both nucleoside (NRTIs) and non-nucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs). In this study we tested EFdA-triphosphate (TP) together with a related compound, ENdA-TP (4'-ethynyl-2-amino-2'-deoxdyadenosine triphosphate) against HIV-1 RTs that carry clinically relevant drug resistance mutations: N348I, D67N/K70R/L210Q/T215F, D67N/K70R/L210Q/T215F/N348I, and A62V/V5I/F77L/F116Y/Q151M. We demonstrate that these enzymes remain susceptible to TDRTIs. Similar to WT RT, the N348I RT is inhibited by EFdA mainly at the point of incorporation through decreased translocation. In addition, the N348I substitution decreases the RNase H cleavage of DNA terminated with EFdA-MP (T/P(EFdA-MP)). Moreover, N348I RT unblocks EFdA-terminated primers with similar efficiency as the WT enzyme, and further enhances EFdA unblocking in the background of AZT-resistance mutations. This study provides biochemical insights into the mechanism of inhibition of N348I RT by TDRTIs and highlights the excellent efficacy of this class of inhibitors against WT and drug-resistant HIV-1 RTs.

The sugar ring conformation of 4'-ethynyl-2-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine and its recognition by the polymerase active site of HIV reverse transcriptase.

4' Ethynyl-2-fluoro-2'-deoxyadenosine (EFdA) is the most potent inhibitor of HIV reverse transcriptase (RT). We have recently named EFdA a Translocation Defective RT Inhibitor (TDRTI) because after its incorporation in the nucleic acid it blocks DNA polymerization, primarily by preventing translocation of RT on the template/primer that has EFdA at the 3'-primer end (T/PEFdA). The sugar ring conformation of EFdA may also influence RT inhibition by a) affecting the binding of EFdA triphosphate (EFdATP) at the RT active site and/or b) by preventing proper positioning of the 3'-OH of EFdA in T/PEFdA that is required for efficient DNA synthesis. Specifically, the North (C2'-exo/C3'-endo), but not the South (C2'-endo/C3'-exo) nucleotide sugar ring conformation is required for efficient binding at the primer-binding and polymerase active sites of RT. In this study we use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experiments to determine the sugar ring conformation of EFdA. We find that unlike adenosine nucleosides unsubstituted at the 4'-position, the sugar ring of EFdA is primarily in the North conformation. This difference in sugar ring puckering likely contributes to the more efficient incorporation of EFdATP by RT than dATP. In addition, it suggests that the 3'-OH of EFdA in T/PEFdA is not likely to prevent incorporation of additional nucleotides and thus it does not contribute to the mechanism of RT inhibition. This study provides the first insights into how structural attributes of EFdA affect its antiviral potency through interactions with its RT target.

Oral contraceptives and reproductive system cancer.

Extensive research during the last 20 years has shown that oral contraceptives are safe. Several recent epidemiological studies have confirmed that combined oral contraceptives (COCs) provide substantial protection against endometrial and ovarian cancer, and this protection is long-lasting and may persist for 15 or more years after termination of OC use. In many studies COCs have been associated with an increased risk of cervical abnormalities and cervical cancer, but there might be alternative explanations for these epidemiological associations (COC users can start having sexual intercourse at an earlier age, they have more sexual partners, and they rarely use barrier methods of contraception), so OCs act as a promoter for HPV-induced carcinogenesis. Finally, women who are currently using COCs or have used them in the past 10 years are at a slightly increased risk of having breast cancer during the next 10 years, although the additional cancers diagnosed tend to be localized to the breast and they are less advanced clinically than the cancers diagnosed in those who have never used COCs.

Mucinous tumors of the appendix presenting as primary tumors of the ovary. Report of two cases.

Primary tumors of the appendix are rare and most of them are unrecognized preoperatively, presenting as appendicits, pelvic masses or with no typical abdominal pain. Two cases of mucinous tumors of the appendix presenting as primary ovarian tumors are described. It is important for the gynecologist-oncologist to include mucinous tumors of the appendix into the differential diagnosis of any case of mucinous ovarian tumor and peritoneal pseudomyxoma, especially when these tumors are associated with extraovarian disease.

The role of the mode of delivery in the alteration of intrapartum pathological cervical cytologic findings during the postpartum period.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine whether abnormal antepartum cervical cytologic findings change in the postpartum period and the relation of this alteration to the mode of delivery. STUDY DESIGN: Between 1991 and 2000, 192 pregnant women with antepartum abnormal cervical cytology were identified; complete demographic, clinical and cytologic reports were available for 90 of them. Papanicolaou smear tests were collected and separated in three groups using the Bethesda classification system (ASCUS, L-SIL and H-SIL). RESULTS: Of the 90 women, 52 (61.1%) were delivered vaginally and 38 (38.9%) by cesarean section. No difference was found between women delivered vaginally and those delivered by cesarean section, regardin age, parity and smoking history. The overall postpartum regression rate for the 20 women with antepartum H-SIL cells was 45%. Of the 12 women with H-SIL cells who were delivered vaginally, eight (66.6%) showed regression in the postpartum period while this regression was achieved only in one (12.5%) woman, who was delivered by cesarean section (p < 0.002). CONCLUSION: Postpartum spontaneous regression of suspicious Papanicolaou smears consistent with H-SIL occurs with increased frequency among women who are delivered vaginally compared to those delivered by cesarean section.

Primary fallopian tube cancer--a ten year review. Clinicopathological study of 12 cases.

Primary fallopian tube cancer is the rarest of all gynecologic cancers, presenting as benign pelvic disease or more often as ovarian cancer and almost all cases are diagnosed at operation or autopsy. Primary adenocarcinoma is the most common histological type of primary tube cancer which has traditionally been managed and treated in the same manner as epithelial ovarian cancer. However, unlike ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer is not routinely suspected and treatment may be delayed and also seems to have a worst prognosis than ovarian cancer. We present a retrospective study involving 12 patients with primary fallopian tube cancer treated in our department. The clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment are reviewed.

[von Recklinghausen's disease and pregnancy]. / Bolest na von Recklinghausen i bremennost.

Neurofibrosis or the Von Recklinghausen disease constitutes a genetically transmitted disease that appears in many parts of the body as well as many symptoms. It is inherited from the autosomatic dominant type (gene NFI on chromosome 17) and is characterized by brownish blemishes of the skin (cafe au lait), multiple neurofibromas (small dermal or subcutaneous lumps), symptoms of the peripheral and central nervous systems as well as disorders of the eyes, skeletal system, gastric system and vascular system (aneurysms of the aorta, carotid and renal arteries). We describe the case study of a 25 year old female, second pregnancy with known history of the above mentioned disease. She delivered on the 39th week of pregnancy (male neonate weighing 3000 gr.), with no problems. On the 22nd week of her pregnancy she presented with a large distension of the anterior surface of the neck in the area of the thyroid that gradually increased in size. Differential Diagnosis includes nodular goiter and neurofibroma. One month postpartum the morphoma was surgically. Neurofibrosis during pregnancy can cause many complications such as IUGR, hypertensive disease, spontaneous abortions, oligohydraminios and neurofibroma development. This case study is being discussed in international bibliography.

[Adamantiades-Behcet's syndrome and pregnancy: a case report]. / Sindrom na Adamantiadi-Bekhchet i bremennost predstaviane na edin sluchai.

Is introducing a case study on a 20 year old female first time pregnant who presents with rare case of Adamantiadis-Bechet syndrome. These symptoms first appeared at the age of 9. The patient refers that from this age she has suffered from recurrent relapses of ulcerations of the mouth and genital organs, vescicular exanthema of the upper and lower extremities and severe headaches that would not subside with analgetic therapy. The patient upon the first trimester presented with a relapse of the disease and significant improvement during the remainder of the pregnancy. She delivered on the 39th week of her pregnancy a neonate male, alive and weighing 3640 gr. The Apgar--score 9 and 10 the 1st and 5th minute. Mother and neonate were discharged from the clinic on the 3rd postpartum day in good health. This case is also being discussed in international bibliography. Adamantiadis-Behcet syndrome constitutes systemic angiitis of unknown etiology that is characterized mainly by recurrent ulcers of the mouth and genital organs, serum negative arthritis, central nervous system disorders as well as ulcerations of the epidermis, nodular erythema, thrombophlebitis and vision disorders. It usually affects people in early adulthood, more often those in their 30s. Geographically it is seen more often in Japan, Korea, Turkey, Israel and other Mediterranean countries. Familial prevalence is also common.