Relationship between socio-descriptive characteristics, burnout syndrome, and quality of life of employees.

Introduction: Burnout syndrome develops as a consequence of chronic stress among employees. The study objective was to examine what socio-descriptive characteristics of employees might be associated with the appearance of the occupational burnout and to evaluate the relationship between job burnout and the quality of life among security employees of the professional private security sector in Central Serbia. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was performed. A multivariate logistic regression analysis and ANOVA post choc test was applied. Results: A total of 353 respondents (330 male and 23 female) participated in the study. Female sex and older age were associated with a higher risk of total burnout and the development of emotional exhaustion while male sex, higher education, and managerial position were associated with higher personal achievement and lower risk of total burnout. Male sex, marital union, two or more children, and direct contact with clients were significantly associated with a lower quality of life of employees. A significant negative correlation was found between total burnout and the Physical Health Composite Score (PHC) score with a correlation coefficient (rs) of -0.265 (95%CI from -0.361 to -0.163); between total burnout and the and Mental Health Composite Score (MHC) score with a rs of -0.391 (95%CI from -0.480 to -0.301); and between total burnout and TQL score with a rs of -0.351 (95%CI from -0.445 to -0.258). Conclusion: Female sex and older age were associated with a higher risk of total burnout and the development of EE while a managerial position and higher education were protective factors in relation to the development of burnout. Male sex, marital union, two or more children, and direct contact with clients were significantly associated with a lower quality of life of the employees. Shift work significantly reduced the total quality of life, while managerial positions increased the quality of life.

Knowledge about HPV Infection and the HPV Vaccine among Parents in Southeastern Serbia.

Background and Objectives: The vaccine against human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is recommended, according to the Serbian National Immunization Program, for children and adolescents aged 9−19 years. Three doses are given keeping in mind the recommendation that the second dose should be administered at least one month after the first dose, and the third at least three months after the second dose. No children who participated in this first study received the third dose because they did not meet these criteria. The study explored parents' knowledge about HPV infection and their awareness of the HPV vaccine. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was carried out in the city of Nis, in southeastern Serbia. According to the 2011 population census, the sample of children aged 9 to 19 was 850, and during the observed period, 631 children received the vaccine. A total of 615 fully completed questionnaires filled out by parents were included in the study. The study was carried out from 6 June 2022 to 7 October 2022. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The statistical significance was p < 0.05. Results: A total of 615 children were included in the study (499 were vaccinated with the first dose and 116 with the second). Out of 499 children vaccinated with the first dose, 398 (79.6%) were girls, which is significantly higher than the rate for boys (101). The independent variable sex was statistically significant at the level of p = 0.84, OR = 2.664 (95% CI from 0.879 to 7.954). Boys are 164% less likely to be vaccinated with the HPV vaccine than girls. We determined that the independent variable place of residence was significant at the level of p = 0.041, (OR = 3.809, 95% CI from 1.702 to 8.525). Based on these findings, we determined that parents who came from rural areas were 82% less likely to know about HPV infection and HPV vaccination. Children under 15 years of age were significantly more vaccinated than those ≥15 years (OR = 3.698, 95% CI from 1.354 to 12.598). The independent variable parental education was significant at the level of OR = 0.494, 95% CI from 0.301 to 0.791. Parents who had medical education showed significantly higher awareness about the infection caused by HPV and about the HPV vaccine (p = 0.004) than parents with no medical education. The possibility that a parent would decide to vaccinate a child significantly increased upon a pediatrician's recommendation, p = 0.000 with OR = 0.250 (95% CI from 0.127 to 0.707). Health insurance coverage of HPV vaccination for children aged 9−19 years significantly increased the probability of a positive parental decision to vaccinate a child, p = 0.001 with OR = 3.034 (95% CI from 1.063 to 8.662). Conclusion: We identified several significant factors that were important for HPV vaccination such as: children under 15 years, female sex, urban place of residence, medical education of parents, pediatrician's recommendation of the HPV vaccination, and HPV vaccination free of charge. Health education and the promotion of HPV vaccination as well as healthy sexual behavior are important factors in the preservation and improvement of the health of the whole population.

Calcium fructoborate: plant-based dietary boron for human nutrition.

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the scientific evidence on the form of organic boron, calcium fructoborate (CF), including health dates, dietary needs, pharmacology, experts opinion, research papers, clinical evidence, and dosing. CF is a natural product with effects in oxidative metabolism and cell apoptosis. We review the biological and biochemical action of chemical natural-identical entity of CF. This mini review provides support for future clinical research.

Up-regulatory impact of boron on vitamin D function -- does it reflect inhibition of 24-hydroxylase?

Nutritional intakes of boron have been shown to lessen the adverse consequences of vitamin D deficiency in rodents. Pilot clinical studies suggest that this effect may be mediated, in whole or in part, by an increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. We propose that, in concentrations achievable with good diets, boron suppresses the activity of the microsomal enzyme 24-hydroxylase, chiefly responsible for catabolism of this steroid. This inhibition may reflect a direct interaction with the enzyme, or perhaps boron's ability to form a covalent complex with the product of its activity, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. An up-regulatory impact of boron on 25-hydroxyvitamin D is potentially beneficial in light of the fact that the vitamin D status of many individuals is poor during winter months, and traditional supplemental doses of this vitamin are often too low to correct this problem. There is growing evidence that good vitamin D status -- as reflected by 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels -- may reduce risk for a host of prominent disorders; thus, boron may have the ability to potentiate this protection. Clinical studies also suggest that nutritional boron can up-regulate 17beta-estradiol levels in women, including postmenopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy. The catabolism of this hormone is achieved by microsomal enzymes catalyzing vicinal hydroxylations -- a description that also applies to 24-hydroxylase. This suggests the more general hypothesis that nutritional boron can inhibit a range of microsomal enzymes which insert hydroxyl groups vicinal to existing hydroxyls in steroids -- including the enzymes which catabolize estradiol and 25-hydroxyvitamin D.

Synthesis, X-ray crystal structures and biological activity of 16-amino-17-substituted-D-homo steroid derivatives.

D-Homo derivatives in the androstane and estrane series, 12-19, were synthesized by a fragmentation-cyclization reaction of 16-oximino-17-hydroxy-17-substituted derivatives 3-9, or by cyclization of the corresponding D-seco derivatives 20-26. The structures were confirmed by X-ray analysis of compounds 12 and 16. Preliminary assessment of inhibitory effects of D-homo derivatives from androstane series towards aromatase, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD), 17 alpha-hydroxylase/C17-20 lyase (P450c17) and 17 beta-HSD indicated much lower inhibitory potential compared to previously tested activity of another type of D-modified steroids, namely D-seco derivatives. Also, assessment of potential antiestrogenic activity of derivatives from estrane series showed absence of such an activity.

Stereospecific synthesis of (+)-oxybiotin from D-xylose.

A new 14-step synthesis of (+)-oxybiotin, an oxygen analogue of (+)-biotin, was achieved starting from D-xylose by use of selected 2,5-anhydro sugar derivatives as key intermediates.