[Job burnout and some of its risk factors on the health workers (Behvarz) in Koohrang County, I.R.Iran, in 2010]

Emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment are three dimensions of job burnout. Symptoms occur when employees' abilities and skills are not match with job demands. In a health care organization, staffs are exposed to physical, mental and emotional stresses and predisposed to job burnout. In this survey we studied Job burnout and some of its risk factors among Koohrang county Rural Health Workers [RHW or Behvarz] in 2010. This descriptive-analytical study designed to assess job burnout dimensions in RHW of Koohrang county in 2010. Total koohrang county RHW [n=81] entered to the study. Two types of questionnaires were used for data collection: 1] Demographic data questionnaire include of age, sex, marriage status, level of education, type of employment and working years. 2] Maslach Burnout Inventory [MBI] as a common valid questionnaire for assessment of job burnout. The reliability and internal validity of MBI questionnaire had been proved in previous studies. Data were analyzed by SPSS using ANOVA, spearman correlation and simple t tests. In different dimensions of job burnout, frequency of high lack of accomplishment, high emotional exhaustion and high depersonalization were 24.5%, 4.6% and 2.7% respectively but severity of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were 6.7% and 1.3%. None of them reported severe lack of personal accomplishment. The relation between demographic factors and job burnout was not statistically significant [P>0.05]. There were significant correlation between emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and between personal accomplishment and emotional exhaustion [P<0.001]. The study shows that frequency and severity of job burnout in different dimensions are low. It could be explained by their appropriate socioeconomic status, short distance to workplace as one of its advantages, job security, low level of life expectations accompanying with nice climate

influence of exposure to light and dark environment on platelet concentrates during storage

There is increased demand for stored platelet concentrates [PCs] for therapeutic transfusions. Despite all efforts to simulate the physiological environment Loss of the platelet functionality due to platelet activation occurs during preparation and storage of PCs "platelet storage lesion" [PSL]. Intensive investigations are currently undertaken to improve the storage of PCs however, the quality of the stored platelets is still questionable. Was to compare the influence of light and dark environment on the physiological function of routinely prepared random-donor PCs. And to teste the changes in platelet indices [platelet count [PLT count], and mean platelet volume [MPV]J, pH, lactic acid dehydrogenase [LDH] levels, the release of alpha-granule content through cell surface expression of specific activation-dependent antigens GPIIIa [CD 61], P- selectin [CD62] and, platelet membrane glycoprotein GP Ib [CD42 alpha] and GP IIb-IlIa [PAC1] in the PCs. Platelet concentrates were prepared using 450 ml of whole blood collected from 20 adult random volunteer male donors divide into two bags. The first one was left in continuous light exposure [light group]. The other one was raped in aluminum foil to avoid exposure to light [Dark Group]. Both bags were placed at room temperature for 5 days Platelet indices [PLT, MPV], pH, lactic acid dehydrogenase levels in addition to the expression of activation antigens CD61 and CD62 along with modulation of platelet membrane glycoproteins [GP] Ib [CD42 alpha] and IIb-IIIa [PAC1] in the PCs were measured on day 1 and day 5 of the storage period for both groups. The differences [delta] in these parameters for both groups were compared. The platelet indices [delta PLT count, and delta MPV "which reflects change in the platelet morphology"], delta pH, delta LDH, in addition to the activation markers [delta CD42alpha, CD61, CD62, and delta PAC1] were significantly lower in the dark Group compared with the Light group The most significant changes were in the level of the released LDH [P= .000] and the production of CD62 [[P= .00]. The PLT count significantly decreased in both groups after 5 days of storage. However, the platelets MPV significantly decreased in the light group only, which may be due loss of the large sized platelet during storage. There was statistically significant increase in LDH production in the light group [P= .000] "which is used as a marker for PLT lysis", in addition their pH also significantly decreased. In the dark Group, although there was a significant increase in the production of LDH, but it was statistically less significant than in the light group [P= .0] so that it may be buffered by the plasma and did not reflect on the changes in the pH in this group. There was a statistically significant influence of pH changes "as an independent variable" in the PCs on the changes in MPV "as a dependent variable" in both groups. However, there was no such influence regarding the PLT count. In the light group, the platelet activation markers CD61, CD62, and PAC1 were significantly increased in the PCs at day 5 compared to day 1. In addition, CD42alpha, was significantly decreased. While in the dark Group, there were no significant changes in those parameters, except for PAC1 which was significantly decreased although difference was less than that in the light group. In this study, platelets stored in light environment seemed to be more active with more platelet storage lesion [PSL], than platelets stored in dark environment. Platelet activation was associated with an increase in the, pH, LDH production and release of alpha-granule content and modulation of platelet surface glycoproteins. All these parameters may affect the post infusion quality of the stored platelets