Burnout and occupational stress among Hungarian radiographers working in emergency and non-emergency departments during COVID-19 pandemic☆

Introduction The increased workload caused by the coronavirus pandemic may have had a significant impact on the mental health of radiographers. The aim of our study was to investigate burnout and occupational stress in radiographers working in emergency departments (ED) and non-emergency departments (NED) Methods Quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive research was carried out among radiographers working in the public health sector in Hungary. Due to the cross-sectional nature of our survey, there was no overlap between the ED and NED groups. For data collection, we used simultaneously the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire (ERI), and our self-designed questionnaire Results We excluded incomplete questionnaires from our survey;finally, 439 responses were evaluated. Significantly higher scores for depersonalisation (DP;8.43 (SD=6.69) vs. 5.63 (SD=4.21) and emotional exhaustion (EE;25.07 (SD=11.41) vs. 19.72 (SD=11.72)) were observed in radiographers working in ED (p=0.001;p=0.001) when compared to NED. Male radiographers working in ED aged 20-29 and 30-39 years with experience of 1-9 years were more affected by DP (p≤0.05). Worrying about one's own health had a negative effect on DP and EE (p≤0.05). Having close friend with a COVID-19 infection had a negative effect on EE (p≤0.05);not being infected with coronavirus, not being quarantined and relocating within the workplace had a positive effect on personal accomplishment (PA);radiographers who were 50 years or older with 20-29 years of experience were more affected by depersonalisation (DP);and those who worried about their health had significantly higher stress scores (p≤0.05) in both ED and NED settings Conclusion Male radiographers at the beginning of their careers were more affected by burnout. Employment in EDs had a negative impact on DP and EE Implications for practice Our results support the implementation of interventions to counter the effects of occupational stress and burnout among radiographers working in ED

Burnout among oncologists, nurses, and radiographers working in oncology patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction Oncology care professionals are exposed to high levels of stress that can lead to burnout. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of burnout among nurses, oncologists and radiographers working in oncology patient care during the COVID -19 pandemic. Methods Our electronic questionnaire was sent to e-mail contacts registered in the system of the Hungarian Society of Oncologists and to all oncology staff via an internal information system in each cancer center. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which measures depersonalization (DP), emotional exhaustion (EE), and personal accomplishment (PA). Demographic and work-related characteristics were collected in our self-designed questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, two-sample t-tests, analyzes of variance, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed. Results A total of 205 oncology care workers' responses were analyzed. Oncologists (n=75) were found to be significantly more committed to DP and EE (p=0.001;p=0.001). Working more than 50 hours per week and being on-call had a negative effect on the EE dimension (p=0.001;p=0.003). Coming up with the idea of working abroad had a negative effect on all three dimensions of burnout (p≤0.05). Respondents who did not leave their job due to their current life situation had significantly higher DE, EE, and lower PA (p≤0.05). Intention to leave current profession was specific in (n=24/78;30.8%) of nurses (p=0.012). Conclusion Our results suggest that male gender, being an oncologist, working more than 50 hours per week and taking on call duties have a negative impact on individual burnout. Future measures to prevent burnout should be integrated into the professionals' work environment, regardless of the impact of the current pandemic. Implications for practice Prevention and oncopsychological training should be developed gradually at the organisational or personal level to avoid early burnout of professionals.

Burnout and occupational stress among Hungarian radiographers working in emergency and non-emergency departments during COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The increased workload caused by the coronavirus pandemic may have had a significant impact on the mental health of radiographers. The aim of our study was to investigate burnout and occupational stress in radiographers working in emergency departments (ED) and non-emergency departments (NED). METHODS: Quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive research was carried out among radiographers working in the public health sector in Hungary. Due to the cross-sectional nature of our survey, there was no overlap between the ED and NED groups. For data collection, we used simultaneously the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire (ERI), and our self-designed questionnaire. RESULTS: We excluded incomplete questionnaires from our survey; finally, 439 responses were evaluated. Significantly higher scores for depersonalisation (DP; 8.43 (SD = 6.69) vs. 5.63 (SD = 4.21) and emotional exhaustion (EE; 25.07 (SD = 11.41) vs. 19.72 (SD = 11.72)) were observed in radiographers working in ED (p = 0.001; p = 0.001) when compared to NED. Male radiographers working in ED aged 20-29 and 30-39 years with experience of 1-9 years were more affected by DP (p ≤ 0.05). Worrying about one's own health had a negative effect on DP and EE (p ≤ 0.05). Having close friend with a COVID-19 infection had a negative effect on EE (p ≤ 0.05); not being infected with coronavirus, not being quarantined and relocating within the workplace had a positive effect on personal accomplishment (PA); radiographers who were 50 years or older with 20-29 years of experience were more affected by depersonalisation (DP); and those who worried about their health had significantly higher stress scores (p ≤ 0.05) in both ED and NED settings. CONCLUSION: Male radiographers at the beginning of their careers were more affected by burnout. Employment in EDs had a negative impact on DP and EE. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Our results support the implementation of interventions to counter the effects of occupational stress and burnout among radiographers working in ED.

SARS-CoV-2 infects human cardiomyocytes promoted by inflammation and oxidative stress.

INTRODUCTION: The respiratory illness triggered by severe acute respiratory syndrome virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is often particularly serious or fatal amongst patients with pre-existing heart conditions. Although the mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2-related cardiac damage remain elusive, inflammation (i.e. 'cytokine storm') and oxidative stress are likely involved. METHODS AND RESULTS: Here we sought to determine: 1) if cardiomyocytes are targeted by SARS-CoV-2 and 2) how inflammation and oxidative stress promote the viral entry into cardiac cells. We analysed pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress and its impact on virus entry and virus-associated cardiac damage from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and compared it to left ventricular myocardial tissues obtained from non-infected transplanted hearts either from end stage heart failure or non-failing hearts (donor group). We found that neuropilin-1 potentiates SARS-CoV-2 entry into human cardiomyocytes, a phenomenon driven by inflammatory and oxidant signals. These changes accounted for increased proteases activity and apoptotic markers thus leading to cell damage and apoptosis. CONCLUSION: This study provides new insights into the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 entry into the heart and defines promising targets for antiviral interventions for COVID-19 patients with pre-existing heart conditions or patients with co-morbidities.

A reziliens és innovatív űripar magyar fejlesztési lehetőségei

A vizsgált téma aktualitását indokolja, hogy az űripar ma az egyik leginnovatívabb, gyorsan fejlődő, válságokra kevésbé érzékeny, világméretekben rendkívül dinamikusan növekvő iparág. Rezilienciáját1 mutatja a 2020 tavaszától indult világméretű pandémiás járvány időszakában elért fejlődése. Világszerte munkahelyeket őrzött meg és újakat hozott létre, valamint technológiai-innovációs teljesítménye is töretlennek bizonyult. A cikk megalapozását szolgáló, módszerében felmérésekre, statisztikai és más adatbázisokra támaszkodó kutatás azt a célt szolgálta, hogy felvázolja a hazai űrszektor és űripar kontúrjait, és a magyarországi űrszektor számára fejlődési utat nyitó állami szerepvállalás lehetséges irányát, összetevőit. A tanulmány megállapította, hogy a magyar űripar - jóllehet, ma még szerény a hozzájárulása a társadalmi teljesítményhez - kis létszámú, de arányában máris jelentős, magasan képzett munkaerőt foglalkoztat, élenjáró technológiákat honosít meg. Magas innovációs teljesítményével, technikai-tudományos transzfereivel, jelenlegi kapacitásaival is hatással van a versenyképesség erősítésére. Megfelelő támogatással, átgondolt befektetésekkel az űripar hozzáadott értéke, növekedési és nemzetközi potenciálja, valamint a nemzetközi űripari értékláncokban való részvétele a jelenleginél jóval nagyobb arányban használható ki.Alternate :This study was motivated by the fact that space industry has become one of the most innovative, rapidly developing, least crisis-sensitive industries, which grows dynamically worldwide. Its resilience to shocks is quite apparent. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in spring 2020, the sector preserved many jobs and created new ones, while its innovative and technological advances remained uninterrupted. This study – based on surveys, statistical and other databases – aims to take stock of the current state of the Hungarian space sector and industry, and to set out possible directions for state involvement to enhance further progress. Our research confirmed that the Hungarian space industry, although its direct contribution to social performance is moderate today, employs a significant number of highly skilled workers and introduces cuttingedge technologies. Furthermore, through its innovations and technological and scientific transfers, its contribution to the competitiveness of the Hungarian economy is significant, even at the current level of its capacities. With adequate support and wise investments, the added value, the growth and international potential and the global space industry value chain involvement the space industry can be exploited to a much greater extent than at present.

Hungarian Development Opportunities of the Resilient and Innovative Space Industry

This study was motivated by the fact that space industry has become one of the most innovative, rapidly developing, least crisis-sensitive industries, which grows dynamically worldwide. Its resilience to shocks is quite apparent. Since the outbreak of the pandemic1 in spring 2020, the sector preserved many jobs and created new ones, while its innovative and technological advances remained uninterrupted. This study – based on surveys, statistical and other databases – aims to take stock of the current state of the Hungarian space sector and industry, and to set out possible directions for state involvement to enhance further progress. Our research confirmed that the Hungarian space industry, although its direct contribution to social performance is moderate today, employs a significant number of highly skilled workers and introduces cuttingedge technologies. Furthermore, through its innovations and technological and scientific transfers, its contribution to the competitiveness of the Hungarian economy is significant, even at the current level of its capacities. With adequate support and wise investments, the added value, the growth and international potential and the global space industry value chain involvement the space industry can be exploited to a much greater extent than at present.

Changes in the SARS-CoV-2 cellular receptor ACE2 levels in cardiovascular patients: a potential biomarker for the stratification of COVID-19 patients.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is essential for SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry. Here we studied the effects of common comorbidities in severe COVID-19 on ACE2 expression. ACE2 levels (by enzyme activity and ELISA measurements) were determined in human serum, heart and lung samples from patients with hypertension (n = 540), heart transplantation (289) and thoracic surgery (n = 49). Healthy individuals (n = 46) represented the controls. Serum ACE2 activity was increased in hypertensive subjects (132%) and substantially elevated in end-stage heart failure patients (689%) and showed a strong negative correlation with the left ventricular ejection fraction. Serum ACE2 activity was higher in male (147%), overweight (122%), obese (126%) and elderly (115%) hypertensive patients. Primary lung cancer resulted in higher circulating ACE2 activity, without affecting ACE2 levels in the surrounding lung tissue. Male sex resulted in elevated serum ACE2 activities in patients with heart transplantation or thoracic surgery (146% and 150%, respectively). Left ventricular (tissular) ACE2 activity was unaffected by sex and was lower in overweight (67%), obese (62%) and older (73%) patients with end-stage heart failure. There was no correlation between serum and tissular (left ventricular or lung) ACE2 activities. Neither serum nor tissue (left ventricle or lung) ACE2 levels were affected by RAS inhibitory medications. Abandoning of ACEi treatment (non-compliance) resulted in elevated blood pressure without effects on circulating ACE2 activities. ACE2 levels associate with the severity of cardiovascular diseases, suggestive for a role of ACE2 in the pathomechanisms of cardiovascular diseases and providing a potential explanation for the higher mortality of COVID-19 among cardiovascular patients. Abandoning RAS inhibitory medication worsens the cardiovascular status without affecting circulating or tissue ACE2 levels.