Work stress and negative affectivity: a multi-method study.

BACKGROUND: In the literature negative affectivity (NA) is considered both a confounding variable as well as a predictive variable for work-related stress. However, a common limitation in this line of research relates to the use of self-report measures for determining NA, perceived stressors and psychophysical strain. AIMS: To test, using a multi-method study, a theoretical model that correlates NA, perceived interpersonal conflict (with co-workers and supervisors), psychophysical strain and medically certified sickness absences. METHODS: A multi-method prospective study was carried out on a sample of metalworkers. NA and interpersonal conflict were determined using self-report (Time 1), whereas psychophysical strain was determined by an occupational physician (Time 2). Data on medically certified sickness absences were collected from the company's database (Time 3). RESULTS: There were 326 participants. The results showed an association between NA and conflict with co-workers, as well as between NA and conflict with supervisors. Psychophysical strain could be predicted from NA and conflict with co-workers but not from conflict with supervisors. NA had a significant indirect effect on psychophysical strain through conflict with co-workers. Lastly, psychophysical strain predicted sickness absences from work. CONCLUSIONS: NA influenced psychophysical strain in the worker, both directly and indirectly, through perceived conflict with co-workers.

[A new scale for measuring the psycho-physical effects of work-related stress in a perspective of methods integration]. / Una nuova scala di misura degli effetti psico-fisici dello stress lavoro-correlato in una prospettiva d'integrazione di metodi.

BACKGROUND: This study fits into a perspective of integrated work-related stress assessment, in response to the need to limit the common method variance and the role played by individual variables in subjective measures. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to check the metric properties of a new scale of mental and physical strain developed for the evaluation of stress symptoms by the physician and to detect the antecedents of psycho-physical symptoms, in terms of both individual and work characteristics, through an integrated approach. METHOD: The study was conducted on 409 workers involved in health surveillance activities, to whom the new scale and a subjective assessment tool were administered. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale is a reliable tool for hetero-evaluation of psycho-physical symptoms attributable to stress at work. Moreover, specific individual characteristics, such as the presence of prior health disorders and the female gender, and organizational features, such as the pathological work/life conflict and the workload, were found to be risk factors in relation to psychological and physical strain. Age, consumption of alcoholic beverages between meals, relationships with colleagues, and the characteristics of the workplace were instead found to be important protective factors. DISCUSSION: The adoption of an integrated approach made it possible to improve and study in depth the ways of work-related stress assessment, highlighting the pivotal role of the occupational health physician making the evaluation.

Influence of aperiodic modulations on first-order transitions: numerical study of the two-dimensional Potts model.

We study the Potts model on a rectangular lattice with aperiodic modulations in its interactions along one direction. Numerical results are obtained using the Wolff algorithm and for many lattice sizes, allowing for a finite-size scaling analyses to be carried out. Three different self-dual aperiodic sequences are employed, which leads to more precise results, since the exact critical temperature is known. We analyze two models, with 6 and 15 number of states: both present first-order transitions on their uniform versions. We show that the Harris-Luck criterion, originally introduced in the study of continuous transitions, is obeyed also for first-order ones. Also, we show that the new universality class that emerges for relevant aperiodic modulations depends on the number of states of the Potts model, as obtained elsewhere for random disorder, and on the aperiodic sequence. We determine the occurrence of log-periodic behavior, as expected for models with aperiodic modulated interactions.

Endoluminal repair of a Dardik prosthesis pseudoaneurysm using the wallgraft endoprosthesis.

A 58-year-old man with a history of severe invalidating claudicatio intermittens underwent femoropopliteal bypass with a human umbilical vein graft. Seven years later he presented with a painful enlarging mass in the middle portion of his right thigh. The duplex scan showed a pseudoaneurysm of the body of the prosthesis, which was confirmed by angiography. As an alternative to surgical management, Wallgraft endoprosthesis was used for endoluminal exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm. To our knowledge, this technique has never been used before in such a case.

Anterior segment surgery with use of a new type of sodium hyaluronate preparation IAL.

Over a period of 1 year, a new sodium hyaluronate preparation (IAL) has been studied in eye surgery. The study included 18 cases of extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation and 19 cases of penetrating keratoplasty. The trial has shown that this substance presents all the advantages described for use of viscoelastic substances in ocular surgery. The use of this sodium hyaluronate preparation appeared to decrease the risk of the postsurgical ocular hypertension described for analogous substances with different physicochemical characteristics.