Intolerance of Uncertainty and Fear of COVID-19 Moderating Role in Relationship Between Job Insecurity and Work-Related Distress in the Republic of Serbia.

The COVID-19 outbreak in Serbia was followed by strict restrictions that negatively affected the economy, particularly small size companies. The complete lockdown and the prohibition of certain services have led to an unstable employment situation. Only several studies investigated the job insecurity and its consequences during COVID-19 pandemic, and some of them highlight the fear of COVID-19 as a significant moderator of mental health. Other studies emphasize the huge effect that intolerance of uncertainty could have in explaining distress, especially during pandemic. In addition, intolerance of uncertainty was considered as a possible moderator of the relationship between the objective and subjective job threat, as well their consequences for mental health. This study aimed to examine the presence of job insecurity and work related distress in Serbia during the first wave of COVID-19. We wanted to measure the effect of the job insecurity on experienced work distress, as well the moderation potential of the intolerance of uncertainty as an individual-level and the fear of coronavirus as a situation-dependent variable. Five hundred and twenty five employed participants took part in an online study during the first wave of coronavirus infection in Serbia. To measure job insecurity, we used Perception of job insecurity scale (PJIS), while distress was assessed with Distress scale from 4DSQ. Fear of COVID-19 was measured on three items. The intolerance of uncertainty was measured by the IUS-11 scale. The results showed that 30.4% of the participants consider their employment as moderately or highly insecure, and 15.1% thought they can lose their jobs. 63.4% of participants expressed increased levels of distress. The moderation analysis revealed that the effect of job insecurity on distress can be moderated by interaction of intolerance of uncertainty and COVID-related fear. In general, distress scores were increasing with increasing job insecurity, intolerance of uncertainty and fear of COVID-19. This pattern is not observed only when fear and intolerance of uncertainty were both low, when job instability could not influence distress. This study also showed that emotional appraisal of the job threat had higher impact on distress than the perceived threat, that shed the light on the importance of considering general resilience capabilities as a protective factor in the work environment in the time of crisis.

The role of basic psychological needs in the perception of job insecurity.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether satisfied basic psychological needs reduce the perception of threat generated by job insecurity, defined as self-assessment of the availability of the working role to its performers in the foreseeable future. The study included 310 participants employed in 24 companies, who completed the Perception of Job Insecurity Scale and Need Satisfaction Scale. The hypotheses were tested with multiple regression analyses. The results point to the importance of two basic needs - Autonomy and Competence - as factors that reduce the level of perceived job insecurity. This study broadens the understanding of personality resources as factors that moderate the perception of job insecurity and confirms the self-determination theory in the organisational context. Satisfying the needs for autonomy and competence can serve as a basis for interventions aimed at strengthening resilience to stress in employees.

Predictive value of biochemical, echocardiographic and electrocardiographic markers in non-surviving and surviving asphyxiated full-term newborns.

Severe perinatal asphyxia can cause multiple organ dysfunction and early neonatal mortality. This prospective study was conducted at the Regional University Hospital Neonatology Center in Serbia. The aim of this study was to compare fullterm asphyxiated newborn infants (n=55) with (n=13) and without (n=42) mortality outcome and healthy full-term newborns (n=36) regarding biochemical (cardiac troponin I, creatine kinase (total and MB fraction) and C-reactive protein), echocardiographic (ejection fraction, fractional shortening, mitral regurgitation, significant tricuspid regurgitation, and patent ductus arteriosus) and electrocardiographic (ST segment elevation/depression, T wave inversion and corrected QT interval) markers of myocardial damage in order to assess their predictive value in the clinical outcome. Statistically significant differences in the majority of the tested markers of ischemic myocardial lesion were found between perinatal asphyxia survivors and the control group. However, among the biochemical indicators, only the level of cardiac troponin I was significantly higher in the group of neonates who died compared to the group of asphyxiated neonates who survived (p: 0.000), with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.821 and cutoff value for lethal outcome of 0.135 µg/L (sensitivity 0.85; specificity 0.69). In addition, differences in ejection fraction, fractional shortening and significant tricuspid regurgitation (≥2+) were also found between the two subgroups of asphyxiated newborns. Cardiac troponin I is the most sensitive ischemic myocardial lesion biochemical marker in the prediction of early mortality in perinatal asphyxia patients.

The role of biochemical markers as early indicators of cardiac damage and prognostic parameters of perinatal asphyxia.

BACKGROUND/AIM: In recent years, the focus of interest of the scientific community is the application of heart markers as early indicators and prognostic parameters of perinatal asphyxia (PA). The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance of clinical application of heart markers in term newborns with perinatal asphyxia. METHODS: During a 3-year period we analyzed 91 full-term newborns (55 with and 36 without perinatal asphyxia). In all the subjects within the first 24-48 h after birth, we simultaneously determined serum concentrations of cardiac troponin I, brain natriuretic peptide, MB fraction of creatine kinase (CK-MB) and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: In the group of full-term neonates with PA significantly higher levels of cardiac tropon-inI (p = 0.000), CK-MB fraction (p = 0.000), brain natriuretic peptide (p = 0.003) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.017) were found, compared to the group of healthy full-term newborns. In merged group (n = 91) cardiac troponin I level correlated with the fifth minute Apgar score (r = -0.637, p = 0.000) and the serum lactate concentration in the first 12h after birth (r = 0.529, p = 0.000). Early increase in cardiac troponin I > 0.135 microg/L predicted the risk of death with the sensitivity of 84.6% and specificity of 85.9%, while the increase in CK-MB fraction, brain natriuretic peptide and C-reactive protein did not have a predictive value with respect to a mortality outcome. CONCLUSION: Among the tested cardiac markers, cardiac troponin I is the most sensitive and the only reliable early predictor of mortality in full-term neonates with perinatal asphyxia.

The importance of timely ophthalmologic examination in preterm infants at risk of retinopathy occurrence.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial disease in premature infants. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of ROP in children treated at the Center of Neonatology, Pediatric Clinic, Clinical Center in Kragujevac, Serbia. METHODS: The study covered all children with birth weight below 2,000 g and/or gestational age below the 37th week, who from June 2006 to December 2009 underwent ophthalmological examination for ROP. The results of fundoscopy were classified in accordance with the International Classification of ROP. The treatment of infants and those with ROP was conducted in accordance with the early treatment of ROP study recommendations. We analyzed gestational age, birth weight and postconceptional age in two groups: healthy infants and those with severe form of ROP. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 16. RESULTS: A total of 478 children met the criteria of screening for ROP. Severe stage of ROP, which required laser treatment, had 102 (21.3%) children. Out of the infants with severe ROP 14 (13.7%) of the infants with APD had aggressive posterior disease, while two (0.4%) remained blind. The differences in the mean values of gestational age between the healthy and the children with severe form of the disease were statistically significant (p < 0.0005). The mean value of gestational age for the healthy children was 33.33 +/- 2.28 weeks and for the seek infants 30.66 +/- 2.79 weeks. The mean value of the weight in healthy children was 1.981 +/- 407 g, and in sick children 1.535 +/- 434 g which was statistically significant (p < 0.0005). Multivariate binary logistic regression showed that the occurrence of the disease depends on body weight and gestational age. CONCLUSION: The incidence of severe forms of ROP was 21.3%. Aggressive form of ROP was present in 13.7% of the children. The cut-off value for body weight was 1.740 g, and for gestational age 32.5 weeks.

Analysis of risk factors in the development of retinopathy of prematurity.

INTRODUCTION: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial disease that occurs most frequently in very small and very sick preterm infants, and it has been identified as the major cause of childhood blindness. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate ROP incidence and risk factors associated with varying degrees of illness. METHODS: The study was conducted at the Centre for Neonatology, Paediatric Clinic of the Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Serbia, in the period from June 2006 to December 2008. Ophthalmologic screening was performed in all children with body weight lower than 2000 g or gestational age lower than 36 weeks. We analyzed eighteen postnatal and six perinatal risk factors and the group correlations for each of the risk factors. RESULTS: Out of 317 children that were screened, 56 (17.7%) developed a mild form of ROP, while 68 (21.5%) developed a severe form. Univariate analysis revealed a large number of statistically significant risk factors for the development of ROP, especially the severe form. Multivariate logistical analysis further separated two independent risk factors: small birth weight (p = 0.001) and damage of central nervous system (p = 0.01). Independent risk factors for transition from mild to severe forms of ROP were identified as: small birth weight (p = 0.05) and perinatal risk factors (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Small birth weight and central nervous system damage were risk factors for the development of ROP, perinatal risk factors were identified as significant for transition from mild to severe form of ROP.

[Cardiac troponin as biochemical marker of perinatal asphyxia and hypoxic myocardial injury].

BACKGROUND/AIM: Myocardial cell lesion in newborns may be clinically occult. In recent years there has been shown growing interest in the use of cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) in relation to perinatal asphyxia and hypoxic myocardial lesion. The aim of this study was to determine a relationship between high cTnI levels and outcome in critically ill newborns with perinatal asphyxia. METHODS: In this study 78 patients were divided into three groups. The group I included 39 newborns (15 term and 24 preterm) with perinatal asphyxia, with no deaths, only full or partial (with some neurological sequels) recovery. The group II included 10 newborns (6 preterm and 4 term), with perinatal asphyxia who died, with critical cardio-respiratory problems and multiorgan dysfunction. The group III included 29 healthy term newborns. A level of cTnI in all three groups was measured within 24-48 hours after delivery. RESULTS: A statistically significant higher value of cTnI (0.082 microg/l +/- 0.166) was found in group I than in the group III (healthy newborns). In the group I, 21/39 newborns required respiratory and 16/39 required pressure support. In the group II, the largest average value of cTnI of 0.425 +/- 0.307 was found. All of the newborns in the group II required respiratory and pressure support. In the group III the lowest average value of cTnI (0.0186 microg/L +/- 0.0286) was found. CONCLUSIONS: High cTnI levels could be used as markers of perinatal asphyxia and even as predictors of future outcomes and/or mortality.

[Inulin--potential prebiotic].

INTRODUCTION: Prebiotic factor, such as inulin, is able to stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria selectively at the expense of more putrefactive bacteria. Chemical structure--Inulin has been defined as carbohydrate material consisting of a (2-1) fructosyl-fructose links. Physical and chemical properties--Chicory inulin is available as white, odourless powders. The taste is neutral or slightly sweet. Caloric value--The value of 1.5 kcal/g is generally used. Improvement of lipid metabolism--The consumption of fructans reduces serum triglycerides and sometimes also cholesterol in healthy volunteers who were hyperlipidemic. Modulation of gut microflora--Inulin induces effects on gut function, such as a reduction of intestinal pH, relief of constipation, increased stool weight and frequency. Intestinal acceptability--Osmotic effect leads to an increased presence of water in the colon. The second effect is caused by the fermentation products. Suitability for diabetics--Inulin has been shown to reduce postprandial glycemia and insulinemia. Reduction of cancer risk--The production of toxic metabolites may be reduced by increasing the proportion of healthier colonic micro flora, which competes with pathogenic bacteria to reduce the levels of toxin and carcinogenic-producing enzymes. INCREASE IN MINERAL ABSORPTION: The increase in calcium absorption did not negatively alter the absorption of other minerals. Food applications--Inulin improves organoleptic quality and a better-balanced nutritional composition. Perspectives--Fundamental mechanisms governing the nutritional benefits of inulin need to be further investigated. CONCLUSION: Inulin represents a key ingredient that offers new opportunities to food industry, which is constantly seeking well balanced, yet better tasting.

[The effect of natural probiotic inulin to the quantitative microbiological indicators of bifidogenic effect: in vitro research].

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this paper was to examine and to compare microbiological parameters of bifidogenesis as important indicators of bifidogenic effect in infant formulas, with and without inulin supplement as a prebiotic; we also evaluated the rationale for inulin supplementation in order to improve biofidogenesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Feces of healthy, breast-fed infants were used to examine and to isolate the accumulated culture of Bifidobacterium spp. Human milk and infant formulas (with or without inulin supplement) were used to examine the effect of substrate to bifidogenic effect. Pure chicory inulin was used as a natural prebiotic for the supplementation of infant formulas in concentration of 0.4 g and 0.8 g to 100/ml of substrate. In vitro effects of bifidogenesis were observed in all substrates by determining microbiological parameters at the beginning (index 0) and at the end of the experiments, after 48 hours (index 48). We observed and compared two microbiological parameters of bifidogenesis: the total number of bifidobacteria and dry biomass. Phase-contrast microscopy was used to identify Bifidobacterium spp. in accumulated mixed culture. The process of bifidogenesis was controlled by light transmission microscopy in light filed. Total number of Bifidobacterium spp. was determined by the method of serial dilution. Dry biomass was gravimetrically measured. Bifidogenic effect was calculated for each substrate. Dry biomass from the human milk substrate was used as a reference value. RESULTS: The obtained mean value of bifidogenic effect of standard milk formula was lower for 29% compared to mean value of bifidogenic index of human milk. The mean value of bifidogenic index of infant formula supplemented with 0.4 g and 0.8 g of inulin respectively was statistically significantly higher compared to the mean value of bifidogenic effect of human milk (>38% and >104%, respectively). CONCLUSION: The rationale for supplementation of infant formulas with inulin was confirmed.