Factors associated with incidental sickness absence among employees in one health care system.

PURPOSE: Assess the association of taking incidental sickness absence with health risks and health status. DESIGN: Observational. SETTING: One Midwest health care system. SUBJECTS: Individuals who were employed for 2 years (2006-2007) and had completed at least one health risk appraisal (HRA) in 2007 (N = 3790). MEASURES: Outcomes were any incidental sickness absence and absence duration in 2007 measured by an absence tracking system. Health risks and health status were estimated by HRAs. Program participation was captured using 7-year HRA data and 5-year wellness data. ANALYSIS: Multivariate, binary logistic regression for the probability of taking any absence day among the overall population as well as four demographic subgroups; proportional odds model for the probability of taking more absence days. RESULTS: Different patterns were observed in association with taking incidental sickness absence among age and gender subgroups. Among the overall population, three health risks (smoking overweight, and use of medication for relaxation) were positively associated with taking absence (at least p < .05 for all three health risks). Participation in a wellness program for more years was also associated with a less likelihood of taking absence (odds ratio, .72; p = .002). Results from the proportional odds model were consistent with results from the binary logistic regression. CONCLUSION: Sickness absence is an important productivity concern of employers. Employers may implement early interventions to focus on preventable causes. Special interventions may target absence-causing risks such as smoking behavior and excess body weight. Study limitation includes a lack of measures for psychosocial work environment.

Evidence that the hexose-to-sucrose ratio does not control the switch to storage product accumulation in oilseeds: analysis of tobacco seed development and effects of overexpressing apoplastic invertase.

Wild-type tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) seed development was characterized with respect to architecture and carbohydrate metabolism. Tobacco seeds accumulate oil and protein in the embryo, cellular endosperm and inner layer of the seed coat. They have high cell wall invertase (INV) and hexoses in early development which is typical of seeds. INV and the ratio of hexose to sucrose decline during development, switching from high hex to high suc, but not until most oil and all protein accumulation has occurred. The oil synthesis which coincides with the switch is mostly within the embryo. INV activity is greater than sucrose synthase activity throughout development, and both activities exceed the demand for carbohydrate for dry matter accumulation. To investigate the role of INV-mediated suc metabolism in oilseeds, genes for yeast INV and/or hexokinase (HK) were expressed under a seed-specific napin promoter, targeting activity to the apoplast and cytosol, respectively. Manipulating the INV pathway in an oilseed could either increase oil accumulation and sink strength, or disrupt carbohydrate metabolism, possibly through sugar-sensing, and decrease the storage function. Neither effect was found: transgenics with INV and/or HK increased 30-fold and 10-fold above wild-type levels had normal seed size and composition. This contrasted with dramatic effects on sugar contents in the INV lines.