The LIVES Daily Hassles Scale and Its Relation to Life Satisfaction

Although daily hassles have been of interest since the 1980s, only a few tools have been developed to assess them. Most of them are checklists or open-ended questions that are demanding for participants in panel surveys. Therefore, to facilitate daily hassles integration into large surveys, the aim of this study was to present a new tool assessing daily hassles, the LIVES-Daily Hassles Scale (LIVES-DHS), and to examine its relation to life satisfaction, in a sample of 1,170 French- and German-speaking adults living in Switzerland. In a first random subsample, we conducted a principal axis factor analysis, and the results suggested a five-factor solution. Furthermore, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis on a second random subsample, and it supported the hierarchical factor structure of the scale. The LIVES-DHS consists of 18 items represented by five factors that describe five sources of daily hassles: financial, physical, relational, environmental, and professional. The bivariate correlations showed that the LIVES-DHS could differentiate the concept of daily hassles from associated concepts. Finally, the hierarchical regression showed that daily hassles negatively predicted life satisfaction and added a significant incremental variance beyond that accounted for by age, gender, household income, education level, and personality traits.

Illustrating Instrumental Variable Regressions Using the Career Adaptability - Job Satisfaction Relationship

This article illustrates instrumental variable (IV) estimation by examining an unexpected finding of the research on career adaptability and job satisfaction. Theoretical and empirical arguments suggest that in the general population, people's abilities to adapt their careers are beneficial to their job satisfaction. However, a recent meta-analysis unexpectedly found no effect when personality traits are controlled for. We argue that a reverse effect of job satisfaction on career adaptability, originating from affective tendencies tied to personality, might explain this null effect. Our argument implies that the estimates obtained with traditional ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions are biased by endogeneity, a correlation between an explanatory variable and the error term in a regression model. When experimental manipulations are impossible, IV estimations, such as two-stage least squares (2SLS) regressions, are one possible solution to the endogeneity problem. Analyzing three waves of data from a sample of 836 adults, the concurrent and time-lagged effect of job satisfaction on career adaptability was revealed to be more consistent than the reverse. Our results provide an explanation, rooted in affective dispositions, as to why recent meta-analytical estimates unexpectedly found that career adaptability does not predict job satisfaction at the interindividual level. We also discuss IV estimation in terms of its limits, weight the interpretation of its estimates against the temporality criterion for causal inference, and consider its possible extension to analyses of change.

Contextual Undertow of Workplace Deviance by and Within Units: A Systematic Review

Within the constellation of employee misconduct, workplace deviance possesses the somewhat distinctive feature of violating organizational norms. Yet, the burgeoning research examining the social context surrounding workplace deviance typically fails to properly account for it. Interdisciplinary research has demonstrated that within organizations (a) multiple reference groups provide descriptive and injunctive norms about (in)appropriate behavior; (b) even when embedded within the organizational hierarchy, norms are not necessarily consistent across these groups; and (c) the immediate reference group often exerts a crucial influence. Against this background, we discuss prevalent conceptualizations of workplace deviance and systematically review the literature from 1995 to 2017. We present our findings according to external and organizational, leadership, and intraunit antecedents of workplace deviance by and within units, distinguishing, in particular, unit composition, processes and emergent states, climates, and norms. We conclude with a discussion of theoretical and methodological avenues for future research.

Pentacene based Onsager crosses

A dearomatization/aromatization strategy accesses the tetrahedral (crosslike) pentacene tetramer (tetrakis(4-((6,13-bis(TIPS-ethynyl)pentacen-2-yl)ethynyl)phenyl)silane). This molecular caltrop and one of its derivatives form amorphous thin films, demonstrating the impact of the 3D-tetramerization on the bulk morphology of the otherwise crystalline TIPS-pentacene.

The molybdenum cofactor biosynthetic protein Cnx1 complements molybdate-repairable mutants, transfers molybdenum to the metal binding pterin, and is associated with the cytoskeleton

Molybdenum (Mo) plays an essential role in the active site of all eukaryotic Mo-containing enzymes. In plants, Mo enzymes are important for nitrate assimilation, phytohormone synthesis, and purine catabolism. Mo is bound to a unique metal binding pterin (molybdopterin [MPT]), thereby forming the active Mo cofactor (Moco), which is highly conserved in eukaryotes, eubacteria, and archaebacteria. Here, we describe the function of the two-domain protein Cnx1 from Arabidopsis in the final step of Moco biosynthesis. Cnx1 is constitutively expressed in all organs and in plants grown on different nitrogen sources. Mo-repairable cnxA mutants from Nicotiana plumbaginifolia accumulate MPT and show altered Cnx1 expression. Transformation of cnxA mutants and the corresponding Arabidopsis chl-6 mutant with cnx1 cDNA resulted in functional reconstitution of their Moco deficiency. We also identified a point mutation in the Cnx1 E domain of Arabidopsis chl-6 that causes the molybdate-repairable phenotype. Recombinant Cnx1 protein is capable of synthesizing Moco. The G domain binds and activates MPT, whereas the E domain is essential for activating Mo. In addition, Cnx1 binds to the cytoskeleton in the same way that its mammalian homolog gephyrin does in neuronal cells, which suggests a hypothetical model for anchoring the Moco-synthetic machinery by Cnx1 in plant cells.

[Spectrographic studies on the radioresistance of Miltex and miltefosine]

AIM

With simultaneous application of Miltex and radiation therapy in the combined treatment of topical relapses and skin metastases in breast carcinoma patients the question arises, how radioresistant is the new cytotoxic agent. Because of the long penetration times of the active agent miltefosine the answer is important with particular regard to the time of the external application of Miltex.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

After the application of a single dose of 10 Gy we studied the stability of the commercial preparation and its active agent miltefosine by means of absorption spectroscopy.

RESULTS

Immediately following the irradiation no alterations in absorption spectra of Miltex and miltefosine were found. However, 2 and 8 h post radiation the absorption curves of Miltex and miltefosine solutions were distinctly changed. The radiation induced changes of Miltex dilutions were smaller than those of the miltefosine solutions. For the commercial preparation the amount of the radiation-induced destruction is 0.10.

CONCLUSIONS

Consequently Miltex has shown a sufficient radioresistance or its decrease in the effectiveness is small. With daily single doses of 2 Gy in the radiotherapy of the topical relapses and skin metastases the destruction degree should be reduced to 0.02 assuming linear changes. Because of the distinct changes in the spectra and relative slow penetration of miltefosine in various cell lines [10, 11, 14] we will propose an application of the commercial cytotoxic agent 5 h before the radiation fractions. The smaller effect on Miltex is discussed in relation to the solution mediators of the active agent.

N-acetylneuraminic acid estimation in human serum by neuraminidase and resorcinol/ferric(III) chloride reagent in hydrochloric solution

By the method described the serum concentration of the protein-bound or the total N-acetylneuraminic acid can be determined. The estimation of the protein-bound N-acetylneuraminic acid is a specific method. In comparison to the Arzneibuch (D.L.) GDR-method (Vol. 2, Akademie Verlag Berlin, 1985) based on Svennerholm (Biochim. Biophys. Acta 24 (1957) 604-611) the advantages of our estimation are: high stability of the dye complex during a period of at least one hour for a final concentration of at least 6.0 mol/l hydrochloric acid; omission of the time-consuming resuspension of the protein precipitation and the extraction of the dye product with n-amyl alcohol; and the lack of diminution of the monosaccharide influence.

Anoxia induces time-independent K+ current through KATP channels in isolated heart cells of the guinea-pig

1. Isolated ventricular heart cells of the guinea-pig were exposed to anoxia (PO2 < 0.1 Torr) which induced a time-independent K+ current. This current was studied with the patch clamp technique in the whole-cell and cell-attached configuration. 2. The latency until anoxia-induced changes of whole-cell current developed was distributed exponentially (mean 10.5 min; n = 41). The current was abolished within 2-4 s of reoxygenation. 3. The reversal potential of the anoxia-induced change of whole-cell current at 5.4 and 15 mM [K+]o was -82 and -61 mV, respectively. 4. Analysis of current noise in whole-cell current during the phase of the slow development of the anoxia-induced current yielded a slope conductance of unitary currents of 8.1 pS (5.4 mM [K+]o) which is far below the 30 pS of KATP channels in inside-out patches with no Na+ and Mg2+ in the bath. 5. Reduced unitary current induced by anoxia was recorded in single-channel measurements with 10.4 mM-K+ in the pipette. 6. Using 150 mM-K+ in the pipette, anoxia caused unitary inward currents with a slope conductance of 83 pS. The open probability of the channels (P(o)) reached maximum values between 0.6 and 0.95. The channels closed within 1-3 s of reoxygenation. 7. At voltages between -85 and -45 mV and maximum P(o), open time histograms were dominated by a fast exponential (tau 01 = 0.55 +/- 0.21 ms, mean +/- S.D.) and one or two slow exponentials. 8. Voltage ramp experiments showed that single-channel currents were slightly rectifying in the inward direction. 9. Glibenclamide (1 microM) reversibly blocked the anoxia-induced whole-cell and single-channel currents. 10. It is concluded that during anoxia it is only KATP channels which open by a sufficient decrease of submembrane ATP levels.

[Changes in the water and electrolyte contents of human erythrocytes due to Visotrast 370 during I-V urography (author's transl)]

The effect of the contrast medium Visotrast 370 on the water content and volume of erythrocytes, and on the electrolyte levels of plasma and erythrocytes during I-V urography was examined. The measurements were carried out at one, ten and 30 minutes after injection. One minute after injection there was a significant reduction in the water content and volume of the erythrocytes. The levels of sodium and potassium ions in the plasma were reduced ten minutes after contrast injection, but increased in the erythrocytes. After 30 minutes, significant changes could no longer be demonstrated. Possible causes for these changes and their effects on other organs are discussed. Certain practical conclusions are drawn.

In vitro effects of contrast media on the water content of human erythrocytes

The effect of the concentration of the contrast media Visotrast 370, Dimer X and Adipiodon on the water content of human erythrocytes was analysed in vitro. While a concentration-dependent water discharge (shrinkage) of erythrocytes was found in the presence of Visotrast 370 and Dimer X, the application of Adipiodon caused water uptake (swelling). Possible causes of swelling of red blood cells despite the hyperosmolality of Adipiodon are discussed.