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Objectives The objectives this study were (1) to investigate correlations between measures of psychosocial workplace stress as measured in separate years by the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scales; (2) to establish a valid measure of psychosocial job stress with its components (by identifying the individual and interactive associations of job stress components) and (3) to use the component measures to assess the risk of psychosocial strain at work on fatigue. Methods The JCQ and ERI from the annual survey of the GAZEL cohort established in 1989 initially with 20624 respondents were used to investigate the associations of workplace stress on mental and physical fatigue in two separate years (1998 and 2006). First, the JCQ measures from separate years (1997 and 1999) were combined to create a measure for the same year as ERI (1998). The new measure was validated for internal and external consistency. Using logistic regression, the subcomponents of stress (upper tertiles of psychological demands, physical demands, decision latitude, social support, effort, reward, ERI and overcommitment) were tested for associations with the highest reporting of mental and physical fatigue. Results By combining JCQ responses from 1997 to 1999, we were able to increase the amount of information available on psychosocial factors in 1998. Psychometric properties of the workplace stress scales also showed expected factor loadings. Workplace psychosocial factors had greater associations with fatigue among men than women. Although psychosocial factors became less predictive of fatigue at 8 years of follow-up, associations between fatigue and psychosocial components (overcommitment, social support and rewards) remained significant. Conclusions These analyses continue to validate the various subcomponents scales of workplace stress as measured by the JCQ and effort-reward imbalance model in GAZEL. They also highlight the importance of psychosocial work factors in the experience of overall fatigue even after an 8-year follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tenebrioid beetle Palembus ocularis Casey 1891 has been used in the traditional medicine of Central and South America to treat Asthma bronchiale. Palembus ocularis has large pygidial glands filled with defence chemicals. The defence fluid was analysed by GLC and GLC-MS. The main components are quinones, such as hydroquinone, 2-ethylhydroquinone as major and 2-methylhydroquinone as minor metabolite. Furthermore, terpenes, fatty acids and their esters, cholesterol and lactones were discovered, with 1-pentadecene as a major component. Pharmacological experiments were carried out with the defence fluid and isolated compounds in order to find out if a rational base exists for the use in traditional medicine. 5-Lipoxygenase is inhibited by crude extracts and hydroquinone. Moreover, a combination of different hydroquinones was 20-times more effective than individual substances suggesting a synergistic effect. The inhibitory effect could be further increased with addition of 1-pentadecene. Anti-inflammatory activity was determined by HET-CAM. The polar extracts of Palembus ocularis showed anti-inflammatory activity in this system. Pure hydroquinone exhibited a similar activity as crude extracts indicating that it constitutes the active principle. The 5-LOX and HET-CAM-assays provide good evidence that hydroquinones in the defence fluid of Palembus ocularis have anti-inflammatory properties which would explain the traditional use of this beetle to treat asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background To assess whether an association of psychosocial stress at work with depressive symptoms among older employees is evident in a set of comparable empirical studies from Europe, North America and Asia. Methods Cross-sectional and longitudinal multivariate regression analyses of data from 4 cohort studies with elder workers (2004 and 2006) testing associations of psychosocial stress at work (‘effort-reward imbalance’; ‘low control’) with depressive symptoms. Results Cross-sectional analyses from 17 countries with 14.236 participants reveal elevated odds ratios of depressive symptoms among people experiencing high work stress compared to those with low or no work stress. Adjusted odds ratios vary from 1.64 (95% CI 1.02-2.63) in Japan to 1.97 (95% CI 1.75-2.23) in Europe and 2.28 (95% CI 1.59-3.28) in the USA. Odds ratios from additional longitudinal analyses (in 13 countries) controlling for baseline depression are smaller, but remain in part significant. Conclusion Findings indicate that psychosocial stress at work might be a relevant risk factor for depressive symptoms among older employees across countries and continents. This observation may call for global policy efforts to improve quality of work in view of a rapidly aging workforce, in particular in times of economic globalization.