Work characteristics, learning-related outcomes, and strain: A test of competing direct effects, mediated, and moderated models.

Direct effect, mediated, and moderated models of the relationship among work characteristics (job control, job demands), learning-related outcomes (skill utilization, self-efficacy), and strain (anxiety, depression) were compared. Three independent samples of call center employees were used, 2 cross-sectional (Ns=427 and 203) and 1 longitudinal (N=144). Initial analysis of the cross-sectional samples using structural equation modeling revealed that mediated models provided the best fit to the data. Skill utilization mediated the effect of control on depression, and depression partially mediated the effect of control on skill utilization. Longitudinal hierarchical regression analysis confirmed these findings. Results indicate that, in this occupational context learning reduces strain, strain inhibits learning, and job control is an important precursor of both these relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Regionally specific changes in extracellular noradrenaline following chronic idazoxan as revealed by in vivo microdialysis

The selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan was administered chronically (0.8 mg/kg per h) to rats for a period of 10 days via osmotic minipumps. On day 11, 24 h after removal of the pumps, the rats were anaesthetised and microdialysis probes were implanted into either the frontal cortex or hippocampus. Basal noradrenaline release in the frontal cortex was significantly elevated compared with the saline control group. Each animal was then challenged with idazoxan (10 mg/kg s.c.). Inhibition of presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors resulted in a significant increase in noradrenaline release in the saline control group. However, animals treated chronically with idazoxan, showed a markedly attenuated response to the single dose idazoxan challenge in the frontal cortex. No significant change in either basal release or in response to idazoxan challenge was observed in the hippocampus in the chronic idazoxan-treated animals as compared with the chronic saline control group. Chronic idazoxan administration results in selective enhancement of noradrenaline release in the frontal cortex but not in the hippocampus. This would be consistent with a down-regulation of presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors with the subsequent loss of presynaptic noradrenergic negative feedback inhibition.     

Regional myocardial blood flow during hyperemia induced by contrast agent in patients with coronary artery disease

Regional myocardial specific blood flow (regional specific flow) was measured at rest and during contrast hyperemia after the intracoronary injection of xenon-133. The changes in regional specific flow were transient, resulting in some compromise in one of the underlying restraints of the inert gas washout method, namely, the presence of a steady state. Therefore, to determine the clinical utility of this technique, regional specific flow values obtained with this method were correlated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease as assessed from the coronary arteriogram and left ventriculogram. Regional specific flow during contrast hyperemia was 186+/- 11 (mean +/- 1 standard error of the mean) ml/min per 100 g in control patients and 115+/-5 in patients with coronary artery disease. There was an inverse relation between regional specific flow during contrast hyperemia and the percent coronary stenosis when the stenosis was 40 percent or greater (r = 0.70, P less than 0.001). Regional specific flow was significantly less in patients with asynergy (77 +/- 10 ml/min per 100 g) than in patients with normal ventricular function (105 +/- 5) distal to coronary stenoses of greater than 75 percent. Thus regional specific flow measured during contrast hyperemia using the xenon washout technique and the Anger camera differentiated patients with normal coronary arteriograms from those with coronary artery disease. With this technique, good correlation was shown between regional specific flow and the percent coronary stenosis and presence of ventricular wall abnormalities. The information obtained with this method may provide prognostic information concerning suitability for surgical intervention.     

Highly unsaturated fatty acids. II. Fractionation by urea inclusion compounds

Summary 1. Urea segregation has been found to be a useful tool in concentration of highly unsaturated acids and esters. Fatty acids and esters derived from fish oils and methyl esters of hog adrenal fatty acids have been fractionated, and the polyunsaturated acids have been enriched. 2. The tendency for fatty acids and esters to combine with urea decreases with increasing unsaturation. Combination is favored by lowered temperature. Polyunsaturated acids are concentrated in the final filtrate whereas esters of these acids appear in the final inclusion compound fractions. Fatty acid concentrates have been obtained with iodine values ranging from 294 to 356. Bound esters exhibited iodine values as high as 338. 3. The increased chain length brought about by esterification has a minor role in increasing the yield of inclusion compounds. Likewise, shifting of the terminal polar group in an acid toward the center of the molecule by esterification does not explain the higher yield of inclusion compound from esters. 4. The improved tendency of esterified acids to form urea inclusion compounds is probably due to blocking of association of acid groups. This effect is found in unsaturated acids and in short chain saturated acids. In long chain saturated acids and esters this effect is not noticed. Both give high yields of inclusion compounds because the effect of the carboxyl group is overshadowed by the high energy of formation contributed by the long carbon chain. Taken from a dissertation presented by A. M. Abu-Nasr to the Graduate School of Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment for the requirements of the Ph.D. degree, May, 1953. Supported in part by contract N8onr-66218 of the Office of Naval Research. Hormel Institute publication No. 93.     

Directed interesterification as a new processing tool for lard

The directed interesterification process has been put into successful factory use on lard shortenings. This process increases the fraction of high melting solids (trisaturated glycerides) and decreases the fraction of intermediate melting glycerides (disaturated glycerides) in lard. This change in glyceride composition allows the following advantages to be realized in lard shortenings:

1. an improved plastic range for any given level of oxidative stability, meaning less variation in softness and creaming properties from cold to warm temperatures, achieved without the use of relatively expensive hardstock (completely hydrogenated fat);
2. an improved uniformity from a variable raw material, and a flexibility that makes possible a wider selection of raw materials; and
3. an overall performance equivalent to the premium vegetable shortenings.

     

The fatty acid composition of the lipids from bovine and porcine reproductive tissues

Beef and pork testes, graafian follicles and the residual ovaries were extracted and the lipids from each were separated into lipid classes by thin-layer chromatography. The fatty acids from each class were analyzed as their methyl esters by gas-liquid chromatography. The lipids from the reproductive tissues were found to be relatively rich in polyunsaturated acids, many of which did not correspond to the more commonly encountered unsaturated acids. These less familiar acids were identified by comparing their chromatographic characteristics with standards of established composition. The polyunsaturated acids of lipids of the reproductive tissues examined are predominantly of the linoleate family. Only in the phospholipids of ovarian tissues did the linolenate family of acids reach high proportions of the total polyunsaturates. Nine members of the linoleate family were identified in the lipids of reproductive tissues. Five higher metabolites of oleate were identified as normal components of these tissues. Diglycerides were found as a significant lipid class only in testis tissue. The diglycerides and cholesteryl esters of beef testis contain tetracosatetraenoic acid as major fatty acids. The triglycerides of reproductive tissues are notably rich in polyunsaturated acids. In the study, 16 polyunsaturated acids were identified by ozonolysis-reduction and several others were tentatively identified by retention time data. Two acids, previously unreported, are 10,13,16-docosatrienoic acid and 9,12,15,18-tetracosatetraenoic acid. Presented in part at the First World Fat Congress, Hamburg, October, 1964, and at the meeting of American Oil Chemists’ Society, October, 1964.     

Characterization of unsaturated fatty acids by gas-liquid chromatography

The equivalent chain length (ECL) has been determined on 79 methyl esters of unsaturated fatty acids and on 7 ethyl esters by gas chromatography. Ethylene glycol succinate (EGS), diethylene glycol succinate, β-cyclodextrin acetate and Apiezon L were chosen as the liquid phases to be used. For methyl esters of mono- and polyenoic acids, the differences between ECL on EGS and ECL on Apiezon L approximate 0.84 per double bond. For positional isomers, the ECL on both EGS and Apiezon L are usually greater for the isomer having the longer proximal end of the molecule (smallest ω value). In these terms a triple bond is approximately equal to three double bonds. Esters of nonconjugated dienoic and trienoic acids of the same chain length are not separable on Apiezon L if their proximal structures are the same. This also applies to tetraenoic and pentaenoic acids of the same chain length and the same proximal structure. Conjugation of double bonds, either with the ester carbonyl group or with themselves, yields ECL values on Apiezon L greater than the number of carbon atoms in the acid. Monounsaturated and nonconjugated polyunsaturated esters have ECL values on Apiezon L lower than the number of carbon atoms of the acid. The ECL values of ethyl esters of 18 and 20 carbon acids are greater than the corresponding methyl esters on Apiezon L. Presented at the Chicago meeting of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, Oct. 13, 1964.     

Mass spectrometry of triglycerides: I. Structural effects

Mass spectra of several triglycerides of specific structure or with specific deuterium labeling have been measured with a low resolution mass spectrometer. With saturated triglycerides the abundances of ions characteristic of the component acids, [M-RCO₂]⁺, increase with increasing chain length, and [M-RCO₂CH₂]⁺ decrease with increasing chain length. Unsaturation in the acyl moiety causes the abundant formation of [RCO-1]⁺. Structures have been suggested for a number of the main peaks obtained from saturated triglycerides, and high resolution spectra of one triglyceride agree with the postulated structures. The peaks, [RCO+74]⁺, [RCO+115]⁺ and [RCO+128+14n]⁺, represent structures which contain the glyceryl portion of the triglyceride, since in case of the replacement of its hydrogens with deuteriums, these peaks are shifted accordingly. Evidence which indicates the possibility of determining the location of unsaturation by the interruption of homology of the [RCO+128+14n]⁺ series, brought about by the addition of deuterium to the unsaturated linkages, is introduced. Further evidence is also presented, which indicates that the [M-RCO₂CH₂]⁺ ions arise from the positions 1 and 3 and, in agreement with earlier studies from other laboratories, it is thus possible to identify the acyl groups attached to the 1 and 2 positions of the glyceryl moiety. Presented in part at the AOCS Meeting, New Orleans, April 1970. Part V of a series on Mass Spectrometry of Lipids. For IV see Lipids 4:421–427 (1969).     

The rates of oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids and esters

The rates of autoxidation of oleic acid, ethyl oleate, linoleic acid, 10,12-linoleic acid, ethyl linoleate, trilinolein, pentaerythritol linoleate, dipentaerythritol linoleate, elaidolinolenic acid, linolenic acid, ethyl linolenate, trilinolenin, and methyl arachidonate have been studied by oxygen uptake in a Warburg respirometer and the results are compared with the rates of enzymatic oxidation of lipoxidase substrates. The increase in the number of double bonds in a fatty acid by one increases the rate of oxidation of the fatty acid or its esters by at least a factor or two. Earlier findings that acids oxidize more rapidly than their esters have been confirmed. The initial rates of lipoxidase oxidation of ethyl linoleate, ethyl linolenate, and methyl arachidonate were found to be essentially the same.     

Comparative analytical studies of fatty acids of the algaChlorella pyrenoidosa

Gas-liquid chromatography, several versions of paper chromatography, and alkaline isomerization have been applied to one preparation ofChlorella fatty acid methyl esters. GLC outranks other methods in rapidity, reproducibility, and resolving power. The presence of nonvolatile components in the sample can lead to erroneous results. Among PC methods which might arise from autoxidation and polymerization are detected. Esters or acids with 14 or fewer C atoms should be analyzed as nonvolatile derivatives. AI, as used here, introduces a systematic error in the determination of linoleic and linolenic acids. The quantitative results of the methods are in agreement for the major components, which all belong to the C₁₀ and C₁₈ series. A number of minor components have been revealed by GLC and/or PC. They are tentatively identified as <C₁₂, C₁₂, four C₁₄, C₁₅, two C₁₇, C₁₉, three C₂₀, two C₂₂, and C₂₄ acids. Several of these compounds have been found independently by different methods in hydrogenated form or as radioactive esters. This enhances the certainty of their identification. Eurichment by fractional distillation was essential for their detection. Possible losses in their distillation and other considerations make uncertain the assay of most of the minor components by GLC or PC. Work supported in part by grant RG-4226 from the Division of General Medical Sciences of the U. S. Public Health Service and in part by the Hormel Foundation.