The basic goal of this research was to examine which aspects of work motivation and perfectionism predict workaholism, in order to identify potential risk factors. Workaholism is defined as an ...internal need to work excessively that damages our health and psychosocial well-being, leading to long-term exhaustion and work inefficacy. Intrinsic motivation stems from the feeling of satisfaction inherent in doing work-related tasks and using our professional competencies, whereas extrinsic motivation stems from external rewards, a satisfaction of our other needs through work. The basis of neurotic perfectionism lies in the constant discrepancy between the goals person has set and what is achieved, which can lead to chronic dissatisfaction. The following instruments were used: The almost Perfect Scale, the Work extrinsic and intrinsic motivation scale, and Bergen Work Addiction Scale. The sample consisted of 109 participants, workers from the Republika Srpska area, aged 21 to 55. Most of the sample consisted of female participants (75.24%). The results of Kolmogorov-Smirnoff tests show that participants' scores on all examined variables are distributed normally. The fact that workaholism is moderately present in our sample is opposite from original expectations and highlights the need to further examine the prevalence of this phenomenon in the general working population. The predictive model as a whole is statistically significant (F(5,103)=5.01,p<0.00) and predicts 16% of workaholism variance. However, only perfectionism component discrepancy was a significant and positive predictor of workaholism, but not intrinsic or extrinsic work motivation.
The results suggest that workaholism can originate from the efforts of perfectionistic persons to overcome their perceived failures in achieving their unrealistically high goals. It is possible that, through time, obsessive work becomes a means to avoid dealing with negative emotions towards themselves, and also as a way to excuse themselves from real or irrational failures (“I did not achieve my goal, but I worked really hard and I will keep trying”). Of course, in the long run, excessive perfectionism combined with workaholism leads to utter exhaustion and further deterioration of work performance. In order to cope with the constant rise of negative feelings a person tries to work even harder and to achieve increasingly unrealistic goals, leading to a downward spiral of self-destruction. The implications of this research are that in order to treat workaholism it may be necessary to question the structure of unattainable goals that a person sets and the underlying feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and self-loathing that may play an important role in perpetuating maladaptive behavior of a typical workaholic. Workaholism must be studied as a part of wider personality structure and dynamic, as it serves an important (and maladaptive) role in defense against unwanted feelings and ideas of lesser worth, failure, etc.
Modern society shifts its focus to the security of the individual, as the basic unit of society, in all spheres of his life. The aim of this study is to present the results of research on the ...subjective feeling of safety of employees in the gaming industry in Serbia. The results showed that almost half of them feel insecure in their workplace. Analysis of the results of research tells us that the socio-demographic characteristics of subjects, such as sex, age structure, but also the Serbian region in which they live, and also if they belong to the student population, have an impact on their perception of the level of safety in the workplace. Other socio-demographic characteristics of an individual which have been studied have shown no statistical significance. Stress in respondents who feel very insecure in the workplace increases most when there is a physical conflict with someone or a major material loss. A linear correlation between indicators of stress and feelings of safety in the workplace was confirmed. The obtained results can be used to improve the safety situation at workplaces where money and people are handled, but also to take preventive measures in order to reduce the level of risk.
Abstract Orthographic knowledge (i.e., the knowledge of conventions of a written language) has been identified as a predictor of both basic and higher-level reading processes, however, mostly ...examined in a cross-sectional design. It remains unclear, whether and how orthographic knowledge contributes uniquely in explaining differences in the acquisition of reading skills. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the effects of orthographic knowledge on basic (word-reading) and higher level (sentence- and text-comprehension) reading development in German third graders over the course of a schoolyear. 325 German speaking children ( mean age = 8.35 years, standard deviation = 0.57; 49% girls) participated in the study, 100 of whom also provided data on vocabulary and naming speed. Data were analyzed via multiple regression in hierarchical models with random intercepts, since the children were nested in classes. The longitudinal analyses showed that orthographic knowledge contributes to the development of reading on the word- and text-level, over and above vocabulary knowledge and naming speed. These findings support and extend previous results, showing that orthographic knowledge not only supports reading processes, but also plays an important role in reading development over the course of a schoolyear. The fact that no significant interaction between orthographic knowledge and reading comprehension could be found implies that orthographic knowledge is relevant for reading development in German third graders, independent of the level of reading proficiency. The present findings suggest that orthographic knowledge should be considered in reading instruction at school as well as during reading related interventions.
Diabetes mellitus is a frequent endocrine disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. Acrylamide (AA) is food contaminant formed during the high-temperature processing of food rich in carbohydrates and ...low in proteins. Recent human epidemiological studies have shown a potential association between AA exposure and the prevalence of diabetes in the general population. In male rats, AA treatment promoted pancreatic islet remodeling, which was determined by alpha-cell expansion and beta-cell reduction, while in female rats AA caused hyperglycemia and histopathological changes in pancreatic islets. In vitro and in vivo rodent model systems have revealed that AA induces oxidative stress in beta cells and that AA impairs glucose metabolism and the insulin signaling pathway. Animal studies have shown that diabetic rodents are more sensitive to acrylamide and that AA aggravates the diabetic state. In this review, we provide an overview of human epidemiological studies that examined the relation between AA exposure and glucose disorders. In addition, the effects of AA treatment on pancreatic islet structure, beta-cell function and glucose metabolism in animal models are comprehensively analyzed with an emphasis on sex-related responses. Furthermore, oxidative stress as a putative mechanism of AA-induced toxicity in beta cells is explored. Finally, we discuss the effects of AA on diabetics in a rodent model system.
Plants are rich sources of secondary metabolites that exhibit diverse biological and pharmacological effects. Some plant ingredients, primarily phenolics, have significant in vitro antioxidant ...activity, which implies their contribution to the maintenance of redox balance in the body. These potential antioxidant agents are structurally very diverse, having different mechanisms of antioxidant activity. Since there is a growing necessity to detect, develop and understand effective antioxidant compounds, interest in the identification and the measurement of antioxidants in various plant isolates is persistently growing and many methods are being established. Most of the available in vitro tests are affordable and easy to perform, but due to the complex composition of plant extracts, different kinetics, mechanisms and specificity of the chemical reactions underlying these tests, there is no universal parameter for the assessment of antioxidant activity. In this paper, some of the currently most used in vitro methods for investigating and evaluating antioxidant activity of plant extracts are presented, emphasizing their advantages and weaknesses.
Acrylamide (AA) toxicity is associated with oxidative stress. During detoxification, AA is either coupled to gluthatione or biotransformed to glycidamide by the enzyme cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1). ...The aim of our study was to examine the hepatotoxicity of AA in vivo and in vitro. Thirty male Wistar rats were treated with 25 or 50 mg/kg b.w. of AA for 3 weeks. Qualitative and quantitative immunohistochemical evaluation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), CYP2E1, catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and SOD2 expression in liver was carried out. Bearing in mind that the liver is consisted mainly of hepatocytes, in a parallel study, we used the rat hepatoma cell line H4IIE to investigate the effects of AA at IC20 and IC50 concentrations on the redox status and the activity of CAT, SOD, and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), their gene expression, and CYP2E1 and iNOS expression. Immunohistochemically stained liver sections showed that treatment with AA25mg induced a significant decrease of CYP2E1 protein expression (p < 0.05), while treatment with AA50mg led to a significant increase of iNOS protein expression (p < 0.05). AA treatment dose-dependently elevated SOD2 protein expression (p < 0.05), while SOD1 protein expression was significantly increased only at AA50mg (p < 0.05). CAT protein expression was not significantly affected by AA treatments (p > 0.05). In AA-treated H4IIE cells, a concentration-dependent significant increase in lipid peroxidation and nitrite levels was observed (p < 0.05), while GSH content and SOD activity significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner (p < 0.05). AA IC50 significantly enhanced GST activity (p < 0.05). The level of mRNA significantly increased in a concentration-dependent manner for iNOS, SOD2, and CAT in AA-treated H4IIE cells (p < 0.05). AA IC50 significantly increased the transcription of SOD1, GSTA2, and GSTP1 genes (p < 0.05), while AA IC20 significantly decreased mRNA for CYP2E1 in H4IIE cells (p < 0.05). Obtained results indicate that AA treatments, both in vivo and in vitro, change hepatocytes; drug-metabolizing potential and disturb its redox status.
This paper focuses on providing answers to three basic research questions on the basis of political discourse in Croatia (which produces fear through the use of explicit and implicit speech of ...exclusion and often also hate speech) and research into marginalized groups' personal narratives of fear and anxiety. First, how is hate narratively shaped in public discourse and personal narratives? Second, how does the language of hate affect those who are designated as objects of hate? Third, can and to what degree do the subjects of anxiety/fear (i.e. the explicit object of hate) narrate their experience and emotional response to hate? The author is interested in the places in which hate (which is itself marked by silence) generates fear and silence, the places in which hate erodes the subjects' need for intersubjectivity and leads to a deep sense of isolation and being silent, and which also sometimes leads to articulated resistance.
As soil cadmium (Cd) contamination becomes a serious concern and one of the significant environmental pollution issues all over the world, knowledge of the basic chemistry, origin, inputs, sources, ...quantity, chemical forms, reactions, as well as the fate and transport of Cd in different types of soil is crucial for better understanding Cd bioavailability, health risks and remedial options. This study aimed to increase the current knowledge on the complex interdependence between the factors affecting behavior, transport and fate of Cd in the soil and to test and compare the performance of the stabilization agents in different soil types. Soils demonstrated various sorption affinity and capacity for Cd accumulation, which proved to be positively correlated with soil pH and the cation exchange capacity (CEC). With increasing levels of contamination, sequential extraction analysis showed the highest increase of relative Cd amounts in the exchangeable fraction regardless of the soil properties, suggesting that added Cd is principally associated with the easily accessible and mobile fraction. For different initial Cd concentrations and soil types, Cd sorption reached the quasi-equilibrium within 24 h of contact. Prolonged aging (two months) influenced the natural stabilization of Cd in all types of soil, but only at low contamination level. The application of both, conventional (slaked lime Ca(OH)2) and alternative phosphate-rich (annealed bovine bones B400) amendments, resulted in Cd relocation and reduction of exchangeable Cd content. Although the effect was smaller when apatite amendment was utilized, observed re-distribution of Cd to more stable soil fractions is preferable for achieving long-term stabilization. Cd concentrations extracted in exchangeable and acid soluble fractions after the treatments of contaminated soil samples suggest that the practical applicability of in situ immobilization depends on the soil properties and the level of contamination, as well as that effect, should be monitored for the possible re-mobilization of Cd.
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•Soil pH and CEC are most influential factors that control Cd sorption capacity.•Mobility of Cd is high in all soil types and increases with contamination level.•Soil pH and CaCO3 content are significant factors of Cd stability in the soil.•Effect of aging on enhanced Cd stability depends on the contamination level.•Amending the soil with Ca(OH)2 and B400 results in Cd relocation and stabilization.
Dry MeOH extracts of the twig barks of Pyrus communis subsp. pyraster, P. spinosa and their hybrid P.×jordanovii nothosubsp. velenovskyi, collected in wild in Serbia, were analyzed. By LC/MS, the ...contents of arbutin (99.9–131.0 mg/g), chlorogenic acid (2.2–6.3 mg/g), catechin (1.0–5.3 mg/g) and total dimeric and trimeric procyanidins (42.2–61.3 mg/g), including procyanidin B2 (8.9–17.2 mg/g), were determined. Colorimetrically, high contents of total phenolics (436.2–533.4 mg GAE/g) and tannins (339.4–425.7 mg GAE/g), as well as strong total antioxidant activities (FRAP values 4.5–5.9 mmol Fe2+/g), and DPPH (SC50=6.6–7.1 μg/ml) and hydroxyl radical (SC50=447.1–727.7 μg/ml) scavenging abilities were revealed. In vitro, all extracts exhibited notable inhibition of α‐amylase (IC50=310.8–617.7 μg/ml) and particularly strong inhibition of α‐glucosidase (IC50=2.1–3.7 μg/ml). Molecular docking predicted that among identified compounds procyanidin B2 is the best inhibitor of these carbohydrate‐digesting enzymes. Obtained results showed that the barks of investigated Pyrus hybrid and its parent taxa have similar composition and bioactivity.
Abstract The social and emotional development of students is one of the important goals of inclusive education. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the ...multidimensional social and emotional competencies of students with special educational needs (SEN), with a focus on identifying the areas in which they achieve the highest and lowest levels of proficiency. Furthermore, it will be investigated whether there are gender differences in the social and emotional competencies of students with SEN, and differences in comparison to students without SEN. This research is based on the CASEL conceptual framework of social and emotional learning. A random sample of teachers ( N = 54) assess the social and emotional competencies of both students with SEN ( N = 54) and students without SEN ( N = 54) with Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). Participants completed questionnaires online in spring of 2021. The results show that students with SEN exhibit the highest level of competence in relationship skills and optimistic thinking, whereas the lowest level of competence is found in goal‐directed behaviour and self‐management. There were no discernible gender differences observed in the social and emotional competences of students with SEN. Compared to students without SEN, they exhibit statistically significant lower levels of every social and emotional competency. The findings indicate the necessity of implementing interventions targeting goal‐directed behaviours and self‐management of students with SEN.
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