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In the present study we contrast materialistic (i.e., income and economic inequality) and psychosocial (i.e., social circumstances) pathway perspectives on whether volunteering while being unemployed mitigates the well-documented negative effects of unemployment on health, health behaviors, and well-being. We test our hypotheses using data from the 2010 and 2012 waves of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Study of Health (SLOSH; n = 717). This is a nationally representative, longitudinal, cohort survey. We compared groups of individuals who were (a) unemployed and volunteering during both SLOSH waves (n = 58), (b) unemployed and not volunteering during both SLOSH waves (n = 194), (c) employed and volunteering during both SLOSH waves (n = 139), and (d) employed and not volunteering during both SLOSH waves (n = 326). Conducting a path analysis in Mplus, we examined the interaction effects between labor market status (i.e., employed or unemployed) and voluntary work (i.e., volunteering or not) when predicting changes in health, health behaviors, and psychological well-being. Our results indicate that volunteering during unemployment significantly decreased the likelihood to smoke, the amount of cigarettes smoked, the likelihood of consuming alcohol, and the likelihood of being diagnosed with hypertension. These results support a psychosocial pathway perspective. For all other indicators no such buffering interaction effect was obtained, thereby supporting a materialistic pathway perspective. Nevertheless, for some indicators, volunteering was found to be beneficial for both the unemployed and employed. Consequently, integrating both perspectives might offer a better explanation for the onset of ill-health and ill-being., ((c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).)

This 2-year longitudinal study among 848 university employees investigated the individual development of perceived job insecurity (JI) in the context of changes occurring in the Finnish universities during the follow-up time. Adopting a person-oriented approach through latent profile analysis, 8 classes of employees with similar mean levels and mean-level changes in JI were identified. Two of these classes (75% of the participants) indicated stable (low, moderately high) JI, and the remaining 6 classes (25% of the participants) showed change (decreasing, increasing, curvilinear) in the level of JI across time. We then examined possible differences between these classes with respect to individual antecedents and outcomes of JI. Of the antecedents, the type of employment contract distinguished best between the JI classes. Of the outcomes, moderately high stable JI was associated with low stable vigor and high stable levels of exhaustion and turnover intentions across time. In addition, it seemed that a decrease in JI was associated with a decrease in exhaustion and turnover intentions and vice versa. Altogether the findings suggest that developmental JI classes exhibit a substantial amount of heterogeneity, which is simultaneously reflected in occupational well-being.

There is strong circumstantial evidence that certain heavy, unstable atomic nuclei are 'octupole deformed', that is, distorted into a pear shape. This contrasts with the more prevalent rugby-ball shape of nuclei with reflection-symmetric, quadrupole deformations. The elusive octupole deformed nuclei are of importance for nuclear structure theory, and also in searches for physics beyond the standard model; any measurable electric-dipole moment (a signature of the latter) is expected to be amplified in such nuclei. Here we determine electric octupole transition strengths (a direct measure of octupole correlations) for short-lived isotopes of radon and radium. Coulomb excitation experiments were performed using accelerated beams of heavy, radioactive ions. Our data on (220)Rn and (224)Ra show clear evidence for stronger octupole deformation in the latter. The results enable discrimination between differing theoretical approaches to octupole correlations, and help to constrain suitable candidates for experimental studies of atomic electric-dipole moments that might reveal extensions to the standard model.

The radioactive element astatine exists only in trace amounts in nature. Its properties can therefore only be explored by study of the minute quantities of artificially produced isotopes or by performing theoretical calculations. One of the most important properties influencing the chemical behaviour is the energy required to remove one electron from the valence shell, referred to as the ionization potential. Here we use laser spectroscopy to probe the optical spectrum of astatine near the ionization threshold. The observed series of Rydberg states enabled the first determination of the ionization potential of the astatine atom, 9.31751(8) eV. New ab initio calculations are performed to support the experimental result. The measured value serves as a benchmark for quantum chemistry calculations of the properties of astatine as well as for the theoretical prediction of the ionization potential of superheavy element 117, the heaviest homologue of astatine.

The neutron-rich nuclei 94,96Kr were studied via projectile Coulomb excitation at the REX-ISOLDE facility at CERN. Level energies of the first excited 2(+) states and their absolute E2 transition strengths to the ground state are determined and discussed in the context of the E(2(1)(+)) and B(E2;2(1)(+)→0(1)(+)) systematics of the krypton chain. Contrary to previously published results no sudden onset of deformation is observed. This experimental result is supported by a new proton-neutron interacting boson model calculation based on the constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach using the microscopic Gogny-D1M energy density functional.

Building on positive psychology, the present study aims to address the role of humour in the workplace, and particularly in job design, one of the crucial job aspects contributing to employee well-being. Specifically, we examine the main effects of self-enhancing and affiliative types of humour both on burnout and work engagement. Furthermore, we study whether these humour styles serve as personal resources, moderating the associations of job hindrances (i.e., role conflict), job challenges (i.e., workload) and job resources (i.e., social support) with burnout and work engagement, as outlined in the Job Demands-Resources model. Results in a large sample of Belgian employees ( N = 1200) showed that both types of humour related negatively to burnout and positively to work engagement. No interactions between humour and the job characteristics were found in the prediction of burnout. The significant interactions in predicting work engagement showed that self-enhancing and affiliative humour played a positive role, particularly when role conflict and social support were low. No interactions with workload were found. The discussion aims to shed light on the unexpected results and to further the study of the humour-health hypothesis.

In this study, we first explore whether different exposure groups of workplace bullying exist, employing a large, heterogeneous sample. The results show six different exposure groups: almost 30.5% is not bullied since they report hardly any negative act at work at all, 27.2% face some limited work criticism, 20.8% face limited negative encounters, 8.3% is occasionally bullied, 9.5% are predominately work related bullied, and a total of 3.6% can be seen victims of severe workplace bullying. In a second step, the relationship between the identified target groups and social demographics were investigated using multinomial logistic regression to identify risk groups of workplace bullying. Employees between the age of 35 and 54, public servants, blue-collar workers, as well as employees working in the food and manufacturing industries have a significantly elevated risk to be victims of workplace bullying. In contrast, employees younger than 25, employees with a temporary contract, teachers, nurses and assistant nurses are those least likely at risk. These findings are important for policymakers at the national and organisational level as they assist in focussing towards possible avenues to prevent workplace bullying.

This study investigates how job insecurity and employability relate to job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment in permanent workers, fixed-term contract workers, and temporary agency workers. The authors hypothesized that (a) job insecurity relates negatively to job satisfaction and affective organizational commitment, and this relationship is strongest in permanent workers and weakest in temporary agency workers; and that (b) employability relates positively to job satisfaction and negatively to affective organizational commitment, and this relationship is strongest in temporary agency workers and weakest in permanent workers. Hypotheses were tested in workers (permanent: n = 329; fixed term; n = 160; temporary agency: n = 89) from 23 Belgian organizations. The results show that job insecurity related negatively to the outcomes for permanent workers and temporary agency workers. This relationship was not significant for fixed-term contract workers. Employability related negatively to the outcomes for fixed-term contract workers and temporary agency workers, and this relationship was not significant for permanent workers. The 3 groups had different interpretations of what constitutes a stressor and about what signals a good employment relationship.

Dramatic changes in workplace structure and environment have increased the importance of psychosocial factors and job insecurity in working life. Job insecurity is shown to have a negative impact on mental and physical health. Health care transformation in Turkey increases the threat of job insecurity for many workers in the health care sector. Therefore the aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the effects of perceived job insecurity on perceived depression and anxiety in nurses working in the private health sector in Izmir, Turkey. There were 16 private hospitals in Izmir of which 11 accepted to participate. Perceived quantitative (5 items) and qualitative (4 items) job insecurity were measured by means of structured questionnaires. The hospital anxiety and depression scale was used to evaluate subjective anxiety and depression. Job strain was assessed by the Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire. Chi2 and logistic regression tests were used for analysis. A total number of 462 nurses were surveyed. Perceived anxiety (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2-3.9) and depression (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.6-4.1) were significantly associated with qualitative job insecurity. Similarly quantitative job insecurity was associated with perceived anxiety (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.9-6.2) and depression (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.4-5.6) in nurses. It has been concluded that qualitative and quantitative job insecurity significantly affected perceived anxiety and depression levels in nurses working in private hospitals. Prevention oriented research is needed for policy development.

Self-determination theory's distinction between extrinsic and intrinsic goal pursuits offers a possible explanation for ethnic and racial prejudice. Because extrinsic relative to intrinsic goal pursuits (E/I) stimulate interpersonal competition, they were expected to predict social dominance orientation (SDO), which, in turn, would predict racial and ethnic prejudice. Results of a first cross-sectional study showed that E/I goal pursuits are positively associated with prejudice and that SDO partially mediates this association. In a second longitudinal study, we replicated these results. In addition, however, we found evidence for a reciprocal relationship between E/I goal pursuit and SDO. Moreover, both E/I goal pursuit and SDO had an independent effect on increases in prejudice. Implications of these findings are discussed.

The shape of exotic even-mass (182-190)Pb isotopes was probed by measurement of optical isotope shifts providing mean square charge radii (delta(r(2))). The experiment was carried out at the isolde (cern) on-line mass separator, using in-source laser spectroscopy. Small deviations from the spherical droplet model are observed, but when compared to model calculations, those are explained by high sensitivity of delta(r(2)) to beyond mean-field correlations and small admixtures of intruder configurations in the ground state. The data support the predominantly spherical shape of the ground state of the proton-magic Z=82 lead isotopes near neutron midshell (N=104).

Previous unemployment research has directly tested hypotheses derived from expectancy-value theory (EVT; Feather, 1982, 1990), but no comparative analysis has been executed with another motivational framework. In one large study with 446 unemployed people, separate analyses provided good evidence for predictions derived from both EVT and self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). Comparative analyses indicated that the type of people's job search motivation, as conceptualized through the notions of autonomous versus controlled motivation within SDT, is an important predictor of people's unemployment experience and wellbeing, beyond people's strength of motivation assessed within EVT through expectancies of finding a job and employment value. The importance of simultaneously testing two theoretical frameworks is discussed.

Using resonant laser ionization, beta-decay studies, and for the first time mass measurements, three beta-decaying states have been unambiguously identified in 70Cu. A mass excess of -62 976.1(1.6) keV and a half-life of 44.5(2) s for the (6-) ground state have been determined. The level energies of the (3-) isomer at 101.1(3) keV with T(1/2)=33(2) s and the 1+ isomer at 242.4(3) keV with T(1/2)=6.6(2) s are confirmed by high-precision mass measurements. The low-lying levels of 70Cu populated in the decay of 70Ni and in transfer reactions compare well with large-scale shell-model calculations, and the wave functions appear to be dominated by one proton-one neutron configurations outside the closed Z=28 shell and N=40 subshell. This does not apply to the 1+ state at 1980 keV which exhibits a particular feeding and deexcitation pattern not reproduced by the shell-model calculations.

An ELISA has been developed for the assessment of complexes between the urokinase-type (uPA) and the tissue-type plasminogen (tPA) activators with their inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) in cell-culture medium and cytosolic extracts of breast tumours. The "4-stage/2-site" ELISA involves 2 polyclonal antibodies in the pre-analyte stage 2 and in the post-analyte stage. For the specific measurement of the uPA-PAI-1 complex, 2 assay formats may be employed, uPA/PAI-1 and PAI-1/uPA. This offers an attractive facility for quality-assessment studies of this kind of assays. Analogously, the tPA-PAI-1 complex was assessed using the formats tPA/PAI-1 and PAI-1/tPA. Only complexes are able to evoke a signal in their appropriate assay formats. The free component, however, which responds to the capture antibody, could interfere with the binding of the complex molecule, reducing the OD signal. Increasing the coating Ab concentration diminishes the signal-suppressing effect of the free component. In 15 cell-culture supernatants, uPA and PAI-1 concentrations were measured as well as the uPA of PAI-1 complex in different dilutions in 2 assay formats. The differences between the values of complex measured in the 2 assay formats could be accounted for by the free uPA and PAI-1 concentrations. At dilution 1:10, the measured values obtained in the 2 separate formats differed substantially (correlation coefficient r = 0.641). At dilution 1:20, the differences were already smaller between the values (agreement 0.945). At dilution 1:30, close agreement between the corresponding values was observed (r = 0.971). Extrapolation to infinite dilution of the results obtained resulted in an even closer estimation of the complex concentration. Comparable results have been observed when tPA, PAI-1 and tPA-PAI-1 values were measured in tumour biopsy extracts.

Complexes between urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) were assessed in plasma and serum from 39 breast cancer patients and from 20 healthy individuals, applying a recently developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the analysis of these complexes in tumor tissue extracts. The assay is based on a combination of rabbit polyclonal anti-uPA antibodies for catching and a mouse anti-uPAR monoclonal antibody (MAb) for detection. The specificity of the assessment of uPA:uPAR complexes was verified by simultaneous analysis of the individual blood samples in corresponding non-sense ELISA formats, in which either the anti-uPA catching antibody or the anti-uPAR detecting antibody was substituted with an irrelevant antibody. Assessment of native uPA:uPAR complexes was ascertained by demonstrating the absence of any de novo formation of uPA:uPAR complexes in plasma and serum during the sample incubation step in the ELISA, as verified by the use of a peptide antagonist for uPAR. Plasma and serum samples contained almost identical levels of uPA:uPAR complexes. The levels of uPA:uPAR complexes were found to be significantly lower in serum from breast cancer patients compared to the serum of healthy donors, while the levels of (total) uPAR in plasma from breast cancer patients were significantly higher than in plasma from the healthy controls. In addition, the free, uncomplexed uPAR levels, estimated by subtraction of uPA:uPAR complex levels from (total) uPAR levels, were significantly elevated in plasma as well as in serum from breast cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. The uPA:uPAR complex levels were highly comparable to the uPA levels analyzed in the same plasma and serum samples, indicating that most if not all of the uPA present in these samples is complexed with uPAR.

A sandwich-type ELISA has been developed for the assessment of complexes between urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) in extracts of squamous cell lung carcinomas. The assay is based on a combination of rabbit polyclonal anti-uPA antibodies and a biotinylated mouse anti-uPAR monoclonal antibody (MAb). The detection limit of the assay is approximately 0.5 fmol/ml. A linear dose-response is obtained with up to 40 fmol/ml of uPA:uPAR complexes, while uPA and uPAR separately do not cause any response in the ELISA. A buffer which has been used previously for optimal extraction of uPAR yields the highest amounts of uPA:uPAR complexes. Absorption of tumor extracts with anti-uPA or anti-uPAR MAbs results in a complete disappearance of the ELISA signal, demonstrating the specificity of the ELISA. The recovery of chemically cross-linked uPA:uPAR complexes added to tumor extracts varies between 80% and 105%. The intra- and inter-assay variation coefficients are 5.3% and 9.8%, respectively. Furthermore, a peptide antagonist for uPAR was employed to evaluate de novo uPA:uPAR complex formation during tumor tissue extraction and the immunoassay procedure. Our results strongly indicate that de novo complex formation is a major factor to consider and that complexes analyzed in the presence of this antagonist represent original uPA:uPAR complexes present prior to tumor tissue processing. The present ELISA appears suitable for studying the potential prognostic impact of uPA:uPAR complexes in lung tumor tissue as well as other types of cancer.

uPA and PAI-1 are becoming established as amongst the most effective markers of poor prognosis for patients with node-negative breast cancer; tPA is an index of longer survival. This paper describes a sensitive ELISA for the measurement of uPA, tPA and PAI-1 in breast cancer cytosols. The structure of the assay involves coating Ab (sheep alpha-Chicken IgY), catching Ab (chicken alpha-analyte), tagging Ab (rabbit alpha-analyte) and detecting Ab (goat alpha-rabbit IgG) labelled with HRP. The assay has a high degree of accuracy and specificity. Comparison with the American Diagnostic kits shows the results' equivalence for PAI-1 and tPA. For uPA the results of the assay were twice as high. The assay is sensitive and relatively inexpensive. It is the first published assay to yield strictly comparative values for uPA, tPA and PAI-1 in tissue extracts and is readily subject to external quality control.