Job stress and depression among Malaysian anti-drug professionals: The moderating role of job-related coping strategies

Depression can cause negative consequences to workers' health and social functioning, such as poor work productivity, mental disorders, and suicide. Existing studies have argued that job stress is closely related to depression in many professions. Yet, information on how coping strategies play a significant role in the relationships among Malaysian anti-drug professionals is still scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine to what extent coping strategies moderate the relationship between job stress and depression among Malaysian anti-drug professionals. A total of 3,356 National Antidrug Agency (NADA) officers aged between 21 and 59 years completed online self-report measures of depression, job stress, and job-related control coping and avoidant coping behaviors. The results showed that job stress was strongly correlated with depression, and both coping strategies were found to significantly moderate the correlations. The correlations between stress and depression were stronger among participants who had higher levels of avoidant coping or those who had lower levels of control coping. To conclude, this study highlights the importance of considering job stress and coping behaviors to understand anti-drug professionals' mental health during this challenging COVID-19 pandemic.

Determining the relationship between three-dimensional power Doppler data and true blood flow characteristics: an in-vitro flow phantom experiment

OBJECTIVES

Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound can be used to acquire power Doppler data which can be quantified to give an objective impression about blood flow within a tissue or organ. Proprietary software can be used to calculate three indices of vascularity: vascularization index (VI), flow index (FI) and vascularization flow index (VFI). Although these indices appear to have a predictive value in the clinical setting and can be shown to vary between different patient populations and over time within the same population, their relationship with true in-vivo blood flow characteristics has not been established. The objective was to examine the effect of flow rate, vessel number, attenuation and erythrocyte density on these indices.

METHODS

A computer-driven flow phantom was used to continuously pump a nylon particle-based blood mimic (Orgasol(trade mark)) around a closed system through three different ultrasound test tanks. These tanks were designed specifically for these experiments and contained C-Flex(trade mark) tubing, in a variety of arrangements, encased in an agar-based tissue mimic. The test tanks were insonated with a modified 3D transvaginal 4-8-MHz ultrasound transducer and 3D power Doppler data were then acquired over a graduated series of flow rates, depths and blood mimic concentrations. Regression analysis was used to determine the resulting relationships.

RESULTS

The VI increased linearly with an increase in flow rate (P < 0.05), whereas the FI increased in a cubic manner with a more rapid initial increase (P < 0.05). The VI demonstrated a similar linear increase with an increase in the erythrocyte mimic density (P < 0.05), whereas the FI increased markedly with a small change in erythrocyte mimic density and then plateaued (P < 0.01). There was a significant reduction in each index as the distance between the transducer and vessel increased (P < 0.05). Patterns similar to those seen in relation to the change in flow rate were evident, with a more linear relationship between depth and the VI and VFI than between depth and the FI, although the FI remained relatively constant and was not significantly affected by distance from the transducer until a depth of 55 mm was reached. Although a positive linear relationship was seen between vessel number and VI and VFI (P < 0.05) the FI demonstrated a very different and complex, cubic relationship (P < 0.001), increasing linearly until a maximum of three vessels were present when it decreased, and no overall correlation was seen (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The VI, FI and VFI are all significantly affected by volume flow, attenuation, vessel number and erythrocyte density, but in different ways. The VI and VFI seem to have a more predictable relationship, whereas the FI often demonstrates a more complex cubic relationship that is not always logical. Further work is required to establish the effect of other confounding parameters before valid conclusions may be made and a better understanding of 3D power Doppler ultrasound imaging achieved.

Evaluation of the effect of machine settings on quantitative three-dimensional power Doppler angiography: an in-vitro flow phantom experiment

OBJECTIVES

Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound is being used increasingly to acquire and subsequently quantify power Doppler data within the clinical setting. One proprietary software package calculates three 3D vascular indices: the vascularization index (VI), the flow index (FI), and the vascularization flow index (VFI). Our aim was to evaluate how different settings affect the Doppler signal in terms of its quantification by these three indices within a 3D dataset.

METHODS

A computer-driven 'flow phantom' was used to continuously pump a nylon particle-based blood mimic (Orgasol(trade mark)) around a closed system through a C-flex(trade mark) tube embedded in an agar-based tissue mimic. The test tanks were insonated with a modified 3D transvaginal 4-8-MHz ultrasound transducer (V530D) and power Doppler data were acquired over a series of different settings. Each experiment involved the manipulation of just one Doppler setting in order to study it in isolation.

RESULTS

As expected, all of the power Doppler settings, when altered, were found to effect significant changes (P < 0.05) in the VI, FI and VFI. The gain and signal power had the greatest effect, producing no Doppler signals at the lowest settings and the highest recordable indices at the maximum settings. The pulse repetition frequency (PRF) was the next most influential setting but a Doppler signal was seen and measurable at all of the different settings. The other Doppler settings had a much less profound effect on the vascular indices, with subtle but significantly different measures across the full range of settings. The speed of data acquisition was also found to affect the vascular indices, all of which were reduced when the fast mode was used although the only significant effect was on the VFI.

CONCLUSIONS

The VI, FI and VFI are all affected significantly by variations in power Doppler settings and by the speed of acquisition. The gain and signal power have the greatest effect on the power Doppler signal, followed closely by the PRF. The other settings and speed of acquisition also influence the signal, but to a much lesser degree. It is essential to maintain Doppler settings if any meaningful comparisons are to be made within and between subjects.

Value of subcutaneous fat in predicting ovulation day

Subcutaneous body fat and Quetelet's Indices (QI) of 52, 18-29 year old normal female volunteers were determined. These body mass indices were then grouped according to the phase of each subject's menstrual cycle, early or late follicular and early or late luteal phase. The subcutaneous body fat is 27.07 +or- 1.0% in the early follicular but drops to 24.68 +or- 1.84% in the late follicular phase. The value then rises significantly higher than that in the late follicular phase to 30.14 +or- 1.15% (P0.02) in the early luteal drops to 27.17 +or- 0.55% towards the level of the early follicular phase (P0.05). Variations in the values of QI during each menstrual cycle exactly mirror those for subcutaneous body fat. The fall in the 2 body mass indices during the late follicular phase coincides somewhat with the established preovulatory LH and FSH surges as well as the high levels of estrogen of this period. On the other hand the significant rise in the 2 parameters during the early luteal phase coincides with the marked rise in the ratio of progesterone to estrogen. Clearly, increased levels of progesterone relative to estrogen appear to cause an increase in the body fat during each menstrual cycle. The implication of this finding for women on contraceptive pills which are predominantly progesterone and those whose normal menstrual cycle is "interrupted" at the early luteal phase by a successful fertilization raises very interesting questions with regards to prediction of ovulation.