Eirini Karakasidou

Motilin and Gastrin Secretion and Lipid Profile in Preterm Neonates Following Prebiotics Supplementation A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Study

BACKGROUND Gut hormones play an important role in the adaptation of the immature neonatal gut, and their secretion may be modulated by prebiotics. Furthermore, prebiotics are well known for their hypolipidemic potentials. We tested the hypothesis that prebiotics could alter motilin and gastrin secretion and reduce lipids in healthy preterms. METHODS A total of 167 newborns were randomized to either a prebiotics enriched formula containing dietary oligosaccharides (short-chain galacto-oligo-saccharides/long-chain fructo-oligo-saccharides [scGOS/lcFOS]), at a concentration of 0.8 g/100 ml, or a common preterm formula. Day 1 and 16 basal motilin, gastrin concentrations, and lipids were evaluated together with growth parameters, gastric residue, bowel habits, and feeding tolerance. Adverse events including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and septicemia were also recorded. RESULTS Mean motilin increase and day 16 mean values were greater for the intervention, compared with the control group (P = .001, P = .005, respectively), while gastrin remained high in both groups. Mean cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) increase were significantly greater in the control, compared with the intervention (P = .037, and P = .001) group. Day 16 LDL levels were significantly higher in the control group. Mean weight was increased in the control group, while gastric residue was less and stool frequency was increased in the intervention group. NEC and septicemia were not statistically different between groups. CONCLUSION A prebiotics enriched formula resulted in significant surge of motilin relating to reduced gastric residue, compared with a common preterm formula. Mean cholesterol change was lower, while LDL was not increased in the prebiotics group, compared with the control group.

The Role of Occupational Stress and Emotional Intelligence in Working Health-Care and Medical Environments

In this paper we investigate the effect of occupational stress and emotional intelligence on the performance of health-care employees, working in the operating room department. We expect, our results to prove useful to corresponding human resource departments for improving their practices and methods. We conducted a qualitative study with self-reported questionnaires measuring both, occupational stress and emotional intelligence. The survey was administered to health-care and medical employees in the 401 General Army Hospital of Athens. We then conducted descriptive data analysis and performed regression analysis with job performance as the dependent variable. We found that the level of emotional intelligence and occupational stress are positively correlated and they both affect performance. At the same time, gender does not seem to affect the level of emotional intelligence or the perception of occupational stress. Our regression model explains 17.6% of performance variability using the following predictor variables: the number of operations, the occupational stress and the emotional intelligence levels. However, the number of operations an employee participates in, affects the occupational stress perception. Finally, the level of emotional intelligence and annual sick leave seem to have a strong negative correlation. Hospital managers can use the findings of our research to monitor a number of variables related to emotional intelligence and occupational stress that seem to affect performance significantly.