Enhancing Caseworker Job Satisfaction Through Empowerment: An Innovative Tool for Employee Retention.

Child welfare caseworkers typically have high turnover rates, and little is known about how to increase their job satisfaction. Utilizing structural equation modeling, this study investigates the connections between empowerment, leadership, learning culture, physical environment, and job satisfaction among social workers in child welfare organizations. We employ a dataset from a comprehensive organizational health assessment survey of 2801 individuals to analyze the direct and indirect effects of empowerment variables on job satisfaction, as well as the influence of leadership, learning culture, and the caseworkers' physical environment.

Addressing Profiles of Systemic Inflammation Across the Different Clinical Phenotypes of Acutely Decompensated Cirrhosis.

Patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis (AD) may or may not develop acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). ACLF is characterized by high-grade systemic inflammation, organ failures (OF) and high short-term mortality. Although patients with AD cirrhosis exhibit distinct clinical phenotypes at baseline, they have low short-term mortality, unless ACLF develops during follow-up.

Macrophage depletion abates Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced alveolar bone resorption in mice.

The role of the macrophage in the immunopathology of periodontitis has not been well defined. In this study, we show that intraoral inoculation of mice with Porphyromonas gingivalis resulted in infection, alveolar bone resorption, and a significant increase in F4/80(+) macrophages in gingival and submandibular lymph node tissues. Macrophage depletion using clodronate-liposomes resulted in a significant reduction in F4/80(+) macrophage infiltration of gingival and submandibular lymph node tissues and significantly (p < 0.

An immunohistochemical analysis of cell cycle markers in oral mucosal dysplastic lesions treated by laser therapy. A pilot study.

Introduction: Over the past 15 years, dysplastic oral mucosal lesions have been treated by laser ablation with variable success. A recent study have shown that the type of laser utilized may be important for patient outcome, however, it may also be changes at a cellular level that could be an important factor in determining recurrence outcome. The aims of this study were to assess cellular markers related to oral dysplastic lesions treated by two different laser types.

Functional and structural diversification of the Anguimorpha lizard venom system.

Venom has only been recently discovered to be a basal trait of the Anguimorpha lizards. Consequently, very little is known about the timings of toxin recruitment events, venom protein molecular evolution, or even the relative physical diversifications of the venom system itself. A multidisciplinary approach was used to examine the evolution across the full taxonomical range of this ∼130 million-year-old clade.

A central role for venom in predation by Varanus komodoensis (Komodo Dragon) and the extinct giant Varanus (Megalania) priscus.

The predatory ecology of Varanus komodoensis (Komodo Dragon) has been a subject of long-standing interest and considerable conjecture. Here, we investigate the roles and potential interplay between cranial mechanics, toxic bacteria, and venom. Our analyses point to the presence of a sophisticated combined-arsenal killing apparatus.

Evolution of an arsenal: structural and functional diversification of the venom system in the advanced snakes (Caenophidia).

Venom is a key innovation underlying the evolution of advanced snakes (Caenophidia). Despite this, very little is known about venom system structural diversification, toxin recruitment event timings, or toxin molecular evolution. A multidisciplinary approach was used to examine the diversification of the venom system and associated toxins across the full range of the approximately 100 million-year-old advanced snake clade with a particular emphasis upon families that have not secondarily evolved a front-fanged venom system ( approximately 80% of the 2500 species).

Immunohistological patterns of carcinoembryonic antigen in colorectal carcinoma. Correlation with staging and blood levels.

Forty-four primary adenocarcinomas of the large bowel and 2 liver metastases were stained for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in tissue sections by indirect immunofluorescence. All tumours were positive and showed either one or more of 3 different patterns--luminal; linear at surface of the tumour cells; cytoplasmic. In most cases (83%), two or all 3 patterns were seen in the same or in different parts of a tumour.

Partial mechanization of membrane immunofluorescent staining techniques.

An apparatus and method are described to facilitate membrane immunofluorescent staining on up to forty samples simultaneously. The technique permits readily reproducible titration of antibody activity against cell surfaces as for example with antilymphocyte or antitumour cell sera.