Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene最新文献

Understanding the health concerns linked to long-term low-dose ionizing radiation exposure is essential to creating safety protocols and protective gear for healthcare workers. Despite reports on the biological effects of low-dose chronic or protracted exposure to ionizing radiation, its association with long-term health effects remains unclear. To examine this, the authors obtained and tested peripheral blood samples from control participants (Healthcare workers not involved in radiation-based work (n = 21) and healthcare professionals (n = 25) receiving low-dose radiation over time as part of their occupation. Change in case with alignment to control, for early and delayed DNA damage was measured using the formation of gamma H2AX (γ-H2AX), micronucleus (MN), and Ferrodoxin reductase (FDXR) expression changes. These biomarkers were compared to cumulative registered doses, as determined by the individuals' personal dosimetry records using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). The mean γ-H2AX foci frequency estimated in blood lymphocytes among the control group was 0.05 ± 0.01, and in healthcare workers was 0.04 ± 0.01 (p > 0.05). The mean of MN aberration frequency ± standard error (SE) in control was 0.001 ± 0.001 and in healthcare workers was 0.005 ± 0.002 (p < 0.0001). Similarly, FDXR expression in healthcare workers increased by 7% when compared to the control group. The cumulative registered dose in the healthcare workers' monitoring device varied between 0 and 21 mSv with an average of 3.65 mSv. A weak correlation was observed between the registered TLD dose and biomarker- γ-H2AX (R²=0.0123), MN (R²= 0.0011), and FDXR expression (R²= 0.0006). The study results suggest a lack of dose-dependent increase in DNA damage as evaluated by γ-H2AX, MN formation, and FDXR expression change among healthcare workers exposed to chronic low-dose radiation. Moreover, the observed range of these biomarkers was not significantly different from the baseline data established from apparently healthy non-radiation workers of the same population. Assay sensitivity and healthcare worker adherence to safety procedures to decrease exposures are two probable factors for the lack of correlation between the registered dose and that of DNA damage.

The present assessment was undertaken to develop an understanding of the occurrence and status of peer review with biological science-oriented journals in the first few decades of the 20th century. This research was centered around whether peer review would have been a realistic expectation/demand for that era for experimentally oriented biologists. The analysis indicates that the peer review process in 17 major biologically oriented journals from the United States was created principally in the early decades of the 20th century. These journals included those relating to both botanical (e.g., plant physiology, plant pathology) and zoological (e.g., biochemistry, physiology, immunology, genetics) research domains. These findings represent the first integrative evaluation of experimentally oriented biological journals concerning their historical peer-review activities. The information is based on summarized articles in the journals concerning their peer-review process, similar assessments provided by related professional societies that published the journals, as well as the preserved papers of some journal editors, which included actual peer-review documents of that era. This assessment indicates that formal peer review was commonly practiced amongst many of the leading biologically oriented US-based journals during that era. These are useful in evaluating the publication strategy of Hermann J. Muller as it relates to the avoidance of peer review regarding his novel claim to have induced gene mutations via exposure to X-rays.

In the recent COVID-19 pandemic, N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs), surgical masks, and other protective face coverings played a key role in limiting disease transmission. FFRs and surgical masks were generally composed of three- and five-layered designs with differing middle layer compositions. The middle layer, also known as the filtering layer of a three-layer respirator, is responsible for overall Particle Filtration Efficiency (PFE) and has a reasonable Quality Factor (QF). Despite this, limited studies have explored how middle-layer composition affects the QF of a five-layer respirator. Therefore, in the present study, the performance of three five-layer respirators (N95) and a surgical mask was evaluated for QF. Three five-layer respirators and a surgical mask were tested for PFE and pressure drop at face velocities from 5 to 25 cm sec^-1. Subsequently, the respirator and individual layer QFs were determined by the Single Fiber Filtration Efficiency (SFFE) model and layer analysis. The PFE of the tested respirators was distinct due to different filtration mechanisms acting on particles with diameters of 100 and 300 nm. Efficiency due to fiber charging was dominant at 100 nm, whereas interception was dominant at particle diameters of 300 nm. However, variations in pressure drop were drastic at higher face velocities, resulting in significant variations in QF. Solidity and fiber diameter were lower in the middle layers than in the outer and inner layers. The QF calculated for individual and composite layers (referring to layers of nano- and micro-fibers) showed that the middle layer improved QF compared to the combined inner and outer layers. In addition, charged micrometer-sized fibers improved QF for particle sizes < 100 nm due to electrophoretic forces, while the presence of nanofibers improved QF for particle sizes > 100 nm due to the early onset of interception and impaction filtration mechanisms. The most Penetrating Particle Size (MPPS) analysis concluded that experimentally determined MPPS was mainly dependent on the middle layer, which was an indication that MPPS was influenced by fiber diameter and the presence of charged fibers.

Additive manufacturing has developed steadily since it was first introduced in the 1980s, but it is not without occupational risks. The main objectives of this study were to characterize airborne particle and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions generated by a 3D additive manufacturing using polymers and to evaluate the effectiveness of local extraction ventilation as a control measure to reduce emissions. A comprehensive measurement methodology involving direct-reading instruments and active tube air sampling was deployed around and inside the machine. Three polymer materials were studied: ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene), ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate), and PETG (PolyEthylene Terephthalate Glycol). The same test part was fully manufactured three times with each material. During manufacturing, particle number concentrations and real-time VOC profiles, particularly focusing on styrene, were measured simultaneously. The extraction ventilation parameters on the Zortrax M300 3D printer were recorded and analyzed to assess how they affected pollutant containment and prevention of operator exposure. The number of particles measured for the various materials and their concentration suggest possible operator exposure to airborne particles. Total VOC concentration values were measured from ABS (432.8 µg/m³), ASA (124.1 µg/m³), and PETG (4.7 µg/m³). Real-time monitoring was done for styrene emissions during the manufacturing cycles for the three different materials tested, coupled with VOCs sampling on adsorbent tubes. Use of a local exhaust ventilation system reduced the airborne concentrations between 95% and 99%. It is therefore recommended that 3D printers be placed under an extraction system.

Appropriate disinfection of high-frequency contact surfaces in intensive care units (ICUs) is vital for controlling and preventing healthcare-associated infections. Two hundred high-frequency contact surfaces in the ICU of Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital-Yuecheng Branch were selected and randomized into the trichloroisocyanuric acid (TCCA) or slightly acidic hypochlorous electrolyzed water (SAEW) group (100 surfaces per group) for examination from April 8, 2024, to May 10, 2024. TCCA solutions containing 500 mg/L of chlorine and SAEW were used as disinfectants for wiping and disinfecting the surfaces. The bacterial colony count and disinfection pass rate of the two groups at 5 min, 4 hr, and 8 hr after disinfection were compared. No significant differences were found between the TCCA and SAEW groups in 5 min, 4 hr, or 8 hr bacterial colony count. At 5 min, 4 hr, and 8 hr after disinfection, the surface disinfection pass rates of the TCCA group were 97.00%, 76.00%, and 66.00%, respectively, and those of the SAEW group were 96.00%, 73.00%, and 60.00%, respectively. The pass rates did not significantly differ (5 min, p = 1.000; 4 hr, p = 0.626; 8 hr, p = 0.380). The use of SAEW showed comparable results in ICU high-frequency contact surface disinfection to the use of TCCA containing 500 mg/L of chlorine, indicating it is effective for disinfecting high-frequency surfaces in ICUs.

While musician health literature has grown significantly in the past three decades, a holistic understanding of musician well-being remains lacking. This mapping review aimed to create a topographical review of existing literature on musician well-being to identify key knowledge gaps. This review sought to identify the aspects of musician well-being that have recently been studied, the musician populations that have been studied, and the study designs that have been used to assess musician well-being. This mapping review design was informed by the Focused Mapping Review and Synthesis (FMRS) approach. Studies were categorized and visualized based on study design, type of musician sampled (i.e., profession, instrument, musical genre), and well-being determinants, using the Ecology of Musical Performance (EMP) Model as a foundational framework. This review found that the majority of well-being studies identified focused on musculoskeletal health. Additionally, few intervention studies were identified, and all involved samples of music students in intervention studies were in K-12 or higher education programs. While the EMP model proposes a holistic approach to understanding musician well-being, many crucial well-being determinants highlighted by the model have not been recently studied within the musician health research. Addressing these gaps will provide a more comprehensive foundation for improving the health and well-being of all musicians.

Employee health is an important factor that influences the productivity and economic success of companies. The goal of health management in companies is to improve employee health by implementing different kinds of interventions, including checkups (voluntary preventive health examinations) that cover a broad set of tests and questions, to give a comprehensive snapshot of the employee's health and uncover priorities for prevention and health promotion. By analyzing health checkup information on a company-wide level, subgroups with increased need for health management interventions may be identified before productivity loss occurs. This study thus analyzed data from a company's health checkup to form an employee health index (EHI) using principal component analysis (PCA) to adequately summarize the data. Additionally, this study investigated whether EHI values were associated with the number of absent workdays on the department level. The study population consisted of employees of a German automotive company. In total, data from 71,054 voluntary health checkups conducted between 2006 and 2016 were analyzed. PCA resulted in five components in three different health aspects (musculoskeletal disorders, mental health, and physiology). Based on these components, departments were categorized as having low, medium, and high needs for health management interventions. Poisson regression was used to analyze differences in absent workdays between departments with low compared to medium or high need for health management interventions. Components describing musculoskeletal disorders and physiology were associated with a change in the rate of absent days per employee. However, results were inconsistent over different time intervals. Therefore, although the presented EHI was to a certain extent associated with future absent workdays, using checkup data to investigate more specific health problems and outcomes related to individual job-related activities or tasks instead of general measures seems to be a more appealing approach.

Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) have become an increasingly utilized form of respiratory protection against highly infectious aerosols. In the United States, PAPRs have been used in high-level clinical isolation settings to care for patients infected with viral hemorrhagic fevers and, more recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic. PAPRs have long been used for biocontainment care and experienced increased use during the pandemic because they provide full-face visibility and eye and respiratory protection. Despite their extended use, limited studies have explored the operational usability and limitations of these devices, especially during patient care and communication. For this pilot study, the speech intelligibility of two commonly used PAPR brands was examined in a clinical setting using some requirements from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) standard testing procedure (NIOSH TEB-CBRN-APR-STP-0313 Determination of Communication Performance Test For Speech) for determining communication performance for speech conveyance in PAPRs. A total of 19 study participants were split into 17 speakers and two listeners. Speakers were assigned to test groups. Each speaker was provided with a word list, while listeners were provided with a response list. A modified rhyme test (MRT) was conducted to determine the communication performance rating of each PAPR brand. The 3M PAPR had a higher performance rating than MAXAIR across all test groups, despite having a 5 dBA higher internal noise. The difference in the mean performance rating of 3M (75) was significantly higher than that of MAXAIR (59) (95% CI: -23.66-9.09). Overall, the 3M PAPR was strongly preferred among study participants in terms of comfort, fit, and noise level. Interventions such as incorporating communication devices are of interest for future study, and an assessment of additional limitations is needed to optimize PAPR use in clinical care activities.

Occupational exposure to airborne fungi in indoor environments may pose respiratory health risks. This study aimed to characterize exposure to fungi, bacteria, and endotoxin in a historical museum where the staff reported airway symptoms. Air samples were collected during three separate workdays using personal and stationary samplers. Fungi and bacteria were quantified and identified using MALDI-TOF MS, and the total inflammatory potential was measured through Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production in a human cell line. The geometric mean of staff exposure was 5.9 × 10³ CFU/m³ fungi, 1.8 × 10³ CFU/m³ bacteria, and 7.93 EU/m³ endotoxin. Staff reported symptoms of the airways, with immediate symptoms upon entering two departments, which exhibited elevated fungal concentrations compared to other departments. The most prevalent fungal species were Aspergillus conicus, A. domesticus, A. pseudoglaucus, A. pseudogracilis, and Cladosporium spp. Concentrations of bacteria were highest when staff were present and without dominance by any particular species. Staff exposure and stationary samples induced ROS production in a cell line, which correlated with concentrations of fungi, bacteria, and endotoxin. Fungi were detected on the museum artifacts, and concentrations of fungi and bacteria increased during handling of the artifacts. In conclusion, staff in the two departments where airway symptoms were reported were exposed to 2 × 10⁴ to 7 × 10⁴ CFU/m³ of fungi, primarily Aspergillus spp. and Cladosporium. spp. This exposure constituted both xerophilic species and species commonly found in water-damaged buildings, and they seemed to have developed on artifacts. These findings underscore the importance of developing preventive strategies to protect the health of museum staff. Moreover, it highlights the challenge of managing fungi adapted to varying humidity conditions.