Industry-specific prevalence of elevated blood lead levels among Pennsylvania workers, 2007-2018.

Objectives: To use industry-specific denominators to more accurately examine trends in prevalence rates for occupational cases of elevated blood lead levels (eBLLs) in Pennsylvania.

Methods: We used adult (aged ≥16 years) blood lead level data from Pennsylvania (2007-2018) and industry-specific denominator data from the US Census Bureau's County Business Patterns to calculate prevalence rates for eBLLs, defined as ≥25 µg/dL.

Results: Of the 19 904 cases with eBLLs, 92% were due to occupational lead exposure, with 83% from workers in the battery manufacturing industry.

Occupational exposure to high-level disinfectants and risk of miscarriage among nurses.

Objectives: To examine the association of occupational exposure to high-level disinfectants (HLDs) with risk of miscarriage among nurses.

Methods: Our study included women who enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study 3 (2010-2020) and had at least one pregnancy during follow-up. Occupational exposure to HLDs was self-reported at baseline.

Occupational use of high-level disinfectants and asthma incidence in early- to mid-career female nurses: a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Occupational use of disinfectants among healthcare workers has been associated with asthma. However, most studies are cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies are not entirely consistent. To limit the healthy worker effect, it is important to conduct studies among early- to mid-career workers.

Envisioning the future of work to safeguard the safety, health, and well-being of the workforce: A perspective from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The future of work embodies changes to the workplace, work, and workforce, which require additional occupational safety and health (OSH) stakeholder attention. Examples include workplace developments in organizational design, technological job displacement, and work arrangements; work advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and technologies; and workforce changes in demographics, economic security, and skills. This paper presents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Future of Work Initiative; suggests an integrated approach to address worker safety, health, and well-being; introduces priority topics and subtopics that confer a framework for upcoming future of work research directions and resultant practical applications; and discusses preliminary next steps.

Physical Function Impairment and Frailty in Middle-Aged People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in the REPRIEVE Trial Ancillary Study PREPARE.

Background: People with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) are at risk for accelerated development of physical function impairment and frailty; both associated with increased risk of falls, hospitalizations, and death. Identifying factors associated with physical function impairment and frailty can help target interventions.

Methods: The REPRIEVE trial enrolled participants 40-75 years of age, receiving stable antiretroviral therapy with CD4+ T-cell count >100 cells/mm3, and with low to moderate cardiovascular disease risk.

Integrated Pharmacy and PrEP Navigation Services to Support PrEP Uptake: A Quality Improvement Project.

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective in preventing HIV among both men and women, with the reduction in risk directly linked to medication adherence. Navigation services and other adherence interventions have demonstrated efficacy in medication uptake; however, their use may not be fully integrated into clinic operations or their roles clearly defined. This quality improvement (QI) project developed an evidenced-based PrEP Navigation (PN) tool to identify patient-reported barriers to uptake and to support process improvement at a large community health center in Washington, DC.

Carbon monoxide exposures among U.S. wildland firefighters by work, fire, and environmental characteristics and conditions.

Carbon monoxide (CO) exposure levels encountered by wildland firefighters (WLFs) throughout their work shift can change considerably within a few minutes due to the varied tasks that are performed and the changing environmental and fire conditions encountered throughout the day. In a U.S.

PPARγ-activation increases intestinal M1 macrophages and mitigates formation of serrated adenomas in mutant mice.

To identify novel hubs for cancer immunotherapy, we generated J mice with concomitant deletion of the drugable transcription factor PPARγ and transgenic overexpression of the mutant oncogene in enterocytes. Animals developed epithelial hyperplasia, transmural inflammation and serrated adenomas in the small intestine with infiltration of CD3+ FOXP3+ T-cells and macrophages into the lamina propria of the non-malignant mucosa. Within serrated polyps, CD3+ CD8+ T-cells and phosphorylated ERK1/2 were reduced and the senescence marker P21 and macrophage counts up-regulated, indicative of an immunosuppressive tissue microenvironment.

Silver Makes Better Electrical Contacts to Thiol-Terminated Silanes than Gold.

We report that the single-molecule junction conductance of thiol-terminated silanes with Ag electrodes are higher than the conductance of those formed with Au electrodes. These results are in contrast to the trends in the metal work function Φ(Ag)<Φ(Au). As such, a better alignment of the Au Fermi level to the molecular orbital of silane that mediates charge transport would be expected.

Occupational use of high-level disinfectants and fecundity among nurses.

Objective This study aimed to examine the relationship between occupational use of high-level disinfectants (HLD) and fecundity among female nurses. Methods Women currently employed outside the home and trying to get pregnant (N=1739) in the Nurses' Health Study 3 cohort (2010-2014) were included in this analysis. Occupational exposure to HLD used to disinfect medical instruments and use of protective equipment (PE) was self-reported on the baseline questionnaire.

Daclatasvir plus Sofosbuvir for HCV in Patients Coinfected with HIV-1.

Background: The combination of daclatasvir, a hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A inhibitor, and the NS5B inhibitor sofosbuvir has shown efficacy in patients with HCV monoinfection. Data are lacking on the efficacy and safety of this combination in patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).

Methods: This was an open-label study involving 151 patients who had not received HCV treatment and 52 previously treated patients, all of whom were coinfected with HIV-1.

The incidence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in women attending nine sexually transmitted diseases clinics in the USA.

Objectives: Trichomoniasis (TV) is associated with an increased risk of acquisition of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV. The purpose of this study is to evaluate factors associated with incidence TV among female STD clinic attendees in the USA.

Methods: Data were collected from women participating in a randomised controlled trial evaluating brief risk reduction counselling at the time of HIV testing to reduce sexually transmitted infections (STIs) incidence in STD clinics.

Precautionary practices of healthcare workers who disinfect medical and dental devices using high-level disinfectants.

BACKGROUND High-level disinfectants (HLDs) are used throughout the healthcare industry to chemically disinfect reusable, semicritical medical and dental devices to control and prevent healthcare-associated infections among patient populations. Workers who use HLDs are at risk of exposure to these chemicals, some of which are respiratory and skin irritants and sensitizers. OBJECTIVE To evaluate exposure controls used and to better understand impediments to healthcare workers using personal protective equipment while handling HLDs.

Effect of risk-reduction counseling with rapid HIV testing on risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections: the AWARE randomized clinical trial.

Importance: To increase human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing rates, many institutions and jurisdictions have revised policies to make the testing process rapid, simple, and routine. A major issue for testing scale-up efforts is the effectiveness of HIV risk-reduction counseling, which has historically been an integral part of the HIV testing process.

Objective: To assess the effect of brief patient-centered risk-reduction counseling at the time of a rapid HIV test on the subsequent acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Occupational carbon monoxide fatalities in the US from unintentional non-fire related exposures, 1992-2008.

Objective: To analyze characteristics of, and trends in, work-related carbon monoxide (CO) fatalities in the US.

Methods: Records of unintentional, non-fire related fatalities from CO exposure were extracted from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Integrated Management Information System for years 1992-2008 and analyzed separately.

Results: The average number of annual CO fatalities was 22 (standard deviation=8).

Effect of HIV on liver fibrosis among HCV-infected African Americans.

Degree of liver fibrosis largely determines treatment urgency for hepatitis C virus (HCV). This retrospective study examined fibrosis stages and predictive factors in African Americans with HCV monoinfection and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/HCV coinfection. Nearly 50% of patients had early-stage fibrosis in the study, despite the long duration of infection in many patients.

Can viscosity of acid etchant influence the adhesion of fibre posts to root canal dentine?

Aim: To evaluate the influence of acid viscosity, endodontic sealer and root canal region on the push-out bond strength of a glass fibre post.

Methodology: Seventy-eight single-rooted human teeth were selected (60 for push-out and 18 for scanning electron microscopy characterization, SEM, n = 13 per group). The root canals were prepared with a step-back technique and then filled with Endofill or AH Plus sealer.

Characterization of an antimicrobial dental resin adhesive containing zinc methacrylate.

This study evaluates the effect of zinc methacrylate (ZM) on the degree of conversion (DC), cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity (AA) of an experimental resin. Tetraethyleneglycol dimethacrylate was used as the experimental resin and it was photo activated using camphoroquinone and ethyl 4-dimethylamine benzoate. Additionally, 1.

Addition of zinc methacrylate in dental polymers: MMP-2 inhibition and ultimate tensile strength evaluation.

This study evaluated the effect of zinc methacrylate (ZM) on the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of an experimental polymer. Enzymes secreted from mouse gingival tissues were analyzed by gelatin zymography in buffers containing 5 mM CaCl(2) (Tris-CaCl(2)) in 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer with various concentrations of ZM (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 mM).

Characterization of lead in US workplaces using data from OSHA's integrated management information system.

Background: Lead hazards continue to be encountered in the workplace. OSHA's Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) is the largest available database containing sampling results in US workplaces.

Methods: Personal airborne lead sampling results in IMIS were extracted for years 1979-2008.

Factors influencing the microhardness of a microhybrid composite.

This study investigated how different photocuring units, exposure times, and ethanol storage affected the depth of cure in a microhybrid composite. Forty composite specimens (each with a depth of 4 mm) were prepared and divided randomly into four groups (n = 10) to receive treatment from a quartz-tungstenhalogen (QTH) curing unit (400 mW/cm2) or a light-emitting-diode (LED) curing unit (180 mW/cm2). The specimens were photocured for either 20 or 40 seconds and stored in the dark for 24 hours at room temperature.

Papain-based gel for biochemical caries removal: influence on microtensile bond strength to dentin.

This study investigated the influence of a papain-based gel (Papacárie) for chemo-mechanical caries removal on bond strength to dentin. Human molars were assigned to the following groups: Group 1: sound teeth were flattened to expose dentin; Group 2: after flattening of surfaces, the papain-based gel was applied on the sound dentin; Group 3: overlying enamel from carious teeth was removed and mechanical excavation of dentin was conducted; Group 4: chemo-mechanical excavation of carious dentin was conducted using the papain-based gel. The Prime&Bond NT or Clearfil SE Bond adhesive systems were used for restorative procedures.

A cohort mortality study of chemical laboratory workers at Department of Energy Nuclear Plants.

Objective: This study evaluates the mortality experience of 6,157 chemical laboratory workers employed at United States Department of Energy facilities.

Methods: All cause, all cancer and cause-specific standardized mortality ratios were calculated. Cox regression analyses were conducted to further evaluate the relation between chemical exposure and mortality risk due to selected cancers.