Bioinformatics and machine learning to support nanomaterial grouping.

Nanomaterials (NMs) offer plenty of novel functionalities. Moreover, their physicochemical properties can be fine-tuned to meet the needs of specific applications, leading to virtually unlimited numbers of NM variants. Hence, efficient hazard and risk assessment strategies building on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) become indispensable.

Occupational exposure limits for reproductive toxicants - A comparative analysis.

We investigated the level of protection of reproductive and developmental toxicity offered through occupational exposure limits (OELs) and Derived No-Effect Levels for workers' inhalation exposure (wDNELs). We compared coverage of substances that have a harmonised classification as reproductive toxicant 1 A or 1B (Repr.1 A/B), numerical values and scientific basis of 12 lists of OELs and wDNELs from REACH Registrants' and the Committee for Risk Assessment.

Two Photosensitive Dermatitis Outbreaks Caused by - Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, 2023.

What Is Already Known About This Topic?: () is a species of toxic mushroom known to induce symptoms of photosensitive dermatitis.

What Is Added By This Report?: In the months of May and June 2023, a total of four patients in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, were affected by poisoning, occurring over two distinct incidents. The condition of two patients deteriorated after they were re-exposed to sunlight on the seventh day following the initial poisoning.

Frequency of breaks, amount of muscular rest, and sustained muscle activity related to neck pain in a pooled dataset.

Background: Neck pain remains a persistent challenge in modern society and is frequently encountered across a wide range of occupations, particularly those involving repetitive and monotonous tasks. It might be expected that patterns of trapezius muscle activity at work, characterized by few breaks and prolonged periods of sustained muscle activity, are linked to neck pain. However, previous cross-sectional studies have generally failed to establish a definitive association.

Association of noise exposure with lipid metabolism among Chinese adults: mediation role of obesity indices.

Purpose: Noise exposure in the workplace has been linked to a number of health consequences. Our objectives were to explore the relationship between occupational noise and lipid metabolism and evaluate the possible mediating effect of obesity indices in those relationships with a cross-sectional study design.

Methods: Cumulative noise exposure (CNE) was used to measure the level of noise exposure.

Impact of COVID-19 among small-scale industry fishermen - A mixed methods study from the coastal area of Karnataka.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widespread and devastating physical, emotional, societal, and economic repercussions among workers in India.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 and to understand the challenges faced and coping mechanism adopted among fishermen community from the coastal area of Karnataka.

Methodology: This community-based mixed-methods study included participants from a coastal Karnataka fishermen's community.

A mixed-methods study on impact of active case finding on pulmonary tuberculosis treatment outcomes in India.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health burden in India, with elimination targets set for 2025. Active case finding (ACF) is crucial for improving TB case detection rates, although conclusive evidence of its association with treatment outcomes is lacking. Our study aims to investigate the impact of ACF on successful TB treatment outcomes among pulmonary TB patients in Gujarat, India, and explore why ACF positively impacts these outcomes.

Framework for implementing collaborative TB-silicosis activities in India: insights from an expert panel.

Tuberculosis (TB) treatment is more challenging for patients with silicosis, as it complicates the diagnosis of both diseases and increases mortality risk. Silicosis, an incurable occupational disease, confounds the diagnosis of TB and vice versa, making it more difficult to accurately identify and treat either condition. Moreover, TB appears to accelerate the progression of silicosis.

Multivariate optimization and validation of 200 pesticide residues in the banana matrix by GC-MS/MS.

GC-MS/MS has been observed from past studies to be an appropriate choice for designing a simple, efficient and sensitive analytical technique. Accordingly, the linearity and working range, Method Limit of Detection (MLOD), Method Limit of Quantification (MLOQ), accuracy, precision (intra-day and inter-day), Matrix Effect (ME) and selectivity were analyzed for the assessment of 200 pesticide residues [organophosphorus pesticides (OPP), organochlorine pesticides (OCP), organonitrogen pesticides (ONP), synthetic pyrethroid pesticides (SPP), and herbicide methyl esters (HME)] in the banana matrix. The procedure involved QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extraction and clean-up with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Primary Secondary Amine (PSA) wherein the factors were optimized using the Plackett-Burman and central composite designs.

Mixed methods study on latent tuberculosis among agate stone workers and advocacy for testing silica dust exposed individuals in India.

The 2021 tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment guidelines in India included silicosis as a screening group, yet latent TB infection (LTBI) testing for silica-dust-exposed individuals is underemphasized. Focusing on an estimated 52 million silica-dust-exposed workers, particularly agate-stone workers in Khambhat, Gujarat, our study aims to estimate LTBI prevalence, identify predictors, and gather insights from TB and silicosis experts. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, a cross-sectional study involved 463 agate-stone workers aged ≥ 20 years in Khambhat, using IGRA kits for LTBI testing.

Characterization of particle exposure during tunnel excavation by tunnel boring machines.

Tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are used to excavate tunnels in a manner where the rock is constantly penetrated with rotating cutter heads. Fine particles of the rock minerals are thereby generated. Workers on and in the vicinity of the TBM are exposed to particulate matter (PM) consisting of bedrock minerals including α-quartz.

Gender and educational differences in work participation and working years lost in Norway.

Objectives: This study aimed to quantify the duration of work participation and reasons for working years lost, according to gender and educational attainment, among a Norwegian population.

Methods: Register data on labor market attachment between 2000-2015 were obtained from Statistics Norway. We included five cohorts: individuals turning 20 (N=323 333), 30 (N=386 006), 40 (N=388 962), 50 (N=358 745), and 60 years (N=284 425) between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2005.

Does job control contribute to differences in physician-certified sickness absence across office concepts? A mediation analysis in a nationally representative sample.

Objectives: Several studies have found higher sickness absence in shared and open workspaces than in private offices, but little is known about why these differences occur. We propose and test job control as a potential mechanism underlying observed differences in the risk of physician-certified sickness absence between private offices and shared and open workspaces.

Methods: We conducted a counterfactual mediation analysis using observational survey data from a nationally representative sample of Norwegian employees merged with prospective data from national registries (N=5512).

Assessing Health Seeking Behaviors and Economic Consequences of Morbidity in Indian Construction Workers: A Multicenter Study.

Background: Construction laborers succumb to poor health due to the inherent workplace health hazards and poor socio-economic living conditions. With rising healthcare expenses, the increased risk of poor health may aggravate their economic status, pushing them deeper into poverty.

Settings And Design: The current cross-sectional multicenter study comprehensively investigated the determinants of health, health-seeking behavior, and poor economic impact regarding catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) among construction laborers.

Blood biomarkers for occupational hand-arm vibration exposure.

Hand-arm vibration is a common occupational exposure that causes neurological impairment, myalgia, and vibration-induced Raynaud's phenomena or vibration white fingers (VWF). The pathological mechanism is largely unknown, though several mechanisms have been proposed, involving both immunological vascular damage and defective neural responses. The aim of this study was to test whether the substances interleukin-33 (IL-33), macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), interleukin-10 (IL-10), endothelin-1 (ET-1), C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20), calcitonin, and thromboxane (TXA) changed before and after occupational hand-arm vibration exposure.

The risk for ophthalmological conditions in ulcerative colitis: A population-based case-control study. Is silica dust-exposure associated with inflammatory eye disease?

Purpose: To study the risk for eye diseases in individuals with Ulcerative Colitis (UC), and to assess whether silica dust-exposure could contribute to the development of inflammatory eye diseases.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted using a patient register processed by the National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW) and Statistics Sweden. Cases were diagnosed with UC between 2007 and 2016.

[Analysis of the change in human resources of centers for disease control and prevention in different regions of China from 2010 to 2020].

To analyze the change in human resources within China's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 2010 to 2020. The self-reported information from provincial, prefectural (city), and county (district) levels of China's CDC, covering employee counts, staff composition, professional qualifications, educational backgrounds, technical titles, and tenure, were extracted from the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The demographic context was provided by the annual population figures from the China Statistical Yearbook (2010-2020).

Treatment Effect Modifiers for Return-to-Work in Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Investigating how individual characteristics modify treatment effects can improve understanding, interpretation, and translation of trial findings. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to identify treatment effect modifiers of the MI-NAV trial, a 3 arm, parallel randomized controlled trial which compared motivational interviewing and stratified vocational advice intervention in addition to usual case management (UC), to UC alone. This study included (n = 514) participants with musculoskeletal disorders on sick leave for at least 50% of their contracted work hours for at least 7 consecutive weeks with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration.

Effects of the combined exposure to chemicals and unusual working hours.

Objective: Both exposure to occupational chemicals and to unusual working hours have well documented effects on health. Determination of occupational exposure limits is, however, usually based on chemical-only exposure and assumes an 8-h workday, 5 days/week and a 40-h work week. A significant proportion of the workforce is exposed to chemicals while working in other work schedules.

A study of inflammatory biomarkers in crystalline silica exposed rock drillers.

Background: Crystalline silica (CS) exposure can cause serious lung disease in humans, but mechanisms of pulmonary toxicity have not been completely elucidated.

Aims: To assess pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers and biomarkers related to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and fibrosis in serum of rock drillers exposed to CS.

Methods: Rock drillers (N = 123) exposed to CS and non-specified particulate matter (PM) were compared to 48 referents without current or past exposure to PM in a cross-sectional study.

Optimization of QuEChERS method for determination of pesticide residues in vegetables and health risk assessment.

The present study focused on the optimization of the QuEChERS extraction method for the determination of 61 pesticide residues and associated health risk assessment in 144 samples of commonly consumed vegetables, viz., eggplant, cabbage, green chilli, okra, and tomato. The samples were collected between January and April 2022 from three different districts within Gujarat, India.

DNA damage and ALAD polymorphism in high blood lead (Pb) levels of pregnant women attending a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Background: Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to lead toxicity due to increased absorption and decreased elimination of lead from their bodies. The δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) gene plays a crucial role in lead metabolism, and its polymorphisms have been implicated in modifying the susceptibility to lead toxicity.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 90 pregnant women and blood samples were collected to measure blood lead levels (BLL) and assessed DNA damage using the comet assay.