Fuel pool development in tunnel and drainage as a means to mitigate tunnel fire size

Publication date: Available online 30 September 2017
Source:Fire Safety Journal
Author(s): Raymond Klein, Igor Maevski, Jonathan Ko, Yuan Li
One of the most dangerous fire events that can happen in road tunnels is a fuel tanker fire, when flammable or combustible liquid fuel spills on the tunnel roadbed and catches fire. The fire develops extremely fast, with its size directly dependent on the size of the liquid pool on the roadbed surface. The tunnel roadbed is typically not flat and is usually sloped both longitudinally and transversely (cross slope). There have been some attempts to evaluate the fuel pool size on a flat or longitudinally sloped surface, whereas there is a lack of methodology for evaluation of fuel pool size, fire zone length and fire heat release rate on a sloped roadbed surface. While there is some controversy as to the exact heat release rate for a given fuel type and fuel pool depth, very little experimentation has been performed or documented on fuel flow across an unbounded sloped surface. This paper presents results of the scaled tests that measured the size and shape of water and fuel on a sloped road surface as well as attempts to verify CFD analysis. The estimated results from the measured data extrapolated to 12 l/s are compared against the CFD model and previously published papers. A 1.2 m × 1.2 m (4 ft × 4 ft) section of concrete surface representing a concrete road was built, and flow tests were performed on the sloped surface with water and gasoline at different flow rates, different surface slope and different surface roughness. The test data was used to determine the liquid pool area based on the flow rate. This data shows that the geometrical shape of the pool remains proportionate for the different parameters of slope, flow rate, and surface roughness that were tested. Since this is an unbounded experiment the test results can be directly applied to a fuel spill on a sloped surface (roadway) by adjusting the fuel flow rate. This flow pattern and flow dynamics were then used to calibrate a CFD model that emulated the flow pattern of the liquid fuel across an inclined concrete road surface. Using the calibrated CFD model and standard drainage calculations the drainage system can be designed to limit the size of the pool of liquid fuel. This paper addresses the pool size and the area of the pool on a sloped concrete surface.



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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1161: Higher Mortality in Trauma Patients Is Associated with Stress-Induced Hyperglycemia, but Not Diabetic Hyperglycemia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Based on a Propensity-Score Matching Approach

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1161: Higher Mortality in Trauma Patients Is Associated with Stress-Induced Hyperglycemia, but Not Diabetic Hyperglycemia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Based on a Propensity-Score Matching Approach

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101161

Authors: Cheng-Shyuan Rau Shao-Chun Wu Yi-Chun Chen Peng-Chen Chien Hsiao-Yun Hsieh Pao-Jen Kuo Ching-Hua Hsieh

Background: Stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH) is a form of hyperglycemia secondary to stress and commonly occurs in patients with trauma. Trauma patients with SIH have been reported to have an increased risk of mortality. However, information regarding whether these trauma patients with SIH represent a distinct group with differential outcomes when compared to those with diabetic hyperglycemia (DH) remains limited. Methods: Diabetes mellitus (DM) was determined by patient history and/or admission glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥6.5%. Non-diabetic normoglycemia (NDN) was determined by a serum glucose level <200 mg/dL in the patients without DM. Diabetic normoglycemia (DN) was determined by a serum glucose level <200 mg/dL in the patients with DM. DH and SIH was diagnosed by a serum glucose level ≥200 mg/dL in the patients with and without DM, respectively. Detailed data of these four groups of hospitalized patients, which included NDN (n = 7806), DN (n = 950), SIH (n = 493), and DH (n = 897), were retrieved from the Trauma Registry System at a level I trauma center between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2015. Patients with incomplete registered data were excluded. Categorical data were compared with Pearson chi-square tests or two-sided Fisher exact tests. The unpaired Student’s t-test and the Mann–Whitney U-test were used to analyze normally distributed continuous data and non-normally distributed data, respectively. Propensity-score-matched cohorts in a 1:1 ratio were allocated using NCSS software with logistic regression to evaluate the effect of SIH and DH on the outcomes of patients. Results: The SIH (median [interquartile range: Q1–Q3], 13 [9–24]) demonstrated a significantly higher Injury Severity Score (ISS) than NDN (9 [4–10]), DN (9 [4–9]), and DH (9 [5–13]). SIH and DH had a 12.3-fold (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.31–16.14; p < 0.001) and 2.4-fold (95% CI 1.71–3.45; p < 0.001) higher odds of mortality, respectively, when compared to NDN. However, in the selected propensity-score-matched patient population, SIH had a 3.0-fold higher odd ratio of mortality (95% CI 1.96–4.49; p < 0.001) than NDN, but DH did not have a significantly higher mortality (odds ratio 1.2, 95% CI 0.99–1.38; p = 0.065). In addition, SIH had 2.4-fold higher odds of mortality (95% CI 1.46–4.04; p = 0.001) than DH. These results suggest that the characteristics and injury severity of the trauma patients contributed to the higher mortality of these patients with hyperglycemia upon admission, and that the pathophysiological effect of SIH was different from that of DH. Conclusions: Although there were worse mortality outcomes among trauma patients presenting with hyperglycemia, this effect was only seen in patients with SIH, but not DH when controlling for age, sex, pre-existed co-morbidities, and ISS.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1162: Living Close to Natural Outdoor Environments in Four European Cities: Adults’ Contact with the Environments and Physical Activity

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1162: Living Close to Natural Outdoor Environments in Four European Cities: Adults’ Contact with the Environments and Physical Activity

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101162

Authors: Margarita Triguero-Mas David Donaire-Gonzalez Edmund Seto Antònia Valentín Graham Smith David Martínez Glòria Carrasco-Turigas Daniel Masterson Magdalena van den Berg Albert Ambròs Tania Martínez-Íñiguez Audrius Dedele Gemma Hurst Naomi Ellis Tomas Grazulevicius Martin Voorsmit Marta Cirach Judith Cirac-Claveras Wim Swart Eddy Clasquin Jolanda Maas Wanda Wendel-Vos Michael Jerrett Regina Gražulevičienė Hanneke Kruize Christopher J. Gidlow Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen

This study investigated whether residential availability of natural outdoor environments (NOE) was associated with contact with NOE, overall physical activity and physical activity in NOE, in four different European cities using objective measures. A nested cross-sectional study was conducted in Barcelona (Spain); Stoke-on-Trent (United Kingdom); Doetinchem (The Netherlands); and Kaunas (Lithuania). Smartphones were used to collect information on the location and physical activity (overall and NOE) of around 100 residents of each city over seven days. We used Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to determine residential NOE availability (presence/absence of NOE within 300 m buffer from residence), contact with NOE (time spent in NOE), overall PA (total physical activity), NOE PA (total physical activity in NOE). Potential effect modifiers were investigated. Participants spent around 40 min in NOE and 80 min doing overall PA daily, of which 11% was in NOE. Having residential NOE availability was consistently linked with higher NOE contact during weekdays, but not to overall PA. Having residential NOE availability was related to NOE PA, especially for our Barcelona participants, people that lived in a city with low NOE availability.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1163: Modeling of Chromium, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic and Lead Using Portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Based on Discrete Wavelet Transform

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1163: Modeling of Chromium, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic and Lead Using Portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Based on Discrete Wavelet Transform

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101163

Authors: Fang Li Anxiang Lu Jihua Wang

A modeling method based on discrete wavelet transform (DWT) was introduced to analyze the concentration of chromium, copper, zinc, arsenic and lead in soil with a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. A total of 111 soil samples were collected and observed. Denoising and baseline correction were performed on each spectrum before modeling. The optimum conditions for pre-processing were denoising with Coiflet 3 on the 3rd level and baseline correction with Coiflet 3 on the 9th level. Calibration curves were established for the five heavy metals (HMs). The detection limits were compared before and after the application of DWT, the qualitative detection limits and the quantitative detection limits were calculated to be three and ten times as high as the standard deviation with silicon dioxide (blank), respectively. The results showed that the detection limits of the instrument using DWT were lower, and that they were below national soil standards; the determination coefficients (R2) based on DWT-processed spectra were higher, and ranged from 0.990 to 0.996, indicating a high degree of linearity between the contents of the HMs in soil and the XRF spectral characteristic peak intensity with the instrument measurement.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1159: Concentration Levels, Pollution Characteristics and Potential Ecological Risk of Dust Heavy Metals in the Metropolitan Area of Beijing, China

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1159: Concentration Levels, Pollution Characteristics and Potential Ecological Risk of Dust Heavy Metals in the Metropolitan Area of Beijing, China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101159

Authors: Qiulin Xiong Wenji Zhao Jiayin Zhao Wenhui Zhao Lei Jiang

This study aims to investigate the concentration levels, pollution characteristics and the associated potential ecological risks of the heavy metals found in dust in the metropolitan area of Beijing, China during the winter. Dust samples were collected at 49 different spatial locations of Beijing’s metropolitan area from November 2013 to January 2014, in which the concentration levels of Cd, Cr, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, V, Bi and Mo were measured by Elan DRC II type inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Test results showed that the concentrations of dust heavy metals Pb, Cr, Cu and Zn in the urban areas (147.1 mg·kg−1, 195.9 mg·kg−1, 239.2 mg·kg−1 and 713.2 mg·kg−1) were significantly higher than those in the suburbs (91.6 mg·kg−1, 125.1 mg·kg−1, 131.9 mg·kg−1 and 514.5 mg·kg−1). Enrichment factors and the geo-accumulation index were used to describe the pollution characteristics of dust heavy metals in urban and suburban areas. Results indicated that Zn and Cu were moderately polluting in both urban and suburban areas, Cd was severely polluting in urban areas and heavily polluting in the suburbs. Furthermore, potential ecological risk assessment revealed that the degrees of ecological harm of dust heavy metals were very strong in both urban and suburban areas, but especially in urban areas. The potential ecological risk of heavy metal Cd, whose single factor of ecological damage was extremely strong, accounted for about 90% of the total ecological risk.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1157: Factors Affecting Transfer of Pyrethroid Residues from Herbal Teas to Infusion and Influence of Physicochemical Properties of Pesticides

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1157: Factors Affecting Transfer of Pyrethroid Residues from Herbal Teas to Infusion and Influence of Physicochemical Properties of Pesticides

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101157

Authors: Jin-Jing Xiao Yang Li Qing-Kui Fang Yan-Hong Shi Min Liao Xiang-Wei Wu Ri-Mao Hua Hai-Qun Cao

The transfer of pesticide residues from herbal teas to their infusion is a subject of particular interest. In this study, a multi-residue analytical method for the determination of pyrethroids (fenpropathrin, beta-cypermethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, and fenvalerate) in honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, wolfberry, and licorice and their infusion samples was validated. The transfer of pyrethroid residues from tea to infusion was investigated at different water temperatures, tea/water ratios, and infusion intervals/times. The results show that low amounts (0–6.70%) of pyrethroids were transferred under the different tea brewing conditions examined, indicating that the infusion process reduced the pyrethroid content in the extracted liquid by over 90%. Similar results were obtained for the different tea varieties, and pesticides with high water solubility and low octanol–water partition coefficients (log Kow) exhibited high transfer rates. Moreover, the estimated values of the exposure risk to the pyrethroids were in the range of 0.0022–0.33, indicating that the daily intake of the four pyrethroid residues from herbal tea can be regarded as safe. The present results can support the identification of suitable tea brewing conditions for significantly reducing the pesticide residue levels in the infusion.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1158: Identification of Linkages between EDCs in Personal Care Products and Breast Cancer through Data Integration Combined with Gene Network Analysis

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1158: Identification of Linkages between EDCs in Personal Care Products and Breast Cancer through Data Integration Combined with Gene Network Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101158

Authors: Hyeri Jeong Jongwoon Kim Youngjun Kim

Approximately 1000 chemicals have been reported to possibly have endocrine disrupting effects, some of which are used in consumer products, such as personal care products (PCPs) and cosmetics. We conducted data integration combined with gene network analysis to: (i) identify causal molecular mechanisms between endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) used in PCPs and breast cancer; and (ii) screen candidate EDCs associated with breast cancer. Among EDCs used in PCPs, four EDCs having correlation with breast cancer were selected, and we curated 27 common interacting genes between those EDCs and breast cancer to perform the gene network analysis. Based on the gene network analysis, ESR1, TP53, NCOA1, AKT1, and BCL6 were found to be key genes to demonstrate the molecular mechanisms of EDCs in the development of breast cancer. Using GeneMANIA, we additionally predicted 20 genes which could interact with the 27 common genes. In total, 47 genes combining the common and predicted genes were functionally grouped with the gene ontology and KEGG pathway terms. With those genes, we finally screened candidate EDCs for their potential to increase breast cancer risk. This study highlights that our approach can provide insights to understand mechanisms of breast cancer and identify potential EDCs which are in association with breast cancer.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1160: “It’s a Battle… You Want to Do It, but How Will You Get It Done?”: Teachers’ and Principals’ Perceptions of Implementing Additional Physical activity in School for Academic Performance

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1160: “It’s a Battle… You Want to Do It, but How Will You Get It Done?”: Teachers’ and Principals’ Perceptions of Implementing Additional Physical activity in School for Academic Performance

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101160

Authors: Vera van den Berg Rosanne Salimi Renate de Groot Jelle Jolles Mai Chinapaw Amika Singh

School is an ideal setting to promote and increase physical activity (PA) in children. However, implementation of school-based PA programmes seems difficult, in particular due to schools’ focus on academic performance and a lack of involvement of school staff in program development. The potential cognitive and academic benefits of PA might increase chances of successful implementation. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was: (1) to explore the perceptions of teachers and principals with regard to implementation of additional PA aimed at improving cognitive and academic performance, and (2) to identify characteristics of PA programmes that according to them are feasible in daily school practice. Twenty-six face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with primary school teachers (grades 5 and 6) and principals in The Netherlands, and analysed using inductive content analysis. Teachers and principals expressed their willingness to implement additional PA if it benefits learning. Time constraints appeared to be a major barrier, and strongly influenced participants’ perceptions of feasible PA programmes. Teachers and principals emphasised that additional PA needs to be short, executed in the classroom, and provided in “ready-to-use” materials, i.e., that require no or little preparation time (e.g., a movie clip). Future research is needed to strengthen the evidence on the effects of PA for academic purposes, and should examine the forms of PA that are both effective as well as feasible in the school setting.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1155: Playing Chemical Plant Environmental Protection Games with Historical Monitoring Data

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1155: Playing Chemical Plant Environmental Protection Games with Historical Monitoring Data

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101155

Authors: Zhengqiu Zhu Bin Chen Genserik Reniers Laobing Zhang Sihang Qiu Xiaogang Qiu

The chemical industry is very important for the world economy and this industrial sector represents a substantial income source for developing countries. However, existing regulations on controlling atmospheric pollutants, and the enforcement of these regulations, often are insufficient in such countries. As a result, the deterioration of surrounding ecosystems and a quality decrease of the atmospheric environment can be observed. Previous works in this domain fail to generate executable and pragmatic solutions for inspection agencies due to practical challenges. In addressing these challenges, we introduce a so-called Chemical Plant Environment Protection Game (CPEP) to generate reasonable schedules of high-accuracy air quality monitoring stations (i.e., daily management plans) for inspection agencies. First, so-called Stackelberg Security Games (SSGs) in conjunction with source estimation methods are applied into this research. Second, high-accuracy air quality monitoring stations as well as gas sensor modules are modeled in the CPEP game. Third, simplified data analysis on the regularly discharging of chemical plants is utilized to construct the CPEP game. Finally, an illustrative case study is used to investigate the effectiveness of the CPEP game, and a realistic case study is conducted to illustrate how the models and algorithms being proposed in this paper, work in daily practice. Results show that playing a CPEP game can reduce operational costs of high-accuracy air quality monitoring stations. Moreover, evidence suggests that playing the game leads to more compliance from the chemical plants towards the inspection agencies. Therefore, the CPEP game is able to assist the environmental protection authorities in daily management work and reduce the potential risks of gaseous pollutants dispersion incidents.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1148: Assessing and Validating an Educational Resource Package for Health Professionals to Improve Smoking Cessation Care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pregnant Women

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1148: Assessing and Validating an Educational Resource Package for Health Professionals to Improve Smoking Cessation Care in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pregnant Women

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101148

Authors: Yael Bar-Zeev Michelle Bovill Billie Bonevski Maree Gruppetta Jennifer Reath The ICAN QUIT in Pregnancy Pilot Group Gillian Gould

Australian Aboriginal pregnant women have a high smoking prevalence (45%). Health professionals lack adequate educational resources to manage smoking. Resources need to be tailored to ensure saliency, cultural-sensitivity and account for diversity of Indigenous populations. As part of an intervention to improve health professionals’ smoking cessation care in Aboriginal pregnant women, a resource package was developed collaboratively with two Aboriginal Medical Services. The purpose of this study was to assess and validate this resource package. A multi-centred community-based participatory 4-step process (with three Aboriginal Medical Services from three Australian states), included: (1) Scientific review by an expert panel (2) ‘Suitability of Materials’ scoring by two Aboriginal Health Workers (3) Readability scores (4) Focus groups with health professionals. Content was analysed using six pre-determined themes (attraction, comprehension, self-efficacy, graphics and layout, cultural acceptability, and persuasion), with further inductive analysis for emerging themes. Suitability of Material scoring was adequate or superior. Average readability was grade 6.4 for patient resources (range 5.1–7.2), and 9.8 for health provider resources (range 8.5–10.6). Emergent themes included ‘Getting the message right’; ‘Engaging with family’; ‘Needing visual aids’; and ‘Requiring practicality under a tight timeframe’. Results were presented back to a Stakeholder and Consumer Aboriginal Advisory Panel and resources were adjusted accordingly. This process ensured materials used for the intervention were culturally responsive, evidence-based and useful. This novel formative evaluation protocol could be adapted for other Indigenous and culturally diverse interventions. The added value of this time-consuming and costly process is yet to be justified in research, and might impact the potential adaption by other projects.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1150: The Spatiotemporal Trend of City Parks in Mainland China between 1981 and 2014: Implications for the Promotion of Leisure Time Physical Activity and Planning

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1150: The Spatiotemporal Trend of City Parks in Mainland China between 1981 and 2014: Implications for the Promotion of Leisure Time Physical Activity and Planning

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101150

Authors: Kai Wang Jianjun Liu

City parks, important environments built for physical activity, play critical roles in preventing chronic diseases and promoting public health. We used five commonly used park indicators to investigate the spatiotemporal trend of city parks in mainland China between 1981 and 2014 at three scales: national, provincial and city class. City parks in China increased significantly with a turning point occurring around the year 2000. Up until the end of 2014, there were 13,074 city parks totaling 367,962 ha with 0.29 parks per 10,000 residents, 8.26 m2 of park per capita and 2.00% of parkland as a percentage of urban area. However, there is still a large gap compared to the established American and Japanese city park systems, and only 5.4% of people aged above 20 access city parks for physical activity. The low number of parks per 10,000 residents brings up the issue of the accessibility to physical activity areas that public parks provide. The concern of spatial disparity, also apparent for all five city park indicators, differed strongly at provincial and city class scales. The southern and eastern coastal provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang and Shandong have abundant city park resources. At the scale of the city classes, mega-city II had the highest of the three ratio indicators and the large city class had the lowest. On one hand, the leading province Guangdong and its mega-cities Shenzhen and Dongguan had park indicators comparable to the United States and Japan. On the other hand, there were still five cities with no city parks and many cities with extremely low park indicators. In China, few cities have realized the importance of city parks for the promotion of leisure time physical activity. It is urgent that state and city park laws or guidelines are passed that can serve as baselines for planning a park system and determining a minimum standard for city parks with free, accessible and safe physical activity areas and sports facilities.

http://ift.tt/2xD5qKo

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1151: The Monetary Valuation of Lifetime Health Improvement and Life Expectancy Gains in Turkey

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1151: The Monetary Valuation of Lifetime Health Improvement and Life Expectancy Gains in Turkey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101151

Authors: Shihomi Ara Cem Tekeşin

The main objective of this study is to estimate the monetary value of the gains of healthy days and life expectancy due to the ambient air quality standard that came into effect in 2014 by estimating the country-specific value of a life year (VOLY) and the value of the healthier and longer life (VHLL) for Turkey. Contingent valuation method is adopted to reveal individuals’ willingness to pay for an improvement of health condition and the extension of their life expectancy by avoiding respiratory and lung related illnesses. VHLL is composed of two parts, WTP for an extension of one’s life years (VOLY) and for an increase in the number of healthy days throughout one’s life time (VHLL-VOLY). We found that close to 80% of WTP is allocated to the latter component of VHLL and only 20% is for VOLY mainly due to Islamic beliefs of the respondents. A total of 1314 observations are collected by face-to-face interviews from Afsin-Elbistan, Kutahya-Tavsanli and Ankara. The estimated VHLL and VOLY are [41,750 TL, 10,258 TL] with all the observations, [30,185 TL, 7132 TL] for Afsin-Elbistan, [31,718 TL, 7081 TL] for Kutahya-Tavsanli and [52,334 TL, 14,813 TL] for Ankara. The Inverse-U shaped relationship between Age and WTP is confirmed. The income elasticities of WTP is found to be close to 0.5 for all study areas while an Inverse-U shaped relationship between the household income and Income Elasticity of WTP is observed in the income group based analysis. Age and household income are the two prominent determinants of VHLL.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1152: Antibiotic Self-Medication among Non-Medical University Students in Punjab, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1152: Antibiotic Self-Medication among Non-Medical University Students in Punjab, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101152

Authors: Ali Gillani Wenjing Ji Waqar Hussain Ali Imran Jie Chang Caijun Yang Yu Fang

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a global threat. Scarce knowledge about safe and appropriate antibiotic use is coupled with frequent self-administration, e.g., in China. This repeated self-medication poses potential risk in terms of antibiotic resistance. Low-resource countries are facing an elevated burden of antibiotic self-medication as compared to developed ones. Thus, this study focused on evaluating the pervasiveness of antibiotic self-medication in 3 universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional survey in three government sector universities of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study was carried out with self-administered paper-based questionnaires. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Seven hundred twenty-seven students out of 750 (response rate 97%) with a mean age ± SD of 23.0 ± 3.4 years agreed to participate in the study. The proportion of females was slightly greater (52%) compared with males (48%), and almost one-third of the respondents (36%) were in their 2nd year of university. Out of the total, 58.3% practiced self-medication in the preceding six months, and 326 (45%) confirmed the use of antibiotics. Metronidazole was the most frequently self-medicated antibiotic (48%). Out of the total, 72% demonstrated awareness regarding the side effects of antibiotics. Diarrhea was the well-known adverse effect (38%). Forty-three percent affirmed having antibiotic resistance knowledge, and 30% knew that the irregular use of antibiotics would lead to increased antibiotic resistance. Conclusion: Despite having ample awareness of the adverse antibiotic reactions, self-medication among the university students was high and antibiotic resistance was a fairly unknown term.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1154: Cadmium and Cadmium/Zinc Ratios and Tobacco-Related Morbidities

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1154: Cadmium and Cadmium/Zinc Ratios and Tobacco-Related Morbidities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101154

Authors: Patricia Richter Obaid Faroon R. Steven Pappas

Metals are one of five major categories of carcinogenic or toxic constituents in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Cadmium is highly volatile and a higher percentage of the total tobacco cadmium content is efficiently transferred to mainstream tobacco smoke than many other toxic metals in tobacco. Inhaled cadmium bioaccumulates in the lungs and is distributed beyond the lungs to other tissues, with a total body biological half-life of one to two decades. Chronic cadmium exposure through tobacco use elevates blood and urine cadmium concentrations. Cadmium is a carcinogen, and an inducer of proinflammatory immune responses. Elevated exposure to cadmium is associated with reduced pulmonary function, obstructive lung disease, bronchogenic carcinoma, cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer, and various oral pathologies. Cadmium and zinc have a toxicologically inverse relationship. Zinc is an essential element and is reportedly antagonistic to some manifestations of cadmium toxicity. This review summarizes associations between blood, urine, and tissue cadmium concentrations with emphasis on cadmium exposure due to tobacco use and several disease states. Available data about zinc and cadmium/zinc ratios and tobacco-related diseases is summarized from studies reporting smoking status. Collectively, data suggest that blood, urine, and tissue cadmium and cadmium/zinc ratios are often significantly different between smokers and nonsmokers and they are also different in smokers for several diseases and cancers. Additional biomonitoring data such as blood or serum and urine zinc and cadmium levels and cadmium/zinc ratios in smokers may provide further insight into the development and progression of diseases of the lung, cardiovascular system, and possibly other organs.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1153: Interaction between Social/Psychosocial Factors and Genetic Variants on Body Mass Index: A Gene-Environment Interaction Analysis in a Longitudinal Setting

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1153: Interaction between Social/Psychosocial Factors and Genetic Variants on Body Mass Index: A Gene-Environment Interaction Analysis in a Longitudinal Setting

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101153

Authors: Wei Zhao Erin Ware Zihuai He Sharon Kardia Jessica Faul Jennifer Smith

Obesity, which develops over time, is one of the leading causes of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. However, hundreds of BMI (body mass index)-associated genetic loci identified through large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) only explain about 2.7% of BMI variation. Most common human traits are believed to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Past studies suggest a variety of environmental features that are associated with obesity, including socioeconomic status and psychosocial factors. This study combines both gene/regions and environmental factors to explore whether social/psychosocial factors (childhood and adult socioeconomic status, social support, anger, chronic burden, stressful life events, and depressive symptoms) modify the effect of sets of genetic variants on BMI in European American and African American participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). In order to incorporate longitudinal phenotype data collected in the HRS and investigate entire sets of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within gene/region simultaneously, we applied a novel set-based test for gene-environment interaction in longitudinal studies (LGEWIS). Childhood socioeconomic status (parental education) was found to modify the genetic effect in the gene/region around SNP rs9540493 on BMI in European Americans in the HRS. The most significant SNP (rs9540488) by childhood socioeconomic status interaction within the rs9540493 gene/region was suggestively replicated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) (p = 0.07).

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1156: Contributions of Work-Related Stress and Emotional Intelligence to Teacher Engagement: Additive and Interactive Effects

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1156: Contributions of Work-Related Stress and Emotional Intelligence to Teacher Engagement: Additive and Interactive Effects

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101156

Authors: Sergio Mérida-López Natalio Extremera Lourdes Rey

This study examined the additive and interactive effects of role stress and emotional intelligence for predicting engagement among 288 teachers. Emotional intelligence and engagement were positively associated. Role ambiguity and role conflict showed negative associations with vigor and dedication scores. The interaction of role ambiguity and emotional intelligence was significant in explaining engagement dimensions. Similar results were found considering overall teacher engagement. Emotional intelligence boosted engagement when the levels of role ambiguity were higher. Our findings suggest the need for future research examining the impact of job hindrances on the links between emotional intelligence and teachers’ occupational well-being indicators. Finally, the implications for emotional intelligence training in education are discussed.

http://ift.tt/2fCKegA

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1149: A Marine Bacterium, Bacillus sp. Isolated from the Sediment Samples of Algoa Bay in South Africa Produces a Polysaccharide-Bioflocculant

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1149: A Marine Bacterium, Bacillus sp. Isolated from the Sediment Samples of Algoa Bay in South Africa Produces a Polysaccharide-Bioflocculant

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101149

Authors: Ncedo Ntozonke Kunle Okaiyeto Arinze Okoli Ademola Olaniran Uchechukwu Nwodo Anthony Okoh

Bioflocculants mediate the removal of suspended particles from solution and the efficiency of flocculation is dependent on the characteristics of the flocculant. Apart from the merits of biodegradability and harmlessness, bioflocculants could be viable as industrially relevant flocculants as they are a renewable resource. Additionally, the shortcomings associated with the conventionally used flocculants such as aluminium salts and acrylamide polymers, which include dementia and cancer, highlight more the need to use bioflocculants as an alternative. Consequently, in this study a marine sediment bacterial isolate was screened for bioflocculant production. Basic local alignment search tools (BLAST) analysis of 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA) sequence of the bacterial isolate showed 98% similarity to Bacillus thuringiensis MR-R1. The bacteria produced bioflocculant optimally with inoculum size (4% v/v) (85%), glucose (85.65%) and mixed nitrogen source (urea, ammonium chloride and yeast extract) (75.9%) and the divalent cation (Ca2+) (62.3%). Under optimal conditions, a maximum flocculating activity of over 85% was attained after 60 h of cultivation. The purified polysaccharide-bioflocculant flocculated optimally at alkaline pH 12 (81%), in the presence of Mn2+ (73%) and Ca2+ (72.8%). The high flocculation activity shown indicates that the bioflocculant may contend favourably as an alternative to the conventionally used flocculants in water treatment.

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Double-shear tests of high-strength structural bolts at elevated temperatures

Publication date: December 2017
Source:Fire Safety Journal, Volume 94
Author(s): R.M. Peixoto, M.S. Seif, L.C.M. Vieira
The behavior of high-strength structural steel at elevated temperatures, especially under shear loading, is not well established in the literature. This paper presents results from recently conducted tests on high-strength structural bolts subject to double shear loading at elevated temperatures. The parameters varied between tests included the bolt grade, bolt diameter, and temperature. Bolt grades A325 and A490 were tested. For each bolt grade, three different diameters were tested (19 mm (3/4 in), 22 mm (7/8 in), and 25.4 mm (1 in)) at five different temperatures (20 °C, 200 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, and 600 °C). At least three tests were conducted for each combination of parameters. Degradations in the mechanical and material properties including stiffness, strength, and deformation at fracture, are characterized and presented herein. The results from these experiments fill a critical knowledge gap currently present in the literature regarding the behavior of high-strength structural bolts under shear loading at elevated temperatures. These data will ultimately provide a thorough understanding of the overall behavior of structural steel systems under realistic fire loading by clarifying the (i) shear behavior of high-strength structural steel bolts at elevated temperatures, and (ii) degradation in the mechanical and material properties of high-strength steel bolts with increasing temperatures.



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Procedure for implementing new materials to the component additive method

Publication date: Available online 27 September 2017
Source:Fire Safety Journal
Author(s): Katrin Nele Mäger, Alar Just, Joachim Schmid, Norman Werther, Michael Klippel, Daniel Brandon, Andrea Frangi
The performance of light timber frame wall and floor assemblies in fire depends on their composition. The assemblies' ability to form fire-separations between building compartments (separating function) can be assessed by full-scale fire testing or calculation methods. Calculations are the low cost and more flexible alternative.The component additive method is a commonly used calculation method for fire design of timber structures. The method considers the insulation ability of the material layers present in the assembly. The component additive method described in this article is developed to be flexible to implement different materials and products of different dimensions. However, the amount of different materials currently included in this method is rather limited and there is no generally accepted procedure to implement new materials.This paper presents a common agreement of the procedure to implement new materials which comprises of: (1) the design and execution of model-scale fire tests; (2) determination of the modified thermal properties needed for simulations; (3) thermal simulations of assemblies in fire conditions; (4) development of design equations and; (5) verification by one or more full-scale fire test(s). The abovementioned steps have been clearly presented in this paper and supported by examples.



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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1146: Multiple Gene-Environment Interactions on the Angiogenesis Gene-Pathway Impact Rectal Cancer Risk and Survival

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1146: Multiple Gene-Environment Interactions on the Angiogenesis Gene-Pathway Impact Rectal Cancer Risk and Survival

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101146

Authors: Noha Sharafeldin Martha Slattery Qi Liu Conrado Franco-Villalobos Bette Caan John Potter Yutaka Yasui

Characterization of gene-environment interactions (GEIs) in cancer is limited. We aimed at identifying GEIs in rectal cancer focusing on a relevant biologic process involving the angiogenesis pathway and relevant environmental exposures: cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and animal protein intake. We analyzed data from 747 rectal cancer cases and 956 controls from the Diet, Activity and Lifestyle as a Risk Factor for Rectal Cancer study. We applied a 3-step analysis approach: first, we searched for interactions among single nucleotide polymorphisms on the pathway genes; second, we searched for interactions among the genes, both steps using Logic regression; third, we examined the GEIs significant at the 5% level using logistic regression for cancer risk and Cox proportional hazards models for survival. Permutation-based test was used for multiple testing adjustment. We identified 8 significant GEIs associated with risk among 6 genes adjusting for multiple testing: TNF (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.11), TLR4 (OR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.38, 3.98), and EGR2 (OR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.04, 4.78) with smoking; IGF1R (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.72), TLR4 (OR = 2.10, 95% CI: 1.22, 3.60) and EGR2 (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.01, 4.46) with alcohol; and PDGFB (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.92) and MMP1 (OR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.24, 4.81) with protein. Five GEIs were associated with survival at the 5% significance level but not after multiple testing adjustment: CXCR1 (HR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.13, 3.75) with smoking; and KDR (HR = 4.36, 95% CI: 1.62, 11.73), TLR2 (HR = 9.06, 95% CI: 1.14, 72.11), EGR2 (HR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.42, 4.22), and EGFR (HR = 6.33, 95% CI: 1.95, 20.54) with protein. GEIs between angiogenesis genes and smoking, alcohol, and animal protein impact rectal cancer risk. Our results support the importance of considering the biologic hypothesis to characterize GEIs associated with cancer outcomes.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1144: Health-Related Quality of Life and Function after Paediatric Injuries in India: A Longitudinal Study

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1144: Health-Related Quality of Life and Function after Paediatric Injuries in India: A Longitudinal Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101144

Authors: Jagnoor Jagnoor Shankar Prinja Aliki Christou Jannah Baker Belinda Gabbe Rebecca Ivers

Paediatric injuries can lead to long-term functional impairment and reduced health-related quality of life, and are a growing public health issue in India. To date, however, the burden has been poorly characterized. This study assessed the impact of non-fatal injuries on health-related quality of life in a prospective cohort study of 373 children admitted to three hospitals in Chandigarh and Haryana states in India. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and King’s Outcome Scale for Childhood Head Injury (KOSCHI) were administered at baseline (pre-injury) and at 1, 2, 4, and 12 months post-injury by telephone interview. Follow-up at all-time points was completed for 277 (77%) of all living participants. Less than one percent reported ongoing disability at 4 months, and no disability was reported at 12 months. PedsQL physical health scores were below healthy child norms (83.4) at 1 month in the cohort for ages 8–12 years and 13–16 years. Although injuries are prevalent, ongoing impact on functioning and disability from most childhood injuries at 12 months was reported to be low. The results raise questions about reliability of generic, Western-centric tools in low- and middle-income settings, and highlight the need for local context-specific tools.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1143: Effect Modification by Environmental Quality on the Association between Heatwaves and Mortality in Alabama, United States

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1143: Effect Modification by Environmental Quality on the Association between Heatwaves and Mortality in Alabama, United States

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101143

Authors: Yun Jian Connor Wu Julia Gohlke

Background: Previous studies have shown that heatwaves are associated with increased mortality. However, it remains unclear whether the associations between heatwaves and mortality are modified by the environmental quality. Methods: We used the United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Quality Index (EQI) and its five domain indices (air, water, land, built, and sociodemographic) to represent the cumulative environmental quality. We applied a time-stratified case-crossover design to analyze the disparities in the association between heatwaves and non-accidental deaths (NAD) among counties with different environmental qualities, in metropolitan areas in Alabama (AL), United States. Results: We found significant associations between heatwaves and NAD and a significant effect modification of this relationship by EQI. There were higher odds ratios in counties with the worst cumulative environmental qualities compared to counties with the best cumulative environmental qualities. For example, the percent change in odds ratio (mean and (95% CI)) between heatwave days and non-heatwave days was −10.3% (−26.6, 9.6) in counties with an overall EQI of 1 (the best overall environment) and 13.2% (4.9, 22.2) in counties with an overall EQI of 3 (the worst overall environment). Among the five domains, air quality had the strongest effect modification on the association. Conclusion: Our findings provide evidence that the associations between heatwaves and NAD vary among areas with different environmental qualities. These findings suggest that integration of air quality and heatwave warning systems may provide greater protection to public health.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1141: A Longitudinal Study of Child Maltreatment and Mental Health Predictors of Admission to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1141: A Longitudinal Study of Child Maltreatment and Mental Health Predictors of Admission to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101141

Authors: Roderick Rose Paul Lanier

The child welfare system is an access point for children’s mental health services. Psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) are the most restrictive, and most expensive setting for children to receive long-term care. Given the high rates of behavioral health concerns among maltreated children in out-of-home care, research is needed to examine the factors that predict entry in PRTFs among children investigated for maltreatment. This exploratory study used cross-sector administrative records linked across multiple systems, including child welfare records and Medicaid claims, from a single state over a five-year period (n = 105,982). Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to predict entry into a PRTF. After controlling for many factors, PRTF entry was predicted by diagnosis code indicating a trauma-related condition, antipsychotic medication prescriptions, and entry into lower levels of out-of-home care, supporting the view that youth are admitted to PRTFs largely due to clinical need. However, PRTF admission is also associated with characteristics of their experiences with the social service system, primarily foster care placement stability and permanency. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1145: The Adsorption of Cd(II) on Manganese Oxide Investigated by Batch and Modeling Techniques

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1145: The Adsorption of Cd(II) on Manganese Oxide Investigated by Batch and Modeling Techniques

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101145

Authors: Xiaoming Huang Tianhu Chen Xuehua Zou Mulan Zhu Dong Chen Min Pan

Manganese (Mn) oxide is a ubiquitous metal oxide in sub-environments. The adsorption of Cd(II) on Mn oxide as function of adsorption time, pH, ionic strength, temperature, and initial Cd(II) concentration was investigated by batch techniques. The adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption of Cd(II) on Mn oxide can be satisfactorily simulated by pseudo-second-order kinetic model with high correlation coefficients (R2 > 0.999). The adsorption of Cd(II) on Mn oxide significantly decreased with increasing ionic strength at pH < 5.0, whereas Cd(II) adsorption was independent of ionic strength at pH > 6.0, which indicated that outer-sphere and inner-sphere surface complexation dominated the adsorption of Cd(II) on Mn oxide at pH < 5.0 and pH > 6.0, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of Mn oxide for Cd(II) calculated from Langmuir model was 104.17 mg/g at pH 6.0 and 298 K. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption of Cd(II) on Mn oxide was an endothermic and spontaneous process. According to the results of surface complexation modeling, the adsorption of Cd(II) on Mn oxide can be satisfactorily simulated by ion exchange sites (X2Cd) at low pH and inner-sphere surface complexation sites (SOCd+ and (SO)2CdOH− species) at high pH conditions. The finding presented herein plays an important role in understanding the fate and transport of heavy metals at the water–mineral interface.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1142: Sun Exposure, Sun-Related Symptoms, and Sun Protection Practices in an African Informal Traditional Medicines Market

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1142: Sun Exposure, Sun-Related Symptoms, and Sun Protection Practices in an African Informal Traditional Medicines Market

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101142

Authors: Caradee Wright Tarylee Reddy Angela Mathee Renée Street

Informal workers in African market trade have little formal protection against sun exposure. We aimed to examine sun exposure, sun-related symptoms, and sun protection practices in an informal occupational setting. Trained fieldworkers asked 236 workers in the Warwick Junction market about their workplace, skin and eye sensitivity and skin colour, symptoms faced at work during the summer due to heat, and preventive measures. Data were analyzed using univariate logistic regression to assess the effect of gender and the risk of experiencing symptoms to sun exposure in relation to pre-existing diseases and perception of sun exposure as a hazard. Of the 236 participants, 234 were Black African and 141 (59.7%) were female. Portable shade was the most commonly used form of sun protection (69.9%). Glare from the sun (59.7%) and excessive sweating (57.6%) were commonly reported sun-related health symptoms. The use of protective clothing was more prevalent among those who perceived sun exposure as a hazard (p = 0.003). In an informal occupational setting, sun exposure was high. Protective clothing and portable shade to eliminate heat and bright light were self-implemented. Action by local authorities to protect informal workers should consider sun exposure to support workers in their efforts to cope in hot weather.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1147: Clinical Effects of Cigarette Smoking: Epidemiologic Impact and Review of Pharmacotherapy Options

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1147: Clinical Effects of Cigarette Smoking: Epidemiologic Impact and Review of Pharmacotherapy Options

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101147

Authors: IfeanyiChukwu O. Onor Daniel L. Stirling Shandrika R. Williams Daniel Bediako Amne Borghol Martha B. Harris Tiernisha B. Darensburg Sharde D. Clay Samuel C. Okpechi Daniel F. Sarpong

Cigarette smoking—a crucial modifiable risk factor for organ system diseases and cancer—remains prevalent in the United States and globally. In this literature review, we aim to summarize the epidemiology of cigarette smoking and tobacco use in the United States, pharmacology of nicotine—the active constituent of tobacco, and health consequence of cigarette smoking. This article also reviews behavioral and pharmacologic interventions for cigarette smokers and provides cost estimates for approved pharmacologic interventions in the United States. A literature search was conducted on Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, ClinicalKey, and PubMed databases using the following headings in combination or separately: cigarette smoking, tobacco smoking, epidemiology in the United States, health consequences of cigarette smoking, pharmacologic therapy for cigarette smoking, and non-pharmacologic therapy for cigarette smoking. This review found that efficacious non-pharmacologic interventions and pharmacologic therapy are available for cessation of cigarette smoking. Given the availability of efficacious interventions for cigarette smoking cessation, concerted efforts should be made by healthcare providers and public health professionals to promote smoking cessation as a valuable approach for reducing non-smokers’ exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.

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Editorial Board

Publication date: October 2017
Source:Fire Safety Journal, Volume 93





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Personal light-at-night exposures and components of variability in two common shift work industries: uses and implications for future research

Objectives Shift workers’ increased risk of various adverse health outcomes has been linked to light-at-night (LAN) exposure, but few studies have measured LAN exposure in workplaces. To inform future research methods, this study aimed to (i) measure shift workers’ exposures to LAN across industries, occupations, and work environments and (ii) assess components of variance across different exposure groupings and metrics. Methods Between October 2015 and March 2016, 152 personal full-shift measurements were collected from 102 night shift workers in emergency health services (paramedics, dispatchers) and healthcare industries (nurses, care aides, security guards, unit clerks, and laboratory, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy staff) in the province of British Columbia, Canada. Descriptive and variance component analyses were conducted for the 23:00–05:00 period to characterize exposures using multiple metrics of potential biological relevance (median lux, 90^th percentile lux, sum of minutes ≥30 lux, and sum of minutes ≥100 lux). Results Average exposure levels were highest in the healthcare industry. By occupation, laboratory workers and care aides displayed the highest and emergency dispatch officers displayed the lowest levels for all LAN exposure metrics. Between-group variance was large relative to within-group variance for all exposure groupings and metrics, and increased as grouping specificity increased (moving from industry to occupation). Conclusions Results from this study suggest that high-level grouping schemes may provide a simple yet effective way of characterizing individual LAN exposures in epidemiological studies of shift work. Ongoing measurement of LAN exposures and assessment of exposure variability is needed in future studies of shift workers as a means to increase sampling efficiency, reduce measurement error, and maximize researchers’ ability to detect relationships where they exist. by Hall AL, Davies HW, Koehoorn M. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3671

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1134: An Efficient Test for Gene-Environment Interaction in Generalized Linear Mixed Models with Family Data

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1134: An Efficient Test for Gene-Environment Interaction in Generalized Linear Mixed Models with Family Data

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101134

Authors: Mauricio Mazo Lopera Brandon Coombes Mariza de Andrade

Gene-environment (GE) interaction has important implications in the etiology of complex diseases that are caused by a combination of genetic factors and environment variables. Several authors have developed GE analysis in the context of independent subjects or longitudinal data using a gene-set. In this paper, we propose to analyze GE interaction for discrete and continuous phenotypes in family studies by incorporating the relatedness among the relatives for each family into a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) and by using a gene-based variance component test. In addition, we deal with collinearity problems arising from linkage disequilibrium among single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by considering their coefficients as random effects under the null model estimation. We show that the best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) of such random effects in the GLMM is equivalent to the ridge regression estimator. This equivalence provides a simple method to estimate the ridge penalty parameter in comparison to other computationally-demanding estimation approaches based on cross-validation schemes. We evaluated the proposed test using simulation studies and applied it to real data from the Baependi Heart Study consisting of 76 families. Using our approach, we identified an interaction between BMI and the Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor Gamma (PPARG) gene associated with diabetes.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1138: LRBA Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis: A Case–Control Study from China

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1138: LRBA Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis: A Case–Control Study from China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101138

Authors: Yi Liu Jingjin Yang Qiuyun Wu Ruhui Han Weiwen Yan Jiali Yuan Xiaoming Ji Yan Li Wenxi Yao Chunhui Ni

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-responsive beige-like anchor protein (LRBA) is a member of the WDL-BEACH-WD (WBW) gene family. Defects in this gene are associated with the disordered autoimmunity in various diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis. In this study, we investigated the association between the functional polymorphisms in LRBA and risk of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP) in a Chinese population. Three potentially functional polymorphisms (rs2290846, rs3749574, and rs1782360) in LRBA were genotyped and analyzed in a case–control study, including 703 CWP cases and 705 controls. Genotyping was performed by the ABI 7900HT Real Time PCR system. Our results suggested that genotype rs2290846 AA was significantly associated with decreased risk of CWP (Adjusted OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.41–0.92), and the recessive model also supported the protective role of the genotype (Adjusted OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.40–0.89). Further, the polymorphism of rs2290846 decreased the CWP risk among cases over 27 years of dust exposure (adjusted OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.28–0.94) and non-smokers (adjusted OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.34–1.00). A potential role of rs2290846 AA has been proposed by expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The present results suggest that LRBA SNPs are associated with CWP susceptibility in a Chinese population. Further studies focused on detailed mechanism or larger cohorts are warranted to validate our findings.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1135: How Canada Changed from Exporting Asbestos to Banning Asbestos: The Challenges That Had to Be Overcome

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1135: How Canada Changed from Exporting Asbestos to Banning Asbestos: The Challenges That Had to Be Overcome

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101135

Authors: Kathleen Ruff

Less than ten years ago, the asbestos industry enjoyed the support of every Quebec and Canadian political party. The Chrysotile Institute and the International Chrysotile Association, both located in Quebec, aggressively marketed asbestos around the world, claiming scientific evidence showed that chrysotile asbestos could be safely used. The industry created a climate of intimidation. Consequently, no groups advocating for victims of asbestos or campaigning for its outright ban existed in Quebec to challenge the industry. A campaign was launched to mobilize the scientific community to speak out. Working with scientists, activists, and asbestos victims around the world, a small group of Quebec scientists exposed the false arguments of the asbestos industry. They publicly and repeatedly challenged the unscientific and unethical asbestos policy of the government. By appealing to Quebec values and holding those in power accountable, the campaign won public support and succeeded against all odds in defeating the asbestos industry.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1137: Incidence of Cancer in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province during 2001–2015: A Retrospective Population-Based Study

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1137: Incidence of Cancer in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province during 2001–2015: A Retrospective Population-Based Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101137

Authors: Zhongyu Xu Haibin Zhou Lin Lei Hongyu Li Weiye Yu Zhen Fu Nanjin Wu Ji Peng Ping Yin

Cancer is a serious public health issue and the leading cause of death around the world. This article aimed to estimate the cancer incidence and the trend in standardized cancer incidence in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, South China during 2001–2015 by analyzing the cancer data of the population-based cancer registry in Shenzhen. Data were collected from the cancer registry in Shenzhen, which was conducted during 2001–2015. In this registry, the crude incidence rates, age-specific incidence rates, age-standardized incidence rates and cumulative incidence rates were calculated in every five years. Trends for standardized incidence rates of cancers were analyzed by using the joinpoint regression analysis. In total, 33,374.3 thousand person-years (17,593.9 thousand for males and 15,780.4 thousand for females) were monitored over this time period. The number of new cancer cases during 2001–2015 was 59,218 (30,144 and 29,074 for males and females, respectively). The crude incidence during 2001–2005 was 136.44 per 100,000 persons, while the age-standardized rates by Chinese standard population (ASR-China) and by world standard population (ASR-world) were 165.13 and 212.48 per 100,000 persons, respectively. The crude incidence during 2006–2010 was 179.01 per 100,000 persons, while the ASR-China and ASR-world were 168.08 and 214.44 per 100,000 persons, respectively. The crude incidence during 2011–2015 was 196.53 per 100,000 persons, while the ASR-China and ASR-world were 171.44 and 219.99 per 100,000 persons, respectively. During 2001 and 2015, the joinpoint regression analysis showed that the ASR-China of cancer had an overall increase of 0.96% per year and 0.84% per year for males and females respectively, although both of these values (males and females) were non-significant increases. The leading cancer types during 2011–2015 were lung, colorectal, thyroid gland, breast, liver, stomach, cervix, nasopharynx, leukemia and lymphoma. For males, the top five common cancers were lung, liver, colorectal, stomach and thyroid gland. For females, the top five common cancers were breast, thyroid gland, lung, colorectal and cervix. The results of this study showed a heavy cancer burden among the population of Shenzhen, China. Future researches of the etiology and prevention of cancers should be planned in order to reduce the incidence associated with cancers in the future.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1132: Prenatal Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Hyperactivity Behavior in Chinese Young Children

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1132: Prenatal Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Hyperactivity Behavior in Chinese Young Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101132

Authors: Qingmei Lin Xiang-Yu Hou Xiao-Na Yin Guo-Min Wen Dengli Sun Dan-Xia Xian Lijun Fan Hui Jiang Jin Jing Yu Jin Chuan-An Wu Wei-Qing Chen

This study aimed to examine the association between prenatal environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure and hyperactivity behaviors in young children. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 21,243 participants from all of the kindergartens in Longhua District of Shenzhen, China. Multivariate logistic regression models and hierarchical linear models were employed to assess the associations. After adjusting for potential confounders of gender, preterm birth, birth asphyxiation, etc., prenatal ETS exposure was significantly associated with an increased risk of hyperactivity behaviors in young children (OR (95% CI) = 1.51 (1.28–1.77); β (95% CI) = 0.017 (0.013–0.020)). Along with increases in children’s prenatal ETS exposure dose (measured by daily ETS exposure duration, daily cigarette consumption by household members, and overall score of prenatal ETS exposure), the children were also increasingly more likely to exhibit hyperactivity behaviors. Furthermore, children whose mothers had prenatal ETS exposure in any one or more of the pregnancy trimesters were more likely to exhibit hyperactivity behaviors as compared with those born to non-exposure mothers (all p < 0.05). Overall, prenatal ETS exposure could be associated with a detrimental impact on offspring’s hyperactivity behaviors, and public health efforts are needed to reduce prenatal ETS exposure.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1136: Respiratory Morbidity in Children with Repaired Congenital Esophageal Atresia with or without Tracheoesophageal Fistula

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1136: Respiratory Morbidity in Children with Repaired Congenital Esophageal Atresia with or without Tracheoesophageal Fistula

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101136

Authors: Maria Patria Stefano Ghislanzoni Francesco Macchini Mara Lelii Alessandro Mori Ernesto Leva Nicola Principi Susanna Esposito

Congenital esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (CEA ± TEF) is a relatively common malformation that occurs in 1 of 2500–4500 live births. Despite the refinement of surgical techniques, a considerable proportion of children experience short- and long-term respiratory complications, which can significantly affect their health through adulthood. This review focuses on the underlying mechanisms and clinical presentation of respiratory morbidity in children with repaired CEA ± TEF. The reasons for the short-term pulmonary impairments are multifactorial and related to the surgical complications, such as anastomotic leaks, stenosis, and recurrence of fistula. Long-term respiratory morbidity is grouped into four categories according to the body section or function mainly involved: upper respiratory tract, lower respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, and aspiration and dysphagia. The reasons for the persistence of respiratory morbidity to adulthood are not univocal. The malformation itself, the acquired damage after the surgical repair, various co-morbidities, and the recurrence of lower respiratory tract infections at an early age can contribute to pulmonary impairment. Nevertheless, other conditions, including smoking habits and, in particular, atopy can play a role in the recurrence of infections. In conclusion, our manuscript shows that most children born with CEA ± TEF survive into adulthood, but many comorbidities, mainly esophageal and respiratory issues, may persist. The pulmonary impairment involves many underlying mechanisms, which begin in the first years of life. Therefore, early detection and management of pulmonary morbidity may be important to prevent impairment in pulmonary function and serious long-term complications. To obtain a successful outcome, it is fundamental to ensure a standardized follow-up that must continue until adulthood.

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IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1139: WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Permanent Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1139: WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines for the European Region: A Systematic Review on Environmental Noise and Permanent Hearing Loss and Tinnitus

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101139

Authors: Mariola Śliwińska-Kowalska Kamil Zaborowski

Background: Hearing loss is defined as worsening of hearing acuity and is usually expressed as an increase in the hearing threshold. Tinnitus, defined as “ringing in the ear”, is a common and often disturbing accompaniment of hearing loss. Hearing loss and environmental exposures to noise are increasingly recognized health problems. Objectives: The objective was to assess whether the exposure-response relationship can be established between exposures to non-occupational noise and permanent hearing outcomes such as permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. Methods: Information sources: Computer searches of all accessible medical and other databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus) were performed and complemented with manual searches. The search was not limited to a particular time span, except for the effects of personal listening devices (PLDs). The latter was limited to the years 2008–June 2015, since previous knowledge was summarized by SCENIHR descriptive systematic review published in 2008. Study eligibility criteria: The inclusion criteria were as follows: the exposure to noise was measured in sound pressure levels (SPLs) and expressed in individual equivalent decibel values (LEX,8h), the studies included both exposed and reference groups, the outcome was a permanent health effect, i.e., permanent hearing loss assessed with pure-tone audiometry and/or permanent tinnitus assessed with a questionnaire. The eligibility criteria were evaluated by two independent reviewers. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: The risk of bias was assessed for all of the papers using a template for assessment of quality and the risk of bias. The GRADE (grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation) approach was used to assess the overall quality of evidence. Meta-analysis was not possible due to methodological heterogeneity of included studies and the inadequacy of data. Results: Out of 220 references identified, five studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All of them were related to the use of PLDs and comprised in total of 1551 teenagers and young adults. Three studies used hearing loss as the outcome and three tinnitus. There was a positive correlation between noise level and hearing loss either at standard or extended high frequencies in all three of the studies on hearing loss. In one study, there was also a positive correlation between the duration of PLD use and hearing loss. There was no association between prolonged listening to loud music through PLDs and tinnitus or the results were contradictory. All of the evidence was of low quality. Limitations: The studies are cross-sectional. No study provides odds ratios of hearing loss by the level of exposure to noise. Conclusions: While using very strict inclusion criteria, there is low quality GRADE evidence that prolonged listening to loud music through PLDs increases the risk of hearing loss and results in worsening standard frequency audiometric thresholds. However, specific threshold analyses focused on stratifying risk according to clearly defined levels of exposure are missing. Future studies are needed to provide actionable guidance for PLDs users. No studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria related to other isolated or combined exposures to environmental noise were identified.

http://ift.tt/2hyp93C

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1140: Occurrence, Ecological and Human Health Risks, and Seasonal Variations of Phenolic Compounds in Surface Water and Sediment of a Potential Polluted River Basin in China

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1140: Occurrence, Ecological and Human Health Risks, and Seasonal Variations of Phenolic Compounds in Surface Water and Sediment of a Potential Polluted River Basin in China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101140

Authors: Mo Zhou Jiquan Zhang Caiyun Sun

Five phenolic compounds in water and sediment of Yinma River Basin were investigated. The average concentration of phenol was the highest in water samples as well as in sediment samples during the wet season, 101.68 ng/L and 127.76 ng/g, respectively. 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) was not detected in some sampling sites. Shitou Koumen Reservoir and the neighboring area were the severest areas of phenolic pollution. The lower reach was more polluted in three water seasons than the middle reach and upper reach. Phenol had ecological risks in sediment during three water seasons. 2-Nitrophenol (2-NP) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) had ecological risks in sediment in both the normal and wet season. The concentrations of five phenolic compounds from high to low were in the wet season, normal season, and dry season in water and sediment, respectively. There were middle risks in water of total concentrations for five phenolic compounds in several sampling sites. Total concentrations for five phenolic compounds in sediment had high ecological risks in all sampling sites. However, there was no human health risk in the Yinma River Basin.

http://ift.tt/2fpTwJ1

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1133: Discrete Choice Model of Food Store Trips Using National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS)

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1133: Discrete Choice Model of Food Store Trips Using National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS)

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101133

Authors: Amy Hillier Tony Smith Eliza Whiteman Benjamin Chrisinger

Where households across income levels shop for food is of central concern within a growing body of research focused on where people live relative to where they shop, what they purchase and eat, and how those choices influence the risk of obesity and chronic disease. We analyzed data from the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS) using a conditional logit model to determine where participants shop for food to be prepared and eaten at home and how individual and household characteristics of food shoppers interact with store characteristics and distance from home in determining store choice. Store size, whether or not it was a full-service supermarket, and the driving distance from home to the store constituted the three significant main effects on store choice. Overall, participants were more likely to choose larger stores, conventional supermarkets rather than super-centers and other types of stores, and stores closer to home. Interaction effects show that participants receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were even more likely to choose larger stores. Hispanic participants were more likely than non-Hispanics to choose full-service supermarkets while White participants were more likely to travel further than non-Whites. This study demonstrates the value of explicitly spatial discrete choice models and provides evidence of national trends consistent with previous smaller, local studies.

http://ift.tt/2k4VRhN

On the approach for calculating occupational exposure limits for diesel motor exhaust

In a recent report, Vermeulen and Portengen estimated diesel motor exhaust (DME) exposure levels corresponding to acceptable risk and maximum tolerable risk levels of 4x10^–5 and 4x10^–3 for the lifetime excess risk (LER) of dying from lung cancer.1 According to their calculations, the two exposure levels are in the magnitude of 0.01 and 1.0 µg/m³ elemental carbon, respectively, that is, below contemporary exposure situations in certain occupational settings and in many congested urban areas. These estimates are much too conservative for two main reasons.

First, lung cancer risk due to DME, calculated from three epidemiological studies, is overestimated. A recent review highlights several methodological flaws in these studies and concludes that the currently published studies provide little evidence for a definite causal link between DME exposure and lung cancer risk.2

Second, the methodology for calculating exposure levels corresponding to a certain excess risk employs additive risk models, which are commonly used...

http://ift.tt/2k0Qtfo

Effects of internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy and physical exercise on sick leave and employment in primary care patients with depression: two subgroup analyses

Objectives

Depression can negatively impact work capacity, but treatment effects on sick leave and employment are unclear. This study evaluates if internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) or physical exercise (PE), with already reported positive effects on clinical outcome and short-term work ability, has better effects on employment, sick leave and long-term work ability compared with treatment as usual (TAU) for depressed primary care patients (German clinical trials: DRKS00008745).

Methods

After randomisation and exclusion of patients not relevant for work-related analysis, patients were divided into two subgroups: initially unemployed (total n=118) evaluated on employment, and employed (total n=703) evaluated on long-term sick leave. Secondary outcomes were self-rated work ability and average number of sick days per month evaluated for both subgroups. Assessments (self-reports) were made at baseline and follow-up at 3 and 12 months.

Results

For the initially unemployed subgroup, 52.6% were employed after 1 year (response rate 82%). Both PE (risk ratio (RR)=0.44; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.87) and ICBT (RR=0.37; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.84) showed lower rates compared with TAU after 3 months, but no difference was found after 1 year (PE: RR=0.97; 95% CI 0.69 to 1.57; ICBT: RR=1.23; 95% CI 0.72 to 2.13). For those with initial employment, long-term sick leave (response rate 75%) decreased from 7.8% to 6.5%, but neither PE (RR=1.4; 95% CI 0.52 to 3.74) nor ICBT (RR=0.99; 95% CI 0.39 to 2.46) decreased more than TAU, although a temporary positive effect for PE was found. All groups increased self-rated work ability with no differences found.

Conclusions

No long-term effects were found for the initially unemployed on employment status or for the initially employed on sick leave. New types of interventions need to be explored.

http://ift.tt/2y71rq1

On the approach for calculating occupational exposure limits for diesel motor exhaust: authors response

We thank Dr Mohner for his letter to the editor on our recent report on the acceptable risk (AR) and maximum tolerable risk (MTR) of dying from lung cancer due to diesel motor exhaust (DME). Our calculations, which included alternative risk estimates based on reanalyses by us and others, indicated that an acceptable excess risk of lung cancer mortality can only be achieved at very low DME exposure levels. This suggests that diesel engines using older technologies should be removed from the workplace when possible or emissions strictly controlled. Dr Mohner argues in his letter that the derived exposure limits were too conservative. The first argument is based on a recent review by Dr Mohner and Wendt in Critical Reviews in Toxicology where they conclude that there are methodological issues with the three studies that contribute to our quantitative risk assessment (QRA) and that current published studies do not provide definite...

http://ift.tt/2jYf1pn

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1123: How Does Patient Safety Culture in the Surgical Departments Compare to the Rest of the County Hospitals in Xiaogan City of China?

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1123: How Does Patient Safety Culture in the Surgical Departments Compare to the Rest of the County Hospitals in Xiaogan City of China?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101123

Authors: Manli Wang Hongbing Tao

Objectives: Patient safety culture affects patient safety and the performance of hospitals. The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) is generally used to assess the safety culture in hospitals and unit levels. However, only a few studies in China have measured surgical settings compared with other units in county hospitals using the HSOPSC. This study aims to assess the strengths and weaknesses of surgical departments compared with all other departments in county hospitals in China with HSOPSC. Design: This research is a cross-sectional study. Methods: In 2015, a Chinese translation of HSOPSC was administered to 1379 staff from sampled departments from 19 county hospitals in Xiaogan City (Hubei Province, China) using a simple random and cluster sampling method. Outcome Measures: The HSOPSC was completed by 1379 participants. The percent positive ratings (PPRs) of 12 dimensions (i.e., teamwork within units, organizational learning and continuous improvement, staffing, non-punitive response to errors, supervisor/ manager expectations and actions promoting patient safety, feedback and communication about errors, communication openness, hospital handoffs and transitions, teamwork across hospital units, hospital management support for patient safety, overall perception of safety, as well as frequency of events reported) and the positive proportion of outcome variables (patient safety grade and number of events reported) between surgical departments and other departments were compared with t-tests and X2 tests, respectively. A multiple regression analysis was conducted, with the outcome dimensions serving as dependent variables and basic characteristics and other dimensions serving as independent variables. Similarly, ordinal logistic regression was used to explore the influencing factors of two categorical outcomes. Results: A total of 56.49% of respondents were from surgical departments. The PPRs for “teamwork within units” and “organizational learning and continuous improvement” were ≥75%, which denoted strengths, and the PPRs for “staffing” and “non-punitive response to errors” were ≤50%, which denoted weaknesses in surgical units and other units. Three dimensions for surgical departments were weaker than those for other departments (p < 0.05). The staff from surgical units reported more events compared with the other units, but only a few respondents in surgical settings evaluated patient safety grade as good/excellent. Four dimensions influenced patient safety grade, and three dimensions influenced event reporting in surgical units. Conclusions: Strategies including recruiting workers, using the reporting system, and building a non-punitive culture should be adopted in the surgical units of county hospitals in China to improve safety culture. Supervisors should also prioritise patient safety.

http://ift.tt/2wRVWv9

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1125: Industrial Cooling Tower Disinfection Treatment to Prevent Legionella spp.

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1125: Industrial Cooling Tower Disinfection Treatment to Prevent Legionella spp.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101125

Authors: Matteo Iervolino Benedetta Mancini Sandra Cristino

The contamination of industrial cooling towers has been identified as one cause of legionellosis, but the real risk has been underestimated. Two different disinfection treatments were tested on Legionella colonization in an industrial Cooling Tower System (CTS). Environmental monitoring of Legionella, P. aeruginosa, and a heterotrophic plate count (HPC) at 36 °C was performed from June to October 2016. The disinfection procedures adopted were based on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and silver salts (Ag+), in addition to an anti-algal treatment, then using hyperclorination as a shock, and then continuous treatment by sodium hypochlorite (NaClO). L. pneumophila serogroup 8 was found at a concentration of 5.06 Log cfu/L after the CTS filling; a shock treatment performed by H2O2/Ag+ produced a rapid increase in contamination up to 6.14 Log cfu/L. The CTS activity was stopped and two subsequent shock treatments were performed using NaClO, followed by continuous hyperclorination. These procedures showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in Legionella concentration (1.77 Log cfu/L). The same trend was observed for P. aeruginosa (0.55 Log cfu/100 mL) and HPC (1.95 Log cfu/mL) at 36 °C. Environmental monitoring and the adoption of maintenance procedures, including anti-scale treatment, and physical, chemical, and microbiological control, ensure the good performance of a CTS, reducing the Legionella risk for public health.

http://ift.tt/2wicojR

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1122: Are mHealth Interventions to Improve Child Restraint System Installation of Value? A Mixed Methods Study of Parents

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1122: Are mHealth Interventions to Improve Child Restraint System Installation of Value? A Mixed Methods Study of Parents

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101122

Authors: Linda Fleisher Danielle Erkoboni Katherine Halkyard Emily Sykes Marisol Norris Lorrie Walker Flaura Winston

Childhood death from vehicle crashes and the delivery of information about proper child restraint systems (CRS) use continues to be a critical public health issue. Safe Seat, a sequential, mixed-methods study identified gaps in parental knowledge about and perceived challenges in the use of appropriate CRS and insights into the preferences of various technological approaches to deliver CRS education. Focus groups (eight groups with 21 participants) and a quantitative national survey (N = 1251) using MTurk were conducted. Although there were differences in the age, racial/ethnic background, and educational level between the focus group participants and the national sample, there was a great deal of consistency in the need for more timely and personalized information about CRS. The majority of parents did not utilize car seat check professionals although they expressed interest in and lack of knowledge about how to access these resources. Although there was some interest in an app that would be personalized and able to push just-in-time content (e.g., new guidelines, location and times of car seat checks), content that has sporadic relevance (e.g., initial installation) seemed more appropriate for a website. Stakeholder input is critical to guide the development and delivery of acceptable and useful child safety education.

http://ift.tt/2wi0WVu

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1131: Self-Certified Sickness Absence among Young Municipal Employees—Changes from 2002 to 2016 and Occupational Class Differences

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1131: Self-Certified Sickness Absence among Young Municipal Employees—Changes from 2002 to 2016 and Occupational Class Differences

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101131

Authors: Hilla Sumanen Olli Pietiläinen Minna Mänty

We examined changes in self-certified, one-to-three day sickness absence (SA) among young employees from 2002 to 2016 and the magnitude of occupational class differences during that period. All 18–34-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland were included (2002–2016, n = ~11,725 per year). Employer’s personnel and SA registers were used. Occupational class was categorized to four groups. Changes in self-certified SA from 2002 to 2016 were analyzed with Joinpoint regression and the magnitudes of occupational class differences were estimated with the relative index of inequality (RII). Most of the trends first increased and turned to decrease in 2007/2010. Managers and professionals had the least amount of SA, but steadily increasing trends were observed among men. Self-certified SA followed only partially the typical socioeconomic gradient, as routine non-manuals had the highest levels of SA. The magnitude of occupational class differences in self-certified SA was stable during the study period only among women. Self-certified SA and occupational class differences have increased in recent years among men in the lower occupational classes. Socioeconomic differences exist in self-certified SA among young employees, but gradient is only partial. Overall, high amounts of self-certified SA especially in the lower occupational classes require further studies and preventive measures.

http://ift.tt/2fntCFL

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1126: Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Inactivity during Leisure-Time and Commuting among Beneficiaries of Government Welfare Assistance in Poland

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1126: Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Inactivity during Leisure-Time and Commuting among Beneficiaries of Government Welfare Assistance in Poland

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101126

Authors: Dorota Kaleta Sylwia Kalucka Franciszek Szatko Teresa Makowiec-Dąbrowska

Physical activity (PA) has well-documented health benefits helping to prevent development of non-communicable diseases. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence and factors associated with physical inactivity during leisure-time (LTPA) and commuting (CPA) among adult social assistance beneficiaries in Piotrkowski district. The studied sample consisted of 1817 respondents. Over 73% of the study population did not meet the recommended levels of LTPA. Fifty two % of the respondents had none leisure-time physical activity and 21.5% exercised occasionally. Main reasons for not taking up LTPA included: high general physical activity (36.4%), lack of time (28.1%), no willingness to exercise (25.4%). Close to 82% of the surveyed population did not practice commuting physical activity (CPA). The men had higher risk for inactivity during LTPA compared to the women (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.11–1.65; p ≤ 0.05). Higher odds of CPA inactivity were associated with unemployment, moderate and heavy drinking and having a number of health problems. The prevalence of physical inactivity among the social assistance recipients is much higher than it is in the general population. Promotion of an active lifestyle should take into consideration substantial differences between the general population and disadvantaged individuals and their various needs.

http://ift.tt/2y5L393

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1130: Developmental Assessments during Injury Research: Is Enrollment of Very Young Children in Crèches Associated with Better Scores?

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1130: Developmental Assessments during Injury Research: Is Enrollment of Very Young Children in Crèches Associated with Better Scores?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101130

Authors: Divya Nair Olakunle Alonge Jena Derakhshani Hamadani Shumona Sharmin Salam Irteja Islam Adnan Hyder

The Developmental Study is part of a larger intervention on “saving of lives from drowning (SoLiD)” where children were enrolled either into crèches (daycare centers) or playpens to prevent drowning in rural Bangladesh. Sampling ~1000 children between the ages of 9–17 months, we compared problem-solving, communication, motor and personal-social outcomes assessed by the Ages and Stages Questionnaire in the two interventions. After controlling for variables such as home stimulation in multivariate regressions, children in crèches performed about a quarter of a standard deviation better in total scores (p < 0.10) and 0.45 standard deviations higher in fine motor skills (p < 0.05). Moreover, once the sample was stratified by length of exposure to the intervention, then children in crèches performed significantly better in a number of domains: those enrolled the longest (about 5 months) have higher fine motor (1.47, p < 0.01), gross motor (0.40, p < 0.05) and personal-social skills (0.95, p < 0.01) than children in playpens. In addition, children in crèches with the longer exposure (about 5 months) have significantly higher personal-social and problem-solving scores than those in crèches with minimum exposure. Enrollment in crèches of very young children may be positively associated with psychosocial scores after accounting for important confounding variables.

http://ift.tt/2jZMxeM

A research framework for the development and implementation of interventions preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders

Objectives Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are highly prevalent and put a large burden on the (working) society. Primary prevention of work-related MSD focuses often on physical risk factors (such as on manual lifting and awkward postures) but has not been too successful in reducing the MSD burden. This may partly be caused by insufficient knowledge of etiological mechanisms and/or a lack of adequately feasible interventions (theory failure and program failure, respectively), possibly due to limited integration of research disciplines. A research framework could link research disciplines thereby strengthening the development and implementation of preventive interventions. Our objective was to define and describe such a framework for multi-disciplinary research on work-related MSD prevention. Methods We described a framework for MSD prevention research, partly based on frameworks from other research fields (ie, sports injury prevention and public health). Results The framework is composed of a repeated sequence of six steps comprising the assessment of (i) incidence and severity of MSD, (ii) risk factors for MSD, and (iii) underlying mechanisms; and the (iv) development, (v) evaluation, and (vi) implementation of preventive intervention(s). Conclusions In the present framework for optimal work-related MSD prevention, research disciplines are linked. This framework can thereby help to improve theories and strengthen the development and implementation of prevention strategies for work-related MSD. by van der Beek AJ, Dennerlein JT, Huysmans MA, Mathiassen SE, Burdorf A, van Mechelen W, van Dieën JH, Frings-Dresen MHW, Holtermann A, Janwantanakul P, van der Molen H, Rempel D, Straker L, Walker-Bone K, Coenen P. doi:10.5271/sjweh.3668

http://ift.tt/2whZ7b1

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1124: Alcohol-Related Physical Abuse of Children in the Slums of Kampala, Uganda

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1124: Alcohol-Related Physical Abuse of Children in the Slums of Kampala, Uganda

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101124

Authors: Monica Swahn Rachel Culbreth Catherine Staton Shannon Self-Brown Rogers Kasirye

This study examines the patterns of alcohol-related physical abuse and alcohol use and related behaviors among children living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey, conducted in spring 2014, of service-seeking children ages 12 to 18 years (n = 1134) attending Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in centers for vulnerable children in the slums. Descriptive statistics, chi-squares, and bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine patterns of children’s alcohol-related behaviors, based on alcohol-related physical abuse and neglect. Nearly 34% of children (n = 380) reported experiencing physical abuse, and 12.4% (n = 140) reported experiencing alcohol-related physical abuse. Alcohol-related neglect was reported among 19.6% (n = 212) of the children. Past year alcohol use was significantly more prevalent among children who reported experiencing alcohol-related neglect ( χ 2 = 79.18, df = 1, p < 0.0001) and alcohol-related physical abuse ( χ 2 = 62.02, df = 1, p < 0.0001). Reporting physical abuse was also associated with parental alcohol use (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.38, 2.48) and parental partner violence (OR: 5.51; 95% CI: 4.09, 7.43), after adjusting for other variables in the model. Given the high levels of alcohol-related abuse and neglect reported in this population, both primary and secondary prevention initiatives are needed to improve parenting strategies and to reduce alcohol-related harm. Similarly, strategies to reduce and delay alcohol use among these vulnerable children are also needed.

http://ift.tt/2hwRw2e

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1127: Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health and Perceived Unmet Needs for Healthcare among the Elderly in Germany

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1127: Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health and Perceived Unmet Needs for Healthcare among the Elderly in Germany

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101127

Authors: Jens Hoebel Alexander Rommel Sara Schröder Judith Fuchs Enno Nowossadeck Thomas Lampert

Research into health inequalities in the elderly population of Germany is relatively scarce. This study examines socioeconomic inequalities in health and perceived unmet needs for healthcare and explores the dynamics of health inequalities with age among elderly people in Germany. Data were derived from the Robert Koch Institute’s cross-sectional German Health Update study. The sample was restricted to participants aged 50–85 years (n = 11,811). Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured based on education, (former) occupation, and income. Odds ratios and prevalence differences were estimated using logistic regression and linear probability models, respectively. Our results show that self-reported health problems were more prevalent among men and women with lower SES. The extent of SES-related health inequalities decreased at older ages, predominantly among men. Although the prevalence of perceived unmet needs for healthcare was low overall, low SES was associated with higher perceptions of unmet needs in both sexes and for several kinds of health services. In conclusion, socioeconomic inequalities in health exist in a late working age and early retirement but may narrow at older ages, particularly among men. Socially disadvantaged elderly people perceive greater barriers to accessing healthcare services than those who are better off.

http://ift.tt/2wTKE4u

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1121: Vitamin D Concentration in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Blood by Season

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1121: Vitamin D Concentration in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Blood by Season

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101121

Authors: Regina Wierzejska Mirosław Jarosz Włodzimierz Sawicki Michał Bachanek Magdalena Siuba-Strzelińska

Summer is generally considered to be the season when the body is well-supplied with vitamin D. The aim of this study was to compare maternal and umbilical cord blood concentrations of vitamin D during two extreme seasons of the year in Poland—winter and summer. A total of 100 pregnant women with no history of chronic diseases before pregnancy were included in the study. Pre-delivery maternal venous blood and neonatal cord blood samples were collected and total 25(OH)D concentration was measured. Data on vitamin D consumption (collected with the use of Food Frequency Questionnaire) and lifestyle factors were taken. Both, maternal and umbilical cord blood concentrations of vitamin D were higher in the summer group as compared to the winter group (mean 22.2 ± 6.5 ng/mL vs. 16.5 ± 8.2 ng/mL (p < 0.001), respectively for the mothers and 31.3 ± 9.4 ng/mL vs. 22.7 ± 11.0 ng/mL (p < 0.0001), respectively for the neonates). However, only 16% of the pregnant women reached the optimal vitamin D concentration during summer. Therefore, summer improves the levels of vitamin D in the body but does not guarantee the recommended concentration and supplementation throughout the whole year is essential.

http://ift.tt/2k2ckTV

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1128: Worsening Inequalities in Child Injury Deaths in the WHO European Region

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1128: Worsening Inequalities in Child Injury Deaths in the WHO European Region

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101128

Authors: Dinesh Sethi Emogene Aldridge Ivo Rakovac Akash Makhija

This article compares the mortality data for injuries in children aged 0–14 years in the World Health Organization WHO European region as estimated by the WHO Global Health Estimates for 2000 and 2015. While the region has seen a decline in child mortality due to injuries over the years, inequality persists between the low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries in the region. The gap in child mortality due to unintentional injuries has widened over the years between these two socioeconomic regions, particularly in terms of road injuries. In contrast, mortality rate ratios due to intentional injuries have narrowed between 2000 and 2015. The low- and middle-income countries need to scale up their efforts in injury prevention by adopting stricter regulations and higher safety practices to narrow the East-West gap in unintentional injuries.

http://ift.tt/2fvVECP

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1129: The Study of Titanium and Zirconium Ions in Water by MPT-LTQ Mass Spectrometry in Negative Mode

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 1129: The Study of Titanium and Zirconium Ions in Water by MPT-LTQ Mass Spectrometry in Negative Mode

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14101129

Authors: Junqing Yang Mei Zheng Qiuju Liu Meiling Yang Yan Zhang Zhiqiang Zhu

Microwave plasma torches (MPTs) can be used as simple and low power-consumption ambient ion sources. When MPT-mass spectrometry (MPT-MS) is applied in the detection of some metal elements, the metallic ions exhibit some novel features which are significantly different with those obtained by the traditional inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and may be helpful for metal element analysis. As the representative elements of group IVA, titanium and zirconium are both of importance and value in modern industry, and they have impacts on human health. Here, we first provide a study on the complex anions of titanium and zirconium in water by using the MPT as ion source and a linear ion trap mass spectrometer (LTQ-MS). These complex anions were produced in the plasma flame by an aqueous solution flowing through the central tube of the MPT, and were introduced into the inlet of the mass spectrometry working in negative ion mode to get the feature mass spectrometric signals. Moreover, the feature fragment patterns of these ions in multi-step collision- induced dissociation processes have been explained. Under the optimized conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) using the MS2 (the second tandem mass spectrometry) procedure was estimated to be at the level of 10μg/L for titanium and 20 μg/L for zirconium with linear dynamics ranges that cover at least two orders of magnitude, i.e., between 0–500 μg/L and 20–200 μg/L, respectively. These experimental data demonstrated that the MPT-MS is a promising and useful tool in field analysis of titanium and zirconium ions in water, and can be applied in many fields, such as environmental control, hydrogeology, and water quality inspection. In addition, MPT-MS could also be used as a supplement of ICP-MS for the rapid and on-site analysis of metal ions.

http://ift.tt/2xHLtlg