Working Conditions Research Articles

The results of the assessment of burnout syndrome in outpatient clinic staff for the development of personalized rehabilitation

In conditions of increased workload on the medical staff of outpatient clinics, the need to preserve their physical and mental health, reduce the socially significant consequences of emotional burnout comes first, which makes it necessary to search for new directions of prevention, correction and rehabilitation using personalized medicine methods. The study aims to assess the state of health and the syndrome of emotional burnout in medical workers of the outpatient clinic. Specialists have examined 100 medical workers of outpatient and inpatient departments of the medical institution in equal numbers. The average age of outpatient medical staff was 49 [46;59] years, and inpatient — 43 [33;53] years. The average work experience of the examined medical personnel was the same both in outpatient settings (20 [16;28] years) and in hospital (20 [13;31] years). The authors have performed general clinical, laboratory and instrumental examinations. In addition to the standard examination scheme, the scientists assessed emotional burnout using the V.V. Boyko method and the quality of life according to the EQ-5D questionnaire in modification 3L and the hospital anxiety and depression scale HADS, and also conducted a questionnaire on a new coronavirus infection and the detection of post-COVID syndrome. As a result of the study, the authors proved a decrease in the psychological and physical components of the quality of life of medical workers, which are associated with both work experience and a new coronavirus infection. It was confirmed that according to the results of the Boyko questionnaire, employees of the outpatient clinic, compared with their colleagues from the hospital, often have a higher unfavorable total score. According to the results of the survey, we observe an improvement in the psychological and physical components of the quality of life of medical personnel after individual rehabilitation. This study showed the importance of assessing the state of health and emotional burnout syndrome in medical workers, high scores were revealed according to the Boyko questionnaire. Limitations. This study is limited to a sex-and-age sample of medical staff at a medical institution. Ethics. The study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration "Recommendations for Doctors on Biomedical research in Humans" (2013), the World Association "Ethical Principles of Scientific Medical Research with Human Participation" as amended in 2000 and the "Rules of Clinical Practice in the Russian Federation", approved by Order of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation No. 266 dated 06/19/2003, according to the developed protocol.

Preservation of freshly-cut lemon slices using alginate-based coating functionalized with antioxidant enzymatically hydrolyzed rice straw-hemicellulose

Food coatings are efficient preservative measures, a crucially needed approach to meet hunger growth as well as food management. In the current study, the construction of an efficient coating using alginate polymer fortified with antioxidant rice straw-hemicellulose hydrolysate was examined. Rice straw hemicellulose fraction was extracted under thermal alkaline conditions with a recovery percentage of 15.8%. The extracted hemicellulose fraction was enzymatically hydrolyzed with microbial xylanase with hydrolysis percentage of 53.8%. Characterization of the produced hydrolysate was performed with the aid of thin layer chromatographic analysis (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis (HPLC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The reported data showed that xylobiose (240.68 mg/g) in addition to coumaric (383.33 µg/g) and ferulic acid (298.77 µg/g) as the main constituents of the carbohydrate and the polyphenolic contents, respectively. The hydrolysate possessed antioxidant capacity that significantly increased in a direct correlation with the concentration of the hydrolysate. Finally, the prepared coating solution effectiveness in the preservation of lemon slices against fungal growth was monitored up to 20 days with a significant concentration dependent decrease in weight loss and an increase in its antioxidant activity. The combination of xylooligosaccharide-rich rice straw hydrolysate with alginate-based coating not only improved the storage shelf-life of fresh fruits and vegetables but also provided microbial safety and potential benefits for human health.

Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal: A Sustainable Approach for Poultry Production: A Review

Poultry production is among the fastest ways to address the shortage of animal protein supply and intake in many nations. With the prohibition of antibiotics as growth promoters in the poultry industry due to rising bacterial resistance and growing public concern over health and food safety, the sector has been prompted to seek safe alternatives. This shift has led to a focus on finding natural antibiotic substitutes and optimizing feed management to enhance chicken health and growth. Consequently, phytogenics have emerged as promising natural alternatives to antibiotics in the poultry sector. Moringa oleifera has attracted significant research interest recently as a natural supplement with numerous health advantages for poultry. Known for its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cholesterol-lowering properties, Moringa also aids in activating digestive enzymes in the stomach due to its wealth of bioactive compounds. This review emphasizes the potential impact of Moringa oleifera as a natural feed additive on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood biochemical profile, antioxidant effects, immune response, and egg production in poultry.

Emergence of Streptococcus suis infection from Goa, India

Abstract Streptococcus suis is an emerging zoonotic bacterium that causes severe invasive disease in humans. In India, only two human case reports have been recorded till now. In the present report, we described the clinical case report along with an epidemiological investigation of the first S. suis case from Goa, India. The clinical presentation and detailed history regarding the potential exposure factors for the infection were recorded and to trace the source of the infection, the meat markets and the backyard piggeries in the vicinity of the patient’s residence were investigated. Case definitions were formulated and enhanced surveillance was initiated in the State to identify any additional cases. The case-patient was a co-morbid 63-year-old female, who was provisionally diagnosed with meningitis and septicaemia and S . suis infection was detected using automated microbial identification systems. The epidemiological investigation revealed that the patient was involved in handling raw pork one day prior to the symptom onset. Based on the active case finding, no additional case of S. suis was detected in the area. The present case was a sporadic case of S. suis in Goa, India and case-patient may have been exposed to the bacteria by handling raw pork while cooking. One Health impact statement Our investigation described the 3rd case of Streptococcous suis from India. This is significant because despite the abundance of the source of infection across the country i.e. high prevalence in the pig population, there are unusually low number of human cases, which can be attributed to very low clinical index of suspicion and lack of diagnostic tests in humans, as evidenced in the present case. A multi-disciplinary One Health approach has been applied for the present case investigation as the Human Health, Animal Health and Food Safety aspects were investigated in collaboration with the State Health & Animal Husbandry departments along with the academia. The findings of the present investigation will aid in enhancing the clinical index of suspicion among clinicians and awareness among high-risk groups like veterinarians for S. suis infection in humans and animals. The multi-disciplinary One Health approach aided us in tracing the source of the infection, which would help in generating evidence for designing preventive interventions.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF TRAINING OF LABOUR PROTECTION SPECIALISTS

The article examines the role of digital technologies in the current period of industrial development and the transition to Industry 4.0 (the 4th Industrial Revolution), and specifically the use of virtual simulators for training qualified personnel in the field of industrial safety at oil and gas facilities.The practice of using virtual simulators for occupational safety specialists is not yet widespread. The developed virtual simulators can simulate several types of production activities, such as working at height during the repair of a storage tank for oil products, working with lifting mechanisms and welding, and also provide an opportunity for feedback to improve the skills and knowledge of workers supervising and monitoring compliance with safety requirements in production.

Comparison of the effectiveness of drug therapy and non-drug technology of post-COVID rehabilitation of workers with intensive computer load

Currently, there is sufficient evidence of the importance and clinical effectiveness of non-drug therapy. The scientific discussion on the priority of the clinical application of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods of rehabilitation of patients with mononeuropathies has acquired particular importance against the background of neurological post-COVID complications in patients with COVID-19. The study aims to compare the effectiveness of drug therapy and non–drug technology of post-covid rehabilitation of workers with intensive computer workload based on the study of clinical and laboratory parameters. Scientists have conducted a survey of two groups of workers with intensive computer workload who underwent rehabilitation after COVID-19 with the use of drug therapy and non-drug technologies, including balneotherapy, drinking narcotherapy, aerosol inhalations, low-frequency magnetic therapy. The authors have evaluated the effectiveness of therapy based on the results of studies of asthenization, degree of fatigue, latent coronary insufficiency, the state of the blood microcirculation system, immune status, the state of the POL-AOSIS system and endogenous intoxication of patients. Asthenization, the degree of fatigue, and latent coronary insufficiency decreased in the majority of the examined patients after post-COVID non-drug measures. Whereas in patients of the drug group, a decrease in these indicators was noted in a small number of examined patients. The indicators of the immune status of patients after non-drug therapy returned to normal, after drug therapy they only approached the limits of the norm, but did not reach it. After the treatment, the indicators of lipid peroxidation in the group of patients undergoing post-COVID rehabilitation using non-drug technologies decreased more significantly than in the group receiving drug treatment. The content of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and ceruloplasmin and the fat-soluble antioxidant α-tocopherol after treatment increases in both groups, but in the group of drug treatment they do not reach the lower limit of the reference intervals. The decrease in the content of medium-molecular peptides is more pronounced when using non-drug technologies. The application of the proposed non-drug technology for the rehabilitation of patients with post-COVID syndrome who are subjected to intense computer loads during work showed a significantly more pronounced normalization of asthenization, fatigue, latent coronary insufficiency and the state of the blood microcirculation system, immune status, the state of the POL-AOSIS system and endogenous intoxication of patients. The data obtained indicate a high therapeutic effect of the use of non-drug technology. Limitations. The surveyed groups included only persons permanently registered in Kislovodsk. Ethics. The research was conducted in accordance with the principles of biomedical ethics and approved by the local Ethics Committee of the Izmerov Research Institute of Occupation Health, Moscow (Protocol No. 4 dated 04/14/2021). Each participant of the study submitted a voluntary written informed consent signed by him after explaining to him the potential risks and benefits.

Reverse-Bent Modular Coil Structure with Enhanced Output Stability in DWPT for Arbitrary Linear Transport Systems

Dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) systems with segmented transmitters suffer from output pulsations during the moving process. Although numerous coil structures have been developed to mitigate this fluctuation, the parameter design process is complicated and restricted by specific working conditions (e.g., air gaps). To solve these problems, a novel reverse-bent modular transmitter structure is proposed for DWPT in industrial automatic application scenarios such as linear transport systems. Considering the heterogeneous current density distribution in the adjacent region between two coils which causes a drop in magnetic field, the proposed coil structure attempts to eliminate the effects of the adjacent region by bending the terminal parts of each coil reversely to the ferrite layer for shielding. Compared to traditional planar couplers, this structure array can generate a uniform magnetic field over various air gaps. A 100 W laboratory prototype was built to verify the feasibility of the proposed system. The experimental results show that the proposed system achieved a constant output voltage, and the output pulsation was within ±2.3% in the dynamic powering process. The average efficiency was about 88.29%, with a 200 mm transfer distance. When the air gap varied from 20 mm to 30 mm, the system could still retain constant voltage output characteristics.

Physics-Informed Neural Networks-Based Online Excavation Trajectory Planning for Unmanned Excavator

As a large-scale mining excavator, the electric shovel (ES) has been extensively employed in open-pit mines for overburden removal and mineral loading. In the development of unmanned operations for ES, dynamic excavation trajectory planning is essential, as it directly influences operational efficiency and energy consumption by guiding the dipper during excavation. However, conventional optimization-based methods for excavation trajectory planning typically start from scratch, resulting in a time-consuming process that fails to meet real-time requirements. To address this challenge, we propose an innovative online trajectory planning framework based on physics-informed neural networks (PINNOTP) that utilizes advanced data-driven techniques. The input to PINNOTP consists of on-site working conditions, including the initial state of the ES and the material surface being excavated. The output is a smooth, polynomial-based curve that serves as the reference trajectory for the dipper. To ensure smooth execution of the generated trajectory, prior domain knowledge—such as physics-based target-oriented constraints, essential system dynamics, and mechanical constraints—is explicitly incorporated into the loss function during training. A case study is presented to validate the proposed method, demonstrating that PINNOTP effectively addresses the challenges of online excavation trajectory planning.

A Review of Data-Driven Intelligent Monitoring for Geological Drilling Processes

The exploration and development of resources and energy are fundamental to human survival and development, and geological drilling is a key method for deep resource and energy exploration. Intelligent monitoring technology can achieve anomaly detection, fault diagnosis, and fault prediction in the drilling process, which is crucial for ensuring production safety and improving drilling efficiency. The drilling process is characterized by complex geological conditions, variable working conditions, and low information value density, which pose a series of difficulties and challenges for intelligent monitoring. This paper reviews the research progress of the data-driven intelligent monitoring of geological drilling processes, focusing on the above difficulties and challenges. It mainly includes multivariate statistics, machine learning, and multi-model fusion. Multivariate statistical methods can effectively handle and analyze complex geological drilling data, while machine learning methods can efficiently extract key patterns and trends from a large amount of geological drilling data. Multi-model fusion methods, by combining the advantages of the first two methods, enhance the ability to handle complex multivariable and nonlinear problems. This review shows that existing research still faces problems such as limited data processing capabilities and insufficient model generalization capabilities. Improving the efficiency of data processing and the generalization capability of models may be the main research directions in the future.

Why train? Compatible and incompatible institutional logics in violence prevention and management training

A critical component of ensuring safe workplaces is training in preventing and managing violent behavior. This article examines the institutional logics underpinning such training programs, investigating their design, rationale, and impact on everyday practices within human services. Despite extensive research on the content, effects, and experiences of these training programs, there is a notable gap in understanding the rationale behind their development. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring why violence prevention and management training is structured as it is and how institutional logics affect training and practice. This research identifies seven institutional logics that shape these programs through an in-depth qualitative analysis of three Norwegian human service training programs – encompassing mental health care, child welfare services, and Norway’s national welfare agency. Some of the logics are complementary. Others are incompatible, leading to significant practical implications. Data collection included qualitative document analysis and interviews with representatives from the training communities. The study contributes to a better understanding of the factors influencing the training program design and influence, not the least, by underscoring their duality as measures of improving service delivery and ensuring safe working conditions.

Endothelial dysfunction in combination of occupational pathology of the respiratory system and atherosclerosis in coal industry workers

Introduction. The increasing prevalence of cardiovascular pathology among industrial workers determines the importance of studying not only occupational diseases, but also their combination with diseases of the circulatory system. Endothelial dysfunction is a key link in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Evaluation of endothelial function indicators in occupational respiratory diseases in combination with atherosclerosis in workers of the coal mining industry is an urgent task. The study aims to consider the indicators of endothelial function in miners with occupational respiratory diseases in combination with atherosclerosis. Materials and methods. The authors have examined 88 miners with previously diagnosed occupational respiratory diseases (chronic dust bronchitis, anthracosilicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), 45 of them showed signs of atherosclerosis. There were two comparison groups without signs of atherosclerosis: 44 miners who work long-term in harmful working conditions, without lung pathology (control group) and 42 residents of Novokuznetsk who have never worked in harmful working conditions, and without lung pathology (unexposed group). Results. We found that miners with occupational respiratory diseases in combination with atherosclerosis had several forms of endothelial dysfunction: vasomotor (decreased synthesis of nitric oxide, increased endothelin-1 levels), hemostatic (increased levels of Willebrand factor), adhesive (increased levels of endothelial adhesion molecules sVCAM-1). The development of respiratory insufficiency in miners with occupational respiratory diseases increases endothelial dysfunction: miners with respiratory insufficiency have lower levels of nitric oxide (NO), higher levels of endothelin-1 and endothelial adhesion molecules sVCAM-1 than miners without respiratory insufficiency. There are correlations between indicators of endothelial function and production factors: with work experience in harmful working conditions, the level of the average concentration of coal-rock dust in the workplace and the frequency of exceeding the maximum permissible concentration of coal-rock dust. Limitations. The study is limited to a sample of workers in the main professions of coal mines who were examined at the Research Institute of Complex Hygiene Problems and Occupational Diseases, aged 40 to 54 years, with more than 15 years of experience working in underground dust conditions. Conclusion. Miners with occupational respiratory diseases in combination with atherosclerosis develop several forms of endothelial dysfunction: vasomotor, hemostatic, adhesive. The development of respiratory failure increases endothelial dysfunction. Ethics. This medical study involving a human as a subject was carried out in compliance with the Ethical principles presented in the latest version of the Helsinki Declaration, developed by the World Medical Association.

The One Health concept: a holistic approach to protect human and environmental health – how does it work in Total Worker Health strategy

The One Health concept: a holistic approach to protect human and environmental health – how does it work in Total Worker Health strategy

Factors Affecting the Retention of Mental Health Occupational Therapists in the UK: A Qualitative Study with Framework Analysis

Addressing staff retention in the UK National Health Service is crucial. This study used interviews to investigate the factors influencing mental health occupational therapists’ (MHOTs) decisions to leave or remain in their positions in the UK National Health Service. Framework analysis was employed to analyze the data, focusing on how roles and organizational conditions affect job satisfaction and MHOT retention. The findings highlight that effective strategies should focus on empowering MHOTs with greater autonomy, improving communication with management, and providing high-quality training and supervision. These measures can enhance job satisfaction and retention, thereby improving mental health service delivery.

Association Between Workplace Violence and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Healthcare Workers in China, 2020 to 2023.

This is the first study in China to investigate the prevalence of workplace violence (WPV) and its long-term association with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among healthcare workers. Conducted across various time points from March 27, 2020, to April 10, 2023, the research employed a four-wave repeated cross-sectional design involving 14,993 healthcare workers from 32 provincial administrative regions across the country. Nurses accounted for 34.3% of the sample, while doctors accounted for 65.7% of the sample, with a higher concentration in western China. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the risk factors for WPV, and hierarchical logistic regression models were used to examine the association between PTSD and WPV. The findings revealed that 71.4% of healthcare workers reported experiencing or witnessing WPV, with nearly half (47.5%) indicating exposure to violent incidents within the past year. Further analysis revealed significant associations between WPV incidence and various factors, including age, gender, work experience, work setting, and a history of contact with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients (the odds ratio [OR] of these influencing factors ranged from 1.10 to 2.03. All the p-values were less than .05). 28.5% of healthcare workers displayed symptoms of PTSD, with WPV identified as a major risk factor contributing to these symptoms (lifetime WPV: OR = 1.61, 95% CI [1.47-1.76]; 1-year WPV: OR = 1.75 [1.61-1.90]). Therefore, it is imperative to prioritize the mental health of healthcare workers and implement effective measures to prevent and mitigate WPV, ensuring their physical and psychological well-being as well as occupational safety.

A single-layer dense convolutional reversible residual network for bearing fault diagnosis based on differential local adaptive

Abstract For the cross-domain fault diagnosis of industrial bearings under different working conditions and noise, most current domain adaptation methods in transfer learning only focus on either marginal distribution alignment or conditional distribution alignment. They fail to adequately combine discriminative and global distribution information. Furthermore, the majority of models have a very high parameter count and memory utilization, which makes it challenging to use them in real-world industrial situations. Therefore, a single-layer densely connected reversible residual network based on differential local adaptation is proposed. This network is more competitive in industrial applications than other fault diagnosis models since it not only uses less memory and has fewer parameters, but it also shows superior cross-domain fault diagnostic capacity in noisy situations. Additionally, to extract discriminative and global domain-invariant features, a domain adaptation module is created that takes into account local and global data distributions differently. Multiple transfer tasks and two distinct datasets are used to validate the model. Comparative tests reveal that the suggested model uses less memory and requires fewer parameters to attain good accuracy and transferability.

Case series study and finite element analysis of a new cervicothoracic fixation device

ObjectiveTo introduce a specialized device designed for the fixation of the cervical-thoracic spine and describe its surgical installation, finite element analysis, and clinical outcomes.MethodsA finite element model of the C6-T1 segment was developed and validated, and simulations of subtotal resection of anterior cervical vertebrae, artificial vertebrae placement, and titanium plate fixation were performed. The model was subjected to a 75 N load to simulate the weight of the head and a 1 N·m force to simulate flexion, lateral bending, and axial rotation. The analysis focused on range of motion, total stress, stress in the artificial vertebrae, and stress in the device. The clinical outcomes were evaluated in a retrospective case series of 140 patients with cervical spine fractures.ResultsUnder the same loading conditions, the maximum stresses on specialized anatomical and biomechanical devices for the fixation of the cervicothoracic segment of the spine during neutral, forwards flexion, backwards extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left rotation, right rotation and other working conditions were 25.097 MPa, 149.480 MPa, 64.150 MPa, 67.804 MPa, 72.754 MPa, and 117.98 MPa, respectively. And, the maximum ROMs were 2.230 mm, 5.585 mm, 4.682 mm, 3.184 mm, 3.061 mm, 4.451 mm, and 4.645 mm. Compared with those in the preoperative period, the patients’ CL, OPCL, UCL, LCL, UROM, LROM, VAS score, NDI score, JOA score, intervertebral space height at the injured segment, cervical anterior kyphosis angle, Cobb angle, vertebral displacement, ASIA grade, fracture classification, and vertebral displacement improved (P < 0.05). Sixty-two patients had dysphagia, and 3 patients experienced leakage of cerebrospinal fluid.ConclusionThe design of the new cervicothoracic internal fixation device conforms to the anatomical structure of the cervicothoracic spine, which can provide immediate stability, better screw placement and adequate bone grafting, and reduce the risk of complications. Despite some disadvantages, it is a good device for segmental fixation of the cervical and thoracic spine.

Development of Low Temperature Lithium Ion Batteries

This article briefly introduces the history of the birth of lithium-ion batteries and discusses the necessity of studying how to make lithium-ion batteries work properly under low-temperature conditions. It also introduces the development of ternary materials, a common material for lithium-ion batteries, in the past two years, as well as the working conditions and performance advantages and disadvantages of ternary materials and another commonly used positive electrode material, lithium iron phosphate, in different environments. Finally, a comprehensive overview of the development path of lithium-ion positive electrode materials under low-temperature conditions is given.

High rates of violence and low police reporting amongst sex workers in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, sex work in the Netherlands was forbidden for many months, yet most sex workers were not eligible for governmental financial support. Therefore, many were forced to continue working illegally, likely leading to unsafe work conditions. We determined sex workers’ experienced violence and police reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through an online, anonymous survey (N = 173) covering background characteristics, the financial impact of the COVID-19 control measures, experienced sexual and/or physical violence, and police reporting in relation to experienced violence in 2021. We analyzed the data through descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analysis. Contextualization was achieved through online focus group discussions (FGDs; N = 3 covering a total of 14 sex workers and 4 social/health workers).ResultsIn total, 41% (n/N = 71/173) of sex workers reported at least one form of violence, and those facing severe financial problems due to the COVID-19 containment measures were significantly more likely to report violence (adjusted OR: 2.7, CI 1.0–7.2, p = 0.049) compared to those without financial problems. Only 9% of those having reason to file charges officially did so. FGDs explained that violence was high due to the unsafe working conditions, and police reporting was low because police were more concerned with enforcing COVID-19 sex work restrictions rather than with prioritizing the safety and well-being of sex workers.DiscussionWe found high rates of reported violence and low police reporting among sex workers in The Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic, and COVID-19 control measures and enforcement likely contributed to these unsafe conditions. Safeguarding the safety of sex workers during future crises demands legislation grounded in human rights principles. This includes measures such as mitigating income loss during prohibition of sex work, and shifting police focus towards protecting rather than prosecuting sex workers engaged in illegal sex work.

Persistent organic pollutants among seafood processing workers in West Greenland

The Greenlandic population is highly exposed to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) through the consumption of traditional marine food, including marine mammals. Central to Greenland's economy and cultural identity, the fishing industry employes about 15% of the working population.This study investigated POP exposure, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), among seafood processing workers at the Greenlandic west coast. We examined determinants for the POPs including age, smoking habits, ethnicity, and working place. Additionally, we explored the association between POPs and the prevalence of asthma, allergy, and lung function.With samples taken during 2016–2018, the study encompassed 382 workers, primarily of Inuit descent (93%), employed across three large factories located in Nuuk, Sisimiut, and Ilulissat, four smaller factories in settlements (Kangaatsiaq, Ikerasaarsuk, Sarfannguaq, Qeqertarsuaq), and four factory trawlers. Data collected include clinical examinations, questionnaires on ethnicity, occupational exposure status, health indicators, and smoking habits, and serum selenium and POP analyses. We used ANCOVA with adjustment for relevant confounders to assess differences in POPs between groups (e.g. ethnic groups and working place), and multiple linear and logistic regressions were used to assess associations between POPs and lung function, allergy and asthma.Significant differences in POPs were observed among ethnic groups; Faroese workers had the highest concentrations of lipophilic POPs (lipPOPs; PCBs and OCPs), while Inuit workers exhibited highest PFASs. All subsequent analyses were focused on the Inuit workers (n = 337). The PFASs were significantly higher in workers at small factories, followed by large factories and trawlers, whereas no differences were seen for lipPOPs. The differences between the working places were most likely due to differences in lifestyle and diet, but occupational exposures cannot be excluded.LipPOP and PFAS concentrations associated positively with selenium, and PFASs positively associated with lung function. However, upon adjustment of selenium, the associations between PFASs and lung function became non-significant and attenuated towards null. No significant associations were found between POPs and the prevalence of asthma or allergy.Compared to the general population in the same area and period, the seafood processing workers exhibited 2–6 times higher POP levels. The higher exposure level among seafood processing workers, as well as the difference across workplaces, underscore the need for further investigation of environmental and occupational sources of POPs in this population. These findings may contribute to future public health strategies and regulatory measures to reduce POP exposure in Arctic populations.

Factors affecting marriage and pregnancy/childbirth among women physicians in Japan

AbstractBackgroundPrevious studies have not elucidated the factors affecting marriage and pregnancy/childbirth. This study identifies whether work characteristics and conditions affect marriage and pregnancy/childbirth among women physicians.MethodsThis nationwide survey was conducted on women members of three major Japanese medical societies: internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and surgery.ResultsA total of 7747 women participated in this study. Although the mean age at marriage was the same, the age at the first childbirth in all specialties, especially in surgery, was significantly higher than that for the general Japanese population. In addition, being in a junior position, being board‐certified, and working in a workplace other than a university hospital were positively associated with the experience of pregnancy/childbirth, whereas working hours showed no impact.ConclusionsWe should change the mindset regarding pregnancy/childbirth and build effective strategies in academic institutions to improve the environment for safer pregnancy/childbirth while advancing careers.