El humo del electrocauterio, el riesgo olvidado y minimizado de la cirugía / Smoke from electrocautery, the forgotten and minimized risk of surgery

Introducción. La nueva era de la cirugía es cada vez más dependiente de la tecnología, y un ejemplo de ello es el uso generalizado de electrocauterio como parte primordial de la práctica quirúrgica. El humo quirúrgico es un subproducto de la disección y la coagulación de los tejidos producidas por los equipos de energía, que representa múltiples riesgos potenciales para la salud del grupo quirúrgico, sin embargo, se han minimizado los peligros causados por la exposición de manera frecuente y acumulativa a este aerosol. Métodos. Se realizó un análisis crítico, desde una posición reflexiva de la información disponible, estableciendo los posibles riesgos relacionados con la exposición al humo quirúrgico. Discusión. Es visible la necesidad imperativa de establecer directrices nacionales, pautas normativas y recomendaciones estandarizadas para cumplir con las exigencias dadas por los sistemas de gestión en salud ocupacional y seguridad del trabajo, cuyo objetivo principal es hacer efectivo el uso de mascarillas quirúrgicas apropiadas, la implementación de programa de vigilancia epidemiológica ambiental en sala de cirugía, la priorización del uso constante de aspiradores y sistemas de evacuación, y la ejecución de programas educativos de sensibilización dirigidos al personal implicado. De igual manera, se abre la inquietud de la necesidad de nuevos estudios para definir con mayor precisión el peligro de este aerosol. Conclusión. Se recomienda de manera responsable utilizar todas las estrategias preventivas existentes para intervenir en salas de cirugía los riesgos minimizados y olvidados del humo quirúrgico.

Introduction. The new era of surgery is increasingly dependent on technology, and an example of this is the widespread use of electrocautery as a primary part of surgical practice. Surgical smoke is a byproduct of the dissection and coagulation of tissues produced by energy equipment, which represents multiple potential health risks for the surgical group; however, the dangers caused by cumulative exposure have been minimized. Methods. A critical analysis was carried out from a reflective position of the available information, establishing the possible risks related to exposure to surgical smoke. Discussion. The imperative need to establish national normative guidelines and standardized recommendations to comply with the demands given by the occupational health and work safety management systems, whose main objective is to make effective the use of appropriate surgical masks, implementation of environmental epidemiological surveillance program in the operating room, prioritizing the constant use of vacuum cleaners and evacuation systems, and carrying out educational awareness programs aimed at the personnel involved. Likewise, there is concern about the need for new studies to more precisely define the danger of this aerosol. Conclusion. It is recommended to responsibly use all existing preventive strategies to intervene in operating rooms to minimize the forgotten risks of surgical smoke.

Alteraciones de la salud humana por artefactos explosivos improvisados. Revisión sistemática exploratoria / Alterations of human health due to improvised explosive devices. Exploratory systematic review / Mudanças na saúde humana devido a dispositivos explosivos improvisados. Revisão sistemática exploratória

Objetivo: revisar la literatura existente indagando por los tipos de lesión o enfermedad que se han identificado en supervivientes de artefactos explosivos improvisados (AEI), así como aspectos individuales y colectivos relacionados con la protección o destrucción de la salud humana enfrentada a los AEI. Metodología: revisión sistemática exploratoria de literatura publicada en bases de datos, como PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, JSTOR, OpenGrey y Google Scholar, entre 2001 a 2021 en cualquier localización geográfica. Se incluyeron artículos de investigación, de revisión o reflexión, libros o capítulos de libro de investigación e informes técnicos, en inglés, español, francés y portugués. Resultados: cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión y fueron revisados 76 documentos. Se han reportado múltiples lesiones asociadas al uso de los AEI, sin que exista un patrón característico de lesión o enfermedad; no obstante, la lesión más común es la amputación bilateral de miembros inferiores. En supervivientes se ha encontrado que el personal militar afectado suele mostrar una mayor capacidad de resiliencia, calidad de vida, tratamiento oportuno y capacidad física funcional más alta, comparado con civiles. El apoyo social genera efectos positivos en la salud y bienestar de los afectados. Conclusiones: los AEI generan múltiples afectaciones a la salud humana, físicas y psicosociales, los cuales requieren una atención integral y multidisciplinaria para el tratamiento, rehabilitación y reintegración de los supervivientes. Los aspectos protectores y destructivos identificados se encuentran asociados a mejores o peores resultados en la salud, existe una representación desigual entre civiles y militares.

Objective: to review the existing literature where we inquired for injury types or illness identified in victims of improvised explosive devices (IED), and also to look for individual and collective processes described in literature in relation with the protection or destruction of human's health and IEDs. Methodology: exploratory systematic review of the literature published on PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, JSTOR, OpenGrey and Google Scholar databases between 2001 and 2022, in any geographic location. We included research, review and opinion articles, books and book chapters reporting research results, and final technical reports in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Results: 76 documents met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Multiple types of injuries have been reported in relation with the use of IEDs, without a characteristic pattern of injury or disease reported; however, the most common injury is bilateral lower limb amputation. In survivors it has been found that affected military personnel tend to show greater resilience capacity, better quality of life, timely treatment, and higher functional physical capacity, compared to civilians. Social support generates positive health effects and wellness of people affected by IED. Conclusion: IEDs generate multiple effects on human health, both physical and psychosocial, which is why comprehensive and multidisciplinary care is required for the treatment, rehabilitation, and reintegration of their victims. The protective and destructive processes identified are associated with better or worse health outcomes, with unequal representation between civilians and military personnel.

Objetivo: Revisar a literatura existente investigando os tipos de lesão ou doença que foram identificados em sobreviventes de artefatos explosivos improvisados ​​(IED), bem como aspectos individuais e coletivos relacionados à proteção ou destruição da saúde humana diante de IEDs. Metodologia: Revisão sistemática exploratória da literatura publicada nas bases de dados Pubmed, Scielo, Lilacs, JSTORE, Open Gray e Google Acadêmico, entre 2001 e 2021 em qualquer localidade geográfica. Foram incluídos artigos de pesquisa, revisão ou reflexão, livros ou capítulos de livros de pesquisa, relatórios técnicos, em inglês, espanhol, francês e português. Resultados: Atenderam aos critérios de inclusão e foram revisados ​​76 documentos. Múltiplas lesões associadas ao uso de IEDs foram relatadas, sem um padrão característico de lesão ou doença; entretanto, a lesão mais comum é a amputação bilateral de membros inferiores. Nos sobreviventes, verificou-se que os militares acometidos tendem a apresentar maior resiliência, qualidade de vida, tratamento oportuno e maior capacidade física funcional, em comparação aos civis. O apoio social gera efeitos positivos na saúde e bem-estar das pessoas afetadas. Conclusões: Os IEDs geram múltiplos efeitos na saúde humana, física e psicossocial, que requerem atenção integral e multidisciplinar para o tratamento, reabilitação e reintegração dos sobreviventes. Os aspectos protetores e destrutivos identificados estão associados a melhores ou piores resultados de saúde, com representação desigual entre civis e militares.

Impacts caused by the use of screens during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents: an integrative review / Impactos causados pelo uso de telas durante a pandemia da COVID-19 em crianças e adolescentes: uma revisão integrativa

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the scientific evidence on the impacts caused by the use of screens during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents, raising reflections for future interventions with this public. Data source: This is an integrative literature review, conducted in the databases Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, published from March 2020 to January 2022, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Data synthesis: The search strategies allowed retrieving 418 articles, of which 218 were duplicates. The analysis of titles and abstracts resulted in the maintenance of 62 studies. Of these, 31 were excluded from the reading of the full text, since they did not clearly present the phenomenon investigated. Thirty-one were eligible, resulting in five categories: eye consequences; increased sedentary behavior and weight; change in eating habits; implications for sleep quality and impacts on mental health. Conclusions: The excessive use of screens during the pandemic led to numerous consequences for children and adolescents, with a higher incidence of visual damage, sedentary lifestyle, inadequate eating habit and increased weight gain, in addition to impaired sleep quality and mental health. This study provides subsidy for health professionals to carry out continuing education focused on this theme, and elaborate effective interventions for this public in this transition to the post-pandemic period.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar as evidências científicas sobre os impactos causados pelo uso de telas durante a pandemia da COVID-19 em crianças e adolescentes, almejando reflexões para futuras intervenções com esse público. Fontes de dados: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, realizada nas bases de dados Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science e Embase, publicados de março de 2020 a janeiro de 2022, em português, inglês e espanhol. Síntese dos dados: As estratégias de busca possibilitaram recuperar 418 artigos, sendo 218 duplicados. A análise de títulos e resumos resultou na manutenção de 62 estudos. Destes, após a leitura do texto integral foram excluídos 31, uma vez que não apresentavam com clareza o fenômeno investigado. Foram elegíveis 31 estudos, emergindo cinco categorias: consequências oculares; aumento do comportamento sedentário e do peso; alteração dos hábitos alimentares; implicações na qualidade do sono e impactos na saúde mental. Conclusões: Percebe-se que o uso telas em excesso durante a pandemia trouxe inúmeras consequências para o público infantojuvenil, com maior incidência de acometimentos visuais, sedentarismo, alimentação inadequada e, por consequência, maior ganho de peso, além de prejuízos à qualidade do sono e à saúde mental. Este estudo fornece subsídios para que os profissionais da saúde realizem educação continuada voltada para essa temática e elaborem intervenções efetivas para esse público nesta transição para o período pós-pandêmico.

O que os adolescentes do município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, têm feito para reduzir sua exposição à violência comunitária? / What have adolescents in Rio de Janeiro city, Brazil, done to reduce their community violence exposure?

Resumo O objetivo do estudo é conhecer as estratégias individuais mais utilizadas por adolescentes de escolas públicas e privadas da IX Região Administrativa do município do Rio de Janeiro para evitar a exposição à violência comunitária, bem como investigar o perfil de coocorrência e sua prevalência em subgrupos populacionais específicos. Trata-se de um estudo seccional com 693 indivíduos. As informações referentes às estratégias para evitar a exposição à violência comunitária foram coletadas por meio de questionário multidimensional autopreenchido em sala de aula. As estratégias mais utilizadas foram: evitar passar onde há pessoas armadas (55,5%), evitar andar sozinho (30,5%) e evitar voltar para casa de madrugada (24,7%). Observou-se que as meninas adotam mais todos (concomitantemente) os quatro tipos de comportamento limitantes para reduzir sua exposição à violência comunitária (53% vs. 32%). Ressalta-se que a adoção de tais estratégias diferiu segundo os indicadores socioeconômicos, sendo maior entre os adolescentes oriundos de família de estratos de renda mais baixos. Tais achados chamam a atenção para a alta frequência de utilização de tais estratégias por adolescentes, o que pode cercear e limitar o pleno desenvolvimento de suas habilidades sociais e culturais.

Abstract This study aims to identify the individual community strategies to avoid violence exposure most used by adolescents from public and private schools in the IX Administrative Region of Rio de Janeiro and investigate the profile of co-occurrence and its prevalence in specific population subgroups. This is a cross-sectional study with 693 individuals. A multidimensional questionnaire collected information regarding strategies to avoid community violence exposure and was self-completed in the classroom. The most used strategies were avoiding walking close to armed people (55.5%), avoiding walking alone (30.5%), and avoiding returning home at dawn (24.7%). Girls adopt more of all (concurrently) the four limiting behaviors to reduce their community violence exposure (53% vs. 32%). Notably, the adoption of such strategies differed by socioeconomic indicators and was higher among adolescents from lower-income households. These findings point to the high frequency of use of such strategies by adolescents, which may hinder and limit the full development of their social and cultural skills.

Lack of evidence of acute HEV infections as a sexually transmitted disease: Data from a German cohort of PrEP users

Abstract Background While the sexual transmissibility of HAV in MSM has been extensively described, the potential for sexual transmission of HEV has not been definitively established. Although HEV has been detected in the ejaculate of chronically infected men, studies among MSM PrEP users in France did not observe an elevated anti-HEV seroprevalence as an indicator of increased exposure risk by sexual intercourse. Patients and methods A total of 111 unselected PrEP users and 111 age- and sex-matched blood donors were tested for anti-HEV IgG, IgM and HEV (PCR). Of the participants 79/111 (71 %) responded to a questionnaire covering topics as sexual preferences, previous sexually transmitted diseases, profession, food consumption, and pet ownership. Results The anti-HEV IgG seroprevalence in PrEP users (22 %) did not differ significantly from the rate in controls (17 %). While one PrEP user and three controls tested positive for anti-HEV IgM, all PrEP users and controls tested PCR negative. Conclusion In immunocompetent individuals with frequent changes of sexual partners, the epidemiology of Hepatitis E Virus does not significantly involve the sexual transmission route.

Cancer mortality in workers at risk of occupational exposure to ionizing radiation in a company in the nuclear sector headquarters in São Paulo / Mortalidade por câncer em trabalhadores com risco de exposição ocupacional à radiação ionizante em empresa do setor nuclear sediada em São Paulo

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare cancer mortality among workers exposed to gamma and X radiation and the general population of the city of São Paulo, as well as that of the subgroup monitored with those not monitored for gamma and X radiation in a work unit with ionizing radiation based in the city of São Paulo. Methods: Between 2016 and 2021, a retrospective open cohort study was carried out with workers who were employed from 08/31/1956 to 12/31/2016 based on data collected at the company and in official institutions. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated by sex, age and calendar period of cancers grouped according to type, risk factor and organ system in two analyses: in the external analysis, the mortality of the study population was compared with that of the general population of the city of São Paulo; In the internal analysis, the mortality of the monitored subgroup was compared with that of the subgroup not monitored for gamma and X radiation. Results: The external mortality analysis showed SMR=0.224 (95%CI 0.208-0.240) and the healthy worker effect, while the internal mortality analysis showed SMR=0.685 (95%CI 0.618-0.758). Conclusion: This study showed lower cancer mortality among exposed workers when compared to mortality in the general population and the healthy worker effect. Among workers monitored for gamma and X radiation, cancer mortality was lower when compared to those not monitored.

RESUMO Objetivo: Comparar a mortalidade por câncer entre trabalhadores expostos à radiação gama e X e a população geral do município de São Paulo, bem como a do subgrupo monitorado com o não monitorado para radiação gama e X em uma unidade de trabalho sediada no município de São Paulo. Métodos: Entre 2016 e 2021 foi realizado estudo de coorte aberta retrospectiva com trabalhadores que tiveram vínculo empregatício desde 31/08/1956 até 31/12/2016 a partir de dados coletados na empresa e em instituições oficiais. Foram calculadas as razões de mortalidade padronizadas (RMP) por sexo, idade e período calendário de cânceres agrupados segundo o tipo, o fator de risco e o sistema orgânico em duas análises: na análise externa, comparou-se a mortalidade da população de estudo com a da população geral do município de São Paulo; já na análise interna, comparou-se a mortalidade do subgrupo monitorado com a do subgrupo não monitorado para radiação gama e X. Resultados: A análise externa de mortalidade mostrou RMP=0,224 (IC95% 0,208-0,240) e o efeito do trabalhador sadio, enquanto a análise interna de mortalidade mostrou RMP = 0,685 (IC95% 0,618-0,758). Conclusão: Este estudo mostrou menor mortalidade por câncer entre os trabalhadores expostos quando comparada com a mortalidade da população geral e o efeito do trabalhador sadio. Entre os trabalhadores monitorados para radiação gama e X, a mortalidade por câncer foi menor quando comparada com a dos não monitorados.

Not only baseline but cumulative exposure of remnant cholesterol predicts the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIM@#Remnant cholesterol (remnant-C) mediates the progression of major adverse cardiovascular events. It is unclear whether remnant-C, and particularly cumulative exposure to remnant-C, is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to explore whether remnant-C, not only baseline but cumulative exposure, can be used to independently evaluate the risk of NAFLD.@*METHODS@#This study included 1 cohort totaling 21,958 subjects without NAFLD at baseline who underwent at least 2 repeated health checkups and 1 sub-cohort totaling 2,649 subjects restricted to those individuals with at least 4 examinations and no history of NAFLD until Exam 3. Cumulative remnant-C was calculated as a timeweighted model for each examination multiplied by the time between the 2 examinations divided the whole duration. Cox regression models were performed to estimate the association between baseline and cumulative exposure to remnant-C and incident NAFLD.@*RESULTS@#After multivariable adjustment, compared with the quintile 1 of baseline remnant-C, individuals with higher quintiles demonstrated significantly higher risks for NAFLD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.48, 95%CI 1.31-1.67 for quintile 2; HR 2.07, 95%CI 1.85-2.33 for quintile 3; HR 2.55, 95%CI 2.27-2.88 for quintile 4). Similarly, high cumulative remnant-C quintiles were significantly associated with higher risks for NAFLD (HR 3.43, 95%CI 1.95-6.05 for quintile 2; HR 4.25, 95%CI 2.44-7.40 for quintile 3; HR 6.29, 95%CI 3.59-10.99 for quintile 4), compared with the quintile 1.@*CONCLUSION@#Elevated levels of baseline and cumulative remnant-C were independently associated with incident NAFLD. Monitoring immediate levels and longitudinal trends of remnant-C may need to be emphasized in adults as part of NAFLD prevention strategy.

Relationship between self-reported occupational noise exposure and expression levels of plasma inflammatory cytokines in adult asthmatic patients / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objectives To investigate the relationship between self-reported occupational noise exposure and levels of plasma inflammatory cytokines in asthmatic patients. Methods A total of 910 adult asthmatic patients were selected as the study subjects, and their occupational noise exposure history and other related information were collected. The peripheral blood samples were collected from the patients, and the expression levels of plasma soluble CD14 (sCD14), complement factor D (CFD), Eotaxin-11 (CCL11), and IL-9 were determined. The relationship between self-reported occupational noise exposure and the expression levels of the four inflammatory cytokines in patients’ plasma were analyzed using multiple linear regression models. The interactions between confounding factors and self-reported occupational noise exposure were further analyzed by interaction analysis. Results The plasma CCL11, sCD14 and CFD expressions in asthmatic patients with self-reported occupational noise exposure were significantly higher than those in patients without the exposure (P<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, compared with patients reporting no occupational noise exposure, the plasma CFD expression was increased by 0.17 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.31) natural logarithm units in patients with self-reported occupational noise exposure. During remission, the levels of plasma CCL11 and sCD14 in asthmatic patients with self-reported occupational noise exposure were increased by 0.27 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.49) and 0.22 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.41) natural logarithm units, respectively, when compared with patients without the exposure. Interaction analysis showed that self-reported occupational noise exposure had significant multiplicative interaction with smoking or pet ownership on plasma CCL11 or CFD expressions in asthmatic patients (all P<0.05). Conclusion Self-reported occupational noise exposure is significantly associated with increased expression levels of plasma CFD, CCL11, and sCD14 in adult asthmatic patients.

Discussion on common problems after introducing "reduction factor" into different working hour systems in occupational exposure assessment in GBZ 2.1—2019 / 环境与职业医学

Occupational exposure limits for hazardous agents in the workplace—Part 1: Chemical hazardous agents (GBZ 2.1—2019) has been implemented since April 1, 2020. The document redefines the evaluation of occupational exposure by introducing a "reduction factor" to adjust the occupational exposure limits of chemical hazardous agents for long working hour systems to ensure a protection level reasonable for the workers and equivalent to conventional occupational exposure limits. This paper discussed common problems encountered in the context of using this adjustment strategy, such as the adjustment being unable to cover all working hours, and the adjustment of values of terms associated with occupational exposure limits. Corresponding solutions were proposed. Working cycle and average exposure time of each working cycle were introduced to evaluate the actual working hours of workers. Regarding involved terms, adjustments of their corresponding values were clarified according to their definitions and application scenarios. Examples were provided for occupational health service providers so that their occupational health practices could be carried out in a more scientific and reasonable manner.

Mediating role of mental fatigue between nature exposure and mental health of prison police / 环境与职业医学

Background The mental health status of prison officers is crucial to the efficiency, security, and stability of a prison, and it is essential to pay attention to the factors that influence their mental health. Objective To understand the mental health status of prison officers, and analyze how nature exposure affects their mental health problems and a potential mediating role of mental fatigue. Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out from May to June 2022 among 1392 prison officers from eight prisons in a province, and a total of 1284 valid questionnaires were recovered. The Nature Exposure Scale, Mental Fatigue Scale, and Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale were used to assess nature exposure, mental fatigue, and mental health indicators among prison officers, and to explore the effect of nature exposure on mental health problems and a potential mediating role of mental fatigue. Results The recruited prison officers showed high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and stress were 59.11% (759/1284), 60.67% (779/1284),and 43.93% (564/1284), respectively. The results of correlation analysis revealed that nature exposure was negatively related with mental fatigue and mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, and stress) (rs=−0.242, −0.308, −0.235, −0.254, P<0.01), while mental fatigue was positively correlated with mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, and stress) (rs=0.546, 0.533, 0.536, P<0.01). The PROCESS macro results showed that the level of nature exposure among prison officers negatively associated with depression, anxiety, and stress (β=−0.180, −0.104, −0.123), and mental fatigue played a mediating role, with indirect effects of −0.200, −0.192, and −0.199, respectively. Conclusion The levels of depression, anxiety, and stress of prison officers are higher than those of other occupations. Nature exposure negatively associates with depression, anxiety, and stress, that is, it may directly alleviate the mental health problems of prison officers; and it may also alleviate mental health problems by relieving mental fatigue.

Risk Factors and Countermeasures of Occupational Exposure of Medical Personnel under COVID-19 Epidemic / 中国医学伦理学

The COVID-19 is a severe respiratory pathogen infection, showing a distinct "hospital cluster" transmission characteristics. This paper illustrated the concept of occupational exposure and COVID-19. Combined with the actual situation of COVID-19, the infection status of medical personnel in this outbreak was analyzed from three aspects: the transmission risk and infection rate of medical personnel, the clinical characteristics and the undiscovered super-spreader. Through the analysis of the present situation, this paper summarized the possible occupational exposure risk factors of medical personnel in COVID-19 from five aspects: biological occupational risk factors, chemical occupational risk factors, physical occupational risk factors, violence factors and psychological factors. From isolating the source of infection and cutting off the transmission route, the "safety supervisor" mechanism is established to avoid the risks of biological, chemical and physical occupational exposure, from providing professional psychological counseling for medical personnel to reduce their psychological stress, and from improving the relevant legal level to reduce the risk of medical personnel’s violent occupational exposure.

Progress of research on the preventive and therapeutic agents against radiation-induced injuries / 中国辐射卫生

Radiation-induced injury, a body dysfunction caused by irradiation, is associated with the dose, duration, and speed of radiation and is predominantly derived from radiation therapy for patients with malignant tumors. The current clinical treatment mainly includes amelioration of injury, alleviation of symptoms, and improvements in function restoration of the affected sites because of lack of targeted agents specific to radiation-induced injuries. Research and development of preventive and therapeutic agents against radiation-induced injuries are of great significance to reduce the body damages caused by radiotherapy and improve the quality of life of cancer survivors. This review summarizes the radiation-induced injury and its mechanisms, radioprotectants, and therapeutic agents for radiation, and proposes future development directions, so as to provide a reference for alleviation of radiation-induced injury and improvement in prognosis.

Effects of ionizing radiation on blood pressure and electrocardiography among healthcare workers in department of cardiovascular diseases / 中国辐射卫生

Objective To examine the effects of ionizing radiation on blood pressure and electrocardiography among healthcare workers in department of cardiovascular diseases, and to provide a reference for formulating the protective interventions against radiation exposure. Methods A total of 127 healthcare workers with radiation exposure in the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases of The 904th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the PLA from 2018 to 2022 were included in the observation group. Meanwhile, 127 age- and gender-matched healthcare workers without radiation exposure in the same department during the same study period were included in the control group. The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and the detection rates of hypertension and abnormal electrocardiography were compared between groups. Results There were no significant differences between groups in mean age (t = 0.77, P > 0.05), sex (χ2 = 0.02, P > 0.05), prevalence of smoking (χ2 = 0.28, P > 0.05), and alcohol consumption (χ2 = 0.02, P > 0.05). There were significant differences between the observation and control groups in systolic blood pressure [(127.77 ± 15.43) mmHg vs. (111.23 ± 19.10) mmHg; t = 4.21, P < 0.05], diastolic blood pressure [(79.32 ± 8.23) mmHg vs. (69.91 ± 10.21) mmHg; t = 4.09, P < 0.05], prevalence of hypertension [17.32% (22/127) vs. 8.66% (11/127); χ2 = 4.21, P < 0.05], heart rate [(81.10 ± 11.27) beats/min vs. (70.45 ± 10.55) beats/min; t = 4.33, P < 0.05], and abnormal rate of electrocardiography [21.26% (27/127) vs. 10.24% (13/127); χ2 = 5.82, P < 0.05]. Conclusion Ionizing radiation affects blood pressure and electrocardiography among healthcare workers in department of cardiovascular diseases. The prevention and monitoring of radiation exposure and occupational physical examination should be improved among healthcare workers with exposure to radiation in the department of cardiovascular diseases, with aims to reduce the hazard of radiation exposure and protect the health of healthcare workers.

Epidemiological research advances on antibiotic exposure in early life and child health / 环境与职业医学

Early life is a critical window period that determines the growth and development of children, but this delicate and complex period is highly susceptible to the disturbance of various exogenous chemicals, which in consequence may lead to short-term or long-term adverse health effects in human beings. The massive use of antibiotics has contributed to widespread exposure in early life, along with the potentially adverse effects on child health, and has caused great concern in public health. This review summarized recent epidemiological studies on the population with early-life antibiotic exposure and associated health outcomes such as growth and development, allergies, and psycho-behavioral problems in children, as well as potential biological mechanisms underlying these associations. Current findings suggested that antibiotic exposure early in life, including pregnancy and infancy, is strongly associated with childhood allergic diseases (e.g., atopic dermatitis and asthma), growth and development (e.g., obesity and birth length), and childhood psycho-behavioral problems (e.g., autism and anxiety). It also suggested that antibiotic exposure may affect individual health through gut microbiota, thyroid function, inflammation factors, mitochondrial function, and epigenetic mechanisms. In the future, more large prospective birth cohorts should be established to determine the levels of internal exposure to different types of antibiotics at multiple time points in early life and to explore their associations with child health outcomes, as well as to further validate relevant mechanisms, aiming to provide high-quality scientific evidence for research on child health associated with environmental exposure in early life.

Applications and advancements of instrumental variable approach in causal inference in environmental epidemiology / 环境与职业医学

In environmental epidemiological research, extensive non-random environmental exposures and complex confounding biases pose significant challenges when attempting causal inference. In recent years, the introduction of causal inference methods into observational studies has provided a broader range of statistical tools for causal inference research in environmental epidemiology. The instrumental variable (IV) approach, as a causal inference technique for effectively controlling unmeasured confounding factors, has gradually found application in the field of environmental epidemiological research. This article reviewed the basic principles of IV and summarized the current research progress and limitations of applying IV for causal inference in environmental epidemiology. IV application in the field of environmental epidemiology is still in the initial stage. Rational use of IV and effective integration with other causal inference methods will become the focus of the development of causal inference in environmental epidemiology. The aim of this paper is to provide a methodological reference and basis for future studies involving causal inference to target population health effects of environmental exposures in China.

Effects of long-term noise exposure during sleep on cognitive function and biological clock-related mechanisms in mice / 环境与职业医学

Background Environmental noise pollution is serious, and there are few studies on the effects of long-term noise exposure during sleep on cognitive function and possible biological clock mechanism. Objective To explore the cognitive impairment induced by noise exposure during sleep in mice and possible biological clock mechanism, and to provide a theoretical basis for the protection against noise exposure. Methods Twenty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a control group and a noise-exposed group, 10 mice in each group. The noise-exposed group was exposed to sleep-period noise using a noise generator for 12 h (08:00–20:00) per day for a total of 30 d. The calibrated noise intensity was set at 90 dB. No intervention was imposed on the control group. At the end of the noise exposure, cognitive function of mice was examined using the new object recognition experiment and the open field test, and the hippocampal tissue damage of mice were evaluated by Nissl staining, ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) immunofluorescence staining, and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR for inflammatory factors and biological clock genes. Oxidative stress indicators in the hippocampus of mice were also detected by assay kit. Results After noise exposure during sleep period, the results of new object recognition experiment showed that the discrimination index of mice in the noise-exposed group was 0.06±0.04, which was significantly lower than that of the control group (0.65±0.13) (P<0.05). The results of open field test showed that the central activity distance of the noise-exposed group was (242.20±176.10) mm, which was significantly lower than that of the control group, (1548.00±790.30) mm (P < 0.05), and the central activity time of the noise-exposed group was (0.87±0.64) s, which was significantly lower than that of the control group, (6.00±2.86) s (P < 0.05). The Nissl staining results showed that compared with the control group, neurons in the hippocampus of the noise-exposed mice were shrunken, deeply stained, disorganized, and loosely connected. The immunofluorescence results showed that microglia in the hippocampus of the noise-exposed mice were activated and the expression of Iba1 was significantly increased compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). The real-time PCR results of showed that the mRNA levels of the biological clock genes Clock, Per2, and Rev-erbα were significantly increased compared with those of the control group (P<0.05), and the mRNA level of Per1 was significantly decreased compared with that of the control group (P<0.05); and the mRNA levels of IL-18, IL-6, iNOS, and NLRP3 in the hippocampal tissues of mice were significantly increased compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). The results of oxidative stress evaluation showed that compared with the control group, reduced glutathione content was significantly reduced in the noise-exposed group (P<0.001). Conclusion Noise exposure during sleep period can lead to the destabilization of biological clock genes in hippocampal tissues and trigger hippocampal neuroinflammation, which can lead to the activation of microglia and cause cognitive impairment in mice.

Analysis of pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, willingness, uptake patterns, barriers and needs among MSM students and its influencing factors / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To explore the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness, willingness, uptake patterns, barriers and needs among Chinese student men who have sex with men (MSM), so as to provide relevant evidence for targeted interventions with PrEP.@*Methods@#A proportional sampling method was used to conduct a cross sectional survey of MSM aged 16 years and older residing in 21 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in mainland China between October 20 and December 20, 2021, to collect information on demographic and sexual behavioral characteristics, and 923 students of them were selected as the subjects of this study. The chi-square test and Fisher s test were used for univariate analysis, followed by multivariate Logistic regression to analyze the influencing factors of PrEP awareness and uptake.@*Results@#According to the cascade analysis method, the awareness, willingness, uptake and adherence rates of PrEP among the student MSM were obtained as 88.95%, 67.36%, 13.20% and 45.21 %, respectively. HIV testing more than once in the last 3 months, and all of them were aware of the HIV test results of their sexual partners, and those with high frequency of condom use had a higher rate of awareness ( OR =2.32, 1.79, 1.69, P <0.05). Willingness rates were higher for those from the pilot city, using substances, and HIV testing more than once in the last 3 months ( OR =2.13, 1.65, 1.69, P <0.05). Higher rates of uptake were found among those from high risk and pilot areas, presence of commercial sex, substance use, and high literacy ( OR =5.60, 3.54,2.81, 1.92, 4.54, P <0.05). Adherence rates were higher among those who used one pill per day or both ( OR =12.77, 13.26, P <0.05). The barriers and needs faced by student MSM were primarily personal concerns about medication side effects, preventative effects, and confidence in sexual behavioral styles, and the high cost of medication and related service costs.@*Conclusions@#The student MSM population in China is characterized by high awareness, low willingness, low uptake, and low adherence to PrEP. Targeted interventions should be considered and tailored by the departments to facilitate PrEP promotion among student MSM.

Research progress on direct pulp capping of primary teeth / 口腔疾病防治

@#The timely treatment of dental caries and pulp disease in primary teeth holds significant importance for maintaining children's oral health. Direct pulp capping (DPC) is a vital pulp treatment that involves covering the exposed pulp with bioactive materials to promote dentin bridge formation. DPC is commonly used in primary teeth with vital pulp and mechanical pulp exposure not exceeding 1 mm. DPC offers advantages such as minimal invasiveness, comfort, simplicity of operation and short chair-side time, making it suitable for pediatric dental clinical practice. Early studies suggested negative treatment outcomes for DPC in primary teeth with carious pulp exposure. Over the years, there have been advancements in materials and technology demonstrating positive outcomes in the clinical research of primary teeth with deep caries. However, due to the limited quality of related studies, DPC has not been widely recommended for the treatment of primary teeth with carious pulp exposure, and its widespread use needs further support by more high-quality evidence-based medical research. The success rate of DPC in primary teeth is influenced by factors including pulp status, clinical operations (such as isolation and caries removal), pulp capping material, cavity type, tooth position, coronal sealing, and dental fear. In clinical operation, dentists should accurately assess pulp status and minimize bacterial contamination. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is a DPC agent with relatively sufficient evidence and good therapeutic effects, and the crown should be tightly sealed after pulp capping. Additionally, the effects of novel biocompatible materials such as iRoot BP Plus used in DPC of primary teeth, and the influence of other factors like hemostatic methods on the prognosis of affected teeth, need further exploration.

Characteristics and influencing factors of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers in a large machinery maintenance enterprise / 环境与职业医学

Background The current increasing trend of new cases of occupational noise-induced deafness indicates that the hearing loss of occupational population has not been effectively controlled in China. It is of great significance to study the characteristics of hearing loss among noise-exposed workers and its related factors. Objective To investigate characteristics and influencing factors of hearing loss among occupational noise-exposed workers in a large machinery maintenance enterprise, and to provide a scientific basis to prevent and control noise-induced hearing loss. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate male Han occupational noise-exposed workers in a large mechanical maintenance enterprise. We acquired demographic characteristics, occupational exposure history, and individual life behavior characteristics of the workers through questionnaires, collected occupational exposure level data from annual occupational disease hazard factor surveillance reports, obtained pure tone hearing threshold test data through occupational health examinations, and estimated individual noise exposure levels using cumulative noise exposure (CNE). According to the results of pure tone air conduction hearing threshold test, the workers were divided into a hearing loss group and a normal hearing group. The chi-square test was employed to compare the occupational exposure characteristics and individual life behavior characteristics between the two groups. Additionally, the trend chi-square test was utilized to analyze the changing trends of age, length of service, CNE, and hearing loss rate within the two groups. The relationship between high-frequency hearing loss in both ears and its related influencing factors was assessed by a multiple logistic regression model. Results The M (P25, P75) of CNE for the 2531 occupational noise-exposed workers was 97.51 (95.39, 99.96) dB(A)·year. The incidence of hearing anomaly, binaural high-frequency hearing anomaly, random ear high-frequency hearing anomaly, binaural low-frequency hearing anomaly, and random ear low-frequency hearing anomaly were 22.48%, 16.59%, 22.13%, 2.77%, and 3.52%, respectively. High-frequency hearing threshold increase was the main reason for hearing anomaly (98.42%). In comparison to the CNE ≤ 97 dB(A)·year group, the 97 dB(A)·year<CNE≤ 100 dB(A)·year group and the CNE>100 dB(A)·year group experienced a 36.4% and 52.3% increase in the risk of bilateral high-frequency hearing loss, respectively. The smoking group exhibited a 43.5% elevated risk of bilateral high-frequency hearing loss when compared to the non-smoking group. Conversely, the group frequently wearing hearing protection equipment demonstrated a 23.6% lower risk of bilateral high-frequency hearing loss in comparison to the group occasionally wearing protective equipment. The data suggested that CNE＞97 dB(A)·year and smoking might be independent risk factors for bilateral high-frequency hearing loss, and frequently wearing hearing protection equipment might be an important protective factor. Conclusion Increased CNE and smoking can elevate the risk of high-frequency hearing loss, while personal hearing protection can effectively reduce the risk of hearing loss.

A systemic review on association between on maternal atmospheric pollution exposure during pregnancy and childhood obesity / 环境与职业医学

Background Maternal atmospheric pollution during pregnancy may alter fetal intrauterine development programming, thereby increasing the risk of childhood obesity in the future. Objective To investigate the effects of atmospheric pollution exposure during pregnancy on the incidence of childhood obesity in offspring. Methods English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Medline) and Chinese databases (Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and VIP Information Chinese Journal Service Platform) were searched for literature reporting exposure to atmospheric pollution during pregnancy and childhood obesity published from 1 January 2000 to 31 August 2023. The quality of the included literature was evaluated using the quality assessment tools for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies recommended by the US National Institutes of Health. Results Twenty-four studies meeting the inclusion criteria were identified and the associated atmospheric pollutants included particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen oxide, carbon oxide, and sulfur oxide. In comparison to the non-exposed group, prenatal exposure to various common atmospheric pollutants were significantly associated with an elevated risk of childhood obesity in offspring. Conclusion Maternal exposure to atmospheric pollution during pregnancy is associated with an elevated risk of childhood obesity in subsequent years. Future studies should pay more attention to the effects of atmospheric pollution on the distribution of children's body fat and metabolic development, and further identify potential mechanisms of atmospheric pollutant exposure leading to childhood obesity.