UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to identify workstation factors influencing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among information technology (IT) professionals in Indonesia.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 IT workers at small-enterprise companies who were randomly selected across East Java, Indonesia. The data were modeled using multiple linear regression, with a 95% level of confidence for determining statistical significance.
UNASSIGNED: The respondents reported that the neck had the highest level of discomfort and was the most at risk of WMSDs, followed by the lower back, right shoulder, and upper back. Screen use duration (p=0.040) was associated with whole-body WMSDs, along with seat width (p=0.059), armrest (p=0.027), monitor (p=0.046), and a combined telephone and monitor score (p=0.028). Meanwhile, the factors significantly related to the risk of WMSDs in the hands and wrist were working period (p=0.039), night shift (p=0.024), backrest (p=0.008), and mouse score (p=0.032).
UNASSIGNED: Occupational safety authorities, standards-setting departments, and policymakers should prioritize addressing the risk factors for WMSDs among IT professionals.

Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are toxicologically concerning because of their potential to bioaccumulate and their persistence in the environment and the human body. We determined PFAS levels in cosmetic and personal care products and assessed their health risks. We investigated the trends in concentrations and types of PFAS contaminants in cosmetic and personal care products before and after perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were added to the list of persistent organic pollutants. The total PFAS concentration ranged from 1.98 to 706.75 ng g-1. The hazard quotients (HQs) for PFOA, PFOS and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) were lower than 1, indicating no appreciable risk to consumers. Assuming the simultaneous use of all product types and the worst-case scenario for calculations, perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids (PFSAs) also had hazard indices lower than 1. We found that adverse effects are unlikely to occur when each type of cosmetic is used separately, or even when all product types are used together. Nevertheless, the persistence and bioaccumulation characteristics of additional PFAS present in cosmetics continue to be a cause for concern. Further research is necessary to investigate the long-term impacts of using such cosmetics and the associated risks to human health.

The presence of various contaminants in airborne dusts from metal mining sites poses obvious risks to human health and the environment. Yet, few studies have thoroughly investigated the properties of airborne particles in terms of their morphology, size distribution and chemical composition, that are associated with health effects around mining activities. This review presents the most recent knowledge on the sources, physicochemical characteristics, and health and environmental risks associated with airborne dusts from various mining and smelting operations. The literature reviewed found only one research on atmospheric dust associated with hydrometallurgical plants compared to a larger number of pyrometallurgical processes/smelters studies. In addition, there are relatively few works comparing the distribution of metals between the fine and coarse size fractions around mining sites. Our analysis suggests that (i) exposure pathways of metal(loid)s to the human body are defined by linking concentration data in human biosamples and contaminated samples such as soils, drinking water and food, and (ii) chitosan and its derivatives may serve as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective method for soil remediation, with removal rates for metal(loid)s around 70-95 % at pH 6-8, and as dust suppressants for unpaved roads around mining sites. The specific limit values for PM and metal(loid)s at mining sites are not well documented. Despite the health risks associated with fine particles around mining areas, regulations have tended to focus on coarse particles. While some air quality agencies have issued regulations for occupational health and safety, there is no global alignment or common regulatory framework for enforcement. Future research priorities should focus on investigating PM and secondary inorganic aerosols associated with hydrometallurgical processes and dust monitoring, using online metal(loid)s analysers to identify the driving parameters in the deposition and resuspension process.

The coal gangue dump may introduce heavy metal(oid)s (HMs) into surrounding agricultural soils, posing potential health risks to nearby communities. This study evaluated heavy metal(oid) pollution in agricultural soils adjacent to a gangue dump at an abandoned coal mine in Chongqing, Southwest China. The concentrations of HMs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were quantified using ICP-MS, and the contamination status was assessed using the Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), Contamination Factor (CF), Pollution Load Index (PLI), and Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI). Heavy metal(oid) contamination was detected in soils across a depth of 0-30 cm, particularly pronounced in the topsoil layer (0-10 cm and 10-20 cm depths). Cu emerged as the predominant contaminant across all examined depths, with average Igeo values of 1.20, 1.21, and 1.16 for the 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm depths, respectively, indicating moderate contamination. The CF for Cu was 3.55, 3.55, and 3.50 for these respective depths, classifying it as considerable contamination. The PLI values ranged from 1.61 to 2.50, with a mean value of 2.12, indicating overall contamination. The ecological risk assessment indicated that the soil\'s ecological risk was low at all depths. Cd was the major contributor to the RI, accounting for 48%, 47%, and 42% at 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm depths, respectively. Health risk assessments revealed significant non-carcinogenic risks to children (mean HI = 1.30) and unacceptable carcinogenic risks to both adults and children (mean TCR = 3.26 × 10-4 and 1.53 × 10-3, respectively). This study underscores the critical need for comprehensive risk assessments using multiple indicators to prioritize remediation efforts for HMs, providing a scientific basis for effective environmental management and public health protection in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.

The Pearl River Basin (PRB), the second-largest river basin in China, is the most economically developed at its lower reaches and rich in arsenic-bearing mineral resources at its upper reaches. Arsenic (As) is emerging as a serious environmental and health-related concern, becoming a focal point of public attention. The objective of this study was to explore the spatiotemporal variations of As concentration and distribution in the topsoils of the PRB using monitoring data 3 times from the 1990s, the 2000s, and the 2010s, based on geochemical baselines project. Results indicate that the As content in soils displayed an increasing pattern from the 1990s (median 11.40 mg/kg) to the 2000s (14.46 mg/kg), followed by a decrease from the 2000s to the 2010s (12.25 mg/kg). The largest changes occurred in mining areas. The proportion of samples with As concentrations exceeding the risk screening value decreased from 19.51 % (1990s), 10.78 % (2000s), to 4.69 % (2010s). The hazard quotient (HQ) of pollutant into non-carcinogenic risk for adults increased from 0.12 in the 1990s to 0.19 in the 2000s, and then decreased to 0.08 in the 2010s. Meanwhile, the HQ for children increased from 0.96 in the 1990s to 1.54 in the 2000s, and decreased to 0.67 in the 2010s. These characteristics suggest that certain areas still exhibited localized As pollution and associated health risks. The high values and changes of As in soils are attributed to geologic background and anthropogenic activities. Comprehensive management, particularly the implementation of soil pollution prevention and control policies by the Chinese government since 2008, has constituted a pivotal tool in reducing the As content in the alluvial surface soils newly formed by river water picking up pollutants that decreased from the 2000s to the 2010s into watercourses and deposited in the overbank or plain region.

Edible offal of farmed animals can accumulate cadmium (Cd). However, no studies have investigated Cd bioavailability and its health effects. Here, based on mouse models, market pork kidney samples exhibited high Cd relative bioavailability of 74.5 ± 11.2% (n = 26), close to 83.8 ± 7.80% in Cd-rice (n = 5). This was mainly due to high vitamin D3 content in pork kidney, causing 1.7-2.3-fold up-regulated expression of duodenal Ca transporter genes in mice fed pork kidney compared to mice fed Cd-rice, favoring Cd intestinal absorption via Ca transporters. However, although pork kidney was high in Cd bioavailability, subchronic low-dose (5% in diet) consumption of two pork kidney samples having 0.48 and 0.97 μg Cd g-1 dw over 35 d did not lead to significant Cd accumulation in the tissue of mice fed Cd-free rice but instead remarkably decreased Cd accumulation in the tissue of mice fed Cd-rice (0.48 μg Cd g-1) by ∼50% and increased abundance of gut probiotics (Faecalibaculum and Lactobacillus). Overall, this study contributed to our understanding of the bioavailability and health effects associated with Cd in edible offal, providing mechanistic insights into pork kidney consumption safety based on Cd bioavailability.

UNASSIGNED: The global implementation of full-time telework became widespread during the new normal conditions following the pandemic, resulting in reduced physical activity (PA) among teleworkers and young adults. It is vital to comprehend how telehealth interventions favorably impact PA levels and overall well-being of young adults who face increasingly blurred boundaries between work and home life.
UNASSIGNED: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of telerehabilitation (TR) on PA levels and quality of life (QoL) in young adult teleworkers.
UNASSIGNED: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 82 teleworkers (54 females and 28 males). Levels of PA and QoL were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL-14) questionnaire. TR was provided to all participants for four weeks, three times a week, for 40 minutes per session. Levels of PA and QoL were evaluated at baseline and after four weeks of the intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
UNASSIGNED: After four weeks of TR, there has been a significant improvement in the scores of IPAQ and HRQOL-14 (p < 0.05). In regards to IPAQ-SF results, TR had a significant effect on the sitting or sedentary behavior of the teleworkers.
UNASSIGNED: The results showed that a short-term TR intervention improved both the level of PA and QoL in young adult teleworkers. Therefore, TR may be an effective treatment approach to improve PA and QoL and promote a healthy lifestyle in teleworkers.

To protect occupants in vehicle cabin environments from the health risks of high concentrations of particulate matter (PM), it is important to install vehicle cabin air filter (VCAF) to eliminate PM. In this study, we investigated the filtration performance of 22 VCAFs. Results showed that the minimum average filtration efficiency was 56.1 % for particles with a diameter of 0.1-0.3 μm, a pressure drop of 33.2-250 Pa at air velocity of 2.5 m/s, and the dust-holding capacity ranged from 5.8 to 19.4 g. In addition, as the filter area increased from 0.23 m2 to 0.50 m2, the filtration efficiency for particles with a diameter of 0.1-0.3 μm increased from 56.7 % to 77.5 %, the pressure drop decreased from 96.1 to 62.5 Pa, and the dust holding capacity increased 2.7 times. Furthermore, we compared the service life of VCAF from 31 major Chinese cities and found that the service life varied greatly from maximum of 1730 h for Haikou to minimum of 352 h for Shijiazhuang. Considering occupant health risks, Beijing requires that VCAFs have PM2.5 filtration efficiency at least 88.1 %, and Liaoning requires minimum of 97.5 %. Hence, choosing the appropriate VCAF based on the atmospheric environment of different cities deserves our attention.

BACKGROUND: Wearable physiological monitoring devices are promising tools for remote monitoring and early detection of potential health changes of interest. The widespread adoption of such an approach across communities and over long periods of time will require an automated data platform for collecting, processing, and analyzing relevant health information.
OBJECTIVE: In this study, we explore prospective monitoring of individual health through an automated data collection, metrics extraction, and health anomaly analysis pipeline in free-living conditions over a continuous monitoring period of several months with a focus on viral respiratory infections, such as influenza or COVID-19.
METHODS: A total of 59 participants provided smartwatch data and health symptom and illness reports daily over an 8-month window. Physiological and activity data from photoplethysmography sensors, including high-resolution interbeat interval (IBI) and step counts, were uploaded directly from Garmin Fenix 6 smartwatches and processed automatically in the cloud using a stand-alone, open-source analytical engine. Health risk scores were computed based on a deviation in heart rate and heart rate variability metrics from each individual\'s activity-matched baseline values, and scores exceeding a predefined threshold were checked for corresponding symptoms or illness reports. Conversely, reports of viral respiratory illnesses in health survey responses were also checked for corresponding changes in health risk scores to qualitatively assess the risk score as an indicator of acute respiratory health anomalies.
RESULTS: The median average percentage of sensor data provided per day indicating smartwatch wear compliance was 70%, and survey responses indicating health reporting compliance was 46%. A total of 29 elevated health risk scores were detected, of which 12 (41%) had concurrent survey data and indicated a health symptom or illness. A total of 21 influenza or COVID-19 illnesses were reported by study participants; 9 (43%) of these reports had concurrent smartwatch data, of which 6 (67%) had an increase in health risk score.
CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate a protocol for data collection, extraction of heart rate and heart rate variability metrics, and prospective analysis that is compatible with near real-time health assessment using wearable sensors for continuous monitoring. The modular platform for data collection and analysis allows for a choice of different wearable sensors and algorithms. Here, we demonstrate its implementation in the collection of high-fidelity IBI data from Garmin Fenix 6 smartwatches worn by individuals in free-living conditions, and the prospective, near real-time analysis of the data, culminating in the calculation of health risk scores. To our knowledge, this study demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of measuring high-resolution heart IBI and step count using smartwatches in near real time for respiratory illness detection over a long-term monitoring period in free-living conditions.

UNASSIGNED: Measurement and analysis of heart rate variability in a population of professional firefighters based on heart rate (RR) recording. Assessment based on a smoke chamber test in correlation with age, length of service, body mass index.
UNASSIGNED: The smoke chamber test for the officers of the State Fire Service (SFS) is aimed at improving the skills and techniques of working in special clothing and in a respiratory protection set (RPS) under high psychophysical burden. The study was divided into 3 stages: 1. measurement of parameters at rest - sitting position for 5 min, 2. measurement of parameters during the firefighter\'s activity, effort related to the training path and the test in the smoke chamber, indefinite time (different for each firefighter), 3. measurement of parameters at rest after exercise - sitting position for 5 min. Each firefighter included in the study had fitted onto his chest a Polar H10 band with a sensor (size XXL) that measures parameters HR, HRV (sensor connected via Bluetooth to an application on the phone of a person controlling the test).
UNASSIGNED: The study involved 96 firefighters aged 19-45 (Mean 27.9; SD 7.4), with 1-19 years of service (Mean 5.2; SD 4.6). The study included 75 firefighters who completed the entire activity and their results were recorded completely in a way that allowed for analysis and interpretation. Results of 17 firefighters were selected (parameters describing HRV changes was carried out, which are important from the authors\' experience: RMSSD, HF ms2, DFA α1).
UNASSIGNED: The presence of excessive body weight did not affect HR parameters, which may be related to the limited possibilities of using the BMI index among people with high muscle mass. Longer work experience has a health-promoting effect on heart rate values through increased adaptation of the circulatory system to increased effort and stress. HRV parameter and ANS activity have a wide range of clinical applications, in addition to monitoring health status in the course of diseases, ANS activity can be analyzed in correlation with occupational risk factors.