A shared future:Chemistry's engagement is essential for resilience of people and planet

Strengthening resilience—elasticity or adaptive capacity—is essential in responding to the wide range of natural hazards and anthropogenic changes humanity faces. Chemistry's roles in resilience are explored for the first time, with its technical capacities set in the wider contexts of cross-disciplinary working and the intersecting worlds of science, society and policy. The roles are framed by chemistry's contributions to the sustainability of people and planet, examined via the human security framework's four material aspects of food, health, economic and environmental security. As the science of transformation of matter, chemistry is deeply involved in these material aspects and in their interfacing with human security's three societal and governance aspects of personal, community and political security. Ultimately, strengthening resilience requires making choices about the present use of resources as a hedge against future hazards and adverse events, with these choices being co-determined by technical capacities and social and political will. It is argued that, to intensify its contributions to resilience, chemistry needs to take action along at least three major lines: (i) taking an integrative approach to the field of ‘chemistry and resilience’; (ii) rethinking how the chemical industry operates; and (iii) engaging more with society and policy-makers

Midwives and protection of pregnant workers in Western Switzerland: Practices, difficulties and contributions.

Switzerland's maternity protection legislation aims to protect the health of pregnant employees and their unborn children by regulating their potential occupational exposure to hazards and strenuous activities. This legislation provides a role for obstetricians, but not for midwives. Identify the practices of Switzerland's French-speaking midwives that favour the implementation of maternity protection legislation and reflect on the profession's role in supporting pregnant employees. 356 midwives answered an online questionnaire. The analysis focuses on the 205 midwives who perform pregnancy consultations in their practice. Data were analysed in two stages using STATA software: 1) simple descriptive and correlational statistics and 2) hierarchical cluster analysis to identify typologies of practices by grouping similar responses. Despite having no officially defined role in Switzerland's maternity protection legislation, its midwives actively participate in protecting pregnant employees , especially those with more knowledge of the legislation, those with more years of experience and those practicing independently. The barriers that midwives face when trying to provide greater support for pregnant employees are linked significantly to their lack of knowledge about the legislation, a lack of recognition for their role in the current legislation and a lack of continuing education about the occupational health risks associated with pregnancy at work. Their profession and specific practices give midwives privileged access to pregnant employees. Midwives' knowledge of the legislation, their awareness of the occupational risks and hazards facing pregnant employees and the conviction that their profession has the potential to make a difference could all be improved. The role of midwives should be-and deserves to be-formally and legally recognised and integrated into Switzerland's maternity protection legislation

Implementation of maternity protection legislation: Gynecologists' perceptions and practices in French-speaking Switzerland.

In several countries, maternity protection legislations (MPL) confer an essential role to gynecologist-obstetricians (OBGYNs) for the protection of pregnant workers and their future children from occupational exposures. This study explores OBGYNs' practices and difficulties in implementing MPL in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. An online survey was sent to 333 OBGYNs. Data analysis included: 1) descriptive and correlational statistics and 2) hierarchical cluster analysis to identify patterns of practices. OBGYNs evoked several problems in MPL implementation: absence of risk analysis in the companies, difficult collaboration with employers, lack of competencies in the field of occupational health. Preventive leave was underused, with sick leave being prescribed instead. Training had a positive effect on OBGYNs' knowledge and implementation of MPL. Hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted three main types of practices: 1) practice in line with legislation; 2) practice on a case-by-case basis; 3) limited practice. OBGYNs with good knowledge of MPL more consistently applied its provisions. The implementation of MPL appears challenging for OBGYNs. Collaboration with occupational physicians and training might help OBGYNs to better take on their role in maternity protection. MPL in itself could be improved

Evaluation of a pilot consultation for maternity protection at work in Switzerland.

Switzerland's Labour Law and its Ordonnance on Maternity Protection aim to protect the health of pregnant employees and their unborn children while enabling them to continue to pursue their professional activities. Some companies encounter difficulties implementing the law's provisions. The Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, part of the Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), has provided specialist occupational medicine consultations for pregnant employees since 2015. This study aimed to evaluate how well Swiss' maternity protection legislation is implemented by examining a list of relevant indicators measured during the occupational health consultation. The study also sought to investigate the consultation support provided to the relevant stakeholders and the adjustments made to pregnant employees' working conditions. Descriptive variables and indicators relative to the application of the Swiss maternity protection legislation for 83 pregnant employees were collected during the consultation's pilot phase (between 2015 and 2016). Descriptive statistics and cross-analyses of these indicators were made. Most pregnant employees faced multiple exposures to occupational risks. Preventive risk analyses were rare. Few adjustments to workstations were proposed. We found a tendency for employees to leave their workstations early on in their pregnancies due to sick leave certificate prescriptions. Specialist consultation and collaboration with occupational health physicians to recommend interventions for pregnant employees can provide significant benefits and help some pregnant women to continue at their workstations with appropriate adjustments. A specialised occupational health consultation is a useful instrument for identifying occupational hazards for both the pregnant woman and her unborn child. It is also an opportunity to explain employers' legal responsibilities and obligations to safeguard the health of their pregnant employees and to give specific advice for their company's situation. This consultation also enables employers to maintain their employees' valuable professional competencies in the workplace for as long as possible. Finally, occupational health consultation helps and supports healthcare providers who must, according to the law, make decisions about whether pregnant employees can continue working safely or not

Role of Histamine H4 Receptor ligands in Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis

Fibrosis of lung tissue is a disease where a chronic inflammatory process determines a pathological remodelling of lung parenchyma. The animal model obtained by intra-tracheal administration of bleomycin in C57BL/6 mice is one of the most validated murine model. Bleomycin stimulates oxidative stress and the production of pro-inflammatory mediators. Histamine H4R have recently been implicated in inflammation and immune diseases. This study was focused to investigate the effects of H4R ligands in the modulation of inflammation and in the reduction of lung fibrosis in C57BL/6 mice treated with bleomycin. C57BL/6 mice were treated with vehicle, JNJ7777120 (JNJ, selective H4R antagonist) or ST-1006 (partial H4R agonist), ST-994 (H4R neutral antagonist) and ST-1012 (inverse H4R agonist) at equimolar doses, released by micro-osmotic pumps for 21 days. Airway resistance to inflation was assayed and lung samples were processed to measure malondialdehyde (TBARS); 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG); myeloperoxidase (MPO); COX-2 expression and activity as markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. Fibrosis and airway remodelling were evaluated throughout transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), percentage of positive Goblet cells, smooth muscle layer thickness determination. Our results indicated that JNJ, ST-994 and ST-1012 decreased inflammation and oxidative stress markers, i.e. the number of infiltrating leukocytes evaluated as lung tissue MPO, COX-2 expression and activity, TBARS and 8OHdG production. They also reduced the level of TGF-β, a pro-fibrotic cytokine, collagen deposition, thickness of smooth muscle layer, Goblet cells hyperplasia; resulting in a decrease of airway functional impairment. The results here reported clearly demonstrated that H4R ligands have a beneficial effect in a model of lung fibrosis in the mouse, thus indicating that H4R antagonists or inverse agonists could be a novel therapeutic strategy for lung inflammatory diseases

Decreased resistin expression in mice with different sensitivities to a high-fat diet

The regulation of resistin, a new adipose-derived circulating factor, is the subject of controversy. In particular, the question of its modulation in obesity led to opposite results reported by two different groups. In the current study, we assayed adipocyte resistin mRNA using fluorescent real-time RT-PCR. We studied the expression of resistin in mice which are differently sensitive to diet-induced obesity: the FVB/n strain, which poorly responds to high-fat diet and transgenic mice that express human alpha 2A-AR in adipose tissue in the absence of beta 3-adrenergic receptor (AR) under the FVB genetic background which are highly sensitive to high-fat diet and develop hyperplastic obesity. We observed that FVB mice, which have no significant increased body weight after an 8-week high-fat diet period, exhibited no alteration of resistin expression. In contrast, the transgenic mice developing high-fat diet-induced obesity exhibited markedly downregulated adipocyte resistin mRNA. We also showed that obesity induced by gold thioglucose injection in FVB/n mice reduces the expression of resistin in isolated adipocytes. This argues for decreased expression of resistin as a hallmark of obesity. Moreover, our data show that feeding a high-fat diet is not a primary determinant of resistin regulation

Evolution of gynaecologists' practices regarding the implementation of Swiss legislation on maternity protection at work between 2008 and 2017.

In accordance with the International Labour Organization’s Maternity Protection Convention (No. 183) and European Union Directive 92/857CEE (1992), Switzerland’s Labour Law and its Maternity Protection Ordinance (OProMa) aim to protect the health of pregnant employees and their future children while enabling them to pursue their working activities. Gynaecologists-obstetricians have a key role in this legislation, particularly through the prescription of preventive leave for patients who would otherwise face dangerous or arduous tasks in the absence of an adequate risk analysis or suitable protective measures. However, international and national literature suggests that gynaecologists-obstetricians may encounter difficulties in fulfilling their role. This study aimed to: (1) describe the practices and difficulties encountered by gynaecologists-obstetricians in the practical implementation of the OProMa; and (2) compare the evolution of these practices and difficulties between 2008 and 2017. A survey by questionnaire was conducted in 2008 and repeated in 2017. Both surveys focused on gynaecologists-obstetricians working in the French-speaking part of Switzerland (in private practices, hospitals or both). Descriptive and comparative analyses were carried out. 83 gynaecologists-obstetricians responded in 2008 and 93 in 2017: response rates of 47% and 32%, respectively. In 2017, gynaecologists-obstetricians were more likely to ask questions about occupational risks faced by their patients when consulted by working mothers about their pregnancies. The estimated percentage of patients exposed to an occupational risk remained constant (20% in 2008 and 22% in 2017). Communication and collaboration with employers were reported to be difficult in both surveys, even though these are key elements in the implementation of the OProMa. Collaboration with occupational physicians, however, was more frequent in 2017. In 2017, gynaecologists-obstetricians showed a greater awareness of occupational risks and collaborated more frequently with occupational health specialists. However, the application of the OProMa remained limited over the studied time period. Improving training of gynaecologists-obstetricians in this field could be a significant factor in encouraging better implementation of the current legislation. Moreover, gynaecologists-obstetricians need to be given the necessary support to enable their clinical practice to evolve towards a more preventive type of medicine. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including occupational physicians, midwives and workers, should be encouraged