Prevalence of silicosis among workers in stone-cutter and silica powder production factories

Background: Use of industry and technology must be based on protection of health as well as the environment. In other words, constant development of technology should fulfil human needs and not pose a health hazard. Silicosis is one of the oldest industry-induced occupational pulmonary diseases which is caused through exposure to particles of crystalline silica in respirable sizes and still is a major health hazard in workers exposed to silica all over the world. Since there is no cure for silicosis and in affected patients the disease may continue to progress even after leaving the workforce, dust control in the working environment is the only way to overcome this disease. Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was performed on workers of the 27 stone-cutter factories in Malayer- Azandarian during 2001-2002. Sampling method was un-randomized and considering the type of study, all factory workers who were about 100 individuals entered the study. The study was done via clinical examination, questionnaire, spirometry, and chest x-ray. Results: Study results demonstrated that lung examination was abnormal in 21 workers accompanied by respiratory symptoms as follows: Twelve cases had irritative coughs. Four cases had coughs and dyspnea and 5 complained of exertional dyspnea. In 10 of them a significant change was seen in their chest x-ray. Fourteen cases had an abnormal spirogram curve in evaluation of their respiratory status and only in 4 patients spirometry was abnormal. Most patients with silicosis were under the age of 44 and had almost 5 years of working experience. Six patients were smokers. In conclusion, 10 workers had silicosis (10) (6 cases of simple silicosis and 4 cases of the complicated type) and the diagnosis was confirmed by chest radiography. © 2006 NRITLD, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Iran

Providing a conceptual model of metropolises waste management (Case study: Tehran, Iran)

Urbanization and excessive resources consumption including risk of improper waste management are global health and environmental challenge especially in metropolises. Purpose of this study was to provide a conceptual model of metropolises waste management in Tehran, capital of Iran, as a model. Data collection was done through a 25-items questionnaire to examine the people awareness and attitude as well as analyze current and desired situations of wastes management and recycling in 2013. Four hundred fifty residents of Tehran were selected randomly to participate in the study. . Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics methods by SPSS software and P < 0.05 was set as the significance level. The SWOT matrix was used to formulate waste management strategies considering all aspects of comprehensive waste management. Results showed that the awareness level of 90.4 of people was good and the attitude of 81.3 of them was supportive towards recycling. Moreover, more media coverage on this issue and using award and encouragement strategies are the most important factors increasing people participation in the waste management. Furthermore based on the quantitative strategic planning matrix, priorities of waste management strategies are sustainable, social, economic, and environmental development. © 2015, Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology. All rights reserved

Effect of psychosocial factors on low back pain in industrial workers

Aim: To test the hypothesis that workplace psychosocial factors such as demand, control, support, job satisfaction and job appreciation can predict the future onset of disabling low back pain (LBP). Methods: The present study involved a prospective cohort of 4500 Iranian industrial workers. Data were gathered by means of a self-reported questionnaire about LBP, as well as working life exposure, lifestyle factors, social exposures, co-morbidity, life events and psychosomatic complaints in 2004. All new episodes of disabling LBP resulting in medically certified sick leave during the 1-year follow-up registered by occupational health clinic inside the factory. Results: The participation rate was good (85). A total of 744 subjects reported current LBP (point prevalence cases). A total of 52 (<2) new episodes of disabling LBP were observed during the 1-year follow-up (incident cases). Male employees reported higher demands, lower control and lower support than female employees. Employees with high demands, low control, job strain, low job satisfaction and low job appreciation showed increased odds ratios, and these results were statistically significant. Conclusions: Few prospective studies in this field have been published, but all of them are related to industrialized countries. This prospective study suggests the aetiological role of job strain for LBP. The findings of this study indicate a substantial potential for disease prevention and health promotion at the workplace. © The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved

Characterization of radio active aerosols in Tehran research reactor containment

The objectives of this research were to determine the levels of radioactivity in the Tehran research reactor containment and to investigate the mass-size distribution, composition, and concentration of radio nuclides during operation of the reactor. A cascade impactor sampler was used to determine the size-activity distributions of radioactive aerosols in each of the sampling stations. Levels of α and β activities were determined based on a counting method using a liquid scintillation counter and smear tests. The total average mass fractions of fine particles (particle diameter dp &lt;1 µm) in all of the sampling stations were approximately 26.75 , with the mean and standard deviation of 52.15 ± 19.75 µg/m3. The total average mass fractions of coarse particles were approximately 73.2, with the mean and standard deviation of 71.34 ± 24.57 µg/m3. In addition to natural radionuclides, artificial radionuclides, such as 24Na,91Sr,131I,133I,103Ru,82Br, and 140La, may be released into the reactor containment structure. Maximum activity was associated with accumulation-mode particles with diameters less than 400 nm. The results obtained from liquid scintillation counting suggested that the mean specific activity of alpha particles in fine and coarse-modes were 89.7 and 10.26 , respectively. The mean specific activity of beta particles in fine and coarse-modes were 81.15 and 18.51 , respectively. A large fraction ofthe radionuclides' mass concentration in the Tehran research reactor containment was associated with coarse-mode particles, in addition, a large fraction of the activity in the aerosol particles was associated with accumulation-mode particles. © 2015, Vinca Inst Nuclear Sci. All rights reserved

Occupational cognitive failure and its relationship with unsafe behaviors and accidents

Objectives. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between occupational cognitive failures (OCFs) and unsafe behaviors, accidents and driving offences among municipal bus drivers in Tehran, Iran. Methods. Systematic random sampling was used to select 190 drivers from 3 transport and traffic Tehran districts. Data were collected with the occupational cognitive failure questionnaire (OCFQ), the driver behavior questionnaire and a data collection form. Results. The mean (SD) numbers of driving-related offences and road traffic accidents were 1.5 (2.6) and 0.37 (1.0), respectively. The mean (SD) numbers of deliberate driving violations, unintended violations, driving slips and mistakes were 6.97 (5.5), 1.61 (1.5), 13.6 (9.0) and 4.53 (3.28), respectively. The mean (SD) number of the OCFs was 28.9 (20.5). A significant correlation was found between occupational cognitive error and unsafe driving behavior subscales. The stepwise logistic regression results showed that, while controlling the effects of confounding factors, the OCF predicts 6, 9, 15 and 9 of deliberate violations, unintended violations, driving slips and driving mistakes, respectively. Conclusion. The results of this study show that the score of the OCFQ is a predictor of unsafe driving behaviors and its subscales

Assessment of construction workers' hydration status using urine specific gravity

Objectives: The study objective was to assess hydration status by measuring USG among construction workers in Iran. Materials and Methods: The study design was comparative and experimental. Sixty participants were randomly selected from the construction workers from a construction campus with a similar type of work, climate and diet and formed 2 groups (individuals exposed to the sun and non-exposed individuals). TWL and USG were measured in both groups on 2 consequent days, at the beginning, mid and end of the work shift. Results: USG test showed that mean USG was 1.0213±0.0054 in the control group and in the exposed group, where it was significantly higher, it amounted to 1.026±0.005. In the exposed group, 38 of workers had a USG level between 1.026-1.030, representing a higher risk of heat illness and impaired performance and 12.72 had a USG level above 1.030 representing a clinically dehydrated status, while this proportion in the control group was 15.2 and 0.58, respectively. The mean TWL index measure was 215.8±5.2 W/m2 for the control group and 144±9.8 W/m2 for the exposed group, where, again, it was significantly higher. The Pearson correlation measure showed a significant correlation between USG and TWL. Conclusions: Strong correlation between TWL, as an indicator of thermal stress and USG shows that USG can be considered as a predictor of thermal stress. The difference between USG among the exposed and non-exposed workers and the increase in USG during midday work show the sensitivity of this measure in different thermal and climatic conditions, whereas, the high level of dehydration among workers despite acceptable TWL level, shows that heat stress management without considering the real hydration status of workers, is insufficient. © 2013 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Wien

Correction to: 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 modulates adipogenesis of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells dose-dependently (Nutrition & Metabolism, (2021), 18, 1, (29), 10.1186/s12986-021-00561-4)

Following publication of the original article 1, the authors identified an error in the affiliation of Dr. Mehdi Hedayati. © 2021, The Author(s)

Health needs assessment of workers in Kaveh industrial city

Background: Health needs assessment (HNA) is essential for allocation of limited resources to the most prioritized problems. HNA in work places has gained increasing importance. Kaveh industrial city is the largest and oldest industrial city in Iran, with a wide range of different industries, making it an exemplary industrial city in Iran. This study was done to conduct health needs assessment of workers in Kaveh industrial city. Methods: In this study, intensive HNA approach and qualitative method were used. In-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted to collect information related to health risk factors, and Delphi method was used to prioritize these risk factors. A total of 74 key informants participated in this study, which constituted more than 80 of the total related experts of Kaveh industrial city. Results: The main identified health challenge was inefficiency of the existing Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) control and monitoring system. The most important physical health risk factors were smoking and obesity and the most prioritized psychosocial risk factors were stress and lack of appropriate management and organizational culture. Ergonomic issues and noise pollution were the prioritized work environmental factors and inappropriate placement of pollutant industries in the industrial city was the most prioritized bioenvironmental risk factor. Unsafe road to industrial zone and poor safety devices used by workers were the most prioritized occupational injuries risk factors. Conclusion: Addressing the identified health needs of workers in Kaveh industrial city is of high importance. Also, redefining the HSE control and monitoring system should be prioritized. © Iran University of Medical Sciences

Performance and scientific collaboration of Iran Occupational Health Journal: A scientometric analysis

Background: Of common scientometric indices is evaluating the performance and scientific collaboration of journals and organizations. Iran Occupational Health Journal belongs to Iran University of Medical Sciences and committed to providing scientific evidence for improving occupational health. Based on the importance of health at work, this study aimed to evaluate the Journal�s performance and scientific collaboration in the field. Methods: This is a scientometric study using both citation and content analyses. Complete enumeration survey method and Scimago data were used to collect all information about published articles between 2012 and 2017. Content analysis was performed to find about the articles� dominant subject area. The data on the number of authors, the authors' organizational affiliation, the type of articles, and the affiliated centers with the most number of articles were reported. Data were analyzed using Excel 2016 software. Results: The Journal�s performance in various indices such as reducing the time between receive and accept of papers has had an improving trend for 6 consecutive years. The Journal has published mostly in subjects of ergonomics (59 articles) and then safety (52 articles). The Journal�s SJR in Scopus has had an increasing trend from 0.101 in 2012 to 0.220 in 2017. Conclusion: Based on the collected data and Scimago indices, the performance of Iran Occupational Health Journal has shown an improving trend over the studied years. The priorities of published subjects in the Journal are in agreement with the research priorities for occupational health in Iran. Thus, the Journal�s continuous improvement regarding examined criteria is highly expected. © 2019 Iran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Molecular mechanisms of vitamin D plus Bisphenol A effects on adipogenesis in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Background: Obesity is considered a major health concern and mounting evidence suggests that the exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors, including Bisphenol-A (BPA), may enhance the risk to develop the disease. Moreover, growing documents propose that the vitamin D may contribute to adipogenic signaling and lipid accumulation during adipocyte differentiation. We focused on the molecular mechanism of vitamin D and BPA in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) which vitamin D and BPA may influence adipose tissue development and function. Methods: Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were cultured for 14 days in lipogenic differentiation media containing continuous concentrations of vitamin D plus BPA (0.1 nM or 10 nM). The expression of adipogenic markers including the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBP α) CCAAT-enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBP β), fatty acid synthase (FASN), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP1c), insulin-induced gene-2 (INSIG2), vitamin D receptor (VDR), estrogen receptor-beta (ER-β), fatty acid-binding protein-4 (FABP4), and glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) was measured using Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Lipid accumulation was visualized with staining with Oil Red O. Results: In the morphological assessment of mesenchymal stem cells treated with a concentration of 10 nM vitamin D plus BPA, more lipid accumulations were observed in comparison with the group with 0.1 nM concentration. Treatment of hADMSCs with vitamin D plus BPA (0.1 nM) significantly inhibited the induction of PPARγ, C/EBP β, C/EBP α, and FASN related to adipocyte differentiation and development. However, the exposure of cells to the concentration of 10 nM vitamin D plus BPA induced the expression of these genes associated to the adipogenesis. The remarkable increase in the level of SREBP1c was associated to the suppression of INSIG2 in treated preadipocytes with 10 nM vitamin D plus BPA. Our findings showed that the expression of VDR, ERβ, GLUT4, and FABP4 were upregulated through differentiation with the highest concentrations in 0.1 nM vitamin D plus BPA group for VDR, ERβ, and GLUT4. Conclusions: Vitamin D plus BPA at concentration of 10 nM boosted the adipogenesis during the critical stages of adipocytes development, whereas it seems to inhibit this process at concentration of 0.1 nM. © 2021, The Author(s)