Night-time shift work and related stress responses: A study on security guards

Work-related stress can induce a break in homeostasis by placing demands on the body that are met by the activation of two different systems, the hypothalamic\u2013pituitary\u2013adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Night-shift work alters the body\u2019s exposure to the natural light\u2013 dark schedule and disrupts circadian (daily) rhythms. The greatest effect of night-shift work is the disruption of circadian rhythms. The impact that these disruptions may have on the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cancer, is unknown. This study aims to discover the relationship among three different job activities of security guards and their stress-related responses by evaluating salivary cortisol levels and blood pressure. Methods: Ninety security guards, including night-time workers and night-time and daily-shift workers, were recruited for this study. Each security guard provided two saliva samples before and after three scheduled time points: (i) at 22:00, (ii) at 06:30, and (iii) at 14:00. Results: The results of the study showed a significant alteration in cortisol levels. Night-time shift cortisol levels significantly increased before and after the work shifts. A physiological prevalence of the vagal tone on the cardiocirculatory activity was found during night-shift work. Conclusions: This study indicates that cortisol levels and blood pressure are sensitive markers of biological responses to severe work stress. Shift-change consequences may occur at the end of the night shift when there is a significant increase in the cortisol level and a significant variation in cardiovascular parameters

Drier Conditions, More Wildfire, and Heightened Concerns About Forest Management in Eastern Oregon

This brief examines climate change and forest conditions in eastern Oregon. Eastern Oregon is experiencing warmer, drier conditions and increased numbers of wildfires. Surveys of the Oregon public find that forest health and wildfire threats are widely shared concerns. The more knowledgeable residents say they are about forest management, the more likely they are to say that forests are becoming less healthy. Majorities support active forest management (forest thinning, surface fuel reduction) and restoration to reduce the likelihood of high-severity wildfires that would damage forest resources and threaten local communities. The authors conclude that forests continue to be an important part of the heritage of western lands, and their management is a crucial issue of our time. Engaging private forest owners who are not actively managing their lands and developing new partnerships to support active management on public lands are essential to addressing the threats confronting the Blue Mountains and the Inland Northwest

Impact of the annealing temperature on Pt/g-C3N4 structure, activity and selectivity between photodegradation and water splitting

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank SABIC as well as EPSRC platform grant [EP/K015540/1] for financial support and the Royal Society of Chemistry for a Wolfson Merit Award. In order to protect intellectual property the data underpinning this publication are not made publicly available. All enquiries about the data should be addressed to [email protected] reviewedPostprin

Generational Aspects of U.S. Public Opinion on Renewable Energy and Climate Change

The topics of climate change and renewable energy often are linked in policy discussions and scientific analysis, but public opinion on these topics exhibits both overlap and divergence. Although renewable energy has potentially broader acceptance than anthropogenic climate change, it can also sometimes face differently-based opposition. Analyses of U.S. and regional surveys, including time series of repeated surveys in New Hampshire (2010–2018) and northeast Oregon (2011–2018), explore the social bases of public views on both issues. Political divisions are prominent, although somewhat greater regarding climate change. Such divisions widen with education, an interaction effect documented in other studies as well. We also see robust age and temporal effects. Younger adults more often prioritize renewable energy development, and agree with scientists on the reality of anthropogenic climate change (ACC). Across all age groups and both regional series, support for renewable energy and recognition of ACC have been gradually rising. These trends, together with age-cohort replacement and possible changes in age-group voting participation, suggest that public pressure for action on these issues could grow

Long-Term Nightshift Work and Breast Cancer Risk: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis with Special Attention to Menopausal Status and to Recent Nightshift Work

Conceptualization, B.P.-G., C.S. and A.M.P.-F.; methodology, B.P.-G., A.M.P.-F. and C.S. validation, B.P.-G., N.F.d.L., R.P.-B. and V.L; formal analysis, A.M.P.-F., R.P.-B. and C.S.; investigation, A.M.P.-F., R.P.-B. and C.S. resources, B.P.-G. and M.P., data curation, A.M.P.-F. and C.S.; writing—original draft preparation, C.S. and B.P.-G.; writing—review and editing R.P.-B., V.L., N.F.d.L., J.J.J.-M. and M.P.; visualization, A.M.P.-F., B.P.-G., R.P.-B. and C.S.; supervision, B.P.-G., M.P. and J.J.J.-M.; project administration, B.P.-G. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.This systematic review discusses long-term NSW and female BC risk, with special attention to differences between pre-and postmenopausal BC, to test the association with recent NSW. The review follows PRISMA guidelines (Prospero registry: CRD42018102515). We searched PubMed, Embase, and WOS for case–control, nested case–control, and cohort studies addressing long-term NSW (≥15 years) as risk exposure and female BC as outcome until 31 December 2020. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Eighteen studies were finally in-cluded (eight cohorts; five nested case–control; five case–control). We performed meta-analyses on long-term NSW and BC risk; overall and by menopausal status; a subanalysis on recent long-term NSW, based on studies involving predominantly women below retirement age; and a dose– response meta-analysis on NSW duration. The pooled estimate for long-term NSW and BC was 1.13 (95%CI = 1.01–1.27; 18 studies, I2 = 56.8%, p = 0.002). BC risk increased 4.7% per 10 years of NSW (95%CI = 0.94–1.09; 16 studies, I2 = 33.4%, p = 0.008). The pooled estimate for premenopausal BC was 1.27 (95%CI = 0.96–1.68; six studies, I2 = 32.0%, p = 0.196) and for postmenopausal BC 1.05 (95%CI = 0.90–1.24, I2 = 52.4%; seven studies, p = 0.050). For recent long-term exposure, the pooled estimate was 1.23 (95%CI = 1.06–1.42; 15 studies; I2 = 48.4%, p = 0.018). Our results indicate that long-term NSW increases the risk for BC and that menopausal status and time since exposure might be relevant

Long-term nightshift work and breast cancer risk: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis with special attention to menopausal status and to recent nightshift work

This systematic review discusses long-term NSW and female BC risk, with special attention to differences between pre-and postmenopausal BC, to test the association with recent NSW. The review follows PRISMA guidelines (Prospero registry: CRD42018102515). We searched PubMed, Embase, and WOS for case–control, nested case–control, and cohort studies addressing long-term NSW (≥15 years) as risk exposure and female BC as outcome until 31 December 2020. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Eighteen studies were finally in-cluded (eight cohorts; five nested case–control; five case–control). We performed meta-analyses on long-term NSW and BC risk; overall and by menopausal status; a subanalysis on recent long-term NSW, based on studies involving predominantly women below retirement age; and a dose– response meta-analysis on NSW duration. The pooled estimate for long-term NSW and BC was 1.13 (95%CI = 1.01–1.27; 18 studies, I2 = 56.8%, p = 0.002). BC risk increased 4.7% per 10 years of NSW (95%CI = 0.94–1.09; 16 studies, I2 = 33.4%, p = 0.008). The pooled estimate for premenopausal BC was 1.27 (95%CI = 0.96–1.68; six studies, I2 = 32.0%, p = 0.196) and for postmenopausal BC 1.05 (95%CI = 0.90–1.24, I2 = 52.4%; seven studies, p = 0.050). For recent long-term exposure, the pooled estimate was 1.23 (95%CI = 1.06–1.42; 15 studies; I2 = 48.4%, p = 0.018). Our results indicate that long-term NSW increases the risk for BC and that menopausal status and time since exposure might be relevant.This research received no external funding

Regulation of L1 expression and retrotransposition by melatonin and its receptor: implications for cancer risk associated with light exposure at night.

Expression of long interspersed element-1 (L1) is upregulated in many human malignancies. L1 can introduce genomic instability via insertional mutagenesis and DNA double-strand breaks, both of which may promote cancer. Light exposure at night, a recently recognized carcinogen, is associated with an increased risk of cancer in shift workers. We report that melatonin receptor 1 inhibits mobilization of L1 in cultured cells through downregulation of L1 mRNA and ORF1 protein. The addition of melatonin receptor antagonists abolishes the MT1 effect on retrotransposition in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, melatonin-rich, but not melatonin-poor, human blood collected at different times during the circadian cycle suppresses endogenous L1 mRNA during in situ perfusion of tissue-isolated xenografts of human cancer. Supplementation of human blood with exogenous melatonin or melatonin receptor antagonist during the in situ perfusion establishes a receptor-mediated action of melatonin on L1 expression. Combined tissue culture and in vivo data support that environmental light exposure of the host regulates expression of L1 elements in tumors. Our data imply that light-induced suppression of melatonin production in shift workers may increase L1-induced genomic instability in their genomes and suggest a possible connection between L1 activity and increased incidence of cancer associated with circadian disruption

La mise en débats des territoires de la lumière

International audienceThe call to "Save the night!" sums up the whole issue of an emerging perception of artificial light seen as a source of damage. Launched in 1995, essentially by actors from the astronomical community, both amateur and professional, seeking to alert citizens and policymakers to a new form of pollution, this appeal has since been taken up by ecologists and doctors with the development of a new field of scientific knowledge concerning the effects and impact of artificial light on the environment and health. However, the resulting knowledge - be it informal or scientific, non-specialized or expert - has for several years now given rise to heated conflicts between these new actors and others, more institutional and historically well rooted, both nationally and internationally, in the domain of lighting. We show here how, cognitively, the problem of light pollution was built up, and how the divergence in scale between the actors' points of reference - cultural and territorial - remains the basis of a conflict arising from contradictory uses of night. But emerging patterns of participation are having some effect, both on decision-making in lighting as well as on the actors themselves. Thus we can note changes in discourse and in the evolution of knowledge and of skills, effects on decision-making processes, but also - most importantly - a cultural evolution highlighting the positivity of night.L'appel " Sauvons la nuit ! " résume à lui seul tout l'enjeu d'une perception émergente de la lumière artificielle comme objet de dommages. Lancé en 1995 par des acteurs issus pour l'essentiel des milieux de l'astronomie amateur et professionnelle cherchant à alerter les citoyens et les décideurs sur une nouvelle nuisance, cet appel est désormais relayé par les écologues et les médecins sous la forme d'un nouveau champ de savoir scientifique relatif aux effets et impacts écologiques et sanitaires de la lumière artificielle. Les savoirs - qu'ils soient vernaculaires ou scientifiques, " profanes " ou " experts " - ainsi développés ne vont cependant pas sans susciter, depuis plusieurs années, de vifs conflits entre ces nouveaux acteurs et d'autres, plus institutionnels et historiquement bien ancrés dans le paysage national et international de l'éclairagisme. Nous montrons ici comment, cognitivement, a été construit le problème des nuisances et pollutions lumineuses, et comment les dissonances d'échelles entre les référents - culturels, territoriaux - des acteurs continuent à sous-tendre la conflictualité dérivant des usages contradictoires de la nuit. Mais des modes de participation émergent, qui ne sont pas sans effet, tant sur la fabrique de la décision en matière d'éclairage que sur les acteurs eux-mêmes. Évolutions de la manière de dire, évolution du savoir, du savoir-faire, effets sur les processus décisionnels, mais aussi - surtout - évolution culturelle mettant en exergue la positivité de la nuit

Co-incorporation of biodegradable wastes with crop residues to reduce nitrate pollution of groundwater and decrease waste disposal to landfill

Return of high nitrogen (N) content crop residues to soil, particularly in autumn, can result in environmental pollution resulting from gaseous and leaching losses of N. The EU Landfill Directive will require significant reductions in the amounts of biodegradable materials going to landfill. A field experiment was set up to examine the potential of using biodegradable waste materials to manipulate losses of N from high N crop residues in the soil. Leafy residues of sugar beet were co-incorporated into soil with materials of varying C:N ratios, including molasses, compactor waste, paper waste, green waste compost and cereal straw. The amendment materials were each incorporated to provide approximately 3.7 t C per hectare. The most effective material for reducing nitrous oxide (N2O) production and leaching loss of NO3− was compactor waste, which is the final product from the recycling of cardboard. Adding molasses increased N2O and NO3− leaching losses. Six months following incorporation of residues, the double rate application of compactor waste decreased soil mineral N by 36 kg N per hectare, and the molasses increased soil mineral N by 47 kg N per hectare. Compactor waste reduced spring barley grain yield by 73% in the first of years following incorporation, with smaller losses at the second harvest. At the first harvest, molasses and paper waste increased yields of spring barley by 20 and 10% compared with sugar beet residues alone, and the enhanced yield persisted to the second harvest. The amounts of soil mineral N in the spring and subsequent yields of a first cereal crop were significantly correlated to the lignin and cellulose contents of the amendment materials. Yield was reduced by 0.3–0.4 t/ha for every 100 mg/g increase in cellulose or lignin content. In a second year, cereal yield was still reduced and related to the cellulose content of the amendment materials but with one quarter of the effect. Additional fertilizer applied to this second crop did not relieve this effect. Although amendment materials were promising as tools to reduce N losses, further work is needed to reduce the negative effects on subsequent crops which was not removed by applying 60 kg/ha of fertilizer N

Social jetlag and prostate cancer incidence in Alberta\u27s Tomorrow Project: A prospective cohort study

We investigated the association of social jetlag (misalignment between the internal clock and socially required timing of activities) and prostate cancer incidence in a prospective cohort in Alberta, Canada. Data were collected from 7455 cancer-free men aged 35-69 years enrolled in Alberta\u27s Tomorrow Project (ATP) from 2001-2007. In the 2008 survey, participants reported usual bed- and wake-times on weekdays and weekend days. Social jetlag was defined as the absolute difference in waking time between weekday and weekend days, and was categorized into three groups: 0-\u3c1 h (from 0 to anything smaller than 1), 1-\u3c2 h (from 1 to anything smaller than 2), and 2+ h. ATP facilitated data linkage with the Alberta Cancer Registry in June 2018 to determine incident prostate cancer cases