The Toxicity of Wiped Dust and Airborne Microbes in Individual Classrooms Increase the Risk of Teachers' Work-Related Symptoms : A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The causes and pathophysiological mechanisms of building-related symptoms (BRS) remain open. Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between teachers' individual work-related symptoms and intrinsic in vitro toxicity in classrooms. This is a further analysis of a previously published dataset. Methods: Teachers from 15 Finnish schools in Helsinki responded to the symptom survey. The boar sperm motility inhibition assay, a sensitive indicator of mitochondrial dysfunction, was used to measure the toxicity of wiped dust and cultured microbial fallout samples collected from the teachers' classrooms. Results: 231 teachers whose classroom toxicity data had been collected responded to the questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, smoking, and atopy showed that classroom dust intrinsic toxicity was statistically significantly associated with the following 12 symptoms reported by teachers (adjusted ORs in parentheses): nose stuffiness (4.1), runny nose (6.9), hoarseness (6.4), globus sensation (9.0), throat mucus (7.6), throat itching (4.4), shortness of breath (12.2), dry cough (4.7), wet eyes (12.7), hypersensitivity to sound (7.9), difficulty falling asleep (7.6), and increased need for sleep (7.7). Toxicity of cultured microbes was found to be associated with nine symptoms (adjusted ORs in parentheses): headache (2.3), nose stuffiness (2.2), nose dryness (2.2), mouth dryness (2.8), hoarseness (2.2), sore throat (2.8), throat mucus (2.3), eye discharge (10.2), and increased need for sleep (3.5). Conclusions: The toxicity of classroom dust and airborne microbes in boar sperm motility inhibition assay significantly increased teachers' risk of work-related respiratory and ocular symptoms. Potential pathophysiological mechanisms of BRS are discussed.Peer reviewe

Luokkahuoneen sisäilman mikrobien ja pölyn toksisuudet lisäävät opettajien työympäristöön liittyvien oireiden riskiä:poikkileikkaustutkimus

Abstract The causes and pathophysiological mechanisms of building-related symptoms (BRS) are unclear. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between intrinsic in vitro toxicity in classrooms and teachers’ work-related symptoms. Teachers from 15 Finnish schools responded to the symptom survey. The boar sperm motility inhibition assay, a sensitive indicator of mitochondrial dysfunction, was used to measure the toxicity of wiped dust and cultured microbial fallout samples collected from the teachers’ classrooms. 231 teachers whose classroom toxicity data had been collected responded to the questionnaire. The Poisson regression model showed that teachers’ work-related BRS were 2.8-fold (95% CI: 1.6–4.9) higher in classrooms with highly toxic dust samples compared to classrooms with non-toxic dusts. The rate ratio of work-related BRS was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1–2.8) for toxic microbial samples. Logistic regression analysis showed that classroom dust toxicity was statistically significantly associated with the following 12 symptoms (adjusted odds ratios in parentheses): nose stuffiness (4.1), runny nose (6.9), hoarseness (6.4), globus sensation (9.0), throat mucus (7.6), throat itching (4.4), shortness of breath (12.2), dry cough (4.7), wet eyes (12.7), hypersensitivity to sound (7.9), difficulty falling asleep (7.6), increased need for sleep (7.7). Toxicity of cultured microbes was associated with nine symptoms (adjusted ORs in parentheses): headache (2.3), nose stuffiness (2.2), nose dryness (2.2), mouth dryness (2.8), hoarseness (2.2), sore throat (2.8), throat mucus (2.3), eye discharge (10.2), increased need for sleep (3.5). The toxicity of classroom dust and airborne microbes in boar sperm motility inhibition assay significantly increased teachers’ risk of work-related symptoms. The results support the hypothesis based on previous literature showing that exposure to boar sperm-toxic substances can cause mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, immunological inflammation, activation and sensitization of chemosensory C-fibers, and neurogenic inflammation. These findings contribute a new perspective to the research field of indoor adverse exposure and pathophysiological processes in exposed, symptomatic individuals.Tiivistelmä Rakennukseen liittyvien oireiden (building-related symptoms, BRS) aiheuttajat ja syntymekanismit ovat edelleen avoinna. Tässä poikkileikkaustutkimuksessa selvitettiin koululuokan toksisuuden vaikutusta opettajien työympäristöön liittyvien oireiden riskiin. Opettajien työympäristöön liittyvät oireet kartoitettiin sähköisellä kyselyllä 15 suomalaiskoulussa. Luokkahuoneiden sisäilman mikrobiviljelmien ja laskeumapölyjen toksisuutta mitattiin sian siittiötestillä, joka on herkkä mitokondriotoksisuuden tunnistusmenetelmä. Kyselyyn vastasi 231 valintakriteerit täyttävää opettajaa, joiden luokkahuoneista oli toksisuustieto. Työympäristöön liittyvistä BRS-oireista oli viimeisen vuoden aikana kärsinyt yli puolet opettajista, ja yli kolmannes pöly- ja mikrobinäytteistä oli toksisia. Sukupuoli-, tupakointi-, atopia- ja ikävakioidun Poissonin regressiomallin mukaan opettajilla, joiden luokkahuoneen pöly oli toksisinta, työympäristöön liittyvien BRS-oireiden määrä oli 2,8-kertaa suurempi (95 %:n luottamusväli eli CI 1,6–4,9) kuin opettajilla, joiden luokkahuoneen pöly oli ei-toksista. Vastaavasti luokkahuoneissa, joissa havaittiin toksisia mikrobeja, BRS-oireiden määrä oli 1,8-kertaa suurempi (95 % CI 1,5–2,1) kuin luokkahuoneissa, joissa toksisia mikrobeja ei havaittu. Vakioidun negatiivisen binomiaalisen monitasomallin mukaan opettajien työympäristöön liittyvät ei-perinteiset BRS-oireet olivat toksisimpien pölyjen luokkahuoneissa 2,9-kertaiset (95 % CI 1,2–7,3) verrattuna ei-toksisten pölyjen luokkahuoneisiin ja toksisten mikrobien luokkahuoneissa 1,8-kertaiset (95 % CI 1,1–2,8) verrattuna ei-toksisten mikrobien luokkiin. Pölyn toksisuus oli yhteydessä 12 työympäristöön liittyvään oireeseen (vetosuhteet ja 95 %:n CI:t sulkeissa): nenän tukkoisuus (4,1; 1,2–13), nuhavuoto (6,9; 1,8–27), äänen käheys (6,4; 1,9–21), palan tunne kurkussa (9,0; 1,7–47), nielun limaisuus (7,6; 2,2–26), kurkun kutina (4,4; 1,1–18), hengenahdistus (12,2; 1,9–77), kuiva yskä (4,7; 1,3–17), silmien vetistys (12,7; 1,4–112), ääniyliherkkyys (7,9; 1,7–37), nukahtamisvaikeus (7,6; 1,9–30) ja lisääntynyt unen tarve (7,7; 2,1–29). Mikrobiviljelmien toksisuus oli yhteydessä yhdeksään työympäristöön liittyvään oireeseen: päänsärky (2,3; 1,1–4,8), nenän tukkoisuus (2,2; 1,1–4,4), nenän kuivuus (2,2; 1,1–4,5), suun kuivuus (2,8; 1,1–6,7), äänen käheys (2,2; 1,1–4,3), kurkkukipu (2,8; 1,1–7,3), nielun limaisuus (2,3; 1,1–4,7), silmien rähmiminen (10,2; 2,0–51) ja lisääntynyt unen tarve (3,5; 1,0–12). Koulun sisäilman mikrobien ja laskeumapölyn siittiötoksisuudet ovat merkittäviä opettajien työympäristöön liittyvien oireiden riskitekijöitä. Tulokset tukevat käytettävissä olevaan kirjallisuuteen perustuvaa hypoteesia, jonka mukaan siittiötoksinen altistuminen voi aiheuttaa elimistössä mitokondrioiden toimintahäiriöitä, oksidatiivista stressiä, immunologista tulehdusta, kemosensoristen C-hermosäikeiden aktivaatiota ja herkistymistä sekä neurogeenista tulehdusta. Tämä avaa uusia mahdollisuuksia sisäilma-altisteisiin liittyvän terveysriskin sekä BRS-oireiden syiden, mekanismien ja hoitomuotojen tutkimiseen

Vuosityöaika liikunnan- ja terveystiedonopettajan näkökulmasta

nonPeerReviewe

Teachers’ work-related non-literature-known building-related symptoms are also connected to indoor toxicity:a cross-sectional study

Abstract A previous study showed that classical building-related symptoms (BRS) were related to indoor dust and microbial toxicity via boar sperm motility assay, a sensitive method for measuring mitochondrial toxicity. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed whether teachers’ most common work-related non-literature-known BRS (nBRS) were also associated with dust or microbial toxicity. Teachers from 15 schools in Finland completed a questionnaire evaluating 20 nBRS including general, eye, respiratory, hearing, sleep, and mental symptoms. Boar sperm motility assay was used to measure the toxicity of extracts from wiped dust and microbial fallout samples collected from teachers’ classrooms. 231 teachers answered a questionnaire and their classroom toxicity data were recorded. A negative binomial mixed model showed that teachers’ work-related nBRS were 2.9-fold (95% CI: 1.2–7.3) higher in classrooms with highly toxic dust samples compared to classrooms with non-toxic dust samples (p = 0.024). The RR of work-related nBRS was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1–2.9) for toxic microbial samples (p = 0.022). Teachers’ BRS appeared to be broader than reported in the literature, and the work-related nBRS were associated with toxic dusts and microbes in classrooms

The association of childhood commuting modes and physical activity in adult age

Background Physically active lifestyle prevents and contributes to managing non-communicable diseases. Childhood physical activities have shown to associate with physically active lifestyle in adulthood. More research on which childhood physical activity modes associate with physical activity in later life is still needed. Within the present study, we examined how physically active commuting to school in childhood contributed to overall physical activity in adulhood. Methods The participants (N = 3596) were from the population-based, longitudinal Cardiovascular Risks in Young Finns Study. Questionnaires were used in assessing subjects' childhood (1980) and adulthood (2001-2018) physical activity. ActiGraph accelerometers were also applied in the adulthood measurements (2018-2020). The results were analyzed using logistic and linear regression models. Participants' age, sex, parents' educational background, parents' income level, childhood living area, participants' educational background, adulthood income level, and adulthood living area were adjusted for in the models. Results Based on the preliminary examinations, childhood commuting was not associated with self-reported commuting to work (2001-2018) or accelerometer-measured overall physical activity (2018-2020) in adulthood (p>.05). Active commuting in childhood associated with increased self-reported leisure-time physical activity in the year 2001 (b=.38, p>.001), 2007 (b=.35, p>.001), and 2018 (b=.28, p=.012), but the association between childhood commuting and self-reported physical activity in the years 2001 and 2018 attenuated after adjusting for all covariates (p>.05). Conclusions Physically active commuting in childhood (1980) was associated with higher levels of self-reported leisure-time physical activity in adulthood (2001-2018). The associations attenuated after adjusting for covariates excluding the one between active commuting and leisure-time physical activity assessed in 2007. Physically active commuting can be regarded as recommendable with respect to the development of physically active lifestyle, if supportive evidence for the causality between childhood commuting and leisure-time physical activity in adult age can be found. Future research should also focus on assessing whether active commuting in childhood contributes to adulthood activities parallel to active commuting in childhood.nonPeerReviewe

The toxicity of wiped dust and airborne microbes in individual classrooms increase the risk of teachers’ work-related symptoms

Abstract Background: The causes and pathophysiological mechanisms of building-related symptoms (BRS) remain open. Objective: We aimed to investigate the association between teachers’ individual work-related symptoms and intrinsic in vitro toxicity in classrooms. This is a further analysis of a previously published dataset. Methods: Teachers from 15 Finnish schools in Helsinki responded to the symptom survey. The boar sperm motility inhibition assay, a sensitive indicator of mitochondrial dysfunction, was used to measure the toxicity of wiped dust and cultured microbial fallout samples collected from the teachers’ classrooms. Results: 231 teachers whose classroom toxicity data had been collected responded to the questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, gender, smoking, and atopy showed that classroom dust intrinsic toxicity was statistically significantly associated with the following 12 symptoms reported by teachers (adjusted ORs in parentheses): nose stuffiness (4.1), runny nose (6.9), hoarseness (6.4), globus sensation (9.0), throat mucus (7.6), throat itching (4.4), shortness of breath (12.2), dry cough (4.7), wet eyes (12.7), hypersensitivity to sound (7.9), difficulty falling asleep (7.6), and increased need for sleep (7.7). Toxicity of cultured microbes was found to be associated with nine symptoms (adjusted ORs in parentheses): headache (2.3), nose stuffiness (2.2), nose dryness (2.2), mouth dryness (2.8), hoarseness (2.2), sore throat (2.8), throat mucus (2.3), eye discharge (10.2), and increased need for sleep (3.5). Conclusions: The toxicity of classroom dust and airborne microbes in boar sperm motility inhibition assay significantly increased teachers’ risk of work-related respiratory and ocular symptoms. Potential pathophysiological mechanisms of BRS are discussed

Participation in organized and unorganized sports in adolescence: associations with physical activity levels in adulthood

Purpose Participation in organized youth sports (OYS) has been linked to higher levels of physical activity (PA) in adulthood. However, the longitudinal associations of OYS and PA compared to unorganized sports and non-participation have not been extensively studied. This study aims to explore the associations of both organized and unorganized sports in adolescence with PA levels in midlife. Methods Participants in this study were drawn from the on-going, population-based prospective Young Finns Study. Data from follow-ups conducted in the years 1980, 1983, 1986, and 1989 were utilized to divide the participants into groups of active OYS, active unorganized sports, and non-participants, separately at the ages of 9 (n = 548), 12 (n = 727), 15 (n = 752), and 18 (n = 767). The groups were formed according to self-reported frequency and intensity of leisure time PA and participation in sports club activities in adolescence. Accelerometer-derived PA (mean daily minutes of sedentary time [ST], light-intensity PA [LPA], and moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA]) in midlife was assessed in 2018-2020. Differences in adult PA between the youth PA groups were analyzed using analysis of covariance, separately in males and females. Results Compared to non-participants, boys who actively participated in OYS at age 9 had lower ST (mean difference [SE]: -38 [15], p = 0.045) and higher LPA (29 [12], p = 0.050) in midlife. No significant group differences were observed for girls at age 9 or for either sex at age 12 or 15, or for boys at age 18. In girls at age 18, significant group differences were found in MVPA in midlife in favor of both organized and unorganized sports compared to non-participants (15 [3], p < 0.001; 8 [3], p = 0.014, respectively). Conclusions Active participation in organized sports in boys at age 9 and active participation in both organized and unorganized sports in girls at age 18 associated with higher levels of physical activity in midlife. These findings suggest that promoting both types of sports participation in adolescence may contribute to the development of a physically active lifestyle across the life course.nonPeerReviewe

Associations of active commuting to school in childhood and physical activity in adulthood

Abstract This study examined whether active commuting to school in childhood and adolescence predicted active commuting to work and overall physical activity (PA) in adulthood. Participants from the Young Finns Study (N = 2436) were aged 9–18 years in 1980 and followed up until 2018/2020. Their commuting modes to school were assessed with a self-reported questionnaire in 1980. Adulthood PA was assessed through self-reports regarding commuting modes to work (2001–2018), leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) (2001–2018), and objectively measured daily steps (2007–2018/2020). Associations between childhood commuting and adulthood PA were evaluated using regression analyses and multilevel models. Demographic, socioeconomic and environmental covariates were adjusted for in the analyses. Active commuting to school in childhood contributed favourably to LTPA in 2001 (B = .38, p < .001), in 2007 (B = .35, p < .001), and in 2018 (B = .28, p < .01). Active commuting in childhood was associated with higher number of daily aerobic steps (B = 299.00, p = .03) and daily aerobic steps during weekdays in 2011 (B = 312.15, p = .03). In 2018, active commuting associated favourably with daily aerobic steps (B = 370.42, p < .01), daily aerobic steps during weekdays (B = 347.65, p = .01), daily steps during weekends (B = 628.49, p = .02), and daily aerobic steps during weekends (B = 402.69, p = .03). Covariate adjustments attenuated the associations excluding the one between active commuting and LTPA in 2007 (B = .36, p = .01) and daily steps during weekends in 2018 (B = 782.25, p = .04). Active commuting to school in childhood might be one of the PA modes that contribute to PA in adulthood and is therefore encouraged to be promoted from an early age

Organized youth sports trajectories and adult health outcomes: the young Finns study

Introduction: This study identified the trajectories of organized youth sports over 9 years in youths aged 9−18 years and examined whether the trajectories predicted physical activity, sedentary behavior, and obesity in midlife. Methods: Self-reported organized youth sports trajectories were identified for participants between 1980 and 1989 (N=3,474). Accelerometer-derived physical activity was quantified for participants (n=1,349) in 2018−2020. Sociodemographic, physical activity, and TV viewing data were collected through questionnaires either at baselines or follow-up. Adult BMI was calculated to clarify obesity. Asso ciations of organized youth sports trajectories with adult physical activity, sedentary behavior, and obesity were evaluated using mixture models, which were stratified by sex and conducted in 2022. Results: Three organized youth sports trajectories were identified for boys and girls (sustained high-sports participation, 12.0%/7.5%; sustained moderate-sports participation, 14.0%/13.3%; and low-sports/nonparticipation, 74.0%/79.2%). Boys sustaining both moderate- and high-sports partic ipation had higher levels of adult self-reported physical activity (b=0.59, p=0.007; b=0.69, p<0.001) than low-sports/nonparticipating boys. Girls sustaining both moderate- and high-sports participa tion accumulated more total physical activity (b=113.4, p=0.009; b=144.3, p=0.002), moderate-to vigorous physical activity (b=7.86, p=0.016; b=14.01, p<0.001), step counts (b=1,020, p=0.003; b=1,045, p=0.005), and self-reported physical activity (b=0.79, p<0001; b=0.63, p=0.003) in midlife than their low-sports/nonparticipating counterparts. Girls sustaining moderate-sports participation accumulated more light-intensity physical activity (b=19.79, p=0.012) and less sedentary time (b= 27.65, p=0.002), and those sustaining high-sports participation had lower obesity prevalence (OR=0.41, p=0.009) 40 years later than low-sports/nonparticipating girls. Conclusions: Sustained participation in organized youth sports is independently predictive of physical activity patterns, sedentary time, and obesity in midlife, especially in girls, thus contribut ing to the development of a healthy and active lifestyle across the life course