Med. Sci. Forum, 2021, ECERPH-3 2021

In recent years, the role of vitamin D in the immune system has been explored. In light of the global burden of COVID-19, this literature overview aims to understand whether vitamin D can be a useful integrative option for COVID-19 prevention. A PubMed-based overview of reviews (date of search: 7 December 2020). After a database search, 305 articles were found, and 15 reviews were included in this study. From a mechanistic perspective, vitamin D may inactivate some viral compounds, reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines (NF-kB, IL-6, TNF), modulate ACE-2 and MMP-9 concentrations, and diminish the risk of endothelial dysfunction and bradykinin storm. In a meta-analysis, a positive association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 severity was observed (OR = 1.64; 95% C.I.: [1.30; 2.09]), and other researchers suggested that this association may also involve an increased risk of infection. A preventive role was hypothesized even for diabetic, obese, or pediatric subjects. However, in most reviews, the evidence base was considered insufficient to draw definitive conclusions. In a broad meta-analysis, it was reported that administering 400–1000 IU/day of vitamin D for up to 12 months was significantly associated with some degree of protection against acute respiratory infections (OR = 0.70; 95% C.I.: [0.72; 0.93]). Some studies indicated that vitamin D serum concentrations of 20–30 ng/mL reduced the risk of acute respiratory infections, while others pointed out that higher levels (up to 40–60 ng/mL) may be preferable for this purpose. In conclusion, vitamin D supplementation may be useful for COVID-19, especially in individuals with low levels of this micronutrient. In fact, vitamin D deficiency is associated with worse disease severity and possibly with an increased risk of infection. Considering its high tolerability and low costs, further large clinical studies are advised to ascertain whether a standardized supplementation may be a valuable clinical strategy to apply on a large scale. Full article

The primary objectives of this project were to improve the education of general people with respect to the prevention of lead poisoning in children through outreach and community-based training and to support the development of infrastructure for the sustainability of lead-prevention efforts. Methods: The study was conducted in Forrest County, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. CLAP staff distributed educational materials and spoke at a wide variety of venues, making over 50 public appearances at health fairs, kindergarten schools, neighborhood meetings, community events and the local park. Education on childhood lead prevention was provided through organized health fairs (n = 467), community events (n = 469), and kindergarten classes (n = 241). Hands-on training was offered at home-building retail stores (n = 25). The EPA/HUD online visual training was provided to realtors (n = 220), inspectors, contractors and do-it-yourself (DIY) workers (n = 75). Training workshops were attended by homebuyers and rental home owners at Neighborhood Association Meetings (n = 91). The impact of training was evaluated by pre- and post-tests. Results: Hands-on Training: Nearly 90% of the participants (n = 25) reported the hands-on training was useful. EPA/HUD Online Training: At the post-test, 59.4%, 67.9% and 65.1% of the participants (n = 220) identified soil, car batteries and paint as sources of lead in the environment, respectively. Nearly 70% identified lead as a poison in the environment, while 77.5% and 47.2% of those surveyed demonstrated two different behaviors which will help to prevent lead poisoning. A total of 62.3%, 48.1% and 58.5% participants at the post-test identified three complications (mental, physical and psychological), respectively. The mean post-test score was significantly higher than the pretest scores (7.47 ± 2.07 vs. 6.60 ± 1.68, respectively). At the 2-month follow-up, all participants reported that that they had used information obtained during the training on the EPA-HUD curriculum on lead. The outcome measurements of the homebuyer workshops were not significantly different from those of the online training. Conclusions: This training activities were successful in improving community knowledge on the prevention of childhood lead poisoning. Community programs are essential for ensuring the primary prevention of lead poisoning. Full article

Bacteriophages are fecal indicators of viral contamination, because they are more similar to human pathogenic viruses than the traditional fecal indicator bacteria, in terms of log-reduction during wastewater treatment and persistence in the aquatic environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of bacteriophages and enteric viruses: Enterovirus, Adenovirus, Norovirus, Hepatitis A and E, Rotavirus and Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV), in the context of SCA.Re.S. (evaluation of sanitary risk related to the discharge of wastewater to the ground) project. The investigation focused on a wastewater treatment plant, located in an area fractured by karst in the Salento peninsula (Apulia, Italy). In autumn (September–November) 2019, water samples were monthly collected from three sites (treated wastewater, infiltration trench and monitoring well). The somatic coliphages were analyzed by standardized culture-based methods, according to BS EN ISO 10705-2:2001. Coliphage density was enumerated using the plaque assay method on appropriate host bacteria (E. coli Famp), and expressed as plaque-forming units, PFU/100 mL. A nested RT-PCR assay was used for the detection of enteric viruses. The median values of coliphages were 590 PFU/100 mL in treated wastewater and 1000 PFU/100 mL in infiltration trench, while all samples from the monitoring well were under the detection limit. All samples were positive for at least one viral pathogen. PMMoV was detected only in the monitoring well. The results confirmed the role of coliphages as indicators of viral contamination. Overall, we observed a gradual reduction in the concentration/occurrence of coliphages and viruses across the karst-fissured soil, until complete removal in the monitoring well. Different soil properties are likely involved in this phenomenon, such as straining, soil pores, microorganism size and adsorption onto soil particle. Moreover, we can also hypothesize natural degradation over time, phototoxicity or ingestion by multicellular organisms in the soil and/or monitoring well water. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply impacted our relationship with the environment and the achievement of sustainable development goals, occasionally in opposite ways. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated the urgent need to adopt the “one health” approach in every future action involving health and the environment, and its spread has highlighted the importance of research about the environmental determinants of its transmission. Increasing knowledge about the viru’s presence in different environmental matrices and conditions is revealing the significant diffusion of its RNA, although its actual viability in these circumstances remains to be demonstrated. Moreover, some epidemiological findings suggest that environmental conditions may be associated with the spread and related mortality of the virus. COVID-19 prevention still relies on measures linked to the environment: the use of masks, social distancing, hygiene and disinfection. On the other hand, some of these measures can exacerbate environmental pollution, such as increased waste (gloves and masks) and the generalized use of disinfectants: This can produce an apparent conflict of interest between infective and chemical risks. Therefore, the COVID-19 pandemic should change our approach to environmental risk assessment, focusing not only on chemicals but also on biological agents, with the analysis and comparison of these substances using quantitative methods. Efforts made toward recovering from the socio-economic impact of the pandemic should also be focused on environmental preservation and protection. In conclusion, the pandemic provides us with the opportunity to rethink the coupling of health and the environment from a wider and more comprehensive perspective. Full article

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a large-scale global public health challenge that still persists. A method that achieves the rapid quantitative detection of antibodies to assess the body’s immune response from a natural COVID-19 illness or the vaccines’ effects is urgently needed. In the present study, we integrated a newly designed spectrometer with COVID-19 test strip procedures; this augmentation provides the capacity for a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) to be quantitative. Optical interpretation of results by quantitative α index was undertaken, rather than visual qualification. It can be performed quickly in 5–10 min. We compared the developed product with several other serological IgM/IgG antibody reagents on the market by recruiting 111 participants with a suspected COVID-19 infection from March to May 2020 in a single hospital. Taking RT-PCR as the diagnostic gold standard, the quantitative spectral LIFA platform could detect all 12 COVID-19 patients correctly (100% sensitivity, 12/12). In contrast, the sensitivity for ACE Biolab alone is 91.67% (11/12), and for Biomedomics, it is 58.33% (7/12). Methods that use Nucleocapsid (N) + Spike (S) solid-phase antigen (i.e., ACE Biolab, TBG, and Spectrochip +ACE Biolab) perform better compared with those that use Nucleocapsid (Biomedomics) or Spike (ASK) alone. Concerning negative RT-PCR patients, all three antibody testing methods found positive cases. The optical-based platform exhibited the ability of the early detection of immunoglobulins of negative RT-PCR patients. There was an apparent trend of an elevation of IgM levels in the acute phase of infection, then the IgG levels rose again later. It exhibited the risk of a false-negative diagnosis of RT-PCR in COVID-19 testing. The significant detection ability of this new optical-based platform demonstrated clinical potential. Full article

Partnerships are a cornerstone of modern public health practice, yet in the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, many traditional public health partners either floundered or lacked the resources to perform adequately. The public health community should begin looking at alternative pathways to fulfilling public health needs when traditional partners are not available. One such partner that has historically been overlooked in providing Public Health support, especially with interventional epidemiology and public health policy, is the advanced materials (AM) community. The AM community could play a larger role in public health practice by developing and implementing preventive measures for disease, including for global pandemics such as COVID-19. One such example of how this partnership could work is the Advanced Material Pandemic and Future Preparedness Taskforce (AMPT), which is an international public-benefit initiative focused on using advanced materials to help solve some of humanity’s most pressing challenges. As an international cooperative platform, the multidisciplinary taskforce is building a global infrastructure and an ecosystem network that enables the advanced material community to respond swiftly and effectively under the umbrella of future preparedness. Advanced materials have played and will continue to play some role in public health, including for use in diagnostic tests, antimicrobial coatings, and filtering facepiece respirators. Technology has advanced to a point where researchers and the manufacturers of advanced materials now have a clear direction and resources to be the partners that the public health community can no longer afford to overlook, especially in times of crisis, when new ways of thinking are required to solve pressing challenges. Full article

Novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) was identified in December 2019 in the People’s Republic of China, and it started emerging as an international healthcare emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic might represent the tip of the iceberg, and it is the responsibility of all public healthcare authorities and experts to develop an adequate response using the right protocols and instruments to ensure public safety. As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we proposed a set of approaches to prevent the risk of COVID-19: risk assessment criteria, a preventive action plan, an occupational classification system, and sanitary-hygienic principles. All these approaches are beneficial in developing policies and decisions for improving the performance and the outcomes of national and global public health authorities. The risk measurement scale (high risk, medium risk, and low risk) can be used to measure the risk magnitude of contracting coronavirus infection, and to classify occupations according to the coronavirus infectious risk. Furthermore, an essential strategy for reducing the coronavirus risk is introducing sanitary-hygienic principles (time protection, distance protection, and impact scale protection) and the preventive action plan (reconsidering architectural standards, designing and building modular hospitals and modular equipment, and preparing a professional workforce). Full article

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) can be transmitted via contact with affected individuals and social distancing is widely practiced as a public preventive measure to contain the disease. Social distancing implementation includes maintaining at least one-meter distance between every individual, avoiding mass gatherings and staying out of crowded places. To ensure successful implementation of social distancing, many countries including Malaysia have opted for Movement Control Order (MCO). Under MCO, mass assembly of cultural, religious, and social events are prohibited, education institutions, government, and public premises are closed and there are strict restrictions on leaving and entering the country. Here, we report on several clusters of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia that emerged due to non-conformity toward social distancing. Our report thus provides information for policy makers for designing a better pandemic response plan in the country. Full article

This paper seeks to explore how people value the state of health and what socio-economic factors they might consider. I conducted an online experiment and a survey to elicit individuals’ decisions under hypothetical health states, which vary at three levels: mild, moderate, and severe. The socio-economic factors mainly include payment, personal financial situation, hospital service, support from their family, etc. The subjects were from two separate online pools of the United States and Canada, which have similar socio-economic backgrounds and different health care systems. This paper presents that subjects are sensitive to different levels of health states. In those who choose the risky medical treatment under the same health states, the Canadian participants are willing to accept a lower success probability. Among the socio-economic factors that are significant to this health-related decision, some factors are only significant in one country’s participants. For the American sample, it is “access to health insurance”, while for the Canadian sample, it is “disturbances in everyday family life”. Full article

The integration of new technologies in schools and high schools is linked to new problems with the use and management of ITC tools, such as technostress in teachers. Technostress is associated with several negative effects on workers’ health, such as anxiety, musculoskeletal disorders, headache, mental and physical fatigue. Due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of schools closed, and face-to-face courses were replaced with online courses in a very short time. In these circumstances, several teachers were forced to increase their skills with ICT technology to accomplish their teaching objectives, and their technological workload was higher than at the beginning of the course. In the current research, the technostress of teachers was evaluated based on a validated questionnaire. Results pointed out that occupational risks linked to technostress were high during the pandemic period. Older teachers showed more vulnerability to the risk, because a lack of training and adaptation of some of the new tools for online courses, while women showed higher levels of anxiety and emotional tension. Prevention measures as specific training programs for ICT, rational use of ICT, and a more balanced distribution of work and family life at home should be developed to address the problem. Full article

A series of studies have proved that green space can influence air pollution, which is the main risk factor for asthma. In addition, the biodiversity hypothesis suggests use of green space can contribute to increasing human commensal microbiota on the skin, which makes it possible to enhance immunity to allergic atopy. Given that, the co-effects of green space might jointly influence asthma. However, existing studies mainly focus on one or part of the pathway between them, and most of them shed light on the influence of greenness or trees on asthma. Green space structure, capable to influence both air pollution and microbial diversity, is also probably a significant factor to influence asthma. Regarding this, this study takes Toronto as the case to explore two potential mechanisms that shape the impact of green space structure on asthma. Additionally, tree diversity that might moderate this impact was also examined in this study. By regression analysis, it is found that the impact of green space structure on the prevalence of asthma by reducing air pollution was not evident. Moreover, green space structure has no significant contribution to the prevalence of asthma, but when moderated by tree diversity, it has the potential to reduce the prevalence of male asthmatics, and such moderation effect only works on male asthmatics. Except for that, several covariates selected in this study were also found to correlate with the prevalence of asthma. In particular, the relationship between household income and the prevalence of asthma is only significant among female asthmatics. Full article

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship of exposure to violence and justification of violence with child-to-parent violence (CPV) towards father and mother. The sample comprised 748 high school students (413 male and 335 female), between 13 and 20 years old. The Child-to-Parent Aggression Questionnaire (CPAQ) was employed to assess CPV. Exposure to violence in high school, at home, on the street and on television was assessed using the Violence Exposure Questionnaire (VEQ), whereas exposure to violence in video games was assessed through a questionnaire prepared by the authors. Justification of violence was analyzed using the Justification of Violence subscale of the Irrational Beliefs Scale for Adolescents (ECIA). Regarding violence towards mother, the results show that, in the case of female participants, there was a significant relationship with exposure to violence on the street and at home, and an inverse relationship with video games, as well as with violence justification, whereas in the case of male participants, there was a significant relationship with the same variables, except for violence in video games. Conversely, with regard to violence towards father, there was a significant relationship with violence at home and violence justification in the case of females, as well as with violence at home and on the street and violence justification in the case of male participants. With regard to the role of the type of family, in the case of non-divorced families, there was a significant relationship with exposure to violence on the street and at home, and an inverse relationship with video games, as well as with violence justification, whereas in the case of divorced families, the only significant variable was violence justification. Finally, with regard to violence towards father, there was a significant relationship with violence at high school, on the street and at home, along with violence justification in the case of non-divorced families, as well as violence on the street and violence justification in the case of divorced families. The present study shows the role of participant sex and family status in the relationship of exposure to violence and violence justification with CPV. These findings indicate the importance of taking into account those variables in preventing violence towards parents. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed numerous lives worldwide. Malaysia documented about 118 mortalities during the second wave of the outbreak. This study aims to assess associated risk factors of the COVID-19 mortalities from 18 March until 22 May 2020. The majority of patients were above 60 years old (69.0%), male (78.0%), and Malaysian citizens (98.0%). The mean age of the mortalities was 64.01 years old (±SD 14.91 years). The major risk factors consist of hypertension (52.0%), diabetes mellitus (43.0%), cardiovascular diseases (21.0%), extra-pulmonary solid malignancies (5.0%), cerebrovascular diseases (3.0%), pulmonary diseases (1.0%) and pulmonary malignancies (1.0%). About 23.0% of mortalities were related to established clusters while 5.0% had a history of travelling overseas. The mean survival time was 11.87 days (±SD 9.32 days). Approximately 50.0% of the patients survived until day 10 post-admission. The probability of the patients surviving beyond 30 days post-admission was less than 10.0%. There is a significant difference between groups for having a shorter duration to death for risk factors including age group, history of travelling overseas, attending mass gatherings, and having pulmonary malignancies. The hazard ratio (HR) for pulmonary malignancy is 5.512 (95% CI 0.662, 45.899), mass gathering; 3.434 (95% CI 1.375, 8.579), pulmonary disease is 2.442 (95% CI 0.314, 18.983), travelling overseas; 2.251 (95% CI 0.657, 7.711), extra-pulmonary solid malignancy; 2.165 (95% CI 0.767, 6.112), and despite the significant result only applied for mass gathering (p-value = 0.008). COVID-19 screening should be mandatory for those who attend mass gatherings as they are the main source of COVID-19 spread in the community during the second wave outbreak in Malaysia. Full article

This study analyzed differences between men and women from a sample of retail workers in their perception of the effects that COVID-19 can have on the workplace. Participants (n = 467) answered an online survey including questions about sociodemographic data and perception of COVID-19. We obtained data throughout October-December 2020. The results showed that participants exhibit deep concern about the COVID-19 pandemic and its influence at the work level. Both genders exhibited deep concern about the pandemic and about how the COVID-19 had affected them at the workplace. However, women have more uncertainty in their work. They have noticed more changes at the psychosomatic level, they are more afraid that their employment situation will be affected by the pandemic, and they consider that their situation will worsen. In conclusion, while the COVID-19 pandemic has similarly affected men and women in terms of their work, expectations about the future effects of the crisis caused by COVID-19 are worse for women than for men. Full article

Since the WHO designated the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic in March 2020, Spain is one of the top ten countries around the world with the highest number of infected people. The COVID-19 pandemic not only damages individuals’ physical but also psychological health, increasing the probability of developing mental health problems. The exposure of the population to the substantial psychosocial stress that the COVID-19 represents seems to lead them to experience lower feelings of life satisfaction and higher levels of state anxiety and death anxiety, especially among women, younger people and those with a lower resilience capacity. Despite their usefulness in intervention terms, data at this level on Spanish residents are still scarce. This study aims to explore the relations among age, gender, levels of resilience and mental health in a sample made up of 195 Spanish adults. It was conducted within three months from the state of alarm declared in Spain on 14 March 2020. Nonparametric tests conducted indicated that younger people experienced higher levels of death anxiety, and lower feelings of satisfaction with life. Moreover, younger women have less resilience. Taken as a whole, these findings suggest the importance of developing interventions that incorporate, especially among younger women, the strengthening of such a key personal resource as resilience capacity. Full article

Bayes’ Theorem represents a mathematical formalization of the common sense. What we know about the world today is what we knew yesterday plus what the data told us. The lack of understanding of this concept is the source of many errors and wrong judgements in the current COVID-19 pandemic. In this contribution, we show how to use the framework of Bayesian inference to produce a reasonable estimate of seroprevalence from studies that use a single binary test. Bayes’ Theorem sometimes produces results that seem counter-intuitive at first sight. It is important to realize that the reality may be different from its image represented by test results. The extent to which these two worlds differ depends on the performance of the test (i.e., its sensitivity and specificity), and the prevalence of the tested condition. Full article

This spatial epidemiology study was carried out to evaluate the risk of contracting COVID-19, taking into account the social determinants of health (SDH). The study demonstrated a strong relationship between the data from the model created in the risk analysis and the infections that were locality registered during the months of February to August 2020. Kennedy, Bosa, and Engativá, were the suburbs that presented a higher risk of contagion of COVID-19 compared to the rest of the city. Although, for the study of Bogotá, the same variables and weights were considered for the estimation of risk, the study found that no area of the city was excluded from presenting the virus. However, the areas where there was a higher risk of contracting the virus depended on the characteristics of the local population, the number of reproductions of the virus by suburbs, and the applicable poverty rates. With the results obtained and the model implemented, it is possible to verify what was established in the 1990s, regarding the term syndemia, due to the synergy between the two diseases; in this case, COVID-19 and base comorbidities that are present in the population, added to the social determinants of health, which allow a holistic approach to the management and prevention measures against contagions, starting in the areas of extreme poverty. Full article

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical health of children is limited. However, the changes in life behaviour imposed to contain its spread may have prolonged lifelong impact, particularly on vulnerable child populations. These potential harms can be mitigated, but require identification of those most at risk. This paper aims to analyze the spatial disparity of the impact COVID-19 outbreak placed on parents and their primary school-age children’s (grades 4–6) levels of worry. We conducted a national online survey sampling of parents and their children across five Australian states. Participants were recruited using social media for western Australia and a research company for the remaining states. Postal code, socio-demographics, exposures to COVID-19 cases, amount and frequency of following the news before and during the pandemic outbreak were captured. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate spatial statistical analyses were performed. Parents’ level of worry related to COVID-19 is significantly associated with parents’ amount and frequency of following COVID-19 news. It is critical to convey urgent information for public health awareness during health crises such as COVID-19. However, limiting the amount of exposure time towards unneeded media news may reduce population anxiety. Full article

We examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on a community-based research project. This clinical trial investigates whether increased neighborhood greenness lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases through reduction of air pollution. Facilitating the project involves considerable community engagement, and the project relies on successful collaboration across a multidisciplinary team. As concerns surrounding SARS-CoV-2 increased, adjustments to our research were needed. When cases of COVID-19 escalated, clinical trials were halted. In this analysis, we employ a dialectical approach to examine the competing tensions evidenced in community work during the pandemic. From the vantage point of dialectical theory, competing feelings can occur simultaneously (such as concurrent experiences of dissatisfaction/satisfaction or need for progress/safety) and influence experience. This analysis considers the dialectical tensions created by the pandemic as well as the means of reconciling some tensions and wrestling with others. Full article

We investigated the associations between the incidence rates of five typical cancer types and five air pollutants in 317 Japanese municipalities in 2017. We obtained the concentrations of the five air pollutants, i.e., sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitric oxide (NO), nitric dioxide (NO₂), photochemical oxidants (O_x), and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), from Japan’s National Institute for Environmental Studies and calculated the yearly mean of each. We identified patients of both sexes with the five most common cancers in Japan’s National Cancer Registry, which covers all cancer patients in the country. For males, we included prostate, stomach, colorectal, lung, and liver cancers. For females, we included breast, colorectal, lung, stomach, and uterine cancers. We calculated the Spearman’s correlation coefficients between 25 pairs of air-pollutant concentrations and the age-standardized incidence rate of the cancer types for each sex. We used Poisson regression models to examine the dose–response relationships. We identified 11 significantly positive correlation coefficients at the Bonferroni-corrected alpha level for the five pollutants for the five cancers in both sexes. We observed significantly positive dose–response relationships between NO₂ and colorectal cancer and PM_2.5 and lung cancer for both sexes. We also observed significant dose–response relationships between SO₂ and PM_2.5 and liver cancer for males and between NO and lung cancer and NO₂ and breast cancer for females. We did not observe significant associations with prostate, stomach, or uterine cancer. Our findings support the concept that exposure to air pollutants increases cancer incidence rates. Full article

This study aims to analyze the pressure on Italian public hospitals from the additional demand created by COVID-19. Starting from the analysis of regulatory interventions ordered by the central government in response to the emergency, this paper analyzes daily the trend of hospital beds and admissions in intensive care units from March to November 2020. The results revealed a critical situation in the system for meeting demand, with numerous regions operating beyond their capacity, especially in the first wave of the pandemic. The study presents two relevant messages. First, it is necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the Italian population allowing more time for the reorganization of the supply and relieve the pressure on the health system: a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic would cause the collapse of the national health system. Another suggestion regards the regionalized organization of health services: the design may be adequate in situations of routine demand but faces important challenges during pandemics. Full article

Self-isolation is a preventive measure that started in January 2020 as a response to the spread of COVID-19, and it has no precedents in human history. During this pandemic, governments forced billions of people to self-isolate for several months, and the sanitary–hygienic assessment of self-isolation became an essential issue. We suggest a definition for sanitary–hygienic self-isolation and then develop methods for assessing how hygienic the isolation of the household members is. The Household Members’' Self-Isolation Index Point Score (HMSI) is determined based on the number of self-isolated household members, the coefficients of household members’ physical activity, the indoor area per household member, the time spent in fresh air, and the number of domestic conflicts during the household members’ self-isolation This is inversely proportional to the calorie intake. HMSI can identify if family household members' isolation is optimal, favorable, or unfavorable. In this paper, we determined an approach to assess the level of the functional reserves, and then we identified the leading health risk factors of the self-isolated household members. The sanitary–hygienic assessment of self-isolation can prevent cardiovascular, alimentary-dependent diseases and pathologies of the musculoskeletal system. Besides, self-isolation accompanies a decrease in physical activity and unbalanced nutrition. Full article

This study was conducted to explore the relationship between outdoor activity time, screen time and body weight of children. All the participants, 3–6 years of age (n = 1422), from four kindergartens in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, were selected as the subjects by random cluster sampling. Weight and height were measured. Total screen time, time of outdoor play were self-reported by parents in a questionnaire. We used the X² test, t-test and logistic regression analysis to analyze the data. After adjusting the influencing factors such as children’s age, father’s education level and screen time, the risk of overweight and obesity was 1.734 times (95% CI: 1.178–2.552) higher for the children with outdoor activity time ≤ 2 h/d: 2.050 (95% CI: 1.252–3.357) for boys, 1.472 (95% CI: 0.785–2.761)—for girls. After adjusting the influencing factors such as children’s age, father’s education level and outdoor activity time, the risk of overweight and obesity in the children with screen time ≥ 1 h/d was 1.639 times (95% CI: 1.272–2.113) that in the children whose screen time was less than 1 h/d, including 1.474 times (95% CI: 1.057–2.057) higher for boys and 1.676 times (95% CI: 1.119–2.511) higher for girls. Thus, both long screen time and outdoor activity time were associated with the increase in the risk of overweight and obesity. Full article

Sensory processing sensitivity, characterized by deeper cognitive, sensory and emotional information processing, has been previously related to several mental health problems. However, the studies are rare, and an integration of the obtained findings needs to be addressed. We conducted a systematic review of studies using scientific databases in order to integrate the available information about sensory processing sensitivity and its consequences in mental health. Thirteen studies were included and analyzed in the review. According to these studies, high levels of sensory processing sensitivity might be related to the appearance of several mental health disturbances, such as anxiety or depression. Full article

As a result of the 12 March 2020 lockdown of academic institutions in response to COVID-19, overnight, self-directed learning via online platforms became indispensable for all medical professionals. The curricula of medical professionals and research regarding adult learning recommend self-directed learning as the preferred method of learning. Yet medical professionals, especially medical students, have been reluctant to embrace self-directed learning for various reasons. Those who do adopt self-directed learning willingly have been found to have a passion for learning as well as a higher grade point average (GPA). One method for encouraging self-directed learning in medical professionals is the multi-disciplinary, online University of Toronto Health Narratives Research Group. The limitations regarding medical learning resulting from COVID-19 show no sign of abating. Therefore, medical professionals, especially medical students, would do well to participate in multi-disciplinary groups like the Health Narratives Research Group to encourage and enrich their ability to self-direct their learning. Furthermore, the curricula of medical programs should support their efforts to do so through providing opportunities to engage in such multi-disciplinary narrative research groups. Full article

Premature and unsubstantiated claims that SARS-CoV-2 coagulates (creates clusters) with outdoor particulate matter (PM10) in the air and that SARS-CoV-2 can be transported by air pollutants became widely circulated in the media and have been cited by some studies as fact. Although the presence of the markers of SARS-CoV-2 (viral fragments of coronavirus) in environmental samples is an important finding, the media and researchers should be cautious regarding the claim that SARS-CoV-2 can create clusters with outdoor PM10 in the air and spread via particulate air pollution, as this statement is currently only a hypothesis that lacks direct or indirect supporting evidence. Full article

Emergency transport data from Tottori Prefecture, Japan were used to evaluate the indirect impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions on heat stroke. There were 426 cases of emergency transport owing to heat stroke in summer 2020 compared with 1465 cases combined for the summers of 2017–2019. The mean age of cases in 2020 was 66.2 years—significantly higher than the 60.0 years in 2017 (p = 0.004), 57.4 years in 2018 (p < 0.001), and 57.6 years in 2019 (p < 0.001). In 2020, 47.7% of cases were older than 75 (previously, 35.6–44.2%), and 36.9% were transported from their residence, (previously, 26.6–29.3%). Thus, COVID-19 measures, such as “stay at home” requests, may have increased the risk of heat stroke in older adults. Full article

A crisis situation such as the COVID-19 pandemic placed many workers at home and changed the minds of how business activities can be carried out. This paper analyses whether coworking spaces help us to work safely and overcome the problems derived from working at home. In-depth reviews of coworking websites were performed and interviews with key players and users are under process. Website analysis classified a series of measures in three categories: sanitization, working together with social distancing and new products and services. Nevertheless, a deeper analysis of the positive and negative impact of coworking spaces under this new scenario is needed. Full article

Health care personnel (HCP) might be highly exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This study aims to determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among HCP in Portugal. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 June and 19 July 2020, following the first wave of COVID-19 in the country, with a convenience sample of HCP from different Portuguese health care units, geographically distributed at the national level. Diagnosis of COVID-19 was an exclusion criterion. HCP were tested for IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Data regarding participants’ demographic characteristics, medical history, COVID-19 symptoms, previous clinical testing for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) practices while caring for patients in areas with COVID-19 patients were also recorded. A total of 1802 HCP were screened (80.9% women), of which 55 (3.1%) had positive test results for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Factors such as geographical distribution (p = 0.002), profession (p = 0.018), having had a family member with COVID-19 (p < 0.001) and having had contact with family members with COVID-19 (p = 0.003) were found to be associated with infection. Adjusting for gender, age group, regional health administration and size of the household, health care assistants have an increased risk of having a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result in comparison to nurses. Understanding the prevalence of and factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection among HCP is important for developing effective strategies to protect them and their patients. Full article

A pilot trial of remotely delivered mind–body physical activity was carried out in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants performed twice weekly one-hour sessions of the program for eight weeks, with sessions delivered using Zoom. Physical function was evaluated using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), with the individual components of balance, gait speed and the Five-times Sit-To-Stand (5STS) also compared. A significant improvement was noted in 5STS performance for the experimental group (n = 10) of 4.1 s (d = 2.0; 95% CI: 0.8, 3.2). There were no significant differences for balance, gait speed or total SPPB score. Future work is needed to determine whether remotely delivered physical activities could be a feasible alternative to face-to-face sessions for older people with limited mobility. Full article

Exercise, a subcategory of physical activity, has been proven to have significant health benefits for people. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has limited people physical activities by restricting outdoor activities. This study aims to analyze how COVID-19 influences people’s exercise habits. Using an online survey, we obtained data from 320 Indonesians who are currently exercising. The result shows the good effect of COVID-19 on people’s exercise habits. Almost half of the participants who already exercise before COVID-19 pandemic increase their intensity and performance, one of four participants decreased their performance, while one of three participants did not change their exercise behavior. Moreover, COVID-19 pandemic also provided good effect on people’s exercise since 1 of 5 participants who did not exercise before started exercising during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining immune system function becomes the main reason people exercise intensively or even start making this habit. The COVID-19 pandemic can be a good momentum to promote exercising as a part of a healthy lifestyle. However, health protocols to prevent coronavirus spread must be strengthened. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the wide use of different disinfectants to reduce the spread of the virus in homes and public spaces. In particular, more chemical compounds are used in public places than they should be in order to control the epidemic in many parts of the world. However, with this practice, human health, biological diversity, and water resources can be adversely affected. Therefore, the possible effects of chemicals used for cleaning and hygiene purposes should be evaluated in an integrated manner. The chemicals effective in deactivating the virus and their possible environmental effects were explored in this article. Full article

Turkey confirmed its first COVID-19 case on 11 March 2020 and confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed >10,000 within two weeks. The Turkish government implemented restrictions including closure of businesses, travel restrictions, and age-based lockdowns as of late March 2020. To battle the ongoing surge in cases, full weekend lockdowns were introduced at metropolitan cities between 11 April and 3 May 2020. As a result of these measures, community mobility in Turkey decreased more than 75%. In this study, air quality in the metropolitan city of Konya was assessed for PM₁₀ and NO₂ for 4-week periods from 6 April to 3 May in 2018–2020. Hourly concentrations of PM₁₀ and NO₂ were obtained from a National Air Quality Monitoring Network station, and concentrations of these pollutants for the 2020 period were compared with those for the same periods of 2018–2019. Significant declines were observed for PM₁₀ and NO₂ in the 2020 period compared with the 2018–2019 periods. The PM₁₀ concentration declined by 55.7% in 2020, with an absolute decrease of 24.2 µg/m³. NO₂ also declined significantly, with a 37.7% reduction and an absolute decrease of 11.1 µg/m³. Measures taken to battle the COVID-19 virus have decreased the airborne pollutant levels in many parts of the world. Control measures that can keep the air pollution at a sustainable low level need to be taken. Full article

The incidence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Body mass index (BMI) is a common method of diagnosing obesity, but research on judging the appropriate body weight of Chinese children aged 3–6 years is still lacking. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a safe, accurate, reliable and inexpensive method for screening overweight and obesity. The objectives of this research were to reveal the consistency between BMI and BIA in assessing the obesity characteristics of children aged 3–6 years. In this study, preschool boys (n = 392) and girls (n = 309) aged 3–6 years were recruited from kindergartens in Zhejiang province of China, and a survey of BMI and BIA, which was measured by InBody J20, was completed. BMI and BIA were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression analysis. The linear relationship between rates and a regression equation were established by using the Kappa coefficient to test the consistency between BMI and body fat percentage. The BMI of boys and girls decreased from 19.2 ± 4.9 and 18.1 ± 2.4 at the age of 3 to 14.1 ± 3.3 and 15.1 ± 3.3 at the age of 6 and showed a downward trend as age increased. The correlation between BMI and body fat percentage was 0.533 for boys and 0.539 for girls. The Kappa coefficient test results of BMI and body fat percentage showed that Kappa value = 0.339, p < 0.05, indicating that the diagnostic results of BMI and body fat percentage were consistent, but the consistency was general. Full article

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of climate conditions, altitude, and population density on daily COVID-19 infection evolution. For an average wind speed of greater than 25 km/h, the number of daily COVID-19 infections slightly decreased with a rate of 10%, while the temperature, humidity and altitude factors did not affect its evolution. Furthermore, population density strongly affects its progression with an approximate rate of 90%. Finally, we propose a mathematical model to estimate the evolution of COVID-19 infections over time by simultaneously taking into consideration the wind speed and the population density effects. Full article

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the degree of student athletes’ identity and mental health problems in Japanese intercollegiate student-athletes in the COVID-19 pandemic. This study clarifies the current state of mental problems of student-athletes in Japan. The participants were 402 male student-athletes (Age M = 19.72 ± 1.37). The results of correlational analyses indicated that there were significant negative correlations between degree of student-athlete’s identity and depression and sports helplessness for senior grade student-athletes. In addition, as a result of dividing the degree of student-athlete’s identity into three groups and examining the relationship with mental problems, it demonstrated that student-athletes who have a stronger student-athlete identity showed a lower degree of depression and sports helplessness. Full article

The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life and the psychosocial impact of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer patients in Italy using a questionnaire aiming to detect the psychosocial impact of the lockdown. Among their basic needs, psychological and medical support appeared to be prevalent followed by the need for safe transportation to reach the treatment facilities. Internet was their main source of information on the coronavirus. Although 72.7% of patients did not give up hospital therapies, 32.6% complained of variations in the continuity of the treatments. The majority of the sample (73.8%) was scared to be infected but 21.9% did not share their anxieties and worries with others. The multivariate regression analysis showed that a pessimistic perception of their quality of life was influenced by living in extra-urban areas and alone (OR 1.51), while the perception of reduced physical function resulted in a state of anxiety and stress (OR = 1.8) and difficulties in the continuity of medical assistance (OR = 1.3). Full article

Water is exhaustible but fundamental from the perspective of global health. Food choices seem to play a relevant impact on human water consumption. We assessed the water footprint of widespread dietary patterns, and we used a mix-methods approach. We administered an adapted version of a 17-item questionnaire to a sample of young subjects, aiming to assess the level of acceptability of the diet that showed the lowest water consumption. The 100% plant-based diet was the winner, but its acceptability was weak. Our findings support the current evidence promoting adherence to a low or non-animal-based diet, which favors human and environmental health. Full article

Therapeutic engagement with nature can support health and wellbeing among older adults. This may be particularly important to cope with adversities of the COVID-19 pandemic when public health measures have been particularly stringent for individuals in this age group. Utilizing therapeutic landscapes as a conceptual framework, we conducted a secondary thematic analysis of qualitative data to explore older adults’ everyday experiences (n = 769) with outdoor spaces and nature during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. The data analyzed is part of the COVID-19 Coping Study baseline survey collected online between April and May 2020. Preliminary findings indicate that participants purposefully engaged with nature and outdoor spaces in diverse ways. This engagement provided opportunities for exercising and maintaining a routine at a safe physical distance from others, which promoted their physical, mental, and social well-being. Full article

Objectives. The practice of physical activity (PA) and correct food choices since pre-school age can help in obesity prevention and that of other chronic disorders. In this process, mothers have an important role, but the relationship with their children’s lifestyle is still unclear in disadvantaged areas. The aim of this study is to explain the extent to which maternal food habits and PA level predict food-related aspects and PA practice in preschoolers from disadvantaged urban areas. Methods. It is a cross-sectional study. A total of 79 dyads of mothers and children were recruited from kindergartens. A questionnaire was compiled by mothers to collect data on: family socio-demographic aspects; mothers’ and children’s dietary intake frequencies, PA/sedentariness, weight and height; mothers’ perception on children’s food intake, children’s food literacy (FL) and Quotient of Gross Motor Development (QGMD). Results. The following associations were discovered: mothers’ and children’s food habits (beta = 0.66, p < 0.001); mothers’ and children’s fruit/vegetables consumption (OR 16.2, 95% CI 4.68–59.77), and intake of the other items (sugar and carbonated drinks, confectioned sweet and savory snacks, ready meals, breakfast); mothers’ education or PA level and children’s FL (beta −0.25, p < 0.05; beta 0.25, p < 0.05, respectively); mothers’ PA or sedentariness and children’s QGMD (beta 0.26, p < 0.05; −0.21, p < 0.1, respectively); mothers’ BMI and food habits (beta −0.19, p < 0.05) and children’s BMI (beta 0.04, p < 0.05); education and food habits (beta −0.34, p < 0.05). Mothers did not correctly perceive their children’s BMI, PA practicing and food intake (p < 0.05). Conclusions. To delineate the global path of the relationships between mothers’ and children’s lifestyles in disadvantaged urban areas can be useful to planning effective interventions aimed to help children and families in maintaining their healthy habits which suddenly changed during COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the reorganization of the multidisciplinary healthcare system for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Digital solutions seemed to be an optimal way for providing rehabilitation during this time. The aim of our study was to investigate whether it is possible to conduct respiratory physical therapy with the use of telerehabilitation methods in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Methods: The study was conducted during the online conference ‘DMD—Let’s be together’ for Polish families with DMD. During the physical therapy panel, we showed the video with the instructions of respiratory exercises: glossopharyngeal breathing, positive inspiratory pressure, and positive expiratory pressure. All participants (n = 152) were asked to fill in the online survey evaluating the quality of the instructions, its acceptance, and understanding. Results: The survey was filled in by 31 (20.4%) participants; the mean age of the patients was 13.8, and 19 (61.3%) were ambulant. The video was displayed 127 times. The overall mean rating of the session was 4.77/5, and intelligibility was rated 4.74/5. Fourteen (45.2%) patients declared that they had performed the exercises by themselves or with their caregiver’s assistance; all caregivers declared that it is possible to perform the proposed exercises a few times a week or daily. Only two respondents replied to the invitation for an individual online session. Conclusions: The findings from the study show that respiratory telerehabilitation may be implemented in DMD patients; however, the interest in digital rehabilitation among caregivers of DMD boys in Poland is low. The reason for this situation requires further research. Full article

Hospitalized SARI cases of 2020 reported to the Ministry of Health of Brazil through the SIVEP Gripe system are subject to our analysis. They are classified as COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 and clinical manifestations and comorbidities are reported for each group. The time trend in the number of cases reported in 2020 is compared to the previous year and the performance of the PCR test is explored in each group. The proportion of death is reported among different subgroups of the patients by epidemiological week. Logistic and Poisson regression models are used to check the effect of comorbidities on clinical outcomes. Full article

Research has demonstrated that cannabis use is linked with a greater risk of psychotic-like experiences (PLEs), particularly in young people. As many people use cannabis for the alleviation of pain, it is important to examine the impact that PLEs have on pain. This is because the current literature finds that psychotic and schizophrenic disorders impact pain experience, and PLEs are subclinical positive symptoms of psychosis. There is limited research on the impact of PLEs on pain experience, particularly in cannabis users, and thus, the current study aims to address this gap in the literature. The study also examines whether childhood trauma and mental health problems contribute to the heightened risk of pain in cannabis users, and whether these relationships are moderated by PLEs. The current study was a cross-sectional design including young cannabis users aged 18–25 (n = 2630). Participants completed questionnaire measures of cannabis use, PLEs, self-reported pain, childhood trauma, anxiety, and depression. Logistic regression analyses revealed that young cannabis users experiencing more PLEs reported significantly higher pain. Additionally, experiencing a history of childhood trauma and depression were also found to result in higher pain in these cannabis users. Moderation analyses revealed that PLEs moderated the relationship between depression and pain; however, in contrast to our predictions, PLEs did not moderate the relationship between childhood trauma and pain. Anxiety did not significantly predict higher pain. The results of the current study have important implications for the use and legalisation of THC medically, and the social, emotional, and cognitive aspects of pain and cannabis use. We propose recommendations for mitigating the risk of PLEs associated with cannabis use in chronic pain patients who are medically prescribed THC for its analgesic effects and we include suggestions for future research. Full article

The unfolding pandemic of COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, has caused challenges across the globe. Shelter-in-place, lockdown, and social distancing policies increased the use of social media for societies to stay connected. This study investigated the psychological issues societies experienced using social media in the community during this critical period. Cross-sectional online surveys were used to collect qualitative data from 1991 respondents living in the UK, USA, and Australia during April–May 2020 when the shelter-in-place or stay-at-home policies were in place. The study found that the spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories caused psychosocial challenges and disconnections in the community. Full article

The pandemic has dealt a severe blow to everyone, but especially to people with previous vulnerabilities, such as people with lived experience of mental health problems. Studies on the increased incidence of all types of mental disorders have been published incessantly since the beginning of the pandemic. However, not much has been said about the impact of the pandemic in terms of their rights, already hampered by stigma and social discrimination before the pandemic. The full inclusion of people with lived experience of mental health problems as full citizens is a limitation in all societies, and it implies a burden in their recovery journeys. In these pandemic times, we think the rights of persons with lived experience of mental health problems deserves special attention. We carried out two focus groups with 17 key participants with different mental health expertise from three Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Colombia, and Spain) to consider possible violations of rights that have occurred in the pandemic context but also experiences of individual and collective resilience that have helped maintain well-being among this group of people. Full article

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to an increased negative affective condition among university students. It is well-established that physical activity has positive effects on mental health and well-being, but due to gym closure as a restriction measure, levels of students’ physical activity may decrease. This cross-sectional study aimed to define the levels of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms along with physical activity among health-related university students during the second partial COVID-19 lockdown. The survey included 212 students from the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health of the University of Osijek in Croatia. To estimate the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Godin–Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) questionnaires were used. The majority of students (57.1%) reported increased stress levels during the second COVID-19 lockdown, and 58% reported decreased physical activity. A high prevalence of depressive (52.8%), anxiety (51.9%), and stress (54.7%) symptoms were found among health-related university students, with 33% of students being insufficiently active. The results of this study suggested a high prevalence of negative affective conditions (depression, anxiety, and stress) and decreased physical activity among health-related university students during the second partial lockdown. The resulting symptoms were mostly of mild intensity; however, we consider this a significant mental health issue during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is crucial to monitor and promote students’ mental health, especially in more affected females, to reduce the negative impact of this pandemic. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a massive switch from working at the office to working from home fulltime to minimize the spread of the virus. Among the main challenges while working from home are workspace distractions that might also affect employees’ mental health. This study aims to analyze the influence of workspace and personal characteristics, mediated by workspace distractions at home, on employees’ stress and burnout levels. Results indicate a major influence of workspace distractions on stress levels and disengagement from the job, affected by physical workspace characteristics. Full article

The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between both peer victimization (both as a victim and a witness) and self-esteem and child-to-parent violence (CPV) towards one’s mother and father, while controlling for participants’ substance use and age. In addition, the moderating influence of the participants’ sex on those relationships was tested. A total of 855 high school students (402 female and 453 male) aged between 13 and 20 years (M = 15.29; SD = 1.10) were surveyed. Information about CPV was obtained through the Child-to-Parent Aggression Questionnaire (CPAQ). Sociodemographic data, self-esteem, and peer victimization were assessed through a self-constructed questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (RSS), and the Violence Exposure Questionnaire (VEQ), respectively. Regarding violence towards mothers, the results of the multiple regression analyses showed a relationship between suffering and the witnessing of peer victimization, which was also correlated with lower scores in terms of self-esteem. A moderating role of the aggressor’s sex with respect to self-esteem was found, wherein the relationship between self-esteem and CPV was only significant for the male participants. With regard to violence towards fathers, the results showed a relationship with witnessing peer victimization and self-esteem. In this case, a moderating role of the aggressor’s sex with respect to self-esteem and being a victim of peer violence was found, for which their relationships with CPV were only significant for male participants. The results confirm the idea that both suffering from and witnessing peer violence, as well as possessing low self-esteem levels, have an effect on the probability of CPV perpetration, which differs according to the sex of the perpetrator in the case of self-esteem. Full article

Public health disaster is linked positively to security and socio-economic development because epidemics and pandemics threaten human health and hurt economic and socio-political life. The outbreak of COVID-19 is an excellent example. It caused anxiety, fear, and worry. It also disrupts the economic and socio-political life of people. Therefore, there is a connection between health, environment, and security. These three elements connect all human beings directly or indirectly. Africa and West Africa have witnessed some epidemics like Ebola and lesser fever that threatened the region and the global community in the recent past. Health, environment, disease, and divinity in Africa are linked because ill health is understood from religious and environmental backgrounds. Hence, this paper looks at the connection between public health disasters with the environment in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic from an African perspective. It focuses on infectious diseases as a menace to economic, security, and social life. It concludes that African countries have done well thus far in the fight against COVID-19 through solidarity and cooperation. Full article

Petroleum remains the principal raw material for the manufacture of a wide variety of products with multiple uses. Within this framework, it is possible to find petroleum-derived products (PDPs), such as waxes, with applications in the agri-food industry. Due to the above-mentioned use, the adaptation of the quality control of these products to the requirements of this industry is a factor to be considered by its producers to comply with food safety standards. The present study is focused on establishing the starting conditions for the development and optimization of an analytical methodology based on TD-GC-MS (Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) that allows for the determination and identification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are undesirable not only because of their smell but also because they may pose a health risk due to prolonged exposure. The desorption temperature was studied, and 80 °C was selected as the initial sample heating temperature to guarantee the integrity of VOCs. A total of 10 compounds, relevant from a food safety point of view, were identified. The n-alkanes were the most represented chemical family in the studied samples. Full article

This research is the first in our Algerian cement factories to assess the attitude and cultural level of cement plants in terms of occupational health and safety, initiate a sustainable development strategy, and engage in a process of continuous improvement. Its objective is to provide strategic decision-making support for managing the risks facing our cement plants and improving the quality of life at work. As a result, measuring the quality of life at work has become an essential element in improving living conditions for the employee, his family, and society as a whole. It is an essential component of sustainable development in nations and an encompassing concept, broader in scope than the notions of physical and mental health or even public health, for a better life in activity and retirement. The methodology consists of a survey of employees of different cement plants to enable us to determine the elements to be improved in health and safety at work, including with regard to the organizational and financial aspects of the latter. It is based on an in-situ observation. As a result, such an initiative makes it possible to build a global and sustainable strategy in health and safety at work in order to avoid damage and losses while achieving their objectives, or even managing to prevent accidents and occupational diseases. As a result, it is possible to provide elements of support for the evaluation of the sustainable development strategy and its good governance within Algerian cement factories, as well as very significant social and economic benefits in cement factory management. As a case study, we have chosen three cement factories in eastern Algeria. Full article