An urgent call to address work-related psychosocial hazards and improve worker well-being.

Work-related psychosocial hazards are on the verge of surpassing many other occupational hazards in their contribution to ill-health, injury, disability, direct and indirect costs, and impact on business and national productivity. The risks associated with exposure to psychosocial hazards at work are compounded by the increasing background prevalence of mental health disorders in the working-age population. The extensive and cumulative impacts of these exposures represent an alarming public health problem that merits immediate, increased attention. In this paper, we review the linkage between work-related psychosocial hazards and adverse effects, their economic burden, and interventions to prevent and control these hazards. We identify six crucial societal actions: (1) increase awareness of this critical issue through a comprehensive public campaign; (2) increase etiologic, intervention, and implementation research; (3) initiate or augment surveillance efforts; (4) increase translation of research findings into guidance for employers and workers; (5) increase the number and diversity of professionals skilled in preventing and addressing psychosocial hazards; and (6) develop a national regulatory or consensus standard to prevent and control work-related psychosocial hazards.

Risperidone Exacerbates Glucose Intolerance, Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, and Renal Impairment in Obese Mice.

Risperidone, a second-generation antipsychotic drug used for schizophrenia treatment with less-severe side effects, has recently been applied in major depressive disorder treatment. The mechanism underlying risperidone-associated metabolic disturbances and liver and renal adverse effects warrants further exploration. This research explores how risperidone influences weight, glucose homeostasis, fatty liver scores, liver damage, and renal impairment in high-fat diet (HFD)-administered C57BL6/J mice. Compared with HFD control mice, risperidone-treated obese mice exhibited increases in body, liver, kidney, and retroperitoneal and epididymal fat pad weights, daily food efficiency, serum triglyceride, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, hepatic triglyceride, and aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase levels, and hepatic fatty acid regulation marker expression. They also exhibited increased insulin resistance and glucose intolerance but decreased serum insulin levels, Akt phosphorylation, and glucose transporter 4 expression. Moreover, their fatty liver score and liver damage demonstrated considerable increases, corresponding to increases in sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 mRNA, fatty acid-binding protein 4 mRNA, and patatin-like phospholipid domain containing protein 3 expression. Finally, these mice demonstrated renal impairment, associated with decreases in glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels. In conclusion, long-term administration of risperidone may exacerbate diabetes syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and kidney injury.

Effect of a Neuropilin-1-Derived Virus Receptor Trap on Enterovirus A71 Infection In Vitro.

We discovered that neuropilin 1 (NRP1) is a new receptor candidate to mediate enterovirus A71 (EVA71) into cells. In the engineered form as a decoy receptor, NRP1 was able to recognize and neutralize EVA71 but not enterovirus D68 or coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3). NRP1 recognizes EVA71 through a novel domain on the VP3 capsid protein. The principle in the design, engineering, and refinement of the NRP1-based decoy receptor described in this study represents a general and well-suited antiviral strategy.

Envisioning the future of work to safeguard the safety, health, and well-being of the workforce: A perspective from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The future of work embodies changes to the workplace, work, and workforce, which require additional occupational safety and health (OSH) stakeholder attention. Examples include workplace developments in organizational design, technological job displacement, and work arrangements; work advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, and technologies; and workforce changes in demographics, economic security, and skills. This paper presents the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Future of Work Initiative; suggests an integrated approach to address worker safety, health, and well-being; introduces priority topics and subtopics that confer a framework for upcoming future of work research directions and resultant practical applications; and discusses preliminary next steps. All future of work issues impact one another. Future of work transformations are contingent upon each of the standalone factors discussed in this paper and their combined effects. Occupational safety and health stakeholders are becoming more aware of the significance and necessity of these factors for the workplace, work, and workforce to flourish, merely survive, or disappear altogether as the future evolves. The future of work offers numerous opportunities, while also presenting critical but not clearly understood difficulties, exposures, and hazards. It is the responsibility of OSH researchers and other partners to understand the implications of future of work scenarios to translate effective interventions into practice for employers safeguarding the safety, health, and well-being of their workers.

Analytical Detection of Sulfonamides and Organophosphorus Insecticide Residues in Fish in Taiwan.

Exposure to residues of antibiotics (e.g., sulfonamides) and insecticides (e.g., organophosphorus insecticides) in aquacultured food can adversely affect humans and animals and thus affect public health globally. Here, using a validated method, we examined the levels of residues of 12 sulfonamides as well as 18 organophosphorus insecticides in aquacultured fish in Taiwan. A total of 52 fish samples (i.e., 20 tilapia, 16 milk fish, and 16 perch samples) were obtained from Taiwanese aquafarms from June 2018 to October 2019. We detected 0.02 and 0.03 mg/kg of sulfamethazine (a sulfonamide) in one tilapia and one milk fish, respectively, and 0.02, 0.05, and 0.03 mg/kg of chlorpyrifos (an organophosphorus insecticide) in one tilapia, one milk fish, and one perch, respectively; thus, among the samples, 3.85% and 5.77% contained sulfonamides and organophosphorus insecticide residues, respectively. Furthermore, we assessed human health risk based on the estimated daily intakes (EDIs) of these residues: EDIs of sulfonamide and organophosphorus insecticide residues were <1.0% of the acceptable daily intake recommended by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives. The risk of exposure to sulfonamide and organophosphorus insecticide residue by consuming aquacultured fish in Taiwan was thus negligible, signifying no immediate health risk related to the consumption of fish. Our findings can constitute a reference in efforts geared toward ensuring food safety and monitoring veterinary drug and insecticide residue levels in aquacultured organisms. Residue levels in fish must be continually monitored to further determine possible effects of these residues on human health.

Translation research in occupational safety and health: A proposed framework.

Translation research in occupational safety and health is the application of scientific investigative approaches to study how the outputs of basic and applied research can be effectively translated into practice and have an impact. This includes the study of the ways in which useful knowledge and interventions are disseminated, adopted, implemented, and institutionalized. In this paper, a 4-stage framework (Development, Testing, Institutionalization, and Evaluation) is presented. Translation research can be used to enhance the use and impact of occupational safety and health knowledge and interventions to protect workers. This type of research has not received much attention in the occupational safety and health field. However, in contemporary society, it is critical to know how to make an impact with the findings and outputs of basic and applied research. This paper provides a novel framework for consideration of how to advance and prioritize translation research for occupational safety and health.

Development of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Worker Well-Being Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: This article describes development of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Worker Well-Being Questionnaire (WellBQ). METHODS: The NIOSH WellBQ was developed through literature reviews and expert panel recommendations. We drew from a representative sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized, US working population to pilot the questionnaire. Psychometric analyses were performed on data from 975 respondents to finalize items and optimize the NIOSH WellBQ's psychometric properties. RESULTS: The final questionnaire consists of 16 scales, 5 indices, and 31 single items across 5 domains: (1) work evaluation and experience; (2) workplace policies and culture; (3) workplace physical environment and safety climate; (4) health status; and (5) home, community, and society (experiences and activities outside of work). The instrument demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. CONCLUSIONS: The NIOSH WellBQ is a reliable and valid instrument that comprehensively measures worker well-being.

Cardiovascular Health Research in the Workplace: A Workshop Report.

Heart disease and stroke are the first and fifth leading causes of death in the United States, respectively. Employers have a unique opportunity to promote cardiovascular health, because >60% of US adults are employed, and most spend half of their waking hours at work. Despite the scope of the opportunity, <1 in 5 businesses implement evidence-based, comprehensive workplace health programs, policies, and practices. Integrated, systems-based workplace health approaches that harness data science and technology may have the potential to reach more employees and be cost-effective for employers. To evaluate the role of the workplace in promoting cardiovascular health across the lifespan, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the American Heart Association convened a workshop on March 7, 2019, to share best practices, and to discuss current evidence and knowledge gaps, practical application, and dissemination of the evidence, and the need for innovation in workplace health research and practice. This report presents the broad themes discussed at the workshop and considerations for promoting worker cardiovascular health, including opportunities for future research.

Analysis of persistent organochlorine pesticides in shellfish and their risk assessment from aquafarms in Taiwan.

In Taiwan, freshwater clams (Corbicula fluminea) and hard clams (Meretrix lusoria) are the most frequently raised shellfish in land-based pond aquaculture, but research on the accumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in these shellfish is limited. We detected the levels of 14 OCPs in 62 shellfish from Taiwanese aquafarms by performing gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. OCP residues were detected in 4.84% of the samples including readings of 0.04 mg/kg chlordane (in a freshwater clam), 0.03 mg/g p,p'-DDE (in a freshwater clam), and 0.02 mg/g p,p'-DDE (in a hard clam). However, the associated estimated daily intake values were less than the acceptable daily intake levels of chlordane and p,p'-DDE Therefore, the consumption of these shellfish presents no immediate health risks. Our findings contribute to food safety and serve as a reference for OCP screenings for aquatic shellfish.

Do Injured Workers Receive Opioid Prescriptions Outside the Workers' Compensation System?: The Case of Private Group Health Insurances.

OBJECTIVES: We explored the impact of workplace injury on receiving opioid prescriptions from employer-sponsored private group health insurances (GHI) and how long injured workers receive opioid prescriptions after injury. METHODS: We used a difference-in-differences method and MarketScan databases for the years 2013 to 2015. RESULTS: Estimated odds for injured workers relative to noninjured workers to receive opioid prescriptions from the GHI within 60 and 180 days from the index date of injury were 4.9 and 1.5, respectively. In addition, the number of opioid prescriptions received within 60 days of injury was 2.5 times higher. CONCLUSION: Workplace injury could be a risk factor for both short and long-term prescription opioid use. Studies that use only workers' compensation medical claim data likely underestimate the magnitude of the impact of workplace injuries on opioid prescriptions.

Improving the Supercapacitor Performance by Dispersing SiO2 Microspheres in Electrodes.

This paper describes a simple, reproducible, and scalable procedure for the preparation of a SiO2-containing supercapacitor with high cycle stability. A carbon mesoporous material (CMM) with a high specific surface area, CMK-3, was adopted as an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) active material for the preparation of electrodes for the supercapacitor. The optimized SiO2 content decreased as the microsphere diameter decreased, and the optimal specific capacitance was obtained with 6 wt % SiO2 microspheres (100 nm size). The capacitance improved from 133 to 298 F/g. The corresponding capacitance retention rate after 1000 cycles increased from 68.04 to 91.53%. In addition, the energy density increased from 21.05 to 26.25 Wh/kg with a current density of 1 A/g. Finally, similar results based on active carbon, CeO2/CMK-3, and graphene/CNT/MnOv composite electrodes demonstrated that the proposed method exhibits wide compatibility with diverse electrode materials.

The association between job insecurity and engagement of employees at work.

This study examined the association between employees' perceived job insecurity and employee engagement. Using Gallup-Sharecare Well-Being Index (2008-2014) data, we applied logistic regressions to examine the association between job insecurity and engagement, controlling for covariates. The job insecurity variable was also interacted with the supervisor support variable. We found that perceived job insecurity was associated with reduced engagement and that this may be moderated by supervisor support. This is the first study using nationally representative data to examine the role of supervisor support in mitigating the negative impact of job insecurity on engagement.

Total Worker Health® 2014⁻2018: The Novel Approach to Worker Safety, Health, and Well-Being Evolves.

Background: The objective of this article is to provide an overview of and update on the Office for Total Worker Health® (TWH) program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH). Methods: This article describes the evolution of the TWH program from 2014 to 2018 and future steps and directions. Results: The TWH framework is defined as policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. Conclusions: The CDC/NIOSH TWH program continues to evolve in order to respond to demands for research, practice, policy, and capacity building information and solutions to the safety, health, and well-being challenges that workers and their employers face.

Expanding the Paradigm of Occupational Safety and Health: A New Framework for Worker Well-Being.

OBJECTIVE: This article describes the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) development of a conceptual framework for worker well-being. While well-being research is growing, there is a need to translate theoretical concepts into practical models for measurement and action. METHODS: Multidisciplinary literature reviews informed development of the worker well-being framework and major domains and subdomains. An expert panel helped prioritize constructs for measurement. RESULTS: The framework includes five domains and 20 subdomains and conceptualizes worker well-being as a subjective and objective phenomenon inclusive of experiences both within and beyond work contexts. CONCLUSION: Well-being is a positive and unifying concept that captures multiple factors that contribute to workers' health and quality of life. This work lays the foundation for larger well-being measurement efforts and will provide tools for NIOSH partners to help workers flourish.

Research Methodologies for Total Worker Health®: Proceedings From a Workshop.

OBJECTIVE: There is growing interest in the NIOSH Total Worker Health program, specifically in the process of designing and implementing safer, health-promoting work and workplaces. A Total Worker Health (TWH) Research Methodology Workshop was convened to discuss research methods and future needs. METHODS: Twenty-six experts in occupational safety and health and related fields reviewed and discussed current methodological and measurement issues and those showing promise. RESULTS: TWH intervention studies face the same challenges as other workplace intervention studies and some unique ones. Examples are provided of different approaches and their applications to TWH intervention studies, and desired developments in the TWH literature. CONCLUSIONS: This report discusses and outlines principles important to building the TWH intervention research base. Rigorous, valid methodologic, and measurement approaches are needed for TWH intervention as well as for basic/etiologic, translational, and surveillance research.

Safety, efficacy and immunogenicity evaluation of the SAG2 oral rabies vaccine in Formosan ferret badgers.

Since 2013, rabies cases have been reported among Formosan ferret badgers in Taiwan, and they have been shown to be the major reservoirs for Taiwanese enzootics. To control and eradicate rabies, the authorities plan to implement a vaccination programme. Before distributing live vaccines in the field, this study assessed the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of SAG2 vaccine on ferret badgers by direct oral instillation. After application of 109 TCID50/dose, no virus was excreted into the oral cavity 1-7 days post-application, and safety was also satisfactorily verified over a 266-day period. Moreover, despite the low level of rabies virus neutralising antibodies induced after vaccination of a 108 TCID50/dose, the efficacy assessment revealed a 100% survival rate (15/15) of vaccinees and an 87.5% fatality rate (7/8) in control animals after a challenge on the 198th day post-vaccination. The immunisation and protection rates obtained more than 6 months after a single vaccination dose demonstrated that SAG2 is an ideal vaccine candidate to protect Formosan ferret badgers against rabies in Taiwan.

Characteristics of PCDD/F emissions from secondary copper smelting industry.

Characteristics and mechanisms of PCDD/F formation with different feed materials in secondary copper smelting industry are investigated. The results indicate that PCDD/Fs are significantly formed even with the reaction time less than 0.1s, especially when the material containing high residues (Cu3) is fed. High copper content (65±2%) in the feed material enhances PCDD/F formation rate. Memory effect and de novo synthesis are two important mechanisms leading to PCDD/F formation. PCDD/F concentrations at the cyclone's inlet are between 2.92 and 12.4ng-TEQNm(-3) and increase with increasing residue content in the feed material. Two regions are identified for high potential of PCDD/F formation including the brass melt surface of the induction furnace and piping before the induced draft fan of the inlet hood. PCDD/Fs in flue gas are effectively removed with a cyclone and bag filter at low operating temperatures (<60°C) to meet the emission limit of 1.0ng-TEQNm(-3). 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF has the largest mass fraction of PCDD/Fs and can serve as a fingerprint for emissions from secondary copper smelting processes. The total emission factor of PCDD/Fs from flue gas, residual and fly ash in the secondary copper smelting process investigated is 22.01µg-TEQtonne(-1).