http://www.hindawi.com The latest articles from Hindawi Publishing Corporation © 2013 , Hindawi Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved. Thu, 16 May 2013 08:12:07 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/142856/ Introduction. This study aimed to determine the association of blood cadmium level with cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes in adolescents. Methods. This case control study comprised 320 Iranian adolescents, 160 with metabolic syndrome and an equal number of controls. They were selected from participants of a nationwide survey entitled the CASPIAN-III study. Cadmium was measured by atomic absorption method. Results. The mean age of the case and control groups was not significantly different ( versus years, resp., ). The mean cadmium level was near double-fold higher than the standards of the World Health Organization, without significant difference between the MetS and control groups (,  μg/L, resp., ). Cadmium level had positive but nonsignificant correlations with diastolic blood pressure, serum triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, LDL-C, and liver enzymes. Conclusion. Cadmium level had positive but nonsignificant association with some cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes. The associations did not reach statistical significant level, and this may be because of the high levels of cadmium in both groups studied or because of the young age group of participants. Controlling environmental pollutants shall be a priority for the prevention of chronic diseases. Roya Kelishadi, Ahmadreza Askarieh, Mohammaad Esmaeil Motlagh, Mohammadhasan Tajadini, Ramin Heshmat, Gelayol Ardalan, Sepideh Fallahi, and Parinaz Poursafa Copyright © 2013 Roya Kelishadi et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 12 May 2013 16:26:28 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/631479/ This mixed methods study examined the prevalence and characteristics of physical and sexual abuse and depression symptoms among 624 injection drug-using female sex workers (FSW-IDUs) in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico; a subset of 47 from Tijuana also underwent qualitative interviews. Linear regressions identified correlates of current depression symptoms. In the interviews, FSW-IDUs identified drug use as a method of coping with the trauma they experienced from abuse that occurred before and after age 18 and during the course of sex work. In a multivariate linear regression model, two factors—ever experiencing forced sex and forced sex in the context of sex work—were significantly associated with higher levels of depression symptoms. Our findings suggest the need for integrated mental health and drug abuse services for FSW-IDUs addressing history of trauma as well as for further research on violence revictimization in the context of sex work in Mexico. Monica D. Ulibarri, Sarah P. Hiller, Remedios Lozada, M. Gudelia Rangel, Jamila K. Stockman, Jay G. Silverman, and Victoria D. Ojeda Copyright © 2013 Monica D. Ulibarri et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 08 May 2013 13:55:41 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/142065/ After the analysis of surface samples and core samples collected in Xinyanggang tidal land, the contents of Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cr were obtained and analyzed in this paper. The heavy metal accumulation rule and pollution status were studied by Index of geo-accumulation, latent ecological risk index method, and elements accumulation index method. The research suggests that (1) the contents of heavy metal Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cr in Xinyanggang tidal land have the same change trend, and such trend remains unchanged after the data were normalized, while the fluctuation range becomes smaller. (2) After analyzing the heavy metal content in the surface samples, it was revealed that the contents of heavy metals are getting lower from high tidal zone to low tidal zone, but the ranges of the change were different. Cu, Ni, and Zn emerge obvious decline from supratidal zone to subtidal zone, while the changes of Cr and Pb are not obvious. (3) Pb and Cr contents in Xinyanggang tidal land present accumulative character, as Pb in Xinyanggang is 3 times as much as the local background value, whose EF reaches 3.774. (4) RI value in Xinyanggang is 23.552, which indicates that though Xinyanggang tidal land has some heavy metal pollution and accumulation, there are no ecosystem risks, and the whole Xinyanggang core area environment quality is relatively good. Yu Wenjin and Zou Xinqing Copyright © 2013 Yu Wenjin and Zou Xinqing. All rights reserved. Tue, 07 May 2013 11:37:42 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/839349/ Previous studies have paid little attention to the employees’ ability to exit a job-lock situation and factors that determine this ability. It remains unclear why some employees who experience job lock are able to exit this state while others remain in job lock. We use longitudinal data to identify employees who have fallen in the state of job lock and their subsequent behavior—exiting or remaining in job lock. By use of a first-order Markov transition models, we analyze the relevance of sociodemographic features, employment, occupational, sectoral, and contextual factors, as well as personality characteristics in explaining the transition or its absence. Overall the results show that both demographic factors and work-related aspects increase the likelihood that an employee enters the long-term job lock state (especially for older, married, full-time employed, those in a craft occupation and governmental sector, and in a region with high unemployment). Mental health problems and personality characteristics (low peak-end self-esteem and decisional procrastination) have a significant effect on the probability to stay in long-term job lock. On the contrary, having a managerial, service, or associate occupation, working in the private sector, and having promotion opportunities increase the chance of an exit from the state of job lock. Anna Huysse-Gaytandjieva, Wim Groot, and Milena Pavlova Copyright © 2013 Anna Huysse-Gaytandjieva et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 28 Apr 2013 14:39:18 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/504705/ During the last decade, more stringent effluent requirements concerning the nutrients effluent values have been imposed by legislation and social concern. In this study, efficiency of total nitrogen removal in activated sludge and trickling filter processes (AS/TF) was investigated in Tehran North wastewater treatment plant. Biological system in this site was included, anoxic selector tank, aeration tank, final sedimentation, and trickling filter. A part of treated wastewater before chlorination was mixed with supernatant of dewatered sludge and fed to the trickling filter. Supernatant of dewatered sludge with high concentration of NH4-N was diluted by treated wastewater to provide complete nitrification in trickling filter Produced nitrate in trickling filter was arrived to the anoxic tank and converted to nitrogen gas by denitrification. According to the study result, low concentration of organic carbone and high concentration of NH4-N led to nitrification in TF, then nitrate denitrification to nitrogen gas occurred in selector area. NH4-N concentration decreased from 26.8 mg/L to 0.29 mg/L in TF, and NO3-N concentration increased from 8.8 mg/L to 27 mg/L in TF. Consequently, the total nitrogen decreased approximately to 50% in biological process. This efficiency has been observed in returned flow around 24% from final sedimentation into TF. It was concluded that, in comparison with biological nutrient removal processes, this process is very efficient and simple. Davood Nourmohammadi, Mir-Bager Esmaeeli, Hossein Akbarian, and Mohammad Ghasemian Copyright © 2013 Davood Nourmohammadi et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:21:58 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/815310/ Background. The main objective of this study was to examine the photocatalytic degradation of phenol from laboratory samples and petrochemical industries wastewater under UV radiation by using nanoparticles of titanium dioxide coated on the inner and outer quartz glass tubes. Method. The first stage of this study was conducted to stabilize the titanium dioxide nanoparticles in anatase crystal phase, using dip-coating sol-gel method on the inner and outer surfaces of quartz glass tubes. The effect of important parameters including initial phenol concentration, TiO2 catalyst dose, duration of UV radiation, pH of solution, and contact time was investigated. Results. In the dip-coat lining stage, the produced nanoparticles with anatase crystalline structure have the average particle size of 30 nm and are uniformly distributed over the tube surface. The removal efficiency of phenol was increased with the descending of the solution pH and initial phenol concentration and rising of the contact time. Conclusion. Results showed that the light easily passes through four layers of coating (about 105 nm). The highest removal efficiency of phenol with photocatalytic UV/TiO2 process was 50% at initial phenol concentration of 30 mg/L, solution pH of 3, and 300 min contact time. The comparison of synthetic solution and petrochemical wastewater showed that at same conditions the phenol removal efficiency was equal. Ali Nickheslat, Mohammad Mehdi Amin, Hassan Izanloo, Ali Fatehizadeh, and Seyed Mohammad Mousavi Copyright © 2013 Ali Nickheslat et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:59:22 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/239595/ Objective. To determine the perceived neighborhood environment (NE) variables that are associated with physical activity (PA) in urban areas in China. Methods. Parents of students at two junior high schools in Shanghai, one downtown and the other in the suburbs, were recruited to participate in the study. They completed an International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-Abbreviated (NEWS-A) survey. Participant physical activity was also objectively measured using accelerometers. Results. Participants from downtown areas were more positively associated with transportation PA and leisure-time PA than respondents living in the suburbs. Residential density was found to be a significant positive predictor of recreational or leisure-based PA. Street connectivity was negatively associated with leisure time PA for respondents. Moderate-vigorous PA was found to be negatively associated with traffic safety. There were no significant associations between environmental factors and transportation PA. Women had higher levels of moderate-vigorous PA than men. Conclusions. The results of this study demonstrate that residential density, street connectivity, and traffic safety have a significant impact on Chinese middle-aged adults' PA, suggesting urban planning strategies for promoting positive public health outcomes. Rena Zhou, Yang Li, Masahiro Umezaki, Yongming Ding, Hongwei Jiang, Alexis Comber, and Hua Fu Copyright © 2013 Rena Zhou et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:06:08 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/686412/ Objectives. Study 1 examines whether age-related declines in balance are moderated by bicycling. Study 2 tests whether regular cycling can increase leg strength and improve balance. Methods. Study 1: a cross-sectional survey of 43 adults aged 44–79 was conducted. Leg strength was measured, and Balance was measured using the choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) test (decision time and response time), leg strength and timed single leg standing. Study 2: 18 older adults aged 49–72 were recruited into a 12-week cycling program. The same pre- and postmeasures as used in Study 1 were collected. Results. Study 1: participants who had cycled in the last month performed significantly better on measures of decision time and response time. Study 2: cycling at least one hour a week was associated with significant improvements in balance (decision time and response time) and timed single leg standing. Conclusions. Cycling by healthy older adults appears promising for improving risk factors for falls. Chris Rissel, Erin Passmore, Chloe Mason, and Dafna Merom Copyright © 2013 Chris Rissel et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:26:01 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/603468/ Objective. We aimed to investigate the amounts of nitrate, nitrite, and total organic carbon (TOC) in two drinking water sources and their relationship with some gastrointestinal diseases. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012 in Iran. Two wells located in residential areas were selected for sampling and measuring the TOC, nitrate (NO3−), and nitrite (NO2−). This water is used for drinking as well as for industrial and agricultural consumption. Nitrate and nitrite concentrations of water samples were analyzed using DR 5000 spectrophotometer. The information of patients was collected from the records of the main referral hospital of the region for gastrointestinal diseases. Results. In both areas under study, the mean water nitrate and nitrite concentrations were higher in July than in other months. The mean TOC concentrations in areas 1 and 2 were 2.29 ± 0.012 and 2.03 ± 0.309, respectively. Pollutant concentration and gastrointestinal disease did not show any significant relationship . Conclusion. Although we did not document significant association of nitrite, nitrate, and TOC content of water with gastrointestinal diseases, it should be considered that such health hazards may develop over time, and the quality of water content should be controlled to prevent different diseases. Samaneh Khademikia, Zahra Rafiee, Mohammad Mehdi Amin, Parinaz Poursafa, Marjan Mansourian, and Amir Modaberi Copyright © 2013 Samaneh Khademikia et al. All rights reserved. Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:23:31 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/469590/ The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare chemical and microbiological quality of the 21 Iranian bottled drinking waters reported on manufacturer's labeling and standards in 2012. Samples were analyzed for chemical properties K+, F−, , Cl−, Mg2+, Ca2+, and pH. Total and fecal coliform and heterotrophic plate counts of selected samples were analyzed by MPN and HPC tests, respectively, for three months. Finally, the labeled and real contents of the samples were compared. Potassium and sulfate ions about 43 and 52 percent of studied sample contents had values higher than label amounts, respectively. Ca2+, Cl− ions, and pH were about 71, 48, and 67 percent, respectively, less than label values. Total and fecal coliforms had negative results. The mean concentrations and standard deviations for K+, Cl−, pH, Ca2+, Mg2+, , and HPC were 1.13 ± 1.06, 16.39 ± 31.97, 6.6 ± 0.7, 28.35 ± 10.34, 86.58 ± 33.21, 24.17 ± 17.30 mg/L, and 16855 ± 25603 cfu/mL, respectively. Thus, there is possibility of microorganisms’ growth in favorite conditions in bottled water. It was imperative to assess the public health risks in bottled water in Iran. M. Moazeni, M. Atefi, A. Ebrahimi, P. Razmjoo, and M. Vahid Dastjerdi Copyright © 2013 M. Moazeni et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 14 Apr 2013 10:43:35 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/150693/ Shift work is associated with sleep deprivation, occupational stress, and increased risk of depression. Depressed patients show increased oxidative stress. During excessive oxidative stress, Malondialdehyde (MDA) increases and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) decreases in body. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the serum level of TAC and MDA among depressed rotational shift workers in Shahid Tondooyan Tehran Oil Refinery. 21-item Beck Depression Inventory was used to measure depression level. The level of TAC and MDA was measured by 8 mL fasting blood sample. MDA was determined by thiobarbituric acid reaction. Serum total antioxidants were measured using the ABTS. Results of this study showed that TAC mean and standard deviation concentration was 2.451 (±0.536) mg/dL and MDA was 3.725 (±1.098) mic·mol/L, and mean and standard deviation of depression score and BMI were 14.07 (±3.84) and 24.92 (±3.65) kg/m2, respectively. Depression score had a positive correlation with rotational shift work experience and work experience ( and ), respectively, (). Farahnaz Khajehnasiri, Seyed Bagher Mortazavi, Abdolamir Allameh, Shahin Akhondzadeh, and Hassan Hashemi Copyright © 2013 Farahnaz Khajehnasiri et al. All rights reserved. Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:57:21 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/986023/ This study evaluated the association of bladder cancer risk and fire scene investigation within a cohort of white male criminal investigators with the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that was found to be at increased risk for bladder cancer. Medical surveillance data were used in a nested case-control study to determine odds ratios (ORs) estimating the relative risk of the cancer associated with post-fire investigation. The study comprised seven bladder cancer cases and 1525 controls. Six of the cases reported holding assignments associated with post-fire investigation. The OR for bladder cancer was 19.01 (95% confidence interval = 1.94–186.39) for those holding any one or more of these assignments for one to four years versus zero years and 12.56 (1.14–138.58) for those holding any one or more of these assignments for five or more years versus zero years. The risk for bladder cancer is significantly elevated for those holding post-fire investigation assignments compared to those not holding these assignments. Susan R. Davis, Xuguang Tao, Edward J. Bernacki, Amy S. Alfriend, and Mark E. Delowery Copyright © 2013 Susan R. Davis et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:09:52 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/351528/ Introduction. This study aimed to survey a total of five common human and veterinary antibiotics based on SPE-LC-MS-MS technology in a water treatment plant at central plateau of Iran. Also two sampling techniques, passive and grab samplings, were compared in the detection of selected antibiotics. Materials and Methods. In January to March 2012, grab and passive samples were taken from the influent and effluent of a water treatment plant. The samples were prepared using solid-phase extraction (SPE), and extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Results. The results showed that enrofloxacin, oxytetracycline, and tylosin were not detected in none of the samples. However, ampicillin was detected in the grab and passive samples taken from the influent (source water) of the plant, and ciprofloxacin was detected in passive samples taken from the influent and effluent (finished water) of the plant. Conclusion. The results imply that passive sampling is a better approach than grab sampling for the investigation of antibiotics in aquatic environments. The presence of ampicillin and ciprofloxacin in source water and finished water of the water treatment plant may lead to potential emergence of resistant bacteria that should be considered in future studies. Mohsen Heidari, Maryam Kazemipour, Bijan Bina, Afshin Ebrahimi, Mehdi Ansari, Mohammad Ghasemian, and Mohammad Mehdi Amin Copyright © 2013 Mohsen Heidari et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:24:04 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/735952/ Background. Potential exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) in private homes is largely unquantified. Aim. To estimate prevalence of potential exposure to CO in residential dwellings and describe associated interventions in an inner-city community. Methods. A housing association in London, Hackney Homes, began fitting CO alarms in the 22,831 local authority homes it is responsible for in January 2010. A gas engineer investigated each alarm activation and recorded the information on a standard form. We undertook a cross-sectional study of all 22,831 homes, using data from these forms. Descriptive analysis was performed, including incidence, monthly variation, cause of alarm activation, and actions taken. Results. Between November 2011 and April 2012, 106 incidents were reported. Of these, 34.6% identified an issue with a gas appliance, and 10.6% identified misuse of cooking methods as the cause of activation. Relevant interventions were put in place, including disconnection of the gas appliance and education around cooking methods. Discussion. Little is known about the burden of CO poisoning in residential dwellings. This study provides important information on the path to quantifying population exposure to CO as well as establishing a possible approach to access this key information and realistic interventions to reduce potential exposure. L. J. McCann, R. Close, L. Staines, M. Weaver, G. Cutter, and G. S. Leonardi Copyright © 2013 L. J. McCann et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:22:26 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/624194/ To investigate the prevalence of active transport (AT, defined as walking or bicycling for transport) and to explore the association between AT and health outcomes, we conducted a population-based cross-sectional study in Jiangsu, China, where walking and bicycling are still the main modes of transport. In this study, 8400 community residents aged 18 or above were interviewed following a multistage random sampling method (100% response rate). Face-to-face questionnaire survey data, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical data from blood tests were collected. Results show that 49.6% of the subjects, as part of daily transport, actively traveled on average 5.3 days per week, 53.5 minutes per day, and 300.3 minutes per week. There was an inverse correlation between AT and some health outcomes: AT respondents had a higher prevalence of cholesterol disorder; AT respondents who actively travelled every day had a higher risk of diabetes, whilst AT respondents with shorter daily or weekly duration had a lower risk of obesity, central obesity, and cholesterol disorder. Moreover, AT influences more health aspects among urban residents than among rural residents. Findings of this study do not support the notion that AT is beneficial to population health. Further research is needed in determining the negative side effects of AT. Shu-rong Lu, Jian Su, Quan-yong Xiang, Feng-yun Zhang, and Ming Wu Copyright © 2013 Shu-rong Lu et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 03 Apr 2013 11:46:12 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/128376/ There is a plethora of workplace physical activity interventions designed to increase purposeful movement, yet few are designed to alleviate prolonged occupational sitting time. A pilot study was conducted to test the feasibility of a workplace e-health intervention based on a passive approach to increase nonpurposeful movement as a means of reducing sitting time. The study was trialled in a professional workplace with forty-six participants (33 females and 13 males) for a period of twenty-six weeks. Participants in the first thirteen weeks received a passive prompt every 45 minutes on their computer screen reminding them to stand and engage in nonpurposeful activity throughout their workday. After thirteen weeks, the prompt was disabled, and participants were then free to voluntary engage the software. Results demonstrated that when employees were exposed to a passive prompt, as opposed to an active prompt, they were five times more likely to fully adhere to completing a movement break every hour of the workday. Based on this pilot study, we suggest that the notion that people are willing to participate in a coercive workplace e-health intervention is promising, and there is a need for further investigation. Dean Cooley and Scott Pedersen Copyright © 2013 Dean Cooley and Scott Pedersen. All rights reserved. Sun, 31 Mar 2013 13:32:18 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/816961/ This mixed methods study was a comprehensive impact-process evaluation of the Ride2School program in metropolitan and regional areas in Victoria, Australia. The program aimed to promote transport to school for primary school children. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected at baseline and followup from two primary schools involved in the pilot phase of the program and two matched comparison schools, and a further 13 primary schools that participated in the implementation phase of the program. Classroom surveys, structured and unstructured observations, and interviews with Ride2School program staff were used to evaluate the pilot program. For the 13 schools in the second phase of the program, parents and students completed questionnaires at baseline (N = 889) and followup (N = 761). Based on the quantitative data, there was little evidence of an overall increase in active transport to school across participating schools, although impacts varied among individual schools. Qualitative data in the form of observations, interviews, and focus group discussions with students, school staff, and program staff provided insight into the reasons for variable program impacts. This paper highlights the benefits of undertaking a mixed methods approach to evaluating active transport to school programs that enables both measurement and understanding of program impacts. S. Crawford and J. Garrard Copyright © 2013 S. Crawford and J. Garrard. All rights reserved. Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:29:25 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/680631/ This study examined the prevalence of high blood pressure, heart disease, and medical diagnoses in relation to blood disorders, among 6,329 adolescent students (age 15 to 18 years) who reside in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Findings indicated that the overall prevalence of high blood pressure and heart disease was 1.8% and 1.3%, respectively. Overall, the prevalence for thalassemia, sickle-cell anemia, and iron-deficiency anemia was 0.9%, 1.6%, and 5%, respectively. Bivariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the prevalence of high blood pressure among the local and expatriate adolescent population in the Emirate of Sharjah. Similarly, statistically significant differences in the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia were observed among the local and expatriate population in Abu Dhabi city, the western region of Abu Dhabi, and Al-Ain. Multivariate analysis revealed the following significant predictors of high blood pressure: residing in proximity to industry, nonconventional substance abuse, and age when smoking or exposure to smoking began. Ethnicity was a significant predictor of heart disease, thalassemia, sickle-cell anemia, and iron-deficiency anemia. In addition, predictors of thalassemia included gender (female) and participating in physical activity. Participants diagnosed with sickle-cell anemia and iron-deficiency anemia were more likely to experience different physical activities. Caroline Barakat-Haddad Copyright © 2013 Caroline Barakat-Haddad. All rights reserved. Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:36:14 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/986083/ The aim of this paper is to investigate the removal of toluene from gaseous solution through Glycyrrhiza glabra root (GGR) as a waste material. The batch adsorption experiments were conducted at various conditions including contact time, adsorbate concentration, humidity, and temperature. The adsorption capacity was increased by raising the sorbent humidity up to 50 percent. The adsorption of toluene was also increased over contact time by 12 h when the sorbent was saturated. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich model fitted the adsorption data better than other kinetic and isotherm models, respectively. The Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm also showed that the sorption by GGR was physical in nature. The results of the thermodynamic analysis illustrated that the adsorption process is exothermic. GGR as a novel adsorbent has not previously been used for the adsorption of pollutants. Fazel Mohammadi-Moghadam, Mohammad Mehdi Amin, Mehdi Khiadani (Hajian), Fariborz Momenbeik, Heshmatollah Nourmoradi, and Mohammad Sadegh Hatamipour Copyright © 2013 Fazel Mohammadi-Moghadam et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 06 Mar 2013 09:08:36 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/675426/ Little is known about smokeless tobacco (SLT) use in the fire service, whose personnel need to maintain high levels of health and fitness given the rigorous physical and mental job requirements. We examined the relationships among variables associated with SLT use and dual tobacco use (SLT and smoking) among 353 male career firefighters. Around 13% of male career firefighters reported being current exclusive SLT users, and 2.6% used both cigarettes and SLT. Age-adjusted models revealed that race, binge drinking, and dietary fat consumption were positively associated with exclusive SLT use when compared to nontobacco users. SLT users were much more likely to binge drink (OR = 3.98, ) and consume high fat foods (OR = 1.94, ). Only high dietary fat consumption was a strong correlate (OR = 8.41, ) of dual use when compared to nontobacco users. SLT and dual tobacco use are associated with significant health risks. Detailed information on the predictors of SLT use among firefighters will aid in developing more effective tobacco prevention and cessation intervention in fire service. Nattinee Jitnarin, Christopher K. Haddock, Walker S. C. Poston, and Sara Jahnke Copyright © 2013 Nattinee Jitnarin et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:21:39 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/973165/ Atrazine herbicide that is widely used in corn production is frequently detected in water resources. The main objectives of this research were focused on assessing the effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on atrazine biodegradation by mixed bacterial consortium and by evaluating the feasibility of using mixed bacterial consortium in soil culture. Shiraz corn field soil with a long history of atrazine application has been explored for their potential of atrazine biodegradation. The influence of different carbon compounds and the effect of nitrogen sources and a different pH (5.5–8.5) on atrazine removal efficiency by mixed bacterial consortium in liquid culture were investigated. Sodium citrate and sucrose had the highest atrazine biodegradation rate (87.22%) among different carbon sources. Atrazine biodegradation rate decreased more quickly by the addition of urea (26.76%) compared to ammonium nitrate. Based on the data obtained in this study, pH of 7.0 is optimum for atrazine biodegradation. After 30 days of incubation, the percent of atrazine reduction rates were significantly enhanced in the inoculated soils (60.5%) as compared to uninoculated control soils (12%) at the soil moisture content of 25%. In conclusion, bioaugmentation of soil with mixed bacterial consortium may enhance the rate of atrazine degradation in a highly polluted soil. Mansooreh Dehghani, Simin Nasseri, and Hassan Hashemi Copyright © 2013 Mansooreh Dehghani et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:21:47 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/242383/ Active commuting (AC) to the workplace is a potential strategy for incorporating physical activity into daily life and is associated with health benefits. This study examined the association between health-related factors and mode of travel to the workplace. Methods. A volunteer convenience sample of employed adults completed an online survey regarding demographics, health-related factors, and the number of times/week walking, biking, driving, and using public transit to work (dichotomized as no walk/bike/drive/PT and walk/bike/drive/PT 1 + x/week). Logistic regression was used to predict the likelihood of each mode of transport and meeting PA recommendations from AC according to demographics and health-related factors. Results. The sample was aged 43.5 11.4 years and was primarily White (92.7%) and female (67.9%). Respondents reported walking (7.3%), biking (14.4%), taking public transit (20.3%), and driving (78.3%) to work at least one time/week. Among those reporting AC, 9.6% met PA recommendations from AC alone. Mode of travel to work was associated with several demographic and health-related factors, including age, number of chronic diseases, weight status, and AC beliefs. Discussion. Mode of transportation to the workplace and health-related factors such as disease or weight status should be considered in future interventions targeting AC. Melissa Bopp, Andrew T. Kaczynski, and Matthew E. Campbell Copyright © 2013 Melissa Bopp et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:11:48 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/374954/ In the recent years, not much environmental monitoring has been conducted in the territory of Kosovo. This study represents the first comprehensive monitoring of the drinking water situation throughout most of the territory of Kosovo. We present the distribution of major and minor trace elements in drinking water samples from Kosovo. During our study we collected 951 samples from four different sources: private-bored wells; naturally flowing artesian water; pumped-drilled wells; and public water sources (tap water). The randomly selected drinking water samples were investigated by routine water analyses using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) for 32 elements (Li, Be, B, Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Te, Ba, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, U). Even though there are set guidelines for elemental exposure in drinking water worldwide, in developing countries, such as Kosovo, the lack of monitoring drinking water continues to be an important health concern. This study reports the concentrations of major and minor elements in the drinking water in Kosovo. Additionally, we show the variation of the metal concentration within different sources. Of the 15 regulated elements, the following five elements: Mn, Fe, Al, Ni, As, and U were the elements which most often exceeded the guidelines set by the EU and/or WHO. Fatlume Berisha and Walter Goessler Copyright © 2013 Fatlume Berisha and Walter Goessler. All rights reserved. Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:09:45 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/259645/ Objective. Frequent insufficient sleep, defined as ≥14 days/past 30 days in which an adult did not get enough rest or sleep, is associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Little is known about the prevalence of frequent insufficient sleep among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Methods. We assessed racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of frequent insufficient sleep from the combined 2009-2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey among 810,168 respondents who self-identified as non-Hispanic white (NHW, ), non-Hispanic black (NHB, ), Hispanic (), or AI/AN (). Results. We found significantly higher unadjusted prevalences (95% CI) of frequent insufficient sleep among AI/AN (34.2% [32.1–36.4]) compared to NHW (27.4% [27.1–27.6]). However, the age-adjusted excess prevalence of frequent insufficient sleep in AI/AN compared to NHW was decreased but remained significant with the addition of sex, education, and employment status; this latter relationship was further attenuated by the separate additions of obesity and lifestyle indicators, but was no longer significant with the addition of frequent mental distress to the model (PR  =  1.05; 95% CI : 0.99–1.13). This is the first report of a high prevalence of frequent insufficient sleep among AI/AN. These results further suggest that investigation of sleep health interventions addressing frequent mental distress may benefit AI/AN populations. Daniel P. Chapman, Janet B. Croft, Yong Liu, Geraldine S. Perry, Letitia R. Presley-Cantrell, and Earl S. Ford Copyright © 2013 Daniel P. Chapman et al. All rights reserved. Sun, 17 Feb 2013 15:58:09 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/959480/ Disinfection by-products (DBPs) are ubiquitous contaminants in tap drinking water with the potential to produce adverse health effects. Filtering and boiling tap water can lead to changes in the DBP concentrations and modify the exposure through ingestion. Changes in the concentration of 4 individual trihalomethanes (THM4) (chloroform (TCM), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), and bromoform (TBM)), MX, and bromate were tested when boiling and filtering high bromine-containing tap water from Barcelona. For filtering, we used a pitcher-type filter and a household reverse osmosis filter; for boiling, an electric kettle, a saucepan, and a microwave were used. Samples were taken before and after each treatment to determine the change in the DBP concentration. pH, conductivity, and free/total chlorine were also measured. A large decrease of THM4 (from 48% to 97%) and MX concentrations was observed for all experiments. Bromine-containing trihalomethanes were mostly eliminated when filtering while chloroform when boiling. There was a large decrease in the concentration of bromate with reverse osmosis, but there was a little effect in the other experiments. These findings suggest that the exposure to THM4 and MX through ingestion is reduced when using these household appliances, while the decrease of bromate is device dependent. This needs to be considered in the exposure assessment of the epidemiological studies. Glòria Carrasco-Turigas, Cristina M. Villanueva, Fernando Goñi, Panu Rantakokko, and Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen Copyright © 2013 Glòria Carrasco-Turigas et al. All rights reserved. Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:33:16 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/639184/ Environmental conditions such as lighting and thermal comfort are influencing factors on sleep quality and visual tiredness. The purpose of this study was the determination of the relationship between thermal comfort and light intensity with the sleep quality and eye fatigue in shift nurses. Method. This cross-sectional research was conducted on 82 shift-work personnel of 18 nursing workstations in Isfahan Al-Zahra Hospital, Iran, in 2012. Heat stress monitoring (WBGT) and photometer (Hagner Model) were used for measuring the thermal conditions and illumination intensity, respectively. To measure the sleep quality, visual tiredness, and thermal comfort, Pittsburg sleep quality index, eye fatigue questionnaire, and thermal comfort questionnaire were used, respectively. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Student's t-test, and Pearson correlation. Results. Correlation between thermal comfort which was perceived from the self-reporting of people with eye tiredness was −0.38 (). Pearson correlation between thermal comfort and sleep quality showed a positive and direct relationship (, ) but the correlation between thermal comfort, which was perceived from the self-reporting of shift nurses, and WBGT index was a weak relationship (). Conclusion. Based on the obtained findings, it can be concluded that a defect in environmental conditions such as thermal conditions and light intensity and also lack of appropriate managerial plan for night shift-work nurses are destructive and negative factors for the physical and mental health of this group of practitioners. Hiva Azmoon, Habibollah Dehghan, Jafar Akbari, and Shiva Souri Copyright © 2013 Hiva Azmoon et al. All rights reserved. Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:49:50 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/978656/ Background. Evidence on the health-damaging effects of precarious employment is limited by the use of one-dimensional approaches focused on employment instability. This study assesses the association between precarious employment and poor mental health using the multidimensional Employment Precariousness Scale. Methods. Cross-sectional study of 5679 temporary and permanent workers from the population-based Psychosocial Factors Survey was carried out in 2004-2005 in Spain. Poor mental health was defined as SF-36 mental health scores below the 25th percentile of the Spanish reference for each respondent’s sex and age. Prevalence proportion ratios (PPRs) of poor mental health across quintiles of employment precariousness (reference: 1st quintile) were calculated with log-binomial regressions, separately for women and men. Results. Crude PPRs showed a gradient association with poor mental health and remained generally unchanged after adjustments for age, immigrant status, socioeconomic position, and previous unemployment. Fully adjusted PPRs for the 5th quintile were 2.54 (95% CI: 1.95–3.31) for women and 2.23 (95% CI: 1.86–2.68) for men. Conclusion. The study finds a gradient association between employment precariousness and poor mental health, which was somewhat stronger among women, suggesting an interaction with gender-related power asymmetries. Further research is needed to strengthen the epidemiological evidence base and to inform labour market policy-making. Alejandra Vives, Marcelo Amable, Montserrat Ferrer, Salvador Moncada, Clara Llorens, Carles Muntaner, Fernando G. Benavides, and Joan Benach Copyright © 2013 Alejandra Vives et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:08:41 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/138521/ New approaches should be considered as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moves rapidly to develop new beach monitoring guidelines by the end of 2012, as these guidelines serve as the basis by which states and territories with coasts along the oceans and Great Lakes can then develop and implement monitoring programs for recreational waters. We describe and illustrate one possible approach to beach regulation termed as the “Comprehensive Toolbox within an Approval Process (CTBAP).” The CTBAP consists of three components. The first is a “toolbox” consisting of an inventory of guidelines on monitoring targets, a series of measurement techniques, and guidance to improve water quality through source identification and prevention methods. The second two components are principles of implementation. These include first, “flexibility” to encourage and develop an individualized beach management plan tailored to local conditions and second, “consistency” of this management plan to ensure a consistent national level of public health protection. The results of this approach are illustrated through a case study at a well-studied South Florida recreational marine beach. This case study explores different monitoring targets based on two different health endpoints (skin versus gastrointestinal illness) and recommends a beach regulation program for the study beach that focuses predominately on source prevention. Amir M. Abdelzaher, Helena M. Solo-Gabriele, Matthew C. Phillips, Samir M. Elmir, and Lora E. Fleming Copyright © 2012 Amir M. Abdelzaher et al. All rights reserved. Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:13:25 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/968078/ Healthy food is becoming increasingly expensive, and families on low incomes face a difficult financial struggle to afford healthy food. When food costs are considered, families on low incomes often face circumstances of poverty. Housing, utilities, health care, and transport are somewhat fixed in cost; however food is more flexible in cost and therefore is often compromised with less healthy, cheaper food, presenting an opportunity for families on low incomes to cut costs. Using a “Healthy Food Basket” methodology, this study costed a week’s supply of healthy food for a range of family types. It found that low-income families would have to spend approximately 30% of household income on eating healthily, whereas high-income households needed to spend about 10%. The differential is explained by the cost of the food basket relative to household income (i.e., affordability). It is argued that families that spend more than 30% of household income on food could be experiencing “food stress.” Moreover the high cost of healthy foods leaves low-income households vulnerable to diet-related health problems because they often have to rely on cheaper foods which are high in fat, sugar, and salt. Paul R. Ward, Fiona Verity, Patricia Carter, George Tsourtos, John Coveney, and Kwan Chui Wong Copyright © 2013 Paul R. Ward et al. All rights reserved. Thu, 10 Jan 2013 16:08:02 +0000 http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2013/256151/ Glucose obtained from unprocessed blood samples can decrease by 5%–7% per hour due to glycolysis. This study compared the impact of glucose degradation on measured glucose values by examining two different collection methods. For the first method, blood samples were collected in tubes containing sodium fluoride (NaF), a glycolysis inhibitor. For the second method, blood samples were collected in tubes containing a clot activator and serum gel separator and were centrifuged to separate the serum and plasma 20 minutes after sample collection. The samples used in the two methods were collected during the same blood draw and were assayed by the clinical laboratory 2–4 hours after the samples were obtained. A total of 256 pairs of samples were analyzed. The average glucose reading for the centrifuged tubes was significantly higher than the NaF tubes by  mmol/L () or 4.2%. This study demonstrates the important role collection methods play in accurately assessing glucose levels of blood samples collected in the field, where working environment may be suboptimal. Therefore, blood samples collected in the field should be promptly centrifuged before being transported to clinical labs to ensure accurate glucose level measurements. Michael Turchiano, Cuong Nguyen, Arthur Fierman, Mark Lifshitz, and Antonio Convit Copyright © 2013 Michael Turchiano et al. All rights reserved.