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Background: Telework satisfaction is a Public Health concern, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, and its determinant factors may be related with the negative health effects of teleworking. However, there is still little research exploring this issue. This study aimed to characterize telework during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Portugal and to identify the major predictors of telework satisfaction. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study aimed at all teleworkers working in Portugal, during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic. Data were collected through a Google Forms platform online questionnaire distributed by a snowball method on social networks. Descriptive statistics included crude and relative frequency data. The associations between sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived health, organization of working time, concentration at work, work-life balance, work disconnection, working conditions, and organizational demands (flexibility and organizational trust based on E-work Life Scale) with telework satisfaction were estimated through logistic regression. Results: This study included 1004 participants. Teleworkers satisfaction levels were high (69%). Better concentration at work (OR = 1.54; 95%CI 1.01–2.34); the satisfaction with the balance between work life and extra work when teleworking (OR = 1.79; 95%CI 1.17–2.74); and higher work flexibility (OR = 2.26; 95%CI 1.46–3.49) were good predictors of greater levels of satisfaction with telework. However, its major predictors were the company’s trust in teleworkers (OR = 4.50; 95%CI 2.89–7.02) and feeling good in the workspace at home (OR = 3.72; 95%CI 1.46–9.49). Conclusions: Our findings point that work environment and organizational culture play a crucial role in affecting telework satisfaction. More studies are needed to monitor telework satisfaction and its effects on physical and mental health, so that Public and Occupational Health (and Safety) can be able to identify and implement the best interventions that allow promoting individual health and foster a healthy work environment for teleworkers. publishersversion published

Introduction: Health professionals who provide clinical care are exposed to patients potentially infected by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS-CoV-2), namely physicians and nurses; consequently, these professionals face higher risks of infection. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the prevalence of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) cases among health professionals and the frequencies of risk factors and psychosocial risk. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study targeted at health professionals working in Portugal during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Data were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire available online at the websites of medical and nursing boards, among other sources. We performed a univariate analysis, calculating absolute and relative frequencies, and a bivariate analysis with a Pearson's chi-squared test. Results: We studied 4,212 health professionals, of which 36.7% (n = 1,514) worked in areas dedicated to the treatment of sick or suspected COVID-19 patients. Of these, 2.11% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Among all participants, 76.7% and 79.1% presented moderate to severe levels of fatigue and anxiety, respectively. Fatigue levels were significantly higher in professionals working in areas dedicated to the treatment of patients with COVID-19 (80.5% p = 0.01), but this difference was not observed regarding anxiety (79.5% p = 0.681). Conclusions: The percentage of health professionals who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 was 2.11%. The reported high levels of fatigue and anxiety should determine a better protection of the health and safety of those who provide health care in the current pandemic. publishersversion published

Background: In the last years, several diseases have been associated with alterations in microRNA (miRNA) expression, and miRNA profiling has proved to be useful to detect or evaluate disease progression. Moreover, there has been attempts to identify differentially expressed (DE) miRNA after exposure to toxicants that could be used as biomarkers of effect. Since human exposure to nanofibres, such as the MWCNT-7, has considerably increased due to their incorporation in several consumer products, this work explores the use of DE miRNA for monitoring human exposure to MWCNT-7 and their effects. Methods: We analyzed DE miRNAs in A549 alveolar cells following 24 hours exposure to an occupationally relevant dose of MWCNT-7. Total RNA was used to generate cDNA libraries for sequencing in MiSeq (Illumina). Differential expression analysis of miRNAs between non-exposed and exposed cells was performed using DESeq2 and EdgeR Exact Test. Results: Several under- and over-expressed miRNAs were sequenced in A549 cells after 24 h exposure to MWCNT-7. After filtering them according to the criteria adopted, a set of 17 DE miRNAs was identified. Some of these miRNAs have been reported as regulators of pathways related to cell growth, proliferation, differentiation and survival. Conclusions: Although more studies are needed, it is likely that the miRNA profile here identified may provide a novel biomarker of human exposure to MWCNT-7 by inhalation. Funded by FCT/MCTES, Project ToxApp4NanoCELFI (PTDC/SAU-PUB/32587/2017) through national funds (PIDDAC), ToxOmics (UID/BIM/00009/2013), and GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184). info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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Background and Aims Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) are widely used engineered nanomaterials in industrial and biomedical applications, but their inhalation may induce pulmonary adverse effects. Moreover, the MWCNT-7 (Mitsui-7) has been classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Nevertheless, MWCNT-7 molecular modes of action are poorly understood and there are no biomarkers of exposure or effect for occupational monitoring. Recently, several pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer, have been associated with alterations in microRNA expression. These changes are potentially useful to detect or evaluate disease progression and to understand the molecular effects induced by the disease or toxicant. In this study, we describe a set of differentially expressed microRNAs (DE miRNAs) in A549 epithelial alveolar cells, following exposure to an occupationally relevant dose of MWCNT-7 or crocidolite. The functional pathways and ontology terms enriched with genes targeted by DE miRNAs were identified. Moreover, an interaction network of DE miRNAs-target cancer genes was constructed. Foundation for Science and Technology, Centre for Toxicogenomics and Human Health ToxOmics under grant UID/BIM/00009 2013 and by ToxApp 4 NanoCELFI (PTDC/SAU PUB/ 32587 2017), GenomePT project (POCI 01 0145 FEDER 022184 supported by COMPETE 2020 Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation ( Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa 2020 Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve 2020 under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement) N/A

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RESUMO - O doseamento da protoporfirina-zinco (PPZ) vem sendo preconizado como indicador a utilizar em primeira linha nos programas de monitorização biológica da exposição profissional a chumbo. A PPZ apresenta um elevado grau de associação com a plumbemia e representa, num dado momento, o efeito metabólico do chumbo sobre a ferro- -quelatase (enzima catalisadora da incorporação do ferro na protoporfirina IX) ao longo dos anteriores cerca de três meses. Num estudo incidindo sobre 67 trabalhadores expostos a chumbo, do sexo masculino, os autores avaliaram a variação da PPZ em relação à plumbemia determinada num determinado momento (t0) e em sucessivos doseamentos efectuados cerca de 30 (t1), 60 (t2) e 90 (t3) dias após esse momento. Da análise dos resultados obtidos conclui-se que em trabalhadores expostos a chumbo de modo considerado estável (com níveis de Pb-S entre 30 e 78 μg/dL) a PPZ não variou significativamente ao longo do período de tempo considerado. Deste modo, parece poder concluir-se que os resultados de PPZ são representativos do nível de exposição (inferida pelos níveis de dose interna) pelo menos em relação ao período de cerca de três meses anteriores, correspondendo à resposta orgânica consequente à dose em causa. ABSTRACT - Zincprotoporphyrin (ZPP) measurement has been indicated as a first option indicator in biological monitoring programs of workers exposed to lead. ZPP presents a high degree of association with blood lead levels and, in a given moment, represents the metabolic effect of lead with ferrochelatase (an enzyme that catalyzes the incorporation of iron binding into the protoporphyrin) during the last three months. Studying 67 male workers exposed to lead, authors observed the variation of PPZ in relation to blood lead levels determined in a given moment in time (t0) and in successive moments: around 30 days after (t1), 60 days after (t2) and 90 days (t3) after. Results obtained allow to conclude that in workers enduringly exposed to lead (with blood lead levels between 30 and 78 μg/dL) PPZ did not change significantly during the period considered. Thus, it might be concluded that results of ZPP in a given moment are representative of exposition level to lead (inferred by internal dose level) at least in relation to the period of the last three months, corresponding to the organic response to that dose. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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RESUMO - A abordagem das relações trabalho/saúde(doença) implica um conhecimento adequado das variáveis (factores) profissionais em jogo e das respectivas repercussões, positivas ou negativas, sobre a saúde dos trabalhadores. Tal conhecimento adquire-se mediante análise das (sempre complexas) situações reais de trabalho. As substâncias químicas constituem o mais extenso dos grupos de factores de risco de natureza profissional. O número de substâncias químicas a que se encontram expostos os trabalhadores aumenta dia a dia, sendo actualmente conhecidas mais de 100 000. Os autores procedem à revisão de alguns conceitos que, numa perspectiva de prevenção, são essenciais para o diagnóstico das situações profissionais de risco. ABSTRACT - The assessment of the relationships between work and health (disease) implies a thorough knowledge of the occupational risk factors involved and of the positive or negative effects on the worker’s health. Such knowledge can be obtained through analysis of real working conditions. Harmful substances such as chemical agents, constitute the major group of occupational risk factors. The number of hazardous chemical substances to which workers are exposed grows on a daily basis, reaching more than 100 000 in nowadays figures. The authors review some concepts that, according to a prevention approach, are essential to the diagnosis of occupational risk factors. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

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