bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Association between the Pattern of Premature Ventricular Contractions and Heart Diseases: Assessment of Routine Electrocardiography in Health Examinations
Authors: Hatanaka Kazuhito , Fujinami Akira , Nishimoto Yoshihiro , Ito Nobuhiko , Kobayashi Masahiko
Published: March 2004

The Association between the Pattern of Premature Ventricular Contractions and Heart Diseases: Assessment of Routine Electrocardiography in Health Examinations: Kazuhito Hatanaka, et al. Department of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo—Objective—Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) were observed among patients with heart diseases. It has been suggested that the sporadic left bundle branch block (LBBB) pattern of PVCs observed in healthy subjects has no relevance to heart diseases and the presence of this type of PVC was not associated with a poor prognosis. The aim of this study is to present and evaluate the relationship between PVC patterns on routine electrocardiography (ECG) and heart diseases. Methods: The subjects examined were 201 employees from one company (male 192, female 9) with PVCs (Lown grading classification 0 or 1). The patterns of PVCs were classified into the following four categories regarding the bundle branch block pattern and electrical axis deviation: 1) the LBBB pattern without axis deviation (135 subjects), 2) the LBBB pattern with left axis deviation (29 subjects), 3) the right bundle branch block (RBBB) pattern without axis deviation (22 subjects) and 4) the RBBB pattern with left axis deviation (15 subjects). Results—The presence of subjective symptoms was not significant in each category. Prevalence of heart disease was 1)14 (10.4%), 2) 10 (34.5%), 3) 9 (40.9%) and 4) 7 (46.7%). The subjects with the LBBB pattern without axis deviation had a lower incidence of having heart disease than subjects with other PVC patterns (p<0.05). In addition, similar findings applied to the observations in asymptomatic subjects. Conclusion—It is suggested that the population without heart disease primarily has the PVCs of the LBBB pattern without axis deviation and the analysis of the PVC patterns (bundle branch block pattern) and of electrical axis deviation in routine ECG at a routine health examination is useful for diagnosing heart disease.
Job Stress among Japanese Full‐Time Occupational Physicians
Authors: Shimizu Takashi , Hiro Masanori , Mishima Norio , Nagata Shoji
Published: March 2004

Job Stress among Japanese Full‐time Occupational Physicians: Takashi Shimizu, et al. Occupational Health Training Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health—The present study investigated job stress and the factors influencing job stress among Japanese full‐time occupational physicians (OPs). In 2000 we mailed self‐ administrated questionnaires to 716 full‐time OPs who were members of “Sanyu‐kai”, an organization of Japanese full‐time occupational physicians in enterprises. The questionnaires included gender, marital status, age, main type of company work, the number of full‐time OPs, the number of employees served, duration of work, tenure in the present company, and job stress questions. The job stress questions consisted of 15 items which were decided after discussion among 10 experienced full‐time OPs. Three hundred and thirty‐three (47%) of the OPs returned, sufficiently complete questionnaires for analysis. Factor analysis of the job stress questions extracted three components; low understanding of occupational health services, conflicts between OPs and their partners, and discrepancies between their routine work and occupational health services. Multiple logistic regression was performed to estimate the odds ratio (ORs) for high job stress associated with age, gender, marital status, main type of work, duration of work, tenure and the number of employees. Males had less stress than females (OR=0.37, 95%CI=0.19‐ 0.70). The 20‐39‐yr‐old OPs had more stress than over 59‐yr‐old OPs (OR=2.8, 95%CI=1.5‐5.6). Compared with those serving over 5,000 employees, the OPs serving 2,500 employees or fewer had less stress (ORs=0.43‐0.52, ps<0.05). Our results indicated that job stress among Japanese full‐time OPs was influenced by gender, age and the number of employees served.
Utilization of a Voluntary Reporting System in Quantitative Risk Assessment for Medical Tasks in a Hospital Setting‐with Special Reference to Tasks Done by Nurses
Authors: Inoue Kayoko , Hirosawa Iwao , Yatsuduka Miki , Yoshinaga Takeo , Koizumi Akio
Published: March 2004

Utilization of a Voluntary Reporting System in Quantitative Risk Assessment for Medical Tasks in a Hospital Setting‐with Special Reference to Tasks Done by Nurses: Kayoko Inoue, et al. Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine—Adverse events in hospitals are a world‐ wide concern. To develop a tool for quantitative risk assessment of medical error, human reliability analysis was applied to incident reports from a prospective cohort study in a hospital. 374 nurses in a tertiary‐ care hospital of 670 beds joined this study. Numbers of tasks, classified into 170 items, were actually measured by nurses during three weekdays and one weekend. The total number of tasks per year was found to be about 13.2 million. 1,030 incidents were reported over a year. The gross failure rate for tasks was estimated to be ‐10‐4. The relative risk for failure rates in midnight and night shifts was 2‐4 times greater than in dayshifts. When the failure rate for a patient category of ages 15 and 64 yr old was taken as a standard, the relative risk of failure was about 200 times greater in a patient category of problematic behavior and 90 times greater in patient categories of clouding of consciousness and postsurgical conditions. Failure rates for individual tasks were in the range of 10‐5 to 10‐3: the tasks with the highest failure rate were prevention of problematic behavior (2.32 times 10∼3), safeguards against falls (1.47 times 10‐3), intramuscular injection (1.30 times 10‐3) and subcutaneous injection of insulin (9.82 times 10‐4). The present study revealed two potential risks: occasional tasks with high failure rates and patient categories with small numbers of patients with high failure rates. The present protocol enabled us to conduct quantitative risk assessment on occupational health for medical workers.
A Discretionary Work Scheme May Induce a Change in the Association of Working Hours and Vacations with Health Problems in Middle‐Aged Male White‐Collar Workers
Authors: Tarumi Kimio , Hagihara Akihito , Morimoto Kanehisa
Published: March 2004

A Discretionary Work Scheme May Induce a Change in the Association of Working Hours and Vacations with Health Problems in Middle‐Aged Male White‐Collar Workers: Kimio Tarumi, et al. Occupational Health Training Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health—White‐collar workers who worked at an office where a discretionary work scheme had been introduced for those in managerial positions were surveyed in August 1999 in a prospective framework in order to explore the effects of a discretionary work scheme on the association of working hours and vacations with workers' health. Two hundred and eight eligible male workers aged 35 to 60 were examined, and the following were major findings: Whether workers were engaged in discretionary work or not was directly related to neither working hours and vacation measures nor workers' health. When workers were divided into two groups, those engaged in discretionary work (n=147, mean age: 46.1 ± 5.9) and those who were not (n=61, mean age: 45.4 + 7.2), the percentages of those with health problems significantly decreased only for the latter along with an increase in paid holidays and chances of successive days of vacation during the past year (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). And for those engaged in non‐discretionary work, the percentages of workers judged to be distressed significantly decreased with increasing chances of successive days of vacation (P<0.01). That is, a discretionary work scheme did not have any unfavorable effect on working hours, vacations or the health of the subjective workers, and it only modified the association of vacations with workers' health in the direction in which that association was weakened. On the other hand, working hours showed no association with workers' health, irrespective of the work scheme. Although a discretionary work scheme included occupational positions, the practical difference could result in that of the range or level of discretion in performing work and workers' awareness of working hours. For those engaged in discretionary work, the amount of workload seemed to be hardly proportionate to the number of hours worked, and that could explain the obscure associations between working hours, vacations and health. The findings obtained here have to be explored through further studies in other workplaces.
Mortality in a Chinese Rubber Factory: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ke Li , Shunzhang Yu
Published: March 2004

Mortality in a Chinese Rubber Factory: A Prospective Cohort Study: Li Ke, et al. Preventive Branch, Shantou University Medical College—To determine the specific causes of mortality in the rubber industry with emphasis on the associations between cancer sites, ischemic heart, and cerebrovascular disorders and work places, A cohort of 1598 rubber workers (934 men, 664 women) were followed up for mortality from 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1997. Work histories of cohort members at the relevant work place were coded and computed by the factory personnel concerned and the record incorporated all job changes with relevant years. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), controlling for age and calendar year and stratified by work area (employment in respective work areas for at least one year) were calculated from the reference rate. Significant increases in mortality were found for lung cancer among male workers in the curing department (16 deaths, 6.7 expected, SMR 2.39), liver cancer among male workers in the rubber overshoes department (2 deaths, 0.2 expected, SMR 10.00), cerebrovascular disorders among male workers in the rubber overshoes department (4 deaths, 1.0 expected, SMR 4.00), and cerebrovascular disorders among female workers in the mixing and milling department (7 deaths, 2.0 expected, SMR 3.50). Mortality from the remaining cancers was not substantially increased in any of the work departments. Mortality from several diseases was associated with specific work departments. Some of these associations have been reported previously and they may be causally related to occupational exposure in this industry, for example, lung cancer and the curing department. The study also found new risks, such as a possible increase in cerebrovascular disorders.
Assessment of Exposure to Magnetic Fields in Occupational Settings
Authors: Sakurazawa Hirofumi , Iwasaki Akio , Higashi Toshiaki , Nakayama Takeo , Kusaka Yukinori
Published: March 2004

Assessment of Exposure to Magnetic Fields in Occupational Settings: Hirofumi Sakurazawa, et al. Department of Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Fukui Medical University

Objective

It is important to have data about occupational magnetic field intensity to consider the contribution of occupational magnetic field exposure on the human body. We conducted research on exposure to occupational magnetic fields and tried to qualify data on the distribution of magnetic field’ intensity in certain general working environments with individual measurements.

Subjects and Methods

We performed sample research on the exposure to low frequency magnetic fields of workers in certain occupations and in the working environment. We also assessed the relationship between working environmental magnetic field distribution and individual exposure.

Results

Some occupations were found to be exposed to high magnetic fields. We observed that some workspaces, such as the transformer substation, generally had a uniform and high magnetic field measurement but employees were exposed to a lower intensity. We also found that welders were exposed to high magnetic fields at about 600 µT in a very short time but with a geometrical value of 0.08 µT.

Conclusion

The determination of administrative levels and control levels, not only of the time weighted average of threshold limits or short term exposure limits, but also ceiling limits should be considered. More systematic research is necessary to determine variables such as operating conditions, measuring position, and frequency bands. Also, further studies will be needed to make a job‐exposure matrix for the magnetic fields for each occupation type and to combine it with exposure in non‐occupational settings such as commuting and ordinary life situations to explore the causal relationship between exposure to magnetic fields and disease.
A Case‐crossover Analysis of Air Pollution and Daily Mortality in Shanghai
Authors: Kan Haidong , Chen Bingheng
Published: March 2004

A Case‐crossover Analysis of Air Pollution and Daily Mortality in Shanghai: Haidong Kan, et al. Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, P. R. China—We used a case‐crossover approach to assess the association between air pollution and daily mortality in Shanghai from June 2000 to December 2001. By design, this method can avoid some common concerns about the time‐series approach, which was most frequently used to assess the short‐term effects of air pollution. Different control periods (unidirectional and bi‐directional control samplings) were used for the analysis. With a bi‐directional six control sampling approach, the results from a conditional logistic regression model controlling for weather conditions showed that each 10 µg/m3 increase over a 48‐h moving average of PM10, SO2 and NO2 corresponds to 1.003 (95%CI 1.001–1.005), 1.016 (95%CI 1.011– 1.021), and 1.020 (95%CI 1.012–1.027) relative risk of non‐accident mortality, respectively. The association between air pollution and mortality for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) and cardiovascular causes was found to be closer than that for all causes. The results confirmed the deleterious role of the current air pollution level on human health in Shanghai, and provided information on the applicability of case‐crossover design in studying the acute health effects of air pollution.
Adverse Environmental Health Effects of Ultra‐low Relative Humidity Indoor Air
Authors: Sato Mikiya , Fukayo Shingo , Yano Eiji
Published: March 2004

Adverse Environmental Health Effects of Ultra‐low Relative Humidity Indoor Air: Mikiya Sato, et al. Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Teikyo University School of Medicine—In Japan, relative humidity (RH) shows the lowest achievement rate among the various general air quality standards for work environment. It has been mainly contributed by airtight design of modern buildings and occurrence of dry outdoor air in winter. Furthermore, an ultra‐dry air environment of nearly 0% RH is often required in sophisticated industries. In order to assess the adverse health effects of the ultra‐dry air environment, using a self‐reported questionnaire, we have undertaken a study of over 200 employees of a high‐tech device developing laboratory having a room at 2.5% RH (ultra‐dry room). Those who worked in the ultra‐dry room were identified and the prevalence of symptoms was compared with the other workers. Analysis was performed by Wilcoxon's test and Fisher's exact test. In the ultra‐dry room, all the twelve workers covered their skin with long‐sleeve clothes, paper caps, paper masks and latex gloves. They reported skin symptoms more often (p<0.05) than the other workers (N=143). The prevalence of atopic dermatitis was also higher in the exposed workers (p<0.05). The complaints of workers in the ultra‐dry environment were similar to preceding reports concerning moderately dry environmental exposures. The current precautions to protect the workers from the adverse effects of ultra low RH appear to be insufficient, indicating that additional measures such as selection of appropriate clothing to mere skin coverage should be considered.
Urinary PAH Metabolites Influenced by Genetic Polymorphisms of GSTM1 in Male Hospital Incinerator Workers
Authors: Lee Kyoung‐Ho , Cho Soo‐Hun , Hong Yun‐Chul , Lee Kwan‐Hee , Kwan Ho‐Jang , Choi Inmi , Kang Daehee
Published: March 2004

Urinary PAH Metabolites Influenced by Genetic Polymorphisms of GSTM1 in male Hospital Incinerator Workers: Kyoung Ho Lee, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute for Environmental Medicine, SNURC Korea—Hospital waste incinerator workers are exposed to various pyrolysis products including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). We evaluated their exposure by assessing urinary 1‐hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1‐OHPG), as an internal dose of PAH exposure. The potential effect of genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1/ T1 involved in PAH metabolisms was also investigated. Pre‐ and post‐shift samples were collected from 28 hospital incinerator workers. Urinary 1‐OHPG was assayed by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (SFS) after immunoaffinity purification with the monoclonal antibody 8E11. Genotypes of GSTM1/T1 were assessed by PCR‐based methods. Information on smoking habits and use of personal protective equipment were collected by means of a self‐administered questionnaire. The Mann‐Whitney test was used to compare group means of these biomarkers. Urinary 1‐OHPG levels were similar in pre‐ and post‐shift urine samples. The arithmetic mean concentrations of urinary 1‐OHPG were 0.16 ± 0.04 µmol/mol creatinine pre‐shift and 0.19 ± 0.09 µmol/mol creatinine post‐shift, but urinary 1‐OHPG levels were significantly higher in individuals with the GSTM1 null genotype than with the GSTM1 present genotype (p=0.05, by Mann‐Whitney test). Our results suggest that the urinary 1‐OHPG levels in hospital waste incinerator workers may be modified by the GSTM1 genotype, but these findings remain to be confirmed in future studies involving larger sample sizes.
Study on Incidence of Needle Stick Injury and Factors Associated with this Problem among Medical Students
Authors: Norsayani Mohamad Yaakob , Hassim Ismail Noor
Published: March 2004

Study on Incidence of Needle Stick Injury and Factors Associated with This Problem among Medical Students: Mohamad Yaakob Norsayani, et al. Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Malaysia—Medical students face the threat of needle stick injury with the consequent risk of acquiring blood‐borne infection by pathogens such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C while performing their clinical activities in the hospitals. A cross‐sectional study was conducted among 417 final year medical students from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), University Malaya (UM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). The aims of the study were to determine the incidence of cases and episodes of needle stick injury among them in the past year. This study was also done to find out the factors that might be associated with the occurrence of this problem. The factors were sociodemographic factors, duration of exposure, level of knowledge of blood‐borne diseases and Universal Precaution, perception of risk of blood‐borne diseases and level of practice of Universal Precaution. The incidence of needle stick injury among medical students was 14.1% (59 cases). The total number of episodes of needle stick injury was 87 and the incidence of episodes among respondents was high i.e. 20.9%. The highest incidence of episodes of needle stick injury occurred in Obstetric & Gynaecology postings, followed by Medicine and Surgery. For clinical procedures, venepuncture had the highest incidence followed by setting up drips and giving parenteral injections. The results showed the students who had needle stick injury (cases) had lower scores in the practice of Universal Precautions than non‐cases (p<0.05). There was a significant association between the level of practice of Universal Precautions and the number of episodes of needle stick injury, i.e. the higher the score for the practice of Universal Precautions, the lower the number of episodes (β=–2.03 × 10–2, p<0.05). This study showed that medical students are at risk of needle stick injury and blood‐borne infections during their clinical activities while performing procedures on patients especially for those who were poor at practising Universal Precautions. Therefore some preventive measures should be taken by the management of the universities and medical students to avoid the occurrence of these problems.
Estimation of Trunk Muscle Parameters for a Biomechanical Model by Age, Height and Weight
Authors: Seo Akihiko , Lee Joon‐Hee , Kusaka Yukinori
Published: March 2004

Estimation of Trunk Muscle Parameters for a Biomechanical Model by Age, Height and Weight: Akihiko Seo, et al. Department of Intelligent Systems, Graduate School of Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology—To establish more accurate equations for estimating the moment arm length and cross‐sectional area of the erector spinae and rectus abdominis muscles, the effects of height, weight and age on those muscles were analyzed by using a high‐order polynomial equation. Data on the moment arm length and cross‐sectional area at L3/ 4 were obtained from MRI images of 152 males and 98 females. The statistical model used in this study has any combination of up to third‐order independent variables for age, height and weight. The effective independent variables were selected by the forward step method of multiple regression analyses. The results of multiple regression analyses showed that the polynomial equations for the moment arm length of erector spinae in both genders, and that for the rectus abdominis in males, contained all three variables of age, height and weight. That for the moment arm length of female rectus abdominis contained the variables of weight and age. The multiple correlation coefficients of the erector spinae and rectus abdominis were 0.355 and 0.650 for males, 0.364 and 0.411 for females, respectively. The equations for the cross‐sectional area of the erector spinae in both genders, as well as that for male rectus abdominis contained only one variable (weight). The multiple correlation coefficients of the cross‐sectional area of the erector spinae were 0.576 for males and 0.469 for females. The cross‐sectional area of the female rectus abdominis had no effective variables.
Critical Dose of Lead Affecting δ‐Aminolevulinic Acid Levels
Authors: Murata Katsuyuki , Sakai Tadashi , Morita Yoko , Iwata Toyoto , Dakeishi Miwako
Published: March 2004

Critical Dose of Lead Affecting δ‐Aminolevulinic Acid Levels: Katsuyuki Murata, et al. Akita University School of Medicine—To estimate the critical dose of the association between the blood lead concentration (BPb) and δ‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA) levels, ALA levels in plasma (ALA‐P), blood (ALA‐B), and urine (ALA‐U), and the activity of δaminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) were determined in 186 Japanese lead workers, aged 18– 62 yr, with BPb levels of 2.1–62.9 µg/dl. For this purpose, the benchmark dose (BMD) method, recently used in the environmental health field in place of the no‐observed‐adverse‐effect level, was introduced into this study. The BMD was defined as the BPb level that resulted in an increased probability of abnormal change in ALA‐related parameters by an excess risk (BMR) of 5% in exposed workers i.e., from P0 (abnormal probability of 5% in unexposed workers) to P0+BMR for exposed workers at the BMD. ALA‐related parameters were significantly correlated with BPb. The BMDs computed from the 186 workers, after controlling for age, were 15.3–20.9 µg/dl for ALA levels, and 2.9 µg/dl for ALAD; likewise, the BMDs from the 154 workers with BPb levels of less than 40 µg/dl were 3.3– 8.8 µg/dl for ALA levels, and 2.7 µg/dl for ALAD. Since the cutoff value of ALA‐P, computed from the latter workers, seems to be closer to the upper normal limit in unexposed adults than does that from the former workers, it is suggested that the critical dose of BPb causing the increased levels of ALA is below 10 µg/dl. Such critical doses are necessary to promote preventive activities of adverse effects of lead.
Systemic Effects of Orally Administered p, p′‐DDE on Immature Male Wistar Rats during Pubertal Period
Authors: Makita Yuji , Matsuura Toshiaki , Ogata Rika , Romero Yesid , Omura Minoru , Tanaka Akiyo , Hirata Miyuki , Inoue Naohide
Published: March 2004

Systemic Effects of Orally Administered p, p’‐DDE on Immature Male Wistar Rats during Pubertal Period: Yuji Makita, et al. Department of Hygiene, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University—Systemic effects of p, p’‐DDE (1, 1‐dichloro‐2, 2 bis (p‐chlorophenyl) ethylene; DDE) on immature male rats were investigated in pubertal Wistar rats after oral administration of DDE. Special rat chow containing 125 ppm DDE (approximately 10 mg/kg DDE) had been administered daily for 42 d since 6 wk of age and its effects had been observed until 12 wk of age. The administration of DDE did not produce any overt signs of toxicity. Neither physical development nor sexual maturation was affected, and serum biochemistry was not impaired at the dose used in this experiment. Moreover, the male reproductive organs and epididymal sperm count were not affected by the administration of DDE during the pubertal period. Our results showed that even immature male rats were resistant to DDE exposure at the daily dose of ca. 10 mg/kg, but metabolic and immunological changes still remained uncertain. Further investigation should be conducted to reveal all the effects of DDE on immature male rats.
Environmental Mycological Study and Respiratory Disease Investigation in Fur‐processing Workers
Authors: Chen Jie , Liu Zhenlin , Shi Jin , Wang Shusen , Yang Sufen , Lou Jiezhi , Xu Zhaofa
Published: March 2004

Environmental Mycological Study and Respiratory Disease Investigation in Fur‐processing Workers: Jie Chen, et al. Division of Pneumoconiosis, School of Public Health, China Medical University, China—This paper presents the results of an investigation of respiratory symptoms, chest X‐ray examinations, and analysis of antibodies to fungi of 138 fur‐processing workers and 40 control workers. Industrial hygiene survey and environmental mycological studies were also conducted. The dust concentrations in fur processing workshops (1.8–6.7 mg/ m3) were below the national health limit (10 mg/m3). Most dusts in all fur processing workshops contained less than 2.0% silica. Numbers of isolated fungi in fur processing workshops [629–3,681 cfu/m3 (colony forming unit/m3)] were significantly higher than those in control environments (63–503 cfu/m3). The prevalences of respiratory symptoms in fur processing workers were higher than those in control workers, especially among female exposed workers. The prevalences of the symptoms in female exposed workers were 37.9% with chronic cough, 28.4% with chronic phlegm, 10.5% with dyspnea, 22.1% with chest tightness, and 4.2% with fever. Seven cases showed abnormalities in chest X‐ray examinations. The OD450 nm values for antibodies to fungi in fur processing workers were significantly higher than those in control workers (P<0.05). The prevalences of positive anti‐fungi antibodies in fur‐processing workers were also significantly higher than those in control workers (p<0.01). The results suggested that fungi might be one of the main allergens in respiratory diseases in fur processing workers.
Plasma Concentration of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone in Traffic Policemen
Authors: Tomei Francesco , Rosati Maria Valeria , Baccolo Tiziana Paola , Bernardini Andrea , Ciarrocca Manuela , Tomao Enrico
Published: March 2004

Plasma Concentration of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone in Traffic Policemen: Francesco Tomei, et al. University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Department of Occupational Medicine— The aim of this study is to evaluate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho‐social stressors could be at risk of changes on plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH(P)] levels compared to a control group. Traffic policemen were matched by sex, age, length of service and drinking habit (<50 g of wine or beer per day) with a control group after excluding principal confounding factors; 62 traffic policemen with outdoor activity (34 men and 28 women) and 62 control subjects with indoor activity (34 men and 28 women) were included in the study. The levels of ACTH(P) were significantly higher in male and female traffic policemen than in the control subjects (respectively P=0.040, P=0.043). The authors hypothesise that occupational exposure to chemical and physical stressors, that may interact with possible psycho‐social stressors, could cause a change in ACTH(P) levels in traffic policemen.
Oxidative Stress, hogg1 Expression and NF‐κB Activity in Cells Exposed to Low Level Chromium
Authors: Kim Yong‐Dae , An Sung‐Chul , Oyama Tsunehiro , Kawamoto Toshihiro , Kim Heon
Published: March 2004

Oxidative Stress, hogg1 Expression and NF‐κB Activity in Cells Exposed to Low Level Chromium: Yong‐Dae Kim, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, South Korea— Chromium compounds are carcinogenic to the human lung, although the detailed biochemical mechanism is still unclear. To understand the carcinogenic mechanism in cells exposed to low level hexavalent chromium, we measured the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and 8‐hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8‐OH‐dG), the transcription of hogg1, which encodes an 8‐OH‐dG repair protein, and NF‐κB activation levels in the A549 human lung epithelial cell line after exposure to Cr (VI) at concentrations of 12.5 to 800 µM. In A549 cells, ROS levels and DNA binding by NF‐κB increased in proportion to the concentration of Cr (VI). These increases were diminished by pretreatment with catalase, superoxide dismutase, or D‐mannitol, but the levels of 8‐OH‐dG and expression of hogg1 did not change significantly with Cr (VI) exposure. These results suggest that the induction of ROS and the activation of NF‐κB are important in the carcinogenic mechanism of Cr (VI), but it is unlikely that Cr (VI) concentrations below 800 µM increase 8‐OH‐dG levels or the expression of hogg1.
Enhancement of a Sense of Coherence and Natural Killer Cell Activity which Occurred in Subjects who Improved their Exercise Habits through Health Education in the Workplace
Authors: Nakamura Hiroyuki , Matsuzaki Ichiyo , Sasahara Shinichiro , Hatta Kotaro , Nagase Hirofumi , Oshita Yoshiko , Ogawa Yukie , Nobukuni Yoshitaka , Kambayashi Yasuhiro , Ogino Keiki
Published: March 2004

Enhancement of a Sense of Coherence and Natural Killer Cell Activity which Occurred in Subjects who Improved their Exercise Habits through Health Education in the Workplace: Hiroyuki Nakamura, et al. Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University— We have previously demonstrated that a sense of coherence (SOC), a candidate for a mediating stress factor, is involved in natural killer cell activity (NKCA) reduced in smokers, whereas the relationship among exercise, NKCA and SOC is unclear. To clarify the effects of exercise on SOC and NKCA, we examined the changes in SOC and NKCA before and after health education to encourage exercise. Of one‐hundred and one male office workers who received the health education for one year, 27 improved, 65 were unchanged and 9 had deteriorated exercise habits. The repeated measures analysis of variance showed that SOC in workers with improvement in the exercise habit were increased more significantly by the health education than those in workers without improvement (p<0.05). Although the change in NKCA produced by health education was recognized to be significantly different in those who had never smoked from that in current smokers (p<0.05), multiple regression analysis demonstrated that improvement in health practice significantly contributed to increases in both SOC (p<0.01) and NKCA (p<0.05) in never smokers, independently of other psychological factors. These results suggest that subjects with improvement in exercise enhance NKCA through increased SOC in never smokers.
Alcohol Consumption, Serum gamma‐Glutamyltransferase Levels, and Coronary Risk Factors in a Middle‐Aged Occupational Population
Authors: Yamada Yuichi , Noborisaka Yuka , Suzuki Hisa , Ishizaki Masao , Yamada Seiji
Published: March 2004

Alcohol Consumption, Serum gamma‐Glutamyltransferase Levels, and Coronary Risk Factors in a Middle‐Aged Occupational Population: Yuichi Yamada, et al. Department of Hygiene, Kanazawa Medical University—The relationships between alcohol consumption, serum gamma‐glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels, and the prevalence of major coronary risk factors were analyzed crosssectionally in 2,399 male and 1,402 female middle‐aged workers, to clarify the effects of moderate alcohol consumption on the development of the metabolic syndrome. Male moderate drinkers, consuming less than 60 ml of alcohol per day, had a lower prevalence of upper body obesity and low serum HDL‐cholesterolemia (LHDLC) in comparison with nondrinkers, but not of hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance or hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). In women, alcohol consumption did not show any significant associations with the coronary risk factors. Men with an elevated serum GGT (EGGT) of 40 U/l or above had a significantly higher odds ratio for all the coronary risk factors as compared with those with normal GGT, even after adjusting for alcohol consumption, together with age, body mass index, cigarette consumption and physical activity. Women with an EGGT of 25 U/l or above had similar findings, although significance was found only in HTG. Nearly 80% and 55% of the appearance of EGGT in men and women were attributable to alcohol consumption, and 20% and 10% of the male and female moderate drinkers had EGGT. These results suggest that even moderate alcohol consumption will increase coronary risk factors characteristic of the metabolic syndrome in drinkers who have an increase in serum GGT. Further studies are required to confirm the causal association between alcohol consumption, increase in serum GGT and development of the metabolic syndrome.
The Relationship between Cold Exposure and Hypertension
Authors: Kim Joon‐Youn , Jung Kap‐Yeol , Hong Young‐Seoub , Kim Jung‐Il , Jang Tae‐Won , Kim Jung‐Man
Published: March 2004

The Relationship between Cold Exposure and Hypertension: Joon‐Youn Kim, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine, Medical College, Dong‐A University, Korea—This study was performed to determine whether there was any relationship between cold exposure and hypertension, and to evaluate risk factors affecting hypertension in cold‐exposed workers. In 11 refrigeration industries, 68 male workers working in cold areas more than once per day were selected as the cold‐exposed group, and 68 workers not exposed to cold were selected as the control group. The questionnaire survey, clinical and laboratory tests were performed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly higher in the cold‐exposed group, and body core temperature was significantly lower in the cold‐exposed group (p<0.05). In logistic regression analysis, age, cold exposure severity and milk intake were significant variables affecting hypertension in cold‐exposed workers, whose odd ratios were 5.204 (95% CI 1.440–18.812), 2.674 (95% CI 1.080–6.618), and 0.364 (95% CI 0.141–0.942), respectively. Cold exposure was a risk factor for hypertension, and risk factors affecting hypertension in cold exposed workers were age, cold exposure severity, and milk intake. Therefore, cold exposed workers should minimize cold exposure time as much as possible, and ingest foods containing calcium such as milk. In particular, old workers working in cold areas should check their blood pressure and electrocardiogram periodically.
Gene Expression of Surfactant Protein‐A and Thyroid Transcription Factor‐1 in Lungs of Rats Exposed to Silicon‐Carbide Whisker in vivo
Authors: Morimoto Yasuo , Ding Li , Oyabu Takako , Kim Heungnam , Ogami Akira , Hirohashi Masami , Nagatomo Hiroko , Yamato Hiroshi , Akiyama Izumi , Hori Hajime , Higashi Toshiaki , Tanaka Isamu
Published: March 2004

Gene Expression of Surfactant Protein‐A and Thyroid Transcription Factor‐1 in Lungs of Rats Exposed to Silicon‐Carbide Whisker in vivo: Yasuo Morimoto, et al. Institute of Industrial and Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health—Intratracheal instillation studies have shown that exposure to silicon carbide whisker (SiCW), an asbestos substitute, produces pulmonary fibrotic changes, suggesting that SICW might have a fibrogenic potential. It is thought that surfactant protein is a good biomarker of lung injury and pulmonary fibrotic activity. In order to explore whether or not surfactant protein is associated with lung disorder through exposure to SiCW, we examined the expression of SP‐A, SP‐C and thyroid transcription factor‐1 (TTF‐1), a common transcription factor of SP‐A and SP‐C mRNA in lungs exposed to SiCW. Male Wistar rats were administered 2 mg or 10 mg of SiCW suspended in saline by a single intratracheal instillation, and were sacrificed at 3 d, 1 wk, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after the intratracheal instillation. RNA was subsequently extracted from the lungs, and expression of SP‐A, SP‐C and TTF‐1 mRNA from the lungs was observed by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Exposure to 2 mg of SiCW showed a decrease in mRNA of SP‐A and TTF‐1 at 6 months, but exposure to 10 mg of SiCW showed decreased levels of SP‐A and TTF‐1 mRNA at 3 d and 6 months. On the other hand, 2 mg of SiCW increased the level of SP‐C mRNA from 3 d to 3 months, and 10 mg of SiCW decreased the levels of SP‐C mRNA in the rat lungs at 3 d, 1 month and 6 months. No clear tendency to the expression of SP‐C was observed, but the patterns of expression of TTF‐1 and SP‐A were similar.

These data suggest that SP‐A and TTF‐1 are associated with not only the acute phase but also the chronic phase in lungs exposed to SiCW.
Persistent Insomnia is a Predictor of Hypertension in Japanese Male Workers
Authors: Suka Machi , Yoshida Katsumi , Sugimori Hiroki
Published: March 2004

Persistent Insomnia is a Predictor of Hypertension in Japanese Male Workers: Machi Suka, et al. Department of Preventive Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine—Insomnia is one of the most common complaints at worksites, as well as in the general population. This study aims to assess the effect of insomnia on the development of hypertension in Japanese male workers. Using the annual health examination database of a Japanese telecommunication company, eligible middle‐aged male participants in the 1994 health examination were followed up until 1998 or the development of hypertension (either initiation of antihypertensive therapy or a systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg and/ or a diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg). The effect of difficulty initiating sleep (DIS) was assessed with a DIS dataset (n=4,794), which included non‐DIS (n=4,602) and persistent‐DIS (n=192) subjects. That of difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS) was assessed with a DMS dataset (n=4,443), which included non‐DMS (n=4,157) and persistent‐DMS (n=286) subjects. The incidence of hypertension among persistent‐DIS (40.1%; 130.7 per 1,000 person‐yr) was significantly higher than that among non‐DIS (30.6%; 89.9 per 1,000 person‐yr). The incidence of hypertension among persistent‐DMS (42.3%; 136.7 per 1,000 person‐yr) was significantly higher than that among non‐DMS (30.7%; 90.8 per 1,000 person‐yr). After adjusting for potential confounding factors (i.e. age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, and job stress), persistent complaints of DIS and DMS were significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension (OR=1.96; 95%CI: 1.42–2.70 and OR=1.88; 95%CI: 1.45–2.45, respectively). Persistent insomnia may be a useful predictor of hypertension in Japanese male workers.
A Study on Upper Extremity Cumulative Trauma Disorder in Different Unorganised Sectors of West Bengal, India
Authors: Gangopadhyay Somnath , Ray Arpita , Das Avijit , Das Tamal , Ghoshal Goutam , Banerjee Prasun , Bagchi Sonchita
Published: March 2004

A Study on Upper Extremity Cumulative Trauma Disorder in Different Unorganised Sectors of West Bengal, India: Somnath Gangopadhyay, et al. Department of Physiology, Ergonomics Laboratory, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, India—Cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) is a term used to describe a class of soft tissue injuries that result due to a number of occupational activities. These disorders commonly occur among workers who are engaged in highly repetitive jobs involving continuous hand exertion, vibration and localized mechanical pressure. In the present investigation, an attempt was made to evaluate the prevalence of CTD among workers associated with strenuous hand intensive jobs in unorganized sectors in India and to highlight the unsafe working conditions to which these workers have been exposed for several years. For this purpose, an experiment was performed on 25 male workers from each group. The groups were classified into meat cutters, typists, tailors, visual display terminal (VDT) operators & weavers. For the symptom survey, a questionnaire and checklist method was implemented. Along with these, a detailed time study was performed among the workers during different activities in the total work cycle. For this study a two‐tail chi‐square test of independence was applied to determine whether or not the feeling of discomfort had any significant association with the repetitiveness of the work. From the observations and analysis of the results, it was revealed that all the activities are repetitive, i.e. over 50% of the work cycle of each activity involved the respective main activity where similar kinds of motion patterns were performed. Therefore it can be concluded that high repetitiveness, prolonged work activity and remaining in static posture for a prolong period of time may be regarded as the causative factors in the occurrence of CTD.
Sources and Assessment of Occupational Stress in the Police
Authors: Deschamps Frédéric , Paganon‐Badinier Isabelle , Marchand Annie‐Claude , Merle Corinne
Published: March 2004

Sources and Assessment of Occupational Stress in the Police: Frédéric Deschamps, et al. Department of Occupational Health, Faculté de Médecine, Reims, France—The role of the police in Western society is undergoing a transformation that reflects the economic social and technological changes in the community and the assertion of individual rights within a democracy. The aim of this study is to evaluate level of stress among a group of French policemen and to examine the association between policing, potential stressors and stress levels. The sample is drawn from a large metropolitan police force (n=617). The population extends from the first line policeman to top senior management. Each policeman is matched for age (more or less five years) and sex, to a control. Policemen and controls complete a self administered questionnaire including demographic, occupational and health characteristics, and a stress level assessment with the help of a visual analogue scale. The average age of the two groups is 40 yr. Eighty‐four percent are men. The total score for average sources is not statistically significantly different for policemen and controls. Comparison of a police group with a high stress level to a police population with a low and moderate stress level is made. The comparison is done first only with men, and second with the whole population. Policemen with a high stress level (same results only for men and the whole population) belong to the following groups: more than 15 yr service, sergeant, officer and administrative employee rank, divorced experience, age over 30, no leisure‐time activities and no hobbies. Multivariate analysis shows that the two last parameters are bound to the stress level. For the whole population, age over 30 has to be added, and for the group of men, length of service over five years should be noted. Stress at work is an ill‐health provoking factor. Police from minority groups such as ageing subjects or police officers have been reported to experience greater stress. This population is adversely affected by lack of available manpower and long working hours. In fact sources of stress in the police population are found both in the weariness of the job and private life planning.
Toxicity due to 2‐ and 13‐wk Inhalation Exposures of Rats and Mice to N, N‐Dimethylformamide
Authors: Senoh Hideki , Katagiri Taku , Arito Heihachiro , Nishizawa Tomoshi , Nagano Kasuke , Yamamoto Seigo , Matsushima Taijiro
Published: March 2004

Toxicity due to 2‐ and 13‐wk Inhalation Exposures of Rats and Mice to N,N‐Dimethylformamide: Hideki Senoh, et al. Japan Bioassay Research Center, Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association—In order to better characterize the toxicity of N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) and to provide its basic toxicity data for risk assessment of workers exposed to DMF, F344 rats and BDF1 mice of both sexes were exposed by inhalation (6 h/d × 5 d/wk) to 100, 200, 400, 800 or 1,600 ppm DMF for 2 wk, and 50, 100, 200, 400 or 800 ppm DMF for 13 wk. Three male and 7 female rats died during the 2‐wk exposure to 1,600 ppm DMF, but no death of the exposed rats or mice occurred under any other exposure conditions. Massive, focal and single cell necroses were observed in the liver of DMF‐exposed rats and mice. The massive necrosis associated with the centrilobular fibrosis occurred at the highest exposure concentration. The single cell necrosis was associated with fragmentation of the nucleoli as well as an increased mitotic figure. The 13‐wk exposures of rats and mice to DMF were characterized by increases in the relative liver weight and the incidence of the centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy as well as increased serum levels of AST, ALT, LDH, total cholesterol and phospholipid. Lower confidence limits of the benchmark dose yielding the response with a 10% extra risk (BMDL10) were determined for the relative liver weight and the incidence of hepatocellular hypertrophy of the 13‐wk exposed animals. The BMDL10 resulted in 1 ppm for the increased relative liver weight of male rats and mice and 17 ppm for the hepatocellular hypertrophy of male mice.
Generalized Skin Reactions in Relation to Trichloroethylene Exposure: A Review from the Viewpoint of Drug‐Metabolizing Enzymes
Authors: Nakajima Tamie , Yamanoshita Osamu , Kamijima Michihiro , Kishi Reiko , Ichihara Gaku
Published: March 2004

Generalized Skin Reactions in Relation to Trichloroethylene Exposure: A Review from the Viewpoint of Drug‐metabolizing Enzymes: Tamie Nakajima, et al. Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine—The literature was reviewed to study cases of intoxication with systemic dermatitis associated with exposure to trichloroethylene. The average age of patients in the reports reviewed to date was twenty‐nine; these diseases were found in relatively young persons and no difference was found according to gender. Many cases occurred within one month after the onset of exposure to trichloroethylene, and were accompanied by hepatitis, jaundice, hepatomegaly or hepatosplenomegaly. Most of the patients had no history of drug abuse or herpes infection. The level of exposure to trichloroethylene was not recorded in many cases, but ranged from less than 9 ppm to 800 ppm. In the severest cases, the lesions involved mucous membranes such as the conjunctiva and oral cavity, and the patients were diagnosed with Stevens‐Johnson syndrome, but the etiology of the disease after trichloroethylene exposure remains unclear. Since several drugs have also been shown to cause systemic dermatitis with hepatitis, susceptibility factors are discussed. Many patients were found to have the slow acetylator genotype of Nacetyltransferase (NAT) 2, suggesting that the NAT2 genotype is a susceptibility factor. This hypothesis may also be applicable to trichloroethylene because NAT is involved in the glutathione‐mediated metabolism.