bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Demonstration of the healthy worker survivor effect in a cohort of workers in the construction industry
Authors: Siebert U , Rothenbacher D , Daniel U , Brenner H 
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVESTo assess the potential of a healthy worker survivor effect due to differential occupational mobility in a cohort of construction workers.METHODSA cohort of 10 809 male employees in the German construction industry aged 15–64 years was followed up for occupational mobility, early retirement due to permanent disability, and total mortality from 1986 to 1994. Using the Cox's proportional hazards model of relative rates (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of occupational mobility, early retirement and total mortality were estimated according to medical diagnoses at baseline after adjustment for various covariates.RESULTSDuring follow up, 2472 subjects changed employment, 359 employees were granted a disability pension for health reasons and 188 subjects died. A wide range of chronic diseases was associated with increased rates of early retirement and total mortality but not occupational mobility. However, a healthy worker survivor effect was identified related to disorders of the back and spine (ninth revision of the international classification of diseases, ICD-9, code 720-4), a common predictor of both occupational mobility (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.32) and early retirement (RR 1.50, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.88). In total, there were about as many events of occupational changes (n = 41) as events of early retirement due to permanent disability (n = 39) significantly attributable to disorders of the back and spine. Differential occupational mobility preceded differential early retirement due to permanent disability by more than one decade.CONCLUSIONSThese findings show the need to consider a healthy worker survivor effect due to occupational mobility in occupational epidemiological research. Furthermore these results underline the necessity of further health promotion targeting work related conditions in the construction industry.
Effects of drop out in a longitudinal study of musculoskeletal disorders
Authors: Bildt C , Alfredsson L , Punnett L , Theobald H , Torgén M , Wikman A 
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVESThe drop out rates in different longitudinal studies of musculoskeletal disorders range between 7% and 57%, and little is known about the characteristics of the subjects who dropped out. The aim was to analyse various consequences of drop out in a longitudinal study of musculoskeletal disorders and occupational risk factors during 1969–97.METHODData about occupational conditions and health in 1969 and in 1993 were analysed. Differences between those who participated throughout (participants) and drop out subjects in these analyses formed the basis for recalculations of earlier reported analyses of associations between occupational conditions and low back pain. In the recalculation the data were weighted to compensate for the differences.RESULTSMore female and male drop out subjects than participants in 1993 had monotonous work, fewer women and more male drop out subjects had heavy lifting in 1969. In 1997, more female and male drop out subjects had had heavy lifting and low stimulation at work in 1993. At both occasions, there were differences between the drop out subjects and participants in occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. The weighted analyses resulted in changes in risk ratio of 0.1–0.2.CONCLUSIONSDifferences in occupational conditions and health among participants and drop out subjects in a longitudinal study of musculoskeletal disorders and occupational risk factors during 1969–97 did not markedly influence the risk ratios.
Environmental tobacco smoke and lung function in employees who never smoked: the Scottish MONICA study
Authors: Chen R , Tunstall-Pedoe H , Tavendale R 
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the relation between lung function in employees and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) at work and elsewhere.METHODSNever smokers in employment (301) were identified from the fourth Scottish MONICA survey. They completed a self administered health record, which included details of exposure to ETS, and attended a survey clinic for physical and lung function measurements, and for venepuncture for estimation of serum cotinine. Differences in lung function in groups exposed to ETS were tested by analysis of variance (ANOVA), the exposure-response relation by a linear regression model, and a case-control analysis undertaken with a logistic regression model.RESULTSBoth men and women showed effects on forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) from exposure to ETS—higher exposure going with poorer lung function. This was found at work, and in total exposure estimated from ETS at work, at home, and at other places. Linear regression showed an exposure-response relation, significant for ETS at work, total exposure, and exposure time/day, but not at home or elsewhere. Compared with those not exposed to ETS at work, those who were exposed a lot had a 254 ml (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 84 to 420) reduction in FEV1, and a 273 ml (60 to 480) reduction in FVC after adjusting for confounders. Although lung function was not significantly associated with serum cotinine in all the data, a significant inverse relation between cotinine concentration and FVC occurred in men who had had blood collected in the morning. Case-control analysis also showed a significant exposure-response relation between ETS, mainly at work, and lung function. A higher exposure measured both by self report and serum cotinine went with lower lung function.CONCLUSIONThe exposure-response relation shows a reduction in pulmonary function of workers associated with passive smoking, mainly at work. These findings endorse current policies of strictly limiting smoking in shared areas, particularly working environments.
Use of a computerised maternity information system to improve clinical effectiveness: thromboprophylaxis at caesarean section
Authors: Taylor Graham M , McKenzie Clare A , Mires Gary J 
Published: July 2002

Abstract
An audit of the introduction of a protocol for thromboprophylaxis at caesarean section revealed over treatment of low risk women and the under treatment of high risk women. A routine computer generated risk assessment profile was introduced as part of a maternity information system. Reaudit showed a significant improvement in adherence to the thromboprophylaxis protocol in all risk groups.
Extensive psoriasis induced by interferon alfa treatment for chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Taylor C , Burns D A , Wiselka M J 
Published: July 2002

AbstractA 47 year old man with chronic hepatitis C was treated with interferon alfa, 3 million units three times a week, and developed widespread plaque psoriasis within weeks of starting interferon therapy. There was no previous history of psoriasis. The psoriasis was characterised by extensive nail involvement and plaques at the interferon injection sites. The patient relapsed after a total of 12 months of interferon and was subsequently treated with interferon and tribavirin (ribavirin) with recurrence of the psoriasis.
Can media advocacy influence newspaper coverage of tobacco: measuring the effectiveness of the American stop smoking intervention study's (ASSIST) media advocacy strategies
Authors: Stillman Frances A , Cronin Kathleen A , Evans W Douglas , Ulasevich Alec 
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVETo compare the rate and slant of local tobacco control print media coverage in ASSIST (American stop smoking intervention study) states as compared with non-ASSIST states.METHODSLocal tobacco control policy articles, editorials, and letters to the editors published from 1994 to 1998 clipped from all daily local newspapers in the USA were analysed (n = 95 911). The main hypothesis tested for the existence of an interaction between ASSIST intervention and time. This interaction would represent a change in the difference between ASSIST and non-ASSIST states over the course of the intervention.RESULTSNo evidence of an ASSIST–year interaction was found. However, a main effect for ASSIST was significant for the percentage of articles with the model predicting higher rates of articles for ASSIST states. Similarly the rate of letters to the editor expressing protobacco control views was higher in ASSIST states than non-ASSIST states. No main effects or interactions were found for analyses of percentage of protobacco control editorials. Models controlled for a measure of preintervention tobacco control conditions at baseline.CONCLUSIONSThe presence of an ASSIST main effect should be interpreted with caution because of the quasi-experimental design and the lack of information on article rates before the ASSIST intervention. Nonetheless, these preliminary findings suggest some possible effects of the media advocacy activities of ASSIST when controlling for differences in states' initial tobacco control conditions.
Hungry for tobacco: an analysis of the economic impact of tobacco consumption on the poor in Bangladesh
Authors: Efroymson Debra , Ahmed Saifuddin , Townsend Joy , Alam Syed Mahbubul , Dey Amit Ranjan , Saha Ranjit , Dhar Biplob , Sujon Aminul Islam , Ahmed Kayum Uddin , Rahman Oliur 
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVETo investigate the extent of tobacco expenditures in Bangladesh and to compare those costs with potential investment in food and other essential items.DESIGNReview of available statistics and calculations based thereon.RESULTSExpenditure on tobacco, particularly cigarettes, represents a major burden for impoverished Bangladeshis. The poorest (household income of less than $24/month) are twice as likely to smoke as the wealthiest (household income of more than $118/month). Average male cigarette smokers spend more than twice as much on cigarettes as per capita expenditure on clothing, housing, health and education combined. The typical poor smoker could easily add over 500 calories to the diet of one or two children with his or her daily tobacco expenditure. An estimated 10.5 million people currently malnourished could have an adequate diet if money on tobacco were spent on food instead. The lives of 350 children could be saved each day.CONCLUSIONTobacco expenditures exacerbate the effects of poverty and cause significant deterioration in living standards among the poor. This aspect of tobacco use has been largely neglected by those working in poverty and tobacco control. Strong tobacco control measures could have immediate impact on the health of the poor by decreasing tobacco expenditures and thus significantly increasing the resources of the poor. Addressing the issue of tobacco and poverty together could make tobacco control a higher priority for poor countries.
Intermittent and daily smokers: two different socioeconomic patterns, and diverging influence of social participation
Authors: Lindström Martin , Östergren Per-Olof 
Published: July 2002

OBJECTIVETo investigate socioeconomic differences in intermittent and daily smoking, and to assess the association between social participation and these two smoking behaviours.DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS/MEASUREMENTSA population of 11 837 individuals interviewed in 1992-94, aged 45–64 years, was investigated in this cross sectional study. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to assess socioeconomic differences in daily and intermittent smoking, adjusting for age, country of origin, previous/current diseases, and marital status. Finally, social participation as a measure of social capital was introduced in the multivariate model.RESULTSWhen unskilled manual workers were compared to high level non-manual employees, odds ratios of 2.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7 to 3.0) for men and 1.9 (95% CI 1.4 to 2.5) for women were found in regard to daily smoking, but odd ratios of only 0.7 (95% CI 0.4 to 1.2) for men and 1.3 (95% CI 0.7 to 2.4) for women were found in regard to intermittent smoking. A decrease in the daily smoking odds ratios was found when social participation was introduced in the model, while the odds ratios regarding intermittent smoking were unaffected.CONCLUSIONSThere were no socioeconomic differences in intermittent smoking and no association with social participation, a result that contrasts sharply with the patterns of daily smoking. These findings have important implications for the discussion concerning social capital and preventive measures.
Cigarette acquisition and proof of age among US high school students who smoke
Authors: Jones S Everett , Sharp D J , Husten C G , Crossett L S 
Published: July 2002

Objective: To determine how US high school students who are under 18 years of age and who smoke obtain their cigarettes and whether they are asked for proof of age.Design and setting: Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 1995, 1997, and 1999 national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys which employed national probability samples of students in grades 9–12 (ages 14–18 years).Main outcome measures: Associations of usual source of cigarettes and request for proof of age with variables such as sex, race/ethnicity, grade, and frequency of smoking.Results: In 1999, among current smokers under age 18 years, 23.5% (95% confidence interval (CI), −4.5% to +4.5%) usually purchased their cigarettes in a store; among these students, 69.6% (95% CI −5.7% to +5.7%) were not asked to show proof of age. As days of past month smoking increased, reliance on buying cigarettes in a store (p < 0.001) and giving someone else money to buy cigarettes (p < 0.001) increased, and usually borrowing cigarettes decreased (p < 0.001). From 1995 to 1999, relying on store purchases significantly decreased (from 38.7% (95% CI −4.6% to + 4.6%) to 23.5% (95% CI −4.5% to +4.5%)); usually giving someone else money to buy cigarettes significantly increased (from 15.8% (95% CI −3.6% to +3.6%) to 29.9% (95% CI −4.5% to + 4.5%)).Conclusions: Stricter enforcement of tobacco access laws is needed to support other community and school efforts to reduce tobacco use among youth. Furthermore, effective interventions to reduce non-commercial sources of tobacco, including social, need to be developed and implemented.
Effects of cigarette tax on cigarette consumption and the Chinese economy
Authors: Hu T W , Mao Z 
Published: July 2002

Objectives:To analyse a policy dilemma in China on public health versus the tobacco economy through additional cigarette tax.Methods:Using published statistics from 1980 through 1997 to estimate the impact of tobacco production and consumption on government revenue and the entire economy. These estimates relied on the results of estimated price elasticities of the demand for cigarettes in China.Results:Given the estimated price elasticities (−0.54), by introducing an additional 10% increase in cigarette tax per pack (from the current 40% to 50% tax rate), the central government tax revenue would twice exceed total losses in industry revenue, tobacco farmers' income, and local tax revenue. In addition, between 1.44 and 2.16 million lives would be saved by this tax increase.Conclusions:Additional taxation on cigarettes in China would be a desirable public policy for the Chinese government to consider.
Was there significant tax evasion after the 1999 50 cent per pack cigarette tax increase in California?
Authors: Emery S , White M M , Gilpin E A , Pierce J P 
Published: July 2002

Objectives:Several states, including California, have implemented large cigarette excise tax increases, which may encourage smokers to purchase their cigarettes in other lower taxed states, or from other lower or non-taxed sources. Such tax evasion thwarts tobacco control objectives and may cost the state substantial tax revenues. Thus, this study investigates the extent of tax evasion in the 6–12 months after the implementation of California's $0.50/pack excise tax increase.Design and setting:Retrospective data analysis from the 1999 California Tobacco Surveys (CTS), a random digit dialled telephone survey of California households.Main outcome measures:Sources of cigarettes, average daily cigarette consumption, and reported price paid.Results:Very few (5.1 (0.7)% (±95% confidence limits)) of California smokers avoided the excise tax by usually purchasing cigarettes from non- or lower taxed sources, such as out-of-state outlets, military commissaries, or the internet. The vast majority of smokers purchased their cigarettes from the most convenient and expensive sources: convenience stores/gas (petrol) stations (45.0 (1.9)%), liquor/drug stores (16.4 (1.6)%), and supermarkets (8.8 (1.2)%).Conclusions:Despite the potential savings, tax evasion by individual smokers does not appear to pose a serious threat to California's excise tax revenues or its tobacco control objectives.
PROFINITE METHODS IN SEMIGROUP THEORY
Authors: WEIL PASCAL 
Published: July 2002

Many recent results in finite semigroup theory make use of profinite methods, that is, they rely on the study of certain infinite, compact semigroups which arise as projective limits of finite semigroups. These ideas were introduced in semigroup theory in the 1980s, first to describe pseudovarieties in terms of so-called pseudo-identities: this is Reiterman's theorem, which can be viewed as the (much more complex) finite algebra analogue of Birkhoff's variety theorem. Soon, these methods were used in conjunction with virtually all the other approaches of finite semigroups, notably to study the decidability of product pseudovarieties. This paper surveys the contribution of profinite methods and the way they enriched and modified finite semigroup theory.
Towards a semantic view of an extended entity-relationship model
Authors: Gogolla Martin , Hohenstein Uwe 
Published: July 2002

Nearly all query languages discussed recently for the Entity-Relationship (ER) model do not possess a formal semantics. Languages are often defined by means of examples only. The reason for this phenomenon is the essential gap between features of query languages and theoretical foundations like algebras and calculi. Known languages offer arithmetic capabilities and allow for aggregates, but algebras and calculi defined for ER models do not.
This paper introduces an extended ER model concentrating nearly all concepts of known so-called semantic data models in a few syntactical constructs. Moreover, we provide our extended ER model with a formal mathematical semantics. On this basis a well-founded calculus is developed taking into account data operations on arbitrary user-defined data types and aggregate functions. We pay special attention to arithmetic operations, as well as multivalued terms allowing nested queries, in a uniform and consistent manner. We prove our calculus only allows the formulation of safe terms and queries yielding a finite result, and to be (at least) as expressive as the relational calculi.
Database hosting in strongly-typed programming languages
Authors: Bever Martin , Lockemann Peter C. 
Published: July 2002

Database system support has become an essential part of many computer applications, which have extended beyond the more traditional commercial applications to, among others, engineering applications. Correspondingly, application programming with the need to access databases has progressively shifted to scientifically oriented languages.
Modern developments in these languages are characterized by advanced mechanisms for the liberal declaration of data types, for type checking, and facilities for modularization of large programs. The present paper examines how a DBMS can be accessed from such a language in a way that conforms to its syntax and utilizes its type-checking facilities, without modifying the language specification itself, and hence its compilers. The basic idea is to rely on facilities for defining modules as separately compilable units, and to use these to declare user-defined abstract data types.
The idea is demonstrated by an experiment in which a specific DBMS (ADABAS) is hosted in the programming language (LIS). The paper outlines a number of approaches and their problems, shows how to embed the DML into LIS, and how a more user-oriented DML can be provided in LIS.
Machine controls for analysis of variance
Authors: Weldon Roger J. 
Published: July 2002

A major problem in using the analysis of variance, as the number of factors increases, is the exponential rise in the number of interactions. Even though the experimenter may not be interested in these interactions it is impossible to ignore them in most experimental designs because of the problem of getting error terms.
It is natural therefore to look to the computer to handle the bulk of work involved in computing the interactions. A program device to get the computer to do this is described.
Can programming be liberated from the von Neumann style?
Authors: Backus John 
Published: July 2002

Conventional programming languages are growing ever more enormous, but not stronger. Inherent defects at the most basic level cause them to be both fat and weak: their primitive word-at-a-time style of programming inherited from their common ancestor—the von Neumann computer, their close coupling of semantics to state transitions, their division of programming into a world of expressions and a world of statements, their inability to effectively use powerful combining forms for building new programs from existing ones, and their lack of useful mathematical properties for reasoning about programs.
An alternative functional style of programming is founded on the use of combining forms for creating programs. Functional programs deal with structured data, are often nonrepetitive and nonrecursive, are hierarchically constructed, do not name their arguments, and do not require the complex machinery of procedure declarations to become generally applicable. Combining forms can use high level programs to build still higher level ones in a style not possible in conventional languages.
Associated with the functional style of programming is an algebra of programs whose variables range over programs and whose operations are combining forms. This algebra can be used to transform programs and to solve equations whose “unknowns” are programs in much the same way one transforms equations in high school algebra. These transformations are given by algebraic laws and are carried out in the same language in which programs are written. Combining forms are chosen not only for their programming power but also for the power of their associated algebraic laws. General theorems of the algebra give the detailed behavior and termination conditions for large classes of programs.
A new class of computing systems uses the functional programming style both in its programming language and in its state transition rules. Unlike von Neumann languages, these systems have semantics loosely coupled to states—only one state transition occurs per major computation.
The design and implementation of a table driven, interactive diagnostic programming system
Authors: Wilcox Thomas R. , Davis Alan M. , Tindall Michael H. 
Published: July 2002

CAPS is a highly interactive diagnostic compiler/interpreter that allows beginning programmers to prepare, debug, and execute fairly simple programs at a graphics display terminal. Complete syntax checking and most semantic analysis is performed as the program is entered and as it is subsequently edited. Analysis is performed character by character.
The most remarkable feature of CAPS is its ability to automatically diagnose errors both at compile time and at run time. Errors are not automatically corrected. Instead, CAPS interacts with the student to help him find the cause of his error.
Most components of CAPS are table driven, both to reduce the space needed for implementation and to increase the flexibility of the multilingual system. Over 500 students have used CAPS to learn Fortran, PL/I, or Cobol in conjunction with a computer assisted course on introductory computer science.