bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Wastewater treatment with submerged fixed bed biofilm reactor systems – design rules, operating experiences and ongoing developments
Authors: Schlegel S. , Koeser H. 
Published: April 2007

Wastewater treatment systems using bio-films that grow attached to a support media are an alternative to the widely used suspended growth activated sludge process. Different fixed growth biofilm reactors are commercially used for the treatment of municipal as well as industrial wastewater.
In this paper a fairly new fixed growth biofilm system, the submerged fixed bed biofilm reactor (SFBBR), is discussed. SFBBRs are based on aerated submerged fixed open structured plastic media for the support of the biofilm. They are generally operated without sludge recirculation in order to avoid clogging of the support media and problems with the control of the biofilm. Reactor and process design considerations for these reactors are reviewed. Measures to ensure the development and maintenance of an active biofilm are examined. SFBBRs have been applied successfully to small wastewater treatment plants where complete nitrification but no high degree of denitrification is necessary. For the pre-treatment of industrial wastewater the use of SFBBRs is advantageous, especially in cases of wastewater with high organic loading or high content of compounds with low biodegradability. Performance data from exemplary commercial plants are given. Ongoing research and development efforts aim at achieving a high simultaneous total nitrogen (TN) removal of aerated SFBBRs and at improving the efficiency of TN removal in anoxic SFBBRs.
The Meaning of Rehabilitation in the Home Environment After Acute Stroke From the Perspective of a Multiprofessional Team
Authors: Wottrich Annica Wohlin , von Koch Lena , Tham Kerstin 
Published: April 2007

Background and Purpose
Intervention programs for home-based rehabilitation are not fully described in the literature, and rehabilitation team members' experiences and tacit understanding of working with patients after stroke in the home environment need to be further understood. The aim of this study was to identify the meaning of rehabilitation in the home environment after stroke from the perspective of members of a multiprofessional team.

Subjects
Thirteen members of a multiprofessional outreach team (physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and a social worker) working at a geriatric hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, participated in the study.

Methods
A qualitative method (the Empirical Phenomenological Psychological method) was used, with data being obtained from retrospective interviews of the team members after completing home-based rehabilitation of patients after acute stroke.

Results
One main theme (“supporting continuity”) and 4 subthemes (“making a journey together from hospital to home,” “enabling experiences of functioning,” “refraining from interventions—encouraging patient problem-solving skills,” and “looking for a new phase—uncertain endings”) were revealed.

Discussion and Conclusion
The findings suggest that contextual factors, both environmental and personal, were considered to be of great importance by the members of the multiprofessional team and were accounted for when they were working in the home environment in the rehabilitation of patients after stroke. Contextual factors detected in the home environment gave valuable information to the team members, who used the information in their strategies to assist the patients in finding continuity in their daily life and to link the past to the present and the “new body” to the “old body.”
‘Shared Play’: Italo Rota
Authors: Molinari Luca 
Published: April 2007

AbstractAn enthusiastic collector of plastic toys and the kitsch, Italo Rota approaches architecture with a joyous sense of play. As Luca Molinari explains, for Rota architecture is a ‘game for adults’, offering opportunities for a colourful inclusion of elements yet also an essential joie de vivre. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Maria Giuseppina Grasso Cannizzo
Authors: Locci Massimo 
Published: April 2007

AbstractMassimo Locci describes the work of Sicilian architect Maria Giuseppina Grasso Cannizzo, ‘an obstinate perfectionist with a great deal of charisma’ who works with ‘functional rigour’ and ‘absolute formal abstraction’. He explains how, in the sensitive context of Sicily's historic urban centres, Grasso Cannizzo has taken early 20th‐century buildings, cleaned up the exteriors and emptied the interiors, and rigorously inserted her own ‘rarefied pieces’. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perceptions
Authors: Puglisi Luigi Prestinenza 
Published: April 2007

AbstractLorens Holm and Paul Guzzardo speculate on a future landscape enriched by digital culture. Rather than provide sanctuary or comfort zones in the event of global environmental collapse, laser\net is a model for exploring landscape terrains that establish ‘agora’‐like meeting places as a basis for electronic exchange and progression. Re‐mix platforms thus become collaborative sites for all who seek to engage in this rurality. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Italian Architecture from the Outside In
Authors: Ibelings Hans 
Published: April 2007

AbstractHans Ibelings, the Dutch editor of A10: new European architecture, provides a reticent but entirely perceptive account of the Italian architecture scene from a wider European perspective. Architectural culture in Italy may be nascent in comparison to some of its continental neighbours, but it is ‘richer and more versatile’ than it has been for many years. He emphasises the role that ‘an intermediate generation’ has played in smoothing the way for a more confident, emerging generation of designers. Copyright © 2007 Hans Ibelings.
Translocation of inhaled asbestos fibers from the lung to other tissues
Authors: Suzuki Y. , Kohyama N. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractTo investigate translocation of asbestos fibers, tissue samples from 13 North American insulators were examined, using electron microscopy. Of the two major types of asbestos, chrysotile and amosite, chrysotile was found to be much more active in the translocation than amosite, being the fiber mainly detected in mesotheliomas and hyaline plaques.
Tumors of the urinary bladder in painters: A case‐control study
Authors: Myslak Zdislaw W. , Bolt Hermann M. , Brockmann Winfried 
Published: April 2007

AbstractIn a case‐control study, 403 male patients with a diagnosis of “bladder tumor” and (as controls) 426 patients suffering from prostate disease were investigated. The results of this study indicate that past employment as a painter was associated with an excess risk of bladder tumor. The relative risk of bladder tumor estimated for painters was 2.76. The possible role of benzidine‐based azodyes (or azodyes based on substituted benzidines) as a carcinogenic risk factor for painters is discussed.
Occupational sentinel health events: An up‐dated list for physician recognition and public health surveillance
Authors: Mullan Robert J. , Murthy Leela I. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractAn occupational sentinel health event (SHE[O]) is a disease, disability, or untimely death, which is occupationally related and whose occurrence may: 1) provide the impetus for epidemiologic or industrial hygiene studies; or 2) serve as a warning signal that materials substitution, engineering control, personal protection, or medical care may be required. Following survey of scientific literature, a list of 50 disease conditions linked to the workplace was presented in 1983; these were codable within the framework of the International Classification of Diseases system (ICD‐9). Three criteria were used for inclusion: documentation of associated agent(s), of involved industries, and of involved occupations. The up‐dated list contains 64 diseases or conditions and a bibliography of literature citations. The list is useful for the practicing physician in occupational disease recognition, for occupational morbidity and mortality surveillance, and as a periodically up‐dated database of occupationally related diseases.
First‐aid reports of acute chlorine gassing among pulpmill workers as predictors of lung health consequences
Authors: Salisbury David A. , Enarson Donald A. , Chan‐Yeung Moira , Kennedy Susan M. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractWorkers in pulpmills can be exposed to a multitude of gases hazardous to respiratory function, the most common of which is chlorine gas. First‐aid reports of acute gas overexposure incidents (“gassings”) over an 8 year period were used to generate exposure data on a group of pulpmill workers whose respiratory function had been studied cross‐sectionally in 1981 and 1988. Three hundred forty‐eight incidents representing 174 workers were identified, 78% of these being treated solely by the first‐aid attendant with the administration of 0, and cough suppression medication. Among 316 workers tested during a 1988 respiratory health survey, 78 had at least one chlorine or chlorine dioxide “gassing” incident. There was a significant decrease in the FEV1/FVC ratio (p < .05) as well as increased risk for workplace associated chest symptoMS in this group with at least one “gassing” incident. In an age‐ and smoking‐matched analysis, among workers tested both in 1981 and 1988, there was a greater decline in FEV1/FVC ratio and MMF (p < .05) in the “gassed” group than in the nonexposed group over the 7 year period of observation. These results eMPHasize the need for worker protection against accidental chlorine gas exposures.
Mortality study of British pathologists
Authors: Hall Alisa , Harrington J. Malcolm , Aw Tar‐Ching 
Published: April 2007

AbstractPathologists eligible for inclusion in the study were identified from the membership lists of the Royal College of Pathologists from 1974 to 1987, establishing a population of 4,512 members. Overall mortality was lower among the study group compared with the general population of England and Wales, although there were significantly more deaths due to suicide (observed 13, expected 4.9, SMR 265, 95% CI 141–454). Excess deaths due to cancer of the lyMPHatic and hemopoietic system were noted but they were not significantly increased. An excess of brain cancer death was marginally significant for male pathologists (observed 6, expected 2.5, SMR 240, 95% CI 88–522). Six of the 9 (66.7%) cases of all types of brain tumors reported in total were among hematologists, although this sub‐specialty comprises approximately 16% of all pathologists.
Brain damage caused by hydrogen sulfide: A follow‐up study of six patients
Authors: Tvedt Bjørn , Skyberg Knut , Aaserud Olaf , Hobbesland Anund , Mathiesen Tove 
Published: April 2007

AbstractHydrogen sulfide (H2S) poisoning involves a risk of hypoxic brain damage. Six patients who lost consciousness due to H2S poisoning are described. The symptoMS varied from anosmia in the patient with the shortest but highest exposure to delayed neurological deterioration in the patient with the longest exposure. The two patients with the most serious symptoMS developed pulmonary edema, which may have prolonged the hypoxia. The patients were reexaminated 5 years or more after the poisoning. The five patients who had been unconscious in H2S atmosphere for from 5 to 15–20 min showed persisting impairment at neurological and neuropsychological re‐examination. Memory and motor function were most affected. One patient was seriously demented. Recent reports of large groups of H2S‐poisoned workers probably underestimate the risk of sequelae, due to the inclusion of cases with exposure of short duration and lack of follow‐up.
Biological monitoring of the occupational exposure to halothane (fluothane) in operating room personnel
Authors: Imbriani Marcello , Ghittori Sergio , Zadra Paola , Imberti Roberto 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe concentration of halothane (fluothane) in the ambient atmosphere was determined in five operating theaters of two hospitals in Italy. The concentrations of halothane in the ambient air exceeded the NIOSH recommended time‐weighted average exposure levels (median value: 10.38 mg/m3). Halothane was detected in the urine of 58 exposed subjects (anesthetists, surgeons, and nurses). A significant correlation was found between the halothane concentration in urine produced during the shift (Cu, μg/L) and halothane environmental concentration (CI, mg/m3) (Cu = 0.242 × CI + 3.51) (N = 58; r = 0.92; p < 0.0001). The results show that the urinary halothane concentration can be used as an appropriate biological exposure index. The biological values proposed are: 92 μg/L, corresponding to a 50 ppm of environmental exposure; 6.5 μg/L, corresponding to 2 ppm of environmental exposure and 3.9 μg/L, corresponding to a 0.5 ppm of environmental exposure.
Indirect fertility analysis in painters exposed to ethylene glycol ethers: Sensitivity and specificity
Authors: Welch Laura S. , Plotkin Elizabeth , Schrader Steven 
Published: April 2007

AbstractSemen analysis has proven useful in the clinical diagnosis of infertility and is the most widely used method of monitoring the effects of occupational exposure on male fertility. Collection and analysis of semen samples in a field setting, however, require a highly motivated population and excellent technical resources, limiting the widespread application of the method. Techniques of monitoring male worker fertility using questionnaires to avoid some of the difficulties of semen analysis have been developed. These methods compare the rate of observed births for wives of workers with expected birth rates derived either from U.S. fertility tables or from unexposed workers. The present study compares the sensitivity of this questionnaire method with that of semen analysis in an evaluation of reproductive function in men exposed to ethylene glycol ethers. The reproductive function of 74 married painters exposed to ethylene glycol ethers was compared with that of 51 married controls employed at a shipyard. The groups differed in sperm count, but the questionnaire method showed no effect of exposure on fertility. This analysis suggests that the questionnaire assessment of fertility is less sensitive than semen analysis as a screening tool for male reproductive function.
A retrospective cohort mortality study of blending and packaging workers of mobil corporation
Authors: Collingwood Kim W. , Milcarek Barry I. , Raabe Gerhard K. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThis retrospective cohort mortality study examined 2,467 workers in lubrication products blending and packaging (B&P) operations at two refineries of Mobil Corporation between January 1, 1945 and December 31, 1978. Ninety‐seven percent were male. Compared with U.S. males, there were significantly fewer deaths observed among males due to all causes, external causes, and diseases of the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and genitourinary systems. Deaths observed from all cancer were fewer than expected, although not statistically significant. No statistically significant excess cause‐specific mortality occurred at B&P facilities combined or separately. Nonsignificant increases in mortality were observed for cancers of the stomach, large intestine, prostate, the category of “other lymphatic tissue” cancer, and leukemia and aleukemia. Analyses demonstrated a statistically significant pattern of increasing SMR with employment duration for “other lymphatic tissue” cancer. Within the highest cumulative duration of employment category, the excess was confined to workers after 30 or more years since first employment. Although the interpretation of cancer mortality patterns is limited due to small numbers of deaths, the absence of associations with specific B&P departments is evidence against a causal interpretation.
Targeting of workplace inspections for lead
Authors: Seligman Paul J. , Halperin William E. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe prevention of occupational lead poisoning requires identification of worksites with ongoing excessive lead exposures. The utility of different sources of surveillance data in identifying worksites was evaluated by comparing a list of companies inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for lead with 1) Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) claims for lead poisoning, and 2) the New York Health Department's Heavy Metal Registry (NYHMR) reports of individuals with elevated blood lead levels. For the period 1981 through 1985, the NYHMR identified 179 companies with at least one employee having an elevated blood lead level. Of the 134 OSHA inspections conducted in New York during the same time period, 23 (17%) companies were identified by the NYHMR. In Ohio from 1979 through 1985, 50 companies had workers' compensation claims filed against them involving documented elevated blood lead levels. OSHA inspected 306 companies; 23 (7.5%) were identified by the BWC. In both states, companies inspected by OSHA were concentrated in larger industries with traditional, well‐recognized lead hazards (e.g., primary metal and fabricated metals). Companies identified by compensation claims and laboratory reports tended to be in industries dominated by smaller establishments where lead is not a primary part of the industrial process (e.g., automotive repair and construction). Sources of surveillance data, such as workers' compensation claims and laboratory reports, identify worksites that tend not to be routinely inspected by OSHA and which need intervention to prevent excessive lead exposure. To maximize the impact of public health resources devoted to the elimination of occupational lead poisoning, follow‐up efforts at companies identified by state health departments and workers' compensation systems offer an important opportunity to complement OSHA's inspection efforts.
A cross‐sectional study of pulmonary function among workers exposed to multimetals in the glass bangle industry
Authors: Rastogi Subodh K. , Gupta Brahma N. , Husain Tanveer , Chandra Harish , Mathur Neeraj , Pangtey Balram S. , Chandra Satya V. , Garg Nikhil 
Published: April 2007

AbstractSpirometric lung functions were evaluated in 220 asymptomatic glass bangle workers exposed to the salts of various heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead, zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, cadmium, and selenium, which are used as coloring agents in the manufacture of glass bangles. The mean values of various spirometric variables (viz. FVC, FEV1, IMBC, and PEFR) were within normal range (more than 80% of the predicted values) in both smoking and nonsmoking glass bangle workers and did not reveal any significant differences in comparison with those observed in the unexposed controls. However, variables such as FEV1/FVC% ratio, FEF25–75 and FEF75–85 were reduced significantly (p < 0.001) in the exposed group. The reduction was more marked in the smoking glass bangle workers indicating additive effect of cigarette smoking on the small airways. The exposed group showed a significantly higher prevalence (16.3%) of respiratory impairment in comparison to that observed in the controls (7.9%) as a result of exposure to various metals in the work environment (p < 0.01). The respiratory impairment observed in the exposed group indicated primarily restrictive pattern of pulmonary abnormality (10.4%), while the controls revealed only 1.1% prevalence of this disease (p < 0.001). The effect of the duration of exposure on the prevalence of respiratory impairment in the glass bangle industry revealed significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.05) in chose who worked for more than 10 years (23.0%) than in those who worked for less than 10 years (10.8%) thereby indicating that the duration of exposure is directly related to the prevalence of respiratory impairment.
Measurement precision of an olfactory perception threshold test for use in field studies
Authors: Fortier Isabel , Ferraris Jocelyne , Mergler Donna 
Published: April 2007

AbstractChanges in olfactory function have been associated with workplace exposure to a variety of substances. In the workplace, smell can be particurly important, since it is commonly used to detect potentially hazardous situations or as an indicator of mask cartridge breakthrough. Sensitive quantitative measures of olfactory loss would be useful in epidemiological studies and workplace surveillance. The objective of the present study was to determine the reproducibility of an olfactory perception threshold test and variations with age, gender, and smoking status. The test was a standard olfactory kit (Olfactolab No. 11), including 18 serial dilutions of PM‐carbinol, with an equal number of blanks. The forced choice method was used, with both tester and subject blinded as to which bottle contained the odorant. Olfactory perception threshold was recorded when the subject identified the same dilution three times. To assess reproducibility, testing was repeated four times over a period of 4 weeks, on the same weekday and the same time of day. Subjects (n = 63) ranged in age from 20 to 60 years (mean age: 39.7 ± 12.5 years), 47.6% were women, 29.5% currently smoked, and 27.9% were former smokers. Results showed no inter‐week differences in olfactory perception threshold (Analysis of variance for repeated measures: F = 0.59; p >> 0.05). Inter‐class correlation for assessment of agreement of continuous variables was 0.76. Inter‐week concordance of hyposmia showed fair to good agreement (0.55≥kappa≤0.66). Three‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences with respect to age cateogry (F = 7.36; p < 0.001) and current smoking status (F = 4.54; p < 0.05), but not for gender (F = 2.32; p > 0.05). The multiple regression model with age and smoking as independent variables was highly significant (F= 13.03; p < 0.001), explaining 28% of the variance; olfactory threshold increased 0.47 dsiyear (t = 4.01; p < 0.001) and 0.27 ds/cigarettes/day (t = 2.46; p < 0.05). The findings of this study indicate that this test is reproducible and sensitive to expected changes with age and smoking status. It corresponds well to criteria for testing in the field and should be considered for studies characterizing olfactory functions and sensory loss among working populations.
Investigation of a fatality among parathion applicators in California
Authors: Osorio Ana Maria , Ames Richard G. , Rosenberg Jon , Mengle Donald C. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractStaff of the California Department of Health Services investigated the death of a parathion applicator in California that was thought to be pesticide‐related. A crew of eleven workers (including six sprayers, three mixeriloaders, one mixerisprayer and one foreman) had been applying 0.125% parathion spray to almond orchards for approximately three weeks. On the day of the fatality, a sprayer rapidly developed symptoms of salivation, sweating, and convulsions after a half‐day of work. Despite aggressive medical treatment, the worker died within one hour of his initial symptoms. Significant laboratory results for the deceased case included: parathion residue on the inner and outer garments worn by the worker, parathion in the post‐mortem gastric contents, and elevated urinary metabolites consistent with acute parathion intoxication. Interviews with the work crew revealed that three of the 10 workers had complaints of headaches, vomiting, and/or sore throat; yet, subsequent plasma and red cell cholinesterase tests of the co‐workers did not show any significant depressions in comparison with pre‐season baseline values. This worker death is consistent with prior reports of parathion‐related sprayer/applicator intoxications and is the first worker‐related parathion death in California since 1972. Substitution of pesticides with less toxic active ingredients or the elimination of parathion is recommended.