bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk of ischemic heart disease among primary aluminum production workers
Authors: Thériault Gilles P. , Tremblay Claude G. , Armstrong Ben G. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe risk of ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been studied in relation to working conditions encountered in a primary aluminum smelter employing over 6,000 men. During the period 1975‐1983, 306 new cases of IHD were identified which were matched with 575 referents. A logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for differences in smoking habits, high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, hypercholesterol‐emia, and obesity. Results from this showed that white collar workers had a significantly lower risk of IHD (odds ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.31‐0.70). Among blue collar workers, a significantly higher risk was observed for workers in the reduction division of the plant (OR 1.72, CI 1.09‐2.97) including, in particular, Soderberg (OR 1.71, CI 1.07‐2.72) and prebake (OR 2.26, CI. 1.27‐4.02) potroom workers. The risk of IHD did not increase with the length of time worked in these occupations. The search for associations (among blue collar workers) of risk with nine specific contaminants (benzene soluble material, fluoride, total dust, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, thermal stress, noise, physical load, and mental load) proved inconclusive, with no association reaching statistical significance.
Spontaneous Abortion in Women Employed in Plastics Manufacture
Authors: McDonald Alison D. , Lavoie Jacques , Côté Rosanne , McDonald J. Corbett 
Published: April 2007

AbstractAn analysis was made of 193 current and previous pregnancies of women employed at time of conception in the plastics industry, derived from a survey of work and pregnancy in 56,012 women in Montreal, 1982–84. The ratio of observed to expected spontaneous abortions, corrected by logistic regression for seven nonoccupational confounding variables, was elevated (1.27), but not significantly (90% confidence interval [CI] 0.91–1.72), in women engaged in process work. The ratio was significantly raised (1.58, 90% CI 1.02–2.35) in women whose work included the processing of polystyrene. Nonsignificant excesses in women working with polyolefine (1.30) and polyvinyl (1.39) were present only when exposure also included other types of plastic; no excess was observed in women whose work did not include polystyrene. The number of women (17) exposed to polyurethane was too small for any conclusion to be drawn about this group.
Cross‐sectional and longitudinal changes in pulmonary function associated with automobile pollution among bridge and tunnel officers
Authors: Evans R. Gregory , Webb Karen , Homan Sharon , Ayres Stephen M. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of emissions from the internal combustion engine on pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms in men collecting tolls and directing traffic in areas with high levels of air pollution. Bridge and tunnel officers (BTOs) were administered pulmonary function tests and respiratory questionnaires for up to 11 consecutive years (n = 944). Carboxyhemoglobin levels were also measured. Regression coefficients on year tested were calculated on 466 individuals (49% of all BTOs) tested at least 3 years. The tunnel workers had significantly lower FEV1s (forced expiratory volume at one second) and FVCs (forced vital capacity), respiratory symptoms, and higher carboxyhemoglobin levels than the bridge workers. BTOs working over 20 years had the lowest mean pulmonary function values, the steepest slopes, and the most respiratory symptoms. We believe that the data show an association between working as a bridge and tunnel officer and decreased pulmonary function and increased respiratory symptoms, but it was not readily evident whether the effects were of clinical importance.
Alveolar Fiber Load in Asbestos Workers and in Subjects With No Occupational Asbestos Exposure: An Electron Microscopy Study
Authors: Chiappino Gerolamo , Friedrichs Karl H. , Rivolta Giuseppe , Forni Alessandra 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe alveolar fiber load was evaluated by bronchoalveolar lavage and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) in 50 subjects with or without occupational exposure to asbestos. The concentration of asbestos fibers in bronchoalveolar lavage was significantly higher in the groups of people currently and formerly occupationally exposed, compared to the concentration found in people only exposed environmentally, despite wide interindividual variation within the groups. Nonasbestos inorganic fibers were present in all groups, but the concentrations did not differ significantly. Both in people occupationally exposed and in those only environmentally exposed, the alveolar load consisted mainly of ultrashort and ultrathin fibers, which can be studied only with TEM. In fact, the percentage of fibers >5 μm long was only around 15% in the occupationally exposed and was minimal in those only environmentally exposed. The geometric mean diameters of asbestos fibers retained in the alveoli ranged from 0.05 μm for chrysotile to 0.15 μm for amphiboles.
Increased Risks of Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Malignant Lymphoma, and Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Abattoir Workers
Authors: Pearce Neil , Smith Allan H. , Reif John S. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThis paper presents a review and further analysis of a series of New Zealand case‐control studies which have found elevated risks for soft tissue sarcoma (STS), non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in abattoir workers. The first published study involved 82 cases of STS (ICD 171) and found a relative risk of 2.8 (90% confidence interval 1.3–6.3). Interviews with an additional 51 cases reported here revealed a relative risk of 1.6 (90% confidence interval 0.9–3.0). Two further studies involved interviews with 100 cases of the category of NHL involving lymphosarcoma and reticulosarcoma (ICD 200) and 83 cases of other NHL (ICD 202). Relative risk estimates were 1.8 (90% confidence interval 1.1–2.9) and 1.7 (90% confidence interval 1.0–2.8), respectively. A study of 150 cases of AML (ICD 205.0) found a relative risk of 2.5 for abattoir workers (90% confidence interval 1.3–4.7). Finally, a United States cohort study found a standardized mortality ratio of 2.4 (90% confidence interval 0.8–5.4) for Hodgkin's disease (ICD 201) and 2.2 (90% confidence interval 0.8–4.5) for cancer of other lymphatic tissue (ICD 202, 203, 208) among abattoir workers. Abattoir workers are potentially exposed to oncogenic viruses, including bovine leukemia virus. Some workers may also be exposed to the animal carcinogen 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol when treating pelts.
Occupational Asthma Due to Toluene Diisocyanate Among Velcro‐Like Tape Manufacturers
Authors: Wang Jung‐Der , Huang Ping‐Hung , Lin Jia‐Ming , Su Shyh‐Young , Wu Min‐Chien 
Published: April 2007

AbstractDuring September‐November, 1985, four employees of a factory were seen at the occupational clinic complaining of cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing. All four worked in the same area of the factory where an adhesive containing toluene diisocyanate (TDI) was applied to velcro‐like tape during manufacturing. To confirm the diagnosis of TDI‐induced asthma and determine the prevalence among workers, 38 workers were interviewed and examined (84%) in the factory. Air samples were also taken from several areas in the factory to determine the TDI concentration. For analysis, the factory was divided into three areas based on the concentration of TDI: low (0.012 ± 0.002 ppm), medium (0.021 ± 0.006 ppm), and high (0.047 ± 0.054 ppm). The distribution of workers with symptoms of asthmatic bronchitis was highly associated with TDI concentration (p < 0.001). After stopping work for a period of 10 days, workers in areas with a high concentration of TDI showed marked improvement in pulmonary function tests (PFTs). After isolation of the exposure site, improvement of the ventilation system, and substitution of the TDI with less volatile diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), air concentration of isocyanates was usually below 0.007 ppm. Three of the four clinically overt asthma cases went back to work without any difficulty. The PFTs of affected workers showed a significant improvement 5 months later. We conclude that TDI was responsible for the occupational asthma among velcro‐like tape manufacturers and that the TDI‐induced impairment of pulmonary functions was at least partially reversible.
Exposure to Organic Solvents and Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
Authors: Eskenazi Brenda , Bracken Michael B. , Holford Theodore R. , Grady James 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe present investigation compares the frequency of adverse pregnancy complications and outcomes in 90 women who worked with various organic solvents during pregnancy and in 180 unexposed matched (2:1) subjects. Solvent‐exposed women were approximately four times more likely to develop preeclampsia, a disorder of pregnancy characterized by hypertension, edema, and proteinuria (unconditional adjusted RR = 3.9, 95% CI = 2.5, 5.4). That hypertension alone, without edema or proteinuria, was also more likely to be reported in solvent‐exposed women (unconditional adjusted RR = 3.0, 95% CI = 0.9, 9.9) lent additional support to the association of solvent exposure and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Because preeclampsia is thought to be associated primarily with glomerular lesions, our findings, although in need of replication with a larger sample size, may be biologically plausible given the growing literature associating solvent exposure with renal disease. Solvent‐exposed women were more likely to have cardiovascular complications and to deliver by cesarean section; however, given the specific type of complications and reason for cesarean, it is unlikely that these findings were directly related to solvent exposure. Other pregnancy complications such as threatened abortion and vaginal bleeding, and poor neonatal growth and maturity, were not more common in the exposed group.
Bladder tumors in two young males occupationally exposed to MBOCA
Authors: Ward Elizabeth , Halperin William , Thun Michael , Grossman H. Barton , Fink Burton , Koss Leopold , Osorio Ana Maria , Schulte Paul 
Published: April 2007

AbstractMBOCA (4,4′ methylenebis (2‐chloroaniline) is a structural analogue of benzidine and is carcinogenic in mice, rats, and dogs. MBOCA has not yet been demonstrated to be carcinogenic in humans and is not regulated as an occupational carcinogen in the United States. We report two noninvasive papillary tumors of the bladder identified in a screening study of 540 workers exposed to MBOCA during its production at a Michigan chemical plant from 1968 to 1979. Both tumors occurred in men under 30 years old who had never smoked. Although the prevalence of grade 1‐2 tumors among asymptomatic males in this age group is unknown, the incidence of clinically apparent tumors on U.S. males aged 25‐29 is only 1 per 100,000 per year. The detection of the two tumors in young, nonsmoking males is consistent with the hypothesis that MBOCA induces bladder neoplasms in humans.
Obstructive and restrictive ventilatory impairment in polyvinylchloride fabrication workers
Authors: Ernst Pierre , De Guire Louise , Armstrong Ben , Thériault Gilles 
Published: April 2007

AbstractResponses to a standardized respiratory symptom questionnaire, spirometry, and crossshift decreases in lung function between 70 current employees of a polyvinylchloride (PVC) fabrication plant and a control group consisting of 48 men employed in a vegetable packing plant were compared. FEV1/FVC was significantly lower in the PVC workers. Cross‐shift drops in Vmax75 of 15% or more were also more prevalent in the exposed group (p = .01). When examining the association between months of work within the exposed workforce and spirometric indices of airway obstruction, no relationship could be demonstrated. However, an inverse dose‐response relationship was seen between level of FVC and duration of employment, suggesting a restrictive impairment. While the specific exposures have not been identified, it appears that employment in PVC fabrication may be associated with both obstructive and restrictive ventilatory effects.
Leukemias and occupation in Sweden: A registry‐based analysis
Authors: Linet Martha S. , Malker Hans S. R. , McLaughlin Joseph K. , Weiner Jan A. , Stone B. J. , Blot William J. , Ericsson Jan L. E. , Fraumeni Joseph F. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractA linked‐registry was used to examine systematically, on a national basis, the leukemia incidence in Swedish men by industry and occupation. New associations were observed for chronic lymphocytic leukemia among cloth and pattern cutters and for chronic myelocytic leukemia among brewery workers and motor mechanics. A number of additional findings were consistent with previous observations in other countries. Although etiologic inferences are limited when using linked‐registry data, this hypothesis‐generating study may provide new clues to the occupational determinants of specific forms of leukemia.
Asbestos fibers in human pulmonary and extrapulmonary tissues
Authors: Huang Jian , Hisanaga Naomi , Sakai Kiyoshi , Iwata Masamitsu , Ono Yuichiro , Shibata Eiji , Takeuchi Yasuhiro 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe association between asbestos fibers in human lung tissues and those in other extrapulmonary organs was studied by analysing three autopsied cases, one of whom had a high pulmonary asbestos burden, one an intermediate burden, and one a low burden. The amount, types and sizes of asbestos fibers in the tissues of lung, liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract were identified and measured by transmission electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive X‐ray analyser. The following results were obtained: 1) The concentrations of asbestos fibers in extrapulmonary organs tended to increase with that in lung tissues. 2) The types of fibers identified in lungs were approximately consistent with those in other organs. 3) A relatively large range of fiber length was observed in both lungs and other organs. The findings extend and support previous light microscopic studies comparing asbestos bodies in various organs, and may imply that persons with high levels of asbestos in their lungs are also likely to have the same types and high levels of asbestos in their other tissues.
Using multiple cause of death coding in occupational mortality studies
Authors: Milham Samuel 
Published: April 2007

AbstractConventional occupational mortality analysis, using underlying cause of death coding, underestimates the contribution of those chronic diseases which are mentioned on the death certificate but which usually do not appear as underlying cause of death. Proportionate occupational mortality analysis, using all the mentioned causes on the Washington State male death records 1968‐1984, identified an excess of rheumatoid arthritis in farmers, and asbestosis in plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
Lung function in workers exposed to soft paper dust
Authors: Järvholm Bengt , Thorén Kjell , Brolin Inger , Ericsson Jens , Morgan Ulf , Tylen Ulf , Bake Björn 
Published: April 2007

AbstractIn a cross‐sectional study, 13 nonsmoking men with heavy exposure to paper dust were compared with 14 unexposed men, mainly office workers, employed at the same paper mill. They were studied using questionnaries, physical examinations, pulmonary function studies, and chest radiographs.Among those exposed there was an increased lung elastic recoil pressure (Pel) compared with controls which was significant (p < 0.05) at the maximal level of total lung capacity (100% TLC). Furthermore, among the exposed workers there was also a significantly (p < 0.05) decreased residual volume (RV). Two of the exposed men underwent lung biopsies, one of which showed fibrotic alveolar walls. Among the exposed there was also a significant (p < 0.05) predominance of symptoms from the lower respiratory tract.We suggest that the observed pulmonary function impairment taken together with the histological examination of the lung biopsies are signs of a nonspecific reaction to high levels of paper dust.
The use of geometric and arithmetic mean exposures in occupational epidemiology
Authors: Seixas Noah S. , Robins Thomas G. , Moulton Lawrence H. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractIn constructing quantitative measures of exposure for the study of chronic occupational disease, researchers have generally used a cumulative exposure calculated as the sum of the products of period‐specific exposure concentrations and the time each individual spent in each exposure category. There has been some disagreement and lack of clarity about the use of the geometric or arithmetic mean of exposure for this calculation. This paper explores the difference in the use of the two measures and defines a relative bias introduced with the geometric vs. the arithmetic mean. The magnitude of the bias is calculated in two linear models of possible exposure‐response relationships. The theoretical basis for the choice of one mean over the other is then explored. It is suggested that when adopting a linear exposure response model, the arithmetic mean is the more appropriate measure. In other models, such as a linear‐log (outcome is proportional to the logarithm of exposure) model, the geometric mean would be more appropriate.
Effects of exposure to ethylene glycol ethers on shipyard painters: II. Male reproduction
Authors: Welch Laura S. , Schrader Steven M. , Turner Terry W. , Cullen Mark R. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractTo determine whether 2‐ethoxyethanol (2‐EE) and 2‐methoxyethanol (2‐ME) affected the reproductive potential of exposed men, we examined the semen of 73 painters and 40 controls who work in a large shipyard. An industrial hygiene survey was performed to characterize the work environment. The men supplied information on demographic characteristics, medical conditions, personal habits, and reproductive history; underwent a physical examination; and provided a semen sample. Semen samples were analyzed for pH, volume, turbidity, liquidity, viability by stain exclusion and hypo‐osmotic stress, sperm density and count per ejaculate, motility using a videotape technique, morphology, and morphometry. Serum was analyzed for testosterone, FSH, and LH. The industrial hygiene survey revealed that the painters were exposed to 2‐EE at a time‐weighted average (TWA) of 0–80.5 mg/m3 with a mean of 9.9 mg/m3, and to 2‐ME at a TWA of 0–17.7 mg/m3 with a mean of 2.6 mg/m3. Painters had an increased prevalence of oligospermia and azoospermia and an increased odds ratio for a lower sperm count per ejaculate, while smoking was controlled. This finding is consistent with prior animal studies and with one human study. Potential biases and confounding of the data are discussed.
Effect of exposure to ethylene glycol ethers on shipyard painters: III. Hematologic effects
Authors: Welch Laura S. , Cullen Mark R. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractHemoglobin, hematocrit, red cell indices, total and differential white blood cell counts, and platelet count were measured in shipyard painters and control subjects as part of a cross‐sectional, observational study of the effects of ethylene glycol ethers. Although the means of all variables were comparable between the groups, a significant proportion of painters were anemic (10%) and granulocytopenic (5%); none of the controls were affected. Review of company records documented that most of these abnormalities were acquired during employment; preexisting disease and other exposure could not explain the findings. These findings are consistent with prior animal studies and human case reports. Potential biases and confounding of the data are discussed.
Occupational health services in South African manufacturing industries: A pilot survey
Authors: Sitas F. , Davies J. C. A. , Kielkowski Danuta , Becklake Margaret R. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractA pilot survey of the distribution and content of occupational health services in South African manufacturing industries was carried out in the Germiston area of the Witwatersrand using the records of the Workmens' Compensation Commissioner as a sampling frame. All establishments with 50 or more workers and a stratified random sample of smaller ones (495 in all) were contacted. The overall response rate was 56% and was positively related to work force size, the larger establishments showing higher response rates. The offering of health services, defined minimally as at least a part‐time nurse or doctor employed on the premises, was reported in 11% of work places employing 52% of the work force and was also positively related to work force size. Seventeen percent of establishments had ever monitored environmental conditions, and all classes of industry in the study area fell short of government recommendations. The advantages of the study approach used here, based on a countrywide sampling frame and a mail questionnaire, include 1) the relatively modest cost; 2) the creation of an information framework to which can be added additional information obtained from other sources e.g., factory visits; and 3) the use of a database for sampling that is countrywide, regularly updated, and versatile, with the potential for extending the observations with a similar (geographic) or different focus, for instance, by industrial class or work force size.
Lung cancer among dutch coal miners: A case‐control study
Authors: Meijers J. M. M. , Swaen G. M. H. , Slangen J. J. M. , van Vliet C. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractA case‐control study was conducted in the southern part of The Netherlands to investigate the risk of lung cancer in coal miners; 381 age‐matched pairs of primary lung cancer cases and controls, diagnosed between 1972 and 1988, were selected from the pathology department of the University Hospital in the region. Information about past employment in coal mines was obtained through the registers of the collaborative pension fund for Dutch miners. 20% of the cases were (at some time) employed in coal mining, compared with 21% of the controls (odds ratio 0.95; 95% confidence interval: 0.65–1.38). 9% of both cases and controls had an underground work history (odds ratio 0.96; 95% confidence interval: 0.56–1.65). The duration of underground coal mining did not differ substantially between cases and referents (average duration: respectively 117 and 108 months). No relation between specific histologic tumor cell types and coal mining could be demonstrated. The study gives no indication that workers in Dutch coal mines have an increased risk of developing lung malignancies.
Occupational biohazards: A review
Authors: Dutkiewicz Jacek , Jabloński Leon , Olenchock Stephen A. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThere are at least 193 important biological agents that show infectious, allergenic, toxic, or carcinogenic activities in the working population. These agents are viruses, bacteria, fungi, plant substances, invertebrate animals (mostly arthropods), and substances derived from vertebrate animals. At least 20 large occupational groups are exposed to these biohazards. The risk is greatest among health care and laboratory workers who are threatened by human pathogens and among agricultural workers who are at risk from dust‐borne biological allergens and toxins and by parasitic worms in warm climates. There is growing evidence that biohazards are also important risk factors for many other professions, including woodworkers, workers of textile plants, sewage and compost workers, miners and renovators. Some suggestions for research and prevention for reducing the occupational risks from biohazards are discussed.