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Male Workers (male + worker)
Selected AbstractsThe crisis of masculinity: Class, gender, and kindly power in post-Mao ChinaAMERICAN ETHNOLOGIST, Issue 3 2010JIE YANG ABSTRACT In this article, I examine how Chinese state enterprises sustain social stability in the wake of mass unemployment caused by privatization. At the same time that China, in its attempt to sustain stability, unmakes, or remakes, state workers into entrepreneurial subjects, it attempts to remake itself as a benevolent patriarchal government exercising kindly power. State enterprises translate labor unrest into a crisis of masculinity and the sustaining of stability into governing men and masculinity. For men, mass unemployment has meant the loss of virility associated with life-tenured employment, and this loss of livelihood and virility results in social instability, which is embodied in the unemployed male. Male workers then use the language of gender and family and translate it back into an expression of class antagonism. [source] Mortality in a Swedish rubber tire manufacturing plant: Occupational risks or an "unhealthy worker" effect?AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 8 2006Gun Wingren PhD Abstract Background In this cohort study a classification of 12 work categories, with specified common exposures, is used to evaluate the mortality among workers in a Swedish rubber tire plant. Methods Mortality among the cohort members is compared with expected values from national rates. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated for the total cohort, for sub-cohorts and with the inclusion of a latency requirement. Results Male workers had increased risks for total mortality, circulatory death, respiratory death, mental disorders, epilepsy, injuries/poisoning, and for alcohol-related death. Many risks were noted among workers exposed to dust, fumes, or vapor. No trend in risk with increasing duration of employment was seen. Discussion Some established risks for rubber workers could be related to some specified work categories. The highest risks were noted among workers having a very short duration of employment indicating a possible "unhealthy worker effect" associated with life-style factors or to tasks offered to unskilled workers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] DNA damage in leukocytes of workers occupationally exposed to arsenic in copper smeltersENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 2 2005Jadwiga Palus Abstract Inorganic arsenic (i-As) is a known human carcinogen; however, humans continue to be exposed to i-As in drinking water and in certain occupational settings. In this study, we used the Comet assay to evaluate DNA damage in the somatic cells of workers from three Polish copper smelters who were occupationally exposed to i-As. Blood samples were collected from 72 male workers and 83 unexposed male controls and used for the detection of DNA damage, oxidative DNA damage, and DNA damage after a 3-hr incubation in culture. Urine samples were collected to assess the level of exposure. The mean concentration of arsenic metabolites in urine [the sum of arsenite (AsIII), arsenate (AsV), monomethylarsenate (MMA) and dimethylarsenate (DMA)] and the concentrations of DMA (the main metabolite in urine) were higher in workers than in controls, but the differences were not statistically significant. By contrast, the level of DNA damage, expressed as the median tail moment, was significantly higher in the leukocytes of workers than in the controls. Comet assays conducted with formamidopyrimidine glycosylase (FPG) digestion to detect oxidative DNA damage indicated that oxidative lesions were present in leukocytes from both the exposed and control groups, but the levels of damage were significantly higher among the workers. Incubation of the cells in culture resulted in a significant reduction in the levels of DNA damage, especially among leukocytes from the workers, suggesting that the DNA damage was subject to repair. Our findings indicate that copper smelter workers have increased levels of DNA damage in somatic cells, suggesting a potential health risk for the workers. Although i-As was present in air samples from the smelters and in urine samples from workers, no clear association could be made between i-As exposure and the DNA damage. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] How Did the Elimination of the US Earnings Test above the Normal Retirement Age Affect Labour Supply Expectations?,FISCAL STUDIES, Issue 2 2008Pierre-Carl Michaud H55; J22 Abstract We look at the effect of the 2000 repeal of the earnings test above the normal retirement age (NRA) on the self-reported probabilities of working full-time after ages 65 and 62 of male workers in the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Using administrative records on social security benefit entitlements linked to the HRS survey data, we can distinguish groups of respondents according to the predicted effect of the earnings test before its repeal on their marginal wage rate after the NRA. We use panel data models with fixed and random effects to investigate the effect of the repeal. We find that male workers whose predicted marginal wage rate increased because the earnings test was repealed had the largest increase in the subjective probability of working full-time after age 65. We find no significant effects of the repeal on the subjective probability of working full-time past age 62. [source] Racial Wage Differences among Young Male Job Changers: The Relative Contribution of Migration, Occupation Change, Site Characteristics, and Human CapitalGROWTH AND CHANGE, Issue 1 2006AMY M. WOLAVER ABSTRACT We demonstrated racial differences in the relationship between migration, location, and predicted wages for young male workers who have changed employers. An Oaxaca decomposition allowed a measuring of the contributions of migration, occupation change, site features, and human capital to the racial wage gap. Migration decreases black,white wage differences, and wage compensation for site attributes favors white householders. Constraints on occupation choice and migration dampen the ability of blacks to improve wages. Because most job changes occur in the first ten years of a career, these results on young workers give important general insights into the origins and persistence of racial wage gaps. [source] Cell Production and Workplace Innovation in Japan: Toward a New Model for Japanese Manufacturing?INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Issue 4 2002Katsuhide Isa This article investigates the current trend toward cell production and other workplace innovations in Japan using a large,scale sampling survey of manufacturing firms and in,depth interviews with four leading electrical and electronic establishments. The quantitative analysis reveals the correlation between the use of cell production and the ratio of female to male workers and production strategy variables, as well as the positive effect of cell production on operating profit rates and ordinary profit rates. The case studies reveal the following points: First, processes and organizations have been decentralized to the degree that individual workshops move toward taking primary responsibility for customer relations, production decisions, and delivery. Corporate headquarters increasingly play a coordinating rather than decision,making role. Second, firms have steadily implemented make,to,order systems by tightening links to suppliers and customers and developing new inventory and cost,control systems. Third, firms have started to implement more performance,based personnel practices. However, considerable variance among firms is observed in complementary changes, particularly personnel innovations. [source] Lower urinary tract symptoms in relation to lifestyle and medical conditions in Japanese workersINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 5 2009Kentaro Tomita Objectives: To examine the association of medical conditions and lifestyle with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a population of Japanese male workers. Methods: A questionnaire survey on LUTS was conducted at the time of a periodic health examination among workers of a group of engineering and shipbuilding companies in Southern Kanto, Japan. A total of 1278 (85%) men responded. LUTS were assessed by using a modified International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire. Men having at least one point of the score were regarded as positive. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relation of the LUTS to age, smoking, drinking, body mass index, and medical treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Results: Age was a strong determinant of LUTS. Men undergoing medical treatment for diabetes mellitus were significantly more likely to have LUTS than men without treatment (multivariate-adjusted odds ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.0,3.2). Increased odds of LUTS were also observed in men undergoing medical treatment for hypertension or dyslipidemia. Smoking, drinking alcohol, and obesity were not related to LUTS. Conclusions: Our present findings, together with previous epidemiological and experimental evidence, suggest that LUTS might share common etiological factors with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. [source] Accumulation of Hemoglobin-Associated Acetaldehyde With Habitual Alcohol Drinking in the Atypical ALDH GenotypeALCOHOLISM, Issue 1 2000Tatsuya Takeshita Background: Those with the atypical genotypes of low Km aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) have high blood concentrations of free acetaldehyde, an active metabolite of ethanol, after drinking alcohol. In the present study, we measured acetaldehyde reversibly bound to hemoglobin (HbAA) in Japanese male workers. Methods: One hundred and sixty Japanese male workers in one plant participated with informed consent. The subjects were genotyped for the ALDH2 polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction method. HbAA levels were measured using a high performance liquid chromatography system with a fluorescence detector. For the study in which we examined accumulation of HbAA, eight Asian male volunteers participated with informed consent. Results: Although HbAA levels were significantly correlated with recent alcohol consumption in both typical (ALDH2*1/*1) and atypical (ALDH2*1/*2)genotypes, the slope in ALDH2*1/*2 was significantly steeper than that in ALDH2*1/*1. Multiple regression analysis on relevant factors for HbAA revealed that not only recent but also daily alcohol consumption increased HbAA levels in those with the ALDH2*1/*2 genotype, which suggests that HbAA accumulates with habitual drinking. We measured HbAA levels before, during, and after alcohol consumption,one drink (0.4 ml/kg) per day,for 7 consecutive days in male volunteers. During the drinking period, HbAA lincarly increased in ALDH2*1/*2 (n= 4) but not in ALDH2*1/*1 (n= 4). After reaching peak levels (+76.1 nmol/g hemoglobin) following the seventh drink, HbAA levels gradually decreased but were significantly higher for 3 days after drinking was discontinued. Conclusions: We demonstrated that HbAA levels accumulate with habitual alcohol drinking in the atypical ALDH2 genotype. HbAA was shown to be a good biomarker for increased internal exposure levels to acetaldehyde. [source] Quality of life in Swedish workers exposed to hand,arm vibrationOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2007Ragnhild Cederlund Abstract The objective of the present study was to analyse whether differences existed among workers exposed to hand,arm vibration (HAV) with regard to quality of life (QoL) issues. One hundred and eight male workers from a heavy manufacturing plant, with and without HAV symptoms, and workers referred to a hand surgery department with severe HAV symptoms participated in the study. The participants attended a clinical interview, were given a physical examination of the hands and administered the Göteborg Quality of Life instrument and the Evaluation of Daily Activity Questionnaire (EDAQ). Results indicated that workers referred to a hand surgery department with more severe HAV symptoms described a lower quality of life, defined here as lower subjective well-being, more symptoms of ill-health and difficulties with activities of daily living (ADL), than workers with no HAV symptoms. Workers from a heavy manufacturing plant with HAV symptoms experienced more difficulties with ADL, especially while working outdoors in cold weather, than workers with no HAV symptoms. Limitations of the present study include the use of a subjective scale to describe HAV symptoms. Further research is recommended on a larger sample of workers at risk for HAV symptoms to develop preventative ergonomic strategies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The Effects of Cannabis Use on Wages of Prime-age Males,OXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 5 2007Jan C. Van Ours Abstract This paper uses a data set collected among inhabitants of Amsterdam, to study whether wages of prime-age male workers are affected by cannabis use. The analysis shows that recent cannabis use has a negative effect on wages. The size of the wage effect depends on the age of onset. The earlier the start of cannabis use the larger the negative wage impact. [source] HIV and sexually transmitted disease risk among male Hispanic/Latino migrant farmworkers in the Southeast: Findings from a pilot CBPR studyAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 10 2010Scott D. Rhodes PhD Abstract Background Little is known about the HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) risk behaviors of Hispanic/Latino farmworkers. This study was designed to describe risk factors for HIV and STD infection, explore personal characteristics associated with condom use, and evaluate the feasibility of collecting self-report and biomarker data from farmworkers. Methods Self-report and biomarker data were collected from a sample of male farmworkers living in 29 camps in North Carolina during the 2008 growing season. Results Over half of the 100 male workers, mean age 37.1 (range 19,68) years, reported binge drinking during the past 12 months. Forty percent of those who reported having had sex during the past 3 months indicated that they were under the influence of alcohol. Knowledge of HIV and STD transmission and prevention was low. Among the 25 workers who reported having had sex during the past 3 months, 16 and 2 reported using a condom consistently during vaginal and anal sex, respectively, and nearly 1 out of 6 workers reported paying a woman to have sex. Two workers tested positive for syphilis. Conclusions Farmworkers in this sample demonstrated significant HIV and STD risks; however, when exploring potential bivariate associations with consistent condom use no statistically significant associations were identified perhaps due to the small sample size. Because it was feasible to collect self-report and biomarker data related to HIV and STDs from Hispanic/Latino farmworkers, research needed to further explore risks and develop interventions to reduce disease exposure and transmission among this vulnerable population. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:976,983, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Nonfatal unintentional injuries and related factors among male construction workers in central ChinaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2010Lei Zheng Abstract Background Work-related injuries (WRIs) among construction workers have recently emerged as an important public health issue as the construction industry is booming in China. We investigated nonfatal unintentional work-related injuries and risk factors among male construction workers in central China. Methods A purposive sampling method was used in 2008 to select 1,260 male workers from 24 construction sites. WRIs that occurred in the past 12 months and possible risk factors were asked about in face-to-face interviews. Results Among 1,260 male construction workers, 189 workers reported WRIs. The annual prevalence of nonfatal WRIs was 15.0 per 100 workers (95% confidence interval (CI): 13.0,17.0). The top three leading causes of injuries were collisions (27.3 per 100 workers), cuts/piercings (17.5 per 100 workers), and falls (15.5 per 100 workers). WRIs were significantly associated with high cigarette pack-year index (PYI,,,20 vs. nonsmoker: adjusted odds ratio (OR),=,2.50, 95% CI: 1.31,4.76), serious alcohol consumption (,30ml/day vs. nondrinker: adjusted OR,=,1.73, 95 %CI: 1.12,2.69), not having injury prevention and safety education (adjusted OR,=,2.05, 95% CI: 1.22,3.44), and had depressive symptoms (adjusted OR,=,2.63, 95% CI: 1.22,5.67). Conclusions Our results suggest that annual prevalence of nonfatal construction injuries is high in central China and serious cigarette smoking, serious alcohol consumption, not having injury prevention and safety education, and depressive symptoms are considered important factors for those injuries. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53: 588,595, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Mortality patterns among workers exposed to arsenic, cadmium, and other substances in a copper smelterAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 8 2009Gary M. Marsh PhD Abstract Objective To evaluate the long-term mortality experience of workers exposed to arsenic, cadmium, and other substances at a copper mine and smelter in Copperhill, Tennessee studied earlier as part of an industry-wide study. Methods Subjects were 2,422 male workers employed three or more years in the smelter or mill between 1/1/46 until the plant strike and scale-down of operations in April 1996. Vital status was determined through 2000 for 99.4% of subjects and cause of death for 91.3% of 878 deaths. Historical exposures were estimated for lead, SO2, arsenic, cadmium, dust, and cobalt. We computed standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) based on U.S. and local county rates and modeled internal relative risks (RRs). Results We observed overall deficits in deaths based on national and local county comparisons from all causes, all cancers and most of the cause of death categories examined. We found limited evidence of increasing mortality risks from cerebrovascular disease with increasing duration and cumulative arsenic exposure, but no evidence of an exposure,response relationship for cadmium exposure and bronchitis. Conclusions Our limited evidence of an association between inhaled arsenic exposure and CVD is an exploratory finding not observed in other epidemiology studies of more highly exposed occupational populations. Possible alternative explanations include chance alone and uncontrolled confounding or effect modification by co-exposures or other factors correlated with arsenic exposure and unique to the Copperhill facility. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:633,644, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Cohort study for the effect of chronic noise exposure on blood pressure among male workers in Busan, KoreaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2009Ji Ho Lee MD Abstract Objective It has not yet been established whether exposure to chronic noise induces an increase in blood pressure or an increase in the development of hypertension. Therefore, a cohort study was performed to identify the effects of chronic noise exposure on blood pressure. Methods Five hundred thirty male workers at a metal manufacturing factory in Busan, Korea, were enrolled in the study. They were monitored with an annual health check-ups for nine consecutive years from 1991 to 1999. The subjects were divided into four groups which were determined by noise level categories (NLCs) according to the exposure of noise intensity; NLC-I: office workers who were exposed to <60 dBA at work; NLC-II: worksite technical supporters or inspectors who were intermittently exposed to noise and were not using hearing protection devices; NLC-III: worksite workers exposed to a noise below 85 dBA (TWA) and used one type of hearing protection device, earplug or earmuff; NLC-IV: worksite workers who were exposed to a noise level of 85 dBA or higher in average and used both earplug and earmuff. Results After controlling the possible confounders, such as baseline age, smoking, alcohol intake, exercise, family history of hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP), or diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and changes in body mass index (BMI), we determined that the mean values for the SBP over the duration of this study were 3.8, 2.0, and 1.7 mmHg higher in groups NLC-IV, NLC-III, and NLC-II, respectively, in comparison to that of the NLC-I group. There was no significant difference in DBP among the groups. Conclusion This study suggests that chronic noise exposure increases SBP independently, among male workers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:509,517, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Mortality among workers at the Savannah River SiteAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 12 2007David B. Richardson PhD Abstract Background Workers employed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) were potentially exposed to a range of chemical and physical hazards, many of which are poorly characterized. We therefore compared the observed deaths among workers to expectations based upon death rates for referent populations. Methods The cohort included 18,883 SRS workers hired between 1950 and 1986. Vital status and cause of death information were ascertained through 2002. Sex-specific standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were computed using U.S. and South Carolina mortality rates. SMRs were tabulated separately for monthly-, weekly-, and hourly-paid men. Results Males had fewer deaths from all causes [SMR,=,0.80, 90% confidence interval (CI): 0.78, 0.82], all cancers (SMR,=,0.85, 90% CI: 0.81, 0.89), and lung cancer (SMR,=,0.88, 90% CI: 0.82, 0.95) than expected based upon US mortality rates. The SMR for cancer of the pleura was 4.25 (90% CI: 1.99, 7.97) for men. The SMR for leukemia was greater than unity for monthly-paid (SMR,=,1.33, 90% CI: 0.88, 1.93) and hourly-paid (SMR=1.36, 90% CI: 1.02, 1.78) men. Female workers had fewer deaths from all causes (SMR,=,0.75, 90% CI: 0.69, 0.82) than expected, but more deaths than expected from cancer of the kidney (SMR,=,2.58, 90% CI: 1.21, 4.84) and skin (SMR,=,3.90, 90% CI: 2.11, 6.61). Conclusions While the observed numbers of deaths in most categories of cause of death were less than expected, there are greater than expected numbers of deaths due to cancer of the pleura and leukemia, particularly among hourly-paid male workers. It is plausible that occupational hazards, including asbestos and ionizing radiation, contribute to these excesses. Am. J. Ind. Med. 50:881,891, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Estimation of the number of working hours critical for the development of mental and physical fatigue symptoms in Japanese male workers,application of benchmark dose methodAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 3 2007Yasushi Suwazono PhD Abstract Background To clarify the influence of working hours on subjective fatigue symptoms and obtain the critical dose (number of hours) to determine the number of permissible working hours, we calculated the benchmark dose (BMD) and the 95% lower confidence limit on BMD (BMDL) of working hours for subjective mental and fatigue symptoms using multivariate logistic regression. Methods Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to all 843 male daytime workers aged ,60 years in a single chemical factory, and 715 provided complete replies. The odds ratios of daily working hours were determined using positive findings of the Self-rating Depression Scale and 8 subscales of the Cumulative Fatigue Symptom Index as dependent variables, and other potential covariates as independent variables. Using significant parameters for the working hours and those for other covariates, the BMD and BMDL (BMD/BMDL) values were calculated for corresponding dependent variables. The benchmark response (BMR) was set at 5% or 10%. Results The BMDL with a BMR of 5% was shown to be 9.6,11.6 hr per day, which corresponds to 48,58 working hours per week and 36,78 overtime hours per month. Conclusions These results suggest that special attention should be paid to the workers whose working hours exceed these BMD/BMDL values. Am. J. Ind. Med. 50: 173,182, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Cancer mortality among European asphalt workers: An international epidemiological study.AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2003Abstract Background Inhalation of bitumen fumes is potentially carcinogenic to humans. Methods We conducted a study of 29,820 male workers exposed to bitumen in road paving, asphalt mixing and roofing, 32,245 ground and building construction workers unexposed to bitumen, and 17,757 workers not classifiable as bitumen workers, from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, with mortality follow-up during 1953,2000. We calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) based on national mortality rates. Poisson regression analyses compared mortality of bitumen workers to that of building or ground construction workers. Results The overall mortality was below expectation in the total cohort (SMR 0.92, 95% CI 0.90,0.94) and in each group of workers. The SMR of lung cancer was higher among bitumen workers (1.17, 95% CI 1.04,1.30) than among workers in ground and building construction (SMR 1.01, 95% CI 0.89,1.15). In the internal comparison, the relative risk (RR) of lung cancer mortality among bitumen workers was 1.09 (95% CI 0.89,1.34). The results of cancer of the head and neck were similar to those of lung cancer, based on a smaller number of deaths. There was no suggestion of an association between employment in bitumen jobs and other cancers. Conclusions European workers employed in road paving, asphalt mixing and other jobs entailing exposure to bitumen fume might have experienced a small increase in lung cancer mortality risk, compared to workers in ground and building construction. However, exposure assessment was limited and confounding from exposure to carcinogens in other industries, tobacco smoking, and other lifestyle factors cannot be ruled out. Am. J. Ind. Med. 43:18,27, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Nested case-control study of lung cancer among pulp and paper workers in relation to exposure to dustsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2001Irena Szadkowska-Sta, czyk MD Abstract Background Numerous studies have indicated an increased risk of lung cancer in pulp and paper industry workers. In a 1990 survey, standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was found to be 122 (95% CI:96,153) for lung cancer in Polish male workers in the pulp and paper industry, and 166 (95% CI:95,270) among workers engaged in paper production. Methods A nested case-control design within a cohort of pulp and paper workers was applied. Seventy-nine lung cancer cases and 237 "healthy" controls were selected from the cohort of 10,460 workers employed during the years 1968,1990, and observed until the end of 1995. Based on personnel files, occupational exposure was reconstructed by experts. Using a questionnaire, data on smoking habits were collected. ORs unadjusted and adjusted for smoking were calculated applying the model of conditional logistic regression. Results Occupational exposure to inorganic dusts (kaolin, lime, cement, brick, grindstone) adjusted for smoking was a significant lung cancer risk factor, with a 4.0-fold risk (95% CI:1.3,12.6), and a dose-response by cumulative dose index. Among organic dusts only wood dust increased albeit insignificantly the risk for those exposed (adjusted for smoking OR,=,2.1, 95% CI:0.9,4.9), but without dose-response relationship. Conclusions Exposure to occupational dust with relatively low content of silica, but at high concentrations may be considered as a factor increasing lung cancer risk. However, the observation made in this study should be viewed with caution as it was based on a small number of cases, and further evidence is needed to confirm or refute the authors' hypothesis. Am. J. Ind. Med. 39:547,556, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Occupational injuries by hour of day and day of week: a 20-year studyAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 6 2006Eric Wigglesworth Objective: To examine by hour of day and day of week the 750,000 compensation claims that were lodged by male workers in Queensland, Australia, during the 20-year period from 1968 to 1988, including an investigation into some possible reasons for the increased number of claims on Mondays and the reduced number of claims on Fridays. Method: The study was based on the collection entitled Industrial Accident Statistics (Bulletin 79), published annually by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Queensland office. This was the only State collection to include data on compensated injuries categorised by hour of day and day of week. There was no Australia-wide dataset of compensated occupational injuries. Results: Compensation claims were not evenly distributed through the working week. There were more injuries on Mondays (23.6% of the total) than on Tuesdays (21.8%), than on Wednesdays (20.3%), than on Thursdays (18%), than on Fridays (16.3%). There were more injuries in the mornings than in the afternoons for every day of the working week. Conclusions and Implications: This study confirms the existence of a steady reduction in workers' compensation injury claims on successive days of the working week. One possible explanation for this finding is offered as a basis for further research into the reasons for this trend. Hopefully, the results of these and later studies may suggest remedial measures that will help reduce the number of occupational injuries. [source] Advanced eusociality, kin selection and male haploidyAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Ross H Crozier Abstract, The generation-long primacy of kin selection in explaining the evolution of advanced eusociality in social insects has been challenged in recent papers. Does this challenge succeed? I consider three questions: is kin selection still the unchallengeable explanation for the evolution of eusociality; is the male haploidy of Hymenoptera important in this explanation; and, a subsidiary question of why are there no male workers in Hymenoptera? I briefly trace the origins of kin selection back to Darwin and then consider the explanations of mutualism, group selection, parental manipulation, and kin selection and its variant ,green beard' alleles. I stress that in the kin selection equation, however written, relatedness is deeply intertwined with ecology so that both are essential. Kin selection does remain unchallengeable but, for some, the role of male haploidy has lost favour recently despite several modelling efforts all finding that it favours the evolution of eusociality. Sex allocation is deep at the heart of the evolution of hymenopteran advanced eusociality, indicating the interacting roles of population genetics and general biology. Modellers have also found no reason for a lack of male workers, so that a biological superiority of females for this role is indicated for social Hymenoptera. [source] Association of findings in flow-volume spirometry with high-resolution computed tomography signs in asbestos-exposed male workersCLINICAL PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTIONAL IMAGING, Issue 1 2009Päivi Piirilä Summary Introduction:, Disorders of pulmonary tissue and pleura are visualized by findings in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and the impairment caused by these findings is assessed by pulmonary function tests. Our aim was to determine how some commonly used spirometric variables are related to certain HRCT signs, in order to find out which HRCT signs are associated with restrictive and which with obstructive ventilatory impairment. Methods:, Altogether 590 asbestos-exposed workers, 95% of whom were smokers or ex-smokers, were studied with HRCT; 19 pathological signs were scored. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, forced expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (MEF50) and total lung capacity (TLC) were measured, and their relationship with HRCT signs was examined with bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis. Results:, FVC and TLC were negatively correlated with fibrosis score, parenchymal bands, extent of pleural thickenings and positively with widened retrosternal space. FEV1/FVC ratio was negatively correlated with emphysema types and widened retrosternal space and positively with parenchymal bands and subpleural nodules. Thickened bronchial walls did not separate between restrictive and obstructive ventilatory function. Conclusions:, HRCT signs showed distinctive patterns in restrictive and obstructive ventilatory impairment. These results can be used to help to analyse the lung function of patients simultaneously exposed to asbestos and smoking, when this relationship requires elucidation. In addition, the results may be helpful in explaining some radiological findings. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||