Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
High Exposure (high + exposure)
Selected AbstractsUnusual High Exposure to Ultraviolet-C RadiationPHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Andrea Trevisan ABSTRACT ?1 UV radiation is known to cause acute and chronic eye and skin damage. The present case report describes a 90 min accidental exposure to UV-C radiation of 26 medical school students. Germicidal lamps were lit due to a malfunctioning of the timer system. Several hours after irradiation exposure, all subjects reported the onset of ocular symptoms, subsequently diagnosed as photokeratitis, and skin damage to the face, scalp and neck. While the ocular symptoms lasted 2,4 days, the sunburn-like condition produced significant erythema followed by deep skin exfoliation. The irradiation was calculated to be approximately 700 mJ cm,2 absorbed energy, whereas the actual radiation emitted by the lamps was 0.14 mW cm,2 (the radiometric measurements confirmed these calculi, because the effective irradiance measured from the height of the autopsy table to about 1 m under the UV-C lamp varied from 0.05 to 0.25 mW cm,2) but, more likely, the effective irradiance, according to skin phototype and symptoms, was between 50 and 100 mJ cm,2. The ocular and skin effects produced by such a high irradiation (largely higher than that accepted by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists [ACGIH] threshold limit values [TLVs]) appeared reversible in a relatively short time. [source] White blood cell sister chromatid exchange among a sample of Thai subjects exposed to toluene, an observationINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PATHOLOGY, Issue 6 2006Viroj Wiwanitkit Summary There is a particular concern with toluene because some research has indicated that toluene exposure could result in chronic toxicity including mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. This study aimed to determine the rate of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), a marker for genotoxicity, and its correlation to the classical urine biomarker for toluene exposure, urine hippuric acid, among a sample of Thai exposed subjects. A total of 26 police (all males) were included in this study. The average (mean ± SD) urine hippuric acid level in these police was 0.8 ± 0.4 mg/g creatinine. The average (mean ± SD) SCE level in these police was 4.5 ± 1.0/cell. The average SCE among the police with high urine hippuric acid levels was non-significantly higher than the average SCE level of those without (P = 0.41). This implies that the cytogenetic response to toluene was not different between the subjects with and without high toluene exposure. High exposure to toluene seems not to be related to high SCE. [source] FS13.2 Intervention on work-related skin problems among gut cleanersCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2004Mari-Ann Flyvholm Work-related skin problems are frequent in the food processing industry. A randomised intervention study with a one-year follow up was carried out among gut cleaners in order to prevent work-related skin problems due to wet work. The effects of the intervention were primarily measured by telephone interviews using questionnaires based on a standardized questionnaire for work-related skin diseases and exposure (NOSQ-2002).* The intervention activities included an evidence-based prevention program and an evidence-based method for implementation. Six of the 18 participating departments were randomly assigned to the intervention group and the remaining 12 departments to the comparison group. A total of 644 employees responded in the baseline interview and 622 in the follow-up interview carried out a year later. The participation rates were 87,5% and 71,6% respectively. Among the 495 participants answering in both interviews the frequency of eczema on hands or forearms within the past 3 months was reduced significantly by more than 25% in the intervention departments. A minor increase was observed in the comparison departments. This study has shown that even in jobs without the possibility to reduce high exposure to wet work work-related skin problems can be reduced by proper preventive measures. *) Susitaival P, Flyvholm M-A, Meding B, Kanerva L, Lindberg M, Svensson Å, Ólafsson JH. Contact Dermatitis 2003;49:70,76. [source] Aquatic macroinvertebrates in the altes land, an intensely used orchard region in Germany: Correlation between community structure and potential for pesticide exposureENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2006Christoph Schäfers Abstract To assess the impact of pesticides on aquatic organisms under realistic worst-case conditions, a macroinvertebrate community of small ditches was sampled at 40 sites of the orchard region Altes Land near Hamburg, Germany. To differentiate between pesticide impact and other variables, the ditches selected for sampling were located at different distances along grassland, unused apple orchards, and orchards managed with integrated and/or organic crop protection methods. Samples of macroinvertebrates were taken on five dates over two years. In addition to biological data, water chemistry and structural parameters were measured. For each sampling site, a potential for exposure was calculated on the basis of the distance of the ditch to the nearest row of trees and the depth and width of the ditch. The neighborhood to either grassland or orchards turned out to have a larger impact on the macroinvertebrate community than the potential for exposure. Therefore, grassland sites were omitted from further evaluation. Remaining sites were grouped into low exposure (sites at unused orchards), medium exposure (distance of 3,5 m [track] between trees and ditch), and high exposure (trees close to the ditch, mean distance , 1.5 m). Principal response curves showed differences in community structure between the three exposure groups over time. Whereas for sites from the high exposure group significant differences from low exposure was observed in all seasons, significant differences between low and medium were observed only occasionally. Effects were less pronounced in samples taken at springtime before the starting pesticide applications, suggesting some community recovery. Species richness was negatively correlated to exposure potential. Isopoda, Eulamellibranchiata, and insects, especially Ephemeroptera, showed a high negative correlation with the potential for pesticide exposure, suggesting that these taxa are sensitive to the pesticide use in the orchards. [source] Effect of housing factors and surficial uranium on the spatial prediction of residential radon in IowaENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 5 2007Brian J. Smith Abstract Growing epidemiologic evidence suggests that residential radon is an important risk factor for lung cancer. Consequently, public health professionals have expressed interest in characterizing the spatial distribution of radon concentrations in order to identify geographic regions of high exposure. Ambient radon concentrations are a function of geologic features including soil radium content. Indoor radon concentrations can vary based on building characteristics that affect the entry of radon into the building and movement between rooms therein. We present a geostatistical hierarchical Bayesian model for radon that allows for spatial prediction based on geologic data and housing characteristics. Our model is applied to radon data from an epidemiologic study in Iowa that consist of 136 outdoor measurements and 2590 indoor measurements from 614 residential homes. Housing characteristics collected in the Iowa Study are included as predictors in the model. Geologic data in the form of county-average surficial uranium concentrations from the USGS National Uranium Resource Evaluation project are also considered. A ,change of support' approach is implemented to combine the radon measurements, collected at points in space, and the uranium concentrations, averaged over counties, so that point-source concentrations for the latter are available for the analysis. Estimates of the effect of select housing factors on radon are provided along with spatial maps of predicted radon concentrations in Iowa. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Occupational wood dust exposure and the risk of laryngeal cancer: A population based case-control study in GermanyAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 9 2008Heribert Ramroth Abstract Background To investigate the effect of exposure to wood dust on the risk of laryngeal cancer. Methods A population-based case-control study on laryngeal cancer was conducted in South-West Germany between 1st of May 1998 to 31st of December 2000 with 257 histologically confirmed cases (236 males, 21 females), age 37 to 80 years, and 769 population controls (702 males, 67 females), 1:3 frequency matched by age and sex. Occupational exposures and other risk factors were obtained with face-to-face interviews using a detailed standardized questionnaire. The complete individual work history was assessed. Work conditions were obtained by job-specific questionnaires for selected jobs known to be associated with exposure to potential carcinogens. Additionally, a specific substance check-list was used as a method for exposure assessment. Results 43 (16.7%) cases (41 males, 2 females) and 107 (13.9%) controls (105 males, 2 females) reported wood dust exposure. Numbers were almost identical for two different methods of exposure assessment; however, the agreement of these methods was around 95%. A strong effect on laryngeal cancer risk after adjustment for smoking, alcohol and education was observed for high exposure to hardwood dust (OR,=,2.6, 95% CI 1.3--5.2) and to softwood dust (OR,=,2.2, 95% CI 1.1--4.2), as assessed by substance list. Conclusions Our findings for higher exposure to hardwood and softwood dust contribute to the evidence that wood dust, in particular from hardwood is an independent risk factor. Am. J. Ind. Med. 51:648,655, 2008. Published 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A novel audit model for assessing quality in non-regulated researchQUALITY ASSURANCE JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009S. G. Volsen Abstract The need for Quality standards in non-regulated research is a matter of considerable current debate. Whilst a number of such guidelines have been developed over recent years, their successful implementation remains a challenge to all. In order to assess whether research standards are indeed improving on the bench following the instigation of such a quality system, a question posed by both senior management and scientists alike, an independent compliance programme is required. However, given the lack of predicate rules, naivety to audit process and general sensitivity to external scrutiny within the scientific ranks, then work in this ,Grey Area' generates high exposure for the conventional GLP, GCP or GMP auditor. We have developed, tried, and tested a highly effective, novel audit model for assessing the quality of non-regulated research. This simple system can be applied successfully irrespective of scientific discipline or field. Whilst common principles will always apply during any quality system audit, the refinements and idiosyncrasies we describe here will, as we have found, help underpin success. Our intentional assumption is that this is a first time endeavour for the quality professional. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic associations of ofatumumab, a human monoclonal CD20 antibody, in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: a phase 1,2 studyBRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2010Bertrand Coiffier Summary The purpose of this phase 1,2 study was to investigate the association between the pharmacokinetic properties of ofatumumab, a human monoclonal CD20 antibody, and outcomes in 33 patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia receiving 4 weekly infusions of ofatumumab. The ofatumumab concentration profiles were fitted well by a two-compartment model with different elimination rate constant at first infusion compared to the remaining infusions in line with the observed rapid and sustained B-cell depletion. Exposure to ofatumumab was linked to clinical outcomes: high exposure was associated with higher probability of overall clinical response and longer progression-free survival. This association still remained statistically significant even when adjusting for relevant baseline covariates including tumour burden. The trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00093314). [source] Assessment of respiratory symptoms with dual pH monitoring in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux diseaseBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 7 2004W. K. H. Kauer Background: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a commonly underestimated aetiological factor in patients with respiratory symptoms. In this study, acid reflux in healthy volunteers and patients with GORD with and without respiratory symptoms was investigated by dual pH monitoring. Methods: Thirty healthy volunteers and 43 patients with GORD underwent oesophageal manometry and dual pH monitoring with one probe in the proximal and one in the distal oesophagus. Nineteen of the 43 patients complained of respiratory symptoms. Results: There were no differences in proximal probe measurements between volunteers and patients without respiratory symptoms. Patients with GORD and respiratory symptoms had a higher prevalence of abnormally high exposure to gastric juice and more reflux episodes in the proximal oesophagus compared with patients with GORD and no respiratory symptoms. Some 17 of 19 patients with GORD and respiratory symptoms showed deteriorated oesophageal body motility. Conclusion: Dual pH monitoring is feasible and well tolerated, and provides an objective means of evaluating patients with GORD and respiratory symptoms. Prolonged exposure of the proximal oesophagus to gastric juice and disorders of oesophageal body motility seem to be responsible for the development of respiratory symptoms. Copyright © 2004 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Fathering and adolescents' psychological adjustment: the role of fathers' involvement, residence and biology statusCHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 2 2008E. Flouri Abstract Background Studies on fathering and child mental health are now increasingly looking for specificity in children's psychological adjustment, indicating whether the impact of fathering is diagnostically specific or non-specific. Methods Data from 435 fathers of secondary school-aged children in Britain were used to explore the association between resident biological fathers', non-resident biological fathers' and stepfathers' involvement and children's total difficulties, prosocial behaviour, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity and peer problems (all measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) in adolescence. Results After controlling for child-, father- and family-related factors, fathers' involvement was negatively associated with children's total difficulties and hyperactivity, was positively associated with children's prosocial behaviour, and was unrelated with children's emotional symptoms, conduct problems and peer problems. There was no non-resident biological father effect. Compared with resident biological fathers, stepfathers reported more total difficulties, conduct problems and hyperactivity in their children even after adjusting for involvement. Conclusions Whether this reflects stepfathers' low tolerance levels or biological fathers' complacency, as sociobiologists would argue, or whether this is due to pre-existing predispositions of children in families which separate and restructure, to the effects of these multiple family changes or to the high exposure of children in restructured families to parental risk factors, is, given the data available and the study design, unclear. However, this study showed that, compared with their peers in biological father families, adolescents in stepfather families are perceived to be at higher risk of behaviour problems, and that father involvement is related to specific aspects of child adjustment. [source] Fatty acid composition abnormalities in atopic disease: evidence explored and role in the disease process examinedCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 9 2008A. Sala-Vila Summary There is a hypothesis causally linking excess intake of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to atopic disease. Under most dietary conditions, the main precursor of eicosanoids is the n-6 PUFA arachidonic acid (AA). AA-derived eicosanoids play many roles in sensitization to allergens and in allergic inflammation. Long chain n-3 PUFAs inhibit AA incorporation into cell membranes and inhibit AA metabolism to eicosanoids. It is hypothesized that atopy is associated with a higher n-6 PUFA status and with a low n-3 PUFA status. However, measurements of fatty acid composition do not provide a clear picture that such fatty acid abnormalities exist in atopy with no really clear pattern of altered status of a particular fatty acid or a particular fatty acid family. There are few reports of elevated linoleic acid in atopy. Some studies report lower amounts of the n-6 PUFAs, including AA, and of long chain n-3 PUFAs in atopy, although observations on this are not consistent. Taken together these data clearly do not support the hypothesis that atopy is somehow associated with a high exposure to, and status of, n-6 PUFAs. Intervention studies with n-3 PUFAs in pregnant women, infants and children suggest some clinical benefits, although how long lasting these are remains to be determined. The observation that there may be low AA status in atopy suggests that fish oil intervention, which targets AA status and metabolism, may not be ideal and that a combination of fish oil with some longer chain n-6 PUFAs may be more efficacious. [source] Lung, liver and bone cancer mortality in Mayak workers,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 4 2008Mikhail E. Sokolnikov Abstract Workers at the Mayak nuclear facility in the Russian Federation offer the only adequate human data for evaluating cancer risks from exposure to plutonium. Risks of mortality from cancers of the lung, liver and bone, the organs receiving the largest doses from plutonium, were evaluated in a cohort of 17,740 workers initially hired 1948-1972 using, for the first time, recently improved individual organ dose estimates. Excess relative risk (ERR) models were used to evaluate risks as functions of internal (plutonium) dose, external (primarily gamma) dose, gender, attained age and smoking. By December 31, 2003, 681 lung cancer deaths, 75 liver cancer deaths and 30 bone cancer deaths had occurred. Of these 786 deaths, 239 (30%) were attributed to plutonium exposure. Significant plutonium dose-response relationships (p < 0.001) were observed for all 3 endpoints, with lung and liver cancer risks reasonably described by linear functions. At attained age 60, the ERRs per Gy for lung cancer were 7.1 for males and 15 for females; the averaged-attained age ERRs for liver cancer were 2.6 and 29 for males and females, respectively; those for bone cancer were 0.76 and 3.4. This study is the first to present and compare dose-response analyses for cancers of all 3 organs. The unique Mayak cohort with its high exposures and well characterized doses has allowed quantification of the plutonium dose-response for lung, liver and bone cancer risks based on direct human data. These results will play an important role in plutonium risk assessment. Published 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Relevance of the developmental toxicity of ethanol in the occupational setting: a review,JOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY, Issue 5 2003Lorraine F. H. Irvine Abstract Numerous studies have been conducted investigating the reproductive toxicology of ethanol, the overwhelming majority concerning the adverse effects of consuming alcohol in beverages during pregnancy. Because many of the in vivo studies were designed to model alcoholism, they used comparatively high doses and assessed relatively few endpoints. Outcomes may have been affected by disturbances of metabolism at such high exposures, giving rise to secondary effects on development. The available data on ethanol from ,conventional' developmental toxicity study test methods of the type used for regulatory hazard assessment of chemicals are limited. It is in this context, however, i.e. the use of ethanol as an industrial chemical rather than as a component of beverages, that this review is based. Using the usual criteria applied for the purpose of hazard assessment of industrial chemicals, it is concluded that there is no evidence that industrial exposure to ethanol is a developmental toxicity hazard. Developmental toxicity may result from drinking alcoholic beverages, the threshold level for all aspects of which has yet to be de,ned. This is not, however, considered relevant to the low blood alcohol concentrations resulting from any conceivable inhalation or dermal exposure in the workplace or through the directed use of any consumer product containing ethanol. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Mortality among Ontario members of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied CraftworkersAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2005Murray M. Finkelstein PhD Abstract Background Dust exposed workers may be at increased risk of pneumoconiosis, stomach cancer, lung cancer, and obstructive lung disease. Bricklayers may experience high exposures to silica and inorganic dusts. The aim of this study was to examine the mortality pattern of bricklayers to identify occupational associations with mortality. Methods A cohort of 10,953 workers was assembled from records of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (IUBAC). Mortality was ascertained by linkage to the Canadian Mortality Registry at Statistics Canada. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) were computed using Ontario general population mortality rates as the reference. Results Twenty or more years from first membership, SMRs for lung (158; 130,190) and stomach (235; 140,370) cancers were significantly elevated. There were four deaths from pneumoconiosis, but non-malignant respiratory mortality SMRs were not increased. Conclusions Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers are at risk from diseases associated with heavy exposure to inorganic dust: lung cancer, stomach cancer, and pneumoconiosis. Dust control as well as education and training of these workers to protect themselves against inhalation hazards is necessary. Am. J. Ind. Med. 47:4,9, 2005. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke and child behaviour , results from a cross-sectional study among preschool children in BavariaACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 1 2010D Twardella Abstract Aim:, To evaluate the association of postnatal exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke on childhood behavioural problems after taking maternal smoking during pregnancy into account. Methods:, In a cross-sectional survey of preschool children in Bavaria, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in the child's home was assessed via a parent questionnaire. The Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was applied to assess child's behaviour. The association with secondhand tobacco smoke exposure was assessed for ,probable' outcomes of the problem subscales and of prosocial behaviour. Results:, Among 5494 children (48% female), the SDQ indicated behavioural problems in up to 11%. After adjustment for socioeconomic factors, low birth weight and maternal smoking before and during pregnancy, a dose-response relationship with exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke was observed regarding hyperactivity/inattention (odds ratio compared to ,none' was 1.35 for ,low/medium' and 2.39 for ,high' exposure, 95% confidence intervals 1.02,1.78 and 1.62,3.53, respectively) as well as for conduct problems (OR 1.68 (1.37,2.06) and 1.93 (1.39,2.68)). Conclusion:, Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure at home appears to be associated with an increased risk of behavioural problems among preschool children. Prevention of behavioural problems may be a further reason to target secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in children. [source] | |||||||||||||