Mutagenic activity in waste from an aluminum products factory in Salmonella/microsome assay

The mutagenic activity of waste material originating from an aluminum products factory was determined by the Salmonella/microsome assay, using the bacterial strains TA100, TA98 and YG1024. The material was obtained by sweeping the factory floor at the end of the work shift. Organic compounds were extracted by ultrasound for 30 min in dichloromethane or 70% ethanol. After evaporation of solvent, these extracts were dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide, and tested for the mutagenic activity at varying concentrations. All the extracts from the factory had mutagenic activity, especially in the YG1024 strain, suggesting the presence of aromatic amines, later confirmed by chemical analysis. The TA98 strain also showed mutagenic activity, though it did not exhibit the highest mutagenicity index observed with the YG1024 strain. In TA100, mutagenic activity was not observed. This study should serve as an alert to management and those who are occupationally exposed, and as a warning that this type of waste should not be discarded in the environment without any control.     

军队老年人阿尔茨海默病危险因素的病例对照研究

目的 探讨军队老年人阿尔茨海默病(AD)的危险因素,初步分析早年电磁暴露与AD的关系。方法 采用病例对照研究。选择解放军总医院近年来确诊的62例军队AD患者为病例组,在同一医院住院治疗的离退休老干部中按照年龄段分层抽样(按1:2比例)选取124例对照。调查方式为电话访谈。结果 单因素分析结果显示,病例组社会活动情况明显少于对照组,早年电磁暴露、体育锻炼情况、负性生活事件、慢性阻塞性肺病病史、既往癌症病史、痴呆家族史在两组间差异有显著性。在调整相关影响因素后,负性生活事件、痴呆家族史、社会活动量的OR值(95％CI)分别为3.27(1.53～6.97)、5.78(1.39～24.10)和0.81(0.72～0.92),早年电磁暴露的OR值(95％CI)为2.49(0.96～6.45),而既往癌症病史和吸烟似与AD呈负相关。结论 负性生活事件、痴呆家族史、社会活动减少是AD的独立危险因素,早年电磁暴露是其可能的危险因素;吸烟和既往癌症病史与AD呈负相关的原因可能与该老年人群的“生存偏性”有关。     

实习护生职业防护知识需求的调查与对策

目的调查实习护士学生对职业防护知识的需求,以便采取有效对策. 方法以问卷形式调查50名正在实习的本科和中专护士学生. 结果被调查的护生中,96%学习过医院感染控制的相关知识,96%认为对职业防护知识掌握不够,56%认为要增加相关操作示范的机会,80%希望从医院获取职业防护知识,96%认为手指最易受刺伤,64%害怕工作中感染艾滋病,44%接受了乙肝疫菌注射,60%认为应在实习前进行职业防护知识教育. 结论根据学生的需求,实习前由医院对护士学生进行职业防护知识教育很有必要.     

护理人员传染病职业防护调查分析

目的了解护理人员传染病职业防护知识现状,为实施传染病职业防护护理培训提供依据. 方法采用自行设计的传染病职业护理防护知识调查表,对广东省6所医院300名护理人员基本情况、防护知识获得途径、常用防护方式、传染病法律法规防护知识需求、培训后感受、面对传染病焦虑心理反应以及防护应对方式等内容进行调查. 结果护理人员的传染病防护知识欠缺,护理人员面对传染病的职业心理状态较差,与常模比较差异有显著性(P＜0.05);护理人员应对方式与工作岗位、工作角色及工作年限相关. 结论针对护理人员的传染病职业防护知识现状及需求,护理管理者应提供相应的职业防护知识和技术及心理支持等职业防护培训.     

上海市杨浦区涉苯企业职业卫生危害现状调查

目的调查涉苯企业贯彻国家职业卫生法规执行情况及现状,为建立辖区职业卫生监督的有效管理提供依据.方法依据<中华人民共和国职业病防治法>、<使用有毒物品作业场所劳动保护条例>等法律、法规和国家职业卫生标准,依法对辖区60家涉苯企业进行监督检查.结果部分用人单位法制意识淡薄,作业场所职业病危害因素检测与评价等管理制度及措施不健全 ,作业场所三苯浓度抽测点合格率为87.1%,其中7家企业三苯浓度超过国家卫生标准,苯白血病检出1例,检出率为17.7/10万.结论用人单位在职业卫生管理方面与国家职业卫生法律、法规要求尚有较大差距,潜在职业危害依然存在.因此,建立有效的职业卫生监督管理机制,是治本之策.     

吸烟与职业性毒物的协同作用

综述了吸烟与职业性毒物对作业工人健康影响的有关资料,提出吸烟与金属和类金属、刺激性气体及其他毒物有协同作用,并与职业性癌症有关,提倡戒烟非常必要.     

‘Sometimes your safety goes a bit by the wayside’ … exploring occupational health and safety (OHS) with student nurses

Because nursing is a high risk profession in terms of occupational health and safety (OHS), the topic of OHS is an important component of student nurse education and practice. Seeking ways to enhance curricular content and foster student health, safety and wellbeing is an ongoing pursuit. This pilot study explored nursing student perspectives about OHS in the clinical setting to develop an understanding of student views that could enlighten teaching about this topic within the undergraduate nursing course. Focus groups were held with pre-registration student nurses in two discrete cohort levels (first and third year). Themes were identified from the focus group discussion about trust, knowledge and responsibility. The students demonstrated a sound grasp of clinical hazards and associated administrative controls. Strengthening student awareness of higher order controls and their evaluation would augment their knowledge of legislative requirements. Students may benefit from learning about a risk management approach to OHS which would provide them with a structured basis for problem solving. This may assist them with clinical reasoning about health and safety issues and empower them in aspects of self-care.     

Errorless Learning and Spaced Retrieval Training for Clients with Alzheimer's Dementia

ABSTRACT

Clients with Alzheimer's dementia (AD) may experience limitations in completing activities of daily living (ADL) due to impairments in cognition, memory, and problem-solving. These clients are often referred to occupational therapy (OT) services in order to maximize independence in ADL and decrease caregiver burden. Occupational therapists may be challenged when developing treatment interventions for clients with AD due to client deficits in memory and learning. This article explores evidence-based learning strategies—errorless learning (EL) and spaced retrieval (SR)—to improve learning and memory and OT outcomes for clients with AD. The roles of memory and learning are discussed, and EL and SR strategies are explored for clients with AD. OT intervention ideas are identified, and strategies for integrating EL and SR techniques into the OT plan of care (POC) are also discussed. Future research implications are explored for expanding evidence for EL and SR as part of the OT POC.     

Outbreak of silicosis in Spanish quartz conglomerate workers

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of an outbreak of occupational silicosis and the associated working conditions.

Methods: Cases were defined as men working in the stone cutting, shaping, and finishing industry in the province of Cádiz, diagnosed with silicosis between July 2009 and May 2012, and were identified and diagnosed by the department of pulmonology of the University Hospital of Puerto Real (Cádiz). A census of workplaces using quartz conglomerates was carried out to determine total numbers of potentially exposed workers. A patient telephone survey on occupational exposures and a review of medical records for all participants were conducted.

Results: Silicosis was diagnosed in 46 men with a median age of 33 years and a median of 11 years working in the manufacturing of countertops. Of these cases, 91·3% were diagnosed with simple chronic silicosis, with an abnormal high-resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) scan. One patient died during the study period. Employer non-compliance in prevention and control measures was frequently reported, as were environmental and individual protection failures.

Conclusions: The use of new construction materials such as quartz conglomerates has increased silicosis incidence due to intensive occupational exposures, in the context of high demand fuelled by the housing boom. This widespread exposure poses a risk if appropriate preventive measures are not undertaken.