锰接触－行为功能关系的研究

选择４４名接触不同空气中锰浓度的干电池制造工和电焊工，进行了成套的神经行为功能测验。结果表明，接触组神经系统症状得分高于对照组，接触组语言、核心行为功能与指叩、积木图案、视觉再生、数字顺序和情感状态得分均低于对照组，其中语言和核心行为功能总得分与尿锰呈明显负相关。提示职业性长期锰接触后可能对神经行为功能产生损害，其损害程度与锰接触存在明显的接触水平－反应关系。     

低温作业工人的神经行为功能调查

本文选择合肥肉联厂和啤酒厂５２名低温作业工人，进行了神经行为功能测验。结果表明，低温作业工人语言与核心神经行为功能总得分和情绪、简单反应时、数字广度、视觉持留记忆、目标描准追击、指叩、积木图案、数字顺序与视觉再生分测验得分均明显低于对照组。提示低温对人体神经行为功能有明显影响，并与低温程度有关，随着接触低温时间的增加而影响加重。建议应加强多种防寒保暖措施和尽快制订冷库低温作业卫生标准。     

锰接触—行为功能关系的研究

选择４４名接触不同空气中锰浓度的干电池制造和电焊工，进行了成套的神经行为功能测验。结果表明，接触组神经系统症状得分高于对照组，接触组语言、核心行为功能与指叩、积木图案、视觉再生、数字顺序和情状态得分均低于对照组，其中语言和核心行为功能总得分与尿锰呈明显负相关。提示职业性长期锰接触后可能对生损害，其损害程度与锰接触存在明显的接触水平－反应关系。     

电焊作业对工人神经行为功能的影响

目的探讨锰对电焊作业工人神经行为的影响。方法采用计算机神经行为评价系统(NESC3)中8个行为测试项目对91名电焊作业工人和49名对照组工人进行测试。同时对接触组、对照组作业环境空气中的锰浓度及所有受试者血锰浓度进行采样测定。结果接触组工人的符号译码、视简单反应时、视复杂反应时、目标追踪和情感状态中紧张、疲惫、有力的测试结果明显差于对照组(P<0.05或P<0.01);接触组血锰为(0.78±0.39)μmol/L,明显高于对照组血锰[(0.53±0.32)μmol/L],P<0.01;但接触组血锰浓度与工龄、神经行为测试结果无明显相关关系(P>0.05)。结论锰可引起工人情感状态、手眼协调能力、心理运动能力的改变,计算机神经行为测试可作为一种检测电焊工人神经系统早期损害的较合适的方法。     

铅作业工人神经行为功能分析

目的探讨和评价铅作业工人神经行为功能状况。方法使用WTO神经行为核心测验组合对接触组和对照组进行神经行为功能测试调查,同时测定铅作业工人尿铅浓度。结果接触组的各情感状态积分均明显高于对照组,差异有非常显著性(P<0.01);各行为功能指标积分均明显低于对照组,差异有显著性(P<0.01),且高工龄组低于低工龄组,差异有显著性(P<0.05,P<0.01)。结论铅对作业工人情感和神经行为功能存在有害影响,神经行为功能测定可作为铅作业工人接触反应的早期评价指标。     

锰电焊作业工人神经行为功能的调查

神经行为功能测试是反映神经系统亚临床损害的灵敏指标。经对58名锰电焊工人用NCTB进行神经行为功能测试表明,接触组在情感状态方面变化最明显,6项指标均与对照组有较大差异(P<0.05),尤以疲劳、抑郁、愤怒最显著(P<0.01)。说明情感状态指标是神经行为功能变化的敏感指标。同时接触组简单反应时及数字广度、目标追踪正确得分也明显低于对照组(P<0.01)。提示,低水平的锰暴露(低于或接近职业接触限值),也可使作业工人出现情感、反应速度、记忆力、注意力、手敏捷度、手稳定度等神经行为功能较明显的改变。     

低浓度汞接触对机体行为功能的影响——计算机化神经行为评价系统的应用

应用中文版计算机化神经行为评价系统(NES-C)和情感状态问卷(POMS),对88名接触汞蒸气工人和70名对照人群.进行神经行为功能测试。结果提示,汞接触组工人的消极性情感状态得分增高,心算、数字检索、注意力调转、视复杂反应时及指叩等行为功能受到明显影响(P<0.05～0.01)。研究表明,NES-C适用于接触职业性有害因素,特别是神经性毒物的健康监护。     

四乙基铅汽油作业工人行为功能观察

本文对51名四乙基铅汽油作业工人进行了行为功能测验。结果表明,接触组工人疲劳和精力充沛两项情感特征及简单反应时、数字跨度、指叩、积木图案、数字检索、数字译码、目标追踪测验得分明显低于对照组。同时行为功能标化总分随接触工龄的增加而降低。作者认为,长期接触四乙基铅汽油,可引起机体神经功能的改变。     

正已烷引起多发性周围神经早期损伤指标的研究

[目的]通过对正己烷作业工人的情感状态和神经行为功能的调查,探讨正已烷对作业工人周围神经早期损伤的指标. [方法]采用WHO推荐的神经行为核心测试组合(NCTB)和SCL-90症状自评量表,对82名正己烷作业工人进行神经行为功能和情感状态测试;用气相色谱氢火焰离子化法测定作业工人尿中2,5-己二酮浓度. [结果]在进行两组相关调查测试指标的比较中,情感状态测试接触组的总分(t=2.60,P＜0.05)、阳性症状得分(t=2.76,P＜0.01)和躯体化(t=3.70,P＜0.01)、抑郁(t=2.84,P＜0.01)、焦虑(t=2.55,P＜0.05)等因子得分高于对照组;与全国常模比较,接触组躯体化(t=5.36,P＜0.01)、焦虑(t=4.02,P＜0.01)、抑郁(t=2.03,P＜0.05)等因子得分高于全国常模;在神经行为功能测试中接触组的平均反应时(t=5.16,P＜0.01)、手提转捷度的利手(t=3.91,P＜0.01)和非利手(t=2.31,P＜0.05)、目标追踪测试的正确打点数(t=2.30,P＜0.05)和错误打点数(t=2.80,P＜0.01)及总和(t=2.11,P＜0.05)等测试结果与对照组比较差异具有统计学意义. [结论]正己烷对作业工人的情感状态和周围神经行为功能可能产生一定的影响.     

电焊工血清脂质过氧化水平和神经行为功能的变化

目的探讨电焊工体内脂质过氧化水平和神经行为功能变化.方法对125名电焊工和50名对照组人员实施问卷调查,神经行为功能测试和检测其血清中的总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)、丙二醛(MDA)水平.结果焊工组血清中T-SOD、GSH-Px均显著低于对照组(P<0.01);疲劳-惰性等7项指标显著性差于对照组(P<0.05);而MDA显著性高于对照组(P<0.01),错误打点数显著性多于对照组(P<0.01).分层分析仅发现最快反应时、最慢反应时、数字译码有随暴露剂量增加而变慢的趋势.而MDA则有随之升高的趋势.结论电焊工存在神经行为功能改变并提示处于氧化应激状态.     

Calcium intake in the elderly: validation of a dietary questionnaire

Epidemiological studies of calcium and osteoporosis have been hampered by the lack of a suitable tool for assessing calcium intake. This report describes a new frequency and amount questionnaire for measuring present and past calcium intake in the elderly. The validity of the questionnaire was tested against two commonly used standards of dietary assessment, five-day duplicate diets and seven-day weighed dietary inventories. The resulting correlation coefficients were, respectively, r = 0.76 and r = 0.69, while that for repeatability was r = 0.84. Furthermore, the questionnaire categorized subjects into thirds of the distribution of intake with almost no gross misclassification. It is suggested that the present findings may be extended to the majority of normal, healthy elderly subjects, implying wide application for the questionnaire in the assessment of calcium intake in the elderly.     

Self-reported health problems among Swedish miners one year after unemployment

Unemployment is considered to be a public health concern sincedeterioration in the health of the unemployed is often anticipated.However, for some groups, such as miners, unemployment mightimprove health due to a cessation of potentially harmful occupationalexposures. This study evaluates the health of 79 miners in oneSwedish iron-ore mine, and 226 age-matched controls from thegeneral population, during one year after the closure of themine. The participants received a questionnaire regarding medicalhistory and subjective symptoms at the beginning of the studyperiod, and after one year. Statistically significant negativeeffects on self-reported health attributable to unemploymentwere not found, although neuropsychiatric symptoms were morecommon among the unemployed miners. The miners reported a statisticallysignificant improvement in grip force (p=0.031). They had asignificantly higher prevalence of symptoms associated withmining related exposures when compared with the population controls;pain in the upper extremities [relative risk (RR)=2.27, 95%confidence interval (Cl)=1.44–3.59), back pain (RR=1.84;Cl=1.237–2.75), vasospastic disease of the fingers (RR=2.05;Cl=1.18–3.57) and obstructive respiratory symptoms (attacksof dyspnea and wheezing: RR=3.67; Cl=1.167–11.6).     

Excès de cas humains et animaux de tularémie en France au cours de l’hiver 2007–2008 : émergence ou phénomène isolé ?

Context

Tularemia is a zoonosis affecting humans and hares in France. We describe the results of surveillance in both species, in 2007 and 2008.

Methods

Human tularemia cases are mandatorily notifiable in France since 2003. In hares, surveillance relies on volunteer hunter associations in all districts of the country. Data from mandatory reports and volunteer surveillance in 2007/2008 were analyzed and compared with previous results.

Results

In 2007/2008, 144 cases were reported in humans and 117 cases in hares. This was a 100% increase compared to previous years. Human cases differed from those of previous years only by the frequency of contact with breeding animals. Human cases without any documented risk exposure were also more frequent.

Conclusion

An increase of tularemia cases occurred in 2007/2008 in both species. Complementary studies are needed to identify the species reservoir in France to understand the causes of this peak of cases.     

Occupational health hazards in mining: an overview

This review article outlines the physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial occupational health hazards of mining and associated metallurgical processes. Mining remains an important industrial sector in many parts of the world and although substantial progress has been made in the control of occupational health hazards, there remains room for further risk reduction. This applies particularly to traumatic injury hazards, ergonomic hazards and noise. Vigilance is also required to ensure exposures to coal dust and crystalline silica remain effectively controlled.     

Manufacture and use of nanomaterials: current status in the UK and global trends

This paper provides an overview of the production and use of nanomaterials (NMs), particularly in the UK. Currently, relatively few companies in the UK are identifiable as NM manufacturers, the main emphasis being the bulk markets in metals and metal oxides, and some niche markets such as carbon nanotubes and quantum dots. NM manufacturing in the UK does not reflect the global emphasis on fullerenes, nanotubes and fibres. Some assumptions have been made about the types of NM that are likely to be imported into the UK, which currently include fullerenes, modified fullerenes and other carbon-based NMs including nanotubes. Many university departments, spin-offs and private companies have developed processes for the manufacture of NMs but may only be producing small quantities for research and development (R&D) purposes. However, some have the potential to scale up to produce large quantities. The nanotechnology industry in the UK has strong R&D backup from universities and related institutions. This review has covered R&D trends at such institutions, and appropriate information has been added to a searchable database. While several companies are including NMs in their products, only a few (e.g. manufacturers of paints, coatings, cosmetics, catalysts, polymer composites) are using nanoparticles (NPs) in any significant quantities. However, this situation is likely to change rapidly. There is a need to collect more information about exposure to NPs in both manufacturing and user scenarios. As the market grows, and as manufacturers switch from the micro- to the nanoscale, the potential for exposure will increase. More research is required to quantify any risks to workers and consumers.     

深圳公立医院管理体制改革制度设计

深圳公立医院管理体制改革实行政事分开、管办分开,在理事会架构下按法定机构模式组建市医管中心,落实公立医院运营管理自主权.作者从当前公立医院管理体制的弊端入手,介绍了深圳市进行公立医院管理体制改革的基本思路及改革方案设计的主要举措,深入剖析了的改革方案的特点,并对改革效果进行了预测.     

Effects of nitrogen dioxide on red blood cells of rats: Changes in components of red cell membranes during in vivo exposure to NO2

Red cell membranes, prepared from red blood cells of rats exposed to 4, 10, or 20 ppm nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) for 1 to 10 days, were examined for evidence of changes in membrane components. Appreciable changes were not found in contents of phospholipid and cholesterol during exposure to 10 ppm NO₂. By contrast, protein content altered with the time of exposure. Moreover, changes in protein composition were observed by employing sodium dodecyl sulfate — polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Twenty-four-hour exposure to NO₂ at the concentration above 10 ppm resulted in a marked increase in the percentage of lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LysoPE) to the total phospholipids. The prolonged exposure to 10 ppm NO₂ gave rise to a further increase in LysoPE, whereas the percentage of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) showed a gradual decrease. A 1-day exposure to 4.0 ppm NO₂ also caused an increase in sialic acid content and decreases in those of PE and hexose. In addition to contents of these components the percentage of LysoPE increased 5 days after exposure and the elevated values were maintained up to the end of exposure period. These results demonstrate that red blood cells in circulation exhibit different membrane properties in terms of lipid and carbohydrate composition during 10 days of exposure to 4.0 ppm NO₂.     

Investigating clusters in the workplace and beyond

Clusters of disease are common and occur in the workplace and in the general community. They often arouse considerable concern among the population. Investigations have sometimes lead to exciting new knowledge, but in general the investigation of clusters is difficult and often unrewarding, especially for community clusters. In the workplace, investigations are more likely to find associations and even new causes, but still many clusters remain enigmatic. Despite this, there are many reasons for investigating clusters, including allaying community concern and identifying uncontrolled exposures. A structure for investigating clusters in the workplace is suggested.