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Biomedical subjects

L J Fine

Publications and source records attributed to L J Fine.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Back disorders and nonneutral trunk postures of automobile assembly workers.

A case-referent study was conducted in an automobile assembly plant to evaluate the health effect of trunk postures, such as bending and twisting, that deviate from anatomically neutral. Cases of back disorders were all those of workers who reported back pain to the medical department in a ten-month period and met the severity criteria of an interview. The referents were randomly selected workers free of back pain according to medical department records, an interview, and an examination. For each of the final 95 cases and 124 referents, the job was analyzed for postural and lifting requirements with a video recording and software analysis system by analysts blinded to the case/referent status. Back disorders were associated with mild trunk flexion [odds ratio (OR) 4.9, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.4-17.4], severe trunk flexion (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.6-20.4), and trunk twist or lateral bend (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.6-21.4). The risk increased with exposure to multiple postures and increasing duration of exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

National estimates of occupational exposure to animal bladder tumorigens.

A prevention program for occupational bladder cancer should be based on an estimate of the number of workers previously and currently exposed to bladder carcinogens. The National Occupational Exposure Survey (NOES), which identified potential occupational exposures in approximately 5000 private sector firms in 1981 to 1983, is the best available source for recent hazard estimates; the National Occupational Hazard Survey (NOHS), conducted in 1972 and 1974, for past exposure estimates. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) identified nearly 200 substances associated with animal bladder tumors. From NOES and NOHS, the numbers of workers with full time (greater than or equal to 4 hours/day) or any potential occupational exposure were estimated for the United States. About 60,000 workers were potentially exposed in the early 1970s and about 700,000 in the early 1980s on a full-time basis to the compounds on the RTECS list also appearing in NOES, and about 1.8 million workers in the 1970s and almost 3.5 million in the 1980s had some occupational exposure. Because matches were not found for many compounds and because NOES covers only part of the US work force, these are probably underestimates. The estimates for the number of exposed workers do not imply that these workers all have increased risk of developing bladder cancer, because some animal tumorigens may not be human carcinogens and our estimates are based on potential rather than measured exposures. The risk would depend on the potency, duration, and intensity of the actual exposures. Nevertheless these estimates are useful in estimating the approximate magnitude of the potential occupational exposure to animal bladder tumorigens.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Occupational health in the 1990s.

Where have we come since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed in 1970? Have we made progress in this country toward "safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women?" Many hazardous exposures that were prevalent before the creation of NIOSH, OSHA, and MSHA have been reduced. Exposure to asbestos, coal dust, silica, lead, and cotton dust are common examples. Through OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard and state Right to Know laws as well as an increase in the dissemination of information, the average employer and worker today is better informed of specific hazards on the job, and more attentive to safety measures. However, the high toll of work related disease and injuries continues today.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1989

Occupational mercury exposure and male reproductive health.

This retrospective cohort study was designed to investigate the relationship of male occupational exposure to elemental mercury and several reproductive outcomes. All subjects worked at least 4 months between 1953 and 1966 at a plant that used elemental mercury; 247 white male employees who had the highest exposures were compared to 255 matched nonexposed employees. Individual exposure to mercury was estimated from urinary mercury measurement records. Information on reproductive history and potential confounding variables was obtained through personal interview with each of the employees and with a subset of their wives. No associations were demonstrated between mercury exposure and decreased fertility or increased rates of major malformations or serious childhood illnesses. After controlling for previous miscarriage history, mercury exposure was not a significant risk factor for miscarriage. Because of this study's potential problems with long-term recall, further studies of the effect of mercury on pregnancy outcome are warranted in other populations.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMed1988

Neurological abnormalities associated with remote occupational elemental mercury exposure.

We examined 502 subjects, 247 of whom had occupational elemental mercury exposures 20 to 35 years previously, to identify potential exposure-related neurological abnormalities. Few significant (p less than 0.05) differences existed between exposed and unexposed subjects. However, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated several significant correlations between declining neurological function and increasing exposure as determined by urine mercury measurements from the exposure interval. Subjects with urine mercury peak levels above 0.6 mg/L demonstrated significantly decreased strength, decreased coordination, increased tremor, decreased sensation, and increased prevalence of Babinski and snout reflexes when compared with the remaining subjects. Furthermore, subjects with clinical polyneuropathy had significantly higher peak levels than normal subjects (0.85 vs 0.61 mg/L; p = 0.04), but not increased exposure duration (20.1 vs 20.8 quarters; p = 0.34), and 28% of subjects with peak levels above 0.85 mg/L had clinical evidence of polyneuropathy, compared with 10% of remaining subjects (p = 0.005). Although exposure was not age dependent, several neurological measures showed significant age-mercury interaction, suggesting that natural neuronal attrition may unmask prior exposure-related subclinical abnormalities.

Aging↗
PubMed1987

Occupational factors and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most commonly reported nerve entrapment syndrome. The prevalence of CTS among 652 active workers in jobs with specific hand force and repetitiveness characteristics was estimated. The prevalence of CTS ranged from 0.6% among workers in low force-low repetitive jobs to 5.6% among workers in high force-high repetitive jobs. When controlling for potential confounders, the odds ratio for the high force-high repetitive jobs was more than 15 (p less than .001) compared to the low force-low repetitive jobs. High repetitiveness appears to be a greater risk factor than high force (odds ratio of 5.5 p less than .05 versus 2.9 and not statistically significant).

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Ergonomics and the effects of vibration in hand-intensive work.

Along with ergonomic factors, such as forceful and repeated exertion and certain postures, vibration has been cited as a factor of chronic nerve and tendon disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tendinitis. The arguments for the contribution of vibration come from epidemiologic studies, clinical case analyses, and studies of short-term effects. It is well established that vibration stimulates muscle contraction, which is called the tonic vibration reflex. It is also known that vibration reduces tactility and that tactility affects the amount of force exerted to hold or manipulate a given object. For localized vibration exposure of the hand and arm to occur, the hand must grip a vibrating object. Vibration may increase the risk of chronic tendon and nerve disorders by increasing the force exerted in repetitive manual tasks. This close relationship between force and vibration, and difficulties in measuring force and vibration in manual work, makes it very difficult to determine their relative contributions in epidemiologic and clinical studies.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome↗
PubMed1987

Abnormalities of pulmonary function and pleural disease among titanium metal production workers.

The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of respiratory disease among 209 titanium metal production workers. Work in areas where there was exposure to titanium tetrachloride and titanium dioxide particulates was associated with reductions in ventilatory capacity. Pleural disease (plaques and diffuse thickening) was present in the chest radiographs of 17% of the subjects and was associated with the duration of work in titanium manufacturing. It was also associated with past asbestos exposure. After control for asbestos exposure, it remained associated with titanium manufacturing. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that titanium tetrachloride and titanium dioxide particulates may be associated with a reduction in ventilatory capacity and that the overall process of titanium manufacturing may be associated with unexpected pleural disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Teaching occupational health to physicians.

A comprehensive training program for physicians interested in occupational health is presented. The objectives are to prepare students to identify and prevent occupational disease, with an emphasis on the development of a public health perspective. Seven content areas are described: epidemiology and biostatistics, toxicology, industrial hygiene, safety and ergonomics, policy issues, administration, and clinical aspects. These are organized in a matrix to provide appropriate levels of training for medical students, resident physicians, and general practioners as well as physicians seeking specialty training.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1978

Cancer mortality and morbidity among rubber workers.

Mortality and morbidity from cancer among a cohort of 13,570 white male rubber workers were examined. Each man worked for at least 5 years at the Akron, Ohio, plant of the B. F. Goodrich Company. The potential period of follow-up was from January 1, 1940 to June 30, 1976. Departmental work histories were based primarily on records maintained by Local no. 5, United Rubber Workers. The occurrence of cancer was measured by death certificates and by a survey of Akron-area hospital tumor registries from 1964 to 1974. Two types of analyses were made: 1) an external comparison of mortality rates of rubber workers versus rates of U.S. white males, and 2) an internal comparison of cancer morbidity rates among persons who were employed in various work areas of the plant. Excess cases of specific cancers (observed/expected numbers) among workers in specific work areas included: stomach and intestine: rubber making (30/14.4); lung: tire curing (31/14.1), fuel cells and/or deicers (46/29.1); bladder: chemical plant (6/2.4), and tire building (16/10.7); skin cancer: tire assembly (12/1.9); brain cancer: tire assembly (8/2.0); lymphatic cancer: tire building (8/3.2); and leukemia: calendering (8/2.2), tire curing (8/2.6), tire building (12/7.5), elevators (4/1.4), tubes (4/1.6), and rubber fabrics (4/1.1). Agents that may be responsible for these excesses were considered.

Adult↗