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PubMed1983

Silicosis in surface coalmine drillers.

Surface coalminers are generally thought to be at minimal risk of developing pneumoconiosis. Biopsy-proved silicoproteinosis was found in a 34-year-old surface coalmine driller, and two of nine other drill crew members who worked for the same company had chest radiographic findings compatible with simple silicosis. Reanalysis of data from a previous United States Public Health Service survey of surface coalminers, after exclusion of those with underground mining experience, showed that 38% of the cases of pneumoconiosis occurred in drill crew members, a group comprising only 11% of the study population. On the basis of these data surface coalmine drillers appear to have an increased risk of developing occupational lung disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Radon and lung cancer.

Radon, an inert gas released during the decay of uranium-238, is ubiquitous in indoor and outdoor air and contaminates many underground mines. Extensive epidemiologic evidence from studies of underground miners and complementary animal data have documented that radon causes lung cancer in smokers and nonsmokers. Radon must also be considered a potentially important cause of lung cancer for the general population, which is exposed through contamination of indoor air by radon from soil, water, and building materials. This review describes radon's sources, levels in U.S. homes, dosimetry, the epidemiologic evidence from studies of miners and the general population, and the principal, recent risk assessments.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Geographical distribution of respiratory cancer in New Caledonia.

All cases of primary respiratory cancers diagnosed between 1/1/78 and 12/31/81 in the French territory of New Caledonia, where nickel has been mined and smelted for more than one hundred years, were recorded. The successive addresses of each case were noted. The distribution of stays between mining zones and others was compared to an expected distribution based on censuses. A significant excess was observed in mining zones, both for the number of stays and for the number of person-years. The excess was observed for primary lung cancer only. The data seem to indicate that people with lung cancer have spent a larger part of their life in a mining zone. The reason for that phenomenon cannot, however, be assessed clearly. This could be due to the geographical environment, i.e., the presence of nickel and asbestos in the soil of some parts of the territory; the observed relationship could also be due, in part, to the effects of urbanization leading to increased tobacco consumption.

Epidemiologic Methods↗
PubMed1984

Measuring exposures to glycol ethers.

In 1981, NIOSH began investigating the potential reproductive health effects resulting from exposures to a class of organic solvents known generically as glycol ethers (GE). This research was begun as a result of the NIOSH criteria document development program which revealed little data available on the health effects of glycol ether exposure. Toxicologic research was begun by NIOSH and other researchers which suggested substantial reproductive effects in animals. These animal data motivated a study of human exposures in the occupational setting. In 1981 and 1982 NIOSH conducted several walk-through surveys which included preliminary measurements of exposures in a variety of industries including painting trades, coal mining, production blending and distribution facilities, aircraft fueling, and communications equipment repair facilities. The human exposure data from these surveys is summarized in this paper with most results well below 1 parts per million (ppm) and only a few values approaching 10 ppm. Blood samples were collected at one site resulting in GE concentrations below the limit of detection. Exposures to airborne glycol ethers, in the industries investigated during the collection of this data, revealed several problems in reliably sampling GE at low concentrations. It became apparent, from the data and observations of work practices, that air monitoring alone provided an inadequate index of GE exposure. Further field studies of exposure to GE are anticipated, pending location of additional groups of exposed workers and development of more reliable methods for characterizing exposure, especially biological monitoring.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1993

Computer-aided methods for evaluating cancer risk in miners due to radiation exposure.

The paper presents some aspects of radiation hazard which occurs in a non-nuclear sector of industry, namely radiation hazard in non-uranium underground mines. The radiation hazard is caused in each type of underground mine by the naturally occurring noble radioactive gas-radon (222Rn) and radioactive products of its decay 218Po, 214Pb, 214Bi/214Po the so-called 'radon daughters' occurring in the mines' air. The paper presents the concept of how to provide a reliable system of assessment of miners' exposure by application of representative individual dosimetry, and also presents principles of computer-aided methods for interpretation of the results of miner's dosimetry useful for conversion of dosimetry data to the term of expected risk of cancer caused by exposure at miner's workplaces. The representative Individual Dosimetry system strengthened by computer-aided methods of analysis of results provided essential information on radiation cancer risk for miners employed in coal mines, metal-ore mines, chemical raw material mines in Poland. The coefficient of annual cancer risk induction is 1.5 x 10(-4) year-1 for coal mines, 1.40 x 10(-4) year-1 for metal ore mines and 1.5 x 10(-4) year-1 for chemical raw material mines. The radiation risk appears to be of the same magnitude as the conventional risk of life loss at work-related accidents. The average Lost Life Expectancy coefficient for both the radiation risk and conventional risk are 0.5 and 0.3 year per each miner, respectively.

Electronic Data Processing↗
PubMed1983

Gastric cancer and coal mine dust exposure. A case-control study.

Based on evidence that coal miners have elevated gastric cancer mortality rates, a case-control study was developed to assess the gastric cancer risk of coal mine dust exposure. Forty-six cases of US white male gastric cancer deaths from NIOSH coal miner cohorts were individually matched by age to controls. From these data we show that a statistically elevated gastric cancer risk exists for miners who have prolonged exposure to coal mine dust and prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke. Coal workers' pneumoconiosis, a disease defined in terms of coal dust deposition in the lungs, was not found to be a gastric cancer risk.

Coal Mining↗
PubMed2026

pSTRminer: integrated bioinformatic software for genome-wide identification and population-scale evaluation of polymorphic short tandem repeats.

Animal forensic genetics plays a critical role in criminal investigations by providing crucial evidence through domestic animal individualization and wildlife species identification. While human forensic genetics benefits from standardized short tandem repeats (STR) genotyping systems, animal forensic applications encounter significant challenges, including the limited availability of validated STR markers, the prevalence of error-prone dinucleotide STRs (di-STRs), and insufficient integration of population data. To address these challenges, we developed pSTRminer, an integrated bioinformatic tool that automates genome-wide STR mining and polymorphism evaluation. By applying pSTRminer to domestic cattle (Bos taurus), we identified 775,444 STRs de novo from the reference genome and genotyped them using whole-genome sequencing data from 60 Chinese and 111 African cattle to evaluate polymorphism across diverse genetic backgrounds. This led to the development of the cattle STR database (CSDB), comprising loci with a genotyping success rate&#x2009;&#x2265;&#x2009;40% and polymorphism information content (PIC)&#x2009;&#x2265;&#x2009;0.5. Experimental validation of 30 randomly selected tetranucleotide STRs (tetra-STRs) and 33 di-STRs via next-generation sequencing in a local Chinese cattle population (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;145) confirmed marker reliability. Although tetra-STRs had lower average polymorphism levels, they exhibited significantly lower stutter ratios (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05), providing a viable path for identifying discriminative markers with fewer artifacts. Systematic screening revealed that certain tetra-STRs could surpass di-STRs in polymorphism. In conclusion, pSTRminer provides a scalable framework for developing standardized STR panels, facilitating the identification of robust and informative markers in forensic applications.

Bioinformatic software↗
PubMed1991

[Occupationally-induced diseases, a contribution to epidemiologic methodology with results from mining].

For mining exposures the work-relatedness of morbidity measures and functional organ-related disorders was analysed on the base of data concerning medical screening, occupational exposure and disablement. Morbidity corresponds with intensity of occupational exposure. Using risiko measures results for disorders were interpreted in relation to a hypothesis, which allows to distinguish in our opinion diseases without work-relatedness from work-related and occupational diseases. The availability of a "normal exposed" control group and the choice of a well-defined exposed group, for which the definition of selected diseases as work-related is applicable alone, are decisive for the results. For mining exposures functional disorders of muscular and skeletal system require particular consideration.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1986

Lung asbestos content in long-term residents of a chrysotile mining town.

The effects of long-term exposure to very small amounts of chrysotile asbestos are controversial. To examine this problem, the lung asbestos content from 7 long-term (25 yr and greater) residents of Thetford Mines, Quebec, who were never employed in the chrysotile mining and milling industry, was analyzed. Thetford Mines is a chrysotile mining town with a demonstrated ambient atmospheric concentration of chrysotile asbestos approximately 200 to 500 times that in urban areas of North America. Data on the residents' lungs were compared with those obtained from 20 long-term (25 yr and greater) chrysotile industry workers from Thetford Mines and 20 members of the general population of Vancouver. The median concentrations of chrysotile and tremolite in the Thetford residents were only about one fiftieth of those of the chrysotile workers, but about 10 times that of the population of Vancouver. Because long fibers of asbestos are generally thought to be more dangerous than short ones are, the sizes of fibers from these 3 groups were also examined. The fiber size distribution of the asbestos from the Thetford residents was significantly longer than that of the Vancouver population, and resembled that of the chrysotile workers. Because epidemiologic studies have consistently failed to find an increased respiratory disease incidence in lifelong residents of Quebec chrysotile mining towns who were never employed in the chrysotile industry, these findings imply that even asbestos burdens much higher, and fiber size distributions much longer, than those of the general population of most North American cities, are not associated with demonstrable pathologic effects.

Aged↗
PubMed1968

Activity of microorganisms in acid mine water. I. Influence of acid water on aerobic heterotrophs of a normal stream.

Comparison of microbial content of acid-contaminated and nonacid-contaminated streams from the same geographical area indicated that nonacid streams contained relatively low numbers of acid-tolerant heterotrophic microorganisms. The acid-tolerant aerobes survived when acid entered the stream and actually increased in number to about 2 x 10(3) per ml until the pH approached 3.0. The organisms then represented the heterotrophic aerobic microflora of the streams comprised of a mixture of mine drainage and nonacid water. A stream which was entirely acid drainage did not have a similar microflora. Most gram-positive aerobic and anaerobic bacteria died out very rapidly in acidic water, and they comprised a very small percentage of the microbial population of the streams examined. Iron- and sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic bacteria were present wherever mine water entered a stream system. The sulfur-oxidizing bacteria predominated over iron oxidizers. Ecological data from the field were verified by laboratory experiments designed to simulate stream conditions.

Acids↗
PubMed1992

[Application of multistate model to the analysis of relationship between cumulative occupational exposure and occurrence of disease].

The relationship between cumulative exposure and response used to be estimated by using the two state life table method. But since the occurrence of the response is related to the time factor after exiting exposure, this method may not provide correct description of this relationship. Based on multiple state model, this paper put forward a new method which modifies the effect of the time after exiting exposure on this relationship. The data from a cohort of 1113 underground male workers in a tin mine was taken as an example to illustrate the merit of this method.

Humans↗
PubMed1987

[A plan for the medical prevention of pneumoconiosis in coal mining].

Some assumptions of a system of pneumoconiosis prevention for coal miners have been presented. An essential element of the system consists in replacing fluororadiograms with full-size X-ray pictures, as a method of primary selection. Provisions have been also made for promotion of the detection and treatment of chronic bronchitis and some other respiratory system diseases, along with obligatory spirometric tests. It is planned that the examinations will also involve pensioners. The current analysis of the collected information will be made using the electronic data processing.

Anthracosilicosis↗
PubMed1992

[Epidemiology of primary tumors of the pleura].

The authors briefly reviewed the literature concerning the risk factors for primary pleural tumors in humans. The results from the most relevant studies emphasize the fact that the large majority of mesotheliomas are associated with exposure to asbestos or asbestiform fibers. Exposure to asbestos is mainly through industrial use, and mesotheliomas result from occupational, para-occupational, or environmental exposure. Fibers of crocidolite, amosite, and chrysotile appear to be, in descending order, more carcinogenic for pleural tissues. The authors summarize the available data on consumption of asbestos and asbestos-based products in Italy. The chrysotile-asbestos mine in Balangero (Piedmont) stimulated the industrial production of asbestos-cement; asbestos has been largely sprayed among shipyards and user for insulating railroad coaches and carriages. Italy had the greatest consumption of crocidolite in Europe, which was not banned until 1986. The authors discuss the major findings derived from descriptive epidemiological data presented in previous papers dealing with this issue. In addition, standardized mortality rates of primary pleural tumors for European countries are shown. A clearly increasing trend for mortality is observed in Italy, which has also the provinces with the highest mortality rates in Europe. Among Italian provinces, the mortality rates are consistent with the number of asbestosis cases receiving workman's compensation. The authors present the results of both cohort and case-control analytical studies performed in Italy, and provide suggestions for further research.

Asbestos↗
PubMed1991

Using routinely collected data for clinical research.

Clinical research involving prospective data collection in randomized controlled trials is not always feasible. Increasingly, hospitals are developing large clinical databases that are waiting to be mined. We have developed a computer program, ClinQuery, that facilitates such exploration and analysis. We have also shown in a series of studies that the use of clinical data is a powerful tool in health services research. In some cases, we have shown that coded data are inaccurate and that alternative clinical data are preferable. In other cases, a combination of clinical data and coded discharge diagnoses is preferable.

Boston↗
PubMed1992

Physician response to the United Mine Workers' cost-sharing program: the other side of the coin.

The effect of cost sharing on health services utilization is analyzed from a new perspective, that is, its effects on physician response to cost sharing. A primary data set was constructed using medical records and billing files from a large multispecialty group practice during the three-year period surrounding the introduction of cost sharing to the United Mine Workers Health and Retirement Fund. This same group practice also served an equally large number of patients covered by United Steelworkers' health benefit plans, for which similar utilization data were available. The questions addressed in this interinsurer study are: (1) to what extent does a physician's treatment of medically similar cases vary, following a drop in patient visits as a result of cost sharing? and (2) what is the impact, if any, on costs of care for other patients in the practice (e.g., "spillover effects" such as cost shifting)? Answers to these kinds of questions are necessary to predict the effects of cost sharing on overall health care costs. A fixed-effects model of physician service use was applied to data on episodes of treatment for all patients in a private group practice. This shows that the introduction of cost sharing to some patients in a practice does, in fact, increase the treatment costs to other patients in the same practice who remain under stable insurance plans. The analysis demonstrates that when the economic effects of cost sharing on physician service use are analyzed for all patients within a physician practice, the findings are remarkably different from those of an analysis limited to those patients directly affected by cost sharing.

Cost Sharing↗
PubMed1988

Relationship of 220Rn and 222Rn progeny levels in Canadian underground U mines.

Radon-222 and 220Rn progeny are found in some Canadian underground U mines. Because both can contribute to lung dose, their experimental determinations are important. The relationship between 222Rn progeny Working Level [WL(Rn)] and 220Rn progeny Working Level [WL(Tn)] has been investigated in U mines. Experimental measurements extended from 1981 to 1986 and consisted of about 700 measurements of each WL(Rn) and WL(Tn). The data were analyzed by standard linear and power-function regression analysis. A power-function relationship between WL(Rn) and WL(Tn) seemed to fit the experimental data best. The relationship obtained permits the calculation of WL(Tn) from experimental values of WL(Rn). The relationship is useful for lung-dose-calculation purposes and in mine-ventilation-engineering calculations.

Air Pollutants↗