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PubMed1994

Noise-induced hearing loss in an automobile sheet-metal pressing plant. A retrospective investigation covering 25 years.

Hearing damage suffered by male workers in an automobile sheet-metal pressing plant has been studied on five occasions during the period 1964-89. The hearing threshold data have been analysed in order to determine hearing loss due to noise in various age groups. The hearing thresholds were better on later occasions. In the youngest group of workers only 45% exhibited normal hearing in 1964, while in 1989 the corresponding figure was 88%. The same tendency towards improved hearing could also be seen in the age groups 30-39 and 40-49 years. In the oldest age group, 50-59 years, hearing handicap decreased from 58% in 1964 to 11% in 1989. With the aid of the average hearing loss, it has also been possible to estimate the equivalent noise level to which present-day workers have been exposed, as well as the reduction in level of exposure during the past 25 years. The effects of a long-term technical and medical occupational health care programme including noise-reduction measures and improved use of hearing protectors are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Cervical injuries suffered in automobile crashes.

The National Crash Severity Study data in which occupants sustained severe, critical-to-life, or fatal cervical injuries were reviewed. Of passenger cars damaged severely enough to be towed from the scene, it is estimated that one in 300 occupants sustained a neck injury of a severe nature. The neck-injury rate rose to one in 14 occupants for those ejected from their cars, although many of these injuries resulted from contacts within the car before or during the process of ejection. Severe neck injuries were rather rare in cars struck in the rear, but were more common in frontal and side impacts. Occupants between 16 and 25 years of age had such injuries more than twice as often as those in any other age group. Most of the neck injuries of a more severe nature involved the cervical spine or spinal cord. Injuries of the anterior aspect of the neck were relatively infrequent, and usually resulted from direct blunt impacts. National projections of the number of fatalities related to cervical injuries indicates that 5940 deaths, or approximately 20% of all in-car deaths, include fatal cervical spine injuries, and that about 500 cases of quadriplegia per year result from automobile accidents.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2000

A life-cycle comparison of alternative automobile fuels.

We examine the life cycles of gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), and ethanol (C2H5OH)-fueled internal combustion engine (ICE) automobiles. Port and direct injection and spark and compression ignition engines are examined. We investigate diesel fuel from both petroleum and biosources as well as C2H5OH from corn, herbaceous bio-mass, and woody biomass. The baseline vehicle is a gasoline-fueled 1998 Ford Taurus. We optimize the other fuel/powertrain combinations for each specific fuel as a part of making the vehicles comparable to the baseline in terms of range, emissions level, and vehicle lifetime. Life-cycle calculations are done using the economic input-output life-cycle analysis (EIO-LCA) software; fuel cycles and vehicle end-of-life stages are based on published model results. We find that recent advances in gasoline vehicles, the low petroleum price, and the extensive gasoline infrastructure make it difficult for any alternative fuel to become commercially viable. The most attractive alternative fuel is compressed natural gas because it is less expensive than gasoline, has lower regulated pollutant and toxics emissions, produces less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is available in North America in large quantities. However, the bulk and weight of gas storage cylinders required for the vehicle to attain a range comparable to that of gasoline vehicles necessitates a redesign of the engine and chassis. Additional natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure is required for large-scale use of natural gas for transportation. Diesel engines are extremely attractive in terms of energy efficiency, but expert judgment is divided on whether these engines will be able to meet strict emissions standards, even with reformulated fuel. The attractiveness of direct injection engines depends on their being able to meet strict emissions standards without losing their greater efficiency. Biofuels offer lower GHG emissions, are sustainable, and reduce the demand for imported fuels. Fuels from food sources, such as biodiesel from soybeans and C2H5OH from corn, can be attractive only if the co-products are in high demand and if the fuel production does not diminish the food supply. C2H5OH from herbaceous or woody biomass could replace the gasoline burned in the light-duty fleet while supplying electricity as a co-product. While it costs more than gasoline, bioethanol would be attractive if the price of gasoline doubled, if significant reductions in GHG emissions were required, or if fuel economy regulations for gasoline vehicles were tightened.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed2001

The carbon monoxide levels in automobile exhaust. A case study in Chidambaram town.

The exhaust gases from automobiles constitute about 75% of air pollution. Among the various pollutants emitted from vehicles, CO is the primary pollutant and very toxic one. The CO monitor method was used to measure the CO level in Chidambaram town. From the study, it is evident that the CO level is closely related to the density of motor vehicles plying on the roads. With increase in number of motor vehicles CO level also increases, which pollutes the roadside environment severely in future.

Carbon Monoxide↗
PubMed2002

[Medicolegal and compensation scientific approach to automobile accident].

Multiple injuries are frequently observed over the whole body of traffic victims in medico-legal autopsy cases. The assessment of a traffic casualty must include not only the victim but also the vehicle and the circumstances of the accident. Only consideration of all available data permits a better assessment of the mechanism of the crash and causation of injuries. J. M. Thevenet drove the first car carried from France to Japan on February 6, 1898. On October 28th, 1905, the first death by a road traffic accident occurred in Osaka. We performed a retrospective analysis of 279 traffic fatalities examined by medico-legal autopsy in Niigata that occurred over a twenty-two-year period from 1980 to 2001. All persons who had an ICD-10 code were grouped by 153 pedestrians, 43 pedal cyclists, 20 motorcycle riders, 45 car occupants, 11 occupants of pick-up trucks or vans, 4 occupants of heavy transport vehicles and 3 others. The average of ISS (injury scale score) is 40.7 in pedestrians, 26.7 in pedal cyclists, 32.4 in motorcycle riders, 25.1 in car occupants, 16.5 in occupants of pick-up trucks or vans, 24.0 in heavy transport vehicles and 69.0 in others. Rib fractures were observed in 170 cases (60.9%) and the frequency of other injuries was shown in Table 2. Criminal Punishment for drivers involved in 261 traffic accidents amounted to 35 sentences of imprisonment (13.4%), 46 suspension of execution of sentence (17.6%) and 60 sentence of fine (23.0%). Forty prone pedestrians run over by cars showed high ethanol levels in their blood. It was necessary to identify the driver of a vehicle in twelve car accidents and simulation with a computer is very useful. The average of ISS was 34.0 in ten drivers and 22.0 in fourteen fellow passengers. Four sudden natural deaths of drivers at the wheel, eight cases of death immediately after and from one day to five months after road traffic accidents, nine suicides and one intentional accident are excluded from traffic death. Both a medico legal and scientific compensation approach to automobile accident is now necessary.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2003

[Investigative evaluation of mass screening for cancer of the cervix uteri by automobile in two periods (1974-1983 and 1984-1993) in Fukui Prefecture].

OBJECTIVE: The study was carried out to analyse and compare the number of examinees, cancer detection rate change in the age distribution of screened women with data from the periods 1974-1983 and 1984-1993. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The target population of the study composed women participating in uterine cancer screening by automobile in Fukui prefecture over the twenty year from 1974 to 1993, divided equally into early and late periods. The examination method was smear sampling for cytology, performed by scraping the cervix with a cotton swab or wooden spatula. Patients with suspicious or positive smears underwent histological diagnosis by colposcopic biopsy. RESULTS: 1) The number of examinees was increased over 160% during the late as compared to the early periods. 2) The dysplasia detection rate increased from 0.195 to 0.27%. 3) The carcinoma detection rate, in contrast, decreased from 0.2% to 0.1%. 4) The rate of smears categorized as class III or above increased with age in the early period but was steady across the age distribution in the late period. 5) Class (IIIa) dysplasia and class (IIIb) in situ carcinoma detection rates were higher in the late than the early period. 6) The carcinoma detection rates increased with age in early period, while in the late period, those for patients under the age of 29 and over 70 years old were higher and these for other ages were lower than in the early period. 7) The carcinoma detection rate for first examinees was higher than for repeated examinees. 8) The proportion of first examinees was 65.5% among women under the age of 29 and 46.8% among women aged 30-34. 9) Carcinoma detection rates for individual public health centers (PHCs) were Fukui PHC 0.13%, Kanazu PHC 0.11%, Okuetsu PHC 0.09%, Tannan PHC 0.11%, Reinan PHC 0.04%. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed the detection rate to be higher at the first visit. The detection rates for dysplasia and carcinoma were increased in young women in the late as compared to the early period. It is important to follow up the patients with dysplasia and encourage more frequent visit by young as well as aged women.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Incidence of elderly eye injuries in automobile crashes: the effects of lens stiffness as a function of age.

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the incidence of eye injuries with respect to occupant age in frontal automobile crashes as well as to investigate possible injury mechanisms of the elderly eye and the effects of lens stiffness. The National Automotive Sampling System was searched from years 1993-2000 for three separate occupant age groups of 16-35 years old, 36-65 years old, and 66 years old and greater in order to compare the total number of weighted occupants who sustained an eye injury to the number of occupants who sustained an eye injury per age group. Three separate impact scenarios simulating a foam particle (30 m/s), a steering wheel (15 m/s), and an air bag (67 m/s), were applied to a finite element eye model in order to elucidate the effects of aging on the eye when subjected to blunt trauma. The lens stiffness of the model was varied according to human lens stiffness values determined for each age group. Occupants aged 66 years old and greater were two to three times more likely to incur an eye injury than younger occupants. The computational eye model demonstrated that increased risk was related to the increasing stiffness of the lens, producing up to a 120% larger stress in the ciliary body.

Abbreviated Injury Scale↗
PubMed2002

Automobile exhaust level of CO: study in Chidambaram town.

The exhaust gases from automobiles constitute about 75% of air pollution. Among the various pollutants emitted from vehicles, CO is the primary pollutant and very toxic one. The CO monitor method was used to predict the CO level in Chidambaram town. From the study it is evident that the pollution level is closely related to the density of motor vehicles on the roads. With increase in number of motor vehicles pollution level also increases which pollutes the roadside environment severely in future.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2004

[Impact of automobile exhaust on membrane lipid peroxidation and protective enzyme activities in seedlings foliage of four northern broadleaved tree species].

By means of fumigating one-year-old seedlings in open top chambers, this paper studied the impact of automobile exhaust on the pH value, relative conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and chlorophyll contents, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities, and ascorbic acid (ASA) content in the seedlings foliage of four tree species, Acer mono, Malus baccata, Prunus ussuriensis, and Acer ginnala. During the fumigation, the seedlings were exposed to the same exhaust gas concentration (25 microg x m(-3), indicated by the NO2 concentration in exhaust) for different durations (1, 3, 5, 7 d), and to different concentrations (40, 60, 80, 100 microg NO2 x m(-3)) for same duration (2 h). The results showed that the pH value and the chlorophyll and ascorbic acid (ASA) contents decreased, whereas the relative conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) activities increased with increasing fumigation duration and exhaust concentration. Obvious interspecies variations in term of physiological features were found. After treated 7 days with 25 microg NO2 x m(-3) and treated 2 h with 100 microg NO2 x m(-3), only a 1.5% and 2.7% decrease of cell juice pH was found in A. ginnala, respectively, compared to the control. The corresponding data for P. ussuriensis was 9.42% and 13.89%, followed by M. baccata. The chlorophyll content of A. mono, A. ginnala, M. baccata and P. ussuriensis was 83.0%, 71.3%, 68.7% and 54.9%, respectively of the control after 7 days treated with 25 microg NO2 x m(-3), and the corresponding data under 100 microg NO2 x m(-3) treatment was 60.2%, 73.1%, 43.4% and 51.2%, respectively. The decrease of ASA content and Acer ginnala was less in A. mono than in M. baccata and P. ussuriensis. The relative conductivity and MDA content of A. mono increased respectively by 68.1% and 52.5% in compared with control, while those of A. ginnala had the least increment. As for the 100 microg NO2 x m(-3) treatment, the maximum increases of relative conductivity (99.8%) and MDA content (52.5%) were found in M. baccata, while the least were found in A. mono and A. ginnala. The SOD and POD activities generally increased under the highest concentration of exhaust, with the exception of M. baccata. To summarize, almost all the test physiological features of A. ginnala were least affected, suggesting its great tolerance to exhaust stress, but in contrary, the greatest variation of the physiological features and the dramatic decline of SOD and POD activities of M. baccata at the highest exhaust concentration indicated that this tree species had the least tolerance to exhaust stress.

Chlorophyll↗
PubMed2006

Physiological changes in certain test plants under automobile exhaust pollution.

Plants are the only living organisms which have to suffer a lot from automobile exhaust pollution because they remain static at their habitat. But such roadside plants like Nerium indicum Mill., Boerhaavia diffusa L., Amaranthus spinosus L., Cephalandra indica Naud., and Tabemaemontana divaricata L. can easily avoid the effects of air pollution by altering their physiological pathways pertaining to photosynthesis and respiration. Stomatal closure in Boerhaavia, Amaranthus, Cephlandra and stomatal clogging in Nerium and Tabemaemontana help these plants in preventing the entry of poisonous gases. The increased activity of the enzyme Phosphoenol Pyruvate Carboxylase (PEPCase) belonging to C4 pathway helps Nerium and Boerhaavia (both C3 plants) in carbon fixation under stress condition. Photorespiration is favoured in Amaranthus, Cephalandra and Tabernaemontana to compensate for the over production of ATP in them. Owing an inefficient gaseous exchange in Boerhaavia and Tabemaemontana, the activity of Glucose 6--Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6-PD) also increases for the preferential shift to Pentose Phosphate Pathway to produce excess NADPH+H+ which are likely to re-oxidize by metabolic reactions not linked to electron transport chain.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed1985

Determination of mutagenic activities in different fractions of automobile exhaust condensate by the Salmonella/oxygenase mutagenicity test system.

Automobile exhaust condensate of a passenger car (gasoline engine) was separated into fractions of 2-3 rings containing -, 4-7 rings containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and PAH-free fractions. All fractions were tested for mutagenicity by the Ames system. The highest dose-dependent increase in revertant colonies was found for the 4-7 ring PAH-fraction when tested with Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and TA 100. These results are compatible with data obtained in in-vivo tests by previous investigations. The mutagenicity of these fractions in the absence of the oxygenase was negligible.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

What interaction does indoor nitrogen dioxide have on the effect of the automobile exhaust.

An attempt was made to investigate the effects of automobile exhaust to the people living alongside major traffic arterial in Tokyo. Several hundreds of housewives aged from 40 to 59 who lived more than 3 years were sampled both from the area A; within 20 m from road side, and from the area B which extended from 20 m to 150 m along the road next to the area A. ATS-DLD questionnaire was used to check the prevalence of respiratory symptom, its results was analysed with a deliberate consideration on smoking habits and using status of unvented kerosene space heater. Among each symptom prevalence, difference between the area A and the B was observed significantly in symptom rate related persistent cough and phlegm. These differences became much distinguished in non-smoking group and people not using unvented heater. For about one tenth of sample subject, joined the study of measurement of personal exposure to NO2 for 24 hr using NO2 filter badge. The average concentration of exposure depends largely on heater using status but does not on the study area, even though the atmospheric concentration of NO2 in the area A was higher than that of the area B. The difference of symptom prevalence between the study area becomes not significant compared with the group of using unvented heater. This means that, we suppose, the substantial higher symptom prevalence which observed in the area along the roadside is masked by repeated exposure to elevated indoor concentration of NO2 resulted from using kerosene space heater.

Climate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Carbon monoxide poisoning in the automobile--suicide or accident?].

In cases of CO-poisoning in vehicles accidents have to be reviewed. Old automobiles or untypical discovery without manipulations have circumstantial evidence. This proceeding is demonstrated by two casuistries. The argumatative force of the first appearance is not sufficient to give reasons for private-law consequences.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1987

Fetal skull fracture and brain injury after a maternal automobile accident. A case report.

A woman in labor and not wearing a seat belt sustained multiple fractures of the pelvis and femur while in an automobile accident. The fetus suffered fractures of the parietal and occipital bones. To minimize maternal pelvic and fetal injury, delivery by cesarean section was performed. The infant had generalized cerebral edema and intraventricular and subarachnoid hemorrhage, diagnosed shortly after birth. Motor abnormalities and residual injury to the periventricular white matter were evident at age 4 months. Use of seat belts may significantly diminish or prevent such injuries.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1986

[Results of mass screening by automobile for cancer of the cervix uteri in Fukui Prefecture in the past ten years].

The total number women examined by the screening car staff from 1974 to 1983 was 120,860. The number of people examined increased from 3.9% in 1974 to 6.2% in 1983, but is still low. The percentage of people requiring detailed examination was 0.77%-2.02%, and the rate of those, actually examined in detail was 86.3%-97.7%. The rate of detection of carcinoma was 0.08-0.3%. The ratio of dysplasia, CIS and invasive carcinoma was 1.3:1.7:1.0 in the first half of the 1974-78 period and changed to 6.1:2.5:1.0 during the 5 years from 1979 to 1983. Regarding the number of examinations required before detecting CIS and invasive carcinoma, all subject with a more advanced than stage Ib carcinoma of the cervix uteri were detected at the time of the initial examination. As to stage Ia of carcinoma of the cervix, 3 out of 31 subjects were detected at the second visit, 28 subjects at the first visit; 126 out of 146 subjects with CIS at the first visit, and 6 at the third visit or later. The results of cytodiagnosis were, in 72 cases of the class IV, dysplasia was found in 8.7%, CIS in 56.9%, invasive carcinoma in 12.1%, false positive in 22.2%, while in 51 cases of class V, dysplasia was found in 1.9%, CIS in 45.1%, invasive carcinoma 47.1% and false positive in 5.8%. CAI in Fukui Prefecture calculated as the sum of clinic and automobile health examinations, was 152 in 1982, 148 in 1983, 177 in 1984.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Case report of uterine rupture after an automobile accident.

The pregnant woman who is involved in an automobile accident carries the risk of injury to her uterus and fetus. The following is a case report of a woman in her third trimester of pregnancy who had extensive lacerations of the uterus that almost completely severed the fundus from the lower uterine segment. The fetus was stillborn as a result of complete separation from the placenta.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1977

Analysis of automobile exhaust condensates.

1. On the basis of figures for the production of PAH during the Europa drive cycle by 100 passenger cars and those for the consumption of petrol in the Federal Republic of Germany, an annual emission of 1,850 kg benzo[a]pyrene from petrol engine vehicles has been calculated. 2. The carcinogenic effect of benzo[a]pyrene accounts for only 9% of the total activity of exhaust condensates. 3. The amounts of other known carcinogenic PAH, such as benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[j]fluoranthene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene and dibenzo[a,h]anthracene are shown in Table 2. (table: see text). Assuming that there is no significant promoting or hyper-additive effect, it can be estimated that these six known carcinogenic PAH contribute about 10-15% of the total carcinogenicity. 4. Six unknown PAH were found: cyclopenteno[cd]pyrene (mol wt 226), methylenebenzo[a]pyrene (mol 264), methylenebenzo[e]pyrene (mol wt 264), methylenebenzo[ghi]perylene (mol wt 288), PAH mol wt 300A and PAH mol wt 300B. It is reasonable to assume that these unknown PAH account for the predominant part of the carcinogenic effect. Biological tests with these pure substances are being undertaken by Drs Pott, Pfeiffer and Habs. 5. It has been shown that almost all of the carcinogenic effect of automobile exhaust condensates is due to PAH. To support this claim, the carcinogenic effects of the exhaust condensate should be compared with those of a mixture of the known and unknwon PAH in the same proportions as are found in the exhaust condensate. The gas chromatogram of such a mixture is shown in Figure 6.

Benzopyrenes↗