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PubMed1998

Tick-borne encephalitis in eastern Croatia.

92 patients treated for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in the Department for Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Osijek, over a 22-year period (1973-1995) were analysed. The patients were mostly forestry workers. The appearance of the disease followed the biological activity of the tick, with the largest number of affected individuals recorded between April and August. TBE in eastern Croatia is a relatively frequent infectious disease, appearing almost every year. In a smaller number (9.8%) of cases the clinical picture was aseptic meningitis, while in the majority of patients (90.2%) it presented as an acute meningoencephalomyelitic form. The course was relatively severe in the majority of the patients analysed, with disturbances of consciousness (32.6%) and transitory neurological signs (61.9%). Three patients died (3.3%) in the early phase of the disease. A monophasic course dominated. The clinical and epidemiological data were compared with the cases described in other parts of Croatia and regional differences were seen in the severity of illness. These variations could be due to the previously hypothesized different virus subtypes, or to some other unknown factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Percutaneous absorption of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid from soil with respect to soil load and skin contact time: in vivo absorption in rhesus monkey and in vitro absorption in human skin.

The herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), used for control of weeds in agriculture, forestry, and rights of way, can accumulate as a residual chemical in soil. The objective was to determine percutaneous absorption of 2,4-D from soil, with emphasis on soil load and skin contact time. With control acetone vehicle, in vivo absorption of 2,4-D in the rhesus monkey was 8.6 +/- 2.1% of the dose, which compared closely to published human absorption of 6.0 +/- 2.4%. Percutaneous absorption from soil loads of 1 and 40 mg/cm2 were 9.8 +/- 4.0 and 15.9 +/- 4.7%, respectively, values similar to acetone vehicle. In vitro absorption in human skin calculated from skin contact accumulation over 24 h was 1.8 +/- 1.7, 1.7 +/- 1.3, and 1.4 +/- 1.2% for soil loads of 5, 10, and 40 mg/cm2, respectively. Thus, soil load did not affect 24-h percutaneous absorption. Current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended calculated reductions due to soil load are not supported by these results with 2,4-D. Percutaneous absorption of 2,4-D from acetone vehicle for 8 h dosing period was 3.2 +/- 1.0%, one-third the value of 8.6 +/- 2.1% over 24 h. With soil vehicle, absorption for 8 h was only 0.03 +/- 0.02% for 40 mg/cm2 soil load and 0.05 +/- 0/.004% for 1 mg/cm2 soil load. Absorption for 16 h was 2.2 +/- 1.2%. Absorption over time was linear for acetone vehicle, where total dose is deposited on skin, but not linear for soil vehicle, which had an 8-h delay (lag time). This equates with a normal 8-h work day where most of the contaminated soil can be washed off the skin. The apparent partition coefficient of 2,4-D between soil and water changed over time. This suggests there is a "mobility" phase for 2,4-D in soil that will change with time. For soil vehicle, percutaneous absorption of 2,4-D was not linear in respect to soil load or to skin contact time. Calculation based on assumed linearity can falsely estimate potential human health hazard. Clearly, the dermatokinetics with soil and skin represent complex interactive forces that require detailed evaluation before overgeneralizing rules for interpretation in terms of risk assessment.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗
PubMed1994

Lungworm and stomach worm infection in relation to body fat reserves and blood composition in wild boar (Sus scrofa).

Lung and stomach nematode burden was estimated in 8 juvenile and 12 adult wild boar (Sus scrofa), shot in The Royal Forestry 'Het Loo' between January 1988 and April 1989, in order to study whether body fat reserves or blood composition (i.e., nutritional status) is correlated with the parasite burden. Only bone marrow fat, the last fat reserve to be mobilized, showed a slight negative correlation with the stomach worm burden. Serum urea concentration, an indicator of severe undernutrition, was weakly correlated with the stomach worm burden in juvenile boars. These results suggest a relatively small impact of these parasites on animals with a lowered nutritional status. The burden of lungworms or stomach worms did not provide reliable information about the body condition of wild boar.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A recent survey of consanguineous marriages in Japan: religion and socioeconomic class effects.

A survey of consanguineous marriages in Japan was conducted on 1 September 1983 through questionnaires. The total number of couples studied was 9225, chosen from six widely different areas of Japan. Among six religious groups, the mean inbreeding coefficient (F) is the highest in Buddhists (0.0019), and lowest in 'no religion' (0.0008) and Catholics (0.0009). The F values for Buddhists and individuals with no religion decreased with marriage year in Fukue City and in the five other areas. In the latter group, the F value for Shintoists also decreased with marriage year. In the five areas, the F value is higher in Buddhists than in the 'no religion' group in each marriage year. Among educational groups, the F value was highest in graduates of junior high school for husbands (0.0025) and wives (0.0024), whereas the F value was lowest in graduates of a college, university or graduate course for husbands (0.0006) and wives (0.0005). Occupationally, the F value was the highest in agriculture, forestry and fishery for husbands (0.0035) and wives (0.0032), whereas the rate was the lowest among salesmen, for husbands (0.0006), and in professional occupations and researchers, for wives (0.0004). The causes of the declining F value are discussed.

Consanguinity↗
PubMed2007

A simple empirical model to predict forest insecticide ground-level deposition from a compendium of field data.

Deposit data from 205 aerial forest insecticide applications conducted in field trials by the Canadian Forest Service, Great Lakes Forestry Centre over a 15-year period are summarized. Deposit measurements were taken under "worst case" scenarios in the sense that direct applications were made over water bodies, and ground samplers were intentionally placed in open or cleared areas of forest. The median % deposit on shoreline collectors (32 separate applications) was 5.7%, on mid-stream collectors (44 separate applications) was 6.2%, and on forest floor collectors (129 separate applications) was 4.9%. Forest floor deposit was most closely associated with application rate and droplet size (r = 0.624, p < 0.001 and r = 0.662, p = 0.011, respectively) but these variables combined only explained 44% of the variation in deposit. Data from all three collector types were grouped by 10% deposit increments and combined to provide a data set from all deposition scenarios. A negative exponential model was fitted to the proportion of these combined sites regressed on % deposit in 10% increments and plotted as a deposit probability distribution curve (p < 0.001, r2 = 0.992). The probability distribution curve indicated that 5-10% deposit would be expected about 57-91% of the time, whereas 50% deposit or greater would be expected about 2% of the time or less. In a probabilistic risk assessment for aerially applied insecticides in a conifer-dominated forest environment, the probability distribution curve based on empirical data presented here can be used to refine the characterization of exposure scenarios from which effects estimates can be derived.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed1999

VOC elimination in a compost biofilter using a previously acclimated bacterial inoculum.

A comparison of biodegradation efficiencies was done for volatile benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, p-xylene, and o-xylene elimination in a compost biofilter. The column was first exposed to a synthetic mixture and then a free phase product mixture containing these compounds at increasing pollutant loads. The optimal moisture content of the system was determined, and this was used in the biodegradation experiments. An acclimated culture was used as an inoculum for the biofilter, the matrix of which consisted of composted forestry products, composted sewage sludge, lime, and perlite. Inlet and outlet concentrations were measured, and pollutant loads, elimination capacities, and removal efficiencies were determined for each of the compounds. Optimal moisture content for this system was found to be 40%, and the short lag times (one to five days) in acclimating to the compounds was ascribed to the presence of the well-acclimated inoculum. The compounds in the synthetic mixture had higher removal efficiencies (80-99%) even at the higher pollutant loads experienced, with the exception of o-xylene. Dynamic removal efficiencies and acclimation periods were seen in the free phase product mixture, with a removal efficiency range from 70 to 95%. This was attributed to the presence of chlorinated aliphatics in the free phase product.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2007

A comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from inputs into farm enterprises in southeast Queensland, Australia.

One of the assumptions underlying efforts to convert cropping land, especially marginal crop land, to plantations is that there will be a net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, with a gas "sink" replacing a high energy system in which the breakdown of biomass is routinely accelerated to prepare for new crops. This research, based on case studies in Kingaroy in southeast Queensland, compares the amount of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions from a peanut/maize crop rotation, a pasture system for beef production and a spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora) timber plantation. Three production inputs, fuel, farm machinery and agrochemicals (fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides) are considered. The study extends beyond the farm gate to include packing and transportation and the time period is 30 years. The results suggest that replacing the crops with plantations would indeed reduce emissions but that a pasture system would have even lower net emissions. These findings cast some doubt on the case for farm forestry as a relatively effective means of ameliorating greenhouse gas emissions.

Agriculture↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An optimum world population.

The optimum population of the world is the one that is most likely to make the option of a good quality of life available to everyone everywhere, both now and in the future. Establishing a consensus about the size of such a population would be an important step towards achieving it. Estimates of an optimum involve three main steps. First, estimate the maximum (carrying capacity) assuming a specified lifestyle. The main criteria are the maintenance of biodiversity, the availability of freshwater, and the availability of land--for agriculture, forestry and artificial systems but above all for the conversion of energy. (In applying the criteria, there are always two questions to ask: 'What is the maximum amount of consumption that the biosphere can stand?' and 'What is an adequate share of such consumption per person?') Second, convert the maximum (two to three billion) into an optimum by applying a far wider range of criteria, including personal liberty, mobility, recreation and political representation. Third, consider just two criteria (economies of scale and technological innovation) in order to ensure that the optimum (one to two billion) has not fallen below the minimum (half to one billion). The estimates are so low because of the need for a huge increase in median per capita consumption if everyone is to have the option of an adequate material standard of living. Opinion-formers are likely not to take much notice of such estimates, but it is probable that minds will be concentrated by an energy shock some time during the next decade. Achieving an optimum world population will not solve the world's major problems, but it would make them solvable.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗
PubMed1987

Application of geostatistical methods for estimation of the dispersion variance of occupational exposures.

Exposures to potentially hazardous agents are, like ore grades, regionalized variables. They present an autocorrelation structure and this should to be taken into account in estimating time-averaged exposures. Originally developed in France, geostatistics--which include autocorrelation modelling--have provided a coherent, complete and efficient approach for the estimation of exposures. The power and advantage of the simplest geostatistical approach are demonstrated by an example. Although initially developed to solve problems within the mining industry, geostatistics have found applications in domains as varied as hydrogeology, meteorology, forestry, cartography, geophysics, oil reservoir characterization, etc. The object of this paper, therefore, is to review this approach and to promote the extension of geostatistical methods into the fields of environmental and occupational hygiene.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2005

A survey of private sector respirator use in the United States: an overview of findings.

Limitations of previous surveys of respirator use led the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics to undertake a survey of respirator use and practices among U.S. private sector employers. The survey was mailed to 40,002 private sector establishments in August 2001; the responses were used to develop national estimates. Respirator use was required in 4.5% of establishments and for 3.1% of employees. Of the establishments requiring respirator use, 95% used air-purifying respirators and 17% used air-supplied respirators. Manufacturing; mining (including oil and gas extraction); construction; and agriculture, forestry, and fishing had the highest rates of establishment respirator use. Respirators were used most frequently to protect against dust/mist, paint vapors, and solvents. Large percentages of establishments requiring respirator use had indicators of potentially inadequate respirator programs. Of establishments requiring respirator use, 91% had at least one indicator of a potentially inadequate respiratory protection program, while 54% had at least five indicators. The survey findings suggest that large numbers of employers may not follow NIOSH recommendations and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requirements for the selection and use of respirators, potentially putting workers at risk. The findings will aid efforts to increase the appropriate use of respirators in the workplace.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed2003

Arsenic in Australian environment: an overview.

The most common source of elevated As concentrations in the Australian environment are attributable to anthropogenic activities. Mining activities have contributed to the contamination of soil and water primarily in Western Australia and Victoria. However, other anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, forestry and industry have also contaminated soil and water at a localized scale. Currently there are over 1000 As contaminated sites previously used as cattle dips for eradicating cattle ticks. Although As contamination of the environment may be severe enough to limit plant growth there appears to be few other reports identifying the impacts of the contaminants on other organisms, such as fish, mammals and humans. In Australia the impacts of metal/metalloid contamination of the environment are often unnoticed or ignored. However, the impacts of elements such as As may pass unnoticed by the public or regulators due to the perception of the minimal impact a contaminant has on the environment. This paper presents an overview of As in the Australian environment including the sources of As contamination, soil, water and plant As content, and the pathways of exposure.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2003

Are fragments islands? Landscape context and density-area relationships in boreal forest birds.

We investigated the role of matrix type as a determinant of change in bird densities with forest patch area (patch area effect) in two different Fennoscandian landscape types: mature forest fragments surrounded by cut-over or regenerating forest and true forested islands surrounded by water. Since the matrix of forested archipelagoes offers no resources to and impedes movement of forest birds, we predict that patch area effects on bird densities should be stronger on forested islands than in forest patches fragmented by forestry. We compiled correlation estimates of the bird density-patch area relationship from the literature and analyzed the data using meta-analysis. Combined correlation coefficients were significantly positive on islands but were not significantly different from 0 in fragments. Within-species comparisons also showed that correlations were consistently more positive on islands than in fragments. On islands but not in fragments, the densities of forest specialist species were more sensitive to area than were the densities of forest generalists, suggesting that specialists are more sensitive to changes in matrix quality. Migration status was only weakly associated with bird responses to island or fragment area. Thus, forest fragments do not function as true islands. We interpret this as the result of compensatory effects of the surrounding matrix in terms of availability of resources and enhanced connectivity (matrix quality hypothesis). A purely patch-centered approach seems an unrealistic framework to analyze population processes occurring in complex landscapes. The characteristics of the habitat matrix should therefore be explicitly incorporated into the assessment of species' responses to habitat fragmentation.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Occupational exposure to inhalable wood dust in the member states of the European Union.

The aim of this study was to estimate occupational exposure to inhalable wood dust by country, industry, the level of exposure and type of wood dust in 25 member states of the European Union (EU-25) for the purposes of hazard control, exposure surveillance and assessment of health risks. National labour force statistics, a country questionnaire (in 15 member states, EU-15), a company survey (in Finland, France, Germany and Spain), exposure measurements (from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and expert judgements were used to generate preliminary estimates of exposure to different types of wood dust. The estimates were generated according to industrial class (six wood industries, four other sectors) and level of exposure (five classes). These estimates were reviewed and finalized by national experts from 15 member states. Crude estimates were generated also for 10 new member states (EU-10). The basic data and final estimates were included in the WOODEX database. In 2000-2003, about 3.6 million workers (2.0% of the employed EU-25 population) were occupationally exposed to inhalable wood dust. Of those, construction employed 1.2 million exposed workers (33%), mostly construction carpenters. The numbers of exposed workers were 700,000 (20%) in the furniture industry, 300,000 (9%) in the manufacture of builders' carpentry, 200,000 (5%) in sawmilling, 150,000 (4%) in forestry and <100,000 in other wood industries. In addition, there were 700,000 exposed workers (20%) in miscellaneous industries employing carpenters, joiners and other woodworkers. The numbers of exposed workers varied by country ranging from <3,000 in Luxembourg and Malta to 700,000 in Germany. The highest exposure levels were estimated to occur in the construction sector and furniture industry. Due to limited exposure data there was considerable uncertainty in the estimates concerning construction woodworkers. About 560,000 workers (16% of the exposed) may be exposed to a level exceeding 5 mg m(-3). Mixed exposure to more than one species of wood and dust from wooden boards was very common, but reliable data on exposure to different species of wood could not be retrieved. This kind of assessment procedure integrating measurement data, company data, country-specific data and expert judgement could also serve as one model for the assessment of other occupational exposures.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1983

Occupation and smoking as risk determinants of lung cancer.

The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of lung cancer was determined for different occupational groups in Finland. The data on all cases of lung cancer diagnosed in Finland in age groups of 35-69 years in 1971-1975 were supplemented by information on occupation from the 1970 census (Central Statistical Office). The expected numbers of cases were based on the sex, age and occupation-specific numbers of person-years computed in the Central Statistical Office, and sex- and age-specific incidence rates of lung cancer among the economically active population (as defined 1 January 1971). Compared with the risk of the total economically active population, the relative risk of those not active (SIR) was 1.69 for men and 0.86 for women. Lower than expected relative risks were encountered among highly educated and white-collar male workers (religious, legal, pedagogical, medical, technical and administrative work), in sales work, transport service work and among farmers. High SIRs were found in mining and quarrying, forestry, woodworking (joiners), construction, painting and among unskilled workers. Among women the numbers of cases were small and only one significant SIR was obtained; the risk was lower than expected in farming. Data on the smoking habits of males in different main occupational categories in Finland show that variation between different occupational groups in the prevalence of smoking closely corresponds to that in the SIR for lung cancer (R = 0.96).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Stomach cancer in New Zealand: time trends, ethnic group differences and a cancer registry-based case-control study.

Stomach cancer trends in New Zealand were examined. Age-standardized mortality and incidence rates have declined over the past four decades, as in other countries. Rates have been consistently higher for men, and for Maori. A cancer registry-based case-control study of 1016 male stomach cancer cases and 19,042 male controls with other cancers was also conducted, to evaluate the relationships between stomach cancer and specific occupations. Adjustment was made for age, ethnicity, socioeconomic level, and smoking status. When 22 occupational groups were examined, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% Cls) were elevated above unity for only one group: forestry workers (OR 1.83, 95% Cl 1.01-3.32). When two large, heterogeneous groups were broken down into 15 subgroups, adjusted ORs and 95% Cls elevated above unity were found for three sub-groups: grain millers and related workers; brewers, wine and beverage makers; and field crop workers. These findings may be because of the multiple comparisons and subgroup analyses undertaken. Men who had ever smoked cigarettes were found to have an increased stomach cancer risk compared to those who had never smoked (adjusted OR 1.36, 95% Cl 1.15-1.60).

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1980

Spontaneous abortions by occupation and social class in Finland.

A hospital discharge registry covering all general hospitals in Finland was used in the study of spontaneous abortions. Spontaneous abortions were analysed by the women's occupation and socio-economic class for 1973-75 inclusive. The risk of spontaneous abortion increased from social class 1 to 4 by about 50%. The occupational groups with an increased frequency of spontaneous abortions included industrial and construction work, agriculture, forestry and fishing, sales, transport and communication, services, and students and trainees. Decreased frequency of spontaneous abortions was noted among housewives, and in managerial and clerical occupations. The results suggest that socio-economic factors contribute to the rate of spontaneous abortions analogous to their known adverse effects on pre-term birth, birth weight and perinatal mortality.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗
PubMedDate not supplied

On the number of genes controlling the grass stage in longleaf pine.

The grass stage is an inherent and distinctive developmental trait of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), in which height growth in the first few years after germination is suppressed. In operational forestry practice the grass stage extends for two to several years and often plays a role in planting failures and decisions to plant alternative species. Interspecies hybrids involving loblolly (P. taeda) and slash (P. elliottii var. elliottii) pines have been investigated as a means to produce planting stock with improved early height growth and to develop backcross populations for advanced generation breeding. We have reevaluated data from several interspecies populations, with the objective of estimating the number of genes contributing to the difference in first-year height growth between longleaf and loblolly pines. Estimates based on means and variances of parental and interspecies hybrid and backcross families suggest a minimum of 4 to 10 genes with standard errors less than half the estimates. These results suggest that the grass stage has evolved through the accumulation of alleles at several loci, each with small effects on various components of first-year height growth. Given the complexity of the grass-stage trait, tree breeders may need to combine genetic marker analysis with recurrent backcross breeding to efficiently develop longleaf pine planting stock for improved reforestation.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1986

Trends in cancer risks among Swedish agricultural workers.

The Swedish Cancer-Environment Register was used to study time-related trends in relative risks (RRs) of cancer between 1961 and 1979 in a cohort of 254,417 Swedish men who were employed in agriculture in 1960. The reference cohort consisted of 1,725,845 Swedish men who were gainfully employed in economic activities other than agriculture or forestry in 1960. Altogether 24,763 cancers were observed in the study cohort and 146,900 in the reference cohort, giving an estimated RR for the entire study period of 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.81-0.83). The RR for all sites combined increased from 0.80 in 1961-73 to 0.84 in 1974-79 (P less than .01). The RR also increased over time for primary liver cancer (P less than .01), prostate cancer (P less than .01), cancer of other genital organs (P less than .01), cancer of urinary organs (P less than .01), lip cancer (P less than .05), and cancer of the nose and nasal cavities (P less than .05). For most of these sites the RR remained lower than unity. For prostate cancer, however, the RR was unity at the end of the study period. A decrease in the RR over time was observed for skin carcinomas of the trunk and limbs (P less than .05) and malignant tumors of the nervous system (P less than .05). For 27 of the 48 analyzed tumor sites the RR for the entire period 1961-79 was significantly lower than unity. The lowest RRs were seen for cancer of the pleura (0.25), cancer of the larynx (0.35), lung cancer (0.36), cancer of the hypopharynx (0.36), cancer of the floor of mouth (0.40), primary liver cancer (0.44), and cancer of the kidney pelvis (0.49). RRs significantly higher than unity were found for cancer of the lip (1.92), malignant melanoma, and carcinoma of the skin in the head and neck region (1.39 and 1.15, respectively), multiple myeloma (1.20), and cancer of the stomach (1.07).

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗