The historical development of academic journals in occupational medicine, 1901-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Derek R

2009-01-01

Academic journals in a specialist field provide an interesting historical record of its development and progression over time. This article describes the evolution of some major international journals of occupational medicine, including some historical background on their editorial board. As North America, the United Kingdom, and Northern Europe are known to have the highest contribution to scientific production, it was considered appropriate to investigate the main occupational medicine periodicals in these regions. Given the remarkable improvements in Japanese occupational health following the Second World War, it was also considered worthwhile to investigate the two English-language journals of occupational medicine from this country.

The Innovative Medicines Initiative moves translational immunology forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Michel; Wittelsberger, Angela; De Magistris, Maria-Teresa

2013-02-01

The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) was established in 2008 as a public-private partnership between the European Union and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations with the mission to promote the development of novel therapies through collaborative efforts based on the concept of pre-competitive research. Several consortia supported by IMI are dedicated to immuno-inflammatory disorders, immune-based biopharmaceuticals and vaccines. Herein, we present the key principles underlying IMI, briefly review the status of projects related to translational immunology, and present future topics of interest to immunologists.

Opinions of Polish occupational medicine physicians on workplace health promotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Puchalski, Krzysztof; Korzeniowska, Elzbieta; Pyzalski, Jacek; Wojtaszczyk, Patrycja

2005-01-01

According to the current Polish legislation on occupational health services, occupational medicine physicians should perform workplace health promotion (WHP) activities as a part of their professional work. The concept of workplace health promotion or health promotion programs, however, has not been defined in this legislation in any way. Therefore, two essential questions arise. First, what is the physicians' attitude towards workplace health issues and second, what is actually carried out under the label of health promotion? The main objective of the research described in this paper was to answer these questions. The survey was carried out by the National Center for Workplace Health Promotion in 2002. A questionnaire prepared by the Center for the purpose of this survey was sent to a random sample of occupational medicine physicians. The results of the survey showed that 53% of occupational medicine physicians consider WHP just as a new name for prophylactics. On the other hand almost all of the respondents (94%) agree that occupational medicine physicians should perform WHP activities and find them useful in improving patients' health (78%). The main obstacle for the development of this activity in the perception of physicians is the lack of interest in workplace health promotion among employers (86%). In the modern understanding of workplace health promotion concept this type of intervention includes not only safety measures and health education, but also a profound organizational change that allows employers, employees and social partners to improve wellbeing of people at work. Each of such projects should facilitate changes necessary to create a health promoting workplace. It also needs a skilled leader--well trained and aware of a multidisciplinary dimension of WHP interventions. Occupational medicine specialists should become natural partners of employers and employees. The majority of the occupational medicine physicians, however, are not sufficiently

Nuclear medicine : occupational health issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossleigh, M.

1988-01-01

The occupational health aspects of nuclear medicine are discussed. There is a lack of demonstrable biological effects from low level radiation. The radiation protection measures that are applied to ensure that staff are exposed to as low a level of radiation as is possible are outlined

Mexico, maquiladoras, and occupational medicine training.

Science.gov (United States)

Cordes, D H; Rea, D F; Schwartz, I; Rea, J

1989-01-01

Industrialization and its concomitant social and environmental effects in developing countries are considered in this paper. Mexico offers one example of economic progress achieved through the promotion of industrial growth. Recognising the need for trained experts with global experience in occupational health, the University of Arizona (UA) has begun a programme to train occupational and preventive medicine residents in international aspects of occupational health in the nearby industrialized border regions of Mexico. By using the maquiladora (assembly plant) industries and the resources of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social with the State of Sonora, residents observe existing problems in occupational safety and health in addition to adding to their understanding of the need for worldwide cooperation for research and reform in this field.

[Professional competences in certification in occupational medicine as a subject of postgraduate training].

Science.gov (United States)

Boczkowski, Andrzej

2002-01-01

In the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, teaching programs, contents of classes and teaching personnel of all postgraduate training cycles in occupational medicine were assessed (at the end of classes using a special questionnaire) by the students in the years 1998-2001. The evaluation studies with the help of a questionnaire on the self-assessment of acquired competencies were also carried out during this period. A comparative analysis enabled to define the degree in which particular courses (training cycles) concerning directly certification in some domains of occupational medicine, performed in 2000-2001, contributed to the increased professional competencies perceived by the students. Furthermore, of the whole list of occupational medicine subjects taught in 1998-2000, those concerning directly certification were separated, characterized quantitatively and qualitatively and compared with other aspects of special training in occupational medicine. One the basis of a specific evaluation study of the testing questions, performed in 1999, the quality of some questions on certification used in the tests of knowledge in occupational medicine was described.

Precision medicine in allergic disease-food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis-PRACTALL document of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muraro, A; Lemanske, Robert F; Castells, M

2017-01-01

This consensus document summarizes the current knowledge on the potential for precision medicine in food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is a joint effort of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the ......This consensus document summarizes the current knowledge on the potential for precision medicine in food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is a joint effort of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology...... and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, which aims to synchronize the European and American approaches to allergy care. Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment based on disease endotypes, which are phenotypic subclasses associated with specific mechanisms underlying...

e-Learning strategies in occupational legal medicine based on problem solving through "CASUS" system.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Jarreta, B; Monsó, E; Gascón, S; Casalod, Y; Abecia, E; Kolb, S; Reichert, J; Radon, K

2009-04-01

The use of online teaching tools facilitate the incorporation of self-learning methods. With a view to encouraging convergence in teaching tools and methods in Occupational Legal Medicine, an initiative was set up within the classes of Legal and Forensic Medicine at Saragossa University, as part of the EU funded NetWoRM project, which has been led since 1999 by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (Germany). The interest of medical students in Occupational Legal Medicine has so far been low and in addition different aspects complicate the teaching of Occupational Legal Medicine at medical schools: One reason for the low interest is the limited availability of bedside teaching, one of the students' most favourite and effective way to learn. The reason for that is that most medical schools with occupational departments only have outpatient clinics. "Interesting" patients who be need for educational purposes are therefore only available for a limited part of the day. However, in order to recognize and prevent occupational disorders each medical student and physician needs profound clinical knowledge in Occupational Legal Medicine. This project has proven to be highly efficient in permitting the creation and validation of teaching tools which cover and improve the traditional training of the Occupational Legal Medicine programme imparted in the degree of Medicine.

Role of radiology in occupational medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vehmas, T.

2004-01-01

This review discusses the contribution of radiology to occupational medicine as well as work-related problems in radiology dept.s. Research issues are emphasized. Radiology has been used especially when diagnosing occupational respiratory and locomotive system problems and solvent-induced encephalo- and hepatopathy. The aim of research in these areas is usually to characterize occupational diseases and to identify physico-chemical hazards in the work place by comparing between groups of workers and non-exposed controls. Radiological imaging allows an objective characterization of the disease, and it may clarify the pathogenesis of the process and provide a useful epidemiological tool. Advanced statistical methods are often needed to adjust analyses for confounding variables. As the diagnostic requirements are increasing, more sensitive and sophisticated radiological methods, such as high-resolution computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy, may be required for the early recognition of occupational health risks. This necessitates good cooperation between occupational health units and well-equipped imaging dept.s. Considering occupational problems in radiology departments, the increasing use of digital radiology requires ergonomic measures to control and prevent locomotive problems caused by work with computers. Radiation protection measures are still worth concern, especially in interventional radiology

Biological Monitoring Prospects in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

CERN Document Server

Angerer, Jürgen

2003-01-01

At the invitation of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), a round-table discussion was held on 9 and 10 March 2000, dealing with future possibilities for biomonitoring in occupational and environmental medicine. Biomonitoring has reached a high standard in Germany over the past 30 years, not least due to the fact that the results of the Senate commission on materials hazardous to health at the workplace have been directly implemented as part of the jurisdiction relating to occupational safety. This book combines the expertise gathered from various areas within toxicology, occupational me

Patient Satisfaction Measurement in Occupational and Environmental Medicine Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, David L; Adamo, Philip; Cloeren, Marianne; Hegmann, Kurt T; Martin, Douglas W; Levine, Michael J; Olson, Shawn M; Pransky, Glenn S; Tacci, James A; Thiese, Matthew

2018-05-01

: High patient satisfaction is a desirable goal in medical care. Patient satisfaction measures are increasingly used to evaluate and improve quality in all types of medical practices. However, the unique aspects of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) practice require development of OEM-specific measures and thoughtful interpretation of results. The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has developed and recommends a set of specific questions to measure patient satisfaction in OEM, designed to meet anticipated regulatory requirements, facilitate quality improvement of participating OEM practices, facilitate case-management review, and offer fair and accurate assessment of OEM physicians.

Occupational medicine practice in the United States since the industrial revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gochfeld, Michael

2005-02-01

Occupational medicine lies at the interface between work and health. Not only do workplace hazards impact health, but our state of health influences our ability to get to work, to perform work, to tolerate work, and to gain a measure of satisfaction from the work we do. Comprehensive occupational medicine requires familiarity with the work that patients do; knowledge of the workplace itself and its hazards; appreciation of the social forces that shape work; and understanding of how chemical, physical, biologic, mechanical, and psychosocial agents influence health. Many practitioners who treat injured workers or provide disability assessments have no more formal training in occupational medicine than primary care physicians in general, which limits the quality, or at least the scope, of the care they give to workers. This history has been compiled from books, journals, letters and recollections. A subset of journal issues from each decade after 1910 has been systematically reviewed, making no attempt to read through every issue. Industrial medicine as we recognize it began in the late-1800s, grew rapidly in the early and mid-1900s, and peaked toward the end of the 20th century, when American corporations began to outsource medical services, supporting the rise of free-standing industrial medicine facilities, chains of which now operate profitably throughout the country. Many of these facilities emphasize injury treatment, work hardening, and physical therapy rather than disease recognition and prevention. Occupational medicine is one of the very few medical specialties to be underserved. Board-certified specialists are relatively few, and when supply falls short of demand, the demand has tended to lower its sights. Occupational medicine has always been influenced by economics, politics, and changing patterns of employment, and today these forces include managed care, weakened unions, outsourcing and contract labor, and a generally growing political and social

The competences postulated as requirements for occupational medicine training in Europe as viewed by Polish specialists.

Science.gov (United States)

Boczkowski, A

2001-01-01

A questionnaire has been developed and disseminated in several European countries to determine common key competences required of occupational medicine specialists. The questionnaire contained 115 subjects relating to eight fields of activity of an occupational medicine physician (occupational hazards to health, assessment of disability and fitness for work, communications, research methods, management, environmental medicine, occupational health law and ethics, and health promotion). Items in each part were classified into three categories: knowledge, skills and experience. For each of the subjects respondents were asked to allocate a score from 0 (not necessary) to 5 (most important or essential). In Poland the questionnaire was distributed among two groups of specialists: (1) chief administrators of occupational health services, and (2) relatively young occupational medicine physicians attending a specialist training. A comprehensive analysis of the completed questionnaires had three dimensions: (a) substantive (classification of the importance of particular key competences, as perceived by Polish specialists in occupational medicine); (b) personal (differences in opinions among occupational medicine physicians and an attempt to explain these differences in sociological terms); and (c) comparative (evaluation and interpretation of similarities and differences between two groups).

[Quality assurance systems and occupational medicine system: an history twenty years along].

Science.gov (United States)

Apostoli, Pietro

2014-01-01

Along the last tventy years, in our country the quality assurance systems and the occupational medicine deeply interacted both in theoretical and practical fields of interest at three levels: (i) the need of preventive and therefore of occupational medicine in quality assurance systems; (ii) the need on reverse of quality in prevention and occupational mnedicine mainly in qualification and updating process; (iii) the evidence, proofs of efficacy or appropriateness of different preventive procedures and occupational physician activities; (iv) the connection with European and national legal directives and with technical or good practice norms. Finally we discuss about the role of occupational physician as the global consultant for enterprise, as a mandatory strategic technical figure in a typical multidisciplinary processes as the implementation of the quality systems.

Civilian law: from occupational medicine to occupational event.

Science.gov (United States)

Mpotos, N; Watelet, J B

Civilian law:from occupational medicine to occupational event. Despite the growing importance of objective measurements, the health effects of many occupational risk factors are currently not fully quantified. Occupational noise, as a widespread risk factor, is illustrative in this regard; there is a strong body of evidence linking it to an important health outcome (hearing loss), but it is less decisively associated with others (such as psychological disorders). It is also distinct from environmental noise, and therefore falls under the responsibility of employers as well as individuals. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is, at present, incurable and irreversible. However, it is preventable, if effective and global hearing conservation programmes can be implemented. These programmes should not be isolated efforts, but should be integrated into the overall hazard prevention and control programme of the workplace. Belgian law encompasses a set of provisions for prevention and the protection of the health and safety of workers within the workplace, including aspects pertaining to the hygiene of the workplace and psychosocial aspects at work (stress, violence, bullying and sexual harassment, among others). In principle, combating environmental noise is fully addressed in this country. However, other levels of policy-making also play an important role in this regard. For example, the federal government is in charge of product standards, and therefore also of noise emission standards for products. The interpretation and enforcement of Belgian legislation on well-being at work converts European directives and international agreements on well-being at work into Belgian law.

[The status of occupational health of female migrant workers in traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine and bio-pharmaceutical industry in Gansu province].

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Ping-Tai; Kou, Zhen-Xia; Li, Zhi-Lan; He, Yu-Hong; Yu, Wen-Lan; Zho, An-Shou

2011-09-01

To understand the status of occupational health of female migrant workers in different kinds of pharmaceutical industries in Gansu province and to provide the basis for improving occupational health condition. One thousand eight hundreds and one female workers from 16 enterprises were selected by cluster sampling in Gansu province and investigated by interviewing and questionnaires. There were statistical significances of education level, status of residency registrations, employment relationship and occupational hazards among female workers in three types of enterprises (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The morbidities of skin disease in female workers for three kinds of enterprises were 4.46%, 2.53% and 3.70%, respectively. The morbidities of reproductive system disease in female workers for three kinds of enterprises were 48.57%, 36.70% and 36.11%, respectively. The levels of education and working conditions of female workers in the traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine plants are low. There are more severe occupational hazards in female workers of the traditional Chinese medicine plants.

Precision medicine in allergic disease-food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis-PRACTALL document of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraro, A; Lemanske, R F; Castells, M; Torres, M J; Khan, D; Simon, H-U; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Burks, W; Poulsen, L K; Sampson, H A; Worm, M; Nadeau, K C

2017-07-01

This consensus document summarizes the current knowledge on the potential for precision medicine in food allergy, drug allergy, and anaphylaxis under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is a joint effort of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, which aims to synchronize the European and American approaches to allergy care. Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment based on disease endotypes, which are phenotypic subclasses associated with specific mechanisms underlying the disease. Although significant progress has been made in defining endotypes for asthma, definitions of endotypes for food and drug allergy or for anaphylaxis lag behind. Progress has been made in discovery of biomarkers to guide a precision medicine approach to treatment of food and drug allergy, but further validation and quantification of these biomarkers are needed to allow their translation into practice in the clinical management of allergic disease. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Information demands of occupational health physicians and their attitude towards evidence-based medicine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schaafsma, Frederieke; Hulshof, Carel; van Dijk, Frank; Verbeek, Jos

2004-01-01

Objectives This study assessed the extent and nature of information demands among occupational health physicians and their attitude towards the application of evidence-based medicine in occupational health. Methods A questionnaire survey was carried out among a random sample of 159 physicians

[Ethics, medical ethics, and occupational medicine: is their dialogue possible?].

Science.gov (United States)

Buzzi, Elisa

2016-01-20

Today's medicine faces some critical moral challenges, yet the medical class suffers from an increasingly evident malaise: a growing dissatisfaction with an ethical demand often perceived as a cumbersome burden of rules and prohibitions, which risk to erode the fiduciary relations with patients. Such a negative appraisal is partly due to a narrow interpretation of the meaning of ethics, a misconception whose roots are in the positivistic stance that permeates our culture, and in its almost exclusively technological bent. This radical orientation of our culture shows itself in the vanishing of the idea of an intrinsic ethical dimension of medicine and consequent eclipse of traditional medical ethics, currently all but assimilated by bioethics. Maintaining a clear distinction between medical ethics and bioethics is a fundamental condition for guaranteeing an original ethical reflection in medicine, thereby fostering a constructive dialogue between philosophical and medical ethics. In this sense, occupational medicine holds a very propitious position, at the cross-roads to some of the most important dimensions in human life and society: health, work, environment. In a milieu which is too often inclined to efface the living human being and the deepest needs of humanity, the moral commitment of medical profession to the care of the integral reality of the embodied human person is one of the most important ethical challenges facing occupational medicine and a most valuable contribution to the current ethical debate.

Precision medicine in patients with allergic diseases: Airway diseases and atopic dermatitis-PRACTALL document of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Muraro, Antonella; Lemanske, Robert F; Hellings, Peter W; Akdis, Cezmi A; Bieber, Thomas; Casale, Thomas B; Jutel, Marek; Ong, Peck Y; Poulsen, Lars K; Schmid-Grendelmeier, Peter; Simon, Hans-Uwe; Seys, Sven F; Agache, Ioana

2016-05-01

In this consensus document we summarize the current knowledge on major asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis endotypes under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is an initiative of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology aiming to harmonize the European and American approaches to best allergy practice and science. Precision medicine is of broad relevance for the management of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in the context of a better selection of treatment responders, risk prediction, and design of disease-modifying strategies. Progress has been made in profiling the type 2 immune response-driven asthma. The endotype driven approach for non-type 2 immune response asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis is lagging behind. Validation and qualification of biomarkers are needed to facilitate their translation into pathway-specific diagnostic tests. Wide consensus between academia, governmental regulators, and industry for further development and application of precision medicine in management of allergic diseases is of utmost importance. Improved knowledge of disease pathogenesis together with defining validated and qualified biomarkers are key approaches to precision medicine. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Specific features of occupational medicine in nuclear research and industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giraud, J.M.; Quesne, B.

2003-01-01

Measures to prevent the exposure of personnel to ionising radiation were taken as soon as the first nuclear laboratories were set up. This branch of occupational preventive medicine has since kept pace with advances in research and in the industrial applications of nuclear energy. (authors)

[Scientific research and academic promotion in occupational medicine: what are the rules of the game?].

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, G

2011-01-01

Recently, the National University Council (CUN) recognized the importance of bibliometric indicators in assessing scientific output and the Ministry of Education, University and Research established that the selection committees' decision must be guided by internationally recognized metrics including the impact factor (IF). To analyse methods and tools of metrics to assess scientific performance in Occupational Medicine by examining some critical aspects for entry-level positions and academic promotion in the Universities. By means of different databases (Web of Knowledge, Scopus, SCImago), the h-index was studied to assess the scientific output in the field of Occupational Medicine. The h-index was used as an index of both output and quality of overall output of researchers, disciplines, journals, and countries. Italian scientific output in the Public, Environmental & Occupational Health subject category (h-index = 62) was lower than almost the total of other medical disciplines and, at an international level, is ranked at 12th place (other disciplines ranked 3rd to 9th). Output was 32% compared to that of the USA (other disciplines ranged from 42% and 61%). However, it should be noted that most scientific papers of Occupational Medicine researchers are published mainly in journals of different disciplines (with a higher IF) rather than in journals of Public, Environmental & Occupational Health (with a lower IF). Assuming that selection committees' decisions will be guided by metrics and will respect the minimum standard proposed by CUN, Occupational Medicine researchers aiming at academic promotion will have good reason to ask themselves not only which journals are most useful but also which journals have the greatest impact. This fact could have profound implications for the future of the discipline.

Americans with Disabilities Act considerations for the practice of occupational medicine

Science.gov (United States)

St.clair, Steven; Shults, Theodore

1993-01-01

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), although developed in the context of civil rights legislation, is likely to have notable impact on the practice of occupational medicine. The ADA contains provisions limiting the use of preplacement examinations to determinations of the capability to perform the essential functions of the job and of direct threat to the health and safety of the job applicant and others. The Title 1 employment provisions of the ADA established definitions and requirements similar to those found in section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; leading cases that have been litigated under the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, are described. The limitations of available scientific and medical information related to determinations of job capability and direct threat and ramifications of the ADA on the practice of occupational medicine are discussed.

Electronic Health Record in Occupational Medicine: Specific Aspects and Requirements of Data Structuring and Standardization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorin TRIFF

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The service of occupational medicine of a specific economic agent, as integrated part of the System of Labor Health and Safety, requires efficient, well-organized information management through standardized and computerized data processing and exploitation. Legal requirements and practical aspects of information management in occupational medicine trigger necessary operational modifications in the Electronic Health File. The goal of the paper is to present basic requirements of structuring the electronic health file and the necessary standards in recording specific data.

Chapter 29: Unproved and controversial methods and theories in allergy-immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Rachna; Greenberger, Paul A

2012-01-01

Unproved methods and controversial theories in the diagnosis and management of allergy-immunology are those that lack scientific credibility. Some definitions are provided for perspective because in chronic medical conditions, frequently, nonscientifically based treatments are developed that can have a very positive psychological effect on the patients in the absence of objective physical benefit. Standard practice can be described as "the methods of diagnosis and treatment used by reputable physicians in a particular subspecialty or primary care practice" with the understanding that diagnosis and treatment options are consistent with established mechanisms of conditions or diseases.(3) Conventional medicine (Western or allopathic medicine) is that which is practiced by the majority of MDs, DOs, psychologists, RNs, and physical therapists. Complementary medicine uses the practice of conventional medicine with complementary and alternative medicine such as using acupuncture for pain relief in addition to opioids. Alternative medicine implies use of complementary and alternative practices in place of conventional medicine. Unproved and controversial methods and theories do not have supporting data, validation, and sufficient scientific scrutiny, and they should not be used in the practice of allergy-immunology. Some examples of unproven theories about allergic immunologic conditions include allergic toxemia, idiopathic environmental intolerance, association with childhood vaccinations, and adrenal fatigue. Unconventional (unproved) diagnostic methods for allergic-immunologic conditions include cytotoxic tests, provocation-neutralization, electrodermal diagnosis, applied kinesiology assessments, and serum IgG or IgG(4) testing. Unproven treatments and intervention methods for allergic-immunologic conditions include acupuncture, homeopathy ("likes cure likes"), halotherapy, and autologous urine injections.

Bedside examination for vestibular screening in occupational medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Zamysłowska-Szmytke

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of bedside examination for screening of vestibular and balance system for occupational medicine purposes. Study group comprised 165 patients referred to Audiology and Phoniatric Clinic due to vestibular and/or balance problems. Caloric canal paresis of 19% was the cut off value to divide patients into 43 caloric-positive vestibular subjects and 122 caloric-negative patients. The latter group comprised 79 subjects revealing abnormalities of videonystagmographic (VNG oculomotor tests (central group and 43 subjects with normal VNG. Material and Methods: Vestibular and balance symptoms were collected. Five tests were included to bedside examination: Romberg and Unterberger tests, Head Impulse Test (HIT, Dynamic Visual Acuity (DVA and gaze nystagmus assessment. Results: Vestibular and balance symptoms were reported by 82% of vestibular, 73% of central and 40% of VNG-normal patients. Thirteen out of 18 VNG-normal but symptomatic subjects (73% had abnormal tests in clinical assessment. The sensitivity of bedside test set for vestibular pathology was 88% as compared to caloric test and 68% for central pathology as compared to VNG oculomotor tests. Conclusions: The combination of 5 bedside tests reveal satisfactory sensitivity to detect vestibular abnormalities. Bedside examination abnormalities are highly correlated with vestibular/balance symptoms, regardless the normal results of VNG. Thus, this method should be recommended for occupational medicine purposes.

A bibliometric analysis in the fields of preventive medicine, occupational and environmental medicine, epidemiology, and public health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soteriades Elpidoforos S

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research in the fields of Preventive Medicine, Occupational/Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Public Health play an important role in the advancement of knowledge. In order to map the research production around the world we performed a bibliometric analysis in the above fields. Methods All articles published by different world regions in the above mentioned scientific fields and cited in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR database of the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI during the period 1995 and 2003, were evaluated. The research production of different world regions was adjusted for: a the gross domestic product in 1995 US dollars, and b the population size of each region. Results A total of 48,861 articles were retrieved and categorized. The USA led the research production in all three subcategories. The percentage of articles published by USA researchers was 43%, 44% and 61% in the Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health subcategories, respectively. Canada and Western Europe shared the second position in the first two subcategories, while Oceania researchers ranked second in the field of Public Health. Conclusion USA researchers maintain a leadership position in the production of scientific articles in the fields of Preventive Medicine, Occupational/Environmental Medicine and Epidemiology, at a level similar to other scientific disciplines, while USA contribution to science in the field of Public Health is by all means outstanding. Less developed regions would need to support their researchers in the above fields in order to improve scientific production and advancement of knowledge in their countries.

The role and tasks of industrial hygienists in occupational and environmental medicine and their code of ethics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Grzesik

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The paper considers changes in occupational medicine in the last fifty years, describes industrial hygienists tasks and the reasons why their activities grew in importance. Also the needs of compliance with their own professional Code of Ethics are discussed. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, voted and accepted by the United Nations in 1948 changed the strategic target of occupational medicine. Since then the most important task became prevention of health damage caused by work, which should enable the employees to stay healthy throughout the whole period of professional activity. Before that the main target was to restore the health of employees injured by work. To make the used preventive measures to be effective, they must be selected appropriately to professional harmfulness posing threat to employees health. This requires to reveal all factors potentially harmful to health, which occur in the work-environment, to measure their concentrations or intensity, to determine the employees exposure to those factors and to estimate the level of the health risk, caused by this complex exposure. Contemporarily occupational medicine service encompass with its preventive supervision the municipal environments, because they become seriously polluted due to emission of harmful industrial pollutants what brings about a negative impact to health of exposed dwellers. Those activities, being to a large extent outside the scope of competence and tasks of doctors – specialists of occupational medicine, are performed by industrial hygienists, who the required knowledge and skills acquired during university studies on technical and natural faculties. This caused a substantial increase of the role of industrial hygienists in the present activity of occupational medicine service and simultaneously took into consideration the ethical aspects of the work of these professionals. Evaluation of the backbone and the scope of work drew attention not only to the

Emergence of occupational medicine in Victorian times1

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, W. R.

1973-01-01

Lee, W. R. (1973).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 118-124. Emergence of occupational medicine in Victorian times. The events surrounding the establishment and development of legislation to protect the health of people at work in Victorian times are already well documented. This paper deals with some other aspects of the development of occupational medicine. Medical opinions at the time did not always see the misuse of child labour as due simply to avaricious mill owners, but in part due to the parents and in part to the workmen subcontractors. The establishment of the certifying surgeons is briefly reviewed and their coming together to form an association in 1868 may be related to questions about the need for medical certificates of age which were being requested by the many factory owners brought under factory legislation for the first time in 1864 and 1867. The plight of injured workmen and their dependents was early recognized, although it was late in the Victorian era before any statutory provision was made for them. The idea of linking compensation with preventive measures came to the fore in 1845 when some Manchester doctors, later supported by Edwin Chadwick, examined the workings at the Woodhead railway tunnel across the Pennines. When compensation legislation was passed some half a century later the idea was lost, and to this day compensation for and prevention of industrial injury and disease remain separated. The change of industrial diseases from a medical curiosity to a problem requiring State intervention is traced over the latter part of the Victorian era. The whole piecemeal pattern illustrating the precept that `social problems come first, social philosophy after' has persisted until the far-reaching changes in health and safety legislation of the present day. PMID:4267346

Immunologic contact urticaria--the human touch.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Christina Y; Maibach, Howard I

2013-06-01

To review immunologic contact urticaria (ICU) in the occupational and environmental context, and describe its continued relevance in light of the ever-increasing onslaught of new chemicals and products, as well as new technology placing novel interactions, such as nanoparticles, within reach of the population at home and work. Publications were searched via PubMed, using key words: Occupational, immunologic, contact urticaria, nanoparticle. ICU remains an important diagnosis to make and treat because it has widespread health and social morbidity, including job and income loss, persistent life-long allergies, and progression from self-limiting skin eruptions to multi-systemic, sometimes life-threatening, illnesses. There is no short supply of known ICU causing allergens, but it is equally important to be ever vigilant in recognizing, and even adding to, items in the constantly expanding list of novel allergenic agents provided to us by the advances of modern chemistry and technology, and by the changing social structure and lifestyle dynamics.

Occupational medicine specialist referral triggers: Mixed-methods analysis of teleconsult cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, J L; Mohammad, A; Mohr, D C; Brustein, D J; Kirkhorn, S R

2017-12-30

Qualitative analyses can yield critical lessons for learning organizations in healthcare. Few studies have applied these techniques in the field of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM). To describe the characteristics of complex cases referred for OEM subspecialty evaluation and variation by referring provider's training. Using a mixed methods approach, we conducted a content analysis of clinical cases submitted to a national OEM teleconsult service. Consecutive cases entered between April 2014 and July 2015 were screened, coded and analysed. 108 cases were available for analysis. Local Veterans Health Administration (VHA) non-specialist providers entered a primary medical diagnosis in 96% of cases at the time of intake. OEM speciality physicians coded significant medical conditions based on free text comments. Coder inter-rater reliability was 84%. The most frequent medical diagnosis types associated with tertiary OEM referral by non-specialists were endocrine (19%), cardiovascular (18%) and mental health (16%). Concern for usage of controlled and/or sedating medications was cited in 1% of cases. Compared to referring non-specialists, OEM physicians were more likely to attribute case complexity to musculoskeletal (OR: 2.3, 1.68-3.14) or neurological (OR: 1.69, 1.28-2.24) conditions. Medication usage (OR: 2.2, 1.49-2.26) was more likely to be a source of clinical concern among referring providers. The findings highlight the range of triggers for OEM physician subspecialty referral in clinical practice with employee patients. The results of this study can be used to inform development of provider education, standardized clinical practice pathways, and quality review activities for occupational medicine practitioners. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society of Occupational Medicine 2017.

Bedside examination for vestibular screening in occupational medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Zamysłowska-Szmytke, Ewa; Szostek-Rogula, Sylwia; Śliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of bedside examination for screening of vestibular and balance system for occupational medicine purposes. Study group comprised 165 patients referred to Audiology and Phoniatric Clinic due to vestibular and/or balance problems. Caloric canal paresis of 19% was the cut off value to divide patients into 43 caloric-positive vestibular subjects and 122 caloric-negative patients. The latter group comprised 79 subjects revealing abnormalities of videonystagmographic (VNG) oculomotor tests (central group) and 43 subjects with normal VNG. Vestibular and balance symptoms were collected. Five tests were included to bedside examination: Romberg and Unterberger tests, Head Impulse Test (HIT), Dynamic Visual Acuity (DVA) and gaze nystagmus assessment. Vestibular and balance symptoms were reported by 82% of vestibular, 73% of central and 40% of VNG-normal patients. Thirteen out of 18 VNG-normal but symptomatic subjects (73%) had abnormal tests in clinical assessment. The sensitivity of bedside test set for vestibular pathology was 88% as compared to caloric test and 68% for central pathology as compared to VNG oculomotor tests. The combination of 5 bedside tests reveal satisfactory sensitivity to detect vestibular abnormalities. Bedside examination abnormalities are highly correlated with vestibular/balance symptoms, regardless the normal results of VNG. Thus, this method should be recommended for occupational medicine purposes. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

[Malignant diseases of the inner nose--epidemiology and occupational medicine aspects].

Science.gov (United States)

Hartung, M

1989-06-01

Squamous cell carcinomas are the most frequent malignancies of the inner nose, followed by adenocarcinomas, adenoid cystic carcinomas, and other malignant neoplasms. Carcinomas of the nose can be recognized as occupational diseases if there has been a professional exposition to ionizing rays, certain arsenic compounds, hexavalent chrome compounds, nickel, oak or beech wood dust. The sources of danger relevant in industrial medicine are indicated. At present, adenocarcinomas induced by dust of wood are of special significance: 16 out of 22 carcinomas of the nose recognized as occupational diseases between 1978 and 1986 are due to oak and beech wood dust.

LABORATORY OF CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY N.V. SKLIFOSOVSKY RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICINE (HISTORY AND PRESENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Godkov

2013-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT. Assessment of the immune status of patients with urgent types of pathology in the Institute for Emergency Medicine is performed according to three main objects of research: humoral , phagocytic and lymphocytic components of immune system . This complex allows to fully and adequately evaluate the condition of the immune system of patients at different stages of traumatic disease and after transplantation of organs and tissues , to forecast the probability of septic complications developing, adjust the therapy . During 45 years of work of immunological service formed the algorithm of the adequate immunological screening was formed, number of innovative methods of diagnosis was developed, the ideology of post-test counseling of patients by immunologists was created, mathematical methods of storage, modeling and processing of research results was introduced. Laboratory staff identified a number of medical and social factors in the spread of blood-borne viral infections (HIV, hepatitis B and C. New organizational and economic methods of management team were introduced in the laboratory. The basis of the work is equal integration of scientific and clinical staff of the laboratory. 

How is occupational medicine represented in the major journals in general medicine?

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Gehanno, Jean-François; Rollin, Laetitia; Ladner, Joel; Darmoni, Stefan J

2012-08-01

Most physicians have received only limited training in occupational medicine (OM) during their studies. Since they rely mainly on one 'general medical' journal to keep their medical knowledge up to date, it is worthwhile questioning the importance of OM in these journals. The aim of this study was to measure the relative weight of OM in the major journals of general medicine and to compare the journals. The 14,091 articles published in the Lancet, the NEJM, the JAMA and the BMJ in 1997, 2002 and 2007 were analysed. The relative weight of OM and the other medical specialties was determined by categorisation of all the articles, using a categorisation algorithm, which inferred the medical specialties relevant to each MEDLINE article file from the major medical subject headings (MeSH) terms used by the indexers of the US National Library of Medicine to describe each article. The 14,091 articles included in this study were indexed by 22,155 major MeSH terms, which were categorised into 73 different medical specialties. Only 0.48% of the articles had OM as a main topic. OM ranked 44th among the 73 specialties, with limited differences between the four journals studied. There was no clear trend over the 10-year period. The importance of OM is very low in the four major journals of general and internal medicine, and we can consider that physicians get a very limited view of the evolution of knowledge in OM.

The special study module: a novel approach to undergraduate teaching in occupational medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, G; Agius, R M

1995-12-01

Difficulties in teaching occupational medicine to undergraduates stem from the reduced availability of teaching time and the perception of the specialty. Recent changes in the General Medical Council curricular framework have permitted the development of a special study module (options course) in occupational medicine, in which a small number of motivated undergraduates elected to participate and which was adequately resourced. This course laid particular emphasis on changing students' attitudes towards the specialty, self-learning techniques, problem-solving and other skills such as workplace assessment. The objectives, content and teaching methods of the course are described, as is a preliminary evaluation. It is suggested that other medical schools should adopt and refine this approach in order to improve the quality of undergraduate training in at least a proportion of the output of medical schools.

Integrative medicine in allergy and immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Christopher; Gershwin, M Eric

2013-06-01

Integrative medicine is a relatively new discipline which attempts to combine allopathic medicine with alternative or complementary medicine, to reap the benefits of both forms of medicine in optimizing the care of patients. Integrative medicine concentrates on treating the patient as a whole, both in body and mind. While the scientific method and "evidence-based" clinical research drives the management and treatment of diseases in conventional Western medicine, alternative or complementary medicine is based on unproven yet potentially beneficial techniques that have been developed throughout history, dating back to the ancient cultures in the Middle East, Africa, and China. In spite of the lack of evidence of most alternative medicine techniques, these methodologies have been practiced for centuries with great acceptance in many countries. It is in the Western world, where "modern" medicine is dictated by the scientific method, that the most controversy in the use of these alternative modes of therapy exists. Since the science behind alternative medicine is incomplete or non-existent, it is difficult for those trained in Western medicine to accept or adopt this approach. But perhaps it is the failure of Western medicine to adequately guarantee our well being and good health that have led to the ongoing debate between the medical profession and the general public as to the benefits of these alternative treatments. In one sense, integrative medicine may be a futile attempt to coin a new term in the hope of legitimizing alternative medicine. On the other hand, there is a wealth of historical experience in the use of the techniques. Studies to evaluate the scientific basis behind ancient medical techniques are ongoing, and it is to be expected that the results will neither be uniformly positive nor negative. Of particular interest is the effect of traditional medicine, herbal formulations, and manipulative techniques on the immune system, and its application in the

Occupational contact urticaria and protein contact dermatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Doutre, Marie-Sylvie

2005-01-01

Irritant dermatitis and eczema are the most prevalent occupational skin diseases. Less common are immediate contact reactions such as contact urticaria and protein contact dermatitis. Occupational contact urticaria can be subdivided into two categories, immunological and non immunological. However, some agents can induce these two types of reactions. Contact urticaria to natural rubber latex is particularly frequent among health care personnel, but contact urticaria to a wide variety of other substances occurs in many other occupations. Among those at risk are cooks, bakers, butchers, restaurant personnel, veterinarians, hairdressers, florists, gardeners, and forestry workers. Protein contact dermatitis in some of these occupations is caused principally by proteins of animal or plant origin, especially among individuals with a history of atopic dermatitis. Diagnosis requires careful interrogation, clinical examination and skin tests (open tests and prick tests with immediate lecture) to identify a particular contact allergen.

U.S. Department of Energy Office of Occupational Medicine and Medical Surveillance 1995--1997 triannual report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-08-01

From 1995 through 1997 the Office of Occupational Medicine and Medical Surveillance (EH-61) has made numerous achievements that have enhanced the performance of the office and more importantly, the Department of Energy (DOE). This report provides specific information about program activities and accomplishments, as well as individual contacts for each program. The mission of EH-61 is the prevention of worker illness by fostering outstanding occupational medicine and medical surveillance programs within the DOE complex. This mission is being realized as a result of efforts in four main business lines: (1) Surveillance; (2) Research, (3) Policy/Technical Support; and (4) Information/Communication.

[Prof. Morawiecki: the oculist and outstanding expert in immunology, immunopathology and serology].

Science.gov (United States)

Raczyńska, K; Iwaszkiewicz-Bilikiewicz, B

2000-01-01

Jerzy Morawiecki (1910-1997) was a man with versatile interests. Being an assistant of Professor Władysław Szumowski in the Jagiellonian University he published papers devoted to the history of medicine. After getting his medical degree in 1937 he worked in the Public Health Department in Warsaw under the very well known Ludwik Hirszfeld. There he carried out pioneer studies on the blood groups, the very beginning of a new science - immunology which moulded the scientific interests to which he was faithful for the rest of his life. Under the Nazi occupation of Warsaw he managed to send his paper on blood groups to Switzerland where it was published in 1941. Between 1946 and 1992 he published 18 papers in the field of immunology mainly of the eye. He did pioneer work on the precipitation of antigens and antibodies. The phenomenon of precipitation lines in the cornea is quoted in the literature as the "Morawiecki phenomenon" or as "Morawiecki' lines". He presented the original hypothesis of immunotherapy of intravitreal hemorrhages - the method of acceleration of hemorrhage absorption. The use of Anti-RhD antibodies subsequently became the most effective method of intraocular hemorrhages.

[Interdisciplinary training opportunities for residents in occupational medicine: the experience of the ERC Tour 2012].

Science.gov (United States)

Toninelli, E; Fostinelli, J; Rosen, M A; Lucchini, R; Apostoli, P

2012-01-01

This paper describes the experience of the School of Occupational Medicine of the University of Brescia at the current edition of the New York and New Jersey Education and Research Center--Historical Perspectives Tour on Occupational Safety and Health, that involved 5 different industrial and environmental sites, appropriate for understanding the complex occupational health and safety problems. In every site, the participants have interacted with workers and professionals and discussed about the specific work processes, to better understand the risk faced by the workers, occupational pathologies that can occur, personal protective equipment used and preventive measures adopted. This experience has been successful in provide interdisciplinary educations to occupational safety and health professionals in training in order to prepare them for the collaboration and cooperation required to solve the complex occupational health and safety problems they will face in their future careers.

Possibilities of spatial hearing testing in occupational medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Przewoźny

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Dysfunctions of the organ of hearing are a significant limitation in the performance of occupations that require its full efficiency (vehicle driving, army, police, fire brigades, mining. Hearing impairment is associated with poorer understanding of speech and disturbed sound localization that directly affects the worker’s orientation in space and his/her assessment of distance and location of other workers or, even most importantly, of dangerous machines. Testing sound location abilities is not a standard procedure, even in highly specialized audiological examining rooms. It should be pointed out that the ability to localize sounds which are particularly loud, is not directly associated with the condition of the hearing organ, but is rather considered an auditory function of a higher level. Disturbances in sound localization are mainly associated with structural and functional disturbances of the central nervous system and occur also in patients with normal hearing when tested with standard methods. The article presents different theories explaining the phenomenon of sound localization, such as interaural differences in time, interaural differences in sound intensity, monaural spectrum shape and the anatomical and physiological basis of these processes. It also describes methods of measurement of disturbances in sound localization which are used in Poland and around the world, also by the author of this work. The author analyzed accessible reports on sound localization testing in occupational medicine and the possibilities of using such tests in various occupations requiring full fitness of the organ of hearing.

Report from the Latin American Spondyloarthritis Society for Education and Research in Immunology and Medicine organization 2012 workshop.

Science.gov (United States)

Bautista-Molano, Wilson; Toloza, Sergio; Gutiérrez, Marwin; Uribe, Carlos Vinicio Caballero; Pineda, Carlos; Londoño, John; Santos, Pedro; Jaimes, Diego; Diaz, Mario; Chalem, Phillipe; Villota, Orlando; Sierra, Rita; Puche, William; Salas, José; Yara, José; Hamilton, Gordon; Pardo, Carlos; Mercado, Beatriz; Valle-Oñate, Rafael

2013-09-01

The first annual meeting of the Latin American Spondyloarthritis Society for Education and Research in Immunology and Medicine (LASSERIM) was held in Bogotá, Colombia, in September 2012 and was attended by key opinion leaders, researchers, and rheumatologists. The meeting included presentations and discussions from renowned speakers during 2 days and a coaching leadership exercise led by an expert in the field followed by an open forum. Two groups defined a priori discussed the establishment of a professional network and organization to be involved in the identification, assessment, and effective resolution of health care issues in Latin America.A broad spectrum of topics were discussed but focused on the following: pharmacoeconomics in general rheumatology, spondyloarthritis and chronic back pain, therapeutic interventions in rheumatoid arthritis, ultrasonography in spondyloarthritis, impact of social media in medicine and global trends in leadership, quality of life, and innovation. A special workshop on coaching in health care and coaching as a tool to implement LASSERIM goals was part of the 2-day conference.LASSERIM will be working in the future on education, research, and innovation in the field of rheumatology and immunology. A special focus will be on spondyloarthritis, by promoting research, open discussions, and by conducting carefully planned research studies to impact on the quality of life of patients and doctors from Latin American countries.

50 years of pediatric immunology: progress and future, a clinical perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Surjit; Gupta, Anju; Rawat, Amit

2013-01-08

Rapidly evolving advances in the field of immunology over the last few decades have impacted the practice of clinical medicine in many ways. In fact, understanding the immunological basis of disease has been pivotal in deciphering the pathogenesis of several disease processes, infective or otherwise. As of today, there is hardly any specialty of medicine which is not influenced by immunology. Pediatric rheumatological disorders, vasculitides, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection, Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases (PIDs) and autoimmune disorders fall under the domain of clinical immunology. This specialty is poised to emerge as a major clinical specialty in our country. The gulf between bench and bedside is narrowing down as our understanding of the complex immunological mechanisms gets better. However, a lot still needs to be done in this field as the morbidity and mortality of some of these conditions is unacceptably high in the Indian setup. A number of medical schools and institutes in the country now have the resources and the wherewithal to develop into specialized centres of clinical immunology. We need to concentrate on training more physicians and pediatricians in this field. The future is bright and the prospects exciting.

Clinical immunology - Autoimmunity in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tervaert, Jan Willem Cohen; Kallenberg, Cees G. M.

2014-01-01

Clinical immunology is in the Netherlands a separate clinical specialty within internal medicine and pediatrics. Clinical immunologists work closely together with nephrologists, rheumatologists and many other medical specialists. Apart from research and teaching, clinical immunologists are taking

[Information content of immunologic parameters in the evaluation of the effects of hazardous substances].

Science.gov (United States)

Litovskaia, A V; Sadovskiĭ, V V; Vifleemskiĭ, A B

1995-01-01

Clinical and immunologic examination including 1 and 2 level tests covered 429 staffers of chemical enterprises and 1122 of those engaged into microbiological synthesis of proteins, both the groups exposed to some irritating gases and isocyanates. Using calculation of Kulbak's criterion, the studies selected informative parameters to diagnose immune disturbances caused by occupational hazards. For integral evaluation of immune state, the authors applied general immunologic parameter, meanings of which can serve as criteria for early diagnosis of various immune disorders and for definition of risk groups among industrial workers exposed to occupational biologic and chemical hazards.

[50 years anniversary of Research Institute for Occupational Medicine and Human Ecology with Siberian Division of RAMSc].

Science.gov (United States)

Rukavishnikov, V S; Shaiakhmetov, S F; Gus'kova, T M

2010-01-01

The article covers main steps of establishment and development of Research Institute for Occupational medicine and Human ecology with Siberian Division of RAMSc over 50 years of activities, major results of research, contribution of the Institute personnel into development of hygienic science and practical medicine in Siberia.

[Perimenstrual complaints--is this a problem to be handled by occupational medicine physicians].

Science.gov (United States)

Makowiec-Dabrowska, Teresa; Sprusińska, Elzbieta; Hanke, Wojciech; Radwan-Włodarczyk, Zyta; Koszada-Włodarczyk, Wiesława

2003-01-01

The aim of the study was to define associations between intensity of perimenstrual complaints, the type of job performed and working conditions, taking also account of non-occupational factors. The study preceding the development of a preventive program was carried out in a group of women employed in work settings different in the character and burden of adverse agents. The group was composed of 142 women, aged 21-45 years, employed in a cosmetics manufacture plant (27%) and a bank (27%), as well as of hospital and ambulatory nurses and auxiliary personnel (50%). A questionnaire on premenstrual and menstrual complaints, working conditions, characteristics of the women and their household duties load was the main tool of the study. The study revealed that about 80% of women experienced premenstrual and about 75% menstrual symptoms, which were strongly intensified in 40% of women. After applying logistic regression, it was found that physical workload and occupational stress were the major occupational risk factors, whereas chronic diseases, age, household duties load and alcohol consumption were the major non-occupational risk factors. The evidenced relationship between complaints and adverse agents typical of the job performed should prompt occupational medicine physicians to more comprehensive analysis of individual jobs in view of reducing occupational load.

[Attitudes of occupational medicine nurses towards workers' health promotion].

Science.gov (United States)

Puchalski, Krzysztof; Korzeniowska, Elzbieta; Iwanowicz, Eliza

2007-01-01

The paper outlines the outcomes of a survey aimed at identifying the attitudes of occupational medicine nurses towards health promotion. The survey was carried out on a random sample of 277 nurses. Almost all respondents think that their occupational group should undertake health promotion activities. However, half of them is convinced that health promotion is only a new name for health education and medical prophylaxis. The vast majority of nurses think that under health promotion programs they should mostly deal with individual health education of patients and encourage them to adopt healthy lifestyles, and they usually undertake this kind of activities. A large number of respondents are not willing to be involved in the organization, marketing, and evaluation of health promotion projects. There is a great need to intensify measures to motivate nurses to play the roles that are neglected by them, such as looking for new professional groups to undertake activities stimulating health promotion in companies, and developing new institutional and systemic support conducive to making progress in such processes.

Proposal of a monitoring program of occupational exposure by incorporation of radioactive material for nuclear medicine services in the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badilla Segura, Mirta

2013-01-01

A monitoring program of the occupational exposure by incorporation of radioactive material is proposed. Nuclear medicine services of the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS) are evaluated. The monitoring program is based on the provisions of the International Atomic Energy Agency and of study of nuclear medicine services of the CCSS. Radionuclides are determined for monitoring of the occupational exposure, according to the radioactive material that is worked in nuclear medicine services of the CCSS. The appropriate and alternative techniques are established for the monitoring of the occupational exposure by incorporation of radioactive material, depending on the type of radionuclide that is worked in nuclear medicine services. The worker occupationally exposed (TOE) should be subject of monitoring and how often should be realized the monitoring of the occupational exposure. The monitoring of the radiation by radioactive material must be applied to personnel working in radiopharmacies and the worker has carried out therapeutic procedures for handling of significant amounts of 13 1 I. The calculation of the committed effective dose is proposed by incorporation of radioactive material with the TOE [es

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Personal Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Occupational Therapy Educators in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, Michelle L

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish a baseline description of American occupational therapy educators' knowledge, attitudes, and personal use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as a first step in exploring the larger issue of future occupational therapy practitioners' preparedness for meeting clients' occupational needs in today's evolving healthcare environment. Results of this cross-sectional survey highlighted limitations of occupational therapy educators' knowledge of common CAM concepts and therapies across all demographic variables, varying attitudes towards CAM in general and its inclusion in occupational therapy education, and personal use of common CAM therapies. Without increased occupational therapy educator knowledge about CAM and engagement in the current healthcare practices, occupational therapy practitioners are at risk for having a limited role in integrative healthcare.

Nuclear medicine external individual occupational doses in Rio de Janeiro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauricio, Claudia L.P.; Lima, Ana Luiza S.; Silva, Herica L.R. da; Santos, Denison Souza; Silva, Claudio Ribeiro da

2009-01-01

According to the Brazilian National Database there are about 300 Nuclear Medicine Services (NMS) in Brazil, 44 of them located in the State of Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Individual dose measurements are an important input for the evaluation of occupational exposure in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of radioprotection implementation and to keep individual doses as low as possible. In Brazil, most nuclear medicine (NM) staff is routinely monitored for external dose. The internal committed dose is estimated only in abnormal conditions. This paper makes a statistics analysis of all the RJ NMS annual external occupational doses in year 2005. A study of the evolution of monthly external individual doses higher than 4.00 mSv from 2004 to 2008 is also presented. The number of registered thorax monthly dose higher than 4.0 mSv is increasing, as its value. In this period the highest dose measured reaches 56.9 mSv, in one month, in 2008. About 50% of the annual doses are smaller than the monthly record level of 0.20 mSv. In 2005, around 100 professionals of RJ NMS received annual doses higher than 4.0 mSv, considering only external doses, but no one receives doses higher than 20.0 mSv. Extremities dosimeters are used by about 15% of the staff. In some cases, these doses are more than 10 times higher than the dose in thorax. This study shows the importance to improve radiation protection procedures in NM. (author)

Carcinogens, Teratogens and Mutagens: Their Impact on Occupational Health, Particularly for Women in Veterinary Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Milligan, J. E.; And Others

1983-01-01

Pregnant women, especially those working in veterinary medicine, face occupational health/disease risks from mutagens, teratogens, and carcinogens. These hazards can be placed into three categories: physical, chemical, and biological. Each of these hazards is discussed with examples. (Author/JN)

[E-learning and occupational medicine: results of one experience in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzoleni, M C; Rognoni, C; Finozzi, E; Giorgi, I; Raho, C; Pugliese, F; Pagani, M; Benzoni, I; Ferrari, M; Imbriani, M

2009-01-01

In Italy, there is at present a certain drive in order to make e-learning for Continuous Medical Education (CME) to take off, even though a normative framework for distance CME has not been completely defined yet. This paper describes the phases of course supply and usage of an e-learning system in the occupational medicine area in Italy. The system provides 10 courses for occupational physicians and one course for nurses, physiotherapists and occupational physiotherapists. During the span of time of 11 months, 2034 users have registered to the website and 1804 of them enrolled themselves into at least one course, for a total number of 5183 course enrolments, with a mean number of course enrolments per person of about 3, and 3710 courses were successfully concluded. This study points out on one hand a wide request for this kind of educational sessions, and on the other hand good results in terms of knowledge acquisition. Since the present experimental project was aimed at contributing to the definition of the normative framework for distance education for CME, it can be expected that e-learning for CME in Italy will get off the ground in the near future.

1998 annual report Office of Occupational Medicine and Medical Surveillance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gebus, George R.

1999-01-01

the mission of EH-61 is the prevention of worker illness by fostering outstanding occupational medicine and medical surveillance programs within the DOE complex. The EH-61 annual report for 1998 describes our major activities and achievements as we have worked toward realizing this mission through our main program lines (1) Surveillance; (2) policy(Field SUppOti; (3) Information/Communication; and (4) Research. Some of our major 1998 accomplishments are highlighted below for more details, please consult the corresponding sections of this report. The FORMER BERYLLIUM WORKERS MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM identifies and locates former employees exposed to beryllium and provides enhanced medical monitoring for early identification of chronic beryllium disease (CBD). Over Z0,000 current and former workers have been contacted to date, and there have been about 8,8oo responders. More than 100 cases of CBD have been detected. The DOE FORMER WORKERS PROGRAM (FWP) is targeted primarily to former workers who have either retired or left DOE facilities. In FY 1998, there were 10 pilot projects operating at 9 sites. These pilots will validate approaches for medical screening of former employees and health risk communication efforts. When completed in FY 2002, the information gained from the pilots will serve as a basis for projecting funding and resources needed for the FWP in the years ahead. We have helped develop health-related POLICIES/GUIDANCE, that will promote the health of the contractor workforce by addressing current and emerging issues related to occupational health. The RADIATION EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE CENTER/TRAINING SITE (REAC/TS) is supported by EH-61 and assists DOE by maintaining state-of-the-art expertise in radiation medicine and biodosimetry. This support provides DOE with a national and international 24-hour response capability for evaluating and managing victims of radiation accidents occurring at its facilities or among the general public. In collaboration

[Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and its usefulness in occupational medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Czaja-Mitura, Izabela; Bortkiewicz, Alicja

2012-01-01

The application of long-term blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in the occupational medicine practice, its advantages and disadvantages and the diagnostic and prognostic values of the parameters determined during the test were reviewed. The circumstances (e.g., social meeting, phone call) in which blood pressure value significantly differs from its resting value were identified. The methodology and reference values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure proposed by the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology were discussed as well as the recommended values of the blood pressure load. Ihe use of ABPM in the assessment of circadian blood pressure rhythm and the prognostic value of insufficient nocturnal drop (in non-dippers) or excessive nocturnal drop of ABP (in extreme dippers), and inverted circadian ABP variation (in reverse-dippers) was discussed. Attention was paid to the prognostic value of BP variability over short periods of time, which is specified in terms of standard deviation or coefficient of variance. This variability is considered as a factor capable of modifying the course, complications and prognosis of the hypertensive disease. The phenomena of "white coat hypertension" and masked hypertension were also described. It was demonstrated that the use of ABPM in occupational medicine is feasible, especially for preventive purposes, in workers exposed to different adverse work-related factors (noise, electromagnetic fields, shift work).

Immunology in Pittsburgh.

Science.gov (United States)

Finn, Olivera J; Salter, Russell D

2006-01-01

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine has a long tradition of excellence in immunology research and training. Faculty, students, and postdoctoral fellows walk through hallways that are pictorial reminders of the days when Dr. Jonas Salk worked here to develop the polio vaccine, or when Dr. Niels Jerne chaired the Microbiology Department and worked on perfecting the Jerne Plaque Assay for antibody-producing cells. Colleagues and postdoctoral fellows of Professor Salk are still on the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School as are graduate students of Professor Jerne. A modern research building, the 17 story high Biomedical Science Tower, is a vivid reminder of the day when Dr. Thomas Starzl arrived in Pittsburgh and started building the most prominent solid-organ-transplant program in the world. The immunology research that developed around the problem of graft rejection and tolerance induction trained numerous outstanding students and fellows. Almost 20 yr ago, the University of Pittsburgh founded the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) with the renowned immunologist Dr. Ronald Herberman at its helm. This started a number of new research initiatives in cancer immunology and immunotherapy. A large number of outstanding young investigators, as well as several well-established tumor immunologists, were recruited to Pittsburgh at that time.

[Clinical curative effect and changes of serum immunology of Traditional Chinese Medicine combined with surgical treatment on the adult onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Wang, Jun; Xiao, Yang

2018-01-20

Objective: To observe the outcomes of Traditional Chinese Medicine combined with CO_2 laser surgery on the clinical course and serum immunological indexes of Adult onset Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis. Method: 69 cases of adult recurrent respiratory papilloma patients who enrolled in Beijing Tongren Hospital from September 2014 to March 2016 were divided randomly into two groups.The Chinese medicine surgery group were treated with traditional Chinese medicine combined with CO_2 laser surgery and the surgery group were treated with CO_2 laser surgery alone.All patients were followed up for more than one year.Relapse time and Derkay score were examed and analyzed between two groups before and after treatment.The detection of aperipheral blood immunoglobulin,T cell subsets,percentage of B cell and NK cell and IgG subtype examed every six month. Result: There was no significant difference between two group in Derkay score,lesion recurrence time and the index of immunology before the treatment( P >0.05).However,the recurrence time after treatment [(14.11±1.57)months]prolonged than before treatment[(10.85±2.33)months]in the experimental group.The examination of IgG [(1 539.84±388.20)mg/dl],percentage of total T lymphocytes[(85.14±22.24)%],Th cells[(47.34±19.07)%],B lymphocytes[(12.55±5.26)%]in treatment of traditional Chinese medicine was higher than that before treatment of serum IgG [(1 225.14±260.27)mg/dl],T cells [(69.68±11.12)%],Th [(41.97±10.92)%],B lymphocytes[(10.30±5.45)%].The difference was statistically significant( P traditional Chinese medicine combined with laser surgery for the treatment of adult recurrent respiratory papillomatosis,can effectively prolong the recurrence time of patients,improve their immune cell antiviral ability and be worthy of clinical popularization and application.

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health in world documentation services: the SCOPUS based analysis of citation.

Science.gov (United States)

Przyłuska, Jolanta

2006-01-01

A high classification of scientific journals in the ranking of international transfer of knowledge is reflected by other researchers' citations. The International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health (IJOMEH) is an international professional quarterly focused on such areas as occupational medicine, toxicology and environmental health edited in Poland. IJOMEH, published in English, is indexed in numerous world information services (MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCO, SCOPUS). This paper presents the contribution of IJOMEH publications to the world circulation of scientific information based on the citation analysis. The analysis, grounded on the SCOPUS database, assessed the frequency of citations in the years 1996-2005. Journals in which they have been cited were retrieved and their list is also included.

A Dimensionally Reduced Clustering Methodology for Heterogeneous Occupational Medicine Data Mining.

Science.gov (United States)

Saâdaoui, Foued; Bertrand, Pierre R; Boudet, Gil; Rouffiac, Karine; Dutheil, Frédéric; Chamoux, Alain

2015-10-01

Clustering is a set of techniques of the statistical learning aimed at finding structures of heterogeneous partitions grouping homogenous data called clusters. There are several fields in which clustering was successfully applied, such as medicine, biology, finance, economics, etc. In this paper, we introduce the notion of clustering in multifactorial data analysis problems. A case study is conducted for an occupational medicine problem with the purpose of analyzing patterns in a population of 813 individuals. To reduce the data set dimensionality, we base our approach on the Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which is the statistical tool most commonly used in factorial analysis. However, the problems in nature, especially in medicine, are often based on heterogeneous-type qualitative-quantitative measurements, whereas PCA only processes quantitative ones. Besides, qualitative data are originally unobservable quantitative responses that are usually binary-coded. Hence, we propose a new set of strategies allowing to simultaneously handle quantitative and qualitative data. The principle of this approach is to perform a projection of the qualitative variables on the subspaces spanned by quantitative ones. Subsequently, an optimal model is allocated to the resulting PCA-regressed subspaces.

Dermatitis, an approach from occupational medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Martínez Lomakin

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Occupational dermatitis is one of the most common occupational diseases in clinical practice. Prevalence varies according to the job activities and types of exposure, with figures of up to 37% reported in the literature. Its origin may be irritant or allergic. Atopy and frequent hand washing or exposure to wetness or humidity is described has been described as risk factors, while evidence for gender and tobacco consumption, among others, is controversial. Diagnosis is based on physical examination, etiological patch testing and certification of occupational origin using standardized criteria. The condition has been associated with reduced productivity, absenteeism and occupational changes, as well as significant decreases in the quality of life of patients. Prevention is based primarily on education and restriction of exposure. These strategies are coupled with the treatment, which include the use of drugs such as topical steroids and calcineurin inhibitors.(X Close Abstract

Difficult reputations and the social reality of occupational medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Draper, Elaine

2008-01-01

This response to Tee Guidotti's (2008) critique of Elaine Draper's 'The Company Doctor: Risk, Responsibility, and Corporate Professionalism' (2003) argues that a forthright examination of the conflicts of those working in the field of occupational medicine is essential to maintaining the health of the profession and to promoting constructive policies. Research for 'The Company Doctor' reveals how doctors walk a tightrope of professional demands on them. The author describes how corporate employment affects medicine and science and how professionals working in corporations are subject to the decisions of company managers and to economic and legal imperatives stemming from their status as corporate employees. Analyzing company doctors' role in confronting toxics and responding to liability fears in corporations, the author argues that problems of lost credibility, stigmatization, and tarnished reputation that company doctors describe largely stem from the organizational constraints, economic interests, and other aspects of the social context of their work. These social forces exert powerful pressure on the ethical framework and daily work lives of these professionals as well as on the reputation of their field. The author discusses ways in which the conflicting demands from being both a corporate employee and a physician are a social and structural problem beyond individual ethics.

A roadmap towards personalized immunology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delhalle, Sylvie; Bode, Sebastian F N; Balling, Rudi

2018-01-01

Big data generation and computational processing will enable medicine to evolve from a "one-size-fits-all" approach to precise patient stratification and treatment. Significant achievements using "Omics" data have been made especially in personalized oncology. However, immune cells relative to tu......-communicable inflammatory diseases such as autoimmune diseases or allergies. We provide a roadmap and highlight experimental, clinical, computational analysis, data management, ethical and regulatory issues to accelerate the implementation of personalized immunology....

Regenerative immunology: the immunological reaction to biomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Cravedi, Paolo; Farouk, Samira; Angeletti, Andrea; Edgar, Lauren; Tamburrini, Riccardo; Duisit, Jerome; Perin, Laura; Orlando, Giuseppe

2017-12-01

Regenerative medicine promises to meet two of the most urgent needs of modern organ transplantation, namely immunosuppression-free transplantation and an inexhaustible source of organs. Ideally, bioengineered organs would be manufactured from a patient's own biomaterials-both cells and the supporting scaffolding materials in which cells would be embedded and allowed to mature to eventually regenerate the organ in question. While some groups are focusing on the feasibility of this approach, few are focusing on the immunogenicity of the scaffolds that are being developed for organ bioengineering purposes. This review will succinctly discuss progress in the understanding of immunological characteristics and behavior of different scaffolds currently under development, with emphasis on the extracellular matrix scaffolds obtained decellularized animal or human organs which seem to provide the ideal template for bioengineering purposes. © 2017 Steunstichting ESOT.

[Social medicine in medical faculties: realisation of the topic in the specialty "social medicine, occupational health"].

Science.gov (United States)

Behmann, M; Bisson, S; Walter, U

2011-12-01

The 9 (th) Revision of German Medical Licensing Regulations for Physicians has come into effect on October 1 (st) 2003. Social medicine was separated into the fields "occupational health, social medicine" and the various cross-sectional modules: epidemiology, biometry, medical computer science; health economics, health-care system, public health; prevention, health promotion; rehabilitation, physical medicine, naturopathic treatment. This paper studies the realisation of teaching in the field social medicine at German medical faculties. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the German Association for Social Medicine and Prevention (DGSMP). A survey was conducted at 38 institutes of 36 German medical faculties. The written questionnaire contained mostly selection items in which chances and barriers of the field were queried with supply items. Information about time scale, general conditions and resources was aked for. On the basis of the guidelines of the DGSMP, the topics to be taught were evaluated concerning their relevance and integration into education. The response rate was 68% (n=26). Social insurance, basic principles, responsibility in the Social Security Code and the different providers were judged as the most important topics. There was a strong demand for lecturing material. 82% (n=18) of the faculties wished to have specific material, for example e-learning, examples, lesson plans, curricula and also textbooks. 91% (n=19) of the faculties requested an exchange of information between the faculties concerning educational contents, motivation of students and e-learning. The realisation of teaching is different between the faculties concerning the number of hours, teaching methods and number of students per year. The motivation of the students is one of the problems, but also the lack of acceptance within the clinic. Specific resources and exchange between the faculties are necessary concerning e-learning, which is offered at only few faculties so

Self-assessment of the competences in occupational medicine as an instrument for improving postgraduate training.

Science.gov (United States)

Boczkowski, A

2000-01-01

The main goal of the postgraduate training in occupational medicine is to make already experienced students develop appropriate competences to deal with health problems existing and emerging in the realities of different spheres of occupational health. The task requires checking on and evaluation of the students' learning process and its results. Thirteen types of competence transmitted to the students were made the points of reference in a special self-assessment questionnaire. The respondents were asked to assess the contribution of particular lectures and seminars to the acquirement or improvement of each type of competence. The results obtained in a group of students suggest that some modifications and improvements in the educational objectives and programmes should be introduced.

Bibliography of selected research reports on occupational medicine in nuclear industry of China (list of subjects, 1958-1988)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Qi; Sun Jinkai; Zhang Xuzong; Li Guangyu; Chen Shaojia; Ni Xiangting

1991-10-01

A bibliography of 648 research reports on occupational medicine in the past 30 years in nuclear industry is presented. It gives only a list of titles with affiliations. It contains four parts. The first part is on experimental study including internal contamination with radionuclides, radiobiology, radiotoxicology and radiohygiene. The second part focuses on epidemiological investigation including radioepidemiological investigation and on-site investigation of occupational detriment. The third part concentrates on radiation injury clinic, including internal contamination with radionuclides, β-ray skin injury radiohematology, emergency handling for radiation accident, as well as silicosis and lung cancer of uranium miners. And the last part gives space to occupational detriment from non-radiation industrial poisonous materials

Virtual immunology: software for teaching basic immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Berçot, Filipe Faria; Fidalgo-Neto, Antônio Augusto; Lopes, Renato Matos; Faggioni, Thais; Alves, Luiz Anastácio

2013-01-01

As immunology continues to evolve, many educational methods have found difficulty in conveying the degree of complexity inherent in its basic principles. Today, the teaching-learning process in such areas has been improved with tools such as educational software. This article introduces "Virtual Immunology," a software program available free of charge in Portuguese and English, which can be used by teachers and students in physiology, immunology, and cellular biology classes. We discuss the development of the initial two modules: "Organs and Lymphoid Tissues" and "Inflammation" and the use of interactive activities to provide microscopic and macroscopic understanding in immunology. Students, both graduate and undergraduate, were questioned along with university level professors about the quality of the software and intuitiveness of use, facility of navigation, and aesthetic organization using a Likert scale. An overwhelmingly satisfactory result was obtained with both students and immunology teachers. Programs such as "Virtual Immunology" are offering more interactive, multimedia approaches to complex scientific principles that increase student motivation, interest, and comprehension. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Occupational Space Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Tarver, William J.

2012-01-01

Learning Objectives are: (1) Understand the unique work environment of astronauts. (2) Understand the effect microgravity has on human physiology (3) Understand how NASA Space Medicine Division is mitigating the health risks of space missions.

Suppression bias at the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Egilman, David S

2005-01-01

When the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine rejected an article on corporate suppression of science on the grounds that the topic "was not a high priority" for journal readers, the author bought advertising space in JOEM to present his findings. The JOEM editor regretted he had not seen the ad to prevent its publication, and subsequently allowed the corporate-sponsored authors of a criticized study to respond to the advertisement. The editor then refused to allow the ad's author to respond in turn, suppressing scientific information with the apparent intent of protecting the interests and profits of the corporate sponsor. A reputable journal has a responsibility to eschew corporate interests and work to uncover science hidden by interests that do not prioritize the pursuit of truth. JOEM needs to re-examine its priorities.

Occupational rhinitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrick, Maria M; Slavin, Raymond G

2003-05-01

This article aims to define occupational rhinitis, classify its various causes, review the steps in its diagnosis, and describe its nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic principles of management. Occupational rhinitis frequently coexists with asthma but also occurs alone. Although it does not have the same impact as occupational asthma, occupational rhinitis causes distress, discomfort, and work inefficiency. By concentrating on the patient's workplace, the clinician has an opportunity to practice preventive medicine: to recognize substances in the patient's micro- and macroenvironment that are causing the problems and then to intervene by altering the environment or removing the patient from the environment.

Representation of occupational information across resources and validation of the occupational data for health model.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajamani, Sripriya; Chen, Elizabeth S; Lindemann, Elizabeth; Aldekhyyel, Ranyah; Wang, Yan; Melton, Genevieve B

2018-02-01

Reports by the National Academy of Medicine and leading public health organizations advocate including occupational information as part of an individual's social context. Given recent National Academy of Medicine recommendations on occupation-related data in the electronic health record, there is a critical need for improved representation. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has developed an Occupational Data for Health (ODH) model, currently in draft format. This study aimed to validate the ODH model by mapping occupation-related elements from resources representing recommendations, standards, public health reports and surveys, and research measures, along with preliminary evaluation of associated value sets. All 247 occupation-related items across 20 resources mapped to the ODH model. Recommended value sets had high variability across the evaluated resources. This study demonstrates the ODH model's value, the multifaceted nature of occupation information, and the critical need for occupation value sets to support clinical care, population health, and research. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

In situ single molecule imaging of cell membranes: linking basic nanotechniques to cell biology, immunology and medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Pi, Jiang; Jin, Hua; Yang, Fen; Chen, Zheng W.; Cai, Jiye

2014-10-01

The cell membrane, which consists of a viscous phospholipid bilayer, different kinds of proteins and various nano/micrometer-sized domains, plays a very important role in ensuring the stability of the intracellular environment and the order of cellular signal transductions. Exploring the precise cell membrane structure and detailed functions of the biomolecules in a cell membrane would be helpful to understand the underlying mechanisms involved in cell membrane signal transductions, which could further benefit research into cell biology, immunology and medicine. The detection of membrane biomolecules at the single molecule level can provide some subtle information about the molecular structure and the functions of the cell membrane. In particular, information obtained about the molecular mechanisms and other information at the single molecule level are significantly different from that detected from a large amount of biomolecules at the large-scale through traditional techniques, and can thus provide a novel perspective for the study of cell membrane structures and functions. However, the precise investigations of membrane biomolecules prompts researchers to explore cell membranes at the single molecule level by the use of in situ imaging methods, as the exact conformation and functions of biomolecules are highly controlled by the native cellular environment. Recently, the in situ single molecule imaging of cell membranes has attracted increasing attention from cell biologists and immunologists. The size of biomolecules and their clusters on the cell surface are set at the nanoscale, which makes it mandatory to use high- and super-resolution imaging techniques to realize the in situ single molecule imaging of cell membranes. In the past few decades, some amazing imaging techniques and instruments with super resolution have been widely developed for molecule imaging, which can also be further employed for the in situ single molecule imaging of cell membranes. In

[Evolutionary medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Wjst, M

2013-12-01

Evolutionary medicine allows new insights into long standing medical problems. Are we "really stoneagers on the fast lane"? This insight might have enormous consequences and will allow new answers that could never been provided by traditional anthropology. Only now this is made possible using data from molecular medicine and systems biology. Thereby evolutionary medicine takes a leap from a merely theoretical discipline to practical fields - reproductive, nutritional and preventive medicine, as well as microbiology, immunology and psychiatry. Evolutionary medicine is not another "just so story" but a serious candidate for the medical curriculum providing a universal understanding of health and disease based on our biological origin. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Élie Metchnikoff (1845-1916): celebrating 100 years of cellular immunology and beyond.

Science.gov (United States)

Underhill, David M; Gordon, Siamon; Imhof, Beat A; Núñez, Gabriel; Bousso, Philippe

2016-10-01

The year 2016 marks 100 years since the death of Élie Metchnikoff (1845-1916), the Russian zoologist who pioneered the study of cellular immunology and who is widely credited with the discovery of phagocytosis, for which he was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1908. However, his long scientific career spanned many disciplines and has had far-reaching effects on modern immunology beyond the study of phagocytosis. In this Viewpoint article, five leading immunologists from the fields of phagocytosis, macrophage biology, leukocyte migration, the microbiota and intravital imaging tell Nature Reviews Immunology how Metchnikoff's work has influenced past, present and future research in their respective fields.

Supplementary training of nuclear power plant occupational physicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Letard, H.; Carre, M.

1980-01-01

A short description is given of the supplementary training course given to nuclear power plant occupational physicians within the frame of the Division of occupational medicine at Electricite de France. Such training is necessary to deal with the specific problems involved. However, it is only a complement to medical studies and the special degree in occupational medicine and industrial hygiene [fr

[Assessment of the Polish occupational medicine service (oms) system made by OMS nurses].

Science.gov (United States)

Sakowski, Piotr

2012-01-01

This paper presents the results of an assessment of the Polish occupational medicine service (OMS) system made by OMS nurses. The survey was carried out on a random group of OMS nurses. OMS nurses form a professional group comprised of rather experienced personnel. In the opinion of almost 70% of respondents the system guarantees good occupational heath care, whereas 20% took the opposite view. The great majority of respondents think that all employees have to undergo mandatory prophylactic examinations. The nurses have rather critical opinion about the legal regulations pertaining to occupational health care--their number and complexity, and also express negative opinion about the quality of cooperation with employers (who are contractors for OMS units). OMS nurses believe that prophylactic examinations are the strongest point of the system. They are often the only opportunity for establishing contact between an employee and a physician and learning about diseases he or she was previously unaware of. Although the general assessment of the OMS system is rather positive, it is not free of shortcomings. Improvements in such fields as legislation, financing of service, professional attitude towards responsibilities of the OMS staff, cooperation with employers (contractors) and primary health care units would undoubtedly result in even better assessment, and what is more important in better functioning of the Polish OMS system.

Optimization of radiation protection (OPR) of workers in nuclear medicine department occupationally to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ugrinska, Ana; Crcareva, Biljana; Andonovski, Boris

2010-01-01

Occupational radiation exposure of nuclear medicine personnel arise either from external irradiation during the handling or from the entry of radioactive substances in the body; the major source of external irradiation is the patient that has received a radiopharmaceutical for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes. In this study we present the dosimetry monitoring of the personnel at the Institute of Pathophysiology and Nuclear Medicine in Skopje (IPNM) before and after the implementation the methods of ORP. Twenty-seven employees were optimized with standard TLD card, monthly, expressed as whole body personal dose in the period of use of dosimeter. Annual Effective Doses (AED) are presented for years: 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. In the year 2005, after measurement from Technical Service Organization, IPNM Radiation Protection Officer (RPO) designed and implemented new recommendation and modality such as: designation of areas, introducing ambiental dose measurements, classification of employees, personnel rotation, risk assessment, occupational dose constraints, education of personnel, compliance with written procedures and establishing the Programme for Radiation Protection (RP). ORP measures were applied during the year of 2006, so the results of 2001, 2004 and 2005 correspond to unopimized RP. We were evaluated three groups: radiopharmacy laboratory (RPL), nuclear medicine technologist (NMT) and medical doctors. The third group was further divided according to the AED in group with AED bellow 1.6 mSv (MD1), and group with AED above this level (MD2). The average AED in the NMT group for 2005 was 3.59 mSv, while in 2008 it was 1.8 mSv; for MD1 group in 2005 was 1.5 mSv and in MD2 was 3.0 mSv. The average AED in 2008 for MD1 was 1.1 mSv, while MD2 group comprised of only one subject with annual effective dose of 1.76 mSv. The most exposed groups were nuclear medicine technologists (NMT) and medical doctors routinely involved in everyday nuclear medicine

Research evaluation and competition for academic positions in occupational medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, Giuliano

2013-01-01

Citation analysis is widely used to evaluate the performance of individual researchers, journals, and universities. Its outcome plays a crucial role in the decision-making process of ranking applicants for an academic position. A number of indicators, including the h-index reflecting both scientific productivity and its relevance in medical fields, are available through the Web of Knowledge( sm ) and Scopus®. In the field of occupational medicine, the adoption of the h-index in assessing the value of core journals shows some advantages compared with traditional bibliometrics and may encourage researchers to submit their papers. Although evaluation of the overall individual performance for academic positions should assess several aspects, scientific performance is usually based on citation analysis indicators. Younger researchers should be aware of the new approach based on transparent threshold rules for career promotion and need to understand the new evaluation systems based on metrics.

Immunological reactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shubik, V.M.

1984-01-01

Materials on comparative characteristics of state of some immunological parameters under the effect of toxic radioactive and non-radioactive chemical substances on organism of experimental animas as well as data on possible role of disclosed immunological changes are presented. Data on the possible role of immunological mechanisms in shortening life span and distortions of reproduction function are given

New occupational diseases legislation rules – Functioning evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Rybacki

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background: On 3 July 2009, new law pertaining to occupational diseases (ODs became effective in Poland. The article presents opinions of the representatives of the 1st degree ODs certification entities and sanitary inspectorates on the changes in OD law and the problems that may cause difficulties and/or certification errors. Material and Methods: A questionnaire study was performed covering representatives of 20 voivodeship occupational medicine centers and 40 national district sanitary inspectorates. We received 57 completed questionnaires which were analyzed. Results: Positive opinions were expressed on changes in procedures on reporting suspected occupational diseases (50%, keeping time limits for diagnosing ODs (89.2%, and changes pertaining to entities responsible for certifying infectious ODs (92.9%. A large group of respondents (66.7% was in favor of conducting jointly an occupational exposure risk analysis by occupational medicine physicians and occupational health and safety practitioners and/or sanitary inspectors. One-third of the respondents declared that changes in the list of ODs had no influence on the certification procedure. Conclusions: New law has improved the existing procedure of ODs certification. There is a need to elaborate detailed diagnostic guidelines on and criteria for ODs identification and recognition. A panel of experts should be established by the Ministry of Health to track the latest advancements in medicine and to update the list of ODs. Conducting jointly an occupational exposure risk analysis by occupational medicine physicians and occupational health and safety practitioners and/or sanitary inspectors should become a standard. Med Pr 2014;65(4:473–483

Introduction: Immunology and assisted reproductive technology in the 21st century.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Velasco, Juan A

2017-06-01

In the past few years we have witnessed reproductive immunology taking a leading role after repeated implantation failure. We still face the problem of even euploid embryos that either fail to implant or are miscarried. These focused articles present the attending clinician with the most recent evidence to understand how immunology contributes to human reproduction, what can be done at the clinical level, and what is still an area for research and should not be offered to patients outside of a clinical research scenario. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development and evaluation of a new occupational medicine teaching module to advance self-efficacy and knowledge among medical students

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braeckman, Lutgart; de Clercq, Bart; Janssens, Heidi; Gehanno, Jean-François; Bulat, Petar; Pauncu, Elena-Ana; Smits, Paul; van Dijk, Frank; Vanderlinde, Ruben; Valcke, Martin

2013-01-01

Self-efficacy is defined as a person's beliefs in his or her abilities to successfully complete a task, and has been shown to influence student motivation and academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a new European teaching module in occupational medicine on

Radiation protection in occupational health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The document is a training manual for physicians entering the field of occupational medicine for radiation workers. Part 1 contains the general principles for the practice of occupational health, namely health surveillance and the role of the occupational physician in the workplace, and Part 2 provides the essential facts necessary to understand the basic principles of radiation physics, radiobiology, dosimetry and radiation effects which form the basis for occupational radiation health

Noise-induced hearing loss: an occupational medicine perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Stucken, Emily Z; Hong, Robert S

2014-10-01

Up to 30 million workers in the United States are exposed to potentially detrimental levels of noise. Although reliable medications for minimizing or reversing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) are not currently available, NIHL is entirely preventable. The purpose of this article is to review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of occupational NIHL. We will focus on at-risk populations and discuss prevention programs. Current prevention programs focus on reducing inner ear damage by minimizing environmental noise production and through the use of personal hearing protective devices. NIHL is the result of a complex interaction between environmental factors and patient factors, both genetic and acquired. The effects of noise exposure are specific to an individual. Trials are currently underway evaluating the role of antioxidants in protection from, and even reversal of, NIHL. Occupational NIHL is the most prevalent occupational disease in the United States. Occupational noise exposures may contribute to temporary or permanent threshold shifts, although even temporary threshold shifts may predispose an individual to eventual permanent hearing loss. Noise prevention programs are paramount in reducing hearing loss as a result of occupational exposures.

Tests for sensitisation in occupational medicine practice--the soy bean example.

Science.gov (United States)

Roodt, L; Rees, D

1995-06-01

To determine the prevalence of sensitisation to soy bean measured by specific IgE and skin prick tests (SPTs) and to examine the association between evidence of sensitisation to soy bean allergens and symptoms of allergic disease. Cross-sectional study. Questionnaire survey. A venous blood sample was taken for specific IgE testing, and SPTs for common allergens and soy bean dust were performed. Soy bean mill. A volunteer sample of 22 workers exposed to soy bean dust; the first 20 non-exposed workers presenting to the National Centre for Occupational Health clinic formed the control group. Immunological tests for sensitisation and symptoms of respiratory and allergic disease. Eight of the exposed workers had positive skin reactions to either full-fat or defatted soy bean. None of the controls was SPT-positive. Eight of the exposed workers had increased levels of soy-specific IgE of whom only 4 were SPT-positive and had an increased level of soy-specific IgE. One of the control workers had an increased level of soy-specific IgE. Workers with an increased specific IgE or SPT positive to soy bean did not have more symptoms than workers with negative tests. However, work-related breathlessness was significantly higher in the exposed group (P soy bean-related disease but that tests for sensitisation were linked to exposure.

[Pulmonary thromboembolism in Occupational Medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Reinoso-Barbero, Luis; Díaz-Garrido, Ramón; Fernández-Fernández, Miguel; Capapé-Aguilar, Ana; Romero-Paredes, Carmen; Aguado-Benedí, María-José

2015-01-01

Occupational physicians should be familiar with the risk factors and clinical presentation of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). PTE belongs to the group ofis a cardiovascular diseases, which are the main cause (40%) of death in Spanish workplaces; at present, they may be considered a work-related injury because of the doctrinal evolution in the legal interpretation of the presumption of iuris tantum. We present the case of a hypertensive and obese adult male who suffered a PTE at his workplace. The availability of a portable pulse oximeter (room air SpO2, 92%) was critical in guiding the decision to refer him urgently to the hospital, where the diagnosis was confirmed. We can conclude that, independently of whether this event is later deemed to be work-related (in this case it was not), occupational physicians must know how to correctly manage and refer affected workers. Copyright belongs to the Societat Catalana de Salut Laboral.

[Occupational health and safety management systems: scenarios and perspectives for occupational physicians].

Science.gov (United States)

Santantonio, P; Casciani, M; Bartolucci, G B

2008-01-01

This paper analyzes the role of the occupational physicians, taking into account the new Italian legislation within the frame of CSR, that puts in a new light the physicians inside the Organizations. In this context, Occupational Medicine and Workplace Health Promotion play a central role in most of the items of the Occupational Health and safety management systems, from H&S politics to training, from First Aid to audit and revision systems. From this innovative perspective, the authors try to identify the occupational physician's new challenges and opportunities.

Panel 5: Microbiology and Immunology Panel

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Timothy F.; Chonmaitree, Tasnee; Barenkamp, Stephen; Kyd, Jennelle; Nokso-Koivisto, Johanna; Patel, Janak A.; Heikkinen, Terho; Yamanaka, Noboru; Ogra, Pearay; Swords, W. Edward; Sih, Tania; Pettigrew, Melinda M.

2014-01-01

Objective The objective is to perform a comprehensive review of the literature from January 2007 through June 2011 on the virology, bacteriology, and immunology related to otitis media. Data Sources PubMed database of the National Library of Medicine. Review Methods Three subpanels with co-chairs comprising experts in the virology, bacteriology, and immunology of otitis media were formed. Each of the panels reviewed the literature in their respective fields and wrote draft reviews. The reviews were shared with all panel members, and a second draft was created. The entire panel met at the 10th International Symposium on Recent Advances in Otitis Media in June 2011 and discussed the review and refined the content further. A final draft was created, circulated, and approved by the panel. Conclusion Excellent progress has been made in the past 4 years in advancing an understanding of the microbiology and immunology of otitis media. Advances include laboratory-based basic studies, cell-based assays, work in animal models, and clinical studies. Implications for Practice The advances of the past 4 years formed the basis of a series of short-term and long-term research goals in an effort to guide the field. Accomplishing these goals will provide opportunities for the development of novel interventions, including new ways to better treat and prevent otitis media. PMID:23536533

Ethics education: a priority for general practitioners in occupational medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Alavi, S Shohreh; Makarem, Jalil; Mehrdad, Ramin

2015-01-01

General practitioners (GPs) who work in occupational medicine (OM) should be trained continuously. However, it seems that ethical issues have been neglected. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine educational priorities for GPs working in OM. A total of 410 GPs who participated in OM seminars were asked to answer a number of questions related to items that they usually come across in their work. The respondents were given scores on 15 items, which pertained to their frequency of experience in OM, their felt needs regarding education in the field, and their knowledge and skills. Ethical issues were the most frequently utilised item and the area in which the felt need for education was the greatest. The knowledge of and skills in ethical issues and matters were the poorest. Ethical principles and confidentiality had the highest calculated educational priority scores. It is necessary to consider ethical issues as an educational priority for GPs working in the field of OM.

Tumor immunology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otter, W. den

1987-01-01

Tumor immunology, the use of immunological techniques for tumor diagnosis and approaches to immunotherapy of cancer are topics covered in this multi-author volume. Part A, 'Tumor Immunology', deals with present views on tumor-associated antigens, the initiation of immune reactions of tumor cells, effector cell killing, tumor cells and suppression of antitumor immunity, and one chapter dealing with the application of mathematical models in tumor immunology. Part B, 'Tumor Diagnosis and Imaging', concerns the use of markers to locate the tumor in vivo, for the histological diagnosis, and for the monitoring of tumor growth. In Part C, 'Immunotherapy', various experimental approaches to immunotherapy are described, such as the use of monoclonal antibodies to target drugs, the use of interleukin-2 and the use of drugs inhibiting suppression. In the final section, the evaluation, a pathologist and a clinician evaluate the possibilities and limitations of tumor immunology and the extent to which it is useful for diagnosis and therapy. refs.; figs.; tabs

Do knowledge infrastructure facilities support Evidence-Based Practice in occupational health? An exploratory study across countries among occupational physicians enrolled on Evidence-Based Medicine courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Dijk Frank JH

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM is an important method used by occupational physicians (OPs to deliver high quality health care. The presence and quality of a knowledge infrastructure is thought to influence the practice of EBM in occupational health care. This study explores the facilities in the knowledge infrastructure being used by OPs in different countries, and their perceived importance for EBM practice. Methods Thirty-six OPs from ten countries, planning to attend an EBM course and to a large extent recruited via the European Association of Schools of Occupational Medicine (EASOM, participated in a cross-sectional study. Results Research and development institutes, and knowledge products and tools are used by respectively more than 72% and more than 80% of the OPs and they are rated as being important for EBM practice (more than 65 points (range 0–100. Conventional knowledge access facilities, like traditional libraries, are used often (69% but are rated as less important (46.8 points (range 0–100 compared to the use of more novel facilities, like question-and-answer facilities (25% that are rated as more important (48.9 points (range 0–100. To solve cases, OPs mostly use non evidence-based sources. However, they regard the evidence-based sources that are not often used, e.g. the Cochrane library, as important enablers for practising EBM. The main barriers are lack of time, payment for full-text articles, language barrier (most texts are in English, and lack of skills and support. Conclusion This first exploratory study shows that OPs use many knowledge infrastructure facilities and rate them as being important for their EBM practice. However, they are not used to use evidence-based sources in their practice and face many barriers that are comparable to the barriers physicians face in primary health care.

Virtual Immunology: Software for Teaching Basic Immunology

Science.gov (United States)

Berçot, Filipe Faria; Fidalgo-Neto, Antônio Augusto; Lopes, Renato Matos; Faggioni, Thais; Alves, Luiz Anastácio

2013-01-01

As immunology continues to evolve, many educational methods have found difficulty in conveying the degree of complexity inherent in its basic principles. Today, the teaching-learning process in such areas has been improved with tools such as educational software. This article introduces "Virtual Immunology," a software program available…

An estimation of Iodine 131 intakes for occupational workers of nuclear medicine group at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia, Bogota, Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nino, Nelcy Yasmin; Lagares, Luis Carlos; Veloza, Luz Stella; Martinez, Maria Cristina; Reyes, Amelia de los

2008-01-01

Full text: In nuclear medicine, unsealed radioactive substances are administered to patients for diagnosis, treatment or research. The manipulation of these radionuclides, particularly those volatile, like iodine 131 (I-131), generates a risk of internal contamination by ingestion and inhalation. The inhaled radioactive particles are retained in the lungs or uptake by the thyroid tissue and could produce health effects. The IAEA provides regulatory practices in handling radioactive material to reduce internal contamination in the staff, based on the radiation protection principle to achieve occupational doses as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). A quality assurance program in radioprotection should include the monitoring of occupational intakes. This paper describes a pilot study which determined quantitative methods to monitoring the nuclear medicine staff. The estimates of intakes and doses of I-131 were derived from the review and interpretation of urine monitoring data, using a Ludlum model 203 Shielded Well Scintillator (2 inches diameter x 1.8 inches thick), with a ratemeter model 2200. This study included workers occupationally exposed to I-131: physicians, technicians, radio pharmacists and physicists. The initial tests of the activity levels of I-131 in urine showed an average MPBB (Maximum Permissible Body Burden) of 0.035%, i.e. 0.025 μCi. Comparing with the maximum value of whole body 0.7μCi, the percentages of I-131 MPBB indicate the presence of small activities of I-131 in the urine, suggesting low-level chronic exposures from occupational workers in Nuclear Medicine. The higher values are the medical personnel who perform treatments for thyroid disorders. Conclusion: To do statistically significant the sampling and to protect individuals in each area it should be considered the daily urinary excretion, which is due to implement a protocol for regular assessment of the levels of incorporation of iodine 131 for jobs and activities, personnel in

JTM’s Tumor immunology goes broad: announcing the Immunobiology and Immunotherapy section

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bot Adrian

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract For the last four years the Journal of Translational Medicine (JTM has hosted the Section of Tumor Immunology and Biological Cancer Therapy. Under the editorial leadership of Dr. Pedro Romero and with the direct support of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC, this section enriched the communication between basic immunological sciences and the clinical investigation arena in oncology. We are re-launching this Section of JTM, now entitled Immunobiology and Immunotherapy, succeeding Tumor Immunology and Biological Cancer Therapy. While aiming to build on the editorial success and focus of its predecessor, this novel Section will have a broader scope, hosting translational immunology topics pertaining to immunotherapy beyond oncology, including disciplines such as inflammation, autoimmunity, transplantation, metabolic disorders and others. As the vision of this re-launched Section of JTM broadens up to serve a communication need for translational immunologists involved with immunotherapy irrespectively of the therapeutic area, a novel and focused journal entitled Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer (JITC has just been initiated, sponsored by the SITC.

Review of occupational medicine practice guidelines for interventional pain management and potential implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Singh, Vijay; Derby, Richard; Helm, Standiford; Trescot, Andrea M; Staats, Peter S; Prager, Joshua P; Hirsch, Joshua A

2008-01-01

In the modern day environment, workers' compensation costs continue to be a challenge, with a need to balance costs, benefits, and quality of medical care. The cost of workers' compensation care affects all stakeholders including workers, employers, providers, regulators, legislators, and insurers. Consequently, a continued commitment to quality, accessibility to care, and cost containment will help ensure that workers are afforded accessible, high quality, and cost-effective care. In 2004, workers' compensation programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and federal programs in the United States combined received an income of $87.4 billion while paying out only $56 billion in medical and cash benefits with $31.4 billion or 37% in administrative expenses and profit. Occupational diseases represented only 8% of the workers' compensation claims and 29% of the cost. The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) has published several guidelines; though widely adopted by WCPs, these guidelines evaluate the practice of medicine of multiple specialties without adequate expertise and expert input from the concerned specialties, including interventional pain management. An assessment of the ACOEM guidelines utilizing Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) criteria, the criteria developed by the American Medical Association (AMA), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and other significantly accepted criteria, consistently showed very low scores (evidence, standard of care, or expert consensus. Based on the evaluation utilizing appropriate and current evidence-based medicine (EBM) principles, the evidence ratings for diagnostic techniques of lumbar discography; cervical, thoracic, and lumbar facet joint nerve blocks and sacroiliac joint nerve blocks; therapeutic cervical and lumbar medial branch blocks and radiofrequency neurolysis; cervical interlaminar epidural steroid injections, caudal epidural steroid injections, and

The risk of HIV infection being transmitted by the oral route

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Faculty of Medicine, . Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences,. P. O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam. Tanzania. .... low occupational risk of acquiring. HIV infection despite frequent occupational exposre to persons at increased risk for HIV infection. (12). As a matter of fact, ...

Particularities of the human genome immunological effects under radiogenic stress conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coretchi, L.

2010-01-01

In this paper the immunological effects and individual dosimeter control results of the occupationally exposed workers (OEW) employed in the radiological therapy and radiological diagnostic are presented. The peripheral blood lymphocytes immunological phenotypization has been made by using monoclonal antibodies ('Sorbent' LTD, Moscow, Russia). The number of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+, CD19+ T-lymphocytes and CDHLA DR has been determined by utilizing 'FACS-COUNT' flow cytometry and 'LOMO' luminescent microscope. Length of service (seniority) in the radiogenic stress conditions, age and individual accumulated doses of the OEW were taken into consideration during the results' analysis. The thermoluminescent dosimeters have been used in the process of individual dosimeter monitoring of the OEW. A data base was created in Access and afterwards exported to Microsoft Excel, the latter being used for descriptive statistic. The results demonstrated the general dysfunction of the OEW immunological system, which manifested itself through the diminution, balance or co-expression of the superficial determinants responsible with immunity system. The individual doses of the investigated OEW were within admissible levels according to Fundamental Norms of Radiation Protection standards. (authors)

Regulation No. 504/2006 Coll. of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic dated as of August 18, 2006 on the method of reporting, registration and recording of sickness occupational hazards and occupational disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic pursuant to par. 30 section 3 point b of the Act no. 124/2006 Coll. safety and health at work and amending certain laws provides the method of reporting occupational diseases and the threat of occupational disease. Occupational disease and risk of occupational disease notified in writing on a form which appears in the Annex, the Clinical Occupational Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Department of Clinical occupational medicine and clinical toxicology or occupational medicine clinic and clinical toxicology in Bratislava, Martin or Kosice (as 'specialized work'), which is an occupational disease and risk of occupational disease admitted. This Regulation came into force on October 1, 2006.

76 FR 2189 - Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-12

...; (b) disability evaluation, vocational rehabilitation, forensic vocational assessment, and physical or occupational therapy; (c) occupational or physical rehabilitation medicine, psychiatry, or psychology; and (d...

European symposium on precision medicine in allergy and airways diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muraro, A; Fokkens, W J; Pietikainen, S

2015-01-01

suffering from allergies and asthma, more than half of these patients are deprived from adequate diagnosis and treatment. Precision Medicine represents a novel approach in medicine, embracing 4 key features: personalized care based on molecular, immunologic and functional endotyping of the disease......On 14 October 2015, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the European Rhinologic Society (ERS) and the European Medical Association (EMA) organized a symposium in the European Parliament in Brussels on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases, hosted by MEP......, with participation of the patient in the decision making process of therapeutic actions, and taking into account predictive and preventive aspects of the treatment. Implementation of Precision Medicine into clinical practice may help to achieve the arrest of the Epidemic of Allergies and Chronic Airways Diseases...

Occupational eczema and asthma in a hairdresser caused by hair-bleaching products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hougaard, Majken G; Menné, Torkil; Søsted, Heidi

2012-01-01

Occupational allergic contact eczema and asthma caused by bleaching agents is seen in hairdressers. Bleaching agents contain persulfate salts, which are known to induce immediate reactions such as rhinitis, asthma, contact urticaria, and anaphylaxis. The immunologic mechanism is not, however, ful...

Occupational health in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedrikow, B; Algranti, E; Buschinelli, J T; Morrone, L C

1997-01-01

Brazil is a recently industrialised country with marked contrasts in social and economic development. The availability of public/private services in its different regions also varies. Health indicators follow these trends. Occupational health is a vast new field, as in other developing countries. Occupational medicine is a required subject in graduation courses for physicians. Specialisation courses for university graduated professionals have more than 700 hours of lectures and train occupational health physicians, safety engineers and nursing staff. At the technical level, there are courses with up to 1300 hours for the training of safety inspectors. Until 1986 about 19,000 occupational health physicians, 18,000 safety engineers and 51,000 safety inspectors had been officially registered. Although in its infancy, postgraduation has attracted professionals at university level, through residence programmes as well as masters and doctors degrees, whereby at least a hundred good-quality research studies have been produced so far. Occupational health activities are controlled by law. Undertakings with higher risks and larger number of employees are required to hire specialised technical staff. In 1995 the Ministry of Labour demanded programmes of medical control of occupational health (PCMSO) for every worker as well as a programme of prevention of environmental hazards (PPRA). This was considered as a positive measure for the improvement of working conditions and health at work. Physicians specialising in occupational medicine are the professionals more often hired by the enterprises. Reference centres (CRSTs) for workers' health are connected to the State or City Health Secretariat primary health care units. They exist in more populated areas and are accepted by workers as the best way to accomplish the diagnosis of occupational diseases. There is important participation by the trade unions in the management of these reference centres. For 30 years now employers

Gender perspective in occupational medicine and workplace risk assessment: state of the art and research agenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Protano, C; Magrini, A; Vitali, M; Sernia, S

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the current situation and the research agenda in the field of gender differences, both generically in the occupational settings and in the specific activity of risk assessment. Gender is a key determinant of health; the evaluation of documents and scientific literature shows increasing attention to a gender oriented approach, as demonstrated by the development of Gender Medicine, actually cross-oriented in all medical specialties, the publication of books dedicated to this topic and the birth of "ad hoc" new scientific societies and journals. Even today, however, the gender differences are not considered as they should in the context of health disciplines, including occupational medicine. In this respect, in fact, the critical issues to be overcome are numerous, such as the phenomena of "segregation", the exposure to risk factors and their effects, related also to non-professional, socio-cultural features that differentiate male and female workers. All these factors can lead to situations of inequality in health. In fact, the European directives on safety at work repeatedly highlight the attention to gender differences in prevention, assessment and management of risks. In this regard, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work advocates an approach "more sensitive" to gender in all the processes of assessment and risk management, from the research of all potential sources of risk to the decision-making processes, in order to address the prevention of risks in a holistic manner.

[Exposome: from an intuition to a mandatory research field in occupational and enviromental medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Paganelli, Matteo; De Palma, Giuseppe; Apostoli, Pietro

2017-11-01

As Genomics aims at the collective characterization and quantification of genes, exposomics refers to the totality of lifetime environmental exposures, consisting in a novel approach to studying the role of the environment in human disease. The aim is to assess all human environmental and occupational exposures in order to better understand their contribution to human diseases. The "omics" revolution infact mostly regards the underlying method: scientific knowledge is expected to come from the analysis of increasingly extensive databases. The primary focus is on air pollution and water contaminants, but all the determinants of human exposure are conceptually part of the idea of exposome, including physical and psychological factors. Using 'omic' techniques the collected exposure data can be linked to biochemical and molecular changes in our body. Since the first formulation of the idea itself of Exposome many efforts have been made to translate the concept into research, in particular two important studies have been started in Europe. We herein suggest that Occupational Medicine could be a precious contributor to the growth of exposure science also in its omic side thanks to the methods and to the knowledges part of our background. Copyright© by Aracne Editrice, Roma, Italy.

The Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR): Interventional Cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-02-01

of safety standards for the protection of people against exposure to ionizing radiation. The publication details the results of the Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR) (2009-2012) and, in particular, the activities of the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology that culminated in the development of the ISEMIR international database for interventional cardiology (ISEMIR-IC). The ISEMIR project arose from the Occupational Radiation Protection International Action Plan (approved by the IAEA Board of Governors September in 2003), which identified the need for networks to be established to enable interested parties to exchange information, experiences and lessons learned

Consortium biology in immunology: the perspective from the Immunological Genome Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoist, Christophe; Lanier, Lewis; Merad, Miriam; Mathis, Diane

2012-10-01

Although the field has a long collaborative tradition, immunology has made less use than genetics of 'consortium biology', wherein groups of investigators together tackle large integrated questions or problems. However, immunology is naturally suited to large-scale integrative and systems-level approaches, owing to the multicellular and adaptive nature of the cells it encompasses. Here, we discuss the value and drawbacks of this organization of research, in the context of the long-running 'big science' debate, and consider the opportunities that may exist for the immunology community. We position this analysis in light of our own experience, both positive and negative, as participants of the Immunological Genome Project.

Occupational radiation exposure in nuclear medicine department in Kuwait

Science.gov (United States)

Alnaaimi, M.; Alkhorayef, M.; Omar, M.; Abughaith, N.; Alduaij, M.; Salahudin, T.; Alkandri, F.; Sulieman, A.; Bradley, D. A.

2017-11-01

Ionizing radiation exposure is associated with eye lens opacities and cataracts. Radiation workers with heavy workloads and poor protection measures are at risk for vision impairment or cataracts if suitable protection measures are not implemented. The aim of this study was to measure and evaluate the occupational radiation exposure in a nuclear medicine (NM) department. The annual average effective doses (Hp[10] and Hp[0.07]) were measured using calibrated thermos-luminescent dosimeters (TLDs; MCP-N [LiF:Mg,Cu,P]). Five categories of staff (hot lab staff, PET physicians, NM physicians, technologists, and nurses) were included. The average annual eye dose (Hp[3]) for NM staff, based on measurements for a typical yearly workload of >7000 patients, was 4.5 mSv. The annual whole body radiation (Hp[10]) and skin doses (Hp[0.07]) were 4.0 and 120 mSv, respectively. The measured Hp(3), Hp(10), and Hp(0.07) doses for all NM staff categories were below the dose limits described in ICRP 2014 in light of the current practice. The results provide baseline data for staff exposure in NM in Kuwait. Radiation dose optimization measures are recommended to reduce NM staff exposure to its minimal value.

OCCUPATIONAL CONTACT DERMATITIS AMONGST DENTISTS AND DENTAL TECHNICIANS.

Science.gov (United States)

Lugović-Mihić, Liborija; Ferček, Iva; Duvančić, Tomislav; Bulat, Vedrana; Ježovita, Josip; Novak-Bilić, Gaby; Šitum, Mirna

2016-06-01

Since the working medical personnel including dentists and dental technicians mainly use their hands, it is understandable that the most common occupational disease amongst medical personnel is contact dermatitis (CD) (80%-90% of cases). Development of occupational CD is caused by contact of the skin with various substances in occupational environment. Occupational etiologic factors for dental personnel are foremost reactions to gloves containing latex, followed by various dental materials (e.g., metals, acrylates), detergents, lubricants, solvents, chemicals, etc. Since occupational CD is relatively common in dental personnel, its timely recognition, treatment and taking preventive measures is needed. Achieving skin protection at exposed workplaces is of special importance, as well as implementing necessary measures consequently and sufficiently, which is sometimes difficult to achieve. Various studies have shown the benefit of applying preventive measures, such as numerous protocols for reducing and managing latex sensitivity and other forms of CD in dentistry. Active involvement of physicians within the health care system, primarily dermatologists, occupational medicine specialists and general medicine doctors is needed for establishing an accurate medical diagnosis and confirmation of occupational skin disease.

Evolutionary dynamics of human autoimmune disease genes and malfunctioned immunological genes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Podder Soumita

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background One of the main issues of molecular evolution is to divulge the principles in dictating the evolutionary rate differences among various gene classes. Immunological genes have received considerable attention in evolutionary biology as candidates for local adaptation and for studying functionally important polymorphisms. The normal structure and function of immunological genes will be distorted when they experience mutations leading to immunological dysfunctions. Results Here, we examined the fundamental differences between the genes which on mutation give rise to autoimmune or other immune system related diseases and the immunological genes that do not cause any disease phenotypes. Although the disease genes examined are analogous to non-disease genes in product, expression, function, and pathway affiliation, a statistically significant decrease in evolutionary rate has been found in autoimmune disease genes relative to all other immune related diseases and non-disease genes. Possible ways of accumulation of mutation in the three steps of the central dogma (DNA-mRNA-Protein have been studied to trace the mutational effects predisposed to disease consequence and acquiring higher selection pressure. Principal Component Analysis and Multivariate Regression Analysis have established the predominant role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in guiding the evolutionary rate of immunological disease and non-disease genes followed by m-RNA abundance, paralogs number, fraction of phosphorylation residue, alternatively spliced exon, protein residue burial and protein disorder. Conclusions Our study provides an empirical insight into the etiology of autoimmune disease genes and other immunological diseases. The immediate utility of our study is to help in disease gene identification and may also help in medicinal improvement of immune related disease.

The Reciprocal Relationship Between Art and Occupational Therapy Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Fortuna

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Susan Burwash, Ph.D., OTR/L, an occupational therapy professor and artist based in Washington State, provided the cover art for the Winter 2017 issue of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT. The featured piece contains Professor Burwash’s signature fauxpals, lampwork glass beads made from molten glass and pure silver foil. Art creates balance between traditional medicine and personal medicine, those meaningful activities that give life purpose. Professor Burwash’s personal medicine is making beautiful things that can be given away.

Some notes on radiation immunology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sado, Toshihiko

1977-01-01

Immunological movement related to radiation immunology were reviewed. Basic items about cell mechanism of immunological reaction were explained, and then, relationship between immunity and radiation was given an outline. As to radiation effects on immunological lymphatic system, radiosensitivity of lymphocytes and immunological reaction, radiation effects on T and B cells, and radiosensitivity of lymphatic system, especially thymus were mentioned, and furthermore, delayed effects of radiation on immunological system were described. Radiation effects on relationship between bone marrow transplantation and genesis of reticulum cell tumor and delayed effects of radiation on them were mentioned, and genetic resistance against hematopoietic cell transplantation and its radiosensitivity were also described. Relationship between carcinogenesis due to radiation and immunity, and a state of specific immunological in an individual non-responsiveness having cancer, were also referred to. (Kanao, N.)

Accompanied consultations in occupational health.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobson, J; Hobson, H; Sharp, R

2016-04-01

Accompanied consultations are often reported as difficult by occupational physicians but have not been studied in the occupational health setting. To collect information about accompanied consultations and the impact of the companion on the consultation. We collected data on all accompanied consultations by two occupational physicians working in a private sector occupational health service over the course of 16 months. Accompanied consultations were matched to non-accompanied consultations for comparison. We collected data on 108 accompanied consultations. Accompanied consultations were more likely to be connected with ill health retirement (P Occupational health practitioners may benefit from better understanding of accompanied consultations and guidance on their management. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Need for occupational and environmental allergology in occupational health - the 45th Japanese society of Occupational and Environmental Allergy Annual Meeting 2014 in Fukuoka].

Science.gov (United States)

Kishikawa, Reiko; Oshikawa, Chie

2014-12-01

The 45th Japanese Society of Occupational and Environmental Allergy (OEA) Annual Meeting 2014 was held in Fukuoka city in conjunction with a technical course for occupational health physicians to learn occupational and environmental diseases more deeply. Allergic reaction due to low concentrations of chemical and biological materials is important in toxicological diseases due to highly concentrated chemical materials in the field of occupational and environmental medicine. In this paper we describe the activities of the OEA, which was established in 1970 and has completely cured patients with severe occupational asthma, such as the regional Konjac asthma in Gunma prefecture and Sea Squirt asthma in Hiroshima prefecture. Regard for the occupational environment will prevent the onset and/or exacerbation of allergic occupational disease in individual employees with allergy. Occupational cancer of the bile duct and asbestosis are also current, serious issues that should be resolved as soon as possible. It is desirable for the occupational health physician to have a large stock of knowledge about toxicological and allergic diseases in various occupational settings to maintain the health and safety of workers.

Evaluation of internal occupational exposure of workers from nuclear medicine services by aerosol analysis containing 131I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carneiro, Luana Gomes; Sampaio, Camilla da Silva; Dantas, Ana Leticia Almeida; Lucena, Eder Augusto; Santos, Maristela Souza; Dantas, Bernardo Maranhao; Paula, Gustavo Affonso de

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the risk of internal occupational exposure associated with the incorporation of 131 I via inhalation, in Nuclear Medicine Services, using aerosol analysis techniques. Occupationally Exposed Individuals (IOE) involved in handling this radionuclide are subject to chronic exposure, which can lead to an increase in the committed effective dose. Results obtained in preliminary studies indicate the occurrence of incorporation of 131 I by workers involved in handling solutions for radioiodine therapy procedures. The evaluation was carried out in radiopharmacy lab (nuclear medicine service) of a public hospital located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. After confirmed the presence of the radioisotope, by a qualitative assessment, it was determined an experimental arrangement for sample collection and were detected and quantitated the presence of steam 131 I during routine work. The average concentration of activity obtained in this study was 3 Bq / m 3 . This value is below of Derived Concentration in Air (DCA) of 8.4 x 10 3 Bq of 131 I / m 3 corresponding to a committed effective dose of 1.76 x 10 -4 mSv. These results demonstrate that the studied area is safe in terms of internal exposure of workers. However, the presence of 131 I should be periodically reevaluated, since this type of exposure contributes to the increase of the individual effective doses. Based on the data obtained improvements were suggested in the exhaust system and the use of good work practices in order to optimize the exposures

German guideline for the management of adverse reactions to ingested histamine: Guideline of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the German Society for Pediatric Allergology and Environmental Medicine (GPA), the German Association of Allergologists (AeDA), and the Swiss Society for Allergology and Immunology (SGAI).

Science.gov (United States)

Reese, Imke; Ballmer-Weber, Barbara; Beyer, Kirsten; Fuchs, Thomas; Kleine-Tebbe, Jörg; Klimek, Ludger; Lepp, Ute; Niggemann, Bodo; Saloga, Joachim; Schäfer, Christiane; Werfel, Thomas; Zuberbier, Torsten; Worm, Margitta

2017-01-01

Adverse food reactions are far more often perceived than objectively verified. In our scientific knowledge on non-allergic adverse reactions including the so called histamine intolerance, there are large deficits. Due to the fact that this disorder is increasingly discussed in the media and the internet, more and more people suspect it to be the trigger of their symptoms. The scientific evidence to support the postulated link between ingestion of histamine and adverse reactions is limited, and a reliable laboratory test for objective diagnosis is lacking. This position paper by the "Food Allergy" Working Group of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI) in collaboration with the German Association of Allergologists (AeDA), the Society for Pediatric Allergology and Environmental Medicine (GPA), and the Swiss Society for Allergology and Immunology (SGAI) reviews the data on the clinical picture of adverse reactions to ingested histamine, summarizes important aspects and their consequences, and proposes a practical diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Occupational asthma follow-up - which markers are elevated in exhaled breath condensate and plasma?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pelclová, D.; Fenclová, Z.; Vlčková, Š.; Klusáčková, P.; Lebedová, J.; Syslová, K.; Běláček, J.; Kuzma, Marek; Navrátil, Tomáš; Zakharov, S.; Kačer, P.

2014-01-01

Roč. 27, č. 2 (2014), s. 206-215 ISSN 1232-1087 Institutional support: RVO:61388971 ; RVO:61388955 Keywords : occupational asthma * exhalted breath condesate * leukotrienes Subject RIV: EC - Immunology; CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry (UFCH-W) Impact factor: 0.695, year: 2014

Ginsenoside Rh2 enhances the antitumor immunological response of a melanoma mice model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meng; Yan, Shi-Ju; Zhang, Hong-Tao; Li, Nan; Liu, Tao; Zhang, Ying-Long; Li, Xiao-Xiang; Ma, Qiong; Qiu, Xiu-Chun; Fan, Qing-Yu; Ma, Bao-An

2017-02-01

The treatment of malignant tumors following surgery is important in preventing relapse. Among all the post-surgery treatments, immunomodulators have demonstrated satisfactory effects on preventing recurrence according to recent studies. Ginsenoside is a compound isolated from panax ginseng, which is a famous traditional Chinese medicine. Ginsenoside aids in killing tumor cells through numerous processes, including the antitumor processes of ginsenoside Rh2 and Rg1, and also affects the inflammatory processes of the immune system. However, the role that ginsenoside serves in antitumor immunological activity remains to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze the effect of ginsenoside Rh2 on the antitumor immunological response. With a melanoma mice model, ginsenoside Rh2 was demonstrated to inhibit tumor growth and improved the survival time of the mice. Ginsenoside Rh2 enhanced T-lymphocyte infiltration in the tumor and triggered cytotoxicity in spleen lymphocytes. In addition, the immunological response triggered by ginsenoside Rh2 could be transferred to other mice. In conclusion, the present study provides evidence that ginsenoside Rh2 treatment enhanced the antitumor immunological response, which may be a potential therapy for melanoma.

Occupational medicine in ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziskind, Bernard; Halioua, Bruno

2007-01-01

Only the remarkable organisation of Egyptian society, based on an economy of redistribution and allocation of tasks, enabled the erection of the pyramids and the construction of the great temples. Medicine naturally found its place in this organisation as illness was part of the afflictions the pharaoh had to fight against. This particular task was delegated to doctors. The organisation of a medical group could be witnessed on the banks of the Nile almost 5000 years ago and Hesy-Re "the greatest of doctors" (1750 BC), doctor to pharaoh Djoser, is one of the oldest known to mankind. Some doctors were assigned by Egyptian administration to deal with the health problems of communities of workers carrying out the same duties. We consider these doctors to be the pioneers of medicine in the workplace.

Evaluation of cytogenetic damage in nuclear medicine personnel occupationally exposed to low-level ionising radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garaj-Vrhovac, V.; Kopjar, N.; Poropat, M.

2005-01-01

Despite intensive research over the last few decades, there still remains considerable uncertainty as to the genetic impact of ionising radiation on human populations, particularly at low levels. The aim of this study was to provide data on genetic hazards associated with occupational exposure to low doses of ionising radiation in nuclear medicine departments. The assessment of DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes of medical staff was performed using the chromosome aberration (CA) test. Exposed subjects showed significantly higher frequencies of CA than controls. There were significant inter-individual differences in DNA damage within the exposed population, indicating differences in genome sensitivity. Age and gender were not confounding factors, while smoking enhanced the levels of DNA damage only in control subjects. The present study suggests that chronic exposure to low doses of ionising radiation in nuclear medicine departments causes genotoxic damage. Therefore, to avoid potential genotoxic effects, the exposed medical personnel should minimise radiation exposure wherever possible. Our results also point to the significance of biological indicators providing information about the actual risk to the radiation exposed individuals.(author)

The Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR): Industrial Radiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2014-08-15

for radiation protection and safety provided by the IAEA to its Member States. This publication was developed under the IAEA’s statutory responsibility to provide for the worldwide application of safety standards for the protection of people against exposure to ionizing radiation. It details the results of the Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR) project during 2009–2012 and, in particular, the activities of the Working Group on Industrial Radiography (WGIR). The ISEMIR project arose from the Occupational Radiation Protection International Action Plan (approved by the IAEA Board of Governors in September 2003), which identified in Action 7 the need to establish networks for the exchange of information on experience and lessons learned between interested parties.

The Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR): Industrial Radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-08-01

for radiation protection and safety provided by the IAEA to its Member States. This publication was developed under the IAEA’s statutory responsibility to provide for the worldwide application of safety standards for the protection of people against exposure to ionizing radiation. It details the results of the Information System on Occupational Exposure in Medicine, Industry and Research (ISEMIR) project during 2009–2012 and, in particular, the activities of the Working Group on Industrial Radiography (WGIR). The ISEMIR project arose from the Occupational Radiation Protection International Action Plan (approved by the IAEA Board of Governors in September 2003), which identified in Action 7 the need to establish networks for the exchange of information on experience and lessons learned between interested parties

Cooperation within physician-nurse team in occupational medicine service in Poland - Knowledge about professional activities performed by the team-partner.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakowski, Piotr

2015-01-01

The goal of the study has been to learn about physicians' and nurses' awareness of the professional activities that are being performed by their colleague in the physician-nurse team. Postal questionnaires were sent out to occupational physicians and nurses in Poland. The analysis includes responses from 232 pairs of physician-nurse teams. The knowledge among occupational professionals about tasks performed by their colleagues in the physician-nurse team seems to be poor. Respondents were asked about who performs tasks from each of 21 groups mentioned in the Occupational Medicine Service Act. In the case of only 3 out of 21 groups of tasks, the rate of non-consistence in answers was lower than 30%. A specified number of professionals performed their tasks on the individual basis. Although in many cases their team colleagues knew about those activities, there was a major proportion of those who had no awareness of such actions. Polish occupational physicians and nurses perform a variety of tasks. Occupational nurses, besides medical role, also play important organizational roles in their units. The cooperation between the two professional groups is, however, slightly disturbed by the deficits in communication. This issue needs to be improved for the betterment of operations within the whole system. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

European Symposium on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muraro, A; Fokkens, W J; Pietikainen, S

2016-01-01

: personalized care based on molecular, immunologic and functional endotyping of the disease, with participation of the patient in the decision making process of therapeutic actions, and considering predictive and preventive aspects of the treatment. Implementation of Precision Medicine into clinical practice......The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the European Rhinologic Society (ERS) and the European Medical Association (EMA) organized, on 14 October 2015, a symposium in the European Parliament in Brussels on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases, hosted by MEP...... the most frequently diagnosed chronic non-communicable diseases in the EU. 30% of the total European population is suffering from allergies and asthma, and more than half are deprived from adequate diagnosis and treatment. Precision Medicine represents a novel approach, embracing 4 key features...

Occupational protein contact dermatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbaud, Annick; Poreaux, Claire; Penven, Emmanuelle; Waton, Julie

2015-01-01

Occupational contact dermatitis is generally caused by haptens but can also be induced by proteins causing mainly immunological contact urticaria (ICU); chronic hand eczema in the context of protein contact dermatitis (PCD). In a monocentric retrospective study, from our database, only 31 (0.41%) of patients with contact dermatitis had positive skin tests with proteins: 22 had occupational PCD, 3 had non-occupational PCD, 5 occupational ICU and 1 cook had a neutrophilic fixed food eruption (NFFE) due to fish. From these results and analysis of literature, the characteristics of PCD can be summarized as follows. It is a chronic eczematous dermatitis, possibly exacerbated by work, suggestive if associated with inflammatory perionyxix and immediate erythema with pruritis, to be investigated when the patient resumes work after a period of interruption. Prick tests with the suspected protein-containing material are essential, as patch tests have negative results. In case of multisensitisation revealed by prick tests, it is advisable to analyse IgE against recombinant allergens. A history of atopy, found in 56 to 68% of the patients, has to be checked for. Most of the cases are observed among food-handlers but PCD can also be due to non-edible plants, latex, hydrolysed proteins or animal proteins. Occupational exposure to proteins can thus lead to the development of ICU. Reflecting hypersensitivity to very low concentrations of allergens, investigating ICU therefore requires caution and prick tests should be performed with a diluted form of the causative protein-containing product. Causes are food, especially fruit peel, non-edible plants, cosmetic products, latex, animals.

Comparison of occupational radiation dose exposures in nuclear medicine and PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, S.A.; Binns, D.S.; Johnston, V.K.; Fawcett, M.F.; Greer, B.; Hicks, R.J.

1999-01-01

Full text: With the increasing use of high-dose 64 Ga, 201 TI and 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET for scanning in oncology in our centre, a radiation dose survey was performed to determine the impact on staff exposure in a multi-modality department. This study was set up in part to counter 'radio-phobia' (the fear of working with radioactive patients) in allied health professionals. The patients were measured using a hand-held radiation monitor at various distances and times which replicate typical patient contact scenarios in the Diagnostic Imaging Department. An average exposure rate per hour was calculated and thus the relative radiation hazard was determined for staff who will interact with the patient outside of the hot laboratory. We present our findings from the survey and the implications these have on staff radiation exposure. In conclusion, these data suggest that emerging oncologic techniques such as PET, high-dose 67 Ga and high-dose 201 Tl do not represent a significantly greater occupational radiation hazard than conventional nuclear medicine procedures

Redirecting reproductive immunology research toward pregnancy as a period of temporary immune tolerance.

Science.gov (United States)

Gleicher, Norbert; Kushnir, Vitaly A; Barad, David H

2017-04-01

Referring to two recent publications, we here propose that clinical reproductive immunology has for decades stagnated because reproductive medicine, including assisted reproduction (AR), has failed to accept embryo implantation as an immune system-driven process, dependent on establishment of maternal tolerance toward the implanting fetal semi-allograft (and complete allograft in cases of oocyte donation). Pregnancy represents a biologically unique period of temporary (to the period of gestation restricted) tolerance, otherwise only known in association with parasitic infections. Rather than investigating the immune pathways necessary to induce this rather unique state of tolerance toward the rapidly growing parasitic antigen load of the fetus, the field, instead, concentrated on irrelevant secondary immune phenomena (i.e., "immunological noise"). It, therefore, does not surprise that interesting recent research, offering new potential insights into maternal tolerance during pregnancy, was mostly published outside of the field of reproductive medicine. This research offers evidence for existence of inducible maternal tolerance pathways with the ability of improving maternal fecundity and, potentially, reducing such late pregnancy complications as premature labor and preeclampsia/eclampsia due to premature abatement of maternal tolerance. Increasing evidence also suggests that tolerance-inducing immune pathways are similar in successful pregnancy, successful organ transplantation and, likely also in the tolerance of "self" (i.e., prevention of autoimmunity). Identifying and isolating these pathways, therefore, may greatly benefit all three of these clinical areas, and research in reproductive immunology should be accordingly redirected.

Dose received by occupationally exposed workers at a nuclear medicine department

Science.gov (United States)

Ávila, O.; Sánchez-Uribe, N. A.; Rodríguez-Laguna, A.; Medina, L. A.; Estrada, E.; Buenfil, A. E.; Brandan, M. E.

2012-10-01

Personal Dose Equivalent (PDE) values were determined for occupational exposed workers (OEW) at the Nuclear Medicine Department (NMD) of "Instituto Nacional de Cancerología" (INCan), Mexico, using TLD-100 thermoluminescent dosemeters. OEW at NMD, INCan make use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Radionuclides associated to a pharmaceutical compound used at this Department are 131I, 18F, 68Ga, 99mTc, 111In and 11C with main gamma emission energies between 140 and 511 keV. Dosemeter calibration was performed at the metrology department of "Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares" (ININ), Mexico. Every occupational worker used dark containers with three dosimeters which were replaced monthly for a total of 5 periods. Additionally, control dosemeters were also placed at a site free of radioactive sources in order to determine the background radiation. Results were adjusted to find PDE/day and estimating annual PDE values in the range between 2 mSv (background) and 9 mSv. The mean annual value is 3.51 mSv and the standard deviation SD is 0.78 mSv. Four of the 16 OEW received annual doses higher than the average +1 SD (4.29 mSv). Results depend on OEW daily activities and were consistent for each OEW for the 5 studied periods as well as with PDE values reported by the firm that performs the monthly service. All obtained values are well within the established annual OEW dose limit stated in the "Reglamento General de Seguridad Radiológica", México (50 mSv), as well as within the lower limit recommended by the "International Commission on Radiation Protection" (ICRP), report no.60 (20 mSv). These results verify the adequate compliance of the NMD at INCan, Mexico with the norms given by the national regulatory commission.

Safety, clinical, and immunologic efficacy of a Chinese herbal medicine (Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2) for food allergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Julie; Jones, Stacie M; Pongracic, Jacqueline A; Song, Ying; Yang, Nan; Sicherer, Scott H; Makhija, Melanie M; Robison, Rachel G; Moshier, Erin; Godbold, James; Sampson, Hugh A; Li, Xiu-Min

2015-10-01

Food Allergy Herbal Formula-2 (FAHF-2) is a 9-herb formula based on traditional Chinese medicine that blocks peanut-induced anaphylaxis in a murine model. In phase I studies FAHF-2 was found to be safe and well tolerated. We sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of FAHF-2 as a treatment for food allergy. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study 68 subjects aged 12 to 45 years with allergies to peanut, tree nut, sesame, fish, and/or shellfish, which were confirmed by baseline double-blind, placebo-controlled oral food challenges (DBPCFCs), received FAHF-2 (n = 46) or placebo (n = 22). After 6 months of therapy, subjects underwent DBPCFCs. For those who demonstrated increases in the eliciting dose, a repeat DBPCFC was performed 3 months after stopping therapy. Treatment was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events. By using intent-to-treat analysis, the placebo group had a higher eliciting dose and cumulative dose (P = .05) at the end-of-treatment DBPCFC. There was no difference in the requirement for epinephrine to treat reactions (P = .55). There were no significant differences in allergen-specific IgE and IgG4 levels, cytokine production by PBMCs, or basophil activation between the active and placebo groups. In vitro immunologic studies performed on subjects' baseline PBMCs incubated with FAHF-2 and food allergen produced significantly less IL-5, greater IL-10 levels, and increased numbers of regulatory T cells than untreated cells. Notably, 44% of subjects had poor drug adherence for at least one third of the study period. FAHF-2 is a safe herbal medication for subjects with food allergy and shows favorable in vitro immunomodulatory effects; however, efficacy for improving tolerance to food allergens is not demonstrated at the dose and duration used. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Precision medicine in patients with allergic diseases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muraro, Antonella; Lemanske, Robert F; Hellings, Peter W

2016-01-01

In this consensus document we summarize the current knowledge on major asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis endotypes under the auspices of the PRACTALL collaboration platform. PRACTALL is an initiative of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the American Academy...... of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology aiming to harmonize the European and American approaches to best allergy practice and science. Precision medicine is of broad relevance for the management of asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in the context of a better selection of treatment responders, risk prediction...

Maintenance of Occupational Control: The Case of Professions.

Science.gov (United States)

Child, John; Fulk, Janet

1982-01-01

Contemporary conditions relevant to the maintenance of occupational control are examined for five professions (accounting, architecture, civil engineering, law, and medicine) in the United Kingdom and the United States as an impetus for the analysis of control by occupations in general. (Author/CT)

Occupational exposure of nuclear medicine personnel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roessler, M.

1982-01-01

The results are given of measurements of the radiation burden of personnel in departments of nuclear medicine in the years 1979 to 1981 using film dosemeters and ring thermoluminescence dosemeters evaluated by the national personnel dosemeter service. The relations are examined of the exposure of hands and the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals and especially their use for examinations. Certain organizational measures are indicated for reducina radiation burden in a laboratory for the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals. The results of measurements and evaluations of radiation burden of personnel of nuclear medicine departments are confronted with conclusions published in the literature. (author)

Zagazig Journal of Occupational Health and Safety: Contact

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Principal Contact. AG Ahmed-Refat Professor Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University Occupational and Environmental Health Services Canter Faculty of Medicine Zagazig University Zagazig Egypt Phone: +02 055 2302809. Fax: +02 0552307830. Email: refat_kashmery@yahoo.com ...

Immunologic manifestations of autophagy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deretic, Vojo; Kimura, Tomonori; Timmins, Graham

2015-01-01

The broad immunologic roles of autophagy span innate and adaptive immunity and are often manifested in inflammatory diseases. The immune effects of autophagy partially overlap with its roles in metabolism and cytoplasmic quality control but typically expand further afield to encompass unique...... immunologic adaptations. One of the best-appreciated manifestations of autophagy is protection against microbial invasion, but this is by no means limited to direct elimination of intracellular pathogens and includes a stratified array of nearly all principal immunologic processes. This Review summarizes...... the broad immunologic roles of autophagy. Furthermore, it uses the autophagic control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as a paradigm to illustrate the breadth and complexity of the immune effects of autophagy....

Current trends of reproductive immunology practices in in vitro fertilization (IVF) - a first world survey using IVF-Worldwide.com.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak-Kim, Joanne; Han, Ae Ra; Gilman-Sachs, Alice; Fishel, Simon; Leong, Milton; Shoham, Zeev

2013-01-01

Reproductive immunology has evolved from basic research studies to clinical applications. In this study, we aim to investigate the actual application of reproductive immunology concepts and findings in clinical reproductive medicine such as recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL), repeated implantation failures (RIF), and failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. A web-based survey was performed on IVF-Worldwide.com. Collected data were analyzed by the computerized software. A significant proportion of physicians recommend thrombophilia workups (86%), parental genetic study (79%), and immunologic evaluations (69%) to IVF candidates who have a history of RPL or chemical pregnancy losses. IVF physicians consider an immunologic workup when patients have two (30%) or three (21%) failed IVF cycles. Assays for anticardiolipin antibody, lupus anticoagulant, thyroid peroxidase antibody, and antinuclear antibody are the four most commonly ordered immunologic tests for RPL (88, 84, 50, 47% each) and RIF (68, 63, 38, 38% each). Cellular immune evaluations, such as NK assay, human leukocyte antigen study, Th1/Th2 study or immunophenotype assay, are less commonly ordered. Reproductive immunology principles have been applied to the clinical management of RPL, RIF, and failed IVF cycles, and a significant proportion of IVF physicians acknowledge the importance of immunologic alterations with reproductive outcomes. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Occupational medicine in a developing society: a case study of Venezuela.

Science.gov (United States)

Guidotti, T L; Goldsmith, D F

1980-01-01

Recent activities of the World Health Organization and other international agencies have placed new emphasis on occupational health in developing nations. Venezuela is a nation in transition from a developing society dominated economically by petroleum and agriculture to an economically-diversified industrialized urban society. It provides a case study which illuminates the problems of extending occupational health services in developing economies and questions of public policy regarding utilization of medical resources and the priority that occupational health should hold in such a society. Occupational health has become a serious problem in the developing world as new industries and accelerating ecnomic development occur without adequate resources for worker protection. The study of cases such as that of Venezuela may provide guidance for anticipating and preventing problems in other nations. This paper should be considered a pilot study to explore a social aspect of occupational health that has not received adequate attention.

Occupational Exposure to HDI: Progress and Challenges in Biomarker Analysis

OpenAIRE

Flack, Sheila L.; Ball, Louise M.; Nylander-French, Leena A.

2010-01-01

1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) is extensively used in the automotive repair industry and is a commonly reported cause of occupational asthma in industrialized populations. However, the exact pathological mechanism remains uncertain. Characterization and quantification of biomarkers resulting from HDI exposure can fill important knowledge gaps between exposure, susceptibility, and the rise of immunological reactions and sensitization leading to asthma. Here, we discuss existing challenge...

Detection of the presence and the risk of occupational COPD and occupational allergic disease : a practical approach for the occupational physician

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, Everwijn

2001-01-01

European legislation brings about a new responsibility for occupational medicine. However, with the commercial approach and the focus on sickness absence management the attention for detection and prevention of work-related health effects has been shifted away. In the last decade, the association

Attempts at strategic thinking in occupational public health: the Lucas Lecture of 1987

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Millar, J D

1987-05-06

This lecture on strategic thinking in occupational public health stressed that attention must be directed toward the prevention of occupational diseases and injuries through an organized community effort. According to the speaker, such an aim encompasses the various disciplines involved in occupational medicine, safety, and nursing to include such avenues as clinical and social medicine and general public-health practice. A summary was offered of the development of public health and occupational health in the United States, as it grew from the level of state and local responsibility to become a concern of the Federal Government. Occupational medicine also grew at the business sector level with surgical services being established for injured workers at the job site and concerns over toxic exposures growing. The passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is discussed along with a brief review of new Federal agencies formed by the act. New efforts are being directed at hazard identification and risk assessment, and also at controlling the exposures through preventive or protective measures. Additional efforts are currently being made in the educational field.

Worker radiological protection: occupational medical aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardenas Herrera, Juan; Fernandez Gomez, Isis Maria

2008-01-01

Radiation exposures experienced by workers are widely explained. The first evidences of biological effects, the implications for human health and the radiological protection have been covered. The conceptual structure that covers the radiological protection and adequate protection without limiting benefits, the scientific basis of radiology, the benefits and risks of the radiological protection are specified. The effective per capita doses are exposed in medical uses both for Latin America and for other regions in the average radiology, dental radiology, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. The manners of occupational exposures in the medicine are presented. Industrial uses have also its average effective dose in the industrial irradiation, industrial radiography and radioisotopes production. Within the natural radiation the natural sources can significantly contribute to occupational exposure and have their average effective dose. Occupational medical surveillance to be taken into industrial sites is detailed. In addition, the plan of international action for the solution of dilemmas of occupational exposures is mentioned and the different dilemmas of radioactive exposure are showed. The external irradiation, the acute diseases by radiations, the cutaneous syndrome of the chronic radiation, the radioactive contamination, the internal radioactive contamination, the combined lesion and accidental exposures are also treated [es

Tumor immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Mocellin, Simone; Lise, Mario; Nitti, Donato

2007-01-01

Advances in tumor immunology are supporting the clinical implementation of several immunological approaches to cancer in the clinical setting. However, the alternate success of current immunotherapeutic regimens underscores the fact that the molecular mechanisms underlying immune-mediated tumor rejection are still poorly understood. Given the complexity of the immune system network and the multidimensionality of tumor/host interactions, the comprehension of tumor immunology might greatly benefit from high-throughput microarray analysis, which can portrait the molecular kinetics of immune response on a genome-wide scale, thus accelerating the discovery pace and ultimately catalyzing the development of new hypotheses in cell biology. Although in its infancy, the implementation of microarray technology in tumor immunology studies has already provided investigators with novel data and intriguing new hypotheses on the molecular cascade leading to an effective immune response against cancer. Although the general principles of microarray-based gene profiling have rapidly spread in the scientific community, the need for mastering this technique to produce meaningful data and correctly interpret the enormous output of information generated by this technology is critical and represents a tremendous challenge for investigators, as outlined in the first section of this book. In the present Chapter, we report on some of the most significant results obtained with the application of DNA microarray in this oncology field.

Critical evaluation of the external occupational exposure in nuclear medicine services in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubo, Ana Luiza Silva Lima

2016-01-01

Currently in Brazil (2016), there are 421 Nuclear Medicine Services (NMS). In nuclear medicine, the possibility of occupational internal contamination and external exposure is unavoidable. The chest individual monitoring, to estimate the effective dose, is mandatory, but the extremity monitoring is not always made. The aim of this study was to conduct a survey of data for external exposure of NMS professionals in Brazil from 1987 to 2010, analysing them in terms of trends and comparing them with measurements carried out in this work and in other countries. Although most of the NMS is still located in large urban centres (54% in the Southeast region), there is no state without any NMS. The increasing number of NMS has generated the need for more professionals. In the year 1987, they were 755 workers and, in 2010, 4134, with the following distribution of specialties: 29% of Nuclear Medicine Technicians (NMT), 23% of Nursing professionals, 29% of Physicians and 3% of Physicists. The average annual effective dose reached more than 3.0 mSv in some regions of the country, from 1987 to 2010, but tends to 1.0 mSv in 2010. The highest doses, as expected, are received by NMT and Nursing. The professionals who handle radiopharmaceuticals have their hands much more exposed than the chest. During 2010, only 31% of NMT and 16% of Nursing used extremity dosimeters as compared to chest dosimeters. The data from the measurements indicate that not all individual dosimeters are used properly. Generally, both in the measurements as in national registries, the hand doses were higher for professionals who prepared the radiopharmaceutical (NMT) than those who injected (Nursing). The value measured by chest dosimeters can be used to estimate the equivalent dose to the eye lenses, except for NMT at preparation practices at conventional NMS, where the equivalent dose of the lens is about 2 times higher than the dose at the chest. The most exposed areas of the hands are the tips of the index

[Immunological Markers in Organ Transplantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Beckmann, J H; Heits, N; Braun, F; Becker, T

2017-04-01

The immunological monitoring in organ transplantation is based mainly on the determination of laboratory parameters as surrogate markers of organ dysfunction. Structural damage, caused by alloreactivity, can only be detected by invasive biopsy of the graft, which is why inevitably rejection episodes are diagnosed at a rather progressive stage. New non-invasive specific markers that enable transplant clinicians to identify rejection episodes at an earlier stage, on the molecular level, are needed. The accurate identification of rejection episodes and the establishment of operational tolerance permit early treatment or, respectively, a controlled cessation of immunosuppression. In addition, new prognostic biological markers are expected to allow a pre-transplant risk stratification thus having an impact on organ allocation and immunosuppressive regimen. New high-throughput screening methods allow simultaneous examination of hundreds of characteristics and the generation of specific biological signatures, which might give concrete information about acute rejection, chronic dysfunction as well as operational tolerance. Even though multiple studies and a variety of publications report about important advances on this subject, almost no new biological marker has been implemented in clinical practice as yet. Nevertheless, new technologies, in particular analysis of the genome, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome will make personalised transplantation medicine possible and will further improve the long-term results and graft survival rates. This article gives a survey of the limitations and possibilities of new immunological markers in organ transplantation. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Occupational health services in PR China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Youxin; Xiang Quanyong

2004-01-01

In China, the origin of occupational health started in the mid 1950s soon after the founding of the People's Republic of China. However, more complete concept and practice of occupational health was defined after the early 1980s, when China started her full-scale drive for economic reform and policy of openness. The integrity intends to cover occupational health, occupational medicine, industrial toxicology, industrial hygiene, occupational ergonomics, and occupational psychology as theoretical and practical components of occupational health. As a result, occupational health in China has undergone many changes and has improved over the past decades. These changes and improvements came about, most likely due to a new scheme, where a holistic approach of the recognition, regulation, and provision of occupational health services in a wider coverage is gradually formed and brought into effect. This presentation provides the current status of occupational health and safety problems, the latest legislative to occupational health and safety, and a general scenario of the organizational structure and function of occupational health services in China. It attempts to share with participants both our experience and lessons learned towards creating a more open and effective channel of ideas and information sharing

[Rotator cuff diseases in occupational medicine between occupational diseases and accidents: medical-legal considerations].

Science.gov (United States)

Spigno, F; Galli, R; Casali, C; Lagattolla, N; De Lucchi, M

2010-01-01

The authors have gone through the complaints concerning all the cases of shoulder accidents at work filed by the Genoa office of the Italian Workers' National compensation Agency (INAIL) during the two years' period 2006-2007, reviewing in particular those somehow affecting rotator components. The aim of this paper is to assess the real role played by the occupational trauma in the rotator cuff tear. The data gathered so far have shown, on the one hand, a high prevalence of pre-existing inflammatory and degenerative diseases and, on the other, a rather modest influence of the trauma which, for this reason, has usually borne, as an immediate medico-legal consequence, the rejection of a cause-effect relationship between the accident and the rotator cuff lesion, without taking into any account whether the worker was likely to be affected by an occupational disease (ex table Ministerial Decree n. 81 April 9th 2008- item 78). In such cases a systematic and in-depth investigation of the occupational case history is suggested, in order to highlight the possible pre-existence of a former biomechanical overload of the upper limbs, so as to allow the physician to detect a pathology often misdiagnosed.

Environmental factors and human health: fibrous and particulate substance-induced immunological disorders and construction of a health-promoting living environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Otsuki, Takemi; Matsuzaki, Hidenori; Lee, Suni; Kumagai-Takei, Naoko; Yamamoto, Shoko; Hatayama, Tamayo; Yoshitome, Kei; Nishimura, Yasumitsu

2016-03-01

Among the various scientific fields covered in the area of hygiene such as environmental medicine, epidemiology, public health and preventive medicine, we are investigating the immunological effects of fibrous and particulate substances in the environment and work surroundings, such as asbestos fibers and silica particles. In addition to these studies, we have attempted to construct health-promoting living conditions. Thus, in this review we will summarize our investigations regarding the (1) immunological effects of asbestos fibers, (2) immunological effects of silica particles, and (3) construction of a health-promoting living environment. This review article summarizes the 2014 Japanese Society for Hygiene (JSH) Award Lecture of the 85th Annual Meeting of the JSH entitled "Environmental health effects: immunological effects of fibrous and particulate matter and establishment of health-promoting environments" presented by the first author of this manuscript, Prof. Otsuki, Department of Hygiene, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan, the recipient of the 2014 JSH award. The results of our experiments can be summarized as follows: (1) asbestos fibers reduce anti-tumor immunity, (2) silica particles chronically activate responder and regulatory T cells causing an unbalance of these two populations of T helper cells, which may contribute to the development of autoimmune disorders frequently complicating silicosis, and (3) living conditions to enhance natural killer cell activity were developed, which may promote the prevention of cancers and diminish symptoms of virus infections.

SARIS: a tool for occupational radiation protection improvement in a Nuclear Medicine Department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez Diaz, A.

2015-01-01

Self-assessment is an organization's internal process to review its current status. The IAEA has developed the SARIS system (Self-Assessment of the Regulatory Infrastructure for Safety) with the objective to improve and encourage the compliment of safety requirements and recommendations of the international safety standards. With the purpose to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the occupational radiation protection structure in the Nuclear Medicine Department (from 'Hermanos Ameijeiras' Hospital), we applied 3 questionnaires of the Occupational Radiation Protection Module of SARIS. During the answering phase we provided factual responses to questions, appended all necessary documentary evidence and avoided opinion that cannot be objectively supported by evidence. In the analysis phase we identified the strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities for improvement and the risks if action is not taken. We look the expert's opinion and made recommendations to prepare an action plan for improvement. The Cuban regulations have more strengths than weakness. The major weakness founded was: the documental evidence of the knowledge about the legislative safety responsibility of the management structure and workers could be improved. Upon completion of the self-assessment analysis phase, was developed an action plan, trying to cover all the discovered weakness, making emphasis in the improvement of all documental issue related to radiation safety responsibilities. Were defined the responsibilities and activities in the short, medium and long terms. The SARIS self-assessment tools let us to learn more about our organization and provided us the key elements for the organization's continuous development and improvement. (Author)

Occupational risk involving students of health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Éder Oliveira Rocha

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the social representations of occupational risks involving students in the area of health. Method: Exploratory research with 160 students from nursing, medicine and dentistry, through interviews. The data were processed in ALCESTE 4.8 and lexical analysis done by descending hierarchical classification. Results: In four semantic classes, namely: occupational risks involving students in the area of health, the work environment and occupational risks, exposure to accidents with sharps and adoption of standard precautions as biosecurity measures. Conclusion: Students healthcare represent occupational risks, such as a concern for the prevention of cross infection in the workplace, should both professionals and students of health, adopt standard precautions and biosecurity measures in the environment work.

Airborne seafood allergens as a cause of occupational allergy and asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopata, Andreas L; Jeebhay, Mohamed F

2013-06-01

Occupational allergy and asthma is a serious adverse health outcome affecting seafood-processing workers. Allergic reactions are directed to two major seafood groups: fish and shellfish, with the latter group comprising crustaceans and molluscs. Several allergenic proteins have been identified in these different groups, but few have been characterised on a molecular level. Parvalbumin appears to be the major fish allergen, while tropomyosin the major crustacean allergen. Other IgE-binding proteins have also been identified in molluscs and other seafood-associated agents (e.g. Anisakis sp), although their molecular nature has not been characterised. Aerosolised allergens can be identified and quantified using immunological and chemical approaches, detecting levels as low as 10 ng/m(3). This contemporary review discusses interesting and recent findings in the area of occupational seafood allergy including high-risk occupations, environmental risk factors for airborne exposures, major and minor allergens implicated and innovative approaches in diagnosing and managing occupational allergy and asthma associated with seafood processing.

Occupational Inheritance in Service Academy Cadets and Midshipmen

Science.gov (United States)

Roller, Brain; Doerries, Lee E.

2008-01-01

Occupational inheritance refers to the phenomenon where sons and daughters follow in the career paths of their parents. Historically this has been documented in the areas of engineering, medicine and education. This study investigated the phenomenon of occupational inheritance as it pertains to military service. Archival data provided by the…

Platelet Immunology in China: Research and Clinical Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Guoguang; Zhou, Yan; Li, Lilan; Zhong, Zhoulin; Li, Hengchong; Li, Haiyan; Yu, Mei; Shen, Weidong; Ni, Heyu

2017-04-01

Immunization against human platelet alloantigens (HPAs) is associated with a number of clinical complications. The detection and identification of clinically relevant platelet antibodies are important for the diagnosis and management of patients affected with immune-mediated thrombocytopenias. Human platelet alloantigen frequencies and the characteristics of antiplatelet antibodies vary widely between ethnic groups. Since 2008, the importance of platelet immunology in the field of transfusion medicine has gained greater recognition by clinical laboratories in China. Laboratories in China have established and improved methods for platelet antibody detection and HPA genotyping techniques, which are used for the diagnosis of alloimmune platelet disorders in clinic and research environments. Research has revealed the frequencies of HPA alleles in different Chinese ethnic groups and compared the differences in HPA gene frequencies between the Chinese Han and other ethnic groups of the world. Production of anti-CD36 isoantibodies is an important risk factor for immune-mediated thrombocytopenia in the Chinese population. Advances in research and clinical application of platelet immunology have significantly improved the clinical diagnosis, treatment including transfusion support, and prevention of alloimmune platelet disorders in the Chinese population. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Residency programs and the outlook for occupational and environmental medicine in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Youngil; Kim, Jungwon; Chae, Yoomi

2015-01-01

This study investigated the implementation of training courses and the overall outlook for occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) in Korea. We described the problems facing OEM residency programs in Korea, and reviewed studies dealing with the specialty of occupational health in developed countries in order to suggest directions of improvement for the OEM training courses. We surveyed 125 OEM residents using a questionnaire in August 2012. A total of 23 questions about the training environment, residency programs, preferred institutions for post-licensure employment, and the outlook for OEM specialists were included in the questionnaire and analyzed according to the type of training institution and residency year. Responses from 88 residents (70.4 %) were analyzed. The major responsibilities of OEM residents were found to vary depending on whether they were trained in research institutes or in hospitals. OEM residents had a lower level of satisfaction with the following training programs: toxicology practice (measurements of biological markers, metabolites, and working environments), and OEM practice (environmental diseases and clinical training involving surgery). When asked about their eventual place of employment, OEM residents preferred institutions providing special health examinations or health management services. OEM residents reported a positive outlook for OEM over the next 5 years, but a negative outlook for the next 10 years. Although a standardized training curriculum for OEM residents exists, this study found differences in the actual training courses depending on the training institution. We plan to standardize OEM training by holding a regional conference and introducing open training methods, such as an open hospital system. Use of Korean-language OEM textbook may also reduce differences in the educational programs of each training institution. Toxicology practice, environmental diseases, and clinical training in surgery are areas that

SPECIAL ISSUE VETERINARY IMMUNOLOGY IMMUNOPATHOLOGY: PROCEEDINGS 8TH INTERNATIONAL VETERINARY IMMUNOLOGY SYMPOSIUM

Science.gov (United States)

This is the Special Issue of Vet. Immunol. Immunopathol. that summarizes the 8th International Veterinary Immunology Symposium (8 th IVIS) held August 15th-19th, 2007, in Ouro Preto, Brazil. The 8 th IVIS highlighted the importance of veterinary immunology for animal health, vaccinology, reproducti...

On the first occupational medicine initiatives in Mexico: The Real del Monte miners’ hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, José Luis; Rodríguez-Paz, Carlos Agustín

2018-01-01

Despite the legislation of Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) on social security rights formulated in 1883 in Germany where it is stated that it is the duty of the State to promote the welfare of all members of society, particularly the weakest and most needy, using the means available to them, and the proposals of laws against accidents issued on April 30, 1904 in the State of Mexico in 1904, in the Mexico of the Porfirio Díaz era, providing workers with formal medical care was not contemplated, except in the case of some railway companies, hospitals for the care of patients with occupational diseases were not built. One of these exceptions was the Hospital del Mineral del Real del Monte de Pachuca, founded in the late nineteenth century and after the mining company passed to the Americans in 1906, it was agreed that the company acquired the hospital and equated it with the medical and surgical advances of the time for immediate care of injuries, especially of the orthopedic type, which enabled not only the healing of wounds, but also rehabilitation. This hospital is one of the oldest in Mexico with regard to three disciplines: orthopedics, occupational medicine and rehabilitation. It ceased to operate in 1982, and currently it is a museum with a rich collection of documents and instruments related to the aforementioned disciplines. Copyright: © 2018 SecretarÍa de Salud.

Development of radiation immunology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Yi; Dang Bingrong; Bing Tao; Zhang Hong; Li Wenjian; Liu Bing

2005-01-01

Radiation immunology as a new subject has made a great progress in recent years, especially in the radiation hormesis. At the same time, the research of radiobiological effect on heavy ions has played an important role in the cancer therapy, especially on the radiation immunology of heavy ions in the outer space. In this review, the authors summarized the status and development of radiation-immunology, and try to find out some better ways which can increase efficient killing on tumours, but reduce the damages on normal tissues. (authors)

Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT): a prototype of Precision Medicine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Canonica, G. W.; Bachert, C.; Hellings, P.; Ryan, D.; Valovirta, E.; Wickman, M.; de Beaumont, O.; Bousquet, J.

2015-01-01

Precision medicine is a medical model aiming to deliver customised healthcare - with medical decisions, practices, and/or products tailored to the individual patient informed but not directed by guidelines. Allergen immunotherapy has unique immunological rationale, since the approach is tailored to

Do knowledge infrastructure facilities support Evidence-Based Practice in occupational health? An exploratory study across countries among occupational physicians enrolled on EBM courses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hugenholtz, Nathalie I. R.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Sluiter, Judith K.; van Dijk, Frank J. H.

2009-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) is an important method used by occupational physicians (OPs) to deliver high quality health care. The presence and quality of a knowledge infrastructure is thought to influence the practice of EBM in occupational health care. This study explores

A new era in veterinary immunology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Halliwell, R.E.W.; Goudswaard, J.

1979-01-01

The importance of the creation of a new international journal of “Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology” is apparent following the emergence of veterinary immunology as an identifiable discipline and the vital part played by investigations of animal models of immunological diseases of

The New Cellular Immunology

Science.gov (United States)

Claman, Henry N.

1973-01-01

Discusses the nature of the immune response and traces many of the discoveries that have led to the present state of knowledge in immunology. The new cellular immunology is directing its efforts toward improving health by proper manipulation of the immune mechanisms of the body. (JR)

[Evidence-based medicine as a fundamental principle of health care management for workers].

Science.gov (United States)

Amirov, N Kh; Fatkhutdinova, L M

2011-01-01

Evidence-based principles in occupational medicine should include prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. Specific feature of occupational medicine is necessity to prove cause-effect relationships between occupational factor and the disease emerged. Important place is occupied by cohort and intervention studies, systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Information obtained by scientific society should be presented to practical specialists and put into everyday activities.

Lessons from reproductive immunology for other fields of immunology and clinical approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Markert, Udo R; Fitzgerald, Justine S; Seyfarth, Lydia; Heinzelmann, Joana; Varosi, Frauke; Voigt, Sandra; Schleussner, Ekkehard; Seewald, Hans-Joachim

2005-01-01

Reproduction is indispensable to evolution and, thus, life. Nonetheless, it overcomes common rules known to established life. Immunology of reproduction, and especially the tolerance of two genetically distinct organisms and their fruitful symbiosis, is one of the most imposing paradox of life. Mechanisms, which are physiologically used for induction of said tolerance, are frequently abused by pathogens or tumors intending to escape the host's immune response. Understanding the regulation of immune responses in pregnancy and the invasion of allogeneic fetus-derived trophoblast cells into the decidua may lead to new therapeutic concepts. In transplantation, knowledge concerning local physiological immunotolerance may be useful for the development of new therapies, which do not require a general immune suppression of the patient. In immunological disorders, such as autoimmune diseases or allergies, immune deviations occur which are either prevented during pregnancy or have parallels to pregnancy. Vice versa, lessons from other fields of immunology may also offer new notions for the comprehension of reproductive immunology and may lead to new therapies for the treatment of pregnancy-related problems.

HIV Molecular Immunology 2015

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yusim, Karina [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Theoretical Division; Korber, Bette Tina [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Theoretical Division; Brander, Christian [Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Barcelona (Spain); Barouch, Dan [Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States). Division of Vaccine Research; de Boer, Rob [Utrecht University, Utrecht (Netherlands). Faculty of Biology; Haynes, Barton F. [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States). Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Immunology; Koup, Richard [National Inst. of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD (United States). Vaccine Research Center; Moore, John P. [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). Weill Medical College; Walker, Bruce D. [Ragon Institute, Cambridge, MA (United States); Watkins, David [Wisconsin Regional Primate Research Center, Madison, WI (United States)

2016-04-05

The scope and purpose of the HIV molecular immunology database: HIV Molecular Immunology is a companion volume to HIV Sequence Compendium. This publication, the 2015 edition, is the PDF version of the web-based HIV Immunology Database (http://www.hiv.lanl.gov/ content/immunology/). The web interface for this relational database has many search options, as well as interactive tools to help immunologists design reagents and interpret their results. In the HIV Immunology Database, HIV-specific B-cell and T-cell responses are summarized and annotated. Immunological responses are divided into three parts, CTL, T helper, and antibody. Within these parts, defined epitopes are organized by protein and binding sites within each protein, moving from left to right through the coding regions spanning the HIV genome. We include human responses to natural HIV infections, as well as vaccine studies in a range of animal models and human trials. Responses that are not specifically defined, such as responses to whole proteins or monoclonal antibody responses to discontinuous epitopes, are summarized at the end of each protein section. Studies describing general HIV responses to the virus, but not to any specific protein, are included at the end of each part. The annotation includes information such as cross-reactivity, escape mutations, antibody sequence, TCR usage, functional domains that overlap with an epitope, immune response associations with rates of progression and therapy, and how specific epitopes were experimentally defined. Basic information such as HLA specificities for T-cell epitopes, isotypes of monoclonal antibodies, and epitope sequences are included whenever possible. All studies that we can find that incorporate the use of a specific monoclonal antibody are included in the entry for that antibody. A single T-cell epitope can have multiple entries, generally one entry per study. Finally, maps of all defined linear epitopes relative to the HXB2 reference proteins

21 CFR 866.5040 - Albumin immunological test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Albumin immunological test system. 866.5040... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Immunological Test Systems § 866.5040 Albumin immunological test system. (a) Identification. An albumin immunological test system is a device that consists of...

Herbal medicine IMOD suppresses LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines in human dendritic cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mirzaee, Saeedeh; Drewniak, Agata; Sarrami-Forooshani, Ramin; Kaptein, Tanja M.; Gharibdoost, Farhad; Geijtenbeek, Teunis B. H.

2015-01-01

Traditional medicines that stimulate or modulate the immune system can be used as innovative approaches to treat immunological diseases. The herbal medicine IMOD has been shown to strongly modulate immune responses in several animal studies as well as in clinical trials. However, little is known

42 CFR 493.921 - Diagnostic immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Diagnostic immunology. 493.921 Section 493.921... Testing Proficiency Testing Programs by Specialty and Subspecialty § 493.921 Diagnostic immunology. The subspecialties under the specialty of immunology for which a program may offer proficiency testing are syphilis...

42 CFR 493.927 - General immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false General immunology. 493.927 Section 493.927 Public... Proficiency Testing Programs by Specialty and Subspecialty § 493.927 General immunology. (a) Program content and frequency of challenge. To be approved for proficiency testing for immunology, the annual program...

Occupational Health: Meeting the Challenges of the Next 20 Years

OpenAIRE

Harrison, John; Dawson, Leonie

2015-01-01

Background: The industrial revolution that took place in the United Kingdom (UK) between 1760 and 1830 led to profound social change. Occupational medicine was concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of occupational diseases, that is, diseases directly caused by exposure to workplace hazards. A similar pattern of development has occurred globally. Methods: A review of relevant literature. Results: The international conceptualization and development of occupational health...

II. congress of Czechoslovak Society of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Hygiene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The proceedings contain 165 abstracts of papers covering all areas of the application of nuclear medicine, such as osteology, cardiology, immunology, neurology, oncology, etc. The topics include the examination of the skeleton with radioisotopes, various immunology methods, scintiscanning of body organs, tumor monitoring, radiopharmacology aspects, biological radiation effects, cytogenetic changes following irradiation, and studies of radiation effects on DNA repair. Separate volumes are devoted to education of technicians, processing of radioisotope examination data, radiation protection and decontamination. (M.D.)

Consortium biology in immunology: the perspective from the Immunological Genome Project.

OpenAIRE

Benoist, C; Lanier, L; Merad, M; Mathis, D; Immunological Genome Project,

2012-01-01

Although the field has a long collaborative tradition, immunology has made less use than genetics of 'consortium biology', wherein groups of investigators together tackle large integrated questions or problems. However, immunology is naturally suited to large-scale integrative and systems-level approaches, owing to the multicellular and adaptive nature of the cells it encompasses. Here, we discuss the value and drawbacks of this organization of research, in the context of the long-running 'bi...

Unique topics and issues in rheumatology and clinical immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Selmi, Carlo

2014-08-01

Clinicians are facing unexpected issues in everyday practice, and these may become counterintuitive or challenging. Illustrative examples are provided by the hypersensitivity to universally used immunosuppressants such as corticosteroids or antibiotics such as beta-lactam. Secondly, additional issues are represented by the discovery of new pathogenetic mechanisms involved in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis or other chronic inflammatory diseases, genomic susceptibility to enigmatic diseases such as giant cell arteritis, or the shared role of specific mediators such as semaphorins. Third, the therapeutic armamentarium has dramatically changed over the past decade following the introduction of biotechnological drugs, and new mechanisms are being proposed to reduce adverse events or increase the drug effectiveness, particularly on cardiovascular comorbidities. Finally, rare diseases continue to represent difficult cases, as for Cogan's syndrome, with limited literature available for clinical recommendations. For these reason, the present issue of Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology is timely and dedicated to these and other unique topics in clinical immunology and allergy. The aim of this issue is thus to help clinicians involved in internal medicine as well as allergists and clinical immunologists while discussing new pathways that will prove important in the near future.

Confronting zoonoses through closer collaboration between medicine and veterinary medicine (as 'one medicine').

Science.gov (United States)

Kahn, Laura H; Kaplan, Bruce; Steele, James H

2007-01-01

In the 19th century, the concept of 'one medicine' was embraced by leaders in the medical and veterinary medical communities. In the 20th century, collaborative efforts between medicine and veterinary medicine diminished considerably. While there have been some notable exceptions, such as Calvin W. Schwabe's proposal for unifying human and veterinary medicine and joint efforts by the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization to control zoonotic diseases, 'one medicine' has languished in the modern milieu of clinical care, public health, and biomedical research. Risks of zoonotic disease transmission are rarely discussed in clinical care which is of particular concern if humans and/or animals are immunosuppressed. Physicians and veterinarians should advise their patients and pet-owning clients that some animals should not be pets. The risk of zoonotic disease acquisition can be considerable in the occupational setting. Collaborative efforts in biomedical research could do much to improve human and animal health. As the threat of zoonotic diseases continues to increase in the 21st century, medicine and veterinary medicine must revive 'one medicine' in order to adequately address these challenges. 'One medicine' revival strategies must involve medical and veterinary medical education, clinical care, public health and biomedical research.

Pediatric allergy and immunology in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Celik, Gülfem; Bakirtas, Arzu; Sackesen, Cansin; Reisli, Ismail; Tuncer, Ayfer

2011-06-01

Allergic diseases constitute a significant health problem in Turkey. According to a recent multicenter study, which used the ISAAC questionnaire, the mean prevalence of wheezing, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in 10-yr-old school children during the past year was 15.8%, 23.5%, and 8.1%, respectively. A healthcare level system, regulated by Ministry of Health, is available in Turkey. Pediatric allergists and pediatric immunologists provide patient care at the tertiary level. Currently, 48 centers deliver care for allergic and immunologic diseases in children. There are 136 pediatric and 61 adult allergists/immunologists. Although the number of allergy/clinical immunology specialists is limited, these centers are capable of delivering many of the procedures required for the proper management and diagnosis of allergy/immunology. Pediatric allergy and/or immunology is a subspecialty lasting 3 yr and follows a 4-yr pediatric specialist training. Fellow training involves gaining knowledge in basic and clinical allergy and immunology as well as the performance and interpretation of laboratory procedures in the field of allergy and clinical immunology. The Turkish National Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (TNSACI) was officially established in 1989 and currently has 356 members. The society organizes a national congress annually and winter schools for fellowship training as well as training courses for patients and their relatives. TNSACI also has a strong representation in European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID) through its participation in the executive committee, consensus reports, and initiatives in the diagnosis of allergic and immunologic diseases of children. The 30th Congress of the EAACI is also due to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, between June 11 and 15, 2011. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Example of Occupational Surveillance in a Telemedicine Setting: Application of Epidemiologic Methods at NASA Johnson Space Center

Science.gov (United States)

Babiak-Vazquez, Adriana; Ruffaner, Lanie M.; Wear, Mary L.; Crucian, Brian; Sams, Clarence; Lee, Lesley R.; Van Baalen, Mary

2016-01-01

In 2010, NASA implemented Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health, a formal occupational surveillance program for the U.S. astronaut corps. Because of the nature of the space environment, space medicine presents unique challenges and opportunities for epidemiologists. One such example is the use of telemedicine while crewmembers are in flight, where the primary source of information about crew health is verbal communication between physicians and their crewmembers. Due to restricted medical capabilities, the available health information is primarily crewmember report of signs and symptoms, rather than diagnoses. As epidemiologists at NASA, Johnson Space Center, we have shifted our paradigm from tracking diagnoses based on traditional terrestrial clinical practice to one in which we also incorporate reported symptomology as potential antecedents of disease. In this presentation we describe how characterization of reported signs and symptoms can be used to establish incidence rates for inflight immunologic events. We describe interdisciplinary data sources of information that are used in combination with medical information to analyze the data. We also delineate criteria for symptom classification inclusion. Finally, we present incidence tables and graphs to illustrate the final outcomes. Using signs and symptoms reported via telemedicine, the epidemiologists provide summary evidence regarding incidence of potential inflight medical conditions. These results inform our NASA physicians and scientists, and support evaluation of the occupational health risks associated with spaceflight.

Modulation of human allogeneic and syngeneic pluripotent stem cells and immunological implications for transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sackett, S D; Brown, M E; Tremmel, D M; Ellis, T; Burlingham, W J; Odorico, J S

2016-04-01

Tissues derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a promising source of cells for building various regenerative medicine therapies; from simply transplanting cells to reseeding decellularized organs to reconstructing multicellular tissues. Although reprogramming strategies for producing iPSCs have improved, the clinical use of iPSCs is limited by the presence of unique human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes, the main immunologic barrier to transplantation. In order to overcome the immunological hurdles associated with allogeneic tissues and organs, the generation of patient-histocompatible iPSCs (autologous or HLA-matched cells) provides an attractive platform for personalized medicine. However, concerns have been raised as to the fitness, safety and immunogenicity of iPSC derivatives because of variable differentiation potential of different lines and the identification of genetic and epigenetic aberrations that can occur during the reprogramming process. In addition, significant cost and regulatory barriers may deter commercialization of patient specific therapies in the short-term. Nonetheless, recent studies provide some evidence of immunological benefit for using autologous iPSCs. Yet, more studies are needed to evaluate the immunogenicity of various autologous and allogeneic human iPSC-derived cell types as well as test various methods to abrogate rejection. Here, we present perspectives of using allogeneic vs. autologous iPSCs for transplantation therapies and the advantages and disadvantages of each related to differentiation potential, immunogenicity, genetic stability and tumorigenicity. We also review the current literature on the immunogenicity of syngeneic iPSCs and discuss evidence that questions the feasibility of HLA-matched iPSC banks. Finally, we will discuss emerging methods of abrogating or reducing host immune responses to PSC derivatives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The U.S. Army Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: 1960-1996.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaydos, Joel C; Mallon, Timothy M; Rice, William A

2016-11-01

Reorganization of the Army and critical assessment of Army Graduate Medical Education programs prompted the Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) Consultant to the Army Surgeon General to initiate a review of current Army OEM residency training. Available information indicated the Army OEM residency at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, was the first and longest operating Army OEM residency. Describing this residency was identified as the first step in the review, with the objectives of determining why the residency was started and sustained and its relevance to the needs of the Army. Records possibly related to the residency were reviewed, starting with 1954 since certification of physicians as Occupation Medicine specialists began in 1955. Interviews were conducted with selected physicians who had strong affiliations with the Army residency and the practice of Army OEM. The Army OEM residency began in 1960 and closed in 1996 with the transfer of Army OEM residency training to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD. Over 36 years, 47 uniformed residency graduates were identified; 44 were from the Army. Forty graduated between 1982 and 1996. The OEM residency was part of a dynamic cycle. Uniformed OEM leaders identified the knowledge and skills required of military OEM physicians and where these people should be stationed in the global Army. Rotations at military sites to acquire the needed knowledge and skills were integrated into the residency. Residency graduates were assigned to positions where they were needed. Having uniformed residents and preceptors facilitated the development of trust with military leaders and access to areas where OEM physician skills and knowledge could have a positive impact. Early reports indicated the residency was important in recruiting and retaining OEM physicians, with emphasis placed on supporting the Army industrial base. The late 1970s into the 1990s was a more dynamic period. There was

A roadmap towards personalized immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Delhalle, Sylvie; Bode, Sebastian F N; Balling, Rudi; Ollert, Markus; He, Feng Q

2018-01-01

Big data generation and computational processing will enable medicine to evolve from a "one-size-fits-all" approach to precise patient stratification and treatment. Significant achievements using "Omics" data have been made especially in personalized oncology. However, immune cells relative to tumor cells show a much higher degree of complexity in heterogeneity, dynamics, memory-capability, plasticity and "social" interactions. There is still a long way ahead on translating our capability to identify potentially targetable personalized biomarkers into effective personalized therapy in immune-centralized diseases. Here, we discuss the recent advances and successful applications in "Omics" data utilization and network analysis on patients' samples of clinical trials and studies, as well as the major challenges and strategies towards personalized stratification and treatment for infectious or non-communicable inflammatory diseases such as autoimmune diseases or allergies. We provide a roadmap and highlight experimental, clinical, computational analysis, data management, ethical and regulatory issues to accelerate the implementation of personalized immunology.

The differing perspectives of workers and occupational medicine physicians on the ethical, legal and social issues of genetic testing in the workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandt-Rauf, Sherry I; Brandt-Rauf, Elka; Gershon, Robyn; Brandt-Rauf, Paul W

2011-01-01

Genetic testing in the workplace holds the promise of improving worker health but also raises ethical, legal, and social issues. In considering such testing, it is critical to understand the perspectives of workers, who are most directly affected by it, and occupational health professionals, who are often directly involved in its implementation. Therefore, a series of focus groups of unionized workers (n=25) and occupational medicine physicians (n=23) was conducted. The results demonstrated strikingly different perspectives of workers and physicians in several key areas, including the goals and appropriateness of genetic testing, and methods to minimize its risks. In general, workers were guided by a profound mistrust of the employer, physician, and government, while physicians were guided primarily by scientific and medical concerns, and, in many cases, by the business concerns distrusted by the workers.

Immunology and Epidemiology

CERN Document Server

Hraba, Tomáš

1986-01-01

In February 1985 a small international meeting of scientists took place at the recreation resort of the Polish Academy of Sci­ ences in Mogilany, near Cracow, Poland. The initiative for holding the workshop came from a working meeting on mathematical immunology and related topics at the International Institute for Applied Sys­ tems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria, in November 1983. In addition to representatives of IIASA, delegates of the IIASA National Member Organizations (NMO) of Czechoslovakia, Italy, and the soviet Union took part in that working meeting. The participants came to the conclusion that IIASA could play an important role in facilitating the development of research in this field. The first step that they recommended to I IASA was to organize a workshop on mathematical immunology. The purpose of the workshop was to review the progress that has been made in applying mathematics to problems in immunology and to explore ways in which further progress might be achieved, especially by more efficie...

Occupational Health in Mountainous Kyrgyzstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Dzhusupov, Kenesh O; Colosio, Claudio; Tabibi, Ramin; Sulaimanova, Cholpon T

2015-01-01

In the period of transition from a centralized economy to the market economy, occupational health services in Kyrgyzstan have survived through dramatic, detrimental changes. It is common for occupational health regulations to be ignored and for basic occupational health services across many industrial enterprises and farms to be neglected. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the present situation and challenges facing occupational health services in Kyrgyzstan. The transition from centralized to the market economy in Kyrgyzstan has led to increased layoffs of workers and unemployment. These threats are followed by increased workload, and the health and safety of workers becomes of little concern. Private employers ignore occupational health and safety; consequently, there is under-reporting of occupational diseases and accidents. The majority of enterprises, especially those of small or medium size, are unsanitary, and the health status of workers remains largely unknown. The low official rates of occupational diseases are the result of data being deliberately hidden; lack of coverage of working personnel by medical checkups; incompetent management; and the poor quality of staff, facilities, and equipment. Because Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country, the main environmental and occupational factor of enterprises is hypoxia. Occupational health specialists have greatly contributed to the development of occupational medicine in the mountains through science and practice. The enforcement of existing strong occupational health legislation and increased financing of occupational health services are needed. The maintenance of credible health monitoring and effective health services for workers, re-establishment of medical services and sanitary-hygienic laboratories in industrial enterprises, and support for scientific investigations on occupational risk assessment will increase the role of occupational health services in improving the health of the working population

Quaternary ammonium compounds – New occupational hazards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Lipińska-Ojrzanowska

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs, quats belong to organic ionic chemical agents which display unique properties of both surfactants and disinfectants. Their wide distribution in the work environment and also in private households brings about new occupational hazards. This paper reviews reports about the health effects of QACs. QACs could play a role of sensitizers and irritants to the skin and mucous membranes. It is suspected that particular QACs can display an immunologic crossreactivity between each other and with other chemical compounds containing ammonium ion, such as muscle relaxants widely used in anesthesia. They may promote the development of airway allergy, however, the background mechanisms are still unclear and need to be further investigated. Until now, a few cases of occupational asthma induced by QACs have been described and their involvement in contact dermatitis has been documented. The possibility of anaphylaxis due to QACs cannot be excluded as well. Med Pr 2014;65(5:675–682

[Legal and methodical aspects of occupational risk management].

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Legal and methodical aspects of occupational risk management (ORM) are considered with account of new official documents. Introduction of risk and risk management notions into Labor Code reflects the change of forms of occupational health and safety. The role of hygienist and occupational medicine professionals in workplace conditions certification (WCC) and periodical medical examinations (PME) is strengthened. The ORM could be improved by introducing the block of prognosis and causation based on IT-technologies that could match systems of WCC and PME thus improving the effectiveness of prophylactics.

[Considerations on the use of meta-analyses in the orientation of knowledge and decisions in Occupational Medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Catalani, Simona; Berra, Alessandro; Tomasi, Cesare; Romano, Canzio; Pira, Enrico; Garzaro, Giacomo; Apostoli, Pietro

2015-01-01

In recent years, due to the need to elaborate the amount of information available from the scientific literature, the meta-analyses and systematic reviews have become very numerous. The meta-analyses are carried out to evaluate the association between two events when single researches haven't provided comprehensive data. On the other hand, a good meta-analysis must satisfy certain criteria, from the selection of the studies until the evaluation of the outcomes; to this purpose, the application of methods for quality assessment is a crucial point to obtain data of adequate reliability. The aim of this review is to give some introductory tools for a critical approach to meta-analyses and systematic reviews, which have become useful instruments also in occupational medicine.

Immunological methods for gentamicin determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krugers Dagneauz, P.G.L.C.; Olthuis, F.M.F.G.

1979-01-01

For immunoassay, an antibody against the substance to the determined, the pure substance itself, and a labelled form or derivative of the substance are required. The principles and problems of the preparation of antibodies are discussed, some methods for the preparation of derivatives labelled with radioactive tracers or enzymes are reviewed, and homologous enzyme-immunological determination of gentamicin is discussed in detail. A comparison is mae of three radio-immunological determination methods, and the most suitable radio-immunological method is compared with two microbiological techniques. The results are found to be comparable. (Auth.)

Spiritual Assessments in Occupational Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Hemphill

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Spirituality is recognized as an important concept in the study and practice of medicine, including occupational therapy. This aligns with occupational therapy’s core value of treating people holistically—mind, body, and spirit. Currently, the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Hospital Organizations ( JCAHO requires that a spiritual assessment be given to patients on admission. To conduct effective spiritual assessments, occupational therapists must distinguish between religion and spirituality. They also must be aware of their own spiritual beliefs and practices and how those might influence their clinical interactions. This article presents spiritual assessment tools that occupational therapists can use in clinical practice; they range from history taking, to questionnaires, to observation scales. Guidelines are presented for selecting among several spiritual assessments. A case study is presented in which a patient’s faith tradition is being challenged, which could affect the outcome of therapy. Finally, treatment and intervention planning and ethical considerations are discussed.

Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology: A Psychobiological Concept.

Science.gov (United States)

França, Katlein; Lotti, Torello M

2017-01-01

Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology (P.N.E.I.) is a scientific field of study that investigates the link between bidirectional communications among the nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system and the correlations of this cross-talk with physical health. The P.N.E.I. innovative medical approach represents a paradigm shift from a strictly biomedical view of health and disease taken as hermetically sealed compartments to a more interdisciplinary one. The key element of P.N.E.I. approach is represented by the concept of bidirectional cross-talk between the psychoneuroendocrine and immune systems. The Low Dose Medicine is one of the most promising approaches able to allow the researchers to design innovative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of skin diseases based on the rebalance of the immune response.

Peter Holland: a pioneer of occupational medicine.

OpenAIRE

Murray, R

1992-01-01

The earliest recorded occupational health service in this country was that established in a cotton spinning factory at Quarry Bank Mill in Cheshire. The mill was built in 1784 by Samuel Greg and his partners. They employed local labour and also some parish apprentices. Happily, Samuel Greg was a good christian and, having created a modern factory and a model village with a church and a school, he was equally concerned for the physical welfare of his employees. Accordingly, he appointed a doct...

Assessment of personal occupational radiation exposures received by nuclear medicine and oncology staff in Punjab (2003–2012)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafar, T.; Masood, K.; Zafar, J.

2015-01-01

The impact of occupational radiation exposures on oncology staff working in the disciplines of Nuclear Medicine (NM), Radiotherapy (RT), and Diagnostic Radiology (DR) is of significance to ensure a health risk free environment. In this study, occupationally received radiation doses amongst Pakistani oncology staff in NM, RT and DR during the period (2003–2012) were assessed. The Film Badge Dosimetry (FBD) technique has been utilized to process over 81,000 films (13,237 workers) concerning the occupationally exposed workers data (2003–2012) at a national scale. The annual effective doses were found to range between 0.30–0.97 mSv for NM, 0.44–1.02 mSv for RT and 0.31–1.09 mSv for DR. The annual effective doses averaged over a period of 10 years were assessed to be 0.63, 0.70 and 0.68 mSv for NM, RT and DR respectively. The exposure data were categorized into three exposure levels (≤0.99, 1–4.99 and 5–9.99 mSv) to establish the staff distribution in these categories. It was found that 89.8–96 % in NM, 82–94.5 % in RT and 76–96.8 % staff workers in DR have received doses within the range from the Minimum Detectable Limit (MDL)- 0.99 mSv. The annual effective doses, in all categories, were measured to be less than the recommended annual limit of 20 mSv.

Internal dosimetry for occupationally exposed personnel in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, M.T.; Alfaro, L.M.M.; Angeles, C.A.

2013-01-01

Internal dosimetry plays an important role in nuclear medicine dosimetry control of personnel occupationally exposed, and that in recent years there has been a large increase in the use of radionuclides both in medical diagnosis as radiotherapy. But currently, in Mexico and in many parts of the world, this internal dosimetry control is not performed. The Instituto Nacional de lnvestigaciones Nucleares de Mexico (ININ) together with the Centro Oncologico de Toluca (ISEMMYM) have developed a simple and feasible methodology for monitoring of personnel working in these facilities. It was aimed to carry out the dosimetry of the personnel, due to the incorporation of I-131, using the spectrometric devices that the hospital has, a gamma camera. The first step in this methodology was to make a thyroid phantom to meet the specifications of the ninth ANSI. This phantom is compared under controlled conditions with RMC- II phantom used for system calibration of the ININ internal dosimetry (ACCUSCAN - Ll), and with another phantom developed in Brazil with ANSI specifications, in order to determine the variations in measurements due to the density of the material of each of the phantoms and adjust to the system ACCUSCAN, already certificate. Furthermore, necessary counts were performed with the gamma camera of the phantom developed at ININ, with a standard source of 133 Ba which simulates the energy of 131 I. With these data, were determined the counting efficiencies for a distance of 15 to 20 cm between the surface of the phantom and the the plate of the detectors. Another important aspect was to determine the lower limit of detection (LLD). In this paper we present the results obtained from the detectors calibration of the gamma camera of the hospital.

Immunological consideration for some aspects of radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makidono, Atsushi; Makidono, Tohoru; Yoshimoto, Kiichiro.

1978-01-01

What immunology should be in radiology was considered from the modern immunological and radioimmunological point of view. In order to evaluate an immunological response to radiation at a cellular level, radiosensitivities of macrophage, T-cell, and B-cell were selectively described from a modern immunological stand point. On the basis of this knowledge, radioimmunology was explained; and in clinical field, diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumor, radiotherapy for suppressing immuno-lymphatic system, and reactivators for making the treatment effective were described. Immunoreaction in homo-transplantation of organs, relationship between radiation and auto-immunization, and relationship between carcinogenesis of radiation and immunity were explained so that the way of considering immunology in radiology will be summarized. (Ueda, J.)

42 CFR 493.833 - Condition: Diagnostic immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition: Diagnostic immunology. 493.833 Section..., Or Any Combination of These Tests § 493.833 Condition: Diagnostic immunology. The specialty of diagnostic immunology includes for purposes of proficiency testing the subspecialties of syphilis serology...

Systems immunology: just getting started.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Mark M; Tato, Cristina M; Furman, David

2017-06-20

Systems-biology approaches in immunology take various forms, but here we review strategies for measuring a broad swath of immunological functions as a means of discovering previously unknown relationships and phenomena and as a powerful way of understanding the immune system as a whole. This approach has rejuvenated the field of vaccine development and has fostered hope that new ways will be found to combat infectious diseases that have proven refractory to classical approaches. Systems immunology also presents an important new strategy for understanding human immunity directly, taking advantage of the many ways the immune system of humans can be manipulated.

Ideernes epidemiologi og kulturens immunologi

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jesper

2007-01-01

, suggested by Sperber, is extended by an ‘immunology of cultural systems’. In addition to the selective forces described by Sperber and Boyer, the immunological approach argues that the relative success of new representations is largely dependent on how well they fit already existing cultural models...

Effect of Yikangning on immunological function in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou Fangyu; Xu Xiaoyi; Shi Yulu; Sheng Xuecheng; Zhao Liyan

2001-01-01

Objective: To investigate the effect of Yikangning oral liquid on immunological function in mice. Methods: 3 H-TdR incorporation was used to detect the lymphocyte transformation rate for Con A and LPS. Results: The drug increased the lymphocyte transformation rate in mice with lowed immunological function. Conclusion: Yikangning enhances immunological function in mice with lowered immunological function

Modeling-Enabled Systems Nutritional Immunology

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Meghna; Hontecillas, Raquel; Abedi, Vida; Leber, Andrew; Tubau-Juni, Nuria; Philipson, Casandra; Carbo, Adria; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep

2016-01-01

This review highlights the fundamental role of nutrition in the maintenance of health, the immune response, and disease prevention. Emerging global mechanistic insights in the field of nutritional immunology cannot be gained through reductionist methods alone or by analyzing a single nutrient at a time. We propose to investigate nutritional immunology as a massively interacting system of interconnected multistage and multiscale networks that encompass hidden mechanisms by which nutrition, microbiome, metabolism, genetic predisposition, and the immune system interact to delineate health and disease. The review sets an unconventional path to apply complex science methodologies to nutritional immunology research, discovery, and development through “use cases” centered around the impact of nutrition on the gut microbiome and immune responses. Our systems nutritional immunology analyses, which include modeling and informatics methodologies in combination with pre-clinical and clinical studies, have the potential to discover emerging systems-wide properties at the interface of the immune system, nutrition, microbiome, and metabolism. PMID:26909350

Modeling-Enabled Systems Nutritional Immunology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meghna eVerma

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This review highlights the fundamental role of nutrition in the maintenance of health, the immune response and disease prevention. Emerging global mechanistic insights in the field of nutritional immunology cannot be gained through reductionist methods alone or by analyzing a single nutrient at a time. We propose to investigate nutritional immunology as a massively interacting system of interconnected multistage and multiscale networks that encompass hidden mechanisms by which nutrition, microbiome, metabolism, genetic predisposition and the immune system interact to delineate health and disease. The review sets an unconventional path to applying complex science methodologies to nutritional immunology research, discovery and development through ‘use cases’ centered around the impact of nutrition on the gut microbiome and immune responses. Our systems nutritional immunology analyses, that include modeling and informatics methodologies in combination with pre-clinical and clinical studies, have the potential to discover emerging systems-wide properties at the interface of the immune system, nutrition, microbiome, and metabolism.

Availability of a New Job-Exposure Matrix (CANJEM) for Epidemiologic and Occupational Medicine Purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

Siemiatycki, Jack; Lavoué, Jérôme

2018-04-10

To introduce the Canadian job-exposure matrix (CANJEM). Four large case-control studies of cancer were conducted in Montreal, focused on assessing occupational exposures by means of detailed interviews followed by expert assessment of possible occupational exposures. 31,673 jobs were assessed using a checklist of 258 agents (listed with prevalences at http://expostats.ca/chems). This large exposure database was configured as a JEM. CANJEM is available in four occupational classification systems. It provides estimates of probability of exposure among workers with a given occupation, and for those exposed, various metrics of exposure. CANJEM can be accessed online (www.canjem.ca) or in a batch version. CANJEM is a large source of retrospective exposure information, covering most occupations and many agents. CANJEM can be used to support exposure assessment efforts in epidemiology and occupational health.

[The impact of nanotechnologies in the world of work: a challenge for the occupational medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Iavicoli, S; Boccuni, F

2010-01-01

Since the beginning of the 21st century the nanotechnologies have grown enormously, judging simply by the number of products now on the market and the funds dedicated to research and development. In 2014 there may be as many as ten million people--about 11% of the total manufacturing sector's workforce--employed in processes using nanotechnologies. Although the whole scientific community has now put its back into narrowing the gaps in scientific knowledge, and promoting research with a view to tackling the potential risks of nanotechnologies, we are still far from any firm agreement. In order to respond to these needs the research in occupational medicine will have to focus on the key questions that are still open, especially those on risk assessment to safeguard the health of the increasing numbers of workers who will be employed in these various sectors. These questions centre on toxicity and health effects, extent of translocation to target organs and importance of dermal exposure.

Immunologic lung disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harman, E.M.

1985-01-01

The term immunologic lung disease comprises a broad spectrum of disease. The authors have covered a few entities in which recent studies have been particularly helpful in elucidating pathophysiology though not in uncovering the inciting cause. Common to all of these entities is the problem of finding appropriate methods of defining disease activity and response to treatment. As exemplified by the improved outlook for Goodpasture's syndrome with elucidation of its underlying immunopathology, it is likely that better understanding of the immunologic basis of sarcoid and interstitial disease may be helpful in planning more effective treatment strategies. 44 references

Constantin Levaditi (1874-1953): a pioneer in Immunology and Virology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalantzis, George; Skiadas, Panagiotis; Lascaratos, John

2006-08-01

The eminent doctor Constantin Levaditi represents one of the most important researchers in the field of medicine in the 20th century. Although he was engaged in many areas of the rapidly growing field of immunology, his name is associated mainly with research in poliomyelitis. His laboratory research contributed decisively to the clarification of the epidemiology of this dreadful disease that claimed thousands of victims. Moreover, his experimental work constituted the basis for the development of the vaccine against poliomyelitis, initially in 1955 by Jonas Salk (1914-95) using inactivated virus, and then in 1960 by Albert Sabin (1906-93) who used live attenuated virus.

42 CFR 493.1208 - Condition: General immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition: General immunology. 493.1208 Section 493....1208 Condition: General immunology. If the laboratory provides services in the subspecialty of General immunology, the laboratory must meet the requirements specified in §§ 493.1230 through 493.1256, and §§ 493...

Revision of the occupational health examination form for radiation workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Chang'an; Chen Erdong

2005-01-01

Objective: To revise the Occupational Health Examination Form for Radiation Workers, which is served as annex 3 of Management Regulations for Occupational Health Surveillance (Decree No.23 of Ministry of Health, P.R. China), so as to further improve and standardize the occupational health management for radiation workers. Methods: Based on corresponding laws, standards and general principles of occupational medicine. Results: The new version of the Form was established and passed auditing. Conclusion: The theoretical foundation, intention and methods of the revision process are briefly introduced. Requirements and necessary recommendations for implement the new Form are also described. (authors)

Immunological characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cíntia de Vasconcellos Machado

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Although bone marrow is the main source, mesenchymal stem cells have already been isolated from various other tissues, such as the liver, pancreas, adipose tissue, peripheral blood and dental pulp. These plastic adherent cells are morphologically similar to fibroblasts and have a high proliferative potential. This special group of cells possesses two essential characteristics: self-renewal and differentiation, with appropriate stimuli, into various cell types. Mesenchymal stem cells are considered immunologically privileged, since they do not express costimulatory molecules, required for complete T cell activation, on their surface. Several studies have shown that these cells exert an immunosuppressive effect on cells from both innate and acquired immunity systems. Mesenchymal stem cells can regulate the immune response in vitro by inhibiting the maturation of dendritic cells, as well as by suppressing the proliferation and function of T and B lymphocytes and natural killer cells. These special properties of mesenchymal stem cells make them a promising strategy in the treatment of immune mediated disorders, such as graft-versus-host disease and autoimmune diseases, as well as in regenerative medicine. The understanding of immune regulation mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cells, and also those involved in the differentiation of these cells in various lineages is primordial for their successful and safe application in different areas of medicine.

Behavioral medicine in Teikyo University and Toho University

OpenAIRE

Takeuchi, Takeaki; Hashizume, Masahiro

2016-01-01

Behavioral medicine has increased in importance to become a promising field in medical education. The Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health and Toho University School of Medicine were evaluated in terms of their educational emphasis on behavioral medicine. The Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health has the following five core requirements, as in the global standards: behavioral medicine, biostatistics, epidemiology, occupational health, and health policy management. B...

Less travelled roads in clinical immunology and allergy: drug reactions and the environmental influence.

Science.gov (United States)

Selmi, Carlo; Crotti, Chiara; Meroni, Pier Luigi

2013-08-01

Allergy and clinical immunology are examples of areas of knowledge in which working hypotheses are dominant over mechanistic understanding. As such, sometimes scientific efforts follow major streams and overlook some epidemiologically prevalent conditions that thus become underestimated by the research community. For this reason, we welcome the present issue of Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology that is dedicated to uncommon themes in clinical immunology and allergy. First, comprehensive discussions are provided for allergy phenomena of large potential impact in clinical practice such as reactions to cephalosporins or aspirin-induced asthma and in everyday life such as allergies to food additives or legumes. Further, the issue addresses other uncommon themes such as urticaria and angioedema, cercarial dermatitis, or late-onset inflammation to soft tissue fillers. Last, there will be discussion on transversal issues such as olfactory defects in autoimmunity, interleukin 1 beta pathway, and the search for new serological markers in chronic inflammation. As a result, we are convinced that this issue will be of help to clinicians involved in internal medicine as well as to allergists and clinical immunologists. More importantly, we are convinced that these discussions will be of interest also to basic scientists for the numerous translational implications.

Occupational asthma: a challenge in patient management and community care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, C.E.

1981-01-01

Occupational exposure to irritants accounts for 2% to 15% of all cases of asthma. Most of the offending agents evoke an IgE allergic reaction, but some seem to act through pharmacologic rather than immunologic pathways. Usually, symptoms are worse during working hours and improve in the evening and over the weekend, but in some cases onset is delayed. Symptoms may persist for weeks after exposure ceases. Skin tests or serologic tests for IgE antibody are helpful in diagnosis. Bronchial challenge with the suspected agent is valuable research procedure that occasionally is clinically useful in diagnosis. Management requires the cooperation of the medical and industrial communities. It consists of identifying asthmatic workers, removing them from exposure to the affecting environment, and treating their symptoms; preventing exposure of susceptible people through preemployment screening; and setting and adhering to reasonable occupational safety standards

Occupational rehabilitation in Hong Kong: current status and future needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwok, H K H; Szeto, G P Y; Cheng, A S K; Siu, H; Chan, C C H

2011-03-01

This paper reviews the development of occupational rehabilitation in Hong Kong, both in terms of the science as well as the service for injured workers. Besides, it also reviews the existing Employees' Compensation Ordinance for work injury to illustrate how the policy could influence the success and development of the discipline. Five experienced occupational rehabilitation providers, including 1 occupational medicine specialist, 3 occupational therapists, and 1 physiotherapist critically reviewed the past and current development of occupational rehabilitation in Hong Kong as well as the local contextual factors, which could influence its future development. Since the enactment of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance in the 1950s, there have been progressive improvements in the field of occupational rehabilitation in Hong Kong. Services in the early years were mostly based on the biomedical model, where doctors and patients tended to focus on clinical symptoms and physical pathology when making clinical decisions. Since then, remarkable academic achievements have been made in the field locally, from the validation of clinical instruments for assessment of work capacity, assessment of employment readiness to the evaluation of efficacy of interventional programs for injured workers focusing on work related outcomes. However, there has been a relatively lack of progress in the development of related policies and implementation of related programs for occupational rehabilitation. There is no built in linkage between rehabilitation, compensation and prevention in the current system in Hong Kong, and there is no rehabilitation policy specific to those workers with occupational diseases and injuries. There are still deficiencies in the development and provision of occupational rehabilitation services in Hong Kong. Incorporation of requirements for occupational rehabilitation at the legislation and policy levels should be seriously considered in the future. Besides, the

Systems Theory in Immunology

CERN Document Server

Doria, Gino; Koch, Giorgio; Strom, Roberto

1979-01-01

This volume collects the contributions presented at the "Working Conference on System Theory in Immunology", held in Rome, May 1978. The aim of the Conference was to bring together immunologists on one side and experts in system theory and applied mathematics on the other, in order to identify problems of common interest and to establish a network of joint effort toward their solution. The methodologies of system theory for processing experimental data and for describing dynamical phenomena could indeed contribute significantly to the under­ standing of basic immunological facts. Conversely, the complexity of experimental results and of interpretative models should stimulate mathematicians to formulate new problems and to design appropriate procedures of analysis. The multitude of scientific publications in theoretical biology, appeared in recent years, confirms this trend and calls for extensive interaction between mat- matics and immunology. The material of this volume is divided into five sections, along ...

HIV Molecular Immunology 2014

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yusim, Karina [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Korber, Bette Tina Marie [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Barouch, Dan [Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA (United States); Koup, Richard [Vaccine Research Center National Institutes of Health (United States); de Boer, Rob [Utrecht Univ. (Netherlands). Dept. of Biology; Moore, John P. [Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States). Weill Medical College; Brander, Christian [Institucioi Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Barcelona (Spain); Haynes, Barton F. [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States). Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Departments of Medicine, Surgery and Immunology; Walker, Bruce D. [Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Cambridge, MA (United States); Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States); Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

2015-02-03

HIV Molecular Immunology is a companion volume to HIV Sequence Compendium. This publication, the 2014 edition, is the PDF version of the web-based HIV Immunology Database (http://www.hiv.lanl.gov/content/immunology/). The web interface for this relational database has many search options, as well as interactive tools to help immunologists design reagents and interpret their results. In the HIV Immunology Database, HIV-specific B-cell and T-cell responses are summarized and annotated. Immunological responses are divided into three parts, CTL, T helper, and antibody. Within these parts, defined epitopes are organized by protein and binding sites within each protein, moving from left to right through the coding regions spanning the HIV genome. We include human responses to natural HIV infections, as well as vaccine studies in a range of animal models and human trials. Responses that are not specifically defined, such as responses to whole proteins or monoclonal antibody responses to discontinuous epitopes, are summarized at the end of each protein section. Studies describing general HIV responses to the virus, but not to any specific protein, are included at the end of each part. The annotation includes information such as crossreactivity, escape mutations, antibody sequence, TCR usage, functional domains that overlap with an epitope, immune response associations with rates of progression and therapy, and how specific epitopes were experimentally defined. Basic information such as HLA specificities for T-cell epitopes, isotypes of monoclonal antibodies, and epitope sequences are included whenever possible. All studies that we can find that incorporate the use of a specific monoclonal antibody are included in the entry for that antibody. A single T-cell epitope can have multiple entries, generally one entry per study. Finally, maps of all defined linear epitopes relative to the HXB2 reference proteins are provided.

Production and radioiodination of monoclonal antibodies and its applications in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toledo e Souza, I.T. de; Okada, H.

1988-12-01

The basis of the monoclonal antibody production methodology, some immunological concepts which are important for the understanding of what is a Monoclonal Antibody, its radioiodination and acceptance as receptor-specific radiopharmaceuticals in nuclear medicine are reviewed. (author) [pt

Immunologic methods for monitoring carcinogen exposure

Science.gov (United States)

Santella, Regina M.; Perera, Frederica P.; Zhang, Yu J.; Chen, Chen J.; Young, Tie L.

1993-03-01

Immunologic methods have been developed for monitoring human exposure to environmental and occupational carcinogens. These methods involve the development of monoclonal and polyclonal antisera which specifically recognize the carcinogens themselves or their DNA or protein adducts. Antisera recognizing the DNA adducts of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diol epoxides have been used in competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to monitor adducts in tissue or blood samples. Elevated levels of DNA adducts have been seen in mononuclear cells of smokers and in total white blood cells of foundry and coke oven workers. Environmental exposure to PAH has been measured in individuals living in a highly polluted region of Poland. Antisera recognizing PAH-DNA adducts have also been used in immunohistochemical studies to monitor adducts in specific cells of biopsy samples. The DNA adducts of aflatoxin B1 have been monitored in liver tissue of hepatocellular carcinoma patients in Taiwan. Detectable adducts were seen in 50 - 70% of the patients suggesting that dietary exposure to this carcinogen may be a risk factor for cancer induction. Thus, immunoassays for monitoring exposure to carcinogens are an important tool in epidemiologic studies.

Solving Immunology?

Science.gov (United States)

Vodovotz, Yoram; Xia, Ashley; Read, Elizabeth L; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep; Hafler, David A; Sontag, Eduardo; Wang, Jin; Tsang, John S; Day, Judy D; Kleinstein, Steven H; Butte, Atul J; Altman, Matthew C; Hammond, Ross; Sealfon, Stuart C

2017-02-01

Emergent responses of the immune system result from the integration of molecular and cellular networks over time and across multiple organs. High-content and high-throughput analysis technologies, concomitantly with data-driven and mechanistic modeling, hold promise for the systematic interrogation of these complex pathways. However, connecting genetic variation and molecular mechanisms to individual phenotypes and health outcomes has proven elusive. Gaps remain in data, and disagreements persist about the value of mechanistic modeling for immunology. Here, we present the perspectives that emerged from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) workshop 'Complex Systems Science, Modeling and Immunity' and subsequent discussions regarding the potential synergy of high-throughput data acquisition, data-driven modeling, and mechanistic modeling to define new mechanisms of immunological disease and to accelerate the translation of these insights into therapies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Basic and clinical immunology

Science.gov (United States)

Chinen, Javier; Shearer, William T.

2003-01-01

Progress in immunology continues to grow exponentially every year. New applications of this knowledge are being developed for a broad range of clinical conditions. Conversely, the study of primary and secondary immunodeficiencies is helping to elucidate the intricate mechanisms of the immune system. We have selected a few of the most significant contributions to the fields of basic and clinical immunology published between October 2001 and October 2002. Our choice of topics in basic immunology included the description of T-bet as a determinant factor for T(H)1 differentiation, the role of the activation-induced cytosine deaminase gene in B-cell development, the characterization of CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells, and the use of dynamic imaging to study MHC class II transport and T-cell and dendritic cell membrane interactions. Articles related to clinical immunology that were selected for review include the description of immunodeficiency caused by caspase 8 deficiency; a case series report on X-linked agammaglobulinemia; the mechanism of action, efficacy, and complications of intravenous immunoglobulin; mechanisms of autoimmunity diseases; and advances in HIV pathogenesis and vaccine development. We also reviewed two articles that explore the possible alterations of the immune system caused by spaceflights, a new field with increasing importance as human space expeditions become a reality in the 21st century.

Immunologic mechanism at infertility

OpenAIRE

Aydın, İlknur; Erci, Behice

2006-01-01

Infertility has been serious problem for couples that want to have a child. It is estimated that %10-15 of marriages are involuntary childless; that is, there is the serious problem of infertility. In more than 40% of infertility couples that is the reason of their infertility was unknown. In those couples, probably immunological factors were found to be responsible for the infertility. In the article, it was aimed to review the immunologic causes of male and female infertility in the light o...

Reproductive immunology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Ole B

2012-01-01

pathological pregnancy are suggested to predispose to adaptive immunological processes against alloantigens on the trophoblast that may further increase the risk of pathological pregnancy outcome. The best documented adaptive immune reaction against fetal alloantigens is directed against male-specific minor...

Lead poisoning: historical aspects of a paradigmatic "occupational and environmental disease".

Science.gov (United States)

Riva, Michele Augusto; Lafranconi, Alessandra; D'Orso, Marco Italo; Cesana, Giancarlo

2012-03-01

Lead poisoning is one of the earliest identified and most known occupational disease. Its acute effects have been recognized from antiquity when this condition principally afflicted manual workers and slaves, actually scarcely considered by the medicine of that time. The Industrial Revolution caused an epidemic of metal intoxication, urging scientists and physician of that period to study and identify specific symptoms and organ alterations related to chronic lead poisoning. During the 20th century, the acknowledgment of occupational and environmental toxicity of lead fostered public awareness and legislation to protect health. More recently, the identification of sub-clinical effects have greatly modified the concept of lead poisoning and the approaches of medicine towards this condition. Nowadays, lead poisoning is rarely seen in developed countries, but it still represents a major environmental problem in certain areas. Consequently, it may appear as a paradigm of "occupational and environmental disease," and the history of this condition seems to parallel the historical development of modern "Occupational and Environmental Health" as a more complete medical discipline.

Women referred for occupational risk assessment in pregnancy have no increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bidstrup, Signe Brøker; Kaerlev, Linda; Thulstrup, Ane Marie

2015-01-01

pregnant women referred to two Danish clinics of occupational medicine (Copenhagen and Aarhus) from 1984 to 2010 were compared with the referred women's 1,077 non-referred pregnancy outcomes and with the pregnancy outcomes of 345,467 gainfully employed women from the same geographical areas and time period.......72-1.17). CONCLUSION: The women who are referred for occupational risk assessment at two large occupational university departments are not at an increased risk of preterm birth or of delivering low birth weight children. This may reflect that reproductive hazards in Danish workplaces are limited and....../or that the occupational risk assessment and counselling of pregnant women are preventing these selected adverse pregnancy outcomes. FUNDING: The Research Unit at Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Bispebjerg Hospital supported the study financially. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant. The study...

Review of Occupational Health and Safety Organization in Expanding Economies: The Case of Southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Moyo, Dingani; Zungu, Muzimkhulu; Kgalamono, Spoponki; Mwila, Chimba D

2015-01-01

Globally, access to occupational health and safety (OHS) by workers has remained at very low levels. The organization and implementation of OHS in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana has remained at suboptimal levels. Inadequacy of human resource capital, training, and education in the field of OHS has had a major negative impact on the improvement of worker access to such services in expanding economies. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana have expanding economies with active mining and agricultural activities that pose health and safety risks to the working population. A literature review and country systems inquiry on the organization of OHS services in the 4 countries was carried out. Because of the infancy and underdevelopment of OHS in southern Africa, literature on the status of this topic is limited. In the 4 countries under review, OHS services are a function shared either wholly or partially by 3 ministries, namely Health, Labor, and Mining. Other ministries, such as Environment and Agriculture, carry small fragments of OHS function. The 4 countries are at different stages of OHS legislative frameworks that guide the practice of health and safety in the workplace. Inadequacies in human resource capital and expertise in occupational health and safety are noted major constraints in the implementation and compliance to health and safety initiatives in the work place. South Africa has a more mature system than Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. Lack of specialized training in occupational health services, such as occupational medicine specialization for physicians, has been a major drawback in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana. The full adoption and success of OHS systems in Southern Africa remains constrained. Training and education in OHS, especially in occupational medicine, will enhance the development and maturation of occupational health in southern Africa. Capacitating primary health services with basic occupational health knowledge would

Investigation into health science students' awareness of occupational therapy: implications for interprofessional education.

Science.gov (United States)

Alotaibi, Naser; Shayea, Abdulaziz; Nadar, Mohammed; Abu Tariah, Hashem

2015-01-01

To investigate the level of awareness of the occupational therapy profession among final-year health sciences students at Kuwait University. This study utilized a survey targeting final-year students in the Health Sciences Center at Kuwait University schools of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and allied health sciences. The survey addressed awareness of occupational therapy, its scope of practice, work environments, and preference for learning more about the profession. Of the 244 surveys distributed, 132 were returned, for a 54% response rate. The proportion of those who knew about occupational therapy ranged from 94% (radiologic science) to a low of 17% (medicine). Most respondents learned about occupational therapy from colleagues (77.1%), rather than from their academic programs (28.1%). RESULTS indicated that about one fifth of students (21.4%) were unsure about the role of occupational therapists as members of the health care team. Preferences for learning more about the profession were consistent with interprofessional opportunities, such as observing an occupational therapy session (64.5%) and attending a workshop (63.6%) or presentation (59.8%). Although most respondents had some awareness of occupational therapy, specifics about its scope of practice and relevance to the health care team were lacking. Preferences for learning more about occupational therapy were consistent with the current trend for interprofessional education in health care. Implications for interprofessional education are presented.

[Mobbing: between personality traits and organizational-managerial characteristics of the occupational environment].

Science.gov (United States)

Fenga, Concettina; Platania, Chiara Anna; Di Rosa, Antonio; Alibrandi, Angela; De Luca, Annamaria; Barresi, Gaetano; Di Nola, Carmelina; Cacciola, Anna

2012-01-01

INTRODUCTION. The relationship between stressful events in the workplace and their effect on health is the subject of numerous studies where the phenomenon of"Mobbing" has become of increasing interest in Social Psychiatry and Occupational Medicine. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between mobbing, occupational stress and personality structure in a group of persons who consulted the "Work Adaptation Disorders Centre" at the Institute of Occupational Medicine between December 2008 and June 2010 for mobbing-related issues. Referring to Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terrorization (LIPT), H. Ege, Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI), Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2), it has been possible to assess situations of harassment, the sources and the effects of work stress, as well as personality traits in the study group. The results showed that high levels of occupational stress and inadequate coping strategies can lead to depressive, hysterical and paranoid manifestations. Although the relationship between mobbing, occupational stress and personality traits still remains controversial, there is an association between perception of adverse behaviour and mental health, regardless of the subject's ability to cope with stressful life events. The data seem to confirm that the prevention of bullying must be implemented by the work organization and by handling interpersonal conflicts in the work context.

Epidemiology, occupational hygiene and health physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnell, J.A.

1980-01-01

The contribution of radiation protection practices to the practice of occupational medicine and hygiene is discussed. For example, accurate studies of a number of biological systems were stimulated. It is suggested that an accurate epidemiological assessment of workers exposed at or below the recommended radiation dose limits be undertaken. (H.K.)

Occupational risk factors and voice disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilkman, E

1996-01-01

From the point of view of occupational health, the field of voice disorders is very poorly developed as compared, for instance, to the prevention and diagnostics of occupational hearing disorders. In fact, voice disorders have not even been recognized in the field of occupational medicine. Hence, it is obviously very rare in most countries that the voice disorder of a professional voice user, e.g. a teacher, a singer or an actor, is accepted as an occupational disease by insurance companies. However, occupational voice problems do not lack significance from the point of view of the patient. We also know from questionnaires and clinical studies that voice complaints are very common. Another example of job-related health problems, which has proved more successful in terms of its occupational health status, is the repetition strain injury of the elbow, i.e. the "tennis elbow". Its textbook definition could be used as such to describe an occupational voice disorder ("dysphonia professional is"). In the present paper the effects of such risk factors as vocal loading itself, background noise and room acoustics and low relative humidity of the air are discussed. Due to individual factors underlying the development of professional voice disorders, recommendations rather than regulations are called for. There are many simple and even relatively low-cost methods available for the prevention of vocal problems as well as for supporting rehabilitation.

Immunology studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, D.M.; Baron, P.A.; Drake, G.A.; LaBauve, P.M.; London, J.E.; Wilson, J.S.

1977-01-01

The following studies were conducted in the field of immunology; a model system to determine toxic effects on the immune system using 3 H-uridine uptake by Feells of rats; and survival in lethally irradiatd mice receiving allogenic fetal liver and thymus

The ninth international veterinary immunology symposium

Science.gov (United States)

This Introduction to the special issue of Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology summarizes the Proceedings of the 9th International Veterinary Immunology Symposium (9th IVIS) held August, 2010, in Tokyo, Japan. Over 340 delegates from 30 countries discussed research progress analyzing the immune...

Research with radioisotopes in clinical and laboratory medicine: a bibliographic review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz, J.; Van der Walt, L.A.; Malan, J.M.

1985-01-01

This bibliography is restricted mainly to AEC-supported projects which are considered to amply reflect the widespread use of radioisotopes in clinical and laboratory medicine in South Africa and which describe research with radioisotopes of some direct relevance to diagnostic-clinical or laboratory medicine, or both, but excluding therapy with isotopes. General information is given in this review on oncology, endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition, haematology, neurology, angiocardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, gynaecology and obstetrics, nephrology, immunology and transplantation, microbiology and parasitology

Local immunological mechanisms of sublingual immunotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Allam, Jean-Pierre; Novak, Natalija

2011-12-01

To summarize novel insights into the immunological mechanisms of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). Within the recent decades, several alternative noninvasive allergen application strategies have been investigated in allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT), of which intra-oral allergen application to sublingual mucosa has been proven to be well tolerated and effective. To date, SLIT is widely accepted by most allergists as an alternative option to conventional subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). Although detailed immunological mechanisms remain to be elucidated, much scientific effort has been made to shed some light on local and systemic immunological responses to SLIT in mice as well as humans. Only a few studies focused on the detailed mechanisms following allergen application to the oral mucosa as part of the sophisticated mucosal immunological network. Within this network, the pro-tolerogenic properties of local antigen-presenting cells (APCs) such as dendritic cells - which are able to enforce tolerogenic mechanisms and to induce T-cell immune responses - play a central role. Further on, basic research focused not only on the immune response in nasal and bronchial mucosa but also on the systemic T-cell immune response. Thus, much exiting data have been published providing a better understanding of immunological features of SLIT but far more investigations are necessary to uncover further exciting details on the key mechanisms of SLIT.

Employment in nuclear medicine during pregnancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benedetto, A.R.

1986-01-01

A nuclear medicine technologist can work throughout a pregnancy with high confidence that her occupational radiation exposure will not add any significant risk to her changes of having a normal pregnancy and child. All that is required is for the employer to provide an ALARA work place and for the technologist to observe carefully all radiation safety guidelines and to maintain her occupational exposure ALARA. Current guidance is that the total uterine dose during gestation be less than 0.5 rem (5 mSv). The vast majority of nuclear medicine technologists can achieve this dose level easily, with no modifications of duties or work practices. Technologists working with generators and radiopharmaceutical kits may wish to temporarily transfer to other duties within the clinic, not necessarily to reduce routine exposures but to minimize the changes of an accident having high-dose or high-contamination potential. All of the available human data show that there is small additional risk to the fetus or neonate due to occupational radiation exposure compared to naturally occurring risks so long as the dose is within recommended guidelines

Regulatory T Cells in HIV-Infected Immunological Nonresponders Are Increased in Blood but Depleted in Lymphoid Tissue and Predict Immunological Reconstitution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaardbo, Julie C; Hartling, Hans J; Ronit, Andreas

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: HIV-infected immunological nonresponders fail to immune reconstitute despite optimal treatment. We hypothesized that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are involved in immunological reconstitution. Tregs and Treg subpopulations were measured in blood and Foxp3 cells in lymphoid tissue......, and the impact of Tregs on immunological reconstitution was determined. METHODS: HIV-infected individuals on combination antiretroviral therapy for a minimum of 2 years were included. The study population included 14 immunological nonresponders (INR; CD4 T-cell count .... In contrast, responders resembled healthy controls. Finally, in INR, high level of Tregs in blood and Foxp3 cells in lymphoid tissue were associated with higher level of immunological reconstitution after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, altered distribution of Tregs was found in INR...

Immunological memory: What's in a name?

Science.gov (United States)

Pradeu, Thomas; Du Pasquier, Louis

2018-05-01

Immunological memory is one of the core topics of contemporary immunology. Yet there are many discussions about what this concept precisely means, which components of the immune system display it, and in which phyla it exists. Recent years have seen the multiplication of claims that immunological memory can be found in "innate" immune cells and in many phyla beyond vertebrates (including invertebrates, plants, but also bacteria and archaea), as well as the multiplication of concepts to account for these phenomena, such as "innate immune memory" or "trained immunity". The aim of this critical review is to analyze these recent claims and concepts, and to distinguish ideas that have often been misleadingly associated, such as memory, adaptive immunity, and specificity. We argue that immunological memory is a gradual and multidimensional phenomenon, irreducible to any simple dichotomy, and we show why adopting this new view matters from an experimental and therapeutic point of view. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Multiscale modelling in immunology: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappuccio, Antonio; Tieri, Paolo; Castiglione, Filippo

2016-05-01

One of the greatest challenges in biomedicine is to get a unified view of observations made from the molecular up to the organism scale. Towards this goal, multiscale models have been highly instrumental in contexts such as the cardiovascular field, angiogenesis, neurosciences and tumour biology. More recently, such models are becoming an increasingly important resource to address immunological questions as well. Systematic mining of the literature in multiscale modelling led us to identify three main fields of immunological applications: host-virus interactions, inflammatory diseases and their treatment and development of multiscale simulation platforms for immunological research and for educational purposes. Here, we review the current developments in these directions, which illustrate that multiscale models can consistently integrate immunological data generated at several scales, and can be used to describe and optimize therapeutic treatments of complex immune diseases. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The West Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Initiative: practicum training for a new marketplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, J D; Becker, P E; Stockdale, T; Ducatman, A M

1999-05-01

Occupational medicine practice has experienced a shift from larger corporate medical departments to organizations providing services for a variety of industries. Specific training needs will accompany this shift in practice patterns; these may differ from those developed in the traditional industrial or corporate medical department setting. The West Virginia Occupational Health and Safety Initiative involves occupational medicine residents in consultation to a variety of small industries and businesses. It uses the expertise of occupational physicians, health and safety extension faculty, and faculty in engineering and industrial hygiene. Residents participate in multidisciplinary evaluations of worksites, and develop competencies in team-building, workplace health and safety evaluation, and occupational medical consulting. Specific competencies that address requirements for practicum training are used to measure the trainee's acquisition of knowledge and skills. Particular attention is paid to the acquisition of group problem-solving expertise, skills relevant to the current market in practice opportunities, and the specific career interests of the resident physician. Preliminary evaluation indicates the usefulness of training in evaluation of diverse industries and worksites. We offer this program as a training model that can prepare residents for the challenges of a changing marketplace for occupational health and safety services.

Cosmos-1989 immunology studies

Science.gov (United States)

Sonnenfeld, Gerald

1991-01-01

Evidence from both human and rodent studies has indicated that alterations in immunological parameters occur after space flight. The number of flight experiments has been small, and the full breadth of immunological alterations occurring after space flight remains to be established. Among the major effects on immune responses after space flight that have been reported are: alterations in lymphocyte blastogenesis and natural killer cell activity, alterations in production of cytokines, changes in leukocyte sub-population distribution, and decreases in the ability in the ability of bone marrow cells to respond to colony stimulating factors. Changes have been reported in immunological parameters of both humans and rodents. The significance of these alterations in relation to resistance to infection remains to be established. The current study involved a determination of the effects of flight on Cosmos mission 2044 on leukocyte subset distribution and the sensitivity of bone marrow cells to colony stimulating factor-GM. A parallel study with antiorthostatic suspension was also carried out. The study involved repetition and expansion of studies carried out on Cosmos 1887.

Intensive educational course in allergy and immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Elizalde, A; Perez, E E; Sriaroon, P; Nguyen, D; Lockey, R F; Dorsey, M J

2012-09-01

A one-day intensive educational course on allergy and immunology theory and diagnostic procedure significantly increased the competency of allergy and immunology fellows-in-training. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Lead Poisoning: Historical Aspects of a Paradigmatic “Occupational and Environmental Disease”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Augusto Riva

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Lead poisoning is one of the earliest identified and most known occupational disease. Its acute effects have been recognized from antiquity when this condition principally afflicted manual workers and slaves, actually scarcely considered by the medicine of that time. The Industrial Revolution caused an epidemic of metal intoxication, urging scientists and physician of that period to study and identify specific symptoms and organ alterations related to chronic lead poisoning. During the 20th century, the acknowledgment of occupational and environmental toxicity of lead fostered public awareness and legislation to protect health. More recently, the identification of sub-clinical effects have greatly modified the concept of lead poisoning and the approaches of medicine towards this condition. Nowadays, lead poisoning is rarely seen in developed countries, but it still represents a major environmental problem in certain areas. Consequently, it may appear as a paradigm of “occupational and environmental disease,” and the history of this condition seems to parallel the historical development of modern “Occupational and Environmental Health” as a more complete medical discipline.

Egyptian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (The ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Focus and Scope. This journal is the official journal of the Egyptian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. It is he first Egyptian Journal specialized in the field of allergy and immunology in the pediatric age group. It is a forum for the presentation and promotion of new researches in the field of allergy and immunology, ...

Egyptian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (The)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This journal is the official journal of the Egyptian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. It is he first Egyptian Journal specialized in the field of allergy and immunology in the pediatric age group. It is a forum for the presentation and promotion of new researches in the field of allergy and immunology, for maintaining ...

Occupational exposure in services of Oncological Hospital of Camaguey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barreras, C.A.; Brigido, F.O.; Naranjo, L.A.; Sanches, M.P.; Lasserra, S.O.; Hernandez, G.J.

2001-01-01

The Nuclear Medicine Service of the Cancer Hospital at Camaguey presents data on the occupationally exposure workers, during 1990-1999, obtained from film dosimetry. The outcomes show that: the average of annual effective equivalent dose for nuclear medical personnel was 2.47 mSv, while 2.13 mSv were to represent radiotherapy and 1.11 mSv were to represent the personnel tied to the others radiodiagnostic services, in the same period; 88,3% of the nuclear medicine personnel and the 94.9% of the radiotherapy personnel have received doses inferior to 3 mSv/year; the total collective dose for the studied period were 212.5, 189.8 and 22.3 mSv.man for nuclear medicine and radiotherapy and other medical users respectively. In this work, the annual behavior of the total collective doses is described based on the evaluation of the contribution of different radiodiagnostic procedures carried out at the Hospital. Others aspects related to biological radiation effects of occupational exposure and some outcomes are compared with those from the data of the other countries

Design, clinical translation and immunological response of biomaterials in regenerative medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Sadtler, Kaitlyn; Singh, Anirudha; Wolf, Matthew T.; Wang, Xiaokun; Pardoll, Drew M.; Elisseeff, Jennifer H.

2016-07-01

The field of regenerative medicine aims to replace tissues lost as a consequence of disease, trauma or congenital abnormalities. Biomaterials serve as scaffolds for regenerative medicine to deliver cells, provide biological signals and physical support, and mobilize endogenous cells to repair tissues. Sophisticated chemistries are used to synthesize materials that mimic and modulate native tissue microenvironments, to replace form and to elucidate structure-function relationships of cell-material interactions. The therapeutic relevance of these biomaterial properties can only be studied after clinical translation, whereby key parameters for efficacy can be defined and then used for future design. In this Review, we present the development and translation of biomaterials for two tissue engineering targets, cartilage and cornea, both of which lack the ability to self-repair. Finally, looking to the future, we discuss the role of the immune system in regeneration and the potential for biomaterial scaffolds to modulate immune signalling to create a pro-regenerative environment.

Immunology for rheumatology residents: working toward a Canadian national curriculum consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Chow, Shirley L; Herman-Kideckel, Sari; Mahendira, Dharini; McDonald-Blumer, Heather

2015-01-01

Immunologic mechanisms play an integral role in understanding the pathogenesis and management of rheumatic conditions. Currently, there is limited access to formal instruction in immunology for rheumatology trainees across Canada. The aims of this study were (1) to describe current immunology curricula among adult rheumatology training programs across Canada and (2) to compare the perceived learning needs of rheumatology trainees from the perspective of program directors and trainees to help develop a focused nationwide immunology curriculum. Rheumatology trainees and program directors from adult rheumatology programs across Canada completed an online questionnaire and were asked to rank a comprehensive list of immunology topics. A modified Delphi approach was implemented to obtain consensus on immunology topics. Only 42% of program directors and 31% of trainees felt the current method of teaching immunology was effective. Results illustrate concordance between program directors and trainees for the highest-ranked immunology topics including innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and cells and tissues of the immune system. However, there was discordance among other topics, such as diagnostic laboratory immunology and therapeutics. There is a need to improve immunology teaching in rheumatology training programs. Results show high concordance between the basic immunology topics. This study provides the groundwork for development of future immunology curricula.

Survey on medicinal plants and spices used in Beni-Sueif, Upper Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Abdelhalim A

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study was conducted to identify medicinal plants and spices used for medicine by the community of Beni-Sueif, Upper Egypt. Methods Ethnobotanical data from local people was collected using direct interviews and a semi-structured questionnaire. Results Forty-eight plant species belonging to twenty-seven families and forty-seven genera were encountered during the study. Their botanical and vernacular names, plant parts used and medicinal uses are given. Results of the study were analyzed using two quantitative tools. The factor informant consensus indicated the agreement in the use of plants and the fidelity level indicated the ratio between the number of informants who independently suggested the use of a species for the same major purpose and the total number of informants who mentioned the plant for any use. The results of the factor informant consensus showed that the cardiovascular category has the greatest agreement, followed by the immunological, gastrointestinal and respiratory categories. The most important species according to their fidelity are: Hibiscus sabdariffa L. for the cardiovascular category; Trigonella foenum-graecum L. for the immunological category; Mentha piperita L. for the gastrointestinal category and Pimpinella anisum L. for the respiratory category. Conclusions Medicinal plants are still used for treatment in Beni-Sueif community despite the availability of prescribed medications. Documentation of this ethnomedicinal knowledge is important. Evaluation of pharmacological activity for the promising medicinal plants is suggested.

Roitt's essential immunology

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Delves, Peter J; Roitt, Ivan M

2011-01-01

... of the immune system, the hallmark easy-reading style of Roitt's Essential Immunology clearly explains the key principles needed by medical and health sciences students, from the basis of immunity to clinical applications...

Occupational health for an ageing workforce: do we need a geriatric perspective?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koh David

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Extending retirement ages and anti-age discrimination policies will increase the numbers of older workers in the future. Occupational health physicians may have to draw upon the principles and experience of geriatric medicine to manage these older workers. Examples of common geriatric syndromes that will have an impact on occupational health are mild cognitive impairment and falls at the workplace. Shifts in paradigms and further research into the occupational health problems of an ageing workforce will be needed.

Haematological and immunological indicators for radiation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dehos, A.

1990-01-01

It is examined if haematological and immunological parameters can be used as biological indicators for radiation exposure. Additional criteria for biological indicators, apart from the dose dependence of the effect, are listed here. The state of the art concerning the development of haematological and immunological indicators is discussed. Several haematological indicators are currently used in diagnosis when excess radiation exposure has occurred (e.g., after the Chernobyl accident). However, further research work has to be done in the field of immunological indicators. (orig.) [de

Immunological and hematological reference intervals among HIV-seronegative pregnant women in northwest Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Genetu M

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Meaza Genetu,1 Debasu Damtie,1 Meseret Workineh,1 Biniam Mathewos Tebeje,1,2 Bamlaku Enawgaw,3 Tekalign Deressa1 1Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Brisbane, Australia; 3Department of Hematology and Immunohematology, School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia Background: Pregnancy is a state characterized by profound physiological hematological changes. However, hematological reference intervals being used in clinical practice in Ethiopia are derived from nonlocal general populations, despite the significant variations reported previously. The aim of this study was to determine the immunological and hematological reference intervals in healthy pregnancy among HIV-seronegative pregnant women in northwest Ethiopia.Materials and methods: A total of 200 healthy, HIV-seronegative pregnant women were enrolled from February 2015 to June 2015 in a cross-sectional study setting at Gondar University Hospital. Sociodemographic and obstetric data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Blood samples collected from each participant were used to define the immunological and hematological parameters. The mean, median, and 95% interval values were calculated for the immunological and hematological parameters. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant for all variables.Results: This study found that there were changes in CD4+ T-cell count, platelet count, and hematocrit (HCT values as pregnancy advances. The calculated combined reference intervals for the absolute CD4+ T-cell count and platelet count were 712.47–760.67 and 221.25–240.14, respectively. A progressive decline in the platelet count was observed as pregnancy advanced, with 95

21 CFR 866.5640 - Infectious mononucleosis immunological test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Infectious mononucleosis immunological test system....5640 Infectious mononucleosis immunological test system. (a) Identification. An infectious mononucleosis immunological test system is a device that consists of the reagents used to measure by...

Evidence based guidelines for the prevention, identification, and management of occupational asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, P J; Cullinan, P; Taylor, A J Newman; Burge, P S; Boyle, C

2005-05-01

Occupational asthma is the most frequently reported work related respiratory disease in many countries. This work was commissioned by the British Occupational Health Research Foundation to assist the Health and Safety Executive in achieving its target of reducing the incidence of occupational asthma in Great Britain by 30% by 2010. The guidelines aim to improve the prevention, identification, and management of occupational asthma by providing evidence based recommendations on which future practice can be based. The literature was searched systematically using Medline and Embase for articles published in all languages up to the end of June 2004. Evidence based statements and recommendations were graded according to the Royal College of General Practitioner's star system and the revised Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network grading system. A total of 474 original studies were selected for appraisal from over 2500 abstracts. The systematic review produced 52 graded evidence statements and 22 recommendations based on 223 studies. Evidence based guidelines have become benchmarks for practice in healthcare and the process used to prepare them is well established. This evidence review and its recommendations focus on interventions and outcomes to provide a robust approach to the prevention, identification, and management of occupational asthma, based on and using the best available medical evidence. The most important action to prevent cases of occupational asthma is to reduce exposure at source. Thereafter surveillance should be performed for the early identification of symptoms, including occupational rhinitis, with additional functional and immunological tests where appropriate. Effective management of workers suspected to have occupational asthma involves the identification and investigation of symptoms suggestive of asthma immediately they occur. Those workers who are confirmed to have occupational asthma should be advised to avoid further exposure completely

The Shifting Supply of Men and Women to Occupations: Feminization in Veterinary Education

Science.gov (United States)

Lincoln, Anne E.

2010-01-01

A confining limitation for the occupational sex segregation literature has been the inability to determine how many persons of one sex "would" have entered an occupation had the other sex not successfully entered instead. Using panel data from all American colleges of veterinary medicine (1976-1995), a fixed-effects model with lagged independent…

[Hygiene, safety and occupational medicine in Niger].

Science.gov (United States)

Moussa, F; Sékou, H

1997-01-01

The laws and rules governing hygiene, safety and medicine in the workplace in Niger were evaluated in this study. We used labour administration, health service and Social Security Department reports to review each type of professional activity and the risks associated with it. This enabled us to make recommendations to the authorities and to the organizations representing employers and staff, concerning the prevention of risks at work.

Systems immunology: just getting started

OpenAIRE

Davis, Mark M; Tato, Cristina M; Furman, David

2017-01-01

Systems-biology approaches in immunology take various forms, but here we review strategies for measuring a broad swath of immunological functions as a means of discovering previously unknown relationships and phenomena and as a powerful way of understanding the immune system as a whole. This approach has rejuvenated the field of vaccine development and has fostered hope that new ways will be found to combat infectious diseases that have proven refractory to classical approaches. Systems immun...

A bibliometric analysis of occupational therapy publications.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Ted; Gutman, Sharon A; Ho, Yuh-Shan; Fong, Kenneth N K

2018-01-01

Bibliometrics involves the statistical analysis of the publications in a specific discipline or subject area. A bibliometric analysis of the occupational therapy refereed literature is needed. A bibliometric analysis was completed of the occupational therapy literature from 1991-2014, indexed in the Science Citation Index-Expanded or the Social Sciences Citation Index. Publications were searched by title, abstract, keywords, and KeyWords Plus. Total number of article citations, citations per journal, and contributions per country, individual authors, and institution were calculated. 5,315 occupational therapy articles were published in 821 journals. It appears that there is a citation window of an approximate 10-year period between the time of publication and the peak number of citations an article receives. The top three most highly cited articles were published in Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, JAMA, and Lancet. AJOT, BJOT and AOTJ published the largest number of occupational therapy articles with the United States, Australia, and Canada producing the highest number of publications. McMaster University, the University of Queensland, and the University of Toronto were the institutions that published the largest number of occupational therapy journal articles. The occupational therapy literature is growing and the frequency of article citation is increasing.

The Rise of Mitochondria in Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Picard, Martin; Wallace, Douglas C; Burelle, Yan

2016-01-01

Once considered exclusively the cell's powerhouse, mitochondria are now recognized to perform multiple essential cellular functions beyond energy production, impacting most areas of cell biology and medicine. Since the emergence of molecular biology and the discovery of pathogenic mitochondrial DNA defects in the 1980's, research advances have revealed a number of common human diseases which share an underlying pathogenesis involving mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria undergo function-defining dynamic shape changes, communicate with each other, regulate gene expression within the nucleus, modulate synaptic transmission within the brain, release molecules that contribute to oncogenic transformation and trigger inflammatory responses systemically, and influence the regulation of complex physiological systems. Novel “mitopathogenic” mechanisms are thus being uncovered across a number of medical disciplines including genetics, oncology, neurology, immunology, and critical care medicine. Increasing knowledge of the bioenergetic aspects of human disease has provided new opportunities for diagnosis, therapy, prevention, and in connecting various domains of medicine. In this article, we overview specific aspects of mitochondrial biology that have contributed to – and likely will continue to enhance the progress of modern medicine. PMID:27423788

Immunology update: topics in basic and clinically applied reproductive immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, J S

1996-05-01

A postgraduate course covering basic and clinical reproductive immunology was held in Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A., on March 19, 1996, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Society for Gynecological Investigation. The course was organized and chaired by Joseph A. Hill.

Graduate Students' Interest in Immunology as a Discipline

Science.gov (United States)

Kwarteng, Alexander; Frimpong, Michael; Sylverken, Augustina Angelina; Arthur, Yarhands D.; Ahuno, Samuel T.; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis

2017-01-01

Interest and motivation significantly influence achievement; however, interest in immunology remains to be determined. Using a structured questionnaire, the current study assessed for the first time interest in immunology among biomedical graduate students in Ghana after a one-week introduction to immunology course. Our results revealed that…

Occupational risk and chronic kidney disease: a population-based study in the United States adult population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rubinstein S

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Sofia Rubinstein,1 Chengwei Wang,1 Wenchun Qu2 1Department of Medicine, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY, USA; 2Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA Objective: Previous studies on occupational risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD have analyzed a limited range of occupations and focused on nephrotoxins. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relative risk for the occurrence of CKD between different occupations in the US adult population. Materials and methods: This was a population-based survey study of 91,340 participants in the US, who completed the National Health Interview Survey, 2004 through 2008. The outcome variable, CKD, was defined as having weakening/failing kidneys in the past 12 months, as diagnosed by a physician. The predictor variable, occupation, was obtained using the census occupational codes, regrouped according to North American Industrial Classification System. Results: After controlling for age, gender, hypertension, and education, and with the category Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations as a reference group, the likelihood of developing CKD was 4.3 times higher in respondents working in Building, Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations, 4.4 times higher in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations, 4.7 times higher in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations and in Computer and Mathematical Occupations, 4.8 times higher in Production Occupations, 5.3 times higher in Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, and 6.1 times higher in Healthcare Support Occupations and in Legal Occupations. Conclusion: This study identified occupation groups in US adult population with increased risk for CKD. Alleviation of workplace stress is suggested as a goal for behavioral intervention in high-risk occupations. Keywords: CKD, risk factors, occupations

Medical immunology: two-way bridge connecting bench and bedside.

Science.gov (United States)

Rijkers, Ger T; Damoiseaux, Jan G M C; Hooijkaas, Herbert

2014-12-01

Medical immunology in The Netherlands is a laboratory specialism dealing with immunological analyses as well as pre- and post-analytical consultation to clinicians (clinical immunologists and other specialists) involved in patients with immune mediated diseases. The scope of medical immunology includes immunodeficiencies, autoimmune diseases, allergy, transfusion and transplantation immunology, and lymphoproliferative disorders plus the monitoring of these patients. The training, professional criteria, quality control of procedures and laboratories is well organized. As examples of the bridge function of medical immunology between laboratory (bench) and patient (bedside) the contribution of medical immunologists to diagnosis and treatment of primary immunodeficiency diseases (in particular: humoral immunodeficiencies) as well as autoantibodies (anti-citrullinated proteins in rheumatoid arthritis) are given. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conceptualising professionalism in occupational therapy through a Western lens.

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Hordichuk, Chelsea J; Robinson, Allison J; Sullivan, Theresa M

2015-06-01

The term professionalism is embedded within curriculum and occupational therapy documents, yet, explicit discussion of the concept is lacking in the literature. This paper strives for a greater understanding of how professionalism is currently conceptualised within Western occupational therapy literature. A broad literature search was conducted and included international peer-reviewed and grey literature from Western cultures including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. To enrich understanding, some documents from medicine were also included. Professionalism is widely upheld as a core construct of occupational therapy. However, an evidence-based consensus of the specific elements of professionalism guiding occupational therapy practice is lacking. Currently, understanding of professionalism is largely based on multiple, isolated concepts presented in Western professional association documents. Acknowledging the multifaceted and multicultural nature of professionalism is essential to begin systematically delineating and conceptualising elements of professionalism specific to occupational therapy. This review has been conducted from a solely Western cultural lens. Additional work to highlight differences specific to international contexts, cultures, and societal influences is needed to enrich the understanding of professionalism in occupational therapy practice. © 2015 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Analysis on Ga-Rak market workers' disease and treatment of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM (pilot study

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Yoo, Jae Ryong

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Objective : To broaden our understanding on occupational disease of market workers and to evaluate the effect of TKM treatment focusing on acupuncture and herb medicine and to promote base studies and clinical trials on occupational disease. Materials and Methods : Analysis was done on 33 Ga-Rak market workers' chart which had been selected through investigation of 1508 outpatient's chart of Kyung Won University Hospital from Jun. 1st, 2002 to May. 31th, 2003. Results : 1. Out of 33 patients, Men had more occupational diseases than women had and Most people were in their forties. 2. Major cause of the disease include repetitve bending, heavy weight lifting and overwork. 3. Past History of patients mostly include frequent lumbar sprain, periarthritis of shoulder, lumbar HNP. 4. The patients with occupational disease were diagnosed as lumbar sprain, periarthritis of shoulder, lumbar HNP, degenerative spondylosis, spinal stenosis and their chief complaints were low back pain, omalgia, back pain with radicular pain. 5. The duration of treatment was mostly within a week. 6. Acupuncture, Bee Venom Acupuncture, moxibustion, Herb-medicine, extract, taping therapy, physical therapy were used as treatment methods. 7. Applied herb medicine were composed of 8 kinds of prescriptions and extract were made up of 6 prescriptions 8. Applied acupoints belonged mainly to 14 meridians 9. The treatment of herb medicine combined with acupuncture proved effective in treating the ocupational disease. conclusions : The occupational disease of patients working in Ga-Rak market were closely related with overwork, especially with repetitive bending and heavy weight lifting and TKM treatment focusing on acupuncture combined with herb medicine was effective in treating occupational disease.

Prospects in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pink, V.; Johannsen, B.; Muenze, R.

1990-01-01

In nuclear medicine, a sequence of revolutioning research up to the simple and efficient application in routine has always then taken place when in an interdisciplinary teamwork new radiochemical tracers and/or new instrumentation had become available. At present we are at the beginning of a phase that means to be in-vivo-biochemistry, the targets of which are molecular interactions in the form of enzymatic reactions, ligand-receptor interactions or immunological reactions. The possibility to use positron-emitting radionuclides of bioelements in biomolecules or drugs to measure their distribution in the living organism by positron-emission tomography (PET) is gaining admittance into the pretentious themes of main directions of medical research. Diagnostic routine application of biochemically oriented nuclear medicine methods are predominantly expected from the transmission of knowledge in PET research to the larger appliable emission tomography with gamma-emitting tracers (SPECT). (author)

The pluripotent history of immunology. A review

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Neeraja Sankaran

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The historiography of immunology since 1999 is reviewed, in part as a response to claims by historians such as Thomas Söderqvist the field was still immature at the time (Söderqvist & Stillwell 1999. First addressed are the difficulties, past and present, surrounding the disciplinary definition of immunology, which is followed by a commentary on the recent scholarship devoted to the concept of the immune self. The new literature on broad immunological topics is examined and assessed, and specific charges leveled against the paucity of certain types of histories, e.g. biographical and institutional histories, are evaluated. In conclusion, there are compelling indications that the history of immunology has moved past the initial tentative stages identified in the earlier reviews to become a bustling, pluripotent discipline, much like the subject of its scrutiny, and that it continues to develop in many new and exciting directions.

[Evaluation and prognosis of occupational risk in workers of nonferrous metallurgy enterprises].

Science.gov (United States)

Shliapnikov, D M; Kostarev, V G

2014-01-01

The article deals with results of a priori and a posteriori evaluation of occupational risk for workers' health. Categories of a priori occupational risk for workers are estimated as high to very high (intolerable) risk. Findings are that work conditions in nonferrous metallurgy workshop result in upper respiratory tract diseases (medium degree of occupational conditionality). Increased prevalence of such diseases among the workers is connected with length of service. The authors revealed priority factors for occupationally conditioned diseases. A promising approach in occupational medicine is creation of methods to evaluate and forecast occupational risk, that enable to specify goal parameters for prophylactic measures. For example, modelling the risk of occupationally conditioned diseases via changes in exposure to occupational factor and length of service proved that decrease of chemical concentrations in air of workplace to maximally allowable ones lowers risk of respiratory diseases from 14 to 6 cases per year, for length of service of 5 years and population risk.

Space Exploration: Challenges in Medicine, Research, and Ethics

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Davis, Jeffrey R.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation describes the challenges that space exploration faces in terms of medicine, research and ethics. The topics include: 1) Effects of Microgravity on Human Physiology; 2) Radiation; 3) Bone; 4) Behavior and Performance; 5) Muscle; 6) Cardiovascular; 7) Neurovestibular; 8) Food and Nutrition; 9) Immunology and Hematology; 10) Environment; 11) Exploration; 12) Building Block Approach; 13) Exploration Issues; 14) Life Sciences Contributions; 15) Health Care; and 17) Habitability.

Clinical and immunological responses to occupational exposure to alpha-amylase in the baking industry.

OpenAIRE

Brisman, J; Belin, L

1991-01-01

alpha-Amylase is a starch cleaving enzyme often used in the baking industry as a flour additive. It is usually of fungal origin, produced by Aspergillus oryzae. One previous report has shown IgE antibodies and positive skin prick test against alpha-amylase in asthmatic bakers. This paper describes four alpha-amylase sensitised index cases with occupational asthma or rhinitis and the results of a cross sectional study of 20 workers from the same factory who were also exposed to alpha-amylase p...

21 CFR 866.5230 - Colostrum immunological test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Immunological Test Systems § 866.5230... colostrum. Colostrum is a substance excreted by the mammary glands during pregnancy and until production of...

Research Attitudes and Involvement among Medical Students and Students of Allied Health Occupations.

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Delin, Catherine R.

1994-01-01

Medicine has a long research tradition, whereas allied health areas have only recently become involved in research. A questionnaire study was conducted to investigate the attitudes to research of a total of 314 students of medicine, dentistry, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and nursing courses on the city campuses of two South Australian…

Pediatric allergy and immunology in Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Geller-Bernstein, Carmi; Etzioni, Amos

2013-03-01

After the geographic and sociodemographic settings as well as the health care in Israel are briefly described, the scope of pediatric allergy and immunology in Israel is presented. This includes specific disorders commonly encountered, the environment that induces symptoms, the specialists who treat them, and the common challenges of patients, parents, doctors, and allied health personnel who collaborate to manage the maladies and patient care. Allergies usually affect some overall 15-20% of the pediatric population. The main allergens are inhaled, ingested, or injected (insects stings). Generally, the incidence of the various allergens affecting children in Israel, is similar to other parts of the Western world. Owing to the high consanguinity rate in the Israeli population, the prevalence of the various immunodeficiency conditions (in the adaptive as well as the innate system) is higher than that reported worldwide. Pediatric allergists/immunologists also treat autoimmune disorders affecting the pediatric group. Pediatric allergy and clinical immunology are not separate specialties. The 25 specialists who treat children with allergic/immunologic diseases have undergone a basic training in Pediatrics. They also received an additional 2-yr training in allergy and clinical immunology and then have to pass the board examinations. They work mainly in pediatric allergy units, in several hospitals that are affiliated to the five medical schools in the country. Aside from clinical work, most of the centers are also heavily involved in clinical and basic research in allergy and immunology. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

EC4 European Syllabus for Post-Graduate Training in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine: version 3 - 2005.

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Zerah, Simone; McMurray, Janet; Bousquet, Bernard; Baum, Hannsjorg; Beastall, Graham H; Blaton, Vic; Cals, Marie-Josèphe; Duchassaing, Danielle; Gaudeau-Toussaint, Marie-Françoise; Harmoinen, Aimo; Hoffmann, Hans; Jansen, Rob T; Kenny, Desmond; Kohse, Klaus P; Köller, Ursula; Gobert, Jean-Gérard; Linget, Christine; Lund, Erik; Nubile, Giuseppe; Opp, Matthias; Pazzagli, Mario; Pinon, Georges; Queralto, José M; Reguengo, Henrique; Rizos, Demetrios; Szekeres, Thomas; Vidaud, Michel; Wallinder, Hans

2006-01-01

The EC4 Syllabus for Postgraduate Training is the basis for the European Register of Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. The syllabus: Indicates the level of requirements in postgraduate training to harmonise the postgraduate education in the European Union (EU); Indicates the level of content of national training programmes to obtain adequate knowledge and experience; Is approved by all EU societies for clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. The syllabus is not primarily meant to be a training guide, but on the basis of the overview given (common minimal programme), national societies should formulate programmes that indicate where knowledge and experience is needed. The main points of this programme are: Indicates the level of requirements in postgraduate training to harmonise the postgraduate education in the European Union (EU); Indicates the level of content of national training programmes to obtain adequate knowledge and experience; Is approved by all EU societies for clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. Knowledge in biochemistry, haematology, immunology, etc.; Pre-analytical conditions; Evaluation of results; Interpretations (post-analytical phase); Laboratory management; and Quality insurance management. The aim of this version of the syllabus is to be in accordance with the Directive of Professional Qualifications published on 30 September 2005. To prepare the common platforms planned in this directive, the disciplines are divided into four categories: Indicates the level of requirements in postgraduate training to harmonise the postgraduate education in the European Union (EU); Indicates the level of content of national training programmes to obtain adequate knowledge and experience; Is approved by all EU societies for clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine. Knowledge in biochemistry, haematology, immunology, etc.; Pre-analytical conditions; Evaluation of results; Interpretations (post-analytical phase); Laboratory

The Union Health Center: a working model of clinical care linked to preventive occupational health services.

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Herbert, R; Plattus, B; Kellogg, L; Luo, J; Marcus, M; Mascolo, A; Landrigan, P J

1997-03-01

As health care provision in the United States shifts to primary care settings, it is vital that new models of occupational health services be developed that link clinical care to prevention. The model program described in this paper was developed at the Union Health Center (UHC), a comprehensive health care center supported by the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (now the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees) serving a population of approximately 50,000 primarily minority, female garment workers in New York City. The objective of this paper is to describe a model occupational medicine program in a union-based comprehensive health center linking accessible clinical care with primary and secondary disease prevention efforts. To assess the presence of symptoms suggestive of occupational disease, a health status questionnaire was administered to female workers attending the UHC for routine health maintenance. Based on the results of this survey, an occupational medicine clinic was developed that integrated direct clinical care with worker and employer education and workplace hazard abatement. To assess the success of this new approach, selected cases of sentinel health events were tracked and a chart review was conducted after 3 years of clinic operation. Prior to initiation of the occupational medicine clinic, 64% (648) of the workers surveyed reported symptoms indicative of occupational illnesses. However, only 42 (4%) reported having been told by a physician that they had an occupational illness and only 4 (.4%) reported having field a workers' compensation claim for an occupational disease. In the occupational medicine clinic established at the UHC, a health and safety specialist acts as a case manager, coordinating worker and employer education as well as workplace hazard abatement focused on disease prevention, ensuring that every case of occupational disease is treated as a potential sentinel health event. As examples of the success

Pediatric allergy and immunology in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tozzi, Alberto E; Armenio, Lucio; Bernardini, Roberto; Boner, Attilio; Calvani, Mauro; Cardinale, Fabio; Cavagni, Giovanni; Dondi, Arianna; Duse, Marzia; Fiocchi, Alessandro; Marseglia, Gian L; del Giudice, Michele Miraglia; Muraro, Antonella; Pajno, Giovanni B; Paravati, Francesco; Peroni, Diego; Tripodi, Salvatore; Ugazio, Alberto G; Indinnimeo, Luciana

2011-05-01

In Italy, according to the International Study on Asthma and Allergies in Childhood study, the prevalence of current asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic eczema in 2006 was 7.9%, 6.5%, and 10.1% among children aged 6-7 and 8.4%, 15.5%, and 7.75% among children aged 13-14 yr. University education in this field is provided by the Postgraduate Schools of Pediatrics and those of Allergology and Clinical Immunology, as well as several annual Master courses. The Italian Society of Pediatric Allergology and Immunology (SIAIP) was founded in 1996 and counts about 1000 members. SIAIP promotes evidence-based management of allergic children and disseminates information to patients and their families through a quite innovative website and the National Journal 'Rivista Italiana di Allergologia Pediatrica'. In the last decade, four major regional, inter-regional, and national web-based networks have been created to link pediatric allergy centers and to share their clinical protocols and epidemiologic data. In addition, National Registers of Primary Immune-deficiencies and on Pediatric HIV link all clinical excellence centers. Research projects in the field of pediatric allergy and immunology are founded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) and by the National Research Council (CNR), but the overall investments in this research area are quite low. Only a handful Italian excellence centers participate in European Projects on Pediatric Allergy and Immunology within the 7th Framework Program. The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology currently hosts two Italians in its Executive Committee (EC) and one in the EC of the Pediatric Section; moreover, major European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology meetings and courses in the area of pediatrics (e.g., PAAM, Venice, 2009) have been held in Italy in the last 3 yr. Italian hallmarks in the management of allergic diseases in childhood are a quite alive and spread interest in

Probabilistic induction of delayed health hazards in occupational radiation workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamad, M.H.M.; Abdel-Ghani, A.H.

2003-01-01

Occupational radiation workers are periodically monitored for their personal occupational dose. Various types of radiation measurement devices are used, mostly film badges and thermoluminescent dosimeters. Several thousand occupational radiation workers were monitored over a period of seven years (jan. 1995- Dec. 2001). These included atomic energy personnel, nuclear materials personnel, staff of mediology departments (diagnostic, therapeutic and nuclear medicine) and industrial occupational workers handling industrial radiography equipment besides other applications of radiation sources in industry. The probably of induction of health hazards in these radiation workers was assessed using the nominal probability coefficient adopted by the ICRP (1991) for both hereditary effects and cancer induction. In this treatise, data procured are presented and discussed inthe light of basic postulations of probabilistic occurrence of radiation induced delayed health effects

Dose level of occupational exposure in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Y.; Zhang, L.; Ju, Y.

2008-01-01

This paper discusses the dose level of Chinese occupational exposures during 1986-2000. Data on occupational exposures from the main categories in nuclear fuel cycle (uranium enrichment and conversion, fuel fabrication, reactor operation, waste management and research activity, except for uranium mining and milling because of the lack of data), medical uses of radiation (diagnostic radiation, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy) and industrial uses of radiation (industrial radiography and radioisotope production) are presented and summarised in detail. These are the main components of occupational exposures in China. In general, the average annual effective doses show a steady decreasing trend over periods: from 2.16 to 1.16 mSv in medical uses of radiation during 1990-2000; from 1.92 to 1.18 mSv in industrial radiography during 1990-2000; from 8.79 to 2.05 mSv in radioisotope production during the period 1980-2000. Almost all the average annual effective doses in discussed occupations were lower than 5 mSv in recent years (except for well-logging: 6.86 mSv in 1999) and no monitored workers were found to have received the occupational exposure exceeding 50 mSv in a single year or 100 mSv in a five-year period. So the Chinese protection status of occupation exposure has been improved in recent years. However, the average annual effective doses in some occupations, such as diagnostic radiology and coal mining, were still much higher than that of the whole world. There are still needs for further improvement and careful monitoring of occupational exposure to protect every worker from excessive occupational exposure, especially for the workers who were neglected before. (authors)

[Tinnitus Center at the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine--earliest experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Guzek, Wojciech J; Sułkowski, Wiesław J; Kowalska, Sylwia; Makowska, Zofia

2002-01-01

Of the 150 patients admitted in 2001 to the Tinnitus Center located at the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland, 80 were subjected to complex examinations consisted of standardized questionnaire on medical history, psychological tests and audiological assessment. The diagnostic procedure was completed for 52 patients (23 females and 29 males; mean age: 53 years). In this group, five patients were found to have conductive hearing loss due to chronic eustachtis or otosclerosis. They were excluded from further studies. Among the other 47 patients, 26 showed normal hearing threshold and 21 suffered from uni- or bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Hyperacusis was diagnosed in 16 cases. The measurements of brainstem evoked potentials revealed V wave latency asymmetry in 7 cases, which implied the necessity to perform CT or MNR. In neither of cases did this diagnosis confirm the suspected tumor development (n. VIII neurinoma or pontocerebral angle tumor. The preliminary assessment of treatment efficacy for subjective tinnitus with use of retraining therapy yielded the following conclusions: 1. The application of hearing aid brings about an immediate improvement in the patient's self-assessment of hearing and a better tolerance towards tinnitus. 2. A systematic all-day wear of noise generators contributes to the patient's increased tolerance towards tinnitus, improved mental condition and alleviated hyperacusis. 3. The efficacy of the tinnitus retraining therapy, following Jastreboff, depends on providing the patient with detailed information on the causes and mechanisms of tinnitus development. 4. The negative diagnostics for tumor within the cranial cavity has not only a soothing effect on the patient as it relieves his/her stress, but it can also be a good starting point for the tinnitus retraining therapy.

Immunological Demyelination Triggers Macrophage/Microglial Cells Activation without Inducing Astrogliosis

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Frank Cloutier

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The glial scar formed by reactive astrocytes and axon growth inhibitors associated with myelin play important roles in the failure of axonal regeneration following central nervous system (CNS injury. Our laboratory has previously demonstrated that immunological demyelination of the CNS facilitates regeneration of severed axons following spinal cord injury. In the present study, we evaluate whether immunological demyelination is accompanied with astrogliosis. We compared the astrogliosis and macrophage/microglial cell responses 7 days after either immunological demyelination or a stab injury to the dorsal funiculus. Both lesions induced a strong activated macrophage/microglial cells response which was significantly higher within regions of immunological demyelination. However, immunological demyelination regions were not accompanied by astrogliosis compared to stab injury that induced astrogliosis which extended several millimeters above and below the lesions, evidenced by astroglial hypertrophy, formation of a glial scar, and upregulation of intermediate filaments glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP. Moreover, a stab or a hemisection lesion directly within immunological demyelination regions did not induced astrogliosis within the immunological demyelination region. These results suggest that immunological demyelination creates a unique environment in which astrocytes do not form a glial scar and provides a unique model to understand the putative interaction between astrocytes and activated macrophage/microglial cells.

Immunological monitoring of the personnel at radiation hazardous facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiselev, S.M.; Sokolnikov, M.E.; Lyss, L.V.; Ilyina, N.I.

2017-01-01

The study of possible mechanisms resulting in changes in the immune system after exposure to ionizing radiation is an area that has not been thoroughly evaluated during recent years. This article presents an overview of immunological monitoring studies of personnel from the radiation-hazardous factories that took place over the past 20 years in Russia. The methodology of these studies is based on: (1) the preclinical evaluation of immune status of workers whose occupation involves potential exposure to ionizing radiation; (2) selecting at risk groups according to the nature of immune deficiency manifestation; and (3) studying the changes of immune status of employees with regard to the potential effects of radiation exposure. The principal aim of these studies is accumulation of new data on the impact of radiation exposure on the human immune system and search for the relationship between the clinical manifestations of immune disorders and laboratory parameters of immunity to improve the monitoring system of the health status of the professional workers involved in radiation-hazardous industrial environments and the population living close to these facilities. (authors)

Immunologic basis for adverse reactions to radiographic contrast media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stejskal, V; Nilsson, R; Grepe, A [Astra Pharmaceuticals AB, Soedertaelje (Sweden). Lab. of Safety Assessment Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Dept. of Genetic and Cellular Toxicology Stockholm Univ. (Sweden). Wallenberglaboratoriet Danderyds Sjukhus, Danderyd (Sweden). Radiologic Clinic

1990-11-01

The lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) was used to elucidate whether certain side effects induced by radiographic contrast media have an immunologic etiology. Groups studied were: 8 patients who had previously experienced adverse reactions in association with urography, 6 patients who underwent urography without notable side reactions, 17 occupationally exposed nurses, and 9 unexposed controls. The lymphocytes from 2 hypersensitive patients and from 11 nurses exhibited a positive proliferative response to amidotrizoate. Five nurses who had shown a positive response, had a previous history of hypersensitivity reactions when handling contrast media, whereas the remaining 6 were free of symptoms. Amidotrizoatespecific memory cells were absent in patients who underwent urography without signs of hypersensitivity and in 7/9 of unexposed control subjects. Lymphocytes from patients sensitive to amidotrizoate cross-reacted to structurally related ionic contrast media while nonionic contrast agents did not induce proliferation of the lymphocytes. Thus, ionic radiographic contrast agents have antigenic properties in man. Irradiated mixtures of radiographic contrast media and serum proteins were, in general, not effective in inducing an LTT response. (orig.).

Immunologic basis for adverse reactions to radiographic contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stejskal, V.; Nilsson, R.; Grepe, A.; Stockholm Univ.; Stockholm Univ.; Danderyds Sjukhus, Danderyd

1990-01-01

The lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) was used to elucidate whether certain side effects induced by radiographic contrast media have an immunologic etiology. Groups studied were: 8 patients who had previously experienced adverse reactions in association with urography, 6 patients who underwent urography without notable side reactions, 17 occupationally exposed nurses, and 9 unexposed controls. The lymphocytes from 2 hypersensitive patients and from 11 nurses exhibited a positive proliferative response to amidotrizoate. Five nurses who had shown a positive response, had a previous history of hypersensitivity reactions when handling contrast media, whereas the remaining 6 were free of symptoms. Amidotrizoatespecific memory cells were absent in patients who underwent urography without signs of hypersensitivity and in 7/9 of unexposed control subjects. Lymphocytes from patients sensitive to amidotrizoate cross-reacted to structurally related ionic contrast media while nonionic contrast agents did not induce proliferation of the lymphocytes. Thus, ionic radiographic contrast agents have antigenic properties in man. Irradiated mixtures of radiographic contrast media and serum proteins were, in general, not effective in inducing an LTT response. (orig.)

Advances in asthma, allergy and immunology series 2004: basic and clinical immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Chinen, Javier; Shearer, William T

2004-08-01

This review highlights some of the most significant advances in basic and clinical immunology that were published from August 2002 to December 2003, focusing on manuscripts that appeared in the Journal. Articles selected were those considered most relevant to Journal readers. With regard to basic immunology, this report includes articles describing FcepsilonRI expression in mucosal Langerhans cells and type II dendritic cells, mechanisms of TH1 and TH2 regulation, the role of Foxp3 in the development of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells, and the increasing importance of Toll receptors in immunity. Articles related to clinical immunology that were selected include the first report of lymphocyte subsets values from a large cohort of normal children; the description of new genetic defects in primary immunodeficiencies; a description of the complications of gene therapy for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency; a report of 79 patients with hyper-IgM syndrome; a report of the mechanism of action and complications of intravenous immunoglobulin; a report of new approaches for immunotherapy; and an article on advances in HIV infection and management, including a report of defensins, small molecules with anti-HIV properties. Also summarized is an article that studied the immune system during a prolonged stay in the Antarctic, a model for human studies on the effect of environmental conditions similar to space expeditions.

Performance of immunological response in predicting virological failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingole, Nayana; Mehta, Preeti; Pazare, Amar; Paranjpe, Supriya; Sarkate, Purva

2013-03-01

In HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART), the decision on when to switch from first-line to second-line therapy is dictated by treatment failure, and this can be measured in three ways: clinically, immunologically, and virologically. While viral load (VL) decreases and CD4 cell increases typically occur together after starting ART, discordant responses may be seen. Hence the current study was designed to determine the immunological and virological response to ART and to evaluate the utility of immunological response to predict virological failure. All treatment-naive HIV-positive individuals aged >18 years who were eligible for ART were enrolled and assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months clinically and by CD4 cell count and viral load estimations. The patients were categorized as showing concordant favorable (CF), immunological only (IO), virological only (VO), and concordant unfavorable responses (CU). The efficiency of immunological failure to predict virological failure was analyzed across various levels of virological failure (VL>50, >500, and >5,000 copies/ml). At 6 months, 87(79.81%), 7(5.5%), 13 (11.92%), and 2 (1.83%) patients and at 12 months 61(69.3%), 9(10.2%), 16 (18.2%), and 2 (2.3%) patients had CF, IO, VO, and CU responses, respectively. Immunological failure criteria had a very low sensitivity (11.1-40%) and positive predictive value (8.3-25%) to predict virological failure. Immunological criteria do not accurately predict virological failure resulting in significant misclassification of therapeutic responses. There is an urgent need for inclusion of viral load testing in the initiation and monitoring of ART.

Paul Ehrlich: the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine 1908.

Science.gov (United States)

Piro, Anna; Tagarelli, Antonio; Tagarelli, Giuseppe; Lagonia, Paolo; Quattrone, Aldo

2008-01-01

We wish to commemorate Paul Ehrlich on the centennial of his being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1908. His studies are now considered as milestones in immunology: the morphology of leukocytes; his side-chain theory where he defined the cellular receptor for first time; and his clarification of the difference between serum therapy and chemotherapy. Ehrlich also invented the first chemotherapeutic drug: compound 606, or Salvarsan. We have used some original documents from the Royal Society of London, where Ehrlich was a fellow, and from Leipzig University, where he took a degree in medicine.

Public, environmental, and occupational health research activity in Arab countries: bibliometric, citation, and collaboration analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweileh, Waleed M; Zyoud, Sa'ed H; Al-Jabi, Samah W; Sawalha, Ansam F

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to analyze quantity, assess quality, and investigate international collaboration in research from Arab countries in the field of public, environmental and occupational health. Original scientific articles and reviews published from the 22 Arab countries in the category "public, environmental & occupational health" during the study period (1900 - 2012) were screened using the ISI Web of Science database. The total number of original and review research articles published in the category of "public, environmental & occupational health" from Arab countries was 4673. Main area of research was tropical medicine (1862; 39.85%). Egypt with 1200 documents (25.86%) ranked first in quantity and ranked first in quality of publications (h-index = 51). The study identified 2036 (43.57%) documents with international collaboration. Arab countries actively collaborated with authors in Western Europe (22.91%) and North America (21.04%). Most of the documents (79.9%) were published in public health related journals while 21% of the documents were published in journals pertaining to prevention medicine, environmental, occupational health and epidemiology. Research in public, environmental and occupational health in Arab countries is in the rise. Public health research was dominant while environmental and occupation health research was relatively low. International collaboration was a good tool for increasing research quantity and quality.

42 CFR 493.837 - Standard; General immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standard; General immunology. 493.837 Section 493.837 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... These Tests § 493.837 Standard; General immunology. (a) Failure to attain a score of at least 80 percent...

Enhancement of the radiological protection in the Nuclear Medicine Centres in Peru

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, Edith; Gonzales, Susana; Zapata, Luis

2008-01-01

Full text: The Laboratory of Internal Dosimetry (LDI) of the Nuclear Energy Peruvian Institute (IPEN) is the laboratory which offers the service of internal dosimetry to the IPEN personnel who works handling non sealed radioactive sources. The Laboratory has participated in several intercomparison exercises featuring in vivo measurements, in vitro methods and dose calculations with acceptable results, which are indicators that the laboratory results are reliable. The National Program of Radiological Protection for occupational exposed workers, who handles non sealed radioactive sources, allows involving the IPEN occupational exposed workers and the Nuclear Medicine Centres Personnel. In Peru, there are 5000 occupational exposed workers, 3500 of them are controlled through external dosimetry. There are approximately 230 occupational exposed workers to non sealed radioactive sources, 67 of them are registered in the National Regulatory Authority and 20 are controlled radiologically. The aim of this study is the enhancement of the radiological safety of the personnel who works in the Nuclear Medicine Centres and handles non sealed radioactive sources. As part of this work, activities addressed to improve the radiological safety of the occupational exposed workers were taken place such as: supply of technical documents about radiological safety, performance of surveys and polls and the organization of a workshop involving the participation of several health professionals working in this field. The situation of the control measures in the radiation protection of the patients and occupational exposed workers, based in updated regulatory documents, have been assessed and it allowed knowing and learning that the occupational exposed workers of the Nuclear Medicine Centres could perform their own monitoring program since they have potential capabilities like Iodine Uptake Systems and calibrated Gamma cameras. This study involves 15 public and private institutions. (author)

50 years of Dutch immunology--founders, institutions, highlights.

Science.gov (United States)

Gmelig-Meyling, Frits H J; Meyaard, Linde; Mebius, Reina E

2014-12-01

At the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Dutch Society for Immunology (DSI, de Nederlandse Vereniging voor Immunologie), this contribution deals with some highlights of 50 years of Immunology in the Netherlands. It narrates about the founders and first board members of the DSI, their institutes, progeny and patrimony, describes major centers of immunological activities, mentions key persons in the field, and touches upon some events dear to the Society and its members. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occupational medical prophylaxis for the musculoskeletal system: A function-oriented system for physical examination of the locomotor system in occupational medicine (fokus(C

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Schwarze Sieglinde

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Occupational physicians are very often confronted with questions as to the fitness of the postural and locomotor systems, especially the spinal column. Occupational medical assessment and advice can be required by patients with acute symptoms, at routine check-ups, by persons who have problems doing certain jobs, and for expert medical reports as to the fitness of persons with chronic disorders or after operations. Therefore, for occupational medical purposes a physical examination must aim primarily to investigate functions and not structures or radiologic evidence. The physical examination should be structured systematically and according to regions of the body and, together with a specific (pain anamnesis should provide a basis for the medical assessment. This paper presents a function-oriented system for physical examination of the locomotor system, named fokus(C (Funktionsorientierte Koerperliche Untersuchungssystematik, also available on DVD. fokus(C has been developed with a view to its relevance for occupational medical practice and does not aim primarily to provide a precise diagnosis. Decisive for an occupational medical assessment of disorders of the musculoskeletal system is rather information about functional disorders and any impairment of performance or mobility which they can cause. The division of the physical examination into a rapid screening phase and a subsequent more intensive functional diagnostic phase has proved its practicability in many years of day-to-day use. Here, in contrast to the very extensive measures recommended for orthopaedic and manual diagnosis, for reasons of efficiency and usability of the system in routine occupational medical examinations the examination is structured according to the findings. So it is reduced to that which is most necessary and feasible.

The immunological synapse

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klemmensen, Thomas; Pedersen, Lars Ostergaard; Geisler, Carsten

2003-01-01

. A distinct 3-dimensional supramolecular structure at the T cell/APC interface has been suggested to be involved in the information transfer. Due to its functional analogy to the neuronal synapse, the structure has been termed the "immunological synapse" (IS). Here, we review molecular aspects concerning...

Notification of occupational disease and the risk of work disability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolstad, Henrik A; Christensen, Michael V; Jensen, Lone Donbæk

2012-01-01

for patients who were not working. CONCLUSIONS: Notification of an occupational disease may, as an unintended side effect, increase the risk of work disability. A cautious interpretation is warranted because data analyses may not fully have accounted for the poorer vocational prognosis already present......OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze if notification of an occupational disease increases the risk of work disability. METHODS: We included 2304 patients examined at the Department of Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, 1998-2005 and followed them for two years. A total......, occupational, and social characteristics that predict poorer vocational prognosis. Analyses that adjusted for these differences showed an increased risk of work disability following notification for patients who were working when notified at baseline (HR (adj)1.46, 95% CI 1.17-1.82). No effect was seen...

THE IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF RA PATIENTS WITH ANAEMIA

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A. E. Sizikov

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract. The aim of the investigation was to study the immunological characteristics of RA patients with anaemia. Clinical and laboratory data including the percentage of the main lymphocyte subclasses, phagocyte and DTH-effector activity, serum concentration of immunoglobulins, the percentage of cells producing IFNγ and/or IL-4 and percent of monocytes producing TNF. We revealed some significant clinical, laboratory and immunological differences between RA patients and healthy donors and between patients with and without anaemia. Our data demonstrate RA anemic patients to have more severe disorders than patients without anaemia. We also revealed some significant immunological differences between RA patients and healthy donors and between patients with and without anaemia, including percent of cells producing IFNγ and/or IL-4. Our data permit to conclude that RA patients have many different immunological disturbances, more severe in anaemic patients.

Perception of and attitude toward ethical issues among Korean occupational physicians.

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Choi, Junghye; Suh, Chunhui; Lee, Jong-Tae; Lee, Segyeong; Lee, Chae-Kwan; Lee, Gyeong-Jin; Kim, Taekjoong; Son, Byung-Chul; Kim, Jeong-Ho; Kim, Kunhyung; Kim, Dae Hwan; Ryu, Ji Young

2017-01-01

Occupational physicians (OPs) have complex relationships with employees, employers, and the general public. OPs may have simultaneous obligations towards third parties, which can lead to variable conflicts of interests. Among the various studies of ethical issues related to OPs, few have focused on the Korean OPs. The aim of the present survey was to investigate the ethical contexts, the practical resolutions, and the ethical principles for the Korean OPs. An email with a self-administered questionnaire was sent to members of the Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, comprising 150 specialists and 130 residents. The questionnaire was also distributed to 52 specialists and 46 residents who attended the annual meeting of the Korean Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics in October 2015, and to 240 specialists by uploading the questionnaire to the online community 'oem-doctors' in February 2016. The responses to each question (perception of general ethical conflicts, recognition of various ethical codes for OPs, core professional values in ethics of occupational medicine, and a mock case study) were compared between specialists and residents by the chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test. Responses were received from 80 specialists and 71 residents. Most participants had experienced ethical conflicts at work and felt the need for systematic education and training. OPs suffered the most ethical conflicts in decisions regarding occupational health examination and evaluation for work relatedness. Over 60% of total participants were unaware of the ethical codes of other countries. Participants thought 'consideration of worker's health and safety' (26.0%) and 'neutrality' (24.7%) as the prominent ethical values in professionality ofoccupational medicine. In mock cases, participants chose beneficence and justice for fitness for work and confidential information acquired while on duty, and beneficence and respect for autonomy in pre

Evaluation of Occupational Closed Globe Eye Injuries

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Berna Akova-Budak

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: To evaluate closed glob injuries related to occupational accidents of patients who had official occupational accident records. Material and Method: The medical records of patients with ocular injuries who referred to Department of Ophthalmology or emergency of Uludag University, School of Medicine between January 2010 and December 2013 with official occupational accident report were retrospectively reviewed. The patients with closed globe injuries following trauma were included. Age, sex, the injured eye, the cause of the trauma, whether the precautions were taken or not by the patient, the damage due to trauma were recorded. Results: According to the official records, 108 patients referred to our clinic with closed globe injury related to occupational accident. One hundred twenty eyes of 108 patients ( 2 females, 106 males were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 33±8.6 years. The most frequent cause of injury was foreign bodies on the ocular surface followed by blunt trauma. The mean age of the patients injured with foreign bodies was found to be significantly lower than the patients injured with blunt objects (p=0.039. Thirteen patients reported that they had used preventive equipment. Discussion: It is of utmost importance that the awareness of the workers should be raised and they should be educated about the use of preventive equipment to prevent the occupational eye injuries. The education of particularly the younger patients about the occupational injuries when they begin to work may decrease the rate of occupational accident related eye injuries.

Immunology of Bee Venom.

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Elieh Ali Komi, Daniel; Shafaghat, Farzaneh; Zwiener, Ricardo D

2017-01-20

Bee venom is a blend of biochemicals ranging from small peptides and enzymes to biogenic amines. It is capable of triggering severe immunologic reactions owing to its allergenic fraction. Venom components are presented to the T cells by antigen-presenting cells within the skin. These Th2 type T cells then release IL-4 and IL-13 which subsequently direct B cells to class switch to production of IgE. Generating venom-specific IgE and crosslinking FcεR1(s) on the surface of mast cells complete the sensitizing stage in allergic individuals who are most likely to experience severe and even fatal allergic reactions after being stung. Specific IgE for bee venom is a double-edged sword as it is a powerful mediator in triggering allergic events but is also applied successfully in diagnosis of the venom allergic patient. The healing capacity of bee venom has been rediscovered under laboratory-controlled conditions using animal models and cell cultures. The potential role of enzymatic fraction of bee venom including phospholipase A2 in the initiation and development of immune responses also has been studied in numerous research settings. Undoubtedly, having insights into immunologic interactions between bee venom components and innate/specific immune cells both locally and systematically will contribute to the development of immunologic strategies in specific and epitope-based immunotherapy especially in individuals with Hymenoptera venom allergy.

Workshop. Assessment of Occupational and Environmental Exposure to Genotoxic Substances - a Methodological Approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

During the workshop various works concerning radiobiology, environmental and occupational medicine were presented. Exposure to genotoxic and carcinogenic agents, like ionizing radiation, aromatic hydrocarbons, herbicides, pesticides was investigated

[Occupational stress and job burnout in doctors].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wei; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Wang, Mian-Zhen; Lan, Ya-Jia; Wu, Si-Ying

2006-03-01

To investigate the status of job burnout in doctors and its relationship with occupational stress. A total of 561 doctors from three provincial hospitals were randomly selected. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) was used to identify job burnout. The occupation stress inventory revised edition (OSI-R) was used to evaluate the level of occupational stress. Surgeon and doctors working in the internal medicine wards scored significantly higher in job burnout than their colleagues (P < 0.05). The 30-40 years of age group scored highest in exhaustion. The score of professional efficacy decreased with age and increased with educational levels. Role overload, responsibility, physical environment, reaction and self-care were major predictors for exhaustion. Role insufficiency, role overload and responsibility were major predictors for cynicism. Role insufficiency, social support and rational/cognitive were major predictors for professional efficacy. Maintaining moderate professional duty and responsibility, clearly defining job requirements, enriching leisure activities, and improving self-care ability are important measures to preventing job burnout.

Immunology & Human Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Jeffrey R.; And Others

This monograph was designed for the high school biology curriculum. The first section reviews the major areas of importance in immunology. Section three contains six instructional activities for the high school classroom and the second section contains teacher's materials for those activities. The activities address for students some of the major…

Cough-variant asthma: a diagnostic dilemma in the occupational setting.

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Lipińska-Ojrzanowska, A; Wiszniewska, M; Walusiak-Skorupa, J

2015-03-01

Cough-variant asthma (Corrao's syndrome) is defined as the presence of chronic non-productive cough in patients with bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and response to bronchodilator therapy. This variant of asthma may present a diagnostic problem in occupational medicine. To describe additional evaluation of cough-variant asthma in a cyanoacrylate-exposed worker in whom standard diagnostic testing was negative. A female beautician was evaluated for suspected occupational allergic rhinitis and asthma. A specific inhalation challenge test (SICT) was performed with cyanoacrylate glues used for applying artificial eyelashes and nails. Spirometry and peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements were recorded hourly for 24h; methacholine challenge testing was performed and nasal lavage (NL) samples were analysed for eosinophilia. After SICT, the patient developed sneezing, nasal airflow obstruction and cough. Declines in forced expiratory volume in 1 s and PEF were not observed. Eosinophil proportions in NL fluid increased markedly at 4 and 24h after SICT. A significant increase in BHR also occurred 24h after SICT. Clinical symptoms, post-challenge BHR and increased NL eosinophil counts confirmed a positive response to SICT and validated the diagnosis of cough-variant occupational asthma. SICT may be useful in cases where history and clinical data suggest cough-variant asthma and spirometric indices are negative. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Face-offs in reproductive immunology: the Montreal forum meeting report.

Science.gov (United States)

Croy, B Anne; Baines, Malcolm G

2004-10-01

The combined 12th International Congress of Immunology (ICI) and the 4th Annual Conference of the Federation of Clinical Immunological Societies (FOCIS) was held in Montreal, Canada July 18-23, 2004 and attracted over 6000 immunologists and almost 4000 abstracts. The host society, the Canadian Society for Immunology (CSI) spent many years in preparation for this large meeting and encouraged its members to propose topics for symposia and mini-symposia and to sponsor satellite meetings. With sponsorship of CSI; the Canadian Institutes of Health Research; the University of Guelph, Guelph, ON; Queen's University, Kingston, ON; McGill University, Montreal, QU, Canada; and the American Society for Reproductive Immunology, a focused, highly successful, one day satellite meeting on human uterine immunology was held. The highlights of the presentations and discussions are reported.

Comparative anatomy of phagocytic and immunological synapses

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Florence eNiedergang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The generation of phagocytic cups and immunological synapses are crucial events of the innate and adaptive immune responses, respectively. They are triggered by distinct immune receptors and performed by different cell types. However, growing experimental evidence shows that a very close series of molecular and cellular events control these two processes. Thus, the tight and dynamic interplay between receptor signaling, actin and microtubule cytoskeleton, and targeted vesicle traffic are all critical features to build functional phagosomes and immunological synapses. Interestingly, both phagocytic cups and immunological synapses display particular spatial and temporal patterns of receptors and signaling molecules, leading to the notion of phagocytic synapse. Here we discuss both types of structures, their organization and the mechanisms by which they are generated and regulated.

Radiation exams in occupational medical evaluations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gelsleichter, A.M.; Hunh, A.; Nandi, D.M.

2017-01-01

Introduction: In occupational medicine, medical care must be geared toward the prevention of worker health. However, occupational medical exams often seek only through rigorous screening, reduce absenteeism, and thus increase productivity. To meet this goal, many institutions include radiological examinations indiscriminately in their medical and expert evaluations, contrary to the principle of justification. Objective: To provide a reflection about the presence of radiological exams in occupational medical evaluations. Methodology: Literary review including legislation related to the research topic. Results: Portaria 453/98 ANVISA prohibits the performance of radiological examinations for employment or expert purposes, except in cases where the exam may bring a benefit to the health of the individual examined or to society. However, in some situations the Norma Regulamentadora number 7 of the Ministry of Labor and Employment provides for radiological exams as a parameter for monitoring occupational exposure. Article 168 of the Consolidation of Labor Laws also prescribes that additional examinations may be required, at the medical discretion, to determine the physical and mental fitness of the employee for the job. Conclusion: Although there are legal provisions that prohibit and others that allow radiological exams in medical occupational evaluations, companies and institutions should take into account that any radiological exam has a risk involved and should not request them in a compulsory and indiscriminate manner. Radiological exams are only permissible to elucidate the diagnostic hypothesis produced by clinical evaluation, in order to provide a real benefit for the individual

On immunological polymorphism of autoimmune thyroiditis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karachentsev, Yu.Yi.

1999-01-01

The study involved 46 persons. In the majority of patients the exposure dose was 0.155±0.01 Gy. Clinical, ultrasound, immunological, statistical and non-parametric methods were used. Considerable immunological polymorphism of autoimmune thyroiditis in the liquidators has been established; 1) with disturbances in the cellular immunity and low antithyroid antibody index, 2) without disturbances in the cellular immunity with positive indices of antithyroid antibodies, 3) with disturbances in cellular immunity and high indices of TH and MA antibodies

FOCIS goes south: advances in translational and clinical immunology.

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Kalergis, Alexis M; Anegon, Ignacio; González, Pablo A

2017-09-01

FOCIS goes South: Advances in Translational and Clinical Immunology was the first Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) ( www.focisnet.org ) meeting held in Latin America (May 15-17, 2017, Santiago de Chile, Chile). The meeting was organized as a 3-day workshop and was fostered by the Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, a recently nominated FOCIS Center of Excellence. The workshop brought together FOCIS associates, such as members of the FOCIS Board of Directors, Directors of different Centers of Excellence, regional speakers and 350 attendees. The Meeting covered aspects of immune regulation and modulation, as well as immunotherapy in areas of autoimmunity, transplantation, cancer and infectious diseases, among others. The activity also had a full-day immunology course and a day-long flow cytometry course.

Citizens unite for computational immunology!

Science.gov (United States)

Belden, Orrin S; Baker, Sarah Catherine; Baker, Brian M

2015-07-01

Recruiting volunteers who can provide computational time, programming expertise, or puzzle-solving talent has emerged as a powerful tool for biomedical research. Recent projects demonstrate the potential for such 'crowdsourcing' efforts in immunology. Tools for developing applications, new funding opportunities, and an eager public make crowdsourcing a serious option for creative solutions for computationally-challenging problems. Expanded uses of crowdsourcing in immunology will allow for more efficient large-scale data collection and analysis. It will also involve, inspire, educate, and engage the public in a variety of meaningful ways. The benefits are real - it is time to jump in! Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IMMUNOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF LOCAL INFLAMMATION

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V. A. Chereshnev

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract.  The  lecture  presents  current  data,  as  well  as  authors’  view  to  the  issue  of  immune  system involvement into inflammation. General physiological principles of immune system functioning are considered in details. Immunological mechanisms of local inflammation and participation of immune system components are analyzed with regard of protective/adaptive reactions in inflammatory foci. Original formulations of basic concepts are presented from the viewpoint of pathophysiology, immunopathology and clinical immunology, as being applied to the issues discussed. (Med. Immunol., 2011, vol. 13, N 6, pp 557-568

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Allergy Practices: Results of a Nationwide Survey of Allergists.

Science.gov (United States)

Land, Michael H; Wang, Julie

The use of complementary and alternative practices in the field of Allergy/Immunology is growing. A recent survey of American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology members examining patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and adverse effects from CAM revealed that a majority of practitioners (81% of respondents) had patients who are using CAM therapies over conventional treatments and many practitioners (60% of survey respondents) have encountered patients experiencing adverse reactions. During routine office visits, a majority of practitioners do not ask patients about CAM use, and when they do, most do not have a standard intake form to take a CAM history. There is a strong need to increase knowledge and improve measures to prevent adverse reactions to CAMs. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examination of occupational exposure to medical staff (primarily nurses) during 131I medical treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Masayoshi; Ishikawa, Naofumi; Ito, Kunihiko; Ito, Koichi

2004-01-01

Recently, a new amendment to protect against radiation damage to humans has been enacted based on a 1990 recommendation by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Consequently, the dose limits of occupational exposure to medical staff were cut down sharply compared with conventional readjustments. This amended bill, however, may be triggering a reduction in the number of applicants, which hope to engage in radiotherapy. This being the case, we measured the dose levels of the occupational exposure to medical staff (doctor's group, nuclear medicine technologist's group, nurse's group and pharmacist's group) from 1999 to 2002. Moreover, we investigated what the main factor is in nurse's occupational exposure to 131 I. The highest doses of occupational exposure were 3.640 mSv to doctors, 7.060 mSv to nuclear medicine technologists, 1.486 mSv to nurses and 0.552 mSv to pharmacists. According to our results, it was clear that the highest doses in each group were far below the legally mandated upper limits of exposure doses. Although we investigated the correlations between the factors of nurse's occupational exposure to 131 I with the number of inpatients, the amount of 131 I and the number of servicing times for patients, there were no correlations found. Furthermore, to analyzing the factors in detail, it became clear that the main factor in the nurse's occupational exposure was due to the existence of patients who needed many more servicing times for their care than ordinary patients. (author)

Communication, the centrosome and the immunological synapse.

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Stinchcombe, Jane C; Griffiths, Gillian M

2014-09-05

Recent findings on the behaviour of the centrosome at the immunological synapse suggest a critical role for centrosome polarization in controlling the communication between immune cells required to generate an effective immune response. The features observed at the immunological synapse show parallels to centrosome (basal body) polarization seen in cilia and flagella, and the cellular communication that is now known to occur at all of these sites.

The practice of travel medicine in Europe.

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Schlagenhauf, P; Santos-O'Connor, F; Parola, P

2010-03-01

Europe, because of its geographical location, strategic position on trade routes, and colonial past, has a long history of caring for travellers' health. Within Europe, there is great diversity in the practice of travel medicine. Some countries have travel medicine societies and provisions for a periodic distribution of recommendations, but many countries have no national pre-travel guidelines and follow international recommendations such as those provided by the WHO. Providers of travel medicine include tropical medicine specialists, general practice nurses and physicians, specialist 'travel clinics', occupational physicians, and pharmacists. One of the core functions of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control-funded network of travel and tropical medicine professionals, EuroTravNet, is to document the status quo of travel medicine in Europe. A three-pronged approach is used, with a real-time online questionnaire, a structured interview with experts in each country, and web searching.

Work-related rhinitis – Is it always an occupational disease?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Witold Salski

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the upper respiratory tract, characterized by a high prevalence and a complex pathogenesis. Work-related rhinitis (WRR can be divided into occupational rhinitis (OR and work-exacerbated rhinitis (WER. It is not only considered as a disease entity but also in the context of medical certification as the allergic disease associated with occupational exposure. Epidemiology of work-related rhinitis has been found to vary depending on the occupation and specific exposure, on the other hand the prevalence data may be underestimated due to the lack of uniform diagnostic criteria. This paper reviews the issues comprising the pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of patients with work-related rhinitis. It also discusses the significance of the disease in occupational medicine, particularly in terms of preventive worker care, general principles of good practice in primary and secondary WRR prevention and the necessary directions of changes in medical certification in the cases of occupational rhinitis. Med Pr 2016;67(6:801–815

Single Cell Genomics: Approaches and Utility in Immunology

Science.gov (United States)

Neu, Karlynn E; Tang, Qingming; Wilson, Patrick C; Khan, Aly A

2017-01-01

Single cell genomics offers powerful tools for studying lymphocytes, which make it possible to observe rare and intermediate cell states that cannot be resolved at the population-level. Advances in computer science and single cell sequencing technology have created a data-driven revolution in immunology. The challenge for immunologists is to harness computing and turn an avalanche of quantitative data into meaningful discovery of immunological principles, predictive models, and strategies for therapeutics. Here, we review the current literature on computational analysis of single cell RNA-seq data and discuss underlying assumptions, methods, and applications in immunology, and highlight important directions for future research. PMID:28094102

Recent advances in the field of nutritional immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Monk, Jennifer M; Hou, Tim Y; Chapkin, Robert S

2011-11-01

Every 4 years, researchers in the cross-disciplinary field of nutritional immunology convene for a FASEB-sponsored meeting entitled, "Nutritional Immunology: Role in Health and Disease", which was held this summer in Carefree, AZ, USA. The scope of the conference encompassed a diverse list of research topics, including, but not restricted to, obesity and immune dysfunction, nutrient-gene interactions, mucosal immunity and a discussion of future directions for the field. Here, we summarize some of the findings shared at the conference, specifically focusing on obesity, immunological function of dietary components (n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and flavanoids), gut immunity and the microbiota, and relevant emerging technologies and databases.

[Work-related rhinitis - Is it always an occupational disease?

Science.gov (United States)

Salski, Witold; Wiszniewska, Marta; Salska, Agata; Tymoszuk, Diana; Walusiak-Skorupa, Jolanta

2016-12-22

Rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the upper respiratory tract, characterized by a high prevalence and a complex pathogenesis. Work-related rhinitis (WRR) can be divided into occupational rhinitis (OR) and work-exacerbated rhinitis (WER). It is not only considered as a disease entity but also in the context of medical certification as the allergic disease associated with occupational exposure. Epidemiology of work-related rhinitis has been found to vary depending on the occupation and specific exposure, on the other hand the prevalence data may be underestimated due to the lack of uniform diagnostic criteria. This paper reviews the issues comprising the pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of patients with work-related rhinitis. It also discusses the significance of the disease in occupational medicine, particularly in terms of preventive worker care, general principles of good practice in primary and secondary WRR prevention and the necessary directions of changes in medical certification in the cases of occupational rhinitis. Med Pr 2016;67(6):801-815. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Effect of surgical and immunological castration on haematological ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The PCV and HB of dogs surgically castrated increased progressively up to16th week after castration but only up to10 weeks in dogs immunologically castrated. Both PCV and HB decreased progressively after 10 weeks in dogs immunologically castrated. Similarly, the WBC of dogs surgically castrated steadily increased ...

[History of occupational health physician and industrial safety and health law].

Science.gov (United States)

Horie, Seichi

2013-10-01

In Japan, an employer of a workplace with 50 or more employees is legally required to assign an occupational health physician. The assignment rate in 2010 was reported as 87.0%. This policy started with the provision of "factory physician"in the Factory Law in 1938, then the Labour Standard Law stipulated "physician hygienist" in 1947, and finally the Industrial Safety and Health Law defined "occupational health physician" in 1972. In 1996, a revision of the law then required those physicians to complete training courses in occupational medicine, as designated by an ordinance. Historically, an on-site physician was expected to cure injuries and to prevent communicable diseases of factory workers. The means of occupational hygienic management by working environment measurements, etc., and of health management by health examinations, etc., were developed. Localized exhaust ventilation and personal protection equipment became widely utilized. Qualification systems for non-medical experts in occupational hygiene were structured, and relationships between employers and occupational health physicians were stipulated in the legislative documents. Currently, the Japan Medical Association and the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan educate and train occupational health physicians, and the Japan Society for Occupational Health maintains a specialized board certification system for these physicians. In the future, additional efforts should be made to strengthen the expertise of occupational health physicians, to define and recognize the roles of non-medical experts in occupational hygiene, to incorporate occupational health services in small enterprises, to promote occupational health risk assessment in the workplace, and to reorganize the current legislation, amended repeatedly over the decades.

Do workers' health surveillance examinations fulfill their occupational preventive objective? Analysis of the medical practice of occupational physicians in Catalonia, Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Jareño, Mari Cruz; Molinero, Emilia; de Montserrat, Jaume; Vallès, Antoni; Aymerich, Marta

2017-10-06

Although routine workers' health examinations are extensively performed worldwide with important resource allocation, few studies have analyzed their quality. The objective of this study has been to analyze the medical practice of workers' health examinations in Catalonia (Spain) in terms of its occupational preventive aim. A cross-sectional study was carried out by means of an online survey addressed to occupational physicians who were members of the Catalan Society of Safety and Occupational Medicine. The questionnaire included factual questions on how they performed health examinations in their usual practice. The bivariate analysis of the answers was performed by type of occupational health service (external/internal). The response rate was 57.9% (N = 168), representing 40.3% of the reference population. A high percentage of occupational physicians had important limitations in their current medical practice, including availability of clinical and exposure information, job-specificity of tests, and early detection and appropriate management of suspected occupational diseases. The situation in external occupational health services - that covered the great majority of Catalan employees - was worse remarkably in regard to knowledge of occupational and nonoccupational sickness absence data, participation in the investigation of occupational injuries and diseases, and accessibility for workers to the occupational health service. This study raises serious concerns about the occupational preventive usefulness of these health examinations, and subsequently about our health surveillance system, based primarily on them. Professionals alongside health and safety institutions and stakeholders should promote the rationalization of this system, following the technical criteria of need, relevance, scientific validity and effectiveness, whilst ensuring that its ultimate goal of improving the health and safety of workers in relation to work is fulfilled. Other countries with

Do workers’ health surveillance examinations fulfill their occupational preventive objective? Analysis of the medical practice of occupational physicians in Catalonia, Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari Cruz Rodríguez-Jareño

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Although routine workers’ health examinations are extensively performed worldwide with important resource allocation, few studies have analyzed their quality. The objective of this study has been to analyze the medical practice of workers’ health examinations in Catalonia (Spain in terms of its occupational preventive aim. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by means of an online survey addressed to occupational physicians who were members of the Catalan Society of Safety and Occupational Medicine. The questionnaire included factual questions on how they performed health examinations in their usual practice. The bivariate analysis of the answers was performed by type of occupational health service (external/internal. Results: The response rate was 57.9% (N = 168, representing 40.3% of the reference population. A high percentage of occupational physicians had important limitations in their current medical practice, including availability of clinical and exposure information, job-specificity of tests, and early detection and appropriate management of suspected occupational diseases. The situation in external occupational health services – that covered the great majority of Catalan employees – was worse remarkably in regard to knowledge of occupational and nonoccupational sickness absence data, participation in the investigation of occupational injuries and diseases, and accessibility for workers to the occupational health service. Conclusions: This study raises serious concerns about the occupational preventive usefulness of these health examinations, and subsequently about our health surveillance system, based primarily on them. Professionals alongside health and safety institutions and stakeholders should promote the rationalization of this system, following the technical criteria of need, relevance, scientific validity and effectiveness, whilst ensuring that its ultimate goal of improving the health

Dose measurement received by the exposed occupationally personnel of the nuclear medicine department of the INCan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez U, N. A.

2011-01-01

Personal dose equivalent (PDE) values were determined for occupational exposed workers (OEW) at the Nuclear Medicine Department (NMD) of Instituto Nacional de Cancerologia (INCan), Mexico, using TLD-100 thermoluminescent dosemeters. OEW at NMD, INCan make use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Radionuclides associated to a pharmaceutical compound used at this Department are 131 I, 18 F, 67 Ga, 99m Tc, 111 In and 201 Tl with main gamma emission energies between 93 and 511 keV. Dosemeter calibration was performed at the metrology department of Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Mexico. Every occupational worker used dark containers with three dosemeters which were replaced monthly for a total of 5 periods. Additionally, control dosemeters were also placed at a site free of radioactive sources in order to determine the background radiation. Results were adjusted to find PDE/day and estimating annual PDE values in the range between 2 mSv (background) and a maximum of 9 mSv. Two of the 16 members of the OEW receive high estimated annual doses (6-9 mSv), other 5 receive annual doses between 3 and 5 mSv, other 3 between 2.5 and 3 mSv, and the rest receive dose values consistent with background radiation. These values are dependent on their daily activities and it is clear that the maximum doses are received by those OEW who perform nursing duties and receive radiopharmaceuticals for daily use. All obtained values are well within the established annual OEW dose limit stated in the General Regulation of Radiological Protection, Mexico (50 mSv) as well as within the lower limit recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Protection, report no. 60 (20 mSv). Additionally, consistence was found between measured monthly values and those reported by the firm that performs the monthly service. These results verify the adequate compliance of the NMD at INCan, Mexico with the standards given by the national regulatory

10 workshops on Immunology of preeclampsia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerard, Chaouat

2017-09-01

For the 10th issue of the « island workshops », now the Reunion Workshops, organised by Pierre Yves Robillard since the first one in Tahiti challenging the "vascular disease only" theory of pre eclampsia and introducing the primipaternity concept, we examined the reasons for considering an Immunological approach to the disease. This (brief) overview thus examines several important topics in an Immunological framework. I have chosen to present here the evolution of the main themes rather than a purely chronological vision. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Update on Gender Equity in Immunology, 2001 to 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Virginia Smith; Kovats, Susan; Parent, Michelle A; Gaffen, Sarah L; Hedrick, Catherine C; Jain, Pooja; Denzin, Lisa K; Raghavan, Malini; Stephens, Robin

2016-11-15

In 2001, The American Association of Immunologists Committee on the Status of Women conducted a survey examining the percentage of women faculty members within immunology departments or women in immunology graduate programs across 27 institutions in the United States, comparing it to the percentage of women receiving a Ph.D. Here, we examine the representation of women across these same 27 immunology departments and programs to examine changes in gender equity over the last 15 years. Copyright © 2016 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Personalised medicine in 2012: editorial to the special issue of New Biotechnology on "molecular diagnostics & personalised medicine".

Science.gov (United States)

Desiere, Frank; Romano Spica, Vincenzo

2012-09-15

This special issue of New Biotechnology is focused on molecular diagnostics and personalised medicine and appears at an epochal moment in the development of the field. The practice of medicine is taking a significant and irrevocable turn towards personalisation, due to the great progress in areas such as genomics, pharmacogenomics and molecular diagnosis. It becomes increasingly apparent that to deliver the promise of personalised treatments, more and more novel medicines discovered today will be presented together with innovative companion diagnostics. The contributions to this volume touch on many disciplines, ranging from cell biology to genetics, immunology, molecular diagnostics, pharmaceutics and economic issues. The contributions of clinicians and basic scientists are synergistically presented to underline better the wide spectrum of studies that can contribute to the new field of personalised medicine. The promising perspectives of individualised treatments are related not only to higher effectiveness, but also to increased efficiency. This is relevant not only for the individual patient, but even more so for the general public, within a wider economical perspective where resources are limited and it becomes more and more mandatory to close the gap between social costs and benefits. This approach follows the steps of a stratified and individualised medicine and finds its final goal in an individualised healthcare. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HIV/AIDS in Central Africa: pathogenesis, immunological and medical issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Sibanda, Elopy Nimele; Stanczuk, Grazyna; Kasolo, Francis

2003-11-01

The estimated worldwide prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections topped 52.5 million in June 2003, a mere 20 years after the aetiological agent was shown to be a sexually transmissible virus with a predilection for CD4+ T lymphocytes. More than 22 million people have died of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the condition has in one generation become the most devastating and persistent epidemics in recorded history. More than two thirds of the world total of HIV-infected people live in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Central and Southern Africa at least 20% of the adult population is infected. As these adults die, they leave increasing numbers of orphans. Life expectancy at birth declined by 10 years per decade since the late 1980s to 50 years in the late 1990s, and in Botswana it is estimated to be as low as 33 years by 2010. The epidemic is increasing unabated and prospects for a curative or protective vaccine remain remote. The impact on HIV in Africa has been so profound that it influences political, economic, agriculture/food security, social, education, defence, science and health considerations. The medical and in particular immunology communities in Central Africa have the invidious challenge of on the one hand diagnosing the condition, monitoring its impact and contributing to treatment and management efforts. The science and clinical practice of immunology is challenged to find answers to the epidemic, perhaps including a vaccine. In this review we address the peculiarities of the HIV epidemic in Africa, its epidemiology and immunopathogenesis. We address the effect of the epidemic on individual patients, in their homes, workplaces and the knock-on effects on families and friends of the infected. Respective specialists discuss special groups (women, children) that are predominantly seen in Africa. We also discuss the impact of the epidemic on the clinical practice of medicine in general and challenges faced in the introduction of

Prevalence and Predictors of Immunological Failure among HIV Patients on HAART in Southern Ethiopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Yirdaw, Kesetebirhan Delele; Hattingh, Susan

2015-01-01

Immunological monitoring is part of the standard of care for patients on antiretroviral treatment. Yet, little is known about the routine implementation of immunological laboratory monitoring and utilization in clinical care in Ethiopia. This study assessed the pattern of immunological monitoring, immunological response, level of immunological treatment failure and factors related to it among patients on antiretroviral therapy in selected hospitals in southern Ethiopia. A retrospective longitudinal analytic study was conducted using documents of patients started on antiretroviral therapy. Adequacy of timely immunological monitoring was assessed every six months the first year and every one year thereafter. Immunological response was assessed every six months at cohort level. Immunological failure was based on the criteria: fall of follow-up CD4 cell count to baseline (or below), or CD4 levels persisting below 100 cells/mm3, or 50% fall from on-treatment peak value. A total of 1,321 documents of patients reviewed revealed timely immunological monitoring were inadequate. There was adequate immunological response, with pediatric patients, females, those with less advanced illness (baseline WHO Stage I or II) and those with higher baseline CD4 cell count found to have better immunological recovery. Thirty-nine patients (3%) were not evaluated for immunological failure because they had frequent treatment interruption. Despite overall adequate immunological response at group level, the prevalence of those who ever experienced immunological failure was 17.6% (n=226), while after subsequent re-evaluation it dropped to 11.5% (n=147). Having WHO Stage III/IV of the disease or a higher CD4 cell count at baseline was identified as a risk for immunological failure. Few patients with confirmed failure were switched to second line therapy. These findings highlight the magnitude of the problem of immunological failure and the gap in management. Prioritizing care for high risk

The immunologic considerations in human head transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardy, Mark A; Furr, Allen; Barret, Juan P; Barker, John H

2017-05-01

The idea of head transplantation appears at first as unrealistic, unethical, and futile. Here we discuss immunological considerations in human head transplantation. In a separate accompanying article we discuss surgical, ethical, and psychosocial issues concerned in body-to-head transplantation (BHT) [1]. The success of such an unusual allograft, where the donor and the recipient can reject each other, depends on prevention of complex immunologic reactions, especially rejection of the head by the body (graft-vs-host) or probably less likely, the possibility of the head rejecting the total body allograft (host-vs-graft). The technical and immunologic difficulties are enormous, especially since rapid nerve and cord connections and regeneration have not yet been possible to achieve. In this article we begin by briefly reviewing neuro-immunologic issues that may favor BHT such as the blood brain barrier (BBB) and point out its shortcomings. And we touch on the cellular and humoral elements in the brain proper that differ in some respects from those in other organs and in the periphery. Based on recent successes in vascular composite allografts (VCAs), we will elaborate on potential specific advantages and difficulties in BHT of various available immunosuppressive medications already utilized in VCAs. The risk/benefit ratio of these drugs will be emphasized in relation to direct brain toxicity such as seizure disorders, interference, or promotion of nerve regeneration, and potentiation of cerebral viral infections. The final portion of this article will focus on pre-transplant immunologic manipulation of the deceased donor body along with pretreatment of the recipient. Copyright © 2017 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occupational Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Danish Population-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Würtz, Else Toft; Schlünssen, Vivi; Malling, Tine Halsen; Hansen, Jens Georg; Omland, Øyvind

2015-08-01

The aim was to explore the impact of occupation on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a cross-sectional population-based study among subjects aged 45 to 84 years. In a stratified sampling 89 general practitioners practices (GPP) in Denmark recruited 3106 males and 1636 females through the Danish Civil Registration System. COPD was defined by spirometry by the 2.5(th)-centile Lower Limit of Normal of FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. Information about smoking, occupational exposure and the respective occupations were obtained from questionnaires. Occupations followed the Danish adaptation of The International Standard Classification of Occupations, revision 1988 (DISCO-88). Exposure to vapour, gas, dust (organic and inorganic), and fume (VGDF) in each occupation (yes/no) was evaluated by two independent specialist in occupational medicine. Exposures were divided in no, low, medium, and high exposure as 0, occupation with VGDF exposure. Adjusted for smoking, age, sex, and GPP a dose-dependent association of COPD was found among workers in jobs with high organic dust exposure, with OR 1.56 (95% CI 1.09-2.24). Restricted to agriculture the OR was 1.59 (95% CI: 1.08-2.33). No association was observed for workers in jobs with inorganic dust, fume/gas, or vapour exposures. In summary, occupational organic dust exposure was associated to the prevalence of COPD.

Possible association between phantom vibration syndrome and occupational burnout

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen CP

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Chao-Pen Chen,1 Chi-Cheng Wu,2 Li-Ren Chang,3 Yu-Hsuan Lin4 1Department of Education, National Taiwan University Hospital, 2Department of Family Medicine, Min-Sheng General Hospital, Taoyuan City, 3Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, 4Institute of Brain Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan Background: Phantom vibration syndrome (PVS and phantom ringing syndrome (PRS occur in many cell phone users. Previous studies have indicated an association between PVS/PRS and job stress. The aim of this study was to determine if PVS/PRS were also associated with occupational burnout.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 384 employees of a high-tech company in northern Taiwan. They all completed a phantom vibration and ringing questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Chinese version of the Occupational Burnout Inventory.Results: Significantly more women and people with at least a college education were in the population with PRS and PVS, respectively. Anxiety and depression had no associations with PVS/PRS. Higher scores for personal fatigue, job fatigue, and service target fatigue had an independent impact on the presence of PVS, but only a higher score for service target fatigue had an independent impact on the presence of PRS.Conclusion: The independent association between work-related burnout and PVS/PRS suggests that PVS/PRS may be a harbinger of mental stress or a component of the clinical burnout syndrome, and may even be a more convenient and accurate predictor of occupational burnout. Keywords: phantom vibration syndrome, phantom ringing syndrome, occupational burnout

Updating the immunology curriculum in clinical laboratory science.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, C D

2000-01-01

To determine essential content areas of immunology/serology courses at the clinical laboratory technician (CLT) and clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) levels. A questionnaire was designed which listed all major topics in immunology and serology. Participants were asked to place a check beside each topic covered. For an additional list of serological and immunological laboratory testing, participants were asked to indicate if each test was performed in either the didactic or clinical setting, or not performed at all. A national survey of 593 NAACLS approved CLT and CLS programs was conducted by mail under the auspices of ASCLS. Responses were obtained from 158 programs. Respondents from all across the United States included 60 CLT programs, 48 hospital-based CLS programs, 45 university-based CLS programs, and 5 university-based combined CLT and CLS programs. The survey was designed to enumerate major topics included in immunology and serology courses by a majority of participants at two distinct educational levels, CLT and CLS. Laboratory testing routinely performed in student laboratories as well as in the clinical setting was also determined for these two levels of practitioners. Certain key topics were common to most immunology and serology courses. There were some notable differences in the depth of courses at the CLT and CLS levels. Laboratory testing associated with these courses also differed at the two levels. Testing requiring more detailed interpretation, such as antinuclear antibody patterns (ANAs), was mainly performed by CLS students only. There are certain key topics as well as specific laboratory tests that should be included in immunology/serology courses at each of the two different educational levels to best prepare students for the workplace. Educators can use this information as a guide to plan a curriculum for such courses.

Implementation of internal monitoring programs for workers occupationally exposed by 131I in nuclear medicine services in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, S.M.; Dantas, A.L.A.; Dantas, B.M.

2017-01-01

In nuclear medicine services (NMS), workers routinely handle radionuclides for diagnostic and therapy. This practice represents a risk of incorporation by these radionuclides. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends the implementation of an internal monitoring program on workers exposed to annual effective doses greater than 1 mSv, as for example, those who handle 131 I for therapy in NMS. Currently, in Brazil, there are not enough available laboratories qualified to provide internal monitoring services to attend all possible demand of internal monitoring if it such regulation were applied by the Brazilian Nuclear Regulatory Board (CNEN). The objective of this work is to disseminate simple and inexpensive methods for in vivo routine thyroid monitoring of 131 I using equipment available in the NMS. Devices available in two public hospitals located in the city of Rio de Janeiro were calibrated for use in occupational internal monitoring. The equipment evaluated in this work presented enough sensitivity for such application, being suitable to access intakes of 131 I in the thyroid and able to estimate doses below 1 mSv. (author)

Cutting edge issues in allergy and clinical immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthias, Torsten; Shoenfeld, Yehuda

2007-02-01

Approximately every 5 yr, Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology deviates from its usual practice of publishing volumes devoted to one theme to including papers that cover a range of subjects. This issue is one such exception and arose following a symposium at the International Institute for Research in Autoimmune Diseases named AESKU.KIPP Institute at their Wendelsheim facility. The AESKU.KIPP Institute was a particularly venue because it was initially established by a German diagnostic company and a Swiss benefactor, Karl- Heinz Kipp. The goal of the Institute was to develop a unique atmosphere to encourage original research in the field of autoimmunity and clinical immunology. The thought was to create an institute where young scientists from throughout the world could come for short periods of time to learn newer methodologies in both clinical immunology and also molecular biology. This theme contains several of the papers presented at the opening of the Institute and are incorporated herein because they focus on several unique aspects of clinical immunology, often referred to as the mosaic of autoimmunity.

Women referred for occupational risk assessment in pregnancy have no increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bidstrup, Signe Brøker; Kaerlev, Linda; Thulstrup, Ane Marie

2015-01-01

.72-1.17). CONCLUSION: The women who are referred for occupational risk assessment at two large occupational university departments are not at an increased risk of preterm birth or of delivering low birth weight children. This may reflect that reproductive hazards in Danish workplaces are limited and....../or that the occupational risk assessment and counselling of pregnant women are preventing these selected adverse pregnancy outcomes. FUNDING: The Research Unit at Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Bispebjerg Hospital supported the study financially. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant. The study......INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to study the association between pregnant women's referral status for occupational risk assessment, and their risk of preterm delivery (

21 CFR 866.6030 - AFP-L3% immunological test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Tumor Associated Antigen immunological Test... studies, and clinical assessment. (b) Classification. Class II (special controls). The special control is...

Single-Cell Genomics: Approaches and Utility in Immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Neu, Karlynn E; Tang, Qingming; Wilson, Patrick C; Khan, Aly A

2017-02-01

Single-cell genomics offers powerful tools for studying immune cells, which make it possible to observe rare and intermediate cell states that cannot be resolved at the population level. Advances in computer science and single-cell sequencing technology have created a data-driven revolution in immunology. The challenge for immunologists is to harness computing and turn an avalanche of quantitative data into meaningful discovery of immunological principles, predictive models, and strategies for therapeutics. Here, we review the current literature on computational analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data and discuss underlying assumptions, methods, and applications in immunology, and highlight important directions for future research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Diagnosis and insurance compensation of occupational diseases in construction industry].

Science.gov (United States)

Bresciani, M; Riva, M M; Giorgi, M; Ghezzi, L; Sidoti, C; Mosconi, G

2007-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of 302 occupational diseases in building workers detected by UOOML Ospedali Riuniti of Bergamo and notified to INAIL from 2000 to 2005. The 41.3% of cases were accepted as work-related. Among remaining cases (58.7%), INAIL rejected 40.9% for lack or absence of documentation. 59.1% for no adhesion to legal medicine criteria. By analysis of occupational diseases detected in the last 5 years, we found an increase of muscle-skeletal disorders, for which, now, diagnostic procedure and insurance evaluation are difficult. This work shows a wide gap between reported occupational diseases of buildings workers and compensation given by INAIL. These results underlines the need of comparison among involved institutions in order to standardize statistical and diagnostic instruments.

Veterinary Immunology Committee Toolkit Workshop 2010: Progress and plans

Science.gov (United States)

The Third Veterinary Immunology Committee (VIC) Toolkit Workshop took place at the Ninth International Veterinary Immunology Symposium (IVIS) in Tokyo, Japan on August 18, 2020. The Workshop built on previous Toolkit Workshops and covered various aspects of reagent development, commercialisation an...

Environmental and occupational allergies.

Science.gov (United States)

Peden, David; Reed, Charles E

2010-02-01

Airborne allergens are the major cause of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Daily exposure comes from indoor sources, chiefly at home but occasionally at schools or offices. Seasonal exposure to outdoor allergens, pollens, and molds is another important source. Exposure to unusual substances at work causes occupational asthma, accounting for about 5% of asthma in adults. Indoor and outdoor air pollutants trigger airway inflammation and increase the severity of asthma. Diesel exhaust particles increase the production of IgE antibodies. Identification and reduction of exposure to allergens is a very important part of the management of respiratory allergic diseases. The first section of this chapter discusses domestic allergens, arthropods (mites and cockroaches), molds, and mammals (pets and mice). Indoor humidity and water damage are important factors in the production of mite and mold allergens, and discarded human food items are important sources of proliferation of cockroaches and mice. Means of identifying and reducing exposure are presented. The second section discusses outdoor allergens: pollens and molds. The particular plants or molds and the amount of exposure to these allergens is determined by the local climate, and local pollen and mold counts are available to determine the time and amount of exposure. Climate change is already having an important effect on the distribution and amount of outdoor allergens. The third section discusses indoor and outdoor air pollution and methods that individuals can take to reduce indoor pollution in addition to eliminating cigarette smoking. The fourth section discusses the diagnosis and management of occupational asthma. Copyright 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational exposure in nuclear medicine in Portugal in the 1999-2003 period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, M. B.; Alves, J. G.; Abrantes, J. N.; Roda, A. R.

2007-01-01

The annual doses received by the staff of nuclear medicine departments from public hospitals and private clinics and evaluated by the Individual Monitoring Service of the Radiological Protection and Nuclear Safety Dept. (DPRSN) of the Nuclear and Technological Inst. (ITN) in Portugal, in the 5 y period from 1999 to 2003, are analysed and presented in this paper. In the 1999-2003 period, ITN-DPRSN monitored on an average 462 workers from nuclear medicine departments, which represents 6% of the 8000 workers of the medical field (approximately). The medical sector represents 80-85% of all the monitored population in Portugal. The professions of the monitored workers at nuclear medicine departments were identified by the respective departments as administrative, auxiliary, medical doctor, nuclear medicine technician, nurse, pharmacist and physicist. This information was collected at the onset of the monitoring and was updated over the last 3 y. The annual whole-body doses evaluated in the period 1999-2003 were used to derive the distribution of workers by dose intervals for every profession. The respective annual average doses and annual collective doses, as well as, the total average and total collective doses for the nuclear medicine sector were also determined and are presented. Internal radiation hasn't been monitored. (authors)

Occupational Radiation Dose for Medical Workers at a University Hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.H. Nassef

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Occupational radiation doses for medical workers from the departments of diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy at the university hospital of King Abdul-Aziz University (KAU were measured and analysed. A total of 100 medical radiation workers were monitored to determine the status of their average annual effective dose. The analysis and the calibration procedures of this study were carried out at the Center for Radiation Protection and Training-KAU. The monitored workers were classified into subgroups, namely, medical staff/supervisors, technicians, and nurses, according to their responsibilities and specialties. The doses were measured using thermo luminescence dosimeters (TLD-100 (LiF:Mg,Ti placed over the lead apron at the chest level in all types of workers except for those in the cath lab, for whom the TLD was placed at the thyroid protective collar. For nuclear medicine, a hand dosimeter was used to measure the hand dose distribution. The annual average effective doses for diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiotherapy workers were found to be 0.66, 1.56, and 0.28 mSv, respectively. The results of the measured annual dose were well below the international recommended dose limit of 20 mSv. Keywords: Occupational radiation dose, radiation workers, TLD, radiation protection

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care. ... environmental health, clinical care, health planning and management, health policy, health ... non-communicable diseases within the Primary Health Care system in the Federal ... Assessment of occupational hazards, health problems and safety practices of petrol ...

Oral Microbiology and Immunology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahlén, Gunnar; Fiehn, Nils-Erik; Olsen, Ingar

, dental assistants and trainees may find it a useful source of reference. The contents are based on general microbiology and immunology. Oral microbiology is given particular attention, with examples relevant to oral infectious diseases. Each chapter opens with a relatively short pre-reading section...

Occupational therapy practice in acute physical hospital settings: Evidence from a scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Britton, Lauren; Rosenwax, Lorna; McNamara, Beverley

2015-12-01

Increased accountability and growing fiscal limitations in global health care continue to challenge how occupational therapy practices are undertaken. Little is known about how these changes affect current practice in acute hospital settings. This article reviews the relevant literature to further understanding of occupational therapy practice in acute physical hospital settings. A scoping review of five electronic databases was completed using the keywords Occupational therapy, acute hospital settings/acute physical hospital settings, acute care setting/acute care hospital setting, general medicine/general medical wards, occupational therapy service provision/teaching hospitals/tertiary care hospitals. Criteria were applied to determine suitability for inclusion and the articles were analysed to uncover key themes. In total 34 publications were included in the review. Analysis of the publications revealed four themes: (1) Comparisons between the practice of novice and experienced occupational therapists in acute care (2) Occupational therapists and the discharge planning process (3) Role of occupation in the acute care setting and (4) Personal skills needed and organisation factors affecting acute care practice. The current literature has highlighted the challenges occupational therapists face in practicing within an acute setting. Findings from this review enhance understanding of how occupational therapy department managers and educators can best support staff that practise in acute hospital settings. © 2015 Occupational Therapy Australia.

21 CFR 866.5100 - Antinuclear antibody immunological test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Antinuclear antibody immunological test system....5100 Antinuclear antibody immunological test system. (a) Identification. An antinuclear antibody... the autoimmune antibodies in serum, other body fluids, and tissues that react with cellular nuclear...

The radiological protection in the nuclear medicine practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maldonado M, H.

2010-09-01

The nuclear medicine practice dates of the 1950 years, in this work the achievements reached as regards radiological protection are shown, although even lack a lot to make, the doses for the occupationally exposed personnel have decreased with lapsing of the years, thanks to the perception of the nuclear physicians to improve the administration techniques of the radioactive material, the decrease of administered activity and the unit doses use among the most remarkable advances. The changes in the equipment s technology to quantify the activity to administer, detection systems and image formation have demanded the development of the new professionals of the nuclear medicine that allows give protection to the patient. This improvement needs to consolidate with the appropriate normative development, the involved personnel qualification and the methods and procedures actualization to improve the protection of the occupationally exposed personnel, the public, the environment and the patient. (Author)

POST-EXPOSURE IMMUNOLOGICAL PREVENTION AGAINST VARICELLA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.K. Tatochenko

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The article focuses on immunological prevention of varicella, particularly efficacy and advisability of vaccinating contact individuals in a pocket (post-exposure vaccination: its role in reducing the epidemiological process and economic burden of the infection, in achieving control over outbreak disease incidence. It features data obtained by foreign researchers and own research results. It demonstrates that vaccination of children and adults immediately after contact with the individual suffering from varicella allows significant reduction in disease incidence. Key words: varicella, vaccination, post-exposure immunological prevention, children. (Pediatric Pharmacology. – 2010; 7(4:30-33

Engineering antigen-specific immunological tolerance.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kontos, Stephan; Grimm, Alizee J.; Hubbell, Jeffrey A.

2015-05-01

Unwanted immunity develops in response to many protein drugs, in autoimmunity, in allergy, and in transplantation. Approaches to induce immunological tolerance aim to either prevent these responses or reverse them after they have already taken place. We present here recent developments in approaches, based on engineered peptides, proteins and biomaterials, that harness mechanisms of peripheral tolerance both prophylactically and therapeutically to induce antigenspecific immunological tolerance. These mechanisms are based on responses of B and T lymphocytes to other cells in their immune environment that result in cellular deletion or ignorance to particular antigens, or in development of active immune regulatory responses. Several of these approaches are moving toward clinical development, and some are already in early stages of clinical testing.

Advances of Chinese and Western Medicine on Rheumatoid Arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Na-na HE

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a kind of chronic general immunological disease with primary clinical characteristic being joint synovitis, and no specific treatment has been found at present. In China, its morbidity is in an increasing trend, and also shows a trend of getting younger. RA is complicated in symptoms and chronic disease course, leading to joint ankylosis, deformity and even disability, which seriously threaten patients' psychological and physical health as well as the quality of life (QOL. RA, which belongs to “ Bi” symdrome, is termed as “arthroncus of knee” or “severe and migratory arthralgia” in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM, for which TCM focuses on expelling wind to remove cold, tonifying qi to activate blood and dispelling dampness to smooth collaterals while the western medicines mainly based on the principles of anti-inflammation, analgesia and inhibiting autoimmune response. However, both Chinese and western medicines have certain advantages in treating RA. Therefore, this study primarily reviewed the advances of Chinese and western medicines in RA treatment in the hope of providing theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of RA.

An innovative approach to interdisciplinary occupational safety and health education.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Mitchel A; Caravanos, Jack; Milek, Debra; Udasin, Iris

2011-07-01

The New York and New Jersey Education and Research Center (ERC) provides a range of graduate continuing education for occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in training. A key element of the education is to provide interdisciplinary training to industrial hygienists, ergonomists, occupational medicine physicians and other health and safety trainees to prepare them for the collaboration required to solve the complex occupational health and safety problems they will face in their careers. This center has developed an innovative interdisciplinary training approach that provides an historical aspect, while allowing the graduate students to identify solutions to occupational issues from a multi-disciplinary approach. The ERC developed a tour that brings students to sites of historical and/or contemporary significance in the occupational safety and health and environmental fields. The ERC has conducted five tours, and has included 85 students and residents as participants. 80% of participants rated the tour as providing a high amount of OSH knowledge gained. 98% of the participants felt the goal of providing interdisciplinary education was achieved. This tour has been successful in bridging the OSH fields to better understand how occupational and environmental exposures have occurred, in order to prevent future exposures so that workplace conditions and health can be improved. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

[Occupational aspects of emergency medicine practice in Catalonia: the OPENCAT opinion survey].

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Javier; Gené, Emili; Alonso, Gilberto; Rimbau, Pere; Zorrilla, José; Casarramona, Francesc; Netto, Cristina; Sánchez, Pere; Hernández, Ricard; Escalada, Xavier; Miró, Òscar

2017-01-01

To gather information on the contracting and training of members of the Catalan Society of Emergency Medicine (SoCMUE) who work in emergency medicine and services in Catalonia. To survey their opinions on certain aspects of resource availability and working conditions. Cross-sectional descriptive study based on a survey sent to SoCMUE members. We studied the opinions of 5 types of respondent: hospital physicians, out-of-hospital physicians, hospital nurses, out-of-hospital nurses, and emergency medical technicians. Responses were grouped to compare the opinions of physicians and nurses and workers in hospital and prehospital settings. We received 616 responses from 1273 members (48.4% response rate). More physicians than nurses come from outside Catalonia and have contracts specifically linked to emergency care; in addition, physicians have done less postgraduate training in emergency medicine. More hospital staff than prehospital staff have permanent contracts linked to the department where they work. More hospital physicians are specialized in internal medicine than in family and community medicine. The opinion that emergency services are inadequately staffed was widespread. Most respondents believed that patient transport is good or adequate. However, respondents working in prehospital services expressed a lower opinion of transport. Great difficulty in combining work with family (life achieving work-life balance) was expressed by 13.5% overall, and more often by hospital staff. Some type of aggression was experienced by 88.2%; 60% reported the event to superiors. Nurses reported aggression more often than physicians. A police report was filed by 10.1%. Emergency medicine working conditions can be improved in Catalonia according to members of SoCMUE. Relations between groups of professionals are not optimum in some aspects.

Monitoring of the internal contamination of occupationally exposure personnel in services of nuclear medicine through the use of gamma cameras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teran, M.; Paolino, A.; Savio, E.; Hermida, J.C.; Dantas, B.M.

2006-01-01

The radionuclides incorporation can happen as a result of diverse activities; these include the work associated with the different stadiums of the nuclear fuel cycle, the use of radioactive sources in medicine, the scientific research, the agriculture and the industry. In Uruguay the main activities linked to the manipulation of open sources correspond those of Nuclear Medicine and from 2004, in the mark of the Project Arcal RLA 049 and being based on the Safety Guides of the IAEA it is implementing a program of internal monitoring in combined form the Nuclear Medicine Center of the Hospital of and the Radiochemistry class of the Faculty of Chemistry. In accordance with the publication of the ICRP 75 the emphasis of any monitoring program should be in the formal study of the doses in the workers to who are considered commendable of to receive in routine form an outstanding fraction of the dose limits or who work in areas where the exposures can be significant in the accident event. From April 2004, to the date has started a pilot plan by means of in that were established appropriate conditions of procedures and of safety in a reduced group of workers of the Nuclear Medicine area. In that period the first work limits, equipment adjustment, calibrations and registration systems were determined. The monitoring system implemented until the moment is carried out with a thyroid caption equipment. However these measurements are carried out in the university hospital embracing 40% of the involved workers of our country, with the purpose of reaching the covering of the biggest quantity of occupationally exposed personnel of private clinics. Also it was developed a new work proposal that allows to have an alternative measure method, in the event of not having the equipment habitually used. Among the conclusions of this work are that for the before exposed are considered the measure conditions but appropriate the following ones: Gamma Camera without collimator; Measurement

German Society for Immunology and Australasian Society for Immunology joint Workshop 3(rd) -4(th) December 2015 - Meeting report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurts, Christian; Gottschalk, Catherine; Bedoui, Sammy; Heinzel, Susanne; Godfrey, Dale; Enders, Anselm

2016-02-01

The German Society for Immunology (DGfI) and the Australasian Society for Immunology (ASI) hosted the first DGfI-ASI joint workshop from December 3-4, 2015 in Canberra, Australia. A delegation of 15 distinguished German immunologists discussed the workshop topic "immune regulation in infections and immune mediated diseases" with the aim to establish new German-Australasian collaborations, discuss new concepts in the field of immune regulation and build a scientific network to create more utilizable resources for excellent (trans-border) immunological research. The workshop was associated with the 45(th) Annual Scientific Meeting of the ASI held from Nov 29-Dec 3, 2015, opening up even more opportunities for finding new collaboration partners. A return meeting will be linked to the annual DGfI meeting that will take place in 2017 in Erlangen. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Occupational allergy as a challenge to developing countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Rydzynski, Konrad; Palczynski, Cezary

2004-05-20

A steady increase in the incidence of allergic diseases can be observed since 1950s. For such atopic diseases as bronchial asthma, pollinosis or atopic dermatitis, a significantly increased morbidity rate in the general population has been found. Strikingly enough, the highest prevalence of asthma and allergy was recorded in highly developed countries. It can thus be assumed that the high rate of asthma may be an attribute of the post-industrial societies. The prevalence of occupational allergies is thought to be in direct proportion to the rate with which allergies occur in the general population. In view of the changing environment and lifestyles in the developing countries, their communities are expected to be faced with similar negative epidemiological effects concerning allergies. To counteract the spreading of negative health effects, the following measures need to be undertaken: 1. Limitation of exposure to strong allergens. 2. Modification of the training curriculum for medical personnel and of health service infrastructure, according to new tasks and challenges. 3. Considering a possibility of introducing a system of surveillance over occupational allergies and asthma, like the Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease (SWORD) system implemented in UK. This system ensures effective cooperation between specialists in preventive medicine, occupational hygiene services and research workers dealing with occupational health that enables prompt response to emerging hazards.

Why Do Emergency Medicine Residents Experience Burn Out? A qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atefe Kamaloo

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: Emergency medicine residents are a high–risk group for burnout syndrome. This was a qualitative study with content analysis on emergency medical residents with 2 aims: evaluating the incidence of occupational burnout syndrome and identifying the points of view and attitudes of emergency medical residents about factors related to occupational burnout syndrome.Method: For this study, 2 sessions of focus group discussions were set up at Imam Khomeini hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Each session took 90 minutes, and 20 emergency medicine residents in their first or second year of emergency medicine residency participated in the sessions. Data were coded   by MAXQDA10 software.Results: Data were categorized in 4 themes as follow: (1 the characteristics of emergency medicine; (2 ambiguity in residents’ duties; (3 educational planning; and (4 careers.Data on the proposed solutions by residents were analyzed and coded in 3 groups including (1 changes in personal life; (2 arrangement in shifts; and  (3 educational issues.Conclusion: According to findings of this qualitative study, most of emergency medicine residents have experienced exhaustion sometime during the course of their residency. Psychological supports may help the residents to cope with their career difficulties and probable burn out.

Cancer immunotherapy and immunological memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Murata, Kenji; Tsukahara, Tomohide; Torigoe, Toshihiko

2016-01-01

Human immunological memory is the key distinguishing hallmark of the adaptive immune system and plays an important role in the prevention of morbidity and the severity of infection. The differentiation system of T cell memory has been clarified using mouse models. However, the human T cell memory system has great diversity induced by natural antigens derived from many pathogens and tumor cells throughout life, and profoundly differs from the mouse memory system constructed using artificial antigens and transgenic T cells. We believe that only human studies can elucidate the human immune system. The importance of immunological memory in cancer immunotherapy has been pointed out, and the trafficking properties and long-lasting anti-tumor capacity of memory T cells play a crucial role in the control of malignant tumors. Adoptive cell transfer of less differentiated T cells has consistently demonstrated superior anti-tumor capacity relative to more differentiated T cells. Therefore, a human T cell population with the characteristics of stem cell memory is thought to be attractive for peptide vaccination and adoptive cell transfer. A novel human memory T cell population that we have identified is closer to the naive state than previous memory T cells in the T cell differentiation lineage, and has the characteristics of stem-like chemoresistance. Here we introduce this novel population and describe the fundamentals of immunological memory in cancer immunotherapy.

Immunology of Gut Mucosal Vaccines

Science.gov (United States)

Pasetti, Marcela F.; Simon, Jakub K.; Sztein, Marcelo B.; Levine, Myron M.

2011-01-01

Summary Understanding the mechanisms underlying the induction of immunity in the gastrointestinal mucosa following oral immunization and the cross-talk between mucosal and systemic immunity should expedite the development of vaccines to diminish the global burden caused by enteric pathogens. Identifying an immunological correlate of protection in the course of field trials of efficacy, animal models (when available), or human challenge studies is also invaluable. In industrialized country populations, live attenuated vaccines (e.g. polio, typhoid, and rotavirus) mimic natural infection and generate robust protective immune responses. In contrast, a major challenge is to understand and overcome the barriers responsible for the diminished immunogenicity and efficacy of the same enteric vaccines in underprivileged populations in developing countries. Success in developing vaccines against some enteric pathogens has heretofore been elusive (e.g. Shigella). Different types of oral vaccines can selectively or inclusively elicit mucosal secretory immunoglobulin A and serum immunoglobulin G antibodies and a variety of cell-mediated immune responses. Areas of research that require acceleration include interaction between the gut innate immune system and the stimulation of adaptive immunity, development of safe yet effective mucosal adjuvants, better understanding of homing to the mucosa of immunologically relevant cells, and elicitation of mucosal immunologic memory. This review dissects the immune responses elicited in humans by enteric vaccines. PMID:21198669

Prevalence and Predictors of Immunological Failure among HIV Patients on HAART in Southern Ethiopia

OpenAIRE

Yirdaw, Kesetebirhan Delele; Hattingh, Susan

2015-01-01

Immunological monitoring is part of the standard of care for patients on antiretroviral treatment. Yet, little is known about the routine implementation of immunological laboratory monitoring and utilization in clinical care in Ethiopia. This study assessed the pattern of immunological monitoring, immunological response, level of immunological treatment failure and factors related to it among patients on antiretroviral therapy in selected hospitals in southern Ethiopia. A retrospective longit...

Immunologic, hemodynamic, and adrenal incompetence in cirrhosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risør, Louise Madeleine; Bendtsen, Flemming; Møller, Søren

2015-01-01

dysfunction, but is not responsive to volume expansion. Recent research indicates that development of hepatic nephropathy represents a continuous spectrum of functional and structural dysfunction and may be precipitated by the inherent immunologic, adrenal, and hemodynamic incompetence in cirrhosis. New...... research explores several new markers of renal dysfunction that may replace serum creatinine in the future and give new insight on the hepatic nephropathy. Our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms causing the immunologic, adrenal, and hemodynamic incompetence, and the impact on renal...

The Case of the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine (1939-41): War, Medicine, and Eastern Civilization.

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Daidoji, Keiko; Karchmer, Eric I

2017-06-01

This article explores the founding of the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine in 1939 during the Japanese occupation of Suzhou. We argue that the hospital was the culmination of a period of rich intellectual exchange between traditional Chinese and Japanese physicians in the early twentieth century and provides important insights into the modern development of medicine in both countries. The founding of this hospital was followed closely by leading Japanese Kampo physicians. As the Japanese empire expanded into East Asia, they hoped that they could revitalize their profession at home by disseminating their unique interpretations of the famous Treatise on Cold Damage abroad. The Chinese doctors that founded the Suzhou Hospital of National Medicine were close readers of Japanese scholarship on the Treatise and were inspired to experiment with a Japanese approach to diagnosis, based on new interpretations of the concept of "presentation" ( shō / zheng ). Unfortunately, the Sino-Japanese War cut short this fascinating dialogue on reforming medicine and set the traditional medicine professions in both countries on new nationalist trajectories.

[HIV-1 infection after occupational accidents in the State of Amazonas: first reported case].

Science.gov (United States)

Lucena, Noaldo Oliveira de; Pereira, Flávio Ribeiro; Barros, Flávio Silveira de; Silva, Nélson Barbosa da; Alexandre, Márcia Almeida de Araújo; Castilho, Márcia da Costa; Alecrim, Maria das Graças Costa

2011-10-01

The medical care of occupational accidents in Tropical Medicine Foundation Dr. Heitor Dourado (FMT-HVD), involving blood and body fluids, started routinely in 1999. The objective of this report is to emphasize the importance of the measures used for the control of accidents with biological material. This study is carried out after a detailed epidemiological investigation confirmed one case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversion after an occupational accident involving bodily fluids and sharp instruments.

THE EFFICACY OF THREE MEDICINAL PLANTS: GARLIC, GINGER AND MIRAZID AND A CHEMICAL DRUG METRONIDAZOLE AGAINST CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PARVUM. I-IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSE.

Science.gov (United States)

Abouel-Nour, Mohamed F; EL-Shewehy, Dina Magdy M; Hamada, Shadia F; Morsy, Tosson A

2015-12-01

Cryptosporidisis parvum is a zoonotic protozoan parasite infects intestinal epithelial cells causing a major health problem for man and animals. Experimentally the immunologic mediated elimination of C. parvum requires CD4+ T cells and IFN-gamma. But, the innate immune responses also have a significant protective role in both man and animals. the mucosal immune response to C. parvum in C57BL/6 neonatal and GKO mice shows a concomitant Thl and Th2 cytokine mRNA expression, with a crucial role for IFN-gamma in the resolution of the infection. NK cells and IFN-gamma have been shown to be important components in immunity in T and B cell-deficient mice, but IFN-gamma-dependent resistance is demonstrated in alymphocytic mice. Epithelial cells may play a vital role in immunity as once infected these cells have increased expression of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines and demonstrate anti-infection killing mechanisms. C. parvum immunological response was used to evaluate the efficacy of anti-cryptosporidisis agents of Garlic, Ginger, Mirazid and Metronidazole in experimentally infected mice.

Required competencies of occupational physicians: a Delphi survey of UK customers.

Science.gov (United States)

Reetoo, K N; Harrington, J M; Macdonald, E B

2005-06-01

Occupational physicians can contribute to good management in healthy enterprises. The requirement to take into account the needs of the customers when planning occupational health services is well established. To establish the priorities of UK employers, employees, and their representatives regarding the competencies they require from occupational physicians; to explore the reasons for variations of the priorities in different groups; and to make recommendations for occupational medicine training curricula in consideration of these findings. This study involved a Delphi survey of employers and employees from public and private organisations of varying business sizes, and health and safety specialists as well as trade union representatives throughout the UK. It was conducted in two rounds by a combination of computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) and postal survey techniques, using a questionnaire based on the list of competencies described by UK and European medical training bodies. There was broad consensus about the required competencies of occupational physicians among the respondent subgroups. All the competencies in which occupational physicians are trained were considered important by the customers. In the order of decreasing importance, the competencies were: Law and Ethics, Occupational Hazards, Disability and Fitness for Work, Communication, Environmental Exposures, Research Methods, Health Promotion, and Management. The priorities of customers differed from previously published occupational physicians' priorities. Existing training programmes for occupational physicians should be regularly reviewed and where necessary, modified to ensure that the emphasis of training meets customer requirements.

Women referred for occupational risk assessment in pregnancy have no increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bidstrup, Signe Brøker; Kaerlev, Linda; Thulstrup, Ane Marie

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to study the association between pregnant women's referral status for occupational risk assessment, and their risk of preterm delivery (METHODS: In a cohort study, 1,202 deliveries among....../or that the occupational risk assessment and counselling of pregnant women are preventing these selected adverse pregnancy outcomes. FUNDING: The Research Unit at Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Bispebjerg Hospital supported the study financially. TRIAL REGISTRATION: not relevant. The study.......72-1.17). CONCLUSION: The women who are referred for occupational risk assessment at two large occupational university departments are not at an increased risk of preterm birth or of delivering low birth weight children. This may reflect that reproductive hazards in Danish workplaces are limited and...

Occupational exposure to HDI: progress and challenges in biomarker analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Flack, Sheila L; Ball, Louise M; Nylander-French, Leena A

2010-10-01

1,6-Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) is extensively used in the automotive repair industry and is a commonly reported cause of occupational asthma in industrialized populations. However, the exact pathological mechanism remains uncertain. Characterization and quantification of biomarkers resulting from HDI exposure can fill important knowledge gaps between exposure, susceptibility, and the rise of immunological reactions and sensitization leading to asthma. Here, we discuss existing challenges in HDI biomarker analysis including the quantification of N-acetyl-1,6-hexamethylene diamine (monoacetyl-HDA) and N,N'-diacetyl-1,6-hexamethylene diamine (diacetyl-HDA) in urine samples based on previously established methods for HDA analysis. In addition, we describe the optimization of reaction conditions for the synthesis of monoacetyl-HDA and diacetyl-HDA, and utilize these standards for the quantification of these metabolites in the urine of three occupationally exposed workers. Diacetyl-HDA was present in untreated urine at 0.015-0.060 μg/l. Using base hydrolysis, the concentration range of monoacetyl-HDA in urine was 0.19-2.2 μg/l, 60-fold higher than in the untreated samples on average. HDA was detected only in one sample after base hydrolysis (0.026 μg/l). In contrast, acid hydrolysis yielded HDA concentrations ranging from 0.36 to 10.1 μg/l in these three samples. These findings demonstrate HDI metabolism via N-acetylation metabolic pathway and protein adduct formation resulting from occupational exposure to HDI. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immunological status of patients with uterine ceroix carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Il'in, I.V.; Dekster, L.I.; Letskij, V.B.

1979-01-01

Comparative data on the immunological status of 60 patients with uterine cervix carcinoma 27 of whom were exposed to combined radiotherapy are given. The evaluation of the immunological parameters makes it possible to note a marked affection of the T system by radiant energy. Taking into consideration a significant immunodepressive effect of irradiation it is advisable that immunotherapy by included into the therapeutic regimen

Effect of intratracheally instilled depleted uranium on immunological function of rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

You Hanhu; Yang Zhihua; Cao Zhenshan; Zhu Maoxiang; Liu Xingrong

2004-01-01

Objective: To study immunological effects of depleted uranium in rats. Methods: Wistar rats were exposed to depleted uranium by single intratracheal instillation. Body weight and peripheral blood cells were measured weekly and immunological functions were evaluated by weight coefficient of immune organs, plague forming cells of splenocytes, total and subpopulation counts of lymphocytes in thymus. Results: Early after administration, body weight decreased and red blood cells as well as platelets reduced while white blood cells increased, which returned to normal within 1 or 2 months. Immunological functions of splenocytes and thymocytes were affected dose-dependently by depleted uranium. Conclusion: Depleted uranium induces immunological dysfunction in rats. (authors)

PEGylated graphene oxide elicits strong immunological responses despite surface passivation

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Nana; Weber, Jeffrey K.; Wang, Shuang; Luan, Binquan; Yue, Hua; Xi, Xiaobo; Du, Jing; Yang, Zaixing; Wei, Wei; Zhou, Ruhong; Ma, Guanghui

2017-02-01

Engineered nanomaterials promise to transform medicine at the bio-nano interface. However, it is important to elucidate how synthetic nanomaterials interact with critical biological systems before such products can be safely utilized in humans. Past evidence suggests that polyethylene glycol-functionalized (PEGylated) nanomaterials are largely biocompatible and elicit less dramatic immune responses than their pristine counterparts. We here report results that contradict these findings. We find that PEGylated graphene oxide nanosheets (nGO-PEGs) stimulate potent cytokine responses in peritoneal macrophages, despite not being internalized. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations support a mechanism by which nGO-PEGs preferentially adsorb onto and/or partially insert into cell membranes, thereby amplifying interactions with stimulatory surface receptors. Further experiments demonstrate that nGO-PEG indeed provokes cytokine secretion by enhancing integrin β8-related signalling pathways. The present results inform that surface passivation does not always prevent immunological reactions to 2D nanomaterials but also suggest applications for PEGylated nanomaterials wherein immune stimulation is desired.

Complementary and alternative interventions in asthma, allergy, and immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bielory, Leonard

2004-08-01

To review which herbs are most commonly used as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for treatment of asthma, allergy, and immunologic conditions. A review of the literature was performed using the PubMed and OVID databases searching the keywords asthma, allergy, and CAM to identify studies published between 1980 and 2003 that focused on Echinacea (Echinacea augustifolia, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea purpurea); garlic (Allium); angelica; chamomile; ephedra; gingko; grape seed extract; licorice root (Glycyrrhiza); St. John's wort (Hypericum); kava kava (Piper); peppermint oil and leaf (Mentha); stinging nettle (Urtica); and ginseng (Panax) published in the English and German literature. Studies included in vitro and in vivo clinical trials and case reports selected according to the expert opinion of the author. Echinacea is one of the most common herbs used to treat symptoms of the "common cold" or upper respiratory tract allergies. Although no common drug interactions have been reported, there is a risk of hepatotoxicity, exacerbation of allergies and asthma, and anaphylactic reactions. Garlic is primarily used for cardiovascular health and relief of cough, colds, and rhinitis. Adverse effects commonly include gastrointestinal disturbances, change in body odor through the sweat and breath, and rarely allergic reactions or hypoglycemia. Other CAM agents, including angelica, German chamomile flower, ephedra, gingko, grape seed extract, licorice root, St. John's wort, kava kava rhizome, peppermint, stinging nettle, and ginseng, are also associated with significant adverse effects. The specialty of allergy and immunology has seen the second largest increase in the popularity of CAM (second only to practitioners who treat lower back pain). Almost all of the CAM interventions have displayed adverse effects, usually in the form of a hypersensitivity reaction. Allergists and clinical immunologists need to become more knowledgeable about CAM so that they can

Assessment of the hormonal state of medical personnel occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bliznakov, V.; Maleeva, A.; Mikhaylov, M.

1982-01-01

Testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations are assayed in 14 men against the background of occupational exposure of medical personnel to small - dose radiations. Low testosterone values, and elevated LH and FSH levels are established. A preliminary conclusion is made according to which in occupationally exposed men in the field of medicine there is a disturbance of hormonal secretion along the hypophysis - target gland axis. Twenty normal men of comparable age are studied for control purpose. (author)

Hand Dose in Nuclear Medicine Staff Members

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taha, T.M.; Shahein, A.Y.; Hassan, R.

2009-01-01

Measurement of the hand dose during preparation and injection of radiopharmaceuticals is useful in the assessment of the extremity doses received by nuclear medicine personnel. Hand radiation doses to the occupational workers that handling 99m Tc-labeled compounds, 131 I for diagnostic in nuclear medicine were measured by thermoluminescence dosimetry. A convenient method is to use a TLD ring dosimeter for measuring doses of the diagnostic units of different nuclear medicine facilities . Their doses were reported in millisieverts that accumulated in 4 weeks. The radiation doses to the hands of nuclear medicine staff at the hospitals under study were measured. The maximum expected annual dose to the extremities appeared to be less than the annual limit (500 mSv/y) because all of these workers are on rotation and do not constantly handle radioactivity throughout the year

Immunologic Abnormalities, Treatments, and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Nathalie F; Kolte, Astrid M; Larsen, Elisabeth C

2016-01-01

Recurrent pregnancy loss, depending on the definition, affects 1% to 3% of women aiming to have a child. Little is known about the direct causes of recurrent pregnancy loss, and the condition is considered to have a multifactorial and complex pathogenesis. The aim of this review was to summarize ...... the evaluation and the management of the condition with specific emphasis on immunologic biomarkers identified as risk factors as well as current immunologic treatment options. The review also highlights and discusses areas in need of further research....

Egyptian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (The): Site Map

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Egyptian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (The): Site Map. Journal Home > About the Journal > Egyptian Journal of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (The): Site Map. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

A critical appraisal of 2007 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Practice Guidelines for Interventional Pain Management: an independent review utilizing AGREE, AMA, IOM, and other criteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Singh, Vijay; Helm, Standiford; Trescot, Andrea M; Hirsch, Joshua A

2008-01-01

Today, with the growing interest of the medical community and others in practice guidelines, there is greater emphasis on formal procedures and methods for arriving at a widely scrutinized and endorsed consensus than ever before. Conflicts in terminology and technique are notable for the confusion that guidelines create and for what they reflect about differences in values, experiences, and interests among different parties. While public and private development activities continue to multiply, the means for coordinating these efforts to resolve inconsistencies, fill in gaps, track applications and results, and assess the soundness of particular guidelines continue to be limited. In this era of widespread guideline development by private organizations, the American College of Occupational and Environment Medicine (ACOEM) has developed guidelines that evaluate areas of clinical practice well beyond the scope of occupational medicine and yet fail to properly involve physicians expert in these, especially those in the field of interventional pain management. As the field of guidelines suffers from imperfect and incomplete scientific knowledge as well as imperfect and uneven means of applying that knowledge without a single or correct way to develop guidelines, ACOEM guidelines have been alleged to hinder patient care, reduce access to interventional pain management procedures, and transfer patients into a system of disability, Medicare, and Medicaid. To critically appraise occupational medicine practice guidelines for interventional pain management by an independent review utilizing the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE), American Medical Association (AMA), Institute of Medicine (IOM), and other commonly utilized criteria. Revised chapters of ACOEM guidelines, low back pain and chronic pain, developed in 2007 and 2008 are evaluated, utilizing AGREE, AMA, IOM instruments, and Shaneyfelt et al's criteria, were independently reviewed by 4

Needlestick injuries in veterinary medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Weese, J Scott; Jack, Douglas C

2008-08-01

Needlestick injuries are an inherent risk of handling needles during the course of veterinary practice. While significant effort has been expended to reduce needlestick injuries in human medicine, a relatively lax approach seems to be prevalent in veterinary medicine. It appears that needlestick injuries are very common among veterinary personnel and that serious adverse effects, while uncommon, do occur. Clients may also receive injuries in clinics during the course of animal restraint, and at home following prescription of injectable medications or fluids. Because of occupational health, personal health, and liability concerns, veterinary practices should review the measures they are taking to reduce the likelihood of needlestick injuries and develop written needlestick injury avoidance protocols.

Sleights of Hand: South Africa's Gold Mines and Occupational Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

McCulloch, Jock

2016-02-01

South Africa's gold mines were the first to compensate silicosis and tuberculosis as occupational diseases. They were also the first mines to introduce a state-sanctioned regime of medical surveillance. Despite those innovations, the major mining houses are currently facing class actions by former miners with occupational lung disease. The obvious reason for this medical and legislative failure is to be found in the economic fabric of South Africa's gold industry. In this article, I will argue that it is also found in the system of mine medicine, which was designed to hide rather than reveal the actual disease rates. © The Author(s) 2016.

Blood transcriptomics and metabolomics for personalized medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuzhao; Todor, Andrei; Luo, Ruiyan

2016-01-01

Molecular analysis of blood samples is pivotal to clinical diagnosis and has been intensively investigated since the rise of systems biology. Recent developments have opened new opportunities to utilize transcriptomics and metabolomics for personalized and precision medicine. Efforts from human immunology have infused into this area exquisite characterizations of subpopulations of blood cells. It is now possible to infer from blood transcriptomics, with fine accuracy, the contribution of immune activation and of cell subpopulations. In parallel, high-resolution mass spectrometry has brought revolutionary analytical capability, detecting > 10,000 metabolites, together with environmental exposure, dietary intake, microbial activity, and pharmaceutical drugs. Thus, the re-examination of blood chemicals by metabolomics is in order. Transcriptomics and metabolomics can be integrated to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the human biological states. We will review these new data and methods and discuss how they can contribute to personalized medicine.

Implementation of internal monitoring programs for workers occupationally exposed by {sup 131}I in nuclear medicine services in Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliveira, S.M.; Dantas, A.L.A.; Dantas, B.M., E-mail: salomao.marques@ymail.com [Instituto de Radioproteção e Dosimetria (IRD/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Div. de Dosimetria

2017-07-01

In nuclear medicine services (NMS), workers routinely handle radionuclides for diagnostic and therapy. This practice represents a risk of incorporation by these radionuclides. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommends the implementation of an internal monitoring program on workers exposed to annual effective doses greater than 1 mSv, as for example, those who handle {sup 131}I for therapy in NMS. Currently, in Brazil, there are not enough available laboratories qualified to provide internal monitoring services to attend all possible demand of internal monitoring if it such regulation were applied by the Brazilian Nuclear Regulatory Board (CNEN). The objective of this work is to disseminate simple and inexpensive methods for in vivo routine thyroid monitoring of {sup 131}I using equipment available in the NMS. Devices available in two public hospitals located in the city of Rio de Janeiro were calibrated for use in occupational internal monitoring. The equipment evaluated in this work presented enough sensitivity for such application, being suitable to access intakes of {sup 131}I in the thyroid and able to estimate doses below 1 mSv. (author)

Occupational physicians' perceptions and impact of 2009 GMC consent guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, A F; Sperber, S

2012-10-01

In 2009, the General Medical Council (GMC) updated its guidance on consent, introducing a new statement that employees should be offered the opportunity to view reports, before the reports are sent to the employer. To investigate the effects of this change on the perceptions and practice of occupational physicians. A cross-sectional survey of UK occupational physicians via the Society of Occupational Medicine e-newsletter, seeking their opinions of the anticipated and actual effects of the guidance on employers, employees, occupational physicians and occupational health services. Two hundred and ninety-five completed questionnaires were returned (estimated response rate 30%). Respondents included 25% of accredited UK specialists. Some reported improved standards and greater transparency, however the change was generally perceived as unfavourable, with employee and employer losses: 50% reported delay providing timely advice to employers and 35% reported delays in employees returning to work. Significant variation in practice and increased costs were reported, with variable effects on different services. Difficulties in areas such as pensions and health surveillance were reported. Some occupational physicians had moved to instant reporting; others had moved away from this to allow more care with wording of reports. We found significant variations in practice between occupational physicians and concerns of employee and employer losses as a result of changes to the GMC consent guidance. Clearer guidance on practical implementation was desired. The background ethical reasoning should be stated so that the parameters of the guidance are delineated and its reach should be clarified.

Methods for microbiological and immunological studies of space flight crews

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, G. R. (Editor); Zaloguev, S. N. (Editor)

1978-01-01

Systematic laboratory procedures compiled as an outgrowth of a joint U.S./U.S.S.R. microbiological-immunological experiment performed during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project space flight are presented. Included are mutually compatible methods for the identification of aerobic and microaerophilic bacteria, yeast and yeastlike microorganisms, and filamentous fungi; methods for the bacteriophage typing of Staphylococcus aureus; and methods for determining the sensitivity of S. aureus to antibiotics. Immunological methods using blood and immunological and biochemical methods using salivary parotid fluid are also described. Formulas for media and laboratory reagents used are listed.

Impact of patients' access to medical records in occupational medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Krakov, A; Kabaha, N; Azuri, J; Moshe, S

2018-04-14

Information technologies offer new ways to engage with patients regarding their health, but no studies have been done in occupational health services (OHS). To examine the advantages and disadvantages of providing written and oral medical information to patients in OHS. In this cross-sectional study, data were retrieved from patients visiting four different OHS during 2014-15 for a fitness for work evaluation. We built a semi-quantitative satisfaction questionnaire, with responses ranging on a Likert scale of 1-5 from very dissatisfied (1) to very satisfied (5). There were 287 questionnaires available for analysis. The number of patients who received detailed oral and written information, which included an explanation of their health condition and of the occupational physician's (OP's) decision, was higher in clinics 1 and 3 compared to clinics 2 and 4 (48 and 38% compared to 21 and 31% respectively, P < 0.05). When patients were provided with detailed oral and written information, they declared having a better understanding (4.3 and 4.4 compared to 3.8 respectively, P < 0.001), a higher level of confidence in their OP (4.4 and 4.3 compared to 3.7 and 4 respectively, P < 0.001), a higher level of satisfaction (4.3 and 4.4 compared to 3.8 respectively, P < 0.001) and a higher sense of control and ability to correct the record (1.8 compared to 1.4 respectively, P < 0.01), compared to patients who received partial information. We recommend sharing detailed oral and written medical information with patients in OHS.

Medical dominance in Canada in historical perspective: the rise and fall of medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Coburn, D; Torrance, G M; Kaufert, J M

1983-01-01

Freidson's concept of medical dominance is compared to the alternative conceptions of neo-Marxist writers. Dominance is then examined in historical perspective, using medicine in Canada (mainly Ontario) as a case study. Medicine emerged as the dominant health occupation in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, consolidating its power between World War I and the Saskatchewan doctors' strike of 1962. The authors argue that medical dominance has declined since that time due to such factors as the involvement of the state in health insurance, the rise of other health occupations, increasing public or at least elite skepticism, and possible internal fragmentation. The underlying social explanation for this historical process is sought in changes in the Canadian class structure, specifically the spread of the capitalist mode of production, the decline of the petite bourgeoisie, and the rise of the state. It is suggested that Freidson's specific accounts of the history of medicine must be incorporated for explanatory purposes within the broader neo-Marxist view of medicine as an intermediary rather than an ultimately determining institution.

Regulation of immunological and inflammatory functions by biotin.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroishi, Toshinobu

2015-12-01

Biotin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin and is well-known as a co-factor for 5 indispensable carboxylases. Holocarboxylase synthetase (HLCS) catalyzes the biotinylation of carboxylases and other proteins, whereas biotinidase catalyzes the release of biotin from biotinylated peptides. Previous studies have reported that nutritional biotin deficiency and genetic defects in either HLCS or biotinidase induces cutaneous inflammation and immunological disorders. Since biotin-dependent carboxylases involve various cellular metabolic pathways including gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids and odd-chain fatty acids, metabolic abnormalities may play important roles in immunological and inflammatory disorders caused by biotin deficiency. Transcriptional factors, including NF-κB and Sp1/3, are also affected by the status of biotin, indicating that biotin regulates immunological and inflammatory functions independently of biotin-dependent carboxylases. An in-vivo analysis with a murine model revealed the therapeutic effects of biotin supplementation on metal allergies. The novel roles of biotinylated proteins and their related enzymes have recently been reported. Non-carboxylase biotinylated proteins induce chemokine production. HLCS is a nuclear protein involved in epigenetic and chromatin regulation. In this review, comprehensive knowledge on the regulation of immunological and inflammatory functions by biotin and its potential as a therapeutic agent is discussed.

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care - Vol 23 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care - Vol 23, No 1-2 (2011) ... The Nigerian National Health Bill 2011: Delay of Presidential Assent to an Act: ... Knowledge And Practice of Occupational Safety Among Quarry Workers in A ...

Evaluation of illnesses associated with occupational exposure to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frometa Suarez, I.

1997-01-01

A retrospective study by the Institute of Occupational Medicine is presented of all cases of pathological indications of ionizing radiation exposure during the period 1990-1995. It describes the incidence of theses diseases and their relationship with other factors. It has shown the predominance of pathologies of the haemolymphopoietic system in individuals who work in radiological diagnostics

[Value of immunologic phenotyping of acute leukemias in children].

Science.gov (United States)

Vannier, J P; Bene, M C

1989-10-01

Immunologic typing has demonstrated considerable heterogeneity among the acute leukemias. The most significant recent advance has been development of monoclonal antibody techniques. Some markers identified using these techniques seem to be specific for a given stage of maturation of one lymphoid or myeloid cell line. Most acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALLs) are malignant proliferations whose differentiation appears to have become 'stuck' at one stage of maturation. Results of immunologic typing correlate well with the other clinical and biological data. For prognostic purposes, several patterns can be identified. Among B line ALLs, four varieties have been differentiated, i.e., CD10 negative ALLs, common ALLs, pre-B ALLs, and B ALLs. T ALLs include a broad spectrum of heterogeneous proliferations whose immunologic classification is made difficult by the large number of phenotypes encountered. Among acute myeloblastic leukemias (AMLs), some highly undifferentiated forms have been recognized, by means of immunologic typing, as originating in one of the myeloid cell lines. However, the nosologic and prognostic significance of these studies is less obvious than in ALLs.

Current status of immunologic studies in human lung cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gross, R.L.

1978-06-01

Several aspects of the immunology of human malignancy are reviewed, with particular emphasis on relevant findings in lung cancer. The existence of tumor-specific cell-mediated immune responses in patients with cancer has been demonstrated in numerous tumor types. Of more relevance in clinical situations is the association of generalized immunologic depression with malignancy. In the vast majority of cases, progressive declines in both tumor-specific and nonspecific immunologic parameters are observed with advancing disease. The approach to the immunologic evaluation of cancer patients and the potential usefulness of this approach to the diagnosis, prognosis, management, and assessment of therapeutic response are discussed. Evidence aimed at elucidating the mechanism of immunosuppression in malignancy, such as serum-blocking factors, immunoregulatory alpha globulins, and suppressor cells, is presented. Finally, emphasis is placed on the various forms of immunotherapy, including both specific active methods such as tumor cell or tumor antigen vaccines and nonspecific active immunotherapy involving agents like Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and levamisole. Early results from clinical immunotherapeutic trials are discussed.

Women referred for occupational risk assessment in pregnancy have no increased risk of adverse obstetric outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bidstrup, Signe Brøker; Kaerlev, Linda; Thulstrup, Ane Marie

2015-01-01

.72-1.17). CONCLUSION: The women who are referred for occupational risk assessment at two large occupational university departments are not at an increased risk of preterm birth or of delivering low birth weight children. This may reflect that reproductive hazards in Danish workplaces are limited and......INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to study the association between pregnant women's referral status for occupational risk assessment, and their risk of preterm delivery (... pregnant women referred to two Danish clinics of occupational medicine (Copenhagen and Aarhus) from 1984 to 2010 were compared with the referred women's 1,077 non-referred pregnancy outcomes and with the pregnancy outcomes of 345,467 gainfully employed women from the same geographical areas and time period...

Evaluation of occupational radiation dose in nuclear medicine: radiopharmaceutical administration to scintiscanning exams of myocardial perfusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komatsu, Cassio V.; Michelin, Charlie A.; Jakubiak, Rosangela R.; Lemes, Alyne O.; Silva, Juliana L.M.

2013-01-01

In nuclear medicine, workers directly involved in exams are constantly exposed to ionizing radiation. The procedure for administration of the radiopharmaceutical to the patient is one of the most critical times of exposure. In tests of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) administration of radiopharmaceutical repeats the steps of rest and cardiac stress. In this study, we used a Geiger -Mueller detector for measuring occupational radiation doses for during the administration of technetium- 99m - sestamibi in MPS tests. In the evaluation, discriminated the stages of examination and related professional experience time to doses measures at home. It were followed 110 procedures at home (55 conducted by professionals with over 5 years experience and 55 conducted by professionals with less than 1 year of experience) and 55 effort procedures. The results showed that the rest of the procedure time and dose are related to the experience of the worker. More experienced workers were faster (mean: 43 ± 16 vs 67 ± 25 seconds / procedure), and therefore received lower doses (mean 0.57 ± 0.16 versus 0.80 ± 0.24 μSv / procedure), both with statistical significance (p <0.001). In step effort, there were procedures lasting longer (mean: 19 ± 2 minutes / procedure), which resulted in higher doses (mean 3.0 ± 0.6 μSv / procedure)

Immunological effects of ayahuasca in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

dos Santos, Rafael Guimarães

2014-01-01

Ayahuasca is a botanical hallucinogen traditionally used by indigenous groups of the northwest Amazon. In the last decade, the use of ayahuasca has spread from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru to the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa. Despite acute and long-term evidence of good tolerability and safety for ayahuasca administered in the laboratory or ritually consumed in religious contexts, little is known about the immunological impact of ayahuasca on humans. Since ayahuasca is used by an increasing number of consumers, and considering its therapeutic potential, more information is needed regarding ayahuasca potential risks. This article presents a brief overview of the available data regarding the immunological impact of ayahuasca in humans.

Occupational exposure to vapor, gas, dust, or fumes and chronic airflow limitation, COPD, and emphysema: the Swedish CArdioPulmonary BioImage Study (SCAPIS pilot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Torén K

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Kjell Torén,1 Jenny Vikgren,2 Anna-Carin Olin,1 Annika Rosengren,3 Göran Bergström,3 John Brandberg2 1Section of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, 2Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, 3Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden Background: The aim of this study was to estimate the occupational burden of airflow limitation, chronic airflow limitation, COPD, and emphysema.Materials and methods: Subjects aged 50–64 years (n=1,050 were investigated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 and forced vital capacity (FVC. Airflow limitation was defined as FEV1/FVC <0.7 before bronchodilation. Chronic airflow limitation was defined after bronchodilation either according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD as FEV1/FVC <0.7 or according to the lower limit of normal (LLN approach as FEV1/FVC < LLN. COPD was defined as chronic airflow limitation (GOLD in combination with dyspnea, wheezing, or chronic bronchitis. Emphysema was classified according to findings from computed tomography of the lungs. Occupational exposure was defined as self-reported occupational exposure to vapor, gas, dust, or fumes (VGDF. Odds ratios (OR were calculated in models adjusted for age, gender, and smoking; population-attributable fractions and 95% CI were also calculated.Results: There were significant associations between occupational exposure to VGDF and COPD (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.4–51, airflow limitation (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.3–2.5, and emphysema (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1–3.1. The associations between occupational exposure to VGDF and chronic airflow limitation were weaker, and for the OR, the CIs included unity. The population-attributable fraction for occupational exposure to VGDF was 0.37 (95% CI 0.23–0.47 for COPD and 0.23 (95% CI 0.05–0.35 for emphysema.Conclusion: The

Remembrance of immunology past: conversations with Herman Eisen.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisen, Herman N; Schlesinger, Sondra

2015-01-01

Herman Eisen and Sondra Schlesinger spent several days together in September 2007 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, talking about immunology, focusing on his remembrances of the field over the more than 60 years of his involvement. This article is an abridged version of those discussions (the full version is available on the Annual Reviews website). It is both an oral history and a written memory of some important but selected areas of immunology.

Immunological half-life of porcine proinsulin C-peptide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oyama, H; Horino, M; Matsumura, S [Kawasaki Medical Coll., Kurashiki (Japan). Div. of Endocrinology; Kobayshi, K; Suetsugu, N [Yamaguchi Univ., Ube (Japan). School of Medicine

1975-11-01

Immunological half-lifes of injected porcine C-peptide and insulin with RIA were studied and calculated as 9.8 and 8.0 minutes. Higher circulating levels of C-peptide as compared to insulin in normal young swines lead to speculation about a longer half-life of C-peptide. This hypothesis was verified in this study. Immunological half-lifes of porcine proinsulin and insulin in the pig were 20 and 6 minutes, respectively.

Macrophage biospecific extraction and HPLC-ESI-MSn analysis for screening immunological active components in Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Zhao-Guang; Duan, Ting-Ting; He, Bao; Tang, Dan; Jia, Xiao-Bin; Wang, Ru-Shang; Zhu, Jia-Xiao; Xu, You-Hua; Zhu, Quan; Feng, Liang

2013-04-15

A cell-permeable membrane, as typified by Transwell insert Permeable Supports, permit accurate repeatable invasion assays, has been developed as a tool for screening immunological active components in Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma (SGR). In this research, components in the water extract of SGR (ESGR) might conjugate with the receptors or other targets on macrophages which invaded Transwell inserts, and then the eluate which contained components biospecific binding to macrophages was identified by HPLC-ESI-MS(n) analysis. Six compounds, which could interact with macrophages, were detected and identified. Among these compounds, taxifolin (2) and astilbin (4) were identified by comparing with the chromatography of standards, while the four others including 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid (1), neoastilbin (3), neoisoastilbin (5) and isoastilbin (6), were elucidated by their structure clearage characterizations of tandem mass spectrometry. Then compound 1 was isolated and purified from SGR, along with 2 and 4, was applied to the macrophage migration and adhesion assay in HUVEC (Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells) -macrophages co-incultured Transwell system for immunological activity assessment. The results showed that compounds 1, 2 and 4 with concentration of 5μM (H), 500nM (M) and 50nM (L) could remarkably inhibit the macrophage migration and adhesion (Vs AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Produces) group, 1-L, 2-H and 4-L groups: pgroups: pESI-MS(n) analysis is a rapid, simple and reliable method for screening immunological active components from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Immunological Characteristics of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from the Periodontal Ligament, Umbilical Cord, and Adipose Tissue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Hee Kim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs are of therapeutic importance in the fields of regenerative medicine and immunological diseases. Accordingly, studies evaluating MSCs for clinical applications are increasing. In this study, we characterized MSCs from the periodontal ligament, umbilical cord (UC-MSCs, and adipose tissue, which were relatively easy to obtain with limited ethical concerns regarding their acquisition, and compared their immunological characteristics. Among MSCs isolated from the three different tissues, UC-MSCs grew the fastest in vitro. The three types of MSCs were shown to inhibit proliferation of activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs to a similar degree, via the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase and cyclooxygenase-2 pathways. They were also shown to inhibit the proliferation of PBMCs using HLA-G, which was most prominent in UC-MSCs. Unlike the other two types of MSCs, UC-MSCs showed minimal expression of HLA-DR after activation, suggesting that they pose minimal risk of initiating an allogeneic immune response when administered in vivo. These characteristics, the ease of collection, and the minimal ethical concerns regarding their use suggest UC-MSCs to be suitable MSC therapeutic candidates.

European Symposium on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases: Report of the European Union Parliament Symposium (October 14, 2015)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Muraro, A.; Fokkens, W. J.; Pietikainen, S.; Borrelli, D.; Agache, I.; Bousquet, J.; Costigliola, V.; Joos, G.; Lund, V. J.; Poulsen, L. K.; Price, D.; Rolland, C.; Zuberbier, T.; Hellings, P. W.

2016-01-01

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the European Rhinologic Society (ERS), and the European Medical Association (EMA) organized, on October 14, 2015, a symposium in the European Parliament in Brussels on Precision Medicine in Allergy and Airways Diseases, hosted by MEP

Enabling occupation at the end of life: A literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Katherine; Payne, Angela

2015-12-01

Occupation, or meaningful activity, can contribute to the well-being and quality of life of all individuals. It is thus a logical tautology that occupation should be enabled for those at the end of life. Our present review examines current provision of these processes by Occupational Therapist, who can be much-valued members of multidisciplinary palliative care teams. Following a literature search and critical selection, 10 global papers were identified examining occupation and occupational therapy at the end of life in the acute, hospice, and community environments. Universally, there appeared to be a dearth of therapists working in end-of-life care. Provision of palliative care in hospitals was found to be compensatory or rehabilitative. Hospice therapy emerged as pleasingly occupational, though the number of hospice places was disappointingly few. Community literature was sparse, so it proved challenging to draw definitive conclusions. Promising research refracted light on occupation at home; however, it also revealed stretched domiciliary services, where clients are not well informed about the potential scope of occupational therapy. A "good death" involving a quality end-of-life experience is the foundational goal overarching all therapy and medicine in the provision of palliative care. Arguably, an occupation-focused approach provided by therapists meets client needs to enable meaningful experiences in the limited time left to them. Current occupational therapy practice environments are not necessarily achieving these goals in commensurate fashion. There is a need to promote the role of occupational therapy and circumscribe what therapists can offer. Further research is necessitated across all environments and future funding for therapist positions in palliative teams. End-of-life care can be complex and challenging; however, therapists can facilitate fulfillment of client-centered occupational goals. In engaging with personally constructed nuances of meaning

Quality in radio-immunology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegesippe, Michel

1982-01-01

The author outlines the technique of radio-immunological analysis (RIA) which is now widely used for neo-natal detection of congenital hyperthyroidism. He describes the methods and controls that are called for - as regards the specificity of doses, the sensitivity and reliability of the separation technique - to guarantee the quality of RIA and the validity of its results [fr

[Immigration and work. Roles and opportunities for occupational medicine in the health and safety of migrant workers].

Science.gov (United States)

Porru, S; Arici, Cecilia

2010-01-01

It is estimated that in Italy there are 4 million migrant workers, accounting for about 10 percent of the total workforce. They contribute to national economic development but they are also heavily involved in the so-called "3D jobs" (dangerous, dirty and demanding/degrading). To draw occupational physicians' (OP) attention to the necessity of dealing with occupational health and safety problems related to migrant workers, highlighting his/her role and opportunities, in order to guarantee access to health services and prevent occupational health inequalities. The available data on occupational diseases and accidents among migrant workers are discussed, as well as conditions of individual susceptibility; as an example, data are commented obtained in many years of health surveillance in a foundry. Migrant workers may suffer from occupational health inequalities. The OP, by means of focused risk assessment, health surveillance, fitness for work and health promotion, can substantially improve migrant workers' health. In fact, data from our experience showed how a migrant workforce may be well characterized and also represent an opportunity, instead of being a "risk factor". Within the framework of needs for further methodological and applied research, the OP can play a proactive role in workplaces, aimed at real integration of migrant workers, with overall benefits for workers, enterprises and society.

Integrated Approaches to Occupational Health and Safety: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooklin, A; Joss, N; Husser, E; Oldenburg, B

2017-09-01

The study objective was to conduct a systematic review of the effectiveness of integrated workplace interventions that combine health promotion with occupational health and safety. Electronic databases (n = 8), including PsychInfo and MEDLINE, were systematically searched. Studies included were those that reported on workplace interventions that met the consensus definition of an "integrated approach," published in English, in the scientific literature since 1990. Data extracted were occupation, worksite, country, sample size, intervention targets, follow-up period, and results reported. Quality was assessed according to American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Practice Guidelines. Heterogeneity precluded formal meta-analyses. Results were classified according to the outcome(s) assessed into five categories (health promotion, injury prevention, occupational health and safety management, psychosocial, and return-on-investment). Narrative synthesis of outcomes was performed. A total of 31 eligible studies were identified; 23 (74%) were (quasi-)experimental trials. Effective interventions were most of those aimed at improving employee physical or mental health. Less consistent results were reported from integrated interventions targeting occupational health and safety management, injury prevention, or organizational cost savings. Integrated approaches have been posed as comprehensive solutions to complex issues. Empirical evidence, while still emerging, provides some support for this. Continuing investment in, and evaluation of, integrated approaches are worthwhile.

21 CFR 866.6010 - Tumor-associated antigen immunological test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

.... Class II (special controls). Tumor markers must comply with the following special controls: (1) A... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Tumor-associated antigen immunological test system... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES IMMUNOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY DEVICES Tumor Associated Antigen...

Analysis of records of external occupational dose records in Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauricio, Claudia L.P.; Silva, Herica L.R. da; Silva, Claudio Ribeiro da

2014-01-01

Brazil, a continental country, with actually more than 150,000 workers under individual monitoring for ionizing radiation, has implemented in 1987 a centralized system for storage of external occupational dose. This database has been improved over the years and is now a web-based information system called Brazilian External Occupational Dose Management Database System - GDOSE. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian external occupational dose over the years. The estimated annual average effective dose shows a decrease from 2.4 mSv in 1987 to about 0.6 mSv, having been a marked reduction from 1987 to 1990. Analyzing by type of controlled practice, one sees that the medical and dental radiology is the area with the largest number of users of individual monitors (70%); followed by education practices (8%) and the industrial radiography (7%). Additionally to photon whole body monitoring; neutron monitors are used in maintenance (36%), reactor (30%) and education (27%); and extremity monitors, in education (27%), nuclear medicine (22%) and radiology (19%). In terms of collective dose, the highest values are also found in conventional radiology, but the highest average dose values are those of interventional radiology. Nuclear medicine, R and D and radiotherapy also have average annual effective dose higher than 1 mSv. However, there is some very high dose values registered in GDOSE that give false information. This should be better analyzed in the future. Annual doses above 500 are certainly not realistic. (author)

Immunological problems of radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pusztai-Markos, Z.

1979-01-01

The possible importance of the immune system in early development and progression of breast cancer is being discussed. The different laboratory methods in controlling the specific and non-specific immune reactivity are summarized. The modification of the immunological parameters by radio- resp. chemotherapy is critically presented on the basis of published data and on own results. An analysis of the data obtained by various immunological methods in respect to their consequences in diagnosis and prognosis is done. An immunological monitoring in the control of radio-, chemo- and immunotherapy in breast cancer patients is proposed. (orig.) [de

Renal transplant immunology in the last 20 years: A revolution towards graft and patient survival improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Sá, Helena; Leal, Rita; Rosa, Manuel Santos

2017-05-04

To deride the hope of progress is the ultimate fatuity, the last word in poverty of spirit and meanness of mind. There is no need to be dismayed by the fact that we cannot yet envisage a definitive solution of our problems, a resting-place beyond which we need not try to go. -P.B. Medawar, 1969 * Thomas E. Starlz, also known as the Father of Clinical Transplantation, once said that organ transplantation was the supreme exception to the rule that most major advances in medicine spring from discoveries in basic science [Starzl T. The mystique of organ transplantation. J Am Coll Surg 2005 Aug;201(2):160-170]. In fact, the first successful identical-twin kidney transplantation performed by Murray's team in December 1954 (Murray J et al. Renal homotransplantations in identical twins. Surg Forum 1955;6:432-436) was the example of an upside down translation medicine: Human clinical transplantation began and researchers tried to understand the underlying immune response and how to control the powerful rejection pathways through experimental models. In the last 20 years, we have witnessed an amazing progress in the knowledge of immunological mechanisms regarding alloimmune response and an outstanding evolution on the identification and characterization of major and minor histocompatibility antigens. This review presents an historical and clinical perspective of those important advances in kidney transplantation immunology in the last 20 years, which contributed to the improvement in patients' quality of life and the survival of end-stage renal patients. In spite of these significant progresses, some areas still need substantial progress, such as the definition of non-invasive biomarkers for acute rejection; the continuous reduction of immunosuppression; the extension of graft survival, and finally the achievement of real graft tolerance extended to HLA mismatch donor: recipient pairs.

Exploring knowledge perceptions and attitudes about generic medicines among finalyear health science students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varsha Bangalee

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background. The use of generic medicines to reduce healthcare costs has become a mandated policy in South Africa. An increase in the use of generics can be achieved through improved knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of generic medicine among healthcare professionals. Objective. To explore knowledge, attitudes and perceptions among final-year health science students on generic medication. Methods. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among the final-year audiology, dental therapy, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, optometry, speech-language and sport science students enrolled at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. A questionnaire was used as the study tool, developed using information adapted from literature reviews. Data analysis was completed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 21, and computed using descriptive statistics. Results. Total number of participants was 211, as follows: audiology (n=14, dental therapy (n=15, pharmacy (n=81, physiotherapy (n=41, occupational therapy (n=6, optometry (n=25, speech-language (n=6 and sport science (n=23. A total of 90.0% of students had heard of generic medicines, with 20.9% of them agreeing that generic medicines are less effective than brand-name medicines. Concerning safety, 30.4% believed that brand-name medicines are required to meet higher safety standards than generic medicines. Regarding the need for information on issues pertaining to safety and efficacy of medicines, 53.3% of participants felt that this need was not being met. Conclusion. All groups had knowledge deficits about the safety, quality and efficacy of generic medicines. The dissemination of information about generic medicines may strengthen future knowledge, attitudes and perceptions.

Automation of Knowledge Work in Medicine and Health care: Future and Challenges

OpenAIRE

Farzan Majidfar

2017-01-01

Increment of computing speed, machine learning and human interface, have extended capabilities of artificial intelligence applications to an important stage. It is predicted that use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate knowledge-based occupations (occupations such as medicine, engineering and law) may have an global enormous economic impact in the near future.Applications based on artificial intelligence are able to improve health and quality of life for millions in the coming years. ...

Occupational Clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Pottawattamie County School System, Council Bluffs, IA.

The 15 occupational clusters (transportation, fine arts and humanities, communications and media, personal service occupations, construction, hospitality and recreation, health occupations, marine science occupations, consumer and homemaking-related occupations, agribusiness and natural resources, environment, public service, business and office…

Review of occupational exposure patterns in Indian Health Care Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senthilkumar, M.; Nehru, R.M.; Sonawane, A.U.

2016-01-01

Monitoring of individual radiation is a prime part of the radiation protection programme. The primary justification for monitoring helps achieve and demonstrate an appropriate level of protection and can demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, contribute to the control of operations and design of installations. Atomic Energy (Radiation Protection) Rules 2004 advocates that radiation surveillance is mandatory for all radiation workers. The largest group of individuals exposed occupationally to artificial radiation sources is that employed in health care facilities such as Diagnostic Radiology, Radiation Therapy and Nuclear Medicine. In this work, a comprehensive analysis was carried out on occupational exposure data for the period 2000 to 2014 to bring a measure of radiation protection infrastructure quality in health care facilities

Radiotherapy and peculiarities of immunological reactivity in uterine and cervical cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mechev, D.S.; Stolyarova, O.Yu.

2005-01-01

The peculiarities of immunological reactivity in uterine and cervical cancer was studied. The study involved 94 patients who were administered combination radiation therapy for the above cancer. Before the treatment, the investigated group of the patients was characterized by the changes in a number of parameters of immunological reactivity (increased IgG, IgA, IgM serum concentrations, reduction of CD3+ and CD4+ amount, increased expression of CD95). The majority of changes were noticed immediately after the radiation therapy. Three and six month later the majority of immunological reactivity parameters did not differ from the respective values in the healthy group. Investigation of immunological reactivity in patients with uterine and cervical cancer allows to choose adequate treatment for this group of patients and improve its efficacy

Immunologic assessment of patients with pulmonary metaplasia and neoplasia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gross, R.L.; Saccomanno, G.; Smith, D.M.; Saunders, R.; Thomas, R.G.

1979-01-01

Immune profiles have been obtained on 206 individuals including 57 controls, 50 lung cancer patients, and 99 uranium miners with well-defined sputum cytologies ranging from normal to carcinoma in situ. Little effect of smoking, uranium mining or a combination of mining plus smoking on immune function was observed if sputum cytology was normal. In heavy smokers there was a suggestion that total T cells are increased while T cell function is slightly depressed. Immunologic abnormalities were noted in the moderate atypia group where 40% had one or more abnormal immunologic parameters. Immunologic abnormalities were detected in 68 to 70 patients with marked atypia, carcinoma in situ, or invasive carcinoma. Further sequential study of the uranium miner population is necessary to define more precisely the predictive value of immunologic testing, and the role of early identification of high risk individuals in the early institution of definitive therapy, such as surgery or immunotherapy. Long-term prospective analysis of this population may also provide the answer to the question of whether alterations in immune function precede, or result from the appearance of cells committed to the development of neoplasia

The size of the thymus: an important immunological diagnostic tool?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jeppesen, Dorthe Lisbeth

2003-01-01

of the thymus relevant to its function and could measurement of the thymus be a useful immunological diagnostic tool in the investigation of thymic function in humans with a depressed immune system? Conclusion: Studies using the size of the thymus as an immunological diagnostic tool should be encouraged....

Measurement and the Professions: Lessons from Accounting, Law, and Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowakowski, Jeri; And Others

1983-01-01

This detailed analysis of the role of measurement across the three professions of law, medicine, and accounting offers insights into entry-level and performance barriers in occupations that rely on certification, licensing, and regulation to influence performance, ethics, and training. (Author/PN)

Health promotion across occupational groups: one size does not fit all.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsiga, E; Panagopoulou, E; Niakas, D

2015-10-01

Although several studies have examined the link between specific working conditions and health behaviours, very few have comparatively assessed the health behaviours of different occupational groups. To compare protective and risky health behaviours among police officers, ambulance workers, hospital staff (doctors and nurses) and office workers, prompted by the need to identify key areas for interventions tailored to the needs of different occupational groups. A cross-sectional postal survey using the Health Behaviours Inventory, assessing health behaviours which are risky (alcohol intake, smoking, coffee consumption, fast food meals and painkiller consumption) and protective (physical activity, eating breakfast and hours of sleep). The sample consisted of 1451 employees. Ambulance workers smoked the most cigarettes per day (F (4, 1405) = 8.63, P promotion for different occupational groups which need to be taken into consideration in policy making and developing workplace interventions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Intergenerational differences in occupational injury and fatality rates among Canada's immigrants.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiagi, R

2016-12-01

Empirical evidence on occupational injury and/or fatality rates among Canada's immigrants has been largely mixed and has almost exclusively focused on the first generation. Over time, as immigrants assimilate into the economy, future generations may be expected to work in less hazardous occupations compared with prior generations. There has been no prior analysis of the differences in occupational injury and fatality rates among later generations. To analyse whether there are intergenerational differences in occupational injury and fatality rates among the first, second and third (or more) immigrant generations in Canada. Data drawn from the 2011 National Household Survey and the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada were used to determine the difference in occupational injury and fatality rates between the first or the third generation and the second generation, using a Poisson regression framework. Second-generation immigrants worked in jobs with lower occupational injury rates compared with the first generation and the third generation (or more). Similar results were observed for occupational fatality rates. Second-generation immigrants worked in less hazardous jobs compared with the first generation and compared with the third (or more) generations. These results suggest that the second generation may not face the same economic hurdles and challenges, in terms of workplace injuries or fatalities, as those faced by the first or third (or more) generations of immigrants. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[The role of ergonomics in occupational health - past and future].

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Izumi, Hiroyuki

2013-10-01

The aim of working condition and ergonomics is to control the task method and condition for the best productive activity with the highest efficiency and sustainability. The Principles of Scientific Management by Frederick Winslow Taylor and its criticism by Gito Teruoka, the 1st director of The Institute for Science of Labour, are introduced for a better understanding of work condition and ergonomics in this article. Occupational physician have a duty to control working method and condition to reduce the health hazards induced by job duty. Not only the technical knowledge of medicine, but also a fundamental knowledge of manufacturing is needed for the occupational physician. The development of tools for early detection of health hazards and workload evaluation, the introduction of work management systems with cooperation between occupational physicians and technical experts of manufacturing are needed for effective control of the workplace. The strengthening of the Industrial Safety and Health Law should help to drive these improvements.

Breaking Immunological Tolerance through OX40 (CD134

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pratima Bansal-Pakala

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Immunological tolerance represents a mechanism by which cells of the host remain protected from the immune system. Breaking of immunological tolerance can result in a variety of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. The reasons for tolerance breaking down and autoimmune processes arising are largely unknown but of obvious interest for therapeutic intervention of these diseases. Although reversal of the tolerant state is generally unwanted, there are instances where this may be of benefit to the host. In particular, one way a cancerous cell escapes being targeted by the immune system is through tolerance mechanisms that in effect turn off the reactivity of T lymphocytes that can respond to tumor-associated peptides. Thus tolerance represents a major obstacle in developing effective immunotherapy against tumors. The molecules that are involved in regulating immunological tolerance are then of interest as they may be great targets for positively or negatively manipulating the tolerance process.

Leisure-time physical inactivity and psychological distress in female-dominated occupations in Lithuania.

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Malinauskiene, Vilija; Malinauskas, Romualdas; Malinauskas, Mindaugas

2017-12-27

Poor mental health, manifesting as psychological distress, has become a leading problem recently; therefore, determining associated factors is important, especially in female-dominated occupations, as women are more prone to psychological distress than men, in part due to demands of both professional and domestic tasks. The objective of the present study was to investigate associations between leisure-time physical inactivity and psychological distress, accounting for the possible relation of psychosocial factors at work (job demands, job control, social support at work, workplace bullying) and life events in representative samples of family physicians, internal medicine department nurses and secondary-school teachers in Lithuania. In total, 323 family physicians, 748 internal medicine department nurses and 517 secondary-school teachers were interviewed during 2012-2014 in Lithuania. Godin leisure-time exercise, Goldberg General Health, Job content, and Negative acts questionnaires were administered. Logistic regression was used. A high proportion of family physicians, nurses and teachers were physically inactive during leisure. Leisure-time physical inactivity was strongly associated with psychological distress, adjusting for age, workplace bullying, job demands, job control, social support at work and traumatic life events in all three female-dominated occupations. Efforts to increase leisure-time physical activity level in medical occupations could be beneficial.

[Financing of regional occupational health service centers: structure and financial criteria in years 2000-2001].

Science.gov (United States)

Rydlewska-Liszkowska, Izabela

2003-01-01

The rational planning and financing of occupational health services at the national level have to be based on an appropriate system of information about individual units and their financial status that could illustrate their financial administration. This is required not only in view of the internal needs of public money management, but also in view of the national health accounts. The major task in this regard is to assess the level and structure of financing to individual units and to check the soundness of criteria used in the process of supplying financial means. The results of such an analysis can be a valuable source of information for planning carried out also by the institutions which provide funds to cover the cost of tasks performed by individual units. The aim of the project implemented by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine was to collect, process and analyze data on the level and structure of financing of provincial occupational medicine centers. In this paper, the objectives, methodology and analytical tools are discussed. The results and structural data on the level and structure of financing of regional occupational health services centers covering a two-year period are presented. At the same time, the criteria for allocating funds were identified, which made it possible to evaluate the situation and to propose new solutions.

Pediatric allergy and immunology in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosario-Filho, Nelson A; Jacob, Cristina M; Sole, Dirceu; Condino-Neto, Antonio; Arruda, Luisa K; Costa-Carvalho, Beatriz; Cocco, Renata R; Camelo-Nunes, Inês; Chong-Neto, Herberto J; Wandalsen, Gustavo F; Castro, Ana P M; Yang, Ariana C; Pastorino, Antonio C; Sarinho, Emanuel S

2013-06-01

The subspecialty of pediatric allergy and immunology in Brazil is in its early years and progressing steadily. This review highlights the research developed in the past years aiming to show the characteristics of allergic and immunologic diseases in this vast country. Epidemiologic studies demonstrated the high prevalence of asthma in infants, children, and adolescents. Mortality rates and average annual variation of asthma hospitalization have reduced in all pediatric age groups. Indoor aeroallergen exposure is excessively high and contributes to the high rates of allergy sensitization. Prevalence of food allergy has increased to epidemic levels. Foods (35%), insect stings (30%), and drugs (23%) are the main etiological agents of anaphylaxis in children and adolescents. Molecular diagnosis of primary immunodeficiencies (PID) showed a high incidence of fungal infections including paracoccidioidomycosis in X-linked hyper-IgM syndrome, and the occurrence of BCG adverse reactions or other mycobacterial infections in patients with chronic granulomatous disease. Education in pediatric allergy and immunology is deficient for medical students, but residency programs are effective in training internists and pediatricians for the practice of allergy. The field of PID requires further training. Last, this review is a tribute to Prof. Dr. Charles Naspitz, one of the pioneers of our specialty in Brazil. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Gender specific analysis of occupational diseases of the low back caused by carrying, lifting or extreme trunk flexion—use of a prevention index to identify occupations with high prevention needs

Science.gov (United States)

Thiede, Markus; Liebers, Falk; Seidler, Andreas; Gravemeyer, Stefan; Latza, Ute

2014-01-01

Background Gender specific analysis of the occupational disease of the lumbar spine caused by carrying, lifting, or extreme trunk flexion in Germany (OD No.2108) with the aim to identify areas of focus for prevention and research with a prevention index (PI). Methods Data from the German Statutory Accident Insurance stratified by gender are shown. Results From 2002 until 2009 there were 2,877 confirmed cases of an OD No. 2108 (40.1% male and 59.1% female). The PI indicated the highest prevention need for female nursing/midwifery associate professionals and male building frame and related trades workers. Patient transfer and working in extremely bent posture were the most frequent exposures. Conclusions The identified occupations with high need for prevention among men come from nearly all major occupational groups whereas women cluster in occupational groups from the health and care sectors. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:233–244, 2014. © 2013 The Authors. American Journal of Industrial Medicine Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:24243091

Anti-tumor response with immunologically modified carbon nanotubes and phototherapy

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Acquaviva, Joseph T.; Zhou, Feifan; Boarman, Ellen; Chen, Wei R.

2013-02-01

While successes of different cancer therapies have been achieved in various degrees a systemic immune response is needed to effectively treat late-stage, metastatic cancers, and to establish long-term tumor resistance in the patients. A novel method for combating metastatic cancers has been developed using immunologically modified carbon nanotubes in conjunction with phototherapy. Glycated chitosan (GC) is a potent immunological adjuvant capable of increasing host immune responses, including antigen presentation by activation of dendritic cells (DCs) and causing T cell proliferation. GC is also an effective surfactant for nanomaterials. By combining single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and GC, immunologically modified carbon nanotubes (SWNT-GC) were constructed. The SWNT-GC suspension retains the enhanced light absorption properties in the near infrared (NIR) region and the ability to enter cells, which are characteristic of SWNTs. The SWNT-GC also retains the immunological properties of GC. Cellular SWNT-GC treatments increased macrophage activity, DC activation and T cell proliferation. When cellular SWNT-GC was irradiated with a laser of an appropriate wavelength, these immune activities could be enhanced. The combination of laser irradiation and SWNT-GC induced cellular toxicity in targeted tumor cells, leading to a systemic antitumor response. Immunologically modified carbon nanotubes in conjunction with phototherapy is a novel and promising method to produce a systemic immune response for the treatment of metastatic cancers.

What are the short-term and long-term effects of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy in the home on older adults' occupational performance?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Tove Lise; Petersen, Kirsten Schultz; Nielsen, Claus Vinther

2016-01-01

critically appraised 13 of 995 detected papers. Extracted data were presented and summarised descriptively. Results Eight high-quality papers showed that occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy using cognitive, behavioural and environmental strategies may significantly improve......Abstract Title What are the short-term and long-term effects of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy in the home on older adults’ occupational performance? A systematic review Background There is a lack of evidence-based knowledge about the effectiveness of home......-based occupational therapy for older adults aimed at improving occupational performance by practicing activities and tasks. Aim This review synthesizes and discusses evidence for the effectiveness of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy for older adults at home. Material and methods Peer...

Diversity in immunological synapse structure

Science.gov (United States)

Thauland, Timothy J; Parker, David C

2010-01-01

Immunological synapses (ISs) are formed at the T cell–antigen-presenting cell (APC) interface during antigen recognition, and play a central role in T-cell activation and in the delivery of effector functions. ISs were originally described as a peripheral ring of adhesion molecules surrounding a central accumulation of T-cell receptor (TCR)–peptide major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) interactions. Although the structure of these ‘classical’ ISs has been the subject of intense study, non-classical ISs have also been observed under a variety of conditions. Multifocal ISs, characterized by adhesion molecules dispersed among numerous small accumulations of TCR–pMHC, and motile ‘immunological kinapses’ have both been described. In this review, we discuss the conditions under which non-classical ISs are formed. Specifically, we explore the profound effect that the phenotypes of both T cells and APCs have on IS structure. We also comment on the role that IS structure may play in T-cell function. PMID:21039474

The Basel Institute for Immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Melchers, Fritz

2012-01-01

At the Centennial Exhibition of the Nobel Prize, the Nobel Foundation called it one of the ten cradles of creativity. The journal Nature likened its ideals to those of the French revolution--Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité--and called it a paradise devoted to the science of immune systems: the Basel Institute for Immunology (BII). Founded by Roche in 1968, inaugurated in 1971, and closed in 2000, it was home to almost 450 scientific members, over 1,000 scientific visitors, and nearly 100 scientific advisors from more than 30 countries who worked in complete academic freedom and without commercial motives on over 3,500 projects, publishing more than 3,200 scientific papers, almost all of them on the structure and functions of immune systems of different species. This review contains a first collection of historical facts and dates that describe the background of the exceptionally successful performance and the strong scientific impact of the institute on the field of immunology.

Enhancement of immunological activity after mild hyperthermia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noguchi, Kenichi; Hasegawa, Takeo; Takahashi, Tohru

2002-01-01

At present, hyperthermia is clinically very important as interdisciplinary therapeutic method, and studies are being performed on combined effects with surgical treatment, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and gene therapy for the treatment of malignant tumors. We evaluated the effects of hyperthermia under temperature of 42.5C and demonstrated that the activation of immunological response is increased and anti-tumor effect cabn be obtained in this studies. We used animals were C3H mice (male,7W) bearing SCC-VII tumor on femur skin. Then, the mice were divided to 10 mice in each group, and only femur region was immersed in warm water for thermal treatment. Also we measured the tumor growth, changes of blood cell fraction and NK cell activity. The results of the present study confirmed: (1) Anti-tumor effect can be given by thermal treatment at relatively mild temperature (mild temperature at 39C-42C); (2) The increase of neutrophils is dependent on the quantity of heat added; (3) Immunological response of monocytes and lymphocytes is associated with it; (4) Activity of the immunological potency as a whole such as activation of NK cells was also confirmed

Immunology of breast milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmeira, Patricia; Carneiro-Sampaio, Magda

2016-09-01

In the critical phase of immunological immaturity of the newborn, particularly for the immune system of mucous membranes, infants receive large amounts of bioactive components through colostrum and breast milk. Colostrum is the most potent natural immune booster known to science. Breastfeeding protects infants against infections mainly via secretory IgA (SIgA) antibodies, but also via other various bioactive factors. It is striking that the defense factors of human milk function without causing inflammation; some components are even anti-inflammatory. Protection against infections has been well evidenced during lactation against, e.g., acute and prolonged diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, including otitis media, urinary tract infection, neonatal septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. The milk's immunity content changes over time. In the early stages of lactation, IgA, anti-inflammatory factors and, more likely, immunologically active cells provide additional support for the immature immune system of the neonate. After this period, breast milk continues to adapt extraordinarily to the infant's ontogeny and needs regarding immune protection and nutrition. The need to encourage breastfeeding is therefore justifiable, at least during the first 6 months of life, when the infant's secretory IgA production is insignificant.

Immunology of breast milk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Palmeira

Full Text Available Summary In the critical phase of immunological immaturity of the newborn, particularly for the immune system of mucous membranes, infants receive large amounts of bioactive components through colostrum and breast milk. Colostrum is the most potent natural immune booster known to science. Breastfeeding protects infants against infections mainly via secretory IgA (SIgA antibodies, but also via other various bioactive factors. It is striking that the defense factors of human milk function without causing inflammation; some components are even anti-inflammatory. Protection against infections has been well evidenced during lactation against, e.g., acute and prolonged diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, including otitis media, urinary tract infection, neonatal septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis. The milk’s immunity content changes over time. In the early stages of lactation, IgA, anti-inflammatory factors and, more likely, immunologically active cells provide additional support for the immature immune system of the neonate. After this period, breast milk continues to adapt extraordinarily to the infant’s ontogeny and needs regarding immune protection and nutrition. The need to encourage breastfeeding is therefore justifiable, at least during the first 6 months of life, when the infant’s secretory IgA production is insignificant.

Sézary Syndrome and Atopic Dermatitis: Comparison of Immunological Aspects and Targets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ieva Saulite

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Sézary syndrome (SS, an aggressive form of erythrodermic pruritic cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL, from an immunological perspective characterized by increased Th2 cytokine levels, elevated serum IgE and impaired cellular immunity. Not only the clinical appearance but also the hallmark immunological characteristics of SS often share striking similarities with acute flares of atopic dermatitis (AD, a common benign chronic inflammatory skin disease. Given the overlap of several immunological features, the application of similar or even identical therapeutic approaches in certain stages of both diseases may come into consideration. The aim of this review is to compare currently accepted immunological aspects and possible therapeutic targets in AD and SS.

Patterns and predictors of non-prescription medicine use among Malaysian pharmacy patrons: a national cross sectional study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Azmi Hassali

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate the predictors of non-prescription medicine purchasing patterns among pharmacy patrons in Malaysia. METHODS: A cross-sectional nationwide study was undertaken in 2011 in sixty randomly selected community pharmacies across 14 Malaysian states. A pharmacy exit survey was conducted over a 6-month period across Malaysia. A one-stage random cluster sampling technique was employed as there was no national sampling framework available for conducting this survey. Face-to-face interviews using a validated and pre-tested questionnaire were conducted by trained data collectors. The non-prescription medicine purchasing pattern was explored and analysed descriptively. Chi-square/Fisher exact test was used to determine the association between study variables. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of type of non-prescription medicine purchased. RESULTS: A total of 2729 pharmacy patrons agreed to participate in 60 selected pharmacy outlets. A total of 3462 non-prescription medicine were purchased during the study period with an average of 1.3 medicines per participant. Most of the non-prescription medicine purchased was meant for alimentary tract and metabolism (31.8%, followed by respiratory system (19.4% and musculoskeletal system (15.8% usage. Factors found to be associated with the choice of non-prescription medicine purchased were age group [χ2 = 170.75, (df = 57, p<0.01], locality [χ2 = 48.16, (df = 19, p<0.01], gender [χ2 = 32.93, (df = 13, p = 0.002], ethnic group [χ2 = 118.89, (df = 39, p<0.01] and type of occupation [χ2 = 222.434, (df = 117, p<0.01]. Non-prescription medicine purchased defined about 20% of the variance in the combination of predictors such as locality, gender, age, ethnicity, type of occupation and household income. CONCLUSION: The predictors for selection of non-prescription medicine were locality (urban or rural, gender, age, ethnicity, type of

Gene-environment interaction and biological monitoring of occupational exposures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirvonen, Ari

2005-01-01

Biological monitoring methods and biological limit values applied in occupational and environmental medicine have been traditionally developed on the assumption that individuals do not differ significantly in their biotransformation capacities. It has become clear, however, that this is not the case, but wide inter-individual differences exist in the metabolism of chemicals. Integration of the data on individual metabolic capacity in biological monitoring studies is therefore anticipated to represent a significant refinement of the currently used methods. We have recently conducted several biological monitoring studies on occupationally exposed subjects, which have included the determination of the workers' genotypes for the metabolic genes of potential importance for a given chemical exposure. The exposure levels have been measured by urine metabolites, adducts in blood macromolecules, and cytogenetic alterations in lymphocytes. Our studies indicate that genetic polymorphisms in metabolic genes may indeed be important modifiers of individual biological monitoring results of, e.g., carbon disulphide and styrene. The information is anticipated to be useful in insuring that the workplace is safe for everyone, including the most sensitive individuals. This knowledge could also be useful to occupational physicians, industrial hygienists, and regulatory bodies in charge of defining acceptable exposure limits for environmental and/or occupational pollutants

Occupational stress, anxiety and coping strategies in police officers.

Science.gov (United States)

Acquadro Maran, D; Varetto, A; Zedda, M; Ieraci, V

2015-08-01

Studies on occupational stress have shown that police officers are exposed to stressful events more often than other workers and this can result in impaired psychosocial well-being and physical health. To measure the level of stress experienced, the consequences in terms of anxiety and the coping strategies adopted in a sample of police officers working in a large city in northern Italy. We used the Police Stress Questionnaire and the Distress Thermometer to measure occupational stress, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to measure anxiety and the Brief COPE questionnaire to measure coping strategies. Six hundred seventeen police officers completed the questionnaire, a response rate of 34%. Differences between genders, sectors and roles emerged, but overall the study population generally demonstrated good use of positive coping strategies. Women in all operational service roles were more vulnerable to both organizational and operational stressors than men (P occupational stress should take into account gender, role and type of work. Tailored training courses and support programmes could be useful and effective tools for preventing stress before it becomes chronic. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Occupational contact dermatitis in the wind energy industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Lárraga-Piñones, G; Heras-Mendaza, F; Conde-Salazar, L

2012-12-01

In 2010, wind energy coverage in Spain increased by 16%, making the country the world's fourth largest producer in a fast-developing industry that is also a source of employment. Occupational skin diseases in this field have received little attention. The present study aims to describe the main characteristics of skin diseases affecting workers in the wind energy industry and the allergens involved. We performed a descriptive, observational study of workers from the wind energy industry with suspected contact dermatitis who were referred to the occupational dermatology clinic of the National School of Occupational Medicine (Escuela Nacional de Medicina del Trabajo) between 2009 and 2011. We took both a clinical history and an occupational history, and patients underwent a physical examination and patch testing with the materials used in their work. We studied 10 workers (8 men, 2 women), with a mean age of 33.7 years. The main finding was dermatitis, which affected the face, eyelids, forearms, and hands. Sensitization to epoxy resins was detected in 4 workers, 1 of whom was also sensitized to epoxy curing agents. One worker was sensitized to bisphenol F resin but had a negative result with epoxy resin from the standard series. In the 5 remaining cases, the final diagnosis was irritant contact dermatitis due to fiberglass. Occupational skin diseases are increasingly common in the wind energy industry. The main allergens are epoxy resins. Fiberglass tends to produce irritation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEDV. All rights reserved.

[Immunological background and pathomechanisms of food allergies].

Science.gov (United States)

Schülke, Stefan; Scheurer, Stephan

2016-06-01

Recent advances in immunology have greatly improved our understanding of the pathomechanisms of food allergies. Food allergies are caused and maintained by complex interactions of the innate and adaptive immune system involving antigen-presenting cells (APC), T cells, group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2), epithelial cells (EC) and effectors cells. Additionally, epigenetic factors, the intestinal microbiome and nutritional factors modulating the gastrointestinal lymphatic tissue probably have a significant impact on allergy development. However, why certain individuals develop tolerance while others mount allergic responses, the factors defining the allergenicity of food proteins, as well as the immunological mechanisms triggering allergy development have yet to be analyzed in detail.

An e-learning course in medical immunology: does it improve learning outcome?

Science.gov (United States)

Boye, Sondre; Moen, Torolf; Vik, Torstein

2012-01-01

E-learning is used by most medical students almost daily and several studies have shown e-learning to improve learning outcome in small-scale interventions. However, few studies have explored the effects of e-learning in immunology. To study the effect of an e-learning package in immunology on learning outcomes in a written integrated examination and to examine student satisfaction with the e-learning package. All second-year students at a Norwegian medical school were offered an animated e-learning package in basic immunology as a supplement to the regular teaching. Each student's log-on-time was recorded and linked with the student's score on multiple choice questions included in an integrated end-of-the-year written examination. Student satisfaction was assessed through a questionnaire. The intermediate-range students (interquartile range) on average scored 3.6% better on the immunology part of the examination per hour they had used the e-learning package (p = 0.0046) and log-on-time explained 17% of the variance in immunology score. The best and the less skilled students' examination outcomes were not affected by the e-learning. The e-learning was well appreciated among the students. Use of an e-learning package in immunology in addition to regular teaching improved learning outcomes for intermediate-range students.

[Use of hypertext as information and training tools in the prevention of occupational risk].

Science.gov (United States)

Franco, G

1998-01-01

Modern medical education is based on a variety of teaching techniques, by means of which individuals learn most effectively. The availability of the new technologies together with the diffusion of personal computers is favouring the spreading of the use of hypertexts through the World Wide Web. This contribution describes 2 hypertexts ("Human Activities and Health Risk"; "Occupation, Risk and Disease. A Problem-Oriented Hypertext-Tool to Learn Occupational Medicine") and the prototype "Virtual Hospital". Assuming that prevention of health risks is based upon their knowledge, they have been created with the aim of providing users with problem-oriented tools, whose retorical aspects (content, information organization, user interface) are analysed. The "Human Activities and Health Risk" deals with the description of working activities and allows user to recognize health risks. The "Occupation, Risk and Disease. A Problem-Oriented Hypertext-Tool to Learn Occupational Medicine" embodies a case report containing the clustered information about the patient and the library including educational material (risk factors, symptoms and signs, organ system diseases, jobs, occupational risk factors, environment related diseases. The "Virtual Hospital" has been conceived assuming that an appropriate information can change workers' behaviour in hospital, where health risks can be often underevaluated. It consists of a variety of structured and unstructured information, which can be browsed by users, allowing the discovery of links and providing the awareness of the semantic relationship between related information elements (including environment, instruments, drugs, job analysis, situations at risk for health, preventive means). The "Virtual Hospital" aims making the understanding of the working situations at risk easier and more interesting, stimulating the awareness of the relationship between jobs and risks.

Occupational health of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Guglielmi, Ottavia; Jurado-Gámez, Bernabé; Gude, Francisco; Buela-Casal, Gualberto

2015-03-01

The aim of this systematic literature review was to assess the impact of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) on patients' occupational health. We selected 19 studies that dealt with issues related to job performance and productivity, absenteeism, and psychosocial health of patients with OSAS and assessed the risk of bias in their conclusions. Although methodologically rigorous studies are needed to confirm these findings, the results obtained suggest the existence of multiple relationships between OSAS and work limitations of patients (i.e., difficulties maintaining attention, learning new tasks, or performing monotonous tasks). The studies reviewed reached more scientifically consistent conclusions about such patients' risk of taking more days of sick leave or having work disability, particularly if they reported excessive daytime sleepiness. Very few studies have explored the relationship between OSAS and psychosocial occupational health of patients. Thus, there is a need for research to clarify these aspects of occupational medicine. OSAS has numerous effects on patients' occupational health, yet, in general, results should be confirmed by studies with sufficiently large samples in which OSAS is diagnosed with reliable methods and occupational variables are assessed with standardized and validated questionnaires.

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

Science.gov (United States)

... Care Professionals Find an Allergist American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Seeking Relief? Find an Allergist ... shots? View All Postings Ask the Allergist Index Allergy & Asthma News Let it snow, but don’t ...

The importance of intuition in the occupational medicine clinical consultation.

Science.gov (United States)

Philipp, R; Philipp, E; Thorne, P

1999-01-01

Clinical consultation involves unspoken elements which flow between doctor and patient. They are vital ingredients of successful patient management but are not easily measured, objective or evidence-based. These elements include empathy and intuition for what the patient is experiencing and trying to express, or indeed suppressing. Time is needed to explore the instinctive feeling for what is important, particularly in present day society which increasingly recognizes the worth of psychosocial factors. This time should be available in the occupational health consultation. In this paper the importance of intuition and its essential value in the clinical interview are traced through history. Differences between intuition and empathy are explored and the use of intuition as a clinical tool is examined.

CCL8 BASED IMMUNOLOGICAL MONITORING

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2008-01-01

The present invention relates to an immunological method and, more particularly, a method for measuring cell-mediated immune reactivity (CMI) in mammals based on the production of CCL8.The invention further discloses an assay and a kit for measuring CMI to an antigen using whole blood or other...

Experimental photoimmunology: immunologic ramifications of UV-induced carcinogenesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daynes, R.A.; Bernhard, E.J.; Gurish, M.F.; Lynch, D.H.

1981-01-01

The use of animal model systems to investigate the sequence of events which lead to the induction and progression of skin tumors following chronic ultraviolet light (UVL) exposure has clearly shown that the direct mutagenic effects of UVL is only one of the components involved in this process. In spite of the fact that overt carcinogenesis is only one of the many effects produced by UV light, most hypotheses as to the mechanism by which UVL can cause the mutations necessary to achieve the transformed phenotype have focused on the direct effects of UVL on DNA and the generation of carcinogenic compounds. Investigations during the last 5 yr, however, have clearly demonstrated that immunologic factors are also critically important in the pathogenesis of UV-induced skin cancers. A complete understanding of UV-carcinogenesis must therefore consider the mechanisms which allow the transformed cell to evade immunologic rejection by the host in addition to those aspects which deal with conversion of a normal cell to a cancer cell. It is the object of this review to provide both a historical account of the work which established the immunologic consequences of chronic UVL exposure and the results of recent experiments designed to investigate the kinetics and mechanisms by which UVL affects the immunologic apparatus. In addition, a hypothetical model is presented to explain the sequence of events which ultimately lead to the emergence of the suppressor T-cells which regulate antitumor immune responses

Occupational allergy to aquarium fish food: red midge larva, freshwater shrimp, and earthworm. A clinical and immunological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meseguer Arce, J; Villajos, I M Sánchez-Guerrero; Iraola, V; Carnés, J; Fernández Caldas, E

2013-01-01

Chironomids seem to be the main cause of occupational allergy to aquarium fish food. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of occupational sensitization to 3 different arthropod species used as components of aquarium fish food. The study sample comprised 8 workers from a fish food packing department. The control group comprised 40 atopic patients (20 of whom were allergic to mites). We performed prick tests with extracts of red midge larva (Chironomus thummi), freshwater shrimp (Gammarus species), earthworm (Tubifex species), and other arthropod species and a battery of common inhalant allergens. We measured peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and specific immunoglobulin (Ig) E and performed a methacholine challenge test, nasal challenge test, and immunoblotting. Cross-reactivity analyses were completed using immunoblotting and CAP inhibition. Prick test results were positive to red midge larvae in 7 patients (87.5%), Gammarus in 5 (62.5%), Tubifex in 3 (37.5%), and mites in 6 (75%). In the mite-allergic controls, 30% had positive prick test results to red midge larvae. PEFR decreased > or = 20% during the packing process in all patients, and in 1 patient it indicated a dual asthmatic response. Methacholine challenge test results were positive in all participants. Nasal challenge tests were performed in 4 patients, and the results were positive. Specific IgE to red midge larvae was detected in 62.5%, Gammarus in 50%, and Tubifex in 16%. Bands of approximately 14-15 kDa and 31 kDa were observed in Gammarus and red midge larvae extracts. Cross-reactivity assays demonstrated that Gammarus totally inhibited red midge larvae, while Tubifex did so partially. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus showed very low inhibitory capacity. Aquarium fish food arthropods are potent allergens with an elevated prevalence of sensitization and variable degree of crossreactivity. This is the first report of occupational allergy to Tubifex. More data are necessary to identify and

Cancer immunology and colorectal cancer recurrence

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vannucci, Luca

-, č. 3 (2011), s. 1421-1431 ISSN 1945-0524 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA500200917 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Keywords : colorectal cancer * inflammation * tumor Subject RIV: EC - Immunology

Optimal time interval for induction of immunologic adaptive response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ju Guizhi; Song Chunhua; Liu Shuzheng

1994-01-01

The optimal time interval between prior dose (D1) and challenge dose (D2) for the induction of immunologic adaptive response was investigated. Kunming mice were exposed to 75 mGy X-rays at a dose rate of 12.5 mGy/min. 3, 6, 12, 24 or 60 h after the prior irradiation the mice were challenged with a dose of 1.5 Gy at a dose rate of 0.33 Gy/min. 18h after D2, the mice were sacrificed for examination of immunological parameters. The results showed that with an interval of 6 h between D1 and D2, the adaptive response of the reaction of splenocytes to LPS was induced, and with an interval of 12 h the adaptive responses of spontaneous incorporation of 3 H-TdR into thymocytes and the reaction of splenocytes to Con A and LPS were induced with 75 mGy prior irradiation. The data suggested that the optimal time intervals between D1 and D2 for the induction of immunologic adaptive response were 6 h and 12 h with a D1 of 75 mGy and a D2 of 1.5 Gy. The mechanism of immunologic adaptation following low dose radiation is discussed

Big data analytics in immunology: a knowledge-based approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Guang Lan; Sun, Jing; Chitkushev, Lou; Brusic, Vladimir

2014-01-01

With the vast amount of immunological data available, immunology research is entering the big data era. These data vary in granularity, quality, and complexity and are stored in various formats, including publications, technical reports, and databases. The challenge is to make the transition from data to actionable knowledge and wisdom and bridge the knowledge gap and application gap. We report a knowledge-based approach based on a framework called KB-builder that facilitates data mining by enabling fast development and deployment of web-accessible immunological data knowledge warehouses. Immunological knowledge discovery relies heavily on both the availability of accurate, up-to-date, and well-organized data and the proper analytics tools. We propose the use of knowledge-based approaches by developing knowledgebases combining well-annotated data with specialized analytical tools and integrating them into analytical workflow. A set of well-defined workflow types with rich summarization and visualization capacity facilitates the transformation from data to critical information and knowledge. By using KB-builder, we enabled streamlining of normally time-consuming processes of database development. The knowledgebases built using KB-builder will speed up rational vaccine design by providing accurate and well-annotated data coupled with tailored computational analysis tools and workflow.

Big Data Analytics in Immunology: A Knowledge-Based Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guang Lan Zhang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available With the vast amount of immunological data available, immunology research is entering the big data era. These data vary in granularity, quality, and complexity and are stored in various formats, including publications, technical reports, and databases. The challenge is to make the transition from data to actionable knowledge and wisdom and bridge the knowledge gap and application gap. We report a knowledge-based approach based on a framework called KB-builder that facilitates data mining by enabling fast development and deployment of web-accessible immunological data knowledge warehouses. Immunological knowledge discovery relies heavily on both the availability of accurate, up-to-date, and well-organized data and the proper analytics tools. We propose the use of knowledge-based approaches by developing knowledgebases combining well-annotated data with specialized analytical tools and integrating them into analytical workflow. A set of well-defined workflow types with rich summarization and visualization capacity facilitates the transformation from data to critical information and knowledge. By using KB-builder, we enabled streamlining of normally time-consuming processes of database development. The knowledgebases built using KB-builder will speed up rational vaccine design by providing accurate and well-annotated data coupled with tailored computational analysis tools and workflow.

[Immunological status of patients with amebic hepatic abscess].

Science.gov (United States)

Canto Solís, A; Miranda Feria, A J; Medina Martinez, J; Teran Ortíz, L A; Suárez Sánchez, F

1975-01-01

The authors studied 10 cases of amoebic hepatic abscess documented by clinical evidence and confirmed by laboratory tests, liver scan and a good response to treatment. The immunological state of the patients was determined by protein electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, counter-immunoelectrophoresis, radial immunodiffusion and roset formation for T and B lymphocytes. It is concluded that the alterations of cellular and humoral immunity is evident in cases of amoebic hepatic abscess; this alterations are more clear in the acute form of the illness and the immunological deficiency is more significant in the celular immunity.

ROLE OF MATERNAL EDUCATION & OCCUPATION IN THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF UNDER THREE CHILDREN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shaili Vyas

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Research question: To determine the role of  Maternal  Education & Occupation in the nutritional status of  <3yrs children. Objectives: To assess the role of  maternal education & occupation in the nutritional status of  <3yrs children.  Study design: Cross sectional study. Settings:In the field practice area of Department of Community Medicine, Dehradun. Participants:500 children between 0-3years. Statistical Analysis:Chi Square . Results:  Majority of mothers (41.20% were found to be illiterate & of these majority had undernourished children (73.30%. In our study, most (92.20% of the mothers were housewives or were unemployed ,whereas maximum undernutrition (88.46% was found in children whose mothers were unskilled labourer by occupation, whereas children of housewives were found to be only 59.22%  undernourished.

Radioactive isotopes in occupational health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favino, Angelo.

1976-01-01

It is highly desirable today to know and use for industrial medicine purposes all scientific and technological data available in the field of nuclear medicine. The present textbook is an inventory of all possibilities given to occupational doctors in order to pronounce a judgement of ability to work on the occasion of preemployment or routine medical examinations. Such applications require a high degree of competence in radiological protection and also require observation of the basic Safety Standards of Euratom and of the recommendations of the International Committee on Radiological Protection, the same safety principles having been incorporated in all the legislations of the Member States of the Community. In this book a number of chapters are devoted to the description of the basic principles for maximum permissible doses, dosimetric surveillance, medical supervision of workers exposed to ionizing radiations, and medical treatments to be used after a radioactive contamination. In addition a small number of preventive measures are described for all utilisations of radioactive substances for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes

The immunology of the vermiform appendix: a review of the literature

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kooij, I. A.; Sahami, S.; Meijer, S. L.; Buskens, C. J.; te Velde, A. A.

2016-01-01

This literature review assesses the current knowledge about the immunological aspects of the vermiform appendix in health and disease. An essential part of its immunological function is the interaction with the intestinal bacteria, a trait shown to be preserved during its evolution. The existence of

Unwanted Immunology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.V. Supotnytskyi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The paper considers the role of antigenic imprin­ting phenomena and antibody-dependent enhancement of infection in epidemic, infectious and postvaccinal processes. Based on published experimental data, it is shown that both phenomena are directly related to the laws of development and course of epide­mics, the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and safe use of vaccines. Their ignoring by researchers has led to failures in the design of vaccines against HIV/AIDS, dengue fever, influenza, malaria, hemorrhagic fever and encephalitis. These data show that, without taking into account the two phenomena, the further development of immunology and epidemiology in the direction of breakthrough discoveries in there areas of science are impossible.

Wound Healing: Concepts and Updates in Herbal Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meria M Dan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Wound is a common injury due to internal and or external factors, which are subsequently associated with many immunological events, including necrosis, inflammation, etc. Significant amounts of tissue damage and infection are two silent features of wound along with other co-morbidities. Wound healing is a complex process where immunohistochemistry, tissue regeneration, and remodeling are predominant events. Since early human life, there are many traditional procedures are in use to treat wounds of various kind. However, the modern medical practices are rapidly growing in wound healing, traditional herbal medicine and use of medicinal plant products are showing equal ability and drawing the attention of medical practitioners. Herbal/traditional medicine is one of the oldest procedures in countries like India and China. In recent days, it has become reliable option in developed nations such as USA, UK, and other European nations for treatment of many deadly diseases including cancer. India is one of the biggest biodiversity reservoirs in the world with vast range of plant species and high access to the ancient medical practices. According to the WHO data and available sources, there more than 80% world population depends on herbal medical products. This indicates that despite the lack of clinical and scientific evidences, the herbal or traditional market is growing at rapid pace. In this literature review, we presented the role of herbal medicine in wound healing, some of the common medicinal plants, the quality, safety, and efficacy concerns of herbal medical products.

Immunological studies relating to the climate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballester, J.M.; Cruz, C.; Inclan, G.; Maclas, C.; Suarez, L.; Rivero, R.; Borres, I.M.; Ustariz, C.; Del Valle, L.; Villegas, R.; Martinez, E.; Rorrajero, I.; Guevara, V.; Leon, A.; Paz, L.; Pelaez, J.C.; Roque, M.C.

1993-01-01

In order to know the effects of ultra-violet radiations on the integrity of their immunological system, a hematologic and immunological study was carried out in 30 clinically healthy children aged between 10 and 15; 15 of each sex, who come from a region in Bielorussia that was affected by the Chernobyl nuclear accident, and who received medical and recreational services at the 'Jose Marti' Pioneers'City, located Tarara Beach (Havana, Cuba) from July 9,1990 to August 27,1990. Data from the initial evaluations upon their arrival in Cuba were compared whit the final results before their return to Bielorussia, in the following variables: haemoglobin, leucocytes, platelets, absolute counts of lymphocytes and neutrophylous polymorphonuclears, levels of sericeus of Igs G, A, M, and E sericas and (CH50), as well as the presence of circulating immuno complexes; besides spot-forming cellular clusters (spontaneous, active, and medial by the receptor Fc in neutrophylous) and the cells identified with monoclonal antibodies against CD2, CD3, CD8 and CD4/CD8 quotient. Cutaneous response to antigen and lymphoblastic transformation in the presence of PHA and PwN were also assessed. Results of this research allow to infer that the adequate and monitored position against ultra-violet rays from the solar radiation in children exposed to low doses of ionizing irradiation does not deteriorate the human immunological system, and do favor its regulation and normal performance

Effectiveness of Awareness Package on Occupational Health Hazards among Ragpickers of New Delhi, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwalla, Rashmi; Pathak, Rambha; Singh, Mitasha; Islam, Farzana; Parashar, Mamta

2017-01-01

Ragpickers are informal workers who collect recyclable materials to earn a small wage on daily basis. They work in vulnerable conditions and awareness regarding occupational and environmental hazard is essential for them. To study the effectiveness of awareness program on various occupational health hazards among the ragpickers. This interventional study was conducted from May through October 2016 among the ragpickers living near field practice area of Department of Community Medicine and those living in slum areas around HAHC Hospital, New Delhi, India. The awareness regarding occupational and environmental health hazards was assessed using a pretested and predesigned pro forma. Snowball sampling technique was used to select the ragpickers from the various areas. Health awareness and education package was designed for the ragpickers. The package was delivered by medical officers and health workers. A posttest assessment was done 2 weeks after the awareness activity. Among 150 ragpickers, there was significant improvement in knowledge immediate post training on knowledge of occupational hazard and hygiene. Efforts should be put to develop training materials on occupation and environmental health and injury issue relating to waste management.

Mathematical Models for Immunology: Current State of the Art and Future Research Directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Eftimie, Raluca; Gillard, Joseph J; Cantrell, Doreen A

2016-10-01

The advances in genetics and biochemistry that have taken place over the last 10 years led to significant advances in experimental and clinical immunology. In turn, this has led to the development of new mathematical models to investigate qualitatively and quantitatively various open questions in immunology. In this study we present a review of some research areas in mathematical immunology that evolved over the last 10 years. To this end, we take a step-by-step approach in discussing a range of models derived to study the dynamics of both the innate and immune responses at the molecular, cellular and tissue scales. To emphasise the use of mathematics in modelling in this area, we also review some of the mathematical tools used to investigate these models. Finally, we discuss some future trends in both experimental immunology and mathematical immunology for the upcoming years.

What Can Vampires Teach Us about Immunology?

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, David S

2016-04-01

Speculative fiction examines the leading edge of science and can be used to introduce ideas into the classroom. For example, most students are already familiar with the fictional infectious diseases responsible for vampire and zombie outbreaks. The disease dynamics of these imaginary ailments follow the same rules we see for real diseases and can be used to remind students that they already understand the basic rules of disease ecology and immunology. By engaging writers of this sort of fiction in an effort to solve problems in immunology we may be able to perform a directed evolution experiment where we follow the evolution of plots rather than genetic traits. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Immunological features underlying viral hemorrhagic fevers.

Science.gov (United States)

Messaoudi, Ilhem; Basler, Christopher F

2015-10-01

Several enveloped RNA viruses of the arenavirus, bunyavirus, filovirus and flavivirus families are associated with a syndrome known as viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF). VHF is characterized by fever, vascular leakage, coagulation defects and multi organ system failure. VHF is currently viewed as a disease precipitated by viral suppression of innate immunity, which promotes systemic virus replication and excessive proinflammatory cytokine responses that trigger the manifestations of severe disease. However, the mechanisms by which immune dysregulation contributes to disease remain poorly understood. Infection of nonhuman primates closely recapitulates human VHF, notably Ebola and yellow fever, thereby providing excellent models to better define the immunological basis for this syndrome. Here we review the current state of our knowledge and suggest future directions that will better define the immunological mechanisms underlying VHF. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orchestrating cytoskeleton and intracellular vesicle traffic to build functional immunological synapses.

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Helena; Lasserre, Rémi; Alcover, Andrés

2013-11-01

Immunological synapses are specialized cell-cell contacts formed between T lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. They are induced upon antigen recognition and are crucial for T-cell activation and effector functions. The generation and function of immunological synapses depend on an active T-cell polarization process, which results from a finely orchestrated crosstalk between the antigen receptor signal transduction machinery, the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, and controlled vesicle traffic. Although we understand how some of these particular events are regulated, we still lack knowledge on how these multiple cellular elements are harmonized to ensure appropriate T-cell responses. We discuss here our view on how T-cell receptor signal transduction initially commands cytoskeletal and vesicle traffic polarization, which in turn sets the immunological synapse molecular design that regulates T-cell activation. We also discuss how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) hijacks some of these processes impairing immunological synapse generation and function. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.