Dental Workers,Musculoskeletal CumulativeTrauma,and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Who is at Risk? A Pilot Study

A pilot study was conducted at a dental clinic to identify (a) the prevalence of musculoskeletal cumulative trauma disorders (MCTD), (b) associated symptoms (with special attention paid to carpal tunnel syndrome [CTS]), and (c) practitioners at risk. Videotapes, two questionnaires, a medical record review, and interviews were used. Forty-five dental workers participated and were classified into three categories: (a) dentists, (b) dental assistants and special assistants (DA/SA), and (c) dental hygienists and dental assistant-expanded function (DH/DAEF). Categorical data were analyzed using the chi- square statistic and risk ratios. The Fisher exact probability test was used for categorical data with a small cell. One or more symptoms associated with CTS were noted by 75.6% of the dental workers, 11% reported diagnosed CTS, and 53% reported back and shoulder pain. Both psychosocial factors and job demands appear to be associated with MCTD. All three categories of dental workers reported MCTD symptoms, and the DH/DAEF group was found to be at greatest risk for developing upper extremity symptoms, CTS, and back pain.     

Examining motor vehicle crash involvement and readiness to change on drinking and driving behaviors among injured emergency department patients

Objective: To measure the effect of motor vehicle crash (MVC) involvement and readiness to change drinking and driving behaviors on subsequent driving and drinking behaviors among injured emergency department (ED) patients who use alcohol at harmful levels.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of injured ED patients who screened positive for harmful alcohol use, who at recruitment reported driving in the past 12 months and received at least one of the intended intervention sessions (brief behavioral intervention versus attention placebo control; N = 407). Outcome variables were as follows: (1) change in 6 impaired driving behaviors and (2) report of MVCs and traffic violations in the 12 months following recruitment; predictor variables were as follows: (1) treatment assignment, (2) MVC involvement at recruitment, and (3) baseline readiness to change alcohol use and drinking and driving.

Results: Modeling of change in the 6 impaired driving variables indicated that neither the recruitment visits being MVC related nor baseline readiness to change alcohol use and drinking and driving behaviors predicted greater changes in impaired driving over time. Baseline reports of past moving traffic violations and the ED visit being MVC related predicted a greater likelihood of each behavior at 12 months following study recruitment.

Conclusions: This study and others have demonstrated that ED patients with harmful alcohol use are willing to engage in behavioral interventions directed at changing risky behaviors. However, this study did not demonstrate that patients considered having the potential to be more engaged with the intervention because their ED visit was MVC related and/or they had expressed intent to change their risky alcohol use and drinking and driving behaviors were more likely to change these risky behaviors.     

Pilot study of sources of lead exposure in Moscow,Russia

This preliminary investigation of sources of lead exposure in Moscow, Russia, by Russian and US collaborators measured lead in paint, interior dust, and drinking water in seven day-care centres, and in petrol, soil and canned food. Some paint samples exceeded US regulatory standards for lead in paint on surfaces (0.5%). Dust lead loadings were < 1.7 g cm^–2 and below the guidance levels of the US EPA. Drinking water lead concentrations were at or below the US drinking water standard of 15 g L^–1. Lead concentrations in petrol from Moscow vehicles and petrol stations were consistent with a regulation banning the sale of leaded petrol within the Moscow City limits. Except for baby food, lead levels were higher in the Russian canned foods (range 6 to 1240 g kg^–1, dry weight) compared to corresponding US canned foods, with ratios of Russian to US levels of up to 120:1 for evaporated milk. Lead concentrations in soil generally ranged from 500 to 2000 g g^–1, levels that would trigger hazard reduction measures according to US EPA guidance. These findings, together with the use of lead in petrol outside Moscow, indicate multiple sources of lead exposure in Russia. Priorities for future research are discussed including the establishment of interlaboratory quality control programmes.     

Secondary mobilisation of heavy metals in overbank sediments

Heavy metal mobility was studied in overbank sediments of the Grote Beek river in Central Belgium. The geochemical signature of heavy metals in fine-scale sampled overbank sediments was compared with data on heavy metal emission into the river. The influence of acidification, organic and inorganic complexation on heavy metal mobility in overbank sediments was studied by single and sequential extractions and leaching tests. As confirmed by these tests, the elevated CaCl(2) content of the river water significantly enhanced the mobilisation of especially Cd, while Zn was mobilised to a lesser extent. The mobilisation of As on the other hand decreased in the presence of elevated CaCl(2) concentrations. Based on the results of single extractions, two highly contaminated zones with a different Cd mobility were observed in one of the overbank profiles. A detailed investigation of Cd leaching behaviour in the zone of Fe-accumulation during pH(stat) leaching tests, suggested that it was related to the association of Cd with Fe-oxides, while adsorption was the dominant binding form of Cd in the clay-rich part of the overbank sediment profile.     

A rare case of 68,XX triploidy diagnosed by amniocentesis

68,XX triploidy was found in the amniotic fluid cell culture of a 40-year-old patient. Elective termination of the pregnancy revealed a fetus with multiple congenital anomalies. While this case does show some common features with monosomy X, a greater similarity to the triploidy syndrome is observed.     

The significance of choroid plexus cysts in fetuses at 18–20 weeks. An indication for amniocentesis?

Over a period of 25 months, all antenatal patients were offered a detailed ultrasound scan at 18–20 weeks' gestation. The lateral cerebral ventricles were scanned for the presence of choroid plexus cysts. Fifty-one patients found to have choroid plexus cysts were offered amniocentesis to exclude chromosomal abnormalities. One pregnancy, in which the only abnormality found was bilateral choroid plexus cysts, was terminated after trisomy 18 was detected on amniocentesis at 19 weeks. The other 50 pregnancies had normal fetal outcomes. The significance of the isolated finding of choroid plexus cysts is reviewed.     

Treatment of swine wastewater in aerobic granular reactors: comparison of different seed granules as factors

The granulation process, physic-chemical properties, pollution removal ability and bacterial communities of aerobic granules with different feed-wastewater (synthetic wastewater, R1; swine wastewater, R2), and the change trend of some parameters of two types of granules in long-term operated reactors treating swine wastewater were investigated in this experiment. The result indicated that aerobic granulation with the synthetic wastewater had a faster rate compared with swine wastewater and that full granulation in R1 and R2 was reached on the 30th day and 39th day, respectively. However, although the feed wastewater also had an obvious effect on the biomass fraction and extracellular polymeric substances of the aerobic granules during the granulation process, these properties remained at a similar level after long-term operation. Moreover, a similar increasing trend could also be observed in terms of the nitrogen removal efficiencies of the aerobic granules in both reactors, and the average specific removal rates of the organics and ammonia nitrogen at the steady-state stage were 35.33 mg·g⁻¹ VSS and 51.46 mg·g⁻¹ VSS for R1, and 35.47 mg·g⁻¹ VSS and 51.72 mg·g⁻¹ VSS for R2, respectively. In addition, a shift in the bacterial diversity occurred in the granulation process, whereas bacterial communities in the aerobic granular reactor were not affected by the seed granules after long-term operation.     

National-Level Wetland Policy Specificity and Goals Vary According to Political and Economic Indicators

Environmental Management - Growing recognition of the importance of wetlands to human and ecosystem well-being has led countries worldwide to implement wetland protection policies. Different...     

Development and implementation of coral reef biocriteria in U.S. jurisdictions

Coral reefs worldwide are declining at an alarming rate and are under continuous threat from both natural and anthropogenic environmental stressors. Warmer sea temperatures attributed to global climate change and numerous human activities at local scales place these valuable ecosystems at risk. Reefs provide numerous services, including shoreline protection, fishing, tourism and biological diversity, which are lost through physical damage, overfishing, and pollution. Pollution can be controlled under provisions of the Clean Water Act, but these options have not been fully employed to protect coral reefs. No U.S. jurisdiction has implemented coral reef biocriteria, which are narrative or quantitative water quality standards based on the condition of a biological resource or assemblage. The President’s Ocean Action Plan directs the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop biological assessment methods and biological criteria for evaluating and maintaining the health of coral reef ecosystems. EPA has formed the Coral Reef Biocriteria Working Group (CRBWG) to foster development of coral reef biocriteria through focused research, evaluation and communication among Agency partners and U.S. jurisdictions. Ongoing CRBWG activities include development and evaluation of a rapid bioassessment protocol for application in biocriteria programs; development of a survey design and monitoring strategy for the U.S. Virgin Islands; comprehensive reviews of biocriteria approaches proposed by states and territories; and assembly of data from a variety of monitoring programs for additional metrics. Guidance documents are being prepared to assist U.S. jurisdictions in reaching protective and defensible biocriteria.     

Using the chemical mass balance model to estimate VOC source contributions in newly built timber frame houses: a case study

Basing on the material emission data obtained in a test chamber, chemical mass balance (CMB) was used to assess the source apportionment of volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations in three newly built timber frame houses. CMB has been proven to be able to discriminate the source contributions for two contrasted environmental conditions (with and without ventilation). The shutdown of the ventilation system caused an increase in the VOC concentrations due to the increased contribution of indoor surface materials like the door material and furniture explaining together over 65% of total VOCs. While the increase in formaldehyde concentration is mainly due to furniture (contribution of 70%), the increase in α-pinene concentration is almost exclusively attributable to the emission of door material (up to 84%). The apportionment of VOC source contributions appears as highly dependent on the position of source materials in the building (surface materials or internal materials) and the ventilation conditions explaining that the concentrations of compounds after the shutdown of ventilation system do not increase in equivalent proportion. Knowledge of indoor sources and its contributions in real conditions may help in the selection of materials and in the improvement of construction operations to reduce the indoor air pollution.