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Biomedical subjects

M Lob

Publications and source records attributed to M Lob.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

[Saturnism caused by skin absorption of a drug].

A case of chronic lead poisoning is described in a woman presenting with abdominal pain due to cutaneous absorption of a lead soap. We have found no other case of intoxication by this route in the literature.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1986

Assessment of vibration induced white finger: reliability and validity of two tests.

The reliability and validity of two tests (cold water and reactive hyperaemia) designed to confirm a patient's history of vibration induced white finger were studied. The cold water test is a measure of digital rewarming after hand immersion in cold water. Reactive hyperaemia consists of measuring digital rewarming after cold water immersion plus temporary ischaemia imposed on the hand. For ten weeks, ten healthy male volunteers were submitted once a week to both tests to study their reliability. The results showed a strong inter and intraindividual scattering. The mean value for the whole group, however, did not differ significantly from one week to the next. Fifty two subjects exposed to hand/arm vibration were submitted to both tests to estimate their validity. They were classified, according to their medical history, into three groups: A = no symptoms, B = tingling or numbess, or both, C = Raynaud's phenomenon. Both tests agreed with the clinical staging. For reactive hyperaemia, however, the differences between the groups were statistically significant only when the test was performed at 10 degrees C. These tests are more useful to study a group than an individual case. Time has no significant effect on the mean result of a group.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Measurement of hand tremor induced by industrial exposure to metallic mercury.

Hand tremor due to industrial exposure to metallic mercury vapour was recorded in 26 exposed and 25 non-exposed male workers by an accelerometer attached to the dorsum of the hand. The subjects were instructed to hold the hand and the forearm in the same position first without and then with a load of 1250 g supported by the hand. Analysis of the records showed that the highest peak frequencies (HPF) (the frequency corresponding to the highest acceleration) were higher in the exposed men than in the controls and were related to the duration of exposure to mercury and to age. The changes in HPF between rest and load were again higher in the exposed men than in the controls and again related to the duration of exposure and to age. The second moment (M2) (an index taking into account the whole recorded spectrum) was similar in the exposed men and controls at rest. The changes in M2 between rest and load were higher in the exposed men than in the controls but were related to duration of exposure and to the biological measurements (loge of mercury in urine or blood) and not to age. These neurophysiological impairments might result from the tendency of metallic mercury to accumulate in the cerebellum and the basal ganglia. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that metallic mercury, even at concentrations probably below the current TLV-TWA of 0.05 mg/m3, can lead to neurological disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[Wine growers and pesticides].

Thirty wine growers have been examined in a preliminary study to define the morbidity related to the use of pesticides. The health status was defined (history, physical examination, liver and kidney function study, cholinesterase, EMG) before any exposure and some parameters were reassessed during exposure. Several results vary significantly during treatment with pesticides (ALT, AST, OCT, ACHE, BCHE). The initial health status is good, showing no systematic pathology. Several episodes of acute intoxication are mentioned in the patient's histories.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

[Longitudinal study of the long-term effects of occupational exposure to benzene].

A follow-up study has been conducted of 60 workers occupationally exposed to benzene for a period of 2 months to 19 years. Duration of the study was 18 years. All subjects were traceable. Ten deaths were recorded, four due to malignancies. No leukemia was observed. Increase of hemoglobin, platelets, white cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes and decrease of monocytes were observed between 1960-1964 and 1980, a fact which suggest a slight initial hematologic disorder in relation to benzene exposure which returned to normal thereafter.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[Difficulties in the prevention of noise in an occupational milieu].

Emphasis is given to the lack of basic engineering knowledge in devising and building "noiseless" tools or machines, as well as in understanding sources and mechanisms of noise production. Teaching and training are not sufficiently developed in this field. Moreover, users of such devices are all too often unaware of the long-term effects of noise and of the appropriate methods of prevention. In this respect, occupational physicians, hygienists, nurses, safety engineers and others can play a very important role. In a second part, the technical difficulties in assessing properly the noise hazard and the efficiency of the protection techniques are underlined. Noise source, noise propagation and the "target" worker are the three levels of control in order to decreasing priority. Finally a few psycho-physiological problems are discussed, among others the attitude of the public towards noise in general. The need of changing this attitude and creating a real understanding and motivation is stressed. Everybody has a responsibility of his own in this respect.

Engineering↗
PubMed1981

[Delayed asthma on diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). The importance of a professional history. The utility and danger of the inhalation tests. Apropos five cases].

While asthma on toluene diisocyanate (TDI) is well known, asthma on diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) has been less frequently described. Following publication of a case in 1972 another is described which was observed in a similar situation (welding of polyurethane belts) and for which the diagnosis remained obscure for some time. A questionnaire sent to factories using this type of belt revealed two other cases of asthma on MDI. A fifth case is described in which provocative testing induced severe cardiovascular disturbances within a few hours after inhalation. Following a short review of the literature, the four new cases mentioned above are presented together with spirometric studies (provocative testing) and immunological investigations.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

[Various aspects of occupational medicine].

Miscellaneous remarks about present and future state of occupational medicine and industrial hygiene in Switzerland. Historical recall, present structures, need of a multidisciplinary approach. Problems set by long-term effects, misleading security given by statistics, difficulty of interpreting subnormal biological values. Requirements, needs and limits of the legislation. Considerations about the medical services in factories and the debatable state of the occupational physician. Necessity of a training. Primordial role of the institutes, answerable for formation, teaching, research, experts and advisers for all who practice occupational health and industrial hygiene.

Bibliographies as Topic↗
PubMed1980

[Cancer mortality among the workers of a Swiss rubber goods factory. Epidemiological study, 1955-75].

In an epidemiologic investigation of mortality among workers in a Swiss rubber-goods factory the cancer mortality in the period 1955-1975 has been studied in all male workers active on 1 January 1955 in (a) a rubber-goods factory and (b) a munitions factory, the latter as reference population. The two groups numbered some 1000 each. Both factories were located in the same Central Swiss village where no other industry was present. Mortality in each industry is compared with that in the Swiss population in general (SMR) and the mortalities of the two industries are compared with each other. The results tend to confirm that rubber workers are exposed to a higher risk of cancer mortality. Three particular types of cancer are briefly discussed: cancer of the stomach, of the lower urinary tract, and glioblastoma.

Glioma↗
PubMed1980

Study of some hepatic effects (induction and toxicity) caused by occupational exposure to styrene in the polyester industry.

This study describes an occupational health survey carried out in the polyester industry in order to investigate the hepatic effects caused by exposure to styrene. Fifty-seven workers underwent a medical examination. They were submitted to blood and urine sampling for the determination of the degree of exposure, by the analysis of urinary mandelic and phenylglyoxylic acids (styrene metabolites), and the intensity of induction and/or hepatic effects, by the analysis of urinary glucaric acid and plasma enzyme activities (gamma glutamyl transferase, ornithine carbamoyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase). The results showed that styrene does not give rise to measurable autoinduction. With regard to the hepatic tests, exposure to styrene caused an increase in the plasma enzyme activities, a phenomenon illustrating a possible damaging effect on liver cells. This effect appears with exposure below 100 ppm (time-weighted average).

Adult↗