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Biomedical subjects

S Gallagher

Publications and source records attributed to S Gallagher.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Acceptable workloads for three common mining materials.

A series of psychophysical lifting studies was conducted to establish maximum acceptable weights of lift (MAWL) for three supply items commonly handled in underground coal mines (rock dust bags, ventilation stopping blocks, and crib blocks). Each study utilized 12 subjects, all of whom had considerable experience working in underground coal mines. Effects of lifting in four postures (standing, stooping under a 1.5 m ceiling, stooping under a 1.2 m ceiling, and kneeling) were investigated together with four lifting conditions (combinations of lifting symmetry and lifting height). The frequency of lifting was set at four per min, and the task duration was 15 min. Posture significantly affected the MAWL for the rock dust bag (standing MAWL was 7% greater than restricted postures and kneeling MAWL was 6.4% less than stopped); however, posture interacted with lifting conditions for both of the other materials. Physiological costs were found to be significantly greater in the stooped postures compared with kneeling for all materials. Other contrasts (standing versus restricted postures, stooping under 1.5 m ceiling versus stopping under 1.2 m ceiling) did not exhibit significantly different levels of energy expenditure. Energy expenditure was significantly affected by vertical lifting height; however, the plane of lifting had little influence on metabolic cost. Recommended acceptable workloads for the three materials are 20.0 kg for the rock dust bag, 16.5 kg for the ventilation stopping block, and 14.7 kg for the crib block. These results suggest that miners are often required to lift supplies that are substantially heavier than psychophysically acceptable lifting limits.

Accidents, Occupational

Application of the murine anti-Gd-2 antibody 14.Gd-2a for diagnosis and therapy of neuroblastoma.

We have tested the sialoganglioside monoclonal antibody Gd-2a for scintigraphic diagnostic and for immunotherapy in children with neuroblastoma stage IV. We could confirm tumor sites with Gd-2a scans in 1/2 children. Doses of 20-60 mg/m2 were administered daily for 5-10 days. 2/2 children with multiple tumor sites showed significant tumor regression. Four children, treated preventively, are still in clinical remission. One child showed tumor progression despite Gd-2a treatment. Adverse effects included itching, rashes, and pain.

Adolescent

Acceptable weights and physiological costs of performing combined manual handling tasks in restricted postures.

Eight healthy, male underground coal miners (mean age = 36.9 yrs +/- 4.5 SD) participated in a study examining psychophysically acceptable weights and physiological costs of performing combined lifting and lowering tasks in restricted head-room conditions. Independent variables included posture (stooping or kneeling on two knees), task symmetry (symmetric or asymmetric), and vertical lift distance (35 cm or 60 cm). All tasks were 10 min in duration and were performed under a 1.22 m ceiling to restrict the subject's posture. Subjects were required to raise and lower a lifting box every 10s, and asked to adjust the box weight to the maximum amount they could handle without undue strain or fatigue. During the final 5 min of each test, data were collected to determine the energy expenditure requirements of the task. Results of this study demonstrated that psychophysical lifting capacity averaged 11.3% lower when kneeling as compared to stooping. Subjects selected 3.5% more weight in asymmetric tasks, and lifted 5.0% less weight to the 60 cm shelf compared to the 35 cm shelf. Heart rate was not significantly affected by posture, but was increased an average of 4 beats/min in asymmetric conditions, and by 3.5 beats/min while lifting/lowering to/from the high shelf. Oxygen uptake was increased by 9% when stooped, by 10% when lifting/lowering asymmetrically, and by 8.2% when performing the task to the high shelf. Results of this study indicate that, wherever possible, materials that must be lifted manually in low-seam coal mines be designed in accordance with the decreased lifting capacity exhibited in the kneeling posture.

Adult

Reticulum-cell sarcoma of the cervix.

Four patients with primary reticulum-cell sarcoma of the cervix were described. One patient was treated with radical hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy. The pelvic lymph nodes contained metastatic cancer and the patient died shortly after disseminating disease. The other three patients were treated with external radiation and vaginal and intrauterine radium application. The complete work-up failed to reveal cancer outside the pelvis or evidence of systemic disease. Two of these patients had an exploratory laparotomy with biopsies of pelvis and para-aortic lymph nodes and of the liver. One of these patients had a splenectomy, with no evidence of disease. Both patients are alive with no evidence of disease 3 and 10 years after their treatment. The third patient treated by radiation therapy died 2 years later with no evidence of disease. The importance of complete staging work-up and the advantage of radiation therapy in the treatment of reticulum-cell sarcoma of the cervix is emphasized.

Adult