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As part of an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) international epidemiological study of workers in the pulp and paper industry, previously unpublished exposure measurements were assembled in a database. This article summarizes the results of 3,873 measurements carried out in the production departments of paper and paperboard mills and recycling plants in 12 countries. In the paper and paperboard mills, most of the agents were measured in the pulping and refining departments and in on-machine coating and winding of paper/paperboard. Exposures to asbestos, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, fungal spores, bacteria, nitrogen dioxide, minerals dusts, paper dust, sulphuric acid and different solvents sometimes exceeded exposure limit values. In the re-pulping and de-inking departments of recycling plants high exposures to formaldehyde, fungal spores, bacteria and paper dust were observed. High exposures to asbestos, bioaerosols, carbon monoxide and paper dust were found in many departments; ammonia, formaldehyde, mineral and paper dust and solvents were found in coating machines; and diphenyl and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) were found in some special circumstances. Measurements in the newsprint and uncoated paper machine departments revealed only a few elevated exposures. In nearly all departments, measurements of epichlorohydrin, PCBs, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans tended to be low, often even below their detection limits. In spite of some uncertainties in the measurement data, the study provides new insights into the level and variation of occupational exposures of production workers in the paper and paperboard industry.

The abstracts of papers presented at the 1959-1994 meetings of the Society for Pediatric Radiology were reviewed and tabulated for organ system and imaging modality chiefly discussed and for number of authors per paper. Among organ systems, the musculoskeletal system and extremities were favored at first, then relatively ignored, then favored again. Interest in the central nervous system and head has been at a high level for the last decade. In modalities, plain radiography and fluoroscopy were dominant for more than 20 years but have now fallen to a much lower level of interest. Ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography have passed all the older techniques and, collectively, have accounted for a large majority of the presentations for the last decade. Changes have been much greater in imaging techniques employed than in organ systems discussed. The number of authors per paper presented grew from 1.0 in 1959 to 1.7 for the 1960-1964 period to 4.1 for the 1990-1994 period.

This paper is an introduction to the study "The Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Patient Access to Treatment". The objective of the study is to compare patient access to new drugs in Europe, North America and a selection of other countries, and to analyse the determinants of differences between countries, as basis for a discussion on how patients' access to new and effective treatments can be improved. There were few treatments available that could affect the progression of the disease prior to the introduction of the first TNF inhibitors in the late 1990s. Since the cost per patient treated with these biological drugs is high compared to previously available treatments, reimbursement through private and public insurance is an important determinant for access to treatment.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of neck pain (NP) in the world population and to identify areas of methodological variation between studies. A systematic search was conducted in five databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, OSH-ROM, and PsycINFO), followed by a screening of reference lists of relevant papers. Included papers were extracted for information and each paper was given a quality score. Mean prevalence estimates were calculated for six prevalence periods (point, week, month, 6 months, year, and lifetime), and considered separately for age, gender, quality score, response rate, sample size, anatomical definition, geography, and publication year. Fifty-six papers were included. The six most commonly reported types of prevalence were point, week, month, 6 months, year, and lifetime. Except for lifetime prevalence, women reported more NP than men. For 1-year prevalence, Scandinavian countries reported more NP than the rest of Europe and Asia. Prevalence estimates were not affected by age, quality score, sample size, response rate, and different anatomical definitions of NP. NP is a common symptom in the population. As expected, the prevalence increases with longer prevalence periods and generally women have more NP than men. At least for 1-year prevalence Scandinavian countries report higher mean estimates than the rest of Europe and Asia. The quality of studies varies greatly but is not correlated with the prevalence estimates. Design varies considerably and standardisation is needed in future studies.

Objectives: A previous extensive review of the literature including that from the middle of 1992 concluded that whole-body vibrations may contribute to low back pain, but that the exposure-response relationship had not been clarified. We reviewed the literature of the past 7 years to find out: (i) whether there is evidence in the recent epidemiological literature for a causal association between whole-body vibrations and low back pain, and (ii) if there is evidence in the recent literature for a dose-response relationship between whole-body vibrations and low back pain., Methods: All relevant epidemiological articles which were obtained through a search in the databases MEDLINE, OSH-ROM and TOXLINE, and through personal communication, were reviewed independently by the two authors, using a checklist., Results: Twenty-four original articles concerning the association between whole-body vibrations and the lower back were retained for use. The quality of the papers was mostly low, but improved with time. Only seven articles passed our predetermined quality criteria. Of the seven reports, one showed increased frequency of lumbar prolapse in occupational drivers, and six showed low back pain to be more frequent in whole-body vibration-exposed groups. Only two out of the four articles reporting on dose, showed a dose-response association., Conclusions: Despite the lack of definite evidence, we found sufficient reasons for the reduction of whole-body vibration-exposure to the lowest possible level. If new knowledge is to be produced, good prospective studies with repeated measurements of exposure, analyses of work postures, and clear definitions and subgroupings of low back pain are needed. Other research in this field should be given up, and the resources used for more important issues, as the size of the problem of whole body vibration is probably on the decrease because of the technical prophylactic developments that are already in progress.

"This paper takes several surveys of the literature concerning migration research as its starting point and directs the reader toward a number of potentially fruitful lines for future research. Major sections include one on modeling migrant choice in which the pros and cons of using gross versus net migration measures are discussed. A second introduces and discusses the concept of a 'spatial' choice set, which has the potential to be implemented with laboratory experimental techniques. The third involves a wide-ranging discussion of new directions in modeling the interrelationships between employment and migration." The primary geographical focus is on the United States., (excerpt)

"In determining metropolitan population size and changes therein, urban theorists traditionally have focused on the number of occupied dwelling units or households and have assumed that these households are equal in size. This paper argues that average household size is an indicator of how intensively the housing stock is utilized and that there is substantial variation in household size across SMSAs in the U.S. The experience of 150 SMSAs is examined for the time period 1960 to 1970. The study model attributes varying household size to differentials in birth and divorce rates, racial composition and age of housing. Ramifications of recent household size declines involve the internal spatial organization of metropolitan areas and the Census controversy with cities over alleged undercounts of urban populations.", (excerpt)

"This paper is a comparison of two contrasting methods for projecting population at the regional and state levels. A projection of the U.S. Bureau of the Census employs standard demographic methods, while the population projection by Data Resources, Inc., is based on economic opportunity. The methodological differences between these two projections are discussed, and the projections for the year 2000 are compared....The U.S. Bureau of the Census projects population decline in the Northeast and rapid growth in the West while Data Resources, Inc., projects some population growth in the Northeast and less rapid growth in the West.", (excerpt)

"This paper has examined the impact of climate on migration. It has compared the results that are obtained when various indicators of climatic conditions, both those which have been used in the literature and those which have not, are included in a regression used to explain migration behavior. The results suggest that individuals do indeed consider climatic conditions in different areas when deciding where to live; people generally prefer areas which have moderate climates to areas which have either extremely hot or extremely cold climates. The results also indicate that the climate variables which yield the best results are generally those which have not been used in the literature." The study is based on U.S. data concerning in-migration to 36 SMSAs between 1960 and 1970., (excerpt)

"This paper presents and tests a regression-based model of black interstate migration. Explanatory variables include characteristics of origins and destinations, distance, and two migrant stock measures. The model is tested using black interstate migration flows published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census for 1965-70 and 1975-80." The emphasis is on the determinants of black migration, particularly for the period 1975-1980., (excerpt)

"This paper examines the impact of age on migration by providing estimates of identically specified migration equations for each of six age groups. Hypothesized effects of age on the relative importance of various explanatory variables are developed from a model viewing migration as an investment decision." This model is then tested empirically using U.S. data on inter-regional migration between 1965 and 1970. "The effects of economic opportunity differentials on migration are found to decline sharply with age. Lagged migration, the 'friends and relatives effect,' is found to be the most significant explanatory variable in all age group equations. Past migration is the only variable found to significantly influence the migration of persons over 65.", (excerpt)