Search

This study was performed to investigate the frequency of bladder cancer in patients with an occupational history such as underground hard coal mining and/or painting after the structural change in the local industry. A total of 206 patients with bladder cancer and 207 controls were enlisted regarding occupational and nonoccupational bladder cancer risk factors by questionnaire. The phase II enzymesN-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2), glutathioneS-transferases M1 (GSTM1), and T1 (GSTT1) and the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs11892031[A/C] reported to be associated with bladder cancer in genome-wide association studies were genotyped. The bladder cancer risk in varnishers and underground hard coal miners was increased as previously shown in a study in this area performed in the 1980s. The occupation of a car mechanic was associated with a significantly elevated bladder cancer risk and higher in the case of underground hard coal miners even though the mine was closed in 1987. The frequency of GSTM1 negative genotype was comparable in cases and controls (53% versus 54%). In the case of NAT2, the slow NAT2 genotype was more frequent (62% versus 58%) and ultra-slow NAT2 genotype (NAT2*6A and/or *7B alleles only) was 23% versus 15%. An occupational history of a varnisher or an underground hard coal miner remains a risk factor for bladder cancer occurrence. Data indicate that in the case of bladder cancer, GSTM1 is a susceptibility factor related to environmental and/or occupational exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Development of modern mechanized operations in mining industry has been considerably decreasing the physical burden of work. But the most undesired and unavoidable by-product of these operations is the generation of high levels of noise. Occupational noise exposure of mine workers is a potentially serious health problem. High-level of noise not only hinders communication between workers, but, depending upon the level, quality, and exposure duration of the noise, it may also result in different type of physical, physiological and psychological effects on the workers, especially Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Occupational exposure limits specify the maximum sound pressure levels and exposure times to which nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed without adverse effect on their ability to hear and understand normal speech. The European Union has reached agreement on new directives dealing with noise in the working environment - Noise at Work Directive 2003/10/EC. The Member States and candidate countries like Turkey are to comply with this Directive before 15 February 2006. The limit and action values are given in this directive. The specific objectives of this study were to estimate occupational noise exposure levels of mine workers employed in Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise and compare them with the exposure limit values. The method of Homogeneous Exposure Groups (HEG) was used for the estimation of occupational noise exposure levels of mine workers. The noise survey consisted of measuring and noting two variables: the noise levels to which the worker was exposed and his exposure time to those levels per work shift. After completion the survey, the daily noise exposure levels of groups were calculated. The homogeneity of the groups was tested statistically using one way analysis of variance. The normality of noise levels obtained for HEG's was investigated using Skewness and Kurtosis Coefficient of distributions and One Sample Kolmogorov – Simirnov Test were used to determine the normality of the data. In this study, the zonal method was selected as measuring technique due to the most cost-effective method. Noise measurements were carried out using a Type 1 integrated sound level meter (model NL-31) manufactured by RION Co. Ltd., Japan. The equipment was operated on the A-weighted network, slow response and was acoustically calibrated before, during, and after each shift. Calibration was done using the RION NC-74 sound level calibrator which emits a 94 dB, 1 kHz tone. It is necessary to define an average noise level characterizing the mean exposure of the person to check compliance of noise exposure with regulations or to estimate the individual risk of hearing loss of an exposed person. Two parameters are defined by the ISO 1999 (1990) standard. These are daily and weekly noise exposure levels. The daily noise exposure level (LEX,8h = LAeq,8h = LEP,d) is time weighted average of the noise exposure levels, in dBA, for a nominal eight-hour working day. … [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The prevalence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) in U.S. coal miners has increased, and severe presentations are increasingly common. Methods We describe trends in lung transplantation during 1996-2014 for recipients with a primary diagnosis of CWP or pneumoconiosis unspecified, and we summarize recipient characteristics and estimate survival. Results A total of 47 transplants were included; nearly three-quarters were performed during 2008-2014. All recipients were male, 96% were white, and the mean age was 56 years. Mean FEV1% was 35%; mean FVC% was 53%. Mean time on a waitlist was 155 days, and 60% of transplants were bilateral. Median survival was 3.7 years. Conclusions These transplants reflect the use of a scarce resource for an entirely preventable disease, and highlight the need for enhanced efforts to reduce coal mine dust exposures. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:175-177, 2016. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]