| 31. |
- Eriksson, Kåre, et al.
(författare)
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Tape-stripping as a method for measuring dermal exposure to resin acids during wood pellet production
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Monitoring. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1464-0325 .- 1464-0333. ; 10:3, s. 345-352
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this study was to develop a sensitive and specific method for quantifying dermal exposure to the resin acids 7-oxodehydroabietic acid (7-OXO), dehydroabietic acid (DHAA), abietic acid ( AA), and pimaric acid (PA). In addition the method was evaluated in occupational settings during production of wood pellets. Tape-strips were spiked with the substances to evaluate the recovery of the acids from the tape. The removal efficiency of the tape was assessed by tape-stripping a specified area on a glass plate spiked with resin acids. The recovery of the acids from human skin in vivo was evaluated by applying acids in methanol onto the skin of volunteers. Occupational dermal exposure to the resin acids was assessed by tape-stripping the skin of workers involved in the production of wood pellets. The resin acids were analyzed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The limit of detection was 15 pg (7-OXO), 150 pg ( DHAA), 285 pg ( AA) and 471 pg ( PA) per injection. The recovery from spiked tapes was in general 100%. The removal efficiency of the tape was 48-101%. Recovery tests from human skin in vivo showed a mean recovery of 27%. Quantifiable amounts of resin acids were observed on four different skin areas with an increase in exposure during a work shift. This study shows that occupational dermal exposure to resin acids can be assessed by tape-stripping and quantified by LC-MS.
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| 32. |
- Grahn, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
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Longer Nature-Based Rehabilitation May Contribute to a Faster Return to Work in Patients with Reactions to Severe Stress and/or Depression
- 2017
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Ingår i: International journal of environmental research and public health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The global burden of depression and stress-related mental disorders is substantial, and constitutes a major need for effective rehabilitation. Can nature-based rehabilitation help people return to work? Objective: To study if the length of a nature-based rehabilitation program affects the outcome with regard to return to work one year after the onset of the program, in a group of patients with long-term reactions to severe stress and/or depression. Methods: A prospective, quasi-experimental study comparing results from 8-, 12-, and 24-week periods of rehabilitation. The rehabilitation of 106 participants was carried out by a multimodal rehabilitation team in a specially designed rehabilitation garden. Return to work data were collected before the intervention and one year after the start of rehabilitation. In addition, data were collected regarding self-assessed occupational competence, personal control, and sense of coherence. As many as 68% of the participants returned to work or participated in job training or work-oriented measures, full- or part-time, after one year. Participants with a longer period of rehabilitation reported better results on occupational competence, and were more likely to participate in paid work, full-time or part-time, one year after rehabilitation. Study outcomes indicate that a longer rehabilitation period in a rehabilitation garden increases the possibility of a return to paid work.
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| 33. |
- Hagström, Katja, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Exposure to wood dust, resin acids and volatile organic compounds during production of wood pellets
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. - Philadelphia, PA : Taylor and Francis. - 1545-9624 .- 1545-9632. ; 5:5, s. 296-304
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The main aim of this study was to investigate exposure to airborne substances that are potentially harmful to health during the production of wood pellets, including wood dust, monoterpenes, and resin acids, and as an indicator of diesel exhaust nitrogen dioxide. In addition, area measurements were taken to assess background exposure levels of these substances, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon monoxide. Measurements were taken at four wood pellet production plants from May 2004 to April 2005. Forty-four workers participated in the study, and a total of 68 personal measurements were taken to determine personal exposure to wood dust (inhalable and total dust), resin acids, monoterpenes, and nitrogen dioxide. In addition, 42 measurements of nitrogen dioxide and 71 measurements of total dust, resin acids, monoterpenes, VOCs, and carbon monoxide were taken to quantify their indoor area concentrations. Personal exposure levels to wood dust were high, and a third of the measured levels of inhalable dust exceeded the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 2 mg/m3. Parallel measurements of inhalable and total dust indicated that the former were, on average, 3.2 times higher than the latter. The data indicate that workers at the plants are exposed to significant amounts of the resin acid 7-oxodehydroabietic acid in the air, an observation that has not been recorded previously at wood processing and handling plants. The study also found evidence of exposure to dehydroabietic acid, and exposure levels for resin acids approached 74% of the British OEL for colophony, set at 50 microg/m3. Personal exposure levels to monoterpenes and nitrogen dioxide were low. Area sampling measurements indicated that aldehydes and terpenes were the most abundant VOCs, suggesting that measuring personal exposure to aldehydes might be of interest. Carbon monoxide levels were under the detection limit in all area measurements. High wood dust exposure levels are likely to have implications for worker health; therefore, it is important to reduce exposure to wood dust in this industry.
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| 34. |
- Helmfrid, Ingela, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Exposure of metals and PAH through local foods and risk of cancer in a historically contaminated glassworks area
- 2019
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 131, s. 1-10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundProduction of crystal glass and colored art glassware have been going on in the south-eastern part of Sweden since the 1700s, at over 100 glassworks and smaller glass blowing facilities, resulting in environmental contamination with mainly arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAH). High levels of metals have been found in soil, and moderately elevated levels in vegetables, mushrooms and berries collected around the glassworks sites compared with reference areas. Food in general, is the major exposure source to metals, such as Cd and Pb, and PAHs. Exposure to these toxic metals and PAH has been associated with a variety of adverse health effects in humans including cancer.ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of cancer in a cohort from the contaminated glasswork area in relation to long-term dietary intake of locally produced foods, while taking into account residential, occupational and life styles factors.MethodsThe study population was extracted from a population cohort of 34,266 individuals who, at some time between the years 1979–2004, lived within a 2 km radius of a glassworks or glass landfill. Register information on cancer incidence and questionnaire information on consumption of local foods (reflecting 30 years general eating habits), life-time residence in the area, life style factors and occupational exposure was collected. Furthermore, blood (n = 660) and urine (n = 400) samples were collected in a subsample of the population to explore associations between local food consumption frequencies, biomarker concentrations in blood (Cd, Pb, As) and urine (PAH metabolite 1-OHPy) as well as environmental and lifestyle factors. The concurrent exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from food was also considered. A case-control study was performed for evaluation of associations between intakes of local food and risk of cancer.ResultsDespite high environmental levels of Cd, Pb and As at glasswork sites and landfills, current metal exposure in the population living in the surrounding areas was similar or only moderately higher in our study population compared to the general population. Reported high consumption of certain local foods was associated with higher Cd and Pb, but not As, concentrations in blood, and 1-OHPy in urine. An increased risk of cancer was associated with smoking, family history of cancer, obesity, and residence in glasswork area before age 5 years. Also, a long-term high consumption of local foods (reflecting 30 years general eating habits), i.e. fish and meat (game, chicken, lamb), was associated with increased risk of various cancer forms.ConclusionsThe associations between consumption of local food and different types of cancer may reflect a higher contaminant exposure in the past, and thus, if consumption of local food contributes to the risk of acquiring cancer, that contribution is probably lower today than before. Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that other contaminants in the food contribute to the increased cancer risks observed.
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| 35. |
- Marsh, Gary M., et al.
(författare)
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Mortality Among Hardmetal Production Workers : Pooled Analysis of Cohort Data From an International Investigation
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. - Philadelphia, PA, USA : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1076-2752 .- 1536-5948. ; 59:12, s. e342-e364
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Based on a pooled analysis of data from an international study, evaluate total and cause-specific mortality among hardmetal production workers with emphasis on lung cancer.METHODS: Study members were 32,354 workers from three companies and 17 manufacturing sites in five countries. We computed standardized mortality ratios and evaluated exposure-response via relative risk regression analysis.RESULTS: Among long-term workers, we observed overall deficits or slight excesses in deaths for total mortality, all cancers, and lung cancer and found no evidence of any exposure-response relationships for lung cancer.CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that duration, average intensity, or cumulative exposure to tungsten, cobalt, or nickel, at levels experienced by the workers examined, increases lung cancer mortality risks. We also found no evidence that work in these facilities increased mortality risks from any other causes of death.
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| 36. |
- Ohlsson, Ann-Christine, et al.
(författare)
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Potential Risk Factors and Prevalence of Voice Symptoms in Students Starting Their Teacher Education
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Voice. - : Elsevier BV. - 0892-1997 .- 1873-4588. ; 35:2, s. 1-323
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to determine prevalence of voice problems and potential risk factors in teacher students at the start of their education. A total of 1494 students from seven teacher education schools participated in the study. The students answered a questionnaire about 11 risk factors, and one with six questions about voice symptoms, Screen6, and 30 statements in the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Students reporting at least 2 weekly voice symptoms in Screen6 were assigned to the group with voice problems. Significance level was P < 0.05. Results: prevalence of risk factors was about the same in the seven groups of teacher students except the group with highest proportion of women that also showed the highest proportion of voice problems, 38%. Prevalence of voice problems in the total group was 17%. Comparison of students with or without voice problems showed that all factors except one were more prevalent among students with voice problems and women were overrepresented. Mean total VHI score was 22 in students with voice problems and eight in students without voice problems. Multiple regression analyses showed that frequent throat infections, hearing problems, previous speech therapy, or voice training were the potential risk factors that had the strongest association with voice symptoms as well as with total score in VHI. Conclusions: results from this study show that it is common that teacher students experience voice problems already at the start of their education and potential risk factors associated with voice problems are identified. Knowing that teaching is a high-risk profession for developing voice disorders, it is crucial that teacher students should receive compulsory preprofessional voice education including voice ergonomics and voice training.
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| 37. |
- Palm, Peter, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Reliability and criterion validity of an observation protocol for working technique assessments in cash register work
- 2016
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Ingår i: Ergonomics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0014-0139 .- 1366-5847. ; 59:6, s. 829-839
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We evaluated the intra- and inter-observer reliability and criterion validity of an observation protocol, developed in an iterative process involving practicing ergonomists, for assessment of working technique during cash register work for the purpose of preventing upper extremity symptoms. Two ergonomists independently assessed 17 15-min videos of cash register work on two occasions each, as a basis for examining reliability. Criterion validity was assessed by comparing these assessments with meticulous video-based analyses by researchers. Intra-observer reliability was acceptable (i.e. proportional agreement >0.7 and kappa>0.4) for 10/10 questions. Inter-observer reliability was acceptable for only 3/10 questions. An acceptable inter-observer reliability combined with an acceptable criterion validity was obtained only for one working technique aspect ‘Quality of movements’. Thus, major elements of the cashiers’ working technique could not be assessed with an acceptable accuracy from short periods of observations by one observer, such as often desired by practitioners.
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| 38. |
- Sandberg, David, 1980, et al.
(författare)
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The impact of sleepiness on lane positioning in truck driving
- 2013. - 1
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Ingår i: Driver Distraction and Inattention. - Farnham : Ashgate. - 9781409425854 - 9781315578156 ; , s. 405-416, s. 405-416
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This chapter concerns the detection of sleepiness in truck drivers. Data obtained from a driver sleepiness study involving real-world driving are used in order to analyse the performance of several sleepiness indicators based on driving behavior; such as, for example, variability in lateral position and heading angle. Contrary to the results obtained for passenger cars, for heavy trucks it is found that indicators based on variability provide little or no information; their performance does not rise significantly above chance levels.However, the data indicate that there is a significant difference in the average lane position for sleepy and alert drivers, respectively, such that a sleepy driver generally places the vehicle closer (by about 0.2 m) to the centre of the road than an alert driver. The analysis also shows a significant, monotonous, increase in average lateral position (measured from the right, outer, lane boundary towards the lane centre) between the four cases of (i) daytime alert driving, (ii) daytime sleepy driving, (iii) night-time alert driving and (iv) nighttime sleepy driving.
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| 39. |
- Schmidt, Manuela, et al.
(författare)
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Doctoral students' well-being : a literature review
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1748-2623 .- 1748-2631. ; 13:1, s. 1-14
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Doctoral student well-being is an important matter that shapes the well-being of academics throughout their careers. Given that well-being has been found to be closely related to employee productivity and efficiency, strategies associated with maintaining well-being during PhD studies might be crucial for higher education, its outcomes and—just as importantly—for a balanced life of PhD students.Method: Based on 17 studies, this literature review critically assesses the literature on doctoral student well-being.Results: Theoretical models, concepts of well-being, and methods applied are discussed, as are the results of the articles. The reviewed studies are then discussed based on a SWOT analysis addressing the strengths and weaknesses of the reviewed research as well as the identified opportunities and threats, which can be used as a basis for future research. Based on the review findings and the SWOT analysis, a multidimensional view of the well-being of doctoral students is proposed.Conclusions: The study proposes a more student-centred approach to meeting doctoral students’ needs, and the enhancement of doctoral student well-being in order, as a long-term goal, to improve academics’ well-being and productivity.
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| 40. |
- Svartengren, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
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Cancer Incidence Among Hardmetal Production Workers : The Swedish Cohort
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. - Philadelphia, USA : Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. - 1076-2752 .- 1536-5948. ; 59:12, s. e365-e373
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The cancer incidence was determined for 3713 workers from three plants from 1958 to 2011. The exposure measures were ever/never exposed, duration, cumulative, and mean cobalt concentrations.The incidence of all malignant neoplasms was increased at one plant, but standardized incidence ratio (SIR) was 0.96 for all workers. Lung cancer incidence was increased for all workers, SIR 1.38 (1.01 to 1.85). The lung cancer incidence was associated with shorter employment time and showed no exposure-response. There was decreased incidence for skin cancer. Increased lip cancer incidence found at one of the production plants might be related to diagnostic intensity.Lung cancer incidence showed no correlation to cobalt exposure based on internal comparison. The increased SIR for all workers might be associated with other factors.
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