Artículos científicos
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Ítem Índice de buen desempeño del sistema de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo (Índice ECoTES), resultados de un estudio piloto en seis países de Iberoamérica(Sociedad Española de Epidemiología, 2024-09) Silva-Peñaherrera, Michael; Astete, Jonh; Cornelio, Cecilia; Gimeno, David; Itatí Iñiguez, María José; Carmenate, Lino; Vives, Alejandra; Rojas, Marianela; Barraza, Douglas; Palomo Cordero, Luis Diego; López, María; Funcasta, Lorena; Orta, Lida; Amable, Marcelo; Benavides, Fernando G.Resumen del Congreso XLII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Española de Epidemiología (SEE) de los Roles de la epidemiología ante los nuevos paradigmas en saludÍtem Microplastics in feed cause sublethal changes in the intestinal microbiota and a non-specific immune response indicator of the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Decapoda: Cambaridae)(Frontiers in Microbiology Journal, 2023-07-18) Guillén-Watson, Rossy; Arias-Andres, Maria; Rojas-Jimenez, Keilor; Wehrtmann, Ingo S.Microplastics (MP) are a hazardous pollutant of global concern that threatens aquatic ecosystems and public health. We used the invasive, cosmopolitan, and environmentally versatile red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii as a model to study the effects of MP on the intestinal microbiome. Crayfish collected from the environment were compared with specimens exposed to recycled Polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) MP in feed (30%) for 96 h in the laboratory and a control group. We analyzed the 16S rRNA of the intestinal bacteria by PCR-DGGE and high-throughput sequencing. MP exposure caused dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota, with an increase in Alphaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. We detected higher abundance of opportunistic genera such as Klebsiella, Acinetobacter, Hydromonas, Pseudomonas, Gemmobacter, and Enterobacter on MP fed organisms. Moreover, MP exposure reduced the abundance of Clostridia and Bateroidetes, which are important for immune system development and pathogen prevention. Furthermore, MP exposure decreased the phenoloxidase (PO) immune response in crayfish. There was a significant difference in the richness of intestinal bacterial communities after consumption of food contaminated with MP, likely increasing the abundance of opportunistic bacteria in the intestinal microbiota. Our results suggest that MP alter the gut microbial composition and impair the health of P. clarkii.Ítem Kidney function in rice workers exposed to heat and dehydration in Costa Rica(MDPI, 2022-04-19) Crowe, Jennifer; Rojas-Valverde, Daniel; Rojas Garbanzo, Marianela; Gutierrez-Vargas, Randall; Ugalde-Ramírez, Jose Alexis; Ledezma Rojas, José Pablo; Cabrera Alpizar, Willian; Salazar Salazar, Minor; Mauricio La Torre, Robinson; Valera-Amador, Lázara; van Wendel de Joode, BernaThe aim of this study was to evaluate heat exposure, dehydration, and kidney function in rice workers over the course of three months, in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We collected biological and questionnaire data across a three-month-period in male field (n = 27) and other (n = 45) workers from a rice company where chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) is endemic. We used stepwise forward regression to determine variables associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR at enrollment and/or change in eGFR, and Poisson regression to assess associations with incident kidney injury (IKI) over the course of three months. Participants were 20–62 years old (median = 40 in both groups). Dehydration was common (≥37%) in both groups, particularly among other workers at enrollment, but field workers were more exposed to heat and had higher workloads. Low eGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2) was more prevalent in field workers at enrollment (19% vs. 4%) and follow-up (26% vs. 7%). Field workers experienced incident kidney injury (IKI) more frequently than other workers: 26% versus 2%, respectively. Age (β = −0.71, 95%CI: −1.1, −0.4), current position as a field worker (β = −2.75, 95%CI: −6.49, 0.99) and past work in construction (β = 3.8, 95%CI: −0.1, 7.6) were included in the multivariate regression model to explain eGFR at enrollment. The multivariate regression model for decreased in eGFR over three month included current field worker (β = −3.9, 95%CI: −8.2, 0.4), current smoking (β= −6.2, 95%CI: −13.7–1.3), dehydration (USG ≥ 1.025) at both visits (β= −3.19, 95%CI: −7.6, 1.2) and pain medication at follow-up (β= −3.2, 95%CI: −8.2, 1.95). Current fieldwork [IR (incidence rate) = 2.2, 95%CI 1.1, 5.8) and being diabetic (IR = 1.8, 95%CI 0.9, 3.6) were associated with IKI. Low eGFR was common in field workers from a rice company in Guanacaste, and being a field worker was a risk factor for IKI, consistent with the hypothesis that occupational heat exposure is a critical risk factor for CKDu in Mesoamerica.Ítem Database biomarkers measured in bees exposed to insecticides(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica, 2023-02-02) Mena, FreylanOpen database with raw data presented in a scientific paper. Biomarkers measured in bees exposed to three insecticides.Ítem Mortality among a Cohort of Banana Plantation Workers in Costa Rica(Taylor & Francis, 2006) Guardado, Jorge; Keifer, Matthew; Wesseling, Catharina; Hoffman, JonathanThe nematocide 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), widely used in Costa Rica during the late 1960s and 1970s, causes sterility in men and is a possible carcinogen. Mortality among a cohort of Costa Rican banana plantation workers was investigated. The cohort included 40,959 individuals who worked on banana plantations between 1972 and 1979. Employment records were linked with the Costa Rican Mortality Registry to determine outcomes through 1999. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated for all causes of death. Poisson regression was also used to calculate mortality risk estimates by duration of employment, but provided no additional insight. All-causes SMRs were 0.77 for men (95% CI 0.75-0.80) and 0.90 for women (95% CI 0.80-1.02) relative to national mortality rates. Mortality from septicemia was significantly higher than expected. Nonsignificant increases in mortality were also observed for testicular cancer, penile cancer, Hodgkin's disease, and Parkinson's disease in men, and for cervical cancer and lung cancer in women.Ítem Microplastics: New substrates for heterotrophic activity contribute to altering organic matter cycles in aquatic ecosystems(Elsevier, 2018-09-01) Therese Kettner, Marie; Grossart, Hans-Peter; Arias Andrés, Maria de Jesús; Miki, TakeshiHeterotrophic microbes with the capability to process considerable amounts of organic matter can colonize microplastic particles (MP) in aquatic ecosystems. Weather colonization of microorganisms on MP will alter eco logical niche and functioning of microbial communities remains still unanswered. Therefore, we compared the functional diversity of biofilms on microplastics when incubated in three lakes in northeastern Germany differing in trophy and limnological features. For all lakes, we compared heterotrophic activities of MP biofilms with those of microorganisms in the surrounding water by using Biolog® EcoPlates and assessed their oxygen consumption in microcosm assays with and without MP. The present study found that the total biofilm biomass was higher in the oligo-mesotrophic and dystrophic lakes than in the eutrophic lake. In all lakes, functional diversity profiles of MP biofilms consistently differed from those in the surrounding water. However, solely in the oligo-mesotrophic lake MP biofilms had a higher functional richness compared to the ambient water. These results demonstrate that the functionality and hence the ecological role of MP-associated microbial communities are context-dependent, i.e. different environments lead to substantial changes in biomass build up and heterotrophic activities of MP biofilms. We propose that MP surfaces act as new niches for aquatic microorganisms and that the constantly in creasing MP pollution has the potential to globally impact carbon dynamics of pelagic environments by altering heterotrophic activities.Ítem Mortality and Cancer Incidence of Workers in Finnish Road Paving Companies(Wiley-Liss, Inc., 2003) Kauppinen, Timo; Heikkila, Pirjo; Partanen, Timo; Virtanen, Simo V.; Pukkala, Eero; Burstyn, Igor; Ferro, Gilles; Boffetta, PaoloBackground This study, a component of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Multicentric Study on Cancer Risk Among European Asphalt Workers, aimed at identifying major mortality risks among workers in Finnish road paving companies. Methods The Finnish cohort was comprised of 9,643 men and women from six road paving companies. The mortality of men employed during at least one season (5, 676) was followed up from 1964 until end of 1994; an average of 17 years. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and relative risks (RR), the latter based on multivariate Poisson regression models were estimated by occupational group and by various metrics of occupational exposures. Results All-cause mortality was elevated (SMR 1.11, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.03-1.20), mainly due to excesses in accidents, poisonings, and violence (1.29; CI 1.12-1.49), and lung cancer (1.38; 1.03-1.81). Workers exposed to bitumen fumes had a slightly elevated mortality from lung cancer (1.16; 0.69-1.83). Multivariate Poisson regression models with 15-year lag period suggested trends by cumulative exposure to coal tar, organic vapors, silica dust, diesel exhaust, and bitumen fume. Conclusions The elevated mortality from external causes among Finnish building/ground construction workers was probably due to living conditions and related lifestyles. Some evidence was found for a risk of lung cancer due to occupational exposure, but the confirmation of these findings would require a longer follow-up and improved control for confounding. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Ítem Nefropatía mesoamericana: revisión breve basada en el segundo taller del Consorcio para el estudio de la Epidemia de Nefropatía en Centroamérica y México (CENCAM)(Elsevier, 2016) García-Trabanino, Ramón; Cerdas, Manuel; Madero, Magdalena; Jakobsson, Kristina; Barnoya, Joaquin; Crowe, Jennifer; Jarquín, Emmanuel; Guzmán-Quilo, Carolina; Correa-Rotter, RicardoMesoamerican nephropathy (MeN) is a form of endemic chronic kidney disease (CKD) unrelated to diabetes or hypertension and its causes are still undetermined. Clinically, patients with MeN have no or only mild proteinuria and mild or absent systemic hypertension. MeN is highly prevalent and with elevated mortality in the Pacific coast of Central America. The Consortium for the Study of the Epidemic of Nephropathy in Central America and Mexico (CENCAM) held a workshop in San José, Costa Rica to review all available scientific evidence, identify knowledge gaps, and propose recommendations. The purpose of this review is to present a brief summary of the update on the current evidence evaluated during the workshop, which is available in the full Scientific Report. Although the aetiology is still not clear, there is consensus among most researchers that MeN has an important occupational and environmental component, and that physical exertion under heat stress is probably related to the disease. Continuous repetitive episodes of dehydration and heat stress may play an important role in the pathophysiology of the disease. It is likely that the cause of MeN is multifactorial, and other risk factors have been proposed that deserve to be studied in greater depth, including: exposure to some agrochemicals, some infectious agents (Leptospira and others), frequent use of analgesics, genetic susceptibility, and social determinants of health. MeN poses a historic challenge for Latin American nephrology, and its approach must be multi-sectoral.Ítem Dolor musculoesquelético en trabajadores de América Central: resultados de la I Encuesta Centroamericana de Condiciones de Trabajo y Salud(Panamerican Health Organization, 2015) Rojas, Marianela; Gimeno, David; Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Benavides, Fernando G.El artículo tiene como objetivo examinar la prevalencia de dolor musculoesquelético (DME) en los seis países de habla hispana de América Central con un instrumento único, la I Encuesta Centroamericana de Condiciones de Trabajo y Salud, en trabajadores de todos los sectores, manuales y no manuales, y con cobertura o no de la seguridad social como un indicador de formalidad o informalidad. Para la metodología se trabajó una muestra de trabajadores encuestados en sus domicilios (n = 12 024). Se calculó la prevalencia ajustada por edad en el último mes de DME en la espalda (alta o cervical, media o dorsal y baja o lumbar) o en las articulaciones de los miembros superiores (hombro, codo y muñeca). La prevalencia fue estimada por sexo, ocupación (manual o no), sector económico (agrícola, industrial y servicios) y cobertura de la seguridad social. Se utilizaron modelos de regresión Poisson para calcular las razones de prevalencia e intervalos de confianza de 95%, con estratificación por país y localización anatómica. En cuanto a los resultados, por localizaciones, la prevalencia ajustada por edad de DME cervical-dorsal es la más elevada, en especial en El Salvador (47,8%) y Nicaragua (45,9%), y la de DME lumbar la menos frecuente, sobre todo en Panamá (12,8%) y Guatemala (14,8%). Tras ajustes adicionales, la prevalencia de DME fue mayor en mujeres y los trabajadores manuales en todas las localizaciones y países. No hubo diferencias de DME respecto a la cobertura de la seguridad social y el sector de actividad económica. Como conclusiones: la elevada prevalencia de DME en América Central, independiente del sector de actividad y cobertura o no de la seguridad social, indica que la prevención de los DME debe constituir también una prioridad en salud laboral en países de bajos y medianos ingresos, en especial en mujeres y trabajadores manuales.Ítem Assessment of pesticide exposure in the agricultural population of Costa Rica(British Occupational Hygiene Society, 2005) Monge, Patricia; Partanen, Timo; Wesseling, Catharina; Bravo, Viria; Ruepert, Clemens; Burstyn, IgorWe describe a model for the retrospective assessment of parental exposure to 26 pesticides, selected by toxicity-based prioritization, in a population-based case–control study of childhood leukaemia in Costa Rica (301 cases, 582 controls). The model was applied to a subset of 227 parents who had been employed or self-employed in agriculture or livestock breeding. It combines external data on pesticide use for 14 crops, 21 calendar years and 14 regions, and individual interview data on determinants (task and technology, personal protective equipment, field reentry, storing of pesticides, personal hygiene) of exposure. Recall was enhanced by use of checklists of pesticides in the interview. An external database provided information on the application rate (proxy for intensity of potential exposure) for each pesticide. The calendar time was individually converted to five time windows (year before conception, first, second and third trimester, and first year of the child). Time-windowed individual data on determinants of exposure and their expert-based general weights and their category-specific hazard values jointly provided an individual determinant score. This score was multiplied by the application rate to obtain an individual index of exposure intensity during application. Finally, average exposure intensity during entire time windows was estimated by incorporating in the model the individual time fraction of exposure during application. Estimates of exposure intensities were proxies assumed to be proportional to dermal exposure intensity, which represents the major pathway of occupational exposure to pesticides. A simulated sensitivity analysis resulted in a correlation coefficient of 0.91 between two sets of 10 000 values of individual exposure indices, based on two different but realistic sets expert-assigned weights. Lack of measurement data on concurrent exposures in comparable circumstances precluded direct validation of the model.Ítem Heat exposure in sugarcane workers in Costa Rica during the non-harvest season(Global Health Action, 2010) Crowe, Jennifer; Moya-Bonilla, José Manuel; Román-Solano, Bryan; Robles-Ramírez, AndrésThis observational pilot study was carried out at three sugarcane companies in Costa Rica. Its main objective was to determine the potential for heat stress conditions for workers in one sugarcane-growing region in Costa Rica during the maintenance (non-harvest) period. Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) variables were measured with a heat stress meter and threshold value limits and the Sweat Rate Indexes were calculated for each workplace. It was determined that workers in this study were in heat stress conditions. Costa Rica is likely to experience warmer temperatures and increased heat waves in the coming decades. It is therefore important to take action to decrease current and future heat related risks for sugarcane workers in both harvest and non-harvest conditions and in all sugarcane growing regions in Costa Rica. It is also necessary to improve guidelines and occupational health standards for protecting worker health and productivity in the tropics.Ítem Heat exposure in sugarcane harvesters in Costa Rica(Wiley Periodicals, 2013) Crowe, Jennifer; Wesseling, Catharina; Román Solano, Bryan; Pinto Umaña, Manfred; Robles Ramírez, Andrés; Kjellstrom, Tord; Morales, David; Nilsson, MariaBackground Occupational heat stress is a major concern in sugarcane production and has been hypothesized as a causal factor of a chronic kidney disease epidemic in Central America. This study described working conditions of sugarcane harvesters in Costa Rica and quantified their exposure to heat. Methods Non-participatory observation and Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures (WBGT) according to Spanish NTP (Technical Prevention Notes) guidelines were utilized to quantify the risk of heat stress. OSHA recommendations were used to identify corresponding exposure limit values. Results Sugarcane harvesters carried out labor-intensive work with a metabolic load of 261 W/m2 (6.8 kcal/min), corresponding to a limit value of 26° WBGT which was reached by 7:30 am on most days. After 9:15 am, OSHA recommendations would require that workers only work 25% of each hour to avoid health risks from heat. Conclusions Sugarcane harvesters are at risk for heat stress for the majority of the work shift. Immediate action is warranted to reduce such exposures.Ítem Biomarkers of manganese exposure in pregnant women and children living in an agricultural community in California(American Chemical Society, 2014) Gunier, Robert; Mora, Ana María; Smith, Donald; Arora, Manish; Austin, Christine; Eskenazi, Brenda; Bradman, AsaManganese (Mn) is an essential nutrient but at high exposure levels is a neurotoxicant. There is no wellvalidated biomarker to assess perinatal Mn exposure. A total of 75 mother-child pairs provided blood, urine, and/or deciduous tooth samples. We analyzed Mn in dentin and enamel of shed teeth; maternal, cord, and child blood; and maternal and child urine and examined the interrelationships of Mn levels in all matrices. We observed higher Mn levels in prenatal than postnatal dentin (geometric mean (GM) = 0.51 vs 0.16 Mn:Ca, p < 0.001), maternal blood at delivery than 26 weeks gestation (GM = 20.7 vs. 14.6 μg/L, p = 0.001), and cord blood than child blood at 24 months of age (39.9 vs 25.0 μg/L, p = 0.005). There were no significant correlations between Mn in dentin and Mn concentrations in maternal blood or maternal or child urine. Levels of Mn in prenatal dentin, prenatal maternal blood, and 24 month urine were higher (p < 0.05) among mothers and children living with a farm worker. Prenatal Mn levels in dentin were correlated with Mn loadings and concentrations in prenatal house dust. Levels of Mn measured in tooth dentin constitute a promising biomarker of perinatal exposure.Ítem Agricoh: A consortium of agricultural cohorts(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute(MDPI), Switzerland., 2011-04-29) Leon, Maria; Beane Freeman, Laura; Douwes, Jeroen; Hoppin, Jane; Kromhout, Hans; Lebailly, Pierre; Christian Nordby, Karl; Schenker, Marc; Schüz, Joachim; Waring, Stephen; Alavanja, Michael; Annesi Maesano, Isabella; Baldi, Isabelle; Aqiel Dalvie, Mohamed; Ferro, Giles; Fervers, Beatris; Langseth, Hilde; London, Leslie; Lynch, Charles; McLaughlin, John; Merchant, James; Pahwa, Punam; Sigsgaard, Torben; Stayner, Leslie; Wesseling, Catharina; Keun-Young, Yoo; Zahm, Sheila; Straif, Kurt; Blair, AaronAGRICOH is a recently formed consortium of agricultural cohort studies involving 22 cohorts from nine countries in five continents: South Africa (1), Canada (3), Costa Rica (2), USA (6), Republic of Korea (1), New Zealand (2), Denmark (1), France (3) and Norway (3). The aim of AGRICOH, initiated by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and coordinated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is to promote and sustain collaboration and pooling of data to investigate the association between a wide range of agricultural exposures and a wide range of health outcomes, with a particular focus on associations that cannot easily be addressed in individual studies because of rare exposures (e.g., use of infrequently applied chemicals) or relatively rare outcomes (e.g., certain types of cancer, neurologic and auto-immune diseases). To facilitate future projects the need for data harmonization of selected variables is required and is underway. Altogether, AGRICOH provides excellent opportunities for studying cancer, respiratory, neurologic, and auto-immune diseases as well as reproductive and allergic disorders, injuries and overall mortality in association with a wide array of exposures, prominent among these the application of pesticides. © 2011 by the authors.Ítem Evaluation of a battery of toxicity tests for use in the assessment of water quality in a Costa Rican laboratory(Wiley Periodicals, Estados Unidos, 2000) Castillo, Luisa Eugenia; Pinnock, Margareth; Martínez, EduardoThe Laboratory for Ecotoxicological Studies (ECOTOX) of IRET evaluated the following toxicity tests: Daphnia magna (daphnia test), Hydra attenuata (hydra test), Allium sp. (onion test), Panagrellus redivivus (nematode test), Lactuca sativa (seed test), and the Fluctuation kit. Selection criteria were that the tests should be sensitive to a range of different toxicants, reliable, and preferably of low cost. The tests were evaluated for their reproducibility and sensitivity with 24 blind samples which contained metals, pesticides, and other organic compounds. The hydra, seed, and onion tests were more reproducible when evaluated with a set of samples of a mixture of cadmium and metolachlor. Daphnia and hydra were the most sensitive organisms in our laboratory using mortality or reduction in growth as endpoints. Sublethal effects in the hydra test were useful to detect additional effects. Lettuce seeds and onions performed better than the nematode test for pesticides and other organic compounds. For metals the nematode test was more sensitive than the seed and onion tests. Environmental water samples collected in a banana plantation area were tested with the hydra and seed assays. The hydra test was more sensitive to the pollutants present in these samples. Reproduction in the hydra test was measured as an additional endpoint and differences with the control were observed. This study concluded that short-term bioassays such as daphnia, hydra, seed, and onion tests are promising for screening water quality.Ítem Evaluation of two self-administered questionnaires to ascertain dermatitis among metal workers and its relation with exposure to metal working fluids(Blackwell Publishing, Dinamarca., 2007) van Wendel de Joode, Berna; Vermeulen, Roel; Heederik, Dick; van Ginkel, Kees; Kromhout, HansWe performed an exploratory study to evaluate 2 self-administered questionnaires assessing hand dermatitis and to investigate a possible exposure-response relation between dermal exposure to semisynthetic metal working fluids (SMWF) and dermatitis. In a cross-sectional survey on dermatitis, a symptom-based questionnaire and a picture-based skin-screening list were applied in 80 SMWFexposed workers and 67 referents. To evaluate accuracy of the questionnaires, 47 subjects were examined by a dermatologist. Dermal exposure levels to SMWF were assessed on the hands, forearms, and face with an observational method that was validated with a fluorescent-tracer method. The symptom-based questionnaire had a relatively high sensitivity (0.86) but moderate specificity (0.64), the skin-screening list had a low sensitivity (0.36) and a relatively high specificity (0.84). The skin-screening list seemed to represent the more severe cases of dermatitis and showed a significant relation to exposure, for dermatitis on hands, forearms, or face. In epidemiological surveys where workers are not seen by a dermatologist, the skin-screening list seems to be more appropriate to detect cases of dermatitis, as its higher specificity results in less false positives. Alternatively, it would be preferable to apply the symptom based questionnaire; workers with symptoms should be seen by a dermatologist to identify false positives.Ítem Descriptive Epidemiology of Somatising Tendency: Findings from the CUPID Study(Public Library of Science, 2016-04-29) Vargas-Prada, Sergio; Coggon, David; Ntani, Georgia; Walker-Bone, Karen; Palmer, Keith T.; Felli, Vanda E.; Harar, Raul; Barrero, Lope; Felknor, Sarah; Gimeno, David; Cattrell, Anna; Bonzini, Matteo; Solidaki, Eleni; Merisalu, Eda; Habib, Rima R.; Sadeghian, Farideh; Warnakulasuriya, Sudath; Matsudaira, Ko; Nyantumbu, Busisiwe; Sim, Malcolm R.; Harcombe, Helen; Cox, Ken; Sarquis, leila; Marziale, Maria Helena Palucci; Harar, Florencia; Freire, Rocio; Harari, Natalia; Monroy Silva, Magda Viviana; Quintana , Leonardo; Rojas, Marianela; Harris, Clare; Serra, Consol; Martinez Zapater, Jose Miguel; Delclos, George; Benavides, Fernando G.; Carugno, Michele; Ferrario, Marco M.; pesatori, angela; Chatzi, Leda; Bitsios, Panos; Kogevinas, Manolis; Oha, Kristel; Freimann, Tiina; Sadeghian, Ali; Roshini Peiris, John; Sathiakumar, Nalini; Wickremasinghe, A. Rajitha; Yoshimura, Noriko; Kelsall, Helen L.; Hoe, Victor; Urquhart, Donna M.; Derrett, Sarah; McBride, David; Herbison, Peter; Gray, Andrew; Salazar Vega, Eduardo J.Somatising tendency, defined as a predisposition to worry about common somatic symp toms, is importantly associated with various aspects of health and health-related behaviour, including musculoskeletal pain and associated disability. To explore its epidemiological characteristics, and how it can be specified most efficiently, we analysed data from an inter national longitudinal study. A baseline questionnaire, which included questions from the Brief Symptom Inventory about seven common symptoms, was completed by 12,072 partic ipants aged 20–59 from 46 occupational groups in 18 countries (response rate 70%). The seven symptoms were all mutually associated (odds ratios for pairwise associations 3.4 to 9.3), and each contributed to a measure of somatising tendency that exhibited an exposure response relationship both with multi-site pain (prevalence rate ratios up to six), and also with sickness absence for non-musculoskeletal reasons. In most participants, the level of somatising tendency was little changed when reassessed after a mean interval of 14 months (75% having a change of 0 or 1 in their symptom count), although the specific symp toms reported at follow-up often differed from those at baseline. Somatising tendency was more common in women than men, especially at older ages, and varied markedly across the 46 occupational groups studied, with higher rates in South and Central America. It was weakly associated with smoking, but not with level of education. Our study supports the use of questions from the Brief Symptom Inventory as a method for measuring somatising ten dency, and suggests that in adults of working age, it is a fairly stable trait.Ítem Fatal occupational injuries in Nicaragua, 2005(Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, León., 2011) López Bonilla, Indiana Mercedes; Flores Urbina, Lucía; Partanen, Timo; Wesseling, CatharinaWe attempt to estimate the rate of fatal occupational injuries (FOI) in Nicaragua for 2005, using 10 incomplete data sources. Based on the 173 identified FOIs, the crude empirical FOI rate estimate was 8.3 per 100,000 employed (12.3 men; 1.8 women) and highest in the 25–29 age group (15). The overall rate, corrected by capture–recapture modeling, was 11.6. Manufacturing represented a high rate (11.7); the formal economy rate (12.3) was higher than the informal economy (6); mining (110.3) and electricity (76.2) had the highest industry rates; and the most common agents of FOIs were motor vehicles. With 10 major sources, the extent of FOIs remains grossly underestimated and biased across worker strata. The FOIs among informal and agricultural workers tend to remain invisible, as there is no systematic surveillance by any agency. Changes in legislation and implementation are necessary to correct the situation.Ítem Acute health effects of organophosphorus pesticides on Tanzanian small-scale coffee growers(Nature Publishing Group, 2001-07-01) Ngowi, Aiwerasia; Maeda, David; Partanen, Timo; Sanga, MichaelA cute health effects of organophosphorus (PP) pesticides on coffee farmworkers in 1991-1992 in Tanzania are reported to provide a basis for concern over farmworkers being overexposed during application. Workers exposed to OP pesticides (N = 133) were drawn from a population of about 240,000 coffee farmers. They were interviewed on symptoms and personal protection, and their erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) activity was determined during both spraying and nonspraying period. AChE activities during spraying and nonspraying period were comparable (mean 32.0, SD 7.8 vs. 33.0, SD 8.7 U/g HgB, P = 0.26). The prevalence of cough, headache, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, nausea, excessive salivation, diarrhea, and vomiting did not differ significantly between spraying and nonspraying periods. There was no suggestion of decreased AChE in exposed subjects who complained of OP-related symptoms compared to symptomless exposed subjects. Use of gloves, long boots, head cover, face cover, and coverall was not significantly associated with AChE activity. No marked AChE depression was found during spraying season, which may explain the lack of association between symptoms and ACHE. The fact that only moderately toxic OP pesticides were used may indicate that toxicity was not sufficiently high to cause depression. Experience, however, suggests that occupational poisoning remains a potential serious danger in coffee cultivation in Tanzania.Ítem Field testing passive air samplers for current use pesticides in a tropical environment(Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica., 2008) Gouin, Todd; Wania, Frank; Ruepert, Clemens; Castillo, Luisa E.Air was sampled for one year in the central valley of Costa Rica using an active high-volume sampler as well as passive samplers (PAS) based on polyurethane foam (PUF) disks and XAD-resin filled mesh cylinders. Extracts were analyzed for pesticides that are either banned or currently used in Costa Rican agriculture. Sampling rates for PUF-based passive air samplers, determined from the loss of depuration compounds spiked on the disks prior to deployment, averaged 5.9 +- 0.9 m3 · d-1 and were higher during the windier dry seasonthan duringthe rainy season. Sampling ratesforthe XADbased passive sampler were determined from the slopes of linear relationships that were observed between the amount of pesticide sequestered in the resin and the length of deployment, which varied from 4 months to 1 year. Those sampling rates increased with decreasing molecular size of a pesticide, and their average of 2.1 +- 1.5 m3 · d-1 is higher than rates previously reported for temperate and polar sampling sites. Eventhoughthetrends ofthe sampling rate with molecular size and temperature are consistent with the hypothesis that molecular diffusion controls uptake in passive samplers, the trends are much more pronounced than a direct proportionality between sampling rate and molecular diffusivity would suggest. Air concentrations derived by the three sampling methods are within a factor of 2 of each other, suggesting that properly calibrated PAS can be effective tools for monitoring levels of pesticides in the tropical atmosphere. In particular, HiVol samplers, PUF-disk samplers, and XADbased passive samplers are suitable for obtaining information on air concentration variability on the time scale of days, seasons and years, respectively. This study represents the first calibration study for the uptake of current use pesticides by passive air samplers.