Respiratory health assessment by questionnaire of 2024 workers involved in man-made mineral fiber production.

A respiratory health questionnaire was administered to the workers producing man-made mineral fibers in three glasswool and two rockwool plants in France, in order to detect adverse effects resulting from fiber exposure. The mean ages of the 2024 male participants ranged from 32 to 41 years. The standardized questionnaire was filled in by the industrial physicians: occupational history, smoking habits, respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, dyspnea, asthma), irritative complaints of the upper airways (nasal fossae and sinuses, pharynx and larynx) were all recorded. Multiple unconditional logistic regression was used to test for a relationship between possible explanatory variables and these symptoms. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm, dyspnea) was strongly correlated with age and increased markedly among current smokers. Having adjusted for these confounding factors, significantly elevated Odds Ratios (ORs) for cough and phlegm were observed among the workers of one plant (51% of the whole study population) who had been exposed to fibers for a long time. In the same plant, the ORs for complaints of nasal fossae and sinuses increased significantly with the duration of fiber exposure, and one elevated OR was observed for pharyngeal and laryngeal symptoms. These findings were not consistent with the results observed in the four other plants (49% of the study population), since ORs for all these symptoms were either low or not significantly increased according to the duration of fiber exposure. This lack of similarity among plants could be explained either by differences in interviewers, age, seniority and tobacco consumption, or by secular changes in the industrial processes involved.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Biliary concentrations of temocillin.

Serum and bile concentrations of temocillin were measured after intravenous administration of 1g twice daily to 16 patients with biliary tract infections. The concentration of temocillin in the bile showed high inter-individual variations; however, in patients drug concentrations were attained which were considerably higher than the minimum inhibitory concentrations of the biliary tract pathogens identified throughout the study period. All the patients admitted to the study were treated successfully by temocillin, with the tolerance of the drug being very good, and no side effects or drug-related deteriorations of laboratory data being reported.

Teratogenic effects of 27.12 MHz radiofrequency radiation in rats.

High-intensity 27.12 MHz radiofrequency (RF) radiation was determined to be teratogenic in rats during most of the gestation period. Eight groups of pregnant rats were exposed to a magnetic field strength of 55 amps/meter and an electric field strength of 300 volts/meter on gestation days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, or 15. Exposures ceased once the dam's colonic temperature reached 43.0 degrees C (about 20-40 minutes' duration). Eight matching control groups were sham-irradiated for 30 minutes at 0 amps/meter and 0 volts/meter. An additional group of pregnant rats received no treatment. With one exception, no significant differences occurred between sham-irradiated and untreated control groups. RF exposure, however, caused a significant incidence of fetal malformations throughout the postimplantation period (days 7 through 15). It also caused a low but significant incidence of preimplantation malformations. Fetal weight and crown-rump length were reduced in all postimplantation exposure groups but were not affected by preimplantation exposure. The incidence of dead or resorbed fetuses was significantly increased in rats irradiated on days 7 or 9. The effects observed appeared to be caused by RF-induced hyperthermia in the treated dams. Since a number of industrial, scientific, and medical devices operating at or near 27.12 MHz can cause hyperthermia in humans, women of childbearing age should avoid exposure to RF-radiation levels that exceed current US occupational standards.