Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2004. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-154).

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 32-36).

Thesis (M. Sc. (Human Kinetics and Ergonomics))--Rhodes University, 2005.

Inaug.-Diss.--Zürich. / "Literatur": p. 251-272.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-02-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:38:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ballestero_mr_me_botfm.pdf: 2209570 bytes, checksum: f1b7c6634f255725f980cdf2313624f7 (MD5) / Trata-se de estudo epidemiológico que descreve os acidentes e doenças do trabalho no município paulista de Botucatu, no período de 1995 a 2009, ocorridas em trabalhadores cobertos pelo Seguro de Acidente do Trabalho (SAT), tendo como fonte de informações as Comunicações de Acidentes do Trabalho (CAT) fornecidas ao longo do período de estudo, pela agência local do Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS). As informações contidas nas CAT foram codificadas e inseridas em um banco de dados eletrônico construído com o Programa EPI-INFO. No período, houve predomínio de acidentes do trabalho típicos (76,9% dos casos), seguidos por doenças do trabalho (17,2%) e por acidentes de trajeto (5,9%). Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com atributos dos acidentados (idade e sexo); tipo de evento (ou motivo do acidente – típico, de trajeto ou doença do trabalho); ramo de atividade da empresa; natureza e diagnóstico da lesão; tempo previsto de afastamento; serviço de saúde do primeiro atendimento e emitente da CAT. De 2002 a 2009, os resultados do estudo foram comparados com os totais de eventos segundo motivo (acidentes típicos, de trajeto e doenças do trabalho) publicados no sítio da Previdência Social para o município de Botucatu. Foram apresentadas e discutidas as mudanças implantadas pelo Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS) na forma de registro dos acidentes de trabalho e seus efeitos na captação de casos junto à agência local desse instituto. A descrição dos acidentes do trabalho segundo as variáveis analisadas aponta para poucas modificações no quadro epidemiológico ao longo dos anos, exceção feita ao aumento dos registros de doenças do trabalho a partir da implantação do Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador de Botucatu e à perda de informações a partir de CAT emitidas em papel e entregues na agência local do INSS com a implantação, em 2000, do modelo eletrônico desse documento / This is an epidemiological study that describes the accidents and work related diseases in the city of Botucatu (Sao Paulo State), from 1995 to 2009 comprising the workers covered by the Accident at Work Insurance scheme (AWI). The data source originates from the Accident at Work Communications (AWC), made available during the course of the study period by the local branch of the National Institute of Social Security agency (INSS). The information contained in the AWI was codified and inserted in an electronic databank built utilising the EPI-INFO software application. In this period, there was a predominance of typical occupational accidents (76, 9% of cases), following by work related diseases (17,2%) and commuting related accidents (5,9%). The results were analyzed according to certain characteristics of the casualties (age and sex); type of event (or accident causes: typical; commuting; or work related disease); business sector; the nature and diagnostic of injuries; the expected absence from work; the health service provider that first attended the casualty and also completed the AWC. From 2002 to 2009, the study results were compared with the total number of events by type (typical accidents, commuting and work related diseases) published in the Social Welfare site for the city of Botucatu. The study presented and discussed the changes implemented by the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) in the way accidents are formally registered/recorded and the impact on the registration processes of casualties within this Institute. The description of the occupational accidents, according to the analyzed variables, point to few changes in the epidemiological status over the years with the exception of an increase in the number of occupational disease records since the implementation of the Worker Health - Reference Center in Botucatu, and the loss... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Maria Cecilia Pereira Binder / Banca: Sergio Roberto de Lucca / Banca: Adriano Dias / Resumo: Trata-se de estudo epidemiológico que descreve os acidentes e doenças do trabalho no município paulista de Botucatu, no período de 1995 a 2009, ocorridas em trabalhadores cobertos pelo Seguro de Acidente do Trabalho (SAT), tendo como fonte de informações as Comunicações de Acidentes do Trabalho (CAT) fornecidas ao longo do período de estudo, pela agência local do Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS). As informações contidas nas CAT foram codificadas e inseridas em um banco de dados eletrônico construído com o Programa EPI-INFO. No período, houve predomínio de acidentes do trabalho típicos (76,9% dos casos), seguidos por doenças do trabalho (17,2%) e por acidentes de trajeto (5,9%). Os resultados foram analisados de acordo com atributos dos acidentados (idade e sexo); tipo de evento (ou motivo do acidente - típico, de trajeto ou doença do trabalho); ramo de atividade da empresa; natureza e diagnóstico da lesão; tempo previsto de afastamento; serviço de saúde do primeiro atendimento e emitente da CAT. De 2002 a 2009, os resultados do estudo foram comparados com os totais de eventos segundo motivo (acidentes típicos, de trajeto e doenças do trabalho) publicados no sítio da Previdência Social para o município de Botucatu. Foram apresentadas e discutidas as mudanças implantadas pelo Instituto Nacional do Seguro Social (INSS) na forma de registro dos acidentes de trabalho e seus efeitos na captação de casos junto à agência local desse instituto. A descrição dos acidentes do trabalho segundo as variáveis analisadas aponta para poucas modificações no quadro epidemiológico ao longo dos anos, exceção feita ao aumento dos registros de doenças do trabalho a partir da implantação do Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador de Botucatu e à perda de informações a partir de CAT emitidas em papel e entregues na agência local do INSS com a implantação, em 2000, do modelo eletrônico desse documento / Abstract: This is an epidemiological study that describes the accidents and work related diseases in the city of Botucatu (Sao Paulo State), from 1995 to 2009 comprising the workers covered by the Accident at Work Insurance scheme (AWI). The data source originates from the Accident at Work Communications (AWC), made available during the course of the study period by the local branch of the National Institute of Social Security agency (INSS). The information contained in the AWI was codified and inserted in an electronic databank built utilising the EPI-INFO software application. In this period, there was a predominance of typical occupational accidents (76, 9% of cases), following by work related diseases (17,2%) and commuting related accidents (5,9%). The results were analyzed according to certain characteristics of the casualties (age and sex); type of event (or accident causes: typical; commuting; or work related disease); business sector; the nature and diagnostic of injuries; the expected absence from work; the health service provider that first attended the casualty and also completed the AWC. From 2002 to 2009, the study results were compared with the total number of events by type (typical accidents, commuting and work related diseases) published in the Social Welfare site for the city of Botucatu. The study presented and discussed the changes implemented by the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) in the way accidents are formally registered/recorded and the impact on the registration processes of casualties within this Institute. The description of the occupational accidents, according to the analyzed variables, point to few changes in the epidemiological status over the years with the exception of an increase in the number of occupational disease records since the implementation of the Worker Health - Reference Center in Botucatu, and the loss... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

M.Tech. (Public Health) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

No description available.

Silicosis continues to be an important occupational disease in South Africa, particularly in small, poorly regulated industries. A case series is described of six workers who developed silicosis whilst involved in the processing of semi-precious gem stones. They had been employed as stone sculptors in lapidaries where they processed tigers' eye, rose quartz, amethyst, quartz crystal and a variety of other locally occurring semi-precious stones. In five of the cases exposure was in small and poorly regulated lapidaries without specific dust control measures. The sixth was detected during the course of a health and hygiene survey (including dust sampling) that I conducted in one of two lapidaries still operating in the Western Cape. These workers developed serious disease. Progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) was noted in 4 of the 6 cases, three of whom had progression of their disease after cessation of exposure. With the development of PMF the initial restrictive pulmonary function abnormalities were followed by steadily worsening airflow obstruction. Lung biopsies confirmed silicosis in one case and were suggestive in a further two. Tuberculosis was confirmed in two cases and suspected and treated in a third. Workmen's' Compensation was awarded in five cases. The survey confirmed that in semiprecious gem stone processing, the risk of silicosis appears to be confined to stone sculptors. Tried and proven techniques of general and local exhaust ventilation combined with water or oil to control dust at source were capable of effectively reducing dust emission to acceptable levels.

Diisocyanates are very reactive low molecular weight chemicals that are widely used in the manufacture of polyurethane products. Diisocyanate exposure is one of the most commonly reported causes of occupational asthma. Although diisocyanates have been identified as causative agents of respiratory diseases, the specific mechanisms by which these diseases occur remain largely unknown. Tandem mass spectrometry was used to unambiguously identify the binding site of isocyanates within four model peptides (Leu-enkephalin (Leu-enk, YGGFL), Angiotensin I (DRVYIHPFHL), Substance P-amide (RPKPQQFFGLM-NH2), and Fibronectin-adhesion promoting peptide (FAPP, WQPPRARI)). In each case, isocyanates were observed to react to the N-terminus of the peptide. No evidence of side chain/isocyanate adduct formation exclusive of the N-terminus was observed. However, significant intra-molecular diisocyanate crosslinking between the N-terminal amine and a side chain amine group was observed for arginine, when located within two residues of the N-terminus. Addition of multiple isocyanates to the peptide occurs via polymerization at the N-terminus, rather than addition of multiple isocyanate molecules to varied residues within the peptide. Toluene diisocyanate (TDI)-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with potential use in immunoassays for exposure and biomarker assessments were produced. A total of 59 unique mAbs were produced (29 IgG1, 14 IgG2a, 4 IgG2b, 2 IgG3 and 10 IgM) against 2,4 and 2,6 TDI bound protein. The reactivities of these mAbs were characterized by a solid phase indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Dot ELISA and Western immunoblot against various monoisocyanate, diisocyanate and dithioisocyanate protein conjugates. A subset of the mAbs were specific for 2,4 or 2,6 TDI-conjugated proteins only while others reacted to multiple dNCO conjugates including methylene diphenyl diisocyanate- and hexamethelene diisocyanate- human serum albumin . Western blot analyses demonstrated that some TDI conjugates form inter- and intra-molecular links resulting in multimers and a change in the electrophoretic mobility of the conjugate. In general, 2,4/2,6 TDI reactive mAbs displayed (1) stronger recognition of monoisocyanate haptenated proteins when the isocyanate was in the ortho position relative to the tolyl group, and were able to discriminate between (2) isocyanate and isothiocyanate conjugates (i.e. between the urea and thiourea linkage); and (3) between aromatic and aliphatic diisocyanates. The mAbs produced were not carrier protein specific with estimated affinity constants toward toluene diisocyanate conjugated human serum albumin ranging from 2.21 x 107 to 1.07 x 1010 M-1 for IgG mAbs. Studies using TDI vapor exposed lung and epithelial cell lines suggest potential utility of these mAbs for both research and biomonitoring of isocyanate exposure.