Investigation of relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and working conditions among workers at a pharmaceutical industry in Iran (2011-2012)

Musculoskeletal disorders may be observed in all industries and professions and most of these disorders are related to the back, upper and lower extremities of the body organs. In Pharmaceutical industry, almost lack of standard ergonomic conditions and sometimes can cause outbreaks of diseases and musculoskeletal disorders in various parts of the body. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and working on the packaging section of the pharmaceutical industry. The Nordic questionnaire and Rula method were used for collection of data and 392 workers were selected as the subjects of study. Based on the results of this study, (28.5%) of workers working in Packaging Unit complained of severe pain and discomfort in their neck, (23.7%) in their shoulder, (27.9%) in their hand and wrist and (33.2%) complained of severe pain in their back. The results indicate that workers in this industry could show musculoskeletal disorders based on age, education, gender and working conductions

Effect of 2% Chlorhexidine on Shear Bond Strength of Composite Resins to Dentin

Abstract Background and Aim: Intracanal medicaments can affect the bond strength of composite to dentin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) gel as an intracanal medicament on shear bond strength of three different composite resins to dentin. Materials and Methods: In this in-vitro study, 60 intact extracted human premolars were utilized. Each tooth was sectioned vertically and dentin of the buccal surface was exposed. Then, specimens were divided into six groups of 10 teeth. In groups 1-3, dentin was exposed to CHX and in groups 4-6, dentin was exposed to saline. All prepared surfaces were rinsed with distilled water and dentin bonding agent specific for each composite was applied on the dentin surfaces. Z100, Z350 and P90 composites were applied to the treated surfaces and cured. The shear bond strength was recorded in Newtons and converted to MPa. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests. Results: The lowest mean shear bond strength was reported for normal saline and Z100 composite group (18.47 MPa) and the highest for CHX and Z350 group (42.26 MPa). No statistically significant difference in bond strength values was found between normal saline and CHX groups (P>0.05). There was a significant difference in bond strength values of different composite resins in normal saline (P<0.05) and also in CHX groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: Application of 2% chlorhexidine gel slightly but not significantly increases the mean shear bond strength of composite to dentin. The type of composite influences the shear bond strength to denti

Towards an international understanding of the power of celebrity persuasions: a review and a research agenda

Research into advertising using celebrity has been undertaken for nearly 40 years. It has principally used surveys and experiments to explore how consumers respond to celebrity advertisements. A recent meta-study of 32 papers has demonstrated that different populations respond in different ways to celebrity endorsements. Specifically, both US subjects and college students are more likely to respond in a significant way to the presence of celebrity than subjects who are not from the US, or who are not studying at college. Given that the nationality and student status of subjects matter, this article explores the make up of the samples that have been used to examine celebrity advertising. The article finds that these samples are not representative of US populations (because so many are students), nor of populations outside the US (because so few live beyond it). Furthermore, the history of dominance of US-based student samples, and the citation practices which keep them circulating in academia, suggests that theories of celebrity advertising have for a long time been excessively influenced by ideas tested on this unrepresentative group. This fact will limit the applicability of research into celebrity advertising to the wider world. I explore whether this matters, and how deficiencies might be addressed in further research

Survey on severity of magnetic and electric fields around video display terminals and its association with health effects on operators

Background and aimsIntensity of Magnetic and Electric fields around visual displayterminals and its association on health effects were studied.Methodsmagnetic and electric fields intensities around 237 VDTs at distances 30¡50¡ 60 cm and different operating conditions (active¸ screen saver¸ shut down) with use of HI-3603 device  according to Svensk standard method were monitored. Resultsmagnetic and electric fields Intensities at 30 cm were higher than standard and at 50 cm Monitors in all measurements were lower than standard (20mA/m MPRII, TCO) and (1V/m,TCO) Magnetic fields intensities of LCD monitors in rare side were higher than all other directionsand rise versa intensities of magnetic fields of cathodiC monitors were in front than other sides. Differences of magnetic and electric fields intensities were not significant in various operating conditions (screen saver and active operation). Comparison of chronic syndrome of  exhaustion in two groups of case and control, demonstrated higher of prevalence of symptoms such as shedding  tears, eye irritation and fatigue in case rather than control group.Conclusionat time of procurement of monitors TCO standard label should be noticed. During recess times, monitors should be turned off in order to reduce exposure to electric and magnetic  fields

Essential oils from Smyrnium olusatrum and their major components as potential mosquitocidal and trypanocidal agents

Smyrnium olusatrum L., also known as Alexanders or wild celery, is a celery-scented biennial herb belonging to the Apiaceae family and distributed in the Mediterranean area where it grows on hedgerows, hedged banks, sea cliffs, quarries and railway embankments, from sea level to 800 m of altitude [1]. Since Roman age the plant has been used as both a vegetable and for medicinal uses. After a long period of cultivation, the use of S. olusatrum was abandoned due to the introduction of common celery (Apium graveolens L.) in the Middle Ages [1]. Owing to the abundance of secretory structures like ducts and vittae [2], S. olusatrum is a rich source of essential oils. Their chemical composition has been extensively investigated by our group [1-4] and revealed the furan ring-containing sesquiterpenes as the marker compounds. Among the main compounds, isofuranodiene, germacrone and 1β-acetoxyfurano-4(15)-eudesmene were the most representative ones (Fig. 1). Recently, essential oils have been considered as new therapeutic options to combat protozoal infections [5] as well as effective and eco-friendly tools to control highly invasive mosquito vectors [6,7]. On this basis, we have assayed the S. olusatrum essential oils and its main components (i.e. isofuranodiene, germacrone and 1β-acetoxyfurano-4(15)-eudesmene) for larvicidal effects on Culex quinquefasciatus, the vector of lymphatic filariasis, and for inhibitory effects on Trypanosoma brucei, the protozoan parasite responsible for Human African trypanosomiasis. The essential oil of S. olusatrum flowers exhibited acute toxicity on C. quinquefasciatus larvae, with germacrone and isofuranodiene being involved in the effect displayed. As concerning T. brucei, the S. olusatrum essential oils showed good inhibitory effects and selectivity, with the sample from fruits being the most active, and isofuranodiene and 1β-acetoxyfurano-4(15)-eudesmene as the main contributors to the effect on protozoal cell. These results, although preliminary, encourage further studies in the attempt to find a new application of S. olusatrum secondary metabolites as natural insecticides and antiprotozoal agents

Identification of highly effective antitrypanosomal compounds in essential oils from the Apiaceae family

The Apiaceae family encompasses aromatic plants of economic importance employed in foodstuffs, beverages, perfumery, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Apiaceae are rich sources of essential oils because of the wealth of secretory structures (ducts and vittae) they are endowed with. The Apiaceae essential oils are available on an industrial level because of the wide cultivation and disposability of the bulky material from which they are extracted as well as their relatively cheap price. In the fight against protozoal infections, essential oils may represent new therapeutic options. In the present work, we focused on a panel of nine Apiaceae species (Siler montamon, Sison amomum, Echinophora spinosa, Kundmannia sicula, Crithmum maritimum, Helosciadium nodiforum, Pimpinella anisum, Heracleum sphondylium and Trachyspermum cunmi) and their essential oils as a model for the identification of trypanocidal compounds to be used as alternative/integrative therapies in the treatment of Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) and as starting material for drug design. The evaluation of inhibitory effects of the Apiaceae essential oils against Trypanosoma brucei showed that some of them (E. spinosa, S. amomum, C. maritimwn and H. nodifloruin) were active, with EC50 in the range 2.7-10.7 mu g/mL. Most of these oils were selective against T. brucei, except the one from C. maritimum that was highly selective against the BALB/3T3 mammalian cells. Testing nine characteristic individual components (a-pinene, sabinene, alpha-phellandrene, p-cymene, limonene, beta-ocimene, gamma-terpinene, terpinolene, and myristicin) of these oils, we showed that some of them had much higher selectivity than the oils themselves. Terpinolene was particularly active with an EC50 value of 0.035 mu g/rnL (0.26 mu M) and a selectivity index (SI) of 180. Four other compounds with EC50 in the range 1.0-6.0 mu g/mL (7.4-44 mu M) had also good SI: a-pinene (> 100), beta-ocimene (> 91), limonene (> 18) and sabinene ( > 17). In conclusion, these results highlight that the essential oils from the Apiaceae family are a reservoir of substances to be used as leading compounds for the development of natural drugs for the treatment of HAT