Short term exposure to cooking fumes and pulmonary function

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to cooking fumes may have different deleterious effects on the respiratory system. The aim of this study was to look at possible effects from inhalation of cooking fumes on pulmonary function.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two groups of 12 healthy volunteers (A and B) stayed in a model kitchen for two and four hours respectively, and were monitored with spirometry four times during twenty four hours, on one occasion without any exposure, and on another with exposure to controlled levels of cooking fumes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The change in spirometric values during the day with exposure to cooking fumes, were not statistically significantly different from the changes during the day without exposure, with the exception of forced expiratory time (FET). The change in FET from entering the kitchen until six hours later, was significantly prolonged between the exposed and the unexposed day with a 15.7% increase on the exposed day, compared to a 3.2% decrease during the unexposed day (p-value = 0.03). The same tendency could be seen for FET measurements done immediately after the exposure and on the next morning, but this was not statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In our experimental setting, there seems to be minor short term spirometric effects, mainly affecting FET, from short term exposure to cooking fumes.</p

Increasing workload in Norwegian general practice – a qualitative study

Background General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in securing and coordinating appropriate use of healthcare services, by providing primary and preventive healthcare and by acting as gatekeepers for secondary healthcare services. Historically, European GPs have reported high job satisfaction, attributed to high autonomy and good compatibility with family life. However, a trend of increasing workload in general practice has been seen in several European countries, including Norway, leading to recruitment problems and concerns about the well-being of both GPs and patients. This qualitative interview study with GPs and their co-workers aims to explore how they perceive and tackle their workload, and their experiences and reflections regarding explanations for and consequences of increased workload in Norwegian general practice. Methods We conducted seven focus groups and four individual interviews with GPs and their co-workers in seven GPs’ offices in Mid-Norway: three in rural locations and four in urban locations. Our study population consisted of 21 female and 12 male participants; 23 were GPs and 10 were co-workers. The interviews were analysed using systematic text condensation. Results The analysis identified three main themes: (1) Heavy and increasing workload – more trend than fluctuation?; (2) Explanations for high workload; (3) Consequences of high workload. Our findings show that both GPs and their co-workers experience heavy and increasing workload. The suggested explanations varied considerably among the GPs, but the most commonly cited reasons were legislative changes, increased bureaucracy related to documentation and management of a practice, and changes in patients’ expectations and help-seeking behaviour. Potential consequences were also perceived as varying, especially regarding consequences for patients and the healthcare system. The participants expressed concerns for the future, particularly in regards to GPs’ health and motivation, as well as the recruitment of new GPs. Conclusions This study found heavy and increasing workload in general practice in Norway. The explanations appear to be multi-faceted and many are difficult to reverse. The GPs expressed worries that they will not be able to provide the population with the expected care and services in the future.publishedVersio

Effects of Interventions to Prevent Work-Related Asthma, Allergy, and Other Hypersensitivity Reactions in Norwegian Salmon Industry Workers (SHInE): Protocol for a Pragmatic Allocated Intervention Trial and Related Substudies

Background: Workers in the salmon processing industry have an increased risk of developing respiratory diseases and other hypersensitivity responses due to occupational exposure to bioaerosols containing fish proteins and microorganisms, and related allergens. Little is known about effective measures to reduce bioaerosol exposure and about the extent of skin complaints among workers. In addition, while identification of risk factors is a core activity in disease prevention strategies, there is increasing interest in health-promoting factors, which is an understudied area in the salmon processing industry. Objective: The overall aim of this ongoing study is to generate knowledge that can be used in tailored prevention of development or chronification of respiratory diseases, skin reactions, protein contact dermatitis, and allergy among salmon processing workers. The main objective is to identify effective methods to reduce bioaerosol exposure. Further objectives are to identify and characterize clinically relevant exposure agents, identify determinants of exposure, measure prevalence of work-related symptoms and disease, and identify health-promoting factors of the psychosocial work environment. Methods: Data are collected during field studies in 9 salmon processing plants along the Norwegian coastline. Data collection comprises exposure measurements, health examinations, and questionnaires. A wide range of laboratory analyses will be used for further analysis and characterization of exposure agents. Suitable statistical analysis will be applied to the various outcomes of this comprehensive study. Results: Data collection started in September 2021 and was anticipated to be completed by March 2023, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Baseline data from all 9 plants included 673 participants for the health examinations and a total of 869 personal exposure measurements. A total of 740 workers answered the study’s main questionnaire on demographics, job characteristics, lifestyle, health, and health-promoting factors. Follow-up data collection is not completed yet. Conclusions: This study will contribute to filling knowledge gaps concerning salmon workers’ work environment. This includes effective workplace measures for bioaerosol exposure reduction, increased knowledge on hypersensitivity, allergy, respiratory and dermal health, as well as health-promoting workplace factors. Together this will give a basis for improving the work environment, preventing occupational health-related diseases, and developing occupational exposure limits, which in turn will benefit employees, employers, occupational health services, researchers, clinicians, decision makers, and other stakeholders.publishedVersio

Use of electromyography to detect muscle exhaustion in finishing barrows fed ractopamine HCl

Citation: Noel, J. A., Broxterman, R. M., McCoy, G. M., Craig, J. C., Phelps, K. J., Burnett, D. D., . . . Gonzalez, J. M. (2016). Use of electromyography to detect muscle exhaustion in finishing barrows fed ractopamine HCl. Journal of Animal Science, 94(6), 2344-2356. doi:10.2527/jas2016-0398The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of dietary ractopamine HCl (RAC) on muscle fiber characteristics and electromyography (EMG) measures of finishing barrow exhaustion when barrows were subjected to increased levels of activity. Barrows (n = 34; 92 +/- 2 kg initial BW) were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: a conventional swine finishing diet containing 0 mg/kg ractopamine HCl (CON) or a diet formulated to meet the requirements of finishing barrows fed 10 mg/kg RAC (RAC+). After 32 d on feed, barrows were individually moved around a track at 0.79 m/s until subjectively exhausted. Wireless EMG sensors were affixed to the deltoideus (DT), triceps brachii lateral head (TLH), tensor fasciae latae (TFL), and semitendinosus (ST) muscles to measure median power frequency (MdPF) and root mean square (RMS) as indicators of action potential conduction velocity and muscle fiber recruitment, respectively. After harvest, samples of each muscle were collected for fiber type, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and capillary density analysis. Speed was not different (P = 0.82) between treatments, but RAC+ barrows reached subjective exhaustion earlier and covered less distance than CON barrows (P 0.29). There was a treatment x muscle interaction (P = 0.04) for end-point RMS values. The RAC diet did not change end-point RMS values in the DT or TLH (P > 0.37); however, the diet tended to decrease and increase end-point RMS in the ST and TFL, respectively (P 0.10). Muscles of RAC+ barrows tended to have less type I fibers and more capillaries per fiber (P < 0.07). Type I and IIA fibers of RAC+ barrows were larger (P < 0.07). Compared with all other muscles, the ST had more (P < 0.01) type IIB fibers and larger type I, IIA, and IIX fibers (P < 0.01). Type I, IIA, and IIX fibers of the ST also contained less SDH compared with the other muscles (P < 0.01). Barrows fed a RAC diet had increased time to subjective exhaustion due to loss of active muscle fibers in the ST, possibly due to fibers being larger and less oxidative in metabolism. Size increases in type I and IIA fibers with no change in oxidative capacity could also contribute to early exhaustion of RAC+ barrows. Overall, EMG technology can measure real-time muscle fiber loss to help explain subjective exhaustion in barrows

Cooks, work environment and health: Experimental studies of exposure to cooking fumes, and epidemiological investigations in a cohort

Kokker, arbeidsmiljø og helse -Eksperimentelle studier av eksponering for stekeos, og epidemiologiske undersøkelser i en kohort Allerede i de Hippokratiske tekstene fra omtrent 400 år f. kr., fremholdes det at frisk luft og en sunn diett er blant de viktigste forutsetningene for god helse. Nå, over 2 400 år senere kan vi lese på nettsidene til verdens helseorganisasjon (WHO) at omtrent 7 millioner for tidlige dødsfall årlig kan knyttes til luftforurensning, og at luftforurensning er den miljøfaktoren som har størst betydning for sykdomsbelastningen på verdensbasis. WHO sine beregninger har også vist at innendørs luftforurensning har omtrent like store negative konsekvenser for folkehelsen som luftforurensning i ytre miljø. Samtidig som sunn mat er viktig for god helse, så er tilbereding av mat anerkjent som en av de viktigste kildene til innendørs forurensning. En relativt ny studie av et utvalg av den urbane befolkningen i storbyer i Europa og Australia, viste at stekeos sannsynligvis er den viktigste kilden til forurensninger som påvirker luftveiene. Stekeos består blant annet av fett og fettsyrer i dråper som er så små at de kan pustes helt ned i lungene. I de siste 10-20 årene har det vært økende interesse knyttet til spesifikke helseskadelige og kreftfremkallende stoffer som kan finnes i stekeos, slik som blant annet aldehyder, polysykliske aromatiske hydrokarboner (PAH) og heterosykliske aminer. Tidligere studier har vist en økt forekomst av ulike typer luftveisplager, for eksempel rhinitt, astma og emfysem, blant personer som daglig utsettes for stekeos. Det er derfor grunn til å tro at innendørs luftforurensning fra matlaging kan bidra til å forårsake og/eller forverre luftveissykdommer, særlig hos kokker som daglig arbeider med steking av mat. Flere europeiske undersøkelser har vist økt dødelighet blant kokker, sammenholdt med befolkningen forøvrig. Tall fra statistisk sentralbyrå har vist at kokker er en av yrkesgruppene i Norge som har lavest forventet levealder. I dette prosjektet har vi både undersøkt mulige effekter av kortvarig eksponering for stekeos hos 24 frivillige forsøkspersoner, og samlet informasjon omkring arbeidsmiljøforhold og helse hos kokker i Midt-Norge. Informasjonen vi fikk fra kokkene som deltok i våre epidemiologiske undersøkelser, viste at ulike arbeidsmiljøfaktorer som kan gi økt eksponering for stekeos, er assosiert med en økt forekomst av luftveisplager. Det viste seg også at ugunstig arbeidstidsordninger var den vanligste angitte grunnen til å slutte i kokkeyrket. I de eksperimentelle undersøkelsene var det også enkelte tendenser i resultatene som kunne tyde på en reaksjon i luftveiene etter eksponering for stekeos, men dette var basert på få deltakere og er beheftet med en del usikkerhet, slik at disse mønstrene kan også ha oppstått som følge av tilfeldigheter. Samlet sett tyder våre undersøkelser på at yrkeseksponering for stekeos medfører økt risiko for luftveisplager, samtidig som organisatoriske arbeidsmiljøforhold ser ut til å ha større innvirkning på hvor lenge en kokk velger å forbli i yrket. Våre funn støtter opp under at det å redusere eksponeringen for stekeos så mye som mulig vil kunne forebygge luftveisplager hos kokker. Sett i sammenheng med eksisterende kunnskap, vil vi hevde at å forebygge eksponering for stekeos er viktig for å oppnå sunne arbeidsmiljø i profesjonelle kjøkken, noe som på lang sikt kan bidra til å motvirke den økte sykelighet og dødelighet som har vært observert blant kokker