Patients with brain tumour from the Australian, Canadian, French, Israeli and New Zealand components of the Interphone Study, whose tumours were localised by neuroradiologists, were analysed. Controls were matched on age, sex and region and allocated the ‘tumour location’ of their matched case. Analyses included 553 glioma and 676 meningioma cases and 1762 and 1911 controls, respectively. RF dose was estimated as total cumulative specific energy (TCSE; J/kg) absorbed at the tumour's estimated centre taking into account multiple RF exposure determinants.

ORs with ever having been a regular mobile phone user were 0.93 (95% CI 0.73 to 1.18) for glioma and 0.80 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.96) for meningioma. ORs for glioma were below 1 in the first four quintiles of TCSE but above 1 in the highest quintile, 1.35 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.90). The OR increased with increasing TCSE 7+ years before diagnosis (p-trend 0.01; OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.47 in the highest quintile). A complementary analysis in which 44 glioma and 135 meningioma cases in the most exposed area of the brain were compared with gliomas and meningiomas located elsewhere in the brain showed increased ORs for tumours in the most exposed part of the brain in those with 10+ years of mobile phone use (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.13 to 6.94 for glioma). Patterns for meningioma were similar, but ORs were lower, many below 1.0.

There were suggestions of an increased risk of glioma in long-term mobile phone users with high RF exposure and of similar, but apparently much smaller, increases in meningioma risk. The uncertainty of these results requires that they be replicated before a causal interpretation can be made.

The data in this study were from a birth cohort study in Taiwan which started in 2004. Pregnant women were recruited from four hospitals and interviewed after delivery to collect information on themselves and their infants. Children were followed up to obtain information on growth up to 3 years of age. Whole blood cadmium concentrations in maternal and cord blood samples were measured and the relationship with birth size and growth assessed using linear regression and mixed models.

321 maternal blood samples and 402 cord blood samples were eligible for analysis. Among 289 pairs with maternal and cord blood suitable for measurement, the median cadmium concentration in cord blood (0.31 µg/l) was less than that in maternal blood (1.05 µg/l), with low correlation between the two (r=0.04). An increase in cord blood cadmium was found to be associated with newborn decreased head circumference and to be significantly and consistently associated with a decrease in height, weight and head circumference up to 3 years of age.

Placental transport of cadmium is limited. However, prenatal cadmium exposure may have a detrimental effect on head circumference at birth and child growth in the first 3 years of life.

A retrospective cohort study of gold miners with known dates of seroconversion to HIV, and an HIV-negative comparison group, used routinely collected data to estimate the proportion of time off work by calendar period (1992–2002, prior to the introduction of ART), age, time since seroconversion and period before death. The authors calculated ORs for overall time off work and RR ratios (RRR, using multinomial logistic regression) for reasons off work relative to being at work.

1703 HIV-positive and 4859 HIV-negative men were followed for 34 424 person-years. HIV-positive miners spent a higher proportion of time off work than negative miners (20.7% vs 16.1%) due to greater medical and unauthorised absence. Compared with HIV-negative miners, overall time off work increased in the first 2 years after seroconversion (adjusted OR 1.40 (95% CI 1.36 to 1.45)) and then remained broadly stable for a number years, reaching 38.8% in the final year before death (adjusted OR 3.27, 95% CI 2.95 to 3.63). Absence for medical reasons showed the strongest link to HIV infection, increasing from an adjusted RRR of 2.66 (95% CI 2.45 to 2.90) for the first 2 years since seroconversion to 13.6 (95% CI 11.8 to 15.6) in the year prior to death.

Time off work provides a quantifiable measure of the effect of HIV on overall morbidity. HIV/AIDS affects both labour supply (increased time off work) and demand for health services (increased medical absence). The effects occur soon after seroconversion and stabilise before reaching very high levels in the period prior to death. Occupational health services are an important setting to identify HIV-infected men early.

A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 2008–2009 with coke oven workers and steel-rolling workers as the exposed and control groups, respectively. Questionnaires on basic demographic information were administered. Personal breathing zone and urine samples were collected to quantify personal PAH intake and biological response doses. Immunological and cytokine parameters in serum were analysed. Urinary malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were analysed to determine oxidative stress induced by PAHs in relation to altered humoural immunological status.

Mean levels of serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) and TNF-α were significantly increased in coke oven workers compared to steel-rolling workers who had no or minimal PAH exposure (p=0.0033 and p<0.0001, respectively). There were no significant differences in mean levels of IL-4 and IL-10 between coke oven workers and steel-rolling workers. Moderate activation of lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage as determined by plasma MDA and 8-OHdG levels were detected simultaneously with significant alterations in IgA and IgE levels. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that PAHs with high molecular weights >252 (dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, benzo(a)anthracene and/or indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene) correlated with IgA and IgE levels.

This study showed that coke oven workers with chronic exposure to PAHs may develop immunological alteration. Oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation induced by PAHs may partly explain the alteration in immunological parameters.

This cross-sectional study was carried out in 19 nursing homes and 19 hospitals. The use of ergonomic devices was assessed through real-time observations in the workplace. Individual barriers to ergonomic device use were identified by structured interviews with nurses and organisational barriers were identified using questionnaires completed by supervisors and managers. Multivariate logistic analysis with generalised estimating equations for repeated measurement was used to estimate determinants of ergonomic device use.

247 nurses performed 670 patient handling activities that required the use of an ergonomic device. Ergonomic devices were used 68% of the times they were deemed necessary in nursing homes and 59% in hospitals. Determinants of lifting device use were nurses' motivation (OR 1.96), the presence of back complaints in the past 12 months (OR 1.77) and the inclusion in care protocols of strict guidance on the required use of ergonomic devices (OR 2.49). The organisational factors convenience and easily accessible, management support and supportive management climate were associated with these determinants. No associations were found with other ergonomic devices.

The use of lifting devices was higher in nursing homes than in hospitals. Individual and organisational factors seem to play a substantial role in the successful implementation of lifting devices in healthcare.

This 18-year follow-up study comprised 1502 middle-aged men employed in industry who participated in the second screening for the Helsinki Heart Study but were not treated with gemfibrozil, the trial drug. The CHD endpoints (ICD-9 codes 410–414 and ICD-10 codes 120–125) were obtained from official Finnish registers. The Finnish job-exposure matrix FINJEM provided information on occupational exposures. The joint effect of baseline MetS levels and both occupational exposures was estimated using Cox's regression models.

Workload and noise increased CHD risk due to increased blood pressure, glucose or body mass index (BMI), separately or combined: the joint effect of workload and MetS defined using these three components yielded an RR of 5.21 (95% CI 2.70 to 10.05). However, when MetS was defined using elevated BMI, high triglycerides and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, an RR of 2.19 (95% CI 1.11 to 4.30) among those with MetS only reduced to 1.20 (95% CI 0.61 to 2.35) if concurrently exposed to workload.

Occupational exposure to workload or noise modifies CHD risk differently depending on which definition of MetS is used. In the presence of physical workload or noise, hypertension and blood glucose were the best predictors.

37 departments (n=3047 workers) from four Dutch companies participated in this cluster randomised controlled trial; 19 (n=1472 workers) were randomised to an intervention group (participatory ergonomics) and 18 (n=1575 workers) to a control group (no participatory ergonomics). During a 6 h meeting guided by an ergonomist, working groups devised ergonomic measures to reduce psychosocial and physical workload and implemented them within 3 months in their departments. Data on psychosocial and physical risk factors for low back pain and neck pain were collected at baseline and after 6 months. Psychosocial risk factors were measured using the Job Content Questionnaire and physical risk factors using the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Intervention effects were studied using multilevel analysis.

Intervention group workers significantly increased on decision latitude (0.29 points; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.52) and decision authority (0.16 points; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.28) compared to control workers. However, exposure to awkward trunk working postures significantly increased in the intervention group (OR 1.86; 95% CI 1.15 to 3.01) compared to the control group. No significant differences between the intervention and control group were found for the remaining risk factors. After 6 months, loss to follow-up was 35% in the intervention group and 29% in the control group.

Participatory ergonomics was not effective in reducing exposure to psychosocial and physical risk factors for low back pain and neck pain among a large group of workers.

ISRCTN27472278.

A cross-sectional study on chronic respiratory symptoms and lung function was conducted in 2006 among male Tanzanian sisal processing workers from six sisal estates. Participants included 86 workers in decortication departments, 68 workers in brushing departments and 30 low exposed security guards. The response rate was 97%. Chronic respiratory symptoms and background information were obtained by structured interview. Forced ventilatory capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) were estimated before and after a work shift, and FEV₁/FVC ratio calculated.

Workers were aged 19–85, with the oldest in the brushing and security departments. Chronic cough and chest tightness were experienced by 38% and 68% of workers in brushing departments, 20% and 6% of workers in decortication and 7% and 0% of security workers, respectively. A reduced FEV₁/FVC ratio related to years of work was found among workers in brushing departments when adjusting for age, smoking, previous respiratory illnesses and body mass index, using regression analyses. Work in decortication departments was not related to reduced lung function parameters. The prevalence of FEV₁/FVC<70 was above 50 for all three groups. Lung function parameters were similar before and after work shifts, except that peak expiratory flow increased among workers in brushing departments after work shifts.

The results indicate a relationship between work in sisal brushing departments and the development of obstructive lung disorders.

We systematically evaluated and quantified all the main parameters thought to influence the amount of specific RF energy absorbed in the brain from mobile telephone use. For this, we identified the likely important determinants of RF specific energy absorption rate during protocol and questionnaire design, we collected information from study subjects, network operators and laboratories involved in specific energy absorption rate measurements and we studied potential modifiers of phone output through the use of software-modified phones. Data collected were analysed to assess the relative importance of the different factors, leading to the development of an algorithm to evaluate the total cumulative specific RF energy (in joules per kilogram), or dose, absorbed at a particular location in the brain. This algorithm was applied to Interphone Study subjects in five countries.

The main determinants of total cumulative specific RF energy from mobile phones were communication system and frequency band, location in the brain and amount and duration of mobile phone use. Though there was substantial agreement between categorisation of subjects by cumulative specific RF energy and cumulative call time, misclassification was non-negligible, particularly at higher frequency bands. Factors such as adaptive power control (except in Code Division Multiple Access networks), discontinuous transmission and conditions of phone use were found to have a relatively minor influence on total cumulative specific RF energy.

While amount and duration of use are important determinants of RF dose in the brain, their impact can be substantially modified by communication system, frequency band and location in the brain. It is important to take these into account in analyses of risk of brain tumours from RF exposure from mobile phones.