A multicenter study on the audiometric findings of styrene-exposed workers.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate hearing loss among workers exposed to styrene, alone or with noise.

Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted as part of NoiseChem, a European Commission 5th Framework Programme research project, by occupational health institutes in Finland, Sweden, and Poland.

Study Sample: Participants' ages ranged from 18-72 years (n = 1620 workers).

Quantitative test for sensory hand symptoms based on mechanoreceptor-specific vibrotactile thresholds.

A vibrotactile test for assessing the presence or absence of sensory symptoms in the hand has been developed from thresholds believed mediated by Merkel disks and Meissner corpuscles at the fingertips. It is constructed from the summed differences between the thresholds recorded at the fingertip of an individual and the mean values of the threshold for healthy persons at the same stimulation frequencies. The summed normalized threshold shift, TS(Sum(SD)), is shown to be related to reports by subjects of numbness and pain using three statistical tests for evaluating the significance of associations in 2x2 contingency tables.

Ototoxicity of organic solvents - from scientific evidence to health policy.

The scientific workshop, organized under the 6th European Framework Programme, the Marie Curie Host Fellowship for the Transfer of Knowledge "NoiseHear" Project, by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine (Łódź, Poland, 15-16 November 2006), gathered world specialists in noise, chemicals, and ototoxicity, including hearing researchers, toxicologists, otolaryngologists, audiologists and occupational health physicians.The workshop examined the evidence and the links between isolated exposure to organic solvents, combined exposure to noise and solvents, and effects on the auditory system. Its main purpose was to review the key scientific evidence to gather the necessary knowledge for developing adequate occupational health policies.

Virtual reality in posturography.

Balance dysfunctions are common, especially among elderly people. Present methods for the diagnosis and evaluation of severity of dysfuntion have limited value. We present a system that makes it easy to implement different visual and mechanical perturbations for clinical investigations of balance and visual-vestibular interaction.

Hand-arm vibration syndrome with use of anti-vibration chain saws: 19-year follow-up study of forestry workers.

Objectives: Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) consists of vascular and neurological component. Musculoskeletal component has not been delineated yet. In the present follow-up study, we evaluated the prevalence of HAVS and the cumulative exposure to vibration among a cohort of forestry workers.

Effect of styrene on postural stability among reinforced plastic boat plant workers in Finland.

Objective: Many drugs are vestibulotoxic and may impair balance. Styrene is both ototoxic and neurotoxic, but its effect on balance has been little studied. We evaluate the effect of low concentrations of styrene on balance among Finnish fiberglass-reinforced plastic boat manufacturers.

Effect of impulse vibration on red blood cells in vitro.

Objectives: This study was carried out to evaluate the damage induced in red blood cells by exposure to impulse vibration.

Methods: The peak accelerations of impulse vibration included 50, 100, 200, 250 and 300 x 10(3) km/s2. A blood sample was put in a container filled with heparin so that there was no space inside.

Modelling the risk of noise-induced hearing loss among military pilots.

Noise is a significant risk factor in aviation, especially in military aviation. Even though our earlier studies have shown that the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among military pilots is small and the monitoring of their hearing is effective, we still need to develop methods of assessing the risk of NIHL more effectively at both the general and individual levels. In addition, many other risk factors are considered to contribute to the development of hearing impairment.

Modelling the risk of noise-induced hearing loss among military pilots.

Noise is a significant risk factor in aviation, especially in military aviation. Even though our earlier studies have shown that the risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among military pilots is small and the monitoring of their hearing is effective, we still need to develop methods of assessing the risk of NIHL more effectively at both the general and individual levels. In addition, many other risk factors are considered to contribute to the development of hearing impairment.

Individual Risk Factors in the Development of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

We have analysed the association of noise-induced hearing loss with various risk factors among 685 workers in forest, shipyard, and paper mills. Occupational histories, health, environmental factors, and noise exposures of each worker were retrieved from the database of NoiseScan, our expert program on hearing. The mean hearing level at 4 kHz was 21.

NoiseChem: An European Commission research project on the effects of exposure to noise and industrial chemicals on hearing and balance.

Exposure to multiple physical and chemical agents is common in occupational environments but workplace hazards and occupational safety criteria for combined exposures is lacking. NoiseChem is an European Commission research project examining the effects of exposure to noise and chemicals on hearing and balance. Partners in Sweden, Finland, France, Denmark, UK and Poland with expert guidance from partners in USA will examine workers and study the mechanisms of action in animals to determine the levels of risk associated with joint exposure to noise and solvents.

NoiseChem: an European Commission research project on the effects of exposure to noise and industrial chemicals on hearing and balance.

Exposure to multiple physical and chemical agents is common in occupational environments but workplace hazards and occupational safety criteria for combined exposures are lacking. NoiseChem is an European Commission research project examining the effects of exposure to noise and chemicals on hearing and balance. Partners in Sweden, Finland, France, Denmark, UK and Poland with expert guidance from partners in the USA will examine workers and study the mechanisms of action in animals to determine the levels of risk associated with joint exposure to noise and solvents.