Oil and Gas Extraction Industry Workers' Compensation Claims and Proposed Safety Interventions.

Objective: This study analyzed Ohio workers' compensation data to identify potential prevention strategies for common oil and gas extraction industry claims.

Methods: Claim rates for 2001-2018 were calculated per full-time equivalent employee. Descriptive analyses on free-text descriptions of lost-time (LT) claims (>7 days away from work) identified common characteristics among claims and injured workers.

Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Sequela From Potential COVID-19-Associated Coagulopathy.

We report a case involving a post-menopausal female who experienced a sudden loss of peripheral vision in her right eye seven months after a confirmed COVID-19 infection. MRI scans of the brain and orbit excluded neuritis and multiple sclerosis, leading to the diagnosis of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). It is known that the intense inflammatory condition resulting from acute respiratory distress syndrome triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infections can result in a heightened tendency for blood clot formation.

Occupational Injuries Among Construction Workers by Age and Related Economic Loss: Findings From Ohio Workers' Compensation, USA: 2007-2017.

Background: This study examined age-group differences in the rate, severity, and cost of injuries among construction workers to support evidence-based worker safety and health interventions in the construction industry.

Methods: Ohio workers' compensation claims for construction workers were used to estimate claim rates and costs by age group. We analyzed claims data auto-coded into five event/exposure categories: transportation incidents; slips, trips, and falls (STFs); exposure to harmful substances and environments; contact with objects and equipment (COB); overexertion and bodily reaction.

Occupational injuries and illnesses among law enforcement officers, 2001-2019: Findings from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

Background: Occupational injuries are common among law enforcement officers (LEOs) and can impact an agency's ability to serve communities. Workers' compensation (WC) data are an underutilized source for occupational injury surveillance in the law enforcement field.

Methods: LEOs WC claims from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OHBWC) from 2001 to 2019 were identified based on manual review of the occupation title and injury description.

Construction industry workers' compensation injury claims due to slips, trips, and falls - Ohio, 2010-2017.

Problem: Compared to other industries, construction workers have higher risks for serious fall injuries. This study describes the burden and circumstances surrounding injuries related to compensable slip, trip, and fall (STF) claims from private construction industries covered by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

Methods: STF injury claims in the Ohio construction industry from 2010-2017 were manually reviewed.

The Natural Disease Course of Pancreatic Cyst-Associated Neoplasia, Dysplasia, and Ductal Adenocarcinoma: Results of a Microsimulation Model.

Background & Aims: Estimates on the progression of precursor lesions to pancreatic cancer (PC) are scarce. We used microsimulation modeling to gain insight into the natural disease course of PC and its precursors. This information is pivotal to explore the efficacy of PC screening.

Workers' compensation injury claims among firefighters in Ohio, 2001-2017.

Background: Firefighters are at high risk for nonfatal and fatal occupational injuries. While some past research has quantified firefighter injuries using various data sources, Ohio workers' compensation injury claims data largely have not been used.

Methods: Public and private firefighter claims, including volunteer and career firefighters, from Ohio's workers' compensation data for 2001-2017 were identified based on occupational classification codes and manual review of the occupation title and injury description.

Case Studies of Robots and Automation as Health/Safety Interventions in Small Manufacturing Enterprises.

This paper reviews the experiences of 63 case studies of small businesses (< 250 employees) with manufacturing automation equipment acquired through a health/safety intervention grant program. The review scope included equipment technologies classified as industrial robots (n = 17), computer numerical control (CNC) machining (n = 29), or other programmable automation systems (n = 17). Descriptions of workers' compensation (WC) claim injuries and identified risk factors that motivated acquisition of the equipment were extracted from grant applications.

Analytical Validation of NavDx, a cfDNA-Based Fragmentomic Profiling Assay for HPV-Driven Cancers.

The NavDx blood test analyzes tumor tissue modified viral (TTMV)-HPV DNA to provide a reliable means of detecting and monitoring HPV-driven cancers. The test has been clinically validated in a large number of independent studies and has been integrated into clinical practice by over 1000 healthcare providers at over 400 medical sites in the US. This Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), high complexity laboratory developed test, has also been accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the New York State Department of Health.

Validation of Linear Range HER2/Estrogen Receptor/Progesterone Receptor IHControls for Daily Quality Assurance.

Objectives: To evaluate a new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared immunohistochemistry (IHC) control (IHControls [Boston Cell Standards]) comprising peptide epitopes for HER2, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) attached to cell-sized microspheres and to compare its performance against conventional tissue controls.

Methods: IHControls and tissue/cell line controls for HER2, ER, and PR were compared side by side daily at 5 clinical IHC laboratories for 1 to 2 months. Separately, the sensitivity of the 2 types of controls was evaluated in simulated IHC assay failure experiments by diluting the primary antibody.

Examining a decade of racial disparity in partial mastectomy and oncoplastic surgery.

Background And Objectives: Understanding racial disparity is crucial to addressing health equity and access to care. Our study aims to examine racial differences in breast conserving surgery (BCS) utilization rates and determine how these rates have changed over time.

Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis utilized the NSQIP database to identify women diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent BCS procedures between 2008 and 2019.

The Role of Worker Age in Ohio Workers' Compensation Claims in the Landscaping Services Industry.

Objective: This study employed analysis of workers' compensation (WC) claims in the landscaping services industry to identify occupational factors associated with claims from workers of different ages.

Methods: Private sector claims for 2005 to 2017 to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OHBWC) and their free-text descriptions were used along with data from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey to examine rates and types of WC claims by worker age.

Results: Although the claim rate for younger workers was higher than that for older workers overall (593 vs 261 per 10,000 full-time equivalent employees, P < 0.

Reliability and validity of an employer-completed safety hazard and management assessment questionnaire.

Introduction: Managing and improving occupational safety and health requires evaluating performance. Organizations are encouraged to use both lagging indicators (such as injury rates and costs) and leading indicators (such as questionnaire-assessed safety hazards and management practices) for this purpose, but the association between types of indicators over time can be complex. Longitudinal data can assist in clarifying these associations and increasing indicator utility.

Detection of Occult Recurrence Using Circulating Tumor Tissue Modified Viral HPV DNA among Patients Treated for HPV-Driven Oropharyngeal Carcinoma.

Purpose: Despite generally favorable outcomes, 15% to 25% of patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) will have recurrence. Current posttreatment surveillance practices rely on physical examinations and imaging and are inconsistently applied. We assessed circulating tumor tissue modified viral (TTMV)-HPV DNA obtained during routine posttreatment surveillance among a large population of real-world patients.

Colorectal Cancer Screening within Colonoscopy Capacity Constraints: Can FIT-Based Programs Save More Lives by Trading off More Sensitive Test Cutoffs against Longer Screening Intervals?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention programs using fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) in screening rely on colonoscopy for secondary and surveillance testing. Colonoscopy capacity is an important constraint. Some European programs lack sufficient capacity to provide optimal screening intensity regarding age ranges, intervals, and FIT cutoffs.

Chemotherapy-Induced Collagen IV Drives Cancer Cell Motility through Activation of Src and Focal Adhesion Kinase.

Unlabelled: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and deadly subtype of breast cancer, accounting for 30,000 cases annually in the United States. While there are several clinical trials ongoing to identify new agents to treat TNBC, the majority of patients with TNBC are treated with anthracycline- or taxane-based chemotherapies in the neoadjuvant setting, followed by surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. While many patients respond well to this approach, as many as 25% will suffer local or metastatic recurrence within 5 years.

Impact of surgical versus endoscopic management of complex nonmalignant polyps in a colorectal cancer screening program.

Background: When complex nonmalignant polyps are detected in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programs, patients may be referred directly to surgery or may first undergo additional endoscopy for attempted endoscopic removal by an expert. We compared the impact of both strategies on screening effectiveness and costs.

Methods: We used MISCAN-Colon to simulate the Dutch screening program, and projected CRC deaths prevented, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained, and costs for two scenarios: 1) surgery for all complex nonmalignant polyps; 2) attempted removal by an expert endoscopist first.

The Impact of a State-Based Workers' Compensation Insurer's Risk Control Services on Employer Claim Frequency and Cost Rates.

Objective: This study evaluated the impact of a state workers' compensation (WC) insurer's onsite risk control (RC) services on insured employers' WC claim frequency and cost.

Methods: We used two methods to model 2004 to 2017 claims data from 4606 employers that received RC visits over time and compare this claims experience to matching employers that did not receive RC services.

Results: Relative total WC claim rates increased slightly after RC services, while relative lost-time claims rates either remained similar or decreased and WC cost rates decreased.

Workers' compensation claim counts and rates by injury event/exposure among state-insured private employers in Ohio, 2007-2017.

Introduction: This study analyzed workers' compensation (WC) claims among private employers insured by the Ohio state-based WC carrier to identify high-risk industries by detailed cause of injury.

Methods: A machine learning algorithm was used to code each claim by U.S.

Discordance in Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score Results for Bilateral Breast Cancer.

Background: The Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score assay is a clinically useful tool to determine the benefit of chemotherapy in the treatment of early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Bilateral breast cancer (BBC) is found in ~ 5% of patients with breast cancer, and data regarding discordance of Oncotype DX results between BBC defined by current TAILORx subgroups are limited. Our goals are to study the rate of Oncotype DX discordance between BBC and investigate whether such differences can affect chemotherapy treatment discussions.

Lessons learned from Ohio workers' compensation claims to mitigate hazards in the landscaping services industry.

Background: The landscaping services industry is one of the more dangerous in the United States, with higher rates of both fatal and nonfatal injuries than the all-industry average. This study uses claims from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (OHBWC) database to identify high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses in this industry in Ohio. The causes of those illnesses and injuries are highlighted to identify common factors.

The Optimal Age to Stop Endoscopic Surveillance of Patients With Barrett's Esophagus Based on Sex and Comorbidity: A Comparative Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Background And Aims: Current guidelines recommend surveillance for patients with nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus (NDBE) but do not include a recommended age for discontinuing surveillance. This study aimed to determine the optimal age for last surveillance of NDBE patients stratified by sex and level of comorbidity.

Methods: We used 3 independently developed models to simulate patients diagnosed with NDBE, varying in age, sex, and comorbidity level (no, mild, moderate, and severe).

The Differential Risk of Cervical Cancer in HPV-Vaccinated and -Unvaccinated Women: A Mathematical Modeling Study.

Background: With increased uptake of vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), protection against cervical cancer will also increase for unvaccinated women, due to herd immunity. Still, the differential risk between vaccinated and unvaccinated women might warrant a vaccination-status-screening approach. To understand the potential value of stratified screening protocols, we estimated the risk differentials in HPV and cervical cancer between vaccinated and unvaccinated women.