Occupational medicine
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This purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between exposure to wheat flour, soya flour and fungal amylase and the development of work-related symptoms and sensitization in bread and cake bakery employees who have regular exposure to these substances. The study populations consisted of 394 bread bakery workers and 77 cake bakery workers whose normal jobs involved the sieving, weighing and mixing of ingredients. The groups were interviewed with the aim of identifying the prevalence, nature and pattern of any work-related respiratory symptoms. ⋯ Out of the allergens studied in this investigation, fungal amylase is the principal sensitizer in large scale bread bakeries, with the main source of exposure being the handling of bread improvers. In contrast, the risk of sensitization to wheat flour is low in both bread and cake bakeries. The absence of positive skin-prick tests in the subgroup of cake bakery employees who regularly handle fungal-amylase-containing flour suggests that their levels of exposure are below the threshold for sensitization to amylase.
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Occupational medicine · Oct 1996
Beliefs and attitudes towards AIDS policies and educational programs among Japanese businesses.
This study was undertaken to clarify the beliefs and attitudes of Japanese businesses towards AIDS. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,655 Japanese companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in June 1993, and the response rate was 38% (n = 620). About 60% of the responding companies had already implemented or were developing AIDS measures. ⋯ As reasons for providing AIDS education, avoiding discrimination and anxiety in the workplace were frequently cited. Ninety-five per cent of the companies wanted guidelines or manuals for AIDS to be developed by the Ministry of Labour, or to have training courses for personnel in charge of education or counselling provided by the Ministry. Although AIDS measures are currently unsatisfactory in Japanese businesses, they are expected to develop effective measures, considering their high recognition of the need for AIDS education.