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Skilled workers in the mechanical and electrical installation (M/EI) building and construction trades experience high rates of disabling work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The M/EI trades involve installing piping; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and electrical systems in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. In the absence of an ergonomics standard in the United States, some building and construction contractors, including M/EI sector contractors, have implemented various ergonomics interventions on their worksites on a voluntary basis. However, no data were available to determine the type of voluntary control measures being implemented, the task-specific hazards for which control measures needed to be developed or refined, and perceived barriers to improving hazard control. As part of a larger effort to obtain this data, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) organized a stakeholder meeting to gather information regarding ergonomics interventions or 'best practices' by M/EI contractors and tradespeople. The attendees included 39 industry representatives, 17 construction ergonomics researchers from government and academia, and four ergonomics consultants with experience in the construction industry. Participants spent more than 50% of time meeting in small trade-specific breakout sessions. According to the participants, tasks common to the three trades included (1) drill holes and shoot fasteners; (2) place and install systems, and (3) lift and carry materials and equipment. Engineering interventions described in the stakeholder meeting included tools, equipment, and engineered building materials; administrative controls largely consisted of training and education programs and modifications of work and management practice. Most participants believed that there were significant limits to the impact individual contractors and tradespeople could have in leading ergonomics improvement in the building and construction industry. Keywords: Construction industry; Work-related musculoskeletal disorder; Ergonomics intervention

Identification of different Pseudomonas aeruginosa serotypes is based on the chemistry of the O antigens of their lipopolysaccharides. However, the O antigens of serotypes O2, O5, and O16 have a similar repeating trisaccharide backbone that causes confusion in their individual identification. To distinguish the three from one another, a monoclonal antibody that recognize the O-specific LPS epitopes of each serotype was developed. Experiments have isolated three specific monoclonal antibodies capable of reacting with the LPS epitope of each P. aeruginosa serotype. A fourth antibody, MAb18-19, was shown to be nonspecific and recognized all three serotypes studied.

Examination of the presence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in raw meats by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), EHEC-Tek, reveals the presence of target antigens of monoclonal antibody (MAb) 4E8C12 in various serotypes of E. coli. Culture conditions and sample preparation exert significant influence on the expression and detection of MAb4E8Cl2. A new procedure incorporating immunocapture improves the specificity of the ELISA.

Objective Positive associations between education and late-life cognition have been widely reported. This study examines whether occupational complexity mediates the relationship between education and late-life cognition, and whether the magnitude of mediation differs by race, gender, or education level. Methods Data were from a population-based cohort of non-Hispanic Blacks and Whites aged ≥45 years (n = 7,357). Education was categorized as less than high school, high school, some college, and college or higher. Using linear regression, we estimated the direct effect of each successive increase in education on cognitive functioning and indirect effects via substantive complexity of work. Results Occupational complexity significantly mediated 11%–22% of the cognitive gain associated with higher levels of education. The pattern of mediation varied between White men and all other race–gender groups: among White men, the higher the education, the greater the mediation effect by occupational complexity. Among Black men and women of both races, the higher the education, the smaller the mediation effect. Discussion Higher levels of education may provide opportunity for intellectually engaging environments throughout adulthood in the form of complex work, which may protect late-life cognition. However, this protective effect of occupational complexity may not occur equally across race–gender subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]