Exploring the Relationship Between Visceral Fat and Coronary Artery Calcification Risk Using Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat (METS-VF).

Background: Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat (METS-VF) is a novel indicator for estimating intra-abdominal fat, yet its connection with coronary artery calcification (CAC) remains uncharted. Our research aims to explore the novel METS-VF indicator's link to CAC while comparing its performance against relevant anthropometric indices.

Methods: This study enrolled participants who underwent health checkups and computed tomography scans for categorizing severity of CAC using the coronary artery calcium score.

Positive vaccine beliefs linked to reduced mental stress in healthcare professionals during COVID-19: a retrospective study.

Background And Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant adverse effect on the mental health of healthcare professionals. This study aims to assess the effects of the prolonged pandemic on burnout and mood disorders and to evaluate the influence of positive vaccination beliefs on these factors at a medical center during the extended COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the results of an online questionnaire survey including burnout status and mood disorders from 2020 to 2022.

Performance of nonalcoholic fatty liver fibrosis score in estimating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.

Background And Aims: It is currently unclear whether the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) fibrosis score, when compared to major anthropometric indices, is useful in estimating the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Methods And Results: This study included 3886 adults undergoing a health checkup. An elevated risk of ASCVD was determined as a 10-year ASCVD risk ≥7.

The Efficacy of Anthropometric Indicators in Predicting Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Using FibroScan CAP Values among the Taiwanese Population.

The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) measurement obtained from FibroScan is a low-risk method of assessing fatty liver. This study investigated the association between the FibroScan CAP values and nine anthropometric indicators, including the abdominal volume index (AVI), body fat percentage (BFP), body mass index (BMI), conicity index (CI), ponderal index (PI), relative fat mass (RFM), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (fatty liver). We analyzed the medical records of adult patients who had FibroScan CAP results.

Association of Low Back Pain with Shift Work: A Meta-Analysis.

Shift work (SW) is the main working schedule worldwide, and it may cause sleep disorders, breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem in the workplace; however, the association between LBP and SW remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the association between SW and LBP.

Risk of pneumothorax in pneumoconiosis patients in Taiwan: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: This study was conducted to explore the association between pneumoconiosis and pneumothorax.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Nationwide population-based study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database.

COVID-19 Pandemic Is Associated with an Adverse Impact on Burnout and Mood Disorder in Healthcare Professionals.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic results in a profound physical and mental burden on healthcare professionals. This study aims to evaluate burnout status and mood disorder of healthcare workers during this period. An online questionnaire was voluntarily answered by eligible adult employees in a COVID-19 specialized medical center.

Gender differences and site-specific incident risks of musculoskeletal disorders among 224 506 workers in the food and beverage service industry in Taiwan: A 15-year Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objectives: Occupational characteristics in the food and beverage service industry (FBSI) have been found to be associated with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study aimed to examine gender and site-specific incident risks of MSDs among FBSI workers in Taiwan using a national population-based database.

Methods: We conducted a 15-year population-based cohort study among 224 506 FBSI workers in Taiwan using data from five large nationwide databases to estimate direct standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for identifying specific MSDs related to overexertion and repetitiveness during work.

Effects of workplaces receiving "accreditation of health workplaces" on breastfeeding promotion, parental leave, and gender equality.

Objectives: Work is often a barrier for women to continue breastfeeding after they have given birth. Breastfeeding support is an important part of workplace health promotion. We investigated the implementation of breastfeeding promotion and gender equality polices in workplaces with the Taiwan Badge of Accredited Healthy Workplace.

Use of Generalized Additive Model to Detect the Threshold of δ-Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase Activity Reduced by Lead Exposure.

Background: Lead inhibits the enzymes in heme biosynthesis, mainly reducing δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity, which could be an available biomarker. The aim of this study was to detect the threshold of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity reduced by lead exposure.

Methods: We collected data on 121 lead workers and 117 non-exposed workers when annual health examinations were performed.

The association of blood lead levels and renal effects may be modified by genetic combinations of Metallothionein 1A 2A polymorphisms.

Metallothionein (MT) is a protein with function of heavy metal detoxification. However, studies about how single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of MT genes influence lead nephropathy are relatively scarce. Therefore, our aim is to investigate the association between blood lead levels and renal biomarkers and to study whether this association is influenced by the combination of MT1A and MT2A SNPs.

Higher NAFLD fibrosis score is associated with impaired eGFR.

Background/purpose: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become a worldwide health problem, leading to high morbidity and mortality, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered a risk factor for CKD. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and identify possible risk factors related to the NFS among Taiwanese subjects.

Methods: Subjects were enrolled from the database of the Department of Preventive Medicine of Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital.

Interactive Effects between Chronic Lead Exposure and the Homeostatic Iron Regulator Transport Polymorphism on the Human Red Blood Cell Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV).

Research has shown that long-term exposure to lead harms the hematological system. The homeostatic iron regulator (hemochromatosis) mutation, which has been shown to affect iron absorption and iron overload, is hypothesized to be related to lead intoxication in vulnerable individuals. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the genotype modifies the blood lead levels that affect the distributions of serum iron and other red blood cell indices.

Toxic Metals Increase Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Levels, Modified by Essential Elements and Different Types of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Promoter Single-nucleotide Polymorphisms.

Background: Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) could cause health issues through oxidative stress that is indicated in the elevated tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). However, some of the essential elements-selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co), and copper (Cu)-are cofactors or structural components of antioxidant enzymes. It is suggested that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TNF-α gene have different TNF-α responses.

Fasting sugar, blood pressure, and uric acid are factors related to positive proteinuria and an impaired eGFR.

Background: The aim of this study was to ascertain the relationships of blood pressure, fasting sugar level, triglyceride (TG) level, uric acid level, and body mass index (BMI) with proteinuria and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a population from southern Taiwan.

Methods: The 20,900 subjects enrolled in this study had undergone a free adult health examination under the National Health Insurance scheme between September 2005 and June 2011. Factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar, TG, uric acid and BMI were examined in terms of their relationships with the eGFR (calculated according to the Taiwanese Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (Taiwanese-MDRD)) and proteinuria.

n-Hexane intoxication in a Chinese medicine pharmaceutical plant: a case report.

Background: n-Hexane is a well-known neurotoxicant. Polyneuropathy due to occupational n-hexane exposure has been reported worldwide, however, our case is the first report in the Chinese herb industry.

Case Presentation: A 25-year-old Asian man experienced progressive weakness and numbness in his hands and feet after working as an operator in a Chinese medicine pharmaceutical plant for the manufacture of Chinese herbal pain relief patches for 10 months.

The association of the blood lead level and serum lipid concentrations may be modified by the genetic combination of the metallothionein 2A polymorphisms rs10636 GC and rs28366003 AA.

Background: Lead in blood can stimulate lipid oxidation in phosphatidylcholine and increase peroxidation in lipids. Metallothionein (MT) is a cysteine-rich protein that can influence the detoxification of heavy metals and scavenge oxidative stress for free radicals. One of the most expressive functional genes in humans is the MT2A gene.

Distinct subpopulations of hepatitis C virus infectious cells with different levels of intracellular hepatitis C virus core protein.

Chronic infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Despite the clear clinical importance of virus-associated HCC, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclarified. Oxidative stress, in particular, DNA lesions associated with oxidative damage, plays a major role in carcinogenesis, and is strongly linked to the development of many cancers, including HCC.

Association between the severity of femoral condylar cartilage erosion related to knee osteoarthritis by ultrasonographic evaluation and the clinical symptoms and functions.

Objective: To determine the association between the severity of femoral condylar cartilage erosion resulting from knee osteoarthritis (OA) by an ultrasonographic grading system and the clinical symptoms and functions.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: A tertiary center.

Effect of bedtime on recurrent aphthous stomatitis in college students.

Objective: In this study, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey at Sichuan University to investigate the potential effects of bedtime on recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS).

Study Design: An anonymous self-designed questionnaire was adopted to investigate the association between bedtime and RAS in college students at Sichuan University. Statistical analyses were used to identify risk factors for RAS and to explore the relationship between bedtime and RAS.

Waist circumference, body mass index, serum uric acid, blood sugar, and triglyceride levels are important risk factors for abnormal liver function tests in the Taiwanese population.

Several studies have found that metabolic syndrome and uric acid level are related to abnormal liver function test results. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of risk factors [including blood pressure, blood sugar, total cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) measurements] with abnormal liver function in the Taiwanese population.In total, 11,411 Taiwanese adults were enrolled in this study.