Evaluating the Protective Effectiveness of Rubber Glove Materials Against Organic Solvents Upon Repeated Exposure and Decontamination.

Background: Glove reuse poses risks, as chemicals can persist even after cleaning. Decontamination methods like thermal aeration, recommended by US OSHA, vary in effectiveness. Some studies show promising results, while others emphasize the importance of considering both permeation and tensile strength changes.

Correction: Development of a Humanized Antibody with High Therapeutic Potential against Dengue Virus Type 2.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.

Impacts of Agricultural Pesticide Contamination: An Integrated Risk Assessment of Rural Communities of Eswatini.

Marked reductions in mean annual rainfall associated with climate change in Eswatini in Southern Africa have encouraged the recycling of irrigation water and the increased use of pesticides in agricultural production, raising concerns about potential ecological and health risks due to long-term exposure to pesticide residues in soil and irrigation water. This probabilistic integrated risk assessment used liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the concentrations of four commonly used agricultural pesticides (ametryn, atrazine, pendimethalin, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)) in irrigation water and topsoil samples from farmlands in Eswatini to assess potential ecological and health risks due to exposure. The concentrations of these pesticides ranged from undetectable to 0.

Probable Aerosol Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through Floors and Walls of Quarantine Hotel, Taiwan, 2021.

We investigated a cluster of SARS-CoV-2 infections in a quarantine hotel in Taiwan in December 2021. The cluster involved 3 case patients who lived in nonadjacent rooms on different floors. They had no direct contact during their stay.

Double thermoelectric power factor of a 2D electron system.

Two-dimensional electron systems have attracted attention as thermoelectric materials, which can directly convert waste heat into electricity. It has been theoretically predicted that thermoelectric power factor can be largely enhanced when the two-dimensional electron layer is far narrower than the de Broglie wavelength. Although many studies have been made, the effectiveness has not been experimentally clarified thus far.

Impact of Nanosize on Supercapacitance: Study of 1D Nanorods and 2D Thin-Films of Nickel Oxide.

We synthesized unique one-dimensional (1D) nanorods and two-dimensional (2D) thin-films of NiO on indium-tin-oxide thin-films using a hot-filament metal-oxide vapor deposition technique. The 1D nanorods have an average width and length of ∼100 and ∼500 nm, respectively, and the densely packed 2D thin-films have an average thickness of ∼500 nm. The 1D nanorods perform as parallel units for charge storing.

An anti-EpCAM antibody EpAb2-6 for the treatment of colon cancer.

Epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is known to be overexpressed in epithelial cancers associated with enhanced malignant potential, particularly colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, it is unknown whether progression of malignance can be directly inhibited by targeting EpCAM. Here, we have generated five novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against EpCAM.

Predictors for Progression of Sleep Disordered Breathing among Public Transport Drivers: A 3-Year Follow-Up Study.

Study Objectives: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes. This study aimed to understand SDB progression and related factors among professional drivers.

Methods: A total of 524 professional male drivers from a transportation company were included in this study.

Development of a humanized antibody with high therapeutic potential against dengue virus type 2.

Background: Dengue virus (DENV) is a significant public health threat in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. A therapeutic antibody against the viral envelope (E) protein represents a promising immunotherapy for disease control.

Methodology/principal Findings: We generated seventeen novel mouse monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with high reactivity against E protein of dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2).

Volatile organics off-gassed among tobacco-exposed clothing fabrics.

This work evaluates the characteristics of short-term release of volatile and semi-volatile organic chemicals from clothing fabrics that are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Various fabrics were concurrently exposed to ETS in a controlled facility, and the chemicals off-gassed were sampled using solid phase micro-extraction coupled with GC/MS analysis. Toluene-reference concentration (TRC) was calculated for nine selected chemicals and compared.

Tetramethylammonium ion causes respiratory failure related mortality in a rat model.

Aim Of The Study: Tetramethylammonium ion (TMA) is an emerging industrial chemical and has caused mortalities in humans. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of subcutaneously injected TMA on heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and arterial blood gases (ABG) and to determine whether pretreatment using mechanical ventilation (MV) or atropine could prevent the mortality caused by TMA.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were anesthetized and catheterized in the femoral arterials for monitoring.

Blood oxidative stress in Taiwan workers exposed to carbon disulfide.

Background: Overexposure to carbon disulfide (CS(2) ) has been associated with an increase in coronary heart disease, but the mechanisms mediating this effect remain unclear. We aimed to examine the relationship between CS(2) exposure and oxidative stress markers, in order to clarify the oxidative mechanisms involved in CS(2) -induced atherosclerosis.

Methods: A total of 89 workers from a viscose rayon plant were recruited for this study, and 111 workers not exposed to CS(2) served as controls.

Effect of NaOH on the vitrification process of waste Ni-Cr sludge.

This study investigated the effect of NaOH on the vitrification of electroplating sludge. Ni, the major metal in the electroplating sludge, is the target for recovery in the vitrification. Sludge and encapsulation materials (dolomite, limestone, and cullet) were mixed and various amounts of NaOH were added to serve as a glass modifier and a flux.

Measurements of respirable dust and nanoparticle concentrations in a titanium dioxide pigment production factory.

This study compared respirable dust and nanoparticle concentrations measured by different sampling devices at a titanium dioxide pigment factory. Respirable particle mass concentrations, nanoparticle concentrations, particle size distribution and particle metallic content were measured at different sampling locations. The sampling results of the Multi-orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI) showed that the particle size distribution at this titanium dioxide production factory fell in the range of 1-10 mu m.

Establishing aerosol exposure predictive models based on vibration measurements.

This paper establishes particulate exposure predictive models based on vibration measurements under various concrete drilling conditions. The whole study was conducted in an exposure chamber using a full-scale mockup of concrete drilling simulator to simulate six drilling conditions. For each drilling condition, the vibration of the three orthogonal axes (i.

Establishing aerosol exposure predictive models based on noise measurements--using concrete drilling as an example.

This study used a full scale mockup of a concrete drilling simulator to simulate drilling processes in an exposure chamber. Six drilling conditions were selected with rotating speeds and drill bit sizes varied from 265 to 587 rpm and 16 to 32 mm, respectively. For each drilling condition, the emitted noise power spectrums were measured and dust exposure concentrations of the fractions of the total (C(tot)), inhalable (C(inh)), thoracic (C(tho)), and respirable (C(res)) were estimated.

Evaluation of erythemal UV effective irradiance from UV lamp exposure and the application in shield metal arc welding processing.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is known to cause potential effects such as erythema in skin. For UV-induced erythema (sunburn), the action spectrum from the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, International Commission on Illumination (CIE) was adopted. Erythemal UV effects from UVR lamp exposure were investigated with commercial spectroradiometry devices in this research.

Evaluation and monitoring of UVR in Shield Metal ARC Welding processing.

This study established a comprehensive approach to monitoring UVR magnitude from Shield Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) processing and quantified the effective exposure based on measured data. The irradiances from welding UVR were calculated with biological effective parameter (Slambda) for human exposure assessment. The spectral weighting function for UVR measurement and evaluation followed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) guidelines.

Effects of sash movement and walk-bys on aerodynamics and contaminant leakage of laboratory fume cupboards.

In order to speculate the physical mechanisms of contaminant leakage during sash movement and walk-bys through a laboratory fume cupboard, the complicated three-dimensional flow patterns and the real-time tracer gas leakage are studied via the laser-assisted flow visualization method and the standard gas sampling technique, respectively, over a transparent, full scale chemical fume cupboard. Through the flow visualization, the evolution of drastic changes of the flow pattern is demonstrated. The highly turbulent jet-like currents are induced by the unsteady flow motion near the cupboard face.

Ethylene oxide sterilization in the medical-supply manufacturing industry: assessment and control of worker exposure.

Objective: In 2005, the Taiwan Institute of Occupational Safety and Health started an on-site consulting program for the medical supplies manufacturing industry, which use ethylene oxide (EO) as a sterilant, with the goal of enhancing occupational hygiene practices and controlling EO-related risks. This study presents EO exposure assessment results and examines the effectiveness of control measures.

Methods: Detailed surveys, including exposure monitoring, were conducted at 10 factories.