Children are particularly vulnerable to environmental tobacco smoke exposure: Evidence from biomarkers of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, and oxidative stress.

Background: Worldwide, smoking is a major public health problem, with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) affecting both smokers, and passive smokers, including children. Despite ETS also describing secondhand, and thirdhand smoke (SHS, and THS respectively), the health effects of exposure to passive smoking via these sources are not fully understood, particularly in children. Although cotinine, the primary proximate metabolite of nicotine, has been widely used as a biomarker of ETS exposure, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), the metabolite of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), provides a uniquely important contribution, both as a biomarker of exposure, and as a specific risk indicator for pulmonary carcinogenesis.

Urinary nitrite/nitrate ratio measured by isotope-dilution LC-MS/MS as a tool to screen for urinary tract infections.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common type of nosocomial infection. Traditionally, the presence of white blood cells and microorganisms in the urine provides objective evidence for UTI diagnosis. Here, we describe the use of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to measure the nitrite and nitrate levels in urine and investigate the potential of this method for UTI diagnosis.

Simultaneous Detection of 3-Nitrotyrosine and 3-Nitro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic Acid in Human Urine by Online SPE LC-MS/MS and Their Association with Oxidative and Methylated DNA Lesions.

Reactive nitrogen species (RNS) can modify proteins at tyrosine and tryptophan residues, and they are involved in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. In this study, we present the first liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based method that enables the simultaneous measurement of urinary 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NTYR) and its metabolite 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (NHPA). After the addition of stable isotope-labeled internal standards, urine samples were purified and enriched using manual solid-phase extraction (SPE) and HPLC fractionation followed by online SPE LC-MS/MS analysis.

Plasma homocysteine is associated with increased oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity in welders.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of vitamin B6 status and plasma homocysteine with oxidative stress and antioxidant capacities in welders. Workers were divided into either the welding exposure group (n = 57) or the nonexposure controls (n = 42) based on whether they were employed as welders. There were no significant differences in vitamin B₆ status and plasma homocysteine concentration between the welding exposure group and the nonexposure controls.

Direct analysis of 5-methylcytosine and 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine in human urine by isotope dilution LC-MS/MS: correlations with N-methylated purines and oxidized DNA lesions.

Recent evidence suggests that active DNA demethylation involves base excision repair (BER) and nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathways. We hypothesized that the resulting excision products could be further excreted and present in urine. A highly specific and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was first developed for simultaneously measuring urinary 5-methylcytosine (5-meC) and 5-methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5-medC).

Relationship between indium exposure and oxidative damage in workers in indium tin oxide production plants.

Purpose: The study aimed to assess the relationship between indium exposure and surfactant protein and any oxidative damage in indium tin oxide (ITO)-exposed workers.

Methods: The study was conducted in two typical ITO-manufacturing plants in Taiwan. One hundred and seventy manufacturing workers and 132 administrators were recruited.

Influences of shift work on fatigue among nurses.

Aim: To compare the symptoms of fatigue and physiological indices in nurses who work during the day with nurses who work in shifts.

Method: One-hundred and seven nurses were recruited and asked to assess their symptoms of fatigue before their work commenced and after it finished.

Results: Using logistic regression analysis adjusted for covariates, it was found that nurses who work in shifts were more fatigued than nurses who work during the day (odds ratio = 2.

Risk assessment of gaseous/particulate phase PAH exposure in foundry industry.

Thirty-seven air samplings in different working areas of two foundry industries were collected to assess polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels. The average PAH level inside Foundry A was 19.56 microg/m(3), which was higher than that in Foundry B (8.

Oxidative damage in foundry workers occupationally co-exposed to PAHs and metals.

Occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been reported in foundries. A higher risk for DNA damage or oxidative damage lesions was also found in occupationally PAH-exposed groups. The aim of this study was to assess PAH exposure by urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), a biological exposure marker.

Health risk assessment by measuring plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) and DNA strand breakage following metal exposure in foundry workers.

Silica particles and metals are important occupational hazards in foundry workers, and exposure may result in DNA damage and lipid peroxidation through oxidative stress. This study aimed to compare oxidative damage by measuring the levels of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) and DNA strand breakage in workers at two foundry plants (exposure group) and in town hall employees (control group) in central Taiwan. Air samples for metals analysis in the workplace were also collected to assess the health risk to foundry workers.

Lipid peroxidation and oxidative status compared in workers at a bottom ash recovery plant and fly ash treatment plants.

Fly ash and ambient emissions of municipal solid waste incinerators contain polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), other organic compounds, metals, and gases. Hazardous substances such as PCDD/Fs, mercury vapors and other silicates, and the components of bottom ash and fly ash elevate the oxidative damage. We compared oxidative damage in workers exposed to hazardous substances at a bottom ash recovery plant and 3 fly ash treatment plants in Taiwan by measuring their levels of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and urine 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG).

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.

Mass, number and surface area concentrations of alpha-quartz exposures of refractory material manufacturing workers.

This study set out to assess the respirable mass, surface area, and number concentrations of the alpha-quartz content particles (C(r-m), C(r-s) and C(r-n)) to which workers were exposed in six different exposure groups, the raw material handling (n=10), crushing (n=12), mixing (n=12), forming (n=10), furnace (n=10), and packaging (n=10), in a refractory material manufacturing plant. For C(r-m), the exposure values in sequence were found as: mixing (68.1 microg/m3)>packaging (55.

Exposure assessment of aluminum arc welding radiation.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the non-ionizing radiation (NIR) exposure, especially optical radiation levels, and potential health hazard from aluminum arc welding processes based on the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) method. The irradiance from the optical radiation emissions can be calculated with various biological effective parameters [i.e.

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.

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.

UVR measurement of a UV germicidal lamp.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure is known to cause serious effects such as conjunctivitis and keratitis in eyes and erythema in skin. The exposure assessment of UVR has not been well established and developed in workplaces due to the lack of suitable UV detecting instruments. Therefore, UV monitoring and measuring procedures were investigated and developed with commercial spectroradiometry devices described in this paper.

Field evaluation of a passive sampler for assessing 2-ethoxyethyl acetate exposures.

This paper presents a field evaluation of a passive badge for measuring 2-ethoxyethyl acetate (2-EEAc) in a humid working environment. Forty-eight pairs of side-by-side active/passive 8-h full-shift personal samples were collected to evaluate the performance of a passive badge for monitoring 2-EEAc with the co-exposure of toluene and methyl iso-butyl ketone (MIBK) in a warm and humid workplace. Sixteen pairs of side-by-side passive badges, active charcoal tubes, and active charcoal tube with drying tube samples were also compared to evaluate the humidity effect in sampling.

Evaluating the efficacy of a thermal exposure chamber designed for assessing workers' thermal hazard.

This study was conducted on a thermal exposure chamber designed for assessing workers' thermal hazard. In order to assess the efficacy of the studied chamber, three environmental conditions were selected to simulate high, middle and low thermal impact situations, with air temperatures (Ta) of 43.12, 36.