Case reports of indium lung disease in Taiwan.

The production of indium-tin oxide has increased in the past decades due to the increased manufacture of liquid crystal displays (LCD). Taiwan is one of the highest indium-consuming countries worldwide. After repeated inhalation, indium oxide (InO) particles would accumulate in the lungs, resulting in severe lung effects.

Characteristics of Decreased Pulmonary Function and Clinical Symptoms in Nickel Electroplating Workers.

Objective: To investigate health problems, especially pulmonary function, among electroplating workers exposed to nickel.

Methods: We recruited 153 nickel-exposed and 74 control workers from electroplating shops in printed circuit board production plants. Questionnaires were conducted to collect basic information.

Do sanitary ceramic workers have a worse presentation of chest radiographs or pulmonary function tests than other ceramic workers?

Background/purpose: Silicosis remains the most prevalent occupational disease worldwide. There have been no specific studies focusing on the association between exposure settings at work and the clinical severity in silicosis patients. In this study, we describe and compare the clinical characteristics and silicosis-associated exposure history at work among workers from several types of ceramic production facilities in Taiwan.

Nickel exposure and plasma levels of biomarkers for assessing oxidative stress in nickel electroplating workers.

Context: The mechanism of nickel-induced pathogenesis remains elusive.

Objective: To examine effects of nickel exposure on plasma oxidative and anti-oxidative biomarkers.

Materials And Methods: Biomarker data were collected from 154 workers with various levels of nickel exposure and from 73 controls.

The impact of occupational health service network and reporting system in Taiwan.

Background: Underreporting occupational disease cases has been a long-standing problem in Taiwan, which hinders the progress in occupational health and safety. To address this problem, the government has founded the Network of Occupational Diseases and Injuries Service (NODIS) for occupational disease and injury services and established a new Internet-based reporting system.

Objectives: The aims of this study are to analyze the possible influence of the NODIS, comprised of Center for Occupational Disease and Injury Services and their local network hospitals, on compensable occupational diseases and describe the distribution of occupational diseases across occupations and industries from 2005 to 2010 in Taiwan.

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.

Porcelain factory worker with asbestos-related mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare tumor among the general population, but for people exposed to asbestos, the lifetime risk is high. A 58-year old man presented with suffering from chest pain, upper back pain, shortness of breath, and coughing that had continued for several months. A chest X-ray revealed right-side pleural effusion; however, pleural biopsy from drainage treatment confirmed a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

Inflammatory responses and oxidative stress from metal fume exposure in automobile welders.

Objectives: : Welding operations expose to metal fume. We investigated the inflammatory responses and oxidative stress from metal fume exposure in an automobile plant.

Methods: : We recruited 258 automobile workers and measured the urine zinc, copper, and nickel to determine the exposure level, and examined the white blood cells, and IL-6 as inflammatory responses to the metal fume exposure.

Pulmonary function abnormalities and airway irritation symptoms of metal fumes exposure on automobile spot welders.

Background: Spot or resistance welding has been considered less hazardous than other types of welding. Automobile manufacturing is a major industry in Taiwan. Spot and arc welding are common processes in this industry.

Decreased lung function associated with occupational exposure to epichlorohydrin and the modification effects of glutathione s-transferase polymorphisms.

Epichlorohydrin (1-chloro-2,3,-epoxypropane; ECH) is a strong irritant of the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin. Because the toxic effect of various chemicals can be modified by metabolic traits, in this study, we also investigated the influence of the glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1) and (GSTT1) genes on the toxic effect of ECH. In the GSTM1 null genotype workers, there is a dose-response of lung function tests (FEV1, FEV1/FVC, MMEF) for ECH exposure, but not in the GSTM1 non-null genotype workers.

In situ quantification of aberrant p53 in colorectal neoplasia.

Aberrant p53 protein accumulation was measured immunohistologically in 342 colorectal paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 115 patients (24 with adenocarcinoma, 59 with adenoma and 32 'hospital controls'). Subjective scoring was compared with quantitative cell imaging, including dichotomous (p53+/p53-) status, ng p53mut mg(-1) enterocyte protein, and tumour burden and patient body 'burden' of aberrant p53. A total of 62.

Pulmonary function abnormality and respiratory tract irritation symptoms in epichlorohydrin-exposed workers in Taiwan.

Background: Epichlorohydrin (ECH) is a strong irritant of the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin. The aims of this study were to examine the dose-response relationship between observed abnormal pulmonary function tests and respiratory tract irritation symptoms among epichlorohydrin-exposed workers in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 167 workers were randomly selected from a resin synthesis factory.

Effects on sister chromatid exchange frequency of polymorphisms in DNA repair gene XRCC1 in smokers.

The association between metabolic polymorphisms and cigarette smoking-induced cancers has been documented. However, the role of DNA repair polymorphism in carcinogenesis is less clear. To investigate if the polymorphisms of metabolic traits and DNA repair modulate smoking-related DNA damage, we used sister chromatid exchange (SCE) as a marker of genetic damage to explore the relationship of microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH), glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1), and X-ray cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) and cigarette smoking-induced SCE.

XRCC1 and CYP2E1 polymorphisms as susceptibility factors of plasma mutant p53 protein and anti-p53 antibody expression in vinyl chloride monomer-exposed polyvinyl chloride workers.

Mutant p53 protein and anti-p53 antibody in circulating blood can be detectedamong individuals with mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene. Plasma mutant p53 protein and anti-p53 antibody have also been associated with vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) exposure, although the mechanism of VCM-related carcinogenesis remains unclear. Polymorphisms of metabolic and DNA repair genes have been implicated in chemical exposure-related carcinogenesis.