A cross-sectional analysis of dioxins and health effects in municipal and private waste incinerator workers in Japan.

This cross-sectional study was intended to examine health effects of 678 male workers employed during an 8-yr period from 2000 to 2007 at 36 municipal and private waste incineration plants in Japan. Blood samples were obtained for analysis of concentrations of dioxins including coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (coplanar PCBs) and evaluation of health effects. Health effects including diabetes were surveyed via a physician's interview or clinical data from blood samples.

Isomer pattern and elimination of dioxins in workers exposed at a municipal waste incineration plant.

The aim of this study was to clarify patterns of serum concentrations of dioxins in the employees of a waste incineration plant and to estimate elimination rates and half-lives of serum dioxin isomers, and the maximum serum concentrations of dioxin isomers at the time of plant shutdown. Sixteen subjects participating 3 times or more in annual health examinations during an 8-yr period from 2000 to 2007 were recruited for this study. Serum concentrations of dioxins expressed as TEQ/g lipid decreased gradually after plant shutdown with the highest decrease observed in polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) followed by polychlorinated deibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and then coplanar PCBs.

An epidemiological study of children with status epilepticus in Okayama, Japan: incidence, etiologies, and outcomes.

To clarify the incidence of first-ever episodes of status epilepticus (SE), their etiologies and outcomes among Japanese children, we performed an epidemiological study in Okayama City. One hundred and twenty patients (69 males, 51 females) experienced first-ever SE episodes between 2003 and 2005. Overall, the annual incidence of SE was 42.

The mildest known case of Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy.

We present a 14-year-old boy with Fukuyama-type congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD) who shows the mildest muscle weakness ever reported with this affliction and exceptionally mild mental retardation, but who has intractable epilepsy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the typical abnormalities of FCMD. Molecular genetic analyses revealed a 3 kb insertion mutation in the fukutin gene heterozygously.

[Personal exposures of benzene treated workers and a simple biological monitoring].

A simple method of biological monitoring has been developed for occupational benzene exposure. Personal benzene exposure monitoring using a passive sampler and GC/FID was carried out on 74 workers from a benzene-treated company. Their urines were collected before and after work-shift.

Survey on the health effects of chronic exposure to dioxins and its accumulation on workers of a municipal solid waste incinerator, rural part of Osaka Prefecture, and the results of extended survey afterwards.

In September 1998 the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that high concentrations of dioxins were detected in the samples of soil near the incinerator and ash, drainage, sludge and others remained in the furnace and air pollution control devices of municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in rural part of Osaka Prefecture. According to the results the Ministry of Labor immediately organized the "Research and investigation committee on the dioxin problem of Toyono-gun Clean Center" under Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association to investigate the health effects of chronic exposure to dioxins and its accumulation on workers of the incinerator plant. The investigation was carried out in Sept 1998 and from the results, the committee concluded that the concentrations of dioxin among the blood of the workers who had engaged in maintenance of the furnace, the electric dust collector, and the wet scrubber of the incinerator were higher compared with those of residents in surrounding areas.