Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Inhalation Exposure ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Workplace

Dust ; analysis ; prevention & control ; Inhalation Exposure ; prevention & control ; Nanoparticles ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo study the occupational exposure limit of dimethoxymethane (DMM) in workplace air.

METHODSLiterature research was conducted on DMM; information on its physicochemical properties, toxicology, and occupational epidemiology was collected. Upon analyzing these data, an occupational exposure limit of DMM in workplace air was proposed according to the guidelines and principles of developing occupational exposure limits for harmful factors in workplaces.

RESULTSA total of 165 air samples were collected from DMM manufacturers, 14 of which had a DMM concentration over 3000 mg/m(3), accounting for 8.48% of all samples. Compared with the control group, the exposed employees had a significantly increased incidence of discomfort symptoms when exposed to more than 6000 mg/m(3) DMN (P < 0.01).No significant differences in the constituent ratios of abnormal results in physical examinations were found between the exposure groups and control group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWe recommend to set the permissible concentration-time weighed average to 3100 mg/m(3) as the occupational exposure limit of DMM in workplace air in China. This occupational exposure limit standard meets the relevant requirements of toxicology and occupational epidemiology, as well as fits well with our country's current economical and technological levels. This standard has high applicability in China's domestic settings.

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; China ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; Methyl Ethers ; analysis ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Threshold Limit Values ; Workplace

Air Pollutants ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; analysis ; Respiration

OBJECTIVEThis paper is to assess the current status of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) contamination in the environment in China and estimate the exposure to PBDEs in non-occupational populations.

METHODSA total of 80 research papers published from January 2001 to October 2013 were selected. Geographic information system (GIS) was used in mapping PBDE concentrations and distributions in environmental media. Ni's model was applied to calculate ∑PBDE-intake via the intakes of contaminated food, water and air in the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta.

RESULTSBDE-209 was found to be the major PBDE congener in the environmental media and food in China. PBDE concentrations varied among different areas, among which the contamination in Guangdong Province was most serious. Daily intake of ∑PBDEs was 225.1-446.0 ng/d for adults in the Pearl River Delta, which was higher than the intake for those living in the Yangtze River Delta (148.9-369.8 ng/d).

CONCLUSIONAtorvastatin can attenuate LPS-induced TNF-α expression and production by activating HO-1 via the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways, suggesting that atorvastatin can be used in treatment of inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, especially in those with atherosclerotic diseases.

China ; Diet ; Environmental Pollutants ; analysis ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Geographic Information Systems ; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers ; analysis ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; analysis

Chemical pneumonitis usually occurs after occupational exposure and inhalation of various noxious gases, fumes and chemical compounds. There have been reports of different clinical cases after inhalation of many organic acids, but chemical pneumonitis after nitric acid inhalation has rarely been reported, especially in Korea. Nitric acid is a strong acid that's commonly used in the industrial field and its respiratory exposure can cause diverse reactions, including pulmonary edema. We experienced a 34 year-old patient who had an excessive cough and dyspnea after an acute massive exposure to nitric acid fumes at his workplace, where they refined and polished the metals. He was tachypneic and the arterial blood gas analysis showed hypoxemia on hospital admission. The chest radiograph showed patchy consolidation and diffuse interstitial opacities on whole lung fields. Five days later after conservative management that included an oxygen supply in the intensive care unit, his symptoms were improved and the hypoxemia was corrected. At the 8th day, the chest radiograph became normal.
Adult ; Anoxia ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Cough ; Dyspnea ; Gases ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; Inhalation* ; Intensive Care Units ; Korea ; Lung ; Metals ; Nitric Acid* ; Occupational Exposure ; Oxygen ; Pneumonia* ; Pulmonary Edema ; Radiography, Thoracic

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Dust ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Industry ; Inhalation Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Maximum Allowable Concentration ; Occupational Exposure ; statistics & numerical data ; Quartz

Aluminum nanoparticles (Al-NPs) are one of the most widely used nanomaterial in cosmetics and medical materials. For this reason, Al-NP exposure is very likely to occur via inhalation in the environment and the workplace. Nevertheless, little is known about the mechanism of Al-NP neurotoxicity via inhalation exposure. In this study, we investigated the effect AL-NPs on the brain. Rats were exposed to Al-NPs by nasal instillation at 1 mg/kg body weight (low exposure group), 20 mg/kg body weight (moderate exposure group), and 40 mg/kg body weight (high exposure group), for a total of 3 times, with a 24-hr interval after each exposure. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis indicated that the presence of aluminum was increased in a dose-dependent manner in the olfactory bulb (OFB) and the brain. In microarray analysis, the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) activity (GO: 0043405), including Ptprc, P2rx7, Map2k4, Trib3, Trib1, and Fgd4 was significantly over-expressed in the treated mice than in the controls (p = 0.0027). Moreover, Al-NPs induced the activation of ERK1 and p38 MAPK protein expression in the brain, but did not alter the protein expression of JNK, when compared to the control. These data demonstrate that the nasal exposure of Al-NPs can permeate the brain via the olfactory bulb and modulate the gene and protein expression of MAPK and its activity.
Aluminum* ; Animals ; Body Weight ; Brain* ; Inhalation ; Inhalation Exposure ; Mass Spectrometry ; Mice ; Microarray Analysis ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Nanoparticles* ; Nanostructures ; Olfactory Bulb ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Plasma ; Rats*

OBJECTIVETo study the early effects of coal dust on lung function in new underground coal miners.

METHODSTwo hundred and eighty-seven male miners were selected from new employees at the Xuzhou Mining Group Company as study group, and 132 male students at a mining technical school were selected as control. Data collection included: individual demographic parameters, family medical history, occupational history, and smoking history, measurement of dust concentrations in work areas, and lung function tests. This prospective cohort study took place over 3 years during which time total dust and respirable dust concentrations in the new coal miners' work areas were measured twice each month. For both miner and student groups, FVC and FEV(1) were tested initially before dust exposure, and then 15 times over the 3 years.

RESULTSThe average total dust and respirable dust concentrations in the miners' work areas were 23.8 mg/m(3) and 8.9 mg/m(3) respectively, which greatly exceeded national health criteria. During the first year of dust exposure, the miners's average FVC was higher than that of the controls (5.19 L vs 4.92 L, P < 0.01). During the 2nd and 3rd year the difference in average FVC between miners and control group was not significant (5.14 L vs 5.12 L, P > 0.05). Before dust exposure, the miners' FEV(1) was significantly higher than that of the control group (4.48 L vs 4.28 L). In the miners group, FEV(1) declined rapidly during the first year following dust exposure (from 4.48 L to 4.25 L), and in the 2nd and the 3rd year the average FEV(1) of the miners was significantly lower than that of controls (4.34 L vs 4.56 L, P < 0.01), although there were some fluctuations during the follow-up period. Overall, the average FEV(1) of miners group showed a significant decline during the study. There were significant correlations between FVC or FEV(1) and age, height, weight, and smoking. The three-year total loss of FVC and FEV(1) in smoking miners (154 ml, 184 ml) were greater than in non-smoking miners (83 ml, 91 ml).

CONCLUSIONThere are apparent effects of coal dust on lung function in new underground coal miners, with FEV(1) being more impacted than FVC. Smoking may aggravate the effect of dust exposure on reducing lung function.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Coal Mining ; Cohort Studies ; Dust ; analysis ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Inhalation Exposure ; adverse effects ; Male ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Prospective Studies ; Pulmonary Ventilation ; physiology ; Smoking ; physiopathology

PURPOSE: Our previous study indicated that the presence of wheat-specific IgG1 and IgG4 antibodies was associated with work-related symptoms in workers exposed to wheat flour. We performed this study to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of beta2-adrenergic receptors and wheat-specific antibodies in association with the clinical parameters of baker's asthma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 379 subjects working in a single industrial bakery were enrolled in this study. The skin prick test was performed with common inhalant allergens and wheat flour extract. The presence of serum- specific IgE, IgG1, and IgG4 antibodies to wheat flour were determined by ELISA. Whole blood samples were obtained for genotype analysis. Subjects were genotyped with regard to five candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the beta2-adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2; -47 T>C, 46 A>G, 79 C>G, 252 G>A, and 523 C>A) using a single-base extension method. RESULTS: No significant associations were observed between the genotype/allele frequencies of any of the SNPs tested and any clinical parameters. The haplotype of ADRB2 (GAA composed of 46 A>G, 252 G>A, and 523 C>A) was significantly associated with work-related symptoms (p<0.05). Moreover, in subjects with the AG or GG genotype at 46 A>G and haplotype [GAA] of ADRB2, the prevalence rates of wheat-specific IgG1 antibodies and lower respiratory symptoms increased significantly with exposure intensity (both p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study suggest that ADRB2 genetic polymorphism may contribute to the development of work-related symptoms in workers exposed to wheat flour, which can lead to baker's asthma.
Adult ; Allergens/*immunology ; Asthma/genetics/*immunology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; *Flour ; Haplotypes ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/immunology ; Inhalation Exposure/analysis ; Male ; Occupational Exposure/analysis ; *Polymorphism, Genetic ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/*genetics ; Skin Tests ; Triticum/*immunology