Humans ; Interior Design and Furnishings ; Manufacturing Industry ; Noise, Occupational ; Occupational Exposure ; Textile Industry

BACKGROUND: The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) defined that asbestos is a group 1 substance that causes lung cancer, mesothelioma (pleura and peritoneum), laryngeal cancer, and ovarian cancer in humans. Many studies on lung cancer, and mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure have been conducted, but there was no case report of ovarian cancer due to asbestos exposure in Korea. We describe a case of ovarian cancer caused by asbestos exposure in a worker who worked at an asbestos textile factory for 3 years and 7 months in the late 1970s. CASE PRESENTATION: A 57-year-old woman visited the hospital because she had difficulty urinating. Ovarian cancer was suspected in radiologic examination, and exploratory laparotomy was performed. She was diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. The patient did not undergo postoperative chemotherapy and recovered. She joined the asbestos factory in March 1976 and engaged in asbestos textile twisting and spinning for 1 year, 2 years and 7 months respectively. In addition, she lived near the asbestos factory for more than 20 years. There was no other specificity or family history. CONCLUSION: Considering the patient’s occupational and environmental history, it is estimated that she had been exposed to asbestos significantly, so we determined that ovarian cancer in the patient is highly correlated with the occupational exposure of asbestos and environmental exposure is a possible cause as well. Social devices are needed to prevent further exposure to asbestos. It is also necessary to recognize that ovarian cancer can occur in workers who have previously been exposed to asbestos, and the education and social compensation for those workers are needed.
Asbestos ; Compensation and Redress ; Drug Therapy ; Education ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; International Agencies ; Korea ; Laparotomy ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mesothelioma ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Exposure ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Textile Industry ; Textiles

Various reactive dyes can elicit occupational asthma in exposed textile industry workers. To date, there has been no report of occupational asthma caused by the red dye Synozol Red-K 3BS (Red-K). Here, we report a 38-year-old male textile worker with occupational asthma and rhinitis induced by inhalation of Red-K. He showed positive responses to Red-K extract on skin-prick testing and serum specific IgE antibodies to Red-K-human serum albumin conjugate were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A bronchoprovocation test with Red-K extract resulted in significant bronchoconstriction. These findings suggest that the inhalation of the reactive dye Red-K can induce IgE-mediated occupational asthma and rhinitis in exposed workers.
Adult ; Antibodies ; Asthma ; Asthma, Occupational ; Bronchoconstriction ; Coloring Agents ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Inhalation ; Male ; Occupations ; Rhinitis ; Serum Albumin ; Textile Industry ; Textiles

OBJECTIVETo study neck and shoulder work-related muscle fatigue of female sewing machine operators.

METHODS18 health female sewing machine operators without musculoskeletal disorders work in Beijing garment industry factory as volunteers in participate of this study. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and 20% MVC of bilateral upper trapezium and cervical erectors spinae was tested before sewing operations, then the whole 20 time windows (1 time window = 10 min) sewing machine operations was monitored and the surface electromyography (sEMG) signals simultaneously was recorded after monitoring the 20%MVC was tested. Use amplitude analysis method to reduction recorded EMG signals.

RESULTSDuring work, the median load for the left cervical erector spinae (LCES), right cervical erector spinae (RCES), left upper trapezium (LUT) and right upper trapezium (RUT) respectively was 6.78 ± 1.05, 6.94 ± 1.12, 5.68 ± 2.56 and 6.47 ± 3.22, work load of right is higher than the left; static load analysis indicated the value of RMS(20%MVC) before work was higher than that value after work, the increase of right CES and UT RMS(20%MVC) was more; the largest 20%MVE of bilateral CES occurred at 20th time window, and that of bilateral UT happened at 16th.

CONCLUSIONSThe work load of female sewing machine operators is sustained "static" load, and work load of right neck-shoulder is higher than left, right neck-shoulder muscle is more fatigable and much serious once fatigued.

Adult ; Electromyography ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle Fatigue ; physiology ; Posture ; Shoulder ; physiology ; Textile Industry ; Work ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDWork-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have high prevalence in sewing machine operators employed in the garment industry. Long work duration, sustained low level work and precise hand work are the main risk factors of neck-shoulder disorders for sewing machine operators. Surface electromyogram (sEMG) offers a valuable tool to determine muscle activity (internal exposure) and quantify muscular load (external exposure). During sustained and/or repetitive muscle contractions, typical changes of muscle fatigue in sEMG, as an increase in amplitude or a decrease as a shift in spectrum towards lower frequencies, can be observed. In this paper, we measured and quantified the muscle load and muscular activity patterns of neck-shoulder muscles in female sewing machine operators during sustained sewing machine operating tasks using sEMG.

METHODSA total of 18 healthy women sewing machine operators volunteered to participate in this study. Before their daily sewing machine operating task, we measured the maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and 20%MVC of bilateral cervical erector spinae (CES) and upper trapezius (UT) respectively, then the sEMG signals of bilateral UT and CES were monitored and recorded continuously during 200 minutes of sustained sewing machine operating simultaneously which equals to 20 time windows with 10 minutes as one time window. After 200 minutes' work, we retest 20%MVC of four neck-shoulder muscles and recorded the sEMG signals. Linear analysis, including amplitude probability distribution frequency (APDF), amplitude analysis parameters such as roof mean square (RMS) and spectrum analysis parameter as median frequency (MF), were used to calculate and indicate muscle load and muscular activity of bilateral CES and UT.

RESULTSDuring 200 minutes of sewing machine operating, the median load for the left cervical erector spinae (LCES), right cervical erector spinae (RCES), left upper trapezius (LUT) and right upper trapezius (RUT) were 6.78%MVE, 6.94%MVE, 6.47%MVE and 5.68%MVE, respectively. Work load of right muscles are significantly higher than that of the left muscles (P < 0.05); sEMG signal analysis of isometric contractions indicated that the amplitude value before operating was significantly higher than that of after work (P < 0.01), and the spectrum value of bilateral CES and UT were significantly lower than those of after work (P < 0.01); according to the sEMG signal data of 20 time windows, with operating time pass by, the muscle activity patterns of bilateral CES and UT showed dynamic changes, the maximal amplitude of LCES, RCES, LUT occurred at the 20th time window, RUT at 16th time window, spectrum analysis showed that the lower value happened at 7th, 16th, 20th time windows.

CONCLUSIONSFemale sewing machine operators were exposed to high sustained static load on bilateral neck-shoulder muscles; left neck and shoulder muscles were held in more static positions; the 7th, 16th, and 20th time windows were muscle fatigue period that ergonomics intervention can protocol at these periods.

Adult ; Electromyography ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Muscle Fatigue ; physiology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; physiology ; Neck Muscles ; physiology ; Shoulder ; physiology ; Textile Industry ; Workload ; Young Adult

Microbial catalase is an important industrial enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. This enzyme has great potential of application in food, textile and pharmaceutical industries. The production of microbial catalase has been significantly improved thanks to advances in bioprocess engineering and genetic engineering. In this paper, we review the progresses in fermentation production of microbial catalase and its application in textile industry. Among these progresses, we will highlight strain isolation, substrate and environment optimization, enzyme induction, construction of engineering strains and application process optimization. Meanwhile, we also address future research trends for microbial catalase production and its application in textile industry. Molecular modification (site-directed mutagenesis and directed revolution) will endue catalase with high pH and temperature stabilities. Improvement of catalase production, based on the understanding of induction mechanism and the process control of recombinant stain fermentation, will further accelerate the application of catalase in textile industry.
Bacillus subtilis ; genetics ; metabolism ; Bacteria, Aerobic ; enzymology ; genetics ; Catalase ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Fermentation ; Genetic Engineering ; methods ; Industrial Microbiology ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Textile Industry ; methods

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms, asbestos-related chest radiograph abnormalities and abnormal pulmonary function tests among former asbestos textile factory workers and to reveal the related factors of these abnormal findings. METHODS: There were 119 persons former asbestos textile industry workers registered in the health management pocketbook. Of 97 retired asbestos workers living in Busan, Yangsan and Gimhae, 63(64.9%) retired asbestos workers were enrolled into this study. The researchers administered questionnaires, and performed chest radiographys, and pulmonary function tests (PFT) on participants. The survey was conducted during July, 2009. RESULTS: Among former workers the number of lung fibrosis, pleural plaque, pleural calcification, and pleural thickening was 13(20.6%), 6(9.5%), 3(4.8%), and 1(1.6%) in chest radiography, respectively. Asbestos-related disorders and abnormal pulmonary function test groups had higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms. Participants with crocidolite exposure or long latency period had higher asbestos-related x-ray findings or abnormal PFT findings. CONCLUSIONS: Former asbestos textile workers had a high rate of asbestos-related disorders. Workers with crocidolite exposure or having had a longer latency period had more asbestos-related disorders. Because gradual increase of asbestos related disorders among high asbestos exposure group is expected, sustained, and intensive management is needed for these former workers.
Asbestos ; Asbestos, Crocidolite ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Latency Period (Psychology) ; Lung ; Prevalence ; Questionnaires ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Retirement ; Textile Industry ; Textiles ; Thorax

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of CS(2) occupational exposure on thumbprint and intelligence.

METHODSAccording to the monitoring results of CS(2) concentration, which were got at various workplace in chymic fiber factory, the workers were divided into three groups including the low-concentration group (TWA < 5 mg/m(3)), the high-concentration group (TWA >or= 5 mg/m(3)) and the control group. The method of cluster sampling was used respectively. 139, 129 and 327 people were taken at random from three groups and they were given thumbprint and intelligence examinations through following three methods, including MMPI, SCL-90 and SPM.

RESULTSMMPI test showed that Hy, Pa, Pt, Sc positive rates in the low-concentration group were 7.19%, 2.16%, 26.62% and 10.07%, Hs, D, Hy, Pa, Pt, Sc, Ma, Si positive rates in the high-concentration group were 32.56%, 8.53%, 9.30%, 24.81%, 2.33%, 42.64%, 15.50%, 5.43% and 6.20%. There was a significant difference with the control group (Hs, D, Hy, Pd, Pa, Pt, Sc, Ma, Si was 14.07%, 2.14%, 2.14%, 14.07%, 0.00%, 17.74%, 3.67%, 1.22%, 1.22% respectively). The differences of Hs, Pt positive rates between high-concentration and low-concentration group were significantly. SCL-90 showed that the total positive rate in the low concentration and the high concentration groups was 15.8% and 20.2%. The positive rate of the basic factors were significantly different among the low-concentration group, the high concentration group and the control group while there was no significant difference in the positive rate between the high concentration and low concentration group. SPM test found that the positive rates of the intelligence in the low concentration group and the high concentration group were 35.1% and 35.7% respectively and the control group (15.1%) was significantly different from low-concentration and high concentration group. Moreover, there was no obvious difference between high-concentration and the low-concentration group. The intelligence damage was associated with the length of CS(2) occupational exposure and the correlation coefficient had statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONThe low-concentration CS(2) occupational exposure could affect personality and intelligence, and the degree of this influence is associated with the length of CS(2) occupational exposure.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Carbon Disulfide ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Chemical Industry ; Female ; Humans ; Intelligence ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; Personality ; drug effects ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Textile Industry ; Workplace ; Young Adult

The asbestos textile industry is characterized by the highest asbestos ambient air concentration of those workers who have suffered from high incidence of lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma, and other asbestos related diseases (ARDs). Also, asbestos dust occurred in a factory can be disseminated into the environmental air around the factory, which can cause ARDs among residents of the factory. High lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma mortality rates among asbestos textile workers were established, and increase of ARDs among residents around the factory has been reported. A large number of environmentally exposed residents as well as severity of health problems among asbestos textile workers would cause huge social problems. The high exposure group needs to be monitored for early detection and management. In addition, a nationwide mandatory malignant mesothelioma registration system to identify exposure sources and high risk groups might help to predict and manage ARDs.
Asbestos ; Dust ; Environmental Exposure ; Incidence ; Lung Neoplasms ; Mesothelioma ; Social Problems ; Textile Industry ; Textiles

Asbestos had been produced from the 1930s to the early 1990s in Korea. There has been gradual increase of importing asbestos until the middle 1990s in response to increased use of asbestos as Korea's economy developed rapidly. Asbestos was mainly used to make constructional material like slate, which leads to constant exposure of asbestos even after forbidding its use. It was reported that the highest level of occupational asbestos exposure occurred in asbestos textile industries. Other industries including shipbuild repair, automobile repair, and demolition work are also reported to have high level of exposure. The number of exposed workers, except for some demolition workers, is expected to be reduced since the use of asbestos has been banned from 2009. However, asbestos already used in buildings will make continuous environmental exposures. There are also several reports on naturally occurring asbestos from soils in Korea, which had already happened in Turkey, Greece, and China. The Korean government should try to give more effort to control the used asbestos and to care for exposed people.
Asbestos ; Automobiles ; China ; Environmental Exposure ; Greece ; Korea ; Soil ; Textile Industry ; Turkey