Carcinogens ; Occupational Exposure

Animals ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; Pneumonia ; genetics ; Pulmonary Fibrosis ; genetics

Objective To evaluate the performance of the ABX Micro C-reactive protein(CRP)in determination of CRP.Methods The analytic characteristics including precision,carry-over,linearity, stability,interference and comparability were examined.Results The coefficient of variation(CV)was less than 5.1%,10% and d.3% for within-run,between-run and between-day,respectively.Carryover was less than 1.2%.Whole blood samples held at either room temperature or 4℃ were stable for 48 hours with relative deviation less than 6.0% relatively.Linear range was 1.0-70.0 mg/L using undiluted samples.The comparison between the ABX Micro CRP and Behring Nephelometer Ⅱ was well correlated Both serum:Y=0.996 7X-0.398 5,r~2=0.965 9;serum for BN Ⅱ,whole-blood samples for the ABX Micro CRP:Y=0.908 8X-0.138 2,r~2=0.959 4;both serum and whole-blood samples for the ABX Micro CRP: Y=1.001 7X-0.898 2,r~2=0.952 7.No obvious interference was observed by hyperhemoglobinemia and hyperlipidemia.Conclusion The determination of CRP test with ABX Micro is accurate and reliable.

To explore the effect of magnitude and duration on the performance of Cumulative Sum (CUSUM),with simulation method used on the subject after the insertion of 11 outbreak events into baseline data with Poisson distribution.Sensitivity fluctuated from 9.1％ to 100.0％ with specificities higher than 98.6％.Sensitivity was significantly correlated with magnitude,and increased along with the increase of magnitude.However,no significant correlation was observed between sensitivity and duration.A magnitude which was at least 2.6 times higher than that of the mean daily baseline could result in the sensitivity of 100.0％.Time-lag would be improved along with the increase of magnitude.Time between onset and detection of an outbreak was no longer than one day when magnitude was more than 1.8 of the mean daily baseline.In summary,the performance of CUSUM was influenced by magnitude,but not by duration.CUSUM had the advantage of good time-lag and high sensitivity when the outbreak magnitude was more than 2.4 time over the baseline data.

Health Personnel ; psychology ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Multivariate Analysis ; Professional Competence ; statistics & numerical data ; Stress, Psychological ; epidemiology

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of localizing the internal auditory canal (IAC) and the facial nerve through the root of the zygoma、foramen spinosum and the head of the malleus in middle fossa approach with the assistance of high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT).Methods Eighteen human cadaveric temporal bones were scanned and measured by HRCT.Cadaver specimen were divided into two groups.Group A was studied first through a middle fossa approach to find out the relationship between the HRCT measurements and the anatomic measurements.Then 4 whole human cadaveric heads (8 temporal bones) of group B were dissected using a HRCT oriented middle fossa approach to localize IAC with the root of the zygoma,foramen spinosum and the head of the malleus as landmarks.The two measurement methods were analysed with the Paired-Sample T test,and the difference was thought to be statistical significant when P＜0.05.Results In Group A, there were no statistical significant differences between the CT measurements and the anatomic measurements from the head of the malleus to other important anatomic structures.In group B,the operation was guided with CT measurements:the distance between the head of the malleus and the root of the zygoma,and the distance between the head of the malleus and foramen spinosum.Within the range 1.5mm to 3.7mm,the head of malleus was correctly localized.In seven out of the eight cases,the root of the zygoma,the head of the malleus and the internal auditory canal were in a straight line,whereas,in one case,there was an angle of 15°between the root of zygoma-head of malleus line and head of malleus-internal auditory canal line.Conclusions HRCT would provide more information on the distance relationship between the head of malleus and the root of the zygoma,foramen spinosum and the internal auditory canal.The head of the malleus could be localized through the root of the zygoma and foramen spinosum with HRCT and therefore the IAC could be exposed with the head of the malleus as a landmark in middle fossa approach when other landmarks were not recognizable.

OBJECTIVETo assess the association of TNF-α and IL-1RA SNPs with the risk of silicosis in Chinese workers exposed to silica particles.

METHODSCase-control study design was used to enroll 68 silicotic patients induced by silica particles and 68 healthy workers matched for length of silica particle exposure as controls. Both cases and controls were from the same company in southwest China, and each of them was requested to complete a questionnaire. Blood samples were drawn for genomic DNA extraction from each participant. The genotyping of TNF-α (-238 and -308) and IL-1RA (+2018) was performed using polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and SYBR green-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), respectively. Unconditional logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidential intervals (CI) for SNPs.

RESULTSNo significant differences were found between cases and controls in particles exposure length, body mass index (BMI), and status of smoking and alcohol consumption except for age (P=0.001) and blood type (P=0.042). The frequencies of TNF-α (-238) and IL-1RA (+2018) genotypes in cases were significantly different from those in controls, (P=0.001 and P=0.002, respectively), while a borderline significant difference was found in the frequencies of TNF-α (-308) between cases and controls (P=0.063). The variants of three SNPs increased the risk of silicosis in the Chinese workers exposed to silica particles. The adjusted ORs of TNF-α (-308), TNF-α (-238) and IL-1RA (+2018) were 2.8 (95% CI: 1.1-7.5), 20.9 (95% CI: 1.8-236.4) and 4.0 (95% CI: 1.6-10.1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONIt is suggested that cytokine polymorphisms of TNF-α (-238, -308) and IL-1RA (+2018) are associated with the risk of silicosis in the Chinese workers exposed to silica particles. Further independent studies on the interaction between SNPs and exposure to silica particles with a larger sample size are therefore warranted.

Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Case-Control Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein ; genetics ; metabolism ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Odds Ratio ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Silicon Dioxide ; toxicity ; Silicosis ; genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo assess the occupational stress and its influential factors in nurses.

METHODSA test of occupational stress, its influential factors, work ability were carried out for 248 nurses and 319 controls with revised occupational stress inventory (OSI-R) and work ability index (WAI).

RESULTSThe scores of personal cope resource (131.266 +/- 17.176) and work ability index (32.581 +/- 3.158) in nurse group were significantly higher than those in control group (126.931 +/- 19.108, 31.840 +/- 4.069) (P < 0.05). The main occupational stressors scores (role insufficiency, role clash, and responsibility) in nurses were higher than those in controls (P < 0.05). The stress response of interpersonal relationship in nurses was also higher. The items of personal cope resource, such as recreation, self-care and social support of nurses were superior to those of controls (P < 0.05). Stress response was positively correlated with occupational role (r = 0.512, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with the personal cope resource (r = -0.475, P < 0.01). The primary influential factors of personal stress were recreation, social support, rational conduct, role insufficiency, role clash, responsibility, and poor work environment.

CONCLUSIONTo strengthen social support, to improve work condition for nurses, so as to reduce the occupational stress and to enhance the work ability of nurses are important task in occupational health field.

Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Nurses ; psychology ; Occupational Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Risk Factors ; Social Support ; Stress, Psychological ; prevention & control ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Workload ; psychology

OBJECTIVETo establish the scale of the norm of occupational stress on the professionals and put it into practice.

METHODST scores were linear transformations of raw scores, derived to have a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. The scale standard of the norm was formulated in line with the principle of normal distribution.

RESULTS(1) For the occupational role questionnaire (ORQ) and personal strain questionnaire (PSQ) scales, high scores suggested significant levels of occupational stress and psychological strain, respectively. T scores >/= 70 indicated a strong probability of maladaptive stress, debilitating strain, or both. T scores in 60 approximately 69 suggested mild levels of maladaptive stress and strain, and in 40 approximately 59 were within one standard deviation of the mean and should be interpreted as being within normal range. T scores < 40 indicated a relative absence of occupational stress or psychological strain. For the personal resources questionnaire (PRQ) scales, high scores indicated highly developed coping resources. T scores < 30 indicated a significant lack of coping resources. T scores in 30 approximately 39 suggested mild deficits in coping skills, and in 40 approximately 59 indicated average coping resources, where as higher scores (i.e., >/= 60) indicated increasingly strong coping resources. (2) This study provided raw score to T-score conversion tables for each OSI-R scale for the total normative sample as well as for gender, and several occupational groups, including professional engineer, professional health care, economic business, financial business, law, education and news. OSI-R profile forms for total normative samples, gender and occupation were also offered according to the conversion tables.

CONCLUSIONThe norm of occupational stress can be used as screening tool, organizational/occupational assessment, guide to occupational choice and intervention measures.

China ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Occupations ; Reference Values ; Stress, Psychological ; psychology ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; standards ; utilization