In 1952, the Japanese Society for Hygiene had once passed a resolution at its 22nd symposium on population control, recommending the suppression of population growth based on the idea of cultivating a healthier population in the area of eugenics. Over half a century has now passed since this recommendation; Japan is witnessing an aging of the population (it is estimated that over 65-year-olds made up 27.7% of the population in 2017) and a decline in the birth rate (total fertility rate 1.43 births per woman in 2017) at a rate that is unparalleled in the world; Japan is faced with a "super-aging" society with low birth rate. In 2017, the Society passed a resolution to encourage all scientists to engage in academic researches to address the issue of the declining birth rate that Japan is currently facing. In this commentary, the Society hereby declares that the entire text of the 1952 proposal is revoked and the ideas relating to eugenics is rejected. Since the Society has set up a working group on the issue in 2016, there have been three symposiums, and working group committee members began publishing a series of articles in the Society's Japanese language journal. This commentary primarily provides an overview of the findings from the published articles, which will form the scientific basis for the Society's declaration. The areas we covered here included the following: (1) improving the social and work environment to balance between the personal and professional life; (2) proactive education on reproductive health; (3) children's health begins with nutritional management in women of reproductive age; (4) workplace environment and occupational health; (5) workplace measures to counter the declining birth rate; (6) research into the effect of environmental chemicals on sexual maturity, reproductive function, and the children of next generation; and (7) comprehensive research into the relationship among contemporary society, parental stress, and healthy child-rearing. Based on the seven topics, we will set out a declaration to address Japan's aging society with low birth rate.
Aging ; Birth Rate ; trends ; Child ; Child Health ; Environmental Exposure ; adverse effects ; prevention & control ; Female ; Health Planning Guidelines ; Humans ; Japan ; epidemiology ; Male ; Occupational Health ; Reproductive Health ; education ; Research Design ; standards ; Societies, Scientific ; organization & administration ; Stress, Psychological ; prevention & control ; Women's Health

The aim of this study was to estimate the association between occupational, environmental, behavioral risk factors, and active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) patients. A matched case-control study was conducted in 86 CWP patients with active PTB and 86 CWP controls without TB. A standardized questionnaire was used for risk factors assessment. Conditioned logistic regression analysis was used to identify associations between the risk factors and active PTB among CWP patients. The results showed that the stage of CWP, poor workplace ventilation, family history of TB, and exposure to TB were independent risk factors for active PTB in patients with CWP with which recommendations for improving work environments, and for case finding activities in patients with CWP could be made.
Anthracosis ; complications ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; Coal Industry ; standards ; Dust ; analysis ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Occupational Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Workplace ; standards

China ; Humans ; Occupational Diseases ; prevention & control ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health ; standards ; Research ; Risk Assessment ; methods

To understand the potential causes of laboratory-acquired infections and to provide possible solutions that would protect laboratory personnel, samples from a viral laboratory were screened to determine the main sources of contamination with six subtypes of Rhinovirus. Rhinovirus contamination was found in the gloves, cuffs of protective wear, inner surface of biological safety cabinet (BSC) windows, and trash handles. Remarkably, high contamination was found on the inner walls of the centrifuge and the inner surface of centrifuge tube casing in the rotor. Spilling infectious medium on the surface of centrifuge tubes was found to contribute to contamination of centrifuge surfaces. Exposure to sodium hypochlorite containing no less than 0.2 g/L available chlorine decontaminated the surface of the centrifuge tubes from Rhinovirus after 2 min.
Equipment Contamination ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Laboratories, Hospital ; manpower ; standards ; statistics & numerical data ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; statistics & numerical data ; Virus Diseases ; virology ; Viruses ; genetics ; growth & development ; isolation & purification

After the rapid development of medical equipment including CT or PET-CT, radiation doses from medical exposure are now the largest source of man-made radiation exposure. General principles of radiation protection from the hazard of ionizing radiation are summarized as three key words; justification, optimization, and dose limit. Because medical exposure of radiation has unique considerations, diagnostic reference level is generally used as a reference value, instead of dose limits. In Korea, medical radiation exposure has increased rapidly. For medical radiation exposure control, Korea has two separate control systems. Regulation is essential to control medical radiation exposure. Physicians and radiologists must be aware of the radiation risks and benefits associated with medical exposure, and understand and implement the principles of radiation protection for patients. The education of the referring physicians and radiologists is also important.
Guidelines as Topic ; Humans ; International Agencies ; *Occupational Exposure ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiation Injuries/etiology/prevention & control ; *Radiation Protection ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Radiotherapy Dosage/standards ; Reference Values ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVETo understand the toxic effects of manganese exposure on health by measurement of manganese concentration and occupational health inspection among workers in an enterprise exposed to manganese, and to provide a basis for occupational disease control.

METHODSThe air concentrations of manganese in 12 workplaces where workers often stayed were measured by typical sampling; occupational health inspection was performed among a total of 538 workers in the enterprise by cluster sampling.

RESULTSThe average concentrations of manganese in the workplace from 2011 to 2013 were 0.179 mg/m(3), 0.122 mg/m(3), and 0.082 5 mg/m(3), respectively, indicating a significant decrease in manganese level within the three years by rank-sum test (P < 0.05). The results of health inspection showed that 165 (30.7%) out of 538 workers had abnormal indices, and the incidence of autonomic nervous system abnormalities reached 32.7% (176/538). There was no correlation between manganese concentration in the workplace and the incidence of abnormal indices in health inspection, while the manganese concentration in the workplace was positively correlated with the incidence of autonomic nervous system symptoms (r = 0.718, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe manganese concentration in the workplace is positively correlated with the incidence of autonomic nervous system symptoms. Early exposure to a low level of manganese can induce functional changes and potential damages in the nervous system.

Humans ; Incidence ; Manganese ; analysis ; Nervous System ; drug effects ; physiopathology ; Occupational Diseases ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Occupational Health ; standards ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo analyze the literature on power frequency electric field testing data and to propose views and suggestions for current testing.

METHODSThe literature on power frequency electric field testing data published in the previous years was searched to identify 306 articles involving 193 valid testing data. Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon W test were used for analyzing the testing data.

RESULTSThe classification of data was carried out according to one quarter of occupational exposure limit (1.25 kV/m), one half of the exposure limit (2.5 kV/m), and the exposure limit (5 kV/m). The structure of testing data showed a significant difference between the non-power facility group and the power facility group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAs occupational hazard factors, the radiation exposure from power frequency electric field is extensive. However, the power frequency electric field testing data in actual workplaces except high-voltage power facilities are far less than the occupational exposure limit with little harmfulness. There is a phenomenon of excessive testing at present.

Electricity ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; standards ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo study the current situation of the prevention and treatment of silicosis in Jinshan District of Shanghai, China, and to provide a scientific basis for the introduction of preventive and control measures for the disease.

METHODSAn occupational hygienic investigation was carried out among enterprises exposed to silica dust hazard in Jinshan District using cross-sectional epidemiological study. Based on GBZ 159-2004 Specifications of air sampling for hazardous substances monitoring in the workplace and GBZ/T 192.1-2007 Method for determination of dust in the air of workplace Part 1: Total dust concentration, individual sampling and evaluation of test results were conducted among workers exposed to silica dust.

RESULTSA total of 302 workers in 30 enterprises were exposed to silica dust, and the coverage of employment injury insurance and occupational health inspection rate were 98.3% and 92.4%, respectively. The equipment rate of anti-dust respirators of the enterprises was 56.7%, and the qualification rate of silica dust monitoring in work place was 40.4%. The enterprises exposed to silica dust were mainly those who were operated in dry condition and engaged in manual work using opening-type equipment without negative pressure.

CONCLUSIONEnterprises exposed to silica dust in Jinshan District of Shanghai have safety hazards like poor production and protective equipment, incomplete protective articles, and low qualification rate of silica dust test in workplace, so occupational health protection measures need to be strengthened.

Air Pollutants, Occupational ; analysis ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dust ; analysis ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Occupational Health ; standards ; Silicosis ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Workplace

Humans ; Hydrocarbons, Brominated ; toxicity ; Occupational Exposure ; standards

OBJECTIVETo investigate the possession of occupational health examination qualification among occupational health examination institutions in Zhejiang province, China and the application of GBZ188-2007 "Technical specifications for occupational health surveillance" among related government departments, and to provide a basis for revising and improving the specifications.

METHODSA questionnaire survey was carried out among occupational health inspection agencies, health supervision authorities, and enterprises of different sizes, which possessed provincial-level occupation health inspection qualifications and had engaged in occupational health examination for more than 2 years. The investigation included awareness, using frequency, and revision suggestion about GBZ 188-2007 "Technical specifications for occupational health surveillance".

RESULTSMedical institutions and centers for disease control and prevention (CDCs)showed a high rate of occupational health examination qualification possession in chemical substances, dust, noise, and high temperature and a low rate of qualification possession in physical factors, biological factors, special operations, and other aspects. These institutions showed high awareness of chemical substances, dust, and physical factors in GBZ 188-2007 "Technical specifications for occupational health surveillance" and low awareness of other factors. Medical institutions, CDCs, and provincial and municipal health supervision authorities used these specifications more frequently than county-level authorities and enterprises. More than 80% investigated units believed that the following issues required further optimization: occupational health care, emergency health examination regulations, classification of occupational health inspection reports, and special operation monitoring. It is consistently stressed that for exposure to chemical compounds that may bring harm to various organs of the body, explicit specifications should be made concerning health examination before, during, and after service. Conflicting opinions existed concerning the following issues: satisfaction with GBZ 188-2007 specifications, whether to add contents for care of personnel exposed to biological factors (such as forest encephalitis), the threshold of noise intensity to perform health care, and whether to add health care for exposure to compounds such as benzene and phenols.

CONCLUSIONThe occupational health inspection agencies in Zhejiang province have a high rate of qualification possession in health examination concerning chemicals, dust, noise, and high temperature. The medical institutions, CDCs, and health supervision departments above the county level often use the specifications at work. It is consistently recommended that more kinds of harmful substances should be included, and related specifications and issues should be further optimized, in order to better meet the requirement of occupational health care in the new era.

China ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health Services ; standards