Study of lung function tests in tea garden factory workers in relation to duration of exposure to tea dust

Background: Occupational hazard is a common health problem in the world today. The tea industry is also no exception. Tea dust inhalation leads to development of many respiratory symptoms: Acute as well as chronic. Workers in the tea factory often are not aware of the ill effects of inhalation of tea dust. There is therefore a need to make them aware of their working environment and take necessary precautions to keep themselves healthy to earn their livelihood. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the pulmonary function tests (PFT) in tea garden factory workers and assess the outcome of exposure duration to tea dust in them. Materials and Methods: The study had been carried out on 210 male tea garden factory workers (cases) and 70 male field workers (control) employed in various tea gardens of Dibrugarh, in Assam. Computerized spirometer was used to evaluate PFTs. The cases were categorized into three categories (70 numbers in every category) according to their exposure duration, namely – Category 1: Exposure duration <1 year; Category 2: Exposure duration of 1–2 years; and Category 3: Exposure duration of >2 years up to 5 years. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA. Results: On comparing with control group values, statistically significant decline of forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume (FEV)1 values were seen in Category 1 while highly significant decline were seen for Categories 2 and 3. Decline of FEV1% in Category 3 was highly significant. Decline of peaked expiratory flow rate values in Category 2 and Category 3 was significant. Conclusion: Increase in exposure duration to tea dust causes a significant decline in lung functions.

Correlation Between Prenatal Doppler Ultrasound Exposure Durations and Newborn Rabbit’s Body Weight

@# Doppler mode ultrasound is widely used in prenatal scanning and known to produce a higher acoustic output which later leads to higher heat energy conversion compared to other ultrasound modes. It has been reported that the use of Doppler imaging might increase the temperature of tissues, thus, when Doppler is used in combination with 2D ultrasound, the risks of bioeffects tend to increase more. It is also known that prolonged exposure to ultrasound during pregnancy can cause irreversible biological destructions to the fetus. Despite the benefits of using Doppler ultrasound, its potential adverse effects have received scant attention in the research literature. Therefore, this study aimed to examine a correlation between gestational stages (GS) and newborn rabbit’s body weight at different prenatal Doppler ultrasound exposure durations. Methods: Twelve pregnant New Zealand white rabbits (NZWR) were exposed once using three different Doppler ultrasound exposure durations (30, 60, 90 minutes exposure) at three different GSs (1st, 2nd, and 3rd GS). After delivery, the mean weights of the 62 newborns were statistically analysed. Results: Strong negative and positive correlation between newborn’s body weight at different GSs and Doppler ultrasound exposure durations with a significant result found in 60 minutes exposure (p = <0.01) and 90 minutes exposure (p = <0.01), respectively. Conclusion: It can be concluded that longer Doppler ultrasound exposure may lead to significant results onto the newborn rabbits’ body weight.

Uso de pantallas en niños pequeños en una ciudad de Argentina / Screen use among young children in a city of Argentina

La utilización de dispositivos móviles se ha generalizado en las familias, en todas las clases sociales y desde edades tempranas. Objetivos: Evaluar el uso de pantallas fijas y móviles en niños pequeños, el tiempo dedicado a actividades infantiles tradicionales y su relación con el nivel educativo materno. Material y métodos: Diseño descriptivo, transversal. Población: niños de 6 meses a 5 años atendidos en Río Cuarto, Córdoba, de julio a septiembre de 2016. Variables: demográficas, ingreso familiar, edad de comienzo, frecuencia de uso, minutos diarios, otras actividades. Resultados: Se incluyeron 160 encuestas; 99% de los hogares tenía televisión y 98,75%, smartphones. Promedio de aparatos electrónicos: 5,68; los de menores ingresos: 5,1 (DE 1,57); y los de mayores ingresos: 6,32 (DE 1,18) (p = 0,0000). Antes de los 2 años, 80,3% de los niños miraba televisión y 37,4% utilizaba pantallas táctiles con ayuda. Entre 2 y 4 años, 38,7% utilizaba pantallas sin ayuda. El 93% de los niños miró televisión y el 56% utilizó pantallas móviles con mucha frecuencia. Miraron un promedio de 75,6 minutos diarios de televisión y utilizaron otras pantallas 31,3 minutos; la lectura ocupó 20,4 minutos. Las madres con estudios terciarios dedicaron más tiempo a la lectura de libros que las que tenían estudios secundarios o primarios (análisis de la varianza: p = 0,00007). Conclusiones: El equipamiento tecnológico de los hogares es prácticamente universal; la exposición de los niños a las pantallas es temprana. La televisión es más utilizada, pero las pantallas móviles ocupan un tiempo importante. Las madres con estudios superiores dedican más tiempo a la lectura.

The use of mobile devices has become ubiquitous in the family, across all social strata, and from an early age.Objectives: To assess the use of mobile and fixed screens among young children, the time spent doing traditional childhood activities, and the relationship to the maternal level of education. Material and methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional design. Population:Children aged 6 months to 5 years seen in Río Cuarto, Córdoba, between July and September 2016. Outcome measures: Demographics, family income, age at initiation, frequency of use, daily minutes, other activities. Results: 160 surveys were included; 99% of households had a TV and 98.75%, a smartphone. Average number of electronic devices: 5.68; among lower income households: 5.1 (standard deviation [SD]: 1.57); and among higher income households: 6.32 (SD: 1.18) (p = 0.0000).By the age of 2, 80.3% of children watched TV and 37.4% used touchscreen devices with help. Between 2 and 4 years old, 38.7% used screens without help.Also, 93% of children watched TV and 56% used mobile screens very frequently. Children watched TV for an average of 75.6 daily minutes and used other screens for 31.3 minutes, whereas reading only accounted for 20.4 minutes. Mothers who had completed tertiary education spent more time reading books than those who had completed primary or secondary education (analysis of variance: p = 0.00007). Conclusions: Household technological equipment is practically universal; children's exposure to screens starts at an early age. TV is the most commonly used screen although mobile screens take up a significant time. Mothers who had completed higher education spent more time reading.

Program optimization before enucleation on ovine somatic cell nuclear transfer / 生物工程学报

Ovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) efficiency remains lower. Therefore, we optimized the program before oocyte enucleation on ovine SCNT. Four experiments were done including exposure duration of ovaries (3 h or 3 to 5 h), duration of oocytes maturation (18 h and 24 h), rate of donor adherent and enucleation time of maturate oocyte. The maturation rates of oocyte, fusion rates and cleavation rates of cloned embryos were used to assess the efficiency of different procedures. The maturation rates of ovaries with 3 h exposure was higher than that of 3 to 5 h (60.18% vs 52.50%) (P<0.05). Embryonic development competence had no significant difference (P>0.05). The maturation rates were significantly different between group18 h and 24 h (53.81% vs 89.06%, P<0.01). Embryonic development competence had no significant difference (P>0.05); fusion rates of donor adherent 30% group was higher than that of 10% group. Embryonic development competence had no significant difference (P>0.05). Different adherent donor characterizes the difference in plateau phase. The cleavation rates of 18 hpm group was higher than that of 16 hpm group. Embryonic development competence had no significant difference (P>0.05), the enucleation of 16 hpm group obtained one clone fetus, we got four clone fetus to repeat the 16 hpm group. Five microsatellite was analyzed by PAGE, the bands indicated that fingerprint of cloned fetus were completely the same as those of donor cells. Our data therefore suggests program optimization before enucleation assurance quality of material which be able to improve the quantity and quality of clone embryos, and optimized scheme can obtain clone sheep offspring.