Quantitative assessment of occupational health risks in workers exposed to low-level dichloromethane / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively evaluate the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of low-level dichloromethane(DCM) exposure. METHODS: A typical sampling method was used to select workers from an engine factory and an automobile parts factory as the research subjects. After hazard identification and hazard characteristic assessment, the occupational health risks of DCM in the workplace were quantitatively assessed by non-carcinogenic risk assessment and carcinogenic risk assessment. RESULTS: The highest exposure concentration of short-term of DCM was 43.6 mg/m~3 in the air of eight DCM job posts in these two enterprises, which was lower than the operational level of 300.0 mg/m~3(half of the occupational exposure limit in China). Under this premise, the non-carcinogenic risk assessment results showed that the non-carcinogenic risk caused by inhalation of DCM was unacceptable in workers of these eight job posts. The results of carcinogenic risk assessment showed that the carcinogenic risk caused by inhalation of DCM was acceptable for all the workers in these eight job posts. CONCLUSION: Low-level DCM exposure can cause unacceptable occupational health risks to workers. Quantitative risk assessment can be applied to assess exposure to low-level chemicals.

Application of two occupational health risk assessment methods in enterprises with 1-bromopropane production and utilization / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To compare the applicability of two risk assessment methods for occupational health risk assessment in enterprises with 1-bromopropane(1-BP) production and utilization. METHODS: Three enterprises with 1-BP production and utilization were selected as the research subjects by a typical sampling method. The exposure concentration of time-weighted average of 1-BP-exposed in worker was detected. The non-carcinogenic health risk of 1-BP was assessed using the USA Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) inhalation risk(EPA assessment model) and the Ministry of Manpower of Singapore(MOM assessment model), and the results were compared. RESULTS: When the EPA method was used for the assessment, the risk assessment results of the four posts in the manufacturing enterprises were all negligible. In the enterprises that use 1-BP, the posts of cleaning machine B and clamping were of medium risk and the other four posts were of low risk based on the occupational exposure limit(OEL) in China used as the reference exposure concentration(RfC). When the 24-hour minimal risk level of USA Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry was used as the RfC, the posts of cleaning machine B and clamping were of extreme high risk; the posts in cleaning machine A and checking were of high risk; the post in the cleaning machine D was of medium risk and the post of cleaning machine C was of low risk. When the MOM assessment model was used for evaluation, the four posts were of low risk in the 1-BP production enterprises. In the enterprises that use 1-BP, the posts of cleaning machine B and clamping were of high risk; the posts of cleaning machine A, cleaning machine D and checking were of medium risk; and the post of cleaning machine C was of low risk. CONCLUSION: When the OEL value is used for risk assessment, the MOM assessment method is more suitable than the EPA assessment method to assess occupational health risks of 1-BP.

The daily, monthly, and annual cost of glaucoma therapy using ocular hypotensive eye drops in the Philippines based on a quantitative method

@#OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to calculate and compare the costs of different brands of ocular hypotensive eye drops available in the Philippines. METHODS: This was a single-center research conducted at a local laboratory. Triplicate samples of 21 different brands of locally-available ocular hypotensive drops were tested. The mass of ten drops, total usable mass, number of drops per bottle, and mass of 200-µL aliquots were measured for each sample. These were used to calculate for the total usable bottle volume, drop volume, and number of drops per milliliter of each sample. Lastly, the daily, monthly, and annual costs were computed and compared. RESULTS: Available brands of β-blockers were the most affordable options for topical glaucoma therapy, with costs ranging from Php1,838 to 8,472 per year. Innovator brands of α-agonists and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors were the most expensive, with annual costs ranging from Php7,641 to 24,295 and Php7,361 to 25,327, respectively. Fixed-combination preparations, with yearly costs ranging from Php4,307 to 22,200, were generally more costeffective than individual preparations. The cost of topical anti-glaucoma therapy can amount up to 3.3 to 66.9% of a minimum-wage earner’s annual income depending on the number and combination of drugs being used. CONCLUSIONS: The price range of ocular hypotensive eye drops available in the Philippines is wide. Cost of therapy is an important consideration for patients who acquire medications through out-of-pocket expenditure. Optimization of bottle designs and volumes is crucial to maximize the cost-effectiveness of eye drop solutions. Information on the cost of therapy should be available to both patients and physicians.

Prognostic evaluation of different PET/CT reading methods in Hodgkin lymphoma and diffused large B-cell lymphoma / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) has been used as a crucial imaging modality for staging and prognosis evaluation in the patients with lymphoma. Since biological characteristics, treatment responses and prognosis vary in different subtypes of lymphoma, this review mainly focused on progress of 18F-FDG PET/CT evaluation in prognosis of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and diffused large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The significance in prognostic evaluation of interim 18F-FDG PET/CT in HL is well-known, but it still remains controversy in DLBCL. Moreover, the semi-quantitative method of 18F-FDG PET/CT evaluation in lymphoma has bright future.

A quantitative evaluation of quality control image for on-board imaging system of medical linear accelerator / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Objective To establish a quantitative evaluation of quality control image for the onboard imaging system of medical linear accelerator.Methods An MV planar image of electronic portal imaging device (EPID) is acquired by both Elekta iViewGT and Varian aS1000,and a kV planar image and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of CBCT are acquired by both Elekta X-ray volume imaging (XVI) and Varian On-board Imager (OBI).Phantoms used here included Las Vegas,TOR18FG,and Catphan504.A series of image quality indicators were evaluated by analyzing the images mentioned above using a quantitative method.Results A quantitative value was calculated to represent the contrast resolution of EPID.A modulation transfer function (MTF) to describe spatial resolution and a quantitative value representing contrast resolution were calculated for the kV planar image.As for the CBCT system,a series of quantitative results of noise,uniformity,CT value accuracy,and contrast resolution and a MTF were calculated to represent the performance of CBCT system.Conclusions Based on common phantoms,a complete set of quantitative methods to evaluate the image quality of EPID and CBCT has been developed,which could provide a very good reference for the establishment of quality control system for image-guided radiotherapy.

Expressions of inflammatory factors in thyroid papillary carcinoma tissue and their clinical significances / 吉林大学学报(医学版)

Objective To investigate the expressions of inflammatory factors in papillary thyroid carcinoma tissue and their relationships with the clinical pathological characteristics,and to provide an experimental basis for guiding clinical treatment and prognosis.Methods 74 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma dignosed by puncture were selected as experimental group,and 26 cases of healthy people were used as normal control group.The fasting venous blood samples from the subjects in two groups were collected,and the postoperative specimens from cancer tissue,adjacent normal tissue and the fasting venous blood 7 d after operation of the patients in experimental group were collected again.The interleukin 1α(IL-1α),interleukin 1β(IL-1β)and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)protein expression levels in serum,cancer adjacent normal tissue and cancer tissue were detected by ELISA;the gene and protein expression levels of IL-1α,IL-1βand COX-2 were examined by real-time fluorescent quantitative method and immunohistochemistry;the relationships between their expressions and clinical stages, pathological types,lymph node metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma were analyzed.Results The expression levels of serum IL-1α,IL-1βand COX-2 protein of the patients in experimental group were significantly higher than those in normal control group (P<0.01);the gene and protein expression levels of IL-1α,IL-1βand COX-2 in thyroid papillary carcinoma tissue were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissue (P<0.01).There were positive correlations between the expressions of IL-1αand IL-1β,IL-1αand COX-2,IL-1βand COX-2 in thyroid papillary carcinoma tissue (r=0.64,P=0.035;r=0.71,P=0.042;r=0.69,P=0.038).Conclusion The expression levels of IL-1α, IL-1βand COX-2 in thyroid papillary carcinoma tissue are increased, suggesting that inflammation is involved in metastasis and invasion of thyroid papillary carcinoma,its application is expected to become a new means of cancer treatment strategies.

A Semi-quantitative Serological Method to Assess the Potency of Inactivated Rabies Vaccine for Veterinary Use / 中国病毒学·英文版

Potency is one of the most important indexes of inactivated vaccines.A number of methods have been established to assay the potency,of which the NIH test and single-dose mouse protection test are the prescribed methods.Here,we report a method to semi-quantitatively assay the potency of an inactivated rabies vaccine,which uses fewer animals and takes less time to complete.Depending on the quality requirements of a vaccine(e.g.minimum potency),a rabies reference vaccine is,for example,diluted to the minimum potency,and 50 μL of the dilution is taken to inoculate 10 mice.The same amount of the test rabies vaccine is inoculated into another 10 mice.After two weeks,all mice are bled and serum samples are assayed for viral neutralizing antibody by the fluorescent antibody virus neutralization(FAVN) test.By comparing the median and interquartile range of antibody titers of the reference vaccine with those of the test vaccine,the test vaccine potency can be semi-quantitatively judged as to whether it is in accord with the required quality.The reliability of this method was also confirmed in dogs.The procedure can be recommended for batch potency testing during inactivated rabies vaccine production.

Colonización de la cavidad oral por Streptococcus grupo mutans, según edad, evaluado en saliva por un método semi-cuantitativo / Colonization of the oral cavity by group mutans streptococci according to age assesed by a semi-quantitative method in saliva

Objective: To evaluate the colonization of group mutans streptococci according to age, measuring the amount of bacteria in saliva with a semi-quantitative method in a population attended in public and private dental centers of the Metropolitan Region, Santiago, Chile. Patients and Methods: Saliva samples were obtained from 14,649 patients aged 5 to 40 years, in one public and 5 private dental centers. Bacteria concentration was estimated by the comparison with a standard counting-chart. The concentration of group mutans streptococci in saliva was test by a 3-way ANOVA. Results: Bacterial concentration of Streptococcus mutans related with the age of patients was significant (p < 0.001). Bacterial concentration in the preschool age was 4,7 x 10(5) CFU/mL at 5 years, while 6,0 x10(5) CFU/mL at 12 years of age, with a decrease in patients over 30 years. Bacterial concentration was significantly different in the six centers of the study. Conclusions: The semi-quantitative method was useful to determine the colonization by Streptococcus mutans according to age. This could help for identifying population at high risk of dental caries and to develop oral health prevention programs in specific populations.

Objetivo: Evaluar el nivel de colonización Streptococcus grupo mutans según la edad, midiendo en saliva, con un método semi-cuantitativo, la cantidad de bacterias presente en una población que acude a centros odontológicos públicos y privados de la Región Metropolitana de Chile. Pacientes y Métodos: Se obtuvieron de 14.649 muestras de saliva de pacientes incluyendo hombres y mujeres, de 5 a 40 años, en un centro de atención estatal y en cinco de atención privada. El método de recuento fue la comparación con una tabla normada de concentraciones. El análisis estadístico incluyó ANOVA. Resultados: Se encontró que el recuento de Streptococcus grupo mutans en relación a las edades de los pacientes fue significativo (p < 0,001). El recuento de bacterias en los preescolares de 5 años fue alrededor de 4.7x10(5) ufc/ mL de saliva mientras que en los niños de 12 años fue de 6.0x10(5) ufc/mL, observándose además una disminución de la carga bacteriana en los pacientes de 30 años. A edades superiores se apreció un descenso paulatino. La concentración bacteriana fue significativamente distinta en los seis centros estudiados. Conclusiones: Este método de recuento de colonias a través de la espátula permitió determinar el grado de colonización producida por Steptococcus grupo mutans según las edades, es de utilidad para identificar la población de alto riesgo de caries dentales y su aplicación ayudaría a desarrollar programas de prevención en salud oral en poblaciones especificas.

Desenvolvimento e validação de técnica quantitativa de análise de imagem para avaliação do teste do cometa corado pela prata / Development and validation of a quantitative image analysis method to evaluate comet assay (silver staining)

INTRODUÇÃO: O ensaio do cometa ou técnica da eletroforese de células isoladas é largamente empregado para avaliação de danos e reparo do DNA em células individuais. O material pode ser corado por técnicas de fluorescência ou por sal de prata. Este último apresenta vantagens técnicas, como o tipo de microscópio utilizado e a possibilidade de armazenamento das lâminas. A análise dos cometas pode ser feita de modo visual, porém há a desvantagem da subjetividade dos resultados, que pode ser minimizada por análise digital automatizada. OBJETIVOS: Desenvolvimento e validação de método de análise digital de cometas corados por sal de prata. MÉTODOS: Cinquenta cometas foram fotografados de maneira padronizada e impressos em papel. Além de medidas manualmente, essas imagens foram classificadas em cinco categorias por três avaliadores, antes e depois de pré-processadas automaticamente pelo software ImageJ 1.38x. As estimativas geradas pelos avaliadores foram comparadas quanto sua correlação e reprodutibilidade. Em seguida, foram desenvolvidos algoritmos de análise digital das medidas, com base em filtros estatísticos de mediana e de mínimo. Os valores obtidos foram comparados com os estimados manual e visualmente após o pré-processamento. RESULTADOS: As medidas manuais das imagens pré-processadas apresentaram maior correlação intraclasse do que as imagens preliminares. Os parâmetros automatizados apresentaram alta correlação com as medidas manuais pré-processadas, sugerindo que este sistema aumenta a objetividade da análise, podendo ser utilizado na estimativa dos parâmetros dos cometas. CONCLUSÃO: A presente análise digital proposta para o teste do cometa corado pela prata mostrou-se factível e de melhor reprodutibilidade que a análise visual.

BACKGROUND: Comet assay or single cell gel electrophoresis is a useful and widely applied technique for the assessment of DNA damage and repair in individual cells. Nuclei can be stained with fluorescence methods or silver salts. The latter has technical advantages such as the type of microscope used and the possibility of slide storage. Comet analysis may be performed visually, however, there is the disadvantage of subjective results, which can be minimized by automated digital analysis. OBJECTIVES: Development and validation of digital analysis method for silver stained comet assays. METHODS: Fifty comets were photographed in a standardized way and printed on paper. Before and after being automatically preprocessed by ImageJ 1.38x software, the images were manually measured and classified into five categories by three evaluators. Their estimates were compared as to their correlation and reproducibility. Afterwards, an algorithm for automated digital analysis of the comet measurements was developed based on statistical filters of median and minimum. These results were compared with those manually and visually estimated after preprocessing. RESULTS: Manual measurements of preprocessed images showed higher intraclass correlation than the original ones. Automated results had high correlation with the pre-processed manual measurements, suggesting that this system increases objectivity and can be used in the estimation of comet parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Digital analysis of silver stained comet assay proved to be feasible and better reproducible than the visual analysis.

Evaluation of the Rib Seriation Using Analysis of Quantitative Methods in Koreans / 체질인류학회지

Rib seriation has not been used to identify individual human skeletal remains in Koreans. Accurate rib seriation is important for determining rib number and for establishing an individual's age at death. The aim of this study was to use a previously published quantitative method to correctly predict rib sequencing in Koreans. We used complete rib sets of 54 individuals and measured three variables: AFTAL (articular facet of the tubercle-toangle length), HAFL (head-to-articular facet length), and SCTCH (superior costo-transverse crest height). AFTAL and SCTCH were more useful than HAFL for predicting rib seriation, and AFTAL produced the simplest equation for determining sex. In the ranking, the cumulative percentage of AFTAL was 79% with an error of 0, and the range of seriation error was +/-4. Compared to other studies using European measures, AFTAL showed greater accuracy of rib seriation in this study of Korean ribs. In fact, both AFTAL and AFTAL with SCTCH accurately predicted rib 4 in 94% of cases. AFTAL was the most accurate, and use of both SCTCH and AFTAL yielded better results than either alone. Thus, the high accuracy and predictive ability showed that this method is useful for measuring rib seriation in Koreans.

The Performance Evaluation of Yeongdong URiSCAN GEN 10SGL Urine Dipstick Strip Using Other Quantitative, Microscopic, and Culture Methods / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: The previous performance tests of URiSCAN GEN 10SGL dipstick reagent strip (Yeongdong pharmaceutical Co., Seoul, Korea) were mainly done by comparison with the approved urine strips. However, adequate comparison was inavailable because the grading systems were different among the manufacturers. We evaluated the correlation of new generation URiSCAN GEN 10SGL urine strip with known quantitative, microscopic, and culture methods. METHODS: We used urine specimens which were collected for the urinalysis and culture from November 2000 to Mars 2001. We evaluated the correlation between the results of URiSCAN GEN 10SGL and the quantitative methods by comparing the mean of change of reflectance rate (change %R) with the result of the corresponding quantitative method for protein, glucose, bilirubin, urobilinogen, pH, and specific gravity. To calculate the sensitivity and specificity, we used microscopic examination for leukocytes and erythrocytes, and used urine culture for nitrite test. RESULTS: The correlation coefficients between the change %R of URiSCAN GEN 10SGL and the corresponding quantitative method exceeded 0.81, except bilirubin and specific gravity (P<0.01; respectively). The agreements of identical or neighboring concentration block were more than 90%, except urobilinogen and specific gravy. The sensitivity and specificity of URiSCAN GEN 10SGL were 63.6% and 94.2% for leukocytes; 92.8% and 74.1% for erythrocytes; 74.4% and 85.0% for nitrite producing organisms. CONCLUSTIONS: URiSCAN GEN 10SGL had acceptable accuracy and agreement compared with the corresponding quantitative methods and culture result. Also, it had improved sensitivity and specificity of leukocytes and erythrocytes detection compared with previous URiSCAN urine dipstick strip.

Multicomponent quantitative method of Yaotongning Capsule based on the fingerprint / 中成药

AIM: To investigate the quantitative method in the form of fingerprint peaks of Yaotonning(Semen Sttychni,Eupolyphage seu steleophaga,Scorpio,Olibanum,Myrrha, etc) as benchmark peak. METHODS: The fingerprints of Yaotongning Capsule were obtained,the peaks which can separate from the baseline were defined as fingerprint peaks,and the peak of strychnine was appointed as the benchmark peak.All the fingerprint peaks were quantified grounded on the peak of strychnine. RESULTS: Twelve fingerprint peaks were defined,and quantified rested on the peak of strychnine. CONCLUSION: A multicomponent quantitative method for Yaotongning Capsule is established.The established method is feasible.