Epidemiological characteristics of pesticide poisoning in Chengdu City from 2012 to 2021 / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To explore the present situation and epidemiological characteristics of pesticide poisoning in Chengdu City from 2012 to 2021, and to provide scientific evidence for further prevention and control. Methods: In January 2022, the pesticide poisoning report cards of Chengdu City from 2012 to 2021 were collected from the China Disease Control and Prevention Information System. The data of the report card was reorganized and the distribution characteristics of pesticide poisoning such as time, region, gender, age and pesticide types were analyzed. Results: 14326 cases of pesticide poisoning were reported in Chengdu City from 2012 to 2021, 651 deaths, and the fatality rate was 4.54%. The cases of productive pesticide poisoning and unproductive pesticide poisoning were 504 and 13822, respectively. The fatality rates of productive and unproductive pesticide poisoning were 1.39% and 4.66%, which were significant different (χ(2)=11.99, P=0.001). The highest reported cases of pesticide poisoning was in 2013 (1779) and the lowest in 2021 (1047). The number of reported cases showed a downward trend year by year (t=-12.30, P<0.001), and the fatality rates also showed a downward trend year by year (χ(2)(trend)=25.48, P<0.001). The fluctuation range of unproductive pesticide poisoning cases in each month of the year was small, and the productive pesticide poisoning mainly occurred from May to August. The regions with the largest number of reported poisoning cases were Pengzhou (1620), Jianyang (1393), Jintang (1266) and Qionglai (1158). The high incidence of poisoning was among 25-54 years old (50.21%, 7193/14326). The fatality rate in the age group 75-96 years old was the highest (8.98%, 95/1058), and the fatality rates increased gradually with age (χ(2)(trend)=186.03, P<0.001). The pesticides causing poisoning were mainly insecticide (43.86%, 6284/14326) and herbicides (35.75%, 5121/14326). Herbicides paraquat had the highest fatality rate (9.54%, 286/2998) . Conclusion: Pesticide poisoning in Chengdu City is mainly unproductive poisoning. Health education should be carried out for key areas and people, and the control of highly toxic pesticides such as insecticide and herbicides should be strengthened.

Effects of Mirror Therapy on Lower-limb Motor, Balance and Walking after Stroke: A Meta-analysis / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective:To evaluate the effect of mirror therapy on lower-limb motor, balance and walking of stroke patients. Methods:Randomized controlled trails (RCTs) about mirror therapy for lower limb function after stroke were recalled in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, Medline complete, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP and CBMdisc. Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software for eligible RCTs. Results:A total of twelve studies were retrieved, including 590 patients. Mirror therapy improved the scores of Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Lower Extremity (MD = 6.67, 95%CI 5.60 to 7.74; Z = 12.20, P < 0.001), Brunnstrom stages (MD = 0.55, 95%CI 0.28 to 0.82; Z = 3.98, P < 0.001), Berg Balance Scale (MD = 3.45, 95%CI 1.40 to 5.50; Z = 3.30, P = 0.001), mini-BESTest (MD = 1.49, 95%CI 0.65 to 2.33; Z = 3.48, P < 0.001), Brunnel Balance Assessment (MD = 0.66, 95%CI 0.10 to 1.22; Z = 2.32, P = 0.02). However, it was not significant for 10-meter Walking Test (MD = 0.03, 95%CI -0.04 to 0.11; Z = 0.88, P = 0.38) and Timed "Up and Go" Test (MD = -1.43, 95%CI-4.31 to 1.45; Z = 0.97, P = 0.33). Conclusion:Mirror therapy can improve lower extremity motor function after stroke significantly, and somehow for balance. Further research is needed to explore its effects on walking.

Establishment of a nomogram for predicting the high frequency hearing loss of workers exposed to noise / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective@#To explore the related influencing factors of high frequency hearing loss (HFHL) in workers exposed to noise and establish a prediction nomogram for HFHL.@*Methods@#A total of 822 workers exposed to noise from 46 enterprises were included. A questionnaire survey and a pure-tone hearing test were conducted for the workers. The data of noise level of the workers exposed was also collected. After single factor analysis of related influencing factors, the multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the final independent influencing factors of HFHL. Finally, a nomogram model was established by R software to achieve individual prediction of HFHL.@*Results@#Among the 822 workers exposed to noise, 166 (20.2%) workers had HFHL. In multivariate Logistic regression analysis, increasing age, men, increasing wearing earphone time, less wearing earplugs, and high noise level were the independent risk factors for HFHL. The C-index of the nomogram model for predicting HFHL was 0.834 (95%CI: 0.748~0.903) . The area under the predictive power curve of nomogram model was 0.834 (95%CI: 0.799~0.869, P<0.001) .@*Conclusion@#Age, sex, wearing earphone time, wearing earplugs, and noise level are independent influence factors for HFHL. The nomogram model is successfully established as a accurate and visible tool for individually predicting the HFHL risk in workers exposed to noise.

Influence of ethylbenzene on oxidative damage and apoptosis in rat renal epithelial cells NRK-52e / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the oxidative damage and apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52e cell line) induced by ethylbenzene.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>NRK-52e cells were exposed to 30, 60, 90, 120 μmol/L ethylbenzene for 24 hours. Cell viability were measured using MTT, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT), the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were detected respectively. PI fluorescent staining assay was applied to detect percentage of apoptosis in ethylbenzene-treated groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with control group, cell outline became clear, cell diopter increased, cell became smaller and shrinkage, some cells broke in 60 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated group. Plenty of cells died, suspension cells increased significantly in 90 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated group. Compared with control group, cell viability the activities of SOD and CAT and the content of GSH were significantly decreased in 60 and 90 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated groups (P<0.05). The MDA content were remarkably elevated in 90 μmol/L ethylbenzene-treated groups (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ethylbenzene can induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in NRK-52e cells (P<0.05).</p>

Using the stable HSPA1A promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Using the stable HSPA1A (HSP70-1) promoter-driven luciferase reporter HepG2 cells (HepG2/HSPA1A cells) to assess the overall toxicity of coke oven emissions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells were treated with different concentrations of coke oven emissions (COEs) collected from the top, side, and bottom of a coke oven battery for 24 h. After the treatments, luciferase activity, cell viability, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, Olive tail moment, and micronuclei frequency were determined, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The bottom COEs induced significant increases (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity up to 1.4 times the control level at 0.15 µg/L. The low dose of side COEs (0.02 µg/L) led to a significant increase (P < 0.01) in relative luciferase activity that progressively increased to 2.1 times the control level at 65.4 µg/L. The top COEs produced a strong dose-dependent induction of relative luciferase activity up to over 5 times the control level at the highest concentration tested (202 µg/L). In HepG2/HSPA1A cells treated with the bottom COEs, relative luciferase activity was positively correlated with MDA concentration (r = 0.404, P < 0.05). For the three COEs samples, positive correlations were observed between relative luciferase activity and Olive tail moment and micronuclei frequency.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The relative luciferase activity in HepG2/HSPA1A cells can sensitively reflect the overall toxicity of COEs. The stable HepG2/HSPA1A cells can be used for rapid screening of the overall toxicity of complex air pollutants in the workplace.</p>

Effects of smoking on the concentrations of urinary 10 metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effects of smoking on urinary 10 metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Occupational health examination was performed on 1401 coke oven workers in one coking plant, their urine were collected respectively. The concentrations of the ten monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The 1401 workers were divided into four groups, namely control, adjunct workplaces, bottom and side, top group according to their workplaces and the different concentrations of PAHs in the environment. The concentrations of the ten monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons between smokers and nonsmokers in each workplace group were compared using analysis of covariance, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of concentrations of the sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons we detected at control were significantly higher than those at other areas (P < 0.05). Comparing the ten monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels between smokers and nonsmokers, the levels of 1-hydroxynaphthalene and 2-hydroxynaphthalene among smokers were higher than nonsmokers with statistically significance in control, adjunct workplaces, bottom and side and top groups (P < 0.05). However, the levels of 1-hydroxypyrene had no statistically significant differences between the four areas.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Urinary 1-hydroxynaphthalene and 2-hydroxynaphthalene may be used as biomarkers for the impact of smoking on monohydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the coke oven workers.</p>

Characteristics of particulate matter pollution in coke oven plant / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the characteristics of particulate matter pollution in coke oven plant, so as to provide scientific data for establishing occupational exposure limits for coke oven emissions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Concentrations of CO, SO₂, BSM, BTEX (concentrations of benzene, toluene and xylene were determined in this study), PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, 16 selected PAHs in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were determined in the work environment of a coke oven plant in Wuhan. The work environment was divided into the adjunct area, the bottom of, the side of and the top of coke oven.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The concentrations of CO, SO₂, BSM, BETX, PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, PAHs in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were significantly related to working environmental categories, respectively, and were increasing as the adjunct area < bottom < side < top (P (trend) < 0.05). PM₁₀ was statistically significantly correlated with CO, SO₂, benzene, BTEX and BSM (0.705, 0.823, 0.664, 0.624 and 0.734, respectively). PM₂.₅ was statistically significantly correlated with CO, SO₂, benzene, BTEX and BSM (0.635, 0.916, 0. 680, 0.553 and 0.726, respectively). BSM was statistically significantly correlated with benzene (0.689). The ratios of PM₂.₅ to PM₁₀ between different work environments were not significantly different in one-way ANOVA (P > 0.05). The distribution of aromatic rings and the concentrations of total benzo[a] pyrene equivalents in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were not statistically different between work environments.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The concentrations of particulate matter was related with other contents of coke oven emissions in coke work environment, and the contents and types of PAHs in PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ were similar.</p>

The increase of micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in plywood workers exposed accumulatively to formaldehyde / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the micronuclei frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes of workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred thirty six plywood workers were divided into 3 exposure groups (low, middle and high) according to internal exposure biomarker (formaldehyde human serum albumin conjugate, FA-HSA), which was detected by ELISA. The concentrations of formaldehyde (FA) in air of two workshops were measure using the high performance liquid chromatography. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) test was used to detect the micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in 236 workers.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The average concentrations of FA in the low and high exposure workshops were 0.58 +/- 0.20 and 1.48 +/- 0.61 mg/m3, respectively, there was significant difference (P < 0.01). The average concentrations of serum FA-HAS of workers in two workshops were 69.22 +/- 15.37 and 136.29 +/- 89.49 pg/ml, respectively, there was significant difference (P < 0.01). The results of CBMN test showed that the micronucleus frequencies in low, middle and high exposure groups were 1.94 +/- 1.72, 2.10 +/- 1.92 and 2.10 +/- 1.70 per thousand, respectively, there were no significant differences between groups. However, the micronucleus frequencies in accumulative low, middle and high exposure groups were 1.36 +/- 1.36, 2.31 +/- 1.81 and 2.49 +/- 1.92 per thousand, respectively, there were significant differences between different accumulative exposure groups (P < 0.01). The results of correlation analysis indicated that there was a positive correlation between accumulative exposure levels and micronucleus frequencies (r(s) = 0.321, P < 0.01). The accumulative exposure doses may be a risk factor for high micronucleus frequencies in workers exposed to FA (P(trend) = 0.002).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FA-HSA levels can serve as an internal exposure biomarker for assessing the exposure level of workers exposed to FA. Accumulative formaldehyde exposure resulted in an increase of micronuclei frequencies of peripheral blood lymphocyte in plywood workers.</p>