[Relationship between occupational stress and working ability of workers in a petroleum processing enterprise in high altitude area].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between occupational stress and working ability of workers in a petroleum processing enterprise in a high altitude area. Methods: A total of 728 workers in a petroleum processing enterprise at an altitude of 2850 m were subjected to a survey using Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) , Work Ability Index (WAI) Scale, Occupational Role Questionnaire (ORQ) , Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ) , and Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ) from May 2014 to August 2016. Results: Of the 728 workers, 55 (7.6%) had a poor working ability, moderate in 262 (35.9%) , and good in 411 (56.5%). There were significant differences in WAI between the workers with different types of work, sexes, ages, and working years (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in WAI between different occupational stress groups (P<0.05). WAI was negatively correlated with ORQ score and PSQ score (r(s)=-0.387, P<0.05; r(s)=-0.467, P<0.05) and positively correlated with PRQ score (r(s)=0.343, P<0.05). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that high ORQ score and PSQ score were the inhibitory factors for high WAI (B=-0.058; B=-0.082) and high PRQ score was a contributing factor for high WAI (B=0.029) . Conclusion: Occupational stress is an influencing factor for the working ability of workers in the petroleum processing enterprise in the high altitude area. Hypoxia in high altitude area may further reduce the working ability. In order to reduce occupational stress and improve work ability, it should be considered to strengthen skills training, improve the working environment, and pay attention to mental health.

Relationship between the Val158Met polymorphism of catechol O-methyl transferase and breast cancer.

A case-control study was performed to assess the potential influence of catechol O-methyl transferase (COMT) genotype on the risk of breast cancer in Korean women. One hundred and sixty-three histologically confirmed incident breast cancer cases and 163 age- and menopausal status-matched control individuals with no present or previous history of cancer were selected as study subjects. COMT genetic polymorphism was determined by gel electrophoresis after NlaIII enzyme digestion of amplified DNA. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by unconditional logistic regression after adjustment for known or suspected risk factors of breast cancer. Women with at least one COMT lower enzyme activity associated allele (COMT-L) were at elevated risk for breast cancer (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.04-2.78) compared with those homozygous for high enzyme activity associated COMT-H alleles. Among women with low (> or = 23.1) body mass index the COMT-L allele containing genotypes posed a marginally significant increased risk of breast cancer compared to the COMT-HH genotype (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 0.95-3.48). Women with at least one COMT-L allele who had experienced a full-term pregnancy when aged over 30 years or were nulliparous had 2.7-fold increased risk; however, this increase did not reach statistical significance (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 0.64-11.35). Furthermore, never-drinking and never-smoking women with at least one COMT-L allele were at increased risk of breast cancer compared to those with COMT-HH genotype with ORs of 2.0 (95% CI = 1.23-3.38) and 1.7 (95% CI = 1.04-2.62), respectively. These results are consistent with studies showing that COMT genotype of lower enzyme activity might be related to increase in risk of breast cancer, and extend this finding to Korean women.

Acute urinary toxicity following transperineal prostate brachytherapy using a modified Quimby loading method.

PURPOSE: To examine the acute urinary toxicity following transperineal prostate implant using a modified Quimby loading method with regard to time course, severity, and factors that may be associated with a higher incidence of morbidity. METHODS AND MATERIALS: One hundred thirty-nine patients with prostate adenocarcinoma treated with brachytherapy from 1997 through 1999 had follow-up records available for review. Patients considered for definitive brachytherapy alone included those with prostate specific antigen (PSA) < or = 6, Gleason score (GS) < or = 6, clinical stage < T2b, and prostate volumes generally less than 40 cc. Patients with larger prostate volumes were given neoadjuvant antiandrogen therapy. Those with GS > 6, PSA > 6, or Stage > T2a were treated with external beam radiation therapy followed by brachytherapy boost. Sources were loaded according to a modified Quimby method. At each follow-up, toxicity was graded based on a modified RTOG urinary toxicity scale. RESULTS: Acute urinary toxicity occurred in 88%. Grade I toxicity was reported in 23%, grade II in 45%, and grade III in 20%, with 14% requiring prolonged (greater than 1 week) intermittent or indwelling catheterization. Overall median duration of symptoms was 12 months. There was no difference in duration of symptoms between patients treated with I-125 or Pd-103 sources (p = 0.71). After adjusting for GS and PSA, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed higher incidence of grade 3 toxicity in patients with larger prostate volumes (p = 0.002), and those with more seeds implanted (p < 0.001). Higher incidence of prolonged catheterization was found in patients receiving brachytherapy alone (p = 0.01), with larger prostate volumes (p = 0.01), and those with more seeds implanted (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Interstitial brachytherapy for prostate cancer leads to a high incidence of acute urinary toxicity, most of which is mild to moderate in severity. A prolonged need for catheterization can occur in some patients. Patients receiving brachytherapy alone, those with prostate volumes greater than 30 cc, and those implanted with a greater number of seeds have the highest incidence of significant toxicity.

A 500-kb region on chromosome 16p13.1 contains the pseudoxanthoma elasticum locus: high-resolution mapping and genomic structure.

We have recently mapped the genetic defect underlying pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), an inherited disorder characterized by progressive calcification of elastic fibers in skin, eye, and cardiovascular system, to chromosome 16p 13.1. Here we report further data on the fine-mapping and genomic structure of this locus. Haplotype analysis of informative PXE families narrowed the locus to an interval of less than 500 kb located between markers D16B9621 and D16S764. Three overlapping YAC clones were found to cover this region through YAC-STS content mapping. An overlapping BAC contig was then constructed to cover this interval and the surrounding region. About 80% of this chromosomal region has been fully sequenced using the BAC shotgun technique. Gene content and sequence analysis predicted four genes (MRP1, MRP6, PM5, and a novel transcript) and two pseudogenes (ARA and PKDI) within this interval. By screening a somatic cell hybrid panel we were able to precision-map the breakpoint of Cy185 and the starting point of a chromosomal duplication within 20 kb of BAC A962B4. The present data further refine the localization of PXE, provide additional physical cloning resources, and will aid in the eventual identification of the genetic defect causing PXE.

Genome duplications and other features in 12 Mb of DNA sequence from human chromosome 16p and 16q.

Several publicly funded large-scale sequencing efforts have been initiated with the goal of completing the first reference human genome sequence by the year 2005. Here we present the results of analysis of 11.8 Mb of genomic sequence from chromosome 16. The apparent gene density varies throughout the region, but the number of genes predicted (84) suggests that this is a gene-poor region. This result may also suggest that the total number of human genes is likely to be at the lower end of published estimates. One of the most interesting aspects of this region of the genome is the presence of highly homologous, recently duplicated tracts of sequence distributed throughout the p-arm. Such duplications have implications for mapping and gene analysis as well as the predisposition to recurrent chromosomal structural rearrangements associated with genetic disease.

A 12-Mb complete coverage BAC contig map in human chromosome 16p13.1-p11.2.

We have constructed a complete coverage BAC contig map that spans a 12-Mb genomic segment in the human chromosome 16p13.1-p11.2 region. The map consists of 68 previously mapped STSs and 289 BAC clones, 51 of which-corresponding to a total of 7.721 Mb of genomic DNA-have been sequenced, and provides a high resolution physical map of the region. Contigs were initially built based mainly on the analysis of STS contents and restriction fingerprint patterns of the clones. To close the gaps, probes derived from BAC clone ends were used to screen deeper BAC libraries. Clone end sequence data obtained from chromosome 16-specific BACs, as well as from public databases, were used for the identification of BACs that overlap with fully sequenced BACs by means of sequence match. This approach allowed precise alignment of clone overlaps in addition to restriction fingerprint comparison. A freehand contig drawing software tool was developed and used to manage the map data graphically and generate a real scale physical map. The map we present here is approximately 3.5 x deep and provides a minimal tiling path that covers the region in an array of contigous, overlapping BACs.

A physical map of the genome of ethanol fermentative bacterium Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 and localization of genes on the map.

A physical map of the Zymomonas mobilis ZM4 genome has been constructed from the results of reciprocal Southern hybridization with PmeI, PacI, and NotI-digested genomic DNA fragments and linking cosmid clones. Restriction enzyme-digested Z. mobilis ZM4 genome was electrophoresed with phage lambda DNA concatemers as a size standard in a Bio-Rad CHEF-DRII pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) system. The restriction enzyme PmeI generated 15 fragments (3-625 kb), and PacI produced 19 fragments (7-525 kb). Each size of restriction fragment was calculated by comparison to the size of phage lambda DNA concatemers, and the genome size of Z. mobilis ZM4 was estimated to be 2085.5 kb. The 19 known genes and three rrn operons were localized on the map.

Construction and characterization of a human bacterial artificial chromosome library.

We have constructed an arrayed human genomic BAC library with approximately 4x coverage that is represented by 96,000 BAC clones with average insert size of nearly 140 kb. A new BAC vector that allows color-based positive screening to identify transformants with inserts has increased BAC cloning efficiency. The library was gridded onto hybridization filters at high density for efficient identification of BAC clones by colony hybridization. The library was also formulated into characteristic DNA pools to allow for PCR screening of the library for STS content. We have characterized the library mainly by screening with more than 300 different landmarks that include cDNA, STSs, and cosmid clones. We describe methods for using BAC clones and discuss the implications for genome characterization, mapping, and sequencing.

A bacterial artificial chromosome-based framework contig map of human chromosome 22q.

We have constructed a physical map of human chromosome 22q using bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones. The map consists of 613 chromosome 22-specific BAC clones that have been localized and assembled into contigs using 452 landmarks, 346 of which were previously ordered and mapped to specific regions of the q arm of the chromosome by means of chromosome 22-specific yeast artificial chromosome clones. The BAC-based map provides immediate access to clones that are stable and convenient for direct genome analysis. The approach to rapidly developing marker-specific BAC contigs is relatively straightforward and can be extended to generate scaffold BAC contig maps of the rest of the chromosomes. These contigs will provide substrates for sequencing the entire human genome. We discuss how to efficiently close contig gaps using the end sequences of BAC clone inserts.