Biological monitoring of exposure to fenitrothion by high performance liquid chromatography.
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
R S Lin
Publications and source records attributed to R S Lin.
Endotoxemia in patients with chronic liver diseases: relationship to severity of liver diseases, presence of esophageal varices, and hyperdynamic circulation.
Plasma endotoxin levels were investigated using a quantitative Limulus assay in patients with chronic liver diseases and correlated with the severity of liver diseases, the presence of esophageal varices, and hemodynamic parameters. The plasma endotoxin levels were significantly higher in chronic hepatitis patients with acute exacerbation (10.1 +/- 1.3 pg/ml, n = 13, p < 0.05) and patients with cirrhosis (7.0 +/- 0.7 pg/ml, n = 126, p < 0.05) than in healthy subjects (2.9 +/- 0.2 pg/ml, n = 45). Chronic hepatitis patients (n = 30) had plasma endotoxin levels which were similar to those in healthy subjects (4.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 2.9 +/- 0.2 pg/ml, p > 0.05) but lower than those in chronic hepatitis patients with acute exacerbation (4.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 10.1 +/- 1.3 pg/ml, p < 0.05). Endotoxemia (plasma endotoxin level > 5.7 pg/ml) was found in 27%, 85% and 41% of patients with chronic hepatitis, chronic hepatitis with acute exacerbation, and cirrhosis, respectively. In patients with cirrhosis, the plasma endotoxin levels progressively increased in relation to the severity of liver dysfunction (Pugh's class A/B/C = 4.9 +/- 0.5/7.9 +/- 1.4/10.2 +/- 2.0 pg/ml, p < 0.05). In contrast, plasma endotoxin levels were comparable between patients with cirrhosis with and without esophageal varices (p > 0.05). Chronic hepatitis patients with acute exacerbation (no collaterization) had much higher plasma endotoxin levels than those in patients with cirrhosis and large varices (p < 0.05), whereas compensated patients with cirrhosis and large esophageal varices had plasma endotoxin levels similar to those seen in chronic hepatitis patients (no collaterization) (p > 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Blood Circulation↗
Epidemiologic differences between candidial and trichomonal infections as detected in cytologic smears in Taiwan.
The epidemiologic differences between cytology-detected candidial and trichomonal infections were assessed in 15,933 women attending the 12 district health centres in the Taipei area and a consecutive 1114 patients, visiting venereal disease clinics, whose smears were screened for cervical cancer between July 1991 and December 1992 in Taipei. The Pap smears were examined for the presence of specific organisms, such as trichomonas vaginalis, vaginal candida, herpes simplex virus, human papillomavirus, actinomyces, leptothrix, aspergillu, gardnerella and others. More emphasis was placed on the candidial and trichomonal infection in inflammatory Pap smears. The overall prevalence of candidial and trichomonal infections was 3.40% and 1.88%, respectively. There were striking differences in the prevalence of trichomoniasis ranging from 1.74% in the district health centre population to 3.77% in the venereal disease clinic patients; however, the prevalence of candidial infection remained the same (3.40%) in these two distinct population groups. Indices of socioeconomic status--education and personal hygiene--showed an inverse association with the prevalence of trichomoniasis but a positive correlation with candidiasis. Among participants, younger age (< 20 years old) was independently associated with candidial (OR = 1.95) and trichomonal (OR = 3.87) infections. No sexual behavioural factors were associated with candidial infection in this study; however, having multiple sexual partners (OR = 5.07) was associated with a significantly elevated risk of trichomoniasis, while using condoms was associated with a diminished risk (OR = 0.38). The presence of candidiasis and trichomoniasis was highly associated with abnormal cytologic findings, particularly those indicative of inflammation. There was little evidence that findings suggestive of cervical cancer could be attributed to either candidial or trichomonal infections. These data suggest that trichomoniasis is consistent with venereal transmission of the disease, but transmission by contaminated objects cannot be ruled out because there is an increased relation between trichomoniasis infection and socioeconomic conditions and personal hygiene. Elucidation of such differences may be helpful in designing different strategies to control these infections. Furthermore, the findings can provide a good baseline of prevalence for investigating the relationship between these two pathogens and cervical dysplasia.
Adolescent↗
Analysis of cancer rates using excess risk age-period-cohort models.
BACKGROUND: Recently the age-period-cohort (APC) model has become a popular epidemiological tool. However, it is well known that the model suffers from the identifiability problem. The simple multiplicative formulation of the model in terms of the age, period, and cohort variables without resorting to the underlying biology also casts doubt on the interpretability of the model parameters. METHODS: Excess risk APC models for cancers are developed based on carcinogenesis processes in human populations. These models have the beneficial feature of biological plausibility and do not suffer from the identifiability problem. Apart from the age, period, and cohort effects, a new kind of effect, the impact effect, is also introduced into the models. A computer program has been developed to fit the models which contain non-linear as well as restricted parameters. RESULTS: Two published mortality datasets are used to demonstrate the methodology. The proposed models fit better than the conventional APC model in both examples. CONCLUSIONS: Despite all the merits of the proposed models, several statistical issues should be investigated further before accepting this methodology as a general data-analytical tool.
Adult↗
Occupational hand dermatitis in a tertiary referral dermatology clinic in Taipei.
Occupational skin disease is one of the most common occupational diseases. The hand is the most frequent site of involvement in occupational skin disease. We interviewed and examined patients seen in the Contact Dermatitis Clinic of the National Taiwan University Medical Center, a tertiary referral center in Taipei City. For patients suspected of having allergic skin diseases, patch testing was carried out using the European standard series and suspected allergens. Occupational hand dermatitis (OHD) was diagnosed according to medical history, work exposure, physical examination, and patch test findings. 36% of patients seen were diagnosed as having OHD. Electronics, hairdressing, medical, chemical, and construction were the most important industries causing OHD. In the 164 patients with OHD, 58.5% had irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) and 41.5% allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Dorsal fingers, nail folds, and dorsal hands were most frequently involved in patients with ACD; dorsal fingers, volar fingers and fingertips were most frequently involved in those with ICD. Using logistic regression analysis, we were able to identify the most important clinical presentations that predicted the types of OHD, ACD versus ICD. Patients with atopic history and palm involvement were more likely to have ICD, and those with nail fold involvement more likely to have ACD. In patients with ACD, the most important allergens were dichromate, nickel, cobalt, fragrance mix, epoxy resin, thiuram mix, and p-phenylenediamine. In this study, we identified the important industries and causal agents for OHD. Future preventive measures focused on these industries and agents to reduce OHD will be warranted.
Academic Medical Centers↗
Induced abortion in Taiwan.
Induced abortion is widely practised in Taiwan; however, it had been illegal until 1985. It was of interest to investigate induced abortion practices in Taiwan after its legalization in 1985 in order to calculate the prevalence rate and ratio of induced abortion to live births and to pregnancies in Taiwan. A study using questionnaires through personal interviews was conducted on more than seventeen thousand women who attended a family planning service in Taipei metropolitan areas between 1991 and 1992. The reproductive history and sexual behaviour of the subjects were especially focused on during the interviews. Preliminary findings showed that 46% of the women had a history of having had an induced abortion. Among them, 54.8% had had one abortion, 29.7% had had two, and 15.5% had had three or more. The abortion ratio was 379 induced abortions per 1,000 live births and 255 per 1,000 pregnancies. The abortion ratio was highest for women younger than 20 years of age, for aboriginal women and for nulliparous women. When logistic regression was used to control for confounding variables, we found that the number of previous live births is the strongest predictor relating to women seeking induced abortion. In addition, a significant positive association exists between increasing number of induced abortions and cervical dysplasia.
Abortion, Induced↗
Prevalence of goiters in children residing in Tung-Lo Township, Taiwan.
This study investigated school children in the Tung-Lo Township in central Taiwan to determine the prevalence of goiters compared to other areas of Taiwan and to elucidate the possible etiology. All children attending elementary schools in Tung-Lo were examined for thyroid enlargement by neck palpation, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Thyroid antibodies and thyroid hormones were determined in children with goiters, and in normal age- and sex-matched controls. Additionally, analysis of drinking water for humic substances was done by fluorospectrophotometry. In total, 1,823 school children were examined (965 boys and 858 girls). Of these, 174 (9.5%) were found to have a goiter of grade I or above. The prevalence was higher than our recent surveys in other areas of Taiwan (2.6%-8.8%). Goiter prevalence in school children residing in hill regions (12.9%), mainly dependent on underground water for drinking, was higher than that of school children residing in plain regions (8.2%), who depend on tap water for drinking. The quality of drinking water bore a close relationship to the prevalence of goiter. From the ratio of T3/T4 in this study, and a study of urinary iodine excretion done by others, it is concluded that goiters in Tung-Lo are not related to iodine deficiency. There was no statistically significant correlation between the relative fluorescence intensity of humic substances and the prevalence of goiter. The results of this study suggest that the higher prevalence of goiter in children living in Tung-Lo, an oil-bearing area, may be related to the quality of drinking water.
Child↗
Interactions between birth cohort and urbanization on gastric cancer mortality in Taiwan.
Birth-cohort analysis is of particular importance for gastric cancer since migrant studies have indicated that early life experiences play a dominant role in the occurrence of the disease. However, none of the birth-cohort analyses conducted in various countries have provided information on variation in the birth-cohort phenomenon. To examine the interaction of birth cohort and urbanization, mortality data for gastric cancer between 1971 and 1990 in differentially urbanized areas in Taiwan were analysed. Traditional birth-cohort analysis and age-period-cohort (APC) analysis were employed in the study. The identification problem inherent in the APC analysis was circumvented by the 'individual record' method. Grading of the degree of urbanization of each township and district in Taiwan was based on an urbanization index derived from several demographic and socioeconomic variables. The birth-cohort effects diffused from urban to rural areas after fitting the APC model. In the older generations, born before 1910, the relative risks of gastric cancer were higher in urban areas than in rural ones, but in recent generations, i.e. those born after 1916-1922, the reverse was true. The age curves of gastric cancer mortality emerged as almost straight lines when plotted on a double logarithmic scale. Sex ratios increased with age up to age 60 and then remained constant. The spread of the birth-cohort effects suggested that dietary factors, e.g. dietary habits and food processing practices, in the early life of the population play an important role in the occurrence of gastric cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Adult↗
Maternal role in type 2 diabetes mellitus: indirect evidence for a mitochondrial inheritance.
BACKGROUND: The role of mitochondrial inheritance in type 2 diabetes mellitus has received much attention recently. In this study, three existing datasets in Taiwan are analysed to examine this theory. METHODS: Two of the datasets were community surveys and one a hospital case series. Subjects who had information regarding their paternal or maternal diabetic status were selected for the present study. In the first dataset, 745 subjects had information about paternal diabetic status and 765 had information about maternal diabetic status. In the second dataset, 255 and 267 subjects had the paternal and maternal information, respectively. In the third, a total of 3625 subjects had information about both their paternal and maternal diabetic status. Diabetic status of the study subjects was determined by fasting plasma glucose levels and/or oral glucose tolerance test; their parental diabetic status was collected by interview. RESULTS: The three datasets consistently demonstrated a significantly elevated odds ratio (OR) for reporting maternal diabetes (OR = 2.64, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-5.71) in diabetic patients as compared to non-diabetic subjects. The reporting of paternal diabetes, however, was not significantly different between diabetics and non-diabetics. In addition, the OR for reporting paternal diabetes were not significantly different between groups of different age-at-onset. With respect to maternal history, the OR increased significantly when age-at-onset was younger (test-for-trend P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support mitochondrial inheritance of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the human population. The age-modifying effect was also in accordance with the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation paradigm for degenerative diseases.
Adult↗
Electromagnetic scanning of beef quarters to predict carcass and primal lean content.
To study the use of electromagnetic scanning in prediction of lean content in beef carcasses and cuts, 100 beef cattle (60 steers and 40 heifers), representing a broad range in external fat thickness (.1 to 2.9 cm) and live weight (414 to 742 kg), were selected. Chilled right sides were divided into streamlined (foreshank, brisket, and ventral plate removed) forequarters (FQ) and full hindquarters (HQ) and scanned. Primal rounds, loins, ribs, and chucks were fabricated from the right side, scanned, and physically separated into lean, fat, and bone. Prediction equations for dissected lean content and percentage of lean included the peak of the electromagnetic scan response curve (obtained from scanning the HQ or FQ), length, temperature and weight of the scanned cut, and fat thickness at the 12th rib. Using the coefficient of determination, root mean square error, and Mallows' Cp statistic, the best model for each dependent variable (weight and percentage of lean) that included up to five independent variables was selected. Prediction equations for the HQ or FQ of steers accounted for 84 to 93% of the variation in lean weight of beef sides and quarters and 71 to 93% of primals. Sixty-one to 75% of the variation in percentage of lean in sides and quarters and 48 to 65% of primals was also explained. Similar results were obtained for heifer carcasses. Predicting percentage of lean in any scanned cut, rather than weight of lean, accounted for less of the variation. Weight and fat thickness contributed significantly when predicting percentage of lean.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Animals↗
Age-period-cohort analysis of pulmonary tuberculosis mortality in Taiwan: 1961 to 1990.
The specific aim of this study was to examine the effects of age, calendar period of death, and birth cohort in pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) mortality in Taiwan during the period 1961 to 1990. A log-linear Poisson regression model modified from the method of Osmond and Gardner was used and 79,881 deaths (58,025 males and 21,856 females) were included in the analysis. Birth cohort is the most significant predictor of pulmonary TB mortality according to the model. The earliest birth cohort from 1891 had a pulmonary TB mortality 17,327 and 6,186 times those born from 1986 for males and females, respectively. There was also a significant age effect. The youngest age group of zero to four years had a pulmonary TB mortality 7.10 and 5.87 times those for the age group of five to nine years for males and females, respectively. The oldest age group of 70 to 74 years had a risk of pulmonary TB mortality 2.89 and 1.88 times those for the five- to nine-year age groups for males and females, respectively. Parameters of the period factor showed a decreasing pulmonary TB mortality from 1961 to 1990 that was less significant than those of age or cohort. In addition to the improvement in medical measures that influenced the effect of calendar year on TB mortality, year of birth is an important determinant in the trend of TB mortality in Taiwan. The result shows that the major focus for TB mortality in Taiwan is in the age groups born between 1891 and 1921.
Adolescent↗
Clustering scheme for heterogeneity grouping of healthy adolescents based on a profile of serum biochemical variables.
All 890 study subjects attended two serum biochemistry screenings at an interval 3.5 years, the first while they were aged between 14 to 17 years (mean 15.5 and standard deviation 0.7). Three mutually independent laboratory indices--hepatocellular damage, liver metabolism, and outer-liver measurement--were identified as physiological scales by principal component analysis on ten common serum biochemical tests. Existence of a subgroup for an entity of healthy adolescents were supported by sum-of-squares clustering analysis of these three-dimensional indices. The consistency between two time-point repeated screenings for each of the same subjects confirmed the practicability of clustering schemes. The resulting cluster pattern for each screening bore a relation to gender or hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) classifications. These features are expected to provide insight into normal references with enhanced group homogeneity, and lead to an improved multivariate protocol that will aid in health monitoring of subgroups with high risk.
Adolescent↗
Family factors affecting the outcome of tuberculosis treatment in Taiwan.
Despite the progress of tuberculosis (TB) control, the failure of treatment mainly due to non-adherence to medical recommendations remains a major obstacle to the eradication of this disease in both industrialized and developing countries. We interviewed 397 active pulmonary TB cases (274 males and 123 females) in Taiwan and followed up their treatment outcomes. No significant differences were found between any of the groups of either sex on TB cognition scores. Positive correlations between cognition scores and compliance scores, between cognition scores and family apgar scores, and between compliance scores and family apgar scores were noted in this study. In males, the complete treatment group had a higher compliance score (mean +/- standard deviation = 13.45 +/- 2.80) and family apgar score (22.44 +/- 2.29) than the incomplete treatment group (11.61 +/- 3.21 and 14.77 +/- 3.92, respectively). In females, the complete treatment group had a higher cognition score (65.99 +/- 6.75), compliance score (13.65 +/- 2.55) and family Apgar score (22.78 +/- 2.30) than the incomplete treatment group (62.05 +/- 6.91, 11.70 +/- 3.04 and 14.84 +/- 3.80, respectively). In the logistic regression analysis, both the family Apgar score and compliance score were significantly related to the TB treatment outcomes. The subjects with a family Apgar score higher than 20 had a chance to complete treatment as high as 72-fold (95% confidence interval = 31.7-164.0) that of those with a score less than 20.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Adolescent↗
Hepatitis B virus surface antigen as an interpretation factor for serum biochemical tests in young adults.
With ages between 14-17 years, none of the 2157 subjects studied in the central Taiwan area had ever been inoculated with the hepatitis B vaccine. Whether a hepatitis B virus surface variable, either the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or its antibody (anti-HBs), was an interpretation factor in reading laboratory data for a common serum biochemical test was analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The two independent variables were gender and the hepatitis B surface variable. Either HBsAg or paired HBsAg/anti-HBs was a necessary factor for the seven items:total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase. Anti-HBs alone was not an effective agent for the above seven tests and four additional tests, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, creatinine, and total bilirubin. The analyses yielded no interaction between gender and either hepatitis B surface variable for all tests except uric acid.
Adolescent↗
Simple colorimetric method for the assessment of aniline exposure--analysis of urinary p-aminophenol.
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Aminophenols↗
Trends in mortality from diabetes mellitus in Taiwan, 1960-1988.
The increasing trends of mortality from diabetes mellitus in Taiwan are becoming a public health concern. The age-adjusted death rate for diabetes was 3.7 per 100,000 population in 1960, which increased to 23.2 per 100,000 in 1988, a 6.3-fold increase over the past 30 years. The mortality data for diabetes in Taiwan from 1960 to 1988 for both sexes are presented and analysed using an age-period-cohort model in order to gain a better understanding of the possible determinants of the time trends of this disease. Steeply increasing trends which are particularly prominent in the elderly are found in the periods studied. Females and urban dwellers demonstrated greater risks for developing the disease. Significant cohort effects were found which peaked in the birth-cohort 1910-1917. This declined thereafter for females but has levelled since then for males. Further study is necessary to assess the aetiological implications of diet and urbanization on time trends of diabetes.
Adult↗
Mortality trends of pancreatic cancer: an affluent type of cancer in Taiwan.
Interest in the increasing trends in pancreatic cancer mortality in Taiwan has recently emerged. The mortality data for pancreatic cancer in Taiwan from 1971 to 1988 for both sexes are presented to cast some light on the etiology of this ominous and yet little-known disease. A steeply increasing trend was found between 1975 and 1984 for both sexes; it dropped in 1985-86 and climbed again in 1987-88. The urban excess risks persisted in our study period of 18 years. Further study is mandatory to elucidate the etiological implications of dietary and other lifestyle changes on the magnitude of these rising secular trends and urban-rural gradients, particularly in the elderly, as well as the puzzling finding of cross-sectional drops in mortalities between 1985 and 1986. It is speculated that the drop may be associated with an economic recession that occurred in Taiwan between 1980 and 1981.
Adult↗
Esterase D and retinoblastoma gene loci are tightly linked to Wilson's disease in Chinese pedigrees from Taiwan.
Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder and has been mapped to the long arm of chromosome 13 (q14.1). We have analyzed the segregation of esterase D (ESD) and retinoblastoma (RB) gene loci in ten families of Chinese WD subjects living in Taiwan. The polymorphic information content (PIC) for ESD and RB was 0.18 and 0.31, respectively. We confirmed a tight linkage between these loci and WD with a lod score of 3.33 by multipoint linkage analysis. The data from this limited number of pedigrees also suggested the following order: centromere-WD-RB-ESD or centromere-ESD-RB-WD. ESD in conjunction with RB polymorphism would be useful in prenatal and presymptomatic diagnosis, as well as in carrier detection in informative pedigrees.
Alleles↗