Gender-related Factors Associated with Upper Extremity Function in Workers

Objectives: This study aimed to find gender distinctions in terms of the sociology of the population; to determine work-related factors; to analyze gender differences in daily living, work, sports, and art performances; and to identify gender-related factors that limited performance of daily living and work activities.Methods: A questionnaire was designed that included disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH), accident history, disease history, work duration at current workplace, marital status, job satisfaction, job autonomy, and physical demands of the job. Out of 1,853 workers surveyed, 1,173 questionnaires (63.3%; 987 males, 186 females) included responses to DASH disability and DASH optional work and were judged acceptable for analysis.Results: Upper extremity functional limitation during work and daily living was higher for females than males. The limitations for males increased according to their household work time, accident history, work duration, job satisfaction, physical demand, and job autonomy. Meanwhile, female workers' upper extremity discomfort was influenced by their disease history, job satisfaction, and physical demands. In addition, the size of the company affected male workers’ upper extremity function, while marriage and hobbies influenced that of female workers.Conclusion: This study addressed sociodemographic factors and work-related factors that affect each gender’s upper extremity function during daily living and working activities. Each factor had a different influence. Further studies are needed to identify the effect that role changes, not being influenced by risks at work, have on musculoskeletal disorders

Cu/CuO@ZnO Hollow Nanofiber Gas Sensor: Effect of Hollow Nanofiber Structure and P–N Junction on Operating Temperature and Sensitivity

For the fast and easy detection of carbon monoxide (CO) gas, it was necessary to develop a CO gas sensor to operate in low temperatures. Herein, a novel Cu/CuO-decorated ZnO hollow nanofiber was prepared with the electrospinning, calcination, and photodeposition methods. In the presence of 100 ppm CO gas, the Cu/CuO-photodeposited ZnO hollow nanofiber (Cu/CuO@ZnO HNF) showed twice higher sensitivity than that of pure ZnO nanofiber at a relatively low working temperature of 300◦ C. The hollow structure and p–n junction between Cu/CuO and ZnO would be considered to contribute to the enhancement of sensitivity to CO gas at 300◦ C due to the improved specific surface area and efficient electron transfer. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. T.1

KITENIN increases invasion and migration of mouse squamous cancer cells and promotes pulmonary metastasis in a mouse squamous tumor model

AbstractKAI1 C-terminal interacting tetraspanin (KITENIN) is reported to promote metastasis in mouse colon cancer models. We investigated the role of KITENIN on the progression of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In a preliminary clinical study using resected tissues from head and neck SCC patients, KITENIN was highly expressed in tumors and metastatic lymph nodes, while KAI1 was more increased in adjacent mucosa than in tumor. KITENIN-transfected mouse squamous cancer (SCC VII/KITENIN) cells showed significantly higher invasion, migration, and proliferation than empty vector-transfected cells. In syngeneic mouse squamous tumor models, more increased tumor volume and enhanced lung metastasis were found in SCC VII/KITENIN cells-injected mice. Thus, KITENIN increases invasion and migration of squamous cancer cells and thereby promotes distant metastasis in mouse squamous tumor models

Association between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and pediatric allergic diseases based on modeled air pollution concentrations and traffic measures in Seoul, Korea: a comparative analysis

Background Pediatric allergic diseases are a major public health concern, and previous studies have suggested that exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) exposure is a risk factor. These studies have typically assessed TRAP exposure using traffic measures, such as distance to major roads, or by modeling air pollutant concentrations; however inconsistent associations with pediatric allergic diseases have often been found. Using road proximity and density, we previously found an association between TRAP and atopic eczema among approximately 15,000 children living in Seoul, Korea, heavily populated and highly polluted city in which traffic is a major emission source. We aimed to conduct a parallel analysis using modeled air pollution concentrations and thus examine the consistency of the association. Specifically, we examined the associations of individual-level annual-average concentrations of NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 with symptoms and diagnoses of three pediatric allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema. Methods The study population included 14,614 children from the Seoul Atopy Friendly School Project Survey in Seoul, Korea, in 2010. To assess individual exposures to TRAP among these children, we predicted annual-average concentrations of NO2, PM10, and PM2.5 at the childrens home addresses in 2010 using universal kriging and land use regression models along with regulatory air quality monitoring data and geographic characteristics. Then, we estimated odds ratios (ORs) of the three allergic diseases for interquartile increases in air pollution concentrations after adjusting for individual risk factors in mixed effects logistic regression. Results Symptoms and diagnoses of atopic eczema symptoms showed an association with NO2 (OR = 1.07, 95% confidence interval = 1.02–1.13; 1.08, 1.03–1.14) and PM10 (1.06, 1.01–1.12; 1.07, 1.01–1.13). ORs of PM2.5 were positive but not statistically significant (1.01, 0.95–1.07; 1.04, 0.98–1.10). No association was found between asthma and allergic rhinitis, although PM2.5 showed a marginal association with allergic rhinitis. Conclusions Our consistent findings regarding the association between TRAP and the prevalence of atopic eczema using traffic measures and surrogate air pollutants suggested the effect of TRAP on childrens health. Follow-up studies should elucidate the causal link, to support subsequent policy considerations and minimize adverse health effects in children.This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (2013R1A6A3A04059017, 2018R1A2B6004608) and the National Cancer Center of Korea (NCC-1810220-01). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript