Curcumin inhibits SK-Hep-1 hepatocellular carcinoma cell invasion in vitro and suppresses matrix metalloproteinase-9 secretion

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), widely used as a spice and coloring agent in food, possesses potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic properties. Recently, curcumin was further demonstrated to have an antimetastatic effect in mice. In this study, we attempted to clarify the possible mechanisms of this latter effect of curcumin. A highly invasive SK-Hep-1 cell line of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was selected for this study. An in vitro assay, without or with Matrigel matrix, was used to quantitate cellular migration and invasion. Gelatin-based zymography was adapted to assay the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP). We found that curcumin, at 10 microM, inhibited 17.4 and 70.6% of cellular migration and invasion of SK-Hep-1, respectively. Compared with a less invasive human HCC cell line, Huh-7, SK-Hep-1 showed a much higher MMP-9 secretion. Further, and parallel with its anti-invasion activity, curcumin inhibited MMP-9 secretion in SK-Hep-1 in a dose-dependent fashion. We conclude that curcumin has a significant anti-invasion activity in SK-Hep-1 cells, and that this effect is associated with its inhibitory action on MMP-9 secretion.

Prevention of exposure to mutagenic fumes produced by hot cooking oil in Taiwanese kitchens

We evaluated the mutagens in fumes produced by heating three different cooking oils used in Taiwan to temperatures of 100 degrees C, 200 degrees C, and 300 degrees C, and constructed models to study the efficacy of fume extractors used commonly by Taiwanese women. Particulates of volatile emissions from lard (at 200 degrees C and 300 degrees C) and soybean oil (at 300 degrees C) were found to be mutagenic in the Salmonella/microsomal test with S9 mix, indicating that exposure of Taiwanese women to cooking oil fumes may be an important risk factor in the etiology of their lung cancer. Mutagenicity of lard and soybean oil fumes collected at 300 degrees C was obtained when a commonly used fume extractor was located at a usual distance of 70 cm above the oil surface, whereas the fume samples were not, or weakly, mutagenic in the Salmonella/ microsomal assay when the distance between fume extractor and oil surface was 60 cm or less. Reduction in mutagenicity was on average 1.2 +/- 0.5 revertants/cm (the percent reduction in mutagenicity was 46%), pointing to a possible cooking practice involving significant reductions in exposure to harmful oil fumes and, consequently, a decreased risk of lung cancer in Taiwanese housewives.

Mutagenicity and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon content of fumes from heated cooking oils produced in Taiwan

According to epidemiologic studies, exposure of women to fumes from cooking oils appears to be an important risk factor for lung cancer. Fume samples from three different commercial cooking oils frequently used in Taiwan were collected and analyzed for mutagenicity in the Salmonella/microsome assay. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were extracted from the samples and identified by HPLC chromatography. Extracts from three cooking oil fumes were found to be mutagenic in the presence of S9 mix. All samples contained dibenz[a,h]anthracene (DB[a,h]A) and benz[a]anthracene (B[a]A). Concentration of DB[a,h]A and B[a]A were 1.9 and 2.2 micrograms/m3 in fumes from lard oil, 2.1 and 2.3 micrograms/m3 in soybean oil, 1.8 and 1.3 micrograms/m3 in peanut oil, respectively. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) was identified in fume samples of soybean and peanut oil, in concentrations of 19.6 and 18.3 micrograms/m3, in this order. These results provide experimental evidence and support the findings of epidemiologic observations, in which women exposed to the emitted fumes of cooking oils are at increased risk of contracting lung cancer.

The C-terminal domain of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 is required for cell binding but not for antimetalloproteinase activity

We have generated a C-terminally-truncated form of recombinant tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (designated rTIMP-2 delta) in which the region of the inhibitor extending from residue 128 to 194 and including 3 of the 6 disulfide bonds is deleted. rTIMP-2 and rTIMP-2 delta had similar inhibitory activities toward interstitial collagenase and inhibited the activation of the precursor form of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2). rTIMP-2 also bound with high affinity (Kd 0.99 nM) to HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells treated with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate. However deletion of the C-terminal domain of TIMP-2 significantly lowered the cell surface binding affinity, with competition experiments indicating a 2 order of magnitude difference between rTIMP-2 and rTIMP-2 delta in the concentrations needed to displace 125I-labeled rTIMP-2 binding. These data indicate that the C-terminal domain of TIMP-2 is not required for the antimetalloproteinase activity but plays a major role in the high affinity cell surface binding of the inhibitor.

High prevalence of gout and related risk factors in Taiwan's Aborigines

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence of gout and to examine its risk factors among Taiwan's Aborigines compared with non-Aborigines.

METHODS

Data were collected from persons older than 40 years living in 3 aboriginal and 2 non-aboriginal districts in Taiwan by a community survey. Cases of gout were identified from self-reporting of a doctor's diagnosis based on clinical criteria. Baseline variables and biochemical data were examined as risk factors for the development of gout.

RESULTS

The prevalence of gout history was found to be 15.2% (25/165) and 4.8% (11/231) among aboriginal men and women, respectively, compared with a prevalence rate of 0.3% among non-Aborigines. A logistic regression model showed that aboriginal men older than 60 years with hyperuricemia were more severely affected by gout than any other group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

A high prevalence of gout among Taiwanese Aborigines was observed in this study and race was the most significant risk factor associated with the disease.

[A study on behavior towards injection among residents and physicians in Kaohsiung & Ping-tung area]

To understand why people in Taiwan preferred iatrogenic injection as their medical therapy, we surveyed the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of iatrogenic injection for people and doctors in Kaohsiung and Ping-tung area by questionnaire. The results of the survey are drawn below: 1. More than 91.7% of the interviewed people would like to receive iatrogenic injection as their medical therapy, and 78.1% of the parents would choose iatrogenic injection for their children. The reason majority were because doctors suggested that and the parents believed iatrogenic injection is a quicker way of recovery. 2. In this study, 72.1% of the people received injection as their usual mode of medical treatment, and 74.9% of them had received injection during the previous month. When they brought their children to the clinics, the percentages of the above two conditions were 60.4% and 59.7% respectively. The factors influencing the reception of injection for people were the efficacy of the injection, education level and medical insurance. The influencing factors for children were the parents' medical behavior and the parents' willingness to accept injection. 3. About 83% of the interviewed doctors preferred iatrogenic injection as treatment for their patients. Almost 60% of them agreed that more patients would receive injection after National Health Insurance. About 72% of the doctors would not change the treatment for their patients, no matter how the system of the medical insurance changes. They would choose the right treatment for the distinct disease.

Work stress and psychological well-being among the nursing profession in Singapore

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the work stress of nursing and its relationship with the psychological well-being of the nurses.

DESIGN

A survey research method was adopted in which a questionnaire was designed for data collection.

SETTING

The study was conducted in the hospital setting.

SUBJECTS

Nurses (N = 1,043) of different grades participated in this study on an anonymous and voluntary basis.

MEASURES

A work stress measure (ie, the Nursing Stress Inventory) and GHQ-12 were incorporated in a questionnaire which also contained items on subject's background information.

RESULTS

The eight areas of work stress identified were found to be negatively related to psychological well-being of the nurses, with stronger effects on anxiety and depression than sense of adequacy.

CONCLUSION

Certain work stressors were more detrimental than those others. They may also exert differential effects on the affective and cognitive stress reactions.

Hepatitis B vaccination and hepatocellular carcinoma in Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

In 1984, Taiwan started a large-scale hepatitis B vaccination program, enabling us to test the hypothesis that prevention of hepatitis B virus infection eventually decreases the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODS

Groups aged 0 to 9 years and 10 to 100 years in each calendar year were defined as the study group and the reference group, respectively. The percentage of children vaccinated in the study group increased during recent years. The study group and the reference group were divided into 5-year age strata (0 to 4, 5 to 9, ..., 80 to 84, and 85 and over). Poisson regression was used to estimate age- and gender-adjusted liver carcinoma mortality rate ratios for 1974 through 1993, relative to 1974.

RESULTS

The adjusted mortality rate ratios of liver carcinoma in the study group decreased significantly for 1992 and 1993, whereas in the reference group it did not show the same result. A significantly declining trend of liver carcinoma mortality rate ratios was observed in the study group after 1984, whereas the same trend was not found in the reference group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the hypothesis that hepatitis B vaccination can decrease the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Risk factors for primary lung cancer among non-smoking women in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Although cigarette smoking is considered to be the most important cause of lung cancer, smoking behaviour cannot fully explain the epidemiological characteristics of lung cancer in Taiwanese women, who rarely smoke but contract lung cancer relatively often. There are other causes of lung cancer that have produced variability in lung cancer incidence.

METHODS

A case-control study involving interviews with 117 female patients (including 106 non-smoking) suffering from lung cancer and the same number of individually matched hospital controls was conducted in Kaohsiung, Taiwan between 1992 and 1993. The questionnaire administered to cases and controls collected information on cigarette smoking and suspected risk factors for lung cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to assess smoking for all women and suspected risk factors for non-smoking women.

RESULTS

The relationship between cigarette smoking and lung cancer was statistically significant although only a small proportion (9.4%) of female patients had smoked. However, the risk of contracting cancer for non-smoking women appears to be associated with certain cooking practices, especially preparing meals in kitchens not equipped with a fume extractor at cooking age of 20-40 years (odds ratio [OR] = 8.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.1-22.7. These factors and a history of pulmonary tuberculosis plus low consumption of fresh vegetables explained 78% of the summary attributable risks for non-smoking women in a multivariate logistic regression model.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to fumes from cooking oils, when not reduced by an extractor, may be an important factor in causing lung cancer in non-smoking Taiwanese women.

Effects of occupational dust exposure on the respiratory health of Portland cement workers

The object of this study was to assess the relationship between occupational Portland cement dust exposure and respiratory health. Respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function were studied in a group of 591 male Portland cement workers employed in four cement plants. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was higher in exposed than in control workers. The exposed group had a significantly lower mean forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1), and forced expiratory flows after exhalation of 50% and 75% of the vital capacity (FEF50, FEF75) than the control group. The data suggest that occupational exposure to Portland cement dust may lead to higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and the reduction of ventilatory capacity.

[Operation directions by comparing financial ratio of 22 provincial hospitals]

Even more restrictive regulations and reimbursement limits seem to be a very heavy burden and stress for most provincial hospitals, especially after the National Health Insurance System has been introduced. The purpose of this project to find a better, universal direction for these hospitals through three steps: 1) Using different financial and accounting ratio indexes to evaluate the general business performance of each hospital. 2) Taking a comprehensive questionnaire with senior managers of each hospital to know their concepts and attitudes concerning external environment and internal operation. 3) Comparing data's correlation and differentiation to ascertain better trends for future operation for all hospitals. The database for this project comes from two resources: 1) Government finance and budget reports of 22 provincial hospitals for the 1994 accounting calendar year. 2) The results of questionnaires returned by 274 senior managers of hospitals, and analysis of these by chi-square test. Through statistical comparison, a number of conclusions can be made: 1) Most hospitals have better operation efficiency if any professional hospital administrator is working for them. 2) The hospital with more comprehensive personnel system shows better business performance. 3) The hospital with routine and formal financial analysis reports always has better business performance. 4) The hospital with poor operational efficiency tends to get rid of restriction or limitation from government's system. 5) The hospital with good operational efficiency has more confidence and desire to improve and change. 6) The hospital with poor operational efficiency is more dependent on outside support from government. 7) The hospital with better business performance has more concern about the impact of malpractice around the hospital. In short, a hospital with poor business efficiency always has more pessimistic attitude and tends to rely on outside resource support. On the other hand, a hospital with more confidence, flexibility and readiness for internal improvement always demonstrates greater business efficiency.

[Air pollution and its health effects on residents in Taiwanese communities]

The are a number of particular features of air pollution in Taiwan, as described below: (1) In Taiwan area, the air load of pollutants is more serious than previously reported. (2) There exists severe air pollution throughout the island. (3) Industry is the major source of pollution. (4) No demarcation exists between plants and residential quarters. (5) There is a high concentration of pollutants indoors/outdoors. The influence of air pollution spreads over all aspects of physical health, primarily on the respiratory tract, causing lung cancer and exaggerating cardiovascular diseases. A few Taiwanese studies are reviewed below which deserve more elaboration. (1) Use PM10 for indexing health effect. The annual average value of PM10 in Taiwan has been around 70 micrograms/m3 in 1994. Dr. Schwarz indicated that no safety margin could be derived; for each additional 10 micrograms/ m3 of PM10, the death number could be increased by 1% on the basis of Western studies. (2) Research with reference to lung cancer cases in the Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital. Living within 3 km of industrial district counted for 9% of cases and caused a 6-fold increase in the risk of disease for people living more than 20 years in the case control study for lung cancer. (3) Death due to cancer of inhabitants close to petroleum and petrochemical industries. For youths and children below 20 years, cancers related to brain tumors were 2-4 fold of what was expected deaths. Analysis of another petrochemical complex in Chienchen, Kaohsiung, revealed the inhabitants within 1 km showed a higher standardized mortality ratio for cancers of the lung, kidney, urinary bladder, and leukemia than was to be expected. (4) Lower lung function and higher incidence of respiratory diseases among residents near a coal-fired power plant (within 3 Km) compared to residents who lived further away from the plant (3-11 Km). (5) Lead contamination around a kindergarten near a battery recycling plant. There was increased lead absorption among children of the exposed kindergarten and its this was associated with the extent of air and soil pollution in the surrounding area. In considering above limited epidemiologic evidence, the following recommendations are presented: (1) to conduct investigation promptly for the correlation of air pollution to disease morbidity and death of inhabitants of Taiwan. (2) to reevaluate ambient air quality standards on the basis of Taiwanese health studies. (3) to assess the analytical data of past records on the concentrations of air pollutants. (4) collection of surcharge fee for air pollution. (5) Regulation for compensation of pollution victims among industry. (6) development of environmental health related industries. (7) Participation of various parties who are concerned the environmental health. One thing is certain, everyong would be able to breath air which, as far as possible, is clean.

Prevalences and related factors of substances use in female aborigines in southern Taiwan

Alcohol use and betel quid chewing are common in aborigines in Taiwan. The aims of this study were to evaluate the patterns of drinking, smoking, betel quid chewing and to assess the related factors of the above substance use among female aborigines. Three hundred female Bunun aborigines aged between 17 and 50 years were recruited into this study via a stratified-random sampling. Subjects were interviewed at their homes by trained interviewers using a structured questionnaire. Prevalences of various substances use were estimated as follows: alcohol, 67.7%; betel quid chewing, 36.4%; smoking, 11.6%; and over-the-counter drugs, 8%. Related factors of substances use were analyzed by multiple logistic regression as follows. Alcohol use was significantly related to low educational level, where the spouse was a drinker and there was an attitude in favor of female drinking. Significant factors related to smoking were folk religion and where the spouse was a smoker. Significant factors related to betel chewing were low educational level, and where the spouse was a betel chewer, and poor knowledge about the adverse health effects of betel chewing. We also found women who consumed alcohol and chewed betel quid were significantly to show more external health locus control. About 80% of women recognized the adverse effects of alcohol consumption and smoking to pregnancy outcomes. Although they knew the harmful effects of substance use, only half of them stopped using these substances during their pregnancy. Health education on the harmful effects of alcohol, betel quid, and cigarettes, especially during pregnancy is essential in primary care.

A cohort study on mortality and exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls

In 1979, an outbreak of food poisoning ("Yu-Cheng") occurred in Central Taiwan, ROC, involving more than 2000 people. The event was caused by ingestion of rice oil contaminated with polychlorinated derivatives of biphenyls, dibenzofurans, and quaterphenyls. A retrospective cohort study on mortality was undertaken, and possible long-term health effects in the affected individuals were studied. The mortality experience of 1940 victims (929 males, 1011 females) between 1980 and 1991 was compared with the expected numbers, which were calculated from national and local mortality rates. By the end of 1991, 102 deaths were identified, thus producing a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of overall mortality of 0.99 for males and 1.34 for females. Total cancer mortality was lower than in each comparison group. Mortality from liver diseases was elevated significantly (SMR = 3.22), especially during the first 3 y after the food-poisoning event (SMR = 10.76). Increased clinical severity of polychlorinated biphenyl intoxication was associated with increased mortality from all causes and from liver diseases. In summary, there was a positive association between mortality and intoxication dose, and severe polychlorinated biphenyl poisoning acutely affected mainly the liver. A continued follow-up of this cohort would be valuable in the study of long-term health effects of polychlorinated biphenyl poisoning.

Relationship between water hardness and coronary mortality in Taiwan

A number of studies carried out in other countries have shown the existence of negative correlations between coronary mortality and the hardness of water supplies. Data on water hardness throughout Taiwan have been collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC) to examine the ecological correlation between deaths from coronary disease (1981-1990) and total hardness in drinking water. Analysis demonstrates a significant negative association between drinking water hardness and coronary mortality. After adjustment for the urbanization index, coronary mortality in municipalities with soft water was estimated to be 9.6% higher than that in municipalities with hard water. The weighted multivariate-adjusted regression coefficient indicated a decrease of 0.053 in standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for every 100 mg/L increase in total hardness in drinking water after allowing for the urbanization condition.

A case-control study of oral cancer in Changhua County, Taiwan

Forty oral cancer patients identified consecutively in Changhua Christian Hospital between 1990 and 1992 were compared with 160 population-based controls, matched for sex, age, area of residence, and educational background. Betel quid chewing was positively associated with the risk of oral cancer with adjusted odds ratio of 58.4 (95% CI: 7.6-447.6). The greater the number of years of chewing betel quid, the higher the risk of oral cancer; the adjusted odds rations were 12.9, 93.7 and 397.5 for < 21, 21-40, and > 40 years of betel chewing as compared with the non-users. The risk also increased with the quantity chewed per day; the odds ratios for those chewing < 10, 10-20 and > 20 quids/day were 26.4, 51.2 and 275.6, respectively. These odds ratio estimates were all statistically significantly different from the null value of unity.

Risk factors of hepatitis C virus infection in a Taiwanese aboriginal community

The aim of this study is to identify the risk factors associated with anti-HCV positive status in a Bunun aboriginal community in Taiwan. In a door-to-door survey we collected 712 blood samples, and employed an enzyme immunoassay for anti-HCV to detect the recombinant antigen of viral genome including one structural and two nonstructural proteins. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 16.9% for the whole community covering an age range of five years to 84 years, but it was 48% in individuals older than 45 years. The calculated annual incidence rate was 1.25%. Information about possible risk factors was obtained from questionnaires completed in 1992. Age, sex, village of residence, educational level, and the extraneous factor of having been iatrogenic injected during a period one or two years before the survey, showed a significant association with positive anti-HCV status. A dose response relationship between the rate of positive anti-HCV status and frequency of injections was found statistically significant (P < 0.001). Accordingly, a second visit was made to find the possible infection source, and according to information obtained from the recall of 211 interviewees, an illegal medical service was suspected of spreading the recent infection.

[Costand effectiveness assessment of laparoscopic cholecystectomy]

"Cholecystectomy" is one of the ten "case payment" diseases announced in the National Health Insurance. Thirty-five consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC), performed during the period July 1993 to December 1994, were compared to 35 age- and sex-matched patients undergoing open cholecystectomies (OC) during the same period. The results revealed that there were no significant differences in insurance status, indications, or abnormal results of EKG and liver function tests. The mean operative time was 124 +/- 46 min for LC, and 86 +/- 27 min for OC (p < 0.001), while the mean hospital stay was 7.4 +/- 2.8 days for LC, and 11.7 +/- 6.6 days for OC (p < 0.001). There were fewer patients using analgesics postoperatively within 24 hours for LC than for OC. The percentage of patients returned to work (or normal activity) within one week was higher for LC than for OC, but the difference was not statistically significant. Bile leakage was found in two LC cases (5.71%), while another two (57.1%) had wound infection in OC. Cost analysis showed that the cost of the operation room was NT$18,503 higher for LC (NT$27,643 against NT$9,140). Hospital charges were, on average, NT$53,721 for LC and NT$51,560 for OC (P > 0.05). The higher cost of LC was offset by a reduced length of hospital stay, so the hospital charges in the cases of both procedures were similar. As experience increases, the cost of LC will become lower. Moreover, LC minimizes the discomfort of patients, and patients can return to work earlier. From the perspective of the healthcare system, Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is a safe, cost-effective technology.

Blood lead levels in Taiwanese adults: distribution and influencing factors

Five-thousand nine-hundred thirteen Taiwanese adults were selected by multistage sampling methods to investigate environmental lead exposure in Taiwan. The blood specimens were distributed to six laboratories for blood lead levels (BLL) measurement. The mean BLL of the 5913 Taiwanese adults was 8.28 +/- 5.39 microg/dl, with a maximum level of 57.6 microg/dl. The median was 7.0 microg/dl and 90th percentile was 15.0 microg/dl. BLLs were associated with gender, ethnic group, education level, smoking, alcohol consumption, herbal drug consumption, milk consumption, sources of drinking water, level of urbanization, and occupational lead exposure. These results showed that BLLs in Taiwanese adults were stable during the 2-year study. Most of the influencing factors were consistent with other studies, while local risk factors, such as Chinese herbal drug consumption are important ways of preventing the general population from overexposure to lead.

Prevalence and related risk factors of betel quid chewing by adolescent students in southern Taiwan

The prevalence and related risk factors of betel quid chewing among adolescent students were studied in a junior high school (group 1) and in a vocational school (group 2) in southern Taiwan. Group 1 consisted of 3548 participants (89.7% response rate) and group 2 of 1358 (97.6% response rate). The students were asked to complete a questionnaire anonymously. In the junior high school 1.9% of students including all grades (13-15 years old) and both sexes was found to be a current betel quid chewer and 14% was an ex-chewer, whereas 10.2% of vocational school students (16-18 years old) was a current chewer and 31% was an ex-chewer. The prevalence of betel chewing was significantly higher among boys than girls. A high proportion of chewers was also a smoker and alcohol drinker. A statistical analysis of sociodemographic factors showed that male students who smoked tobacco, consumed alcohol and were friends or classmates of students who were betel quid chewers, were the likeliest adolescents to chew betel quid.

Three-year survey of blood lead levels in 8828 Taiwanese adults

The purpose of this study was to investigate environmental lead exposure in the general Taiwanese population. A total of 8828 Taiwanese adults selected by a multistage sampling method were investigated. Characteristics of the participants were ascertained by questionnaire and 10 ml venous blood was drawn by public health nurses. The blood specimens were distributed to six laboratories for blood lead level (BLL) measurement. A quality control program was applied during the analysis of the BLLs in order to improve precision and accuracy. The arithmetic mean BLL of the 8828 Taiwanese adults was 7.70 +/- 5.23 micrograms/dl, with a maximal level of 69.1 micrograms/dl. The median was 6.5 micrograms/dl and the 90th percentile was 14.0 micrograms/dl. After logarithmic transformation, the geometric mean was 1.84 +/- 0.67 microgram/dl. This study also found that elevated BLLs were associated with certain personal characteristics, i.e., gender, ethnic group, and education level; life-style factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, Chinese herbal drug consumption, milk consumption, and sources of drinking water; residential location, i.e., level of urbanization; and occupational history of lead exposure. However, age, floor level of residence, distance from house to road, and betel nut consumption were not associated with elevated BLLs. These results showed that BLLs in the Taiwanese population were not higher than those in developed and developing countries. Most of the influencing factors were also found in other studies; however, local factors such as ethnic group, Chinese herbal drug consumption, and sources of drinking water are important considerations in Taiwan when examining ways to prevent overexposure to lead in the general population.

[Risk factors related to alcohol use among adolescents of fathers with alcoholism]

The purposes of this study were: 1) to investigate the risk factors related to alcohol use among adolescents of fathers with alcoholism. 2) to compare their drinking behaviors with the adolescents whose fathers were non-alcoholics. Sixty-one adolescents, including 29 males and 32 females, aged from 12 to 22 whose fathers were alcoholics formed the case group. 122 age and sex matched adolescents in a ratio of 1:2 whose fathers were non-alcoholics were recruited as the comparison group (normal/control). Data were collected by interview during home visits or by mailing questionnaires to patients. The prevalence rates of drinking, smoking and betel-nut chewing among the adolescents of fathers with alcoholism were 67.2%, 19.7%, 18%. There was no significant difference in drinking behavior between the two groups. Beer was the most popular drink in adolescents' drinking habits. The most popular motivation of drinking was the peer pressure by friends. The significant risk factors of alcohol use among the adolescents included male poor mental health status adolescents with behavioral problems and alcohol use amongst classmates or friends.

Betel quid chewing, cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption related to oral cancer in Taiwan

A hospital-based case-control study of matched pairs was conducted to explore (a) the relationship between the use of betel quid chewing, cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and oral cancer and (b) synergism between these factors. The case group consisted of 104 male and 3 female oral cancer patients and these were compared with 194 male and 6 female matched controls. We found by univariate analysis that alcohol consumption, smoking, betel quid chewing, educational level and occupation were associated with oral cancer. The adjusted odds ratios were to be found elevated in patients who were smoking and betel quid chewing. After adjusting for education and occupation covariates, the incidence of oral cancer was computed to be 123-fold higher in patients who smoked, drank alcohol and chewed betel quid than in abstainers. The synergistic effects of alcohol, tobacco smoke and betel quid in oral cancer were clearly demonstrated, but there was a statistically significant association between oral cancer and betel quid chewing alone. Swallowing betel quid juice (saliva extract of betel quid produced by chewing) or including unripened betel fruit in the quid both seemed to enhance the risks of contracting oral cancer.

Body mass index and hyperuricemia differences between aboriginal and non-aboriginal children in Taiwan

To explore the relationship between the body mass index (BMI) and uric acid in different races before growing up into adulthood, we selected a total of 1236 five to 14 year-old children in the period from March to December 1994. The children originated from three Aboriginal tribes (the Bunun, and the Paiwan tribes--classified as South-Aborigines and Atayal tribe as North-Aborigines) and two non-Aboriginal tribes (Fukein-Taiwanese and Hakka), all of whom are from the following four countries: Chien-Shih, Sandimen, Gaushuh and Sanmin. The results showed that the percentage of hyperuricemia (> or = 7.5 mg/dl) was 28.5% (352/1236) and of obesity (BMI > or = 22 kg/m2) was 9.5% (118/1236). Increased uric acid concentration was found to be related to age, sex, BMI, race, triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol levels in both the primary analysis and after the adjusted logistic regression model. Obesity did not vary with sex (OR = 1.0; 95% CI = 0.7-1.5), or with Aborigines in north Taiwan as compared with non-Aborigines (OR = 1.0, 95% CI = 0.6-1.6), but the logistic regression model adjusted for age indicated large BMI values for children with high serum uric acid concentration, triglyceride levels and the Aborigines who originated from south Taiwan. It was concluded from this study that both of the North-Aborigines and South-Aborigines made an important influence on serum uric acid concentration in children, especially the South-Aborigines made difference to BMI as compared with non-Aborigines and North-Aborigines.

Comparison of the genetic variation in type 1 dengue virus isolates in Taiwan, 1987-1992

In this study, the genetic variation of eight dengue-1 strains isolated in Taiwan from 1987 to 1992 (including two imported strains) were studied. A fragment of 490 nucleotides from the E/NS1 junction was amplified and studied by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and vector cloning. By comparing the nucleotide sequences of these strains, it was found that local strains in Taiwan shared geographic similarity. The nucleotide differences among local strains were less (0.61% to 2.24%) than the differences between imported strains and other strains (2.04% to 4.29%). The differences of nucleotide sequences between local strains and the prototype remain constant (5.10%-5.29%). However, the differences in nucleotide sequences between imported strains and the prototype ranged from 3.89% to 7.14%. Since the point mutations occurred in the wobble position of the codon, only conserved changes resulted in the amino acid among the isolates.