[Follow-up and retrospective investigation of patients with pneumoconiosis in Jiangsu Province, China].

Objective: To investigate the features, changing trend, and rules of pneumoconiosis in Jiangsu Province, China, as well as the health status of patients with pneumoconiosis. Methods: From July to October 2019, the patients with pneumoconiosis, reported up to the end of 2018 in Jiangsu Province, were enrolled as respondents, and follow-up and retrospective investigation were performed. A total of 24405 patients with pneumoconiosis were investigated, and related data were collected from the monitoring system of cause of death for residents, pneumoconiosis network reporting system, occupational disease diagnosis institution, management institutions for the reporting of occupational diseases, and related residents' committee or village committee. The patients with pneumoconiosis, who had been reported, were followed up by telephone or on-site visit to obtain the information on their conditions. A descriptive analysis was performed for age of onset, working years, sex, category of industry, type of pneumoconiosis, annual disease onset, geographic distribution, and medical security. Results: Among the 24405 patients, a male/female ratio was 16.81∶1. Of all 24405 patients, 15948 (65.35%) had stage 1 pneumoconiosis, 5289 (21.67%) had stage 2 pneumoconiosis, and 1637 (6.71%) had stage 3 pneumoconiosis. The mean working years for dust exposure was 16.25±9.95 years for all patients, and the mean working years for dust exposure was 15.80±9.95 years for patients with stage 1 pneumoconiosis, 17.82±9.80 years for patients with stage 2 pneumoconiosis, and 16.31±9.90 years for patients with stage 3 pneumoconiosis. The highest number of cases of pneumoconiosis was reported in Wuxi (5744 cases, accounting for 23.54%) , followed by Zhenjiang (4160 cases, accounting for 17.05%) , Xuzhou (3851 cases, accounting for 15.78%) , Yancheng (3340 cases, accounting for 13.69%) , and Suzhou (2948 cases, accounting for 12.08%) . Major types of pneumoconiosis included silicosis (15392 cases, accounting for 63.07%) and coal workers' pneumoconiosis (5253 cases, accounting for 21.52%) . In this survey, 21115 completed follow-up, among whom 15924 survived and 5191 died, 15924 patients with pneumoconiosis survived, among whom 7461 (46.85%) had an age of ≥70 years and 2515 (15.79%) were exposed to dust for 5-9 years. The industries involved were mainly coal mining and washing industry (5687 cases, accounting for 35.71%) and public management, social security, and social organization (3349 cases, accounting for 21.03%) ; in terms of security, 7999 patients (50.23%) were covered by occupational injury insurance, 946 (5.94%) were compensated by employers, 4537 (28.49%) were covered by basic medical insurance for urban and rural residents, 1590 (9.98%) were covered by critical illness insurance, and 5458 (34.28%) were covered by other types of social security, such as medical assistance and poverty relief. Conclusion: Silicosis and coal worker's pneumoconiosis are the key points for the prevention and treatment of pneumoconiosis in Jiangsu Province, and supervision should be strengthened for industries and regions with serious dust hazards.

[Occupational hazards and risk assessment of benzene-related enterprises in yangzhou city from 2014 to 2018].

Objective: To investigate the benzene concentration in the workplace of benzene-related enterprises in Yangzhou City from 2014 to 2018, and the abnormal blood routine of workers exposed to benzene, and to assess their occupational hazards. Methods: The environmental monitoring data of benzene-related enterprises and the health examination data of benzene exposed workers were collected in March 2019. The inhalation risk assessment model of the National Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was used to assess the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of benzene workers. Results: The qualified rate of benzene detection in the workplace was 100% from 2014 to 2018, the highest concentration was 1.42 mg/m(3) in five years. The abnormal rates of blood routine detection in benzene exposed workers in five years was 7.10% (213/2 998) 、5.17% (218/4 214) 、5.61% (196/3 493) 、7.65% (288/3 767) 、7.83% (280/3 574) and 7.83%. respectively. The results of risk assessment showed that the minimum carcinogenic risk value was 7.56×10(-6) and the maximum carcinogenic risk value was 31.33×10(-6) in 2014-2018. The hazard quotient values were than 1. Conclusion: Benzene monitoring concentration in benzene-related enterprises in Yangzhou City from 2014 to 2018 was low, which meets the occupational exposure limit in China. However, the abnormal rate of blood routine in five years is still high, and there are both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. We should pay more attention to the health risk of workers exposed to low concentrat in benzene.

Monte Carlo simulation of a Bonner sphere spectrometer for application to the determination of neutron field in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak experimental hall.

To assess the neutron energy spectra and the neutron dose for different positions around the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) device, a Bonner Sphere Spectrometer (BSS) was developed at Peking University, with totally nine polyethylene spheres and a SP9 (3)He counter. The response functions of the BSS were calculated by the Monte Carlo codes MCNP and GEANT4 with dedicated models, and good agreement was found between these two codes. A feasibility study was carried out with a simulated neutron energy spectrum around EAST, and the simulated "experimental" result of each sphere was obtained by calculating the response with MCNP, which used the simulated neutron energy spectrum as the input spectrum. With the deconvolution of the "experimental" measurement, the neutron energy spectrum was retrieved and compared with the preset one. Good consistence was found which offers confidence for the application of the BSS system for dose and spectrum measurements around a fusion device.

An economical and practical method for whole-mount in situ hybridization for mouse embryos and organs.

Whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) is a useful method for detecting specific gene expression patterns at their site of action during embryonic development. Traditional WISH methods are costly and suitable only for mouse embryos younger than 11.5 days. We present here an economical and practical in situ hybridization method using DIG-labeled RNA probes. We changed the conditions in several steps to make the WISH method suitable for whole mouse embryos from embryonic days 9.5 to 12.5 and for older stage mouse embryonic organs. We performed all steps in one microcentrifuge tube up to the staining steps to avoid losing or damaging the mouse embryos. We re-used the solutions and materials to make the method more economical and suitable for less sophisticated laboratories. We also performed ß-galactosidase staining on Tb × 18 Cre/Rosa26/LacZ mouse embryos; the results agreed with the in situ hybridization results. Finally, we sectioned the specimens after hybridization and ß-galactosidase staining; the results agreed with the literature.

Assessment of surgical operations for ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast.

The choice of surgical procedure for the treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) remains clinically based. A meta-analysis was used to synthesize the results of 24 published clinical studies. Partial breast tissue excision appears to be as efficacious as mastectomy for the treatment of DCIS of the breast.