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Sleep disruption is highly associated with the pathogenesis and progression of a wild range of psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, appreciable evidence shows that experimental sleep deprivation (SD) on humans and rodents evokes anomalies in the dopaminergic (DA) signaling, which are also implicated in the development of psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia or substance abuse. Since adolescence is a vital period for the maturation of the DA system as well as the occurrence of mental disorders, the present studies aimed to investigate the impacts of SD on the DA system of adolescent mice. We found that 72 h SD elicited a hyperdopaminergic status, with increased sensitivity to the novel environment and amphetamine (Amph) challenge. Also, altered neuronal activity and expression of striatal DA receptors were noticed in the SD mice. Moreover, 72 h SD influenced the immune status in the striatum, with reduced microglial phagocytic capacity, primed microglial activation, and neuroinflammation. The abnormal neuronal and microglial activity were putatively provoked by the enhanced corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling and sensitivity during the SD period. Together, our findings demonstrated the consequences of SD in adolescents including aberrant neuroendocrine, DA system, and inflammatory status. Sleep insufficiency is a risk factor for the aberration and neuropathology of psychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptoms of schizophrenia (SZ) typically emerge during adolescence to young adulthood, which gives a window before full-blown psychosis for early intervention. Strategies for preventing the conversion from the prodromal phase to the psychotic phase are warranted. Heterozygous (Het) Disc1 mutant mice are considered a prodromal model of SZ, suitable for studying psychotic conversion. We evaluated the preventive effect of chronic N-acetylcysteine (NAC) administration, covering the prenatal era to adulthood, on the reaction following the Amph challenge, which mimics the outbreak or conversion of psychosis, in adult Het Disc1 mice. Biochemical and morphological features were examined in the striatum of NAC-treated mice. Chronic NAC treatment normalized the Amph-induced activity in the Het Disc1 mice. Furthermore, the striatal phenotypes of Het Disc1 mice were rescued by NAC including dopamine receptors, the expression of GSK3s, MSN dendritic impairments, and striatal PV density. The current study demonstrated a potent preventive effect of chronic NAC treatment in Disc1 Het mice on the acute Amph test, which mimics the outbreak of psychosis. Our findings not only support the benefit of NAC as a dietary supplement for SZ prodromes, but also advance our knowledge of striatal dopamine receptors, PV neurons, and GSK3 signaling pathways as therapeutic targets for treating or preventing the pathogenesis of mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollutants are substances in the air that have harmful effects on humans and the ecological environment. Although slight elevations in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are commonly observed in apparently healthy persons, potential associations between CEA levels and chronic low-grade inflammation induced by air pollution have yet to be documented. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study to estimate the association between short-term exposure to ambient air pollution and the CEA. A total of 9728 participants from health examinations were enrolled for the analysis and linked with their residential air pollutant data including ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and particulate matter (PM10). The results showed that every increase of 1 ppm O3 significantly increased the mean differences of the CEA blood concentration by 0.005 ng/mL. Each increase of 1 ppm CO significantly reduced the mean differences of the CEA blood concentration by 0.455 ng/mL. Although smoking and alcohol drinking also increased the CEA levels, with adjustment of these confounders we identified a significant association between serum CEA in the general population and levels of the air pollutants O3 and CO. In conclusion, the serum CEA concentrations and short-term air pollutants O3 and CO exposure were found to have a significant relationship; however, its mechanism is still unclear. Moreover, long-term air pollution exposure and changes in CEA concentration still need to be further evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is rare and fatal; survival in most cases is only about one year. Mortality rate is, therefore, a good proxy measure of incidence rate. However, the specific International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code for MM was not available until the Tenth Revision ICD (ICD‐10). Little is known on which Ninth Revision ICD (ICD‐9) codes were assigned for MM in the ICD‐9 era. Methods: We used a 1996 double‐coded mortality file compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics to calculate the detection rate (DR) and confirmation rate (CR) of selected ICD‐9 codes. Results: Of 2386 decedents whose underlying cause of death was MM (ICD‐10 code C45), the DR (deaths) of corresponding ICD‐9 code was 57% (1365) for code 199 "malignant neoplasm without specification of site;" 19% (448) for code 162.9 "malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus, and lung, unspecified;" 13% (310) for code 163 "malignant neoplasm of pleura;" and 11% (271) for other codes. The CR (deaths) for the aforementioned three ICD‐9 codes were 4.0% (1365/33,942), 0.3% (448/150,342), and 70.8% (310/438), respectively. Conclusions: The three ICD‐9 codes (199, 162.9, and 163) were the most commonly used codes for MM and composed nine‐tenths of all MM deaths in the years before the ICD‐10 was introduced. Using only ICD‐9 code 163, the code most often used as the surrogate measure of MM in mortality studies in the ICD‐9 era, capture may have been only 13% of all MM deaths in the US, and the estimated number of MM deaths missed in 1996 would be 2086. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep/circadian rhythm disturbances are environmental stress factors that might interact with genetic risk factors and contribute to the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. In this study, the multiple-platform method was used to induce sleep deprivation (SD). We evaluated the impact of 72-hour SD in behavioural, anatomical, and biochemical aspects in heterozygous Disc1 mutant (Disc1 Het) mice, an animal model of schizophrenia. The sleep pattern and circadian activity were not altered in Disc1 Het mice. Yet, we observed differential responses to SD stress between genotypes. Increased microglial density and reduced neuronal proliferative activity were found in the dentate gyrus, a neurogenic niche, in Het-SD mice. Notably, SD-induced Bdnf mRNA elevations were evident in both WT and Het mice, while only in WT-SD mice did we observe increased BDNF protein expression. Our results suggested an SD-induced physical response featured by the elevation of BDNF protein expression to counteract the harmful influences of SD and sufficient DISC1 is required in this process. The present study proposes that sleep disturbance could be pathogenic especially in genetically predisposed subjects who fail to cope with the stress. Potential therapeutic strategies for psychiatric disorders targeting the mRNA translation machinery could be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is associated with past exposure to asbestos and the latency period ranged from 20 to 40 years. Asbestos consumption reached a peak in the 1980s in Taiwan, and the MM mortality is expected to increase since 2000s. However, no specific code for MM was available before the International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), which was launched in 2008 in Taiwan. We examined how MM was coded in mortality data in Taiwan during the years when the ICD, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) was used. Patients and Methods: Double-coded mortality data (each death coded according to both ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes) for the period 2002– 2008 were obtained for analysis. Detection rates (similar to sensitivity) and confirmation rates (similar to positive predictive value) for various potential proxy ICD-9 codes for MM were calculated. Results: For 113 deaths, for which the underlying cause of death was ICD-10 code C45 (MM), 14 corresponding ICD-9 codes were used. Four ICD-9 codes constituted 77% (87/113) of all MM deaths. The detection rate for code 199 (malignant neoplasm [MN] without specification of site) was 37% (42/113), that for code 163 (MN of pleura) was 18% (20/113), that for code 162 (MN of trachea, bronchus, and lung) was 12% (14/113), and that for code 173 (other MN of skin) was 10% (11/113). The confirmation rates for codes 199, 163, 162, and 173 were 0.9% (42/4759), 14.3% (20/140), 0.03% (14/51,778), and 1.5% (11/717), respectively. Conclusion: ICD-9 codes 199, 163, 162, and 173 were most commonly used for MM deaths in Taiwan during the years before the ICD-10 introduction. However, when we used only ICD-9 code 163, which was most commonly used as a surrogate measure of MM in mortality studies during the ICD-9 era, we could detect only one-fifth of MM deaths in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Claims databases consisting of routinely collected longitudinal records of medical expenditures are increasingly utilized for estimating expected medical costs of patients with a specific condition. Survival data of the patients of interest are usually highly censored, and observed expenditures are incomplete. In this study, we propose a survival-adjusted estimator for estimating mean lifetime costs, which integrates the product of the survival function and the mean cost function over the lifetime horizon. The survival function is estimated by a new algorithm of rolling extrapolation, aided by external information of age- and sex-matched referents simulated from national vital statistics. The mean cost function is estimated by a weighted average of mean expenditures of patients in a number of months prior to their death, of which the number could be determined by observed costs in their final months, and the weights depend on extrapolated hazards. We evaluate the performance of the proposed approach in comparison with that of a popular method using simulated data under various scenarios and 2 cohorts of intracerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke patients with a maximum follow-up of 13 years and conclude that our new method estimates the mean lifetime costs more accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by typical motor impairment. However, lower urinary tract symptoms, including urinary urgency or frequency, which are non-motor phenomena, occur frequently among patients with IPD. In this study, we assess the risk of overactive bladder (OAB) in patients with IPD. Methods: The National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan was used to identify patients with IPD (IPD cohort) and four-fold controls (non-IPD cohort) from 2000 to 2010. The non-IPD cohort was matched according to age, sex, and baseline comorbidities, including benign prostate hyperplasia, stress incontinence, diabetes, and cerebrovascular diseases. The occurrence of OAB was monitored until the end of 2011. Hazard ratios of OAB were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: In total, 4,571 and 18,255 patients were included in IPD and non-IPD cohorts, respectively. Results showed a significantly higher overall incidence rate of OAB in the IPD cohort compared with the non-IPD cohort (14.5 vs. 6.37 per 10,000 person-years), with a 2.3-fold increased risk of OAB (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.51–3.51) after controlling for benign prostate hyperplasia and stress incontinence. The mean follow-up period for the IPD cohort was 5.0 years. This cohort study showed that the cumulative incidence of OAB was 0.65% at the fifth year and 1.54% at the tenth year after IPD diagnosis; this risk was highest in the age group 65–74 years. Conclusion: This study reveals that IPD is independently associated with an increased risk of OAB in patients with IPD. The probability of OAB was 1.54% over a 10-year period after IPD diagnosis; the risk of OAB is considered to be age-dependent and most substantial in patients aged 65–74 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has become a major health problem globally, affecting patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a precancerous lesion associated with GERD. BE patients might not only suffer from HRQOL losses by GERD but also face psychological distress due to the increased risk of developing cancer. However, the majority of patients in Asia have shorter BE segment which is different from the West. This study aimed to determine whether the HRQOL in BE patients were worse than in healthy referents in Taiwan. Methods: Patients who received referral esophagogastroduodenoscopy for various symptoms were evaluated for the existence of BE. Lesions were judged as endoscopically suspected esophageal metaplasia (ESEM) if they showed morphological resemblances to BE by endoscopy. The diagnosis of BE was confirmed by histology with intestinal metaplasia or gastric metaplasia based on the Montreal definition. The World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) was administered to BE patients before treatment. For each BE patient, we selected 2 age-, sex-, educational background and municipality-matched healthy referents, sampled by simple randomization method from a national survey in Taiwan. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to control the potential confounders. Results: A total of 84 patients diagnosed with BE were enrolled as BE group and then compared with 168 healthy referents. The BE group had significantly lower WHOQOL-BREF scores than those of healthy referents in the physical domain (P < 0.05) but higher scores in the environment domain (P < 0.05). In the physical domain, the BE group had significantly lower scores in various facets, including pain, discomfort, sleep and rest and dependence on medications or treatments. There was no significant difference in social and psychological domains between the BE group and healthy referents. Conclusions: BE patients suffer from poor sleep and rest and high dependence on medications, which significantly reduce their quality of life. Individual facets of each domain warrants a better clinical healthcare to improve quality of life of BE patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polyneuropathy presumably lowers quality of life (QoL). However, there is a lack of systematic studies that assess QoL changes and biomarkers of polyneuropathy as determinants of QoL. We aimed to investigate the relationship between every specific aspect of QoL and the clinical parameters used to assess the impairment of motor, sensory (large and small fibers), and autonomic nerves in polyneuropathy.Methods: Polyneuropathy patients were recruited from September 2013 to March 2014; QoL was assessed using (1) the WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQoL), (2) the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, and (3) the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form. Neuropathy examinations included nerve conduction studies, autonomic function tests, quantitative sensory testing (QST), and intraepidermal nerve fiber (IENF) density assessment of skin biopsies.Results: There were 61 polyneuropathy patients (male/female = 38/23, mean age 58.14 ± 12.95 years). Patients had a lower QoL than age-and gender-matched controls in the physical and psychological domains of the WHOQoL. Among the biomarkers for different nerve fiber categories, only the small fiber neuropathy assessments were significantly related to all domains of the WHOQoL. In contrast, the parameters of the large fiber neuropathy were independent of QoL. Patients with abnormal temperature thresholds and a lower IENF density had lower WHOQoL scores compared to patients with normal thresholds and IENF densities. Warm threshold of the foot in QST was linearly correlated with all domains of the WHOQoL.Conclusions: QoL scores were reduced in polyneuropathy, and biomarkers of small fiber neuropathy, i.e., warm threshold and IENF density were discriminating predictors of QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We applied the well-established, but rather under-utilized, indicator of Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLL) to estimate the global burden of mesothelioma and asbestosis. Methods We analyzed all deaths caused by mesothelioma and asbestosis that were reported by 82 and 55 countries, respectively, to the World Health Organization (WHO) from 1994 to 2010. Results The 128,015 and 13,885 persons who died of mesothelioma and asbestosis, potentially lost a total of 2.18 million and 180,000 years of life (PYLL), or, an annual average PYLL of 201,000 years and 17,000 years, respectively. The average PYLL per decedent were 17.0 and 13.0 years for mesothelioma and asbestosis, respectively. Conclusions The current burden of asbestos-related diseases (ARDs) in terms of PYLL is substantial. The future burden of ARDs can be eliminated by stopping the use of asbestos. Am. J. Ind. Med. 56:993-1000, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Because of the increasing incidence and prevalence of diabetes as a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in the aging population, we estimated the expected life-years (LYs) saved from successful prevention of ESRD in elderly patients with diabetes.Research Design and Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using the National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified all incidences of ESRD in the individuals >65 years of age who were receiving maintenance hemodialysis (N = 24,243) from the registry files of catastrophic illnesses in Taiwan from 1 July 1997 to 31 December 2005. We then retrospectively searched the database to determine whether there had been a diagnosis of diabetes in these cases. After the exclusion of individuals with malignancy (n = 3,423), we extrapolated the survival rates through the end of 2006 using the Monte Carlo method. Using the data of preventable ESRD cases due to diabetes and expected years of life lost (EYLL) in each age stratum, we further estimated the expected LYs saved from successful prevention of ESRD in elderly patients with diabetes.Results: The estimated average EYLL was 10.6-5.8 and 12.3-7.3 years for diabetic males and females, respectively, aged 65-79 years. In total, 5,430.1 LYs and 10,177 LYs could be saved by the successful prevention of ESRD in male and female elderly patients with diabetes, respectively, in a single year.Conclusions: The LYs saved by successful prevention of ESRD in elderly patients with diabetes in a single year are substantial and deserve special attention, especially in elderly females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To quantify the life years gained and financial savings by preventing a case of occupational cancer.Methods: The authors retrieved data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry and linked them with the National Mortality Registry to estimate the survival functions for major occupational cancers: lung, pleural mesothelioma, urinary bladder and leukaemia. Assuming a constant excess hazard for each type of cancer, the authors extrapolated lifetime survival functions by the Monte Carlo method. For each patient with cancer, the authors simulated an age- and gender-matched person without cancer based on vital statistics of Taiwan to estimate life expectancy and expected years of life lost (EYLL). By using the reimbursement data from the National Health Insurance Research Database, the authors calculated the average monthly healthcare expenditures, which were summed to estimate the lifetime healthcare expenditures after adjusting for the corresponding monthly survival probability.Results: A total of 51,408, 136, 12,891 and 5285 new cases of lung, pleural mesothelioma, bladder and leukaemia cancers, respectively, were identified during 1997-2005 and followed until the end of 2007. The EYLL was predicted to be 13.7±0.1, 18.9±0.7, 4.7±0.3 and 19.4±0.5 years for these cancers, respectively, and the lifetime healthcare expenditures with a 3% annual discount were predicted to be US$22,359, US$14,900, US$51,987 and US$59,741, respectively.Conclusions: The burden of these occupational cancers, in terms of EYLL and lifetime healthcare expenditures, was substantial. Such estimates may provide useful empirical evidence for comparative risk assessment that can be applied in health policy-making and clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To quantify the life years gained and financial savings by preventing a case of occupational cancer. Methods: The authors retrieved data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry and linked them with the National Mortality Registry to estimate the survival functions for major occupational cancers: lung, pleural mesothelioma, urinary bladder and leukaemia. Assuming a constant excess hazard for each type of cancer, the authors extrapolated lifetime survival functions by the Monte Carlo method. For each patient with cancer, the authors simulated an age- and gender-matched person without cancer based on vital statistics of Taiwan to estimate life expectancy and expected years of life lost (EYLL). By using the reimbursement data from the National Health Insurance Research Database, the authors calculated the average monthly healthcare expenditures, which were summed to estimate the lifetime healthcare expenditures after adjusting for the corresponding monthly survival probability. Results: A total of 51 408, 136, 12 891 and 5285 new cases of lung, pleural mesothelioma, bladder and leukaemia cancers, respectively, were identified during 1997e2005 and followed until the end of 2007. The EYLL was predicted to be 13.760.1, 18.960.7, 4.760.3 and 19.460.5 years for these cancers, respectively, and the lifetime healthcare expenditures with a 3% annual discount were predicted to be US $22,359, US$14,900, US$51,987 and US$59,741, respectively. Conclusions: The burden of these occupational cancers, in terms of EYLL and lifetime healthcare expenditures, was substantial. Such estimates may provide useful empirical evidence for comparative risk assessment that can be applied in health policy-making and clinical decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO/ZnS nanocomposite-based nanostructures exhibit dual light and gas sensing capabilities. To further boost the light/dual sensing properties, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were incorporated into the core-shell structures. Multiple material characterizations revealed that Au NPs were successfully well spread and decorated on ZnO/ZnS nanostructures. Furthermore, our findings show that the addition of Au NPs could enhance both 365 nm UV light sensing and hydrogen gas sensing in terms of light/gas sensitivity and light/gas response time. We postulate that the optimization of gas/light dual sensing capability may result from the induced electric field and inhabitation of electron-hole recombination. Owing to their compact size, simple fabrication, and stable response, ZnO/ZnS/Au NPs-based light/gas dual sensors are promising for future extreme environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 1994, a hazardous waste site, polluted by the dumping of solvents from a former electronics factory, was discovered in Taoyuan, Taiwan. This subsequently emerged as a serious case of contamination through chlorinated hydrocarbons with suspected occupational cancer. The objective of this study was to determine if there was any increased risk of breast cancer among female workers in a 23-year follow-up period. Methods: A total of 63,982 female workers were retrospectively recruited from the database of the Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) covering the period 1973-1997; the data were then linked with data, up to 2001, from the National Cancer Registry at the Taiwanese Department of Health, from which standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) for different types of cancer were calculated as compared to the general population. Results: There were a total of 286 cases of breast cancer, and after adjustment for calendar year and age, the SIR was close to 1. When stratified by the year 1974 (the year in which the regulations on solvent use were promulgated), the SIR of the cohort of workers who were first employed prior to 1974 increased to 1.38 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.70). No such trend was discernible for workers employed after 1974. When 10 years of employment was considered, there was a further increase in the SIR for breast cancer, to 1.62. Those workers with breast cancer who were first employed prior to 1974 were employed at a younger age and for a longer period. Previous qualitative studies of interviews with the workers, corroborated by inspection records, showed a short-term high exposure to chlorinated alkanes and alkenes, particularly trichloroethylene before 1974. There were no similar findings on other types of cancer. Conclusion: Female workers with exposure to trichloroethylene and/or mixture of solvents, first employed prior to 1974, may have an excess risk of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted this study to estimate residents' chronic hazard and carcinogenic risk in a groundwater-contaminated community after on-site remediation in Taiwan during 1999-2000. We followed guidelines for assessing hazardous waste sites of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and used empirically measured contaminant levels and exposure parameters to perform health risk assessment on seven chlorinated hydrocarbons. We measured groundwater concentrations of vinyl chloride, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, and 1,1-dichloroethane in 49 off-site residential wells by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Exposure parameters were mainly derived from our field survey of 382 residents, and partially from U.S. EPA default values. Total exposure dose estimation included routes of inhalation during showering and dermal absorption of showers and other activities involved with hand-water contacts. The ingestion route of water was not included because most residents drank boiled water with negligible contaminants. We calculated a hazard index (HI) for all seven chlorinated hydrocarbons and carcinogenic risks for known human carcinogen of vinyl chloride and probable human carcinogens of tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene, which had the same target organ, the liver. The HI values for reasonable maximal exposure (RME) and average exposure were 14.3 and 0.2, respectively. The cancer risks based on RME and average exposure (in parentheses) for vinyl chloride, tetrachloroethylene, and trichloroethylene were 8.4 × 10[sup -6] (7.3 × 10[sup -9]), 1.9 × 10[sup -4] (1.3 × 10[sup -7]), and 1.4 × 10[sup -4] (1.2 × 10[sup -6]), respectively. We applied Monte Carlo simulations to the sensitivity analysis, which showed that the contaminant levels, exposure duration, and time for showers were major determinants of health risks. We concluded that the contaminated groundwater was still unsafe for use even after the contaminated site underwent remediation by extraction and treatment in 1997. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophrenia is a multifactorial developmental neuropsychiatric disorder. This study examined the interplay of maternal infection and postweaning social isolation, which are prenatal and postnatal risk factors, respectively. Pregnant mice received poly I:C or saline injection on gestation day 9 and the pups were weaned at postnatal day 28. After weaning, male offspring were randomly assigned into group-rearing and isolation-rearing groups. In their adulthood, we performed behavioral tests and characterized the histochemical features of their mesocorticolimbic structures. The sociability and anxiety levels were not affected by either manipulation, but synergistic effects of the two hits on stress-coping behavior was observed. Either of the single manipulations caused defects in sensorimotor gating, novel object recognition and spatial memory tests, but the combination of the two hits did not further exacerbate the disabilities. Prenatal infection increased the number of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain, whereas postweaning isolation decreased the GABAergic neurons in cortex. Single manipulation reduced the dendritic complexity and spine densities of neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and dentate gyrus. Our results support the current perspective that disturbances in brain development during the prenatal or postnatal period influence the structure and function of the brain and together augment the susceptibility to mental disorders, such as schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper aimed to determine the standardised incidence ratio (SIR) of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in workers exposed to asbestos in Taiwan.Methods: All workers employed in asbestos-related factories and registered by the Bureau of Labour Insurance between 1 March, 1950, and 31 December, 1989, were included in the study and were followed from 1 January, 1980, through 31 December, 2009. Incident cases of all cancers, including MPM (ICD-9 code: 163), were obtained from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. SIRs were calculated based on comparison with the incidence rate of the general population of Taiwan and adjusted for age, calendar period, sex, and duration of employment.Results: The highest SIR of MPM was found for male workers first employed before 1979, with a time since first employment more than 30 years (SIR 4.52, 95% CI: 2.25-8.09). After consideration of duration of employment, the SIR for male MPM was 5.78 (95% CI: 1.19-16.89) for the workers employed for more than 20 years in asbestos-related factories.Conclusions: This study corroborates the association between occupational asbestos exposure and MPM. The highest risk of MPM was found among male asbestos workers employed before 1979 and working for more than 20 years in asbestos-related factories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]