This study assessed the relationships between ethylbenzene exposure and levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) among spray painters. Sixty-four male workers employed at a large shipyard were recruited for this investigation. Fifteen spray painters exposed to paint, together with two non-exposed groups, namely 19 sandblasting workers and 30 office staffs were selected as the subjects. Personal exposure to xylene and ethylbenzene in air were collected using diffusive samplers. Urine samples of the spray painters were collected after a month-long holiday leave and during the pre- and post-workshifts. Urine samples of sandblasting workers and office staffs were gathered after their shift. Urinary mandelic acid and methyl hippuric acid were used as biological indices of dose of ethylbenzene and xylene, respectively. Urinary 8-OHdG was used as biomarker of oxidative DNA damage. The post-workshift concentration of urinary 8-OHdG for 10 spray painters (30.3 ± 9.28 μg g⁻¹ creatinine) significantly exceeded that of holiday leave (7.20 ± 1.08 μg g⁻¹ creatinine; P = 0.001). The post-workshift concentration of urinary 8-OHdG was higher among 15 spray painters (29.0 ± 6.52 μg g⁻¹ creatinine) than sandblasting workers (9.14 ± 2.05 μg g⁻¹ creatinine; P = 0.01) and office staffs (8.35 ± 0.84 μg g⁻¹ creatinine; P = 0.007). A stepwise regression model revealed an 8.11 μg g⁻¹ creatinine increase per 1 p.p.m. increase in ethylbenzene [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.13–12.1]. A stepwise regression model revealed an increase of 6.04 μg g⁻¹ creatinine (95% CI 2.23–9.84) per 1 p.p.m. in ethylbenzene after adjustment of age (95% CI 2.23–9.84). This pilot study suggests that occupational exposure to paint increases oxidative DNA injury. Moreover, urinary 8-OHdG levels displayed greater DNA damage in spray painters compared to other unexposed groups and their holiday leave samples. A significant correlation was found between urinary 8-OHdG and the exposure to ethylbenzene. The ethylbenzene exposure could not explain all urinary 8-OHdG measured. Other components of paint deserve further investigation.

Banana peel (BP) has potent antioxidative properties; however, the anti-inflammatory potential of BP and its related bioactive components remain unclear. This study used solvent extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to isolate and identify the active fractions and compounds in BP. BP was extracted with 95% ethanol (BP-95E) and partitioned with an ethyl acetate (EA) and water mixture to obtain the BP-95E-EA and BP-95E-H₂O fractions. The BP-95E-EA fractions were further partitioned with n-hexane (Hex) and methanol (MeOH) mixtures to obtain BP-95E-EA-Hex and BP-95E-EA-MeOH subfractions, and the BP-95E-H₂O fractions were partitioned with n-butanol (BuOH) to obtain BP-95E-H₂O-BuOH subfractions and the H₂O residual. The results show that the BP-95E-H₂O-BuOH subfractions exhibited the most potent inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion while down-regulating inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. In this active subfraction, five non-polyphenol compounds were identified, namely, 5-hydroxyethyl furfural (5-HMF), guaiol, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and oleamide. 5-HMF, guaiol, and oleamide were the most effective at suppressing IL-6 and TNF-α secretion. The in vivo immunomodulatory action of BP was evaluated in an LPS-induced endotoxemia model of BALB/c mice. Oral administration of BP-95E-H₂O-BuOH extracts (42 and 166 mg/kg b.w.) for two weeks lowered the serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and normalized the activated T-cell population, as evidenced by an increase in CD₃CD₆₉ and decrease in IFN-γ/IL-4 (Th1/Th2) in mice with systemic inflammation. Our findings reveal that BP exhibits anti-inflammatory and T-cell immunomodulatory effects that may contribute to delaying endotoxemia-associated disorders.

The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of urinary triclosan (TCS), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), and bisphenol A (BPA) in 52 children and 71 adolescents. The effects of age and sex on the levels of urinary TCS, BP-3, and BPA were explored, respectively. Results demonstrated the overall detection rates of urinary TCS, BP-3, and BPA were 18.7%, 8.1%, and 49.6%, respectively. The females had higher TCS concentrations than males (p = 0.051). The detection rate of urinary BP-3 in females (12.3%) was higher than that in males (0%) (p = 0.015). Moreover, the detection rate of urinary BP-3 in adolescents (14.1%) was higher than that in children (0%) (p = 0.005). For children, no urinary BP-3 was found. There were no differences in detection rates and concentrations of urinary TCS, BP-3, and BPA between males and females, respectively. For adolescents, urinary BP-3 was only found in the females. Urinary TCS levels in females were higher than those in males (p = 0.047). The present study showed that urinary TCS concentrations in females were significantly higher than those in males, respectively. In addition, BP-3 was only detected in urine samples of female adolescents. Sex and age were the important factors influencing urinary TCS and BP-3 concentrations.

Functional ability decline occurs with age. This study aims to investigate the associations between the lifestyle factors—exercising, food consumption, and smoking—and the functional ability of the activities of daily living (ADL) by gender. The data were obtained from the Taiwan longitudinal study on aging, a national cohort study. The cross-sectional results demonstrated that the frequency of exercising was negatively associated with ADL in both men and women. Dairy products were positively associated with ADL in men. The longitudinal results illustrated that current and consistent exercising were negatively associated with changes in ADL scores over 4- and 8-year periods in both men and women. Seafood consumption was negatively associated with changes in the subsequent 4-year ADL scores. Past smoking was positively associated with changes in subsequent 4-year ADL scores in men, while current smoking was positively associated with changes in subsequent 8-year ADL scores in women. Therefore, consistent exercising, food consumption, and smoking were associated with ADL functional ability in elderly people, and the associations differed by gender. Elders exercising consistently had good ADL performance and maintained their ADL ability better, especially women. Seafood consumption decreased the risk of ADL decline, while smoking increased the risk of ADL decline.