Background DNA methylation is associated with cancer, metabolic, neurological, and autoimmune disorders. Hypomethylation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor repressor (AHRR) especially at cg05575921 is associated with smoking and lung cancer. Studies on the association between AHRR methylation at cg05575921 and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) other than smoking are limited. The aim of our study was to assess the pattern of blood DNA methylation at cg05575921 in non-smoking Taiwanese adults living in areas with different PM 2.5 levels. Methods Data on blood DNA methylation, smoking, and residence were retrieved from the Taiwan Biobank dataset (2008–2015). Current and former smokers, as well as individuals with incomplete information were excluded from the current study. The final analysis included 708 participants (279 men and 429 women) aged 30–70 years. PM 2.5 levels have been shown to increase as one moves from the northern through central towards southern Taiwan. Based on this trend, the study areas were categorized into northern, north-central, central, and southern regions. Results Living in PM 2.5 areas was associated with lower methylation levels: compared with the northern area (reference area), living in north-central, central, and southern areas was associated with lower methylation levels at cg05575921. However, only methylation levels in those living in central and southern areas were significant ( β = − 0.01003, P = 0.009 and β = − 0.01480, P < 0.001, respectively. Even though methylation levels in those living in the north-central area were not statistically significant, the test for linear trend was significant ( P < 0.001). When PM 2.5 was included in the regression model, a unit increase in PM 2.5 was associated with 0.00115 ( P < 0.001) lower cg05575921 methylation levels. Conclusion Living in PM 2.5 areas was inversely associated with blood AHRR methylation levels at cg05575921. The methylation levels were lowest in participants residing in southern followed by central and north-central areas. Moreover, when PM 2.5 was included in the regression model, it was inversely associated with methylation levels at cg05575921. Blood methylation at cg05575921 (AHRR) in non-smokers might indicate different exposures to PM 2.5 and lung cancer which is a PM 2.5 -related disease. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-019-0662-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

CDKAL1 rs10946398 is a type 2 diabetes (T2D)-associated variant. It is a new body mass index (BMI)-associated variant in Asian populations. We investigated the association between rs10946398 and T2D among 9908 participants aged 30–70 years based on BMI: normal weight; 18.5 ≤ BMI < 24 kg/m2, overweight; 24 ≤ BMI < 27 kg/m2, and obesity; BMI ≥27 kg/m2. The CC genotype conferred a higher risk of T2D than the CA genotype. The odds ratios (ORs) were 1.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49–2.26 and 1.20; 95% CI 1.02–1.40, respectively. The C allele was the significant risk allele compared with A allele (OR = 1.32; 95% CI 1.19–1.47). For normal, overweight and obese participants with CC genotype, the ORs were respectively 1.69; 95% CI 1.02–2.81, 2.34; 95% CI 1.50–3.66, and 1.58; 95% CI 1.02–2.45 among men and 1.22; 95% CI 0.67–2.22, 2.42; 95% CI 1.30–4.52, and 2.3; 95% CI 1.19–4.50 among women. The C allele ORs were higher in obese and overweight women. In conclusion, the rs10946398 CC/CA genotypes, as well as the C allele increased the risk of T2D. The ORs were higher in women who were overweight and obese than in those with normal weight. Nonetheless, significant results were prominent only among those with CC genotype and C allele.

Based on cognitive dissonance theory, this study aims to test good soldier syndrome regarding the relationship among compulsory citizenship behavior, job engagement, emotion regulation, and job performance so as to promote sustainable Human Resource Management (HRM). The sample, which applied the purposive sampling method, comprised 89 supervisors and 304 subordinates who work from 4-star and 5-star hotels in Taiwan. The results showed that the relevantly negative effect of employees’ performance is caused by compulsory citizenship behavior, that job engagement mediates the relationship between compulsory citizenship behavior and job performance, and that the indirect effect between compulsory citizenship behavior and job performance via job engagement is moderated by emotion regulation. Based on the findings of this study, this paper provides managerial implications, limitations of the current study, and future research suggestions.

Background In July 1984, Taiwan officially began a nationwide hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination program where only infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers were vaccinated free of charge until June 1986. However, from July 1986, all infants were vaccinated against HBV. The impact of the July 1986 HBV vaccination program on first-time blood donors has not been exhaustively studied. We, therefore, determined the risk of HBV among male and female first-time blood donors born before and after the July 1986 HBV vaccination program in Taiwan. Methods Initially, we recruited 857,310 first-time blood donors whose data were collected between 2013 and 2018 from 5 blood donation centers in Taiwan. However, we excluded donors with incomplete and outlying data (n = 12,213) and those born between July 1984 and June 1986 (n = 21,054). The final study participants comprised 9118 HBV positive and 814,925 HBV negative individuals. We divided the participants into two birth cohorts (born before and after July 1986) and assumed that those born before July 1986 were not vaccinated at birth while those born after July 1986 were vaccinated. Results The prevalence of HBV among those born before and after July 1986 was 4.53 and 0.25%, respectively. Individuals born after July 1986 had a lower risk of HBV than those born before July 1986. The adjusted odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence interval (CI) was 0.16, 0.13–0.19. Men had a higher risk of HBV than women (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.34–1.47). The interaction between sex and birth date was significant (p-value = 0.0067). Stratification of participants by birth date revealed a higher risk of HBV in men compared to women in both birth cohorts. The OR, 95% CI was 1.47, 1.40–1.55 for those born before July 1986 but declined to 1.15, 1.02–1.29 for those born after July 1986. Conclusions The risk of HBV was lower among those born after than those born before the July 1986 vaccination program. In both cohorts, the risk was high in men relative to women. The seemingly protective effect among those born after July 1986 was higher in women than men.

The aim of this study was to develop an online collaborative map to enable researchers to locate, explore, and share cancer data. This 2-scale (global and country-level) cancer map adopts a database-driven model, which was implemented using the Google Map Application Programming Interface (API) and asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) technology. Seven visualization techniques were used to present data. Data on worldwide cancer mortality between 1950 and 2013 were taken from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) database. Incidence data were from the IARC CI5plus database. Survival data were from the IARC SURVCAN study. Prevalence data between 1990 and 2017 were from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation's (IHME) catalog while demographic data were from the World Bank Data Catalog. Cancer data for Taiwan between 1991 and 2016 were obtained from the Department of Health and Welfare. This study used visualization techniques that included: a choropleth map to display the prevalence of cancer; a tornado diagram to show the age-standardized mortality rates of all cancers among men and women in 2013; a treemap to show a ranking of cancer mortality data; a sunburst chart to show mortality rates of all cancers by gender; a line chart to show mortality trends for all cancers; a bar chart to show mortality and incidence rates and a heatmap to show variations in cancer across different countries. The world cancer map generated by this study can be accessed at http://worldmap.csmu-liawyp.tw . Country-level mortality data are presented as crude and age-standardized rates. We used visualization methodologies and constructed an easily maintainable web-based user interface with cancer data from administrative regions in 150 countries. This serves as a platform that allows researchers to manage and disseminate cancer data.