Association of paraoxonase-1 M55L genotype and alcohol consumption with coronary atherosclerosis: the Helsinki Sudden Death Study

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) level is inversely correlated with coronary heart disease risk. Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an HDL-associated anti-atherogenic enzyme. The activity of PON1 is affected by the methionine for leucine substitution at position 55 (M55L) and increased during regular moderate alcohol consumption, consistent with increased HDL cholesterol concentration. We related the PON1 M55L genotypes to the extent of atherosclerosis in left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in alcohol abstainers (0-1 g of alcohol/day), moderate consumers (1-36 g of alcohol/day) and drinkers (> 36 g of alcohol/day). The study subjects included an autopsy series of total of 700 middle-aged Finnish men from the Helsinki Sudden Death Study. The LAD was stained for fat and the areas covered with fatty streaks and fibrotic and complicated plaques were measured. Data on coronary artery disease risk factors were obtained from relatives or close friends of the deceased. Compared to the LL homozygotes, carriers of the M55 allele tended to have larger areas of atherosclerotic lesions, the size of which decreased dose-dependently by reported alcohol consumption. Moderate consumers carrying the M55 allele had significantly larger complicated plaques compared to the LL homozygotes drinking as much (P = 0.009). Among the M55 allele carriers, drinkers showed significantly smaller areas of fatty streaks compared to abstainers (P = 0.042) and moderate consumers (P < 0.001) (for the PON1 genotype by alcohol interaction, P = 0.078). Similarly, drinkers with the M55 allele also had statistically significantly smaller areas of complicated lesions than moderate consumers with the M55 allele (P < 0.0001) (for the PON1 genotype by alcohol interaction, P = 0.009). The areas of atherosclerotic lesions in LAD appear to be dependent on the amount of alcohol consumption, especially in men carrying the PON1 M55 allele.     

Asthma, wheezing, and allergies in Russian schoolchildren in relation to new surface materials in the home

In a cross-sectional study of 5951 Russian 8-12-year-old schoolchildren, risks of current asthma, wheezing, and allergy were related to recent renovation and the installation of materials with potential chemical emissions. New linoleum flooring, synthetic carpeting, particleboard, wall coverings, and furniture and recent painting were determinants of 1 or several of these 3 health outcomes. These findings warrant further attention to the type of materials used in interior design.     

Housing characteristics and children's respiratory health in the Russian Federation

OBJECTIVES: We studied housing characteristics, parental factors, and respiratory health conditions in Russian children. METHODS: We studied a population of 5951 children from 9 Russian cities, whose parents answered a questionnaire on their children's respiratory health, home environment, and housing characteristics. The health outcomes were asthma conditions, current wheeze, dry cough, bronchitis, and respiratory allergy. RESULTS: Respiratory allergy and dry cough increased in association with the home being adjacent to traffic. Consistent positive associations were observed between some health conditions and maternal smoking during pregnancy, many health conditions and lifetime exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), and nearly all health conditions and water damage and molds in the home. CONCLUSIONS: Vicinity to traffic, dampness, mold, and ETS are important determinants of children's respiratory health in Russia.     

Periodontitis patient and the spouse: periodontal bacteria before and after treatment

Abstract Suspected periodontal pathogens can be transmitted between spouses. The treatment response may be unsuccessful in periodontitis patients, if the spouse harbors these bacteria. The aim of the present 6-month follow-up study was to clarify whether the microbiological treatment outcome of periodontitis patients is related to the detection of suspected periodontal pathogens in the saliva of the spouse. 10 patients with advanced periodontitis and their spouses were included in the study. The patients received mechanical periodontal treatment and 500 mg metronidazole systemically 2 × a day for 7 days. The presence of visible plaque, gingival bleeding after probing, suppuration, supragingival and subgingival calculus and pocket depths were assessed at baseline and 1 and 6 months after treatment. Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia/Prevotella nigrescens, Campylobacter rectus and Peptostreptococcus micros were cultured from pooled subgingival samples from the patients and from salivary samples from the spouses at corresponding occasions, Periodontal conditions in the patients improved after treatment as determined by the significantly lower values of clinical variables 1 and 6 months after treatment compared to those at baseline. However, the re-emergence of periodontal bacteria after treatment of the patients was not related to the concurrent detection of the respective bacteria in the saliva of the spouses. In this study design, it seemed that the salivary bacterial load in the spouse was of minor importance for the microbiological treatment outcome of the patient.     

Work load and physiological responses during asbestos removal with protective clothing

Summary The removal of asbestos-containing building materials requires the use of dust-repelling protective clothing and a respirator. The present study was aimed at measuring physiological responses to asbestos removal in actual work situations. The subjects were eight asbestos workers. During the work, the men wore permeable or impermeable clothing along with a powered or non-powered filtering device including a full-face or half-face mask. Environmental parameters, work postures, heart rate (HR), the skin temperature at two sites and the rectal temperature were recorded every minute during work. Perceived exertion, thermal sensation, thermal comfort, and skin wetness were rated by the subjects. The ambient temperature at work sites ranged from 19° to 37.5°C and relative humidity, from 21% to 50%. The mean HR ranged from 101 to 141 beats min^–1. The calculated (from HR measurements) average oxygen consumption (VO₂) varied from 0.9 to 1.9 1 min^–1 , which corresponded to 27%–60% of the maximal value. The peak rectal temperature and the highest mean of two measurements of skin temperature were 37.7° ± 0.3° C and 34.4° ± 0.9°C, respectively. The sweat rate varied from 162 to 583 g h^–1. Poor work posture was common during asbestos removal. The arms were elevated over shoulder level for 35% of the work time. During the work the mean physiological strain was considered to be moderate, with some heavy peak loads being registered. The increases in HR and the thermal responses seemed to be due primarily to the use of simple, nonpowered hand tools, which often required the performance of heavy manual work with the arms held above shoulder level, and less to the protective clothing used. The heat strain during asbestos removal was not excessive because most of the work was done under thermoneutral conditions, and a rest pause of 10–15 min every hour also decreased the thermal strain during work. Improvements in work methods and tools are needed to reduce the peak loads and postural strain experienced during asbestos removal.This study was financially supported by the Finnish Work Environmental Fund     

Acute Neurobehavioural Toxicity of Trichothecene T-2 Toxin in the Rat

Abstract: The acute effects of single oral doses, 0.4 and 2.0 mg/kg, of trichothecene T-2 mycotoxin on behaviour, motor performance and nociception were studied in male Wistar rats. Both doses are sublethal and did not cause overt acute signs of intoxication. In the open field test, 2.0 mg/kg of T-2 toxin increased motionlessness and decreased sniffing (P<0.05) 4 hr after the administration. The higher dose shortened step-through latencies in the test trial of the 24-hr passive avoidance test (two-way shuttle box). The exponential data analysis showed that, in those rats that did not learn to avoid the dark (unsafe) compartment of the box, the retention after 2.0 mg/kg of T-2 toxin was only 25% of that in controls (P<0.001). T-2 toxin had no effect on motor coordination in the rotarod test and in the bridge walking test 7–8 hr after administration. T-2 toxin had no effect on nociception in the hot place test 8.5 hr after administration. The results suggest that T-2 toxin has some inactivating effects on behaviour of rats, and it seems to cause an impairment in the passive avoidance test at dose 2.0 mg/kg.     

The effect of carrier-primed cells on an adoptive anti-hapten response

The effect of carrier-primed cells on an adoptive immune response was studied. Carrier-primed cells came from donors immunized with chicken globulin (CG), and hapten-primed cells from donors immunized with NIP-BSA (4-hydroxy-3-iodo-5-nitro-phenylacetic acid coupled to bovine serum albumin). Recipients were boosted with NIP-CGG. Recipients of hapten-primed cells produced only 1/1000th of the anti-NIP produced by hapten-primed cells plus carrier-primed cells. The increase in anti-NIP titer was mainly “IgG”. Recipients of only carrier-primed cells had 100 times higher anti-NIP titers than recipients of unprimed cells. This anti-NIP was mainly “IgM”. Carrier-primed cells taken 8 days after one injection of CG enhanced the anti-NIP response more than cells taken from donors given two injections of CG. The latter, however, produced more anti-CG than the former.     

Total and specific fluid consumption as determinants of bladder cancer risk

We pooled the data from 6 case-control studies of bladder cancer with detailed information on fluid intake and water pollutants, particularly trihalomethanes (THM), and evaluated the bladder cancer risk associated with total and specific fluid consumption. The analysis included 2,729 cases and 5,150 controls. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for fluid consumption were adjusted for age, gender, study, smoking status, occupation and education. Total fluid intake was associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer in men. The adjusted OR for 1 l/day increase in intake was 1.08, (95% CI 1.03-1.14, p-value for linear trend <0.001), while no trend was observed in women (OR=1.04, 0.94-1.15; p-value=0.7). OR was 1.33 (1.12-1.58) for men in the highest category of intake (>3.5 l/day) as compared to those in the lowest (2 l/day vs. 5 cups of coffee daily vs. <5 and for THM exposure, but neither exposure confounded or modified the OR for tap water intake. The association of bladder cancer with tap water consumption, but not with nontap water fluids, suggests that carcinogenic chemicals in tap water may explain the increased risk.     

Association of insulin resistance linked diseases and hair loss in elderly men. Finnish population-based study

Previous investigations have shown an association of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) with insulin resistance related disorders such as ischemic heart disease. An association between AGA and anthropometric abnormalities linked with insulin resistance and heredity in women aged 63 years has also been shown. We therefore compared 63-year-old men with AGA and ones with normal hair status for insulin resistance linked parameters. A population of 245 men aged 63 years, who were participants in a population-based cross-sectional study in the City of Oulu, underwent a medical check-up including assessment of hair status on the Hamilton-Norwood scale and determination of anthropometric measures, blood pressure, fasting glucose and serum lipids. Fifty eight per cent of the men reported extensive hair loss (grade III-VII). Hypertension and the use of antihypertensive drugs were common among men with AGA (61% vs. 45% and 50% vs. 26%, respectively). The rates of diabetes and hyperinsulinemia (21% vs. 12% and 61% vs. 49%) were higher among men with AGA compared to those with normal hair status but no difference was seen in other factors. Our findings show that AGA is common among Finnish men aged 63 years but that it is also associated with insulin linked disturbances, such as hypertension and diabetes. Such men developing AGA might benefit from attention in medical check-up.