Prevalence and association of welding related systemic and respiratory symptoms in welders

Background: The prevalence of welding related respiratory symptoms coexisting with welding related systemic symptoms in welders is unknown.

Aims: To determine in a sample of welders the prevalence of coexisting welding related systemic symptoms indicative of metal fume fever (MFF) and welding related respiratory symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma (OA), and the strength and significance of any association between these two groups of symptoms.

Methods: A respiratory symptoms questionnaire, a systemic symptoms questionnaire, and a questionnaire on occupational history were administered by telephone to 351 of a sample of 441 welders (79.6%) from two cities in Québec, Canada.

Results: The co-occurrence of possible MFF (defined as having at least two symptoms of fever, feelings of flu, general malaise, chills, dry cough, metallic taste, and shortness of breath, occurring at the beginning of the working week, 3–10 hours after exposure to welding fumes) together with welding related respiratory symptoms suggestive of OA (defined as having at least two welding related symptoms of cough, wheezing, and chest tightness) was 5.8%. These two groups of symptoms were significantly associated (χ² = 18.9, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: There is a strong association between welding related MFF and welding related respiratory symptoms suggestive of OA. As such, MFF could be viewed as a pre-marker of welding related OA, a hypothesis that requires further investigation.

     

Genetic polymorphism of GSTM1, CYP2E1 and CYP2D6 in Egyptian bladder cancer patients

Polymorphic changes in the GSTM1, CYP2E1 and the CYP2D6 geneshave been reported to be individually associated with increasedsusceptibility to certain cancers. In the present study, therelationship between genetic polymorphism for these genes anddevelopment of urinary bladder cancer among Egyptian patientswas investigated. Our results indicate that the frequency ofbladder cancer patients with the GSTM1 null genotype is significantlyhigher than that of the normal controls (86.3 and 47.6%, respectively)with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.97 (95% CL = 1.59–30.57,Fisher's exact P = 0.008). In contrast, our investigation failedto demonstrate any difference in the distribution of CYP2E1polymorphism between bladder cancer patients and controls asdetected by PstI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)analysis. RFLP analysis of the CYP2D6 gene revealed a non-significantincrease in the number of extensive metabolizers (EM) amongthe patients compared to the controls (68 versus 48%). However,the EM genotypes enhances the risk further for individuals harboringthe GSTM1 null genotype as individuals harboring both the EMand the GSTM1 null genotypes have an odds ratio of 14.0 (95%CL = 1.3–151.4, Fisher's exact P = 0.02) compared to individualsharboring the EM and the GSTM1+/+ genotypes. In conclusion,our results indicate that genetic polymorphism, especially inGSTM1 and CYP2D6 could play an important role as host risk factorsfor development of urinary bladder cancer among Egyptians.     

Peripheral giant cell granuloma. An immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study

OBJECTIVE: To study the nature of multinucleated and mononuclear cells from peripheral giant cell granuloma (PGCG).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of 40 cases of PGCG were immunohistochemically stained for vimentin, alpha I-antichymotrypsin, CD68, S-100 protein, lysozyme. leucocyte common antigen (LCA), factor VIII-retated antigen and muscle cell actin. Six cases of PGCG were also studied by transmission etectron microscopy.
RESULTS: Vimentin, alpha I-antichymotrypsin and CD68 were expressed in both the mononuclear and multinucleated giant cells. Dendritic mononuclear cells, positive for 5–100 protein, were noted in 67.5% of the lesions, whereas lysozyme and leucocyte common antigen were detected in occasional mononuclear cells. Ultrastructural examination showed mononuclear cells with signs of phagocytosis and sometimes interdigitations with similar cells. Others presented non-specific characteristics and the third type exhibited cytoplasmic processes and occasional Birbeck granules. Some multi-nucleated giant cells showed oval nuclei, abundant mitochondria and granular endoplasmic reticulum whereas others presented with irregular nuclei and a great number of cytoplasmic vacuoles.
CONCLUSIONS: lmmunohistochemical and ultrastructural results suggest that PGCGs of the jaws are composed mainly of cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system and that Langerhans cells are present in two thirds of the lesions.     

敏净冲剂的抗过敏作用

0　引言　敏净冲剂是由地肤子、金银花、槐花等药味组成的纯中药制剂 ,临床用于治疗荨麻疹等多种变态反应性皮肤病疗效满意且无毒副作用 .前文 [1 ]已报道敏净冲剂对小鼠特异性及非特异性免疫反应均有一定抑制作用 ,我们主要从变态反应角度 ,结合体内及体外实验 ,观察敏净冲剂抗过敏的药理作用 .1　材料和方法1.1　材料　敏净冲剂稠浸膏 ,由本所制剂室提供 ,临用前用蒸馏水或台氏液配成不同浓度备用 (本文剂量均以原生药计 ) ;卵白蛋白 :Sigma公司产品 ;百日咳、白喉、破伤风三联疫苗 :卫生部兰州生物制品研究所生产 .动物为豚鼠 10 0只 ,…     

Exposure to Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether: Clinical and Cytogenetic Findings

Glycol ethers are known reproductive and developmental toxins in laboratory animals, but little is known about their genotoxic effects in humans. In the current article, the authors tested the hypothesis that human in utero exposure to ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) is associated with the development of specific congenital anomalies and elevated levels of chromosome aberrations. The authors conducted a clinical and cytogenetic evaluation of 41 offspring of 28 females occupationally exposed to EGME for an average duration of 4.6 yr. Six offspring of 5 women who were occupationally exposed to EGME during pregnancy exhibited characteristic dysmorphic features that were not observed in 35 offspring of 23 women who worked in the same facility, but who were not pregnant at the time of exposure. Persistent cytogenetic damage was observed exclusively in all 6 in-utero-exposed offspring, but not in their 12 match non-in-utero-exposed controls. The study characterizes EGME as a human teratogen, as indicated by the prevalence of characteristic dysmorphic features and persistent cytogenetic damage in individuals exposed in utero to this chemical     

Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling identifies two novel genes in cervical neoplasia

DNA methylation analysis may improve risk stratification in cervical screening. We used a pan-epigenomic approach to identify new methylation markers along the continuum of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) to cervical cancer. Physician-collected samples (54 normal, 50 CIN1, 40 CIN2 and 42 CIN3) were randomly selected from women at a single-center colposcopy clinic. Extracted DNA was subjected to Illumina Infinium EPIC array analysis, and methylation was assessed blinded to histopathological and clinical data. CpG sites whose state of methylation correlated with lesion grade were assessed (Spearman correlation), and a weighted methylation score was calculated comparing normal to CIN3. Validation of the top selected genes was performed in an independent cohort (100 normal, 50 CIN1, 50 CIN2, 50 CIN3 and 8 cervical cancers) of new patients, referred for colposcopic examination at three hospitals, using targeted DNA methylation Illumina amplicon sequencing. The relationship between a combined weighted marker score and progression from normal through precancerous lesions and cervical cancer was compared using one-way ANOVA. Our analyses revealed 7,715 CpGs whose methylation level correlated with progression (from normal to CIN1, CIN2 and CIN3), with a significant trend of increased methylation with lesion grade. We shortlisted a bigenic (hyaluronan synthase 1, HAS1 and ATPase phospholipid transporting 10A, ATP10A corresponding to cg03419058 and cg13944175 sites) marker set; r = 0.55, p < 0.0001. Validation of the four most discriminating genes (CA10, DPP10, FMN2 and HAS1) showed a significant correlation between methylation levels and disease progression (p-value < 2.2 × 10⁻¹⁶, adjusted R² = 0.952). Translational research of the identified genes to future clinical applications is warranted.