Causes and types of health effects during the use of crop protection chemicals: data from a survey of over 6,300 smallholder applicators in 24 different countries

Purpose  The present investigation looks in detail at the causes and types of health incidents reported by 6,300 mainly smallholder agrochemical users in 24 countries during 2005 and 2006. Methods  The investigation is based on a questionnaire survey of knowledge, attitude and practice that concentrated on the sequence of events from purchasing the pesticide to disposal. Information was also collected about health problems experienced while using agrochemicals. The survey targeted mainly smallholder knapsack spray operators who were expected to be at a highest risk of exposure. Results  In the 12 months prior to interview, 1.2% of users reported an agrochemical-related incident that required hospital treatment, 5.8% reported an incident requiring at least trained medical treatment but not hospitalisation and 19.8% reported only a minor sign or symptom. Users who had experienced an incident involving agricultural equipment were 3.38 (95% CI 2.29–4.99) times more likely to experience an agrochemical-related health incident, but confident users who felt that their use of personal protective equipment while spraying was best practice were 0.60 (95% CI 0.44–0.84) times less likely to experience such an incident. Over 80% of product-related incidents were caused by insecticides and the incidence rate per spraying time for incidents linked to insecticides was significantly higher than that for fungicides or herbicides. Headache/dizziness and nausea/vomiting, often smell related, were the most common symptoms reported by users who listed agrochemical products that had caused them health problems (52 and 38% of product mentions, respectively). Conclusions  In most countries, the incidence of serious health effects was low; however, there was a high incidence of minor signs and symptoms in a few countries, especially in Africa. A disproportionate number of incidents occurred during insecticide use relative to the time that they were sprayed. Failure to exercise caution as indicated by whether users had incidents involving agricultural equipment or livestock, and lack of confidence in their practices were the most important predictors of agrochemical-related incidents.     

Work-related recovery opportunities: testing scale properties and validity in relation to health

Objectives  

Recovery opportunities allow employees to recuperate from work and diminish load effects. The aims of this study are to present a scale for measuring recovery opportunities, study its psychometric properties and its relationship with health.     

鼻咽癌CT灌注成像及其生物学相关性研究

目的研究鼻咽癌CT灌注值与肿瘤微血管密度（MVD）、肿瘤分期的关系，探讨多层螺旋CT灌注成像对鼻咽癌的临床应用价值。方法49例鼻咽部CT灌注检查中，鼻咽癌组30例，鼻咽癌放疗后组14例，正常鼻咽部5例，测量鼻咽癌和鼻咽黏膜位置的血流量（BF）、最大强化指数（PEI）、峰值到达时间（TTP）及血容量（BV）作为灌注指标，其中16例鼻咽癌活检组织行免疫组织化学CD34单抗染色后，Weidner方法计数MVD。各组灌注值比较行方差分析，CT灌注值、肿瘤分期与MVD之间行Spearman等级相关分析。结果49例中1例鼻咽癌灌注检查失败。鼻咽癌组（29例）肿瘤CT灌注值BF为（48．6±16．9）ml·100g^-1·min^-1，PEI为（32．3±7．9）HU，TTP为（17．5±4．9）s，BV为（12．8±4．4）ml·100g^-1；正常对照组（5例）BF、PEI、TTP、BV值分别为（15．9±5．9）ml·100g^-1·min^-1、（12.6±1．3）HU、（22．6±6．9）s、（3．5±0．5）ml·100g^-1；鼻咽癌放疗后组（14例）BF、PEI、TTP、BV值分别为（25．2±7．0）ml·100g^-1·min^-1、（19．8±5．9）HU、（22．6±4．3）s、（6．1±2．4）ml·100g^-1，三组各灌注值差异有统计学意义（P值均〈0．01）；相关分析显示，鼻咽癌组（29例）中TNM分期（其中Ⅰ期3例，Ⅱ期9例，Ⅲ期10例，Ⅳ期7例）与PEI和BV存在相关性（r值分别为0．48和0．50），与BF和TTP无明显相关性（r值分别为0．23和0．22）；16例鼻咽癌MVD为（30．8±12．6）个／高倍镜视野，与其BF（51．4±17．0）ml·100g^-1·min^-1、PEI（33．2±9．6）HU和TTP（16．3±4．1）8存在相关性（r值分别为0．85、0．60和0．78），与BV（13．2±5．6）ml·100g^-1弱相关（r=0．48）。结论鼻咽癌有着特征的CT灌注表现，多层螺旋CT灌注成像的灌注值可以反映鼻咽癌微血管密度特征，PEI和BV值与鼻咽癌的TNM分期存在一定的相关性。     

Myasthenia Gravis Appearing After Thymectomy: a Case Report and Review of the Literature

A small proportion of thymoma patients without myasthenia gravis (MG) have been observed to develop MG after total removal of the thymoma. However, the underlying cause is not yet known due to the rarity of postoperative MG patients. We report a 39-year-old man in whom MG appeared after surgical removal of a thymoma. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed no signs of recurrent or metastatic thymoma. Administration of pyridostigmine bromide resulted in the prompt improvement of myasthenic symptoms. Our observations indicate that postoperative follow-up care with monitoring of possible postoperative MG is necessary after resecting a thymoma.     

下消化道出血的少见病因

下消化道出血病因复杂,随着诊疗技术的发展,人们对一些少见病因有了越来越多的了解,现就部分少见病因作一综述,以帮助临床诊断与治疗.     

木聚糖酶的分子进化

运用生物信息学方法,通过构建木聚糖酶进化树,研究了两个家族的分子进化,发现它们进化模式有差别,F/10家族木聚糖酶在进化时间上较早,功能分化不太完全,具有部分糖苷酶属性,在分解产物中含有较多单糖;而G/11家族木聚糖酶在进化时间则相对较近,多在真菌中出现,功能分化较为完全,很少含有糖苷酶的属性,分解产物中低聚寡糖成分较多.F/10木聚糖酶分子进化显示出生物进化来源于高温环境,热稳定性比G/11木聚糖酶高,这与它们三维结构的不同有关.所以,木聚糖酶的进化方向是功能的进一步分化和底物特异性的进一步增加,这个结果对木聚糖酶的合理应用具有指导意义.     

中华长城系统治疗胸腰椎爆裂骨折

目的探讨中华长城椎弓根钉系统治疗胸腰椎爆裂骨折的优越性,并评价其临床效果。方法选择后正中入路椎管减压或单纯使用中华长城内固定系统治疗胸腰椎爆裂骨折40例。结果经3~18个月随访,椎体平均高度由术前的前34.5%和后74.5%恢复到术后的前95%和后98.5%,Cobb′s角由术前平均16.0°恢复为术后平均1.5°。对脊髓损伤的患者Frankel分级平均提高1.5级。未出现椎弓根钉松动和断裂。结论中华长城系统治疗胸腰椎爆裂骨折操作安全、固定确实、椎弓根大小设计合理,具有较明显的优越性,有待进一步临床应用观察。     

胶原蛋白海绵在皮肤扩张术中的应用

目的：观察胶原蛋白海绵在皮肤扩张术中的临床应用效果。方法：选择40例（个）皮肤扩张器埋置和50例（个）皮肤扩张器取出及15例自身对照的病例组,应用胶原蛋白海绵术中贴敷于渗血创面,术后观察其吸收、止血效果。结果：术中渗血于2～10min内停止,病例组中无血肿发生,术后引流量明显减少,伤口愈合时间缩短。结论：在皮肤扩张术中胶原蛋白海绵是一种良好的生物止血材料。