Pesticide exposures, cholinesterase depression, and symptoms among North Carolina migrant farmworkers.

OBJECTIVES. We conducted a clinic-based study of erythrocyte cholinesterase levels, pesticide exposures, and health effects among farmworkers and nonfarmworkers to determine risks for exposure and associated morbidity. METHODS. Two hundred two farmworkers and 42 nonfarmworkers were recruited sequentially at two community health centers. Erythrocyte cholinesterase levels were measured colorimetrically. Questionnaires obtained data on demographics, occupational history, exposures, and symptoms. RESULTS. Cholinesterase levels were significantly lower among farmworkers (30.28 U/g hemoglobin) than among nonfarmworkers (32.3 U/g hemoglobin). Twelve percent of farmworkers, but no nonfarmworkers, had very low levels. Farmworkers applying pesticides also had lower cholinesterase levels. One half of farmworkers reported being sprayed by pesticides and working in fields with an obvious chemical smell. Of reported symptoms, only diarrhea was associated with cholinesterase levels. Reported exposures, however, were strongly associated with symptoms. CONCLUSIONS. Farmworkers reported many pesticide exposures that violate state and federal regulations. Farmworkers had cholinesterase levels significantly lower than those of nonfarmworkers, although only spraying pesticides was associated with very low levels.     

Cancer mortality among electric utility workers exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether excess mortality from cancer, malignant melanoma of the skin, and cancers of the brain and liver in particular, is associated with long term occupational exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). METHODS: An epidemiological study of mortality was conducted among 138,905 men employed for at least six months between 1950 and 1986 at five electrical power companies in the United States. Exposures were assessed by panels composed of workers, hygienists, and managers at each company, who considered tasks performed by workers in 28 job categories and estimated weekly exposures in hours for each job. Poisson regression was used to examine mortality in relation to exposure to electrical insulating fluids containing PCBs, controlling for demographic and occupational factors. RESULTS: Neither all cause nor total cancer mortality was related to cumulative exposure to PCB insulating fluids. Mortality from malignant melanoma increased with exposure; rate ratios (RRs) relative to unexposed men for melanoma were 1.23 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.56 to 2.52), 1.71 (0.68 to 4.28) and 1.93 (0.52 to 7.14) for men with < 2000, > 2000-10,000, and > 10,000 hours of cumulative exposure to PCB insulating fluids, respectively, without consideration of latency. Lagging exposure by 20 years yielded RRs of 1.29 (0.76 to 2.18), 2.56 (1.09 to 5.97), and 4.81 (1.49 to 15.50) for the same exposure levels. Mortality from brain cancer was modestly increased among men with < 2000 hours (RR 1.61, 95% CI 0.86 to 3.01) and > 2000-10,000 hours exposure (RR 1.79, 95% CI 0.81 to 3.95), but there were no deaths from brain cancer among the most highly exposed men. A lag of five years yielded slightly increased RRs. Mortality from liver cancer was not associated with exposure to PCB insulating fluids. CONCLUSIONS: This study was larger and provided more detailed information on exposure than past investigations of workers exposed to PCBs. The results suggest that PCBs cause cancer, with malignant melanoma being of particular concern in this industry.     

Comparison of Phaconit Rollable IOL with Acrylic Foldable IOL

Background

Phaconit or ultra micro incision phacoemulsification cataract surgery involves phacoemulsification through a 0.9 millimetre sleeveless phaco tip and irrigating chopper followed by implantation of a rollable intraocular lens. The procedure leads to negligible astigmatism and faster visual recovery as compared to phacoemulsification with a foldable intraocular lens.

Methods

This prospective study analysed 80 cases of sub millimetre phaconit surgery with implantation of rollable intraocular lenses(IOL) in 40 cases and acrylic foldable IOL in the remaining 40 cases. Evaluation of efficacy and adaptability of procedure, equipment settings, operative constraints, postoperative complications, keratometric and topographic evaluation of induced astigmatism with visual outcome and patient''s rehabilitation were studied.

Results

The intraoperative complications were surge/ chamber collapse in 16 (20%), iris chaffing in one and corneal burns in two cases. All cases had an induced astigmatism of less than or equal to ± 0.25 D in four to six weeks after rollable IOL and ± 0.5 D to ± 0.75 D after acrylic IOL implantation. All patients had best-corrected visual acuity of 6/6 by third post operative day.

Conclusion

Phaconit with rollable IOL is a perfect blend of surgical skill, application of technology and ultra thin IOL.Key Words: Phaconit, Ultra micro phaco, Submillimetre incision, Rollable IOL implantation     

Personal exposure to benzene from fuel emissions among commercial fishers: comparison of two-stroke, four-stroke and diesel engines

Commercial fishers are exposed to unburned hydrocarbon vapors and combustion products present in the emissions from their boat engines. The objective of this study was to measure personal exposure to benzene as a marker of fuel exposure, and to predict exposure levels across categories of carbureted two-stroke, four-stroke and diesel engines. A self-monitoring approach, employing passive monitors, was used to obtain measurements of personal exposure to benzene over time. Mixed-effect linear regression models were used to predict exposure levels, identify significant effects and determine restricted maximum likelihood estimates for within- and between-person variance components. Significant fixed effects for engine type and refueling a car or truck were identified. After controlling for refueling, predicted benzene exposure levels to fishers on boats equipped with two-stroke, four-stroke and diesel engines were 58.4, 38.9 and 15.7 microg/m3, respectively. The logged within-person variance component was 1.43, larger than the between-person variance component of 1.13, indicating that the total variation may be attributable to monitor placement, environmental conditions and other factors that change over time as well as differences between individual work practices. The health consequences of exposure to marine engine emissions are not known. The predicted levels are well below those at which health effects have been attributed, however.     

间充质干细胞的来源

目的:间充质干细胞具有强大的增殖能力和多向分化潜能,文章对其主要的来源途径予以综述。资料来源:应用计算机检索Medline1991-01/2006-01期间的相关文章,检索词为“mesenchyma stem cells,origin,research progress”,并限定文章语言种类为English。同时计算机检索中国期刊全文数据库1998-01/2006-10期间的相关文章,检索词为“间充质干细胞,来源,研究进展”,并限定文章语言种类为中文。资料选择:对资料进行初审,并查看每篇文献后的引文。纳入标准:①间充质干细胞的起源。②间充质干细胞研究进展、干细胞的分离及鉴定。排除标准:重复研究、个案报告或Meta分析类文章。资料提炼:共收集到96篇相关文献,40篇文献符合纳入标准,排除的56篇文献为内容陈旧或重复。符合纳入标准的40篇文献中,分别涉及骨髓、肌肉、脐血、胎盘、外周血、脂肪组织、血管及其他来源的间充质干细胞。资料综合:间充质干细胞是属于中胚层的一类多能干细胞,具有强大的增殖能力和多向分化潜能,动物模型试验和临床应用研究也取得了一定的效果。间充质干细胞来源广泛,易于获得,临床上为神经损伤及其他系统的损伤修复提供了更为广泛的途径。结论:间充质干细胞主要来源于骨髓、肌肉、脐血、外周血、胎盘等组织,具有广阔的应用前景。     

Hypertonicity regulates the function of human neutrophils by modulating chemoattractant receptor signaling and activating mitogen-activated protein kinase p38.

Excessive neutrophil activation causes posttraumatic complications, which may be reduced with hypertonic saline (HS) resuscitation. We tested if this is because of modulated neutrophil function by HS. Clinically relevant hypertonicity (10-25 mM) suppressed degranulation and superoxide formation in response to fMLP and blocked the activation of the mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) ERK1/2 and p38, but did not affect Ca2+ mobilization. HS did not suppress oxidative burst in response to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). This indicates that HS suppresses neutrophil function by intercepting signal pathways upstream of or apart from PKC. HS activated p38 by itself and enhanced degranulation in response to PKC activation. This enhancement was reduced by inhibition of p38 with SB203580, suggesting that p38 up-regulation participates in HS-induced enhancements of degranulation. HS had similar effects on the degranulation of cells that were previously stimulated with fMLP, but had no effect on its own, suggesting that HS enhancement of degranulation requires another signal. We conclude that depending on other stimuli, HS can suppress neutrophil activation by intercepting multiple receptor signals or augment degranulation by enhancing p38 signaling. In patients HS resuscitation may reduce posttraumatic complications by preventing neutrophil activation via chemotactic factors released during reperfusion.     

Rapid mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells in rhesus monkeys by a single intravenous injection of interleukin-8

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a chemoattractant cytokine involved in chemotaxis and activation of neutrophils. Because in vivo administration of IL-8 induces mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells in mice, we assessed the mobilizing properties of IL-8 in rhesus monkeys. Recombinant human IL-8 was administered as a single intravenous injection at doses of 10, 30, and 100 micrograms/kg to rhesus monkeys (age, 2 to 3 years; weight, 2.5 to 4.5 kg). Venous blood samples were obtained at time intervals ranging from 1 to 480 minutes after IL-8 administration. Cell counts, colony-forming unit-Mix assays, and fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis were performed. Plasma was harvested to assess IL-8 levels. A time-controlled bolus intravenous injection of 100 micrograms IL-8 per kilogram of body weight resulted in peak IL-8 plasma levels up to 5 micrograms/mL. The calculated half-time life of free IL-8 was 9.9 +/- 2.2 minutes. IL-8 injection resulted in instant neutropenia that was due to pulmonary sequestration, as shown using 99mTc-labeled leukocytes. Within 30 minutes after IL-8 injection, neutrophilia developed with counts up to 10-fold greater than baseline levels. The numbers of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) increased from 45 +/- 48/mL to 1,382 +/- 599/mL of blood at 30 minutes after injection of 100 micrograms IL-8 per kilogram of bodyweight (mean +/- SD, n = 8). Individual animals showed 10- to 100-fold increase in numbers of circulating HPCs that returned to almost pretreatment values (92 +/- 52 CFU/mL) at 240 minutes after the injection of IL-8. Immunophenotyping showed no significant changes in lymphocyte (sub)populations. A second bolus injection of IL-8 with an interval of 72 hours resulted in similar numbers of mobilized stem cells as observed after the first injection, showing that no tachyphylaxis had occurred. We conclude that IL-8 induces mobilization of HPCs from the bone marrow of rhesus monkeys in a rapid and reproducible fashion. Therefore, IL-8 may be a potentially useful cytokine in the setting of blood stem cell transplantation.