Exposure to organic solvents and cytogenetic damage in exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa from shoe workers

Purpose  We determined the solvents mainly used in shoe making and their genotoxic effects. Methods  Thirty-four exposed shoe workers and 34 unexposed control subjects, paired by age and sex, were compared. Occupational exposure was determined by using monitors 3M. Solvents were assessed by gas chromatography. Exfoliated buccal cells were obtained from each subject to determine the incidence of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities. One thousand cells were counted in each subject. Results  Solvents detected were acetone, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone, and toluene. The incidence of nuclear abnormalities was significatively higher in the exposed group when compared to the control group. A positive relationship between the incidence of micronuclei and the toluene concentration in the environment was found. Conclusions  Toluene shows an important genotoxic effect. As the micronuclei test is an effective, fast, simple and low cost biomarker to identify cytogenetic effects, we suggest its utilization as a preventive test of genotoxicity.     

Hepatitis B Immunisation in Health Care Workers

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important occupational risk in health care workers (HCW). In spite of HBV vaccine availability in Armed Forces, the high prevalence of HBV infection in HCW continues to be a problem. The study was undertaken to study the HBV vaccine-compliance among HCW.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital. HCW were requested to fill up the pre set questionnaire to assess the HBV vaccination coverage.

Result

Amongst 254 HCW, only 57.7% were vaccinated against HBV. The vaccine compliance was lowest among housekeeping professionals. The mean age at vaccination was high (30.5 years). Amongst the vaccine non-compliant subjects, 34.3% were above 30 years of age. 32.2% HCW completed primary vaccination after spending more than 10 years in the profession. Accessibility of HBV vaccine, knowledge and perception of HBV risk were important factors in vaccine non-compliance.

Conclusion

Due to low and delayed HBV vaccine-compliance, HCW continue to be at the risk of occupational HBV. Health education highlighting occupational risk of HBV, accessibility of vaccine and mandatory vaccination of HCW is recommended to increase HBV vaccine compliance among HCW.Key Words: Health care workers, Hepatitis B virus, Occupational risk, Hepatitis B vaccine     

Lymphoid Neogenesis in Murine Cardiac Allografts Undergoing Chronic Rejection

Lymphoid neogenesis is the process by which ectopic lymphoid accumulations that resemble lymph nodes arise in nonlymphoid tissues. Such lymphoid accumulations, known as tertiary lymphoid organs (TLO), are observed in chronic autoimmunity and they propagate immune pathology by setting up local antigen presenting sites. Whether lymphoid neogenesis occurs in transplanted organs and contributes to rejection is not well understood. To begin to address this question, we retrospectively analyzed 319 murine cardiac allografts for microscopic evidence of lymph-node-like structures. We found 78 allografts that had either classical TLO, characterized by discrete T- and B-cell zones and high endothelial venules (HEV) expressing peripheral node addressin (PNAd) (n = 34), or PNAd(+) HEV without organized lymphoid accumulations (n = 44). These changes were present in both short- and long-lived allografts and were invariably associated with rejection. Importantly, they occurred in 78% of allografts undergoing chronic rejection (n = 85) but in only 7% of allografts undergoing primarily acute rejection (n = 184). These findings indicate that, like autoimmunity, alloimmunity is associated with lymphoid neogenesis in the target organ and suggest a role for local T-cell activation in chronic allograft rejection.     

受体介导的凝血酶对成骨细胞增殖及分化的作用

目的 通过凝血酶对成骨细胞的增殖及分化作用的研究来探讨受体介导的凝血酶的功能.方法 原代成骨细胞分别取自于蛋白酶激活受体(protease-activated receptor,PAR)-1敲除鼠和野生对照鼠的头颅骨.并利用凝血酶,人工合成的PAR-1或PAR-4特异性激活短肽对细胞进行处理,通过对5.溴-2-脱氧尿嘧啶的嵌入及细胞碱性磷酸酶活性的测定探讨PAR-1或PAR-4激活对细胞增殖和分化的影响.结果 在野生鼠成骨细胞,凝血酶及PAR-1激活肽均能促进的细胞增殖和降低碱性磷酸酶的活性,但PAR-4激活肽却无这些作用.然而在PAR-1 敲除鼠的成骨细胞无论是凝血酶还是PAR-4激活肽均不能改变细胞的增殖及碱性磷酸酶的活性.结论 本研究结果 表明凝血酶促进成骨细胞增殖及抑制其分化是通过PAR-1介导的.其他凝血酶受体并不具有此作用.     

Herausforderung Notarztdienst

Background

The working environment of emergency physicians is a very complex medical field of activity in which a prioritization of medical diagnostics and treatment is required in time-limited situations. The concept of further training in the supplementary discipline of emergency medicine must therefore be oriented to the requirements placed on the emergency physician by the preclinical treatment of emergency patients.

Conclusions

Continued and further medical training must prepare medical personnel for the demanding function of an emergency physician in the best possible way. The Medical Association of Saarland is making efforts to offer a well-founded concept using the fast routes to the partners in emergency patient care services which are typical for Saarland.     

Modulation of in vitro eosinophil progenitors by hydrocortisone: role of accessory cells and interleukins

The growth of human eosinophil progenitors (CFU-Eo) and the modulation of growth by hydrocortisone were studied as functions of the presence of lymphocytes and monocytes in marrow cells under study; and the source of colony-stimulating factors, specifically, media conditioned by macrophage-like cell line, GCT; phytohemagglutinin-stimulated mononuclear cells (PHA-LCM); or the T cell line, MO. CFU-Eo growth was greatest in marrow containing accessory cells as compared to marrow depleted of accessory cells; and in marrow treated with phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocyte conditioned media (PHA-LCM) or MO (T cell line)-conditioned medium (MO-CM) as compared with GCT cell- conditioned medium (GCT-CM). Hydrocortisone reproducibly inhibited eosinophil progenitor growth in unfractionated marrow stimulated by GCT- CM. This effect was abrogated by admixing irradiated mononuclear cells or T lymphocytes with the target marrow or by adding interleukin 1 or interleukin 2 (IL-1, IL-2). Inhibition by hydrocortisone did not occur when monocyte and T lymphocyte depleted marrow was studied. Unlike GCT- CM, MO-CM and PHA-LCM stimulated equal proportions of eosinophil progenitors in nondepleted and accessory cell-depleted marrow and demonstrated less hydrocortisone inhibition. However, both GCT-CM and PHA-LCM produced in the presence of hydrocortisone stimulated significantly fewer CFU-Eos in both unfractionated and accessory cell- depleted marrow target populations. These results indicate that the growth of CFU-Eo and inhibition of growth by hydrocortisone is a direct function of a monocyte-T cell interaction and probably is mediated through effects on the production/release of eosinophil colony stimulating factor (Eo-CSF).