Skin problems after a tsunami

BACKGROUND: On December 26, 2004, the biggest earthquake for 40 years, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, triggered a tsunami that pounded the coastal areas of South Asia and East Africa. The effects of the tsunami on skin conditions have not been evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of the tsunami on skin conditions by evaluating the skin problems of patients presenting at hospitals after the tsunami. METHODS: Between 5 and 25 January 2005, two dermatologists evaluated patients who complained of skin problems at an outpatient clinic and emergency room of a general hospital in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia. RESULTS: The total number of patients that presented during the study period was 235 (131 males and 104 females), and they had a total of 265 skin problems. In terms of age distribution, most subjects were in their fourth decade (23.0%), followed by the third (22.6%) and fifth decade (16.6%). The most prevalent skin problems were infections-infestations (32.5%), followed by eczemas (29.8%) and traumatic skin disorders (29.4%). In males, traumatic skin disorders were most common. The great majority of infection-infestation cases involved superficial fungal infections. Contact dermatitis accounted for three-quarters of eczema cases, and mainly involved the arms (40.0%) and legs (27.1%). The majority of traumatic skin disorders were lacerations, punctures and penetrations, and the feet (44.7%) and hands (18.8%) were most frequently affected. CONCLUSIONS: Unhygienic conditions, exposure to a hazardous environment and contact with various objects during and after the tsunami probably increased the prevalence of infections-infestations, traumatic skin disorders and contact dermatitis. To prevent these problems and associated secondary bacterial infections, health-related education and early medical management are required.     

CLINICAL FEMINISATION AND SEX HORMONE CONCENTRATIONS IN NIGERIAN MEN WITH CIRRHOSIS WITH AND WITHOUT HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

SUMMARY The study explored the incidence of clinical feminisation and the sex hormone levels of 18 Nigerian patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) alone and 18 patients with LC and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The incidence (11%) of clinical feminisation in Nigerian patients was lower than values reported from other countries and there was no association between feminising signs and the sex hormone levels of the patients. Plasma oestradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels were significantly higher and testosterone lower in patients with liver diseases than in 18 age-matched normal controls. Serum concentrations of oestradiol were also found to be significantly higher in patients with LC alone than in those with LC and HCC. A possible promotive role for oestrogens in the development of HCC from the cirrhotic liver is discussed.     

Inhibition of 2-nitropropane-induced rat liver DNA and RNA damage by benzyl selenocyanate

We observed that pretreatment of male F344 rats with benzyl selenocyanate, a versatile organoselenium chemopreventive agent in several animal model systems, decreases the levels of DNA and RNA modifications produced in the liver by the hepatocarcinogen 2- nitropropane. To clarify the mechanisms involved, we pretreated male F344 rats with either benzyl selenocyanate, its sulfur analog benzyl thiocyanate, phenobarbital or cobalt protoporphyrin IX; the latter is a depletor of P450. We then determined (1) the ability of liver microsomes to denitrify 2-nitropropane, (2) effects on 2-nitropropane- induced liver DNA and RNA modifications and (3) amount of nitrate excreted in rat urine following administration of the carcinogen. Pretreatment with benzyl selenocyanate or phenobarbital increased the denitrification activity of liver microsomes by 217 and 765%, respectively, increased liver P4502B1 by 31- and 435-fold, respectively, decreased the levels of 2-nitropropane-induced modifications in liver DNA (29-70% and 17-30%, respectively) and RNA (67-85% and 30-50%, respectively), and increased the 24-h urinary excretion of nitrate by 157 and 209%, respectively. Pretreatment with benzyl thiocyanate had no significant effect on any of these parameters. Pretreatment with cobalt protoporphyrin IX decreased liver P4502B 1 by 87%, decreased the denitrification activity of liver microsomes by 76%, decreased the 24 h urinary excretion of nitrate by 88.5%, but increased the extent of 2-nitropropane-induced liver nucleic acid modifications by 17-67%. These results indicate that the metabolic sequence from 2-nitropropane to the reactive species causing DNA and RNA modifications does not involve the removal of the nitro group. Moreover, they suggest that benzyl selenocyanate inhibits 2-NP-induced liver nucleic acid modifications in part by increasing its detoxication through induction of denitrification, although it is evident that other mechanisms must also be involved.      

Sick but yet at work. An empirical study of sickness presenteeism

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The study is an empirical investigation of sickness presenteeism in relation to occupation, irreplaceability, ill health, sickness absenteeism, personal income, and slimmed down organisation. DESIGN: Cross sectional design. SETTING: Swedish workforce. PARTICIPANTS: The study group comprised a stratified subsample of 3801 employed persons working at the time of the survey, interviewed by telephone in conjunction with Statistics Sweden's labour market surveys of August and September 1997. The response rate was 87 per cent. MAIN RESULTS: A third of the persons in the total material reported that they had gone to work two or more times during the preceding year despite the feeling that, in the light of their perceived state of health, they should have taken sick leave. The highest presenteeism is largely to be found in the care and welfare and education sectors (nursing and midwifery professionals, registered nurses, nursing home aides, compulsory school teachers and preschool/primary educationalists. All these groups work in sectors that have faced personnel cutbacks during the 1990s). The risk ratio (odds ratio (OR)) for sickness presenteeism in the group that has to re-do work remaining after a period of absence through sickness is 2.29 (95% CI 1.79, 2.93). High proportions of persons with upper back/neck pain and fatigue/slightly depressed are among those with high presenteeism (p< 0.001). Occupational groups with high sickness presenteeism show high sickness absenteeism (rho = 0. 38; p<.01) and the hypothesis on level of pay and sickness presenteeism is also supported (rho = -0.22; p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Members of occupational groups whose everyday tasks are to provide care or welfare services, or teach or instruct, have a substantially increased risk of being at work when sick. The link between difficulties in replacement or finding a stand in and sickness presenteeism is confirmed by study results. The categories with high sickness presenteeism experience symptoms more often than those without presenteeism. The most common combination is low monthly income, high sickness absenteeism and high sickness presenteeism.     

氟对SH-SY5Y神经细胞生物膜性脂质的作用

目的：深入了解氟中毒对神经细胞中生物膜性脂质结构的影响及其改变机制。方法：体外培养SH-SY5Y人脑神经母细胞瘤细胞，在培养液中加入不同浓度的氟化物或加入抗氧化剂，培养48h后用测定细胞MTT的方法来了解细胞的损伤程度，用高效液相色谱法分离和测定培养液中脂质过氧化物水平，用过柱和比色法测定细胞生物膜磷脂含量，用高效液相色谱法测定细胞生物膜辅酶Q和胆固醇含量。结果：经氟处理的神经细胞中MTT水平降低和脂质过氧化水平升高，呈现剂量依赖关系；高浓度氟处理的神经细胞中磷脂和辅酶Q含量减少，但胆固醇含量不变；加入维生素E后可减弱高剂量氟对生物膜性脂质的破坏作用。结论：氟中毒可引起SH-SY5Y神经母细胞瘤细胞生物膜性脂质结构发生异常改变，其机制可能与高剂量氟引起的自由基增多而对细胞生物膜造成的损害有关。     

Effect of long term fluoride exposure on lipid composition in rat liver

Chronic fluorosis can severely damage many systems of human body, but its pathogenesis is unclear. Normal composition and structure of cellular membrane lipids are a basic factor to maintain cell function. In this investigation, cellular membrane lipids of the liver were analysed after a long term fluoride treatment for rats and the results are discussed in order to give an explanation for the pathogenesis of this disease. Wistar rats were supplied with drinking water containing either 30 or 100 ppm fluoride (NaF) for seven months. Contents of phospholipid and neutral lipid in rat liver were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography, and fatty acid composition from individual phospholipids was measured by gas chromatography. Results showed that the total liver phospholipid content decreased in the rats treated with high dose of fluoride due to a lower content of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylserine (PS). Among the fatty acid compositions of PE and PC in the livers of fluoride poisoned animals, the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (20:4 and 22:6) decreased, whereas saturated fatty acids (16:0 and 18:0) increased. No changes could be detected in the amounts of liver cholesterol and dolichol. Total ubiquinone contents in rat liver were reduced by 11% in the group treated with 30 ppm fluoride and by 42% in the group treated with 100 ppm fluoride. In the subclasses of ubiquinone, both ubiquinone-9 and ubiquinoine-10 amounts decreased after fluoride treatment. These modifications of membrane lipids might be induced by oxidative stress, which might be an important factor in the pathogenesis of chronic fluorosis.     

Pathological excretion patterns of urinary proteins in miners highly exposed to dinitrotoluene

A cohort of 161 underground miners who had been highly exposed to dinitrotoluene (DNT) in the copper-mining industry of the former German Democratic Republic was reinvestigated for signs of subclinical renal damage. The study included a screening of urinary proteins excreted by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and quantitations of the specific urinary proteins alpha 1-microglobulin and glutathione-S-transferase alpha (GST alpha) as biomarkers for damage of the proximal tubule and glutathione-S-transferase pi (GST pi) for damage of the distal tubule. The exposures were categorized semiquantitatively (low, medium, high, and very high), according to the type and duration of professional contact with DNT. A straight dose-dependence of pathological protein excretion patterns with the semiquantitative ranking of DNT exposure was seen. Most of the previously reported cancer cases of the urinary tract, especially those in the higher exposed groups, were confined to pathological urinary protein excretion patterns. The damage from DNT was directed toward the tubular system. In many cases, the appearance of Tamm-Horsfall protein, a 105-kD protein marker, was noted. Data on the biomarkers alpha 1-microglobulin, GST alpha, and GST pi consistently demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in tubular damage, which confirmed the results of screening by SDS-PAGE and clearly indicated a nephrotoxic effect of DNT under the given conditions of exposure. Within the cluster of cancer patients observed among the DNT-exposed workers, only in exceptional cases were normal biomarker excretions found.     

Immunomodulatory effect of Hypoderma lineatum antigens: in vitro effect on bovine lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production

This study examines the immunomodulatory effect of a crude larval extract (CLE), obtained from first stage larvae (L1) of H. lineatum , and the purified fractions hypodermin A (HyA), HyB and HyC. Proliferative responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from uninfested and previously infested cattle and the production of the cytokines IL-10, IL-4 and IFN-γ, in response to concanavalin A (Con A), were determined. The stimulation index of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from uninfested cattle was significantly lower than that from infested animals with the different antigens assayed. The HyA was the antigen that most inhibited the proliferative response, followed by the HyB, the HyC and the CLE. This hypodermin provoked an increase of IFN-γ and a suppression of IL-10 production that would support a Th1-like cytokine response. The HyB reduced the production of IL-10 stimulated by the Con A in cultures from infested animals. The HyC did not modulate the production of cytokines. Finally, the CLE induced a marked suppression in the production of the different cytokines in cultures from naïve and previously sensitized animals. Our results indicate that Hypoderma larval secretions are comprised of different components (hypodermins) that individually induce distinct but partially overlapping modulatory responses.