The relation of the accumulation of cadmium in human placenta to the intake of high-fibre grains and maternal iron status.

Exposure to cadmium via the diet is known to depend to a large extent on the intake of cereal grains, particularly the high-fibre fractions of wheat. Subjects with low iron status absorb more cadmium than those with better iron status. The purpose of the present study was to determine to what extent cadmium accumulation in human placenta is affected by the intake of grain fibre and maternal iron status during pregnancy. Thirty-nine pregnant women participated in the study. In each trimester the women were requested to complete a dietary history and to allow blood samples to be taken for haemoglobin, serum ferritin and serum thiocyanate determinations, the latter as a marker for smoking. At delivery the whole placenta was taken for the determination of the cadmium concentration. The 32 women who had serum thiocyanate levels less than 70 mumol/l, who had completed at least one dietary history and from whom a blood sample was obtained in the third trimester, were included in the final statistical analyses. In the group of women who consumed less than the median intake of grain fibre and had more than 15 micrograms ferritin/l serum in the third trimester, the placenta cadmium concentration was nearly half that in the placentae of women who had consumed more grain fibre or had lower iron status in late pregnancy.     

Long-term effects of physical exercise on working capacity and pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis

Seven patients with cystic fibrosis aged 6 to 20 were enrolled for 30 months in a daily exercise program. After 12 months conventional chest physiotherapy was withdrawn. Patients with low initial Shwachman scores improved as regards maximal working capacity. Spirometric data and volume of trapped gas indicated opening of closed airways. We suggest that physical exercise in general should be the basis of pulmonary therapy in cystic fibrosis. Other forms of physiotherapy are advisable when hard physical exercise is not feasible.     

Effect of inositol hexaphosphate on retention of zinc and calcium from the human colon

Colonic retention of zinc and calcium was studied after installation during colonoscopy in 11 patients of a solution of 30 mumol zinc, 6.4 mmol calcium and 500 mumol inositol hexaphosphate (phytic acid) labelled with 65Zn and 47Ca. Whole-body retention of the radionuclide at day 13 was 1.0 +/- 1.0 per cent (mean +/- s.d.) for zinc and 4.0 +/- 2.9 per cent for calcium. The retention of zinc but not of calcium was lower than observed earlier under similar conditions from a solution not containing phytic acid and indicates formation of an indigestible complex between phytic acid and zinc. Addition of amino acids to the solution in 3 subjects did not seem to affect the retention of zinc and calcium.     

Reductions in lymphocyte subpopulations after repeated exposure to 1.5 ppm nitrogen dioxide.

In this investigation the effects of repeated exposure to 1.5 ppm NO2 on immune competent cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was studied. Special attention was focused on effects on lymphocyte subpopulations. Eight healthy subjects were exposed to 1.5 ppm NO2 every second day on six occasions. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was collected at least three weeks before the exposure series as reference and 24 hours after the last exposure. The results obtained were analysed using a non-parametric test for paired observations, with each subject as his own control. Significant reductions were found in the total number and percentage of T cytotoxic-suppressor cells in BAL fluid; this caused an increase in the ratio of T helper-inducer: cytotoxic-suppressor cells. The total number of natural killer cells in the BAL fluid was also reduced. The numbers of all other cell types were unchanged after exposure. No reduction of phagocytosis of opsonised yeast particles by alveolar macrophages in vitro was detected. It is concluded that repeated short term exposures to 1.5 ppm NO2, a moderate occupational concentration, induces significant effects on immune competent bronchoalveolar lymphocytes. This indicates that previous findings of changes in the lymphoid immune system induced by NO2 in animals may well be applicable to humans.     

Continued surveillance of cancer incidence among Swedish smelter workers.

A cohort study of workers at a smeltery in northern Sweden showed an excess mortality, mostly due to deaths in cancer (especially in the respiratory organs) and circulatory diseases. Further follow-up of the cohort showed a decreasing trend in lung cancer incidence and mortality. The cohort studied has now been expanded and comprises 6,334 blue-collar workers first employed 1928-1979. They were followed in the cancer register up to 1987-01-01 and in the cause-of-death register up to 1988-01-01. The decreasing trend in lung cancer incidence and mortality continued but there was still an elevated lung cancer incidence among the workers when compared with Swedish males. The cumulative occurrence of lung cancer since time of first employment was analyzed by different employment cohorts and a higher occurrence of lung cancer was found among those earlier employed.     

The Butajira rural health project in Ethiopia: mortality pattern of the under fives.

A total of 492 deaths of children below 5 years of age were registered during a 2-year period of demographic surveillance in a rural population of Ethiopia, where an epidemiologic study base population of 28,780 individuals was established in 1987. Data were collected by lay-reporters using a verbal autopsy method. The under-five cumulative mortality rate was 209 per 1000 children. When sub-divided into infants and children 1-4 years, the respective yearly mortality rates were 101 and 32.3 per 1000. There were considerable variations within the district by Peasants' Associations. Rural Lowlands experienced the highest mortality rates, especially for children 1-4 years. Mortality trends over a 2-year period indicate a significant increase for the child population, but not for infants. Similar trends were observed for boys and girls although the rates for boys were generally higher especially during infancy. More deaths occurred in the months of April, June, and July, and October and November indicating two peak seasons in both years. More deaths occurred in Peasant's Associations that were furthest from the health centre. Major probable causes of death were acute respiratory infections, measles, and diarrhoea. It is concluded that even in rural areas of a developing country it is possible to collect from mothers the much needed and valid fertility and mortality data through epidemiological surveillance by using lay-reporters.     

Evidence that an L-fucose-containing component in the beta-cell plasma membrane is involved in the regulation of glucose-induced insulin release

The effect of the L-fucose-selective lectin Ulex Europeus I (UEA I), a blocker of the Na+, K+, Cl- co-transport system in the kidney, was tested on insulin secretion from isolated beta-cell-rich pancreatic islets. UEA I at doses from 50 to 100 micrograms ml-1 significantly reduced the glucose-induced (20 mmol l-1) insulin release whereas the basal (3 mmol l-1) release was unaffected. The inhibitory effect of 100 micrograms ml l-1 UEA I was completely abolished by 10 mmol l-1 L-fucose. The data suggest that an L-fucose-containing structure in the beta-cell plasma membrane participates in the regulation of glucose-induced insulin release. This structure may be similar to the L-fucose-containing glycoprotein in the kidney tubules that is believed to be the Na+, K+, Cl- cotransporter.