Occupational exposure of deck crews to carcinogenic agents on crude oil tankers

Occupational exposure to carcinogenic agents on the decks on six Norwegian crude oil tankers was examined in five harbors. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the need for improving the working environment on deck on these tankers. Technical arrangments and the work itself on the deck were observed during loading or unloading. Occupational monitoring was performed by active sampling of benzene, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and some aldehydes. The crew answered a questionnaire concerning their work, use of protective equipment, and occurrence of acute symptoms. The levels of air-borne carcinogenic agents were low, probably due to closed loading systems on all tankers. However, the seamen reported discomfort during the work that may be related to other chemical agents in the cargo. The seamen were frequently painting with lead chromate paint without using personal protective equipment. This type of chemical exposure should be evaluated.     

Small cell lung cancer in Norway. Should more patients have been offered surgical therapy?

OBJECTIVE: The final outcome of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is poor with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. Therefore, the question of surgery in patients with a technically-operable solitary tumor has been raised. The purpose of this study was to identify the proportion of patients with operable SCLC and to assess the prognosis of different treatment strategies. For patients who were operated, we compared the resection specimens from patients with more than 5-year survival with those with shorter survival to see whether the specimens belonged to different subclasses of SCLC. METHODS: In Norway all clinical and pathologic departments submit reports on cancer patients to the Cancer Registry. The Registry also has a law-regulated authority to collect supplemental information regarding diagnosis, treatment and outcome for all cancer patients from the hospitals in charge. All reports on patients diagnosed as having SCLC in limited disease or unknown stage during the time interval 1993-1999 were reviewed. Patients with a T2-tumor, in whom a pneumonectomy would have to be performed, were classified as potentially operable. Five-year relative survival was calculated for patients diagnosed in 1993-1997. RESULTS: During the actual period 2442 individuals with SCLC were identified. The majority was treated with conventional chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy while 38 underwent surgical therapy. Following reclassification of 697 patients reported to have limited disease or unknown stage 180 were judged to be in stage I. In addition to the 38 resected patients 14 were considered fit for surgery technically and medically while 97 were found to be potentially operable treatment modalities apart from surgery yielded a 5-year survival rate <7%. For stage I (N=96) the rate was 11.3% in conventionally treated patients compared to 44.9% for those who underwent surgical resection. By pathological review of surgical specimens a diagnosis of SCLC was confirmed in all patients treated by surgery in the groups with long and short survival. CONCLUSION: This investigation demonstrates that patients with SCLC having a peripherally located tumor should be referred to surgery, as long time survival is far better than for conventionally treated patients.     

A 9.6 kilobase deletion in the low density lipoprotein receptor gene in Norwegian familial hypercholesterolemia subjects

Haplotype analysis of the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene was performed in Norwegian subjects heterozygous for familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA, using an exon 18 specific probe and the restriction enzyme NcoI, showed that two out of 57 unrelated FH subjects had an abnormal 3.6 kb band. Further analyses revealed that this abnormal band was due to a 9.6 kb deletion that included exons 16 and 17. The 5' deletion breakpoint was after 245 bp of intron 15, and the 3' deletion breakpoint was in exon 18 after nucleotide 3390 of cDNA. Thus, both the membrane-spanning and cytoplasmatic domains of the receptor had been deleted. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed to identify this deletion among other Norwegian FH subjects. As a result of this screening one additional subject was found out of 124 subjects screened. Thus, three out of 181 (1.7%) unrelated Norwegian FH subject possessed this deletion. The deletion was found on the same haplotype in the three unrelated subjects, suggesting a common mutagenic event. The deletion is identical to a deletion (FH-Helsinki) that is very common among Finnish FH subjects. However, it is not yet known whether the mutations evolved separately in the two countries.     

Phagocytosis and Chemiluminescence Response of Granulocytes to Monodisperse Latex Particles of Varying Sizes and Surface Coats

The response of human granulocytes to polystyrene latex beads of diameter 0.1–7 m was measured by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence. In all instances, the response to beads of 3–7 m was definitely higher than with smaller beads. In protein-free medium, the chemiluminescence response was slow compared to that of opsonized zymosan, and the highest response was only 9% of the response to opsonized zymosan. Scanning electron microscopy showed that granulocytes in suspension bound the particles, occasionally by extending rope-like protrusions. When the beads were coated with albumin, the chemiluminescence diminished to about 1/3 of that seen with uncoated beads; however, preincubating the beads in serum led to a large increase with beads of 1.1 m (to 25% of the maximal response to opsonized zymosan) and 3.19 m (to 42%), but with the smallest beads, no increase was noted. "Priming" of the cells with tumor necrosis factor- caused a further increase with serum-coated beads. When uncoated beads of 1.1 m were tested with "primed" cells, there was an increase of 6 times in the chemiluminescence compared to un-"primed" cells.     

Characterization of idiotopes on MOPC 315 IgA using monoclonal antiidiotypic antibodies

The isologous antiidiotypic response in BALB/c mice to immunization with the DNP-binding IgA myeloma protein, MOPC 315, alters the expression of the anti-DNP antibody repertoire and confers immunity against MOPC 315 myeloma tumors. In order to characterize the idiotopes on MOPC 315 IgA which elicit this response we have isolated four monoclonal antiidiotypic antibodies (AIA), D10 (IgG_2a), A2(IgG₁), G3 (IgG_2b) and F1 (IgG_2a), produced by splenocytes of BALB/c mice immunized with MOPC 315 IgA in three independent fusion experiments. These AIA react with MOPC 315 IgA. reassociated H³¹⁵ L³¹⁵ and F³¹⁵_V but not with free H³¹⁵, L³¹⁵, V³¹⁵_H or V³¹⁵₂. In addition the AIA do not react with the closely related DNP-binding IgA myeloma protein, MOPC 460, suggesting that they are directed against private idiotopes on MOPC 315 IgA. These idiotopes can be divided into two groups. Group I, defined by D10, A2 and G3 consists of two overlapping idiotopes, one of which is related to the hapten-binding site. The two idiotopes are formed by an interaction of amino acids in H³¹⁵ and L³¹⁵. Group II defined by F1 consists of one idiotope which is related to the hapten-binding site. This idiotope is comprised of an aminoacid sequence on H³¹⁵ which requires an interaction with either L³¹⁵ or L⁴⁶⁰ for expression. A2 and G3 react identically with the same idiotope but were derived from two independent fusion experiments. This indicates an identity of AIA clonotypes among individual mice and suggests that the isologous AIA response to MOPC 315 IgA is restricted.     

Fine-needle biopsy of the pancreas: Results of 204 routinely performed biopsies in 190 patients

Two-hundred and four fine-needle aspiration biopsies of the pancreas have been performed in 190 patients during a 12-year period. Sixty-one of these were performed percutaneously guided by endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography, angiography, or ultrasonography; and 143 were taken intraoperatively. In 77 (67%) out of 115 patients with pancreatic cancer, a correct cytological diagnosis was obtained. Two biopsies were reported as malignant in 1 patient who ultimately was found to have chronic pancreatitis (false positives). The frequency of not representative biopsies varied from 20.8% in patients with suspected cancer biopsied intraoperatively to 48.4% in patients biopsied preoperatively. A correct cytological diagnosis of malignancy was obtained preoperatively in 54.6% of patients with cancer, in 60.0% of patients evaluated without later operation, and in 71.1% of patients biopsied during laparotomy for suspected pancreatic cancer. The overall false-negative rate was 9.8%. The predictive value of a positive test was almost 100%, whereas the predictive value of a negative test was only 69.6% (total material). Analyses may indicate that a more aggressive approach with multiple punctures may lower the not representative biopsy rate and increase the diagnostic accuracy in patients with pancreatic cancer.

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Resumen Doscientas y cuatro biopsias pancreáticas por aspiración con aguja fina han sido realizadas en 190 pacientes en un período de 12 años. Sesenta y una de éstas fueron realizadas por vía percutánea guiada por colangiopancreatografía endoscópica retrógrada, colangiografía percutánea transhepática, angiografía, o ultrasonografía, y 143 fueron intraoperatorias. En 77 (67%) de 115 pacientes con cáncer del páncreas se obtuvo un diagnóstico citológico correcto. Dos biopsias fueron informadas como malignas en un paciente en quien finalmente se demostró pancreatitis crónica (falsas positivas). La frecuencia de biopsias no representativas varió entre 20.8% en pacientes con sospecha de cáncer y biopsia realizada intraoperatoriamente, a 48.4% en pacientes con biopsias realizadas en la fase preoperatoria. El diagnóstico citológico correcto de malignidad fue logrado preoperatoriamente en 54.6% de los pacientes con cáncer, en el 60.0% de los pacientes evaluados y sin operación posterior y en el 71.1% de los pacientes en quienes se realizó biopsia durante la laparotomía por sospecha de cáncer pancreático. La tasa global de resultados falsos negativos fue de 9.8%. El valor de predicción de una prueba positiva fue de casi 100%, mientras el valor de predicción de una prueba negativa fue de sólo 69.6% (material total). La implicación práctica de esto es que cuando se obtenga un resultado negativo se debe proceder con la toma de nuevas biopsias. En conclusión, creemos que la biopsia del páncreas con aguja fina es un procedimiento seguro que puede ser recomendado en todas las fases del proceso diagnóstico o terapéutico de lesiones pancreáticas, y que es valioso en la planeación de la terapia en pacientes con cáncer. Sinembargo, las biopsias negativas en casos de sospecha clínica de cáncer no siempre excluyen su presencia. Mayor análisis puede indicar que una actitud más agresiva, con punciones mÚltiples, puede disminuir la tasa de biopsias no representativas y aumentar la precisión diagnóstica en pacientes con cáncer pancreático.

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Résumé Deux cent quatre biopsies-aspirations à l'aiguille fine du pancréas ont été pratiquées chez 190 sujets au cours d'une période de 12 ans. Soixante et une d'entre elles ont été pratiquées par voie souscutanée en étant guidées par cathétérisme rétrograde, cholangiographie transpariétale, angiographie ou ultrasonographie et 143 ont été effectuées au cours de l'intervention. Chez 77 (67%) sujets appartenant à une série de 115 malades atteints de cancer du pancréas le diagnostic cytologique exact a été porté. Deux biopsies en faveur du diagnostic de cancer répondaient en réalité à des lésions de pancréatite chronique (faux positifs). La fréquence des biopsies ininterprétables chez les sujets suspects de cancer a varié de 20.8% lorsque l'examen a été pratiqué au cours de l'intervention à 48.4% lorsque ce mÊme examen a été effectué avant l'opération. Le taux de diagnostic cytologique exact de cancer a été respectivement de 54.6%, de 60.0% et 71.1% selon que la biopsie cytologique a l'aiguille a été pratiquée avant l'intervention, après un certain délai et au cours de l'opération. Au total, le taux des faux positifs s'est élevé à 9.8%. La fiabilité de la biopsie à l'aiguille a été proche de 100% en cas de biopsie positive mais seulement de 69.6% en cas de biopsie négative. L'analyse de l'ensemble de ces faits incite à adopter une attitude plus agressive c'est-à-dire à pratiquer des biopsies multiples au lieu d'une ponction unique pour réduire le taux des prélèvements ininterprétables et accroÎtre celui des résultats exacts.

     

A multinational study of the relationships between nighttime urinary melatonin production, age, gender, body size, and latitude

Overnight urines were collected each month for 12–16 months from 321 normal subjects at 19 medical centers in 14 countries distributed on 5 continents at latitudes from 31 01 South to 77 00 North. Mean melatonin concentration was found to negatively correlate with age, weight, and height. When the sexes were considered separately melatonin only correlated with age for female and with age and weight for males. A weak correlation with latitude, but not longitude, was also found. Received: 26 February 1998 / Accepted: 9 September 1999     

Shortlasting, Unilateral, Neuralgiform Headache Attacks With Conjunctival Injection, Tearing, and Subclinical Forehead Sweating ("Sunct" Syndrome): II. Changes in Heart Rate and Arterial Blood Pressure During Pain Paroxysms.

The recently described "Sunct" syndrome is a rare picture of unilateral, shortlasting headache attacks accompanied by autonomic phenomena (conjunctival injection, tearing, etc.) on the symptomatic side. Heart rate and blood pressure were monitored in two elderly "Sunct" patients during and outside headache attacks. An ultrasound Doppler servo method was used for the non-invasive, continuous, beat-to-beat determination of instantaneous arterial blood pressure. In a third patient, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, both outside and during pain paroxysms, were assessed using the standard Korotkoff method. Heart rate was found to be significantly decreased during pain paroxysms. Systolic blood pressure was observed to be significantly increased during attacks, when compared with the inter-attack period, while a less consistent pattern was observed for diastolic blood pressure. Some of the changes in the cardiovascular system seemed to start prior to pain onset. Therefore, it seems unlikely that these changes were caused by pain activation of the sympathetic nervous system or the oculocardiac reflex.