Low birth weight in newborns to women employed in jobs with frequent exposure to organic solvents

The effects of occupational exposure to organic solvents in pregnancy on foetal growth are still unclear. Our aim was to study whether live newborns to women employed in paid jobs with frequent exposure had a different risk of being born with low birth weight (LBW), compared to those of women in jobs without such exposure. The study population was all singleton newborns delivered in the industrial township of Mon?egorsk (N?=?26,415). Information about occupation and characteristics of the mothers and babies was obtained from the local population-based birth register, and registered job function was used to classify exposure. We observed an elevated risk of LBW among live, singleton newborns in the exposed group (adjusted odds ratio: 1.68 [95% CI: 1.18–2.41]), which predominantly consisted of painters. The adjusted odds of LBW in the exposed group were also higher among term-born neonates. In addition, a lower mean birth weight was observed among the exposed.     

油漆工神经行为功能调查

目的：探讨油漆对作业工人的早期危害。方法：用神经行为核心测试组合（NCTB）法对55名油漆工和66名非油漆作业人员进行神经行为功能检查。结果：观察组数字广度、手提敏捷度、数字译码、视觉持留、目标追踪-Ⅱ得分均低于对照组（P＜0.05)；困惑情绪状态和数字译码、视觉持留得分随工龄增加显著降低，而平均简单反应时随工龄增加明显延长，P均＜0.05。结论：油漆作业对油漆工神经行为功能的影响可能存在一定的剂量反应关系。     

Contact dermatitis from a textile flame retardant

We report a case of contact sensitivity to Flammentin ASN®, a flame retardant used on cotton and wool. The patient was a painter who was protecting his face with a white cotton cap. He presented with eczema of the forehead and face at the sites of cap contact. Patch tests with the treated cap and flame retardant were positive; a formaldehyde patch test was negative. Flame retardants are used in construction, materials and textiles. Contact sensitivity is rarely described and we compare our case to those published in the literature.     

The enigmatic strabismus of Albrecht Dürer

The author discusses several of Albrecht Dürer’s selfportraits. In some portraits his eyes are straight and in some others a divergent squint is present. Did Dürer do this on purpose or whas the squint indeed intermittently present? Analysis of the portrait of his mother gave the explanation.