Mental disorders in workers exposed to chemicals at work

The article considers data on boundary psychic disorders in subjects exposed to chemicals of I-II jeopardy classes. Chemical factor appears to increase risk of psychiatric diseases. The authors suggest periodic psychiatric examination of workers engaged into hazardous chemical production for better occupational selection, early diagnosis and treatment of boundary psychic disorders.     

Borderline mental disorders in workers exposed to poisons and their prevention

Studies covered psychic state in workers exposed to poisons. The authors represent clinical and epidemiologic principles of the disorders formation, the prevalence and structure of the disorders caused by various hazards. The article necessitates up-to-date data-processing system for occupational selection, clinical, psychophysiologic, biochemical and experimental psychologic evaluation of current state in workers engaged into liquidation of chemical weapons.     

Evaluation of minimally invasive indices for predicting ascites susceptibility in three successive hatches of broilers exposed to cool temperatures

The growth and differentiation of mast cells and melanocytes require stem cell factor (SCF), the ligand for the kit receptor tyrosine kinase. SCF may exist as a membrane-bound or soluble molecule. Abnormalities of the SCF-kit signaling pathway, with increased local concentrations of soluble SCF, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the human disease cutaneous mastocytosis, but have not yet been shown to play a causal role. To investigate both the potential of SCF to cause mastocytosis and its role in epidermal melanocyte homeostasis, we targeted the expression of SCF to epidermal keratinocytes in mice with two different transgenes controlled by the human keratin 14 promoter. The transgenes contained cDNAs that either produced SCF, which can exist in both membrane-bound and soluble forms, or SCF, which remains essentially membrane bound. Murine epidermal keratinocyte expression of membrane-bound/ soluble SCF reproduced the phenotype of human cutaneous mastocytosis, with dermal mast cell infiltrates and epidermal hyperpigmentation, and caused the maintenance of a population of melanocytes in the interadnexal epidermis, an area where melanocytes and melanin are found in human skin but where they are not typically found in murine skin. Expression of membrane-bound SCF alone resulted in epidermal melanocytosis and melanin production, but did not by itself cause mastocytosis. We conclude, first, that a phenotype matching that of human mastocytosis can be produced in mice by keratinocyte overproduction of soluble SCF, suggesting a potential cause of this disease. Second, we conclude that keratinocyte expression of membrane-bound SCF results in the postnatal maintenance of epidermal melanocytes in mice. Since the resulting animals have skin that more closely approximates human skin than do normal mice, their study may be more relevant to human melanocyte biology than the study of skin of normal mice.     

Detection of micronuclei in peripheral erythrocytes of Cyprinus carpio exposed to metallic mercury

OBJECTIVE: Because of the implication of histamine in canine atopic dermatitis, H1-antihistamines may provide a valid alternative to glucocorticoid therapy. In vitro study of these drugs prior to clinical testing can allow the most promising compounds to be selected for trials and render trials with drugs of doubtful efficacy unnecessary. SAMPLE POPULATION: Isolated canine cutaneous mast cells. PROCEDURE: Cells were preincubated with antihistamines at increasing concentrations and incubated with concanavalin A (1,000 micrograms/ml), calcium ionophore A23187 (1 microM), and substance P (100 microM). Compound 48/80 was not used because it proved to be cytotoxic. RESULTS: Generally, significant prodegranulating effect was not observed for most of the studied agents. Only terfenadine increased spontaneous histamine release at concentrations > 30 microM. Cetirizine did not block histamine release at any of the studied concentrations. Ketotifen had a low inhibitory effect only at the highest concentration (100 microM) after concanavalin A- (23.6 +/- 2.8%) and calcium ionophore A23187- (29.8 +/- 3.0%) induced release. Terfenadine caused a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect after ionophore A23187- (48.1 +/- 2.2%) and concanavalin A- (28.9 +/- 2.3%) activation, but was inactive against substance P-induced release. In contrast, loratadine had potent dose-dependent inhibition of concanavalin A- and ionophore A23187-induced histamine release, with maximal effect of 85.6 +/- 3.1% and 62.6 +/- 4.7%, respectively, at 100 microM concentration. After substance P activation, histamine release was only slightly inhibited by loratadine (14.8 +/- 1.1%). CONCLUSIONS: This study documents the behavior of isolated canine cutaneous mast cells in the presence of nonimmunologic stimulation. Using this in vitro method, we were able to determine that loratadine is the only antihistamine that has potent inhibition of histamine release from dog cutaneous mast cells without a substantial prodegranulating effect. Loratadine is, therefore, a good candidate for clinical testing.     

Inhibition of tissue factor surface expression in human peripheral blood monocytes exposed to cytokines

Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-13 and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) are known to regulate several monocyte functions, including inhibition of the synthesis of different cytokines. Using quantitative RT-PCR and flow cytometry analysis we investigated the effects of these cytokines on bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tissue factor (TF) expression in human monocytes. The effects of IL-4 and IL-10 on monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)-and C-reactive protein (CRP)-induced TF expression were also studied. A direct comparison revealed that IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 all down-regulated LPS-induced TF expression in a concentration-dependent manner without the need for priming. In contrast, TGF-beta required 4 h of priming to inhibit TF expression induced by LPS. IL-10 was the most powerful inhibitor, causing almost complete inhibition at 5 ng/ml. IL-4 and IL-13 exhibited a significantly lower inhibitory capacity even at concentrations of 100 ng/ml. IL-4 and IL-10 showed similar concentration-dependent inhibition of MCP-1- and CRP-induced TF expression. We also showed that the regulatory effect of the interleukins occurred at the mRNA level. In vivo, these inhibitory cytokines may play an important regulatory role in preventing thrombosis. IL-10, in particular, may be a possible candidate as a TF-preventing drug.     

Detection of cytogenetic effects in peripheral lymphocytes of students exposed to formaldehyde with cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus assay

A range of specific and unusual biological pathways are found in Gram-negative bacteria. It is possible to express the genes involved in these processes in Escherichia coli, however, some genes prove lethal when cloned into high copy number vectors in common usage. Conversely, various genetic functions remain silent in E. coli and require to be transferred into their original host for expression and subsequent analysis. To facilitate the cloning and the characterisation of bacterial genes, we have constructed CcdB 'positive-selection' vectors that possess one or more of the following properties: (i) low or medium copy number; (ii) narrow or broad replication host range; (iii) conjugational mobilisation. In this communication, we illustrate the use of these new cloning tools and analyse the CcdB toxicity in different bacterial species.     

Premorbid anomalies and risk of schizophrenia and depressive disorders in a birth cohort exposed to prenatal rubella.

In a birth cohort prenatally exposed to rubella, we assessed whether prospectively documented premorbid neuromotor dysfunction, mannerisms, deviant behaviors, and temperament during childhood and adolescence were impaired in cases who developed depressive disorder (DD) relative to rubella-exposed controls and cases who developed schizophrenia spectrum psychosis (SSP). Premorbid neuromotor dysfunction and mannerisms were not increased among DD cases compared to controls or SSP cases. With regard to temperament, approachability was greater in DD cases than in controls and SSP cases. There were numerical increases in the proportions of DD cases with premorbid deviant behaviors compared to controls, but the findings fell short of statistical significance; the proportion of subjects with deviant behaviors in DD cases was similar to that found for SSP. These results indicate that premorbid neuromotor dysfunction and mannerisms may be specific to SSP among major psychiatric disorders in this cohort, and suggest that premorbid deviant behaviors are increased in both DD and SSP. Greater premorbid approachability may be associated with an increased risk of adult DD. Implications of these findings for school psychology are furnished. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in the central and peripheral serotonergic system in rats exposed to water-immersion restrained stress and nicotine administration

The effects of water-immersion restraint stress (WS) on chronically nicotine-administered rats were studied in the blood and various regions of the brain. Serotonin (5-HT) levels increased in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum following the administration of nicotine. 5-HT levels increased in all the brain regions following stress. Nicotine decreased stress-induced increased levels of 5-HT in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Nicotine administration alone increased 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Stress alone also increased 5-HIAA levels in all the brain regions. In the cortex, 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels further increased following the administration of a combination of stress and nicotine compared to rats given stress alone. In the blood as well as in all the brain regions, except the cerebellum, stress or nicotine administration did not affect tryptophan levels. Stress given to nicotine-administered rats resulted in a decrease in tryptophan levels in the blood and plasma. Although 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were not influenced by stress and/or nicotine administration, the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio increased in the blood and plasma of rats administered with nicotine and exposed to stress. The effects of nicotine on the serotonergic system depend upon the kind of stress given together with the organs and brain regions involved.     

Neuroimaging in children with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system

The study investigates the neurological substrate in children with congenital disorders of the peripheral visual system (CDPVS), i.e. disorders of the anterior visual pathways and the globe. The design is retrospective; brain MRI and/or CT scans were traced and reviewed for 79 of 254 children with CDPVS on our database. The neuroradiological findings were considered in the context of degree of visual impairment (profound [PVI] and severe [SVI]), developmental outcome (setback and non-setback), and mode of imaging (MRI and CT). Scans were abnormal in 40 of 79 (51%) children; 23 of 40 (58%) had more than one lesion; and in some children lesions not previously reported were found. The number of abnormalities per child was significantly higher in the PVI than the SVI group (P<0.05); the level of significance varied according to the method of scanning (MRI, P<0.001; CT, ns). Seven children were known to have had developmental setback; significantly more brain abnormalities per child were found in the group with setbacks than in the group without (P<0.001). Eighty-six percent (24 of 28) of MRI compared with 38% (22 of 58) of CT scans were abnormal. MRI detected more lesions per child than CT (P< 0.001). Thus, a significant amount of brain pathology occurs in children with CDPVS. The number of lesions varies directly with degree of visual impairment and both correlate with developmental outcome. As brain pathology will be only one of many factors influencing developmental progress in visually impaired children, prospective multifactorial studies of the CDPVS population, which include MRI studies of the neurological substrate, will be required to clarify the latter.     

Proximity of iliosacral screws to neurovascular structures after internal fixation

The placement of iliosacral screws for the stabilization of pelvic ring lesions is technically demanding. The postoperative computed tomography scans of 31 patients who had 57 iliosacral screws placed for various indications were studied to determine the proximity of these screws to neurovascular structures. The closest distance of the screws from the S1 foramen averaged 3 mm. (range, 0-10.5 mm); the average closest distance to the anterior cortex of the sacral ala was 4.8 mm (range, 0-15.3 mm). The corridor for the insertion of the screws between the S1 foramen and the anterior cortex of the sacrum averaged 21.7 mm (range, 16.2-28.9 mm). Trigonometric analysis of these dimensions suggests that deviations of the surgeon's hand by as little as 4 degrees may direct iliosacral screws either into the S1 foramina or through the anterior cortex of the sacrum.     

Pathological changes in organs of rats chronically exposed to hypoxia. Development of pulmonary lipidosis

Rats were exposed to chronic normobaric hypoxia of progressively increasing severity; down to 8% or 7% oxygen concentrations. In addition to loss of weight, pathology revealed congestion, haemorrhages, hypertrophy of the heart involving mainly the right ventricle, thickening of arteries, ischaemic changes in the myocardium and extramedullary haematopoiesis in the spleen. Changes not described up until now were: 1) sheets of foam cells in the pulmonary alveoli; 2) foamy and solid storing cells in the spleen; 3) mucoid changes in the atrioventricular valve leaflets; 4) hyperplasia of the juxtaglomerular apparatus; 5) atrophy of the adrenal glomerulosa and hyperplasia of medulla; 6) atrophy of the perifollicular B-cell zone in the spleen; and 7) lipid pigment deposition in various organs. The findings indicate that severe chronic hypoxia induces a significant pulmonary lipidosis similar to that caused by amphiphilic cationic drugs, presumably by inhibiting hydrolytic enzyme activities. The observations are of importance in human hypoxic conditions and open the possibility of their rational treatment.     

Psychoautonomic and neurovascular disorders in patients with autonomic vascular dystonia and the hyperventilation syndrome and methods for their correction

35 patients with vegetocirculatory dystonia and hyperventilation syndrome, but without the signs of organic lesion of nervous system were treated. The complex treatment included the breathing exercises with feedback mechanisms, the correction of psychovegetative and neurovascular disturbances, the massage of neck region and a head, psychotherapy, angioprotective, vegeto- and psychotropic drug therapy. The disappearance of acute vascular attacks and paroxysms of migrainous headache, the normalization of all breathing parameters and the improvement of vegetative status were observed in all patients.     

Revising sanitary norms of microclimate in industrial accommodations]

The article outlines new edition of a project "Sanitary norms of microclimate in industrial compartments". Up-to-date scientific data, results of studies concerning human heat state in experimental and industrial conditions, evaluation of the workers' health state helped to modify optimal and allowable parameters of microclimate, to rectify requirements for measurement conditions and measuring devices. When the recommended temperature could not be maintained, the duration of work in such conditions should be limited for prevention of overheating and overcooling. To examine prophylactic measures against overheating, the authors suggested an integral characteristic of heating environmental load (TNS-index) and set its safe values.