The purpose of this study was to detect cytogenetic damage in mine workers working in a lead–zinc mine, which could be associated with a combined exposure to radon and heavy metals. Our study ...involved 70 mine workers from the lead–zinc mine. We used peripheral blood lymphocytes as the target material. The total share of structural chromosome aberration (SCA) decreased significantly over the 3 years of monitoring, from 5.08/200 analyses of metaphases in 1995 to 3.28 in 1997, owing to the decrease in exposure during the process of mine closure. The share of SCA was significantly different from the group of local people, who had never worked in the mine (1.43), as well as from the control group of Slovene residents (1.88). The share of micronuclei (MN) in mine workers also decreased in the monitored period, from 14.65/500 cytokinesis-blocked cells in 1995 to 11.77 in 1997, while the sister chromatic exchange (SCE) level did not change much (from 8.105/50 analysed cells in 1995 to 7.73 in 1997). Owing to the closure activities, the received concentrations of contaminants were falling constantly, particularly concentrations of radon. This was particularly evident in the level of SCA and the MN incidence, while the SCE values remained nearly on the same level. This indicates that the incidence of SCE is probably more strongly influenced by heavy metals than by radon.
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries of the knee represent an increasing problem among the active female population in comparison to their male counterparts. Besides temporary or prolonged joint ...dysfunction, such injuries may predispose an individual to early osteo-arthritis. Recognizing the sex differences is essential for the determination of preventive measures against these injuries. Besides anatomical and biomechanical differences, the role of hormonal oscillation during the menstrual cycle has been hypothesized. This manuscript presents a literature review based on cruciate ligament and menstrual cycle research published between 1992 and 2012. According to the experimental and epidemiologic studies, menstrual cycle was shown to be linked to anterior cruciate ligament injuries. The pre-ovulatory phase represents an increased risk, with the peak serum levels of estrogen emerging toward the end of that phase. However, the significance of menstrual cycle seems to be of lesser importance in preventive measures against female anterior cruciate injuries.
Poškodbe sprednje križne vezi kolenskega sklepa postajajo vse pogostejši problem aktivne ženske populacije v primerjavi v moškimi. Poleg začasno ali celo trajno okrnjene funkcije sklepa povečujejo tudi tveganje za nastanek zgodnje artroze. Prepoznava dejavnikov tveganja za nastanek tovrstnih poškodb v povezavi z razlikami med spoloma bi bila smiselna pri razvoju preventivnih ukrepov pred tovrstnimi poškodbami. Pregledane laboratorijske in epidemiološke raziskave v letih 1992-2012 so poleg anatomskih in biomehanskih razlik potrdile povezavo med nihanjem hormonov menstrualnega cikla in tveganjem za poškodbo sprednje križne vezi. Preovulatorna faza predstavlja obdobje največjega tveganja zaradi povečane koncentracija estrogena. Kljub navedenim ugotovitvam je videti pomen mesečnega nihanja hormonov premajhen, da bi na njem lahko učinkovito gradili preventivne programe pred poškodbami kolenskih vezi pri ženskah.
Personnel exposure to anaesthetic gases in the health sector, whether in the operating room, recovery room, or in the context of outpatient clinics, may entail a health risk. The goal of this ...research was to study the cytogenetic effects of chronic exposure to small doses of pollutants in operating theatres.
Results of cytogenetic analyses structural chromosomal aberrations (SCAs), sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) test of anaesthetists and other personnel handling anaesthetic gases, who only occasionally work in zones of ionizing radiation, were compared with results from radiologists, occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation only, and with the results obtained from a group of Slovene citizens who were never exposed to genotoxic agents.
This study involved 153 workers handling anaesthetic gases. The average frequency of SCAs in the group working with anaesthesia was 2.693. The result was statistically significantly higher than in the group of radiologists and Slovene citizens. The frequency of SCE and MN was also statistically significant. A number of authors, who used the same cytogenetic tests, found similar results in the group of anaesthetist.
The results of our study indicate that exposure to anaesthetic gases induced changes in human chromosomes.
To assess the ability to work and employability of individuals taking part in opioid substitution treatment programs (OSTP).
The study was composed of two surveys. In the first survey, 237 of 480 ...patients enrolled in OSTP responded to the questionnaire about their employment status, opinion about employment, and perception of assignments before and during OSTP. In the second survey, 66 of 100 employers responded to the questionnaire on the occurrence, perception, and management of addiction problems in their companies.
Unemployment rate in individuals enrolled in OSTP was 43.5% and decreased during OSTP by 10.5% (P=0.027). Irregular use of OSTP medications was the most important factor for unemployment (odds ratio, 2.44; P=0.016). OSTP was highly effective in achieving a positive change in patients' perception of different kinds of assignments previously perceived as beyond their abilities. Thus, perception of mentally demanding assignments (P<0.001), working at unfavorable hours (P<0.001), and forced work pace (P<0.001) represented much lower burden after entering OSTP. Only 6.6% of employers reported illicit drugs as being a problem at their companies and 79.1% believed they would not recognize a person under the influence of illicit drugs. In 93.0% of the cases, applicants for a job would have had lower chances if they had been drug users; the percentage was slightly higher for those taking part in OSTP (94.7%).
OSTP in Slovenia was effective in increasing both employability and OSTP patients' ability to work. To facilitate complete rehabilitation, particularly in obtaining employment for the patients, the process must involve the society as a whole.
The elderly are vulnerable and potentially unpredictable active participants in traffic who deserve special attention. Longer life expectancy entails a greater number of senior drivers, that is, ...persons with various health problems and difficulties accompanying old age. At the turn of the millennium, the share of population aged 65 or more in Slovenia was around 13%, and in 25 years it will be near as much as 19%. The share of drivers from this age group was 28% a year ago, and it is expected to reach about 54%. Numerous studies have shown that there are many differences in driving attitude between the young and the elderly. The young are by large active victims, and their main offense and cause of accident is speeding, while the elderly are more passive and their main offense is ignoring and enforcing the right of way. This paper focuses on the differences in the occurrence and type of injuries between the young and the elderly drivers, based on an analysis of all road accidents in Slovenia in the period between 1998-2000. Older people (over 65) caused only 4.7% of all road accidents (16.7% of all accidents involving pedestrians, 11.5% of all involving cyclists, 2.7% involving motorcyclists and 5% of all accidents involving car drivers). Of all accidents, 89.3% were without injuries, and the fatal outcome was registered in 0.4% accidents. Among the elderly (65-74 years of age), however, this share was 1%, and rising to 2.7% with the age 75 and above. By calculating the weight index, which discriminates between minor and severe injuries, and the fatal outcome, it was established that age groups 65-74 and > or = 75 cause three and five times greater damage, respectively than age groups from 18 to 54 years. With years, psychophysical changes lead to a drop in driving ability, which in turn increases the risk of road accidents. It is true that elderly people cause less traffic accidents (and also drive less) than the young, but when they are involved in an accident, as a rule the consequences are more tragical. A research of this increasing group traffic participants (in the role of drivers as well) could provide an important contribution to their safety and to the safety of all people involved in road traffic.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to find out the structural chromosomal changes in somatic cells after chemotherapy (CT) with or without radiotherapy (RT).
Methods and Materials: This prospective ...study included 30 Hodgkin’s disease (HD) patients. The patients of Group I
1
Group I — CT patients had MOPP/ABV 6–9 cycles.
1
had only MOPP/ABV CT. The patients of Group II
2
Group II — CT+RT patients had MOPP/ABV and then radiotherapy. The total radiation dose was 24–36Gy, the daily dose was 2Gy. Radiotherapy was performed with an 8MeV linear accelerator, using X-rays, 4–6 weeks after chemotherapy.
2
also had irradiation. Group III
3
Group III — control G. Control group of subjects without professional or therapeutic exposure to physical or chemical genotoxins.
3
(control group) consisted of healthy subjects without any reported malignant disease. Mutagenetic testing was performed at the time of diagnosis and was repeated immediately after treatment and again 6 months later. The following tests were applied: structural chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronucleus (MN) tests.
Results: Prior to treatment, the chromosome damage in our patients was not higher than that in the control group.
Immediately after the complete treatment, we observed a strong inhibition of the mitotic activity of lymphocytes as well as a significant increase in the frequency of CA, MN and SCE in the Groups I and II. In patients treated by RT, we found statistically significant differences between the Groups I and II in MN (
P<0.005) and CA frequencies (
P<0.005), and an increased number of dicentrics (
P=0.021).
Six months after the complete treatment, the mitotic activity was found to be nearly normal, but chromosome damage occurred. CA and SCE values did not differ much from the values measured immediately after treatment, whereas MN values decreased without returning to the baseline levels. The chromosome damage persisted even 6 months after combined RT and CT. The damage in the genome of individual cells was in some cases even greater than immediately after treatment. The possible risk of neoplastic transformation posed by these heavily damaged cells, if viable, due to the changes in the expression of oncogenes or tumour suppresser genes, is discussed.
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