Lung cancer in lifetime nonsmoking men - results of a case-control study in Germany

Epidemiological studies of lung cancer among nonsmoking men are few. This case-control study was conducted among lifetime nonsmoking men between 1990 and 1996 in Germany to examine lung cancer risk in relation to occupation, environmental tobacco smoke, residential radon, family history of cancer and previous lung disease. A total of 58 male cases with confirmed primary lung cancer and 803 male population controls who had never smoked more than 400 cigarettes in their lifetime were personally interviewed by a standardized questionnaire. In addition, 1-year radon measurements in the living and bedroom of the subjects' last dwelling were carried out. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Having ever worked in a job with known lung carcinogens was associated with a two-fold significantly increased lung cancer risk (OR = 2.2; CI = 1.0-5.0), adjusted for age and region. The linear trend test for lung-cancer risk associated with radon exposure was close to statistical significance, demonstrating an excess relative risk for an increase in exposure of 100 Bq m(-3)of 0.43 (P = 0.052). Nonsignificantly elevated effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in public transportation and in social settings were observed. No associations with a family history of cancer or previous lung diseases were found. Our results indicate that occupational carcinogens and indoor radon may play a role in some lung cancers in nonsmoking men.     

Aneurysm clips made of titanium: magnetic characteristics and artifacts in MR.

PURPOSETo evaluate the magnetic characteristics, artifact formation, and implant safety of titanium aneurysm clips for use in MR imaging.METHODSAneurysm clips made of titanium alloy TiAl6V4 were tested in a magnetometer to determine their magnetic susceptibility and in a 1.5-T MR imager using both a geometric phantom and an animal model. A commercially available alpha-Phynox clip served as the reference standard.RESULTSWe found minimal magnetization and a significant reduction in image artifacts with the titanium clip as compared with the Phynox clip.CONCLUSIONThe titanium clips improve image quality, biocompatibility, and patient safety in medical MR applications.     

Occupational and environmental hazards associated with lung cancer.

In a hospital-based case-control study 194 lung cancer cases, 194 hospital controls, and 194 population controls were interviewed for their smoking, occupational, and residential history by trained interviewers, using a standardized questionnaire. In order to include many different environmental exposures, case ascertainment took place in seven different hospitals with catchment areas ranging from rural to highly industrialized. Lung cancer risk strongly increases with cumulative cigarette dose, reaching an odds ratio (OR) of 16.19 (95% confidence limits (CL): 5.10, 51.33) for male smokers of more than 40 pack-years and an OR of 19.99 (95% CL: 4.98, 80.24) for female smokers of more than 20 pack-years. For the quantification of occupational exposure to known carcinogens of the lung a novel approach was developed which accumulates exposure information obtained by supplemental questionnaires through an automatic procedure. The OR for the highest exposure group in males was 2.7 (95% CL: 1.23, 5.78). Significantly increased risks were observed in the metal industry, particularly in smelter and foundry workers (OR 4.8, 95% CL: 1.15, 20.16) and in turners (OR 2.2, 95% CL: 1.05, 4.75). In the construction industry the risks were particularly high in road construction workers (OR 3.7, 95% CL: 1.06, 13.20) and in unskilled construction workers (OR 2.7, 95% CL: 1.24, 5.76). The risks in these occupational groups increased with duration and with latency. Quantification of air pollution was done on a county basis by time period. An index based on emission data for sulphur dioxide was compared to a semiquantitative index, which included additional information on ambient air pollution. After adjustment for smoking and occupational exposures an OR of 1.01 (95% CL: 0.53, 1.91) for an emission index and of 1.16 (95% CL: 0.64, 2.13) for a semiquantitative index was obtained.     

Novel antinematodal and antiparasitic agents from Penicillium charlesii. II. Structure determination of paraherquamides B, C, D, E, F, and G

Paraherquamides B (2, C27H33N3O4), C (3, C28H33N3O4), D (4, C28H33N3O5), E (5, C28H35N3O4), F (6, C28H35N3O3), and G (7, C28H35N3O4) are novel metabolites of Penicillium charlesii. The structures of these compounds have been determined by NMR and MS analysis.     

Plasma exchange and immunosuppression in rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis: a controlled, multi-center study

In a randomized study of 26 patients with histologically confirmed rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis, 12 patients were treated with immunosuppressants alone (corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide and azathioprine) while the other 14 patients received not only the identical immunosuppressive treatment but also plasma exchange therapy for four weeks. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. After 8 weeks, 73% and 69% of the patients in each respective group showed recompensation of renal function; serum creatinine fell from initially 7.0 and 6.2 mg/dl mean to 2.7 and 2.3 mg/dl mean, and under continued immunosuppression did not rise in the following months. Thus, in non-autoantibody induced rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, kidney function could be improved substantially by immunosuppressive therapy, but an advantage of supplementary plasma exchange could not be shown.     

Growth dependent cell proliferation kinetics of a human malignant melanoma grown in nude mice

Summary A human malignant melanoma was grown in nude mice. The tumour showed an exponential growth for several weeks which gradually slowed down, until following week 8 the tumour growth ceased. The reasons for this growth pattern were examined by labelling techniques (PLM, LI). The tumour cell production as quantified by the growth fraction, showed only a moderate reduction which, taken alone, could not explain the growth cessation. The important mechanism seems to be an increased loss of tumour cells during the intermitotic interval. While the loss of cells/h remains constant the total intermitotic cell loss is increased because the cell cycle times are prolonged by 50% from the exponential phase (45 h in week 3) to the plateau phase (66 h in week 8).     

Role of kidney tissue in the production of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactone and 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactone.

Labeled 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactone was isolated from the serum of vitamin D-repleted rats given [3 alpha-3H]-25-hydroxyvitamin D324 hr prior to sacrifice. The metabolite was identified by cochromatography with the authentic lactone on straight-phase and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Production of the lactone was abolished by nephrectomy indicating that the kidney is the site of synthesis. Homogenate of kidneys from chickens given large doses of vitamin D can carry out in vitro production of the lactone from 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. When 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was used as substrate, this system produced only traces of a compound believed to be 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactone. However, incubation of rachitic chicken kidney homogenates with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactone produced substantial amounts of a compound that has been identified by mass spectrometry as 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-26,23-lactone. Thus, the development of a functional group on C-26 and eventual lactone formation takes place in kidney by a system acting on 25-hydroxyvitamin D3.     

Die Elimination von Bromsulphalein beim Kind

Zusammenfassung Bromsulphalein wird fast ausschließlich über die Leber ausgeschieden, so daß es zur Untersuchung der Leberfunktion geeignet ist.Als Maß zur Erfassung der Leberleistung erscheint die Eliminations-halbwertszeit als von der Körpergröße oder vom Körpergewicht unabhängige Zeitclearance geeigneter als die Volumenclearance oder als relative Größen, wie zum Beispiel die sogenannte Retention.Als Normwert bei einer Dosis von 10 mg Bromsulphalein/kg KG wird für Kinder vom 4. Lebensmonat bis zum 14. Lebensjahr für das Bromsulphalein eine Eliminationshalbwertszeit von 5,5±0,25 min festgestellt.Jüngere Kinder zeigen eine langsamere Elimination, offenbar infolge einer Enzymunreife.Längere Eliminationshalbwertszeiten finden sich bei Erkrankungen der Leber oder bei einer Beeinträchtigung ihrer Funktion als Zeichen der Minderleistung.Auf die Möglichkeit, durch Enzyminduktion eine Beschleunigung der Elimination zu bewirken, wird and Hand zweier erster eindrucksvoller Beispiele eingegangen.

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The elimination of bromsulphalein in children

Summary Bromsulphalein is excreted almost entirely via the liver. Thus it serves as a suitable indicator of liver function.To detect hepatic dysfunction the elimination half life seems more suitable than the volume clearance or relative values e. g. the so called retention. The elimination half life is a measure which is independent either of the body size or weight, it is a time clearance.An elimination half life of 5.5±0.25 min has been determined as the normal value for a dosage of 10 mg/kg of body weight in children between the ages of 4 months and 14 years.Younger children showed a slower elimination most probably due to enzyme immaturity.As a sign of liver hypofunction longer elimination half lives were found in diseases of the liver or in dysfunction of the liver.The possibility to fasten the elimination by enzyme induction is dealt in detail with the help of two impressive examples.