Comaneci plus Balloon-assisted Embolization of Ruptured Wide-necked Cerebral Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recently, avant-garde combinations of ancillary devices as an adjunct to coil embolization for acutely ruptured and wide-necked cerebral aneurysms have emerged. This study sought to investigate the feasibility, safety and durability of the simultaneous combination of temporary neck-bridging devices plus balloon-assisted coiling (BAC) to treat acutely ruptured and wide-necked cerebral aneurysms. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of patients with ruptured and wide-necked intracranial bifurcation aneurysms treated with temporary stent plus balloon-assisted coiling. Anatomical features, technical details, intraprocedural complications, clinical and angiographic results were reviewed. Preprocedural and follow-up clinical statuses were evaluated using the modified Rankin scale (mRS). RESULTS: A total of 21 patients (mean age 54.5 years, range 37-72 years) were identified. The immediate postprocedural angiography revealed complete aneurysm occlusion in 85.7% (18/21) of the cases. A periprocedural complication developed in 9.5% of the cases. There was no mortality in this study. The permanent morbidity rate was 4.7%. Long-term follow-up angiography was performed in 18 of 21 patients (85.7%) (the mean follow-up period was 21 months). The rate of complete aneurysm occlusion at final follow-up was 89.4%. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirmed that temporary stent plus balloon-assisted coiling is a durable and relatively safe endovascular technique for the treatment of ruptured wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms located in both the posterior and anterior cerebral circulation.

BIOMarkers for occupational diesel exhaust exposure monitoring (BIOMODEM)--a study in underground mining.

Methods for the assessment of exposures to diesel exhaust were evaluated, including various biomarkers of internal exposure and early biological effects. The impact of possible biomarkers of susceptibility was also explored. Underground workers (drivers of diesel-powered excavators) at an oil shale mine in Estonia were compared with surface workers. Personal exposures to particle-associated 1-nitropyrene (NP) were some eight times higher underground than on the surface. Underground miners were also occupationally exposed to benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, as indicated by excretion of urinary metabolites of benzene and pyrene. In addition, increased O(6)-alkylguanine DNA adducts were detected in the white blood cells of underground workers, suggesting higher exposure to nitroso-compounds. However, no differences between underground and surface workers were observed in the levels of other bulky DNA adducts determined by 32P-postlabelling, or in DNA damage. The study indicated that smoking, diet and residential indoor air pollution are important non-occupational factors to consider when interpreting biomonitoring results.

Alterations of heme metabolism in lymphocytes and metal content in blood plasma as markers of diesel fuels effects on human organism.

Workers in the diesel fuel distribution trade are intensively exposed to fuel vapours. Diesel fuel presents the main source of air pollution by benzene at a marine diesel fuel terminal. Levels of benzene are used to evaluate the external exposure to diesel fuel. Since benzene causes alterations in porphyrin metabolism, and some of these may lead to the generation of tumours, heme synthesis is proposed as a biomarker of early health effects of diesel fuel. A group of 20 workers exposed to diesel fuel and a group of 20 unexposed persons were examined and interviewed using structured questionnaires. The levels of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and protoporphyrin (PP), activities of ALA synthase and ferrochelatase, as well as levels of PP associated with DNA were determined in lymphocytes spectrophotometrically. Amounts of the metals Cd, Mn, Zn, Cu and Ca were measured in blood plasma by flame atomic absorption spectrometry method. Both ALA and PP levels were significantly increased in marine terminal workers: 3.0 +/- 0.4 vs. 0.8 +/- 0.2 nmol/10(6) lymphocytes: and 511 +/- 164 vs. 389 +/- 77 pmol/10(6) lymphocytes in exposed and control individuals, respectively. ALA-synthase activity was 2.5 fold higher in lymphocytes of workers exposed to diesel fuels (P < 0.01). At the same time ferrochelatase activity was decreased and protoporphyrin level was accordingly elevated. The amount of porphyrin associated with DNA increased 1.4 fold in exposed workers (P = 0.05). Among all investigated metals in blood plasma of exposed workers only zinc levels were statistically significantly increased (P < 0.05). The disturbances of heme metabolism in lymphocytes and zinc level in blood plasma caused by diesel fuel exposure seems to be a useful biomarkers for carcinogenic risk assessment.

Porphyrin metabolism in lymphocytes of miners exposed to diesel exhaust at oil shale mine.

The present study was carried out on the evaluation and application of new biomarkers for populations exposed to occupational diesel exhaust at oil shale mines. Since not only genotoxic effects may play an important role in the generation of tumors, the level of porphyrin metabolism was proposed as a biomarker of diesel exhaust exposure effects. The data on determination of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthesis and heme formation in lymphocytes from groups of 50 miners exposed to diesel exhaust and 50 unexposed surface workers of oil shale mine are presented. All workers were examined and interviewed using structured questionnaires. The levels of benzene, carbon monoxide and nitric oxides in air as well as concentrations of 1-nitropyrene and elemental carbon in particulate matter were used for evaluation of exposure to diesel exhaust in mine. The levels of ALA and protoporphyrin (PP), activities of ALA synthetase (ALA-S) and ferrochelatase (FC), as well as levels of PP associated with DNA (PP/DNA) were investigated in lymphocytes spectrophotometrically. Significant differences in activity of ALA synthesis and heme formation between exposed miners and surface workers were found (207+/-23 vs. 166+/-14 pmol/10(6) lymp./30' for ALA-S and 46.1+/-3.8 vs. 54.8+/-4.1 pmol/10(6) lymp./60' for FC activities, respectively, P<0.001). ALA-S activity was higher and ALA accumulated in lymphocytes of exposed miners. Inhibition of FC activity caused PP cellular accumulation and an increase in the PP/DNA level (P<0.05). Tobacco smoking led to the increase of ALA biosynthesis in lymphocytes of both surface and underground smokers. The comparison of data obtained for non-smokers and smokers of both groups of workers has shown a significant difference (P<0.05). The work duration of underground or surface workers did not significantly influence the investigated biochemical parameters. The determination of ALA synthesis in lymphocytes could be a useful biomonitoring index of organism sensitivity to underground working. The alterations of PP levels, FC activity and PP/DNA association in peripheral lymphocytes of miners illustrate the harmful effects of exposure to diesel exhaust.

Screening of hydrophobic DNA adducts in flounder (Platichthys flesus) from the Baltic Sea.

Neoplasia and other histopathological lesions in flounder (Platichthys flesus) liver have been investigated in several European sea areas, including the Baltic Sea. Several studies have been able to link neoplasm epizootics in fish with the exposure to genotoxins such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The level of hydrophobic DNA adducts in tissue DNA reflects the exposure of the organism to PAHs. Using hydrophobic DNA adduct levels as biomarkers, possible PAH exposure was assessed in flounder from 10 different sites in the Baltic Sea, collected during the years 1995-1997. The results show that the overall levels of hepatic DNA adducts were low and, in general, the chromatograms appeared clean. The highest levels of DNA adducts were found at two sites in the southern Baltic Sea. There were no statistically significant differences in adduct levels between the sites. Our results indicate that flounder from studied off shore sites of the Baltic Sea had not been exposed to a greater extent to large polycyclic hydrophobic hydrocarbons in their environment.

Animal Species in which N-nitroso compounds induce cancer.

In reviews on the carcinogenicity of N-nitroso compounds (NC) the number of animal species in which these compounds induce cancer is understated. In recent years additional species have been used in experiments. Tumours have been induced by NC in 39 species which belong to 36 genera, 25 families, 17 orders and five class of animals. The names of these taxa are presented in Latin and the common names of species are given in English, French and German. The carcinogenic action of eight NC in various species is tabulated.