Early life environmental exposure in relation to new onset and remission of allergic diseases in school children: Polish Mother and Child Cohort Study.

Background: This study was based on data from the Polish Mother and Child Cohort Study. Objective: The aim was to study associations between home environment factors and allergic diseases at 1 year of life and new onset and remission of children's allergy diagnosis at ages 7-9 years. Methods: Children's health status was assessed at ∼12 months of age and then at ages between 7-9 years by using a questionnaire administered to the mothers. Children were assessed by pediatrician/allergists. The patients, who were 7-9 years old, underwent skin-prick tests. Exposure to tobacco smoke was evaluated with a questionnaire addressed to parents and/or caregivers and cotinine measurements were taken of mother's saliva during pregnancy and in children's urine at ages 7-9 years. Incidence and remission were calculated by comparing symptoms in the first year of life with symptoms at 7-9 years. We studied the associations among demographic data, home environment, and new onset and remission of food allergy, atopic dermatitis, and asthma and allergic rhinitis in logistic regression analysis. All associations were adjusted for independent risk factors of dependent variables. Results: Data from 211 participants were included in the analysis. During the first year of life, food allergy was the most common symptom (39%), followed by atopic dermatitis (35%) and asthma (12%). When comparing diagnoses at ages 7-9 years with the first year of life, food allergy had decreased by as much as 18.6%, atopic dermatitis decreased by as much as 23.8%, and asthma decreased by as much as 8%, whereas asthma and allergic rhinitis had increased from 6% to 14.8%. More frequent house cleaning negatively correlated with the new onset of atopic dermatitis and of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Hypersensitivity to seasonal allergens and mites and to any other allergen positively correlated with new onset of food allergy, atopic dermatitis, and asthma and allergic rhinitis. Parental atopy positively correlated with the new onset of asthma and negatively correlated with asthma remission. Conclusion: Analysis of our findings indicated that new onset and/or remission of allergic diseases was linked with hypersensitivity to house-dust mites in children who were polysensitized and with parental atopy. In addition, children who had food allergy, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis at the age of 1 year had more of a chance developing other atopic disease (except asthma) at ages 7-9 years and less of a chance of having a remission of the disease.

Associations between maternal physical activity in early and late pregnancy and offspring birth size: remote federated individual level meta-analysis from eight cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence on the impact of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) in pregnancy on birth size is inconsistent. We aimed to examine the association between LTPA during early and late pregnancy and newborn anthropometric outcomes. DESIGN: Individual level meta-analysis, which reduces heterogeneity across studies. SETTING: A consortium of eight population-based studies (seven European and one US) comprising 72 694 participants. METHODS: Generalised linear models with consistent inclusion of confounders (gestational age, sex, parity, maternal age, education, ethnicity, BMI, smoking, and alcohol intake) were used to test associations between self-reported LTPA at either early (8-18 weeks gestation) or late pregnancy (30+ weeks) and the outcomes. Results were pooled using random effects meta-analyses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Birth weight, large-for-gestational age (LGA), macrosomia, small-for-gestational age (SGA), % body fat, and ponderal index at birth. RESULTS: Late, but not early, gestation maternal moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), vigorous activity, and LTPA energy expenditure were modestly inversely associated with BW, LGA, macrosomia, and ponderal index, without heterogeneity (all: I2  = 0%). For each extra hour/week of MVPA, RR for LGA and macrosomia were 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96, 0.98) and 0.96 (95% CI: 0.94, 0.98), respectively. Associations were only modestly reduced after additional adjustments for maternal BMI and gestational diabetes. No measure of LTPA was associated with risk for SGA. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity in late, but not early, pregnancy is consistently associated with modestly lower risk of LGA and macrosomia, but not SGA. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: In an individual participant meta-analysis, late pregnancy moderate to vigorous physical activity modestly reduced birth size outcomes.

Interaction of small cationic peptides with intact basement membranes. A study using intrinsic optical signals of chick retinas.

UNLABELLED: Cationic peptides (polylysines and polyarginines) are being developed as drug delivery systems to nuclei. Therefore, a detailed description of tissue response changes upon the application of cationic peptides over intact basement membranes of excitable tissue is of interest in pharmacology. In this paper we examine the effects of two naturally occurring cationic peptides protamine (polyarginine) and crotamine (polylysine) on the optical profiles of retinal spreading depression waves (RSDs). This intrinsic optical signal (IOS), recorded non-invasively, provides information about dissipation of electrochemical gradients within the tissue and its metabolic consequences. Protamine at nanomolar range brought the tissue excitability to collapse without any signs of acute toxicity whereas crotamine, a known myotoxin from rattlesnake, decreased the tissue transparency and changed markedly the optical profiles of RSDs. Also, fluorescent crotamine was incorporated to Müller cells in a few minutes, suggesting a close membrane interaction. The optical changes brought about by crotamine were easily washed off. By contrast, the excitability collapse in presence of protamine lasted for at least two hours. CONCLUSIONS: we concluded that crotamine has fusogenic properties that alters ion transport in excitable tissue. Protamine effect seems to be similar to its effect on basement membrane of epithelium due to its property of making heteropolymers with heparan sulfate. The clinical syndrome expressed in mice after crotamine injection suggested excitotoxic CNS effects confirmed by the isolated retina experiments.

Effects of altered gravity on the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton of human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

Human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were used to study the effects of altered gravity on the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton dynamics. A cholinergic stimulation of the cells during a 6 min period of changing gravity (3 parabolas) resulted in an enhanced actin-driven protrusion of evoked lamellipodia. Likewise, the spontaneous protrusive activity of nonactivated cells was promoted during exposure to changing gravity (6 up to 31 parabolas). Ground-based experiments revealed a similar enhancement of the spontaneous and evoked lamellar protrusive activity when the cells were kept at 2 g hypergravity for at least 6 min. This gravity response was independent of the direction of the acceleration vector in respect to the cells. Exposure of the cells to "simulated weightlessness" (clinorotation) had no obvious influence on this type of lamellar actin cytoskeleton dynamics. A 20 min exposure of the cells to simulated weightlessness or to changing gravity (6 to 31 parabolas) - but not to 2 g (hypergravity, centrifugation) - resulted in an altered arrangement of microtubules indicated by bending, turning, and loop formation. A similar altered arrangement was shown by microtubules which had polymerized into lamellipodia after release from a taxol block at simulated weightlessness (clinorotation) or during changing gravity (5 parabolas). Our data suggest that in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, microgravity affects the dynamics and spatial arrangement of microtubules but has no influence on the Rac-controlled lamellar actin cytoskeleton dynamics and cell spreading. The latter, however, seems to be promoted at hypergravity.

Lateral line reception in still- and running water.

The lateral line of fish is composed of neuromasts used to detect water motions. Neuromasts occur as superficial neuromasts on the skin and as canal neuromasts in subepidermal canals. Fibres of the lateral line nerves innervate both. There have been extensive studies on the responses of lateral line nerve fibres to dipole stimuli applied in still water. However, despite the fact that many fish live in rivers and/or swim constantly, responses of lateral line nerve fibres to dipole stimuli presented in running water have never been recorded. We investigated how the peripheral lateral line of still water fish ( Carassius auratus) and riverine fish ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) responds to minute sinusoidal water motions while exposed to unidirectional water flow. Both goldfish and trout have two types of posterior lateral line nerve fibres: Type I fibres, which most likely innervate superficial neuromasts, were stimulated by running water (10 cm s(-1)). The responses of type I fibres to water motions generated by a vibrating sphere were masked if the fish was exposed to running water. Type II fibres, which most likely innervate canal neuromasts, were not stimulated by running water. Consequently, responses of type II fibres to a vibrating sphere were not masked under flow conditions.

Smoking cessation intervention during pregnancy in a Polish urban community - what is the target population?

The aim of this project was to evaluate the effect of intensive individual anti-smoking counselling among pregnant women from a Polish urban community with a large representation of socially underprivileged women. The study was conducted between 1 December 2000 and 31 December 2001. Out of 204 women who were asked to take part in a midwives-assisted program of educational counselling to stop smoking, 152 (74.5%) agreed to participate. The intervention program included four visits of a midwife trained in smoking cessation techniques to the home of a smoking pregnant woman. The control group were 145 pregnant women who on the first visit to a maternity unit received only a standard written information on the health risk from maternal smoking to the foetus. The percentage of pregnant women who quitted smoking during the project was 46.1% in the intervention group and 23.4% among the controls (p < 0.001). After combining the intervention group with the women who refused to participate in the project, the rate of quitting was 36.3%, still significantly higher than in controls (p = 0.01). The strongest influence of the intervention was found among women smoking more than 5 cigarettes/day. Women covered by the intervention programme, who reported smoking in previous pregnancies, were found to quit smoking to a much higher extent than the controls with a similar background. Such pattern was also observed for women whose husbands were smokers. The benefits of the intervention, especially for the socially underprivileged women, seem to result from an increased proportion of subjects who undertook a quitting attempt, rather than the effectiveness of these attempts. In the intervention group, among the subjects who did not manage to quit smoking during pregnancy, the number of women who at least slightly reduced their smoking rate was twice as high as in the controls.

Association between abnormal microbiological flora of the lower genital tract in early pregnancy and socio-economic, demographic and environmental risk factors.

BACKGROUND: The main aim of this study was to determine the socioeconomic, demographic and environmental factors which may be associated with the occurrence of pathological microflora of the lower genital tract in early pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A group of 96 pregnant women was selected at random from the patients of 10 district maternity units in the Lodz region of Poland. Only singleton pregnancies below 24 weeks were qualified for inclusion in the survey. A standard questionnaire covering medical, socio-economic, demographic, constitutional, and environmental items was administered to every subject and checked against medical records. Based on microbiological results, two groups of pregnant women were distinguished: Group I, with normal cervicovaginal flora, predominantly Lactobacillus spp. with coagulase-negative staphylococci and viridans streptococci, and Group II, with abnormal flora. The latter included two subgroups: IIA, intermediate microbial flora, dominated by M. hominis, U. urealyticum, G. vaginalis, gram-negative anaerobic rods, Ch. trachomatis, and few Lactobacillus spp, and IIB, highly abnormal flora, containing similar microbial components as in IIB but without Lactobacillus spp. RESULTS: Based on the results of microbiological culturing, 18 (18.7%) of the 96 women examined were classified to Group I, and 78 (81.2%) to Group II: 32 (33.3%) in group IIA and 46 (47.9%) in IIB. Groups IIA and IIB were combined for further analysis. An excessive risk of abnormal vaginal flora was observed in connection with such socio-economic factors as marital status, unemployment, and smoking, Moreover, the first pregnancy was also found to be a potential risk factor for this pathology. The risk of developing abnormal vaginal flora, although exceeding unity for each of these factors, was not considered statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Socio-economic and environmental factors may influence the course and outcome of pregnancy. Pregnant women who present with risk factors for abnormal cervicovaginal microflora should be included in comprehensive prenatal surveillance, which enables early detection and treatment of this pathology.

Employment status of pregnant women in central Poland and the risk of preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age infants.

BACKGROUND: Unemployment is one of the consequences of the ongoing transformation of the Polish economy. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between women's employment status and preterm delivery (PD) and/or small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants, in Central Poland during the socio-economic transition. METHODS: The study population comprised 8% random sample of 2,080 women from the Lodz macro region who gave birth to a child during a one-year period (1996-1997). Based on the employment status, three groups were distinguished: the employed (n = 1238), the unemployed (n = 128)--women who lost their job before pregnancy (at least 12 months prior to delivery) and were actively seeking employment, and the housewives (n = 714). Women with chronic medical problems diagnosed before pregnancy were excluded from the study. RESULTS: The rates of preterm delivery were found to be 6.3%, 11.7% and 4.9%, respectively for the employed, unemployed, and housewives. After adjustment for age, marital status, education, maternal height, smoking, own apartment, presence of cervical insufficiency and uterine irritability, an excess risk of PD was observed among the unemployed women (OR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.01-3.64). Unemployment was associated, though not significantly, with higher rates of SGA births. CONCLUSION: In Central Poland, the unemployed pregnant women are characterised by an excess risk of preterm delivery. The impact of unemployment on the community's health, which seems to be underestimated, should be given more consideration in the national and local policies for public health.

[Influence of environmental smoke exposure during pregnancy on umbilical blood flow velocity]. / Wplyw srodowiskowej ekspozycji na dym tytoniowy kobiet ciezarnych na przeplyw krwi w tetnicy pepowinowej.

Influence of environmental smoke exposure during pregnancy on umbilical blood flow velocity and newborns birthweight was assessed in prospective study among 116 pregnant women between 20 and 24 week of pregnancy. The main aim was to search for a possible correlation between cotinine, an effective marker of smoke exposure, and umbilical blood flow as measured by S/D, RI and PI ratios. This study shows a significant increase of systolic/diastolic velocity ratio of the umbilical artery according with increased cotinine levels, either for active or passive smokers. Increase of S/D ratio > 3.0 in umbilical artery in 20-24 week of pregnancy was negatively correlated with newborns birthweight. The results of this study suggest that active and passive smoking by pregnant women causes a direct increase in the vascular resistance of the placenta and contribute to the decreased of the newborns birthweight associated with smoking.

[The effect of environmental tobacco smoke on birthweight: a prospective study employing biomarkers of exposure]. / Wplyw srodowiskowej ekspozycji kobiet ciezarnych na dym tytoniowy na mase urodzeniowa noworodka--badanie prospektywne z wykorzystaniem markerów ekspozycji.

The main goal of the project was to estimate the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on the birthweight. In a cohort of 196 pregnant women in 20-24 week of pregnancy the serum and urine cotinine levels were determined. The cohort included randomly selected pregnant patients of a maternity units in Lodz, Poland. To assess a 24 h exposure to ETS preceding the day of examination, both serum and urine cotinine measurements were applied. A statistically significant relationship was found between serum cotinine concentration and brithweight. The newborns of nonsmoking mothers whose serum cotinine levels were characteristic for passive smoking (2-25 ng/ml) had their birthweight lower by an average of 30 g, compared to those of women who were not exposed to ETS (serum cotinine below 2 ng/ml). It was concluded that more effective public health measures should be undertaken to ensure a tobacco smoke-free environment for pregnant women. Until this goal is achieved, pregnant women should be informed about health risks from ETS exposure so that they would avoid it both at home and workplace.

[Reproduction disorders in women occupationally exposed to pesticides]. / Zaburzenia rozrodu u kobiet zawodowo eksponowanych na pestycydy.

Among many harmful factors typical of occupations in agriculture, pesticides occupy a specific place. The effects of such a hazard may be manifested among others by reproduction disorders. In the epidemiological studies, presented in this paper, the analysis was focused more on the relationship between employment in agriculture and the incidence of congenital malformations, miscarriages, low birth weight, small-for-gestational-age, preterm delivery and still births, and less on conditions of exposure to various chemical compounds in greenhouses. The results of the analyses indicate that employment in agriculture increases the risk of congenital malformations to infant, particularly such as orofacial cleft, birthmarks in the form of haemangioma, as well as musculoskeletal and nervous system defects. The data on the effect of employment in agriculture on low birth weight are unequivocal. The study did not reveal significantly increased risk of small-for-gestational-age birth, but it was found that exposure to pesticides may contribute to still births. The results presented show significant risk of reproduction disorders in women employed during pregnancy in conditions of pesticide exposure. They also justify the placement of pesticides among factors the pregnant women should not be exposed to, at least until employers in Poland are able to assess individual risk of women employed under exposure to pesticides.

Identification of a cyclic nucleotide- and voltage-activated ion channel from insect antennae.

From an antennal cDNA library of Heliothis virescens a clone has been isolated encoding a polypeptide of 678 amino acids. Data base comparisons and primary structure analysis of the deduced protein sequence (HvCNG) indicated significant homology to cyclic nucleotide and voltage-activated ion channels including six putative membrane spanning domains, a putative cyclic nucleotide binding site, a pore region and a voltage-sensor motif. Heterologous expression of the cloned cDNA in Sf9 cells resulted in a polypeptide of the predicted molecular mass. Patch clamp analysis allowed to record the activity of the identified HvCNG channels; they were activated by cAMP but also by hyperpolarization. The channel displayed in potassium solution a conductance of 30 pS; the ion selectivity was calculated as PK/PNa approximately 3. Northern blot analysis revealed that the channel is highly expressed in the antennae; weaker signal were detected in heads and legs. In situ hybridization of tissue sections through the antennae showed a spatial distribution of reactive cells; they are located beneath sensillar hairs. Thus, a novel channel type has been identified which may play an important role in antennal cells.

Passive smoking and pregnancy outcome in central Poland.

1. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on the risk of preterm delivery (PD) and small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants in a female non-smoking population of central Poland. 2. The study group were 1751 women classified as non-smokers in the comprehensive project on 'Socio-economic and environmental risk factors of preterm delivery and small-for-gestationaI-age babies in central Poland' conducted on a randomly selected population of 2080 women who gave birth to a child between June 1, 1996 and May 31, 1997. The PD group comprised 95 non-smoking women who delivered before 37 weeks of pregnancy and the SGA group included 111 non-smoking mothers of babies with birthweight below the 10th percentile of the standard curves for central Poland. Passive exposure to tobacco smoke was determined based on a structured interview. 3. In the stepwise multiple logistic regression model maternal passive smoke exposure lasting 7 h or more was found to be a significant risk factor for preterm delivery. No significant effect of passive smoking on the risk of SGA was observed. 4. The information about the adverse effects of ETS exposure on pregnancy duration and outcome should be incorporated in the health promotion programmes for women.

The puzzle of hydrodynamic information processing: how are complex water motions analyzed by the lateral line?

We studied the discharges of neurons in the ascending lateral line pathway in response to the complex water motions generated by a moving object. The wave stimulus generated by the object was monitored with a hot-wire anemometer and with a custom-built particle imaging system. Responses of central lateral line neurons differ from those of primary afferent fibers in aspects like temporal discharge patterns and directional sensitivity. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that central lateral line neurons integrate input from many afferents innervating neuromasts distributed across large portions of the body surface.

[Unemployment during pregnancy: direct or indirect risk factor of prematurity and fetus hypotrophy?]. / Bezrobocie w czasie ciazy--bezposredni czy posredni czynnik ryzyka wczesniactwa i hipotrofii plodu?

The question as to whether in a transitional phase in the political and socio-economic development in Poland, an increased threat of unemployment may also produce health effects manifested by an elevated risk for prematurity and fetus hypotrophy is one of important challenges. If the answer is positive then this issue should have much stronger impact on political and economic decisions. The data obtained from numerous studies carried out in countries of western Europe and the United States shows that the job performance during pregnancy under conditions free from occupational exposure and arduousness does not directly augment the risk of detrimental effect to the health of pregnant woman or her fetus. Just on the contrary, it was found that job performance during pregnancy, and strictly speaking steady employment during this period may somewhat become a 'protective factor'. In Poland, the highest rate of unemployment is observed among women in the 18-24 age group, that is at the age most suitable for procreation. Nowadays it is common that the decision on child-bearing is postponed until the economic status of the woman or her family comes to be more stable. On the other hand, in the population of women looking for a job but determined to set up a family prematurity is quite common that results only in part from an excessive effect of risk factors for this pathology very typical of this social group, like smoking, single parenthood, early or late child-bearing age. After adjusting these factors, the risk of prematurity decreased considerably but it was still high. It is thought that stress and the sense of threat and uncertainty is mostly responsible for this phenomenon. An increased risk of fetus hypotrophy among unemployed women after considering all confounding factors, was not observed.

An immunohistochemical and morphometric analysis of insulin, insulin-like growth factor I, glucagon, somatostatin, and PP in the development of the gastro-entero-pancreatic system of Xenopus laevis.

The ontogeny of the classical islet hormones insulin (INS), glucagon (GLUC), somatostatin (SOM), and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) as well as insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in the gastro-entero-pancreatic (GEP) system of Xenopus laevis (stages 41-66) was studied using double immunofluorescence and morphometric analysis. As early as stage 41, clustered INS-immunoreactive (-IR) and isolated GLUC-IR cells occurred in the pancreas. The first SOM-IR cells appeared at stage 43, followed by PP-IR cells at stage 46. About 79% of the PP immunoreactivity was confined to a subpopulation of the GLUC-IR cells. Both the GLUC/PP-IR cells and the PP-IR cells were located in a distinct area of the pancreas. The first islets occurred in premetamorphosis (around stage 50) and comprised mainly INS-IR and GLUC-IR cells. The majority of SOM-IR, PP-IR, and GLUC/PP-IR cells was dispersed. The numbers of hormone cells remained quite constant until the end of prometamorphosis (stage 58). Around stages 60-62, the islets were partly disintegrated and the numbers of islet cells slightly decreased. At stage 63, the cell number began to increase and reached the levels typical for the adult around stage 66. After metamorphic climax, the islets were reformed. In the gastrointestinal tract, transient INS-IR cells occurred prior to the adaptation of the gastrointestinal tract to feeding (stages 41-44) and during metamorphosis when there is remodeling of the gastrointestinal tract (stages 60-63). Therefore, INS released from the transient mucosal INS-IR cells may be involved in the temporary proliferation of mucosal epithelial cells. The first GLUC-IR and SOM-IR cells were seen at stage 41. PP-IR cells followed at stage 46. In contrast to the islets, GLUC-IR and PP-IR cells constituted different cell populations. Around stage 46, the first IGF-I immunoreactions appeared in the GEP-system. In pancreas, IGF-I immunoreactivity was found in the GLUC/PP-IR, cells (85-99%) but was absent from INS-IR, GLUC-IR, and SOM-IR cells. The IGF-I-IR gastro-entero-endocrine cells, however, seemed to contain none of the classical islet hormones.

Alpha7 and alpha8 nicotinic receptor subtypes immunopurified from chick retina have different immunological, pharmacological and functional properties.

Nicotinic receptors are present in the chick retina, but their structure and functional characteristics are still unclear. Using anti-alpha7 and anti-alpha8 subunit-specific antibodies, we immunopurified the alpha7 and alpha8 subtypes of chick retina neuronal nicotinic receptors. When analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the two purified subtypes consistently showed a similar peptide composition characterized by the presence of two major peptides of M(r) 58 +/- 1 and 54 +/- 1 kDa, and two minor peptides of 67 and 61 +/- 1 kDa. In the alpha7 subtype, the 58 kDa peptide was recognized by anti-alpha7 but not by anti-alpha8 antibodies; in the alpha8 subtype, the 58 kDa peptide was recognized only by anti-alpha8 antibodies. The alpha7 subtype had a single class of [125I]alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites with a K(D) value of 1.2 nM, whereas the purified alpha8 subtype had two classes of binding sites, one with a K(D) of 5.5 nM and the other with very high affinity (KD 52 pM), but present in only 8% of the receptors. Competition binding experiments also showed the presence on the alpha8 subtype of high- and low-affinity classes of binding sites; the affinity for cholinergic drugs of the former was greater than that of the single class present on the alpha7 subtype. When reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers, both subtypes formed ligand-gated cation channels with major conductance levels of 42 and 52 pS but with different lifetimes; the two channels were activated by agonists and blocked by d-tubocurarine and the glycinergic antagonist strychnine. In line with the binding data, the reconstituted alpha8 subtype had greater agonist sensitivity than the alpha7 subtype.

Neuroendocrine effects on adrenal hormone secretion in carp (Cyprinus carpio).

The responses of interrenal and chromaffin tissues of carp to acetylcholine (Ach) and its agonists/antagonists were studied in an in vitro perifusion system of head kidney. There was a dose-dependent release of epinephrine and norepinephrine to Ach between 0.01 and 100 mM added for 15 min to the incubation medium. Cortisol secretion was also stimulated, but the response peaked at 1.0 mM Ach and was attenuated with 10 or 100 mM Ach. The maximal release occurred about 30 min after addition of the transmitter. Nicotine stimulated the catecholamines, but had no effect on cortisol, while carbamylcholine, a nicotinic agonist, increased both the catecholamines and cortisol. Muscarine increased cortisol secretion, but affected catecholamines only at higher doses. In contrast, pilocarpine, a muscarinic agonist, stimulated catecholamines more than cortisol. Atropine was not antagonistic, rather it increased the secretion of catecholamines in a dose-dependent manner, and inhibited the release of cortisol. It is concluded that both tissues are influenced by the autonomic nervous system, with the sympathetic system acting on chromaffin cells and the parasympathetic system acting on interrenal cells. However, the nerve supply cannot clearly be defined by agonists or antagonists as in mammals. There is evidence for paracrine effects, e.g., catecholamines inhibit cortisol release and cortisol influences catecholamine secretion.

Risk factors of intrauterine growth retardation: a study of an urban population in Poland.

The main objective of the study was to examine the role of selected socio-occupational factors on the development of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in the urban population of Lódz, Poland. An epidemiological model of the case-control study was employed. Both the cases and controls were recruited from the female population covered by obstetric services in district hospitals during 1 January-30 June 1992. A group of cases included 92 females who delivered IUGR children, the control group-438 mothers of term born eutrophic babies. The presence of the relationship between IUGR manifestation and selected variables was initially assessed using the unadjusted odds ratio (OR). The variables described as significant were considered in the logistic regressions models, separately for all women and those with previous pregnancies. A comparison of the groups of cases and controls has revealed a significant excess of risk of delivering an IUGR child by mothers with the following characteristics: marital status-single, low educational level, low height (less than 1.60 m) low prepregnancy weight and low maternal weight gain. An elevated risk of delivering an IUGR child was found in the group of women who reported to have their first contact with the physician after 12 weeks of pregnancy. An adverse effect of prolonged vaginal bleeding was observed. Women who recently lost their job, compared to those employed continuously during pregnancy, were at an increased risk of IUGR. Cigarette smoking appeared to be the most important variable affecting the evaluated pregnancy outcome. For the women smoking 6-10 and more than 10 cigarettes a day, the risk of delivering an IUGR child was found to be almost 4 and 7 times, respectively, higher than for non-smokers. A logistic regression covering all the above mentioned maternal characteristics was employed. Only four of them proved to be significant: low maternal weight gain, prolonged vaginal bleeding, smoking and the marital status-single. The process of preventing IUGR and its consequences requires more effective activities aimed at increasing the level of health education and stimulating the development of appropriate, health-oriented behaviour.

[Tobacco smoking--a risk factor for intrauterine growth retardation, preterm delivery and low birth weight]. / Palenie tytoniu--czynnik ryzyka hipotrofii plodu, porodu przedwczesnego i malej masy urodzeniowej.

The risk of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and preterm delivery, in the group of 551 females from the area of Lódz, was related to the amount of cigarettes smoked per day. In subjects smoking more than 20 cigarettes, the risk of IUGR and preterm delivery was five times as high as in the nonsmoking females. The average weight of the newborns was found to be 510 g lower in the group of the most heavy smokers as compared with the nonsmoking subjects. The study has not provided any clear evidence for the pre-pregnancy smoking and the passive smoking as the risk factors for the pathologies under study.