Study on the concentration of airbone respirable asbestos fibres in rural areas of the Lublin region in south-east Poland.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was measurement of the concentrations of airborne asbestos fibres in the rural environment of the Lublin Region in south-east Poland. METHODS: Measurements of concentrations of respirable asbestos fibres were carried out in the rural areas of the Lublin Region (Lublin and Wlodawa counties) for a period of 24 months. The studies were conducted on 3 farms with various technical conditions of asbestos-containing materials: Farm A - good technical condition of asbestos products, Farm B - poor technical condition, and Farm C - with no asbestos containing products and no such products in its direct vicinity (up to 500 m). On the selected farms, 3 samples on each were simultaneously collected at 3 measuring sites. During the period 2009-2011, a total number of 216 samples were collected on all farms. Sampling was performed using JSH 16,000 stationary aspirators, with air flow velocity of 16 l/min. and sampling time 60-80 minutes. The number of fibres on filters was determined using an optical phase contrast microscope. RESULTS: The study showed that the mean concentration of respirable asbestos fibres on the farms examined was 296 fibres•m (-3). The highest concentrations were noted on Farm B was 529 fibres•m (-3), on average; on farm A the mean concentration of respirable fibres was 328 fibres•m (-3), whereas the lowest mean concentration of airborne respirable asbestos fibres was noted on farm C, where there were no asbestos products (30 fibres•m(-3)).

Evaluation of work conditions in a pasta manufacturing plant with particular consideration of dustiness.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was evaluation of work conditions in a pasta manufacturing plant, including: physical and psychological load and factors of material work environment. The main aim was determination of the level of employees' exposure to our dust. METHODS: Studies of work conditions were conducted in a our processing plant in the Lublin region at the workplace of an automatic production line - operator of the noodle production line, employees packaging pasta, and the manual line - employees responsible for the kneading of dough, cutter operators, and employees engaged in packaging. Energy expenditure, static load and monotony of the movements performed were assessed as a part of the physical load. Mental effort and monotony of work were assessed as a part of psychological load. Measurements of dustiness, noise, microclimate and lighting were performed according to the Polish standards and regulations in effect. Dust concentrations at work were carried out in the respiratory zone of workers while performing work activities at individual workplaces. Measurements of weight concentrations were carried out in series for individual workplaces, and covered the measurements of concentrations of individual fractions of dust deposited in the sections of the airways (inhaled, thoracic and alveolar). RESULTS: The evaluation of work conditions, which covered physical and psychological load and factors of the material occupational environment, showed that their values did not exceed the allowable values contained in respective standards. While kneading dough on the manual line, the highest concentrations of dust were observed of inhaled, thoracic and respirable fractions (12.96 mg/m(3); 3.09 mg/m(3); and 0.18 mg/m(3), respectively), whereas the lowest - at the workplace of an operator of an automatic packer (0.39 mg/m(3); 0.14 mg/m(3); and 0.03 mg/m(3)). At the workplace of an automatic packer the MAC values for inhaled dust were exceeded. At the remaining workplaces on the manual line, and all workplaces on the automatic line, the MAC values for inhaled and respirable dust were not exceeded.

[Collagen type III biosynthesis by cultured pubocervical fascia fibroblasts surrounding mono and multifilament polypropylene mesh after estrogens and tamoxifen treatment]. / Wplyw estrogenów i tamoksifenu na biosynteze kolagenu typu III przez fibroblasty powiezi lonowo-cewkowej w hodowlach prowadzonych na mono i multifilamentowych siatkach polipropylenowych.

AIM: Surgical procedures using synthetic implants are currently considered as the most efficient therapy for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Insertion of the tape or mesh causes enhanced collagen synthesis that largely affects the biomechanical property of the implant. This process is significantly modulated by estrogens and improper wound healing and treatment failure may result in hypoestrogenism. The aim of the study was to assess the rate of collagen type II synthesis by pubocervical fascia fibroblasts cultured with polypropylene meshes in the presence of estrogens and tamoxifen. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fibroblasts were obtained from pubo-cervical fascia sampled from a 52-year-old premenopausal woman who underwent surgical treatment for SUI and cultured with monofilament or multifilament polypropylene meshes in the presence of 17B-estradiol, estriol, daidzein or tamoxifen. The cultures were run for 216 hr and the media were replaced every 72hr N-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) was used as a marker of collagen type III synthesis. Its concentration in the media was measured by radioimmunoassay Pubocervical fascia fibroblast cultured with monofilament or multifilament meshes are capable of collagen type III synthesis. Following treatment with estradiol or tamoxifen, the highest PIIINP concentrations were observed after 72 hr whereas in case of estriol, daidzein or no treatment after 144hr of culture, regardless of the type of mesh used. RESULTS: Only in cultures containing monofilament mesh and stimulated with estriol the high rate of collagen type III synthesis persisted until the end of the experiment. Paradoxically the highest total production of PIIINP was observed in culture treated with tamoxifen, both for multifilament and monofilament meshes. CONCLUSION: The rate of collagen type III synthesis by pubocervical fascia fibroblast cultured with polypropylene meshes is subjected to modulation by estrogens and antiestrogens.

Evidences for pharmacokinetic interaction of riluzole and topiramate with pilocarpine in pilocarpine-induced seizures in rats.

In this study we investigated the effectiveness of two antiepileptic drugs: riluzole and topiramate against pilocarpine-induced seizures, which are considered to be a model of intractable epilepsy commonly used to investigate the antiepileptic effect of drugs and mechanisms of epileptogenesis. Seizures and status epilepticus were induced by pilocarpine in adult male Wistar rats. Riluzole (1-4mg/kg) administered intraperitoneally before pilocarpine dose-dependently protected rats against seizures with the anticonvulsant ED(50) value (50% effective anticonvulsant dose) of 1.8 (1.3-2.6)mg/kg. In contrast, riluzole at 8 and 12mg/kg administered after the onset of pilocarpine-induced seizures affected neither status epilepticus nor mortality of rats. Topiramate significantly enhanced convulsive action of pilocarpine, lowering the convulsant CD(50) value (50% effective convulsant dose) of pilocarpine from 350.8 (329.2-373.8) to 246.4 (218.6-278.2)mg/kg. Riluzole (4mg/kg) lowered plasma and brain concentration of pilocarpine administered at a dose of 400mg/kg from 168.0+/-8.6 to 75.3+/-19.9microg/ml and from 193.7+/-6.6 to 97.0+/-26.1microg/g, respectively. Topiramate (200mg/kg) increased plasma and brain concentration of pilocarpine administered at a dose of 300mg/kg from 78.1+/-2.9 to 106.0+/-6.8microg/ml and from 138.4+/-5.0 to 155.2+/-5.1microg/g, respectively. It seems that both anticonvulsant effect exerted by riluzole and proconvulsant effect exerted by topiramate in pilocarpine model of seizures are due to a pharmacokinetic interaction. Therefore, we postulate that the concentration of pilocarpine should be measured routinely whenever the anticonvulsant effect of drugs is determined in the pilocarpine model of seizures.

Evaluation of the antiproliferative activity of 2-(monohalogenophenylamino)-5-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles.

Two 2-(monohalogenophenylamino)-5-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles were synthesized by reaction of sulfinyl bis(2,4-dihydroxythiobenzoyl) with 4-substituted 3-thiosemicarbazides and evaluated for their antiproliferative activity in tumor cells and for cytotoxicity in normal cells. Both derivatives in micromolar concentrations elicited a prominent antiproliferative effect in tumor cells derived from cancers of the nervous system (rhabdomyosarcoma/medulloblastoma, glioma) and peripheral cancers, including breast adenocarcinoma and lung carcinoma. The anticancer effect was attributed to decreased DNA synthesis and was not connected with apoptosis induction. Both compounds were not toxic to normal human skin fibroblasts.

Parthenolide inhibits proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in vitro.

Parthenolide is a bioactive constituent of an aromatic herb Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium). It has been found that both parthenolide and extract of feverfew have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties. Moreover, they demonstrate antiproliferative activities on different human tumour cells. The massive hyperplasia of synovial fibroblasts is the one of the most striking features of rheumatoid arthritis. It is not known whether this is due to the proliferation of synovial fibroblasts or to defective apoptosis. We investigated the effect of parthenolide on the proliferation of rabbit synoviocytes cell line HIG-82, rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) and human skin fibroblasts (HSF) in vitro. Cell proliferation was assessed by means of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and 5'-bromo-2'-deoxy-uridine methods. Parthenolide inhibited proliferation of HIG-82 and human RA-FLS. The proliferation of HSF was inhibited less effectively. The antiproliferative potential of parthenolide was demonstrated.