Trends in contrast media research the last 100 years.

This review focuses on the trends in contrast media (CM) research published in Acta Radiologica during the last 100 years, since the first edition in 1921. The main topics covered are the developments of iodine- and gadolinium-based CM. Other topics include manganese-based CM for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and barium for the investigation of the alimentary tract. From a historic point of view, special CM for use in cholegraphy and myelography are addressed in the review. Today, these imaging procedures are obsolete due to the development of computed tomography, MRI, and ultrasound. The historical use of radioactive thorium-based CM for angiography is also addressed. Furthermore, publications on adverse reactions to CM are reviewed.

State-of-the-science review: Does manganese exposure during welding pose a neurological risk?

Recent studies report that exposure to manganese (Mn), an essential component of welding electrodes and some steels, results in neurotoxicity and/or Parkinson's disease (PD) in welders. This "state-of-the-science" review presents a critical analysis of the published studies that were conducted on a variety of Mn-exposed occupational cohorts during the last 100 yr, as well as the regulatory history of Mn and welding fumes. Welders often perform a variety of different tasks with varying degrees of duration and ventilation, and hence, to accurately assess Mn exposures that occurred in occupational settings, some specific information on the historical work patterns of welders is desirable. This review includes a discussion of the types of exposures that occur during the welding process--for which limited information relating airborne Mn levels with specific welding activities exists--and the human health studies evaluating neurological effects in welders and other Mn-exposed cohorts, including miners, millers, and battery workers. Findings and implications of studies specifically conducted to evaluate neurobehavioral effects and the prevalence of PD in welders are also discussed. Existing exposure data indicate that, in general, Mn exposures in welders are less than those associated with the reports of clinical neurotoxicity (e.g., "manganism") in miners and smelter workers. It was also found that although manganism was observed in highly exposed workers, the scant exposure-response data available for welders do not support a conclusion that welding is associated with clinical neurotoxicity. The available data might support the development of reasonable "worst-case" exposure estimates for most welding activities, and suggest that exposure simulation studies would significantly refine such estimates. Our review ends with a discussion of the data gaps and areas for future research.

Lupines, manganese, and devil-sickness: an Anglo-Saxon medical response to epilepsy.

The most frequently prescribed herb for "devil-sickness" in the vernacular medical books from Anglo-Saxon England, the lupine, is exceptionally high in manganese. Since manganese depletion has been linked with recurring seizures in both clinical and experimental studies, it is possible that lupine administration responded to the particular pathophysiology of epilepsy. Lupine is not prescribed for seizures in classical Mediterranean medical sources, implying that the Northern European peoples (if not the Anglo-Saxons themselves) discovered whatever anticonvulsive properties the herb may exhibit.

Occupational neurotoxicity and movement disorders: a historical perspective.

It is shown that while metal toxicity has been known to be associated with risks to the health of miners and other workers for over a thousand years generally little was done before the 19th century to enquire into the relationship between lead, mercury, and manganese and neurological movement disorders. Reasons for this are suggested.