The present study was undertaken to answer two questions relating to the exposure of brown trout Salmo trutta to sublethal concentrations of copper and low pH (CLP) for 96 h. (1) What is the effect of these pollutants on the rate of oxygen consumption (M(O(2))) at different levels of exercise ...

Cadmium is a dangerous occupational and environmental toxin. It accumulates in the human organism mainly in liver and kidneys. Cadmium half-life is about 10 years, so the symptoms of cadmium intoxication may occur several years after the exposure. Until now in treating intoxication with this metal chelating compounds have been ...

To assess changes in lung function and airway reactivity resulting from exposure to cotton dust, and the role of atopic status in these changes, the authors observed a group of 225 newly hired Chinese textile workers for 1 yr. All workers were female, lifelong nonsmokers, and none of them had ...

In order to investigate the effects of exposure to possible environmental pollutants such as Cd, Pb and Hg on haematological and serum biochemistry values, New Zealand White female rabbits were treated orally with distilled water solutions of CdSO4 x H2O, Pb(NO3)2 and HgCl2 (n = 4/treatment) in concentrations of 2.3, ...

The results of a survey of outdoor radon concentrations in Milan are reported. Measurements were performed hourly over a continuous four year period from January 1997 to December 2000. Radon concentration was obtained by two means: both direct measurement of radon; and measurement of its decay products. The average daily ...

Work in swine confinement buildings leads to an inflammatory response and may be associated with increased levels of acute phase proteins. We compared the inflammatory response of a control group of young former farm workers with age-matched former farm workers who had previously developed the lower airway symptoms of wheeze, ...

For those interested in using head-coupled PC-based immersive virtual environment (VE) technology to train, entertain, or inform, it is essential to understand the effects this technology has on its users. This study investigated potential adverse effects, including the sickness associated with exposure and extreme responses (emesis, flashbacks). Participants were exposed ...

Air pollution due to small scale industries have been found to cause serious occupational health hazards and adverse effects on vegetation and heritage. The study for air pollution impact assessment for brick kiln industries was undertaken. The stack monitoring exercise was carried out to estimate the pollution level of SPM, ...

The herbicides, Butachlor and Fluazifop-p-butyl were evaluated against B. alexandrina and their infection with S. mansoni, as well as against the miracidia and cercariae. The tested herbicides reduced the survival and infection rates of B. alexandrina by 28% and 35.71% for Butachlor and 50% and 64% for Fluazifop-p-butyl, respectively. These ...

A majority of all the flexible polyurethane foams are produced by the continuous slabstock process using toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and polyether polyol. The commercially available TDI product is predominantly an 80:20 mixture of the 2,4-TDI and 2,6-TDI isomers. TDI can be used in many applications, but the market is dominated ...

This study assessed the sensitivity of Macomona liliana (bivalvia, tellinacea) to UV-photoactivated fluoranthene toxicity. Juvenile clams (0.5-2.0 mm) were exposed to a range of aqueous fluoranthene concentrations (5-500 microg/L) for 96 h, after which the clams' ability to rebury in control sediment was determined. Survivors of these fluoranthene-only toxicity tests ...

Measurements of the aerosol size distribution of 238U and 232Th at the U.S. Department of Energy's Fernald Environmental Management Project site were made to improve the inhalation dose calculations to off-site individuals. For approximately 1 y an 8-stage cascade impactor was co-located with a high volume sampler and operated at ...

It is clear from our findings (shown in Figs. 2, 3) that the cost of Renalin 100 is equal to or less than the cost of Renalin on a liter-to-liter basis. The decreased cost may be due to the elimination of the need to discard expired, diluted Renalin and the ...

It has been suggested that disgust plays a prominent role in the fear of spiders. Participants (N=27) displaying marked spider fear were provided 30 min of self-directed in vivo exposure to an actual tarantula, during which time their fear and disgust levels were assessed repeatedly. Growth curve analyses were then ...

Air pollution constitutes an important factor for asthma aggravation, and there is increased concern about respiratory health effects of common air pollutants. The purpose of this study was to examine how exposure to a high ambient concentration nitrogen dioxide (NO2) prior to a bronchial allergen challenge modulated the inflammatory response ...

This study compares two North American time-activity data bases: the National Human Activity Pattern Survey (NHAPS) of 9386 interviewees in 1992-1994 in the continental USA with the Canadian Human Activity Pattern Survey (CHAPS) of 2381 interviewees in 1996-1997 in four major Canadian cities. Identical surveys and methodology were used to ...

OBJECTIVES: The European Co-ordination on Diesel Soot Exposure (ECDSE) working group organised a laboratory inter-comparison which integrated both the sampling and the analytical determination. The aim was to gain more information on the performance of the methods for the determination of diesel particulate matter at workplaces and on their comparability, ...

We report a sentinel case of acute eosinophilic pneumonia in a firefighter exposed to high concentrations of World Trade Center dust during the rescue effort from September 11 to 24. The firefighter presented with a Pa(O2) of 53 mm Hg and responded to oxygen and corticosteroids. Computed tomography scan showed ...

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of exercise after altitude exposure (post-exposure exercise) on subsequent altitude decompression sickness (DCS) incidence. Existing USAF prohibition of exercise following altitude chamber training exposures and interest from operational personnel prompted our evaluation of post-exposure exercise as a DCS-inducing stressor. ...

Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to benzene has been conducted in the petroleum, steel and chemical industries. The urinary benzene-specific biomarker, S-phenylmercapturic acid (PMA), was quantified in post-shift samples using a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and expressed as a function of urinary creatinine concentration. The assay, based on a ...

The lethal body residue (LBR) of a few chlorophenol congeners were measured in the oligochaete worm Lumbriculus variegatus, and the LBR of pentachlorophenol was measured also in a midge, Chironomus riparius larvae. LBR is defined as the concentration of the compound in the organism, on molar basis, to cause death, ...

AIMS: (1) To obtain an overall estimate of variability of personal exposure of Paris office workers to fine particles (PM(2.5)) and nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), and to quantify their microenvironmental determinants. (2) To examine the role of potential determinants of indoor concentrations. METHODS: Sixty two office workers in a Paris municipal ...

This analysis was undertaken to reduce uncertainty in acute inhalation risk assessment for mild acute effects. Applying uncertainty factors (UFs) to the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) is the primary approach used in threshold-based risk assessments. When a NOAEL is unavailable, a UF of 10 is often applied to a lowest-observed-adverse-effect level ...

Inhalation of organic dust from swine houses causes an intense inflammatory reaction in the respiratory tract, and increased bronchial responsiveness to methacholine in healthy subjects. The aims of the present study were to investigate whether exhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a marker of the inflammation caused by exposure to organic ...

Because of increased interest in an 8-h ozone (O(3)) federal air quality standard, acute pulmonary function responses to prolonged square-wave O(3) exposure between 0.08 and 0.12 ppm have been examined in several U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chamber studies. A low-cost face-mask O(3) exposure system was developed in this laboratory ...

Although acute exposure to ozone (03*) has been shown to influence the severity and prevalence of airway hyperresponsiveness, information has been lacking on effects due to long-term exposure at relatively low exposure concentrations. The goals of this study were to determine whether long-term repeated ozone exposures could induce nonspecific hyperresponsiveness ...

The U.S. Army has estimated acute lethality guideline levels for inhalation of the chemical warfare agents mustard, GB, and VX. These levels are expressed as dosages measured in milligram-minutes per cubic meter (mg-min/m(3)). The National Advisory Council has also proposed acute emergency guideline levels (AEGLs) for the agents. The AEGLs ...

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of long term exposure to low level radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) radiation on the excretion rates of stress hormones in satellite station operators during 24-hour shifts. Twelve male operators at a satellite station for TV communications and space research were ...

INTRODUCTION: Repeated altitude exposures in a single day occur during special operations parachute training, hypobaric chamber training, unpressurized flight, and extravehicular space activity. Inconsistent and contradictory information exists regarding the risk of decompression sickness (DCS) during such hypobaric exposures. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that four short exposures to altitude with and ...

BACKGROUND: Single exposures to > 200 p.p.b. of ozone are capable of enhancing the early-phase lung function response to allergen. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of single vs. repeated exposures to ozone on early and late-phase allergen responses. METHODS: Eleven subjects with allergic ...

BACKGROUND: People tend to feel better after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This study was performed to investigate the impact of UVA exposure on psychological and neuroendocrine parameters. METHODS: Fifty-three volunteers were separated into 42 individuals who had UVA exposure and 11 individuals who had no UVA exposure. The UVA-exposed ...

BACKGROUND: Healthy volunteers exposed for 3 hr during weighing of pigs develop an airway inflammation characterized by a massive influx of neutrophilic granulocytes in the upper and lower airways and increased bronchial responsiveness to methacholine. The purpose of the present study was to investigate health effects from exposure during cleaning ...

The objective of this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between levels of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 microns (PM10) and upper respiratory disease (URD) rates in soldiers deployed to Bosnia in 1997 and 1998. PM10 levels were divided into quartiles and ...

Lipid metabolism and the effect of Pb(2+) and Cu(2+) on this process was studied in the moss Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus collected from both a lead-contaminated and a non-contaminated site. Total radiolabelling of lipids from [1-(14)C]acetate was similar in both populations and Cu or Pb (1 microM, 10 microM) did not cause ...

Within the framework of a European interlaboratory exercise, the Vito facility for the generation of controlled atmospheres was used to test the suitability of four sampling techniques for priority aldehydes namely formaldehyde, acrolein, acetaldehyde, and glutaraldehyde at the ranges of 0.5 to 150 microg x m(-3). The samplers are DNPH-containing ...

o-Chlorobenzylidenemalonitrile, more commonly called CS, is grouped with several other irritant agents referred to as "tear gas." It is a riot-control agent used frequently in military settings to test the ability and speed of personnel in donning their military gas masks. When personnel are exposed to CS without proper personal ...

BACKGROUND: Over the past 15 years Punta Arenas, Chile, a medium-sized city located on the extreme southern tip of South America, has repeatedly been exposed to acute, sudden episodes of highly increased levels of ultraviolet B (UVB) 280-320 nm radiation because of the passage of the spring Antarctic "Ozone Hole" ...

AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the effectiveness of a new type of bioclean room named Shinki bioclean room (SBCR) for the prevention of infection during neutropenia after intensive chemotherapy in comparison with a standard laminar air flow room (LAFR). BACKGROUND: Recently, a new industrial technology, wherein a dust-free and ...

Maximal Expiratory Flow Volume (MEFV) curves were recorded with a computerized Spirometer (Med Spiror). Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volumes (FEV), mean and maximal flow rates were obtained in 25 quarry workers who were free from respiratory disorders and 20 healthy control subjects. All the functional values are lower ...

We previously described the existence of two quantitative EEG (QEEG) subtypes of cocaine dependent males, identified at baseline, displaying differential proneness to relapse. The current study expands the population to include females and enhances the measure set to include both QEEG and somatosensory EP (SEP) features. Fifty-seven cocaine dependent adults ...

Recent results from EU-sponsored projects have shed new light on the workings of the atmosphere in the Mediterranean Basin, where a large airmass becomes trapped and nearly stagnant over the sea during the summer. This work reviews the developments which have led to our present understanding of air pollution dynamics ...

A cross-sectional study including 54 furniture factories and three control factories was conducted to survey lung function and prevalence of respiratory symptoms among woodworkers. Spirometry was performed on 2423 persons. Questionnaires regarding respiratory symptoms and wood dust exposure were completed by 2033 woodworkers and 474 controls. Personal passive dust measurements ...

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the lethal and sublethal effects of suspended solids on the survival and physiological, behavourial and morphological changes of the green-lipped mussel Perna viridis collected from Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong. Results showed that P. viridis survived in all test conditions of suspended solids from 0 ...

The purpose of this study was to quantify the loading characteristics of the upper body during variable angle Roman chair (VARC) exercise and to compare back extension strength outputs obtained from a VARC to a criterion measure (lumbar dynamometer). For twenty-four healthy volunteers (age, 22.7 ± 3.2 years), the load ...

This study was designed to examine the effect of exposure to two levels of light intensity (bright; 5000 lux, dim; 50 lux) prior to supramaximal cycle exercise on performance and metabolic alterations. The exercise was performed after bright and dim light exposure for 90 minutes. Ten male long-distance runners volunteered ...

The role that recent experience has in the processing of Korean Hanja characters was investigated in two masked priming experiments. Two groups of Korean native speakers that differed in their recent exposure to Hanja were asked to name single Hanja characters (targets) that were immediately preceded by masked presentations of ...

The aims of this study were to characterize physical, mechanical, and environmental factors influencing indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in commercial office buildings; document occupant perceptions and psychosocial attributes; and evaluate relationships among these parameters. Six large office buildings in metropolitan areas were selected in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Comprehensive sampling ...

The effect of exposure duration on the toxicity of a forest insecticide (carbaryl) was assessed under environmentally realistic exposure regimes against two stream invertebrates indigenous to the United States Pacific Northwest, Calineuria californica (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and Cinygma sp. (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). Laboratory bioassays were conducted to evaluate the relationship between pulsed ...

Earlier, we found that acute ozone (O3) exposure caused, along with inflammation, greater, more protracted changes in small airway function (isovolumetric V max at intermediate to low lung volumes) than in FVC or FEV1. To test if this distinction prevailed with repetitive O3 exposure, we exposed eight healthy adults on ...

OBJECTIVES: Propylene glycol (PG) (1-2 propanediol; CAS No 57-55-6) is a low toxicity compound widely used as a food additive, in pharmaceutical preparations, in cosmetics, and in the workplace-for example, water based paints, de-icing fluids, and cooling liquids. Exposure to PG mist may occur from smoke generators in discotheques, theatres, ...