Towards estimating the burden of disease attributable to second-hand smoke exposure in Polish children

Objectives: To estimate the burden of disease attributable to second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in Polish children in terms of the number of deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) due to lower respiratory infections (LRI), otitis media (OM), asthma, low birth weight (LBW) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Materials and Methods: Estimates of SHS exposure in children and in pregnant women as well as information concerning maternal smoking were derived from a national survey, the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, and the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in Poland. Mortality data (LRI, OM, asthma, and SIDS), the number of cases (LBW), and population data were obtained from national statistics (year 2010), and DALYs came from the WHO (year 2004). The burden of disease due to SHS was calculated by multiplying the total burden of a specific health outcome (deaths or DALYs) by a population attributable fraction. Results: Using two estimates of SHS exposure in children: 48% and 60%, at least 12 and 14 deaths from LRI in children aged up to 2 years were attributed to SHS, for the two exposure scenarios, respectively. The highest burden of DALYs was for asthma in children aged up to 15 years: 2412, and 2970 DALYs, for the two exposure scenarios, respectively. For LRI, 419 and 500 DALYs, and for OM, 61 and 77 DALYs were attributed to SHS, for the two exposure scenarios, respectively. Between 13% and 27% of SIDS cases and between 3% and 16% of the cases of LBW at term were attributed to SHS exposure. Conclusions: This study provides a conservative estimate of the public health impact of SHS exposure on Polish children. Lack of comprehensive, up to date health data concerning children, as well as lack of measures that would best reflect actual SHS exposure are major limitations of the study, likely to underestimate the burden of disease

Assays for insulin and insulin-like metabolic activity based on hepatocytes, myocytes and diaphragms.

Despite the eminent importance of studies with primary and cultured adipocytes or adipose tissues on the basis of their physiological role in the regulation of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in humans in combination with the relative low expenditure in preparing adipocytes of high quality and number, compounds and drug candidates for future antidiabetic and antiobesity therapy have to be analyzed for their effects in primary and cultured hepatocytes and myocytes or liver and muscle tissues, too. In principle, the majority of the assays described above for adipocytes can be adapted for the use with hepatocytes and myocytes. However, the following selection takes into account the relative contribution of each process monitored to its role in the whole-body regulation of intermediary metabolism in the normal and disease state. Moreover, technical aspects, such as requirement for a special equipment and applicability in throughput screening assays for drug discovery, were additional criteria