Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from 28 823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. We considered 11 occupations and grouped them by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income. Results Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.19–1.94), wheeze (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16–1.63) and dyspnoea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.53–2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02 L, 95% CI −0.02–0.06 L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95% CI −0.49–0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and gross national income. Conclusion At a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they are associated with more respiratory symptoms. Because not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.publishedVersio

Synthesis of new Schiff bases bearing 1,2,4-triazole, thiazolidine and chloroazetidine moieties and their pharmacological evaluation

New compounds based on oxindole moiety were synthesized via the reaction of 5-substitued isatins 1a–e with different nucleophiles such as benzidine, 3,3′-dimethoxybenzidine 2a,b and 2,6-diaminopyridine 3 to afford three different classes of bis-Schiff bases 4a–e, 5a–e and 6a–e, respectively. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of their FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, GC/MS spectral data and elemental analysis. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of the new compounds was evaluated using a broth dilution technique in terms of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against four bacterial and two fungal pathogens and anticancer activities against HELA cervix. The revealed data showed that compound 9d has excellent activity against Gram + ve and Gram –ve bacteria, and compounds 11b presented promising anticancer activity against HELA cervix