Влияние сернистых выбросов от целлюлозно-бумажных предприятий на здоровье населения в Светогорске в северо-западной части России

The effect of sulfur products in the air on public health was studied in 1992 to 1993. The study was a part of common Finnish Russian investigation named as “IEVA”, there was not published information in Russia about atmosphere pullution effects on health of citizens exposed to chemical wase influence. Air concentrations of stinking wastes of sulfur products and sulfur dioxide in the industrial part of Svetogorsk were controlled by non-stop measuring devices. The special questionaire was proposed for examination in citizens. It contained the query of various information about health, the appearance of sympthoms (headache, eye and nose itching, cough, and dyspnea) during 1.5 years. The questionaires were given to 1100 citizens, and 990 of the questionaires were spread in Svetogorsk. The analysed answers were obtained in 430 persons in Svetogorsk (43%) and 85 persons in Losevo (77%). The greatest instant value of total concentrations of stinking sulfur products in Svetogorsk, as well 144 mkg/m, was 3 times greater than that in Losevo. Average values of hour mean concentrations of stinking sulfur products were 5 mkg/m3 in Svetogorsk (period of 06.01 to 24.06.1992) and 12 mkg/m in Losevo (period of 21.07 to 07.11.1992). The greatest hour mean concentration of sulfur dioxide and the greatest daily value were 540 mkg/m and 125 mkg/m3 respectively in Svetogorsk, and these ones were 123 mkg/m and 33 mkg/m respectively in Losevo. During the whole study period, the mean concentration of sulfur dioxide 16 mkg/m and 10 mkg/m in Svetogorsk and Losevo respectively.Произведенное в г. Светогорске в России с 1992 г. по 1993 г. исследование для выявления влияния сернистых соединений атмосферного воздуха на здоровье населения являлось частью общего финляндско-российского исследования “ИЭВА”. В России раньше не публиковались сведения о влиянии атмосферных загрязнений на здоровье населения, подвергающегося воздействию выбросов. Концентрации дурно пахнущих сернистых соединений и двуокиси серы в промышленном городе Светогорске относительно Лосево контролировались постоянно работающими измерительными приборами. Вместе с этим среди населения распространялся специальный опросник по состоянию здоровья. В анкете запрашивалось о различных, касающихся здоровья, сведениях, о появлении симптомов (головная боль, раздражение глаз и носа, кашель и одышка) в течение прошедших 13 месяцев. Анкеты распространялись среди 1100 человек, при этом 990 анкет пришлось на территорию города Светогорска. Анализируемые ответы были получены у 430 человек в г. Светогорске (43%) и у 85 человек в п. Лосево (77%). Наибольшее моментальное значение общей концентрации дурно пахнущих сернистых соединений (ТRS) в г. Светогорске, 144 кгг/куб.м, было примерно в три раза больше, чем в п. Лосево. Средние величины часовых средних дурно пахнущих сернистых соединений в г. Светогорске были 5 мкг/куб.м (период измерения с 06.0. по 24.06.1992 г.) и в п. Лосево 12 мкг/куб.м (период измерения с 21.07. по 07.11.1992 г.). В г. Светогорске наибольшая часовая средняя концентрация двуокиси серы была 540 мкг/куб.м и наибольшая суточная величина 125 мкг/куб.м, в п. Лосево наибольшая часовая средняя была 123 мкг/куб.м и наибольшая суточная величина 33 мкг/куб.м. Во время всего периода измерения средняя величина концентрации двуокиси серы в г. Светогорске была 16 мкг/куб.м и в п. Лосево 10 мкг/куб.м

Fatal methane and cyanide poisoning as a result of handling industrial fish: a case report and review of the literature

The potential health hazards of handling industrial fish are well documented. Wet fish in storage consume oxygen and produce poisonous gases as they spoil. In addition to oxygen depletion, various noxious agents have been demonstrated in association with spoilage including carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, and ammonia. A fatal case of methane and cyanide poisoning among a group of deep sea trawler men is described. Subsequent independent investigation as a result of this case led to the discovery of cyanides as a further potential noxious agent. This is thus the first case in which cyanide poisoning has been recognised as a potentially fatal complication of handling spoiled fish. The previous literature is reviewed and the implications of the current case are discussed. Key Words: industrial fish • methane • cyanid

Polyamine-linked oligonucleotides for DNA triple helix formation.

The concept of antigene therapy of disease is based on the ability of an oligonucleotide (the therapeutic agent) to bind to double-stranded genomic DNA (the target associated with the disease). Examples are herein given of the linkage of a series of polyamines to a 21-mer homopyrimidine oligonucleotide. These conjugated 21-mers can each form a triple helix with an appropriate double-stranded homopurine-homopyrimidine DNA according to Hoogsteen base-pairing rules. No triple helix was found when unmodified third strand was used at 10 mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.5, 100 mM sodium chloride solution. In contrast, the spermine-conjugated oligonucleotide had a melting temperature of 42 degrees C. According to the melting profile, the appended spermine moiety was found to affect the Tm only of the triple helix, but not of the subsequent melting of the underlying double helix. The Tm enhancing ability of the spermine-conjugate was found to be better than that of other polyamine-conjugates

Exposure to asbestos and lung and pleural cancer mortality among pulp and paper industry workers

We studied the mortality from lung and pleural cancers in a cohort of 62,937 male workers employed for at least 1 year in the pulp and paper industry in 13 countries during 1945 to 1996. Mill departments were classified according to probability and level of exposure to asbestos on the basis of available dust measurements and mill-specific information on exposure circumstances. Thirty-six percent of workers were classified as ever exposed to asbestos. Standardized mortality ratios of lung cancer were 0.99 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90 to 1.08) among unexposed and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.11) among ever exposed workers. The number of pleural cancer deaths among unexposed workers was 10; that among exposed workers was 14, most of which occurred among maintenance workers. In internal analyses, a trend in mortality from either neoplasm was suggested for estimated cumulative exposure to asbestos, weighted for the individual probability of exposure within the department and for duration of exposure (relative risk for lung cancer for 0.78+ f/cc-years, as compared with <=0.01 f/cc-years: 1.44; 95% CI, 0.85 to 2.45; corresponding relative risk for pleural cancer: 2.43; 95% CI, 0.43 to 13.63). Despite a possible nondifferential misclassification of exposure and outcome, this study suggests that the carcinogenic effect of asbestos can be detected among workers employed in industries such as the pulp and paper industry, in which it is not considered to be a major hazard