Influence of different occupations with possible mutagenic effects on reproduction and level of induced chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood.

In a group of 200 dysfertile couples (400 persons), the possible role of different occupations in failures of reproduction was assessed. These couples were examined from different points of view, classical genetic examination (pedigree, kayrotype, etc.) included. The suspected genotoxic effects in the personal history were checked also by testing the level of induced chromosomal aberrations. A significantly increased level of induced chromosomal aberrations was detected in 37 persons, i.e., 9.3% of the whole group under study. The average level of induced aberration in these subjects was 6.8%, as opposed to the control group (fertile and dysfertile persons without any unusual exposure to mutagens) with a mean of 1.58% aberrant cells in peripheral blood. Most of the occupations with demonstrated genotoxic effects involve daily contact with chemicals of different types. In some persons also intensive therapy in the recent past had genotoxic effects.     

Influence of different occupations with possible mutagenic effects on reproduction and level of induced chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood

In a group of 200 dysfertile couples (400 persons), the possible role of different occupations in failures of reproduction was assessed. These couples were examined from different points of view, classical genetic examination (pedigree, kayrotype, etc.) included. The suspected genotoxic effects in the personal history were checked also by testing the level of induced chromosomal aberrations. A significantly increased level of induced chromosomal aberrations was detected in 37 persons, i.e., 9.3% of the whole group under study. The average level of induced aberration in these subjects was 6.8%, as opposed to the control group (fertile and dysfertile persons without any unusual exposure to mutagens) with a mean of 1.58% aberrant cells in peripheral blood.Most of the occupations with demonstrated genotoxic effects involve daily contact with chemicals of different types. In some persons also intensive therapy in the recent past had genotoxic effects.     

Reference data for the Ruff Figural Fluency Test stratified by age and educational level

The Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT) was developed to avoid the difficulties that were encountered in earlier tests of figural fluency. Although the test characteristics of the RFFT seem to be good and it is a valuable addition to neuropsychological assessments, reference data are still scarce. To this aim, we required 2,404 community dwelling persons in Groningen, The Netherlands to perform the RFFT. All 1,651 persons with a complete RFFT and known educational level formed the reference sample. Their age ranged from 35 to 82 years and their educational level from primary school to university grade. Ninety-six percent of the persons were of Western European descent. All tests were analyzed by two independent examiners and subsequently three measures were calculated: number of unique designs, number of perseverative errors and error ratio. The main finding was that performance on the RFFT was dependent on age and educational level. This was not only observed in older persons but also in young and middle-aged persons. Reference data for the three RFFT measures are presented in groups of five years of age ranging from 35-39 years to 75 years or older.     

Epidemiological danger of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and alcoholism refusing treatment

The comparative evaluation of the epidemiological danger of alcohol-addicted persons with pulmonary tuberculosis who evaded treatment (the test group of 133 persons) and that of tuberculosis patients receiving adequate treatment under hospital conditions (the control group of 162 patients) was made. The morbidity level among relations having contacts with the patients evading treatment exceeded the morbidity level in the families of tuberculosis patients undergoing adequate treatment 4.5-fold for adults and 3.4-fold for children and adolescents, the contamination level in the latter group being twice as high. Although no cases of the disease were registered in the foci of infection where sick persons evading treatment had low bacterial discharge, still the elevated level of infection among children and adolescents in these foci as compared with the foci where tuberculosis patients did not evade treatment (35.0% and 21.7% respectively) indicated that the foci of infection where such aggravating factors as alcohol addiction in the source of infection was present were rightly considered to be epidemiologically most dangerous. Persons suffering with both tuberculosis and alcoholism should be subjected to compulsory hospitalization as early as possible.     

Evaluation of cytotoxic activity in fecal filtrates from patients with Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli enteritis

We sought to determine the prevalence of cytotoxic activity in fecal filtrates from persons with C. jejuni or C. coli enteritis. Stool specimens were collected from 20 persons with C. jejuni or C. coli enteritis, 20 persons with acute diarrheal illnesses of other causes, and 9 healthy, asymptomatic persons. Fecal filtrates were then incubated with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) or HeLa cells. The fecal filtrate from 1 of the 20 (5%) persons with Campylobacter enteritis was cytotoxic for HeLa cells at a titer of 1:40, and 10 (50%) were cytotoxic for CHO cells at maximum titers of 1:20. Cytotoxic activity for CHO cells at a median titer of 1:20 was also present in 40% of the fecal filtrates from persons with diarrhea due to causes other than Campylobacter enteritis, and in 33% of filtrates from healthy, asymptomatic persons. The observed low level of cytotoxicity in fecal filtrates from all patient groups studied likely resulted from non-specific factors, unrelated to the pathogenesis of Campylobacter enteritis.     

The relation of seasonal manifestations of herpes zoster and the seasonal periodicity of normal humoral immunity

29 practically healthy persons and 97 herpetic ganglionitis patients were examined at different periods during 1986-1987. The seasonal changes of humoral immunity both in clinically healthy persons and in herpetic ganglionitis patients were established. The conclusion was made that clinical manifestations of herpetic ganglionitis are linked with a decrease in the level of IgG ensuring natural resistance to chickenpox virus.     

Electrophysiological study of the choice motivation in man

In 70 Ss EEG coherence, amplitude and frequency characteristics as well as formal-dynamic (temperamental) properties were compared with the two dimensions of motivation involved in the choice of profession--its subjective "value" and the probability of its achievement ("accessability"). It was shown that the persons orienting themselves to the subjective value of the future profession tend to possess those features of temperament that testify to the stronger, more mobile and more labile nervous system as distinct from the subjects orienting themselves to the higher level of accessability. It was also shown that the persons with a higher level of the subjective value had a much higher level of EEG cortical activation in both hemispheres of the brain. The subjects with higher magnitudes of "accessability" were characterized by a lower level of brain activation.     

Tonic Arousal During Field Polygraph Tests in Guilty vs. Innocent Suspects in Japan

Eighty four sets of GKT field data (52 guilty and 32 innocent persons) were analyzed for tonic level of heart rate and respiration rate during polygraph interrogation. The innocent persons in our sample showed consistently lower heart rate than guilty persons and revealed significant decrease over the course of interrogation, whereas guilty persons did not. Respiration rate was not significantly different between these two groups. Although it is popularly believed that a naïve person tends to show and maintain higher cardiovascular and respiratory activity during polygraphy, and that this makes polygraph interrogation ineffective, such is not the case at least in the GKT polygraph.     

Assessment of upper extremity muscle function in persons with tetraplegia

The objective was to investigate the actual level of muscle function impairment in tetraplegic persons and, inextricably related to this, the possibilities to compensate function loss using new muscle coalitions. In this cross-sectional group study, 20 persons with a cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) at segmental levels C5C6 or C7C8 and 10 control persons participated. Activity from 21 upper extremity and trunk muscles was recorded during standardised gross upper extremity task performance. No substantial differences in main activation patterns were found between C7C8 and control subjects. In contrast, main activation patterns in C5C6 persons showed an absence of selectivity, which may be explained by the participants activating every controllable muscle in an attempt to perform maximally. In order to identify more intricate differences in muscle activation between control and C7C8 persons a fine motor function task may be necessary. Muscle activation patterns during arm task performance were stable in all three groups.     

Selenium levels in human plasma and hair in northern poland

The aim of this study was to (1) estimate the concentration of selenium in the plasma of 146 residents (65 men and 81 women) and in the hair of 34 persons from the Gdańsk region in northern Poland, aged 19–70 and (2) compare the obtained results with data corresponding to healthy populations living in different European countries. Selenium in plasma was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry using the hydride generation method. The mean selenium concentration in plasma of the investigated persons was 73.3 ± 14.1 μg/L, 76.7 ± 13.2 μg/L in men, and 70.4 ± 14.7 μg/L in women. No age — dependent differences in plasma selenium were found in the investigated population. In 20% of the investigated persons, the selenium level in plasma was lower than 60 μg/L. The mean selenium concentration in hair was 0.30 ± 0.11 μg/g. A positive, statistically significant correlation between selenium concentrations in the plasma and hair of the investigated persons was found. The obtained results indicate that the selenium level in significant part of this population is suboptimal and should be elevated by supplementation with this element.     

Comparative study of the smallpox vaccines from B-51, EM-63 and L-IVP in a controlled epidemiological experiment. II. The characteristiics of the immunogenicity of the smallpox vaccines]

Immunogenicity of smallpox vaccines prepared of EM-63, L-IVP, and B-51 strains was studied under conditions of strict controlled epidemiological trial. Skin reactions to revaccination and vaccines antigenic activity indices were detemined in the persons vaccinated. Changes in the virus-neutralizing and antibodies suppressing hemagglutination was the same in persons vaccinated with any of the preparations tested. The maximal virus-neutralizing antibodies level was determined 1 month after the vaccination and persisted without any essential changes for one year. The titre of hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies also reached the maximum in one month, but diminished gradually by the end of one year after the vaccination. There were found no significant differences in the antigenic activity of the vaccines. The vaccines studied also displayed no difference in the number and character of skin reactions to revaccination. In comparing the antibodies level and the character of skin reactions to revaccination it was found that the titres of hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies and virus-neutralizing antibodies of 1:40 and over were in the great majority of cases determined in the blood sera of the vaccinated persons with the immediate and negative reactions to revaccination, i. e. in those with intensive postvaccinal immunity.     

The dynamics of activation processes in persons with different ability to recognize speech emotional expressions

The frequency-amplitude characteristics of the brain electrical activity were studied in two groups of subjects: (1) with high and (2) with low indexes of "emotional ear" (the ability to successfully recognize emotions in speech). Comparison of EEG power characteristics between the two groups of subjects permitted the authors to make a conclusion that the persons with lower indexes of "emotional ear" had a much higher EEG activation level as compared to the persons with higher "emotional ear" indexes. A different dynamics of the cortical activation was also observed in the process of recognition of emotions by alpha-rhythm amplitude. It was shown that the persons with higher indexes of recognition had higher alpha-rhythm amplitude, whereas the persons who were less successful in recognition of speech emotions had a contrary tendency: the amplitude on the alpha band decreased in the process of the experiment.     

Social class gradients and serum uric acid in males and females

The relation between serum uric acid and social class is examined by sex among 910 persons in Wensleydale, Yorkshire, 321 persons in Watford, Hertfordshire, and 1,213 persons in New Haven, Connecticut, all of whom were drawn from the general population. Among the men of Wensleydale there is a tendency of marginal significance at the 5% level for serum uric acid to increase with decreasing social class; in the New Haven women this same trend is significant at the 2·5% level; no trend was found among any of the other four sex-specific groups. Age did not account for the patterns observed. The difference between these findings and those of several studies from the United States is consistent with the view that both serum uric acid levels and gout are under multifactorial control.     

Lumbar portion of the human spinal canal at different age periods

The investigation was performed in 253 lumbosacral parts of the spinal column in fetuses, children and adult men in order to study age dynamics of the vertebral canal both at the level of the vertebra and at the level of the intervertebral disks. For the first time reliable data were obtained on dimentions of sagittal and frontal diameters of the canal at the lumbar level in practically healthy persons of different age. "Vertical comparison" of mean values of these parameters gave information on the character of spatial reaction of the canal dimentions and its form at various levels and demonstrated age peculiarities of these relations. In persons at the age of 22-74 years in vertibral segments of the lumbar part of the spinal column certain degenerative-destructive processes were revealed; they could affect the size and form of the canal. The rate, level and degree of these processes were demonstrated to vary in different age periods.     

Actigraphy: A Means of Assessing Circadian Patterns in Human Activity

–Twenty-three diurnally active (0705–2333), healthy persons between 22 and 54 yrs of age and without history of sleep abnormality were monitored continuously for 120 consecutive hr (five days) by wrist actigraphy. Circadian rhythms of high amplitude were detected by cosinor analysis for each participant and for the groups of 10 males and 13 females with the average span of heightened activity timed between ～1330 and 1605. The circadian peak-trough difference in wrist movement was marked, equalling aproximately 75% of the 24-hr mean level. In 19 of 23 participants, the 24-hr mean of wrist activity varied between 140–180 movements/min, with four persons exhibiting lesser means of 110–140 movements/min. With respect to the daytime span of activity, the mean wrist movement of individual participants ranged from 155–265 movements/min, with the majority (20/23) varying between 185–245 movements/min. During nocturnal sleep the mean wrist activity level was quite low, varying between individuals from 5 to 25 movements/min for 21 of 23 persons. Wrist actigraphy proved to be well-accepted and was a most reliable means of monitoring aspects of body movement during activity and sleep in ambulatory persons adhering to usual life habits and pursuits.     

Actigraphy: A Means of Assessing Circadian Patterns in Human Activity

-Twenty-three diurnally active (0705-2333), healthy persons between 22 and 54 yrs of age and without history of sleep abnormality were monitored continuously for 120 consecutive hr (five days) by wrist actigraphy. Circadian rhythms of high amplitude were detected by cosinor analysis for each participant and for the groups of 10 males and 13 females with the average span of heightened activity timed between ∼1330 and 1605. The circadian peak-trough difference in wrist movement was marked, equalling aproximately 75% of the 24-hr mean level. In 19 of 23 participants, the 24-hr mean of wrist activity varied between 140-180 movements/min, with four persons exhibiting lesser means of 110-140 movements/min. With respect to the daytime span of activity, the mean wrist movement of individual participants ranged from 155-265 movements/min, with the majority (20/23) varying between 185-245 movements/min. During nocturnal sleep the mean wrist activity level was quite low, varying between individuals from 5 to 25 movements/min for 21 of 23 persons. Wrist actigraphy proved to be well-accepted and was a most reliable means of monitoring aspects of body movement during activity and sleep in ambulatory persons adhering to usual life habits and pursuits.     

Dynamic of marriage structure in three cities of Ukraine from 1960 to 1992

Marriage structure was studied in the city of Kiev and in two cities of the Sumy oblast, Shostka and Trostyanets. Ethnic affiliations and birthplaces of persons contracting marriage were analyzed as the main characteristics of population genetic diversity. The ethnic composition of persons contracting marriage and the proportions of mono- and interethnic marriages remained almost unchanged during one generation. The majority of the persons contracting marriage were Ukrainians (66-91%); among other ethnic groups, only Russians considerably contributed to ethnic diversity (up to 26%). During the period studied, coefficients of marital migration substantially decreased in Kiev (from 0.66-0.82 to 0.34) and Shostka (from 0.72 to 0.52) and changed only insignificantly in Trostyanets. Outbreeding was estimated based on the migration parameters, exogamy level, and marital migration distances. The outbreeding level in the Shostka population (100,000 people) was comparable with that for the considerably larger Kiev population (two million people); however, it was significantly higher than that for the Trostyanets population, the size of which was close to the size of the Shostka population. It is supposed that "migration stress" may unfavorably affect the adaptive genetic structure of the Shostka population.     

The characteristics of HIV infection during a sharp activation of the epidemic process in Rostov Province

A considerable growth in cases of HIV infection in Rostov Province was registered in 1996-1997. Number of men was 525, number of women--196 cases, were registered. The highest index of HIV infection was noted in group of tested by epidemiological evidence (4494,4 per 100,000 tested persons), which was 57.2 times higher than the average level for this region. The growth in the number of infected persons was due to the import of HIV from the territory of Ukraine and the subsequent spread of the virus among drug addicts introducing drugs by intravenous injection.     

Role of dopamine in the peripheral mechanisms of respiration control

Under clinical conditions, we studied the interaction between dopamine (DA) metabolism and hypoxia stimulationrelated ventilatory responses (HVR) before and after adaptation to periodical hypoxic episodes. Thirty-seven young and elder persons were tested; among elder tested subjects there were patients with Parkinson’s desease treated or not treated with DOPA-DA precursor-containing drugs (levoDOPA/carbiDOPA). We measured the HVR indices and DA and DOPA contents in the venous blood of tested persons before and after a 14-day-long hypoxic training. The highest indices of the ventilation sensitivity to hypoxia together with the lowest above-mentioned chemical indices were observed in young persons. An increase in the DA and DOPA levels in the venous blood were observed concurrently with suppression of the ventilation responses to hypoxic episodes. After a course of periodical hypoxic sessions, we observed in all groups opposite dynamics of DA and DOPA metabolism. An increase in the DA level in young persons and a trend toward its decrease in older healthy persons and parkinsonian patients was nevertheles accompanied by an HVR increase in all groups. Possible relations between the DA metabolism indices and peripheral mechanisms of respiratory control are discussed.     

The effect of marriage on utilization of colorectal endoscopy exam in the United States

Purpose: This study examines the association between marriage and colorectal endoscopy exam, and whether this association varies by gender and financial benefits of marriage including improved access to health insurance and pooled family income. Methods: Representative survey data of the non-institutionalized United States population were used from the 2000, 2005, and 2008 National Health Interview Survey. Analyses targeted persons 50-85 years of age without a personal history of cancer and with complete information on all study variables (n=21,760). Multivariate logistic regression was used to model marital status differences in the probability of undergoing a colorectal endoscopy exam with interaction effects used to model variation over time by gender, health insurance, and poverty level. Results: Married persons were more likely than unmarried persons to report ever having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam (odds ratio [OR], 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.29), and the difference between married and unmarried persons in the probability of undergoing a colorectal endoscopy exam remained stable over time. Married persons were more likely than unmarried persons to report having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam within the past 10 years (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.15-1.95). For each survey year, married men were significantly more likely than women and unmarried men to report having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam. For example, in 2008, 56% of married men reported having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam, compared to 49% of unmarried men, 52% of married women, and 50% of unmarried women. Among persons with health insurance, married persons were significantly more likely than unmarried persons to have undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam. Among persons who were poor, there was no difference by marital status in the likelihood of having undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam. However, among persons who were not poor, married persons were more likely than unmarried persons to have undergone a colorectal endoscopy exam. Conclusion: Given that colorectal endoscopy exams are a potentially life-saving procedure, persistently higher uptake of colorectal endoscopy for married persons over time may be an important health promoting benefit of marriage. Therefore, clinicians and policy makers should focus on improving the use of cancer prevention services among unmarried persons.