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Biomedical subjects

A Fischbein

Publications and source records attributed to A Fischbein.

105 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Elevated urinary excretion of beta-aminoisobutyric acid and exposure to inorganic lead.

beta-Aminoisobutyric acid (beta-AIB), a normal degradation product of thymine, a constituent of DNA and, to a lesser extent, of transfer RNA, is excreted in low levels in human urine. We found that a group of iron workers occupationally exposed to inorganic lead excreted high levels of urinary beta-AIB. Elevated urinary excretion of beta-AIB was also observed in marmosets, Callithrix jacchus, that received lead acetate in drinking water. Our results suggest that increased urinary excretion of beta-AIB could stem from damage to DNA on exposure to lead.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Malignant mesothelioma in Israel, 1961-1992.

The authors monitored time trends in the incidences and distributions of malignant mesotheliomas during 1961-92 in 223 Israeli persons, including 21 men from a cohort of 3,057 asbestos-cement workers (83,122 person-years). The annual incidence rates of malignant mesotheliomas in Jewish men ranged between 2.5 per million in 1961-82 and 4.6 per million in 1985-92. The male-to-female incidence ratio rose from 1.2 in the 1960s to 2.9 during 1985-92, as a result of increases in risk among Israeli-born males. Females accounted for 37.6% of all cases, after exclusion of the cohort of asbestos workers. Of the 223 cases, 202 (91%) had no indication of direct occupational exposure to asbestos. In Jewish females, the incidence of malignant mesotheliomas did not increase after 1961. The mean age at diagnosis in all cases was lowest in the Israeli-born (53.0 years). High levels of asbestos exposure in the 1970s and the relatively early age of onset of the disease indicate that exposure began at a younger age in Israel than in European countries. Asbestos manufacture and use peaked in Israel during the mid-1970s, so the maximum impact of these trends has yet to be seen.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Re-emergence of lead poisoning from contaminated flour in a West Bank Palestinian village.

Although contaminated flour was first described as an important source of endemic lead poisoning in the Middle East almost 20 years ago, the use of lead in community flour mills has not been eliminated and continues to represent a significant environmental risk. The authors describe an outbreak of lead poisoning in a West Bank Palestinian family and draw attention to this unusual but important source of lead exposure. All 13 members of the family (two children and 11 adults), were found to have lead poisoning following hospitalization for "gastroenteritis," headache, joint pain, weight loss, and vision difficulties. Seven females had low hemoglobin levels. Blood lead concentrations ranged from 42 to 84 microg/dL. Household flour samples obtained from a stone mill, previously closed because of lead contamination, contained 2,000 ppm lead. Flour from traditional stone mills reinforced with lead joints remains a potential source for lead poisoning.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus in healthy adults in Israel.

To determine if Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) prevalence is correlated with the 9-fold difference in the incidence of classic Kaposi's sarcoma observed among Israeli Jewish populations, we conducted a cross-sectional KSHV seroprevalence survey in a population of 166 HIV-seronegative healthy subjects from the general population (26 women, 140 men). Eight individuals (4.8%) (all men) were seropositive for KSHV; differences between men and women were not statistically significant. If we consider the sensitivity and specificity of the assays, the corrected prevalence would be 6.1% (95% confidence interval 2.0-10.1). We noticed a non-statistically 5.5-fold difference between individuals above and below 40 years of age, but did not find an association with the incidence of classic KS among the Israeli Jewish sub-population, according to their origin. This suggests that KSHV is only necessary, albeit not sufficient, cause of classic Kaposi's sarcoma.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lead poisoning: I. Some clinical and toxicological observations on the effects of occupational lead exposure among firearms instructors.

Lead poisoning continues to be a common occupational disease in many countries. During the past two decades, poisoning presenting with overt clinical symptoms has become less frequent because of improvement in control of exposure, and attention has been focused on subtle biochemical and "subclinical" manifestations of lead toxicity. Firearms instructors constitute an occupational group at risk for excessive exposure to lead from the firing of arms in shooting galleries. This paper summarizes clinical and toxicological observations among lead-exposed firearms instructors and illustrates the wide spectrum of clinical and laboratory abnormalities that may occur in this occupational group. As clinical research has advanced, significant biochemical and clinical aberrations have been detected at progressively lower blood lead levels both among occupationally exposed adults and among children who are exposed to lead in the general environment. The latter is of great public health concern and has spurred efforts worldwide to reduce human exposure to lead to an absolute minimum.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lead poisoning: II. Biological standards for occupational lead exposure--where do we stand now?

Lead poisoning is an occupational and environmental disease of great public health concern. During the past two decades major efforts have been made in many countries to minimize exposure to lead both in the occupational and general environment. Blood lead concentrations at which adverse effects can be detected have become progressively lower. Despite legislation concerning medical surveillance of lead-exposed workers and improvement in environmental control measures that took place during the 1980s, review of recent surveillance data indicates that excessive lead absorption among workers is still a problem in Israel. An approach is suggested for the reporting of surveillance data that will provide safety managers with the information necessary for introducing effective environmental control measures.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lead poisoning from art restoration and pottery work: unusual exposure source and household risk.

Two cases of lead poisoning following exposures in the arts and crafts environment are presented. The first illustrates the impact of an unusual exposure source experienced by a female art conservator while restoring an antique Peruvian tapestry from the Chancay Period (A.D. 1000-1500). The second demonstrates the extension to the artist's family members of a lead hazard associated with pottery work. Noted were a wide spectrum of clinical and biochemical abnormalities, ranging from severe neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms to subtle alterations in the biosynthetic pathway of heme. Marked elevation of the blood lead level (up to 130 mcg/100 mL) was found in the most severe case of lead poisoning. The cases illustrate the need for industrial hygiene measures in this type of work in order to prevent lead intoxication, both in the adult artist and children in the household. However, in some instances of increased lead absorption in persons with lead-related hobbies, sources other than those associated with arts and crafts should be investigated. This alternative is illustrated by a third case, in which firearms training was the more likely source of excessive exposure. Multiple occupational factors must occasionally be considered in evaluating increased lead absorption.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Renal function impairment in secondary lead smelter workers: correlations with zinc protoporphyrin and blood lead levels.

Potential kidney function decrement with long-term lead exposure is important in the overall assessment of adverse health effects of lead in industrial workers or other exposed groups. Two clinical field studies of secondary lead smelter workers have shown that a significant proportion of workers had slightly to moderately elevated BUN and creatinine levels; the prevalence was higher in those with longer lead exposure. Since a decrement of kidney function with age has been documented, and, since duration of lead exposure may also be strongly related to age, it was necessary to assess the age dependent renal function decrement in a control (non-lead-exposed) population. BUN and creatinine levels in the lead-exposed workers showed a much more significant correlation with age than that which was found in the non-exposed population; the correlations between the indicators of renal function, BUN and creatinine, and duration of lead exposure remained statistically significant after removing the age-dependent decrement derived from the control population. Moreover, a highly significant correlation between BUN and zinc protoporphyrin levels was found. The results indicate a sizeable and significant decrement in kidney function in the secondary lead smelter workers studied; this effect was found to be lead-induced, by removing its age-dependency.

Aging↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Zinc protoporphyrin in blood as a biological indicator of chronic lead intoxication.

Traditionally, the diagnosis of lead intoxication has relied upon blood lead and urine lead determinations. However, metabolic changes in the biosynthetic pathway of heme as well as damage in other organ systems may occur at blood lead levels hitherto regarded as "safe." Lead intoxication leads to elevated zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) levels in the blood which can be measured quickly, inexpensively and conveniently on a drop of unprocessed whole blood by means of a dedicated front face fluorometer, called a hematofluorometer. In the present study, ZPP showed a strong correlation with the lead-in-blood level, as well as with signs and symptoms of lead-related disease. It is concluded that zinc protoporphyrin determination offers a preferred primary screening test for lead-exposed populations.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos in Israel: uses, exposures and risks.

Importation of raw asbestos (90% chrysotile; 10% crocidolite) for manufacture of cement products and other uses, including friction materials and spraying, had dropped to under 3000 tons by 1993 from a peak of 10,000 tons per annum in the late 1970s. Drops in use, manufacture, persons exposed in manufacture and measured exposure levels followed heightened public concern over the carcinogenic effects of asbestos products, despite a relatively high worker exposure standard of 400,000 f/m3. The atypically low ratio of reported deaths from lung cancer compared to mesothelioma in asbestos cement workers up to 1992 (1:2.5) is suggested to be a consequence of low baseline risks for lung cancer mortality in Israel and dropping smoking levels. Exposure to asbestos use and asbestos in place remain, but total risk should drop after 2010 if imports continue to drop. These projections may be altered by trade between Israel and its neighbors following peace agreements. Reductions in risk will have resulted from reduction in exposure brought about by reductions in manufacture and use.

Adolescent↗