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Biomedical subjects

H A Peters

Publications and source records attributed to H A Peters.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Oncogenicity of hexachlorobenzene.

Subchronic and chronic toxicities of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were studied in both sexes of Swiss mice, Syrian golden hamsters and Sprague-Dawley rats, at dietary dosages of 0, 100 and 200 ppm (mice), and 0, 200 and 400 ppm (hamsters and rats) for 90 days. At day 91, 25/50 animals in each of 18 groups were killed for histology studies. The rest were killed at 6-week intervals until the study was ended. Marked hepatosplenomegaly, enlarged thymuses and lymph nodes, or swollen and granular-looking renal cortices with depressions or nodulary areas were commonly observed. Dose- and sex-dependent progressive changes included toxic-degenerative hepatitis, chronic cirrhosis, hepatomas, bile-duct adenomas and a few hepatocarcinomas in older animals. A generalized lymphohaematopoietic response led to thymic, splenic and nodal lymphosarcomas, especially in female mice. Toxic-tubular nephritis with cortical infarcts developed into regenerative foci and renal adenomas in low incidences. Liver lesions were more prominent in females, while renal changes were most common in male rats. HCB was retested in both sexes of rats at oral doses of 0, 75 and 150 ppm for up to 2 years. At the start, each group contained 94 rats, and four randomly selected rats were killed at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 16, 32, 48 and 64 for microscopy. Progressive liver lesions started as hyperaemia and degenerations (4 weeks), and developed into toxic hepatitis, cirrhosis and formation of pre- and neoplastic foci (36 weeks), with hepatomas, bile-duct adenomas and hepatocellular carcinomas (64 weeks) in very high incidences in females and renal adenomas in male rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Porphyria turcica: hexachlorobenzene-induced porphyria.

It has been estimated that during 1955-1959 in southeastern Turkey, approximately 4000 people developed porphyria due to ingestion of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), a fungicide added to wheat seedlings. Patients subsequently developed bullae on sun-exposed areas, hyperpigmentation, hirsutism, weakness and porphyrinuria. Children born to mothers who had ingested the grain were exposed to HCB in maternal milk and transplacentally, resulting in the death of children under the age of two. In this follow-up study, 204 patients with a past history of HCB-induced porphyria were re-evaluated. There were 132 males and 72 females, with an average age of 32.1 years, an average age of onset of 7.1 years and a duration of 2.4 years. The clinical features of the 204 patients were: scarring of the face and hands in 86.7%, hyperpigmentation in 71.1%, hirsutism in 47.1%, pinched facies in 41.2%, fragile skin in 37.7%, painless arthritis in 66.6%, small hands in 64.2%, an enlarged liver in 4.4% and an enlarged thyroid in 37.3%; most patients also showed neurological symptoms. Urine and stool porphyrin levels were determined in all patients. Seventeen showed elevated levels of one of the porphyrins and eight were considered still porphyric after 25-30 years. A total of 56 specimens of human milk obtained from porphyric mothers were analysed for HCB. The average value was 0.51 ppm compared with 0.07 in controls. After HCB ingestion, abnormal porphyrin metabolism, dermatological, orthopaedic and neurological findings, and HCB residues in the milk of porphyric patients have been shown to persist at least for 25-30 years.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Seasonal arsenic exposure from burning chromium-copper-arsenate-treated wood.

All eight members of a rural Wisconsin family experienced recurring neurological and medical illness over three years, especially during the winter months. Arsenic, in concentrations of 12 to 87 ppm, was noted in the hair of the mother and father, and analysis of hair and fingernails of all family members demonstrated pathological levels of arsenic. For four years the five-room home had been heated with a small wood stove in which outdoor or marine plywood and wood remnants had been preferentially burned. Stove ashes that contained more than 1,000 ppm of arsenic contaminated the living area, and the ratio of copper, chromium, and arsenic pentoxide in this ash matched the ratio used in the chromium-copper-arsenate-treated wood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Nifedipine relieves exercise-exacerbated myalgias.

Three women with exercise-exacerbated myalgias refractory to usual medications are described who responded favorably when the calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, was administered. The side effects were dose-related and prevented complete resolution of the symptoms. Three potential mechanisms of action are suggested for these effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Porphyria turcica due to hexachlorobenzene: a 20 to 30 year follow-up study on 204 patients.

During 1955-1961 in south-east Turkey, over 3000 patients developed porphyria due to ingestion of hexachlorobenzene, a fungicide added to wheat seedlings. Subsequently they developed pigmentation, hirsutism, weakness, porphyrinuria and bullae. The condition was called kara yara or 'black sore'. Many of the breast-fed children under the age of 1 year died from a disease known as pembe yara or 'pink sore'. In this follow-up study of 204 patients, 20-30 years later, there were 132 males and 72 females, average age 32.1 years (at time of examination), with an average age of onset of 10.2 years, and duration of 2.4 years. Neurological, dermatological, and orthopaedic abnormalities still persisted. Neurological symptoms included weakness (66%), paraesthesiae (54%), neuritis (63%), myotonia (49%), and occasional 'cogwheeling' (29%). Some individuals affected before puberty had small stature (44%), small hands (64%) and painless arthritis (67%). Severe residual scarring was common (85%), and pinched facies (42%), hirsutism (47%) and hyperpigmentation (71%) were also observed. Enlarged thyroids were observed in 37% (59% in females), which was above average of 5% in this area of Turkey. Porphyrin excretion, particularly uroporphyrin in the urine and stools, was still significantly increased in seventeen patients. Hexachlorobenzene levels as high as 2.8 p.p.m. were detected in human milk, and the average level (0.29 p.p.m. +/- s.d. 0.06) was 140 times the level allowed in cow's milk.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Myeloneuropathy and macrocytosis associated with nitrous oxide abuse.

After four months of excessive nitrous oxide (N2O) exposure, a dentist had myeloneuropathy with spastic paraparesis, Lhermitte's sign, sensory shading, loss of position and vibration sense, ataxia, and impotence. Macrocytosis, hypersegmented neutrophils, and a reduced vitamin B12 level were associated with normal findings on gastric analysis and Schilling test. Complete hematologic and neurologic recovery followed N2O avoidance and vitamin therapy for six months.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Epidemiology of hexachlorobenzene-induced porphyria in Turkey: clinical and laboratory follow-up after 25 years.

Cutanea tarda and mixed porphyric symptoms resulted from accidental ingestion of hexachlorobenzene (HCB)-treated seed grain in Turkey 25 years ago and involved about 4,000 persons with a 10% mortality. Twenty-five years later, 161 patients, 63 women and 98 men, with histories of HCB exposure as children or young adults were studied. Many patients had persistent abnormal porphyrin metabolism and prominent neurological, dermatologic, and orthopedic symptoms and signs. Thyromegaly was seen in 60% of the women and 27% of the men. The children born to porphyric mothers 25 years ago all died of pembe yara secondary to maternal milk and transplacental transfer of HCB. Current lactation specimens of porphyric patients show high HCB levels, up to 3.12 ppm, but the infant offspring appear normal.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Carbon disulfide-induced neuropsychiatric changes in grain storage workers.

The clinical and neuropsychiatric features of seven workers from the grain storage industry are described. All were exposed to fumigants, especially carbon disulfide and malathion. Clinical manifestations included cogwheel rigidity, resting and action tremor, peripheral neuropathy, pyramidal tract signs, an EEG pattern of sleep apnea, and characteristic measurable neurobehavioral dysfunction. Similar signs and symptoms due to carbon disulfide exposure in the viscose rayon industry strongly supported the conclusion that these grain storage workers were suffering from carbon disulfide poisoning. Malathion exposure probably had a contributing role. We conclude that exposure to these fumigants poses a serious occupational risk to the nervous system.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Porphyria turcica. Twenty years after hexachlorobenzene intoxication.

Porphyria involving more than 4,000 persons occurred in Eastern Turkey from 1956 to 1961 due to ingestion of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), a fungicide added to wheat seedlings. During a site visit in 1977, 32 porphyric Turks (mean age, 29 years) were examined. Porphyrin concentrations were determined with samples of urine and stool from 29 porphyric and 10 control Turks and compared with results from 40 subjects in the United States. Distinctive clinical features were found in porphyric subjects, including hyperpigmentation, hirsutism, severe scarring, short stature, pinched facies, small hands, painless arthritis, weakness, and enlarged thyroids. Porphyrin levels were still substantially elevated in five subjects. Hexachlorobenzene, which is fat soluble, was detected in maternal milk of one porphyric patient and in one other patient's fat. The level of HCB was not considered sufficient to account for persistence of porphyria but may be a clue to the cause of pembe yara (pink sore), in which many children who were breast-fed by affected mothers died with associated weakness, convulsions, and annular erythema.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1980

Multiple pterygium syndrome.

We describe a sporadic case and four sibs from a consanguineous Nicaraguan family affected with the multiple pterygium syndrome. Clinical manifestations included normal intelligence; short stature; pterygia of neck, axillary, antecubital, popliteal, digital, and intercrural areas; multiple joint contractures with a crouched stance; a flat, sad, motionless facial appearance; and cleft palate. Males had small penis and scrotum and cryptorchidism; females had apparent aplasia of labia majora and small clitoris. Skeletal anomalies included fusion of cervical vertebrae, scoliosis, flexion contractures of fingers and "rocker-bottom" feet with vertical talus. This review documents genetic heterogeneity: Autosomal recessive inheritance in many cases, autosomal dominant determination in others, and sporadic occurrence.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1975

Lipid disturbances associated with spiral muscular atrophy. Clinical, electromyographic, histochemical, and lipid studies.

Twelve patients with juvenile- and adult-onset spinal muscular atrophy have been studied. Eleven of the twelve patients had either type II, type IV, or borderline abnormal phenotypes, suggesting a possible relationship between serum lipid abnormalities and neuronal degeneration in the spinal muscular atrophies. Muscle enzyme histochemical studies provided valuable diagnostic information. Extensor toe signs and talipes cavus were common clinical observations.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗