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Biomedical subjects

H Savolainen

Publications and source records attributed to H Savolainen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Exposure to glycols and their renal effects in motor servicing workers.

Ten car mechanics frequently exposed to glycol-based cooling liquids were followed during a workshift. Airborne ethylene and propylene glycol concentrations in the car mechanics' environment were measured. The car mechanics gave urine samples after the workshift and their excretion of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, oxalic acid, calcium and ammonia was analysed and compared to that of unexposed office workers. Urinary succinate dehydrogenase activity and glycosaminoglycans were also measured in both groups. Airborne ethylene and propylene glycol concentrations in the car mechanics' environment were negligible. Urinary ethylene glycol excretion in exposed workers was significantly higher than that in unexposed workers, but propylene glycol excretion was at the same levels as in controls. In the exposed group, the excretion of the end metabolite of ethylene glycol, oxalic acid (47 +/- 11 mmol/mol creatinine, mean +/- SD, n = 10) differed slightly from that of controls (36 +/- 14 mmol/mol creatinine, mean +/- SD, n = 10). Urinary excretion of ammonia was higher among exposed workers than office workers. The excretion of calcium did not differ from that of controls. A marginally decreased urinary succinate dehydrogenase activity was found in the exposed men. The excretion of glycosaminoglycans was significantly lower in exposed workers. Therefore, it seems that ethylene glycol is absorbed by skin contact. The internal body burden is associated with oxaluria and increased ammoniagenesis typical of chronic acidosis.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1995

Cadmium-associated renal disease.

Cadmium is widely used in industry, causing exposure of workers and environmental pollution because of its persistence in the biosystems. Its very long half-life in the human organism causes its accumulation over the lifetime in liver and kidneys. Cadmium ions have a high affinity for tissue thiols, induce the synthesis of a carrier cysteine-rich polypeptide called metallothionein, and impair proteoglycan metabolism. Significant renal effects include tubular nephropathy manifested by proteinuria, amino aciduria, glucosuria, phosphaturia, and calcium wastage. Chronic sequels include decrease in the glomerular filtration rate and increased risk of kidney stone disease. Biological monitoring of cadmium absorption includes determination of urinary cadmium and of low molecular weight marker proteins, such as beta2-microglobulin or retinol binding protein, the tubular reabsorption of which is impaired before a frank proteinuria.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Results of cardiovascular surgery in the Marfan syndrome. A retrospective study of 49 patients.

To evaluate the outcome of cardiovascular surgery in the Marfan syndrome, the records of 49 patients (median age 35 years) who underwent 60 operations were reviewed. Primary surgery was elective in 39 patients and emergency in ten. Non-dissecting aneurysm with diameter 4-19 cm was present in 34 cases and distal, isolated aneurysm in four. In eight cases there was type A acute aortic dissection with median diameter 5.0 cm. One patient was operated on for mitral valve insufficiency, one for ventricular septal defect and one (acute) for endocarditis. Composite grafts were used for aortic root reconstruction. Operative complications occurred in 24% of the patients. The 30-day survival was 92%. There were five (10%) late deaths. Survival after a median of 8 years postoperatively was 82%. The early and late results of cardiovascular surgery in the Marfan syndrome thus are concluded to be generally favourable. As late reoperation frequently is needed, however, close monitoring is advocated even after successful primary surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Isolation and electrophoretic analysis of human serum proteoglycans and their reaction with nickel in vitro.

Human serum proteoglycans were isolated from random serum samples from healthy blood donors by cetylpyridinium chloride precipitation technique. Their concentration (14 +/- 6 mg/l +/- S.D.) corresponded to that of other mammals. Electrophoretic separation on polyacrylamide gel with a subsequent staining for glycans revealed four major bands from 175 to 80 kDa. Incubation in vitro with 0.1, 0.2 or 0.5 mM NiCl2 for 1 h caused a loss of glycan chains according to the nickel concentration. In the electrophoretic analysis, all proteoglycan bands diminished due to the incubation with the nickel salt. It seems that this approach could be used as a model for effects of chemicals on the proteoglycan metabolism.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Urinary biochemistry in occupational exposure to glycol ethers.

Glycol ethers and glycol ether acetates are dehydrogenated to alkoxyacetic acid congeners which may serve as biological indicators of exposure. The ethereal bond may also be cut in an oxidation reaction catalyzed by the mixed function oxidase. In case of ethylene glycol, the eventual endproduct is oxalic acid. Urinary oxalic acid and alkoxyacetic acid excretion together was found to relate to the decrease of the succinate dehydrogenase activity (SDH) as an indicator of renal mitochondrial effects. The excretion of ammonia by exposed workers was doubled as compared to controls. The excretion of chloride was found to be smaller in the exposed than in controls. The excretion of calcium and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) among exposed workers were similar compared to controls.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1994

Studies on urinary proteoglycan excretion in occupational cadmium exposure.

Six foundrymen occupationally exposed to cadmium fumes excreted in random urine samples 4.8 +/- 2.9 micrograms cadmium/g creatinine (+/- S.D.). Six controls excreted 0.15 +/- 0.09 microgram/g creatinine (+/- S.D.). The excretion of glycosaminoglycans by exposed men (2.3 +/- 1.1 mg/mmol creatinine, +/- S.D.) did not differ from that of controls (2.3 +/- 1.6 mg/mmol, +/- S.D.). However, electrophoretic analysis of the isolated urinary proteoglycan fraction revealed a dose-dependent progressive increase in the intensity of two bands with a molecular weight between 45,000 and 50,000. In control urines and in samples with urinary cadmium less than 3 micrograms/g creatinine, only one major band with a molecular weight of 100,000 was detected. The changes may serve as early indicators of the harmful effects of cadmium on the proteoglycan-containing barriers of the nephron.

Cadmium Poisoning↗
PubMed1994

[Clinical usefulness of phenotyping of alpha 1-antitrypsin].

Analysis by isoelectric focusing of serum alpha 1-antitrypsin phenotype of 167 consecutive cases from an occupational health outpatient clinic, from university hospital departments and from private practitioners showed an excessive presence of rare gene alleles S, Z, I and anodal variants compared to their frequencies in blood donors from Lausanne or in the general Swiss population. It seems that analysis has been well grounded in most cases and helps to establish diagnosis in many respiratory diseases, in unexplained liver cirrhosis and even in aortic rupture.

Alleles↗
PubMed1993

Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to toluene diisocyanate.

The study validated the use of urinary toluene diamine (TDA) in postshift samples as an indicator of preceding 8-h exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI). Nine workers exposed in TDI-based polyurethane foam production were studied. Their exposure levels varied in 8-h time-averaged samples from 9.5 to 94 micrograms/m3. The urinary TDA concentrations varied from 6.5 to 31.7 micrograms/g creatinine and they were linearly related to the atmospheric TDI levels. Approximately 20% of TDI is metabolized to diamines but their specificity is remarkable to the extent that by analysis for the 2,4- and 2,6-diamino isomers an idea of the percutaneous absorption may be had.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1993

[Occupational exposure to isocyanates and individual susceptibility].

Patients with organic diisocyanate-induced pulmonary disease may be specially susceptible to the toxic effects of agent. Among 11 cases diagnosed in one year, the majority (10/11) were slow acetylators. The same patients were different from the control population in terms of alpha-1-antitrypsin phenotypes. Heterozygous combinations were more frequent than among controls. It seems that the combination of low N-acetylation capacity and a heterozygous alpha-1-antitrypsin predisposes to the disease.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1993

[Occupational asthma due to isocyanates: current research orientation in occupational hygiene].

The replacement of the HDI monomer by less volatile prepolymers is not accompanied by a decrease of the incidence of occupational asthma in Switzerland. Field measurements show that the prepolymer concentration levels may be high although the monomer is hardly detectable or complies with the norm. Our researches are focused on the improvement of generation and measurement techniques (international quality control), on the characterization of the prepolymers to study their transformation in biological media. Field surveys will be conducted to establish the prepolymer concentration profiles. We recommend for the introduction in Switzerland of threshold limit values for HDI-biuret and isocyanurate.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1993

Volatile metabolites in occupational exposure to organic sulfur compounds.

Dimethyl sulfide in breath was determined by the gas chromatographic method in 14 persons exposed to organic reduced sulfur compounds in sulfate pulp mills. Dimethyl sulfide concentrations in breath (range 0.04-0.69 cm3/m3 were compared to the combined workplace concentrations of methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide. This method of analysis proved to be a practical noninvasive way to assess recent exposure, and therefore it should be applicable to workplaces contaminated with organic sulfur compounds in the pulp industry.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1993

Aneurysm of the iliac artery in Marfan's syndrome.

There appears to be an association between iliac artery aneurysm and Marfan's syndrome. A case of iliac artery aneurysm in a young male with the disorder is presented. The iliac aneurysm was successfully managed by arterial reconstruction with a prosthesis. Patients with Marfan's syndrome should be followed for signs of weakness of the peripheral arterial system.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Urinary proteoglycans after cadmium exposure.

The excretion of urinary glycosaminoglycans by five occupationally exposed men with urinary cadmium levels of 1 to 6.5 micrograms/g creatinine did not differ significantly from that of six age-matched non-exposed controls (2.8 +/- 1.8 mg/mmol creatinine vs. 2.3 +/- 1.6 mg/mmol creatinine, +/- S.D.) as analyzed in random urine samples. However, there was a cadmium concentration-dependent increase in the excretion of 50 kD proteoglycan as analyzed by polyacrylamide electrophoresis of the isolated proteoglycan fraction in the same urine samples. This may represent the early dose-dependent effect of cadmium on renal tubules which leads to decrease in the renal cell sialic acid content and protein excretion at higher exposure levels.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Tannin content of tea and coffee.

The tannin content of over-the-counter Indian tea, of green coffee beans and of the roasted coffee beans prepared from the same green beans was determined with a radial diffusion-protein precipitation technique and with a spectrophotometric method. The green beans contained 6.6 +/- 0.6 mg g-1 weight tannic acid equivalents as found by protein precipitation (n = 5, +/- SD) or 6.8 +/- 2.3 mg g-1 by spectrophotometry. The same figures for roasted beans were 18 +/- 1.7 and 17 +/- 2.7 mg g-1, respectively. Tea contained 37 +/- 2.6 mg g-1 weight tannic acid equivalents as analysed by spectrophotometry and 24 +/- 2.8 mg g-1 by the protein precipitation technique. The latter finding may show that the biological reactivity of tannins is variable, although no major changes in the tannin-precipitated albumin occurred as shown by electrophoretic analysis. Both methods provide an easy analysis of the reportedly carcinogenic plant tannins.

Coffee↗
PubMed1992

Kinetics and renal effects of formic acid in occupationally exposed farmers.

Twelve male farmers (38 +/- 14 years of age, mean +/- SD) were exposed to 7.3 +/- 2.2 mg formic acid/m3 for 8 h in the silage making (mean +/- SD, N = 12). Each gave urine samples immediately, 15 h and 30 h after the end of the exposure. The excretion of formate was linearly related to the exposure 15 and 30 h after the exposure. Exposure increased renal ammoniagenesis and urinary calcium at 30 h post-exposure. Both biochemical effects may be explained by the interaction of formic acid with the oxidative metabolism of renal tubular cells, as formic acid is a known inhibitor of the cytochrome oxidase. In view of these renal effects, the current hygienic limits may not entirely protect exposed individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Design and evaluation of a solid sampler for the monitoring of airborne 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and its prepolymers in two-component spray painting.

An active, solvent-free solid sampler was developed for the collection of 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) aerosol and prepolymers. The sampler was made of a filter impregnated with 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine contained in a filter holder. Interferences with HDI were observed when a set of cellulose acetate filters and a polystyrene filter holder were used; a glass fiber filter and polypropylene filter cassette gave better results. The applicability of the sampling and analytical procedure was validated with a test chamber, constructed for the dynamic generation of HDI aerosol and prepolymers in commercial two-component spray paints (Desmodur N75) used in car refinishing. The particle size distribution, temporal stability, and spatial uniformity of the simulated aerosol were established in order to test the sampler. The monitoring of aerosol concentrations was conducted with the solid sampler paired to the reference impinger technique (impinger flasks contained 10 mL of 0.5 mg/mL 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine in toluene) under a controlled atmosphere in the test chamber. Analyses of derivatized HDI and prepolymers were carried out by using high-performance liquid chromatography and ultraviolet detection. The correlation between the solvent-free and the impinger techniques appeared fairly good (Y = 0.979X-0.161; R = 0.978), when the tests were conducted in the range of 0.1 to 10 times the threshold limit value (TLV) for HDI monomer and up to 60 micrograms/m3 (3 U.K. TLVs) for total -N=C=O groups.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1992

Tumour necrosis factor enhances the asbestos-induced production of reactive oxygen metabolites by human polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN).

We studied the effect of recombinant tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on the production of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROM) by human PMN exposed in vitro to chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos fibres, quartz dusts and opsonized zymosan. TNF caused a significant increase in ROM release by PMN, and significantly and dose-dependently amplified the ROM production induced by asbestos fibres. The amplification of ROM production by TNF can be of crucial importance in the process of lung inflammation and fibrogenesis in pneumoconioses.

Asbestos↗