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Biomedical subjects

R Schiele

Publications and source records attributed to R Schiele.

71 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

[Unusual cadmium burden of mothers and their newborn infants in various areas of Bavaria].

The cadmium-concentration in blood of 89 mothers and their newborns of different bavarian areas were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results are within the frame of comparable recent national and international studies. A median value of 0.8 microgram Cd/l blood for the mothers resp. 0.3 microgram Cd/l for the newborns was found. The measured values ranged between 0.2 and 4.5 micrograms Cd/l for the mothers resp. 0.2 and 1.2 microgram Cd/l for the newborns. The significant difference between the cadmium-concentration in the blood samples of mothers and newborns confirms the existence of a placental barrier for cadmium. However, there was a significant correlation between the values measured for the mothers and their children (rk = 0.436). For the division into the three sub-collectives of Marktredwitz/Oberfranken, Freyung/Niederbayern und Erlangen/Mittelfranken (median values 0.6, 0.9 and 0.8 microgram Cd/l blood respectively) no significant differences could be observed. The blood-cadmium-concentrations of mothers and their newborns were not influenced by the age of the mother. An effect of the duration of the pregnancy could not be stated definitely because of a too small number of mothers with a low duration of pregnancy. A significant relationship exists between the smoking habits and the maternal blood-cadmium-concentrations. When dividing into subgroups the non-smokers show a median value of 0.6 microgram Cd/l blood, whereas the smokers have a median value of 1.1 microgram Cd/l blood. There were no significant differences between the blood-cadmium-concentrations of the newborns of smoking and non-smoking mothers. The median values were 0.3 microgram Cd/l blood for the children of non-smoking mothers respectively 0.4 microgram Cd/l blood for those of smoking mothers.

Cadmium↗
PubMed1981

[Field study of workers with longterm exposure to calcium cyanamide (author's transl)].

"Kalkstickstoff" (calcium cyanamide) is extensively used as a fertilizer and a herbicide and also as a chemical intermediate. Its main compounds are calcium cyanamide (CaCN2) (60%) and calcium oxide (15%). In earlier times cauterized damages of the skin and the mucous membranes caused by the content of calcium oxide were common. A certain effect of CaCN2 is the reaction of intolerance after alcohol intake, which expresses as a so-called burning, a flush with redness and feeling of heat of the head, the neck and the upper part of the body often combined with tachycardia and dyspnea. Further health impairments, sometimes with fatal end, were reported repeatedly in the older literature. Convincing evidences for the causal connections between the exposure to CaCN2 and these damages are missed. They exclusively concerned farmers but not workers in the production of CaCN2. Except of the damages of the skin also diseases of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, the kidneys, the nervous and circulatory system as well as favoring of infectious complications and goitrogenic effects are in discussion. Furthermore it was suggested that CaCN2 causes a lack of reduced glutathione in the organism. On the occasion of establishing a preliminary MAC-value for CaCN2 in the F.R.G. an occupationally medical field study was performed on 65 workers of a calcium cyanamide factory with long-term exposure to CaCN2. The maximal CaCN2 concentration measured at the working places was 8.3 mg/m3. No signs of diseases or health impairments, which are possibly caused by CaCN2, were found with the medical examination in the above mentioned organs and organ systems. There also was no decrease of the glutathione content of the total blood detectable. With an alcohol load of 22 voluntary workers 1 till 7 hours after the working shift in 6 cases modest and in 7 cases weak flush reactions were observed. As result of the study an elevation of the MAC-value from 1 to at least 2.5 mg/m3 is proposed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[Study on the normal mercury concentrations of human organs (author's transl)].

Organ samples of the right kidney the right and left lobe of liver, the cerebellum, and the left cerebrum (cortex and marrow separately) from 51 autopsies were analysed on their mercury content. A special high pressure-digestion was used for the sample preparation. The quantitative determination of the mercury concentrations was performed by the so-called cold vapour technique. In the organs the following median mercury concentrations were found: a) left lobe of liver: 58 microgram/kg b) right lobe of liver: 54 microgram/kg c) right kidney: 96 microgram/kg d) cerebellum: less than 5 microgram/kg e) cerebrum cortex: less than 5 microgram/kg f) cerebrum marrow: less than 5 microgram/kg. All values were below the internationally discussed range. No sex differences were detectable in the median mercury concentrations of the analysed organs. The positive correlation between age and the mercury concentration in the cerebellum could reflect an accumulation over the life. But most likely the concentrations still stay considerably below the critical limits. The negative correlations between age and the mercury concentrations of the liver lobes as well as of the kidneys indicates a change in the distribution of mercury in the body with increasing age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Detection of early kidney damage in workers exposed to lead, mercury, and cadmium (author's transl)].

Our study was performed to evaluate potential adverse effects on the kidney caused by an occupational exposure to cadmium, lead, and mercury, respectively. We examined 81 individuals of a Zn-Cd-plant and of a Ni-Cd-battery factory, occupationally exposed to cadmium. In a chemical company, synthesizing mercury-compounds, we analyzed 23 exposed workers. The 21 persons with an exposure to lead were employed in a secondary lead smelting plant. To evaluate the degree of the occupational exposure we analyzed the concentrations of the heavy metals in blood and urine samples. As indicators of an adverse effect on the kidney the renal elimination of specific proteins was determined. The analysis of proteins with a higher molecular weight, such as albumine and acid alpha 1-glycoproteine, was performed using a new developed laser nephelometric method. Patterns of renal eliminated proteins with a lower molecular weight were characterized applying radio immunological determination of beta 2-microglobuline. The results found in workers exposed to cadmium verified previous studies. The occurrence of a characteristic beta 2-microglobulinuria takes place after a sufficient long period of exposure. In addition to this, cadmium exposed workers had an increased elimination of total proteine. Persons with an exposure to mercury also showed a slightly increased elimination of beta 3-microglobuline and total proteine. An intensive long exposure to mercury and its (in-) organic compounds seems to induce an increased renal elimination of proteins. No increased renal elimination was found in persons occupationally exposed to lead.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

[The human placenta's lead level as a parameter of the ecological lead exposure. Its validity in comparison to the lead level in blood, the activity of the delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase and the concentration of the free erythrocyte porphyrins of newborns and their mothers (author's transl)].

In order to estimate the ecological exposure of lead, placenta- and blood-investigations were made at four collectives from variously industrialized regions (Ruhrregion, Middle Frankonia Centre, Bavarian Forest). 148 normal births and 19 premature births (in each case mothers and newborns) were listed as well as twelve abortions. We investigated the lead-level in blood, the activity of delta-aminolaevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) the concentration of free erythrocyte porphyrine (FEP) and the placentas' lead concentration. Though in the Ruhrregion (Dortmund) significantly higher lead levels in blood were found compared to the Bavarian Forest, the results together, were in the normal range, less than 35 mug%. In an average the mothers' lead level in blood was around 1.4 times (ca. 5 mug%) above that of their newborns; analysing this statistically, highly significant correlations were found. However for the ALA-D activity and the FEP-results no direct dependence of the lead levels in blood could be found. In the placentas mean lead concentrations between 1.94 mug and 2.23 mug per gram dry-weight (30.6 mug-38.9 mug/100 g wet-weight) were gained. In the contrary to the measured results of lead in blood the average placentas' lead level of the most and least industrialized regions were almost identical. A correlation between the mothers' respectively their children's lead levels in blood and the placental lead concentrations could not be proved. No relation could be found between the results and the gestation ages. As final results: 1. The placenta is no ideal investigation object concerning the environment's lead exposure. 2. It has no special barriere - or depot - function in lead metabolism. 3. In order to estimate the environment's lead exposure the determination of the lead level in blood will also be in future the optimal method. This investigation is of special value because of its validity of the results and the practicability of winning the samples compared to other parameters and biological materials.

Erythrocytes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The prevalence of pain and deformities in the feet of adolescents. Results of a cross-sectional study].

AIM: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of foot pain and foot deformities in adolescents. It was aimed to obtain information on the association between foot pain and foot deformities. METHOD: A total of 2 368 adolescents (age 14.5 +/- 0.7 years) were evaluated. The frequency of foot pain was probed by using a self-reporting questionnaire. The foot deformities were evaluated during clinical examinations by school doctors. RESULTS: The prevalence of foot pain was 14.0 % and the prevalence of foot deformities was 13.7 %. The prevalence of pain was significantly higher in adolescents with foot deformity (17.8 %) than in persons without deformity (13.4 %), p < 0.05. The prevalence of a flexible flat foot was 6.2 % and the prevalence of a rigid flat foot was 0.5 %. Other deformities registered were splay foot (2.3 %) and flexible splay-flat foot (2.0). The prevalence of hallux-valgus deformity was 3.5 %. A total of 3.5 % patients were suffering from a plantar hyperkeratosis. This was significantly correlated to a high pain prevalence (the hyperkeratosis was significantly associated with a high prevalence of pain). Significant factors which were significantly associated with foot pain were foot deformity (1.4 fold) and hyperkeratosis (75 fold). Foot pain was 1.4 fold higher in children with foot deformity and 75 fold higher in feet with hyperkeratosis. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of foot pain and foot deformity in adolescent is high. Mild deformities (flexible flat foot and splay foot) are physiological variations without any association to foot pain. Pathological conditions that are associated with foot pain are the rigid flat foot, the hallux valgus and the cavus deformity. Plantar hyperkeratosis is an indicator of foot pathology.

Adolescent↗