Parental occupational and environmental risk factors for childhood bone cancer in Mansoura oncology center: a case control study.

Cancer is the most frequently diagnosed disease-related cause of death among children and adolescents. This study was conducted to test association of occupational, environmental risk factors such as exposure to pesticides, radiations, hazardous chemicals and smoking among children with bone cancer. A retrospective case control study was conducted in Oncology center Mansoura University (OCMU). Study groups included bone cancer cases (n = 51) and an age and sex matched control group (n = 67). An interview-based questionnaire included demographic data, occupational and environmental risk factors for both children and parents. Exposure to n nitrose compounds from burning incense among children, paternal smoking and consanguinity are significantly different between cases and control. (p < 0.05). Paternal smoking and consanguinity are significant predictors for childhood bone cancer. It is recommended to add surveillance for environmental and occupational exposures to childhood bone cancer patients.

Risk factors for non-fatal occupational injuries among construction workers: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Substance abuse is a serious problem, because it affects both workers and young people. Prevalence and consequences of cannabis abuse among construction workers in particular are not well studied in Egypt. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between non-fatal occupational injuries among construction workers and their demographic and occupational factors and to assess the frequency of cannabis abuse and its relationship to injury severity and workdays lost. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A case-control study was conducted at Mansoura Emergency Hospital. Cases were 100 acutely injured male workers. A control group of 90 healthy age-matched workers was selected from 8 construction sites. Workers were interviewed, and a questionnaire was completed that included socio-demographic data, full occupational history, and causes and type of injury. Injury outcome measures included lost workdays and the injury severity score (ISS). Cannabis abuse in injured workers was monitored by preliminary testing of urine and confirmatory testing of blood. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis revealed that the independent predictors of occupational injuries were rural residence, being a carpenter or painter and past history of injuries. The most common accidents were slipping falls (62%). Confirmed cannabis test was positive in 51.1% of the injured workers. Median days away from work were greater among cannabis users than non-users. The ISS was significantly higher among users compared to non-users ( p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Cannabis abuse can increase injury severity and prolong workdays lost. Drug testing is recommended for at-risk construction workers with inadequate safety measures.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of 'teaching laboratory' technicians towards laboratory safety and waste management: a pilot interventional study.

A quasi-experimental study was performed on 20 technicians working in the Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt. The knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of laboratory technicians was measured before and two months after enrolling them in an intervention programme about laboratory best practice procedures. The programme addressed laboratory safety and medical waste management. The assessment was performed using a validated Arabic self-administered questionnaire. Pre- and post-intervention scores were compared using non-parametric tests. There are significant increases in the scores of KAP after implementation of the training programme.

Correlation between toxic organochlorine pesticides and breast cancer.

Organochlorines (OCs) are common environmental pollutants that have been linked to cancer. This work aims to assess the role of OCs as a risk factor for breast cancer and to evaluate the cellular changes induced by exposure to such environmental contaminants. The study included 70 cancer patients subjected to thorough history taking and routine investigations. Samples from tumor and normal adjacent tissue were taken to measure OCs' levels and to perform molecular analysis (some oncogenic and apoptotic markers) by flow cytometry. There were significantly higher concentrations of methoxychlor, dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), hexa-chlorobenzene (HCB), and chlordane in tumor tissue samples compared to the surrounding normal tissue. There was a positive statistically significant correlation between G2m and dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethane, DDT, and methoxychlor. There was also a negative correlation between propidium iodide (PI) and heptachlor as well as between PI, B-cell lymphoma 2, and methoxychlor. Annexin showed a negative correlation with HCB and methoxychlor. In conclusion, the higher level of organochlorine pesticides in the tissue specimens of breast cancer and the resultant molecular dysfunction highlight a possible association. Further research is warranted to elucidate the other possible mechanisms involved in the process of carcinogenesis.

Neurotensin-like peptides as potential antipsychotics: modulation of the serotonin system.

Neurotensin-like peptides acting as functional antagonists of serotonin receptors were revealed in the head-shaking test on mice. The neurotensin-like peptides block the serotonin-induced platelet aggregation in humans. Radioligand binding assay showed that neurotensin-like peptides modulate specifi c binding of 5НТ2 serotonin receptor antagonist ketanserin, but have no effect on binding of ligands of 5HT2c receptor mesulergine and 5HT1а receptors NAN-190. Similar effects of neurotensin-like peptides in the experiments in vivo and in vitro suggest that the mechanisms of the detected antipsychotic effect of the peptides can be mediated by serotonin receptors.