Lung cancer in relation to occupational and environmental chromium exposure and smoking.

The increased occurrence of lung cancer in residents of Dolny Kubin, the North-Slovakia district with ferrochromium industry, compared to the general population of Slovakia, led us to the study assessing influence of the occupational and environmantal exposure to chromium on the lung cancer incidence, respecting also the risk coming from cigarette smoking. Residents of Dolny Kubin district with the diagnosed lung cancer in 1984-1999 were involved in the study. The occurrence of lung cancer was significantly higher in people working in ferrochromium industry. The age at the onset of the disease in people exposed to chromium was by 5.5 years lower than in non-exposed. Smoking was an important risk factor, which has been proved particularly in non-exposed group where 62% were smokers and the onset of the lung cancer in them occured about 3.4 years earlier than in non-smokers. In exposed groups, no significant effect of smoking was found. We can conclude, that occupational exposure to chromium was identified as the main risk factor of lung cancer in Dolny Kubin district even overlaying effect of smoking.

[Monitoring genotoxicity in the environment using cytogenetic methods such as chromosome analysis of peripheral lymphocytes, sister chromatid exchange and the micronucleus test]. / Sledovanie genotoxicity zivotného prostredia pomocou cytogenetických metód CALPL, SCE a MN-testu.

The work's aim is to observe environmental genotoxicity in the town of Ruzomberok and its surroundings in relation to the control group. The authors used three cytogenetic methods and compared their mutual sensitivity: chromosome analysis of human peripheral lymphocytes (CAHPL), micronuclear test (MN test) and differential staining of sister chromatides (SCE). The authors examined four groups of 30 children from the age of 6 to 8 years, originating from the localities of Cernová-Hrboltová, Stiavnica-Ludrová and Sliace. Individual localities are in various distances from the source of pollution (the industrial sewage treatment plant-STP and cellulose and paper factory-CPF). The control group contained children from the suburbs of Martin where no impact of industrial exhalations was assumed. For the purpose of evaluation of cytogenetic analysis results, nonparametric tests (K-S test and Z test) were used. The most sensitive method fo those used by the authors for the purpose of genotoxicity evaluation is CAHPL. The SCE method is less sensitive than CAHPL, but still more sensitive than MN test and suitable as a supplementary method for detection of exposition to genotoxic substances.

Drug "overdoses" among U.S. soldiers in Europe, 1978-1979. II. autopsies following deaths and near-deaths.

On-site investigations involving interviews with spouses, friends, coworkers, supervisors, and commanders were conducted following 37 deaths or near-deaths by drug overdose among U.S. soldiers stationed in Europe. Subjects were all active-duty soldiers put on the seriously ill list at any Army hospital with an initial diagnosis which included suspected drug overdose. Victims were typically single Black males, less than 22, high school graduates in excellent health. They had been in Germany 7-24 months, liked their jobs, and were judged better than average workers by both peers and supervisors. Fifty percent played on a unit sports team, 6 of 10 had German girlfriends, and one-third had prior disciplinary problems. Although nearly half had been previously identified as having a drug or alcohol problem, only two or three could be called addicts in even the broadest sense. Six cases were suicide gestures, and only these six cases did not involve heroin and/or alcohol. The modal case followed a party, with substantial drinking. In only 25% of the cases did the victim collapse upon injection. More often he went to bed, vomited during the night, and choked on or inhaled vomitus. The data suggest reexamination of two common myths: that heroin users comprise a very unique, albeit undesirable, sample of the general population; and that "overdose" deaths are the result of ignorance, incompetence, or indifference.