[Mortality of male members of the Polish olympic teams in 1981-1998]. / Umieralnosc polskich olimpijczyków w latach 1981-1998.

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of the mortality of male members of the Polish Olympic teams with the general Polish male population for the period 1981-1998 and for two sub-periods 1981-1991 and 1992-1998. METHODS: Statistical approach based on the follow-up method. Comparison with the reference population (Polish males from urban areas) was made by means of the standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and their 95% confidence intervals. The series test (Wald-Wolfowitz test) was applied to assess the mortality difference in 1981-1991 and 1992-1998. MAIN OBSERVATIONS: A total number of 1,769 male members of the Polish Olympic teams were identified. Of those, 148 died before 1981 and 116 were excluded from the analysis because of incomplete data records. Finally analyzed cohort included 1,505 athletes of the age 14-99 years, who contributed 21,575.8 person-years of observation. 131 deaths were noted during the analyzed period. RESULTS: Calculated SMR for the analyzed group of sportsmen was 0.420; 95% confidence interval: 0.351-0.498. All age-specific SMRs was lower than in general population. The athletes' mortality in 1992-1998 was significantly lower than in 1981-1991. CONCLUSION: Polish participants in Olympic Games were proved to exhibit significantly lower mortality than general Polish male population throughout their life. The decrease in sportsmen mortality decrease in 1992-1998 was stronger than observed for the reference population.

Bioelectrorheological model of the cell. 7. Cellular deformation in the presence of cytochalasin B.

The influence of cytochalasin B on the mechanical properties of Neurospora crassa cells subjected to a periodic electric field was investigated. Shear and extensional deformations were considered and studied separately. Conditions were found under which shear deformations become irreversible. Rheological models helped in the interpretation of the results in terms of the different response to the shear stress of the three hypothetical supramolecular regions of the membrane-skeleton network (F, S and 0). Rheological parameters for the above regions related to the proposed models were calculated. The models were satisfactorily fitted to the experimental results. The influence of cytochalasin B on the course of extensional deformation of cells was investigated and characterized semiquantitatively.

Effects of vinyl chloride on liver function of exposed workers, evaluated by measurements of plasma clearance of the 99mTc-N-2,4-dimethylacetanilido-iminodiacetate complex.

In 77 males exposed occupationally to vinyl chloride (VC), the plasma clearance (Cl) of 99mTc-N(2,4-dimethylacetanilido)iminodiacetate ('HEPIDA' complex) was determined. The results were juxtaposed with a scaled assessment of liver parenchyma performance based upon clinical examination and a series of biochemical tests. Detection of the diagnosable damage of liver parenchyma by means of the reduced clearance was sensitive (90%) at the reasonable specificity of 74%. Probability of exclusion of liver damage in patients with the clearance above 240 ml min-1 1.73 m-2 amounted to 92%. There was a significant correlation between degree of exposure to VC and the frequency of low clearance values. It appears that the periodic determination of the 99mTc-HEPIDA clearance in workers exposed to VC allows the assessment of incipient liver damage and signals the need for prophylactic measures.