The importance of lymphocyte micronucleus test for the detection of genotoxic events.

DNA lesion induced by xenobiotics is implemented either through direct interaction of the chemical with DNA through covalent binding or intercalation, or indirectly, through interference with the processes of DNA replication and repair, interaction with proteins, nuclease release from lysosomes etc. The present study emphasizes that the assessment of genotoxic risk arising from xenogenous substances demands the development of sensitive, direct and more exact genotoxic testing methods. One of them is micronucleus assay. It is a simple and quick test for investigating of cytogenic damage with the advantage that exposure to both clastogens and aneugens may be detected.

Study on clinical picture of erythema migrans.

Clinical picture of erythema migrans (EM) was evaluated in 83 patients from north-eastern Poland. Patients were in mean age of 42,8. Most of patients (71%) were women. Tick bite remembered 64% patients. Mean incubation period of EM was 33 days. The mean diameter of the skin lesions was 14.8 cm. They persisted for 2-270 (mean-54) days. Lesions were located mostly on the skin of lower extremities. The largest lesions were found on trunk and the smallest on lower extremities. EM of diameter exceeding 20 cm were observed in patients with longer history of the disease. Specific antibodies were found in 53% of cases and were present more frequently (78%) in patients with shorter incubation period (< 30 days).

[Endemic threat of Lyme borreliosis in Bialowicza forestry area]. / Zagrozenie endemiczne borelioza z Lyme w regionie Puszczy Bialowieskiej.

Lyme Borreliosis is a serious diagnostical and therapeutical problem in regions with high exposure of residents to ticks, which are Borrelia burgdorferi vectors. The aim of this study was to estimate occurrence of specyfic antibodies and symptoms of Lyme Borreliosis in Bialowieza area, as a region of potential endemic presence of this disease. Antibodies against B. burgdorferi were found, with an immunoenzymatic assay, in 71 from among 143 of examined persons (49.7%). Diagnosis of Lyme Borreliosis was established in 54 persons (37.7% of examined population) according to criterions of Lyme Disease Foundation and Centers for Diseases Control. Symptoms of joints involvement (polyarticular or restricted to knee joints) and peripheral nervous system involvement (predominantly radiculalgia lumbosacralis) were most frequently observed in clinical picture. These results motivate to recognize Bialowieza region as an endemic area of Borrelia burgdorferi infections.

[Distribution and elimination of C-14-2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4 D) in rat tissues in acute poisoning]. / Rozmieszczenie kwasu 2,4-dichlorofenoksyoctowego-14C (2,4-D) w tkankach szczura w ostrym zatruciu.

The authors carried out investigations for elucidating the distribution in the internal organs and tissues and the rate of the absorption from the digestive tract and elimination from the organism of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid widely used in herbicides, to which man and animals are exposed. Radiometric investigations were carried out of the internal organs and tissues of male Wistar rats which were given one dose of the acid labelled with 14C one-third of LD-50/kg through an intragastric tube. The rats were killed at various time intervals for observing the rate of absorption and elimination of this compound. The measurements of radioactivity demonstrated high levels of the herbicide in the lungs, heart, liver, spleen and kidneys, and low levels in the adipose tissue and brain, with intermediate values in the adrenals and testicles. The compound is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract reaching its highest level in the tissues after 6-20 hours, and is eliminated nearly completely already on the second day. Small residues of the acid and its metabolites containing 14C were present in the tissues up to the 20th day of the experiment.

[Comparative studies of radioactivity of the blood and urine of rats after intravenous, intraperitoneal and intragastric administration of C-14-labeled lindane]. / Badania porównawcze radioaktywnosci krwi i moczu szczurów po dizylnym, dootrzewnowym i dozoladkowym podaniu lindanu-14C.

The results of blood and urine radioactivity investigations carried out on male Wistar rats after intravenous, intraperitoneal and intragastric administration of gamma-Benzene Hexachloride-14C indicate that this pesticide is absorbed from blood within 15 hrs after intravenous, 25 hrs after intraperitoneal and 35 hrs after intragastric administration and is excreted in urine within 35 days. A very high level of excretion was observed during the first 4 days after intravenous, 7 days after intraperitoneal, and 8 days after intragastric administration.

[Determination of 2-6-diaminopimelic acid in samples of bacteria isolated from the rumen of sheep using an automatic amino acid analyzer]. / Stanovenie kyseliny 2-6-diaminopimelovej vo vzorkách baktérií, izolovaných z bachora ovce, automatickým analyzátorom aminokyselín.

The method of the use of the HD 1200-E automatic amino acid analyzer for the separation of amino acids was modified for the determination of 2-6-diaminopimelic acid (DAPA) as a bacterial marker, besides the other amino acids in the acid hydrolyzates of samples of bacteria isolated from the rumen of sheep. The reproducibility of the determination of DAPA in a standard amino acid mixture found in the tests corresponded with the reproducibility of the determination of the other amino acids as indicated by the manufacturer of the apparatus. The lower limit of DAPA determination sensitivity is between 2 and 5 nmol. In samples of bacteria isolated from rumen wall, from feed particles of rumen contents and from rumen fluid, different contents of nitrogen and DAPA were obtained; this is ascribed to the different proportions of bacterial species in the bacterial populations having different functions.