Drinking water and the prevalence of colorectal adenomas: an epidemiologic study in Telemark, Norway.

This study was based on an endoscopic screening study for detection of polyps in the rectum and sigmoid colon in a randomized, normal population sample of 400 individuals aged 50-59 years. Family disposition for cancer and indicators of lifestyle (including dietary registration) were recorded. The 310 individuals received domestic drinking water from one out of four public water supplies. The participants were categorized according to the water supply connected to their house of residence. Drinking water was analysed monthly during 2 years for chloroform, total organic carbon, colour index, calcium, magnesium and chlorine. The overall prevalence of colorectal polyps was significantly higher in residents receiving chlorinated water with a high organic content when compared with recipients of water with a low organic content. There was no association between polyp prevalence and chloroform concentration in the drinking water. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, male sex, high BMI, smoking, few stools per week, high protein intake and low intake of fibre, iron and cruciferous vegetables were far more important for the presence of polyps than the total organic content in chlorinated drinking water.

Chemical composition and morphology of welding fume particles and grinding dusts.

Elemental composition and morphology of pure manual metal arc (MMA) welding fumes, pure grinding dust, and combined fume/dust air samples were collected and determined separately under semilaboratory conditions. The base material was stainless steel. The purpose of the present study was to create a "synthetic" work situation under semilaboratory conditions by combining one grinding period and two MMA welding periods and comparing these results with results during welding in a workshop. The duty cycles of pure welding and of pure grinding were also observed. A comparison was also made between metal inert gas (MIG) and MMA welding on stainless steel as well as a nickel-rich alloy under regular conditions. The amount of collected material was determined by weighing the membrane filters before and after exposure, and the element contents were determined by atomic spectroscopy. Other transmission electron microscopy (TEM) filters were used for TEM and computer-image analysis, in which the amount of collected material and its morphological characteristics were observed. The arcing time and the consumption of filler material were estimated for different kinds of electrodes. Chemical analysis showed that the contents of manganese and total chromium were lower in grinding dust than in welding fumes. The contents of hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in grinding dust were undetectable. Samples collected in welding shops where concomitant grinding was performed contained about 30% less Cr(VI) than those collected under laboratory conditions during welding only. The sizes and shapes of the particles depend on the welding process and distance of collection from the plume of the fume. To compare laboratory experiments with regular welding situations, the experiment must resemble industrial welding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The pulmonary vasoconstrictor response to hypoxia. The hypoxia-sensitive site studied with a volatile inhibitor.

Recent investigations have revealed that a number of inhalation anesthetics, including halothane, inhibit the pulmonary vasoconstrictor response to hypoxia without affecting other vasoconstrictor stimuli. Various injectable anesthetics do not show this effect. This discrepancy could be due either to different pharmacological properties or to the different routes of administration. There is no general agreement on whether the response to hypoxia is elicited mainly by airway hypoxia or by blood hypoxemia, i.e. where within the lungs hypoxia acts. This work is an attempt to localize the hypoxia-sensitive site employing halothane. We have studied the reduction of standardized vasoconstrictor responses to hypoxia during administration of halothane via: (1) the airways, (2) the pulmonary artery and (3) the pulmonary veins (backward perfusion). Our experimental model has been two pairs of series-perfused hyperventilated isolated rat lungs. An equimolar concentration of halothane most effectively inhibits the response when presented to the alveoli, less when presented to the arterial- and least when presented to the venous segments of the pulmonary vasculature. We suggest that the response to hypoxia is inhibited by halothane at some extravascular site on the arterial side of the pulmonary vasculature, functionally closer to the alveoli than to the responding vessels. A model which combines all the data into an unifying concept has been presented.