Age-related changes of DNA repair and mitochondrial DNA synthesis in the mouse brain.

Using quantitative autoradiography, both nuclear DNA repair - measured as nuclear unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) - and mitochondrial (mt) DNA synthesis were evaluated in situ for several types of cells in the brains of untreated mice of various age. It was found that distinct types of neuronal cells showed a decline of both UDS and mtDNA synthesis with age, whereas - except for glial cells of the cerebral cortex - no glial or endothelial cells showed age-related alterations of UDS. Together with various data reported in the literature, these patterns of a cell type-specific decrease of UDS and mtDNA synthesis with age in the mouse brain lead to an improved understanding of the complex interrelationships between the molecular events associated with the phenomenon of aging as well as to a new idea regarding the cause of the specific distribution pattern of those cells in the human brain that are affected by the formation of paired helical filaments in Alzheimer's disease.

Coxarthrosis in farmers.

Recent studies have suggested an excess of coxarthrosis (osteoarthrosis of the hip joint) among Swedish farmers. The prevalence of coxarthrosis in the city of Malmö has previously been studied by coincidental examination of the hip joints on colon roentgenograms. The present study estimates the prevalence of coxarthrosis in farmers by examining the hip joint on roentgenograms of the colon and urinary tract.

Dust exposure in coeliac disease: a case-referent study.

Case series of coeliac disease show that chronic allergic alveolitis (farmers' lung) and fever reactions due to exposure to organic dust (organic dust toxic syndrome) commonly occur among subjects with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis, these being related disorders. In this case-referent study 105 cases of coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis were compared with 237 referents from the general population by means of a mail inquiry regarding exposure to various environmental factors. Increased odds ratios were obtained with exposure to various farm animals and more clearly for cotton dust, although numbers were few.