[Occupational exposure to wood dust and nasal sinus cancer].

Objectives: To determine the clinical, histological, epidemiological and occupational data related to exposure to wood dust in a series of 100 nasal sinus malignant tumors.

Material And Methods: We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of cases diagnosed between 1st January 1981 and 31 December 2000, in the Auvergne region of France. Individual, medical, and occupational data were collected from a questionnaire completed by the patient (or the patient's family in case of death) and from the medical documents available.

Osteoarthritis of the thumb carpometacarpal joint in women and occupational risk factors: a case-control study.

Purpose: Among other etiologic factors involved in first carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA), occupational factors have been postulated as influencing the occurrence of this condition. Very few epidemiologic studies, however, have evaluated this topic. Determining the occupational risk factors is important in proposing preventive measures at the workplace.

Glutathione S-transferase M1 and GST T1 genetic polymorphisms and Raynaud's phenomenon in French vinyl chloride monomer-exposed workers.

Occupational vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) exposure can induce Raynaud's phenomenon (RP). However, not all VCM workers developed RP, which suggests an underlying genetic susceptibility. Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), involved in VCM metabolism, have been shown to influence certain VCM-related health effects.

[Efficacy of Spirolept vaccine against human leptospirosis as estimated by passive protection of laboratory rodents].

Objective: This study had for aim to assess the serological response induced by the Spirolept vaccine against human leptospirosis.

Method: A serological follow-up was made on 31 patients at a risk of occupational exposure. The antibody titers of vaccinated patients were assessed by MAT and ELISA.

[Occupational risk for blood exposure and staff behaviour: a cross-sectional study in 3 Moroccan healthcare centers].

Objective: As in other countries, Moroccan health-care workers are exposed to occupational blood exposure (OBE) hazards. The purpose of this study was to estimate the occupational safety and hygiene conditions determining the OBE risk for health-care workers. WORKERS AND METHODS: In March 2000, a multicentric study was carried out in Morocco on 420 health-care workers, with an anonymous questionnaire.

[An assessment of low-dose high resolution CT in the detection of benign asbestos-related pleural abnormalities].

Purpose: To assess the reliability of low-dose high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the detection of benign asbestos-related pleural abnormalities.

Methods: Fourty-one patients exposed to asbestos were imaged on two occasions; the first time with conventional HRCT parameters: 140kVp, 220mAs; the second time with low-dose HRCT parameters: 120kVp, 60mAs.

Results: The qualitative assessment dit not show any difference in the visibility of benign pleural abnormalities from one technique to the other in 98% cases.

The micronucleus assay in human exfoliated urothelial cells: application in a genotoxicity study of workers exposed to a mineral jelly containing sodium nitrite and N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine.

Exposure to certain chemical agents in occupational settings has been identified as carcinogenic to the human bladder. Micronucleus (MN) analysis in exfoliated urothelial cells is an interesting method for biomonitoring genetic damage in human populations. However, few studies have been performed in an occupational context.

[Screening of diseases associated with asbestos. On-going activities, synthesis].

Medical screening requires always assessment. On the basis of ongoing studies on occupational health asbestos programs, we suggest some recommendations for asbestos screening after occupational exposure. The proposal for asbestos workers post-exposure surveillance should take into account the medical but also the social aspects of the problem.

[Prevention programs for people exposed to asbestos: results of the ongoing activities].

Programs of prevention concerning the populations exposed or having been exposed to asbestos include on the one hand, specific programs of medical surveillance and on the other hand, interventions of primary prevention. The latter were essentially anti-smoking campaigns and chemo-prevention trials of lung cancer through taking of vitamin A derivatives. In the first part of this review, the results of the experiments of the medical follow, up organized in France and abroad will be shown.

[Chemical odor intolerance. 5 cases].

Background: Chemical odor intolerance is a benign, non-specific, generally subjective syndrome triggered by inhalation of non-toxic doses of chemical compounds or products which had been previously well tolerated. We report five characteristic cases and discuss current data.

Case Reports: Five patients (3 women, 2 men; age range 23-52 years) presented the basic criteria of chemical odor intolerance: acquired syndrome, non-specific signs (headache, nausea, vertigo .

[Is there criteria to allow the selection of patients exposed to asbestos which is relevant to thoracic computed tomography screening?].

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine whether certain criteria could be used to select among asbestos-exposed subjects those who could benefit from computed tomography screening.

Materials And Methods: Search for criteria enabling the selection of patients who should undergo a CT screening exam after occupational exposure to asbestos was conducted in 150 subjects. All subjects were explored with selected high-resolution CT scans.

p16 involvement in primary bladder tumors: analysis of deletions and mutations.

Different studies have proposed that genetic alterations leading to inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 9 is an important early event in bladder tumorigenesis. Recent reports have described the p16 gene as the main target. In order to better define its role, we studied 9p21 deletions by microsatellite analysis and its coding sequence.

Human bladder cancers and normal bladder mucosa present the same hot spot of heterozygous chromosome-9 deletion.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 9 is the most frequent genetic alteration in bladder cancer identified to date, suggesting the presence of key gene(s) for this pathology. In this study, we examined 44 bladder tumors and 21 normal bladder samples for LOH on both arms of chromosome 9. Sixteen microsatellite markers, 12 on the short arm (encompassing 9p21-22) and 4 on the long arm (encompassing 9q33-34), were chosen for their highly frequent alterations in bladder cancer.

[Tracking the gatekeeper gene in the stages of carcinogenesis in the bladder].

Bladder cancers display different forms from superficial to aggressive tumours with muscle invasion. Many studies on this disease have been carried out in order to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in its progression. Two loci are frequently associated with bladder tumorigenesis.

Micronuclei kinetics of exfoliated urothelial cells.

Micronuclei observed in exfoliated cells result from DNA-damage of basal epithelium's cells by mutagens. Exfoliated urothelial cells can be collected by non-invasive procedure and may be used as target site to identify genotoxic effects of chemicals. Kinetic studies are important for any biomarker, especially those in which tissue differentiation and maturation processes will heavily influence the time between induction of damage and collection of damaged cells for analysis.

[Seroprevalence of markers of viral hepatitis A, B and C in hospital personnel at the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital Center].

Objectives: Evaluate risk of hepatitis A, B and C infection and anti HBV vaccination policy in hospital personnel.

Methods: A sample of 440 health care workers (7.5% of the personnel at the Clermont-Ferrand University Hospital) representing 74.

[Clinical and capillaroscopic study of Raynaud's phenomenon in retired patients previously exposed to vinyl chloride monomer].

Unlabelled: The course of Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) after the end of exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is not really well known. Fourty four subjects were studied, from 128 retired patients who were exposed to VCM (end of the exposure since 8 years at least): 17 complained of "white finger crisis", and 27 voluntary retired subject without complaints (table II). The aims of this study were to specify capillaroscopic and clinical characteristics of these complaints to define and to assess the role of VCM.

Plasma and blood assay of xanthine and hypoxanthine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: physiological variations in humans.

Plasma and blood xanthine and hypoxanthine levels were assayed using a sensitive and specific method involving gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, associated with an optimized sample preparation procedure. Physiological variation was studied in 224 subjects with no purine metabolism disorders. An age dependency for both compounds was found, comparable with that known for uric acid.