• MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring methods   MeSH
• Data Collection MeSH
• Models, Theoretical MeSH
• Toxicity Tests MeSH
• Environmental Exposure MeSH

• Conspectus
• Lékařské vědy. Lékařství
• NML Fields
• environmentální vědy
• toxikologie
• management, organizace a řízení zdravotnictví
• environmentální vědy
• environmentální vědy
• farmacie a farmakologie
• veřejné zdravotnictví
• NML Publication type
• publikace WHO

• MeSH
• Environmental Health statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Risk Assessment MeSH
• Environmental Pollutants adverse effects   toxicity   MeSH
• Toxicity Tests MeSH
• Environmental Exposure MeSH

• Conspectus
• Veřejné zdraví a hygiena
• NML Fields
• environmentální vědy
• chemie, klinická chemie
• NML Publication type
• publikace WHO

Personal exposures to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (c-PAHs) bound to airborne particulate matter 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were measured in the context of a large-scale molecular epidemiological study in order to identify the impacts of air pollution on human health. Sampling was carried out in three industrial cities in the Czech Republic: Ostrava, Karvina and Havirov. The city of Prague, exhibiting much lower industrial air pollution but a high level of traffic, served as a control. The first monitoring campaigns were held in winter and were repeated in the summer of 2009. The active personal monitors PV 1.7 for PM2.5-bound c-PAHs were used. Non-smoking city policemen from Prague, Karvina and Havirov, and office workers from Ostrava, participated in the study. All participants completed a personal questionnaire and a time-location-activity diary. The average personal winter exposure to c-PAHs (sum of the eight PAHs-benz[a]anthracene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, chrysene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene and indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene) was highest in Karvina, 39.1, followed by Ostrava at 15.1 and Prague at 4.3 ng/m(3). The winter levels were significantly higher than the summer values (P<0.001): 4.3 in Karvina, 3.0 in Ostrava, 1.6 in Havirov and 1.0 ng/m(3) in Prague. The average personal benzo[a]pyrene winter/summer exposures were: 6.9/0.6 in Karvina, 2.5/0.4 in Ostrava, 0.8/0.1 in Prague and 0.2 ng/m(3) in summer in Havirov. In this study, we examined personal exposure to c-PAHs and tested it for associations with potential predictor variables collected from questionnaires, addressing life style factors and day-to-day activities. We found outdoor concentration, environmental tobacco smoke exposure, home heating fuel of coal, wood or gas, frequency of exhaust fan use, cooking and commuting by a car to be the main determinants of personal exposure.

• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Carcinogens, Environmental analysis   MeSH
• Air Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Particulate Matter analysis   MeSH
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons analysis   MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Cities epidemiology   MeSH
• Environmental Exposure analysis   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Cities epidemiology   MeSH

In everyday life, humans can be exposed to various chemicals including ubiquitous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) mostly through food consumption and/or inhalation. In the presented study, we evaluated PAH concentrations in duplicate samples (n = 251). Concurrently, the outdoor concentrations of PM2.5-bound PAHs in filters (n = 179) were also monitored. The daily exposure to PAHs was subsequently estimated for the risk group of pregnant women living in two different cities (Most city and Ceske Budejovice city) in the Czech Republic. This is the first unique study in Europe to evaluate human daily exposure to 20 PAHs both from inhalation (outdoor air) and dietary intake. For the analysis of samples collected during the years 2016/2017, a gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry was applied. Focusing on the diet samples, a slightly higher sum of detected PAHs was measured in duplicates obtained from the mothers living in the Most city (0.115-186 ng g-1) compared to the Ceske Budejovice city (0.115-97.1 ng g-1). This could be due to a higher occurrence of major analytes (pyrene, phenanthrene and fluoranthene) and the different composition of daily diet. The values of toxic and most often detected substance, namely benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), were also higher by 35% in the Most city. Regarding the outdoor air contamination (only particulate phase - PM2.5 was assessed), here the opposite situation was observed, relatively higher amounts of all PAHs were monitored in the Ceske Budejovice city (median: 2.22 ng m-3) than in the Most city (median: 1.07 ng m-3). These higher PAH concentrations in the Ceske Budejovice city are probably caused by more intense traffic, higher population and also by the occurrence of old-fashioned heating plant. Depending on a seasonal variability, especially during the cold season, the concentrations of BaP exceeded the European average emission limit (1 ng m-3) by 1.5-6 times. This highest inhalation exposure to all PAHs was observed in February. However, the dietary intake still represents the dominant contributor (>90%) to the total PAH exposure.

• MeSH
• Diet * MeSH
• Risk Assessment MeSH
• Air Pollutants * analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring MeSH
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry MeSH
• Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons * analysis   MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Cities MeSH
• Environmental Exposure * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Europe MeSH
• Cities MeSH

The variability in width, height, and orientation of spinal pedicles makes pedicle screw insertion a delicate operation. Fluoroscopic guidance often exposes the patient and especially surgeons to relatively high doses of ionising radiation. The use of pulsed fluoroscopy is safer, as compared to continuous fluoroscopy, because of reduced radiation exposure. There are increasing numbers of literature reports regarding the high doses of radiation to which orthopaedic and spine surgeons are exposed during surgical procedures. Spine surgery can be associated with significant radiation exposure to the surgical staff. The purpose of this prospective study was to compare a computer-assisted navigation with a conventional procedure in order to assess if it is possible to reduce radiation exposure while preserving the accuracy of screw placement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The first "conventional" group consisted of 30 patients, with an average of 1.9 segments of the lumbar spine stabilised. Screws were inserted transpedicularly under image intensifier guidance. In the second "navigated" group of 30 patients, stabilisation of 1,8 segments was performed on average. A CT-free fluoroscopic 2D spinal navigation system (VectorVision, Brain LAB, Germany) was used intra-operatively. It combines image-guided surgery with C-arm fluoroscopy. For each surgery (navigated or not), the duration of irradiation was recorded. The irradiation duration was collected from the X-ray image intensifier. In both groups the screw positioning accuracy was controlled intra-operatively according to Learch's, Acikbas's, and Whitecloud's methods from AP and lateral images and by meticulous pedicle palpation. RESULTS: The irradiation duration calculated to one vertebra (two screws) was significantly shorter in the second (navigated) group (3.4 s) than in the first (conventional) group (14.4 s). The mean duration of data registration was 6.0 minutes (range, 3 to 11 minutes). The mean ratio according to Acikbas's calculation method was 43.2 % (range, 32 % to 74 %) in the first (conventional) group and 44.1 % (range, 35 % to 76 %) in the second (navigated) group. DISCUSSION: During a conventional surgical procedure many X-ray images are made to control the accuracy of screw insertion. If the trajectory is not satisfying, it must be corrected or the pedicle is drilled again, always with a new fluoroscopic control. The process is repeated until satisfactory orientation is achieved. This is the explanation for a much longer duration of irradiation in conventional procedures. Navigation facilitates the surgical act, enabling us to acquire the right position of all screws, with only an AP image and a lateral image at the beginning of instrumentation for data registration; prolongation of the operative time is irrelevant. CONCLUSIONS: Navigation allows us to keep the same accuracy of pedicle screw placement while reducing radiation exposure of the surgeons and operating room staff by about one quarter. In multiple-level vertebral instrumentations this reduction is more pronounced. In centres where many procedures involving spine instrumentation are done every day, the "saved" exposure time can amount to hours.

• MeSH
• Surgery, Computer-Assisted methods   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Fluoroscopy methods   MeSH
• Spinal Fusion methods   instrumentation   MeSH
• Bone Screws MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Spine surgery   radiography   MeSH
• Computer Graphics MeSH
• Computer Simulation MeSH
• Prospective Studies MeSH
• Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted methods   MeSH
• Robotics methods   MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH

Previous studies of physiological responses to music and noise showed the effect on the autonomic nervous system. The heart rate variability (HRV) has been used to assess the activation of the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems. The present study was aimed to examine HRV with exposure to four sine-wave pure tones (20 Hz, 50 Hz, 2 kHz and 15 kHz) in an environment where the sound intensity exceeded level 65 dB (A-weighted). The participants (20 adolescent girls) were lying in supine position during exposure protocol divided into 6 periods, the first time with generated sounds and the second time without sounds. In the protocol without sound exposure, the low frequency band of the HRV spectrum was increased compared to the basal state before examination (period_1: 6.05+/-0.29 ms(2) compared to period_5: 6.56+/-0.20 ms(2), p<0.05). The significant increase of root Mean Square of the Successive Differences (rMSSD, period_1: 4.09+/-0.16 s compared to period_6: 4.33+/-0.12 s, p<0.05) and prolongation of R to R peak (RR) interval (period_1: 889+/-30 ms compared to period_5: 973+/-30 ms, p<0.001) were observed in the protocol without sound exposure comparing to the protocol with sound exposure where only bradycardia was observed. Contrary to rather polemical data in literature our pilot study suggests that sounds (under given frequencies) have no impact on the heart rate variability and cardiac autonomic regulation.

• MeSH
• Acoustic Stimulation adverse effects   methods   trends   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Pilot Projects MeSH
• Heart Rate physiology   MeSH
• Students * MeSH
• Sound * adverse effects   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

INTRODUCTION: It has been noticed many times that schools are buildings with high levels of particulate matter concentrations. Several authors documented that concentrations of particulate matter in indoor school microenvironments exceed limits recommended by WHO namely when school buildings are situated near major roads with high traffic densities. In addition, exercise under conditions of high particulate concentrations may increase the adverse health effects, as the total particle deposition increases in proportion to minute ventilation, and the deposition fraction nearly doubles from rest to intense exercise. SITE AND METHODS: Mass concentrations of size-segregated aerosol were measured simultaneously in an elementary school gym and an adjacent outdoor site in the central part of Prague by two pairs of collocated aerosol monitors-a fast responding photometer DusTrak and a five stage cascade impactor. To encompass seasonal and annual differences, 89 days of measurements were performed during ten campaigns between 2005 and 2009. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The average (all campaigns) outdoor concentration of PM(2.5) (28.3 μg m(-3)) measured by the cascade impactors was higher than the indoor value (22.3 μg m(-3)) and the corresponding average from the nearest fixed site monitor (23.6 μg m(-3)). Indoor and outdoor PM(2.5) concentrations exceeded the WHO recommended 24-h limit in 42% and 49% of the days measured, respectively. The correlation coefficient (r) between corresponding outdoor and indoor aerosol sizes increased with decreasing aerodynamic diameter of the collected particles (r = 0.32-0.87), suggesting a higher infiltration rate of fine and quasi-ultrafine particles. Principal component analysis revealed five factors explaining more than 82% of the data variability. The first two factors reflected a close association between outdoor and indoor fine and quasi-ultrafine particles confirming the hypothesis of high infiltration rate of particles from outdoors. The third factor indicated that human activity is the main source of indoor emission of coarse particles. The fourth factor involved only outdoor variables showing the resuspension of coarse ambient aerosol on dry and warm days without its seeming effect on the indoor coarse PM levels. Having in mind that high concentrations of both fine and coarse aerosol were frequently observed in the studied space, our results suggest that indoor exercise in polluted urbanized areas may increase the overall exposure and thus represent a potential health risk to young individuals during physical education at schools.

• MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Gymnastics statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Inhalation Exposure statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Air Pollutants analysis   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Environmental Monitoring MeSH
• Particulate Matter analysis   MeSH
• Schools statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Physical Education and Training statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Particle Size MeSH
• Air Pollution, Indoor analysis   statistics & numerical data   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH

Many pesticides have been documented to induce embryotoxicity and teratogenicity in non-target aquatic biota such a fish, amphibians and invertebrates. Our review of the existing literature shows that a broad range of pesticides, representing several different chemical classes, induce variable toxic effects in aquatic species. The effects observed include diverse morphological malformations as well as physiological and behavioral effects. When development malformations occur, the myoskeletal system is among the most highly sensitive of targets. Myoskeletal effects that have been documented to result from pesticides were also known to interfere with the development of organ systems including the eyes or the heart and are also known to often cause lethal or sublethal edema in exposed organisms. The Physiological, behavioral, and population endpoints affected by pesticides include low or delayed hatching, growth suppression, as well as embryonal or larval mortality. The risks associated with pesticide exposure increase particularly during the spring. This is the period of time in which major pepticide applications take place, and this period unfortunately also coincides with many sensitive reproductive events such as spawning, egg laying, and early development of many aquatic organisms. Only few experimental studies with pesticides have directly linked developmental toxicity with key oxidative stress endpoints, such as lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage, or modulation of antioxidant mechanisms. On the other hand, it has been documented in many reports that pesticide-related oxidative damage occurs in exposed adult fish, amphibians, and invertebrates. Moreover, the contribution of oxidative stress to the toxicity of pesticides has been emphasized in several recent review papers that have treated this topic. In conclusion, the available experimental data, augmented by several indirect lines of evidence, provide support to the concept that oxidative stress is a highly important mechanism in pesticide-induce reproductive or developmental toxicity. Other stressors may also act by oxidative mechanisms. This notwithstanding, there is much yet to learn about the details of this phenomenon and further research is needed to more fully elucidate the effects that pesticides have and the environmental risks they pose in the early development of aquatic organisms.

• MeSH
• Water Pollutants, Chemical toxicity   MeSH
• Embryo, Nonmammalian drug effects   MeSH
• Embryonic Development drug effects   MeSH
• Oxidative Stress drug effects   MeSH
• Pesticides toxicity   MeSH
• DNA Damage drug effects   MeSH
• Aquatic Organisms drug effects   growth & development   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Review MeSH

Acute effects of winter-type air pollution characterized by high levels of SO2, moderate levels of particles, and low acidity were studied. A panel of 155 asthmatic children and 102 adults with a history of asthma from the former German Democratic Republic cities of Erfurt and Welmar and from the Czech Republic city of Sokolov participated from September 1990 through June 1992. The panelists recorded daily symptoms, medication intake, and peak expiratory flow (PEF). Statistical analysis was based on linear regression of population-averaged time series controlling for trend, meteorology, and autocorrelation. A temporospatial time series approach was also applied to the data to eliminate possible confounding by some known or unknown variables that occurred simultaneously in two of the study areas. Weak same-day effects and a stronger cumulative effect of air pollution on children was observed both for PEF and for symptoms. PEF decreased -0.90% (-1.35 to -0.46%), and a symptom score increased 14.7% (0.8-28.6%) in association with an average increase of 128 micrograms/m3 SO2 over the previous 5 days. Effects on adults were smaller and less consistent. Morbidity of children was best predicted by SO2 and sulfate concentrations. The authors conclude that prolonged, high exposure to winter-type pollution was associated with small adverse health effects in asthmatics.

• MeSH
• Aerosols MeSH
• Asthma chemically induced   epidemiology   MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Air Pollutants adverse effects   analysis   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Sulfur Dioxide adverse effects   analysis   MeSH
• Weather MeSH
• Regression Analysis MeSH
• Seasons MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Peak Expiratory Flow Rate drug effects   MeSH
• Air Pollution adverse effects   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Germany MeSH

Objectives: (a) to examine exposure to ETS in 5 European countries that differ in their tobacco control (TC) activity, (b) to examine attitudes towards TC measures and (c) to relate these results to sociodemographic and smoking related variables. Methods: population-based, representative sample of n=3,500 participants age 16–59, in Germany, Greece, Poland, Sweden, UK. Results: most never smokers are exposed to ETS in leisure time (55.74%); chances of being exposed to ETS at home or outside of the home are dependent on sex, smoking status, country, whether there are smokers in the households, what the status of the relationship is (single vs. not single); results differ significantly between countries. Conclusion: smoking restrictions are associated with lower levels of actual exposure to ETS. non-smokers want governmental regulation.

• Keywords
• tobacco, tobacco control, environmental tobacco smoke,
• MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Financing, Organized MeSH
• Smoking epidemiology   legislation & jurisprudence   MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Health Promotion legislation & jurisprudence   MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Smoking Prevention MeSH
• Interviews as Topic MeSH
• Tobacco Industry legislation & jurisprudence   MeSH
• Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice MeSH
• Health Policy legislation & jurisprudence   MeSH
• Tobacco Smoke Pollution prevention & control   statistics & numerical data   legislation & jurisprudence   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Geographicals
• Europe MeSH