INTRODUCTION: Benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles (BTs) are high-production volume chemicals as well as widely distributed emerging pollutants with potential health risk. However, information about human exposure to BTs and associated health outcomes is limited. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to characterise exposure to BTs among Czech men, including possible occupational exposure among firefighters, its predictors, and its associations with liver function, serum lipids and oxidative stress. METHODS: 165 participants (including 110 firefighters) provided urine and blood samples that were used to quantify the urinary levels of 8 BTs (high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry), and 4 liver enzymes, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine. Linear regression was used to assess associations with population characteristics and biomarkers of liver function, serum lipids and oxidative stress. Regression models were adjusted for potential confounding variables and false discovery rate procedure was applied to account for multiplicity. RESULTS: The BTs ranged from undetected up to 46.8 ng/mL. 2-hydroxy-benzothiazole was the most predominant compound (detection frequency 83%; median 1.95 ng/mL). 1-methyl-benzotriazole (1M-BTR) was measured in human samples for the first time, with a detection frequency 77% and median 1.75 ng/mL. Professional firefighters had lower urinary 1M-BTR compared to non-firefighters. Urinary 1M-BTR was associated with levels of γ-glutamyl transferase (β = - 17.54%; 95% CI: - 26.127, - 7.962). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to investigate BT exposure in Central Europe, including potentially exposed firefighters. The findings showed a high prevalence of BTs in the study population, the relevance of 1M-BTR as a new biomarker of exposure, and an urgent need for further research into associated adverse health outcomes.

• Klíčová slova
• Benzothiazole, Benzotriazole, Human biomonitoring, Liver function, Oxidative stress, Serum lipids,
• MeSH
• 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosin moč   krev   MeSH
• benzothiazoly * MeSH
• biologické markery * krev   moč   MeSH
• cholesterol krev   MeSH
• deoxyguanosin analogy a deriváty   moč   krev   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hasiči MeSH
• játra účinky léků   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lipidy krev   MeSH
• oxidační stres * účinky léků   MeSH
• pracovní expozice * analýza   MeSH
• triazoly * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosin MeSH
• benzothiazoly * MeSH
• benzotriazole MeSH Prohlížeč
• biologické markery * MeSH
• cholesterol MeSH
• deoxyguanosin MeSH
• lipidy MeSH
• triazoly * MeSH

OBJECTIVE: Antineoplastic drugs (ADs) pose risks to healthcare staff. Surface disinfectants are used in hospitals to prevent microbial contamination but the efficiency of disinfectants to degrade ADs is not known. We studied nine disinfectants on ten ADs in the standardized laboratory and realistic in situ hospital conditions. METHODS: A survey in 43 hospitals prioritized nine most commonly used disinfections based on different ingredients. These were tested on inert stainless steel and in situ on contaminated hospital flooring. The effects against ten ADs were studied by LC-MS/MS (Cyclophosphamide CP; Ifosfamide IF; Capecitabine CAP; Sunitinib SUN; Methotrexate MET; Doxorubicin DOX; Irinotecan IRI; Paclitaxel PX; 5-Fluorouracil FU) and ICP-MS (Pt as a marker of platinum-based ADs). RESULTS: Monitoring of the floor contamination in 26 hospitals showed that the most contaminated are the outpatient clinics that suffer from a large turnover of staff and patients and have limited preventive measures. The most frequent ADs were Pt, PX, FU and CP with maxima exceeding the recommended 1 ng/cm2 limit by up to 140 times. IRI, FU, MET, DOX and SUN were efficiently removed by hydrolysis in clean water and present thus lower occupational risk. Disinfectants based on hydrogen peroxide were efficient against PX and FU (> 70% degradation) but less against other ADs, such as carcinogenic CP or IF, IRI and CAP. The most efficient were the active chlorine and peracetic acid-based products, which however release irritating toxic vapors. The innovative in situ testing of ADs previously accumulated in hospital flooring showed highly problematic removal of carcinogenic CP and showed that alcohol-based disinfectants may mobilize persistent ADs contamination from deeper floor layers. CONCLUSION: Agents based on hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, quaternary ammonium salts, glutaraldehyde, glucoprotamine or detergents can be recommended for daily use for both disinfection and AD decontamination. However, they have variable efficiencies and should be supplemented by periodic use of strong chlorine-based disinfectants efficient also against the carcinogenic and persistent CP.

• Klíčová slova
• Antineoplastic drugs, Disinfectants, Hazardous drugs, Occupational exposure, Surface contamination,
• MeSH
• antitumorózní látky * MeSH
• dekontaminace metody   MeSH
• detergenty MeSH
• dezinficiencia * MeSH
• diaminy MeSH
• glutaraldehyd MeSH
• kontaminace zdravotnického vybavení MeSH
• kvartérní amoniové sloučeniny MeSH
• kyselina peroctová MeSH
• laboratoře MeSH
• nemocnice MeSH
• nerezavějící ocel MeSH
• peroxid vodíku MeSH
• podlahy a podlahové krytiny MeSH
• pyrrolidinony MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antitumorózní látky * MeSH
• detergenty MeSH
• dezinficiencia * MeSH
• diaminy MeSH
• glucoprotamine MeSH Prohlížeč
• glutaraldehyd MeSH
• kvartérní amoniové sloučeniny MeSH
• kyselina peroctová MeSH
• nerezavějící ocel MeSH
• peroxid vodíku MeSH
• pyrrolidinony MeSH

It is well established that high radon exposures increase the risk of lung cancer mortality. The effects of low occupational exposures and the factors that confound and modify this risk are not clear and are needed to inform current radiation protection of miners. The risk of lung cancer mortality at low radon exposures (< 100 working-level months) was assessed in the joint cohort analysis of Czech, French, and Canadian uranium miners, employed in 1953 or later. Statistical analysis was based on linear Poisson regression modeling with grouped cohort survival data. Two sensitivity analyses were used to assess potential confounding from tobacco smoking. A statistically significant linear relationship between radon exposure and lung cancer mortality was found. The excess relative risk per working-level month was 0.022 (95% confidence intervals: 0.013-0.034), based on 408 lung cancer deaths and 394,236 person-years of risk. Time since exposure was a statistically significant modifier; risk decreased with increasing time since exposure. A tendency for a decrease in risk with increasing attained age was observed, but this was not statistically significant. Exposure rate was not found to be a modifier of the excess relative risk. The potential confounding effect of tobacco smoking was estimated to be small and did not substantially change the radon-lung cancer mortality risk estimates. This joint cohort analysis provides strong evidence for an increased risk of lung cancer mortality from low occupational radon exposures. The results suggest that radiation protection measures continue to be important among current uranium miners.

• Klíčová slova
• Cohort, Epidemiology, Lung cancer, Radon, Risk, Smoking, Uranium mining,
• MeSH
• horníci * MeSH
• kohortové studie MeSH
• kouření tabáku MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nádory plic epidemiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• nádory vyvolané zářením epidemiologie   mortalita   MeSH
• nemoci z povolání epidemiologie   MeSH
• pracovní expozice škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• radon škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Francie epidemiologie   MeSH
• Kanada epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• radon MeSH
• uran * MeSH

PURPOSE: To assess the radiation exposure of radon spa personnel in Jáchymov, Czech Republic. METHODS: The frequency of micronucleus-containing cells and the percentage of centromere-free micronuclei (micronuclei containing only acentric fragments) was determined in peripheral blood lymphocytes of 42 individuals working at the Jáchymov spa and 42 control individuals. RESULTS: There was a highly significant increase in the frequency of micronucleus-containing cells as well as the percentage of centromere-free micronuclei in the lymphocytes of spa personnel versus controls. No individual dosimetry data were available. A comparison with results from currently active uranium miners suggests that the individuals examined at the Jáchymov spa had accumulated effective doses in the order of several tens of mSv, very similar to those of the miners. CONCLUSION: The spa personnel in Jáchymov needs to be monitored on an individual level.

• MeSH
• centromera genetika   účinky záření   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• hornictví MeSH
• lázně * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymfocyty patologie   účinky záření   MeSH
• mikrojaderné testy MeSH
• mikrojádra chromozomálně defektní * MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
• pracovní expozice škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• radon * škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• uran * MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• radon * MeSH
• uran * MeSH

BACKGROUND: The healthcare sector ranked in second place among economic sectors in the Czech Republic, with about 11.4 % of all occupational diseases in 2009. Skin diseases constituted about 20 % of all occupational diseases. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the causes and trends in allergic and irritant-induced skin diseases in the healthcare sector. METHODS: The data concerning occupational skin diseases (Chapter IV of the Czech List of Occupational Diseases, non-infectious skin illnesses) in the healthcare sector were analyzed from the Czech National Registry of Occupational Diseases from 1997 until 2009. The trends in the total counts and most frequent causes were evaluated. RESULTS: During the past 13 years, a total of 545 skin diseases were acknowledged in healthcare workers. Allergic contact dermatitis was diagnosed in 464 (85 %), irritant contact dermatitis in 71 (13 %) and contact urticaria in 10 subjects (2 %). Ninety-five percent of the patients were females. The overall incidence in individual years varied between 1.0 and 2.9 cases per 10,000 full-time employees per year. Disinfectants were the most frequent chemical agents causing more than one third of all allergic skin diseases (38 %), followed by rubber components (32 %) and cleaning agents (10 %). CONCLUSION: A general downward trend of diagnosed cases of occupational skin diseases in heath care workers in the Czech Republic over the past 13 years was demonstrated.

• MeSH
• alergická kontaktní dermatitida epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• dermatitida z povolání epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• dráždivá dermatitida epidemiologie   etiologie   MeSH
• hygiena práce MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• zdravotnický personál statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH

PURPOSE: Though numerous studies investigating ambient ozone (O(3)) effects on human health were published, such a study for Central Europe is still lacking. We have investigated the association between ozone (O(3)) levels and hospital admissions and mortality due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases for Prague inhabitants for summer months (April-September) over the 5-year period 2002-2006. Our hypothesis was that ambient O(3) levels in Prague resulted in adverse health outcomes and were associated with increased mortality and hospital admissions. METHODS: The effect of O(3) on mortality and hospital admissions was investigated using the negative binomial regression after controlling for the influence of meteorological factors (air temperature and relative humidity) and calendar effects (seasonal patterns, long-term trends and day of week). RESULTS: We found a statistically significant association between O(3) levels and daily mortality from respiratory diseases. Relative risk of 1.080 (95% CI: 1.031-1.132) was observed for mortality from respiratory diseases per 10 μg m(-3) increase in 1-day lagged daily mean O(3) concentration. No statistically significant association was detected between O(3) concentrations and daily mortality from all causes, daily mortality from cardiovascular diseases and hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The O(3) effects differed in men and women, nevertheless, the results were ambiguous with respect to used lag and O(3) metrics. No significant confounding effects of PM(10) on the investigated association were observed. CONCLUSIONS: O(3) exposure in Prague, though lower as compared to many other cities in Europe, is high enough to cause adverse health effects.

• MeSH
• hospitalizace statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• kardiovaskulární nemoci mortalita   MeSH
• látky znečišťující vzduch analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ozon analýza   toxicita   MeSH
• poruchy dýchání mortalita   MeSH
• velkoměsta statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• zdravotní stav * MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• velkoměsta statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• látky znečišťující vzduch MeSH
• ozon MeSH

OBJECTIVE: A one-year follow-up was performed of a 21-year-old man with a 16-year history of diabetes mellitus type I, who had been using ointment containing 10% mercuric ammonium chloride (hydrargyrum amidochloratum; HgNH(2)Cl) for eczema for approximately 3 weeks. Tiredness, fasciculations on the extremities and poor control of diabetes appeared after the end of the ointment treatment. Nephrotic syndrome and hypertension were diagnosed 1 month later. Two months after the ointment application the patient was very weak with tremors of the hands, almost unable to walk, and had lost 20 kg of body weight. He had severe neurasthenic symptoms and his behaviour suggested acute psychosis. METHODS: Internal, neurological and neuropsychological examinations were performed. Mercury in urine was determined by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. RESULTS: The urine mercury level on admission was 252.0 microg/l. He was treated with Dimaval, sodium (2,3)-dimercaptopropane(-1)-sulphonate capsules for 12 days (total dose 6.3 g). The highest urine mercury excretion during antidote treatment was 2336.0 microg/24 h. The patient had proteinuria of up to 11.10 g/24 h, and renal biopsy revealed diffuse membranous glomerulonephritis of the 1st stage without apparent diabetic nephropathy. Similarly, neuropathy did not have typical signs of diabetic neuropathy. His clinical condition started to improve during the first 2 weeks. Further follow-up has shown slow normalisation of renal functions. After 1 year, proteinuria decreased to 0.62 g/24 h and body weight normalised. Neuropsychological and electromyographic findings became almost normal. CONCLUSION: Severe intoxication developed after a short period of ointment application. Most signs of damage disappeared in the course of 1 year, except mild proteinuria and neuropathy. The evolution was favourable and confirmed the primary role of mercury intoxication in the severe deterioration of the clinical status of the patient.

• MeSH
• amoniak aplikace a dávkování   otrava   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• aplikace lokální MeSH
• chlorid rtuťnatý aplikace a dávkování   otrava   terapeutické užití   MeSH
• diabetes mellitus 1. typu MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ekzém farmakoterapie   MeSH
• hypertenze chemicky indukované   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nefrotický syndrom chemicky indukované   MeSH
• otrava rtutí etiologie   MeSH
• psychotické poruchy etiologie   MeSH
• tremor chemicky indukované   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• kazuistiky MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• amoniak MeSH
• chlorid rtuťnatý MeSH
• mercuric chloride, ammoniated MeSH Prohlížeč

OBJECTIVES: Potentiation, inhibition, antagonism, synergism or other interactions of chemicals in an organism may significantly affect the toxicity of chemical mixtures. Therefore, a suitable physicochemical parameter is sought as a predictor of these effects. METHODS: Acute toxicity EC50 (mol/l) was used as an index of toxic hazard. The EC50 was defined here as the concentration inhibiting movement of 50% of Tubifex tubifex worms in a standardised short-term test. The EC50 for the mixture benzene/ethanol was measured over the whole range of molar fractions between 0 and 1. The determined EC50 values were compared with those calculated by the effect-addition and concentration-addition models. The distribution of benzene and ethanol between the aqueous and gaseous phases was determined by gas chromatography. RESULTS: The determined EC50 of the benzene/ethanol mixtures exhibited deviations from the values predicted using the EC50 of the single compounds. The magnitude of this deviation depended on the composition of the mixture, and could be as high as 80% if the effect-addition model is used or 20% if the concentration-addition model is applied. The air/water distribution coefficients of benzene and ethanol measured in aqueous solutions of their mixtures exhibit unobservable to slight deviations from those obtained by simple summation. CONCLUSION: The determined values of the EC50 of benzene/ethanol mixtures calculated by either the concentration-addition or effect-addition model differ from the true values due to interactions among chemicals. The deviations depend on a quantitative composition of a mixture. The air/water distribution coefficient of chemicals in a mixture is not the most suitable predictor of the interactions.

• MeSH
• benzen toxicita   MeSH
• chemické modely * MeSH
• ethanol toxicita   MeSH
• hodnocení rizik MeSH
• látky tlumící činnost CNS toxicita   MeSH
• LD50 MeSH
• lékové interakce MeSH
• Oligochaeta MeSH
• předpověď MeSH
• voda MeSH
• vzduch MeSH
• vztah mezi dávkou a účinkem léčiva MeSH
• xenobiotika chemie   toxicita   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• benzen MeSH
• ethanol MeSH
• látky tlumící činnost CNS MeSH
• voda MeSH
• xenobiotika MeSH

OBJECTIVES: The recently identified metabolic product of the industrial solvent N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF), the N-methylcarbamoyl adduct at the N-terminal valine of globin, can be determined after chemical conversion to 3-methyl-5-isopropylhydantoin (MVH). Due to prolonged persistence of the adduct in human erythrocytes (lifetime: 4 months), MVH is a suitable biomarker of integrated exposure to DMF over a period of several months. Here we propose a reference value for MVH, used for biological monitoring of chronic occupational exposure to DMF. METHODS: The reference value for MVH was set equal to its steady-state level in a simulated repeated inhalation exposure to DMF (8 h/day, 5 days/week, >or=20 weeks) at a concentration corresponding to the occupational exposure limits MAK and TLV. The initial data on the toxicokinetic behavior of MVH were obtained after single percutaneous and inhalation exposures to DMF in volunteers. MVH was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry according to Mráz et al. RESULTS: The steady-state level of MVH, attained after repeated inhalation exposure to DMF, 30 mg/m(3), 8 h/day, 5 days/week, >or=20 weeks, was assessed to be approximately 135 nmol MVH/g globin. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend the value of 135 nmol MVH/g globin to be used as a new reference value for biomonitoring of integrated exposure to DMF over a long period. The relationship between the MVH level in globin and the intensity of the exposure to DMF should be further tested in the field studies.

• MeSH
• biologické markery analýza   MeSH
• dimethylformamid škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• erytrocyty MeSH
• globiny analogy a deriváty   chemie   MeSH
• hydantoiny analýza   MeSH
• inhalační expozice * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• pracovní expozice * MeSH
• referenční hodnoty MeSH
• rozpouštědla škodlivé účinky   analýza   MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 3-methyl-5-isopropylhydantoin MeSH Prohlížeč
• biologické markery MeSH
• dimethylformamid MeSH
• globiny MeSH
• hydantoiny MeSH
• rozpouštědla MeSH

OBJECTIVE: Considering the role in the metabolism of chemicals played by biotransformation enzymes, we aimed at determining whether any association exists between genetic polymorphisms in cytochromes p450 (CYP1A1 and CYP2E1), epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1), NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), glutathione S-transferases (GSTs M1/P1/T1) and individual susceptibility to lymphomas. METHODS: Genotyping assays based on polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) were used to determine the frequency of polymorphisms in CYP1A1 (3'-flanking region), CYP2E1 (5'-flanking region and intron 6), EPHX1 (exon 3 and exon 4), NQO1 (exon 6), GSTM1 (deletion), GSTP1 (exon 5), and GSTT1 (deletion) in a case-control study composed of 219 patients with morbus Hodgkin (MH) and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) and 455 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. RESULTS: Grading of NHL seemed to be associated with polymorphism in CYP2E1-intron 6 ( P=0.041). The EPHX1-exon 3 genotype distribution was significantly different between male controls and male patients with both kinds of lymphomas ( P=0.01) or with NHL ( P=0.019). The genotype GSTP1*2/*2 was prevalent in all MH (odds ratio (OR) =2.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.05-4.14, P=0.035) and this difference was particularly evident in female subjects (OR=2.97, 95% CI=1.16-7.61, P=0.023). A significant difference in the distribution of GSTP1-exon 5 genotypes was found between NHL tumors larger vs. smaller than 5 cm ( P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that genetic polymorphisms of biotransformation enzymes may play a significant role in the development and progression of lymphoid malignancies.

• MeSH
• cytochrom P-450 CYP1A1 genetika   farmakologie   MeSH
• cytochrom P-450 CYP2E1 genetika   farmakologie   MeSH
• epoxid hydrolasy genetika   farmakologie   MeSH
• genetická predispozice k nemoci * MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• glutathiontransferasa genetika   farmakologie   MeSH
• Hodgkinova nemoc genetika   patologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nehodgkinský lymfom genetika   patologie   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• polymorfismus délky restrikčních fragmentů MeSH
• polymorfismus genetický * MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• studie případů a kontrol MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• cytochrom P-450 CYP1A1 MeSH
• cytochrom P-450 CYP2E1 MeSH
• epoxid hydrolasy MeSH
• glutathiontransferasa MeSH