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Biomedical subjects

E Kerekes

Publications and source records attributed to E Kerekes.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Health effects among employees in sewage treatment plants: A literature survey.

BACKGROUND: Over the years, there have been regular reports in the media of work-related symptoms among employees at sewage treatment plants. Concern has spread among employees over the lack of knowledge of risk agents' symptoms, and diseases in that environment. This paper reviews the investigations of health risks in employees working in the sewage treatment plants. METHODS: A literature search was performed with the search terms; sewage, waste water, health effects, infection, and health hazards. Articles on health effects in relation to sewage were selected. RESULTS: Work in sewage water plants can involve exposure to different types of microorganisms and chemicals. The bacterial exposure is dominated by bacteria that naturally occur in nature. However, different bacteria and viruses that give rise to infections can be present in this environment and thus there exists a risk of infection, especially of hepatitis A. Investigations suggest that gastrointestinal tract symptoms are more common among employees at sewage treatment plants than among controls. Respiratory symptoms, fatigue, and headache have also been reported in several investigations. The cause of the symptoms is unknown, although certain data suggest that they are caused by inflammation. The results suggest that endotoxin in Gram-negative bacteria may be one of the causative agents. As regards cancer, some studies report an increased risk of stomach cancer and a few studies report an increased risk of cancer in the larynx, liver or, prostate or of leukemia. The spread of the cancers over a multitude of organs does not support a hypothesis of causality with agents commonly found in sewage treatment plants. CONCLUSIONS: Further investigations are needed to determine the work-related effects and ascertain the causal agents.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1983

Effect of (+)-cyanidanol-3 (Catergen) in chronic active hepatitis. (Catergen plus prednisolone versus prednisolone in a controlled study).

Thirty-six patients with biopsy-proved chronic active hepatitis (CAH) were randomized. Of these 18 patients, 15 of them HBsAg and/or anti-HBc positive, received (+)-cyanidanol-3 (Catergen, Zyma) in doses of 1.5 g daily for 6 months in addition to the previously started low dose (10-15 mg/day) prednisolone. The other 18 patients, 16 of them HBsAg and/or anti-HBc positive, continued on the former corticosteroid treatment exclusively. After 6 months an overall clinical-biochemical improvement was noted in 10 cyanidanol-treated and in 6 control patients, while the condition deteriorated in 4 drug-treated and 8 control subjects. Serum GPT activity decreased to less than twice the normal in 12/16 drug-treated and in 7/13 control subjects, gamma-GT fell to normal in 7/16 cyanidanol-treated and in 1/10 control patients, IgG fell to normal in 4/8 drug-treated and in 1/9 control patients who all had initially elevated values. The percentage of "active" E-rosette forming cells fell in both groups but the decrease was significant only in the control cases, i.e. cyanidanol inhibited the progressive fall in circulating T cells during the course of the disease. Lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohaemagglutinin stimulation, as measured by 3H-thymidine incorporation, significantly increased in the cyanidanol group. Anti-HBs titres were markedly raised in 7/15 drug-treated and in 2/16 control patients. Thus, cyanidanol had some slight beneficial effect on biochemical liver function tests and the immunological activity in CAH patients. Its use may be recommended as an adjuvant constituent of the complex therapy of the disease.

Benzopyrans↗
PubMed1968

L-serine deaminase of Escherichia coli.

The native l-serine deaminase (l-serine hydrolyase, deaminating, EC 4.2.1.13) of Escherichia coli K-12, which seems to be a very labile protein, is rather stable in concentrated solution. Dilution rapidly inactivates it, but in the presence of a saturating concentration of l-serine the molecule is protected from inactivation. It is a very specific enzyme; l-serine is the sole substrate with a K(m) value of 6.60 x 10(-3)m. d-Serine and l-cysteine are competitive inhibitors. Substrate saturation curves of the native enzyme show sigmoid shape, whereas the enzyme liberated from the bacteria in the presence of l-serine exhibits normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1966

Comparative immunological studies in liver diseases.

By fractionation of human liver tissue, nuclear, mitochondrial, and connective tissue antigens were prepared. According to the results of serological tests, in conditions associated with substantial damage to the hepatic parenchyma, antibodies reacting with the nuclear and mitochondrial antigens are produced that show practically no reaction with the connective tissue antigen. It is advisable to use fractionated, connective tissue-free antigens for the demonstration of antibodies formed against liver tissue. The use of antigens containing connective tissue may lead to non-specific reactions.

Antibody Formation↗