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Biomedical subjects

J Waśkiewicz

Publications and source records attributed to J Waśkiewicz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Reversible decrease of dopamine D2 receptor density in the striatum of rats with acute hepatic failure.

The binding of a D2 receptor ligand, [3H]spiperone, was measured in striatal membranes derived from rats in which acute hepatic failure induced with thioacetamide (TAA) was associated with symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and during recovery from HE. A 28% decrease of Bmax for the binding was measured in a symptomatic stage of HE, 1 day after TAA administration. The B(max) for [3H]spiperone binding was no longer different from control 7 days after TAA administration, when blood and brain biochemical correlates of HE were already absent. At 21 days after TAA administration, the B(max) was increased by 31% above the control level, consistent with other aspects of metabolic activation of the brain characteristic of the late recovery period from acute HE.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Inhibition of dopamine transport and binding of [3H] spiperone to dopamine D2 receptor by acute Pb-toxicity in vivo.

Alterations of dopamine transport and binding of [3H] spiperone to dopamine D2 receptor following acute lead intoxication in an in vivo experimental model in adult rats imitate the acute action of Pb2+ in occupationally exposed workers or in occasional incidents of poisoning. The results show that lead-intoxication causes an increased Pb level in blood, a decrease in dopamine uptake and release in synaptosomes and affects the dopamine D2 receptor. These data show that Pb-intoxication may cause severe disturbances in the transport and receptor binding of dopamine, which is involved in the regulation of a variety of functions including locomotor activity, emotion and neuroendocrine secretion.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

High amplitude of R waves in electrocardiograms, and overload related to heaviness of work in the population of maritime workers.

In the compass of 20 years 4705 electrocardiograms of maritime industry workers were subjected to evaluation. The population examined consisted of: 780 seamen and deep sea fishermen, 307 merchant marine officers over 40 years of age and 260 officers under 40, 1326 harbour workers who perform light and moderately heavy physical work, 363 harbour workers employed not directly at cargo loading, and 1023 hard working stevedores. The study group was sampled at random. 526 cases of left ventricle hypertrophy were revealed, including: LVH /p/ type--348, LVH /e/--82, LVH /m/--66, and LVH /s/--30 cases. Arterial hypertension according WHO standards was diagnosed in 334 people. 38 people with arterial hypertension showed LVH with ST-T disorders. The highest proportion of LVH /p/ and ecg with traits of vagotony were found in the stevedores performing heavy and very heavy work. In the group of seamen and deep sea fishermen LVH /p/ hypertrophy was manifest in 2.3%, all LVH cases totally in 5.9%, and traits of vagotony in 10.0% of subjects. All the LVH cases with ST-T changes in the study material were associated with the arterial hypertension and few cases with other pathology. Features of LVH /p/ in the groups examined as well as in the individual evaluation were connected with a high level of physical activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

State of circulatory system in equipment operators working in harbour.

A group of harbour workers was examined: 127 operators of mechanic equipment, 74 cranemen, 55 container stevedores, 36 hoistmen. The control group consisted of 49 electricians. Mean age of the subjects was: 37.1 +/- 7.7 years, working experience averaged 15.5 +/- 7.4 years. All the examined workers were subjected to ecg, phonocardiographic examinations and to the physical analysis of circulation according to Wezler-Boerger and Braemser-Ranke. Heart beat rate at rest did not show statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). In the measurements of the diastolic and systolic pressure at rest statistically significant differences between the controls and the other groups were found. Arterial hypertension (160 mmHg and over the systolic pressure, and 95 mmHg and over diastolic pressure) was found in 21% mechanic equipment operators, 15% cranemen, 11% container stevedores, 8% hoistmen. 341 Ecg recordings were evaluated with the Minnesota Code, no pathologies in Q or QS were revealed. Features of the parasympathetic system effect were noted in 24% of the people examined. Alterations within ST-T segment were observed in the people showing arterial hypertension. Features of the sympathetic system impact were registered in 9% of cases. In phonocarcdiographic examinations 3 cases of compensated heart defects were revealed. The parameters obtained from the physical analysis were evaluated in the subjects with an appropriate weight, obesity and arterial hypertension. By comparison of mean rates of the central pulse, electric resistance, stroke and minute volume and air chamber volume statistically significant differences were found (p < 0.001). Evaluating the whole of the results a risk of the heart ischemic disease was found in 1/4 of the people examined. The changes observed were associated with individual factors, not with the job performed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

State of the circulatory system in stevedores.

Examinations on stevedores were performed in three series in the period from 1976 to 1997. Randomly selected were 286 of them in the first series of examinations, 224 in the second and 106 in the third one. In addition, the examinations enrolled also 106 stevedores who have lost their health qualifications, 55 retired workers, and 363 harbour workers whose jobs did not include direct loading of cargo, and they constituted the control group. Cardiographic examinations were performed in the morning, ECG was carried out with the use of Multiscriptor apparatus and the evaluation was made using the Minnesota code. Systolic blood pressure in stevedores averaged: 124.6 +/- 14.9 mm Hg in the first series, 123.8 +/- 18.9 mm Hg in the second, and 127.5 +/- 16.7 mm Hg in the third series; it was 125.9 +/- 14.0 mm Hg in the retired stevedores, and 134.0 +/- 17.0 mm Hg in the control group. Electrocardiographic sings of the left heart hypertrophy were found in: 32.2%, 30.3%, 29.2%, 23.1% and 11.0% of the examined groups, respectively. Traits of the effect of the parasympathetic system in the ECG according to clinical criteria were recorded in: 58.7% of subjects in the first series, 54.5% in the second, 51.9% in the third, 42.6% in the retired stevedores, and 6.9% in the control group. The systolic pressure of 120 mm Hg and less in the newly employed stevedores was recorded in less than 7.5% of examined subjects. In 9.2% cases a syndrome of early repolarization of heart ventricles was noted. Hypervagotony is characteristic for the stevedores with a long period of work. Evaluating their state of the circulatory system, a pronounced beneficial effect of an intense physical activity can be observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Cervical and back pain syndrome in port workers.

The surveyed group consisted of 338 port workers including 136 stevedores, 128 operators of mechanized equipment and 74 hoistmen. 233 people (68.9%) complained of cervical and back pain. In relation to the size of the groups examined, the pain was reported by 84.6% stevedores, 60.8% hoistmen and 57.0% operators. On the basis of the clinical course, the types of the pains were determined in stevedores to be: skeletogenic--in 41.8% of them, neurogenic--25.4%, angiogenic--4.5% and mixed within the cervical segment of the spine--28.3%. The back pain in the group of stevedores was classified as high ischialgia--in 65.7%, low ischialgia--in 24.6% and lumbar pain and sacralgia--in 9.7% of cases. In hoistmen and operators, lumbagia and sacralgia were two times more frequent than in stevedores. Sick leave in the subjects examined in the course of the seven-year observation totalled 18,452 days, in that number 7646 days in connection with diseases of the muscular-skeletal system, and 5150 days by problem in the spine. In operators and hoistmen the absence caused by these diseases was proportionally two times lower than in stevedores.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1997

Lead as an inductor of changes in the citrate transport to rat brain synaptic mitochondria.

The aim of the experiments presented here was to discern whether prolonged consumption of leaden water, that imitates environmental exposure, affects citrate transport to synaptic mitochondria. Our results indicate that during chronic lead intoxication both the velocity and the affinity of citrate transport to synaptic mitochondria decreased affecting the operation of Krebs cycle and consequently energetic processes in these mitochondria.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Alterations of GABAB binding caused by acute and chronic lead administration.

The effect of lead on GABAB binding was studied on membranes obtained from acute and chronically lead-treated rats. Acute lead treatment reduced both GABAB affinity (KD) by about 30% and density of receptor (Bmax) by about 15%. On the contrary chronic lead treatment increased receptor capacity by about 20% in spite of decreased receptor affinity by 25%. Both acute and chronic lead treatment shiffted displacement curves toward higher concentration of non-labelled compound (decreased affinity). The results show that lead can affect the GABAB binding in two ways: by reducing affinity of binding and by altering capacity of binding.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Reasons for loss of fitness of dockers to perform physically heavy loading operations.

The present evaluation of reasons for loss of fitness to perform heavy and very heavy loading operations in dockers was based on a prospective study comprising a selected population of 508 men, carried out in 1989. A follow-up of their health and ability to perform loading operations continued until 1995. In this period change of the working post caused by health problems was observed in 185 (36.4%) men, 67 (13.2%) people either quitted work or got a disciplinary dismissal, 24 (4.7%) subjects got a promotion and 80 retired. 12 dockers deceased (2.45%); noteworthy, no death was associated with the work performed. They were 140 dockers (27.6%) that remained on their posts after 7 years of observation. In the group of 185 dockers the main reason for the medical disqualification for work were the diseases of the nervous peripheral and musculoskeletal system and of the connective tissue in 71 men (38.4%), chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tracts in 36 men (19.4%), circulatory system diseases in 24 cases (13.0%) and posttraumatic states of the musculoskeletal system in 16 cases (8.6%). A proper health qualification is crucial for a long-lasting fitness to work.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

The effect of heavy work on the musculoskeletal system of dockers.

In compass of 1989-1995 all in all 388 dockers were examined, including 136 stevedores, 128 operators of mechanic equipment, 74 hoistmen and 73 retired stevedores. Out of the group of 508 stevedores that in 1989 was selected for the purpose of the study, at the end of 1995 there were 136 still working, and out of 141 operators 128 remained in employment. The number of the hoistmen working did not change. The stevedores perform heavy and a very heavy loading labour, the rest moderate and light. The highest number of changes was found in the lumbar segment of the spine-totally 56.2%, then in the sacroiliac articulations-totally 50.6%, in the cervical spine-totally 34.4%, within the shoulder girdle-33.1% and in the thoracic segment of the spine-26.3%. In stevedores these proportions were higher. A transfer to a lighter work or retirement could not inhibit the degenerative process within the musculoskeletal system. Evaluating the development of the disease in the period of observation, a progress of the pathological process was observed. No relation between the loss of fitness in stevedores and their body mass could be found. The mean time of the disease tended to increase with age of the examined. In a considerable number of the subjects a casual connection between the changes in the musculoskeletal system and the work performed was revealed.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1992

Assessment of phonocardiographical investigations among seafarers.

A total of 763 seafarers were selected at random for the examinations. Their number represented 9.82% of the total employed. About 86.63% of them were examined. Another group examined were 202 college undergraduates--all the undergraduates of the second year of studies. The average age of seafarers was 41.14 +/- 8.84 years, and of undergraduates 22.54 +/- 1.29 years. A normal heart first sound was recorded in 95.41% of seafarers, normal second sound in 95.94%, and in 95.05% and 95.05% of the undergraduates, respectively. Normal third and fourth sounds were recorded jointly in 4.45% of seafarers and 0.99% of the undergraduates, whereas abnormal ones in 1.05% of seafarers and 0.99% of the undergraduates. Aortic ejection sound and systolic zone clicks were detected only in seafarers: in 0.79% and 1.31% of the subjects, respectively. Systolic zone murmurs were recorded in 4.19% of the seafarers, including those with heart defects (1.44%), therein mitral valve insufficiency (0.79%), mitral valve prolapse syndrome (0.39%) and aortal valve stenosis (0.26%). In all other cases the recorded heart murmurs in undergraduates and seafarers were considered functional (not pathological).

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Modulation of GABA transport in synaptosomes by histamine.

We have examined the effects of exogenous and intrasynaptosomal histamine on the GABA transport in rat brain synaptosomes. Exogenous histamine had no effect on GABA uptake, but inhibited veratridine-evoked GABA release. GABA uptake was susceptible to the modification of histamine synthesis in synaptosomes. The increase of synaptosomal histamine level by incubation under conditions favouring histamine synthesis from 2.6 to 5.2 pmole/mg protein, decreased the GABA uptake by about 75%. As demonstrated in experiments with an inhibitor of histidine decarboxylase--semicarbazide, this effect comprised 15% inhibition evoked by the histamine precursor--histidine, whereas the remaining 60% inhibition could be ascribed to the effect of newly synthesized histamine.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effect of hyperoxia on histamine metabolism in rat brain synaptosomes: preliminary observations.

Adult male Wistar rats were submitted to normobaric hyperoxygenation for 1 and 4 hours, then brain synaptosomes were isolated and uptake and release of the histamine precursor - histidine (His), histamine (HA) level and His metabolizing enzymes activities were measured. This uptake in hyperoxic synaptosomes was inhibited by about 20%. After 1-hour hyperoxia, a tendency towards an increase of the HA level, but a significant increase histidine decarboxylase (HD) and histamine methyltransferase (HMT) activities were observed. Four-hour hyperoxia caused a decrease of both the HA level and the activities of both enzymes, especially HMT. The changes were reversed in 1-hour posthyperoxic recovery, except for histidine uptake which remained inhibited.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Maximal oxygen uptake in dockers performing heavy work and in operators of mechanic equipment in harbour.

The present work was meant to determine by means of the Astrand method the maximal oxygen uptake in dockers performing a physically heavy loading work and in operators of the mechanic equipment. The study groups consisted of randomly selected 78 stevedores-trimmers and 84 mechanic equipment operators. The age of the stevedores-trimmers examined averaged 38.67 +/- 10.13 and of mechanic equipment operators 39.93 +/- 9.72 years. Statistically significant differences between the both groups were found concerning the body mass, heart rate at rest, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, frequency of the traits of parasympathetic system effect in ecg. The differences were consistent with the adaptation of the stevedores-trimmers to the physically heavy loading work they perform. Maximal oxygen uptake for all stevedores-trimmers averaged 3.45 +/- 0.60 l/min and in mechanic equipment operators 2.95 +/- 0.66 l/min, reduced to ml/kg/min 45.91 +/- 9.13 and 37.96 +/- 9.26, respectively. On the basis of regression equations it was found that the mean rate of maximal oxygen uptake in the productive age range at issue, per one decade of life amounted: in stevedores-trimmers 5.31 ml/min/kg and in mechanic equipment operators 4.05 ml/min/kg. The majority of the stevedores-trimmers had physical efficiency at a high and a very high level (55.20%), while the mechanic equipment operators at low and very low (71.51%).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Minnesota Code 1982 based evaluation of electrocardiograms in population of seamen and deep-sea fishermen (of long occupational experience at sea).

The electrocardiograms of 780 seamen and deep-sea fishermen, aged over 40 or of at least a 10 years' service at sea, randomly selected, were evaluated according to the Minnesota Code 1982 criteria. Out of them, 70.3% were found normal, 29.7% were not. In the latter group pathological Q or QS waves were noted in 1.4% Defective repolarization of the ventricle myocardium in the fourth and fifth category were observed in 4.5%. Atrio-ventricular first degree block was revealed in 1.4%, intraventricular conduction defects totalled 3.8%. Heart action disorders in the form of frequent ventricular and junctional beats were diagnosed in 2.3%. Arterial hypertension in terms of WHO criteria was observed in 9.4% subjects. Overweight and obesity affected 8.3% patients under investigation. The rate of deviations in the electrocardiograms subjected to the evaluation with the code do not diverge significantly from the data obtained from the studies on industrial workers in Poland.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Energy expenditure of dockers performing heavy loading/discharging works and of other occupational groups in ports.

The examinations conducted in 1986-1990 comprised 1123 harbour workers in ports of Gdańsk and Gdynia. The mean age of all persons examined was 42.38 +/- 11.27, the mean period of the employment at port was 19.38 +/- 7.20 years. In the group stevedore-trimmers the corresponding values were 38.13 +/- 10.81 and 14.27 +/- 5.76 years, respectively. Average body height in the whole group of men investigated was 173.46 +/- 6.43 cm. The lowest body mass found in stevedores and trimmers was 76.36 +/- 11.43 kg, the highest in supervisors and controllers was 82.32 +/- 10.76 kg. The energy expenditure of the occupational work in the groups examined fell within a wide range from 493.25 +/- 45.09 kcal (2064.19 +/- 177.05 kJ) to 2335.79 +/- 326.02 kcal (9778.62 +/- 1234.34 kJ). The energy expenditure of stacking-yard tenders, shipping clerks, tallymen, foremen, hoistmen and cranemen fluctuated within the range of 493.25 +/- 45.09 kcal (2064.19 +/- 177.05 kJ) and 614.08 +/- 67.23 kcal (2567.06 +/- 254.74 kJ). In the group of maintenance workers of mechanical equipment: from 886.98 +/- 144.09 kcal (3722.85 +/- 378.03 kJ) to 1268.65 +/- 231.45 kcal (5309.11 +/- 824.00 kJ). In the largest group of mechanical equipment operators it was 1142.06 +/- 102.45 kcal (4646.45 +/- 386.05 kJ) on the average. The energy expenditures of stevedores and trimmers in all loading operations fell in the range from 1714.5 kcal (7176.9 kJ) to 2678.5 kcal (11213.9 kJ) and per eight hour shift they averaged 2047.03 +/- 257.25 kcal (8568.90 +/- 1076.85 kJ). Such results of the energy expenditures of stevedores and trimmers occupational jobs qualify it as heavy and in several loading operations as very heavy, the remaining groups perform work counted light and mean, periodically moderate. Out of all the occupational groups of the harbour workers examined, the labour of stevedores and trimmers was characterized by the highest energy expenditure, statistically higher than in other groups of dockers. It was found that the lower was the energy expenditure at work in a given group, the higher was the average body mass and the incidence of overweight and obesity in the groups of workers examined.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Effect of in vivo glucocorticoid administration on histamine metabolism in rat brain synaptosomes.

The effect of in vivo administration of acetonide triamcinolone (AT) on histamine (HA) metabolism in synaptosomes, highly purified from rat brain by discontinuous Ficoll-sucrose gradient centrifugation, was investigated. AT decreases ability of synaptosomes to actively accumulate HA precursor, L-[U-14C]histidine, measured after rapid centrifugation of synaptosomes through silicone oil, as well as lowers activity of HA catabolizing enzyme histamine N-methyltransferase (by 57%). In contrast, no changes in the level of HA, assayed by the single isotope enzymatic method, and the activity of HA synthesizing enzyme, histidine decarboxylase, were found. The results indicate that under applied conditions glucocorticoid administration may decrease turnover of neuronal pool of HA without significant effect on HA level.

Animals↗