PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Turk

Publications and source records attributed to R Turk.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Colour vision impairment in workers exposed to low concentrations of toluene.

Colour vision was examined by the Lanthony-D-15 desaturated test in 41 women exposed to toluene and in 29 non-exposed referents. Toluene exposure was evaluated by methods of environmental and biological monitoring. In the exposed group the median value of toluene in air was 35 ppm (range 11.2-49.9 ppm). Quantitative colour vision impairment was expressed as colour confusion index and colour confusion index corrected for alcohol intake. Qualitative impairment was expressed as normal, yellow-blue, red-green range or complex impairment. Statistical analysis showed the index values to be significantly correlated with age in both groups. In the exposed group they were significantly higher than in the non-exposed group. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of impairment in the blue-yellow range between the examined groups, although the prevalence of impairment in the exposed group was higher than in the non-exposed one. Results suggest that exposure to low toluene concentrations may induce colour vision impairment in women.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Importance of risk assessment in occupational medicine].

The principles of risk assessment and its relevance in the working environment are discussed. Occupational health protection is a complicated process comprising risk assessment, health monitoring and eventually treatment of irreversible health effects. Risk assessment consists of the following four steps: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterization. Although established for environmental protection, risk assessment is also used in occupational hazard identification and determination of priorities and risk management in occupational health and safety. In Croatia, the methodology of risk assessment is still undeveloped. The paper emphasises the role of occupational health in risk assessment and in implementation of the results of this complex process in the working environment.

Humans↗
PubMed1995

[Acute neuroleptic poisoning].

According to the record of the Poison Control Centre in Zagreb, drugs most frequently implicated in poisoning episodes were benzodiazepines, neuroleptics, anticonvulsants including barbiturates, fluorides and antidepressants, which comprised more than 40% of all drug poisonings. More than 90% of neuroleptic poisonings were symptomatic on admission, 19% were comatose, 45% were drowsy, in 15% extrapyramidal symptoms were present, and only 9% were without symptoms. Severe poisonings in adults were almost all due to suicidal ingestion, while in children low to moderate doses of different neuroleptics caused severe poisoning in 13 cases, with coma, convulsions and most often with acute dystonic reactions. In 30 cases of neuroleptic ingestion more than one drug was involved. The usual combinations were with other neuroleptic or psychoactive drugs such as benzodiazepines, biperiden, carbamazepin and antidepressants. Therapeutic measures were gastric emptying in 32% of cases, biperiden when dystonia was present but only after consultation with the Centre and with 12-14 hours delay, and supportive treatment in all symptomatic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Paracetamol poisoning--case report].

A case of paracetamol poisoning in 17-month-old girl is presented. Clinical features and therapeutic procedures are described. Differences in paracetamol metabolism between children and adults are compared. Differences in the incidence of paracetamol poisoning between Croatia and USA are surveyed. The role of a physician in the education of parents and medical stuff on paracetamol toxicity is emphasized.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1995

[Secondary inactive pulmonary tuberculosis and non specific bronchial reactivity].

Bronchial reactivity to methacholine was examined in three groups of smokers (N = 93): subjects with secondary inactive pulmonary tuberculosis (TPI) 2 years after the beginning of treatment (N = 44); subjects with asymptomatic chronic bronchitis (N = 25) and healthy control (N = 24). Mean PC20FEV1 was 9.54 (SD 6.05), 11.12 (SD 5.42) and 13.74 (SD 4.7) respectively (tuberculosis vs control, p < 0.02). According to the arbitrary criteria for bronchial asthma, nonspecific hyperreactivity was present in 50% of subjects with TPI, in 37.5% of bronchitic patients and in 16% of control subjects. No difference was found with regard to PC20FEV1, the chemotherapeutic regimen (9 or 12 months of therapy), results of tuberculin test (normo and hyperreactive) and X-ray findings determined before the onset of treatment. Mahalanobis statistical analysis with respect to smoking index, basal ventilatory function tests and nonspecific bronchial reactivity grouped together healthy volunteers and subjects with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis apart from the group with asymptomatic chronic bronchitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Medical surveillance studies of workers exposed to low level benzene.

The paper presents th results of an investigation of haematotoxicity in workers exposed to low benzene concentrations. Forty-seven female workers in the shoemaking industry, exposed to solvent mixture and twenty-seven non-exposed controls were examined. Benzene concentrations in the working atmosphere ranged from 1.9 to 14.8 ppm. Significant differences in the levels of benzene in blood and phenols in pre- and post-shift urine between the exposed and control groups confirmed benzene exposure. Haemoglobin level and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration were significantly lower, and mean corpuscular volume was higher in the shoemaking workers than in controls. In the subgroup of shoemaking workers exposed to benzene concentrations of 5 ppm or lower, no differences in haematological parameters were found. In conclusion, exposure to a benzene concentration lower than 5 ppm does not appear to produce an increased level of abnormal haematological outcomes detectable in routine medical surveillance. The results of the study corroborate the present maximum permissible concentrations (5 ppm) as a protective limit preventing the onset of haematotoxic non-leukemogenic effects of chronic benzene exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Man, the environment and ozone].

Ozone is a naturally occurring gas, formed in the trimolecular reaction of oxygen atoms with molecular oxygen. Its strong absorption in the UV region provides protection from excessive irradiation of the Earth's surface. Occupational exposure to ozone involves electric arc welding, mercury vapour lamps, office photocopy machines, X-ray generators and other high voltage electrical equipment, water purification and bleaching. Ozone is the most abundant oxidant in the photochemical smog. The lung cell injury induced by ozone involves a complex biochemical mechanism which is due to free radical generation. Moderate exposure produces upper respiratory tract symptoms and eye irritation, severe acute exposure results in pulmonary oedema. Measurements of atmospheric ozone concentrations in Croatia began at the end of the 19th century; continuous monitoring has been carried out since 1975.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1993

Treatment of chronic wounds by means of electric and electromagnetic fields. Part 2. Value of FES parameters for pressure sore treatment.

Subjects with spinal cord injury are often distressed by pressure sores, which usually appear after prolonged pressure (wheelchair, bed) across the soft tissue which has already lost sensibility and has diminished microcirculation. The healing ability and its dynamics depend on the state of the subject's overall health. Consequently, evaluation of a particular treatment requires careful consideration of as many as possible of the parameters relevant to healing and an adequate criterion for assessing the state of the pressure sore. Bearing in mind these two circumstances, the results of a multicentre clinical study are analysed. The aim of the study was to test two hypotheses: first that healing is faster when sores are also treated by electric currents (ECs) (in addition to conventional treatment); and secondly that there exist differences in the efficiency of the treatment if direct or low-frequency pulsed currents (FES parameters) are applied. The data analysed show that pressure sores are likely to heal twice as fast when treated with low-frequency pulsed currents. EC seems to improve the healing rate in cases where the natural healing mechanisms of the body are not sufficient (chronic wounds, older subjects).

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Amniorrhexis lowers the incidence of positive cultures for group B streptococci.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the effect of amniorrhexis on cultures for group B streptococci. STUDY DESIGN: Intrapartum vaginal cultures for group B streptococci were obtained before and after rupture of membranes in 166 women; in addition, rectal cultures were obtained from the last 35 patients. RESULTS: Before rupture of membranes 49 of 166 (30%) of the vaginal cultures were positive for group B streptococci; only 28 of 166 (17%) remained positive after rupture of membranes (p = 0.0009). Similarly, before rupture of membranes 10 of 35 (30%) rectal cultures were positive, whereas only three of 35 (0.9%) remained positive for group B streptococci after rupture of membranes (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of positive genital cultures for group B streptococci is significantly lower immediately after rupture of membranes.

Amnion↗
PubMed1993

Miliary tuberculosis in pregnancy.

Although miliary tuberculosis is uncommon in pregnancy, it is difficult to diagnose when present and is often associated with a maternal history of intravenous drug abuse, malignancy, alcoholism, or human immunodeficiency virus infection. This article reports two antepartum cases of miliary tuberculosis without any of these risk factors. Bronchial washings for Pneumocystis carinii and HIV screening were negative for both patients. Acid-fast bacilli stains of the bronchial washing and ascitic fluid were also negative. Several weeks were required for ascitic fluid and bronchial biopsy Mycobacterium cultures to be positive. In contrast, acid-fast bacilli were seen within 24 hours in multiple sections of the delivered placentas. Confirming the diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis is an arduous process requiring a high index of suspicion. During pregnancy, pathologic examination of tissue obtained by placental biopsy may facilitate making an early diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

FES gait restoration and balance control in spinal cord-injured patients.

The status of gait restoration in spinal cord-injured patients by means of FES is reviewed and the main aspects are discussed. This introduction highlights the issues of balance control, stimulation sequence synthesis, and control of enhanced gait modes containing unbalancing. The use of statically unstable dynamic weight-transfer phases is important for enhanced gait modes. To show how this phase can be employed the mode of static balance currently used for FES-assisted four-point gait in paraplegic patients is discussed, and how this mode of gait can be converted to a semi-dynamic gait mode is described. The possibilities and consequences of such an approach are briefly discussed.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed1992

[Psychological methods in the evaluation of neurotoxic effects of organic solvents].

Organic solvents comprise a large and heterogenous group of chemical compounds and mixtures, largely belonging to volatile hydrocarbons. They are widely used in various industries. Long-term exposure to organic solvents as a cause of the central nervous system impairement has been subject of extensive epidemiological and clinical studies for years, especially in Scandinavia, but often with inconsistent results. In 1985 the World Health Organization published the criteria for the evaluation of neurotoxic effects of solvents that are now commonly accepted. The present paper provides a short review of the current state of knowledge in the field emphasizing the role of neuropsychological methods in assessing solvent toxicity.

Central Nervous System↗
PubMed1990

Symmetry of FES responses in the lower extremities of paraplegic patients.

Due to natural or artificial obstacles, gait is a less automatic and periodic process than it would appear when studying normal walking on the level. Pre-programmed functional electrical stimulation (FES) sequences, therefore, do not appear to be a suitable approach to the control of multichannel electrical stimulators in the restoration of paraplegic walking. Walking in paraplegic subjects must be, to a large extent, under voluntary control. To lessen the burden of this control, the symmetry of walking can be taken into account. Symmetric motion of the legs requires symmetric FES actuation. Symmetry of FES responses was studied in a group of 10 paraplegic subjects who had all undergone the FES training program. Recruitment curve, fatigue index and twitch delay were assessed. An average 80% symmetry was found in all parameters measured, thus allowing a reduction of complexity of control approach for FES locomotor aids.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Use of functional electrical stimulation in the rehabilitation of patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries.

When patients enter the Rehabilitation Centre a therapeutic electrical stimulation programme is immediately initiated. Three groups of patients were identified: (i) those in whom an improvement of both voluntary and stimulated muscle force was observed, (ii) those with an increase in stimulation response only, and (iii) patients in whom no effect of electrical stimulation training could be recorded. Isometric measurement of voluntary and stimulated knee joint torque revealed that in a great number of patients one leg was severely paralysed while the other leg was under sufficient voluntary control. Unilateral two-channel stimulation of knee extensors and the peroneal nerve was proposed as an orthotic aid for this group of patients. Exaggerated extensor tone was observed by assessment of spasticity around the knee joint. A two-channel peroneal stimulator was found to be a useful approach in order to inhibit this tone and thereby help the patients to initiate a step.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Enhancement of gait restoration in spinal injured patients by functional electrical stimulation.

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) was applied in 50 spinal cord injury patients in an effort to restore standing and walking. All patients in the program with lesions from T4-T12 were able to stand by means of FES. Walking, utilizing a four-channel stimulator, was accomplished by 25 patients with lesions in the range from T4-T12. These 25 patients represent approximately 5% of all spinal cord injured patients treated in the authors' rehabilitation facility during this time period. After using the stimulation in a home environment for more than three months, the number of patients who continued to use the stimulation for walking declined, and 16 patients remained ambulatory. The discontinuance of FES was mainly because of the time required to put on and operate the FES system and difficulties adapting to a new home environment and living situation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Posture switching for prolonging functional electrical stimulation standing in paraplegic patients.

The presently employed posture for Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) assisted standing in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients utilises the active locking of knee joints by tetanically stimulating the quadriceps muscle. The hip joints are in hyperextension and the ankle joints remain free. The upper limbs are used for balancing. This posture requires minimal corrective forces exerted by the hands, the weight is transferred across the legs, while very limited forward-backward sway is permitted. Knee jack-knifing may occur in the instance when the gravity knee bending moment exceeds the moment generated by the quadriceps muscle. Because of these effects and fatiguing of the M. quadriceps the standing time is short, lasting from several minutes up to an hour, depending on the condition of the patient's muscles. Cyclical FES with a duty cycle of 10-20 seconds (on/off) fatigues muscle considerably less. The use of different postures for standing requiring activation of different muscles permits the application of cyclical FES. The cyclic FES results in prolonging standing times by a factor of two to five. Utilising this improvement some patients can stand for up to five hours at a time. This functional achievement is comparable to the standing time of a normal man. The incorporation of the principle of posture switching also prolongs standing in patients with weak muscles, because of the possibility of cyclical coactivation of different synergistic muscle assemblies. It is shown that posture switching can be carried out automatically and that patients adapt quickly to it. In addition using co-contraction of two or three muscles with posture switching does further expand the range of suitable patients and improves standing with an increased permissible range of body sway. Also, the FES antigravity action obtained raises hopes for substantially improving FES induced reciprocal gait.

Electric Stimulation Therapy↗
PubMed1986

Lymph nodes of the neck: evaluation with US.

Ultrasound (US) proved highly effective for detection, localization, and delineation of enlarged lymph nodes of the neck. Infiltration of adjacent structures, specifically the common, internal, and external carotid arteries, and the neck muscles was reliably demonstrated. Benign and malignant lymph node enlargement could not be differentiated. US examinations changed the operative course of 56% of patients studied. In 41%, a more radical operative procedure was performed than was previously planned; in 14%, US demonstrated inoperability. Small-parts US is a very useful adjunct to current imaging techniques of cervical lymph node disease.

Humans↗