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Biomedical subjects

Z Roth

Publications and source records attributed to Z Roth.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

The study of exposure to cadmium in the general population. II. Morbidity studies.

An epidemiological study was performed to assess whether environmental pollution by cadmium as found in cadmium polluted areas of CSFR (Pribram and Frýdek-Mistek) is associated with changes in biological indicators of renal dysfunction in non-occupationally exposed population groups. Polluted areas were chosen on the basis of existing sources of Cd emission. The city of Prague was selected as a control area. Environmental monitoring (Cd in air, dust fall and soil) did not confirm significant contamination of selected areas. It was found that Cd levels in urine (Cd-U) of inhabitants living in areas chosen as Cd-contaminated were significantly higher than in the control area. Differences in concentrations of Cd in blood (Cd-B) levels between individual areas were not significant. No significant differences between the study populations were noted in the urinary excretion of low molecular weight proteins (beta 2-microglobulin, retinol binding protein) and albuminuria. However, total proteinuria and aminoaciduria in persons living in Pribram area was significantly higher. This area suffers from combined contamination by cadmium and lead. In smokers of both sexes the Cd-B levels were significantly higher in all areas, no significant differences were found in Cd-U levels. However, it was found that in smokers there is higher percentage of persons excreting more than 0.9 micrograms Cd.g-1 creatinine in urine. Consumption of home-grown vegetable and fruit in Cd-polluted areas led to significantly higher levels of Cd-B and Cd-U and total proteinuria. The results of the study show that smoking and food seem to be the most important sources of Cd intake in non-occupationally exposed populations. In spite of the fact that environmental monitoring does not reveal a significant contamination of selected areas by Cd, Cd-U levels confirmed that population living in these areas is really exposed to Cd.

Cadmium↗
PubMed1991

[Costs and benefits of screening for colorectal tumors using the Hemoccult test in asymptomatic individuals 45-60 years of age].

Screening of colorectal tumours by the Haemoccult test (HT) in asymptomatic subjects aged 45-60 years makes it possible to assess the diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma (CR-CA) in two-thirds of the affected subjects in Dukes stage A and B, as compared with one third of symptomatic patients of the same age group. The mean diagnostic and therapeutic costs related to the relative incidence of individual stages of Dukes staging of CR-CA in screened asymptomatic individuals and symptomatic patients are approximately equal. The analysis is not concerned with costs of care after surgical and supplementary treatment which are considerable in subjects with the advanced form of the disease. Its incidence is significantly higher in symptomatic patients. The mean expected productive age under 60 years is in symptomatic patients 2.604 years and in asymptomatic individuals 4.357 years. The mean national product assembled during this period is 468.720 Kcs and 784.260 Kcs resp. The difference in favour of one asymptomatic subject in the analyzed group is 38,495.880 Kcs. These facts fully justify further extension of screening programmes of CR-CA in our population.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1991

Prevalence of nosocomial infections in general surgery, orthopedic surgery and urological departments in the Czech Republic.

Two prevalence studies of Nosocomial Infections carried out in 1987 (based on 4479 patients in 64 general surgery departments and 1603 patients in 29 orthopedic surgery departments) and in 1988 (based on 1263 patients in 32 urological departments) are summarized. The prevalence rate of nosocomial infections (NI) in general surgery departments was 14.0%, in orthopedic surgery departments 8.0% and in urological departments 20.9%. The highest degree of risk of acquiring NI was run by patients above 60 years of age in urological and general surgery departments. Surgical wound infections in departments of general surgery accounted for 60%, in orthopedic surgery departments for 47% and in urological departments for 37% of all NI. The prevalence of wound infections amongst general surgical patients was 8.4%, amongst orthopedic surgical patients 3.8% and in urological patients 7.7%. The prevalence of urinary tract infections in general surgery departments was 14.4%, in orthopedic surgery departments 18.6% and in urological departments 51.6%. The problems discussed include the role of intrinsic and in-hospital risk factors and the involvement of pathogens responsible for the onset of NI.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed1990

[Low opening of the cystic duct and parapapillary diverticula--a new syndrome?].

The authors proved in a group of 1574 patients (706 men and 868 women) with adequate filling of the bile ducts on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) that parapapillary diverticula (PPD) are significantly more frequent (p less than 0.001 for both sexes when there is a low opening of the cystic duct, i.e. less than 5 cm above the papilla on X-ray pictures made during ERCP. In women with PPD and a low opening of the cystic duct concrements in the biliary system are significantly more frequent than in PPD with a normal opening (p less than 0.05). The increased incidence of PPD in cases with a low opening of the cystic duct in the authors' patients cannot be ascribed to their age. The low opening of the cystic duct may act as a factor interfering with evacuation of bile and facilitating the formation of hypersaturated bile. During concomitant PPD the low opening of the cystic duct can facilitate and potentiate the action of lithogenic factors known in PPD.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Epidemiology of bronchial asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity].

Prevalence of bronchial asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity (BH) was studied in a randomized sample of Prague 8 inhabitants aged 19 and over. The number of adults living in Prague 8 had been 90 458 by December 31, 1987. 8458 questionnaires had been sent to 5 randomly selected districts. Information mainly concerned with respiratory diseases was received from 89.9% persons. Cumulative prevalence (i.e. both contemporary and past) of bronchial asthma was 2.3% +/- 0.3% in both sexes. The cumulative prevalence calculated by way of direct standardization was slightly higher - 2.33% +/- 0.33% (men 2.33% +/- 0.5%, women 2.32% +/- 0.45%). The highest value of 3.6% was found at the age of 21-30 years. Evidence of BH was found in 75% cases of bronchial asthma by means of the inhalation histamine test. In adult population, the BH value was calculated on the basis of distribution of incidence in the healthy population and in persons with respiratory disease and the BH prevalence was found in each group. The BH in total adult population of Prague 8 was 13.7%. This is an alarming figure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Alcohol abuse and its psychosocial correlates in sons of alcoholics as young men and in the general population of young men in Prague.

A sample of 107 sons of alcoholics aged 22-33 is compared to a representative sample of 1,274 Prague men of the same age range with respect to alcohol abuse and its psychosocial antecedents and correlates. Data sources were cumulative records of alcohol abuse in health care files and interviews. The estimated relative risk of alcohol abuse for sons of alcoholics versus other men is about 3.5 with both registration and self-report criteria if a broad definition of abuse is adopted. If, however, serious registered abuse and/or medical treatment of alcoholism at or before age 22 is the criterion of abuse, the estimated relative risk is about 10. In both compared samples, father's low education, discontinued family socialization and undisciplined behavior in childhood were antecedents of abuse registered at or before age 22. Self-reported abuse in the 6 months before interview had similar psychosocial correlates in both samples (heavily drinking friends, a positive attitude to heavy drinking, etc.). In both samples about 40% began to drink regularly at 17 or earlier. However, early start of drinking led very frequently to early registered abuse in sons of alcoholics whereas no such contingency was observed in the general male population.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[The occurrence of early infections in surgical and orthopedic departments in Czechoslovakia].

The authors made an epidemiological analysis of early infections (EI) based on a prevalence study conducted in October 1987 in 64 surgical and 29 orthopaedic departments in the CSR, selected at random. A total of 4479 patients were examined in surgical departments, the prevalence of EI in 2415 operated patients was 15.6. In orthopaedic departments 1603 patients were examined, the prevalence of EI in 846 operated patients was 7.2. Early infections were analyzed with regard to the type of surgical wound, geographical distribution, type of operation and its duration, degree of inflammatory affection and time during the postoperative period when it developed. The analysis confirmed a more favourable position as regards EI in orthopaedic departments and indicated the main trends of the fight for their reduction.

Czechoslovakia↗
PubMed1989

Effects of ovariectomy on energy metabolism in exercising rat muscle studied by 31P-NMR.

The effects of ovariectomy on metabolism of high-energy phosphate compounds during and after exercise were studied in hindleg muscles of 14 rats. Sciatic nerve stimulation was used to establish different work loads, and the changes in inorganic phosphate-to-phosphocreatine ratios (Pi/PCr) were recorded by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in vivo. Four weeks after ovariectomy, there was evidence of significantly higher Pi/PCr during work at stimulation rates greater than 0.5 Hz. The slope for the stimulation rate-to-Pi/PCr relationship decreased from 1.98 +/- 0.15 to 1.36 +/- 0.2 Hz/Pi/PCr after ovariectomy. The normalized tension output of these muscles, tested separately using identical stimulation protocols, was not changed with ovariectomy. Thus the relationship between work (tension-time integral) and bioenergetic cost (Pi/PCr) suggested reduced maximal enzyme activity (Vmax) by 9-17% as a result of lack of ovarian sex hormones, but no change in Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) was found. Postexercise recovery was also significantly slower (3.27 +/- 0.54 PCr/Pi units per minute compared with 4.04 +/- 1.08 in controls). It is suggested that reduced levels of ovarian sex hormones decrease oxidative phosphorylation. Cytochrome oxidase activity was reduced in these muscles by 40%, but other mitochondrial enzyme systems may be affected as well. The possible significance of these data is the implication of a reduced capacity for menopausal women or amenorrheic female athletes to perform prolonged intensive exercise.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1989

Sniffing behaviour, copulatory readiness, copulatory performance and reproductive morphology of adult male rats weaned prematurely.

Sexual behaviour of adult male rats weaned prematurely--on day 15 after birth--and of males weaned at the optimal age--on day 28--was compared at two life periods: at the age of 90 days and when the males were one year old. Sexual behaviour was evaluated by means of three characteristics: a) sniffing behaviour, b) copulatory readiness, c) copulatory performance. The differences in sniffing behaviour between prematurely and normally weaned males were assessed in terms of their responsiveness to sccents of unrelated adult males or oestrous females and from the point of view of both housing conditions after weaning and the animals' sexual experience. No differences were found in copulatory readiness as well as in copulatory performance between the two groups of males tested in their interaction with a female exhibiting complete precopulatory pattern. The morphological examination revealed no differences in the weight of reproductive organs and in spermatozoa development. We conclude that the sexual behaviour as well as reproductive organs of male rats are very resistant to early separation of pups from the mother which contrasts with some earlier findings.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Continuous, graded steady-state muscle work in rats studied by in vivo 31P-NMR.

Theoretical consideration and experimental findings of 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) studies of exercising human muscle suggest that a graded, steady-state work protocol is highly suitable for performance evaluation in health and disease. We describe a similar rat model for repeated 31P-NMR studies that follows many of the 31P-NMR features observed in normal human controls. Calf muscles of rats anesthetized with chloral hydrate were indirectly stimulated at four frequencies (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 Hz). It was found that 1) several steady states can be briefly maintained in this model; 2) work-induced phosphocreatine (PCr) fall and inorganic phosphate (Pi) rise is stoichiometric; 3) a linear relationship between stimulation rate and Pi/PCr was obtained, with a slope of 2.01 +/- 0.4 (+/- 2SD, n = 15); 4) no significant drop in ATP was observed, allowing the estimation of phosphorylation potential (PP) changes during this range of muscle work (PP at rest was 61,603 +/- 25,100 M-1 and fell to 6,700 +/- 900 M-1 at the end of exercise); and 5) poststimulation recovery was rapid, with a rate of 2.27 +/- 0.5 PCr/Pi U/min. This simple model can be used for prolonged studies of chronic animal muscle disorders.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1987

Preliminary results of an epidemiological study of back pain in a Prague population.

The authors present the preliminary results of an ongoing epidemiological study designed to determine the prevalence of back pain at selected worksites of Czechoslovak State Railways and Avia Letnany, an industrial plant. Examination of a total of 1,555 subjects was conducted by a field team of health-care workers of the Research Institute of Rheumatic Diseases based in Prague. The examination included a detailed medical history, physical examination and, in some probands, the results of HLA B 27 antigen determination, and x-ray examination. Overall, the prevalence of back pain in the cohort was 67%, with 63% and 76% in men and women, respectively. First complaints of back pain are most frequently reported by subjects in their 20s and 30s. The highest prevalence rate was registered in persons aged 50. The pain, as a symptom of a broad spectrum of pathological states, was most often localized in the lumbar and cervical segments of the spine -- 71% and 32%, respectively. In terms of the professions studied, the lowest prevalence was found in a group of manual workers employed at some worksites of the AVIA factory, with the highest frequency of back pain observed in an inconsistent group of diverse jobs, mostly requiring minimal training. In the Discussion section, the authors compare their results with those reported by some other studies published abroad.

Adolescent↗