Background: Automobile spray painting is considered an occupation with a high risk of respiratory impairment and asthma. Exposure to organic solvents used for spraying might be of high risk for development of dysfunction in other organs.
Objective: The study was designed to evaluate the pulmonary and hepatic toxicity due to exposure of automobile painters to organic solvents in work places within the Baghdad governorate area.
Methods: Thirty cross sectional selected male workers employed in automobile body paint shops in two industrial areas within Baghdad city (Al-Sheikh Omar and Al-Rasheed camp regions) were recruited to the study during the period from March to May 2012. Thirty non-exposed students and employees in the college of pharmacy-University of Baghdad, age matched with workers, were included as control group. Pulmonary function test (PFT) was performed for all subjects using flow spirometry and blood samples were obtained for evaluation of serum transaminases (AST and ALT), in addition to serum levels of total bilirubin and albumin. The results were correlated with age of workers and duration of exposure.
Results: The results indicated significant decrease in PFT markers (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC and PEF) compared to control group, while liver function did not significantly affected. Correlation of the PFT markers with age and duration of exposure reveals non significant values.
Conclusion: Spray painting is an occupation which involves the risk of respiratory impairment and also confirms the need of regular medical examinations and implementation of appropriate measures to prevent adverse respiratory effects of workplace exposure in automobile spray painters.
The interaction of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICME) with each other and with co-rotating interaction regions (CIR) changes their configuration, dynamics, magnetic field and plasma characteristics and can make space weather forecasting difficult. During the period of March 20–25, 2011, the Solar Terrestrial Relation Observatory (
The growing demand for optical fibers is due to their superior the ability to transmit information with high efficiency and minimal loss across extensive distances. In this study, four optical fibers with core radii ranging from (2.05-5.05) μm, and with a numerical aperture of 0.1624 were analyzed. The modal properties of these fibers were calculated at a wavelength of 1030 nm using the RP Fiber Calculator software (free version 2025). Furthermore, the impact of increasing the core radius on these properties was examined. The results showed that multimode fibers are formed when the core radius is much larger than the wavelength used. In contrast, single-mode fiber is obtained when th
Background: Adipose derived-mesenchymal stem cells have been used as an alternative to bone marrow cells in this study. Objective: We investigated the in vitro isolation, identification, and differentiation of stem cells into neuron cells, in order to produce neuron cells via cell culture, which would be useful in nerve injury treatment. Method: Mouse adipose mesenchymal stem cells were dissected from the abdominal subcutaneous region. Neural differentiation was induced using β-mercaptoethanol. This study included two different neural stage markers, i.e. nestin and neurofilament light-chain, to detect immature and mature neurons, respectively. Results: The immunocytochemistry results showed that the use of β-mercaptoethanol resulted in
... Show MoreAqueous extract of poppy plant) Papaver nudicaule) with five concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250) mg/l were used to anesthetize fingerlings of the common carp Cyprinus carpio (Mean total length 8.91 ± 0.31 cm and mean total weight 7.72 ± 1.19 gm) instead of the traditional use of MS-222. Results showed that extracted solution of poppy have partial and overall anesthesia effect on these fishes with inverse relationship between the concentrations used and the time needed to reach partial and overall anesthesia, and also direct relationship between concentrations used and time needed for fish recovery. Best results were obtained by using a concentration of 250 mg/l, where time for partial anesthesia was 8 ± 1.52 m
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