Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4)
Laboratory virology - diagnostic or testing service?
Madeley C.R.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):217-222 
Community social alarm network in Slovenia
Premik M., Rudel D.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):223-225
The article deals with a case report on the technology transfer of the Lifeline community social alarm system to Slovenia. The main reason the project was initiated is the ageing of the Slovenian population (11% of the population is 65 or over). With this system we intend to support the public's wish to allow the elderly to remain in their own homes for as long as possible instead of placing them in institutional care. Between 1992 and 1995 the following results were achieved: the acceptability of the system in the social environment was increased; a pilot control centre in Ljubljana was established and has been operational for two-and-a-half years;...
Pattern of inhalation exposure: blood levels and acute subnarcotic effects of toluene and acetone in rats
Frantík E., Vodicková L., Hornychová M., Nosek M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):226-232
Solvent blood concentrations and subnarcotic effects (inhibition of electrically evoked seizures) were measured in rats exposed to constant or fluctuating air concentrations of toluene or acetone. A 4 hour exposure of resting rats to toluene at an air concentration of 1 and 2 mg/l, or to acetone at 4 and 10 mg/l, led to blood levels of 6.7 and 12.8 mg/l of toluene, or 183 and 520 mg/l of acetone: seizure inhibition amounted to 18% and 40+, or 10% and 50%, respectively. Blood level and effect attained 1/2 of the final values after 40 min and 60 min of exposure to 2 mg/l toluene, respectively, and dropped to 1/2 70 min and 90 min after exposure cessation:...
Exposure to lead and human health in the Czech Republic
Bláha K., Bencko V., Cikrt M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):233-241
The aim of presented review is to address the most relevant issues related to the health effects caused by the human exposure to lead, as they have been recognized in Czech Republic in the period of 1992-1994 within the framework of the National Integrated Programme on Environment and Health (NIPEH) approved in 1992 and supported by WHO-European Centre for Environment and Health (WHO-ECEH), Bilthoven, The Netherlands and by the Government of the Netherlands. Basic sources of environment exposure to lead are identified and the fate of lead in the individual compartments of the environment is discussed. Relevant methods used for the exposure evaluation...
Immunological studies on human larval toxocarosis
Uhlíková M., Hübner J., Kolárová L., Polácková M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):242-245
The aim of the study was to characterize the antiparasite humoral response in patients with the syndrome of visceral larval toxocarosis. Specific IgG, specific IgE and total IgE immunoglobulins against Toxocara canis excretory/secretory antigens (TES) were detected by using ELISA technique. Antibody response was studied in complete sera as well as in immunoglobulin fractions (IgG and IgE), isolation of which was performed on Protein A Sepharose. It was observed that removal of IgG from the serum samples resulted mostly in increasing levels of anti-Toxocara IgE antibodies what agrees with the theory of the blocking effect of IgG in the immune response....
Model of multiple exposure to contaminants in monitoring the environmental impact on population health
Kliment V.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):246-249
The model study is focused on possibilities of comprehensive evaluation of the multiple exposure of humans to selected inorganic contaminants (arsenic, cadmium, lead, zinc) monitored within the subsystems of the monitoring the environmental impact on population health (inhalation and ingestion exposure from air, drinking water and foodstuffs and biological monitoring). The mean daily intake of contaminants of average adults is assessed using the monitoring and literature data. The exposure balance showed that the total intake of individual contaminants studied did not exceed the limit values given by the exposure standards (acceptable daily intake)....
Environmental health
Srb V., Tejral J., Smejkalová S., Fiala Z.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):250-251
A short history of the close connections between human health an ambient environment (environmental health) in the global and national (Czech Republic) sense is presented. Concrete tasks and prospects for the near future are mentioned, including the human ecology education programme.
Lung function in children of upper Silesian industrial zone, Poland: results of the cross-sectional study in two towns of different ambient air pollution levels
Zejda J.E., Skiba M., Mensink I.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):252-256
In two groups of children aged 7-9 years residing in two towns in the most industrial region of Poland, Chorzów (C - "higher air pollution") and Mikołów (M - "lower air pollution"), lung function testing was performed in a cross-sectional manner in order to examine if the spirometric indices in children depended on the ambient air pollution level as assessed by area measurements. The between-town difference in ambient air quality was statistically significant with respect to particulate and gaseous pollutants (SO2 and NO2). In Chorzów 855 and in Mikołów 356 children were studied. Both groups (C and M) were similar in terms of sex, age, height and weight....
"Know and improve your health": symbiosis of preventive project and preventive medicine education at the medical faculty in Brno
Fiala J., Brázdová Z.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):257-262
At the medical faculty in Brno we succeeded in combining the public health improvement project with the practical education of preventive medicine of medical students. The project "Know and improve your health" should enable individual estimation of the risk factors in people involved and, most of all, effectively decrease the risks by individual modification of their lifestyle. Until now, 1.588 participants were examined in the framework of the project and 147 medical students were actively involved during their preventive care rotations. Among the identified risk factors, the most prevalent were low physical activity (79% females and 75% males),...
News and Notes
Pesticides and the immune system: the public health risks. Executive summary
Repetto R., Baliga S.S.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):263-265
Environmental aspects of the reuse of former military lands. NATO CCMS Pilot Study
Clark S., Bencko V.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(4):266-267