The aging population worldwide is facing a significant increase in age-related non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular and brain pathologies. This comprehensive review paper delves into the impact of the exposome, which encompasses the totality of environmental exposures, on unhealthy aging. It explores how environmental factors contribute to the acceleration of aging processes, increase biological age, and facilitate the development and progression of a wide range of age-associated diseases. The impact of environmental factors on cognitive health and the development of chronic age-related diseases affecting the cardiovascular system and central nervous system is discussed, with a specific focus on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke, small vessel disease, and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). Aging is a major risk factor for these diseases. Their pathogenesis involves cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging such as increased oxidative stress, impaired mitochondrial function, DNA damage, and inflammation and is influenced by environmental factors. Environmental toxicants, including ambient particulate matter, pesticides, heavy metals, and organic solvents, have been identified as significant contributors to cardiovascular and brain aging disorders. These toxicants can inflict both macro- and microvascular damage and many of them can also cross the blood-brain barrier, inducing neurotoxic effects, neuroinflammation, and neuronal dysfunction. In conclusion, environmental factors play a critical role in modulating cardiovascular and brain aging. A deeper understanding of how environmental toxicants exacerbate aging processes and contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, VCI, and dementia is crucial for the development of preventive strategies and interventions to promote cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health. By mitigating exposure to harmful environmental factors and promoting healthy aging, we can strive to reduce the burden of age-related cardiovascular and brain pathologies in the aging population.

Health professionals who had been working in different health care units and who were chronically exposed to cytostatic drugs were examined during the last 25 years. In their working area of the oncology outpatient and hospital units cytostatic drug exposure regularly exceeded safety limits due to the lack of proper safety devices. Their health condition was annually investigated by clinics, and it was found that they developed more hematological, immunological and reproductive alterations. In the present study we assessed changes in immune phenotypes based on the CD4/CD8 T-cells ratio, B and NK cell percentages measured by FACS methodology. The investigations were carried out in 550 subjects exposed to different cytostatic agents in oncology departments. Data were compared to age matched 83 healthy and non-exposed female controls. Biomarkers were measured by routine clinical laboratory tests, completed with immune phenotyping and measured in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Health personnel exposed to different agents showed increased ratio of CD4/CD8 T-cell and a decrease in activated T-cells. Beside these parameters we found an elevation of B-cells and a decrease in NK-cells. Within the exposed groups smokers showed even stronger decreased NK-cell counts compared to non-smokers. These changes in immune-phenotypes may give us a new biomarker immune suppression of PBL-cells among nurses after toxic exposures in their working environment.

A considerable number of patients arriving in dental offices are being treated with ongoing medication for a variety of chronic diseases. As a result, dentists must be familiar with the potential side effects these therapeutic agents may have on the tissues of the oral cavity, and in particular on the salivary gland. Salivary gland function may be altered by a wide range of medications, leading to effects such as xerostomia, hyposalivation, hypersalivation or even swelling of the glands. These disorders can cause a variety of other health complications. This review will focus on the most common groups of drugs responsible for salivary gland dysfunction, including psychoactive drugs, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antihypertensives, and antihistamines.

Abstract: Toxicology is a science of poisonings by xenobiotics and endogenous physiological changes. Its empiric roots may be traced back to the emerging of the human race because the most important pledge of our predecessors’ survival was the differentiation between eatable and poisonous plants and animals. In the course of social evolution, there were three main fields of using poisons: 1) hunting and warfare, 2) to settle social tensions by avoiding military conflicts through hiding strategy of eliminating enemies by toxic substances, 3) medicines applied first as anti-poisons and later by introducing strong substances to defeat diseases, but paradoxically active euthanasia is also a part of the whole story. The industrial revolution of the 19th century changed the sporadic occupational diseases to mass conditions. Later the chemical industry and subsequently the mass production of synthetic materials turned out as a global environmental catastrophe. This latest change initiated the emerging of ecological toxicology which is a future history of the concerning ancient science. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(3): 83–90.

Toxicology is a science of poisonings by xenobiotics and endogenous physiological changes. Its empiric roots may be traced back to the emerging of the human race because the most important pledge of our predecessors' survival was the differentiation between eatable and poisonous plants and animals. In the course of social evolution, there were three main fields of using poisons: 1) hunting and warfare, 2) to settle social tensions by avoiding military conflicts through hiding strategy of eliminating enemies by toxic substances, 3) medicines applied first as anti-poisons and later by introducing strong substances to defeat diseases, but paradoxically active euthanasia is also a part of the whole story. The industrial revolution of the 19th century changed the sporadic occupational diseases to mass conditions. Later the chemical industry and subsequently the mass production of synthetic materials turned out as a global environmental catastrophe. This latest change initiated the emerging of ecological toxicology which is a future history of the concerning ancient science.

Background: Health professionals chronically exposed to anesthetic gases in the operating rooms are at higher risk of lung diseases, hematological, immunological and reproductive alterations. Anesthetic gas exposure often exceeds the safety limits, especially in the case of pediatric anesthetists, or when no proper ventilation has been installed in operating theaters. In the present study we assessed the health risk among anesthetics exposed nurses and measured genotoxicological parameters in the presence or absence of confounding factors such as smoking. Methods: The investigations were carried out in 128 subjects exposed to anesthetic gases from health services. The data were compared to 137 healthy, non-exposed controls. The measured biomarkers were: clinical laboratory routine tests, completed with genotoxicological (chromosome aberrations and sisterchromatid exchange, DNA repair and apoptosis) monitoring system. The exposed group was divided into Halothane and Non-Halothane exposed subgroups to compare the differences within exposures. Results: In the group of health personnel exposed to anesthetic gases, we did not find significant changes in the frequency of chromosome aberrations. Sister-chromatide exchange rates in Halothane exposed and control smokers was increased, compared to nonsmokers. We also found a decrease of apoptosis and inhibition of UV induced DNA repair capacity compared to controls. The exposed individuals had high incidences of malignant diseases (9.3%) mainly breast, skin, and colon cancers. Conclusion: Low level of cytogenetic changes may be related to the decreased apoptotic rate of peripheral blood lymphocytes due to the low risk of misrepair from a decreased DNA-repair capacity. Our results suggest that our biomarkers can be useful in tracking occupational/environmental genotoxic effects among anesthetic gases exposed personnel.

Introduction: More than half of the Hungarian population is overweight or obese, therefore, non-alcoholic fatty liver is a common problem. According to clinical experience, 20–30% of fatty liver cases is not related to alcohol, but can be linked to diabetes, obesity or metabolic syndrome. Aim: The authors studied the correlation between genotoxicity, immuntoxicity and non-alcoholic fatty liver among oil refinery workers. Method: During this genotoxicological monitoring study the data of 107 exposed were compared to 67 controls. Results: 36% of oil refinery workers had non-alcoholic fatty liver, while none of the selected, non-exposed controls had this abnormality. Chromosomal aberrations were elevated from 1.6% to 3.75% in the exposed group, immunotoxicological parameters were also changed, and CD71 positive B-cell ratio increased especially among subjects having non-alcoholic fatty liver. Conclusions: Non-alcoholic fatty liver can negatively influence the genotoxic effects of environmental hazards in workplaces. In the future this condition should be considered during risk assessment. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(35), 1394–1402.

Absztrakt Bevezetes: A magyarorszagi felnőtt lakossag tobb mint fele tulsulyos vagy elhizott, amelynek hatranyos kovetkezmenye a zsirmaj kialakulasa lehet. Az esetek 20–30%-aban nem alkoholos eredetű, hanem az elhizassal, cukorbajjal vagy metabolikus szindromaval fugghet ossze. Celkitűzes: Jelen dolgozatban az olajipari munkasok koreben fellelhető, nem alkoholos zsirmaj eseteit hasonlitottak ossze a kontrollokkal a gen- es immuntoxikologiai karosodasok fuggvenyeben. Modszer: 107 olajipari munkas adatait hasonlitottak ossze 67 felnőtt ferfi kontrollal. Eredmenyek: Az olajipari dolgozoknal az esetek 36%-aban volt jelen zsirmaj. A kontrollok csoportjaban sem zsirmaj, sem gentoxikologiai elteres nem volt. Az exponaltak koreben a citogenetikai parameterek pozitivitasa a kontrollhoz kepest szignifikansan emelkedett, amit a zsirmaj jelenlete tovabb fokozott. Az immunologiai parameterek kozul a zsirmajban szenvedő exponaltaknal a CD71-pozitiv, vagyis transzferrinreceptort hordozo B-sejtek aranya nőtt. Kovetkeztetesek: A nem alkoholos zsirmaj az ipari vegyi expozicioval egyutt kepes a gentoxikus es az immuntoxikus hatasok fokozasara, amit a munkaalkalmassag megallapitasaban es a kockazatbecslesben a jovőben figyelembe kell venni. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(35), 1394–1402. | Abstract Introduction: More than half of the Hungarian population is overweight or obese, therefore, non-alcoholic fatty liver is a common problem. According to clinical experience, 20–30% of fatty liver cases is not related to alcohol, but can be linked to diabetes, obesity or metabolic syndrome. Aim: The authors studied the correlation between genotoxicity, immuntoxicity and non-alcoholic fatty liver among oil refinery workers. Method: During this genotoxicological monitoring study the data of 107 exposed were compared to 67 controls. Results: 36% of oil refinery workers had non-alcoholic fatty liver, while none of the selected, non-exposed controls had this abnormality. Chromosomal aberrations were elevated from 1.6% to 3.75% in the exposed group, immunotoxicological parameters were also changed, and CD71 positive B-cell ratio increased especially among subjects having non-alcoholic fatty liver. Conclusions: Non-alcoholic fatty liver can negatively influence the genotoxic effects of environmental hazards in workplaces. In the future this condition should be considered during risk assessment. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(35), 1394–1402.

OBJECTIVE:Several biomarkers may be used to detect harmful exposure and individual susceptibility to cancer. Monitoring of biomarkers related to exposure may have a significant effect on early detection of cell transformation, thereby aiding the primary prevention of various chronic and malignant diseases. Nurses who handle cytotoxic drugs are exposed to carcinogenic agents, which have the potential to interrupt the cell cycle and to induce chromosomal aberrations. The presence of high chromosomal aberrations indicates the need for intervention even when exposure to these carcinogens is low.METHODS:Nationally representative samples of 552 nurses were investigated by a follow-up monitoring system. The measured biomarkers were clinical laboratory routine tests, completed with genotoxicological (chromosome aberrations [CAs] and sister chromatid exchanges [SCEs]) and immunotoxicological monitoring (ratio of lymphocyte subpopulations and lymphocyte activation markers) measured on peripheral blood lymphocytes. Results were compared to the data of 140 healthy, age-matched controls.RESULTS:In nurses exposed to cytostatics, we observed a significantly increased frequency of CAs and SCEs compared with those in the controls. Cytostatic drug exposure also manifested itself in an increased frequency of helper T lymphocytes. Genotoxicological and immunotoxicological changes, as well as negative health effects (i.e., iron deficiency, anemia, and thyroid diseases), increased among cytostatic exposed subjects.CONCLUSIONS:These results raised concerns about the protection of nursing staff from chemical carcinogens in the working environment.

Introduction: More than half of the Hungarian population is overweight or obese, therefore, non-alcoholic fatty liver is a common problem. According to clinical experience, 20-30% of fatty liver cases is not related to alcohol, but can be linked to diabetes, obesity or metabolic syndrome. Aim: The authors studied the correlation between genotoxicity, immuntoxicity and non-alcoholic fatty liver among oil refinery workers. Method: During this genotoxicological monitoring study the data of 107 exposed were compared to 67 controls. Results: 36% of oil refinery workers had non-alcoholic fatty liver, while none of the selected, non-exposed controls had this abnormality. Chromosomal aberrations were elevated from 1.6% to 3.75% in the exposed group, immunotoxicological parameters were also changed, and CD71 positive B-cell ratio increased especially among subjects having non-alcoholic fatty liver. Conclusions: Non-alcoholic fatty liver can negatively influence the genotoxic effects of environmental hazards in workplaces. In the future this condition should be considered during risk assessment.

INTRODUCTION:Environmental exposure to harmful chemicals may produce severe consequences.AIM:The aim of the authors was to perform geno- and immune-toxicological monitoring in female employees occupationally exposed to cytostatic agents in hospitals and compare the findings to those obtained from controls.METHOD:Altogether 642 women working in hospital who were occupationally exposed to cytostatic drugs and 262 control women participated in the study. Frequency of chromosome aberrations, immune phenotype and activation of lymphocytes, and the production of reactive oxygen-species in neutrophil granulocytes were determined.RESULTS:Markedly higher number (n=39) of thyroid alterations was observed among exposed subjects as compared to controls (n=3). In persons with abnormal thyroid functions, the frequency of chromosome aberrations (3.69%) was significantly higher (3.69%) than in exposed subjects without thyroid alterations (2.43%) and in controls (1.70% and 1.60% in control subjects with and without thyroid alterations, respectively). Significantly increased ratio of helper T lymphocytes and decreased ratio of cytotoxic T cells and transferrin-receptor (CD71) expressing B cells were observed in exposed subjects having abnormal thyroid functions as compared to controls. In addition, the ratio of B cells, CD71 expressing T cells and production of reactive oxygen-intermediates was significantly decreased in exposed subjects with thyroid alterations in comparison to exposed subjects without thyroid alterations.CONCLUSIONS:The results indicate increased geno- and immune-toxic effects among exposed subjects having thyroid alterations. Further data are needed to clearly establish the underlying pathophysiological mechanism of this finding.