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Experiments on outbred albino rats showed that subacute intoxication with organophosphorus compounds dimethyldichlorovinyl phosphate and malathion primarily decreased functional activity of Th1 lymphocytes, immune reactions associated with these cells, and interferon-g production compared to that of Th2 lymphocytes and interleukin-4 synthesis. Acrylic acid nitrile and methanol produced the opposite effect. Sulfur mustard and sodium arsenite were equally potent in reducing the function of Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes and production of cytokines.

Three university students were exposed to toxic vapours (acryloyl chloride 96% and methacrylic anhydride 94%) in a laboratory accident. They all gave a history of minimal exposure and presented with mild symptoms. One patient died on the same day. The other two cases were uneventful. This paper reports on these three cases, followed by a discussion on irritant gas intoxication.

Increasing amount of fructose-1-phosphate aldolase activity in rat blood serum and induction of chromosomal aberrations in rat bone marrow cells were observed after injection of acrylamide. The cytotoxic activity of acrylamide in rat depended on the dose. Methylmethacrylate and butyl methacrylate demonstrated no such activity.

Eight men employed in the manufacture of ultraviolet cured inks developed allergic contact dermatitis predominantly on the exposed areas. Patch testing revealed sensitization to trimethylol propane triacrylate in seven employees, to 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate in six employees, to pentaerythritol triacrylatylate in four employees and to epoxy acrylate oligomers in three employees. Either cross-sensitization or concomitant sensitization may have accounted for the multiple reactions in several employees. One sensitized employee was patch tested with four different commercially available epoxy acrylate oligomers and reacted only to two, suggesting that variations possibly in chain length between these oligomers are important variables in the allergic reactions. The polyfunctional acrylic monomers and certain epoxy acrylate oligomers should be handled carefully to avoid the development of allergic contact dermatitis.

100 female and male white rats were treated with acrylnitrile using 4 various dosages. It was our practice to give orally acrylnitrile in physiological sodium chloride solution by probang, and the treatment was continued for 69 days from Monday to Friday in the week. After the treatment with acrylnitrile from the 70th day the animals were killed in intervals. Blood of orbital venous plexus was analysed by electrophoresis for determination of serum proteins, and organs were investigated histologically. It has been shown that of all organs the greatest alterations have been found in livers, kidneys and lungs. Taking by surprise our studies indicated that the application of 1/16 LD50 acrylnitrile dosage cause greater morphological damages in liver than those applications of higher concentrations in other groups.

Nerve conduction velocity and the amplitude of nerve and muscle action potentials have been measured in the median and anterior tibial nerves of normal adult and infant baboons. The effect of altered temperature on velocity has also been investigated. Seven adult baboons were intoxicated with acrylamide. In animals given 10-15 mg/kg/day, the gradual development of a peripheral neuropathy was accompanied by a decline in the amplitude of both muscle and nerve action potentials. There was also a gradual fall in conduction velocity. In some cases maximal motor velocity in the median nerve fell by as much as 34%, and in the anterior tibial nerve by as much as 49%, the largest falls being seen in animals showing the greatest reductions in response amplitude. Histological studies, reported elsewhere, have shown that the main pathological change in our animals was a degeneration of the peripheral nerves, with little demyelination. Fibre diameter histograms indicated that large fibres were particularly severely affected, and it seems likely that the reduced maximal conduction velocities were due to this selective loss of large-diameter fibres.