The populations of two Western Desert Egyptian oases have been studied for various genetic markers of the blood and some anthropological characters. Hb AS was found in 9%. Blood group frequencies were similar in both oases; 10.2% were RhD-negative, G-6-PD deficiency was found in 7.5 %; Gd^A had a frequency of 1 % in El-Kharga and 16% in El-Dakhla; PGDC was 5.5% in El-Kharga and 6.2 % in El-Dakhla. All individuals examined were homozygous for AK¹; acid phosphatase gene frequencies in El-Kharga were P^a = 0.1475, P^c = 0.0164, P^r= 0.0164; in El-Dakhla, P^a = 0.0667, P^c = 0.00, P^r = 0.0333; in El-Kharga the Hp gene had a frequency of 0.4415, Hpo-o = 8.29%; in El-Dakhla, Hp¹ had a frequency of 0.3245, Hpo-o = 3.39%. The information provided points to a mixture of Caucasian and negroid features in the populations studied. The negroid influence is more marked in the El-Dakhla oasis. Head measurements show that El-Kharga males reveal more Caucasoid stock and are closer to the Upper Egyptians than most populations of the neighboring oases.

Anthropological studies were done on 1276 Libyans from the Mediterranean cities of Tripoli and Benghazi, and from Sabha southward in The Sahara. The incidences of hemoglobin (Hb)-S and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency were low in the coastal areas and significantly high in Sabha. Hb-C occurred sporadically in Tripoli and Sabha, and was absent from Benghazi in the east. One case of Hb-J Benghazi was noted. There were no sigificant differences in the ABO blood group and Rh0 (D) type distributions in the three localities. G-6-PD gene GdAfrequency was significantly high in Sabha. The lowest value of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD) gene PGDA frequency and highest value of the gene PGDC were in Sabha. Adenylate kinase (AK) gene AK2 was only detectable in Tripoli. Acid phosphatase (AP) gene Pa frequency in Sabha was more than twice that in Tripoli and Benghazi, while pc was distinctly lower in Sabha than in the northern cities. Haptoglobin gene Hp1 frequency was almost identical in all areas. Anthropometric measurements revealed overall homogeneity of the three samples, closer similarity in the coastal region to adjacent North African populations, and Negroid influence in the Sahara Libyans. Anthropometry substantiated findings from blood markers.

Wood dust is known to be a human carcinogen, with a considerable risk of lung cancer. The increased cancer risk is likely induced through its genotoxic effects resulting from oxidative DNA damage. This study aimed at assessing the genotoxicity of wood dust and demonstrating the role of sputum PCR as a screening tool for early prediction of lung cancer among wood workers. The study was carried out in the carpentry section of a modernized factory involved with the manufacture of wooden furniture in Greater Cairo, Egypt. Environmental assessment of respirable wood dust concentrations was done. Frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CA%) and sister chromatid exchanges (SCE%) in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) was assessed and comet assays were performed in samples from among the study population (n = 86). Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzymes were measured. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to study hypermethylation of p16 and ̸or O-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) gene promoters in sputum DNA. The concentrations of respirable wood dust exceeded the Egyptian and international permissible limits with highest levels generated by sawing operations. Laboratory investigations revealed statistically significantly higher frequencies of CA and SCE as well as increased comet tail length associated with significant decrement in the levels of SOD and GPx among exposed group. A statistically significant elevation in the extent of hypermethylation was detected for the p16 and MGMT gene promoters in the sputum DNA of studied wood workers. The study results support the conclusion that prolonged unprotected occupational exposure to wood dust is associated with possible genotoxicity and oxidative stress that might raise the risk for carcinogenesis including lung cancer.

Objectives: The aims of the study are to measure the prevalence and level of occupational stress (OS) and to explore its association with oxidative stress among some brickfield workers. Methods: Eighty-six brickfield workers and 90 administrative controls were assessed using the Arabic validated version of the Occupational Stress Index. The urinary levels of oxidative biomarkers; 8hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and biopyrrins were also measured. Results: The prevalence of moderate and severe OS in addition to the urinary levels of both oxidative biomarkers was significantly higher among the brickfield workers compared with their controls. Both biomarkers levels were significantly and positively correlated with scores of Occupational Stress Index, duration of employment, and with each other. The receiver operating characteristic analysis showed significant specificity and sensitivity of both biomarkers for determining the level of OS. Conclusions: A significant association between occupational and oxidative stresses was detected in brickfield workers.