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Biomedical subjects

A Ferioli

Publications and source records attributed to A Ferioli.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Interference of manganese on neuroendocrinal system in exposed workers. Preliminary report.

The neurotoxic effects of Manganese (Mn) are well known, and are usually caused by high occupational exposure over long periods of time. The effects caused by low doses of this metal have been poorly evaluated. For this reason, we decided to evaluate neuroendocrinal tests in a group of 14 male workers employed in a ferrous-manganese foundry (exposed to Mn air concentrations within the TLV-TWA) and in 14 male control subjects, by analyzing FSH, LH, prolactin, and cortisol. The urinary Mn; prolactin, and cortisol levels were significantly higher in the worker's group. The preliminary results of this research seem to show that for exposure below the TLV, Mn can somehow interfere with the neuroendocrine system. In order to confirm the existence of these effects and to verify their possible correlation with the dopaminergic control system, further studies are necessary.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alteration of steroid hormone sulfation and D-glucaric acid excretion in lead workers.

The capability of lead to interfere with the first and/or second phase of enzymatic reaction of biotransformation has been investigated in ten lead workers and in ten controls by studying the steroid hormone sulfation and D-glucaric acid (GA) urinary excretion. No statistical differences have been found for the total amount of urinary steroids, whereas a decrease of about 50% was observed for the sulfated fraction in lead workers. The mean value for the GA excretion in the exposed subjects (1.8 +/- 0.7 mmol/mol creatinine) was significantly lower than in the control group (4.4 +/- 0.8 mmol/mol creatinine). In spite of the small number of investigated subjects, it can be hypothesized that an interaction of lead with sulfotransferase exists. The decreased GA excretion does not prove an altered activity of microsomal enzymes, although inhibition of microsomal activity following lead exposure was previously reported.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Pathology caused by microdoses of chemical substances].

Improvement in environmental conditions in industry is producing a progressive reduction in the dose of absorbed substances. This has repercussions on the work of the occupational health physician, who now has to face a new set of problems, problems which at the same time offer occasions for further research in risk assessment of chemical agents. The most obvious finding, which has perhaps been handled more systematically, concerns the change in occupational diseases, whence the need to extend designs and protocols of health surveillance. The expected effects of occupational exposure to low doses of a chemical fall within the category of what may be defined as long-term effects, carcinogenic effects and, above all, effects involving systems or apparatuses that are sensitive to low doses but over long periods, such as, for example, the immune and the reproductive systems. This new situation than has repercussions on biological monitoring: in the first place on the problem of setting reference values and on the study and control of confounding factors; secondly, on the predictivity of the biological indicators used. In some cases, in fact, the indicators of dose that the occupational health physician has learnt to use and on which his approach to prevention his based, proved to be no longer predictive in such new exposure situations.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behaviour of biological indicators of internal dose and some neuro-endocrine tests in aluminium workers.

The authors present the results of toxicological studies on aluminium from 1983 to 1988. In order to obtain reference values for serum and urine aluminium, 506 healthy adults, not occupationally exposed to the metal, residing in the Brescia area were studied. The following values were obtained: AlS = 5.8 +/- 2.9 micrograms/l; AlU 11.9 +/- 4.3 micrograms/l. The AlU and AlS values did not differ in relation to age, sex, alcohol consumption, smoking habits and residence, contrary to what has been found for some metals determined in the urine and/or blood of the same subjects. In a group of 227 subjects with occupational exposure to aluminium within the range 0.1-1.0 mg/m3, the mean levels of AlU were higher than that of the reference population; however the AlU of the workers were generally lower than 20 micrograms/l which is the upper limit for the reference population; 4 workers who were under treatment with antiacid preparations showed AlU values higher than 150 micrograms/l. Seven workers exposed to atmospheric aluminium concentrations around the TLV-TWA had higher AlU values at the end of their shift on all working days and on Friday morning the values where higher than those encountered on Monday morning. On the other hand no daily and weekly fluctuations were evident for AlS. For 14 workers the relationship between AlU and AlS values were examined in three subsequent periods after the start of working activity. Considering the same values of AlU, it was observed that the AlS increased with the duration of exposure. These results seem to indicate that AlU could be considered as indicator of current exposure and AlS as an indicator of cumulative exposure. Neuroendocrine tests were performed every 6 months in 21 workers after they had been hired. PRL and TSH values were reduced after 1 year of work and were still reduced 6 months later. Further analyses showed a different behaviour: in fact the levels of the two hormones rose above the reference values, while the HGH and other gonadotropins showed no alterations. These results seem to indicate that at the start of exposure to aluminium concentrations below TLV-TWA there is an effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis. This phenomenon is probably transient perhaps because of an adaptation mechanism. Further studies are however necessary to verify these results.

Aluminum↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Paraquat-induced acute dermatitis in a child after playing with a discarded container].

The improper use of pesticide waste containers is a significant risk in rural areas, especially where appropriate systems of draining off refuse are lacking. A case is reported of an eight-year-old child who had played with the abandoned Paraquat container. After contamination with the pesticide she showed several II degree caustic lesions on both thighs and knees, associated with a mild erythemato-desquamative cheilitis and a "strawberry tongue". Common laboratory findings did not reveal any kidney, liver and/or red/white cell alterations and the chest X-ray was normal even several months after the accident. No physical consequences ensued, except for hyperchromic pigmentation on the legs. Where empty pesticide containers are not properly collected, they can represent a risk of pesticide exposure for the general population. They can also be a potential source of pollution for superficial water and soil. In the district where the accident was reported it was estimated that empty containers made up 7% of the weight of the 146,330 kg of pesticides sold to local farmers in 1993, of which about 10,400 kg was burned, buried and dispersed in the soil. Within the framework of a global pesticide prevention programme launched by the Regional Government of Lombardy, local health authorities, with the contribution of farmers, are carrying out a project for the proper collection of empty pesticide containers.

Acute Disease↗