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Biomedical subjects

G Franco

Publications and source records attributed to G Franco.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Behaviour of urinary D-glucaric acid excretion in surgical patients and anaesthesiology staff acutely exposed to isoflurane and nitrous oxide.

Liver function abnormalities have been observed in humans exposed to anaesthetics inhalation. Furthermore, experimental studies have revealed changes in microsomal enzyme activity caused by inhalation of a variety of anaesthetics. The study was designed to assess liver microsomal enzyme function by means of a simple non-invasive test, i.e., measurement of urinary D-glucaric acid (UDGA) excretion. Three groups of selected subjects were examined: (i) 20 patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery receiving an anesthetic mixture, (ii) 18 workers of an Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, occupationally exposed to anesthetics, (iii) 16 controls. Both in the patients and anesthesiology staff, the post-operative UDGA mean values were significantly increased compared to the pre-operative values. The study shows that the behaviour of UDGA excretion is similar in patients and in anaesthesiology staff. Although it is not possible to clarify the mechanism involved, this finding is regarded as a response of the liver to anaesthetics administration in patients and to both environmental pollution and occupational stress in hospital staff.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[An experimental study of a hypertext as an innovative teaching tool in learning about occupational risks].

Among innovative techniques, computer-assisted instruction methods and hypertexts deserve particular attention due to the increasing availability of educational software. A hypertext is not a specific programme, rather a type of programme: hypertexts provide different combinations of texts, pictures, graphs, tables, so that learners can browse through information according to their wishes. This study was performed with the aim of comparing two teaching techniques (1. browsing a hypertext with the assistance of a computer, and 2. attending traditional lectures) in the field of occupational and environmental risks for human health. The whole second-year course (21 students) of the School of Environmental and Occupational Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pavia, participated in the study. The experimental strategy consisted of 14 working sessions. Students were randomly assigned to 2 groups; one browsed the hypertext and the other attended the lectures. At the end of each session, students performed a 16-item multiple-choice test on the topic covered to assess learning levels. Each student was also requested to judge clarity, interest and usefulness on a 5-point scale. The performance of the students, expressed as a percentage of correct answers, showed that learning lectures is slightly more effective than learning from hypertext browsing. However, the chi 2-test revealed no significant differences between the 2 methods regarding performance when students with more than 75% correct answers were compared. Regarding acceptability of the techniques used, the students considered them equivalent as to interest and usefulness, whereas clarity of the lectures was slightly but significantly higher than the hypertext. Acceptability of hypertext browsing as a learning method was greatly appreciated. Most of the students considered their experience as highly positive: hypertext browsing was considered easy and amusing and the use of the computer for learning was judged most satisfying. Most of the students would like to have the possibility of learning at home, to repeat the experience and extend it to other disciplines. The negative characteristic of hypertext browsing was the "lack of human contact", which makes it impossible to widen knowledge.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Significance of Doppler echography of the external saphenous vein. A clinical comparison].

The role, and the importance of the short saphenous vein, too often relegated at the background, in varicose disorders of the lower limbs: the numerous variations of its termination and association with gastrocnemian veins disorders are source of therapeutics failure. The popliteal fossa is for the best clinician a trap, origin of therapeutic mistakes. It seems to us usefull to compare the conclusion of clinical examination and echo-Doppler investigation.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Specular crossed renal ectopia and balanic hypospadias in monozygotic twins].

The observation of a balanic hypospadia with chordee associated with a renal malformation in both of identical twins is reported. Monozygosity of twins was demonstrated with the study of ABO, MNS, HLA and RH factor systems. Urography, performed in both twins, showed a specular crossed renal ectopia with fusion. Abdominal ultrasounds, Chest-X-ray and barium meal showed no other abnormalities. After an analysis of the embryogenetic mechanisms of twinning, the Authors elaborate a hypothesis to explain the development of this specular renal malformation, never reported up to date in identical twins.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Ultrasonics and deep vein thrombosis. Ilio-caval level and the lower extremities].

All the important abdominal veins and limbs vein can be examined. The veins, in cross-section are rounded in repletion, (maximum normal vein caliber has reached when erect) almost flat in a state of vacuous-ness. The lumen normally echofree is limited by a wall thinner and less echogenic than the wall of adjacent artery. The parietal motions are rythmed by breathing. Venous blood flow can become echogenic, with weak echoes, as snow storm within the lumen. These phenomena are often visible in venous confluent and within the lumen below occlusion where there is sludge. In supine position deep abdominal veins, limbs veins until popliteal veins are easily seen. Below the popliteal fossa in prone position the veins are nearly empty and not visible beyond pathological circumstances. Objective studies demonstrated the inaccuracy of clinical diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis, echotomography (coupled with doppler) is among the non-invasive methods the most interesting, permitting to recognize venous occlusion complete or incomplete by clot but also compression by tumour or ganglion. The compression under the probe collapse the normal vein, but if there is clot inside, the compression become incomplete or impossible. The caliber of the vein is dilated also in supine position. The richest of venous clot in red cells in comparison with arterial thrombus make it more and earlier echogenic and more especially as the investigation is performed with high frequency probe. In the same way if the clot is floating its motions are put in evidence. Echotomography make usually difference between clot and neoplastic thrombus which is again more echogenic and also have special location. Echotomography permit to follow evolution ot venous thrombosis under treatment. The wall vein lesions after thrombosis are analysed showing thickening, destruction of the cups, dilatation of some veins while others are still obstructed.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Passive smoking: a risk factor in the home environment].

Recent studies of the health effects of air pollution have pointed out the importance of environmental smoke as a pollution source in household. Several studies showed that children or adults living with parents or other adults who smoke have an increased risk of several effects: respiratory illness in children, changes of respiratory function in children and adults, risk of lung cancer and risk of other cancer than lung cancer. A few epidemiological surveys have studied the relationship between passive smoking and lung cancer. The available epidemiological studies (10 case-control studies, and 3 prospective studies) have been identified and the results combined. There was a 35% increase of risk of lung cancer among nonsmokers living with smokers as compared with nonsmokers living with nonsmokers. However, adjustments due to some degree of misclassification of some nonsmokers who may be still exposed to other people's smoke, increased the risk, which was thus estimated as 53%. Furthermore, cancer risk deriving from cumulative household exposures to cigarette smoke was evaluated. Overall cancer risk increased progressively with the number of household members who smoked. These results were observed for both smoking-related cancer and other sites cancer. Finally, although some of these results need to be confirmed, recent views believe that sufficient evidence is provided that breathing other people's tobacco smoke cause health impairment and lung cancer.

Climate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Chronobiology and industrial medicine: approach to the evaluation of the toxicological risk in occupational exposure to xenobiotics].

The recent interest of occupational medicine for chronobiology has been mainly devoted to the fields of energy expense and nutrition, work performance, social and work organization. However, experimental studies of chronotoxicology have showed that the effects of noxious agents vary according to biological time of exposure, nature of toxic agents, and target organ. This fact indicates that the different responses to xenobiotics depend on the temporal variation of susceptibility, which represents a characteristic of each living species. In some instances, the biological differences of susceptibility have been regarded as a consequence of the different capability of the organs to biotransform the xenobiotics itself. Another aspect of chronotoxicology seems to be of great interest for the occupational toxicology. In fact, the evaluation of the toxicological risk in work environment is based, in addition to the environmental monitoring, on the measure of indices both of exposure and effect. Recently, it has pointed out the importance of the knowledge of the temporal behaviour of these indices to avoid misinterpretations of the results. These considerations may lead to a new and wider approach to the evaluation of environmental risk.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Production technology and use of composite materials in the aeronautics industry, risks and pathology in the manufacturing workers].

The type and applications of composite materials have increased greatly during the last forty years, particularly in the aircraft and aerospace industries. The foreseeable increase of the employment of composite materials in future needs an adequate engagement in finding out health risks involved with technological processes. Composite materials - considered as a close union between a continuous glass, aramid or carbon reinforcing fibre and a epoxy matrix - present several advantages over traditional materials. Structural epoxy adhesives are defined as complex formulated systems. By mixing a large number of ingredients a formulated resin is obtained, which represents the start of the production process for adhesive manufacture. The most important ingredients such as catalysts, accelerators, the groups of epoxy monomers and oligomers, additives most used and their role into the epoxy matrices are illustrated. Of the various technologies existing for the fabrication of aircraft structures the one so called "vacuum bag" is described. The knowledge of the chemical composition of the substances used in the production of composite materials and epoxy adhesives allows to verify the possible existence of hazard for workers health. Among the potentially dangerous chemicals, epoxy monomers and oligomers, catalysts, accelerators are to be considered. The metabolism and the mechanisms of toxicity of epoxides are summarized. However the toxic effects of most epoxides are far from being wholly investigated. In man epoxides ingestion, inhalation or absorption through the skin can lead to several toxic effects: irritation and sensitisation, alterations of liver and nervous function. Finally some epoxides are considered to be carcinogenic in animals and in man; however for many compounds, the results are not yet conclusive. From what it is said above come out the necessity of a careful sanitary control of the workers exposed to these hazards, control that is made difficult by the lack of adequate biological indices for the risks found.

Acrylonitrile↗