Atmospheric concentrations of volatile, halogenated hydrocarbons (VHH) can be correlated with intensity of industrial or commercial activities and with demographic density. Measurements of VHHs were performed in Turin, Italy. The VHH indoor/outdoor contamination ratio was calculated, and VHH blood concentrations were measured during 1 yr in Turin, Italy. The results showed a typical primary pollutant trend: 18.1 micrograms/m3 during winter and 12.02 micrograms/m3 during summer. During the winter, the VHH indoor/outdoor contamination ratio showed a greater indoor presence (p = .0006) and a higher VHH blood concentration (0.71 vs. 0.22 micrograms/l). The indoor and outdoor atmospheric VHH concentrations provide the major sources of human daily intake, especially during winter.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Platelet activation and fibrinolysis in large bowel cancer.

Four coagulation indices [fibrinopeptide A (FpA), X degradation products (XDPs), platelet factor (PF4), beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG)] were assessed in 38 patients affected by large bowel cancer at different stages before surgery, 7 and 30 days after it, to evaluate the capacity of such neoplasia to influence coagulation. The reported study showed that (1) FpA levels were elevated in nearly all cases both before and after surgery (thus it is a useful index for the diagnosis of such neoplasia, although its levels are not influenced by the presence of metastases), (2) increased levels of XDPs were found in a significantly (p < 0.05) higher percent of patients 7 days after surgery (no significant differences were observed in relation to the cancer stage), (3) PF4 levels were in the normal range throughout the study, and (4) beta-TG levels were increased throughout the study in a high percentage of cases. It may be inferred that large bowel cancers may affect coagulation in either way(s), by triggering platelet activation and/or fibrinolysis. The most useful index for the diagnosis and follow-up of this neoplasia is FpA, although its levels are unaffected by the presence of metastases. The comprehensive evaluation of the four above-mentioned coagulation indices may give rise to the suspicion of large bowel cancer.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Analysis of some hematological parameters and variables connected with drinking and smoking in relation to subclinical blood lead values].

Long-term investigation of the mechanisms involved in the uptake of lead and its effect on the body is referred to. The relation between smoking, drinking and some blood parameters and blood lead and Ala-dehydrase is examined. A close connection between blood lead and alcohol, but not smoking, was noted, whereas both variables led to marked inhibition of Aladehydrase. A model for the relation between alcohol and blood lead was sought. There was a significant relation between Ala-dehydrase activity and the red cell count; this was corroborated by further statistical analysis and observation of increased globular values.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome with minimal glomerular lesions in children (author's transl)].

Minimal glomerular changes were found in 80% of the cases of nephrotic sindromes in children. 5 groups can be separated under light microscopy. Electron microscopy always shows foot processes fusion. 80% of the children show edema, one third has transient hematuria, proteinuria is selective for small molecules, plasma B 1 C globuline levels are normal. According with the International Study of kidney disease in children, prednisone therapy gives positive results in 84% of all cases (Early responders) but many of them relapse (Frequent relapsers); the long-term prognosis with steroid is poor in the majority of cases. Cyclophosphamide therapy (2,5-3 mg/kg/die for 6 week and for a maximum of 60-80 days) gives better results and lesser relapses, but caution is needed because of an higher toxicity.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Presence of aflatoxin in products intended for human consumption: the choice of methods and the results obtained].

The contamination of food resources by aflatoxin is a major problem for those countries where the meteorological and sanitary conditions allow the growth of Aspergillus Flavus and the contaminated food is not discarded because of the critical economical and social situation. However this phenomenon is also recorded in those Nations where the environmental and meteorological conditions are not favourable to Aspergillus Flavus growth. In Europe it has been possible to measure low aflatoxin (M1) concentrations in milk destined to humans. This kind of contamination may represent a source of chronic exposure to an important risk factor for hepatocancerogenesis. In Italy an appropriate law regulating the maximum aflatoxin concentration in the food destined to human nutrition is lacking, therefore the purpose of this paper is to contribute to the knowledge of a possible human exposure from the milk consumed in the Turin area (north western Italy). The results obtained display a lower (but more diffused) contamination in milk sampled after processing treatments (1.9-15 ppt), than in raw milk (5.3-94 ppt). Moreover it has been possible to show a positive relationship between dry animal feed and aflatoxin concentrations in milk.

Aflatoxins↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Acid fog: hygiene and health observations correlated with an aspect of atmospheric pollution].

In the last years the interest about acid depositions has been shifted to heterogeneous phase reactions and, particularly, to occult precipitations (fog, mist, ecc.). It is very improbable that some kind of human health hazards could derive from acid rain exposure. Instead, the human exposure to acid fog could represent a possible respiratory vehicle for the assumption of acid pollutants as well as of many other pollutants. This last assertion can be supported by the following considerations: 1) Fog may represent an important chemical reactor that can modify the nature of pollutant material in the atmosphere (acidification and other events). 2) Fog is formed near the ground where pollution sources are located so that pollution is the heaviest. The fog water droplets coalesce around preexisting aerosol which is most highly concentrated near the ground (cities and industrial areas). Since fog water droplets contain muc less water than rain drops, they do not dilute the acidity as much as rain. 3) Finally, fog is partially inhalable. In certain areas of the world, wet deposition by fog can be important to the human health, even if the acqueous concentrations of fog droplets, the acidity per volume of air and the acid deposition rate are all important factors to consider. Particularly the pH of fog does not tell the whole story, but it represents a sufficient information about the severity of the atmospheric situation that can be correlated to seriousness of human risk.

Acid Rain↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Collective exposure to secondary pollutants. Origin, chemistry, environmental cycles, impact on urban and rural atmospheric contamination, criteria for prevention].

Consequently to a bibliographic review, the Authors confirm that aliphatic aldehydes are ubiquitous constituents of rural and urban atmospheres and that they are certainly important by-products in many kind of antropogenic combustions (primary sources) as well as important intermediates in a wide variety of tropospheric chemical processes (secondary sources). The results of the monitoring of atmospheric aliphatic aldehydes in Turin city (north western Italy), during one year, are reported. The dynamic presence and concentration of aldehydes (mainly formaldehyde and acetaldehyde) is always limited below 100 ppb, however variable in the time. The results of our work point out the main role of photochemical processes during the summer, since the summer data well correlate with solar irradiation, ground temperature and relative humidity. During the winterthough it has not been possible to compare our data with other atmospheric pollutant (CO; NMHC), it is presumable a major role of primary sources in generating the atmospheric aldehydes. Without forgetting the irritant, mutagenic and cancerogenic properties of some aldehydes, we can assume that the next qualitative gasoline modification in 1991, according to the E.E.C. directive (8/5210/E.E.C. 20/3/1985), could cause an atmospheric aldehyde increase followed by a human risk increase.

Air Pollutants↗