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Biomedical subjects

R Fonte

Publications and source records attributed to R Fonte.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Acute accidental poisoning by mercury vapors in the home environment].

The authors report 2 cases of acute mercury intoxication due to accidental breakage of barometer on to a lit gas ring. Within 24-48 hours the subjects developed neurological, gastrointestinal and dermatological symptoms. A 24-hour urine sample contained 600 and 400 micrograms of mercury per liter respectively (reference value 0.1-6.9 micrograms/L); blood concentration of mercury was 130 and 100 micrograms per liter (reference value 1.7-9.9 micrograms/L). The patients were treated with penicillamine and daily excretion of mercury was monitored. The residual sources of pollution in the kitchen were identified and bonificated.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1989

[Recent findings on the epidemiological and experimental aspects of the measurement of serum bile acids in occupational exposure to xenobiotics].

The functional activity of the liver and the variety of its responses to injury makes the choice of appropriate tests a difficult task. However, because of the highly efficient uptake of bile acids by the normal hepatocyte, the determination of serum bile acids (SBA) concentration has been proposed as a test to detect early changes of liver function not associated to cytotoxicity. Several studies of biomonitoring subjects occupationally exposed to hepatotoxic substances have been carried out by evaluating total SBA or primary SBA, as indicators of early liver dysfunction. Even though these studies are not completely comparable because of the different protocols adopted, most of them reveal a significant increase of SBA concentrations among the exposed subjects in respect of unexposed controls. Furthermore, higher prevalences of subjects exposed to organic solvents mixture with abnormal SBA concentrations in respect of controls have been observed. Increased serum bile acids concentrations among the subjects exposed to a variety of xenobiotics have been explained as a change in hepatocyte function, particularly in one of the steps involved in bile acids transport. However, the lack of any relationship between the indices of doses and SBA concentrations remains an important point to clarify. This fact could be interpreted as a consequence of the delayed biological effect responsible for increased serum bile acids during the exposure. As regards the nature of the mechanisms involved in the increase of SBA concentrations, recent observations pointed out that some chlorinated aliphatics were able to inhibit cell membrane ATPases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Occupational diseases: considerations on a clinical case series].

The authors examine cases of occupational diseases diagnosed between 1982 and 1988 in patients admitted to "Divisione di Medicina del Lavoro I Sezione di medicina del Lavoro del Dipartimento di Medicina preventiva, occupazionale e di comunità dell'Università di Pavia". The most frequent syndromes concerns the auditory apparatus (having losses or deafness due to noise) and the respiratory system, whereas new safety regulations have given rise to the disappearance of benzene-induced hematologic abnormalities. Most of, the "classical" features of occupational diseases have disappeared, since early diagnosis has permitted the adoption of opportune technical and sanitary measures. The authors emphasize the necessity for role of Occupational Medicine (ever following the sentences 179 and 206 of the "Corte Costituzionale") to be not prevention, but also diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation; therefore there is a need, all over the country, for adequate structures for the diagnosis and treatment of the occupational diseases.

Humans↗
PubMed1986

Serum bile acid concentrations as a liver function test in workers occupationally exposed to organic solvents.

Liver injury has long been associated with occupational exposure to a wide variety of chemicals. The controversial data existing in relation to hepatotoxicity of organic solvents might be explained as a consequence of the different exposures or it may well be that the tests used for evaluating liver function might not be sensitive enough to detect any mild changes at an early stage. To study liver function during exposure to solvent mixtures, we determined serum bile acid (SBA) concentrations as compared with conventional liver function tests in a selected group of workers (n = 30) occupationally exposed to a mixture of organic solvents (mostly toluene, xylene, acetone, n-butylacetate, n-butanol, ethylacetate) and in a reference group (n = 20). The mean levels of liver enzyme activities and bilirubin concentrations in the two groups were similar, whereas mean SBA levels increased in the exposed group (8.0 +/- 6.0 mumol/l vs 2.8 +/- 1.4 mumol/l) and the difference as compared with the controls was significant (P less than 0.01). In 73% of the exposed workers, SBA levels were higher than 5.6 mumol/l (the cut-off value) as compared with 5% of the controls. These results demonstrate the higher sensitivity in detecting liver dysfunction achieved with the SBA test as compared with conventional hepatic function tests. As increased SBA concentrations are considered to reflect an impairment of anion transport across the liver, higher SBA levels in the group of workers exposed to organic solvents might be explained as a slight and early sign of liver dysfunction. Therefore, SBA determination in biological monitoring of workers exposed to potentially hepatotoxic chemicals might be proposed.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Reference values of erythrocyte zinc-protoporphyrin in monitoring occupational exposure to lead].

On the basis of the determination of zincprotoporphyrin and blood lead levels in 290 subjects working in various industrial and service branches, not occupationally exposed to lead risk, reference values of erythrocytary zincprotoporphyrin are calculated (mean value 16.8 micrograms/dl, upper limit 32.4 micrograms/dl) and proposed to be adopted in biological monitoring of lead exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Health risks related to the use of coal as a source of energy].

Because of new increase of coal use as energy source, hazards for environment and human health of coal cycle are debated, from its extration to its combustion, taking particularly care of this last stage. At last specific hazard of coal power station workers are briefly discussed.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Early effects of exposure to anesthetic gases and vapors. A critical review on the suitability of several indicators of the effect].

Apart from a risk excess of liver disease among operating theatre personnel and of spontaneous abortion in women exposed during pregnancy, no definitive conclusion can be drawn regarding health impairment among anaesthesiology staff. However, many studies pointed out that several adverse effects occur as a consequence of experimental, therapeutic and occupational exposure to inhalation anaesthetics. This paper reviews the early changes of the organ systems (hepatobiliary, renal, cardiac, hematopoietic, reproductive systems; immunologic functions; cytogenetic effects), which are considered to follow anaesthetics exposure, to evaluate their possible use as biological indices of effect. The liver microsomal enzyme system has received particular attention with the aim of clarifying the mechanisms involved in anaesthetics hepatotoxicity. An increased microsomal enzyme activity was observed in experimental conditions and in humans. This inductive effect, which reflects metabolic changes affecting liver function, is commonly considered the earliest sign caused by exposure to several chemicals (other than anaesthetics) and may be evaluated by means of biomarkers, among which the measurement of urinary D-glucaric acid excretion is a well established non-invasive tool. Urinary D-glucaric acid excretion represents the most promising early metabolic effect of the exposure to anaesthetics. However, its measurement is not yet suitable as an index of effect for use in biomonitoring practice. The main aspects to be studied in the future are the following: (i) the evaluation of urinary D-glucaric acid excretion in the acute and chronic exposure to low-dose anaesthetics to check the existence of a dose-response relationship; (ii) the study of other parameters (urinary enzymes, immunological profile, chromosome aberrations) in selected groups of exposed and control subjects, in which both exposure and confounding factors (age, gender, life style, former diseases) as well as concomitant occupational exposures should be carefully taken into account.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Alcohol and work: comments on a clinical case load].

The relationship between alcohol and work was studied in a group of 260 voluntary patients (186 male and 74 female) admitted to the unit of Medicina del Lavoro, Pavia University for alcohol rehabilitation. The highest incidence of alcohol abuse was found in non-working subjects (pensioners, unemployed, housewives) although the start of excessive drinking takes place after beginning a working activity; a cause-effect relationship between these two factors can not be clearly determined, however. It is true that the stress provoked by this new condition (introduction to the work experience) can, in certain subjects, be a contributing factor in alcohol abuse. The increasingly lower age of initiation to alcohol reconfirms the need for prevention and instruction even at scholastic level.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Men and home environment: when the wife exercises an extra-familial activity].

The study examines the views of men towards the division of household duties when the female partner is employed outside the home. A variety of behaviour ranging from a complete refusal to participate in domestic activity to an equal division of household tasks is demonstrated. The main determining factors seem to be: socio-cultural level and age group. The woman's right to persue a career was recognized mainly by men in middle to upper social class in the 25-30 age group who participate in household duties. It is evident that, even in the case of domestic collaboration, women have the ultimate responsibility for household tasks. In that men tend to choose the more gratifying duties (es. cooking, child care).

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Thyroid function in bronchial asthma].

The Authors report the results of an investigation on association between bronchial hyperreactivity to metacholine in asthmatic subjects and subclinical dysfunction of the thyroid gland. Although the T4 and free T3 values were higher in the control group than in asthmatic patients, all the hormone dosage results were within the normal range. These findings show that asthma is not associated with changes in thyroid function.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Female alcoholism and household conditions].

Alcoholism in women, above all in housekeepers, tends to destroy both families and society. This kind of alcoholism is frequently based on neurosis and depression. Alcoholism in women is supposed to be caused by: genetic factors, psychological factors and social factors. Therefore these components are linked both to neuroendocrinology of female and the way of life of housekeepers.

Alcoholism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Hodgkin's disease and occupation].

In order to discuss the hypothesized existence of occupational risk factors in the etiology of Hodgkin's disease (HD), the available literature data are reviewed. The occupations most often considered to be at increased risk of the disease are woodworking, school teaching, hospital occupations and occupations entailing exposure to chemicals. The association between HD and employment in wood industry suggest that exposure to unknown occupational factors may play a role as etiologic agent in this disease. A number of chemical substances that are regularly used may be suspected as causative factors. There are many discrepancies among the results of the studies on the association between school teaching and HD. To date no certain conclusion may be drawn from the presented data. However it has been suggested that the reported excess risk for HD among teachers may be explicable by social class gradient for the disease. The existence of risk factors other than viral may explain the excess risk among physicians and nurses. Because of the characteristics of some highly reactive chemicals their etiologic role may not be underestimated. An association between HD and occupations entailing exposure to various chemicals (organic solvents, benzene, phenoxy acids, chlorophenols) was shown; however no definitive conclusion may be drawn. There are increasing findings that point out the importance of the association between some occupations and development of HD. In spite of the evidence of a link between exposure to various chemicals and HD, there is a clear need to evaluate dose-response relationship between specific type and amount of chemicals and the disease, in order to provide some of the answer we need about the etiology of HD.

Benzene↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Chronic respiratory symptomatology and obstructive syndrome in workers of a chemical industry].

The main purpose of the study was to asses the frequency and distribution of chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma and airflow obstruction among workers employed in the chemical industry. Our special interest was focused on finding out the high risk groups in various plants and an attempt had been made to determine to what extent the occurrence of symptoms could have been attributed to the occupational exposure after excluding age and smoking habit as confounding variables. The epidemiological data concerned 4717 male workers of the chemical complex situated near Cracow, Poland. The epidemiological study covered interviews, spirometric testing and anthropometric measurements. Environmental assessment had been done done simultaneously in all occupational post over the whole chosen week in all shifts. The symptoms of chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma as well as airflow obstruction occurred most frequently in older persons and in those being smokers. The prevalence rates of bronchial asthma and airflow obstruction was higher than in the general population of inhabitants of Cracow and this substantial excess could be attributed to the specific occupational environment. The detailed analysis performed showed in a clear way that chronic bronchitis is not a risk factor in the development of airflow obstruction but taking into account the fact that bronchial asthma had negative impact on the natural history of airflow obstruction, industrial physicians should take up adequate prophylactic measures concerning persons with asthmatic symptoms or its history in the past. The most intriguing results of our study give an evidence that styrene and methyl methacrylate develop strong harmful effect on the lung tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The psychosocial problems in a population of emigrant Italian workers].

The psycho-social problems of a group of 365 Italian emigrants to Switzerland, admitted to psychiatric hospitals, were studied. It was found that non professional subjects (housewives, unemployed, retired) and manual workers (builders, waiters, factory workers) were more likely to suffer from psycho-social disorders. Only 11.1% of those studied had received a secondary education, therefore it could be assumed that subjects having a low technical and cultural level were less prepared, psychologically, for their new situation and were thus more susceptible to psycho-social disorders. The most frequent diagnoses were found to be: affective disorders, alcohol addiction, opiate addiction and schizophrenia. The study revealed that emigrants ran a greater risk of first time admittance to psychiatric wards whereas the local population had a greater number of relapses. In conclusion it is stressed that assistance with an aim to improve work, social and relationship conditions and to integrate the emigrants into their host society can reduce some forms of psycho-social disorders.

Adult↗