Naturally occurring asbestos in Southern Italy: Geological and mineralogical investigation of fibrous antigorite from Calabrian serpentinites in view of its hazard assessment.

In the last few decades, non-occupational asbestos-related diseases have been documented in populations living near naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) sites, including regions in Greece, Cyprus, China, New Caledonia, Turkey, and Italy. This highlights the critical need to assess geological and environmental hazards associated with NOA. Fibrous antigorite, among the >400 naturally occurring fibrous minerals, has emerged as a potential health and environmental hazard.

Toxicological evaluation of polycrystalline wools in human lung cells.

Polycrystalline wools (PCW) are included with Refractory ceramic fibers (RCF) in the alumino-silicates family of High Temperature Insulation Wools (HTIW). IARC includes PCW in the ceramic fibers group and considers them as possible human carcinogens (GROUP 2B). Since PCW toxicity is not yet clear, our aim was to evaluate their toxic and inflammatory effects and to compare them with the known RCF effects.

Size characteristics of asbestiform fibers in lung tissue of animals that grazed in areas rich in ophiolitic outcrops in Central Calabria (Southern Italy).

In Calabria (Southern Italy) naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) mainly occurs in the ophiolitic sequences cropping in the Mount Reventino area. The most common type of asbestos detected was the amphibole tremolite; fibrous antigorite and minor chrysotile were also found. The development of asbestos-related diseases depends on, among other things, the morphological characteristics of fibers, length and width, affecting the durability of asbestos fibers in the lung.

Asbestos containing materials in schools of Rome and surrounding area (Italy).

Despite Italy banning use and production of asbestos in 1992, it continues to represent a risk to human health due to its permanence in the places where it was located. The aim of this work is to estimate how many schools in Rome (Italy) have asbestos containing materials (ACM), and to assess whether the location, condition and nature of ACM can influence the level of risk for student health. 3,672 schools were contacted and 1,451 participated to asbestos survey.

Biomonitoring of workers employed in a titanium dioxide production plant: Use of buccal micronucleus cytome assay as noninvasive biomarker to evaluate genotoxic and cytotoxic effects.

We aimed to evaluate whether TiO production process induces genotoxic and cytotoxic effects on the first target organ of inhalable particles by a sensitive and noninvasive biomarker of effect. Final aim was to find a useful and suitable tool to assess and manage the risk of TiO occupational exposure. We enrolled 40 workers employed in TiO production, 5 office workers, and 18 external controls.

Environmental contamination by naturally occurring asbestos (NOA): Analysis of sentinel animal lung tissue.

Ophiolites are known sources of naturally occurring asbestos (NOA). In Calabria (Southern Italy) NOA are mainly concentrated in the ophiolitic sequences cropping in the Mount Reventino area, in the southern part of the Sila massif, and along the Coastal Chain. The most common type of asbestos identified in the rocks of these areas belongs to the tremolite-actinolite series.

Biosolubility of high temperature insulation wools in simulated lung fluids.

Objective: Biosolubility is an important parameter in the understanding of mechanisms involved in pulmonary toxicity of fibrous materials. It can be studied in vitro using models of simulated lung fluids and observing the loss of structural molecules, expressed as dissolution constant (K). The aim of this paper was the study of dissolution behaviour of four wools belonging to high temperature insulation wools (HTIW) in saline solutions simulating lung fluids.

Alkaline earth silicate (AES) wools: Evaluation of potential cyto-genotoxic and inflammatory effects on human respiratory cells.

Biosoluble AES wools are increasingly used since considered not hazardous, however, few toxicity studies are available. We evaluated cytotoxic, genotoxic-oxidative and inflammatory effects of two differently soluble AES wools, AES1 (high MgO percentage) and AES2 (high CaO percentage), on alveolar (A549) and bronchial (BEAS-2B) cells. Fiber dimensions and dissolution in cell media were evaluated by SEM analysis.

STATSLAB: An open-source EEG toolbox for computing single-subject effects using robust statistics.

Research on robust statistics during the past half century provides concrete evidence that classical hypothesis tests that rely on the sample mean and variance are problematic. Even seemingly minor departures from normality are now known to create major problems in terms of increased error rates and decreased power. Fortunately, numerous robust estimation techniques have been developed that circumvent the need for strict assumptions of normality and equal variances, leading to increased power and accuracy when testing hypotheses.

Asbestiform minerals in ophiolitic rocks of Calabria (southern Italy).

Ophiolitic rocks cropping on Calabria territory, southern Italy, can hold asbestiform minerals potentially harmful for human health. The aim of this work was to detect the fibrous phases of ophiolites along the Coastal Chain of northern Calabria and southern part of the Sila massif. Above 220 massive samples were collected in the study areas and analyzed using optical and electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry.

Evaluation of performance loss of paraffin oil loaded filtering facepieces.

Penetration measurements through commercially available filtering facepieces were performed with monodisperse DEHS aerosols ranging from 0.03 μm to 0.40 μm (either singly charged or neutralized), before and after 500 mg of paraffin oil loading.

Field comparison of two inhalable samplers used in Italy to measure the wood dust exposure.

Background: Particle size affects the performance of personal air samplers used to measure dust exposure in the workplace. Few field studies have been conducted for comparing the performance of personal inhalable samplers.

Objective: To compare wood dust sampling with two inhalable samplers: IOM (Institute of Occupational Medicine) and Italian cone.

A functional classification of medial frontal negativity ERPs: Theta oscillations and single subject effects.

Theta oscillations in the EEG have been linked to several ERPs that are elicited during performance-monitoring tasks, including the error-related negativity (ERN), no-go N2, and the feedback-related negativity (FRN). We used a novel paradigm to isolate independent components (ICs) in single subjects' (n = 27) EEG accounting for a medial frontal negativity (MFN) to response cue stimuli that signal a potential change in future response demands. Medial frontal projecting ICs that were sensitive to these response cues also described the ERNs, no-go N2s, and, to a lesser extent, the FRNs, that were elicited in letter flanker, go/no-go, and time-estimation tasks, respectively.

Dissolution of glass wool, rock wool and alkaline earth silicate wool: morphological and chemical changes in fibers.

The behavior of alkaline earth silicate (AES) wool and of other biosoluble wools in saline solution simulating physiological fluids was compared with that of a traditional wool belonging to synthetic vitreous fibers. Morphological and size changes of fibers were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The elements extracted from fibers were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

A study on the transfer of heavy methals released by Chinese commercial products.

Objectives: Studies by The World trade Organization (WTO) and the Organization for the Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) state that the trade on counterfeit goods corresponds to 10% of the global trade and it is worth 450 billion dollars. In this work we studied the transfer of toxic metals released by some Chinese watches causing significant allergic dermatitis.

Methods: Several samples of dust released from metal parts got collected.

Angiogenic effect induced by mineral fibres.

Due to the toxic effect of asbestos, other materials with similar chemical-physical characteristics have been introduced to substitute it. We evaluate the angiogenic effect of certain asbestos substitute fibres such as glass fibres (GFs), ceramic fibres (CFs) and wollastonite fibres (WFs) and then compare angiogenic responses to those induced by crocidolite asbestos fibres (AFs). An in vitro model using human endothelial cells in small islands within a culture matrix of fibroblasts (Angio-Kit) was used to evaluate vessel formation.

Risk assessment of the decay of asbestos cement roofs.

Objectives: In an assessment of the risk of asbestos fibres release from asbestos cement materials, an important role is played by the assessment of the surface corrosion and by the disaggregation of asbestos cement. The aim of this work is to evaluate the differences among several methods used for the risk assessment that lead to a specific choice of abatement techniques.

Methods: The state of deterioration of 40 asbestos cement roofs was evaluated using two priority assessment algorithms elaborated in Italy, the 'pull-up test' described by the Italian Organization for Standardization and the indicators described in the Italian legislation coupled with the observation of a small sample, taken from each roof, by a stereomicroscope.

[Organic artificial fibers: properties and toxicity].

Now among asbestos substitutes, the man-made organic fibers (MMOFs) find interesting applications on the industrial side. This class includes aramidic, polyacrylic, polyamides, polyolefins and polyvinylic fibers and it has been listed in category 3 of IARC classification (not classifiable as to carcinogenicity to humans). The aim of this study is to provide a panoramic regarding the toxicity of MMOFs present on the market according to their chemical-physical properties.

[The risk of inhalable wood dust: assessment of workers exposure wood working factories].

The International Agency for Research on Cancer RC) has classified wood dust as carcinogenic to humans based on demiological and experimental evidence. Exposure to wood dust may use respiratory and dermal symptoms and diseases. The aim of this work was to estimate occupational exposure to inhalable wood dust adopting the formal procedure described by UNI EN 689/97.

[Wood dust exposure in handicraft companies in Lazio: preliminary findings].

The aim of this study is to evaluate the wood dust exposures characterizing the working more to risk. Two selectors for inhalable fraction were been used: IOM sampler (Institute Occupational Medicine) and conical sampler. The sampling time is choosen by environmental airborne dust and it has varied around three and four hours.

Groshong catheters: technical aspects and clinical features.

After thousands of Groshong catheter applications over more than twenty years, the cause of blood withdrawal drawbacks is not yet completely understood. This phenomenon - which is not typical of closed-tip catheters since it is also common in open-tip catheters - in the Groshong catheter is attributed to the valve (ball-valve effect). The aim of this work is to understand the relationship between causes and effects in order to provide clinicians with practical solutions.

[Mount Reventino greenstone: assessment of tremolite fibre dispersion in the workplace].

Background: Mount Reventino, a massif located in the Calabria Region of Italy, has several ophiolite outcrops of greenstone. These deposits are an important economical resource in the surrounding area. Some rock layers contain tremolite, a type of asbestos fibre.