Can oestrogenic activity in air contribute to the overall body burden of endocrine disruptors?

Endocrine disruptors (EDCs) are emerging contaminants that are harmful to health. Human exposure occurs mainly through ingestion or dermal contact, but inhalation could be an additional exposure route; therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the oestrogenic activity of airborne particulate matter (PM). Outdoor PM was collected for a year in five Italian sites and extracted with organic solvents (four seasonal extracts/site).

Biological effects of particulate matter samples during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparison with the pre-lockdown period in Northwest Italy.

Unlabelled: In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, containment measures were applied inducing potential changes in air pollutant concentrations and thus in air toxicity. This study evaluates the role of restrictions on biological effects of particulate matter (PM) in different Northwest Italy sites: urban background, urban traffic, rural, and incinerator. Daily PM samples collected in 2020 were pooled according to restrictions: January/February (no restrictions), March and April (first lockdown), May/June and July/August/September (low restrictions), October/November/December (second lockdown).

In Vitro Effects of Particulate Matter Associated with a Wildland Fire in the North-West of Italy.

Wildland fires, increasing in recent decades in the Mediterranean region due to climate change, can contribute to PM levels and composition. This study aimed to investigate biological effects of PM (Ø < 2.5 µm) and PM (Ø < 10 µm) collected near a fire occurred in the North-West of Italy in 2017 and in three other areas (urban and rural areas).

Evaluation of a Post-Operative Rehabilitation Program in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Pilot Study.

This pilot study explores the effects of a post-operative physical exercise program on the quality of life (QoL) and functional and nutritional parameters of patients that underwent laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery, compared to usual care alone. The intervention group (IG) attended a 2-month-long supervised and combined exercise-training program during the post-operative period. Both IG and control group (CG) participated in the QoL, functional, and nutritional assessments before exercise training (T0), 2 months after the beginning of the exercise (end of treatment) (T1), and 2 (T2) and 4 (T3) months from the end of treatment.

Influence of start-up phase of an incinerator on inorganic composition and lead isotope ratios of the atmospheric PM.

A municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) was installed in a peripheral area of the city of Turin. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of this plant to the massive concentration of PM, to its chemical composition and to the distribution of the lead isotopes during the start-up phase.We assessed the inorganic composition of PM collected in the vicinity of the Turin incinerator by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SF-ICP-MS) and ion chromatography (IC).