Toxic emissions from a military test site in the territory of Sardinia, Italy.

This work assesses the environmental impact from chemical emissions due to military tests and routine activities in the area occupied by the Italian Inter-force Test Range (PISQ), located at Salto di Quirra, Sardinia, Italy. After reviewing the military activities carried out at PISQ, such as rocket launching, blasting and armament destruction, projectile and mortar fire impact, the associated pollution is evaluated. Chemical analyses were performed by means of Scanning Electronic Microscopy and Energy Dispersion Spectrometry on biotic and abiotic matrices.

Methotrexate-induced pneumonitis in a patient with Crohn's disease.

Pulmonary toxicity is a well recognised but infrequent adverse event of treatment with methotrexate. The vast majority of cases have occurred in patients with rheumatoid arthritis; here we present the case of a 44-year old woman with ileo-colonic Crohn's disease who developed methotrexate pneumonitis. The patient had a 10 year history of Crohn's disease and, in the last 18 months, she was treated with oral methotrexate because of steroid-dependency and intolerance to thiopurines.

Methotrexate-induced pneumonitis in Crohn's disease. Case report and review of the literature.

Methotrexate (MTX) is a folate-antagonist used in several neoplastic and inflammatory diseases. Reports of pulmonary complications in patients given low-dose MTX therapy are increasing. Pulmonary toxicity from MTX has a variable frequency and can present with different forms.

Air pollution impact assessment on agroecosystem and human health characterisation in the area surrounding the industrial settlement of Milazzo (Italy): a multidisciplinary approach.

In order to evaluate the impact of atmospheric pollutants emitted by the industrial settlement of Milazzo (Italy) on agriculture, sulphur dioxide and ozone levels in air were monitored and the data were used to estimate yield losses of the most widespread cultures. Trace element concentrations in crops and soils were also detected and metabolic profiles of soil microbial communities were considered. Vibrio fischeri test was used to appraise airborne pollutant ecotoxicity and epidemiological studies on causes of death distribution were carried out to characterize health state of people living in the area.

Pesticides re-entry dermal exposure of workers in greenhouses.

This research has the aim to evaluate the risk of pesticide dermal exposure for workers in greenhouses. We considered the following crops: tomato, cucumber and strawberry, largely spread in Bracciano lake district. The pesticides monitored were: tetradifon on strawberry: metalaxyl, azoxystrobin and fenarimol on cucumber; acrinathrin, azoxystrobin and chlorpyrifos ethyl on tomato.

Blood pressure control and comorbidity in a nephrology clinic.

Background: Many patients with established hypertension have poorly controlled blood pressure (BP). We studied demographic and clinical characteristics related to hypertension and analyzed the relationships between BP control and comorbidity.

Methods: This study was based on 414 consecutive hypertensive out-patients referred to our nephrology clinic.

Vitamin E-bonded cellulose membrane, lipoperoxidation, and anemia in hemodialysis patients.

In hemodialysis patients, oxidative stress results from an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Recently, a new dialysis multi-layer membrane has been developed, by modifying the inner surface of regenerated cellulose to support a vitamin E coating. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of hemodialysis treatment with vitamin E-modified membrane on anemia and erythropoietin requirement in a group of chronic uremic patients.

Serum coenzyme Q10 in uremic patients on chronic hemodialysis.

In a group of 48 chronic hemodialysis patients, serum levels of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) have been measured and appeared abnormally low in 62% of cases. Figures were positively correlated to those of serum vitamin E (vit E), although the latter were within a normal range. The chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients with normal serum values of CoQ exhibited higher blood triglycerides.

Plasma levels and loss of antithrombin III in chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and nephrotic patients.

Plasma antithrombin III (AT III) levels were measured as antigen concentration (radial immunodiffusion) and as heparin cofactor (amidolytic method) in 9 patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The loss of albumin, proteins, AT III antigen and AT III functional activity was calculated from the peritoneal dialysate and the corresponding serum levels were measured. The same determinations were performed on serum and urinary samples from 9 patients with nephrotic syndrome.

Antithrombin III loss in patients with nephrotic syndrome or receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Evidence of inactive antithrombin III in urine of patients with nephrotic syndrome.

Antithrombin III (AT III) was measured as antigen (Ag) and as heparin cofactor (HC) in plasma and urine or dialysate from nine patients with nephrotic syndrome and nine patients receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), respectively. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis on heparin-agarose (H-CIE) and crossed immunoelectrofocusing (CIEF) runs were carried out on plasma and urine or dialysate samples. AT III plasma levels of the patients receiving CAPD were in the normal range, whereas levels in the patients with nephrotic syndrome showed a significant reduction.

[Sporological diagnosis in 282 cases of suspected fungal poisoning occurring in the municipality of Trieste from 1967 to 1984].

The experience of 18 years voluntary work in collaboration with the health authorities in a Centre for Toxological Studies is reported. The Centre was called upon to diagnose 282 cases of mushroom poisoning (including 262 hospital patients) in the Commune of Trieste. The identification of the fungi ingested was in all cases based on microscopic identification of the spores isolated from the stomach contents or the faeces using a rapid, original technique.

Photosynthesis, Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate Carboxylase, Electron Transport, and Ribulose 1,5-Bisphosphate of Virescent and Normal Green Wheat Leaves.

CO(2) gas exchange, ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, and electron transport have been measured in leaves of a yellow-green mutant of wheat (Triticum durum var Cappelli) and its wild type strain grown in the field. All these parameters, expressed on leaf area basis, were similar in both genotypes except electron transport which was more than double in the wild type. These results, treated according to a recent photosynthesis model for C(3) plants, seem to indicate that the electron transport rate of mutant leaves is not sufficient to support the carboxylation derived through both the assimilation rate and the in vitro ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity.

[Behavior of some acute phase reactant proteins during phlogosis and neoplasms and their correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate].

Alpha 2 macroglobulin, haptoglobin and fibrinogen plasma levels were simultaneously determined, as well as E.S.R.

[Concentration and reinfusion of ascitic fluid in liver cirrhosis].

46 concentration-reinfusion treatments were performed on 36 patients, suffering from refractory ascites for liver cirrhosis. The procedure was well tolerated, improved the status of the patients and enabled diuretic to be effective again, in some cases for as long as two years. The usefulness of infusing autologous, non-denatured proteins in high dosage is stressed.

[Role of alpha 1-antitrypsin and alpha-2 macroglobulin in hepatopathies].

Two pictures of alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, one associated with alpha 2-macroglobulin deficiency and one isolated case of the latter deficiency have been observed in three patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and/or hepatoma. On the basis of these cases, the literature on the subject is reviewed. The unusually high incidence of such anti-enzymatic deficiencies (three cases in the first eleven patients studied) in severe liver pathology, calls for a reassessment of such research and suggests that these tests should be carried out on a routine basis in cases of cryptogenetic cirrhosis and probably for long-term prognosis in cases of viral hepatitis.

[Role of platelet serotonin in hyperperistalsis after digestive hemorrhages].

Intestinal transit accelerates during gastroduodenal haemorrhage. To test a personal theory that the reason is to be found in serotonin released by platelets and absorbed by the intestine, the behaviour of serotoninaemia has been studied. This proved to be 1.

[Erythrocyte changes during alcoholism and chronic liver diseases].

50 patients with chronic liver disease and/or alcoholism were studied. 28 cases of anemia were found and macrocytes (and target m.), spurr-cells, spherocytes and stomatocytes observed.