Homes represent a critical microenvironment in terms of air quality due to the proximity to main particle sources and the lack of proper ventilation systems. Biomass-fed heating systems are still ...extensively used worldwide, then likely emitting a significant amount of particles in indoor environments. Nonetheless, research on biomass emissions are limited to their effects on outdoor air quality then not properly investigating the emission in indoor environments.
To this purpose, the present paper aims to evaluate the exposure to different airborne particle metrics (including both sub- and super-micron particles) and attached carcinogenic compounds in dwellings where three different heating systems were used: open fireplaces, closed fireplaces and pellet stoves. Measurements in terms of particle number, lung-deposited surface area, and PM fraction concentrations were measured during the biomass combustion activities, moreover, PM10 samples were collected and chemically analyzed to obtain mass fractions of carcinogenic compounds attached onto particles. Airborne particle doses received by people exposed in such environments were evaluated as well as their excess lung cancer risk.
Most probable surface area extra-doses received by people exposed to open fireplaces on hourly basis (56 mm2 h−1) resulted one order of magnitude larger than those experienced for exposure to closed fireplaces and pellet stoves. Lifetime extra risk of Italian people exposed to the heating systems under investigation were larger than the acceptable lifetime risk (10−5): in particular, the risk due to the open fireplace (8.8 × 10−3) was non-negligible when compared to the overall lung cancer risk of typical Italian population.
Display omitted
•Evaluation of exposure to airborne particles emitted by heating systems in indoors.•Chemical characterization of the particles emitted by wood and pellet combustion.•Evaluation of the dose and lung cancer risk received by people exposed.•High exposure levels, doses and risks related to wood combustion in open fireplaces.
The exposure, dose and risk of people due to airborne particles emitted by different biomass-burning heating systems in indoor environments were assessed. A high exposure (and then dose and risk) to open fireplaces was recognized.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer and is still one of the most fatal cancers. Hence, it needs to identify always new putative markers to improve its diagnosis and ...prognosis. The selenium is an essential trace mineral implicated as a key factor in the early stage of cancer and exerts its biological function through the selenoproteins. In the last years our group has been studying the involvement of some selenoproteins in HCC. However, no many data are reported in literature about the correlation between HCC and the glutathione peroxidases (GPXs), both selenium and non selenium-containing GPXs. In this paper we have evaluated the GPX4 and GPX7 expression in some paraffin-embedded tissues from liver biopsy of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis and HCC by immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR analysis. Our results evidenced that i) GPX4 and GPX7 had a statistically significant over-expression in HCC tissues compared to cirrhotic counterparts used as non tumor tissues, and ii) their expression was higher in grade III HCC tissues with respect to grade I-II samples. Therefore, we propose to use GPX4 and GPX7 as possible markers for improving HCC diagnosis/prognosis.
To report on and examine differences in the use of four types of rehabilitation services (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, and speech therapy) by men and women following a ...work-related traumatic brain injury in Victoria, Australia; and to examine the importance of demographic, need, work-related and geographic factors in explaining these differences.
A retrospective cohort design was used to analyze 1786 work-related traumatic brain injury workers' compensation claims lodged between 2004 and 2012 in Victoria, Australia. ZINB regressions were conducted for each type of rehabilitation service to examine the relationship between sex and rehabilitation use. Covariates included demographic, need-related, work-related, and geographic factors.
Out of all claims (63% male, 37% female), 13% used occupational therapy, 23% used physiotherapy, 9% used psychology, and 2% used speech therapy at least once during the first year of service utilization. After controlling for demographic, need-related, work-related, and geographic factors, women were more likely to use physiotherapy compared to men. Men and women were equally likely to use occupational therapy and psychology services. The number of visits in the first year for each type of service did not differ between male and female users.
Our findings support a sex-based approach to studying rehabilitation utilization in work-related populations. Future research is needed to examine other factors associated with rehabilitation utilization and to determine the implications of different rehabilitation utilization patterns on health and return-to-work outcomes.
Full text
Available for:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Selenium is an essential trace mineral of fundamental importance to human healthy and exerts its biological function through selenoproteins. In particular, Selenoprotein M (SELM) is located in the ...endoplasmic reticulum and contains the common redox motif of cysteine-X-X-selenocysteine type. It attracts great attention due to its high expression in brain and its potential roles as antioxidant, neuroprotective, and cytosolic calcium regulator. Recently, our group found SELM over-expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. In this report some paraffin-embedded tissues from liver biopsy of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis and HCC were immunohistochemically stained and SELM expression scoring was evaluated. Our results evidence for the first time an increase of SELM expression in HCC liver tissues, and its gradual expression raise associated with an increased malignancy grade. Therefore, we propose to use i) SELM as putative marker for HCC as well as ii) simple immunohistochemistry technique to distinguish between the different grades of malignancy.
The 2030 Agenda dictated the Sustainable Development Goals. It states the waste reduction needs through their reuse, i.e., considering them as secondary raw materials (Objective 12.5). Bottom ashes ...from municipal or industrial incinerators can be reused as partial cement replacement in concrete after preventive physical processes such as ferrous metals removal (magnetic separation) and nonferrous metals removal (Eddy current separation). Net of the principal pollutant containment systems, diffusive emissions of fine particles from these processes, coupled with several screening steps and a final long-time open-air residues stabilization, could impact the surrounding environment due to the chemical composition of the particulate matter itself (inorganic and organic pollutants). Moreover, the particulate may also arise from transporting the raw bottom ashes to the pre-treatment plant (point source). The present work aims to predict the concentration of the PM10-bound organic contaminants that are usually sampled weekly (PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PAHs) from the concentration of the daily analyzed inorganic pollutants in the surrounding area of an municipal solid waste slag treatment plant, using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) as a forecasting tool. Moreover, ANNs have also been used as a clustering tool to evaluate the plant’s environmental impact on the surrounding area with respect to other additional emission sources.
The organochlorine pesticide γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH, lindane) and its non-insecticidal isomers α-, β-, and δ- continue to pose serious environmental and health concerns, although their use ...has been restricted or completely banned for decades. The present study reports the first results on the ability of two
Arthrobacter
strains, not directly isolated from a HCH-polluted site, to grow in a mineral salt medium containing α-, β-, or γ-HCH (100 mg l
−1
) as sole source of carbon. Growth of cultures and HCHs degradation by
Arthrobacter fluorescens
and
Arthrobacter giacomelloi
were investigated after 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 days of incubation by enumerating colony forming units and GC with ECD detection, respectively. Both bacteria are able to metabolize the HCHs:
A
.
giacomelloi
is the most effective one, as after 72 h of incubation it produces 88 % degradation of α-, 60 % of β-, and 56 % of γ-HCH. The formation of possible persistent compounds was studied by GC/MS and by HPLC analysis. Pentachlorocyclohexenes and tetrachlorocyclohexenes have been detected as metabolites, which are almost completely eliminated after 72 h of incubation, while no phenolic compounds were found.
Full text
Available for:
EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
•Four daily bouts of exposure to novelty and gentle stimulation fragment the daily sleep-wake rhythm in female 3xTg-AD mice.•Chronic fragmentation of the daily sleep-wake rhythm for four weeks ...increases hippocampal amyloid-beta accumulation.•Chronic fragmentation of the daily sleep-wake rhythm also stimulates hippocampal neuroinflammation.•The cortex does not exhibit sleep fragmentation-induced effects on amyloid-beta or neuroinflammation.•These findings elucidate the correlation in humans between daily sleep-wake fragmentation and Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Fragmentation of the daily sleep-wake rhythm with increased nighttime awakenings and more daytime naps is correlated with the risk of development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To explore whether a causal relationship underlies this correlation, the present study tested the hypothesis that chronic fragmentation of the daily sleep-wake rhythm stimulates brain amyloid-beta (Aβ) levels and neuroinflammation in the 3xTg-AD mouse model of AD. Female 3xTg-AD mice were allowed to sleep undisturbed or were subjected to chronic sleep fragmentation consisting of four daily sessions of enforced wakefulness (one hour each) evenly distributed during the light phase, five days a week for four weeks. Piezoelectric sleep recording revealed that sleep fragmentation altered the daily sleep-wake rhythm to resemble the pattern observed in AD. Levels of amyloid-beta (Aβ40 and Aβ42) determined by ELISA were higher in hippocampal tissue collected from sleep-fragmented mice than from undisturbed controls. In contrast, hippocampal levels of tau and phospho-tau differed minimally between sleep fragmented and undisturbed control mice. Sleep fragmentation also stimulated neuroinflammation as shown by increased expression of markers of microglial activation and proinflammatory cytokines measured by q-RT-PCR analysis of hippocampal samples. No significant effects of sleep fragmentation on Aβ, tau, or neuroinflammation were observed in the cerebral cortex. These studies support the concept that improving sleep consolidation in individuals at risk for AD may be beneficial for slowing the onset or progression of this devastating neurodegenerative disease.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This study was aimed at searching noninvasive markers of the transition from mild to severe fibrosis stage in HCV patients undergoing hepatic fibrosis.
Thirty-three patients affected by chronic HCV ...vs. twenty healthy donors were evaluated for the serum levels of several circulating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), TRAIL and β-NGF by multiplex biometric ELISA based immunoassay and anti- and pro-oxidant status (d-ROMs, BAP and NO) using a Diacron automated method.
HCV patients displayed increased expression levels of MMP-8, MMP-9, TRAIL and β-NGF, and an imbalance between pro- and antioxidant status, that contribute to liver fibrosis.
Since the determination of these parameters represents a reliable and easily applicable method, these parameters are suggested as serum surrogate markers for HCV patients in the routine clinical practice.
► Chronic HCV infection is characterized by different degrees of fibrosis. ► MMP-8 and MMP-9 are up-expressed in HCV patients with different stages of fibrosis. ► An imbalance between pro- and antioxidant status in HCV patients. ► TRAIL and β-NGF are up-expressed in HCV patients with different stages of fibrosis. ► All these parameters can be used as markers for HCV patients.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Abstract It is well known that persistent inflammatory conditions can induce the cancer formation. In fact, cytokines and chemokines play a crucial role in the promoting of angiogenesis, metastasis, ...and subversion of adaptive immunity. These proteins are involved in cancer-related inflammation and can represent a target for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies useful to clinical studies.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
PDF
