PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Merler

Publications and source records attributed to E Merler.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

A cohort study of workers compensated for mercury intoxication following employment in the fur hat industry.

This article presents the preliminary results of a follow-up study (1950-1992) of 1,146 subjects (person-years = 30,954; 23,055 for women) receiving compensation for mercury poisoning. In a province of Tuscany in central Italy, severe exposure to mercury occurred during fur hat production. A deficit in all causes of mortality was observed in both sexes, whereas mortality due to cancer was slightly higher than expected. Mortality from stomach cancer was significantly elevated for men and women. A significant excess of lung cancer was observed in women only. Whereas the excess of stomach cancer probably reflects elevated rates in the study area rather than exposure to mercury, the excess of lung cancer mortality does appear to be related to mercury exposure. Smoking habits or other exposures at work do not seem to explain the excess of lung cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Compensation of occupational diseases and particularly of asbestos-related diseases among the European Community (EEC) countries.

The aim of the paper is to present some of the characteristics of the compensation systems in EEC countries and to focus on the compensation of asbestos-related diseases: for each country the diseases admitted for compensation, the date of introduction into the schedule, the number of compensations awarded and a comparison between compensations for mesothelioma and mortality are presented. The data have been collected in 1990-91 by asking for information to the Compensation Institutes. The results suggest that the objective of harmonisation of the compensation systems among European countries is far from being achieved and needs re-vitalisation. The gap between knowledge and public health action has been considerable in the compensation of asbestos-related diseases, especially in the compensation of cancers. The results confirm, therefore, from a different perspective the validity of considering asbestos as a case study in public health. Finally, the Authors stress the serious situation in Italy with respect to updating the list of prescribed diseases as epidemiological data are available and to compensating occupationally related asbestos diseases.

Asbestosis↗
PubMed1993

Carcinogenicity of mercury and mercury compounds.

Mercury and mercury compounds are widely used in modern society, but only sparse data are available on their carcinogenicity. Methylmercury chloride causes kidney tumors in male mice. Mercury chloride has shown some carcinogenic activity in male rats, but the evidence for female rats and male mice is equivocal. Other mercury compounds and metallic mercury have not been tested adequately in experimental animals. Epidemiologic data are available for chloralkali workers, dentists and dental nurses, and nuclear weapons workers, three groups occupationally exposed to low levels of mercury and its compounds, but those highly exposed in the past, such as miners, or populations which have suffered massive environmental exposure have not been adequately studied. However, the sparse epidemiologic data point toward the possibility of a risk of lung, kidney, and central nervous system tumors. Better data are needed on the carcinogenicity of mercury and mercury compounds in humans and experimental animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Pleural malignant mesothelioma in Tuscany, Italy (1970-1988): II. Identification of occupational exposure to asbestos.

Following the finding of an unexpected cluster of mesotheliomas in textile workers, a surveillance system of malignant mesotheliomas was implemented in the region of Tuscany, Italy. This article reports on the investigation of 124 cases of mesothelioma diagnosed and reviewed by the Institutes of Morbid Anatomy and Histopathology at the Universities of Florence, Pisa, and Siena between 1970 and 1988. A complete occupational and asbestos exposure history was assessed through a semi-structured questionnaire directly administered to resident cases of Tuscany or, if deceased, to their closest living relatives, for a total of 100 interviews. The hypothesis of past occupational asbestos exposure was verified and documented. Seventy-two cases have been classified as occupationally exposed to asbestos; four were classified in the category of "possible domestic" exposure to asbestos. For two others, the role of other risk factors was stressed, and for 22 cases, either no asbestos exposure was found or the available data were not adequate to define it. The present study allowed identification of some unknown or scarcely known occupational asbestos exposures in the study area.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

A case-control study of cancer of the nose and paranasal sinuses and occupational exposures.

The association between nasal cancer and various occupations was investigated in a case-control study in the provinces of Verona and Vicenza (northeastern Italy) and Siena (central Italy). Cases of malignant epithelial neoplasm of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses diagnosed in the years 1982-1987 in the hospitals of Verona, Legnago, Bussolengo, Vicenza, and Siena comprised the study. Controls were patients admitted to the same hospitals as the cases, with any diagnosis except chronic rhino-sinusal disease and nasal bleeding. Age, gender, residency, and date of admission were taken into account by matching. Cases and controls, or their next of kin, were interviewed or required to fill in a mailed questionnaire; the overall response rate was 70%. Altogether, 78 cases and 254 controls provided information on occupational history. Significantly increased risks were associated (in males) with work in the wood industry (odds ratio [O.R.]: 5.8; 90% confidence interval [C.I.]: (2.2-16) and in the leather industry (6.8; 1.9-25). Textile workers, furnacemen, construction workers, and workers with possible exposure to organic dusts showed increased risks even if statistical significance was not reached.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

[Epidemiology of primary tumors of the pleura].

The authors briefly reviewed the literature concerning the risk factors for primary pleural tumors in humans. The results from the most relevant studies emphasize the fact that the large majority of mesotheliomas are associated with exposure to asbestos or asbestiform fibers. Exposure to asbestos is mainly through industrial use, and mesotheliomas result from occupational, para-occupational, or environmental exposure. Fibers of crocidolite, amosite, and chrysotile appear to be, in descending order, more carcinogenic for pleural tissues. The authors summarize the available data on consumption of asbestos and asbestos-based products in Italy. The chrysotile-asbestos mine in Balangero (Piedmont) stimulated the industrial production of asbestos-cement; asbestos has been largely sprayed among shipyards and user for insulating railroad coaches and carriages. Italy had the greatest consumption of crocidolite in Europe, which was not banned until 1986. The authors discuss the major findings derived from descriptive epidemiological data presented in previous papers dealing with this issue. In addition, standardized mortality rates of primary pleural tumors for European countries are shown. A clearly increasing trend for mortality is observed in Italy, which has also the provinces with the highest mortality rates in Europe. Among Italian provinces, the mortality rates are consistent with the number of asbestosis cases receiving workman's compensation. The authors present the results of both cohort and case-control analytical studies performed in Italy, and provide suggestions for further research.

Asbestos↗
PubMed1991

Inhibition of growth factor signaling pathways by lovastatin.

Human fibroblasts treated with the antihypercholesterolaemic drug, lovastatin, displayed a diminished signaling response to epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). Supplementing the culture medium with mevalonic acid restored the signaling response. Not all growth factor signaling pathways were impaired, however, as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) responses were refractory to lovastatin treatment. These results suggest the involvement of product(s) of mevalonate metabolism (e.g., prenylated proteins such as p21ras or G proteins) in the signal transduction of EGF, insulin and IGF-I. The inhibition of cell growth by lovastatin may be caused by the inability of the cell to enter the S phase of the cell cycle due to obstruction of the signaling of progression factors.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1989

Characterization of muscarinic receptors: type M2 (subtype B) on neuro-2A neuroblastoma cells.

The binding of the nonselective muscarinic antagonist, [3H]N-methylscopolamine (NMS) to a mouse neuroblastoma cell line (Neuro-2A) and its coupling to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase were characterized. Specific [3H]NMS binding to membrane preparations was rapid, saturable, and of high affinity. Saturation experiments revealed a single class of binding sites for the radioligand. Competition experiments with the muscarinic drugs pirenzepine, AF DX 116, dicyclomine and atropine revealed that the muscarinic receptors present on these cells are predominantly of a single class, subtype B (M2). In addition, agonist binding demonstrated existence of a GTP-sensitive high affinity binding state of the receptors. Coupling of these muscarinic receptors to the adenylate cyclase system was investigated using the muscarinic agonist carbachol which was able to inhibit the prostaglandin (PGE1)-stimulated activation of adenylate cyclase. The agonist carbachol did not stimulate the formation of IP3 above basal levels, which indicated that the receptors are not coupled to phosphatidylinositol metabolism. In conclusion, we show that possessing predominantly one subtype of muscarinic receptor, the Neuro-2A cells provide a useful model for the investigation of the heterogeneity of muscarinic receptors and the relationship of subtype to the coupling of different effectors.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

On the causal association between exposure to leather dust and nasal cancer: further evidence from a case-control study.

A case-control study was performed on the incident cases of nasal cavity tumours which occurred between 1968 and 1982 among the residents of Vigevano (Lombardy region, northern Italy). This area is characterised by a high prevalence of shoemakers (especially in leather); the activity has predominated in Vigevano since the beginning of this century. Twenty one cases were identified (16 men and five women); 20 were histologically confirmed as nasal epithelial tumours; 17 had already died at the time of interview and the occupational history was obtained from the next of kin. Two controls per case were selected from the general population and matched by vital status, age, sex, and residence. The overall odds ratio for the subjects exposed to leather dust was 47.1 for men and 3.5 for women. The odds ratio was higher for adenocarcinoma and among the workers exposed to the worst working conditions. A significant trend for the level of exposure to leather dust was found. Nevertheless, even the jobs characterised by a relatively low exposure were found to have a significantly higher risk (OR = 7.5). Smoking habits and exposure to solvents are unlikely to confound the relation between exposure to leather and nasal tumours.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1985

Acquired spontaneous cytotoxicity of K562 in a subpopulation of monocytes.

Human peripheral blood monocytes were placed on a discontinuous density gradient of bovine serum albumin and fractionated into five subpopulations. Cells from each subpopulation were assayed for spontaneous cytotoxic activity against K562 tumor cells. Immediately following fractionation, monocytes were not cytotoxic. Following incubation for at least 48 hr, monocytes from two layers of the gradients clearly exhibited greater spontaneous cytotoxic activity than all others. The degree of cytotoxicity expressed by cells of these layers was enhanced by the addition of indomethacin and inhibited by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Monocytes acquiring spontaneous cytotoxicity did not secrete measurable levels of PGE2 and had increased levels of purine nucleoside phosphorylase after 72 hs of culture in vitro. Surface markers HNK-1 and Mac-1 normally associated with cytotoxic function, were detected on these cells by indirect immunofluorescence at isolation and after culture. The fraction with the greatest cytotoxic activity showed an increase in the proportion of cells displaying reactivity to HNK-1 after culture compared to initial isolation.

Antigens, Surface↗