Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Gilli.
The survey presented is an attempt to explain the reasons for the higher average lead concentrations in the blood of certain groups living in two mountain valleys than encountered in residents of Turin and other towns in the Province. To this end the influence of several environmental, individual and genetic variables was investigated.
398 women at various stages of pregnancy and living in two areas subject to different levels of atmospheric pollution were examined. Blood samples were taken from about 200 women and their funiculi at the moment of parturition. The results showed a difference in lead concentrations in the blood and in the ratio of mother and funicular lead concentrations according to the place of residence. Several hypothesis to explain these results are formulated.
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Urinary excretion of phenol has been valuated in 80 subjects exposed to low concentrations released during a hot pressing process on phenol resins. The subjects belonged to three different work shifts and the study was carried out on the fifth day of exposure. An attempt is made to relate environmental concentrations of phenol and urinary concentrations expressed by reference to creatinine volume and mg. Analysis of results also considers a number of individual variables.
The problems raised by ambient lead are examined with reference to its uptake, absorption and metabolism in man, animal metabolism and toxicology, sub-clinical effects, and health aspects. The existing research picture of this very complex field is surveyed.
Blood lead levels have been analysed in a group of people resident in Turin in relation to different concentrations of lead in the atmosphere. Blood samples were taken in three periods of the year corresponding to seasonal maximums of pollution. Blood lead levels showed a marked decrease in the summer when the lowest concentrations are observed but the following autum sample did not show an increase. It is therefore considered likely that blood values would have been found to be increased if the final sample had been put off by 1-2 months.
The problem of carbon monoxide as a pollutant is examined. Its physico-chemical features are considered along with the sources of pollution (natural and technological), the characteristics of the pollutant in the environment and, particularly, the effects of car and industrial emissions and of cigarette smoke on the human organism.
A longitudinal study on exposure to tobacco smoke among adolescents was carried out in Turin (North-Western Italy) in January-February 1992 and in January-February 1993. In 1992, 394 schoolchildren aged 14-16 years were enrolled in a study protocol which consisted in answering a standardized questionnaire, measurement of urinary cotinine and testing of lung function (flow-volume curve--[FVC] and forced expiratory volume in I sec.--[FEV1]). In 1993, 333 schoolchildren from the same group repeated the survey. By comparison to urinary cotinine, findings obtained showed a reduction of increase, from 1992 to 1993, of -0.57% (p = 0.082) for FVC, and -0.66% (p = 0.05) for FEV1. Assuming that the systematic selection bias did not seem to have occurred, findings, obtained from a multiple regression analysis, showed that active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke, as measured by urinary cotinine, had a significant effect on lung growth (as measured by FEV1) in adolescents; this effect, though small, was dose-related.