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Biomedical subjects

G Matteucci

Publications and source records attributed to G Matteucci.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

[Effect of antibiotics on spontaneous and direct migration of human leukocytes. Preliminary findings].

Like other human blood cells, neutrophiles can travel enter tissues spontaneously. This apparently casual journeying is arrested in the presence of infection and they migrate to the site of the lesion. Experiments in vitro have shown that tetracycline, rifamycin, chloramphenicol, and cefuroxine inhibit such migration. In the present paper, it is demonstrated that ampicillin and tauglycolcillin, a new semi-synthetic penicillin, exert no significant influence on either direct or spontaneous neutrophile migration.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Organic pollution in a Ramsar site (Piallassa Baiona, northern Adriatic Sea).

A core collected in the Piallassa Baiona lagoon, a salt-marsh area already studied for Hg contamination related to nearby industrial sites, was analysed for organic micropollutants. Surface sediments show high concentrations of total PCBs (1148 ng g-1), PCDD/Fs (64 ng g-1) and PAHs (4801 ng g-1). According to a sedimentation rate of 0.4 cm y-1, the high increases in total PAH, PCB and PCDD/F concentrations began in the 1960s and peaked in the 1970s, in parallel with the highest Hg concentrations. Instead, the recent contamination, which primarily involves PCBs and PCDD/Fs, has been observed to be unrelated to Hg concentrations. Organic micropollutant concentrations in the sample core were compared with the sediment quality criteria provided by international guidelines, and revealed high toxic potential. This heavy contamination was also confirmed by comparison with similar environments, particularly the Lagoon of Venice. Further investigations are needed to understand better the sources of the recent contamination and to explain the different transfer pathways involved during sedimentation of the "old" material, dumped 20-30 years ago.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Prevalence of occupational allergy to laboratory animals in two towns of northern and central Italy].

BACKGROUND: Laboratory animal allergy (LAA) is a well known occupational hazard for workers employed in biological and medical research institutes, but few Italian data on this disease exist. OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of LAA in 45 workers in Trieste (NE-Italy) and in 80 workers in Perugia (Central Italy) and to assess factors predisposing to sensitisation among subjects occupationally exposed to animals. METHODS: All subjects underwent a physical examination and responded to a standardized questionnaire for the evaluation of allergic respiratory symptoms and exposure data. Skin prick tests with common allergens and with hair extract from laboratory animals were performed and specific IgE was measured. Atopy was defined as positive skin prick test to common allergens. RESULTS: There were 60% atopic subjects in Trieste and 55% in Perugia and sensitisation to laboratory animal hair was found in 24.4% subjects in Trieste and in 35% in Perugia. The prevalence rates of LLA were respectively 11.1% and 11.2%; 2.3% and 3.7% complained of asthma while 8.9% and 7.5% complained of rhinitis. The resulting symptoms were significantly related to skin prick tests that were positive to laboratory animal hair (odds ratio (OR) = 7.64; 1.83-44.5), to skin prick test positivity to common inhalant allergens (OR = 5.29; 1.09-50.2), to common allergic symptoms (OR = 3.95; 1.05-18.2) and to exposure time exceeding 5 hours per day (OR = 5.45; 1.31-22.0). CONCLUSION: The role of atopy and of exposure time in causing LLA was confirmed and the need of prevention measures to reduce exposure in people at risk was discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effect of azathioprine and inosiplex on rosette formation by lymphocytes from normal donors and from patients with neoplasia (author's transl)].

The effect of azathioprine and inosiplex on the capacity of peripheral blood lymphocytes to form E active rosettes has been studied in vitro on 25 healthy subjects and 63 cancer patients (27 with pulmonary cancer and 36 with cancer of the digestive tract). Azathioprine significantly inhibited the capacity of T cells obtained from normal donors to form rosettes (P less than 0.01). Similar results were registered in patients suffering from pulmonary cancer (P less than 0.01) or from digestive neoplasia (P less than 0.05). Inosiplex, a substance with antiviral and immunomodulating properties, increased the percentage of the E active rosettes forming cells of 18 subjects with lung carcinoma and 26 patients with cancer of the gastrointestinal apparatus. If lymphocytes of both normal donors and cancer patients were preincubated simultaneously with azathioprine and inosiplex, the latter had an inhibitory effect on the azathioprine dependent rosette inhibition and restored the percentage of the E active rosette forming cells to control values.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Percutaneous absorption of phenanthrene: an in vitro study of the monkey skin].

It is well known that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are absorbed through the skin of experimental animals and humans. However dermal uptake of PAHs is difficult to assess due to the lack of specific studies. The aim of this study was to obtain in vitro percutaneous absorption data for phenanthrene. In vitro penetration was measured with excised monkey (Cercopithecus Aethiops) skin in Franz diffusion cells, using a saline solution with 4% bovine serum albumin and gentamicin sulfate as receptor fluid. In two different groups of 7 and 2 cells, 38.1 and 95.3 nmol/cm2 respectively of phenanthrene were applied in an acetone vehicle. The absorption rate in the first group of 7 cells was 0.025 nmol/cm2/h (S.D. = 0.012), the lag time 11.7 (S.D. = 7.0) h and the breakthrough time 70 m (S.D. = 55 m). In the second group of 2 cells, the average absorption rate was 0.066 nmol/cm2/h and the average lag time 11.8 h. The percutaneous absorption at 24, 48 and 72 hours in the 7 cell group was 0.72% (S.D. = 0.52), 2.51% (S.D. = 1.76) and 3.9% (S.D. = 2.0) of the applied dose respectively. In the 2-cell group 1.1%, 2.78% and 4.5% of the applied dose was absorbed at 24, 48 and 72 hours. The results of the present study confirm the extent of percutaneous absorption of phenanthrene. The data can be compared with dermal absorption values of other PAHs obtained under the same experimental conditions.

Animals↗