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N Sannolo

Publications and source records attributed to N Sannolo.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Gas chromatographic quantitation of breath hydrogen and carbon monoxide for clinical investigation in adults and in children.

A simple and suitable method of breath sampling and the gas chromatographic determination of H2 and CO in breath of children as well as of adults are described. The analytical system allows the measurement of concentrations of H2 and CO as low as a few ppm. The proposed method of breath collection (tedlar bag with low resistance valve face mask) appears particularly useful for long storage purposes, because it eliminates the need for additional manipulations and the possible associated sample dilution. Normalization of H2 breath amounts to internal standard O2 to obtain reliable and precise measurements is particularly useful in non-collaborating patients whose observed H2 peak values increase by 15% after the correction. The overall procedure is fast, inexpensive and accurately recognizes adult or children lactose malabsorbers as well as subjects exposed even to low levels of CO.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[Extraction of fecal lipids and identification of hydroxystearic acid by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS)].

Fatty acids and hydroxy fatty acids in the intestine are of interest because of their cathartic properties. We describe a method for extraction of lipids from freeze dried homogenized stools and identification of the hydroxy stearic acid in the fecal lipids pattern by GC-MS. Recovery of 90-95 % shows the efficacy of extraction . Quantitative data of fecal hydroxy stearic acid excretion in some normal and chronic diarrhea affected children are reported.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Implementation of parliamentary act D. Lgs 25/02 and definition of "moderate risk"].

This paper describes the position of the Joint Working Group of the Italian Association of Industrial Hygienists (AIDII), the Italian Society of Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene (SIMLII) and the Italian Society of Toxicology (SITOX) on "Analysis of Parliamentary Act D.Lgs 25/02 and role of the Scientific Societies in the definition of Limit Values". The positive aspects of the new law which implements the European Directive 98/24 are discussed, including the abolition of the rigid periodicity of medical examinations as stated by the old rule D.P.R. 303/56. The Authors also address various parts of the law which appear to be unclear and controversial and highlight the expected difficulties arising for the employers and the safety and health professionals during the application of this new piece of legislation. Moreover, a number of discrepancies are noted between the new Italian law and the original Directive or other current Italian rules such as i. the translation of the term "slight risk", as from the original Directive, into "moderate risk", and the resulting non compulsoriness of health surveillance and biological monitoring of the workers in presence of a "moderate risk", ii. the concurrent exclusion, under the same circumstances, of the occupational physician from risk assessment procedures and iii. the upward modification of the previously established (D.Lgs 277/91) occupational exposure limits for lead. Moreover, the Authors examine and criticize--both in semantic and in toxicological terms--a recent proposal for the definition of "moderate risk" made by an ad hoc Consulting Committee of the Labour Ministry, in which the term "moderate" has been interpreted either as "low" or as "irrelevant for health effects", clearly two very different meanings. Besides, it would be inappropriate to define the conditions of a moderate risk based only on the level of exposure to the chemical (expressed as a fraction of the corresponding limit value), without considering the two other components of risk assessment for that chemical (hazard and susceptibility). Even worse would be the use of simplified models based on "algorithms", which might be useful in a preliminary phase of risk assessment, but easily could lead to an under- or over-estimation of risk, particularly when used by non professionals. In conclusion, the Working Group recommend that the new law be amended in order to clarify its most controversial aspects, whose misinterpretation could severely jeopardize the protection of the workers' safety and health at work.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Fumigation of soil and food: assessment of occupational exposure to methyl bromide].

Innovative procedures were developed for the biological monitoring of workers exposed to methyl bromide, through the determination of biomarkers of exposure, such as bromide in serum, and of biomarkers of the biologically effective dose, such as haemoglobin adducts. The effectiveness of the developed techniques for the biological monitoring was tested through the analysis of blood samples from workers employed in soil fumigation.

Agrochemicals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Toxicological significance of biological markers].

Biological monitoring or, simply, biomonitoring (BM), refers to the periodic measurement of biological markers, or biomarkers (BMKs), in human fluids and tissues to assess the interaction (absorption, early health effects, susceptibility) between physical, chemical or biological agents and the human organism. The primary aim of BM in the workplace is to integrate environmental monitoring data and detect early, reversible biochemical or functional changes in workers exposed to chemicals before they become clinically relevant. BM also contributes to the assessment of chemical risk to workers, as individuals or as a group. Biomarkers are generally divided into three main types: biomarkers of exposure (BME), response/effect (BMR), and susceptibility (BMS). Other, more specific types of biomarkers are those of internal dose (BID), those of biologically effective dose (BED) and early biomarkers of disease (EBD). It is not always easy, however, to allocate a given BMK--such as the measurement of cytochrome P450 phenotype in subjects exposed to organic solvents--to one or the other type. Biomonitoring provides several advantages over environmental monitoring or health surveillance. For example, it allows an estimate of inter- and intra-individual variability in the absorption, distribution and excretion of chemicals. It also allows the detection of reversible changes before the appearance of a clinically relevant occupational impairment or disease. For these reasons, BM has become a routine procedure in occupational health practice throughout the world. Even the widely acknowledged, recently updated Code of Ethics for Occupational Health Professionals, a milestone in occupational health practice, only provides the basic ethical principles associated with biological monitoring. The aim of the present paper is to survey the various types of BMK available today with two main objectives: to discuss their toxicological significance and highlight the substantial differences that exist between their use in the practice of occupational health and in medical research. The development of new, more valid and reliable BMKs is strongly dependent on the understanding not only of the toxicokinetic and toxicodinamic mechanisms of chemicals, but also of the various susceptibility factors involved, whether genetic or environmental. It is hoped that the concurrent use of BMKs of different types may improve chemical risk assessment in workers, both individually and as a group.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[New biomarkers of exposure].

In this paper we have defined the new biomarkers of exposure (NBE) as those biomarkers discovered in the last five years and, among previously validated biomarkers, also those applied in different ranges of doses or those determined in biological matrices which differ from matrices originally considered. We examined the results from the surveys carried out by the main Italian research units involved in biological monitoring, i.e. those from the Universities of Brescia, Milan, Naples, Padua, Parma, Pavia, Turin and Verona. The data were collected using a standardized model and included the following: type of element or organic compound, type of biomarker, analytical technique and method, their relationship with environmental monitoring data, their relationship with effect indicators or effects in general, improvement with respect to old biomarkers, reference values. Twenty two NBEs were identified: 14 elements and chemical compounds as such or as metabolites, 4 examples of mixtures, 3 of new matrices, one of speciation. Among the others, aspects such as interest in requiring NBE, quality assurance, availability, cost-benefit ratio were discussed. We conclude that development of this specific field of research appears to be a crucial point for future improvement in risk assessment and health surveillance procedures.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Biologically effective dose biomarkers].

Biologically effective dose markers--DNA and protein adducts--are classified among exposure biomarkers, and are currently used to assess the biologically active fraction of xenobiotics, which is capable of interacting with cellular macromolecules at the target site. Macromolecular adducts should not only be considered as exposure indicators; indeed, their biological significance can also be extended to biomarkers of effect and of susceptibility. The achievement of such a goal needs research programs aimed both at studying molecular mechanisms related to each step along the continuum of events between exposure and disease, and at establishing quantitative relationships between exposure levels and adduct formation, between adducts and early biological effects, effects and cellular structural/functional modifications, leading to the development and eventual increase in incidence of specific diseases. Moreover, different factors must be considered during data evaluation, such as interindividual variability, the background levels of biomarkers in non occupationally exposed population, the gradually decreasing doses of genotoxic agents involved in occupational exposure, and confounding factors such as diet and smoking habits. Despite the large body of literature documenting DNA and protein adduct molecular dosimetry for many carcinogen exposures, many authors highlight the need for systematic interlaboratory comparison and collaboration by measuring the same biomarkers using different techniques and/or different biomarkers related to the same exposure levels. There is also general agreement about reducing costs, so that dosimetric analyses can become economically more advantageous and accessible in all cases where they prove to be useful in preventing health risks.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Combustion generated nanoparticles: mutagenicity and chemical reactivity].

Nanoparticles of organic carbon (NOC) are formed in combustion of hydrocarbon-rich fuels and have been detected in vehicle exhausts, suggesting their presence in urban atmospheres. Epidemiological studies showed that some causal relationships exist between particle concentration in the air and a wide range of health effects, but no toxicological studies are reported on the potential health risk of particles smaller than 4 nm. The present study investigated the mutagenicity and the reactivity of NOC collected in water samples from the exhausts of diesel and gasoline engines. Mutagenicity was tested following the Ames Test, with and without metabolic activation. Reactivity was investigated by using a new approach aimed to identify electrophilic agents present in the sample material, which if introduced into the organism, could interact with nucleophilic sites of biological macromolecules (DNA and proteins), forming adducts. Given the large number of nucleophilc sites within biological macromolecules, the complexity of NOC, and the inexact knowledge of its chemical structure, this approach was simplified by examining in vitro interactions between NOC particles and model peptides through LCIMS analyses of incubation mixtures The results indicate a high reactivity and, in several cases, the mutagenicity of NOCs, thus calling for suitable biomarkers assess NOC exposure associated with vehicle emissions.

DNA Adducts↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Perception of alcoholism risk in health workers: medical role in prevention and surveillance].

According to Italian laws (legge 125/01, art. 15, comma 1) about safety on workplaces, it's forbidden alcohol drinking and taking for health workers (art. 8, comma 6, legge 5/06/2003 number 131) (e.g. anaesthesiology, surgery, radiology, nursing etc.). National alcoholism risk prevention program to assess number for year of accidents in health workplaces, is actually in progress leaded by Health Minister and Regional administration (e.g. Tuscany). Particularly, prevention program acts consist in comprehensive informations for health workers and their co- workers, about prevention and identification of alcoholism- related risks. To assess the size of alcohol problems in health workplaces, Occupational Health Medicine Institute of Second University of Naples is going to enrol 500 subjects (200 nursing students, 200 Specialist Registrars of different areas, 100 Consultants). Actually our population consists in 160 Specialist Registrars of different medical subjects (surgery, clinical and laboratory). To verify the importance of alcoholism risk perception, a not validated questionnaire was administrated. This original assessing instrument consists in 23 items with closed answers about demographic information, university, career, lifestyle, knowledge about rules taking alcoholic drinks. Results show a dangerous lack of information about alcohol health effects, even in Medical Specialist Registrars.

Alcoholism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Erythrocyte-mediated toxification of 1,8-dinitropyrene: I. Reduction.

Nitroarenes are environmental contaminants produced during incomplete combustion processes. It has been reported that nitroreduction, the most important pathway of nitroarene toxification, occurs mainly in the liver and intestine. In the present study we have shown that red cells also possess the metabolic competence to reduce nitroarenes. In particular, 1,8-dinitropyrene, the nitroarene chosen as model compound, was reduced to the corresponding mono- and diamino-derivatives, 1-amino-8-nitropyrene and 1,8-diaminopyrene, by human lysate supplemented with cofactors.

Erythrocytes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Erythrocyte-mediated toxification of 1,8-dinitropyrene. II. Covalent bind to erythrocyte-proteins.

In the present study we have shown that erythrocyte-catalyzed 1,8-dinitropyrene reduction occurs via formation of reactive intermediate species, which bind covalently to haemoglobin and other erythrocyte proteins. In fact after mild-acid hydrolysis of lysate proteins exposed to DNP, the reduced metabolites, 1-amino-8-nitropyrene and 1,8-diaminopyrene, were released, thus indicating the formation of sulphinamide adducts to proteins. These results suggest that haemoglobin adduct biomonitoring would be a useful method of controlling exposure to nitroarene in persons at risk.

Amines↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Criteria and methods for the study of occupational exposure to antineoplastic agents].

Risk assessment for occupational exposure to antiblastic chemotherapeutic drugs (ACD) is carried out by means of environmental and biological monitoring. These practices are not widespread and furthermore their results are frequently difficult to interpret. This paper discusses some of the most important aspects of risk assessment for ACD and in particular for their exposure evaluation. The following guidelines are proposed: a) working rooms, working procedures, type and quantity of drugs, and preventive measures must be checked using a standardized scheme for collecting data: an example of a check list experimented in some Italian hospitals is presented; b) cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, and Pt coordination compounds have been identified as tracers of drug mixtures usually administered, and their determination is recommended both in environmental and biological samples; c) for a correct evaluation of exposure, ACD should be determined firstly on the contaminated surfaces or on work clothes and secondly in urine of workers; the measurement of ACD in air must be limited to well documented conditions of high exposure and the urinary mutagenicity tests should be avoided; d) the biological monitoring practices should be enhanced, in particular the determination of ACD adducts to proteins and nucleic acids as promising indicators of effective dose.

Antineoplastic Agents↗