Search

Scopo dello studio è stato valutare gli effetti dell'esposizione alle polveri di cemento sul sistema immunitario nei lavoratori di un cementificio valutando le sottopopolazioni linfocitarie. Abbiamo studiato 209 lavoratori, classificati come esposti e non esposti rispetto alla mansione nel cementificio e abbiamo rilevato un RR significativamente più elevato negli esposti rispetto ai non esposti di avere un rapporto CD4+/CD8+ alterato; tra i fattori di confondi mento considerati, la mansione da sola spiega il modello di regressione logistica con una P< 0.05. Questi dati suggeriscono l'esistenza nei lavoratori esposti di un rischio aumentato di sviluppare una disregolazione del sistema immunitario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of ultrasound (US) is extremely important in the early detection (diagnosis) of peritoneal catheter tunnel infection (TI) in subjects with catheter exit-site infection (ESI), also for the therapeutic follow up of tunnel infection and in particular to evaluate (assess) the prognosis in cases of deep infection. ESI is the major cause of peritonitis because it is associated to bacterial migration and overgrowth which involve deep cuff and then the tunnel. The use of US is now widely recognized, it allows the identification of persistent foci as hypoechoic pericatheter areas and specially to evaluate response to antibiotic therapy. Between January 2012 and Dicember 2015 eight patients with infectious complication (ESI-PERITONITIS) underwent to US- Color Doppler examination of peritoneal catheter. This study describes how peritoneal catheter follow up associated to color Doppler can prevent peritonitis ESI correlated, because the use of color Doppler allows to differenziate exudative areas from those areas of intense vascular proliferation, suggesting timing for cuff shaving surgery and external cuff removal, to prevent infectious propagation, potential peritonitis, as well as to save catheter., (Copyright by Società Italiana di Nefrologia SIN, Rome, Italy.)

Tuberculosis screening is recommended for all health care workers. We evaluated the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among 939 hospital workers of Tor Vergata University teaching hospital in Rome, Italy, in the period 2007-2013, by using the QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube (QFT) test. The mean age of subjects tested was 31 years. The prevalence of positive subjects (cut-off 0.35 UI/ml) was 5.5% (46/939) and the mean age of those who tested positive was 39 years. The low rate of positivity may be partly related to the higher reliability of QFT in comparison to tuberculin skin testing.

An early detection of noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) may allow more effective protection measures. Our aim was to investigate the usefulness of high-frequency audiometry to evaluate the possibility of a future use of the high frequencies audiometry as an early indicator for noise induced hearing loss. A cross-sectional study was performed involving 204 industrial noise exposed and 100 non-industrial noise-exposed workers. Each subject was tested with both conventional-frequency (0.25-8 kHz) and high-frequency (9-18 kHz) audiometry during the annually health surveillance campaign conducted in two Italian cement factories. As expected, noise exposed workers were found to have significantly higher hearing thresholds (P < 0.05) at both conventional and extended high frequencies. Marked differences were found for EHFA. Moreover, significant differences at EHFA were detected also in the subgroup of noise-exposed workers with normal findings at conventional audiometry. Our finding indicate that the use of the extended high frequency test may represent a useful tool for detecting early changes of hearing impairment and that it could be used in addition to the conventional test to better prevent the progression of noise hearing loss.

Nanotubes have a great therapeutic potential due to their astounding physico-chemical features, the possibility to be funtionalised for ad hoc uses, and the specific interaction of nanotubes as such with life molecules (DNA and proteins). These features recommend a thorough toxicological study before widespread pharmaceutic use. We provide evidence that culture cells with phagocytic potential internalise multi wall nanotubes (10-50 nm average size). This is not accompanied by cytotoxicity in terms of induction of &apoptosis or necrosis at the doses used (up to 125 microg/mI).

Noise-induced hearing loss is currently the most frequent professional disease in Italy. Genetic polymorphisms of genes involved in the pathophysiology of hearing loss may confer vulnerability to the damage. To obtain data on these polymorphisms able to make a single worker more susceptible or resistant than others to the damage of the organ of Corti after exposure to noise, may allow a more efficient prevention.