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To measure serum levels of CXCL10 and CCL2 chemokines in patients with SSc, and relate the findings to clinical phenotype and disease progression.Serum CXCL10 and CCL2 were assayed in 72 consecutive newly diagnosed SSc patients and in 72 sex- and age-matched controls. In 37 SSc and 37 controls, serum CXCL10 and CCL2 were re-evaluated 5 yrs later.SSc at onset showed significantly higher CXCL10 serum levels than controls (216 +/- 126 vs 92 +/- 53 pg/ml; P0.0001), as well as CCL2 (388 +/- 172 vs 318 +/- 120 pg/ml; P = 0.01). CXCL10 was significantly increased in SSc with interstitial lung involvement or with kidney involvement (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively). A significant decrease of CXCL10 was observed from the baseline after 5 yrs in SSc (137 +/- 112 vs 270 +/- 122 pg/ml, respectively; P0.0001), while no significant change was observed for CCL2 (418 +/- 176 vs 405 +/- 164 pg/ml; P = NS); the CCL2/CXCL10 ratio significantly increased at the fifth year (1.7 +/- 0.8 vs 3.5 +/- 2.5; P0.0001). No significant variations were observed in controls from the basal to the 5-yr evaluation with regards to CXCL10, CCL2 or CCL2/CXCL10 ratio.Our study demonstrates high serum levels of CXCL10 (Th1) and CCL2 (Th2) chemokines in newly diagnosed SSc. High values of CXCL10 are associated with a more severe clinical phenotype (lung and kidney involvement). CXCL10 declined during the follow-up, while CCL2 remained unmodified, suggesting that the disease progresses from the early Th1 inflammatory condition to the advanced Th2-like stage.

We evaluated contemporarily serum alpha and beta chemokines in patients with newly diagnosed systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the presence or absence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AT).Serum levels of CXCL10 and CCL2 chemokines, prototypes of the 2 major subclasses (Th1 and Th2), were measured in patients with newly diagnosed SSc with (n = 40; SSc-II) or without (n = 50; SSc-I) AT, in comparison with 50 normal controls (control-I) and 40 AT controls without SSc (control-II) (sex- and age-matched).Serum CXCL10 levels were significantly higher in control-II, SSc-I, and SSc-II than in control-I (150 +/- 131, 196 +/- 137, 254 +/- 98, 83 +/- 42 pg/ml, respectively; p0.001 for all). SSc-I had serum CXCL10 levels significantly higher than control-II (p = 0.03), and significantly lower than SSc-II (p = 0.04). SSc-II had serum CXCL10 levels significantly higher than control-II (p = 0.002). Serum CCL2 levels were significantly higher in SSc-I and SSc-II than in control-I (378 +/- 192, 403 +/- 131, 316 +/- 113 pg/ml, respectively; p = 0.03 and p0.01, respectively). SSc-II had serum CCL2 levels significantly higher than control-II (327 +/- 123 pg/ml; p = 0.04).Our study demonstrates high serum levels of both CXCL10 (Th1) and CCL2 (Th2) chemokines in patients with SSc, and suggests a prevalence of Th1 immune response in the early phase of the disease. A further increase of serum CXCL10, but not of CCL2, is observed in SSc patients with AT.

Results of an extensive 5 year study on a full-scale plant with the specific aim to investigate polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzo furan (PCDF) formation and release in a secondary aluminum casting plant are reported. PCDD and PCDF concentrations were evaluated for all the gaseous and solid streams (no liquid stream was present) as well as for the flue gas upstream and downstream of every single unit of the flue gas cleaning system. The study highlights PCDD and PCDF formation particularly in the narrow 320-360°C range. To prevent formation reactions and/or minimize PCDD and PCDF concentration at the stack, effects of the fabric filter substitution, a quenching chamber and a postcombustor installation together with working conditions are investigated. The flue gas cleaning system results in PCDD and PCDF emission at stack of 0.1-0.2 ng I-TEQ/N m3 and in a mass flow of 250-550 nmol/h. The total PCDD and PCDF release into the environment is 0.06 g I-TEQ/yr and the corresponding emission factor, 0.35 μg I-TEQ/ton. It is shown that the global effects of the technological innovation on the reaction mechanisms are the prevention of PCDD/F formation by de novo synthesis and the minimization of their emission. © 2008 American Chemical Society.