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A 68-yr-old male, smoker, is admitted for proteinuria (2,800 mg/24 h) and reduced renal function (serum creatinine 2 mg/dl, GFR 35 ml/min). Renter, he started working 20-yr-old as a sandstone cave miner. Despite the high levels of silica dusts, he reported no mandatory use of airways protection devices during the first 25 yr of activity. No clinical or radiological signs of silicosis or pneumoconiosis where reported until the year of retirement (1997). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (91 mm/h) and C reactive protein (35 mg/l) suggested a pro-inflammatory status. High serum IgA was found (465 mg/dl). A renal biopsy identified glomerular sclerosis with IgA deposition, signs of diffuse vasculitis and tubular atrophia suggesting a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. Chest X-Rays showed emphysema and diffuse nodularity suggesting diagnosis of silicosis. Chest tomography was also positive for mild signs of silicosis with silicotic nodules and without honeycombing. IgA nephropathy is the most common type of glomerulonephritis worldwide. Several clues suggest a genetic or acquired abnormality of immune system as a trigger of the increased production of IgA. In our case report, simultaneous kidney and pulmonary disease could suggest same triggers (e.g. exposure to virus, bacteria or environmental agents) inducing IgA synthesis and pulmonary immune system activation.

Introduction: Increasing evidence suggests that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) occurs more often in subjects previously exposed to wood dusts than in non-exposed subjects. Here we report 2 cases of the IPF among workers prolongedly exposed to high levels of hardwood dusts., Case Report: The case No. 1: An 83 year-old male former smoker, retired joiner developed mild dyspnoea and chronic dry cough over the period preceding the examination. Pulmonary function tests (PFT) identified a mild restrictive pattern and diffusion capacity for carbon dioxide (CO₂) that was severely impaired (57% of predicted value). High resolution computer tomography (HRCT) identified bilateral, subpleural basal reticular opacities in honeycombing, without any nodules or ground-glass opacities. The case No. 2: A 73 year-old male retired jointer, never smoker, presented a 3-year history of progressive breathlessness and non-productive cough in mild hypoxemia. Pulmonary function tests suggested a moderate restrictive pattern in severely impaired diffusion capacity for CO₂(54% of predicted value). High resolution computer tomography identified diffuse peripheral reticular opacities and honeycombing of lower fields, with apico-basilar gradient. Both cases received diagnosis of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis., Discussion: The pulmonary fibrosis is a common feature of several diseases and may be induced by inflammatory disorders following inhalation of organic and inorganic dusts (e.g., asbestos, silica), and several reports suggest that many cases of the IPF may be in fact secondary to occupational dust exposure as in the case reports we present here., Conclusions: Occupational exposure to wood dusts may be a risk factor for the IPF. Unfortunately, exposure reconstruction is frequently inconsistent and anamnesis often misses other causes of the pulmonary fibrosis (e.g., extrinsic allergic alveolitis)., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Background: Prognosis assessment of node-positive colorectal cancer patients by Astler-Coller (AC) and TNM classifications is suboptimal. Recently, several versions of lymph node ratio (LNR; ratio metastatic/examined nodes) have been proposed but are still mostly unused., Methods: The prognostic value of several criteria, including LNR (two classes-LNR1 and LNR2-identified by a 15% cut-off) was studied in 761 consecutive patients, from 2000 through 2010. The relationships between total examined nodes, N, T and LNR were also analysed. LNR1 and LNR2 patients' survival was analysed within AC and TNM subgroups, and then coupled with them., Results: Age, tumour location and LNR are independent factors predicting survival. The relationships between LNR, N stage and T stage with examined nodes suggest confusing factors. LNR allows for identification of subgroups with different survival within AC and TNM classifications (p < 0.0001). Patients with LNR class discordant from AC stage (LNR1-C2 and LNR2-C1) have a similar 5-year survival (54 and 57%, respectively). LNR2 and TNM stage IIIC define a poor 5-year prognosis (33%)., Conclusions: LNR is a powerful prognosis predictor, easily integrated with TNM and AC classifications to improve prognosis assessment and facilitate clinical use. Possible confusing factors should be considered in future studies.

The new bimetallic [HCo15Pd9C3(CO)38](2-) tri-carbide carbonyl cluster has been obtained from the reaction of [H2Co20Pd16C4(CO)48](4-) with an excess of acid in CH2Cl2 solution. The mono-hydride di-anion can be reversibly protonated and deprotonated by means of acid-base reactions leading to closely related [H(3-n)Co15Pd9C3(CO)38](n-) (n = 0-3) clusters. The crystal structures of the three anionic and the neutral clusters have been determined as their H3Co15Pd9C3(CO)38·2thf, [NEt4][H2Co15Pd9C3(CO)38]·0.5C6H14, [NMe3(CH2Ph)]2[HCo15Pd9C3(CO)38]·C6H14 and [NEt4]3[Co15Pd9C3(CO)38]·thf salts. They are composed of a Pd9(μ3-CO)2 core stabilised by three Co5C(CO)12 organometallic fragments. The poly-hydride nature of these clusters has been indirectly inferred via chemical, electrochemical and magnetic measurements. Besides, cyclic voltammetry shows that the [H(3-n)Co15Pd9C3(CO)38](n-) (n = 1-3) anions are multivalent, since they undergo two or three reversible oxidations. SQUID measurements of [HCo15Pd9C3(CO)38](2-) indicate that this even electron cluster is paramagnetic with two unpaired electrons, giving further support to its hydride nature. Finally, structural studies show that the Pd9 core of [H(3-n)Co15Pd9C3(CO)38](n-) (n = 0,1) is a tri-capped octahedron, which becomes a tri-capped trigonal prism in the more charged [H(3-n)Co15Pd9C3(CO)38](n-) (n = 2,3) anions. Such a significant structural rearrangement of the metal core of a large carbonyl cluster upon protonation-deprotonation reactions is unprecedented in cluster chemistry, and suggests that interstitial hydrides may have relevant stereochemical effects even in large carbonyl clusters.

Former extensive studies of superconductivity in the A3C60 compounds, where A is an alkali metal, have led one to consider that Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer electron-phonon pairing prevails in those compounds, though the incidence of electronic Coulomb repulsion has been highly debated. The discovery of two isomeric fulleride compounds Cs3C60 which exhibit a transition with pressure from a Mott insulator (MI) to a superconducting (SC) state clearly reopens that question. Using pressure (p) as a single control parameter of the C60 balls lattice spacing, one can now study the progressive evolution of the SC properties when the electronic correlations are increased towards the critical pressure p(c) of the Mott transition. We have used 13C and 133Cs NMR measurements on the cubic phase A15-Cs3C60 just above p(c)=5.0(3) kbar, where the SC transition temperature Tc displays a dome shape with decreasing cell volume. From the T dependence below T(c) of the nuclear spin lattice relaxation rate (T1)(-1) we determine the electronic excitations in the SC state, that is 2Δ, the gap value. The latter is found to be largely enhanced with respect to the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer value established in the case of dense A3C60 compounds. It even increases slightly with decreasing p towards p(c), where T(c) decreases on the SC dome, so that 2Δ/k(B)T(c) increases regularly upon approaching the Mott transition. These results bring clear evidence that the increasing correlations near the Mott transition are not significantly detrimental to superconductivity. They rather suggest that repulsive electron interactions might even reinforce elecron-phonon superconductivity, being then partly responsible for the large T(c) values, as proposed by theoretical models taking the electronic correlations as a key ingredient.

In this work, a biologically catalyzed CO 2 mineralization process for the capture of CO 2 from point sources was designed, constructed at a laboratory scale, and, using standard chemical process scale-up protocols, was modeled and evaluated at an industrial scale. A yeast display system in Saccharomyces cerevisae was used to screen several carbonic anhydrase isoforms and mineralization peptides for their impact on CO 2 hydration, CaCO 3 mineralization, and particle settling rate. Enhanced rates for each of these steps in the CaCO 3 mineralization process were confirmed using quantitative techniques in lab-scale measurements. The effect of these enhanced rates on the CO 2 capture cost in an industrial scale CO 2 mineralization process using coal fly ash as the CaO source was evaluated. The model predicts a process using bCA2- yeast and fly ash is ~10% more cost effective per ton of CO 2 captured than a process with no biological molecules, a savings not realized by wild-type yeast and high-temperature stable recombinant CA2 alone or in combination. The levelized cost of electricity for a power plant using this process was calculated and scenarios in which this process compares favorably to CO 2 capture by MEA absorption process are presented.

In this paper an analysis is developed of the relationship between environment and health. It takes into account of the present situation and the outcome of the Referendum of 1993 which repeal certain environmental responsibilities of the NHS. The resulting framework denotes the backwardness of Italy on many aspects (wastes, water service, integrated environmental policies) and the difficulty of developing projects between the different professionals involved in environmental issues.

On age basis, internationally adopted children may have begun or fully completed all required vaccinations, but official documentation from original Countries is frequently insufficient. Aims of this study were to evaluate the seroprotection rate for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and tetanus according to immunization cards in 67 children recently adopted and to test the prevalence of enterovirus on faecal specimens. Seroprotection and vaccination status were frequently inconsistent and these results confirm that immunitary surveillance is a cornerstone for the prevention of diseases for which a vaccination is available. (www.actabiomedica.it).

Here, we present the first muon spectroscopy investigation of graphene, focused on chemically produced, gram-scale samples, appropriate to the large muon penetration depth. We have observed an evident muon spin precession, usually the fingerprint of magnetic order, but here demonstrated to originate from muon-hydrogen nuclear dipolar interactions. This is attributed to the formation of CHMu (analogous to CH(2)) groups, stable up to 1250 K where the signal still persists. The relatively large signal amplitude demonstrates an extraordinary hydrogen capture cross section of CH units. These results also rule out the formation of ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic order in chemically synthesized graphene samples.

Background: Emilia Romagna, a northern Italian region, has a population of 4.27 million, of which 9.7% are immigrants. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) during the period 1996-2006 in not Italy-born compared to Italy-born cases., Methods: Data was obtained from the Regional TB surveillance system, from where personal data, clinical features and risk factors of all notified TB cases were extracted., Results: 5377 TB cases were reported. The proportion of immigrants with TB, over the total number of TB cases had progressively increased over the years, from 19.1% to 53.3%. In the not Italy-born population, TB incidence was higher than in Italians (in 2006: 100.7 cases per 100,000 registered not Italy-born subjects and 83.9/100,000 adding 20% of estimated irregular presences to the denominators. TB incidence among Italians was 6.5/100,000 Italians). A progressive rise in the not Italy-born incident cases was observed but associated with a decline in TB incidence. Not Italy-born cases were younger compared to the Italy-born cases, and more frequently classified as "new cases" (OR 2.0 95%CI 1.61-2.49 for age group 20-39); 60.7% had pulmonary TB, 31.6% extra pulmonary and 7.6% disseminated TB. Risk factors for TB in this population group were connected to lower income status (homeless: OR 149.9 95%CI 20.7-1083.3 for age group 40-59)., Conclusions: In low-incidence regions, prevention and control of TB among sub-groups at risk such as the foreign-born population is a matter of public health concern. In addition, increasing immigration rates may affect TB epidemiology. TB among immigrants is characterized by particular clinical features and risk factors, which should be analyzed in order to plan effective action.

The review describes the evolution of the environmental policies in Italy underlying current delays and discords between the environment and its effects on human health. It also tries to define the major barriers to the introduction of the health impact assessment (HIA) in government policy-making process in Italy; the lack of regulations and the lack of methods to perform an HIA are the main reasons for its limited use. Epidemiology is a fundamental tool to produce effective health impact assessments along with a deep knowledge of medicine, environmental hygiene and risk communication. In conclusion, should the Italian scientific community agreed on a common and constructive approach avoiding possible exploitations and conflicts of interest, HIA could be a valuable method for helping to develop environmental policies and assisting policy-makers in important decisions.

We report a NMR and magnetometry study on the expanded intercalated fulleride Cs3C60 in both its A15 and face centered cubic structures. NMR allowed us to evidence that both exhibit a first-order Mott transition to a superconducting state, occurring at distinct critical pressures p{c} and temperatures T{c}. Though the ground state magnetism of the Mott phases differs, their high T paramagnetic and superconducting properties are found similar, and the phase diagrams versus unit volume per C60 are superimposed. Thus, as expected for a strongly correlated system, the interball distance is the relevant parameter driving the electronic behavior and quantum transitions of these systems.

The reaction of [Co(6)C(CO)(15)](2-) with 2 equiv of PtCl(2)(Et(2)S)(2) affords the new heterobimetallic [Co(8)Pt(4)C(2)(CO)(24)](2-), [1](2-), carbonyl cluster. [1](2-) undergoes reversible chemical and electrochemical oxidation and reduction processes disclosing a complete series of [1](n-) (n = 1-4) clusters. The mono- and dianion of [1](n-) have been isolated as their tetra-substituted ammonium salts and fully characterized by means of IR, (13)C NMR, ESI-MS, and X-ray crystallography. Variable-temperature (VT) solid-state EPR studies on pure crystalline samples indicate that both [1](2-) and [1](-*) are paramagnetic, due to a doublet state of the latter and a triplet state of [1](2-). This conclusion is supported by SQUID measurements on the same crystalline sample of [1](2-). The present study indisputably demonstrates that even-electron transition metal carbonyl clusters (TMCC) can be magnetic.

We report here on the preparation and characterization of a fullerenium salt in the solid state, where the fullerene is in the 2+ oxidized state. To succeed in this long-standing challenge, we exploit the oxidizing power of one of the strongest Lewis acids, AsF(5). The weak nucleophilic character of its conjugate base is essential in stabilizing the fullerene dication in a crystal lattice. High-resolution structural analysis of this compound, with the formula C(60)(AsF(6))(2), indicates that the highly reactive C(60)(2+) units are arranged according to a novel 1D "zigzag" polymer structure. The molecules are connected by an alternating sequence of four-membered carbon rings ([2 + 2] cycloaddition) and single C-C bonds. The long awaited high-T(c) superconductivity and magnetism, expected in a hole-doped C(60) compound, are replaced instead by a semiconducting behavior, quite probably originating from the reduced crystal and molecular symmetry upon polymerization. The small value of the energy gap (approximately 70 meV) suggests, nevertheless, the proximity of a metallic phase.

Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a chronic recurrent condition characterized by reduced tolerance to various environmental agents or to a class of chemical substances. An evidence-based diagnostic panel is not available nor is there a universally accepted definition of the syndrome. This study retrospectively evaluated the prevalence of MCS symptoms and associated risk factors in a sample of 660 young adults, by means of a structured questionnaire. Symptoms of MCS were found to be widely distributed in the sample population and several of the main risk factors suspected to be associated with MCS were not consistently associated with these symptoms in the sample. On the other hand a significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between atopy and symptoms. Further studies are therefore needed to evaluate this association and reach a unifying definition of the syndrome.

We report on the extraordinary superionic conductivity in the fulleride polymer Li4C60, a crystalline material with no disorder. 7Li, NMR, and dc frequency dependent conductivity show uncorrelated ionic hopping across small energy barriers (DeltaE&#95;{a} approximately 200 meV) and an ionic conductivity of 10;{-2} S/cm at room temperature, higher than in "standard" ionic conductors. Ab initio calculations of the molecular structure find intrinsic unoccupied interstitial sites that can be filled by Li+ cations in stoichiometric Li4C60 even at low temperatures. The low energy required for the occupation of these sites allows a sizable Li+ diffusion above 130 K. The results suggest novel application of lithium intercalated fullerides as electrodes in Li ions batteries.

Substitution of the acetonitrile ligands in Fe(4)Cu(2)C(CO)(12)(MeCN)(2) with bidentate L-L ligands, such as 4,4'-bipyridine (bipy), pyrazine (pyz) or p-dicyanobenzene (p-DCB), gives rise to either infinite [Fe(4)Cu(2)(micro(6)-C)(CO)(12)(micro-L-L)](infinity) zigzag chain polymers or to [Fe(4)Cu(2)(micro(6)-C)(CO)(12)(micro-L-L)](4).8THF square oligomers, as a function of the crystallization solvent.

Emissions of municipal solid waste incinerator plants consist as a suspected risk factor for the human health. Scientific literature about this theme appears contradictory: main sanitary outcomes actually evaluated, stating on geographic- or occupational-based epidemiologic approaches, produced inconsistent results. Research procedures applied, and effective quality of analyzed data, are the likely causes of such dissimilarities. Up to date, respiratory, cardiovascular renal, and hormonal pathologies, and also neoplasia, and developmental/reproductive disorders have been related to this kind of exposures: otherwise, an objective review of available data suggests a consistent relation only between residential or occupational exposure and the latter outcomes, always as a topic of multifactorial models. Finally, rigorous public health surveillance programs on exposed subjects appear mandatory steps to be established by Institutional Authorities. Also more accurate epidemiologic studies should be designed, eventually associating the retrieval of data relative to biomarkers of exposure or early health effect.

We report the case of a 64-year-old patient who developed autoimmune hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure shortly after the infusion of the 11th cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy with oxaliplatin, folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil (FOLFOX 4), and was successfully treated by means of plasmapheresis, corticosteroids and dialysis. To the best of our knowledge, only seven other cases have been described in the literature, but we believe this serious adverse event induced by oxaliplatin is more frequent than this would suggest.

The dynamic and structural properties of the ammonia-doped superconducting fulleride (NH3)xNaK2C60 (0.5< or =x< or =1), well known for its anomalous decrease of transition temperature with doping, have been investigated using sodium and deuterium solid-state NMR techniques. The independence of 23Na quadrupole splitting from the ammonia content x, which, at the same time, substantially affects Tc, suggests a marginal role of the cation position in the superconducting mechanism. On the other hand, a strong reduction of the deuterium quadrupole coupling with respect to the free ammonia value denotes the presence of weak hydrogen bonds between the deuterium atoms and fullerene pi orbitals. Despite the bond weakness, as evinced by the lively ammonia rotational dynamics even at very low temperatures, the resulting electron localization could explain the observed Tc anomaly. The motion of the ND3-Na group (located in the compound's octahedral voids), as well as the evolution of the ammonia dynamics as a function of temperature, were determined from deuterium NMR line shape analysis and from detailed numerical simulations. While at the lowest measured temperatures only the ammonia rotation around its own C3 axis takes place, above approximately 25 and 70 K, respectively, also the wobbling of the C3 axis and the ND3 relocation become active, successfully modeled by a strongly correlated motion involving two different time scales.

The magnetic behaviour of the even-electron [Ni16Pd16(CO)40]4- cluster, in its [NnBu4]+ salt, has been investigated by magnetometry and muon spin rotation/relaxation (muSR) spectroscopy. The susceptibility measurements show an exceptionally high magnetic moment corresponding to a total spin value J=2. This suggests a Hund filling of a quadruplet ground state, quite unique in carbonyl-metal clusters. SQUID magnetometry shows a departure from the Curie-Weiss law, for T>150 K, and strong deviation from a Brillouin behaviour of the magnetisation curves. muSR spectroscopy in zero applied field shows a temperature independent decay of the muon spin polarisation, similar to that of a purely paramagnetic system. The observed muon spin repolarisation in a moderate external longitudinal field, however, invalidates this simple picture and suggests the presence of a local anisotropy field acting on the cluster's magnetic moment. A consistent interpretation of magnetometry and muSR results implies the occurrence of an additional interaction of the cluster spin with an effective crystalline field. The inclusion of this interaction in a model Hamiltonian allows us to successfully reproduce both the susceptibility and magnetisation data.

Some neuroendocrine parameters known as stress indices were examined in two groups of healthy male workers in a glass factory: the first group (60 subjects) was exposed to high environmental noise levels [greater than 90 dB(A)]; the second group (52 subjects) was exposed to low noise levels [less than 78 dB(A)]. Subjects with histories of cardiovascular diseases or high arterial pressure were excluded from the study. In both groups serum catecholamines and cortisol, and urinary vanilmandelic and homovanillic acids were evaluated at the beginning and middle of morning and afternoon work-shifts, by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Norepinephrine, epinephrine and vanilmandelic acid were significantly increased (P less than 0.01) during work-shifts in the group exposed to 90 dB(A), compared with baseline levels and also with catecholamine levels in the group exposed to 78 dB(A). Serum dopamine, cortisol and homovanillic acid showed no significant differences. The increased stimulation of the sympatho-adrenal system in response to high and prolonged noise exposure might lead to an abnormal response of the cardiovascular system with increasing arterial pressure values.