White blood cells, TNF-α, and interleukin-6 in subjects with infantile colic treated with Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103): a randomised prospective study.

Recent metanalysis reported that certain probiotic strains, such as Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LGG), seem effective for treatment of infantile colic of exclusively breastfed infants; some reports have also linked probiotics to have an immunological effect, however further investigation are needed to fully understand the exact mechanism. The objective of this study was to assay white blood cells, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 values in peripheral blood in subjects treated in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for infantile colic with LGG. Fifty-eight infants were enrolled and followed for a study period of 28 days. Parent were asked to record daily crying time using a structured cry diary. Peripheral white blood cells was assessed and RNA (mRNA) expression of TNF-α and IL-6 was measured using TaqMan real-time PCR-maternal amplification. Infants with colic treated with LGG showed a reduction in daily crying duration after 28 days of treatment and a reduction in values of IL-6 ( P < 0.005) and TNF-α ( P < 0.05); we observe also a significantly decreasing of IL-6 in the placebo group while decrease of TNF-α was not significant in this group. A significant decreased values of monocytes ( P < 0.05) was observed in infants treated with LGG. Our data therefore showed, in addition to crying time reduction, a significant decrease of TNF-α and a significant reduction of monocytes cells in colicky infants treated with LGG, compared to placebo group. This observation supports the hypothesis that probiotics may have anti-inflammatory properties. Further studies are needed to better understand the influence of probiotic on immunity cells.

Utility of bronchodilator response for asthma diagnosis in Latino preschoolers

BACKGROUND: Asthma diagnosis in preschoolers is mostly based on clinical evidence, but a bronchodilator response could be used to help confirm the diagnosis. The objective of this study is to evaluate the utility of bronchodilator response for asthma diagnosis in preschoolers by using spirometry standardised for this specific age group. METHODS: A standardised spirometry was performed before and after 200 mcg of salbutamol in 64 asthmatics and 32 healthy control preschoolers in a case-control design study. RESULTS: The mean age of the population was 4.1 years (3-5.9 years) and 60% were females. Almost 95% of asthmatics and controls could perform an acceptable spirometry, but more asthmatics than controls reached forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (57% vs. 23%, p = 0.033), independent of age. Basal flows and FEV1 were significantly lower in asthmatics than in controls, but no difference was found between groups in forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV in 0.5 s (FEV0.5). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, the variable with higher power to discriminate asthmatics from healthy controls was a bronchodilator response (% of change from basal above the coefficient of repeatability) of 25% in forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% (FEF25-75) with 41% sensitivity, 80% specificity. The higher positive likelihood ratio for asthma equalled three for a bronchodilator response of 11% in FEV0.5 (sensitivity 30%, specificity 90%). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of Chilean preschoolers, spirometry had a very high performance and bronchodilator response was very specific but had low sensitivity to confirm asthma diagnosis

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Utility of bronchodilator response for asthma diagnosis in Latino preschoolers.

BACKGROUND: Asthma diagnosis in preschoolers is mostly based on clinical evidence, but a bronchodilator response could be used to help confirm the diagnosis. The objective of this study is to evaluate the utility of bronchodilator response for asthma diagnosis in preschoolers by using spirometry standardised for this specific age group. METHODS: A standardised spirometry was performed before and after 200 mcg of salbutamol in 64 asthmatics and 32 healthy control preschoolers in a case-control design study. RESULTS: The mean age of the population was 4.1 years (3-5.9 years) and 60% were females. Almost 95% of asthmatics and controls could perform an acceptable spirometry, but more asthmatics than controls reached forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) (57% vs. 23%, p=0.033), independent of age. Basal flows and FEV1 were significantly lower in asthmatics than in controls, but no difference was found between groups in forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV in 0.5s (FEV0.5). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, the variable with higher power to discriminate asthmatics from healthy controls was a bronchodilator response (% of change from basal above the coefficient of repeatability) of 25% in forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% (FEF25₋75) with 41% sensitivity, 80% specificity. The higher positive likelihood ratio for asthma equalled three for a bronchodilator response of 11% in FEV0.5 (sensitivity 30%, specificity 90%). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of Chilean preschoolers, spirometry had a very high performance and bronchodilator response was very specific but had low sensitivity to confirm asthma diagnosis.

Metal contamination in benthic macroinvertebrates in a sub-basin in the southeast of Brazil.

Benthic macroinvertebrates have many useful properties that make possible the use of these organisms as sentinel in biomonitoring programmes in freshwater. Combined with the characteristics of the water and sediment, benthic macroinvertebrates are potential indicators of environmental quality. Thus, the spatial occurrence of potentially toxic metals (Al, Zn, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Ni) in the water, sediment and benthic macroinvertebrates samples were investigated in a sub-basin in the southeast of Brazil in the city of São Carlos, São Paulo state, with the aim of verifying the metals and environment interaction with benthic communities regarding bioaccumulation. Hypothetically, there can be contamination by metals in the aquatic environment in the city due to lack of industrial effluent treatment. All samples were analysed by the USEPA adapted method and processed in an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The sub-basin studied is contaminated by toxic metals in superficial water, sediment and benthic macroinvertebrates. The Bioaccumulation Factor showed a tendency for metal bioaccumulation by the benthic organisms for almost all the metal species. The results show a potential human and ecosystem health risk, contributing to metal contamination studies in aquatic environments in urban areas.

Cold fronts and reservoir limnology: an integrated approach towards the ecological dynamics of freshwater ecosystems.

In this paper the authors discuss the effects of cold fronts on the dynamics of freshwater ecosystems of southeast South America. Cold fronts originating from the Antarctic show a monthly frequency that promotes turbulence and vertical mixing in reservoirs with a consequence to homogenize nutrient distribution, dissolved oxygen and temperature. Weak thermoclines and the athelomixis process immediately before, during and after the passage of cold fronts interfere with phytoplankton succession in reservoirs. Cyanobacteria blooms in eutrophic reservoirs are frequently connected with periods of stratification and stability of the water column. Cold fronts in the Amazon and Pantanal lakes may produce fish killings during the process of "friagem" associated mixing events. Further studies will try to implement a model to predict the impact of cold fronts and prepare management procedures in order to cope with cyanobacteria blooms during warm and stable water column periods. Changes in water quality of reservoirs are expected during circulation periods caused by cold fronts.

[Occupational mortality in Italy during 1992, assessed through record-linkage between pension records and death certificates]. / Mortalità per settore produttivo in Italia nel 1992 secondo le storie lavorative INPS.

BACKGROUND: The creation of a surveillance system of occupational mortality in Italy is limited by the low quality of information on occupation in death certificates, since the information is often incomplete or lacking and because only the occupation at the time of death is registered. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possible use of INPS (National Institute of Social Security) records for the purpose of surveillance of occupational mortality, in terms of feasibility of setting up a system and of validity of the results obtained. METHODS: Death records of 218,510 subjects aged 18-74, deceased in the 12 months following the 1991 census, were obtained from ISTAT (Central Statistics Institute). These were combined through record-linkage with the INPS social security archives, which contain the employment records by economic sector going back to 1974, in order to assign these deaths the sector in which they had worked the longest. Mortality by specific causes was evaluated by industry by means of a proportional mortality analysis stratified by sex and occupational status, and adjusted for age, education, marital status, geographical area of birth, drawing a disability pension, employment status at the time of death and work instability. RESULTS: Record-linkage allowed attribution of the longest held job to 70% of the deaths recorded. Results are presented and discussed only on mortality in men due to asbestosis and silicosis, and causes of death with a substantial proportion attributable to occupation: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); cancers of the bladder, nasal cavity, larynx, lung and pleura; leukaemia and lymphoma; accidental causes. Among the economic sectors with a significant excess mortality, the following are well documented in the literature: mortality due to COPD in the coal and peat-bog sectors; due to leukaemia among farmers; due to sino-nasal tumours in wood-working and furniture production; due to cancer of the larynx, lung, and pleura in occupations where there was probable exposure to asbestos (fishing and maritime transport, non-metal mining, building industry, and naval, train and aircraft construction); due to silicosis in industries with potential exposure to crystalline silica; due to accidental causes in the building industry and farming. Other mortality excesses and deficits, especially those due to bladder and lympho-haemopoietic cancers, appear to be only partly consistent with those described by other authors. DISCUSSION: The feasibility of developing a surveillance system of occupational mortality based on the INPS source was found to be good, and, at least among males, for 75% of the deceased subjects historical information existed concerning the economic sectors registered in the INPS records. The results obtained would appear to indicate that the system is capable of highlighting risk excesses due to widespread exposure in the industries examined, regarding diseases for which there is a strong association with exposure. On the other hand, due to the inherent limits of the study's design (lack of a complete work history and of precise information on the jobs held) its use is not recommended in the surveillance of diseases with a low proportion attributable to a risk factor, or with wide exposure variability in a given sector among the various jobs.

[Clinico-statistical investigation about cement dermatitis in Italy]. / Indagine clinico-statistica sulla dermatite da cemento in Italia.

To define the prevalence of cement dermatitis (allergic contact dermatitis-ACD-and irritant contact dermatitis-ICD), two retrospective studies have been carried out in Italy: the first one based on the analysis of dermatitis cases ascribable to cement as defined by INAIL (Italian Institute for Industrial Accidents Insurance) from 1984 to 1992; the second one by surveying cement dermatitis cases in workers in the building industry aged between 16 and 70 carried out by Istituto di Clinica Dermatologica dell'Università di Bari from 1988 to 1994. The survey on INAIL data showed that in the years take into account 5,290 dermatitis cases included in item 41 of the occupational diseases table have been defined. About 80% of these cases have been observed in workers working as bricklayers and floor-layers. Therefore, given the remarkable exposure to cement in these professions, the prevalence of cement dermatitis in Italy has been estimated to 6 cases/province/year, even though it has not been possible recognize the clinical form of cement dermatitis. Moreover, the study showed that disabling cutaneous after-effects eligible for compensation have been observed in 30% of the cases defined by INAIL. The allergologic study carried out by Clinica Dermatologica has not only defined the incidence of contact dermatitis (ACD and ICD), in building workers, but it has also extrapoled dermatitis cases due to cement. As a whole, in the years taken into account, 166 occupational or mixed ACD cases and 77 occupational or mixed ICD have been diagnosed. The incidence of contact dermatitis ascribable to cement has equalled 79% among ACD and 88% among ICD, with a ratio of about 2 to 1 in favour of allergic forms. Among the chemicals tested, potassium bichromate showed the highest frequency of cases positive to patch tests. The skin site the most affected by cement dermatitis is hand, followed by upper limbs, lower limbs and feet. In the province of Bari, in the years taken into account, an average incidence of 28.4 cases per year of the two forms of cement dermatitis has been observed.

[Efficacy of 2 different leukocyte filters for erythrocyte concentrates]. / Wirksamkeit von zwei verschiedenen Leukozytenfiltern für Erythrozytenkonzentrate.

By leukocyte reduction in red blood cell concentrates to < 5 x 10(6) leukocytes per transfused unit, febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reaction as well as alloimmunization and transmission of certain viral diseases (CMV, HTLV-1) can be prevented. Using a Nageotte hemocytometer with a large-volume chamber, the residual leukocyte number after filtration of 40 buffy-coat free red blood cell units with the filters Pall RC100 and Sepacell R500 B1 was determined in a clinical routine setting. Both tested filters underscored the limit (< 5 x 10(6) leukocytes per unit) set by the American Association of Blood Banks. Hemoglobin loss accounted for 8.9 g (Pall RC100) versus 7.7 g (Sepacell R500 B1), which is about 15-18% of the hemoglobin content of a red blood cell concentrate.