Erythrocyte thiamine (Th) esters: a major factor of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome or a candidate marker for alcoholism itself?

AIMS: Thiamine (Th) deficiency is a major problem in alcoholics. In this study, the relationship of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) to Th and its esters, as well as the diagnostic power of Th and its esters were investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Th and its esters were assessed in a series of chronic alcoholics (and in controls) using an improved method. RESULTS: No association was found between AWS severity and Th and its esters, while the diagnostic power of thiamine diphosphate (TDP) and Th was very high. TDP was the most significant among the parameters under study, confirming that erythrocyte TDP is a suitable marker of alcoholism: TDP sensitivity across subjects was 84.1%, specificity 85.4%, positive predictive value 82.4%, and negative predictive value 88.0%.

Classifications for carcinogenesis of antitumoral drugs.

The aim of this review is to support the medical staff engaged in tumor therapy with the carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, developmental toxicity classification of a large number of chemiotherapic drugs by national and international Agencies; it also gives their rationale and the few cases for which the classification varies among, for example, the European Union and the United States of America. A large list of such drugs, producers, commercial names, CAS numbers and chemical names is reported. This list is subject to changes for the quick development in this field: many drugs are retired and many more are introduced in clinical practice. The list is updated to the summer 2003 and retains many drugs which have more than one use or have limited use. The protection of the medical personnel using antitumor chemiotherapics can need retrospective epidemiological investigations and obsolete drugs are of importance for some of the past exposures.

[Vinyl chloride and 1,2-dichloroethane: classification and assessment of carcinogenicity, guidelines, threshold values, and standards developed by national and international entities, organizations, and agencies]. / Vinile cloruro e 1,2-dicloroetano: classificazioni e valutazioni di cancerogenità, linee guida, valori limite e standard emessi da enti, organismi e agenzie nazionali e internazionali.

International, national and regulatory classification, evaluation, guidelines and occupational exposure values regarding vinyl chloride and 1,2-dichloroethane, carried out by European Union (EU). Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Italian National Advisory Toxicological Committee (CCTN), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), World Health Organization (WHO), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and other institutions, have been considered with particular reference to the carcinogenic effects. Moreover information is reported in support of classification and evaluation and a short historical review since early 1970s, when first evidence that occupational exposure to VC could lead to angiosarcoma was published.

Features of the Italian National Inventory of Chemical Substances.

The Italian National Inventory of Chemical Substances (Inventario nazionale delle sostanze chimiche, INSC), a factual data bank on chemical toxicology produced by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), consists of a computerized system on existing chemicals developed for routinary and emergency needs. Historical background, current status and future direction of INSC are discussed. The structure and the feature of INSC are briefly examined. Aspects of retrieval of information and the criteria for the inclusion of data and priority selection are also considered.

Improvement of a practical method for priority selection and risk assessment among existing chemicals.

In a previous paper (A. Sampaolo and R. Binetti (1986). Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 6, 129-154) an original pragmatic approach for priority setting and risk assessment among existing chemicals was presented. The experience subsequently acquired in the use of the method suggested some improvements, relevant for an easier application. The priority coefficient R has been redefined so that now it can range between zero (all data available) and 1 (no data available). In order to make the final figures more comparable with each other, the indexes are now expressed as percentage with reference to the maximum score obtainable if all parameters of the equation used had reached the maximum score. New general priority index and general risk index formulas, both for personal direct and environmental exposure, are also defined. Another modification concerns the application of the method to specific aspects, such as irreversible effects, immediate and delayed toxic effects, and so on. The method has then been validated on 80 known substances obtaining the respective ranking according to the specific kind of risk.

Elaboration of a practical method for priority selections and risk assessment among existing chemicals.

An original pragmatic approach is presented for priority setting among existing chemicals, as a result of a study requested by the European Community Commission. On the basis of a set of physicochemical, toxicological, and ecotoxicological properties considered as fundamental for a first evaluation of the substance, the proposed system develops a score for each property in both the presence and absence of the datum. The properties in this first set are considered additive. Other information on the substance (quantity on the market, plurality of possible exposures, bioconcentration, environmental diffusion, persistence and size of risk population) is included in a second set of multiplier parameters. Through this simple and self-improving system it is possible to work out, using different final formulas, different lists for different needs. Using 30 well-known substances as examples with which to check the system, it is possible to see how these substances distribute themselves as to priority for environmental or for direct personal exposure.