Cytogenetic biomonitoring of road tunnel construction workers: buccal micronucleus cytome assay.

Results: Road tunnel construction workers revealed higher frequencies of cells with genotoxic damage (i.e., MN and NBUD). MN and NBUD resulted to be Poisson distributed and counts of these genotoxicity biomarkers were then analysed by Poisson regression. The frequency ratio (FR) for MN was 1.31 (95% CI: 0.84-2.04), with an increase in the exposed subjects; this finding, though indicating a higher genotoxic risk in the exposed subjects, did not reach statistical significance. On the other hand, the FR for NBUD was 3.49 (95% CI: 1.86-6.56), with a statistically significant increased risk of chromosomal damage. Even the frequencies of binucleated cells (a marker of cell proliferation) and pyknotic cells (a cell death biomarker) were significantly higher in tunnel workers. Introduction: Tunnel construction workers are exposed to complex mixtures of toxic agents, some of which are known to be genotoxic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the genotoxic risk in this occupational setting by comparing tunnel workers with a control group for frequencies of nuclear aberrations in oral exfoliated cells. Methods: To evaluate the genotoxic effects of tunnel air pollutants, we conducted a cross-sectional, molecular epidemiological study (35 tunnel workers and 35 healthy controls) using the buccal micronucleus cytome assay. A questionnaire was administered to obtain information about demographic variables, lifestyle, dietary habits, anthropometric data, and occupational history. Buccal mucosa cells were collected by scraping the buccal mucosa with a small-headed toothbrush. Coded slides were examined blind by trained scorers for micronuclei (MN), nuclear buds (NBUD), and other nuclear abnormalities. Conclusions: Our observations provide further knowledge and understanding of the occupational hazards of tunnel workers and confirm the complexity of effects (cytotoxic and genotoxic) probably induced by fumes and dust produced in underground operations.

[Presence of the microbiological risk in Umbrian sawmills]. / Presenza del rischio microbiologico nel settore delle falegnamerie umbre.

The purpose of this study was to quantify and identify the airborne microbial contamination in Umbria Sawmills. In this paper we reported the preliminary results of our analysis. Microbial contaminants (fungi and bacteria) were assessed with passive (IMA Standard) and active (SAS microbial sampler) methods. There were significant differences of bacterial and/or fungal CFU/m3 values between the outdoor and indoor environments during the normal sawmills activity. Staphylococcus, Sphingomonas, Pasteurella, were the most predominant bacteria. The most predominant isolated fungi belong to Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria and Aspergillus genus.

[Ischemic hepatitis: case reports and a review of the literature]. / L'epatite ischemica: contributo casistico e revisione della letteratura.

Ischemic hepatitis represents a condition in which an acute circulatory failure determines a striking elevation of both serum transaminases and total bilirubin and a prolongation of prothrombin time. Such impairment of liver function tests is due to a haemodynamic hepatocyte injury, showing focal centrilobular necrosis as the specific pathologic correlate. In this paper the authors describe four different cases of ischemic hepatitis, in which an acute derangement of liver function tests occurred as a consequence either of myocardial failure or of systemic venous congestion. Finally, the authors review all current international literature concerning the various clinical, pathologic and therapeutic features of ischemic hepatitis.