Occupational Exposure to Metal Engineered Nanoparticles: A Human Biomonitoring Pilot Study Involving Italian Nanomaterial Workers

Advances in nanotechnology have led to an increased use of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) and the likelihood for occupational exposures. However, how to assess such exposure remains a challenge. In this study, a methodology for human biomonitoring, based on Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (SP-ICP-MS), was developed as a tool to assess the ENPs exposure of workers involved in nanomaterial activities in two Italian Companies. The method was validated for size and number concentration determination of Ag, Au, In2O3, Ir, Pd, Pt, and TiO2 NPs in urine and blood samples. The results showed the presence of In2O3 NPs in blood of exposed workers (mean, 38 nm and 10,371 particles/mL), but not in blood of controls. Silver, Au, and TiO2 NPs were found in urine (mean, Ag 29 nm and 16,568 particles/mL) or blood (mean, Au 15 nm and 126,635 particles/mL; TiO2 84 nm and 27,705 particles/mL) of workers, though these NPs were found also in controls. The presence of ENPs in both workers and controls suggested that the extra-professional exposure is a source of ENPs that cannot be disregarded. Iridium, Pd, and Pt NPs were not detected neither in blood nor in urine. Overall, the findings provided a rational basis to evaluate the exposure assessment to ENPs in cohorts of workers as part of risk assessment and risk management processes in workplaces

Effect of a multidisciplinary treatment program on eating behavior in overweight and obese preschool children

Background: The effects of multidisciplinary treatment programs on eating behavior in overweight preschoolaged children are largely unknown. We evaluated a multidisciplinary intervention program on eating behavior in 3- to 5-year-old overweight children, comparing them with children given standard treatment. We also assessed the parental eating behavior changes and investigated associations between parents and children. Methods: We randomized 75 children to a multidisciplinary intervention or to a standard care program. During a 16-week period, children and parents in the multidisciplinary group were given dietary advice, physical activity sessions and, for parents only, psychological counseling. Children and parents in the standard group visited a pediatrician 3 times and were given information on a healthy lifestyle. At baseline, after 16 weeks, and after 12 months, children were measured and parents completed the Dutch Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ-C) for their children and the DEBQ for themselves. Results: At the three time points, 70 (93.3%), 57 (91.9%), and 42 (73.7%) DEBQ-Cs were analyzed. We found no differences in the changes in eating behavior between the two groups over time. In both groups, there was a significant increase in restrained eating behavior present at 16 weeks, however, this was no longer present at 12 months. We found no associations between changes in eating behavior between the children and their parents. Conclusions: A multidisciplinary obesity intervention program in preschool-aged children induced more restrained eating behavior between baseline and 16 weeks. However, there was no difference with the children in the standard care group

Do GnRH analogues directly affect human endometrial epithelial cell gene expression?

We examined whether Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues [leuprolide acetate (LA) and ganirelix acetate (GA)] modulate gene expression in Ishikawa cells used as surrogate for human endometrial epithelial cells in vitro. The specific aims were: (i) to study the modulatory effect of GnRH analogues by RT –PCR [in the absence and presence of E2 and P4, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)] on mRNA expression of genes modulated during the window of implantation in GnRH analogues/rFSH-treated assisted reproductive technology cycles including OPTINEURIN (OPTN), CHROMATIN MODIFYING PROTEIN (CHMP1A), PROSAPOSIN (PSAP), IGFBP-5 and SORTING NEXIN 7 (SNX7), and (ii) to analyze the 5′ -flanking regions of such genes for the presence of putative steroid-response elements [estrogen-response elements (EREs) and P4-response element (PREs)]. Ishikawa cells were cytokeratin+/vimentin2 and expressed ERa, ERb, PR and GnRH-R proteins. At 6 and 24 h, neither LA nor GA alone had an effect on gene expression. GnRH analogues alone or following E2 and/or P4 co-incubation for 24 h also had no effect on gene expression, but P4 significantly increased expression of CHMP1A. E2 + P4 treatment for 4 days, alone or followed by GA, had no effect, but E2 + P4 treatment followed by LA significantly decreased IGFBP-5 expression. The addition of 8-Br cAMP did not modify gene expression, with the exception of IGFBP-5 that was significantly increased. The GnRH analogues did not modify intracellular cAMP levels. We identified conserved EREs for OPN, CHMP1A, SNX7 and PSAP and PREs for SNX7. We conclude that GnRH analogues appear not to have major direct effects on gene expression of human endometrial epithelial cells in vitro.Fil: Zhang, Xiaomei. Eastern Virginia Medical School; Estados UnidosFil: Bocca, Silvina. Eastern Virginia Medical School; Estados UnidosFil: Franchi, Nilda Anahi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Anderson, Sandra. Eastern Virginia Medical School; Estados UnidosFil: Kaur, Mandeep. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Bajic, Vladimir B.. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Arabia SauditaFil: Oehninger, Sergio. Eastern Virginia Medical School; Estados Unido

Modelagem computacional do crescimento de cana-de-açúcar para predição de produtividade potencial.

Resumo- Neste artigo é apresentado um modelo ecofisiológico-matemático (BrCane) para predizer a produtividade potencial - sem restrições nutricionais ou de água -, a fim de analisar a sustentabilidade da expansão do cultivo de cana-de-açúcar em novas áreas para produção de etanol. A arquitetura do modelo BRCANE foi concebida para uma planta tipo C4, onde a evolução mensal da biomassa foi estimada em função da temperatura do ar e da radiação incidente. Nas simulações apresentadas a produção de biomassa levou em conta a taxa bruta de fotossíntese subtraídas as perdas para respiração de manutenção, senescência de folhas e morte de perfilhos durante o ciclo da cultura. O modelo BRCANE também foi usado para descrever o comportamento fisiológico em função das condições ambientais relacionadas ao tempo termal. A implementação de tais condições permitiu ajustar os resultados das simulações a resultados experimentais disponíveis na literatura. As estimativas de biomassa foram comparadas com dados obtidos durante o ciclo da cultura em experimentos de campo com irrigação (Cultivares RB72 454, NA 56-79, CB 41-76, CB47-355, CP51-22, Q138 e Q141) no Estado de São Paulo (Brasil) e em Bundaberg e Queensland (Austrália) e os resultados foram expressos em toneladas de colmo por hectare (Mg.ha-1), por meio de uma relação linear para cada variedade (R2 = 0,88). O modelo apresentou resultados consistentes com dados experimetais para crescimento de biomassa no ciclo da cultura da cana-de-açúcar.bitstream/item/65018/1/boletim31.pd

Human biomonitoring health surveillance for metals near a waste-to-energy incinerator: The 1-year post-operam study

This human biomonitoring (HBM) follow-up survey, within the SPoTT project, assessed the temporal and spatial trends of exposure to 18 metals in a cohort living around the waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator of Turin (Italy) before (T0, 2013) and after 1-year of plant activity (T1, 2014). Urine of 380 adult individuals (186 exposed and 194 unexposed subjects, classified on fallout maps) were analyzed by sector field inductively coupled mass spectrometry. A decrease trend of the majority of metals in all subjects indicates that the overall air quality of the studied sites was not significantly compromised, also in proximity of the WTE plant, as corroborated also by air monitoring data of the regional agency. The only relevant exception was the higher Cr levels found at T1 than T0 in exposed subjects, suggesting a possible contribution from the WTE plant. Chromium, Mn and Pt urine levels were also higher in the site far from the WTE, in relation to other sources as vehicular traffic, industrial and civil activities. Whilst, As and Cd were influenced by fish intake and tobacco smoke. A very small number of individuals at T1, equally distributed in both areas, exceeded the health-based guidance values and so, at current knowledge, living near the Turin incineration did not significantly influence the exposure status of the population

Medical algorithm:Peri-operative management of mastocytosis patients

Mastocytosis is a clonal disorder characterized by the proliferation and accumulation of mast cells (MCs) in various tissue types, preferentially skinand bone marrow (BM). Mastocytosis consists of cutaneous and systemic forms in both pediatric and adult patients. Both the excess and increased propensity of MCs to release mediators leads to a higher frequency and severity ofimmediate hypersensitivity reactions.1-4

Hypoxia-inducible factor 2α drives nonalcoholic fatty liver progression by triggering hepatocyte release of histidine rich glycoprotein

Mechanisms underlying progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are still incompletely characterized. Hypoxia and hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases but the actual role of HIF-2α in the evolution of NAFLD has never been investigated in detail. In this study, we show that HIF-2α is selectively overexpressed in the cytosol and the nuclei of hepatocytes in a very high percentage (> 90%) of liver biopsies from a cohort of NAFLD patients at different stage of the disease evolution. Similar features were also observed in mice with steatohepatitis induced by feeding a methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet. Experiments performed in mice carrying hepatocyte-specific deletion of HIF-2α and related control littermates fed with either choline-deficient L-amino acid-refined (CDAA) or MCD diets showed that HIF-2α deletion ameliorated the evolution of NAFLD by decreasing parenchymal injury, fatty liver, lobular inflammation and the development of liver fibrosis. The improvement in NAFLD progression in HIF-2α deficient mice was related to a selective down-regulation in the hepatocyte production of Histidine-Rich Glycoprotein (HRGP), recently proposed to sustain macrophage M1 polarization. In vitro experiments confirmed that the up-regulation of hepatocyte HRGP expression was hypoxia- and HIF-2α-dependent. Finally, analyses performed on specimens from NAFLD patients indicated that HRGP was overexpressed in all patients showing hepatocyte nuclear staining for HIF-2α and revealed a significant positive correlation between HIF-2α and HRGP liver transcripts levels in these patients