112 research outputs found
Vent'anni dopo Pechino: quali prospettive per la violenza contro le donne in Afghanistan, Pakistan e Bangladesh?
No full textLa violenza di genere è divenuta negli ultimi anni oggetto di attenzione da parte del legislatore anche in ambienti ove essa può essere in qualche misura considerata endemica in ragione di tradizioni culturali, religiose e giuridiche che sembrano avallarle. Nell'islam asiatico sono presi in considerazione gli esempi di Afghanistan, Pakistan e Bangladesh analizzando le diverse strategie legislative adottate per contenere e/o risolvere il problema della violenza di gener
Epigenetic effects of benzene in hematologic neoplasms: The altered gene expression
Get PDFBenzene carcinogenic ability has been reported, and chronic exposure to benzene can be one of the risk elements for solid cancers and hematological neoplasms. Benzene is acknowledged as a myelotoxin, and it is able to augment the risk for the onset of acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, and lymphomas. Possible mechanisms of benzene initiation of hematological tumors have been identified, as a genotoxic effect, an action on oxidative stress and inflammation and the provocation of immunosuppression. However, it is becoming evident that genetic alterations and the other causes are insufficient to fully justify several phenomena that influence the onset of hematologic malignancies. Acquired epigenetic alterations may participate with benzene leukemogenesis, as benzene may affect nuclear receptors, and provoke post-translational alterations at the protein level, thereby touching the function of regulatory proteins, comprising oncoproteins and tumor suppressor proteins. DNA hypomethylation correlates with stimulation of oncogenes, while the hypermethylation of CpG islands in promoter regions of specific tumor suppressor genes inhibits their transcription and stimulates the onset of tumors. The discovery of the systems of epigenetic induction of benzene-caused hematological tumors has allowed the possibility to operate with pharmacological interventions able of stopping or overturning the negative effects of benzene
Letter to the editor re: Dragani et al. (2018), 'Malignant mesothelioma diagnosed at a younger age is associated with heavier asbestos exposure'
No full textNo abstract availabl
Occupational medicine and Total Worker Health®: from preventing health and safety risks in the workplace to promoting health for the total well-being of the worker
No full textThe COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of Public Health interventions for global social and economic development. Still, the community’s well-being depends on each individual ’s health. In addition to pandemics, health conditions can be altered by chronic degenerative diseases, aging, disabilities, and work. Personal behaviors such as poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and drug use can also affect health and safety at work. In the last twenty years, we have witnessed rapid changes in the nature of work, workplace and workforce. In parallel, there is increasing attention to fatigue, psychosocial risks and the achievement of decent, sustainable and healthy work as societal goals. Consequently, in 2011, NIOSH developed Total Worker Health®, a holistic approach to worker well-being to help improve worker health and safety. More recently, in Italy, the Ministry of Health has provided for the preparation of projects according to the “Total Worker Health (TWH)” approach in the National Prevention Plan for the five years 2020-2025. As indicated by the Ministry, the strategic role of the occupational physician is fundamental, being the only figure of occupational safety and health professionals able to integrate the health and safety of workers with their well-being to reach the Total Worker Health
Increased concentration of circulating acid glycosaminoglycans in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and essential thrombocytaemia
No full textTo verify whether the increase in the number of circulating blood cells that synthesize glycosaminoglycans, B-lymphocytes or platelets, in proliferative disorders, may be associated with changes in the circulation of acid glycosaminoglycans, the serum and plasma concentrations of these polysaccharides have been measured in terms of their sugar components, following isolation and purification by chromatographic methods, in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or with essential thrombocythaemia and in healthy controls. In the patients, the concentrations of total circulating glycosaminoglycans and of both glucosamine-containing and galactosamine-containing serum glycosaminoglycans were significantly higher than in controls. These concentrations did not significantly correlate with the number of lymphocytes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and of platelets in patients with essential thrombocythaemia. Analytical data suggest that excess glycosaminoglycans are mainly composed of chondroitin sulphate molecules and contain heparan sulphate structure
Indicatori biologici nella valutazione dell’esposizione a bassi livelli di benzene: esperienza in una raffineria
No full textThe aim of this study was to assess benzene exposure in a refinery through techniques of environmental and biological monitoring dosing airborne benzene, urinary benzene (BU), t,t-muconic acid (t,t-MA) and S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA). It was also evaluated the influence of genetic polymorphisms on biomarkers of exposure. The study involved 146 exposed subjects and 25 controls. Benzene exposure was measured using a diffusive sampler Radiello®; the analysis was performed by GC-FID. UB, S-PMA and t,t-MA were determined respectively by HS-GC/MS, HPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-UV. The GSTT1 and GSTM1 polymorphisms were detected on mouth mucosa cells by “polymerase chain reaction”-based methods. The personal exposure to benzene was very low (mean 0.033 mg/m3, range <0.002-0.529 mg/m3) but significantly higher (p <0.05) than in the control group (mean 0.012 mg/m3, range <0.002-0.016 mg/m3). Low exposure was also confirmed by the levels of biomarkers (BU: mean 0.57 μg/l, range 0.01-4.79 μg/l; t,t-MA: mean 80.2 μg/g creatinine, range <3.0-946.2 μg/g creatinine; S-PMA: mean 4.15 μg/g creatinine range <0.1-80.1 μg/g creatinine). The analysis of GSTT1 genotype associated with post-shift urinary excretion of S-PMA showed that the efficiency of biotransformation of benzene in the S-PMA is lower in subjects with GSTT1 null allele compared with non-null (p <0.05)
Attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination and containment measures in Italy and the role of occupational physicians
Get PDFBackground: Vaccine hesitancy is the main barrier to the effective management of COVID-19. This study aims to evaluate attitudes towards vaccination and containment measures in Italy, and the role of occupational physicians in the management of COVID-19. Methods: Between 26 and 31January 2022, we conducted a national online survey including 1000 respondents (631 workers). A series of questions were asked to obtain information on atti-tudes towards COVID-19 vaccination, containment measures and management of COVID-19. Sampling weights were used to obtain national estimates. Results: The majority of respondents (92.6%) received at least two doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (or one dose of Ad26.COV2.S Janssen,), only 4.9% did not get any dose. Most interviewees (79.2%) stated that the decision to be vaccinated was their own choice, while 4.3% were convinced by the general practitioner or the occupational physician. History of SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported by 23.9% of the partici-pants (30.2% among workers); and 40% of the infected workers were contacted/visited by an occupational physician. Conclusions: Vaccine uptake was remarkably high in Italy. Occupational physicians played a relevant role in the management of COVID-1
Occupational exposure to low levels of benzene: biomarkers of exposure, effect and susceptibility.
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