A retrospective mortality study of workers exposed to arsenic in a gold mine and refinery in France

A historical mortality study of a cohort of employees of a gold mining and refining company was carried out in Salsigne, France. A major goal of the study was to investigate the relationship between lung cancer mortality and exposure to arsenic, radon, silica, and other contaminants of the working environment. A twofold excess of lung cancer was found both among miners and smelters, mainly concentrated among workers who had experienced exposure to past levels of arsenic, radon, and silica. The consistency of the results in the mine and the refinery are suggestive of a carcinogenic risk from both soluble and insoluble arsenic, although the potential role of other factors cannot be dismissed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Decreased levels of neuropeptide Y(5) receptor binding sites in two experimental models of epilepsy

It has been suggested that the anticonvulsant effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) could be mediated by the activation of Y(2) and/or Y(5) receptors. NPY Y(1) receptor levels are known to decrease and Y(2) to increase in rat models of epilepsy. By using an autoradiographic approach, we investigated whether epilepsy models (kainic acid and kindling) are also associated with changes in Y(5) receptors. Compared with naive controls, [125I][Leu(31), Pro(34)]PYY/BIBP3226-insensitive (Y(5)) binding sites in the hippocampus (strata oriens and radiatum of CA3 and CA1) and in the neocortex (superficial layers) were unchanged in sham-stimulated rats, but reduced by approximately 50% in kindled rats (seven days after the last stimulus evokes seizure), and further reduced (to approximately -90%) 1h after a kindled seizure. Additionally, Y(5) receptor binding sites in the hippocampus and in the neocortex were unchanged 6h after kainic acid injection, but were highly reduced at 12 and 24h. No changes in Y(5) binding levels were found in the dentate gyrus and the pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus.The present data suggest that changes in Y(5) receptor levels occur in epilepsy models. These changes may play a role in seizure expression and/or in the maintenance of kindling hyperexcitability.     

Development of registries

Cancer registration took place in Italy in the first half of the Seventies with only one Cancer Registry in the province of Varese. More recently several cancer registries started their activity attaining population coverage of approximately 18% of the national population. The contribution from a network of cancer registries in Italy to the activity of cancer research and control is discussed in view of an improved exploitation of this tool.     

Limbic seizures increase pronociceptin mRNA levels in the thalamic reticular nucleus

We studied pronociceptin gene expression following limbic seizures. Northern blot analysis revealed increased pronociceptin mRNA levels in the thalamus (but not in the hippocampus) 3-24 h after kainate administration, with maximal effect (2-fold increase over basal levels) reached at 6 h. No variation in pronociceptin mRNA levels was observed 1-6 h after a stimulus-evoked kindled seizure. Carrageenan failed to affect pronociceptin gene expression in the thalamus, indicating that pain and/or acute stress do not account for kainate effects. In situ hybridization revealed that kainate evokes a dramatic (4-fold) increase in pronociceptin mRNA levels over the thalamic reticular nucleus. Kindled seizures evoked only a small, non-significant increase in pronociceptin gene expression over the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.     

Risk of cancer other than Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in persons with AIDS in Italy. Cancer and AIDS Registry Linkage Study.

Record linkage was carried out between the national Registry of AIDS and 13 Cancer Registries (CRs) covering, in 1991, about 15% of the Italian population. Observed and expected numbers of cancers and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were assessed in 6067 persons with AIDS, for a total of 25,759 person-years. Significantly increased SIRs were found for Hodgkin''s disease [8.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.4-16.0], in which seven of 11 cases were of mixed cellularity type; invasive carcinoma of the cervix uteri (15.5; 95% CI 4.0-40.1); and non-melanomatous skin cancer (3.0, 95% CI 1.3-5.9), in which five of eight cases were basal cell carcinoma. An excess was also seen for brain tumours, but this may be partly due to misdiagnosis of brain non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma or other brain diseases occurring near the time of the AIDS diagnosis. The risk for all cancer types, after exclusion of Kaposi''s sarcoma (KS) and non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma (NHL), was approximately twice the general population risk. An increased SIR for Hodgkin''s disease in persons with AIDS is thus confirmed, though it is many times smaller than that for NHL. An association with invasive carcinoma of the cervix is also shown at a population level. The excess of non-melanomatous skin cancer seems to be lower than in transplant recipients.     

Vesical sequelae of transverse myelitis. Long-term urodynamics observations in adult patients

Transverse myelitis is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disease often secondary to viral infection of the spinal cord; it frequently has vesico-sphynteric complications. Between January 2000 and December 2005 we performed urodynamic examination on 13 consecutive patients (7 females and 6 males) with previous diagnosis of transverse myelitis. Mean age was 54.5 years; transverse myelitis had been diagnosed a mean of 6.3 years earlier; etiology of myelitis was viral infection in 5 cases, autoimmune in 3 cases, insect bite in 1 case, unknown in 4 cases. The neurological sequelae included paraparesis in 3 cases and tetraparesis in 2 cases. Symptoms: dysuria 46%, slow stream 15%, pollakiuria 23%, urgency 30%; urge incontinence 38%, stress incontinence 15%. 3 patients performed 4 clean intermittent catheterisms (CIC), 2 patients 2 CICs. Eight patients had maximum cystometric capacity above 350 mL, the others had a mean capacity of 223 mL. Four patients showed no bladder sensitivity. Voluntary micturitional reflex was observed in 4 patients. Detrusor overactivity was diagnosed in 9 patients, 10 patients had mean residual post-micturition (RPM) of 218 mL, 2 patients showed detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, 2 patients were found to be obstructed at pressure-flow study. Urodynamic follow-up is indicated in these patients with or without neurological complications (possibility of detrusor overactivity, urinary retention, detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia); the follow-up personalizes the diagnosis and therapy, and prevents complications.     

Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion Increases the Pool of Lung Grafts: Analysis of Its Potential and Real Impact on a Lung Transplant Program

Background

Among the strategies to increase the number of lung transplants, ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) represents a novel technique to expand the donor pool.

Methods

Data from donors referred to our center were retrospectively analyzed to identify grafts that could potentially be potentially reconditioned by EVLP and for comparison with those obtained by clinical application of EVLP program in our center.

Results

Among 75 rejected lungs, 23 organs have been identified as potentially treatable with EVLP with a hypothetic increase of lung transplant activity of 53%. After the introduction of the EVLP program in our center, lung transplantation with reconditioned grafts was performed in 7 (23%) patients with a 30% increase in transplant procedures.

Conclusion

Although less than expected, EVLP increased the number of lungs suitable for transplantation.