Nonylphenol and octylphenol in human breast milk.

Human milk is the most important form of nourishment for newborn children. Its consumption is strongly recommended by health authorities also for other important advantages. Unfortunately, in the last three decades a great number of investigations have shown the occurrence of several environmental contaminants in human milk, especially those with lipophilic properties. This study investigates the presence of nonylphenol, octylphenol (OP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO) and two octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs) (namely OP1EO and OP2EO), in human breast milk of Italian women. NP was the contaminant found at the highest levels with mean concentrations of 32 ng/mL, about two orders of magnitude higher than OP (0.08 ng/mL), OP1EO (0.07 ng/mL) and OP2EO (0.16 ng/mL). In the group of study a positive correlation among fish consumption and levels of NP in the milk was observed, in accordance with the evidence that seafood represents one of the most important sources of exposure to this group of contaminants in Italy. On the basis of the concentrations found in the breast milk samples, a maximum NP daily intake of 3.94 microg/kg/day can be calculated, which is close to the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of 5 microg/kg body weight (bw) proposed by the Danish Institute of Safety and Toxicology. In the cases of OP no TDI is available, but its intake is at least six orders of magnitude lower than the NOAEL of 10 mg/kg/day derived from a two generation study on rats.

Monitoring of the benzene and toluene contents in human milk.

Twenty-three samples of human milk collected from the milk bank of a children's hospital were analysed with a view to monitoring the possible presence of some of the most common aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene and toluene) and to quantify their concentrations. The analysis was carried out by the "purge and trap" technique combined with gas chromatography and with the use of the mass spectrometer as detector. The hydrocarbons themselves were used in a deuterated form as internal standards. The analysis of the data showed the presence of both hydrocarbons, even though their quantity was much lower than that detected in other foods.

Alkylphenolic compounds in edible molluscs of the Adriatic Sea (Italy).

This paper reports the first group of results on alkylphenol (APE) contamination of seafood in the Adriatic Sea, in the framework of a national project on the quality of this Sea (PRISMA 2). Nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), and their ethoxylates (NPE and OPE) were detected in edible molluscs, either filter feeders or predators (clams, mussels, cuttlefishes, and squids), caught from 15 harbors along the Italian coast in the Adriatic Sea in 1997. NP was the compound found always at levels much higher than the other APEs in all the examined species. It reached the maximum concentration of 696 ng/g fresh weight in the squids from the central Adriatic Sea. OP generally occurred at levels 30 times lower than NP. OP was found up to a level of 18.6 ng/g in squids from central Adriatic Sea. OPE was the compound always spotted at the lowest concentrations, up to 0.43 ng/g. NPE was always below the detection limit. The pattern of contamination in the three areas examined was different between bivalve and cephalopod species. No exhaustive risk assessment for marine organisms and human health can be conducted on the basis of these results because data are insufficient. Yet, the occurrence of NP suggests a negligible risk for mussels, which represent the only molluscs for which data are adequate. As to the possible human health implications, the consumption of molluscs of the Adriatic Sea implies APE intakes that are some orders of magnitude lower than those responsible for toxic effects in laboratory animals. Despite these apparently low risks for mussels and human health, the reasons for concern still remain because the levels of alkylphenols found in this study indicate a general contamination of the Adriatic Sea even far from the cost. Furthermore, these levels might represent an unacceptable hazard for other marine organisms. Finally, they contribute to the general environmental estrogen pool.

Identification of coronary artery by-pass grafts: reliability of MRI in clinical practice.

In order to test MRI ability to detect the number and the sites of coronary artery by-pass grafts (CABGs), 22 patients with CABGs were studied. The detection of a neo-vessel in even one of the examination slices was considered as positive for the study, disregarding the difference between its origin and course. With such a criterion, MRI total percentage of vascular bridges identification resulted in 76.1% (51/67) with very low values for CABGs implanted on diagonal, obtuse marginal and posterior descending vessels (11/24 = 45.8%). These results lead to the conclusion that, although MRI has some advantages in the identification of CABGs implanted on the main coronary vessels in the early post-operative period, its extensive use cannot be proposed at the present state of the art.

[Effect of changes of the left ventricular diastolic pressure on the coronary circulation hemodynamics]. / Ruolo delle modificazioni della pressione telediastolica ventricolare sinistra sull'emodinamica del circolo coronarico.

In order to understand the effect of LVEDP changes caused by contrast injection during angiography on coronary hemodynamics we studied 15 patients (5 congestive CMP, 5 mixed angina and 5 controls). Our results do not cope with an important negative role played from LVEDP changes on coronary hemodynamics and cardiac metabolism. Actually LVEDP increase after ventriculography was balanced by coronary flow increase and impedance reduction even when the latter has been matched with LVEDP. We also observed lactate metabolism changes which are not likely to be provoked by myocardial ischemia, since there was not a definite negativization of % lactate extraction and delta A-VO2 always turned to reduction; this is apparently not in agreement with other Authors who had reported metabolic alterations suggestive for myocardial ischemia, even if they did not calculate delta A-VO2 and coronary flow. This difference could be related to the different populations studied, specially when considering the different functional meaning of coronary stenoses of the same degree at angiography. Is thus the Authors' thought that, when coronary reserve is still adequate, is it possible not to take into account LVEDP, which becomes important in patients with a more advanced coronary disease as in those cases this extravascular impedance factor to coronary flow could take his own worsening role.

[Stratification of risk in infarcts without Q wave: role of echocardiography at rest and during exertion]. / Stratificazione del rischio negli infarti senza onde Q: ruolo dell'ecocardiografia a riposo e da sforzo.

To assess the relation between the extent of myocardial necrosis and the presence of myocardium at risk in myocardial infarction without Q waves (NQMI) we studied by echocardiography the prevalence of jeopardized myocardium in a group of NQMI stratified on the basis of left ventricular wall motion (akinesis, hypokinesis, normal kinesis). We have studied 60 consecutive patients with non-Q myocardial infarction. Patients were examined by 2D echo at rest (V-VI day from the acute episode) and during symptoms limited bicycle ergometric test (ExT) (XX-XXX day). Regional left ventricular wall motion was evaluated as normal or asynergic (severe hypokinetic, akinetic) and the ExT was considered positive in case of new asynergic areas or ECG criteria. 2D echo at rest was technically satisfactory in 56 patients, 19 showed almost an akinetic segment (Aci) 17 had hypokinetic areas (Ipo) and 20 had normal left ventricle kinesis (Norc). Wall motion abnormalities were localized more frequently in the apex and lateral areas. During exercise 2D echo was performed in 46 patients (82%) with 23 positive tests (50%). Stratifying the population on the basis of left ventricle wall motion we observed a major number of positive tests in the group of patients with normal wall motion in comparison with those with asynergic areas at rest (Norc 66.6%, Ipo 35.7%, Aci 42.6% p less than 0.05 Nore vs Ipo and Nore vs Aci) despite the same CAD extension. These data show the heterogeneity of the NQMI that likely includes patients with transmural (asynergy group) and subendocardial MI (normal kinesis group), the latter with a higher degree of myocardium at risk.