[Sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of body mass index for the screening of juvenile arterial hypertension]. / Sensibilità, specificità e valore predittivo degli indici di massa corporea per lo screening dell'ipertensione arteriosa giovanile.

On the basis of various epidemiological studies, the specificity, sensitivity and predictive value of different indicators of obesity and overweight in relation to risk factor of juvenile hypertension are discussed. These screening tests, although highly specific, lack in sensitivity. The Authors suggest that such tests could be considered as useful tools in school preventive medicine for the identification of subjects not at risk.

[The use of weight and height data reported in surveys for screening for obesity and juvenile arterial hypertension]. / Utilizzazione del peso e dell'altezza riferiti in indagini di screening per l'obesità e l'ipertensione arteriosa giovanile.

The surveying of weight and height allows to measure for every subject the body mass index which is a risk indicator both for obesity and for juvenile blood hypertension. The A. have verified and demonstrated that the surveying of weight and height orally told by teen-agers can be a rapid and economic instrument to execute a first screening for such pathologies.

[Surveillance of health status in an agrarian environment: proposal for a method. 2. Environmental data]. / La sorveglianza dello stato di salute in ambiente agricolo: proposta di un metodo. Nota II--Dati ambientali.

In this second note, the Authors consider the environment surrounding the farms to identify the agricultural practices affecting both the ecological bicycle and the health of the farm-hands. The risk factors in the farm are principally the use of agricultural chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, nitroso-compounds, etc.) and quality of the irrigation and drinkable water. In the first phase of the survey a complete analysis of environment was carried out to: a. identify all sources of pollution such as industries, roads, etc. b. consider drinkable water supplies, wastewater disposal and hygienic conditions in houses. At the same time data were collected about the use of pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals, the characteristics of irrigation water, the presence of animals, storehouses, garages, etc. In the second phase of the survey a quality analysis of drinkable and irrigation water was carried out; the presence of dangerous chemicals (amines, nitrosoamines, nitrites, nitrates) in the vegetable caused by agricultural practices was also verified. The results demonstrated a substantial good hygienic situation of the farms but a bad state of drinkable and irrigation waters. We have difficulty in finding out how much and how the pesticides were used; therefore it will be necessary to control these practices more carefully. The amount of nitrites and nitrates in vegetables was normal, while no amines and nitrosoamines were found. The results suggest that it will be necessary in the future both to estimate the pesticide residues on the vegetables and the amount of fertilizers in the soil, and to analyse the soil composition.

[Surveillance of health status in an agrarian environment: proposal for a method. 1. Epidemiological data]. / La sorveglianza dello stato di salute in ambiente agricolo: proposta di un metodo. Nota I--Dati epidemiologici.

In order to evaluate the risk of the exposure of the pesticides and N-nitroso compounds in the agricultural environment not only farm-hands have to be considered but also their families. So it is necessary to prepare survey methodologies to examine the state of health of all individuals who are exposed to same kind of risk (pesticides and nitroso compounds), even if in different ways and intensity. We have therefore chosen four farms situated on the same territory which cultivate vegetables. Three, of these farms, made wide use of pesticides and fertilizers, the fourth one was used as a "control farm" because it did not employ any chemicals. For every farm data about the neighbouring territory, the climate, the kind of cultivation, the pesticides and other employed chemicals were collected. Every subject (in all 25) residing in the farm was interviewed with a standard questionnaire about personal data, the duties performed on the farm, the way in which chemicals were used, their medical history as well as the life style. Samples of blood were drawn periodically in different seasons, over a two year period, to determine both nitrosoamine (NA) and the enzymes which reveal hepatic damage: Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Leucinoaminopeptidase (LAP), Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and Acetylcholinesterase (Ach). We have observed that: a. the most frequent pathologies concern skin (16% of the people) and liver (12% of the people), which are favourite targets for agricultural chemicals though the serum enzymes did not show any important change; b. 8% of the subjects had acute pesticide poisoning; we therefore observed neither particular precautionary safety measures, nor a particular knowledge of acute and chronic toxic effects depending on the use of pesticides. So we suggest: 1) that the Sanitary Authorities control the state of health not only of the farm-hands but also of their families, if exposed to risk; this can be realized through the strict collaboration of the Occupational Physician and the Family doctor; 2) capillary action of health education regarding agricultural risks; 3) to increase research to find more sensitive and efficient biological indicators in order to evaluate the hazards of agricultural chemicals.

[Experimental model for the risk from multiple exposures to antiparasitic agents and residues from the food preservation process]. / Un modello sperimentale per la valutazione del rischio da esposizione multipla ad antiparassitari ed a residui di processo conserviero-alimentare.

The human environmental hazard in the last ten years is the most important problem for public health and prevention. Particularly, in agriculture, the continuous use of increased quantities of pesticides and nitroso compounds, such as fertilizers, is involved. The evaluation of exposure risk is complex because of A: --a1) the numerous categories of chemical substances used as pesticides. --a2) the different catabolic pathways that are followed by organisms for detoxification. B: the different categories of exposed people such as: --b1) industrial workers who are exposed to a single compound, in time; --b2) agricultural workers whose exposure is multiple, prolonged over time, and often, even at high doses; --b3) general population whose exposure is from residues from the food chain. C: different kinds of exposure: --c1) accidental, acute and massive, the most studied; --c2) chronic exposure, the most difficult to quantity and of which we do not have any chemical features available, nor do we have parameters or sensitive or specific exposure indexes. The complexity of exposure and the difficulty to derive adequate indexes both in rural environments and in the general population, explains why there are no existing regulation parameters regarding exposure of agricultural workers where as they exist for industrial workers (MAC and TLV). When it is not possible to evaluate the quantity of substances that are used and absorbed during the work shift, it is necessary to revert to effect index measurements. On one hand these refer to the chemical nature of the substances employed and to the knowledge regarding the catabolism that, from the compound, brings about metabolic inactivation, and on the other hand refers to metabolic modification which is easily measured with blood tests and urinalysis. For example urinary metabolites of substances assumed through various ways (DichloroDiphenyl Acetic Acid-DDA-) and DDT or modifications of enzymes activity e.g. cholinesterasis following the manipulation of phosphoric compounds or alkaline phosphatasis from dithiocarbamates. Our experimental testing found that the systematic reduction of enzymes activity in serum of workers exposed to dithiocarbamates cannot be explained exclusively considering the chelating action of dithiocarbammates. In fact the chelating of zinc, a metal which is present in the prosthetic group of alkaline phosphatasis, can be carried out placing the serum enzymes in the presence of growing concentrations of dithiocarbamates. The concentration of dithiocarbamates that is able to determine the complete inactivation of the enzymes is high, equal to 8 mg/ml.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

[Effects of dithiocarbamate: "in vitro" and "in vivo" changes in gamma-glutamyltransferase induced by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate]. / Azione dei ditiocarbamati (DTC): alterazioni della gamma-glutamiltransferasi (GGT) "in vitro" ed "in vivo" indotte da sodiodietilditiocarbamato (NaDDTC).

Experiments of NaDDTC effect on kidney and 10,000 X g liver supernatant fraction have shown no modification of normal GGT activity, also after dialysis. A decrease of about 75% of the GGT activity was observed in rabbit 10,000 X g liver supernatant fraction after i.p. treatment with 100 mg/kg of NaDDTC for three days. It is suggested that liver MFO produces SH groups derived from NaDDTC metabolism able to interact with GGT and consequential inactivation of the enzyme.

[The biological action of dithiocarbamates. Changes in serum leucine aminopeptidase induced in vitro by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate]. / Azione biologica dei ditiocarbamati. Variazioni di attività di leucinoaminopeptidasi sierica (LAP) indotte "in vitro" da sodiodietilditiocarbamato (NaDDTC).

The Authors demonstrate that serum LAP activity in vitro is inhibited by NaDDTC. This may be related to the NaDDTC chelating-like action on the metallo-enzyme. The trend of the phenomenon follows an exponential pattern. The enzyme activity was completely restored after removal of NaDDTC from the medium by dialysis. The NaDDTC concentration able to inhibit the enzymatic activity in vitro was much higher than in vivo, in experimental animals. The Authors conclude pointing out the problem of a probable effect caused by repeated doses of dithiocarbamates more on enzyme synthesis than on metallic apoenzyme.

[Biological effects of dithiocarbamates: changes in serum alkaline phosphatase activity "in vitro" by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (NADDTC) (author's transl)]. / Azione biologica dei ditiocarbamati: variazioni di attività di fosfatasi alcalina sierica indotte "in vitro" da sodiodietilditiocarbama to (NaDDTC).

The Authors demonstrate that serum alkaline phosphatase (s-ALP) activity in vitro is inhibited by NaDDTC. This may be related to the NaDDTC chelating action on zinc enzyme. The trend of the phenomenon follows an exponential pattern. The activity of the isozyme pool was restored after removal from medium of NaDDTC by dialysis. The NaDDTC concentration able to inhibit in vitro enzymatic activity was nearly one thousand times higher than that found in vivo, in experimental animals (rabbit). The Authors conclude that the in vivo activity of NaDDTC in different enzymatic systems, such as ALP and other metallo-dependent enzymes, cannot be explained by its chelating action alone, but also by its influence on other systems. At present investigations in this field are in progress in our laboratory.

[Rubella seroepidemiology. proposal of a predictive mathmatical model (author's transl)]. / Sieroepidemiologia della rosolia. Proposta di un modello matematico predittivo.

This paper deals with time dependent epidermic behaviour of rubella. The hypothesis that ten classes of immuno-response (Stewart test) can be reduced to three is assumed (= low, intermediate and high level). Upon these conditions a mathematical model is developed and tested using experimental data measured during six years over 1288 subjects. Initial conditions, time-constants and transition probability for the model are also estimated from experimental data.

[A mathematical model for the study of the kinetics of serum alkaline phosphatase inhibition by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (NaDDTC)]. / Modello matematico per lo studio della cinetica di inibizione della fosfatasi alcalina sierica ad opera del dietilditiocarbammato di sodio (NaDDTC).

A mathematical model for the kinetic of the serum alkaline phosphatase inhibition by NaDDTC is described in this paper. The model is tested over an experimental data set consisting on measured % residual activity of enzyme in human serum, after inhibition. The Bessey method is used. The solution of the differential equations for the model is found to be the best fitting for the observed time-dependent phenomena. The rate constant, K, for the inhibition reaction is then computed.

[Mathematical models in epidemiology: Study on viral hepatitis in Italy (author's transl)]. / Modelli matematici in epidemiologia: studio dell'epatite virale in Italia.

In this paper a mathematical approach to the epidemics is proposed. The method is based upon a model able to describe any time-depending phenomena using the following elements: "class", "transition" and "related probability". The solution of the differential equations describing the model are obtained: first, by numerical techniques; second, by a Montecarlo simulation method. Deterministic and stochastic solutions which have been obtained, by applying the model to the study of viral hepatitis in Italy during 1960--1970, have been compared each other, to improve the model itself.

A quick and simple method for the routine determination of acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase in blood.

The salient features of this method for biological monitoring of occupational exposure to organophosphorus insecticides are: (a) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) are determined separately in whole haemolysed blood using specific substrates at appropriate concentrations; (b) 20 microliter of blood drawn from the finger tip is sufficient for both determinations; (c) the blood sample is immediately diluted with a solution of saponin and may thereafter be frozen for storage; (d) diagnostic kits, commercially available for the determination of plasma BuChE, may be employed with modifications; (e) the kinetic procedure is avoided by blocking the enzyme reactions at the end of the incubation period. This paper describes attempts to achieve optimal conditions for the two reactions. Under the conditions finally chosen, the whole blood 'AChE' activity value still includes a small percentage of plasma BuChE activity (12.5% of the total), while the whole blood 'BuChE' activity includes a small percentage of erythrocyte AChE activity (7% of the total). Results of determinations performed with this procedure on 172 healthy subjects are reported.