Physical Activity, Lifestyle Factors and Oxidative Stress in Middle Age Healthy Subjects.

Oxidative stress (OS) has been recognized to play a primary role in many acute and chronic diseases. Environmental and lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and dietary intake are involved in the oxidative balance, but their specific influence remains unclear. In order to contribute to a greater characterization of the oxidative status in relation to exercise training and to environmental and lifestyle factors, different biomarkers-pro-oxidant capacity (d-ROMs), anti-oxidant capacity (BAP), radical scavenging activity (DPPH) and DNA damage (8-OHdGuo)-were measured in biological samples of a group of healthy middle aged subjects. The evaluation of the investigated biomarkers highlighted a significant effect of exercise training on OS, measured as d-ROMs and 8OhdGuo, in subjects playing regular physical activity. An association of the OS status measured by DPPH and 8-OhdGuo with the condition of living in urban high traffic areas was also found. Otherwise dietary habits did not reveal any significant effect on OS levels by the investigated biomarkers. As a whole the results obtained in this investigation suggested that a correct lifestyle, with regular physical activity practice, contributes to control the OS status in middle age subjects.

Assessing Methanobrevibacter smithii and Clostridium difficile as not conventional faecal indicators in effluents of a wastewater treatment plant integrated with sludge anaerobic digestion.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are an important source of surface water contamination by enteric pathogens, affecting the role of environmental water as a microbial reservoir. We describe the release to the environment of certain anaerobes of human and environmental concern. The work was focused on emerging microbial targets. They are tracing, by RT-qPCR, on WWTP effluents, both liquid and solid, when an anaerobic digestion step is included. The focus is placed on Clostridium spp. with the specific quantification of Clostridium perfringens, as typical bioindicator, and Clostridium difficile, as emerging pathogen not only confined into nosocomial infection. Moreover methanogens were quantified for their involvement in the anaerobic digestion, and in particular on Methanobrevibacter smithii as major methanogenic component of the human gut microbiome and as not conventional faecal indicator. In the water samples, a reduction, statistically significant, in all microbial targets was observed (p < 0.01), 2 log for the total bacteria, 1.4 log for the Clostridium spp. and M. smithii, 1 log for total methanogens, C. perfringens and C. difficile. The AD process contribute to a significant change in microbial levels into the sludge for total bacteria and total methanogens (p < 0.01), both when the input sludge are primary and secondary, while for the presence of Clostridium spp. and C. difficile there was not a significant change. The produced data are innovative showing which is the diffusion of such anaerobic microorganisms throughout the WWTP and opening a discussion on the implementation of possible techniques for a more efficient microbial removal from effluents, particularly bio-solids, to reduce the potential release of pathogens into the environment.

Air pollution, aeroallergens and admissions to pediatric emergency room for respiratory reasons in Turin, northwestern Italy.

BACKGROUND: Air pollution can cause respiratory symptoms or exacerbate pre-existing respiratory diseases, especially in children. This study looked at the short-term association of air pollution concentrations with Emergency Room (ER) admissions for respiratory reasons in pediatric age (0-18 years). METHODS: Daily number of ER admissions in a children's Hospital, concentrations of urban-background PM2.5, NO2, O3 and total aeroallergens (Corylaceae, Cupressaceae, Gramineae, Urticaceae, Ambrosia, Betula) were collected in Turin, northwestern Italy, for the period 1/08/2008 to 31/12/2010 (883 days). The associations between exposures and ER admissions were estimated, at time lags between 0 and 5 days, using generalized linear Poisson regression models, adjusted for non-meteorological potential confounders. RESULTS: In the study period, 21,793 ER admissions were observed, mainly (81 %) for upper respiratory tract infections. Median air pollution concentrations were 22.0, 42.5, 34.1 µg/m(3) for urban-background PM2.5, NO2, and O3, respectively, and 2.9 grains/m(3) for aeroallergens. We found that ER admissions increased by 1.3 % (95 % CI: 0.3-2.2 %) five days after a 10 µg/m(3) increase in NO2, and by 0.7 % (95 % CI: 0.1-1.2 %) one day after a 10 grains/m(3) increase in aeroallergens, while they were not associated with PM2.5 concentrations. ER admissions were negatively associated with O3 and aeroallergen concentrations at some time lags, but these association shifted to the null when meteorological confounders were adjusted for in the models. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings confirm adverse short-term health effects of air pollution on the risk of ER admission in children and encourage a careful management of the urban environment to health protection.

Impact of xanthohumol (a prenylated flavonoid from hops) on DNA stability and other health-related biochemical parameters: Results of human intervention trials.

SCOPE: Xanthohumol (XN) is a hop flavonoid found in beers and refreshment drinks. Results of in vitro and animal studies indicate that it causes beneficial health effects due to DNA protective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and phytoestrogenic properties. Aim of the present study was to find out if XN causes alterations of health-related parameters in humans. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of the flavonoid were investigated in a randomized crossover intervention trial (n = 22) in which the participants consumed a XN drink (12 mg XN/P/day). We monitored alterations of the DNA stability in single cell gel electrophoresis assays in lymphocytes and of several health-related biomarkers. A decrease of oxidatively damaged purines and protection toward reactive oxygen species induced DNA damage was found after the consumption of the beverage; also the excretion of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine and 8-oxo-guanosine in urine was reduced. The assumption that the flavonoid causes DNA protection was confirmed in a randomized follow-up study with pure XN (n = 10) with a parallel design. Other biochemical parameters reflecting the redox- and hormonal status and lipid- and glucose metabolism were not altered after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our data indicate that low doses of XN protect humans against oxidative DNA damage.

Formaldehyde-induced toxicity in the nasal epithelia of workers of a plastic laminate plant.

Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous volatile organic compound widely used for various industrial purposes. Formaldehyde was reclassified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen, based on sufficient evidence for a casual role for nasopharyngeal cancer. However, the mechanisms by which this compound causes nasopharyngeal cancer are not completely understood. Therefore, we have examined the formaldehyde-induced toxicity in the nasal epithelia of the workers of a plastic laminate plant in Bra, Cuneo, Piedmont region, North-Western Italy, hence in the target site for formaldehyde-related nasal carcinogenesis. We have conducted a cross-sectional study aimed at comparing the frequency of 3-(2-deoxy-ß-d-erythro-pentafuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-α]purin-10(3H)-one deoxyguanosine (M1dG) adducts, a biomarker of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, in 50 male exposed workers and 45 male controls using 32P-DNA post-labeling. The personal levels of formaldehyde exposure were analysed by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry. The smoking status was estimated by measuring the concentrations of urinary cotinine by gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry. The air monitoring results showed that the exposure levels of formaldehyde were significantly greater for the plastic laminate plant workers, 211.4 ± 14.8 standard error (SE) µg m-3, than controls, 35.2 ± 3.4 (SE) µg m-3, P < 0.001. The levels of urinary cotinine were 1064 ± 118 ng ml-1 and 14.18 ± 2.5 ng ml-1 in smokers and non-smokers, respectively, P < 0.001. The M1dG adduct frequency per 108 normal nucleotides was significantly higher among the workers of the plastic laminate plant exposed to formaldehyde, 111.6 ± 14.3 (SE), compared to controls, 49.6 ± 3.4 (SE), P < 0.001. This significant association persisted also when personal dosimeters were used to measure the extent of indoor levels of formaldehyde exposure. No influences of smoking and age were observed across the study population. However, after categorization for occupational exposure, a significant effect was found in the controls, P = 0.018, where the levels of DNA damage were significantly correlated with the levels of urinary cotinine, regression coefficient (ß) = 0.494 ± 0.000 (SE), P < 0.002. Our findings indicated that M1dG adducts constitute a potential mechanism of formaldehyde-induced toxicity. Persistent DNA damage contributes to the general decline of the physiological mechanisms designed to maintain cellular homeostasis.

Effects of freezing storage on the DNA extraction and microbial evaluation from anaerobic digested sludges.

BACKGROUND: The anaerobic digestion is one of the most spread renewable energy technology. The input biomasses included various environmental problematic wastes such as sludge coming from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). As biomolecular procedures have become important tools for the microbial characterisation of anaerobic samples coming from the reactors, it is crucial sampling and extracting properly DNA in order to employ such types of techniques. The current study is aimed to evaluate how freezing temperature and length of storage at -20 °C influence both the extracted DNA yield and microbial community quantifications from digested sludge samples collected at full-scale plants. RESULTS: From WWTP sludge samples, we observed a reduction of DNA concentration comparing fresh and stored samples for 10 days at -20 °C (ANOVA test p < 0.0001), with an estimated DNA loss of approximately 65% for such types of samples, however the methanogen communities can be assessed respecting the fresh conditions. From OFMSW sludge samples, we observed a reduction in extracted DNA (-90%), after 120 frozen days, while microbial communities are determined respecting the fresh conditions within 2 months of frozen storage. CONCLUSIONS: The remarkable effect of frozen storage on sludge samples suggests as the better procedure to perform the DNA extraction from fresh sample. On the other hand it is not generally possible, so approximately 2 months of storage at -20 °C appears to be suitable time at which DNA concentrations remain sufficient to perform coherent microbial characterization through quantitative qRT-PCR.

Microbial-chemical indicator for anaerobic digester performance assessment in full-scale wastewater treatment plants for biogas production.

Anaerobic digestion was introduced into wastewater treatment plants several years ago, but anaerobic digestion performance has not yet been achieved. The variability of the microbial community in digesters is poorly understood, and despite the crucial role of anaerobic digestion reactors, the microbial equilibrium that yields the best performance in these reactors has only recently been hypothesised. In this study, two full-scale continuous anaerobic reactors, placed in Torino's main wastewater treatment plant in northern Italy, were followed to develop a summary indicator for measuring anaerobic digestion performance. A total of 100 sludge samples were collected. The samples were characterised chemically and physically, and microbial groups were quantified by qRT-PCR. A chemical biological performance index strictly correlated to specific biogas production (rho=0.739, p<0.01) is proposed. This approach will produce new management tools for anaerobic digestion in wastewater treatment plants.

PM10 size distribution of metals and environmental-sanitary risk analysis in the city of Torino.

The mechanisms responsible for negative biological effects due to airborne particulate matter (PM) exposure are still being studied, however the interactions between metals and biologic systems seem to be of primary importance. The aim of the study was to estimate a healthy risk linked to exposure to airborne PM10 metals by means of an environmental-sanitary risk assessment. Metals PM10 size distribution analysis was carried out in a central site of Torino city - Italy, then the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and the Cancer Risk (CR) were applied, according to standard EPA methods. All sampled metals were present on the different PM10 fractions, however some metals were distributed in some specific fractions: ANOVA test shows Cr, Cu, Mo and Pb as differently distributed among the eight fractions, rising the hypothesis of potential effects in specific tracts of respiratory system. Regarding the risk assessment, in general the CR was higher for an adult than for a child, conversely the THQ resulted higher for a child. While the concentrations of all the sampled metals appeared to be under control, their presence in the different PM10 fractions and their THQ and CR provided indications related to the body districts potentially in contact with these substances.

Oxidative stress in adolescent passive smokers living in urban and rural environments.

Purpose of this study was to study the oxidative stress status through the urinary 15-F(2t)-isoprostane (15-F(2t)-isoP) among a group of 168 adolescents, differently exposed to passive tobacco smoke. Subjects were enrolled, with written informed consent, between two populations of students living and attending school in two areas with different levels of urbanization in Piedmont Region, North-Western Italy. A general linear model (GLM) analysis was performed to evaluate the role of air pollution, dependent from selected degree of urbanization and of passive exposure to tobacco smoke, quantified through cotinine, in the synthesis of 15-F(2t)-isoP, measured with ELISA technique. Formaldehyde (FA) concentration in air was also evaluated as a primary confounding factor in oxidative stress but no significant differences between the two sites were found. Conversely, direct relationship between oxidative stress status and residence of adolescents was found: oxidative stress level was 31% higher for adolescents living in Chivasso (urban site) than for those living in Casalborgone (countryside area). Furthermore, also passive tobacco smoke exposure proved to play another important direct role in the distribution of 15-F(2t)-isoP levels (p<0.0001). Lastly, an inversely proportional relationship was found between the age of adolescents and 15-F(2t)-isoP (p<0.0001). Finally, the detection of such a sensitive biological response as a consequence of limited differences of environmental pollution and exposure to tobacco smoke passively breathed could provide new and useful knowledge for the appraisal of preventive strategies, particularly for young subjects.

Immune response to acetaldehyde-human serum albumin adduct among healthy subjects related to alcohol intake.

Acetaldehyde (AA) is the main metabolic product in ethanol metabolism, although it can also derive from sources of airborne pollution. As a typical aldehyde, AA is able to react with a variety of molecular targets, including DNA and protein. This property justifies the hypothesis of a immune reaction against this kind of adduct, to be studied by a seroprevalence screening approach. In this study, the correlation between drinking habits and the amount of circulating AA-human serum albumin adduct (AA-HSA) was evaluated in a group of healthy subjects, non alcohol-addicted. Daily ethanol intake (grams) was inferred for each subject using the information collected through a questionnaire, and AA-HSA antibodies (AA-HSA ab) analyses were performed using the Displacement Assay on whole blood samples. The findings showed a correlation between ethanol intake and immune response to molecular adduct. These results underscore the evaluation of AA-HSA ab amount as a suitable molecular marker for alcohol intake that can be applied in future investigations on a large scale for prevention screening.

15-F2t isoprostane as biomarker of oxidative stress induced by tobacco smoke and occupational exposure to formaldehyde in workers of plastic laminates.

BACKGROUND: Formaldehyde (FA) is a suspected human carcinogen capable of inducing oxidative stress through different metabolic ways. FA may originate from tobacco smoke, several environmental sources, as well as occupational sources, like furnishing industries specialized in the production of pressed-wood and laminate products. OBJECT: Our aim was to investigate the role of tobacco smoke and occupational exposure to air-FA in the induction of oxidative stress status by comparing FA-exposed with non-exposed subjects who smoked or did not. METHODS: Enrollment of 105 subjects was made in an industry of plastic laminates, including both workers directly exposed to FA and non-exposed office personnel, as control group. 15-F(2t) isoprostane (15-F(2t) IsoP), detected by ELISA technique and urinary cotinine, detected by GC-MS, were used for evaluating oxidative stress and tobacco smoke exposure, respectively. Air-FA levels were detected by GC-MS. RESULTS: FA concentrations were significantly higher in subjects occupationally exposed than the controls. Smoking habits and air-FA exposures independently induce the formation of 15-F(2t) IsoP and increase the oxidative stress level. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show, for the first time, that 15-F(2t) IsoP presents a dependency from both the smoking habit and air-FA exposures, and consequently, that these breathable pollutants could be considered as two important independent risk factors in increasing the oxidative stress in human beings.

Formaldehyde and tobacco smoke as alkylating agents: the formation of N-methylenvaline in pathologists and in plastic laminate workers.

OBJECTIVE: Aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between the concentration of formaldehyde in air and the alkylation of hemoglobin to form a terminal N-methylenvaline residue in three occupationally exposed groups: a) technicians of pathology wards, b) workers of the plastic laminates industry, and c) a control group. All subjects recruited in this study were also tested on their smoking habits. METHODS: Formaldehyde adsorbed on passive air samplers was quantified by HPLC with UV detection (360 nm), cotinine was quantified by GC-MS. Terminal hemoglobin N-methylenvaline was determined by treating globine under reducing conditions with pentafluorophenyl isothiocyanate to yield a derivative, subsequently detected by GC-MS. One-way analysis of variance was performed to compare among the three groups the biomarkers considered in this study. RESULTS: For air-FA and N-methylenvaline a difference between the three groups was detected (p < 0.0001) and a significant higher concentration in the two professionally exposed groups was proved. Mean values for FA (µg/m(3)): group a) 188.6, group b) 210.1, and group c) 41.4; mean values for N-methylenvaline (nmol/g of globin): group a) 377.9, group b) 342.8, and group c) 144.8. Conversely, the comparison between the two professionally exposed groups, a) vs b), does not show any significant difference highlighting similar exposition to FA and, consequently, similar biological response. Tobacco smoke proves to have a minor impact on the formation of N-methylenvaline molecular adduct. CONCLUSIONS: A positive correlation was demonstrated between professional exposition to air-formaldehyde and hemoglobin alkylation to form N-methylenvaline molecular adduct in two occupationally exposed groups of subjects considered in the present study. In comparison with occupational exposition, tobacco smoke proved to have a minor impact on the formation of N-methylenvaline molecular adduct.

Malondialdehyde-deoxyguanosine adduct formation in workers of pathology wards: the role of air formaldehyde exposure.

Formaldehyde is an ubiquitous pollutant to which humans are exposed. Pathologists can experience high formaldehyde exposure levels. Formaldehyde-among other properties-induce oxidative stress and free radicals, which react with DNA and lipids, leading to oxidative damage and lipid peroxidation, respectively. We measured the levels of air-formaldehyde exposure in a group of Italian pathologists and controls. We analyzed the effect of formaldehyde exposure on leukocyte malondialdehyde-deoxyguanosine adducts (M(1)-dG), a biomarker of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. We studied the relationship between air-formaldehyde and M(1)-dG adducts. Air-formaldehyde levels were measured by personal air samplers. M(1)-dG adducts were analyzed by a (32)P-postlabeling assay. Reduction room pathologists were significantly exposed to air-formaldehyde with respect to controls and to the pathologists working in other laboratory areas (p < 0.001). A significant difference for M(1)-dG adducts between exposed pathologists and controls was found (p = 0.045). The effect becomes stronger when the evaluation of air-formaldehyde exposure was based on personal samplers (p = 0.018). Increased M(1)dG adduct levels were only found in individuals exposed to air-formaldehyde concentrations higher than 66 microg/m(3). When the exposed workers and controls were subgrouped according to smoking, M(1)-dG tended to increase in all of the subjects, but a significant association between M(1)-dG and air-formaldehyde was only found in nonsmokers (p = 0.009). Air-formaldehyde played a role positive but not significant (r = 0.355, p = 0.075, Pearson correlation) in the formation of M(1)-dG, only in nonsmokers. Working in the reduction rooms and exposure to air-formaldehyde concentrations higher than 66 microg/m(3) are associated with increased levels of M(1)-dG adducts.

Benzene and formaldehyde in air of two Winter Olympic venues of "Torino 2006".

The 20th edition of the Olympic Winter Games took place in Torino, Italy and in other 7 winter sport sites belonging to Torino district in February 2006. The Olympic Winter Games had competitions for 15 different sports, and involved around 2500 athletes, 650 judges and umpires, thousands of accredited journalists, and almost 2 million spectators. Aiming to conduct an environmental health survey related to this important event, and taking into account their known or suspected carcinogenicity properties, benzene (B) and formaldehyde (FA) were analyzed in air in two venues of the Torino Olympic Games: Torino and Pragelato. Air-FA and air-B were measured for a whole year with two fixed samplers and, during a whole competition day, with individual passive samplers worn by two groups of supporter volunteers chosen to represent the two sites. Air fixed measurements were simultaneously carried out in Torino and Pragelato all months from May 2005 to April 2006 while individual sampling were performed from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. on the 22th February 2006. On the whole, comparing Torino and Pragelato, air-B progress shows a significant and positive correlation (r=+0.572, p<0.01). The behaviour of air-FA is similar but not so evident. The secondary and primary origins of formaldehyde can justify the summer peak (June, July, and August 2005) but partially also January 2006. Comparing for Torino each February from 2005 to 2009 the "Olympic impact" on the quality of air is underlined but for benzene only. With a public health approach and considering the two venues, findings obtained by the individual samplers clearly show higher air pollution and, consequently, higher risk due to closer contact to several specific pollutant sources or environmental conditions.