Bronchial hyperreactivity and arterial carboxyhemoglobin as detectors of air pollution in Milan: a study on normal subjects

Research has been carried out in the town area of Milan on 275 subjects. For each patient the following data have been measured: ventilatory profile, aspecific bronchial reactivity, arterial concentration in CO and acid-base balance. The results obtained have been divided into four groups, according to the level of SO2 in the area of residence of the subjects, who have also been studied with reference to the habit of smoking. The data obtained have shown (1) an alteration of the ventilatory function, with decrease of oxygen tension in arterial blood in all subjects. (2) Increase of bronchial irritability and CO concentration in arterial blood have been found in these subjects, with rates higher than those established by the WHO (1.5-1.7). (3) The division of our results according to the level of SO2 pollution in the areas of residence of the patients showed the presence, in the most polluted areas of Milan (NE and SW), of higher levels of bronchial irritability and higher CO rates in arterial blood. (4) Cigarette smoking does not seem to play a major role in causing bronchial irritability. It certainly increases CO concentration: smokers have HbCO concentration higher than nonsmokers in all four areas. (5) Air pollution is more important than cigarette smoking in determining CO saturation of blood. Nonsmokers living in the most polluted areas of Milan (NE) show a higher concentration of CO in arterial blood than smokers living in the less polluted areas (SW).

Med-fly cell line: response to irradiations with fast neutrons and gamma-rays

It has been observed that biological systems have different sensitivities to various radiation qualities. Moreover, the relative response depends on the dose level of the applied radiation. In this context the radiosensitivity of Med-fly, Ceratitis capitata Wied., cells, to gamma-rays and neutrons, has been tested by observing cell population growth and mortality. Fast neutron doses ranged between 1.5 and 25 rad, a region of particular interest in radiation protection studies; the 60Co gamma-ray dose values were between 300 and 5 000 rad. The experimental results show a much higher radiosensitivity of these cells to fast neutrons than to gamma-rays, and indicate a dependence of the RBE values on the neutron-dose levels. Furthermore, there was a certain dependence on radiation quality for the morphological damage. Dose-effect relationships are analyzed for both neutrons and gamma-rays and the results are discussed.

[Studies on the risk factors of arteriosclerosis in a health district region of Lombardy]

Atherosclerosis risk factor, 8,5% two, 2,7% three and 0,6% four.rs have been investigated in 194 males and 135 female, 25 years old. Elevated lipids were found in 7,3% of the sample; "labile" and stable hypertension in 2,7%; diabetes mellitus in 2,7% and overweight in 19%. 19% of the subjects smoked more than 20 cigarettes daily. Prevalence of hyperlipemia and electrocardiographic changes was higher among people in the lower socioeconomic classes. Taking into consideration hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cigarette smoking, overweight and diabetes mellitus as risk factors, 25% exhibited one risk factor, 8.5% two, 2.7% three and 0.6% four.