Significance and Current Status of Wastewater Reuse in Sicily

In Sicily wastewater is being regarded as a supplemental source of water, especially for agricultural use, which represents the greatest demand at present and in the future. That is because water demand is already approaching total usable resources, and severe shortage is experienced almost everywhere and in every sector. To help overcome possible implementation problems due to high salinity and pollutant concentrations, lack in monitoring capabilities, and emotional public perception of possible health risks, major field research programs have been undertaken, including an experimental station with a pilot plant and a series of field plots.

Chloracne after release of TCDD at Seveso, Italy

ABSTRACT The paper deals with clinical and epidemiological findings concerning persons showing skin lesions after release of TCDD at Seveso. A positive association was observed between geographical distribution of cases and levels of soil contamination. Gastro-intestinal tract impairments were more frequently observed in children with chloracne than in children from the same areas showing no skin lesions. To date, no major immunological involvement has been observed in samples of children exposed to TCDD.

Screening for Early Detection of Asymptomatic Coronary Artery Disease (Secondary Prevention): An Approach to Cost/Benefit and Cost/Effectiveness Analysis

Classification of different types of preventive measures for ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been much debated. In the classical use of terms “primary prevention” (prevention of occurrence) includes removal of risk factors in otherwise healthy individuals, while the attempts to change diet and life style in the very early age, in order to avoid the acquisition of risk factors, has been called “preprimary prevention” or “early prevention.”

Kinetic parameter determination in monoculture and monosubstrate biological reactors

The kinetic parameters of a biological reactor, operating under monoculture and monosubstrate conditions, have been determined. Pure cultures of Nocardia corallina and Pseudomonas fluorescens species have been used with phenol as the only organic carbon source. The experimental runs have been carried out both in a batch and in a continuous stirred reactor. The batch results have been interpreted by zero order kinetics in phenol and first order kinetics in biomass. The kinetic-constants have also been calculated. The activation energy has been determined only for the Nocardia species. Using this strain, the continuous reactor, working without biomass recycle, has confirmed the first order ki…

Il contributo dell'epidemiologia analitica alla conoscenza della patologia da esposizione alle radiofrequenze (RF) e microonde (MO)

Familial aggregation of tumors and detection of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer in 3-year experience of 2 population-based colorectal-cancer registries.

The clinical data of 2 population-based registries, located in areas with different incidence rates of colorectal cancer, were used in order to assess the role of familial factors in the pathogenesis of these tumors. The occurrence of tumors in family members was investigated in 389 subjects with colorectal cancer registered in Modena (Northern Italy, an area characterized by a high incidence of colorectal malignancies) between 1984 and 1986; similar information was obtained in 213 patients with tumors of the large bowel registered in Ragusa (Sicily, Southern Italy, an area of similar magnitude and with low incidence rates for these tumors) in the 3-year period 1988 to 1990. In both series,…

Risk factors of female cancers in Ragusa population (Sicily). 2. Breast cancer.

A case-control study on breast, cervix and corpus uteri cancer cases registered in Ragusa between January 1, 1983 and June 30, 1985 has been conducted. Information on risk factors has been obtained by means of a structured questionnaire. Risk factors for breast cancer were: few pregnancies (1-2 vs greater than 4 OR 2.14, 95% CL 1.13-4.04), few children (for postmenopausal only, chi trend 4.84), previous breast disease (OR 1.97, 95% CL 1.20-3.23), family history (OR 3.57, 95% CL 1.92-6.63), alcohol (OR 1.68, 95% CL 1.12-2.53), high socioeconomical status (1 vs 4 OR 2.93, 95% CL 1.22-70.03). A protective role was evident for: early age at first birth (for premenopausal only, less than 20 vs g…

A case-control study on lip cancer risk factors in Ragusa (Sicily).

Incidence rates of lip cancer in males in Ragusa (Sicily) are amongst the highest in Europe [age-standardized rate (world) for 1980-82: 7.5 per 100,000]. A case-control study was conducted on 53 male cases and 106 controls matched for sex, age (+/- 2 1/2 years), residence and hospital from which cases had been drawn. Individual interviews were carried out for the evaluation of ethnic, environmental, pathologic and occupational risk factors. Lip cancer was significantly associated with: fair, brown, or red hair (relative odds = 2.3), blue eyes (r.o. = 5.3), fair skin (r.o. = 8.0), sensitivity to sunburns (r.o. = 4.1), working outdoors (r.o. = 4.9), coexistence of non-specific lesions of expo…

Millimeter wave effects in Candida albicans cells

Changing patterns of hepatitis A virus infection in children in Palermo, Italy.

In 1988 in Palermo, Italy, the prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) in a sample of 490 children 6-13 years old was 10.6%; it increased from 6.3% among children 6-10 years old to 14.7% in children 11-13 years old (P less than 0.01). Compared with findings from a survey conducted in 1978 in the same area, the results of the present study show a significant (P less than 0.01) reduction in the anti-HAV prevalence in both age groups. Anti-HAV prevalence was inversely related to the father's years of education and positively related to the family size. Children of fathers with less than 6 years of schooling had a 3.2-fold risk (C.I. 95% = 1.3-8.1), and children with five or mo…

Risk factors of female cancers in ragusa population (sicily) - I. Endometrium and cervix uteri cancers

A case-control study on breast, cervix and endometrium cancer cases registered in Ragusa between January 1, 1983 and June 30, 1985 has been conducted. Information on risk factors has been obtained by means of a structured questionnaire. Risk factors for endometrium cancer were: few children (1–2 vs > 4 OR 15.18, 95%CL 1.96–117.64), oestrogenic treatment (OR 2.20, 95%CL 1.05–4.90), obesity (Quetelet index >30 vs 2 vs 0 OR 9.87, 95%CL 1.46–66.66), no contraception (OR 8.33, 95%CL 2.38–25.00), younger age of mother at birth (OR 6.89, 95%CL 1.71–27.70). Age at menarche, age at menopause and years of fertile life were not found to be related to either endometrium or cervix uteri cancer. The exis…

Complement fixation test in the study of Australia antigen

1810 serum samples obtained from 315 patients with various liver diseases, 44 with miscellaneous non-hepatic diseases and 1133 healthy subjects were assayed for Australia antigen by complement fixation (CF) and immunodiffusion (ID) tests.