Poster: Cadmium, lead and mercury levels in cerebrospinal fluid and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – A case-control study

Poster TE2015 violi minionBackground and Aims

Many studies poses the question of neurotoxic effect of heavy metal and risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The aim of the study was to assess the levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) in 38 ALS patients and 38 sex and age matched neurologic hospital-referred controls by using cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a CNS biomarker of exposure.

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Poster: Long-term mortality in a population exposed to inorganic Selenium through drinking water

Poster TE2015 violi minionAbstract

Very limited evidence is available on the health effects of the selenium found in drinking water, due to the extremely small number of studies. Furthermore, the evidence from human investigations on dietary selenium may be of limited relevance when assessing this issue, due to the distinctive toxicological and nutritional properties of the inorganic species of this element, which are those generally found in drinking water, while most of the selenium in foods is present in its organic forms.

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Poster: Assessment of selenium and cadmium levels in serum and toenails: A cross-sectional study in Modena, Northern Italy

Poster TE2015 violi minionBackground and Aims

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal established as a human carcinogen while selenium (Se) is a metalloid showing an intriguing relation with human health, particularly with cancer. Se is usually present both in the environment and in
living organisms in various inorganic and organic forms, having considerable variations in both their toxicological and physiological properties. The aim of this study was to assess their reference values and individual determinants
influencing their content in fifty adults randomly drawn from the municipality of Modena, by determining Se and Cd levels in plasma and in toenails.

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Poster: Sources of cadmium exposure in an Italian population: A cross-sectional study

Poster 2015 Filippini minionBackground and Aims

Main sources of Cadmium (Cd) exposure in the human are food and cigarette smoking as, but also outdoor and indoor air pollution can be important, mainly from industrial emissions, fossil fuel combustion and solid waste incineration. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of outdoor air pollution on serum Cd levels in fifty residents randomly selected from the municipal population of Modena, Northern Italy.

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Poster: Cadmium dietary intake in a Northern Italy population

Poster 2015 Malavolti Background and Aims

Cadmium (Cd) is an ubiquitous toxic heavy metal. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified Cd as a human carcinogen (Group I) mainly on the basis of occupational studies. Recent epidemiological studies have shown a direct association between Cd exposure and risk of cancer at several sites (lung, endometrium, bladder and breast) also in the general population. Main source of exposure to Cd, except for smokers and for occupationally-exposed individuals, is food. The highest concentrations of Cd are generally found in products such as seaweed, fish and seafood, chocolate, mushrooms, oilseeds and edible offal, while food groups that mainly contribute to dietary exposure to Cd, as a result of high consumption, are cereals and cereal products, vegetables, nuts, potatoes and meat products. The average Cd intake from food generally varies between 8 and 25 µg/day (more than 80% from cereals and vegetables). Limited evidence about current main sources of Cd intake in the Italian population, however, is available.

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