A Critique of the Exposure Assessment in the Epidemiologic Study of Benzene-Exposed Workers in China Conducted by the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine and the US National Cancer Institute

1999 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 259-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otto Wong
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S239-S239
Author(s):  
Arunmozhi S Aravagiri ◽  
Scott Kubomoto ◽  
Ayutyanont Napatkamon ◽  
Sarah Wilson ◽  
Sudhakar Mallela

Abstract Background Aseptic meningitis can be caused by an array of microorganisms, both bacterial and non-bacterial, as well as non-infectious conditions. Some etiologies of aseptic meningitis require treatment with antibiotics, antiviral, antifungals, anti-parasitic agents, immunosuppressants, and or chemotherapy. There are limited diagnostic tools for diagnosing certain types of aseptic meningitis, therefore knowing the differential causes of aseptic meningitis, and their relative percentages may assist in diagnosis. Review of the literature reveals that there are no recent studies of etiologies of aseptic meningitis in the United States (US). This is an epidemiologic study to delineate etiologies of aseptic meningitis in a large database of 185 HCA hospitals across the US. Methods Data was collected from January 2016 to December 2019 on all patients diagnosed with meningitis. CSF PCR studies, and CSF antibody tests were then selected for inclusion. Results Total number of encounters were 3,149 hospitalizations. Total number of individual labs analyzed was 10,613, and of these 262 etiologies were identified. 23.6% (62) of cases were due to enterovirus, 18.7% (49) due to HSV-2, 14.5% (38) due to West Nile virus, 13.7% (36) due to Varicella zoster (VZV), 10.5% (27) due to Cryptococcus. Additionally, we analyzed the rate of positive test results by region. Nationally, 9.7% of tests ordered for enterovirus were positive. In contrast, 0.5% of tests ordered for HSV 1 were positive. The southeastern United States had the highest rate of positive tests for HSV 2 (7% of tests ordered for HSV 2 were positive). The central United States had the highest rate of positive test for West Nile virus (11% of tests ordered for West Nile were positive). The northeastern region and the highest rate of positive tests for varicella zoster (18%). Table 1: Percentage of positive CSF tests (positive tests/tests ordered) Table 2: Lists the number of HIV patients and transplant patients that had positive CSF PCR/serologies Figure 1: Percentage of positive CSF tests in each region Conclusion Approximately 40% of aseptic meningitis population had treatable etiologies. A third of the Cryptococcus meningitis population had HIV. Furthermore, enteroviruses had the majority of cases within the US, which are similar to studies done in other parts of the world. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2016 ◽  
pp. 34-37
Author(s):  
Olha Puzanovа

The objective: was to study the international experience of evidence based preventive medicine development as well as to estimate its perspectives in Ukraine. Patients and methods. Main principles and methods of scientific knowledge and research have been used including universal ones, methods of systemic approach, quantitative and qualitative information analysis, classification and systematization of theoretical and empirical data, hystorical and logical methods, health statistics as well). In total 529 scientific information sources have been studied, particularly a number of evidence based medicine (EBM) computer databases, special task forces recommendations and Cochrane reviews on prevention, Register of medical and technological documents for health care standards in Ukraine et al. Results. The contribution of foreign scientific schools in the development of EBM has been determined, as well as the crucial role of scientific works carried out in the US and Great Britain in 1930–80s as to the development of evidence based preventive medicine. The international experience of the development and functioning of evidence based practice centers’ and special task forces on prevention has been summarized, as the experience of the development and implementation of recommendations on prevention in primary health care (PHC) in high income countries acceptable for Ukraine. The concept of evidence based prevention has been first proposed. It is revealed, that EBM implementation in Europe has been prioritized in both the field of infectious diseases prevention and PHC, while there are both the development of differentiated evidence based prevention and early evidence based diagnosis in PHC in the US. Conclusion. The results proved importance of taking into consideration of international experience while evidence based PHC is being developed as a priority in Ukraine.


2018 ◽  
Vol 183 (4) ◽  
pp. 503-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae Young Kong ◽  
Gamal Akabani ◽  
John W Poston

Abstract One of the most important issues in the nuclear power industry is the implementation of the 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) published in ICRP Publication 103. These recommendations include the implementation of the concept of dose constraints for occupationally exposed workers at nuclear power plants (NPPs). When considering these changes from a cost–benefit standpoint, the implementation of dose constraints is still highly controversial. This study analysed annual occupational dose distributions to determine whether a dose constraint is needed for occupationally exposed workers at the US NPPs. Results of the analysis showed that the use of dose constraints had no positive impact on radiation safety of workers at NPPs in the USA. In fact, it appears that the implementation of dose constraints will impose an unnecessary regulatory burden on licensees. Based on these results, implementation of dose constraints is not recommended.


Author(s):  
Linda Titus

Abstract This review summarizes key findings from the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) DES Combined Cohort Study with a focus on the results of the NCI Third Generation Study, a cohort of DES-exposed and unexposed granddaughters. Findings to date from the Third Generation Study are discussed in the context of other research efforts and case reports suggesting an intergenerational heritability of DES-related effects. The DES story serves as a model for the influence of endocrine disrupting chemicals on human health. It also serves as a warning of the special hazards of pregnancy exposures, and more broadly, of the potential for invisible health consequences arising from new or changing exposures.


Author(s):  
Tina Giles Murphy ◽  
Stephen Bornstein ◽  
John Oudyk ◽  
Paul A Demers

Abstract Despite numerous studies of asbestos workers in the epidemiologic literature, there are very few cohort studies of chrysotile asbestos miners/millers that include high-quality retrospective exposure assessments. As part of the creation of the Baie Verte Miners’ Registry in 2008, a two-dimensional job exposure matrix (JEM) was developed for estimating asbestos exposures for former chrysotile asbestos miners/millers. Industrial hygiene data collected between 1963 and 1994 were analysed to assess validity for use in a retrospective exposure assessment and epidemiologic study. Registered former employees were divided into 52 exposure groups (EGs) based on job title and department and mean asbestos concentrations were calculated for each EG. The resulting exposure estimates were linked to individual registrants’ work histories allowing for the calculation of cumulative asbestos exposure for each registrant. The distribution of exposure for most EGs (82.6%) could be described as fitting a log-normal distribution, although variability within some EGs (55%) exceeded a geometric standard deviation (GSD) of 2.5. Overall, the data used to create EGs in the development of the JEM were deemed to be of adequate quality for estimating cumulative asbestos exposures for the former employees of the Baie Verte asbestos mine/mill. The variability between workers in the same job was often high and is an important factor to be considered when using estimates of cumulative asbestos exposure to adjudicate compensation claims. The exposures experienced in this cohort were comparable to those of other chrysotile asbestos miners/millers cohorts, specifically Italian and Québec cohorts.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Amanda L. Vogel ◽  
Douglas M. Puricelli Perin ◽  
Ya-Ling Lu ◽  
Stephen H. Taplin

PURPOSE International research networks have the potential to accelerate scientific progress via knowledge sharing and collaboration. In 2018, the US National Cancer Institute evaluated the International Cancer Screening Network (ICSN), in operation since 1988. METHODS ICSN hosts a biennial scientific meeting and scientific working groups. A survey was fielded to 665 ICSN participants, and a bibliometric analysis was conducted for ICSN publications. RESULTS A total of 243 individuals completed the survey (36.5%). They reported that participating in the ICSN helped advance their knowledge of cancer screening research (75.7%), policy development (56%), and implementation (47.7%). Approximately three-quarters agreed that ICSN facilitated knowledge sharing and networking among researchers and implementers (79.9%) and those working on different continents (74.0%) and cancer sites (73.7%). More than half reported that participating helped them form new collaborations in screening implementation (58.0%) or research (57.6%). Most agreed that ICSN helped to advance screening research and evaluation (75.4%), effective screening practices (71.2%), and screening policies (60.9%). Many reported that participating informed advances in their own research (68.7%) and screening implementation (50.2%) and policies (49.4%) in their settings. Approximately two-thirds agreed that ICSN helped advance career development among current experts (66.6%) and train the next generation (62.2%). Half (51.4%) reported that participating advanced their own careers. The 20 ICSN publications included 75 coauthors. They were cited in 589 publications with more than 2,000 coauthors. CONCLUSION Findings provide evidence of the influence of ICSN on international knowledge dissemination, collaboration, and advances in cancer screening research, implementation, and policies and highlight the potential value of longstanding international research networks.


1997 ◽  
Vol 72 (10) ◽  
pp. 901-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P. Chute ◽  
David J. Venzon ◽  
Lynn Hankins ◽  
Paul Okunieff ◽  
James N. Frame ◽  
...  

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