1,721,384 research outputs found

    Neoplasms

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    Occupational Exposures and Thyroid Cancer

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    Thyroid cancer accounts for the majority of endocrine cancers, and the number of cases is increasing worldwide likely due to increased recognition more than a real increment of the disease. Exposure to ionizing radiation is the main occupational exposure related to thyroid cancer. Several studies were carried out on Chernobyl cleanup workers and healthcare professionals exposed to ionizing radiation. These reported a causal relationship between acute or cumulative exposure to moderate/high radiation dose and thyroid cancer, while there is less clear evidence that chronic exposure to low dose increases the risk. However, the excess risk reported in the majority of studies is likely overestimated because of a higher surveillance among workers whose activity entails exposure to ionizing radiation. Epidemiological studies on other occupational risks are scarce, and it is not possible to draw firm conclusions on other exposure agents, including pesticides, benzene, and formaldehyde as well as on workers employed in semiconductor, wood, paper, and textile industries

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed

    Evaluation of the effects following low doses of inorganic mercury from environmental and occupational exposures

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    Aims: This paper reviews the studies, both in vivo and in vitro, carried out for the project on low-dose effects of inorganic mercury, financed by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Scientific and Technological Research. Results, Comments and Proposal: The results offer both innovative aspects and potential practical applications. Particular attention is drawn to the reliability of biomarkers of exposure [mercury in urine (HgU) and blood (HgB), possibility of speciation] as well as to the availability of guidance values for risk assessment (reference value, action level, biological threshold value). In the general population, HgU and HgB levels are significantly related to the presence of dental amalgams and to fish consumption; nevertheless, such exposure levels do not elicit adverse health effects on renal, immune and nervous functions, according to the markers evaluated in the studies. The present biological threshold values for occupational exposure appear adequate to prevent health effects, considering the immune system, kidney and central nervous system as the target organs. However, possible effects of low doses of mercury on immune and neuroendocrine functions should be further examined; moreover, consideration should be given to the risk of consuming fish species with high Hg content, particularly concerning the renal and central nervous system effects. Finally, further studies should be planned on other potentially important effects, that could not be considered in this study, such as those on prenatal development, the cardiovascular system and the thyroid gland

    Mortality patterns and trends for lung cancer and other tobacco-related cancers in the Americas, 1955-1989

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    Mortality from cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx, oesphagus, larynx and lung between 1955 and 1989 has been analysed for USA, Canada and 14 countries in Latin America. Among males, Uruguay, Cuba, Argentina and Puerto Rico have the highest rates for all sites, and Peru, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Colombia have the lowest rates. Among females, Cuba, Colombia and Puerto Rico rank high for all sites, and Mexico, Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru rank low. For both sexes, lung cancer mortality rates from the US and Canada are high, whereas rates from other sites are intermediate. An increasing trend in lung cancer mortality over time is shown in all countries except Cuba (no changes), Argentina, Paraguay and Peru (decreasing trend). In Latin America, the tobacco-related lung cancer epidemic is in its early phase among males, and very early phase among females
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