1,721,079 research outputs found
Pleural Mesothelioma Cases in Biancavilla are Related to a New Fluoro-Edenite Fibrous Amphibole
No full textA cluster of deaths from pleural mesothelioma was previously reported for Biancavilla, Italy, a city in eastern Sicily. An environmental survey suggested that the stone quarries located southeast of the city might be a source of asbestos exposure. The materials extracted from the quarries, used widely in the local building industry, contain large quantities of a fibrous amphibole that was initially referred to as an anomalous intermediate phase of sodium- and fluorine-rich tremolite-actinolite. A subsequent crystal chemistry investigation identified the mineral as fluoro-edenite, a new end-member of the edenite --> fluoro-edenite series. The material is very similar in morphology and composition to the minerals of the tremolite-actinolite series. To the authors' knowledge, fluoro-edenite becomes the 3rd mineral fiber (along with erionite and winchite), not yet classified as asbestos, with a demonstrable mesotheliomatogenous action in humans
Causal inference in environmental epidemiology: the role of implicit values
No full textFirst published: 23 February 1999The current epistemologic debate in epidemiology has underlined the relevance of subjective judgment in the production and evaluation of epidemiologic evidence. The definition of criteria aimed at evaluating causal links requires the adoption of judgment, values and extra-scientific considerations, such as the inclusion of a precautionary principle. The purpose of the present analysis is to examine the influence of moral principles in the process of evaluating scientific data relevant to human health. Two case studies are discussed. The first one deals with the carcinogenic risk associated with occupational exposure to non-arsenical insecticides; the second one deals with the association between urban air pollution, mortality and asthmatic attacks
The health profile of populations living in contaminated sites: SENTIERI approach.
Full text linkSENTIERI project (Epidemiological Study of Residents in Italian Contaminated Sites) studied mortality in the sites of national interest for environmental remediation (National Priority Contaminated Sites - NPCSs). SENTIERI described mortality of residents in NPCSSs, and it specifically focused on causes of death for which environmental exposure is suspected or ascertained to play an etiologic role. The epidemiological evidence of the causal association was classified a priori into one of these three categories: Sufficient (S), Limited (L), and Inadequate (I). Mortality in the period 1995-2002 was studied for 63 single or grouped causes at the municipal level by computing: crude rate, standardized rate, standardized mortality ratios (SMR), and SMR adjusted for an ad hoc deprivation index. Regional populations were used as references for SMR calculations and 90% CI accompanied SMR values. The deprivation index was constructed using 2001 national census variables for the following socioeconomic domains: education, unemployment, dwelling ownership, and overcrowding. SENTIERI results will allow the priorities setting in remediation intervention so as to prevent adverse health effects from environmental exposure. This paper's objective is to present the rationale, methods, advantages, and limitations underlying SENTIERI project and to describe data and resources required to apply a similar approach in other countries. © 2013 Roberta Pirastu et al.SENTIERI project (Epidemiological Study of Residents in Italian Contaminated Sites) studied mortality in the sites of national
interest for environmental remediation (National Priority Contaminated Sites—NPCSs). SENTIERI described mortality of
residents in NPCSSs, and it specifically focused on causes of death for which environmental exposure is suspected or ascertained
to play an etiologic role. The epidemiological evidence of the causal association was classified a priori into one of these three
categories: Sufficient (S), Limited (L), and Inadequate (I). Mortality in the period 1995−2002 was studied for 63 single or grouped
causes at the municipal level by computing: crude rate, standardized rate, standardized mortality ratios (SMR), and SMR adjusted
for an ad hoc deprivation index. Regional populations were used as references for SMR calculations and 90% CI accompanied
SMR values. The deprivation index was constructed using 2001 national census variables for the following socioeconomic domains
NO EVIDENCE OF INCREASED RISK OF SOFT TISSUE SARCOMAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF A STEEL FOUNDRY IN VERONA
No full textThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible association between occurrence
of soft tissue sarcomas in Verona (Italy) and residence near a steel foundry, whose emissions of dioxin-
like compounds may be relevant. Exposure to total suspended particulate (TSP) emitted from
the plant as estimated by ADMS-urban dispersion model was used as an indirect index of exposure to
dioxin-like compounds. Verona municipality was divided in six subareas according to the decreasing
levels of estimated TSP exposure, and soft tissue sarcomas cases were mapped according to residence
at time of diagnosis. Standardized incidence ratios were computed. No statistically significant departures
between observed and expected cases were detected as illustrated by trend-test results
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe 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
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