5,526 research outputs found
Changed trends of cancer mortality in the elderly
No full textBackground: Trends in cancer mortality for the elderly have long been unfavourable. Materials and methods: Mortality from 12 major cancer sites, plus total cancer mortality at age 65-84 in 23 European countries, the US and Japan was analyzed. Results: Between the late 1980s and the late 1990s total cancer mortality at age 65 to 84 has been declining in the European Union (UE) (-5.5% in males, -4.5% in females), in United States (US) males (-2.3%), but not females (+4.4%), and in Japanese females (-5.6%), but not males (+6.3%). Cancer mortality in the elderly rose for both sexes in eastern Europe. Gastric cancer mortality declined in all the areas. Lung cancer rates declined over the last decade by 8.5% in males in the EU, and by 0.9% in the US. Rates were still increasing in eastern Europe, in Japanese males and in females in all areas. Pancreatic mortality rates were increasing in both sexes in the EU and Japan up to the late 1980s, and in eastern Europe up to the 1990s, whereas rates for US males have been declining over recent years. Breast cancer mortality has declined over the last decade by 8% in the US and by 3% in the EU, while it has risen in eastern Europe and in Japan. Mortality from breast and prostate as well as ovarian cancer remained however low in elderly Japanese. Prostate cancer mortality declined in the EU and in the US, whereas it rose in eastern Europe and in Japan. Mortality from lymphomas and multiple myeloma rose in both sexes and various geographic areas, but improved diagnosis and certification may have played a role in these trends. Mortality from leukemia in the elderly increased in eastern Europe and Japan, but was stable in the US and the EU. Conclusions: Cancer mortality in the elderly has stopped systematically rising, and is on the decline in males since the late 1980s
Trends in asthma mortality in Italy and Spain, 1980-1996
No full textAsthma is a major public health problem, with variable trends in several countries. We analysed mortality trends from asthma in Italy and Spain between 1980 and 1996. Overall asthma-related mortality at all ages increased between 1980 and 1987 in both sexes in Italy, from 16.6 in 1980-1981 to 29.0 in 1986-1987 per million males, and from 8.0 in 1980-1981 to 13.8 in 1986-1987 per million females, but decreased thereafter to reach 14.6 per million in males and 8.7 in females in 1996. The downward trends after 1987 were consistent in middle age and elderly population, but asthma mortality tended to rise in children and young adults over the last few years. In Spain, overall age-standardized mortality rates from asthma declined in men from 37.8 in 1980-1981 to 10.1 in 1996, and from 19.5 in 1980-1981 to 13.2 per million females in 1996. In women, the fall in mortality rates was smaller, and overall mortality was higher than in males since early 1990s. Trends of asthma mortality in Italy and Spain were favourable over the last decade
Alcohol consumption and the risk of gastric cancer
No full textThe relationship between alcohol drinking and gastric cancer risk was analyzed using data from a case-control study conducted in Northern Italy between 1985 and 1993 on 746 cases of histologically confirmed incident stomach cancer and 2, 053 controls in hospital for acute nonneoplastic nondigestive tract diseases. Wine was the most frequently consumed alcoholic beverage; accounting for approximately 90% of all alcohol consumption. Compared with those who never drank wine, the odds ratios (OR) were 1.1 [95% confidence interval (Cl) 0.9-1.3] for fewer than four drinks per day, 1.3 (95% Cl 1.0-1.7) for four to fewer than six drinks per day, 1.6 (95% Cl 1.1-2.4) for six to fewer than eight drinks per day, and 1.4 (95% Cl 1.0-2.0) for eight or more drinks per day. No association was observed with beer or spirits. For total alcohol consumption, 25% of cases and 30% of controls never drank alcohol, and the multivariate OR for those who drank versus those who did not drink was 1.1 (95% Cl 0.9-1.4). After allowance for smoking, education, family history of stomach cancer, selected micronutrient intake, and nonalcohol calorie intake, the ORs were 1.1 (95% Cl 0.9-1.4) for fewer than six drinks per day, 1.0 (95% Cl 0.4-L4) for six to fewer than eight drinks per day, and 1.3 (95% Cl 0.9-1.9) for eight or more drinks per day, and the trend in risk was not significant. No interaction was observed between alcohol drinking and sex, family history, and smoking, but the association with alcohol drinking was appreciably stronger in the elderly and in less-educated individuals. Thus this large data set was able to exclude a strong and consistent association between alcohol (mainly wine) drinking and stomach cancer risk. A nonsignificant association was observed in those who drank very heavily, but the absence of a dose-risk relationship suggests that even such a moderate association may reflect inadequate allowance for covariates or the presence of other risk factors (possibly related to diet and social class) among the heaviest drinkers
Dietary glycemic index and glycemic load, and breast cancer risk: A case-control study
No full textBackground: Certain types of carbohydrates increase glucose and insulin levels to a greater extent than others. In turn, insulin may raise levels of insulin-like growth factors, which may influence breast cancer risk. We analyzed the effect of type and amount of carbohydrates on breast cancer risk, using the glycemic index and the glycemic load measures in a large case-control study conducted in Italy. Patients and methods: Cases were 2569 women with incident, histologically-confirmed breast cancer interviewed between 1991 and 1994. Controls were 2588 women admitted to the same hospital network for a variety of acute, non-neoplastic conditions. Average daily glycemic index and glycemic load were calculated from a validated 78-item food frequency questionnaire. Results: Direct associations with breast cancer risk emerged for glycemic index (odds ratio, OR for highest vs. lowest quintile = 1.4; P for trend <0.01) and glycemic load (OR = 1.3; P < 0.01). High glycemic index foods, such as white bread, increased the risk of breast cancer (OR = 1.3) while the intake of pasta, a medium glycemic index food, seemed to have no influence (OR = 1.0). Findings were consistent across different strata of menopausal status, alcohol intake, and physical activity level. Conclusions: This study supports the hypothesis of moderate, direct associations between glycemic index or glycemic load and breast cancer risk and, consequently, a possible role of hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance in breast cancer development. RI Jenkins, David/A-1992-2009; Parpinel, Maria/B-1605-201
Open access self-archiving: An author study
No full textThis, our second author international, cross-disciplinary study on open access had 1296 respondents. Its focus was on self-archiving. Almost half (49%) of the respondent population have self-archived at least one article during the last three years. Use of institutional repositories for this purpose has doubled and usage has increased by almost 60% for subject-based repositories. Self-archiving activity is greatest amongst those who publish the largest number of papers. There is still a substantial proportion of authors unaware of the possibility of providing open access to their work by self-archiving. Of the authors who have not yet self-archived any articles, 71% remain unaware of the option. With 49% of the author population having self-archived in some way, this means that 36% of the total author population (71% of the remaining 51%), has not yet been appraised of this way of providing open access. Authors have frequently expressed reluctance to self-archive because of the perceived time required and possible technical difficulties in carrying out this activity, yet findings here show that only 20% of authors found some degree of difficulty with the first act of depositing an article in a repository, and that this dropped to 9% for subsequent deposits. Another author worry is about infringing agreed copyright agreements with publishers, yet only 10% of authors currently know of the SHERPA/RoMEO list of publisher permissions policies with respect to self-archiving, where clear guidance as to what a publisher permits is provided. Where it is not known if permission is required, however, authors are not seeking it and are self-archiving without it. Communicating their results to peers remains the primary reason for scholars publishing their work; in other words,
researchers publish to have an impact on their field. The vast majority of authors (81%) would willingly comply with a mandate from their employer or research funder to deposit copies of their articles in an institutional or subject-based repository. A further 13% would comply reluctantly; 5% would not comply with such a mandate
Progress of international hydrogen production network for the thermochemical Cu–Cl cycle
No full textThis paper presents recent advances by an international team which is developing the thermochemical copper–chlorine (Cu–Cl) cycle for hydrogen production. Development of the Cu–Cl cycle has been pursued by several countries within the framework of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) for hydrogen production with the next generation of nuclear reactors. Due to its lower temperature requirements in comparison with other thermochemical cycles, the Cu–Cl cycle is particularly well matched with Canada's Generation IV reactor, SCWR (Super-Critical Water Reactor), as well as other heat sources such as solar energy or industrial waste heat. In this paper, recent developments of the Cu–Cl cycle are presented, specifically involving unit operation experiments, corrosion resistant materials and system integration.Atomic Energy of Canada LimitedOntario Research Excellence FundNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaUniversity Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE)Canada Research Chairs progra
ŻYCIE UKRYTE W SŁOWIE. "BEKSIŃSCY. PORTRET PODWÓJNY" MAGDALENY GRZEBIAŁKOWSKIEJ W ŚWIETLE POSTSTRUKTURALIZMU
No full textLife Hidden in Words. Magdalena Grzebiałkowska\u27s "Beksińscy. Portret podwójny" and Poststructuralism
The article analyzes Magdalena Grzebiałkowska\u27s biographical "Beksińscy. Portret podwójny" which focuses on the lives of Zdzisław Beksiński and Tomasz Beksiński. The author looks at the construction of the biography and its relationship to poststructuralism, which allows for an appreciation of the literary features of the book. He points to how the specificity of the content, language, a mode of narration in Grzebiałkowska\u27s book make it a full-fledged literary work itself. As such the book departs from a typical biographical scheme. Juxtaposing the book with poststructural ideas leads to the reconsideration of the role of the author in the process of shaping of a biographical narrative
Risk factors for esophageal cancer in women in northern Italy
No full textBackground. The incidence of esophageal cancer in women in Italy is low, and its risk factors have not been studied extensively.
Methods. The relationship between risk of esophageal cancer and frequency of consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and a few selected dietary items was studied in 57 Italian women with histologically confirmed incident cancers of the esophagus and 344 hospital control patients, using data from a case-control study conducted in Milan, Italy, 1984-1991.
Results. The major risk factor for cancer of the esophagus in Italian women was cigarette smoking (relative risk [RR], 1.5 for < 15 cigarettes/day, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-3.8; and RR, 4.8 for greater-than-or-equal-to 15 cigarettes/day, 95% Cl, 2.2-10.3; compared with those who never smoked), followed by elevated alcohol consumption (RR, 2.3; 95% Cl, 1.0-5.4 for three or more drinks/day, relative to teetotalers), which together explained more than 50% of cases. Among dietary items, high intake of fresh fruit showed a statistically significant protective effect (RR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9 for the highest versus the lowest tertile of intake). There was an inverse relationship with an estimate of beta-carotene intake (RR, 0.5; 95%) Cl, 0.2-1.0 for the highest versus the lowest level of intake). No association was evident with preformed vitamin A (retinol).
Conclusion. On a population scale, tobacco is the major risk factor for esophageal cancer in Italian women. Although the incidence of esophageal cancer is much lower in women than in men, major risk and protective factors are similar for both sexes
Systems, methods and devices for the capture and hydrogenation of carbon dioxide with thermochemical Cu—Cl and Mg—Cl—Na/K—CO2 cycles
No full textSystems, methods, and devices for producing hydrogen and capturing CO2 from emissions combine both H2 production and CO2 capture processes in forms of thermochemical cycles to produce useful products from captured CO2. The thermochemical cycles are copper-chlorine (Cu—Cl) and magnesium-chlorine-sodium/potassium cycles (Mg—Cl—Na/K—CO2). One system comprises a Cu—Cl cycle, a CO2 capture loop, and a hydrogenation cycle. Another system comprises an Mg—Cl—Na/K—CO2 cycle and a hydrogenation cycle. Devices for hydrogen production, CO2 capture, hydrogenation, and process and equipment integration include a two-stage fluidized/packed bed, hybrid two-stage spray-fluidized/packed bed reactor, a two-stage wet-mode absorber, a hybrid two-stage absorber, and a catalyst packed/fluidized bed reactor
Clean hydrogen production with the Cu–Cl cycle – Progress of international consortium, I: Experimental unit operations
No full textAdvancement of the thermochemical copper–chlorine (Cu–Cl) cycle for hydrogen production is reviewed and discussed in this paper. Individual unit operations and their linkage into an integrated cycle are being developed by a Canadian consortium, as part of the Generation IV International Forum (GIF) for hydrogen production with the next generation of nuclear reactors. This paper focuses on the consortium’s latest advances on the Cu–Cl cycle, particularly with respect to hydrogen production with Canada’s Generation IV reactor, called SCWR (Super-Critical Water Reactor). Other heat sources may also be utilized for the Cu–Cl cycle, such as solar energy or industrial waste heat. In this first of two companion papers, recent developments in Canada’s nuclear hydrogen program are reported, specifically unit operation experiments of the Cu–Cl cycle and system integration. The following second companion paper will present system modeling with Aspen Plus, corrosion resistant materials, thermochemistry, safety, and reliability aspects of the Cu–Cl cycle.Atomic Energy of Canada LimitedOntario Research Excellence FundNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaUniversity Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE)Canada Research Chairs progra
- …
