Socioeconomic status, smoking, and lung cancer: mediation and bias analysis in the SYNERGY study.

Background: Increased lung-cancer risks for low socioeconomic status (SES) groups are only partially attributable to smoking habits. Little effort has been made to investigate the persistent risks related to low SES by quantification of potential biases.

Methods: Based on 12 case-control studies, including 18 centers of the international SYNERGY project (16,550 cases, 20,147 controls), we estimated controlled direct effects (CDE) of SES on lung cancer via multiple logistic regression, adjusted for age, study center, and smoking habits, and stratified by sex.

Lung Cancer Risks Associated with Occupational Exposure to Pairs of Five Lung Carcinogens: Results from a Pooled Analysis of Case-Control Studies (SYNERGY).

Background: While much research has been done to identify individual workplace lung carcinogens, little is known about joint effects on risk when workers are exposed to multiple agents.

Objectives: We investigated the pairwise joint effects of occupational exposures to asbestos, respirable crystalline silica, metals (i.e.

Prevalent occupational exposures and risk of lung cancer among women: Results from the application of the Canadian Job-Exposure Matrix (CANJEM) to a combined set of ten case-control studies.

Background: Worldwide, lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. The present study explored associations between occupational exposures that are prevalent among women, and lung cancer.

Methods: Data from 10 case-control studies of lung cancer from Europe, Canada, and New Zealand conducted between 1988 and 2008 were combined.

Occupational Benzene Exposure and Lung Cancer Risk: A Pooled Analysis of 14 Case-Control Studies.

Benzene has been classified as carcinogenic to humans, but there is limited evidence linking benzene exposure to lung cancer. We aimed to examine the relationship between occupational benzene exposure and lung cancer. Subjects from 14 case-control studies across Europe and Canada were pooled.

Occupational Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Lung Cancer Risk: Results from a Pooled Analysis of Case-Control Studies (SYNERGY).

Background: Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) occurs widely in occupational settings. We investigated the association between occupational exposure to PAH and lung cancer risk and joint effects with smoking within the SYNERGY project.

Methods: We pooled 14 case-control studies with information on lifetime occupational and smoking histories conducted between 1985 and 2010 in Europe and Canada.

Accounting for EGFR Mutations in Epidemiologic Analyses of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers: Examples Based on the International Lung Cancer Consortium Data.

Background: Somatic EGFR mutations define a subset of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) that have clinical impact on NSCLC risk and outcome. However, EGFR-mutation-status is often missing in epidemiologic datasets. We developed and tested pragmatic approaches to account for EGFR-mutation-status based on variables commonly included in epidemiologic datasets and evaluated the clinical utility of these approaches.

Diesel Engine Exhaust Exposure, Smoking, and Lung Cancer Subtype Risks. A Pooled Exposure-Response Analysis of 14 Case-Control Studies.

Although the carcinogenicity of diesel engine exhaust has been demonstrated in multiple studies, little is known regarding exposure-response relationships associated with different exposure subgroups and different lung cancer subtypes. We expanded on a previous pooled case-control analysis on diesel engine exhaust and lung cancer by including three additional studies and quantitative exposure assessment to evaluate lung cancer and subtype risks associated with occupational exposure to diesel exhaust characterized by elemental carbon (EC) concentrations. We used a quantitative EC job-exposure matrix for exposure assessment.

Respirable Crystalline Silica Exposure, Smoking, and Lung Cancer Subtype Risks. A Pooled Analysis of Case-Control Studies.

Millions of workers around the world are exposed to respirable crystalline silica. Although silica is a confirmed human lung carcinogen, little is known regarding the cancer risks associated with low levels of exposure and risks by cancer subtype. However, little is known regarding the disease risks associated with low levels of exposure and risks by cancer subtype.

Lung cancer and socioeconomic status in a pooled analysis of case-control studies.

Background: An association between low socioeconomic status (SES) and lung cancer has been observed in several studies, but often without adequate control for smoking behavior. We studied the association between lung cancer and occupationally derived SES, using data from the international pooled SYNERGY study.

Methods: Twelve case-control studies from Europe and Canada were included in the analysis.

Alcohol and lung cancer risk among never smokers: A pooled analysis from the international lung cancer consortium and the SYNERGY study.

It is not clear whether alcohol consumption is associated with lung cancer risk. The relationship is likely confounded by smoking, complicating the interpretation of previous studies. We examined the association of alcohol consumption and lung cancer risk in a large pooled international sample, minimizing potential confounding of tobacco consumption by restricting analyses to never smokers.

Lung Cancer Among Firefighters: Smoking-Adjusted Risk Estimates in a Pooled Analysis of Case-Control Studies.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore lung cancer risk among firefighters, with adjustment for smoking.

Methods: We used pooled information from the SYNERGY project including 14 case-control studies conducted in Europe, Canada, New Zealand, and China, with lifetime work histories and smoking habits for 14,748 cases of lung cancer and 17,543 controls. We estimated odds ratios by unconditional logistic regression with adjustment for smoking and having ever been employed in a job known to present an excess risk of lung cancer.

Occupational prestige, social mobility and the association with lung cancer in men.

Background: The nature of the association between occupational social prestige, social mobility, and risk of lung cancer remains uncertain. Using data from the international pooled SYNERGY case-control study, we studied the association between lung cancer and the level of time-weighted average occupational social prestige as well as its lifetime trajectory.

Methods: We included 11,433 male cases and 14,147 male control subjects.

Quantitative assessment of videolaryngostroboscopic images in patients with glottic pathologies.

Introduction: Digital imaging techniques enable exploration of novel visualization modalities of the vocal folds during phonation and definition of parameters, facilitating more precise diagnosis of voice disorders.

Aim: Application of computer vision algorithms for analysis of videolaryngostroboscopic (VLS) images aimed at qualitative and quantitative description of phonatory vibrations.

Materials And Methods: VLS examinations were conducted for 45 females, including 15 subjects with vocal nodules, 15 subjects with glottal incompetence, and 15 normophonic females.

Effect of occupational exposures on lung cancer susceptibility: a study of gene-environment interaction analysis.

Background: Occupational exposures are known risk factors for lung cancer. Role of genetically determined host factors in occupational exposure-related lung cancer is unclear.

Methods: We used genome-wide association (GWA) data from a case-control study conducted in 6 European countries from 1998 to 2002 to identify gene-occupation interactions and related pathways for lung cancer risk.

An overview of occupational voice disorders in Poland.

Occupational voice disorders make the most frequently certified category of occupational diseases in Poland, making up approximately 20% of all cases. This study presents the current knowledge of the etiopathogenesis of occupational voice disorders. It stresses the importance of the evaluation of vocal loading by means of objective measurements.

Applicability of the Polish Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) scale in the diagnostics of occupational dysphonia.

Occupational dysphonia is mainly of hyperfunctional origin, expressed by complaints experienced in the vocal tract. The aim of the paper was to evaluate the applicability of the Polish Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) scale in the diagnostics of occupational dysphonia. Patients with occupational dysphonia (n = 218) and controls (n = 140) were subjected to the VTD scale, VHI evaluation, and maximum phonation time (MPT) measurement.

Violence at the workplace--a questionnaire survey of nurses.

Background: In the health sector, anywhere in the world nurses are one of the most exposed groups to violence. However, it is not obvious that psychiatric nurses (PNs) are more exposed to aggression and burnout.

Objectives: To determine the nature and effects of aggressive acts towards nursing staff in psychiatric and other medical services in Poland.

Expression of bFGF and NGF and their receptors in chick's auditory organ following overexposure to noise.

Growth factors are known to activate signaling cascades for DNA replication; they participate in the regulation of cell differentiation and are required as positive signals for cell survival. Thus, many of them may be regarded as potential candidates stimulating regeneration processes in the inner ear. We analyzed the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) and their receptor (bFGFR and NGFR)-like immunoreactivity in chick basilar papillae, along with bFGF and NGF mRNA expression.

The effect of weak 50 Hz magnetic fields on the number of free oxygen radicals in rat lymphocytes in vitro.

The aim of the work was verification of the hypothesis that weak power frequency (50 Hz) magnetic fields (MF) affected the number of free oxygen radicals in living biological cells and that these changes could be qualitatively explained by the radical pair mechanism. The experiments were performed on rat lymphocytes. One-hour exposure to 50 Hz MF at 20, 40, or 200 microT flux densities was performed inside a pair of Helmholtz coils with axis along or crosswise to the Earth's static MF.

Testing the immunosuppressive effects of cyclophosphamide in the popliteal lymph node assay in the modification of graft-vs-host reaction (PLNA-GvHR) in the rat.

We tested the hypothesis that popliteal lymph node assay (PLNA) in the modification of graft vs host reaction (GvHR) enabled to assess immunosuppressive potential of xenobiotics. We conducted PLNA in GvHR modification under two experimental conditions using cyclophosphamide (CY). In the first experiment average lymph node weight index (IW, weight ratio of popliteal lymph node of hind footpad injected with parental lymphocytes to lymph node of footpad injected with vehicle) in rats administered intraperitoneally with CY simultaneously with, or 3 days before local GvHR induction was 84% and 42%, respectively less than average IW in external control animals injected with parental lymphocytes into one footpad and vehicle into contralateral footpad.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of P21ras and P53 proteins expression in human non-small-cell lung cancers.

Human non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) of 48 patients were analyzed immunohistochemically to detect P21 ras and P53 proteins expression. The relationship between P21 ras and P53 proteins expression and clinicopathologic findings was also assessed. DAKO EnVision TM detection system was employed in the study.

The risk factors of occupational hypersensitivity in apprentice bakers -- the predictive value of atopy markers.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the predictive value of known risk factors of asthma, such as atopy, exposure to pet allergens at home, and tobacco smoking, in predicting the occurrence of occupational respiratory allergy due to high-molecular-weight allergens.

Methods: A questionnaire study, skin-prick tests (SPTs) for common and occupational allergens, and evaluation of total and - in selected cases - specific IgE, were performed in 357 apprentice bakers before and after a year of vocational training.

Results: Mean age of examined subjects was 17.

Allergy to animal fur and feathers among zoo workers.

Objectives: This study determined the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and immediate hypersensitivity to feather and fur allergens and pulmonary function among zoological garden workers.

Methods: Skin-prick test (SPT) reactivity to common and epithelium (hair) animal fur and feather allergens were examined in 68 zoological garden workers. All subjects responded to a questionnaire and underwent spirometry.

Track counting and the blots.

Track detectors are very useful devices for alpha particle dosimetry. Alpha particle tracks are registered on the detector's surface. The registered track density is proportional to the dose.