An evaluation of the prevalence of latex sensitivity among atopic and non-atopic intensive care workers.

Background: Exposure to latex is known to cause an array of symptoms, including pruritus, dermatitis, erythema, and urticaria. Workers at elevated risk for latex exposure include health care personnel whose repeated patient contact or surgical work require extensive use of latex gloves. This study evaluated the prevalence of latex allergies in atopic and non-atopic intensive care workers and sought to determine the impact of risk factors such as frequency of glove use and hand washing on latex sensitization.

A review of epidemiologic studies of nonnarcotic analgesics and chronic renal disease.

The relationship of long-term and heavy exposure of nonnarcotic analgesics to the risk of chronic renal disease (CRD) has been the object of intensive clinical, pharmacologic, toxicologic, and epidemiologic research for 4 decades. The clinical evidence of an increased risk has been suggestive but inconclusive. The experimental evidence in animal models has been inconsistent, and in any case it cannot be generalized to humans.

A review of epidemiologic studies of triazine herbicides and cancer.

We evaluated epidemiologic evidence pertaining to the human carcinogenic potential of triazine herbicides in general and of atrazine, the most common triazine. Cancers for which data are available included non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, leukemia, multiple myeloma, soft tissue sarcoma, colon cancer, and ovarian cancer. The investigations had methodologic limitations, including lack of in-depth exposure measurements and small numbers of subjects with heavy exposure and/or with many years since starting exposure, possibly required for the induction of cancer.

Epidemiologic evidence on the relationship between mists containing sulfuric acid and respiratory tract cancer.

This review identified and evaluated 25 epidemiologic studies pertaining to the carcinogenicity of mists containing sulfuric acid (MSA). Few studies were designed with acid mists as the principal exposure under investigation, and in all studies exposure assessment was limited. The results of the follow-up studies from industries with high or moderate exposure potential and the case-control studies indicate, in aggregate, a moderate association between MSA and larynx cancer.

ABO blood groups and salivary gland tumors (Alabama, United States).

Studies of associations between various diseases and the ABO blood groups have shown elevated relative risks for some categories of disease. A strong association between salivary gland tumors and blood group A has been reported, but studies are few and have yielded contradictory results. To investigate this association, we conducted an epidemiologic study of salivary gland tumors diagnosed in Jefferson Country, Alabama (United States), 1968-89.

Inhibition of stilbene estrogen-induced cell proliferation of renal epithelial cells through the modulation of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor expression.

In the present study, we have investigated the effects of stilbene estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), on the proliferative activity and expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptor in Syrian hamster renal epithelial cells. DES exposure to renal epithelial cells caused both dose- and time-dependent increases in proliferative activity. We also tested the effects of antiestrogen ICI 182780 and insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) antibody on cell proliferation.

Mortality among workers at two triazine herbicide manufacturing plants.

Triazine herbicides, used extensively in the United States, have not been assessed adequately for carcinogenicity in humans. This study evaluated the mortality experience during the period 1960-1986 of 2,683 men with definite or probable manufacturing exposure to triazine herbicides and 2,234 men with possible exposure to triazines. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were computed as the observed numbers of deaths among study subjects divided by the numbers expected on the basis of general population mortality rates.

Caries experience in deciduous dentition of rural Chinese children 3-5 years old in relation to the presence or absence of enamel hypoplasia.

The association of enamel hypoplasia (EHP) with dental caries of the deciduous dentition was determined in 1,344 rural Chinese children aged 3-5 years. The degree of EHP was determined using a modified DDE Index. Number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth and tooth surfaces were determined for all subjects.

A case-control study of leukemia among petroleum workers.

This case-control study evaluates the relationship between leukemia and the work histories of active and retired employees of a large petroleum company. The study includes 69 cases with leukemia and 284 matched controls. Employment in production-related work in the oil and gas division was associated with myelogenous leukemia (odds ratio [OR] = 2.

Aspirin and reduced risk of esophageal carcinoma.

Background: Aspirin and other nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been shown experimentally to inhibit chemically induced esophageal cancers. An epidemiologic study of more than 600,000 adults in the United States followed for 6 years found that aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of death from esophageal cancer.

Methods: The relation of aspirin use and esophageal cancer was examined using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) and the National Epidemiologic Follow-up Studies (NEFS).

Urinary excretion of retinol in children with acute diarrhea.

Acute infections of childhood are associated with an increased of xerophthalmia, apparently due to depletion of vitamin A stores. The mechanism responsible for this is not known. Recently, it has been reported that severe infections in adult patients (ie, sepsis and pneumonia) result in excretion of large quantities of retinol in the urine.

Epidemiologic perspectives on myelodysplastic syndromes and leukemia.

The ICD classification of the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and the four main features of the descriptive epidemiology of the condition are discussed. MDS is: (1) a rare disease; which may be, (2) on the increase; (3) which primarily affects the elderly; and (4) which predominantly affects men. We reviewed four causal models pertaining to the relationship between MDS and leukemia.

Nutrition, tooth development, and dental caries.

Many studies involving small animals have clearly shown that malnutrition affects tooth formation and causes increased dental caries. We have conducted two cross-sectional studies and one longitudinal study among Peruvian children to investigate the effect of early malnutrition on oral health. The cross-sectional studies have shown that in malnourished children the pattern of caries development as a function of age is significantly altered as a result of a delayed eruption and exfoliation of the deciduous teeth.

An updated study of mortality among workers at a petroleum manufacturing plant.

This study evaluated mortality among 9796 white male workers at a petroleum-manufacturing plant. The main purpose was to examine recent patterns in leukemia mortality, for which an increase had been reported in an earlier investigation. Compared to U.

Cancer mortality among women employed in motor vehicle manufacturing.

This article summarizes published data on employment and cancer patterns in the motor vehicle manufacturing (MVM) industry and presents results from a new study of female MVM workers. Historically, female MVM employees worked primarily in aerospace; electric and electronic equipment manufacturing; and paint, plastic, and trim operations. Women are now moving into vehicle assembly and metal parts production.

African horse sickness virus structure.

African horse sickness virus (AHSV), of which there are nine serotypes (AHSV-1, -2, etc.), is a member of Orbivirus genus within the Reoviridae family. Both in morphology and molecular constituents AHSV particles are comparable to those of bluetongue virus (BTV), the prototype virus of the genus.

Evaluation of the association of acute overshift change in pulmonary function and atopy using OSHA cotton dust surveillance data.

OSHA surveillance data were collected for 769 individuals employed in four different cotton textile mills. Current workers were asked to complete a questionnaire about personal and family history of atopy or asthma. Both surveillance and survey data were available for 502 individuals.

Plasma homocyst(e)ine, folate, and vitamin B-12 concentrations and risk for early-onset coronary artery disease.

High plasma homocyst(e)ine (Hcy) concentrations may be a determinant of coronary artery disease (CAD). Folate and vitamin B-12 are required for the primary metabolic pathway to reduce Hcy concentrations. The interrelationships of Hcy and these two vitamin cofactors were investigated in a case-control study of 101 white males aged 30-50 y with angiographically demonstrated CAD, and 108 white male, similarly aged, control subjects living in the same community as the patients.

Concerned citizens collect cancer-incidence data.

A method for collecting cancer-incidence data in a rural town is described. A mail survey, prompted and conducted by concerned citizens, was utilized. When analyzed in light of local mortality data and national cancer incidence and mortality rates, the data collected in such a survey seem reasonably accurate and complete.

Use of potassium iodide as a chemical actinometer.

Aqueous solutions of KI were examined for use as chemical actinometers to measure 254 nm (germicidal) radiation. Irradiation results in electron ejection from iodide such that aqueous electrons and iodine atoms are formed. In the presence of N2O, an electron scavenger, recombination of these two reactive species is eliminated and stoichiometric formation of triiodide occurs.

Adolescent pregnancy and parenting: controversies of the past and lessons for the future.

Recent research findings suggest that old ways of looking at adolescent sexuality, pregnancy, and parenting should be revised and that new approaches to service programs should be developed. This paper presents some new facts by examining the validity of nine beliefs about adolescent pregnancy: that nothing can reduce the rate of adolescent pregnancy; that pregnant adolescents experience poor pregnancy outcomes; that adolescent mothers do not complete their high school education; that pregnant adolescents have large families; that adolescent mothers remain on welfare for long periods; that pregnancy in adolescence is a mistake and, given a chance to overcome the immediate problems associated with it, young mothers can go on to lead normal lives; that welfare causes adolescent pregnancy and parenting; that adolescent mothers are poor parents; and that service programs can have a significant impact on adolescent pregnancy and parenting. Although programs aimed at the prevention and amelioration of the problems experienced by pregnant adolescents, young mothers, and their children and families have shown some success, relatively few are sufficiently powerful to bring about major changes--and even these are infrequently replicated because of high costs.

The effects of scale on tests for disease clustering.

Surveillance of a large geographic region for 'clusters' of adverse health events, particularly cancers, often involves searching for raised incidence in the vicinity of prespecified putative sources of hazard. For reasons of practicality or of confidentiality, incidence and population data are usually only available aggregated over subregions or 'cells'. The performance of statistical procedures designed to detect the presence of clusters can be highly sensitive to the level of aggregation, that is to the choice of partition of the region into the cells.

Mortality patterns among men in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry.

This retrospective follow-up study evaluates the mortality experience of 123,232 male hourly workers employed at a motor vehicle manufacturing company in 1973. Company computerized personnel records were used to identify subjects and to obtain their employment history. Follow-up through December 31, 1985 was conducted using company, state, and national data sources.