Leukemia risk in children exposed to benzene and PM10 from vehicular traffic: a case-control study in an Italian population.

Benzene, a recognized occupational leukemogen in adults, has been implicated by sparse and conflicting epidemiologic evidence in the etiology of childhood leukemia. We carried out a population-based case-control study in a northern Italy population involving 83 cases with childhood leukemia diagnosed in the years 1998-2009 and 332 matched controls. We assessed residential exposure to benzene and to particulate matter ≤10 µm (PM10) from motorized traffic using geocoded residences and detailed emission and dispersion modeling. Exposure to benzene, and to a lesser extent to PM10, appeared to be independently associated with an excess leukemia risk. When we stratified the study population by age, the relative risk associated with benzene exposure was higher among children aged less than five years. Overall, these findings suggest that low levels of benzene exposure released from motorized traffic may increase the risk of childhood leukemia, and do not rule out an independent effect of PM10

Spin Hall Magnetoresistance and Spin–Orbit Torque Efficiency in Pt/FeCoB Bilayers

The spin Hall magnetoresistance (SMR) of Pt/FeCoB bilayers with in-plane magnetocrystalline anisotropy was analyzed with respect to a second-order effect in the sensing current, which acts, through the spin Hall effect in Pt, as a torque on the magnetization of the ferromagnetic (FM) layer and changes slightly its configuration. This leads to a small current-dependent shift of the SMR curves in field that allows, in structures with a multidomain state (e.g., Hall bars), the determination of the sign of the magnetic remanence. The SMR measurements were performed as a function of the Pt thickness and the spin Hall angle, and the diffusion length and the field-like and damping-like spin–orbit-torque (SOT) efficiency were determined. The results were compared with the values obtained from harmonic Hall voltage and SOT-FM resonance (FMR) measurements and show a good agreement

Development of a Surgical Safety Training Program and Checklist for Conversion during Robotic Partial Nephrectomies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of standardized training and institutional checklists on improving teamwork during complications requiring open conversion from robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants to a surgical team safety training program were randomly divided into 2 groups. A total of 20 emergencies were simulated: group 1 performed simulations followed by a 4-hour theoretical training; group 2 underwent 4-hour training first and then performed simulations. All simulations were recorded and scored by 2 independent physicians. Time to conversion (TC) and procedural errors were analyzed and compared between the 2 groups. A correlation analysis between the number of previous conversion simulations, total errors number, and TC was performed for each group. RESULTS: Group 1 showed a higher TC than group 2 (116.5 vs 86.5\u2009seconds, P\u2009=\u2009.0.53). As the number of simulation increased, the numbers of errors declined in both groups. The 2 groups tend to converge toward 0 errors after 9 simulations; however, the linear correlation was more pronounced in group 1 (R2\u2009=\u20090.75). TC shows a progressive decline for both groups as the number of simulations increases (group 1, R2\u2009=\u20090.7 and group 2, R2\u2009=\u20090.61), but it remains higher for group 1. Lack of task sequence and accidental falls or loss of sterility were higher in group 1. CONCLUSION: OC is a rare but potentially dramatic event in the setting of RAPN, and every robotic team should be prepared to manage intraoperative emergencies. Training protocols can effectively improve teamwork and facilitate timely conversions to open surgery in the event of intraoperative emergencies during RAPN. Further studies are needed to confirm if such protocols may translate into an actual safety improvement in clinical settings

Leukemia risk in children exposed to benzene and PM10 from vehicular traffic: a case-control study in an Italian population.

Benzene, a recognized occupational leukemogen in adults, has been hypothesized to also increase the risk of childhood leukemia. We carried out a population-based case-control study in a northern Italy community involving 83 cases with acute childhood leukemia diagnosed in the years 1998-2009 and 332 matched controls. We assessed residential exposure to benzene and to particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM10) from motorized traffic using geocoded residences and detailed emission and dispersion modeling. Exposure to benzene, and to a lesser extent to PM10, appeared to be independently associated with an excess leukemia risk. When we stratified the study population by age and by leukemia subtype, the relative risk associated with benzene exposure was higher among children aged less than 5 years, and despite small numbers this relation appeared to be considerably stronger for acute myeloid leukemia than for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Overall, these findings suggest that exposure to low levels of benzene released from motorized traffic may increase the risk of childhood leukemia, and suggest a possible independent effect of PM10, although unmeasured confounding due to other pollutants cannot be ruled out

Natural history of gallstones in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus - A prospective 5-year follow-up

This prospective study was undertaken to assess the natural history of gallstones in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Four hundred forty outpatients with diabetes mellitus were studied; 81 of these had gallstones diagnosed by ultrasound. On the basis of the information they gave, they were divided into two groups: A, asymptomatic; and B, symptomatic (previous episode(s) of biliary pain) at recruitment. Five years after diagnosis, the patients were recalled and questioned about their symptoms. Three of 81 could not be traced and eight had died from diseases not related to gallstones. Seventy were finally evaluated, 47 belonging to group A, 23 to group B. The cumulative percentage of initially asymptomatic patients who presented with biliary pain or complications during the follow-up was 14.9% (4.2% for complications). Of group A patients, 17% underwent cholecystectomy (one prophylactic, six elective and two emergency). One patient (2.1%) died after operation of obstructive jaundice. Of group B patients, 47.8% had biliary symptoms or complications (8.7% cholecystitis); 21.7% were operated (17.4% elective, 4.3% emergency cholecystectomy). Since few patients with asymptomatic gallstones and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus develop pain or complications over time, prophylactic cholecystectomy is probably not advisable. © 1994 Plenum Publishing Corporation