An examination of cancer epidemiology studies among populations living close to toxic waste sites

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Toxic waste sites contain a broad range of suspected or confirmed human carcinogens, and remain a source of concern to many people, particularly those living in the vicinity of a site. Despite years of study, a consensus has not emerged regarding the cancer risk associated with such sites.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined the published, peer-reviewed literature addressing cancer incidence or mortality in the vicinity of toxic waste sites between 1980 and 2006, and catalogued the methods employed by such studies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Nineteen studies are described with respect to eight methodological criteria. Most were ecological, with minimal utilization of hydrogeological or air pathway modeling. Many did not catalogue whether a potable water supply was contaminated, and very few included contaminant measurements at waste sites or in subjects' homes. Most studies did not appear to be responses to a recognized cancer mortality cluster. Studies were highly variable with respect to handling of competing risk factors and multiple comparisons.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that studies to date have generated hypotheses, but have been of limited utility in determining whether populations living near toxic waste sites are at increased cancer risk.</p

Overweight and obesity in relation to cardiovascular disease risk factors among medical students in Crete, Greece

BACKGROUND: Recent data indicate increasing rates of adult obesity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Greece. No data, however, are available on prevalence of overweight and obesity in relation to CVD risk factors among young adults in Greece. METHODS: A total of 989 third-year medical students (527 men, 462 women), aged 22 ± 2 years, were recruited from the University of Crete during the period 1989–2001. Anthropometric measures and blood chemistries were obtained. The relationships between obesity indices (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], waist-to-hip ratio [WHpR], waist-to-height ratio [WHtR]) and CVD risk factor variables (blood pressure, glucose, serum lipoproteins) were investigated. RESULTS: Approximately 40% of men and 23% of women had BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m(2). Central obesity was found in 33.4% (average percentage corresponding to WC ≥ 90 cm, WHpR ≥ 0.9 and WHtR ≥ 50.0) of male and 21.7% (using WC ≥ 80 cm, WHpR ≥ 0.8, WHtR ≥ 50.0) of female students. Subjects above the obesity indices cut-offs had significantly higher values of CVD risk factor variables. BMI was the strongest predictor of hypertension. WHtR in men and WC in women were the most important indicators of dyslipidaemia. CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of Greek medical students were overweight or obese, obesity status being related to the presence of hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Simple anthropometric indices can be used to identify these CVD risk factors. Our results underscore the need to implement health promotion programmes and perform large-scale epidemiological studies within the general Greek young adult population

May Measurement Month 2018: a pragmatic global screening campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure by the International Society of Hypertension

Aims Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries. Methods and results Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension. Conclusion May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk

THE PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF LEMON GRASS OIL AND EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISM (EM) ON SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN RATS TREATED WITH URANYL ACETATE.

Exposure to Uranium results in significant accumulation in most of vital organs and free radical damage have been proposed as a cause of uranium induced tissue damage where oxidative stress is a likely molecular mechanism This study is designed to evaluate the protection and effects of lemongrass oil (Cymbopogoncitratus) and Effective Microorganism (EM) in animals treated with 75 mg/Kg body weight with uranyl acetate (UA) on some physiological changes that included lipid peroxidation ( Malondialdehyde MDA ) and some antioxidants levels ( Glutathione GSH) in rats. Evaluation of lemongrass oil and EM in this respect was conducted in rats male divided into eight groups , each group included five rats.Lemongrass oil and EM administrated to the rats ( Tow and Three groups) and added with ( 75 mg/ kg) UA in other groups. (75 mg/kg) UA adiminstrated to rats positive group , were the control group administrated with saline.The changes in oxidative stress by determination Malondialdehyde (MDA) and Glutathione (GSH) in liver and in serum of each group.The results showed that a significant increment ( p≤0.05) in the MDA of animals treated with 75mg/kg UA(118.62±8.68) n mol/g)(5.33±1.21 µ mol/L) respectively and in the liver and in serum compare with control(17.24±3.12 n mol/g)(1.52±0.57 µmol/L) respectively in the liver and in serum and a significant reduction (p≤0.05) in GSH (4.83±2.64 n mol/g) (0.39±0.14 µ mol / L ) respectively in the liver and in serum after twelve week of administrated compare with control (7.76±1.27 n mol/g)(1.36±0.47 µ mol/L ) respectively in the liver and in serum In the light of the results lemongrass and EM protect the whole body of animals against the oxidative stress induced tissue damage produced due to exposure to uranium through the reduction of MDA levels in the liver and in serum and increase in GSH levels in the liver and in serum compare with control in each period of experiment