• Title/Summary/Keyword: Epidemiological evidence

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Hormesis as a Confounding Factor in Epidemiological Studies of Radiation Carcinogenesis

  • Sanders Charles L.
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.31 no.2
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    • pp.69-89
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    • 2006
  • Biological mechanisms for ionizing radiation effects are different at low doses than at high doses. Radiation hormesis involves low-dose-induced protection and high-dose-induced harm. The protective component is associated with a reduction in the incidence of cancer below the spontaneous frequency, brought about by activation of defensive and repair processes. The Linear No-Threshold (LNT) hypothesis advocated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the Biological Effects of ionizing Radiation (BEIR) Report VII for cancer risk estimations Ignores hormesis and the presence of a threshold. Cancer incidences significantly less than expected have been found in a large number of epidemiological studies including, airline flight personnel, inhabitants of high radiation backgrounds, shipyard workers, nuclear site workers in scores of locations throughout the world, nuclear power utility workers, plutonium workers, military nuclear test site Participants, Japanese A-bomb survivors, residents contaminated by major nuclear accidents, residents of Taiwan living in $^{60}Co$ contaminated buildings, fluoroscopy and mammography patients, radium dial painters, and those exposed to indoor radon. Significantly increased cancer was not found at doses <200 $mSv^*$. Evidence for radiation hormesis was seen in both sexes for acute or chronic exposures, low or high LET radiations, external whole- or partial body exposures, and for internal radionuclides. The ubiquitous nature of the Healthy Worker Effect (HWE)-like responses in cellular, animal and epidemiological studies negates the HWE as an explanation for radiation hormesis. The LNT hypothesis is wrong and does not represent the true nature of the dose-response relationship, since low doses or dose-rates commonly result in thresholds and reduce cancer incidences below the spontaneous rate. Radiation protection organizations should seriously consider the cost and health implications of radiation hormesis.

Low-Dose Abdominal CT for Evaluating Suspected Appendicitis in Adolescents and Young Adults: Review of Evidence

  • Ji Hoon Park;Paulina Salminen;Penampai Tannaphai;Kyoung Ho Lee
    • Korean Journal of Radiology
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    • v.23 no.5
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    • pp.517-528
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    • 2022
  • Due to its excellent diagnostic performance, CT is the mainstay of diagnostic test in adults with suspected acute appendicitis in many countries. Although debatable, extensive epidemiological studies have suggested that CT radiation is carcinogenic, at least in children and adolescents. Setting aside the debate over the carcinogenic risk of CT radiation, the value of judicious use of CT radiation cannot be overstated for the diagnosis of appendicitis, considering that appendicitis is a very common disease, and that the vast majority of patients with suspected acute appendicitis are adolescents and young adults with average life expectancies. Given the accumulated evidence justifying the use of low-dose CT (LDCT) of only 2 mSv, there is no reasonable basis to insist on using radiation dose of multi-purpose abdominal CT for the diagnosis of appendicitis, particularly in adolescents and young adults. Published data strongly suggest that LDCT is comparable to conventional dose CT in terms of clinical outcomes and diagnostic performance. In this narrative review, we will discuss such evidence for reducing CT radiation in adolescents and young adults with suspected appendicitis.

EXPERIMENTAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR NON-ORGAN SPECIFIC CANCER PREVENTIVE EFFECT OF KOREAN GINSENG AND IDENTIFICATION OF ACTIVE COMPOUNDS

  • Yun, Taik-Koo
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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    • 2001.10a
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    • pp.17-18
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    • 2001
  • Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer has been the most highly recognized medicinal herb in the Orient. The prolonged administration of red ginseng extract significantly inhibited the incidence of hepatoma and also proliferation of pulmonary tumors induced by aflatoxin B$_1$and urethane. Statistically significant anticarcinogenic effects were observed in powders and extract of 6 year-dried fresh ginseng, 5 and 6 year-white ginseng and 4, 5 and 6 year-red ginseng by 9 week medium-term anticarcinogenicity test using benzo[a]pyrene (Yun's model).(omitted)

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PROINFLAMMATORY DAMAGE INDUCED IN RAT STOMACH BY INTRAGASTRIC ETHANOL ADMINISTRATION

  • Lee, Jeong-Sang;Oh, Tae-young;Surh, Young-Joon
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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    • 2002.11b
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    • pp.154-154
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    • 2002
  • Several lines of epidemiological and experimental evidence support that chronic ethanol consumption is implicated in pathophysiology of a variety of human disorders, including cancer. However, the association between chronic ethanol consumption and an increased risk of gastric cancer is not clearly defined.(omitted)

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Communicating clinical research to reduce cancer risk through diet: Walnuts as a case example

  • Toner, Cheryl D.
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.8 no.4
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    • pp.347-351
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    • 2014
  • Inflammation is one mechanism through which cancer is initiated and progresses, and is implicated in the etiology of other conditions that affect cancer risk and prognosis, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and visceral obesity. Emerging human evidence, primarily epidemiological, suggests that walnuts impact risk of these chronic diseases via inflammation. The published literature documents associations between walnut consumption and reduced risk of cancer, and mortality from cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, particularly within the context of the Mediterranean Diet. While encouraging, follow-up in human intervention trials is needed to better elucidate any potential cancer prevention effect of walnuts, per se. In humans, the far-reaching positive effects of a plant-based diet that includes walnuts may be the most critical message for the public. Indeed, appropriate translation of nutrition research is essential for facilitating healthful consumer dietary behavior. This paper will explore the translation and application of human evidence regarding connections with cancer and biomarkers of inflammation to the development of dietary guidance for the public and individualized dietary advice. Strategies for encouraging dietary patterns that may reduce cancer risk will be explored.

Genetic Epidemiological Analysis of Esophageal Cancer in High-incidence Areas of China

  • Wang, Kai-Juan;Yang, Jun-Xia;Shi, Jia-Chen;Deng, Song-Yuan;Cao, Xiao-Qin;Song, Chun-Hua;Wang, Peng
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.15 no.22
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    • pp.9859-9863
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    • 2014
  • Genetic epidemiological studies have shown that genetic susceptibility to esophageal cancer (EC) is an important cause of its high incidence within families in some areas of China. The purpose of this study was to obtain evidence of a genetic basis of EC in Xin-an and Xin-xiang counties in China. Familial aggregation and complex segregation analyses were performed of 79 EC families in these counties. The heritability of EC was examined using Falconer's method and complex segregation analysis was conducted with the SEGREG program in Statistical Analysis for Genetic Epidemiology (SAGE version 5.3.1). The results showed that the distribution of EC in families did not fit well into a binomial distribution. The heritability of EC among first-degree and second-degree relatives was $67.0{\pm}7.31%$ and $43.1%{\pm}9.80%$, respectively, and the summing up powered heritability was $53.2{\pm}6.74%$. The segregation ratio was 0.045. Complex segregation analysis showed that the genetic model of EC was additive. The current results provide evidence for an inherited propensity to EC in certain high-risk groups in China, and support efforts to identify the genes that confer susceptibility to this disease.

Epidemiological Correlates of Breast Cancer in South India

  • Babu, Giridhara Rathnaiah;Lakshmi, Srikanthi Bodapati;Thiyagarajan, Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.14 no.9
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    • pp.5077-5083
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    • 2013
  • Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women globally and represents the second leading cause of cancer death among women (after lung cancer). India is going through epidemiologic transition. It is reported that the incidence of breast cancer is rising rapidly as a result of changes in reproductive risk factors, dietary habits and increasing life expectancy, acting in concert with genetic factors. Materials and Methods: In order to understand the existing epidemiological correlates of breast cancer in South India, a systematic review of evidence available on epidemiologic correlates of breast cancer addressing incidence, prevalence, and associated factors like age, reproductive factors, cultural and religious factors was performed with specific focus on screening procedures in southern India. Results: An increase in breast cancer incidence due to various modifiable risk factors was noted, especially in women over 40 years of age, with late stage of presentation, lack of awareness about screening, costs, fear and stigma associated with the disease serving as major barriers for early presentation. Conclusions: Educational strategies should be aimed at modifying the life style, early planning of pregnancy, promoting breast feeding and physical activity. It is very important to obtain reliable data for planning policies, decision-making and setting up the priorities.

Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine in Times of New Technologies

  • Jenicek Milos
    • 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 1996.10a
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    • pp.3-26
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    • 1996
  • Epidemiology and preventive medicine are changing together with Population and health and with ever expanding medical and non medical technologies. New technologies make epidemiology methodologically more sophisticated, but such advances risk overshadowing epidemiology's most important role: raising questions, providing answers, and helping the medical decision-making at ail levels of prevention. Epidemiology also plays a major role in the evaluation of new and other technologies whose effectiveness is poorly known. Epidemiological approaches, methods, techniques, and interpretations are widely used in new and rapidly expanding fields of medicine: research evaluation and synthesis (meta-analysis), establishment of guidelines for clinical preventive practices, new medical technology assessment, guidelines for national and international health policies, evidence-based medicine, outcomes research and disease management ('population-based' medicine and quality of care improvement). In the nearest future, infectious and noninfectious diseases may cease to be almost the sole subjects of epidemiology and they may share their place with other mass phenomena of the next millennium, such as medical practices and care, or political, social and economic actions and their consequences. Not only will primary, secondary, and tertiary Prevention will remain in the epidemiological mainstream, but health protection and health promotion will require perhaps a redefinition of epidemiology in these domains. Epidemiology and preventive medicine are both subjects of medical ethics and dilemma for right choices.

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Fowl Cholera Outbreak in Domestic Poultry and Epidemiological Properties of Pasteurella multocida Isolate

  • Woo Yong-Ku;Kim Jae-Hak
    • Journal of Microbiology
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    • v.44 no.3
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    • pp.344-353
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    • 2006
  • Symptoms of fowl cholera including orofacial edema, swollen and edematous wattles and combs, and severe respiratory disorders were detected in domestic poultry in two broiler breeder farms: one located in Gyeong-gi Province (October, 2000) and the other in Chung-cheong-nam Province (March, 2001). Gram-negative, bipolar staining bacillus was easily found in a direct smear. The biochemical properties of isolates were examined using a standard diagnosis method, proving that they were 99.7% similar to the Pasteurella multocida (P. multocida: PM), a pathogenic and causative agent of fowl cholera (FC). As a result, an FC outbreak in domestic fowls was confirmed for the first time in Korea since 1942. Because FC was detected in broiler breeder farms for the first time in 59 years at the same time as an FC outbreak was confirmed in wild birds (October, 2000), our concern was focused on whether the PM strains that originated in wild birds were transmitted into poultry forms. The possibility was tracked down by comparing phenotypic and genetic properties between the two types of PM strains. PM strains of chicken origin showed prominent differences from the PM strains of wild bird origin in both phenotypic and genetic properties. An examination of the origin of the wild bird bacteria was conducted, but no evidence has been identified that PM strains from the wild bird were introduced into domestic poultry farms.

Epidemiology of Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation Exposure and Health Effects (저선량 방사선 노출과 건강 영향에 대한 역학적 고찰)

  • Won Jin Lee
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.49 no.1
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    • pp.1-10
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    • 2023
  • Low-dose radiation exposure has received considerable attention because it reflects the general public's type and level of exposure. Still, controversy remains due to the relatively unclear results and uncertainty in risk estimation compared to high-dose radiation. However, recent epidemiological studies report direct evidence of health effects for various types of low-dose radiation exposure. In particular, international nuclear workers' studies, CT exposure studies, and children's cancer studies on natural radiation showed significantly increased cancer risk among the study populations despite their low-dose radiation exposure. These studies showed similar results even when the cumulative radiation dose was limited to an exposure group of less than 100 mGy, demonstrating that the observed excess risk was not affected by high exposure. A linear dose-response relationship between radiation exposure and cancer incidence has been observed, even at the low-dose interval. These recent epidemiological studies include relatively large populations, and findings are broadly consistent with previous studies on Japanese atomic bomb survivors. However, the health effects of low-dose radiation are assumed to be small compared to the risks that may arise from other lifestyle factors; therefore, the benefits of radiation use should be considered at the individual level through a balanced interpretation. Further low-dose radiation studies are essential to accurately determining the benefits and risks of radiation.