• Title/Summary/Keyword: Screening Procedures

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Breast Cancer Screening in Morocco: Performance Indicators During Two Years of an Organized Programme

  • Fakir, Samira El;Najdi, Adil;Khazraji, Youssef Chami;Bennani, Maria;Belakhel, Latifa;Abousselham, Loubna;Lyoussi, Badiaa;Bekkali, Rachid;Nejjari, Chakib
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.16 no.15
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    • pp.6285-6288
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    • 2015
  • Background: Breast cancer is commonly diagnosed at late stages in countries with limited resources. In Morocco, breast cancer is ranked the first female cancer (36.1%) and screening methods could reduce the proportion presenting with a late diagnosis. Morocco is currently adopting a breast cancer screening program based on clinical examination at primary health facilities, diagnosis at secondary level and treatment at tertiary level. So far, there is no systematic information on the performance of the screening program for breast cancer in Morocco. The aim of this study was to analyze early performance indicators. Materials and Methods: A retrospective evaluative study conducted in Temara city. The target population was the entire female population aged between 45-70 years. The study was based on process and performance indicators collected at the individual level from the various health structures in Tamara between 2009 and 2011. Results: A total of 2,350 women participated in the screening program; the participation rate was 35.7%. Of these, 76.8% (1,806) were married and 5.2% (106) of this group had a family history of breast cancer. Of the women who attended screening, 9.3% (190) were found to have an abnormal physical examination findings. A total of 260 (12.7%) were referred for a specialist consultation. The positive predictive value of clinical breast examination versus mammography was 23.0%. Forty four (35.5%) of the lesions found on the mammograms were classified as BI-RADs 3; 4 or 5 category. Cancer was found in 4 (1.95%) of the total number of screened women and benign cases represented 0.58%. Conclusions: These first results of the programme are very encouraging, but there is a need to closely monitor performance and to improve programme procedures with the aim of increasing both the participation rate and the proportion of women eligible to attend screening.

Airport security supervisor's individual attitude effets on the screening equipment factors (공항보안감독관의 개인태도가 검색장비 운영요인에 미치는 영향)

  • Jung, Joo-Sub
    • Korean Security Journal
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    • no.29
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    • pp.279-300
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    • 2011
  • Countries recognize seriousness and concern about aviation terrorism, try to stamp out of it but aviation terrorism has been increasing in the world. Airport security is completely up to the result of security screening for passengers, check-in baggages and cargo at the check point. To complete effectively human and physical screening at the airport, it is essential to secure modernized screening equipment and specialized security screener, and airport security supervisor to supervising them. In this study, A survey conducted to find out the effect on screening equipment operating factors of airport security supervisor's individual attitude. The results of the study are as follow First, the duty view of airport security supervisor meaningfully affect expertise of screening equipment operating factors, satisfaction, reliability, and education and training, national point of view meaningfullly doesn't affect screening equipment operating factors. Second, the working condition effects on the education and training, if the working condition is getting better, intent to change occupation is getting lower. Third, duty stress meaningfully effects on the intent to change occupation, now airport security supervisor works in poor condition. Therefore, airport security supervisor needs to be prude of protecting the airport from the terrorism and various attacks and various kinds of aviation security regulations and procedures and comply with operating standards and keep the life of the country and its people, and needs to change awareness. And It is nessasary for government or airport authority or airline to prepare countermeasure for the improvement of their labor conditions.

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Development of Rapid, Safe Analytical Techniques of Aflatoxins and Their Current Regulation (Aflacxin에 대한 최신 분석법과 규제동향)

  • 정덕화
    • Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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    • v.5 no.3
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    • pp.131-138
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    • 1990
  • Aflatoxins is a chemically diverse group of toxic secondary metabolites that are produced by fungi and often occur in agricultural commodities. Because of their wide range of toxic effects, Aflatoxins cause severe economic losses to farmers and livestock producers and pose a health to human consuming contaminated foods. Long term prospects for biotechnological control of Aflatoxins require elucidation of the specific steps and regulation of their biosynthetic pathways . Aflatoxin determinations can be approached many ways. It is essential to safely handle all experimental materials associated with aflatoxin analysis or aflatoxigenic fungi Visual screening of suspect samples, base on the presence of conidial head of the aspergillus flavus group, and screening samples for the presence of bright greenish yellow flourescence are not chemical tests and such screening techniques may allow aflactoxin contaminated lots into commerce. Microcolumn screening procedures should always be used in conjunction with a quantitative method. Several thin layer chromatography(TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) methods are suitable for quantitation and are in general use. Immunochemical Methods such as the ELISA or affinity column chromatography methods are being rapidly developed. The chemical and immunochemical methods can be reliable if care is taken, using suitable controls and personnel that are well trained . All analytical laboratories should stress safety and include suitable analytical validation procedure. Especially a worldwide enquiry was undertaken in recent to obtain up-to-date information about aflatoxin legislation in as many countries of the world as possible. The information concerns aflatoxin in foodstuffs. aflatoxin MI in dairy products, aflatoxins in animal feedstuffs. Limits and regulations for aflatoxin have been expended in recent with more countries having legislation on subject, more products, and more aflatoxins covered by this legislation.

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Rapid Screening of Salmonella spp. Using PBM BioSignTM Salmonella Test and Evaluation of the PBMS Test

  • Lim, J.Y.;Kwon, N.H.;Kim, J.M.;Jung, W.K.;Park, K.T.;Hong, S.K.;Park, Y.H.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.17 no.12
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    • pp.1746-1750
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    • 2004
  • The PBM ${BioSign}^{TM}$ Salmonella (PBMS) test kit based on an mmunochromatographic method was evaluated for the screening of Salmonella spp. in pure cultures, and 80, 15, and 10 artificially and naturally contaminated, and negative controlled food samples, respectively. The PBMS test involves presumptive qualitative procedures, detecting the presence of Salmonella spp. in foods within 26 h total testing period and allowing the user to release negative products 70 h earlier than the conventional methods. The PBMS test using Buffered Peptone Water and Rappaport-Vassiliadis broth was evaluated for 10 different food types for various Salmonella spp. It showed detection limits of 1 to 25 colony forming units (CFU)/25 g. No cross-reaction was observed, particularly to other gramnegative bacteria. These results indicate the PBMS test is a rapid and inexpensive procedure for the screening of Salmonella spp. present at low concentrations (1 to 25 CFU/25 g) in foods.

Review of the Radiation Risk and Clinical Efficacy Associated with Computed Tomography Cancer Screening (암의 조기발견을 위한 CT촬영에서의 임상적 효능과 방사선위해에 대한 고찰)

  • Kim, Hyun Ja
    • Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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    • v.38 no.4
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    • pp.214-227
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    • 2013
  • Computed tomographic scan as a screening procedures in asymptomatic individuals has seen a steady increase with the introduction of multiple-raw detector CT scanners. This report provides a brief review of the current controversy surrounding CT cancer screening, with a focus on the radiation induced cancer risks and clinical efficacy. 1. A large study of patients at high risk of lung cancer(the National Lung Screening Trial[NLST]) showed that CT screening reduced cancer deaths by 20%(1.33% in those screened compared with 1.67% in those not screened). The rate of positive screening tests was 24.2% and 96.4% of the positive screening results in the low-dose CT group were false-positive. Radiation induced lung cancer risk was estimated the most important in screening population because ERR of radiation induced lung cancer does not show the decrease with increasing age and synergistic connection between smoking and radiation risk. Therefore, the radiation risk may be on the same order of magnitude as the benefit observed in the NLST. Optimal screening strategy remain uncertain, CT lung cancer screening is not yet ready for implementation. 2. Computed tomographic colonography is as good as colonoscopy for detecting colon cancer and is almost as good as colonoscopy for detecting advanced adenomas, but significantly less sensitive and specific for smaller lesions and disadvantageous for subsequent therapeutic optical colonoscopy if polyps are detected. The average effective dose from CT colonography was estimated 8-10 $mS{\nu}$, which could be a significant dose if administered routinely within the population over many years. CT colonography should a) achieve at least 90% sensitivity and specificity in the size category from 6 and 10 mm, b) offer non-cathartic bowl preparation and c) be optimized and standardized CT parameters if it is to be used for mass screening. 3. There is little evidence that demonstrates, for whole-body scanning, the benefit outweighs the detriment. This test found large portion of patient(86~90.8%) had at least one abnormal finding, whereas only 2% were estimated to have clinically significant disease. Annual scans from ages 45 to 75 years would accrue an estimated lifetime cancer mortality risk of 1.9%. There is no group within the medical community that recommends whole-body CT. No good studies indicate the accuracy of screening CT, at this time. The benefit/risk balance for any of the commonly suggested CT screening techniques has yet to be established. These areas need further research. Therefore wild screening should be avoided.

A Comparative Study on the Local Governments' Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations in Korea (지방자치단체 환경영향평가 조례 비교 연구)

  • Sung, Hyun-Chan;Min, Soo-Hyun
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.12 no.3
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    • pp.137-150
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    • 2003
  • This study aims to survey whether local governments have legislated laws and regulations on environment impact assessment system, to compare and analyze specific projects and their scale, assessment items, and procedures & discussion process, to identify issues and generate improvement plans, and to suggest a direction for future legislation to local governments that plan to legislate laws and regulations in the future. Major outcome of the study are as follows. First, terminologies used for environment impact assessment by local governments need to be unified. Also, laws and regulations need to be legislated soon. Second, in "urban development project" areas, a total of nine project areas including "quarrying of soil and stone, sand, gravel, and minerals" was essential common projects. A total of six project types were added or newly established compared to national systems. Among them, four project types were added within national-level project areas and two project types were not available under the national-level project areas and newly added due to the nature of local governments. Third, in terms of project scale, scale enhancement of "urban development project" was most common. Analysis showed that in case of clean natural environment such as Cheju Island, it is necessary to consider reinforcing project areas where development activities take place directly in forests or rivers such as "industrial base and complex development", "water resource development", and "development of tourism complex." Fourth, the discussion and review procedures of assessment reports were similar to those at government level. However, in case of Seoul city, it is required to write a "preparation plan" before drafting an assessment report. The city features partial introduction of scoping and screening, which allows to exempt discussion procedures if impact on environment is found to be minimal after drafting the assessment report. In case of national-level, it has a dual system that is split between Ministry of Construction and Transportation and Ministry of Environment. However, in case of environment impact assessment of local governments, it is a single system where city mayors and provincial governors are in charge of both project execution and environmental assessment. Therefore, the most important task is how to satisfy objectiveness and accountability.

Colon Cancer among Older Saudis: Awareness of Risk Factors and Early Signs, and Perceived Barriers to Screening

  • Galal, Yasmine Samir;Amin, Tarek Tawfik;Alarfaj, Abdulelah Khalid;Almulhim, Abdulaziz Abdullah;Aljughaiman, Abdullah Abdulmohsen;Almulla, Abdulrhaman Khaled;Abdelhai, Rehab Ahmed
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.17 no.4
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    • pp.1837-1846
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    • 2016
  • Background: Colon cancer screening (CRCS) uptake is markedly affected by public awareness of the disease. This study was conducted to assess levels of knowledge of CRC, to explore the pattern of CRCS uptake and identify possible barriers to screening among Saudis older than 50 years of age and primary care providers (PCPs) in Al Hassa region, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected primary health care (PHC) centers, 884 Saudis and 39 PCPs being enrolled for data collection. Structured interviews were conducted to obtain information regarding socio-demographic characteristics, personal information relevant to CRC, awareness about early signs/symptoms and risk factors, and barriers to CRCS. Also, a self- administered data collection form was used to assess barriers to CRCS from the physicians' perspectives. Results: More than 66% of participants were lacking knowledge about CRC. Participants with higher educational levels, having ever heard about CRC, and having relatives with CRC had a significantly higher awareness of the disease. The rate of reported CRCS was low (8.6%). After conducting a logistic regression analysis, it was observed that female gender (OR=0.28; 95% CI=0.14-0.57; P=0.001), being unmarried (OR=0.11; 95% CI=0.10-0.23; P=0.001), lower levels of education (OR=0.36; 95% CI=0.16-0.82; P=0.015), and having no relatives with CRC (OR=0.30; 95% CI=0.17-0.56; P=0.001) were significantly associated with a lower CRCS uptake. There was a significant difference between most of the perceived barriers to CRCS and gender. Exploratory factor analysis showed that personal fear (especially fear of the screening results and shyness) was the major factor that hindered CRCS with high loading Eigen value of 2.951, explaining 34.8% of the barriers of the included sample toward utilization of CRCS, followed by lack of awareness of both person and providers (high Eigen value of 2.132, and explaining 23.7% of the barriers). The most frequently cited barriers to CRCS from the physicians' perspectives were lack of public awareness, lack of symptoms and signs, and fear of painful procedures. Conclusions: Poor levels of knowledge about CRC were found among older Saudis attending PHC centers in Al Hassa, Saudi Arabia. It is crucial to implement an organized national screening program in Saudi Arabia to increase public awareness.

Isolation and Evaluation of Bacillus Strains for Industrial Production of 2,3-Butanediol

  • Song, Chan Woo;Rathnasingh, Chelladurai;Park, Jong Myoung;Lee, Julia;Song, Hyohak
    • Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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    • v.28 no.3
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    • pp.409-417
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    • 2018
  • Biologically produced 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) has diverse industrial applications. In this study, schematic isolation and screening procedures were designed to obtain generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and efficient 2,3-BDO producers. Over 4,000 candidate strains were isolated by pretreatment and enrichment, and the isolated Bacillus strains were further screened by morphological, biochemical, and genomic analyses. The screened strains were then used to test the utilization of the most common carbon (glucose, xylose, fructose, sucrose) and nitrogen (yeast extract, corn steep liquor) sources for the economical production of 2,3-BDO. Two-stage fed-batch fermentation was finally carried out to enhance 2,3-BDO production. In consequence, a newly isolated Bacillus licheniformis GSC3102 strain produced 92.0 g/l of total 2,3-BDO with an overall productivity and yield of 1.40 g/l/h and 0.423 g/g glucose, respectively, using a cheap and abundant nitrogen source. These results strongly suggest that B. licheniformis, which is found widely in nature, can be used as a host strain for the industrial fermentative production of 2,3-BDO.

Multiple Primary Malignancies - A Retrospective Analysis at a Single Center in Turkey

  • Arpaci, Erkan;Tokluoglu, Saadet;Yetigyigit, Tarkan;Alkis, Necati
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.769-773
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    • 2013
  • Background: A literature review on 1,104,269 cancer patients concluded that the prevalence of multiple primary malignancies (MPM) is between 0.73% and 11.7%. MPMs seem to have higher incidence than that influenced by hazard only. The purpose of this study was to investigate clinically useful information for effective screening for synchronous and metachronous second primary cancers and to identify a potential surveillance protocol. Materials and Methods: Using statistical and epidemiological indicators we evaluated the patients with MPMs (double locations) admitted to Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtarslan Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital between 1981 and 2010. Results: Out of the 130 cases, 24 (18.4%) were synchronous while 106 cases (81.6%) were metachronous tumours. Mean interval time from first to second primary cancers was 4.65 years (0-27 years). The most frequent malignant associations were breast-breast, breast-endometrium and breast-ovary. Both primary and secondary tumors tended to be in an advanced stage explained by the low compliance of the patients to follow-up. Conclusions: The possibility that MPMs exist must always be considered during pretreatment evaluation. Screening procedures are especially useful for the early detection of associated tumors, whereas careful monitoring of patients treated for primary cancer and a good communication between patients and medical care teams should ensure early detection of secondary tumors, and subsequent appropriate management.

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.