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Several Other Studies (several + other_studies)
Selected AbstractsEndocrine disrupters and human pubertyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 1 2006E. DEN HOND Summary In this overview of the literature, epidemiological research studying the effect of endocrine disrupters on the onset of puberty is summarized. In girls, earlier age at menarche was reported after exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), persistent pesticides [dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)] and phthalate esters. However, several other studies found no effect of these compounds on age at menarche or pubertal Tanner stages. One study reported a delaying effect of dioxin-like compounds on breast development. In boys, exposure to PCBs, PCDFs or the pesticide endosulfan was associated with delayed puberty or decreased penile length. Much of the results found in population studies are in accordance with experimental studies in animals. However, the mixture of different components with antagonistic effects (oestrogenic, anti-oestrogenic, anti-androgenic) and the limited knowledge about the most critical window for exposure (prenatal, peri-natal and pubertal) may hamper the interpretation of results. [source] Respiratory diseases caused by occupational exposure to 1,5-naphthalene-diisocyanate (NDI): Results of workplace-related challenge tests and antibody analysesAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2001X. Baur Abstract Background 1,5-naphthalene-diisocyanate (NDI) is an aromatic diisocyanate with a very low vapor pressure which is mainly used in the automotive industry. Methods In the present study we described five cases with workplace-related asthma and one case with extrinsic allergic alveolitis associated with pulmonary hemorrhage after NDI exposure. Results Corresponding to case histories, extrinsic alveolitis on asthmatic reactions in three subjects and a rhinitis reaction in one patient could be reproduced by inhalative challenge tests to NDI at a concentration of 10 ppb. Preliminary IgE and IgG antibody analyses in patients' sera did not produce significantly positive results. Conclusions According to the outcome of our tests and in comparison with several other studies, we conclude that NDI should be classified as potent airway-sensitizing substance. Improved workplace conditions and decrease in threshold limit values should therefore be recommended. Am. J. Ind. Med. 39:369,372, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Variability of the North Atlantic eddy-driven jet streamTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 649 2010Tim Woollings Abstract Much of the atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic sector is associated with variations in the eddy-driven component of the zonal flow. Here we present a simple method to specifically diagnose this component of the flow using the low-level wind field (925,700 hpa ). We focus on the North Atlantic winter season in the ERA-40 reanalysis. Diagnostics of the latitude and speed of the eddy-driven jet stream are compared with conventional diagnostics of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the East Atlantic (EA) pattern. This shows that the NAO and the EA both describe combined changes in the latitude and speed of the jet stream. It is therefore necessary, but not always sufficient, to consider both the NAO and the EA in identifying changes in the jet stream. The jet stream analysis suggests that there are three preferred latitudinal positions of the North Atlantic eddy-driven jet stream in winter. This result is in very good agreement with the application of a statistical mixture model to the two-dimensional state space defined by the NAO and the EA. These results are consistent with several other studies which identify four European/Atlantic regimes, comprising three jet stream patterns plus European blocking events. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society [source] Predicting occult malignancy in nipple dischargeANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 9 2010Chris Alcock Abstract Background:, This study was a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent minor or major duct surgery for pathological nipple discharge. The results of clinical examination, mammography, ultrasonography and cytodiagnosis of the nipple discharge were studied in order to predict those patients at risk of underlying or occult malignancy. Methods:, Between January 2004 and December 2006, 55 female patients aged between 24 and 82 years old underwent major or minor duct excision, 49 of which were for pathological nipple discharge. Results of several preoperative investigations were compared with the surgical pathology to determine how their sensitivity and specificity faired in predicting malignant ductal pathology. Results:, Of the 49 patients undergoing surgery for nipple discharge, 21 were diagnosed with intraductal papilloma, 19 with duct ectasia, 6 with carcinoma, 2 with benign breast disease and 1 with lobular carcinoma in situ. In all of the patients determined to have malignancy, none demonstrated malignant changes on mammography or ultrasonography. Only 2 of the 6 patients with malignancy were found to have atypical cells on cytological analysis. The sensitivity of blood detected in nipple discharge at predicting malignancy was 0.83, specificity of 0.53, positive predictive value of 0.20 and negative predictive value 0.96. Conclusions:, Despite the various tests used in the assessment of pathological nipple discharge, this study highlights their limited help at predicting the cause. This, together with several other studies, demonstrates that ductal surgery remains the only reliable way of providing a diagnosis, in addition to being the major therapeutic measure. [source] | ||||||||||