Epidemiologic evidence of cancer risk in textile industry workers: a review and update

A meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies for textile industry workers was undertaken in an attempt to evaluate whether the cancer risk varies within the textile industry in relation to the job held or the textile fiber used. We combined studies published up until 1990, when an ad hoc IARC Monograph was issued, and those published after 1990 with the aim of appreciating evidence of reversing trends in cancer risk. Observed and expected cases reported in the original studies were summed up and the totals were divided to obtain a pooled relative risk (PRR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) estimated with a fixed-effect model. We calculated a chi-square test (chi2) of heterogeneity among studies. When PRR and chi2 were both significant, PRR and CI were calculated with a random-effect model and the source of heterogeneity was investigated. Lung cancer risk was around 0.4 in the first study on cotton workers published in 1936, around 0.7 in subsequent studies, mostly published in the 1970s and 1980s, and around 1.0 in the last studies published in the 1990s. Papers published in the 1970s and 1980s produced consistent risk estimates for lung cancer risk, which was significantly lower than 1.0 in workers exposed to cotton (PRR = 0.77; CI = 0.69-0.86) and wool dust (0.71; 0.50-0.92), as well as in carders and fiber preparers (0.73; 0.54-0.91), weavers (0.71; 0.56-0.85), and spinners and weavers (0.78; 0.66-0.91). Lung cancer PRRs did not significantly deviate from 1.0 in textile workers using synthetic fibers or silk, and in dyers. Increased PRRs were found for sinonasal cancer in workers exposed to cotton dust, and in workers involved in spinning or weaving (4.14; 1.80-6.49). PRR was 1.46 (1.10-1.82) for cancer of the digestive system in textile workers using synthetic fibers or silk, and 1.34 (1.10-1.59) for colorectal cancer in spinners and weavers. The increased bladder cancer PRR in dyers (1.39; 1.07-1.71) is generally attributed to textile dye exposure. In studies published after 1990, there is a general tendency to move toward unity for all the cancer risk estimates, leading to an increasing heterogeneity among studies. Since adjustment for smoking made little difference to the findings, the latter could be attributed to the exposure to textile dusts. The recent findings could be due to a lowering of dust concentration in the workplaces. The reduction of cases of upper respiratory tract cancer parallels with a corresponding increase of lung cancer cases. So, preventive measures have paradoxically increased the lung cancer burden to the textile workers.     

Role of Emx2 in the development of the reciprocal connectivity between cortex and thalamus

Emx2 knockout mice appear to show a shift in the areal identity in the cerebral cortex , which is matched with altered distribution of thalamocortical projections (Bishop et al. [2000] Science 288:344-349; Mallamaci et al. [2000] Nat Neurosci. 3:679-686) [corrected]. We have examined the early establishment of these projections to understand how the altered Emx2 expression results in changes in their cortical targeting. We used carbocyanine dye tracing to visualize thalamocortical and corticofugal projections as well as immunohistochemistry for L1 and TAG-1, respective markers of the two axonal systems, in wild-type, heterozygote, and null mutant for Emx2 at embryonic (E) ages ranging from E13.5 to E18.5. These tracing studies demonstrated that, in Emx2 knockout mice, a large proportion of early thalamocortical projections were misrouted at the border between the diencephalon and telencephalon. This abnormality was associated with displaced connectivity of the internal capsule cells at the diencephalic-telencephalic junction. Interestingly, most of the aberrant thalamic projections compensated for the ventral entry to the telencephalon and still ascended to the cortex. Although this early targeting abnormality is associated with the altered Emx2 expression pattern in the cortex, it most probably occurs independently from it, and is related to earlier guidance defects at the diencephalic-telencephalic boundary. These defects might result in the altered and delayed arrival of thalamic projections to the cortex and, thus, contribute to the shifted thalamocortical matching previously observed in the Emx2 knockout mice.     

Bidirectional modulation of spatial working memory by ethanol

BACKGROUND: It is common knowledge that ethanol causes cognitive and memory impairments. Although these deficits are attributed to its central depressant properties, ethanol has biphasic effects and at low doses can produce excitatory actions. METHODS: Here we examined whether ethanol could have biphasic effects on performance in a delayed alternation task in a T-maze, a behavioral test of working memory. RESULTS: A dose-response study showed that intermediate doses of ethanol (1 g/kg) were associated with impairments of working memory in rats, as assessed at short intertrial intervals (10 sec). In contrast, at longer delays (120 sec), when the delayed alternation performance was reduced markedly in controls, a lower dose of ethanol (0.5 g/kg) significantly improved working memory. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate a dose-dependent, bidirectional effect of ethanol on working memory and implicate the prefrontal cortex, the site of working memory function, as a target of ethanol action. The cognitive improvements caused by low, excitatory doses of ethanol may be perceived as rewarding and could have relevance for chronic ethanol consumption in humans.     

Selective sparing of face learning in a global amnesic patient

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that visual memory for faces can be dissociated from visual memory for topographical material. METHOD: A patient who developed a global amnesic syndrome after acute carbon monoxide poisoning is described. A neuroradiological examination documented severe bilateral atrophy of the hippocampi. RESULTS: Despite a severe anterograde memory disorder involving verbal information, abstract figures, concrete objects, topographical scenes, and spatial information, the patient was still able to learn previously unknown human faces at a normal (and, in some cases, at a higher) rate. CONCLUSIONS: Together with previous neuropsychological evidence documenting selective sparing of topographical learning in otherwise amnesic patients, this case is indicative of the fact that the neural circuits involved in face recognition are distinct from those involved in the recognition of other visuoperceptual material (for example, topographical scenes).     

Primary retroperitoneal angiosarcoma: MR imaging features

We report a rare case of retroperitoneal angiosarcoma in a 72-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain. Diagnosis was obtained histologically after radical excision of the tumour. Fat-suppression MRI after intravenous administration of the contrast agent gadolinium-DTPA was able to define tissue planes between the lesion and the adjacent structures, suggesting the vascular nature of the lesion, and provided useful information for an accurate surgical approach. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that illustrates the MRI characteristics of a retroperitoneal angiosarcoma. Received: 13 March 2000 Revised: 14 July 2000 Accepted: 17 July 2000     

Chondrosarcoma of the larynx. Case report and review of the literature

Chondrosarcoma of the larynx is a rare tumor; worldwide only about 250-300 cases have been described in the literature. We present a clinical case of laryngeal chondrosarcoma manifesting as a swollen mass of 10 x 7 x 6 cm in the infrahyoid and left lateral cervical region. The patient underwent total laryngectomy, thyroidectomy and bilateral neck dissection. A review of the literature on this disease is also reported.     

Functional lateralization of the sensorimotor cortex in patients with schizophrenia: effects of treatment with olanzapine.

BACKGROUND: Earlier cross-sectional studies with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in treated patients with schizophrenia have reported abnormalities of cortical motor processing, including reduced lateralization of primary sensory motor cortex. The objective of the present longitudinal study was to evaluate whether such cortical abnormalities represent state or trait phenomena of the disorder. METHODS: Seventeen acutely ill, previously untreated patients were studied after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks of olanzapine therapy. Seventeen matched healthy subjects served as control subjects. All subjects underwent two fMRI scans 4 weeks apart during a visually paced motor task using a simple periodic block design. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were analyzed in Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM99). Region of interest analyses were used to determine a laterality quotient (an index of lateralization) of motor cortical regions. RESULTS: The fMRI data indicated that patients had reduced activation of the primary sensory motor cortex at 4 weeks but not at 8 weeks; however, the laterality quotient in the primary sensory motor cortex was reduced in patients at both time points. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that some cortical abnormalities during motor processing represent state phenomena, whereas reduced functional lateralization of the primary sensory motor cortex represents an enduring trait of schizophrenia.