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Toprani SM, Scheibler C, Mordukhovich I, McNeely E, Nagel ZD. Cosmic Ionizing Radiation: A DNA Damaging Agent That May Underly Excess Cancer in Flight Crews. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7670. [PMID: 39062911 PMCID: PMC11277465 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration has officially classified flight crews (FC) consisting of commercial pilots, cabin crew, or flight attendants as "radiation workers" since 1994 due to the potential for cosmic ionizing radiation (CIR) exposure at cruising altitudes originating from solar activity and galactic sources. Several epidemiological studies have documented elevated incidence and mortality for several cancers in FC, but it has not yet been possible to establish whether this is attributable to CIR. CIR and its constituents are known to cause a myriad of DNA lesions, which can lead to carcinogenesis unless DNA repair mechanisms remove them. But critical knowledge gaps exist with regard to the dosimetry of CIR, the role of other genotoxic exposures among FC, and whether possible biological mechanisms underlying higher cancer rates observed in FC exist. This review summarizes our understanding of the role of DNA damage and repair responses relevant to exposure to CIR in FC. We aimed to stimulate new research directions and provide information that will be useful for guiding regulatory, public health, and medical decision-making to protect and mitigate the risks for those who travel by air.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneh M. Toprani
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Christopher Scheibler
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
| | - Irina Mordukhovich
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
- Sustainability and Health Initiative (SHINE), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eileen McNeely
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
- Sustainability and Health Initiative (SHINE), Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Zachary D. Nagel
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA;
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (C.S.); (I.M.); (E.M.)
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Khabarova O, Pinaev SK, Chakov VV, Chizhov AY, Pinaeva OG. Trends in childhood leukemia incidence in urban countries and their relation to environmental factors, including space weather. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1295643. [PMID: 38756895 PMCID: PMC11098134 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1295643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Leukemia is the most common cancer in children. Its incidence has been increasing worldwide since 1910th, suggesting the presence of common sources of the disease, most likely related to people's lifestyle and environment. Understanding the relationship between childhood leukemia and environmental conditions is critical to preventing the disease. This discussion article examines established potentially-carcinogenic environmental factors, such as vehicle emissions and fires, alongside space weather-related parameters like cosmic rays and the geomagnetic field. To discern the primary contributor, we analyze trends and annual variations in leukemia incidence among 0-14-year-olds in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Russia from 1990 to 2018. Comparisons are drawn with the number of vehicles (representing gasoline emissions) and fire-affected land areas (indicative of fire-related pollutants), with novel data for Russia introduced for the first time. While childhood leukemia incidence is rising in all countries under study, the rate of increase in Russia is twice that of other nations, possibly due to a delayed surge in the country's vehicle fleet compared to others. This trend in Russia may offer insights into past leukemia levels in the USA, Canada, and Australia. Our findings highlight vehicular emissions as the most substantial environmental hazard for children among the factors examined. We also advocate for the consideration of potential modulation of carcinogenic effects arising from variations in cosmic ray intensity, as well as the protective role of the geomagnetic field. To support the idea, we provide examples of potential space weather effects at both local and global scales. The additional analysis includes statistical data from 49 countries and underscores the significance of the magnetic field dip in the South Atlantic Anomaly in contributing to a peak in childhood leukemia incidence in Peru, Ecuador and Chile. We emphasize the importance of collectively assessing all potentially carcinogenic factors for the successful future predictions of childhood leukemia risk in each country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Khabarova
- Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | | | - Vladimir V. Chakov
- Far East Forestry Research Institute, Khabarovsk, Russia
- Khabarovsk Federal Research Center, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Khabarovsk, Russia
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Nikkilä R, Mäkitie A, Carpén T, Hansen J, Heikkinen S, Lynge E, Selander J, Mehlum IS, Torfadottir JE, Salo T, Pukkala E. Occupational variation in incidence of oropharyngeal cancer in the Nordic countries. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2024; 281:343-350. [PMID: 37563484 PMCID: PMC10764423 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-023-08168-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Evaluate the occupational variation in incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). METHODS We calculated standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of OPC in occupational categories in the Nordic countries relative to the entire national populations. The data covered 6155 OPC cases. RESULTS Among men high risk of OPC was observed, among else, in waiters (SIR 6.28, 95% CI 4.68-8.26), beverage workers (SIR 3.00, 95% CI 1.72-4.88), and artistic workers (SIR 2.97, 95% CI 2.31-3.76). Among women high risk of OPC was observed in waiters (SIR 2.02, 95% CI 1.41-2.81) and packers (SIR 1.73, 95% CI 1.07-2.64). The lowest SIRs were observed in female gardeners (SIR 0.27, 95% CI 0.12-0.51) and male farmers (SIR 0.30, 95% CI 0.25-0.35). CONCLUSION The 20-fold variation in incidence of OPC between occupations needs further investigation in studies with detailed information on occupational and non-occupational risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayan Nikkilä
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 263, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Cancer Registry,, Institute for Statistical and Epidemiological Cancer and Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Antti Mäkitie
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 263, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland.
- Division of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Timo Carpén
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, P.O. Box 263, 00029 HUS, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johnni Hansen
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sanna Heikkinen
- Finnish Cancer Registry,, Institute for Statistical and Epidemiological Cancer and Research, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elsebeth Lynge
- Nykøbing Falster Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Nykøbing Falster, Denmark
| | - Jenny Selander
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, IMM Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Sivesind Mehlum
- National Institute of Occupational Health (STAMI), Oslo, Norway
- Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jóhanna Eyrún Torfadottir
- Icelandic Cancer Registry, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Tuula Salo
- Cancer and Translational Medicine Unit, Medical Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
- Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, University of Helsinki, and Haartman Institute, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eero Pukkala
- Finnish Cancer Registry,, Institute for Statistical and Epidemiological Cancer and Research, Helsinki, Finland
- Health Sciences Unit, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
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Reis DJ, Yen P, Tizenberg B, Gottipati A, Postolache SY, De Riggs D, Nance M, Dagdag A, Plater L, Federline A, Grassmeyer R, Dagdag A, Akram F, Ozorio Dutra SV, Gragnoli C, RachBeisel JA, Volkov J, Bahraini NH, Stiller JW, Brenner LA, Postolache TT. Longitude-based time zone partitions and rates of suicide. J Affect Disord 2023; 339:933-942. [PMID: 37481129 PMCID: PMC10870927 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that conditions with decreased morning and increased evening light exposure, including shift work, daylight-saving time, and eveningness, are associated with elevated mortality and suicide risk. Given that the alignment between the astronomical, biological, and social time varies across a time zone, with later-shifted daylight exposure in the western partition, we hypothesized that western time zone partitions would have higher suicide rates than eastern partitions. METHODS United States (U.S.) county-level suicide and demographic data, from 2010 to 2018, were obtained from a Centers for Disease Control database. Using longitude and latitude, counties were sorted into the western, middle, or eastern partition of their respective time zones, as well as the northern and southern halves of the U.S. Linear regressions were used to estimate the associations between suicide rates and time zone partitions, adjusting for gender, race, ethnicity, age group, and unemployment rates. RESULTS Data were available for 2872 counties. Across the U.S., western partitions had statistically significantly higher rates of suicide compared to eastern partitions and averaged up to two additional yearly deaths per 100,000 people (p < .001). LIMITATIONS Ecological design and limited adjustment for socioeconomic factors. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study of the relationship between longitude-based time zone partitions and suicide. The results were consistent with the hypothesized elevated suicide rates in the western partitions, and concordant with previous reports on cancer mortality and transportation fatalities. The next step is to retest the hypothesis with individual-level data, accounting for latitude, photoperiodic changes, daylight-saving time, geoclimatic variables, physical and mental health indicators, as well as socioeconomic adversity and protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Reis
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Poyu Yen
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Boris Tizenberg
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anurag Gottipati
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sonia Y Postolache
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Demitria De Riggs
- VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Morgan Nance
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Alexandra Dagdag
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lynn Plater
- VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amanda Federline
- VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Riley Grassmeyer
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Aline Dagdag
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Faisal Akram
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Psychiatry Residency Training, Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, Department of Behavioral Health, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Claudia Gragnoli
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA; Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Jill A RachBeisel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Janna Volkov
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Psychiatry Residency Training, Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, Department of Behavioral Health, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nazanin H Bahraini
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - John W Stiller
- Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, Neurology Consultation Service, Washington, DC, USA; Maryland State Athletic Commission, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lisa A Brenner
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO, USA
| | - Teodor T Postolache
- VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Veteran Suicide Prevention, Aurora, CO, USA; Mood and Anxiety Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO, USA
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5
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Bleyer A. Increasing Cancer in Adolescents and Young Adults: Cancer Types and Causation Implications. J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol 2023; 12:285-296. [PMID: 37074337 DOI: 10.1089/jayao.2022.0134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to identify cancer incidence trends in the United States and globally in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) 15-39 years of age, by sex, and to speculate on causes for trend changes. Methods: For the United States, SEER*Stat was used to obtain average annual percent change (AAPC) trends in cancer incidence during the period 2000-2019 among 395,163 AYAs. For global data, the source was the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation and its sociodemographic index (SDI) classification system. Results: In the United States, the invasive cancer incidence increased during the period 2000-2019 in both females (AAPC: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.90-1.20, p << 0.001) and males (AAPC: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.43-0.69, p << 0.001). A total of 25 and 20 types of cancers increased statistically significantly in female and male AYAs, respectively. Among potential causes for the increases, the obesity epidemic in the United States strongly correlates with the overall cancer increase in both its female (Pearson correlation coefficient R2 = 0.88, p = 0.0007) and male (R2 = 0.83, p = 0.003) AYAs, as does the most common malignancy in American AYAs, breast cancer (R2 = 0.83, p = 0.003). Worldwide, cancer incidence in the age group increased steadily during the period 2000-2019 among high-middle, middle, and low-middle SDI countries, but not in low SDI countries and with slowing of increase in high SDI countries. Conclusions: The increases and their age-dependent profiles implicate several causations that are preventable, including obesity, overdiagnosis, unnecessary diagnostic radiation, human papilloma virus infection, and cannabis avoidance. The United States is beginning to reverse the increasing incidence, and prevention efforts should be augmented accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Archie Bleyer
- Pediatric & Young Adult Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Bend, Oregon, USA
- McGovern Medical School, University of Texas, Houston, Texas, USA
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Scheibler C, Toprani SM, Mordukhovich I, Schaefer M, Staffa S, Nagel ZD, McNeely E. Cancer risks from cosmic radiation exposure in flight: A review. Front Public Health 2022; 10:947068. [PMID: 36483259 PMCID: PMC9723364 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.947068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aircrew (consisting of flight attendants, pilots, or flight engineers/navigators) are exposed to cosmic ionizing radiation (CIR) at flight altitude, which originates from solar activity and galactic sources. These exposures accumulate over time and are considerably higher for aircrew compared to the general population, and even higher compared to U.S. radiation workers. Many epidemiological studies on aircrew have observed higher rates of specific cancers compared to the general population. Despite high levels of CIR exposure and elevated rates of cancer in aircrew, a causal link between CIR and cancer has yet to be established. Many challenges still exist in effectively studying this relationship, not the least of which is evaluating CIR exposure separately from the constellation of factors that occur as part of the flight environment. This review concentrates on cancer incidence and mortality observed among aircrew in epidemiologic studies in relation to CIR exposure and limitation trends observed across the literature. The aim of this review is to provide an updated comprehensive summary of the literature that will support future research by identifying epidemiological challenges and highlighting existing increased cancer concerns in an occupation where CIR exposure is anticipated to increase in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Scheibler
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sneh M. Toprani
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Irina Mordukhovich
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Matthew Schaefer
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Steven Staffa
- Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zachary D. Nagel
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eileen McNeely
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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Su K, Din ZU, Cui B, Peng F, Zhou Y, Wang C, Zhang X, Lu J, Luo H, He B, Kelley KW, Liu Q. A broken circadian clock: The emerging neuro-immune link connecting depression to cancer. Brain Behav Immun Health 2022; 26:100533. [PMID: 36281466 PMCID: PMC9587523 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Circadian clocks orchestrate daily rhythms in many organisms and are essential for optimal health. Circadian rhythm disrupting events, such as jet-lag, shift-work, night-light exposure and clock gene alterations, give rise to pathologic conditions that include cancer and clinical depression. This review systemically describes the fundamental mechanisms of circadian clocks and the interacting relationships among a broken circadian clock, cancer and depression. We propose that this broken clock is an emerging link that connects depression and cancer development. Importantly, broken circadian clocks, cancer and depression form a vicious feedback loop that threatens systemic fitness. Arresting this harmful loop by restoring normal circadian rhythms is a potential therapeutic strategy for treating both cancer and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyu Su
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Zaheer Ud Din
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Bai Cui
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510060, China,Corresponding author. Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China.
| | - Fei Peng
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Yuzhao Zhou
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Cenxin Wang
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Jinxin Lu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Huandong Luo
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Bin He
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China
| | - Keith W. Kelley
- Department of Animal Sciences, College of ACES, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 212 Edward R. Madigan Laboratory, 1201 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, Il, 61801, USA
| | - Quentin Liu
- Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China,State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510060, China,Corresponding author. Institute of Cancer Stem Cell, Dalian Medical University, 9 West Section, Lvshun South Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116044, China.
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8
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Breast Cancer Among Female Flight Attendants and the Role of the Occupational Exposures. J Occup Environ Med 2022; 64:822-830. [DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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9
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Shen CT, Hsieh HM, Chuang YS, Pan CH, Wu MT. Breast Cancer Incidence among Female Workers by Different Occupations and Industries: A Longitudinal Population-Based Matched Case-Control Study in Taiwan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10352. [PMID: 36011986 PMCID: PMC9408650 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer incidence worldwide and in Taiwan. The relationship between breast cancer and occupational types remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate lifetime breast cancer incidence by different occupational industries among female workers in Taiwan. METHODS A population-based retrospective case-control study was conducted using three nationwide population-based databases. Matched case and control groups were identified with 1-to-4 exact matching among 103,047 female workers with breast cancer diagnosed in 2008-2017 and those without breast cancer. Their lifetime labor enrollment records were tracked using the National Labor Insurance Database, 1950-2017. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze the association between types of occupational industries and risk of incident breast cancer. RESULTS Our study found slightly significant breast cancer risk among the following major occupational classifications: manufacturing (OR: 1.027, 95% CI: 1.011-1.043); wholesale and retail trade (OR: 1.068, 95% CI: 1.052-1.084); information and communication (OR: 1.074, 95% CI: 1.043-1.105); financial and insurance activities (OR: 1.109, 95% CI: 1.086-1.133); real estate activities (OR: 1.050, 95% CI: 1.016-1.085); professional, scientific, and technical activities (OR: 1.118, 95% CI: 1.091-1.145); public administration, defense, and social security (OR: 1.054, 95% CI: 1.023-1.087), education (OR: 1.199, 95% CI: 1.168-1.230); and human health and social work activities (OR: 1.125, 95% CI: 1.096-1.156). CONCLUSIONS Greater percentages of industrial occupations (i.e., manufacturing, wholesale and retail, or health professionals) were associated with slightly increased breast cancer risk. Further studies should investigate the possible risk factors among female workers in those industries with slightly higher incidence of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Ting Shen
- Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Min Hsieh
- Department of Public Health, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Department of Community Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Center for Big Data Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Research Center for Precision Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Shiuan Chuang
- Center for Big Data Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Research Center for Precision Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hong Pan
- Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor, Taipei 40767, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Tsang Wu
- Research Center for Precision Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Department of Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
- Department of Public Health and PhD Program in Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
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Yamamoto JJ, Brandley ET, Ulrich TC. Flight attendant occupational nutrition and lifestyle factors associated with COVID-19 incidence. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24502. [PMID: 34969961 PMCID: PMC8718529 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04350-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
In the era of COVID-19, essential workers are plagued with unforeseen and obfuscated challenges. Flight attendants are a unique subgroup of essential workers who face a multitude of health risks attributed to occupational exposures that are accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Such risks can be ameliorated with strategies that target factors which enhance COVID-19 risk, including modifiable factors of diet and lifestyle. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to detect occupational dietary and lifestyle factors which could increase COVID-19 incidence amongst flight attendants. To identify potential risk factors, a questionnaire was administered to eighty-four flight attendants and examined the participants’ diet and lifestyle, and COVID-19 incidence. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression indicated that the participants’ perceived dietary quality at work (p = 0.003), sleep disruptions which impacted their consumption of a healthy diet (p = 0.013), job tenure (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.46:0.98) and frequency of reported cold/flu (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.014–2.189) were all factors associated with confirmed/suspected COVID-19 incidence. This study also revealed that a lack of infrastructure for food storage and time limitations are considerable occupational barriers for flight attendants to consume healthy foods. Additional investigation can further elucidate these relationships and related solutions to mitigate COVID-19 risk in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Yamamoto
- Department of Health Studies, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA.
| | - Elizabeth T Brandley
- Department of Health Studies, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA
| | - Trina C Ulrich
- Department of Health Studies, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20016, USA
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11
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Herttua K, Ahrenfeldt LJ, Paljarvi T. Risk of major chronic diseases in transport, rescue and security industries: a longitudinal register-based study. Occup Environ Med 2021; 79:162-168. [PMID: 34462305 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2021-107764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the risk of hospitalisation for major chronic diseases across representative transport, rescue and security industries. METHODS We performed a register-based study of 624 571 workers from six industries in Denmark between 2000 and 2005, followed up hospitalisation for chronic diseases up to 17 years, and compared with a 20% random sample of the economically active population. RESULTS HR from the Cox regression models showed that seafarers had higher risk of lung cancer (men: 1.54, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.81; women: 1.63, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.36), and male seafarers had higher risk of diabetes (1.32, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.43) and oral cancer (1.51, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.88). Men and women in land transport had increased risk of diabetes (men: 1.68, 95% CI 1.63 to 1.73; women 1.55, 95% CI 1.40 to 1.71) and chronic respiratory disease (men: 1.21, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.25; women 1.42, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.53). Among women, a higher risk of gastrointestinal cancer was observed in aviation (1.53, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.89) and police force (1.29, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.65), oral cancer in defence forces (1.83, 95% CI 1.20 to 2.79), and chronic respiratory disease in rescue service (1.47, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.77), while men in defence forces, police force and rescue service had mainly lower risk of these chronic diseases. CONCLUSIONS We observed considerable health disparities from chronic diseases across transport, rescue and security industries, with workers in seafaring and land transport generally bearing the greatest relative burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimmo Herttua
- Department of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | | | - Tapio Paljarvi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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12
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D’Ecclesiis O, Caini S, Martinoli C, Raimondi S, Gaiaschi C, Tosti G, Queirolo P, Veneri C, Saieva C, Gandini S, Chiocca S. Gender-Dependent Specificities in Cutaneous Melanoma Predisposition, Risk Factors, Somatic Mutations, Prognostic and Predictive Factors: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:7945. [PMID: 34360236 PMCID: PMC8345480 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18157945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Over the last decades, the incidence of melanoma has been steadily growing, with 4.2% of the population worldwide affected by cutaneous melanoma (CM) in 2020 and with a higher incidence and mortality in men than in women. We investigated both the risk factors for CM development and the prognostic and predictive factors for survival, stratifying for both sex and gender. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of studies indexed in PUB-MED, EMBASE, and Scopus until 4 February 2021. We included reviews, meta-analyses, and pooled analyses investigating differences between women and men in CM risk factors and in prognostic and predictive factors for CM survival. DATA SYNTHESIS Twenty-four studies were included, and relevant data extracted. Of these, 13 studies concerned potential risk factors, six concerned predictive factors, and five addressed prognostic factors of melanoma. DISCUSSION The systematic review revealed no significant differences in genetic predisposition to CM between males and females, while there appear to be several gender disparities regarding CM risk factors, partly attributable to different lifestyles and behavioral habits between men and women. There is currently no clear evidence of whether the mutational landscapes of CM differ by sex/gender. Prognosis is justified by a complex combination of phenotypes and immune functions, while reported differences between genders in predicting the effectiveness of new treatments are inconsistent. Overall, the results emerging from the literature reveal the importance of considering the sex/gender variable in all studies and pave the way for including it towards precision medicine. CONCLUSIONS Men and women differ genetically, biologically, and by social construct. Our systematic review shows that, although fundamental, the variable sex/gender is not among the ones collected and analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oriana D’Ecclesiis
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO—European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (O.D.); (C.M.); (S.R.)
| | - Saverio Caini
- Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Via Cosimo il Vecchio 2, 50139 Florence, Italy; (S.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Chiara Martinoli
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO—European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (O.D.); (C.M.); (S.R.)
| | - Sara Raimondi
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO—European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (O.D.); (C.M.); (S.R.)
| | - Camilla Gaiaschi
- GENDERS Center, Department of Social and Political Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (C.G.); (C.V.)
- Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Giulio Tosti
- Division of Melanoma Surgery, Sarcoma and Rare Tumors, IEO—European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (G.T.); (P.Q.)
| | - Paola Queirolo
- Division of Melanoma Surgery, Sarcoma and Rare Tumors, IEO—European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (G.T.); (P.Q.)
| | - Camilla Veneri
- GENDERS Center, Department of Social and Political Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; (C.G.); (C.V.)
| | - Calogero Saieva
- Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Via Cosimo il Vecchio 2, 50139 Florence, Italy; (S.C.); (C.S.)
| | - Sara Gandini
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO—European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (O.D.); (C.M.); (S.R.)
| | - Susanna Chiocca
- Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO—European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, 20139 Milan, Italy; (O.D.); (C.M.); (S.R.)
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13
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Kim SC, Son JS. Double-layered fiber for lightweight flexible clothing providing shielding from low-dose natural radiation. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3676. [PMID: 33574471 PMCID: PMC7878484 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-83272-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural and medical radiation are the most frequent sources of daily low-dose radiation exposure for the general public, but these radiation levels are generally acceptable. Among various occupations, aviation crew members and medical workers are exposed to high levels of radiation from scattered rays. This study focused on developing clothing for shielding aviation crew members from natural radiation during air travel. Materials were selected considering their radiation-shielding properties. A tungsten double-layered composite yarn and a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber fabric containing BaSO4 were manufactured. The characteristics and shielding performances of the products were analyzed. Prototypes of a protective scarf (for shielding the thyroid gland) and apron (for shielding the torso) for flight attendants were produced. A lightweight fabric was produced that neither restricts the movement of the wearer nor causes them skin discomfort. The shielding performances of the tungsten composite and PET fiber fabrics containing BaSO4 were 0.018 mmPb and 0.03 mmPb, respectively, demonstrating low-dose shielding that may be useful for protecting aviation crew members from scattered rays. The characteristics of the developed fibers are comparable to those of materials used in clothing production; therefore, low-dose radiation-shielding clothing could be manufactured for use in aviation, medical, and other industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon-Chil Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea.
| | - Jun Sik Son
- Korea Textile Development Institute, Daegu, Korea
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14
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Toprani SM, Scheibler C, Nagel ZD. Interplay Between Air Travel, Genome Integrity, and COVID-19 Risk vis-a-vis Flight Crew. Front Public Health 2020; 8:590412. [PMID: 33392133 PMCID: PMC7775589 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.590412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
During air travel, flight crew (flight attendants, pilots) can be exposed to numerous flight-related environmental DNA damaging agents that may be at the root of an excess risk of cancer and other diseases. This already complex mix of exposures is now joined by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The complex exposures experienced during air travel present a challenge to public health research, but also provide an opportunity to consider new strategies for understanding and countering their health effects. In this article, we focus on threats to genomic integrity that occur during air travel and discuss how these threats and our ability to respond to them may influence the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of range of severity of the symptoms. We also discuss how the virus itself may lead to compromised genome integrity. We argue that dauntingly complex public health problems, such as the challenge of protecting flight crews from COVID-19, must be met with interdisciplinary research teams that include epidemiologists, engineers, and mechanistic biologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneh M. Toprani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Christopher Scheibler
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology Program, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Zachary D. Nagel
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- John B. Little Center for Radiation Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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15
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Görlich Y, Stadelmann D. Mental Health of Flying Cabin Crews: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Front Psychol 2020; 11:581496. [PMID: 33391100 PMCID: PMC7773923 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.581496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Initially, we analyzed relations between the challenging working conditions of flight attendants with symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress. As the COVID-19 pandemic plunged airlines into an unprecedented crisis, its impact on the mental health of flying cabin crews became the focus of a second survey. Methods: Flight attendants were surveyed online with DASS-21 in May 2019 (N = 105; sample 1) and April 2020 (N = 1119; sample 2), complemented with questions about working conditions (in 2019) and existential fears and fear of job loss (in 2020). Results: Sample 1 revealed that symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress highly correlated with the subjective assessment of working conditions, but not with objectifiable parameters. Sample 2 showed significant positive correlations between existential fears and fear of job loss with depression, anxiety and stress. Crew members, grounded in April 2020, showed significantly higher scores in depression and stress, while still flying individuals had more clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety. Mean value comparisons between sample 1 and 2 in DASS-21 revealed a significant increase in symptoms at the time of crisis with effect sizes of d = 0.63 for depression, d = 0.26 for anxiety, and d = 0.52 for stress. The incidence of clinically relevant symptoms among the respondents increased from 8 to 23% (depression), from 6 to 14% (anxiety), and from 8 to 24% (stress). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated work restrictions coincide with severe impairment of mental health of flying cabin crews, consistent with a mental health protecting function of labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Görlich
- Department of Psychology, PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Stadelmann
- Department of Psychology, PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
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16
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Pariollaud M, Lamia KA. Cancer in the Fourth Dimension: What Is the Impact of Circadian Disruption? Cancer Discov 2020; 10:1455-1464. [PMID: 32934020 PMCID: PMC7541588 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-20-0413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms integrate many physiological pathways, helping organisms to align the timing of various internal processes to daily cycles in the external environment. Disrupted circadian rhythmicity is a prominent feature of modern society, and has been designated as a probable carcinogen. Here, we review multiple studies, in humans and animal models, that suggest a causal effect between circadian disruption and increased risk of cancer. We also discuss the complexity of this connection, which may depend on the cellular context. SIGNIFICANCE: Accumulating evidence points to an adverse effect of circadian disruption on cancer incidence and progression, indicating that time of day could influence the effectiveness of interventions targeting cancer prevention and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Pariollaud
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Katja A Lamia
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California.
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17
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Breast Cancer Rate and Mortality in Female Flight Attendants: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis. Clin Breast Cancer 2020; 20:371-376. [PMID: 32605812 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2020.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous reports have suggested that breast cancer is more common among flight attendants than that in the general population. Constant exposure to cosmic radiation and circadian disruption are postulated to be the culprits of the problem. A systematic review was performed by 2 independent reviewers with predefined search strategy, in line with the PRISMA protocol. A total of 43 studies were identified using the preset keywords defined in the study protocol. After excluding irrelevant papers, 12 studies were included for pooled analysis. Ten studies evaluated the breast cancer prevalence in flight attendants, whereas 3 studies evaluated the breast cancer-related deaths. Pooled analysis found that, of the 45,111 flight attendants censored, 1061 (2.35%) had breast cancer. The standardized prevalence ratios were 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.37-1.59) and 1.09 (95% Cl, 0.37-1.60), respectively, when compared with the American and European general population. Pooled analysis of the 3 studies on breast cancer mortality found that, of the 44,508 flight attendants censored, 139 (0.32%) had breast cancer-related mortality. Standardized mortality ratios to the American/European general population were 1.8 (95% CI, 0.63-4.25) and 1.3 (95% CI, 0.47-3.15), respectively. A review of the available literature indicates that there is insufficient evidence to suggest an association between cosmic irradiation, circadian disruption, and breast cancer in flight attendants. Breast cancer prevalence and mortality among flight attendants are comparable with that of the general population.
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18
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19
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Influence of the Exposome on Skin Cancer. ACTAS DERMO-SIFILIOGRAFICAS 2020; 111:460-470. [PMID: 32507282 DOI: 10.1016/j.ad.2020.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Skin cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in humans. While exposure to solar radiation is the most widely known and relevant causal factor, the different degrees of individual risk have not been fully elucidated. Epidemiological studies show how the risk of skin cancer is affected by other types of radiation (eg, ionizing radiation), pesticides, particulate matter in air pollution, toxins (eg, arsenic) in water and some foods. Some living entities, such as polyomavirus and human papillomavirus, can also cause specific types of cancer. Lastly, lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep, and exercise may play a role, although only a few studies shed light on these factors. The abovementioned factors make up the exposome of skin cancer, that is, the set of environmental exposures that, together with the genome and microbiome, determine the onset of disease.
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20
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Abstract
Circadian rhythm misalignment due to social jet lag, shift work, early morning starts, and delayed bedtimes is becoming common in our modern society. Disturbances of sleep and the underlying circadian rhythms are related to multiple human diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and cognitive impairments. Given the crucial role of microbiota in the same pathologies as are caused by sleep disturbance, how the gut microbiota is affected by sleep is of increasing interest. The results of this study indicate that the acute circadian rhythm disturbance caused by sleep-wake shifts affect the human gut microbiota, especially the functional profiles of gut microbes and interactions among them. Further experiments with a longer-time-scale intervention and larger sample size are needed to assess the effects of chronic circadian rhythm disruption on the gut microbiome and to guide possible microbial therapies for clinical intervention in the related diseases. Disturbances of sleep and the underlying circadian rhythm are related to many human diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and cognitive impairments. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiome has also been reported to be associated with the pathologies of these diseases. Therefore, we proposed that disturbed sleep may regulate gut microbiota homeostasis. In this study, we mimicked the sleep-wake cycle shift, one typical type of circadian rhythm disturbances in young people, in recruited subjects. We used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to define microbial taxa from their fecal samples. Although the relative abundances of the microbes were not significantly altered, the functional-profile analysis of gut microbiota revealed functions enriched during the sleep-wake cycle shift. In addition, the microbial networks were quite distinct among baseline, shift, and recovery stages. These results suggest that an acute sleep-wake cycle shift may exert a limited influence on the gut microbiome, mainly including the functional profiles of the microbes and the microbial relationships within the microbial community. IMPORTANCE Circadian rhythm misalignment due to social jet lag, shift work, early morning starts, and delayed bedtimes is becoming common in our modern society. Disturbances of sleep and the underlying circadian rhythms are related to multiple human diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, and cognitive impairments. Given the crucial role of microbiota in the same pathologies as are caused by sleep disturbance, how the gut microbiota is affected by sleep is of increasing interest. The results of this study indicate that the acute circadian rhythm disturbance caused by sleep-wake shifts affect the human gut microbiota, especially the functional profiles of gut microbes and interactions among them. Further experiments with a longer-time-scale intervention and larger sample size are needed to assess the effects of chronic circadian rhythm disruption on the gut microbiome and to guide possible microbial therapies for clinical intervention in the related diseases.
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21
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McNeely E, Mordukhovich I, Staffa S, Tideman S, Coull B. Legacy health effects among never smokers exposed to occupational secondhand smoke. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0215445. [PMID: 30998729 PMCID: PMC6472795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Secondhand tobacco smoke (SHTS) is a tremendous public health hazard, leading to morbidity and premature mortality worldwide, with racial and ethnic minorities and those of lower socioeconomic status disproportionately affected. Flight attendants were historically exposed to high levels of SHTS in the aircraft cabin. The health effects of active smoking are known to persist for up to a lifetime, but the legacy effects of SHTS exposure have not been well characterized. DESIGN We aimed to evaluate the legacy health effects of occupational SHTS exposure among never smoking workers using the resources of the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study, a large study of cabin crew health. We evaluated associations between SHTS exposure and a range of diagnoses using multivariate logistic regression to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), employing a case-control sampling method and applying the bootstrap method to increase accuracy and precision of results. RESULTS We found no evidence of positive associations between SHTS and any cancer, but observed associations between SHTS and cardiac outcomes, including myocardial infarction (OR = 140, 95% CI: 1·04, 3·27) and peripheral artery disease (OR = 1·27, 95% CI: 1·00, 1·97). We also found associations between SHTS exposure and repeated pneumonia (OR = 1·06, 95% CI: 1·02, 1·10). CONCLUSIONS Our study reports associations between legacy SHTS exposure going back decades and severe cardiac and respiratory health outcomes. Given the high prevalence of ongoing and historical SHTS exposure, our findings, if confirmed, have important implications for smoking cessation efforts, health education, and clinical guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen McNeely
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Irina Mordukhovich
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Steven Staffa
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Samuel Tideman
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Brent Coull
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States of America
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22
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Abstract
Many processes in the human body - including brain function - are regulated over the 24-hour cycle, and there are strong associations between disrupted circadian rhythms (for example, sleep-wake cycles) and disorders of the CNS. Brain disorders such as autism, depression and Parkinson disease typically develop at certain stages of life, and circadian rhythms are important during each stage of life for the regulation of processes that may influence the development of these disorders. Here, we describe circadian disruptions observed in various brain disorders throughout the human lifespan and highlight emerging evidence suggesting these disruptions affect the brain. Currently, much of the evidence linking brain disorders and circadian dysfunction is correlational, and so whether and what kind of causal relationships might exist are unclear. We therefore identify remaining questions that may direct future research towards a better understanding of the links between circadian disruption and CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan W Logan
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Colleen A McClung
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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