The Hallmarks of Precancer

Research on precancers, as defined as at-risk tissues and early lesions, is of high significance given the effectiveness of early intervention. We discuss the need for risk stratification to prevent overtreatment, an emphasis on the role of genetic and epigenetic aging when considering risk, and the importance of integrating macroenvironmental risk factors with molecules and cells in lesions and at-risk normal tissues for developing effective intervention and health policy strategies.

Very bad blood

The discovery of HIV-tainted plasma in Germany raises alarm about the ability to ensure safe supplies worldwide.

The stability of coexisting psychiatric syndromes in alcoholic men after one year

Alcoholic men (N = 241) were administered a criterion-referenced, structured, DSM-III compatible, diagnostic interview while hospitalized and again 1 year later as outpatients. This interview independently evaluates the lifetime prevalence of 15 major psychiatric disorders. In addition to alcoholism, the most frequently occurring coexisting disorders were depression, antisocial personality and drug abuse. After 1 year, the number of positive syndromes declined slightly (chi = 2.0 to 1.8). However, the absolute and relative number of additional psychiatric syndromes remained stable over 1 year for the entire sample. Across individuals, the overall rates of agreement for the 15 syndromes ranged from a high of 100% to a low of 85%. Similarly, the agreement for the current and lifetime diagnoses ranged from 86 to 99%. These data indicate that a substantial portion of male alcoholics experience symptoms that are common to other psychiatric disorders. They also suggest that the endorsement of multiple psychiatric symptoms is not due simply to the acute emotional and physical distress that often accompanies a recent hospitalization for alcoholism treatment. Instead, for many male alcoholics, the symptom patterns appear to reflect additional psychiatric disorders that are stable over time and a potential target of treatment.

Measurement of the influence of a cement kiln stack on a surrounding residential community by injection of an identification particulate

An identification particulate, barium sulfate, was injected into the kiln stack of a large cement plant in order to determine the effect of the particulate effluent of this stack on the immediately surrounding residential community. Meteorological conditions at the time of the injection favored deposition of the stack plume fallout directly over the location of a 7.75-km2 area in which both dustfall and suspended particle samplers were located. Dustfall data are reported for a 24-hour period to permit collection of all possible BaSO4-relatable stack emission. Collected particulate was analyzed for calcium and barium by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Collected dustfall particulates showed no stack effluent effect; collected suspended particulates exhibited a content of stack-relatable material in the amount of 1% of the total observed weight.