Mark Bellis's et al.'s article on paternal discrepancies concludes
that our approach to the problem "must be informed by what best
protects the health of those affected." I agree. As the offspring of
anonymous donor insemination, I am one of millions
worldwide whose genetic paternity was not what it seemed, not as
the result of a mother's understandable anxiety to cover up an
extramarital affair, but...
Mark Bellis's et al.'s article on paternal discrepancies concludes
that our approach to the problem "must be informed by what best
protects the health of those affected." I agree. As the offspring of
anonymous donor insemination, I am one of millions
worldwide whose genetic paternity was not what it seemed, not as
the result of a mother's understandable anxiety to cover up an
extramarital affair, but as the result of health professionals' deliberate
deception.
Every day, around the world, fertility doctors are telling
their patients to lie to their children for the rest of their lives, and
even on those rare occasions when the children ARE told that their
fathers or mothers are not their biological parents, those
offspring still only very rarely have access to complete health
information. This practice of lying or giving incomplete
information obviously compromises our health and shortens many
lives. It should stop.
In the article the criterion of 'exposure' to "nervousness" is only
based on the answer to a question. Even given that the classification of
'exposure' is correct at that time, there is still no information about how long the
emotional problem had lasted, as well as how long it was going to last.
Moreover, it is still unclear how the subjects with 'healthy emotion' were keeping their 'emotion
health...
In the article the criterion of 'exposure' to "nervousness" is only
based on the answer to a question. Even given that the classification of
'exposure' is correct at that time, there is still no information about how long the
emotional problem had lasted, as well as how long it was going to last.
Moreover, it is still unclear how the subjects with 'healthy emotion' were keeping their 'emotion
healthy' during the follow up period.
The control for risk factors:
In the article, smoking habits is only classified as 'yes or no', no quantity measure has been applied, furthermore no measurement other factors such as social-economic status, physical activities, diet, and alcohol consumption are likely to play a role in mortality and morbidity.
Indeed, psychological states may affect people’s behaviour strongly.
For example, mental problems may increase a person’s tobacco and alcohol
consumption. However, a person’s behaviours may also affect their mental
health such as that quitting smoking would make a person
depressed.(Paperwalla et al. 2004)
Above all, based on the article there is little evidence supporting
that 'nervousness' is an independent risk factor for total mortality.
Reference:
Paperwalla, K. N., Levin, T. T., Weiner, J. & Saravay, S. M. 2004,
'Smoking and depression', Med Clin North Am, vol. 88, no. 6, pp. 1483-94
Mitchell et al. have compared the prevalence of doctor diagnosed
ischaemic heart disease between England and Scotland in 1998.[1] They
found a higher prevalence of IHD in Scotland, and concluded that the
distributions of established risk factors for coronary disease did not
explain this difference.
We have previously addressed the question of geographical variations
in IHD across Great Br...
Mitchell et al. have compared the prevalence of doctor diagnosed
ischaemic heart disease between England and Scotland in 1998.[1] They
found a higher prevalence of IHD in Scotland, and concluded that the
distributions of established risk factors for coronary disease did not
explain this difference.
We have previously addressed the question of geographical variations
in IHD across Great Britain in the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS), a
prospective study of 7735 men aged 40-59 when recruited in 1978-80.[2] The
men were recruited from 24 British towns (including three Scottish towns)
and were collectively representative of the geographic and social
population of Great Britain. We have followed the men for incidence of
major IHD using general practice records, repeated personal questionnaires
and death certificates. Analysis of the variation in IHD incidence over 15
years of follow up suggested that as much as 77% of the variance could be
explained by five risk factors measured at baseline, namely systolic blood
pressure, smoking, physical activity, height and social class. If
anything, this estimate is conservative since baseline values of these
variables are only approximations to their usual levels throughout follow-
up. Since our study concerns incidence, as opposed to the prevalence data
reported by Mitchell et al, we see no reason to agree with their
suggestion that there are "still unknown genetic, behavioural or
environmental factors having a substantial influence on the occurrence of
disease in Scotland".
We have now investigated differences between men living in the
Scottish and English towns in the BRHS, accounting for different
distributions of baseline measurements of the five risk factors mentioned,
and (i) men’s reports of a doctor diagnosis of myocardial infarction or
angina (cross sectional prevalence analysis of 7358 men, similar to that
of Mitchell et al), and (ii) incidence of myocardial infarction over 20
years of follow-up (7034 men with no previous history of myocardial
infarction or stroke). We present analyses adjusting for age only, and for
age and the five risk factors, using multi-level modelling.[3]
The odds of MI or angina at baseline was 1.34 times as great in
Scotland (95%CI 0.96-1.86) compared with England before adjustment for the
five risk factors and 1.29(0.93-1.80) after adjustment. The rate ratio for
incidence over 20 years was 1.19 (0.96-1.48) before adjustment and 1.03
(0.86-1.24) after adjustment. Modest evidence for a "Scottish effect" in
both prevalence and incidence of disease is given but this effect
disappears almost entirely for incidence when adjustment is made for the
major risk factors. As in Mitchell’s analysis, adjustment for major risk
factors has relatively little effect on differences in prevalence. In
appraising the strength of evidence, we would favour the findings
concerning incidence.
Directions of differences in risk factors between Scotland and
England were similar in the BRHS and in Mitchell et al’s study. The one
exception was blood pressure, for which mean values in the BRHS were
higher in Scotland than in England, but very slightly lower in Scotland in
Mitchell et al’s analysis. The use of medication for lowering blood
pressure was much more common in 1998 than at the time of screening
examination of BRHS subjects. Nevertheless, current evidence suggests that
the higher rates of IHD in Scotland are almost entirely accounted for by
the differences in conventional risk factors.
References
1) Mitchell R, Fowkes G, Blane D, et al. High rates of ischaemic
heart disease in Scotland are not explained by conventional risk factors.
J Epidemiol Community Health 2005 Jul;59(7):565-7.
2) Morris RW, Whincup PH, Lampe FC, et al. Geographic variation in
incidence of coronary heart disease in Britain: the contribution of
established risk factors. Heart 2001 Sep;86(3):277-83.
Environmental smoke may also induce testosterone production in women
and their fetuses. This has been demonstrated in female rats and their
fetuses.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2003 Jun;5(3):369-74.
Epidemiological studies have shown that smoking during pregnancy
markedly increases the risk for future tobacco use by adolescent female
offspring. It has been hypothesized that the increas...
Environmental smoke may also induce testosterone production in women
and their fetuses. This has been demonstrated in female rats and their
fetuses.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2003 Jun;5(3):369-74.
Epidemiological studies have shown that smoking during pregnancy
markedly increases the risk for future tobacco use by adolescent female
offspring. It has been hypothesized that the increased smoking risk in
females is secondary to a nicotine-induced increase in fetal plasma
testosterone levels that persist to adult life. To test this hypothesis,
we randomized pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to receive either saline or
nicotine from Day 4 until the end of gestation. Blood samples for
testosterone levels were obtained from 30- and 120-day-old offspring. In
addition, blood samples for testosterone levels were obtained prior to and
following a 2-day infusion of nicotine to chronically catheterized ovine
fetuses. Maternal nicotine exposure resulted in increased plasma
testosterone in 30-day-old female rat offspring, with no differences found
in nicotine-exposed males. In addition, plasma testosterone levels
increased in ovine fetuses in response to the nicotine infusion.
We conclude that prenatal nicotine exposure increases plasma testosterone
levels chronically in adolescent female rat offspring and acutely in both
male and female ovine fetuses. Although our findings lack correlative
behavioral information on the female offspring, these data are consistent
with human epidemiological data suggesting that prenatal environmental
influences may have marked effects on the subsequent smoking behaviors of
offspring.
The Position Of The Black Workers For Infrastructure Revitalization
Current state of the U.S. economy, with growing unemployment,
requires a critical need for government to create massive jobs creation
projects through revitalization of infrastructure of city, state and
nation.
The economy is going down and all workers must stand together for a
strong united & democratic fron...
The Position Of The Black Workers For Infrastructure Revitalization
Current state of the U.S. economy, with growing unemployment,
requires a critical need for government to create massive jobs creation
projects through revitalization of infrastructure of city, state and
nation.
The economy is going down and all workers must stand together for a
strong united & democratic front. We expect our local and state
government to comply with the needs of the people; to enforce fair labor
practices, and support employment as appose to war, discernibly. It is a
demonstrated fact that our leaders are not being held accountable; we,
too, are not being held accountable for our complacency in the face
economic adversity, human discontent and suffering.
As the economy heads downward, it becomes necessary for all people,
politicians and BWFIR members to unite and construct a strategy to fight
for jobs. Nepotism and cronyism must be checked less we allow this tactic
to starve, divide and conquer our families and communities. This practice
has weakened our position and impeded our ability to feed our families and
has created wedges in family structures disrupting the way we interact
with spouse and children; it’s all connected. When favoritism is the
dominant method used in hiring practices, the only result that can be
expected is that an entire segment of the population will not
work—Gentrification soon follows. Fight for a massive jobs program and
equal employment practice. The current state of economy, national and
local, is causing growing unemployment among masses of workers, White
Americans, Europeans and Women, Latino, Asian and, Africans-Black -
Americans.
The BWFIR and representatives in all capacities must address this
crisis and resolve it; “By Any Means Necessary”. All people, politicians
and our members united beyond race and gender must force elected
representative to achieve a solution. (Share Equally)
The BWFIR can’t accept people starving all over, when there is
plenty of resources available for all; where’s the love in that; where are
you and your elected officials (Harlem). Are we not all going to perish
or thrive together or do the BWFIR see to much and you not enough. We
are doing what our conscience dictate; the BWFIR needs your strength and
courage.
Government will only move constructively when working people and
labor unions in general demand appropriate action.
A massive jobs creation program is revitalization of New York City’s
infrastructure. According to a study made by Comptroller Alan Hevesi in
1998, it would cost $91.83 billion to repair and modernize New York City’s
infrastructure. Jobs could be created not only for our members, but for
all workers in need of employment; DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES INCLUDED.
Mission Statement of The Black Worker for Infrastructure Revitalization:
The BWFIR founded in 2005 by the Disenfranchised Construction Workers
and other Professional Tradesmen in New York City.
The mission of the BWFIR is to organize Human Resources (Skilled
Laborers, and Professionals) and to arbitrate working relationship that
will bring employees and employer together in specified industries and
specifically the Construction Industry; and to ensure equal hiring
practices on all construction projects and other industries in the NYC
area; specifically within the disenfranchised communities (Harlem
based).
Method of implementation -- Strategic planning
1. Open an Employment Agency –office to Screen and evaluate potential
candidates
2. Monitor equal hiring practice by establishing liaison between
Construction Project manage
3. Procure an acceptable percentage of designated jobs slotted for
community residents.
4. Establish liaison between BWFIR Recruiters and Construction Project
Managers.
We are greatly disappointed to see the strange
wording of the article by Prof E G Knox "Childhood cancers and atmospheric
carcinogens", J. Epidemiol. Community Health [1], which says that "[t]he
case material was extracted from a file of all 22 458 deaths from
leukaemia or other cancer occurring before the 16th birthday in Great
Britain between 1953 and 1980. They were classified into 11 main groups...
We are greatly disappointed to see the strange
wording of the article by Prof E G Knox "Childhood cancers and atmospheric
carcinogens", J. Epidemiol. Community Health [1], which says that "[t]he
case material was extracted from a file of all 22 458 deaths from
leukaemia or other cancer occurring before the 16th birthday in Great
Britain between 1953 and 1980. They were classified into 11 main groups
[...]". In the introduction, the author says that he worked with "fatal
child cancers in Great Britain between 1966 and 1980, were linked with
high local atmospheric emissions of different chemical species." We think
that this wording, in which the classification was done before the date
split, implies that more cases were analyzed than really were.
And it is not a problem with us and an over-susceptibility to this
wording. BMJ's press release "Childhood cancers strongly linked to air
pollution in early life" [2],
incorrectly states that "[t]he postal addresses of 22,500 children who had
died of cancer in Britain between 1955 and 1980 were linked to emissions
hotspots for specific chemicals," when in fact about half of those twenty-two thousand cases were analyzed.
Nitrogen dioxide is a "pollutant" that is created by burning fuels.
The main sources are power plants and motor vehicles. It is known to cause problems for people including increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, snoring, lung problems, etc. I suggest nitrogen dioxide may cause its problems because nitrogen dioxide may increase testosterone in humans as it does in rats (below). Increased testosterone may be involved in a number of diseases and mortality.
This areas has not been studied very much; in rats, nitrogen dioxide increases testosterone (Environ Health Perspect 2001; 109: 111-9 and ibid 1999; 107: 539-44)."
Baik, et al., recently reported "These findings indicate that levels of growth factors and hormones [testosterone] are strongly associated with stem cell potential in human umbilical cord blood and point to a potential mechanism that may mediate the relationship between in utero exposure to hormones and cancer risk in the offspring." (Cancer Res. 2005 Jan
1;65(1):358-63).
I suggest the basis of this report may be directly connected to induction of increased maternal testosterone levels which may induce future malignant transformations.
I thought there was a consensus that a consideration of equity
introduces the concept of need. For example in a population which is
perfectly healthy apart from two individuals with an ingrowing toenail,
there is health inequality. But there is only health inequity if one of
these individuals has access to appropriate interventions to restore him
or her to near perfect health, and the other does not....
I thought there was a consensus that a consideration of equity
introduces the concept of need. For example in a population which is
perfectly healthy apart from two individuals with an ingrowing toenail,
there is health inequality. But there is only health inequity if one of
these individuals has access to appropriate interventions to restore him
or her to near perfect health, and the other does not.
I am working on a framework for health inequalities based on the
following:
1. For any particular aspect of health and related interventions,
develop measures for: need, access, capacity, delivery and outcome.
2. For each of these measure inequality related to deprivation using
the slope index of inequality.
3. Measure equity of access by calculating the concentration index -
comparing access to need
4. Repeat step 3. to obtain measures for equity of capacity, equity
of delivery and equity of outcome.
In the BMJ Robert J Glynn (Associate Professor of Medicine, Biostatistics) and Julie E Buring (Associate Professor of Ambulatory Care and Prevention) discussed the problem of recurrent events and the need of
special methods when analysing correlated or dependent data (Education and
debate. Ways of measuring rates of recurrent events. 1996;312:364-367; 10
February). They agreed however to prefer the nega...
In the BMJ Robert J Glynn (Associate Professor of Medicine, Biostatistics) and Julie E Buring (Associate Professor of Ambulatory Care and Prevention) discussed the problem of recurrent events and the need of
special methods when analysing correlated or dependent data (Education and
debate. Ways of measuring rates of recurrent events. 1996;312:364-367; 10
February). They agreed however to prefer the negative binomial logistic
regression when analysing readmissions or repeated hospitalisations. One
reason is that the usual linear models underestimate the expected number
of events when they occur four or more times.
Katz (1999) also investigates the problem of repeated measurements, such as in pairs of organs. The important conclusion with regards to recurrence is that it is not easy to recommend one method of analysis and prefer one statistical
solution to this problem. The reason is that the repeated events may have various causality every time they occur and some individuals may demonstrate a larger propensity to be exposed ac compared to others.
This is the case in regards to repeated injuries among some workers or a greater propensity to visit hospitals among some patients as soon they experience problems. In addition, the individual perspective is not really always applicable when studying exposures such as organisations or hospitals to
which individuals are exposed repeatedly and that are changing personnel at different times. In this case it may be
preferable to use total events rates or total disease specific event rates, the repeated events included. This allows for studying the effects of exposures or the entities to which individuals or groups of patients
are exposed, not solely of the individualistic propensity.
Grazyna T Adamiak PhD,
Master of Health and Welfare, MA
I agree with Dr Mitchell that other factors need to be considered
over and above the usual. I do not think genes are the answer
because it has been shown that place of residence is more
important than place of birth [1] and that for migrants the risk of
IHD tends to change to that of the new country.[2]
One factor which tends to be overlooked is the effect of cold.
However cold is not...
I agree with Dr Mitchell that other factors need to be considered
over and above the usual. I do not think genes are the answer
because it has been shown that place of residence is more
important than place of birth [1] and that for migrants the risk of
IHD tends to change to that of the new country.[2]
One factor which tends to be overlooked is the effect of cold.
However cold is not due simply to temperature. Wind and wet also
increase the cold stress. Also the body responds much more to
changes in cold stress rather than to absolute steady values.
There is a lot of evidence world wide that shows the relationship
between rapid and frequent changes in cold stress and the
incidence of IHD.[3]
I hope this factor is taken into account in future research.
References
1. Elford, J., Phillips, A.N., Thomson, A.G., & Shaper, A.G.
(1989). Migration and geographic variations in ischaemic heart disease in Great Britain. Lancet, i, 343-346.
Dear Editor,
Mark Bellis's et al.'s article on paternal discrepancies concludes that our approach to the problem "must be informed by what best protects the health of those affected." I agree. As the offspring of anonymous donor insemination, I am one of millions worldwide whose genetic paternity was not what it seemed, not as the result of a mother's understandable anxiety to cover up an extramarital affair, but...
Dear Editor,
In the article the criterion of 'exposure' to "nervousness" is only based on the answer to a question. Even given that the classification of 'exposure' is correct at that time, there is still no information about how long the emotional problem had lasted, as well as how long it was going to last. Moreover, it is still unclear how the subjects with 'healthy emotion' were keeping their 'emotion health...
Dear Editor,
Mitchell et al. have compared the prevalence of doctor diagnosed ischaemic heart disease between England and Scotland in 1998.[1] They found a higher prevalence of IHD in Scotland, and concluded that the distributions of established risk factors for coronary disease did not explain this difference.
We have previously addressed the question of geographical variations in IHD across Great Br...
Dear Editor,
Environmental smoke may also induce testosterone production in women and their fetuses. This has been demonstrated in female rats and their fetuses.
Nicotine Tob Res. 2003 Jun;5(3):369-74.
Epidemiological studies have shown that smoking during pregnancy markedly increases the risk for future tobacco use by adolescent female offspring. It has been hypothesized that the increas...
Dear Editor,
The Position Of The Black Workers For Infrastructure Revitalization
Current state of the U.S. economy, with growing unemployment, requires a critical need for government to create massive jobs creation projects through revitalization of infrastructure of city, state and nation.
The economy is going down and all workers must stand together for a strong united & democratic fron...
Dear Editor,
We are greatly disappointed to see the strange wording of the article by Prof E G Knox "Childhood cancers and atmospheric carcinogens", J. Epidemiol. Community Health [1], which says that "[t]he case material was extracted from a file of all 22 458 deaths from leukaemia or other cancer occurring before the 16th birthday in Great Britain between 1953 and 1980. They were classified into 11 main groups...
This report may be explained by increased maternal testosterone as a result of exposure to these chemicals, especially nitrogen dioxide.
In 2004, I wrote "Negative Effects of Nitrogen Dioxide May be due to Testosterone".
(http:/...
Dear Editor,
I thought there was a consensus that a consideration of equity introduces the concept of need. For example in a population which is perfectly healthy apart from two individuals with an ingrowing toenail, there is health inequality. But there is only health inequity if one of these individuals has access to appropriate interventions to restore him or her to near perfect health, and the other does not....
Dear Editor,
In the BMJ Robert J Glynn (Associate Professor of Medicine, Biostatistics) and Julie E Buring (Associate Professor of Ambulatory Care and Prevention) discussed the problem of recurrent events and the need of special methods when analysing correlated or dependent data (Education and debate. Ways of measuring rates of recurrent events. 1996;312:364-367; 10 February). They agreed however to prefer the nega...
Dear Editor
I agree with Dr Mitchell that other factors need to be considered over and above the usual. I do not think genes are the answer because it has been shown that place of residence is more important than place of birth [1] and that for migrants the risk of IHD tends to change to that of the new country.[2]
One factor which tends to be overlooked is the effect of cold. However cold is not...
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