| 1. |
- Bousquet, J, et al.
(author)
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GA2LEN (Global Allergy and Asthma European Network) addresses the allergy and asthma 'epidemic'.
- 2009
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In: Allergy. - : Wiley. - 1398-9995 .- 0105-4538. ; 64:7, s. 969-77
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Allergic diseases represent a major health problem in Europe. They are increasing in prevalence, severity and costs. The Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA(2)LEN), a Sixth EU Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (FP6) Network of Excellence, was created in 2005 as a vehicle to ensure excellence in research bringing together research and clinical institutions to combat fragmentation in the European research area and to tackle allergy in its globality. The Global Allergy and Asthma European Network has benefited greatly from the voluntary efforts of researchers who are strongly committed to this model of pan-European collaboration. The network was organized in order to increase networking for scientific projects in allergy and asthma around Europe and to make GA(2)LEN the world leader in the field. Besides these activities, research has also been carried out and the first papers are being published. Achievements of the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network can be grouped as follows: (i) those for a durable infrastructure built up during the project phase, (ii) those which are project-related and based on these novel infrastructures, and (iii) the development and implementation of guidelines. The major achievements of GA(2)LEN are reported in this paper.
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| 2. |
- Fehrenbacher, G., et al.
(author)
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Measurement of the fluence response of the GSI neutron ball in high-energy neutron fields produced by 500 A Mev and 800 AMev deuterons
- 2007
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In: Radiation Protection Dosimetry. - 0144-8420 .- 1742-3406. ; 126:1-4, s. 497-500
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Experiments were performed in Cave C of GSI (Gesellschaft fur Schwerionenforschung) using the LAND (Large Area Neutron Detector) in combination with the deflection magnet ALADIN (A LArge DIpol magNet) in front of the LAND where charged particles and neutrons can be separated. This arrangement is used to create high-energetic neutron fields by irradiation of a thick lead target (5 cm) with deuteron beams with the energies of 500 or 800 MeV per nucleon. In break-up reactions the neutron is separated from the proton which is deflected in the magnetic field of the ALADIN. The produced neutron radiation, which has a pronounced peak at the nucleon energy, is used to measure the fluence response of the GSI neutron ball. A thermoluminescence (TL) based spherical neutron dosemeter was developed for the area monitoring for the quantity H*(10) at high-energy accelerators. In the same experiment, the spectral neutron fluence Phi(E) is measured with the LAND in the energy range from 100 MeV to 1 GeV. The measured fluence responses are compared with results of FLUKA calculations and the corresponding fluence-to-dose conversion coefficients. The measured dosemeter responses are too high in comparison to the calculated ones (up to similar to 50%), the dosemeter reading gives dose values which are too high by a factor of 1.1-2.2 related to the corresponding fluence-to-dose conversion factors.
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| 3. |
- Sunyer, Jordi, et al.
(author)
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Lung function decline, chronic bronchitis, and occupational exposures in young adults
- 2005
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In: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. ; 172:9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rationale: Occupational exposures to vapors, gas, dust, or fumes have been shown to be a risk factor of airway obstruction in cross-sectional studies in the general population.Objectives: Our aim was to study the relationships between specific occupations and occupational exposures during a 9-yr follow-up period and changes in lung function and symptoms of chronic bronchitis.Methods: Subjects from the general population aged 20 to 45 yr were randomly selected in 1991-1993 within the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Follow-up took place from 1998 to 2002 among 4,079 males and 4,461 females in 27 study centers. A total of 3,202 men and 3,279 women twice completed lung function measurements. Job history during follow-up was linked to a job exposure matrix and consequently translated into cumulative exposure estimates.Main Results: Individuals exposed to dusts, gases, and fumes during the period of follow-up did not have a steeper decline of FEV(1) than did individuals with consistently white-collar occupations without occupational exposures (relative change among men and women, + 1.4 and -3.1 ml/yr, respectively; p > 0.2), nor an increase of prevalence or incidence of airway obstruction defined as an FEV(1)/FVC ratio of less than 0.7. The incidence of chronic phlegm increased in men exposed to mineral dust (relative risk, 1.94 [1.29-2.91]) and gases and fumes (relative risk, 1.53 [0.99-2.36]), which was not modified by smoking.Conclusion: Occupational exposures to dusts, gases, and fumes occurring during the 1990s are associated with incidence of chronic bronchitis, although these did not impair lung function in a population of relatively young age.
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| 4. |
- Torén, Kjell, 1952, et al.
(author)
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An international prospective general population-based study of respiratory work disability.
- 2009
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In: Thorax. - : BMJ. - 1468-3296 .- 0040-6376. ; 64:4, s. 339-44
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Previous cross-sectional studies have shown that job change due to breathing problems at the workplace (respiratory work disability) is common among adults of working age. That research indicated that occupational exposure to gases, dust and fumes was associated with job change due to breathing problems, although causal inferences have been tempered by the cross-sectional nature of previously available data. There is a need for general population-based prospective studies to assess the incidence of respiratory work disability and to delineate better the roles of potential predictors of respiratory work disability. METHODS: A prospective general population cohort study was performed in 25 centres in 11 European countries and one centre in the USA. A longitudinal analysis was undertaken of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey including all participants employed at any point since the baseline survey, 6659 subjects randomly sampled and 779 subjects comprising all subjects reporting physician-diagnosed asthma. The main outcome measure was new-onset respiratory work disability, defined as a reported job change during follow-up attributed to breathing problems. Exposure to dusts (biological or mineral), gases or fumes during follow-up was recorded using a job-exposure matrix. Cox proportional hazard regression modelling was used to analyse such exposure as a predictor of time until job change due to breathing problems. RESULTS: The incidence rate of respiratory work disability was 1.2/1000 person-years of observation in the random sample (95% CI 1.0 to 1.5) and 5.7/1000 person-years in the asthma cohort (95% CI 4.1 to 7.8). In the random population sample, as well as in the asthma cohort, high occupational exposure to biological dust, mineral dust or gases or fumes predicted increased risk of respiratory work disability. In the random sample, sex was not associated with increased risk of work disability while, in the asthma cohort, female sex was associated with an increased disability risk (hazard ratio 2.8, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.9). CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory work disability is common overall. It is associated with workplace exposures that could be controlled through preventive measures.
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