Browsing Miscellaneous by Issue Date
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Who is providing HIV diagnostic testing? Comparing HIV testing by general practitioners and sexual health centres in five regions in the Netherlands, 2011-2018.Laboratory data (2011-2018) on HIV testing by GPs and SHCs in five Dutch regions with varying levels of urbanisation were evaluated. Regional HIV testing rates per 10 000 residents ≥15 years (mean over period and annual) were compared between providers using negative binomial generalised additive models and additionally stratified by sex and age (15-29 years, 30-44 years, 45-59 years, ≥60 years). χ2 tests were used to compare positivity percentage between the two groups of providers.
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Particle-Specific Toxicity of Copper Nanoparticles to Soybean (Glycine max L.): Effects of Nanoparticle Concentration and Natural Organic Matter.For the soluble metallic nanoparticles (NPs), which forms (particles (NP(particle) ) versus dissolved ions (NP(ion) )) are the main cause of toxicity of the NP suspension (NP(total) ) remains uncertain. In this study, soybean was exposed to Cu NPs in a hydroponic system to determine how natural organic matter (NOM, 10 mg/L) and concentration of Cu NP(total) (2-50 mg/L) affect the relative contributions of Cu NP(particle) and Cu NP(ion) to the overall toxicity. We found that NOM mitigated the phytotoxicity of Cu NP(particle) more significantly than that of Cu-salt. When no NOM was added, Cu NP(particle) rather than Cu NP(ion) were the main contributor to the observed toxicity regardless of the concentration of Cu NP(total) . However, NOM tended to reduce the relative contribution of Cu NP(particle) to the toxicity of Cu NP(total) . Especially at a low concentration of Cu NP(total) (2 mg/L), the toxicity of Cu NP(total) mainly resulted from Cu NP(ion) in the presence of NOM (accounting for ≥ 70% of the overall toxicity). This might be due to the combined effects of increased dissolution of Cu NPs and steric-electrostatic hindrance between Cu NP(particle) and the soybean roots caused by NOM. Fulvic acids (FAs) tended to reduce the role of Cu NP(particle) in the overall toxicity more effectively than humic acids (HAs), which might partially be due to the higher extent of Cu NP dissolution upon FA treatment than in case of HA treatment. Our results suggest that due to the relatively low metallic NP concentration and the presence of NOM in natural water NP(ion) are likely problematic, which can inform management and mitigation actions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Long-term exposure to air pollution and liver cancer incidence in six European cohorts.Particulate matter air pollution and diesel engine exhaust have been classified as carcinogenic for lung cancer, yet few studies have explored associations with liver cancer. We used six European adult cohorts which were recruited between 1985 and 2005, pooled within the 'Effects of low-level air pollution: A study in Europe' (ELAPSE) project, and followed for the incidence of liver cancer until 2011 to 2015. The annual average exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), particulate matter with diameter < 2.5 μm (PM2.5 ), black carbon (BC), warm-season ozone (O3 ), and eight elemental components of PM2.5 (copper, iron, zinc, sulfur, nickel, vanadium, silicon, potassium) were estimated by European-wide hybrid land-use regression models at participants' residential addresses. We analyzed the association between air pollution and liver cancer incidence by Cox proportional hazards models adjusting for potential confounders. Of 330,064 cancer-free adults at baseline, 512 developed liver cancer during a mean follow-up of 18.1 years. We observed positive linear associations between NO2 (hazard ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.17, 1.02-1.35 per 10 μg/m3 ), PM2.5 (1.12, 0.92-1.36 per 5 μg/m3 ), and BC (1.15, 1.00-1.33 per 0.5 10-5 /m) and liver cancer incidence. Associations with NO2 and BC persisted in two-pollutant models with PM2.5 . Most components of PM2.5 were associated with the risk of liver cancer, with the strongest associations for sulfur and vanadium, which were robust to adjustment for PM2.5 or NO2 . Our study suggests that ambient air pollution may increase the risk of liver cancer, even at concentrations below current EU standards. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.