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68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.85-7.31 and OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.93-6.04 in pericardial and tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma, respectively]. The median survival was 2.5 months for pericardial and 33.0 months for tunica vaginalis testis mesotheliomas. Age was the main predictive factor for survival for both anatomical sites. Conclusions For the first time in an analytical study, asbestos exposure was associated with pericardial and tunica vaginalis testis mesothelioma risk, supporting the causal role of asbestos for all anatomical sites. The extreme rarity of the diseases, the poor survival and the prognostic role of age have been confirmed based on population and nationwide mesothelioma registry data.OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to compare mortality rates for the main causes of death and the most frequent sites of cancer in firefighters and all other occupations. METHODS Mortality was calculated from a longitudinal study conducted between 2001 and 2011 following a total of 9.5 million men aged 20-64 years old who were in employment in 2001. The age-standardized mortality rate for firefighters was calculated for cancer and other causes of death and compared with that for all other occupations using the mortality rate ratio (MRR). RESULTS No differences were observed between firefighters and all other occupations for overall mortality [MRR = 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.91-1.07] or for mortality from cancer in general (MRR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.89-1.12). No significant differences were observed in mortality by site of cancer, except for mortality from cancer of larynx (MRR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.01-3.09) and hypopharynx (MRR = 2.96, 95% CI 1.31-6.69), which presented a higher magnitude in firefighters. Neither was any significant differences observed between the two groups in mortality due to cardiovascular, respiratory, or digestive diseases or in mortality due to external causes. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to carcinogens combined with a possible failure to use respiratory protection when fighting fires may be responsible for excess mortality from laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer in firefighters. In the future, more research is needed on the health of firefighters and strengthening preventive policies for these workers. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.The woodwasp, Sirex noctilio Fabricius, is an exotic pest of Pinus L. in the southern hemisphere and North America, and it is an emerging threat in northeastern China. Adult woodwasps have numerous insect competitors for oviposition substrates, and developing larvae must compete for resources with other subcortical invaders. Its mutualistic fungus Amylostereum areolatum (Fr.) Boidon, is less competitive than many other fungal colonists present in pine ecosystems. This study investigated the effects of incidental, host-colonizing fungi on the growth and development of woodwasp larvae and A. Lanifibranor chemical structure areolatum. Fungi were isolated from dead S. noctilio larvae within galleries (primarily Trichoderma Pers, Ophiostoma Sydow, and Sphaeropsis Sacc.), and effects of these fungi on woodwasp brood survival were investigated via inoculations of S. noctilio-infested logs. Larval mortality was significantly increased in sample logs inoculated with Ophiostoma minus (Hedgc.) Sydow Phlebiopsis gigantea (Fr.) Jülich, Trichoderma atroviride Bissett, Trichoderma viride Pers, and Trichoderma harzianum Rifai. Inoculation of logs with O. minus resulted in the highest mortality and greatest reductions in wood moisture content. When grown on artificial media, these fungi grew faster than and inhibited growth of A. areolatum mycelium. We propose that the adverse effects of incidental fungi on the survival of S. noctilio larvae may be caused at least in part by an indirect mechanism involving inhibition of the fungal symbiont. The findings provide potentially valuable information for suppressing S. noctilio populations using microbial control agents. © Crown copyright 2019.The study was conducted to define the biomechanical response of rat Achilles tendon after a single bout of exercise and a short or long duration of daily exercise. We hypothesized that a single bout or a short duration of exercise would cause a transient decrease in Achilles tendon mechanical properties and a long duration of daily exercise would improve these properties. A hundred and thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into cage activity (CA) or exercise (EX) groups for a single bout, short-term, or long-term exercise. Animals in single bout EX groups were euthanized, 3, 12, 24, or 48 hours upon completion of a single bout of exercise (10 m/min, 1 h) on a flat treadmill. Animals in short-term EX groups ran on a flat treadmill for 3 days, 1, or 2 weeks while animals in long-term EX groups ran for 8 weeks. Tendon quasi-static and viscoelastic response was evaluated for all Achilles tendons. A single bout of exercise increased tendon stiffness after 48h of recovery. Short-term exercise up to 1 week decreased cross-sectional area, stiffness, modulus and dynamic modulus of the Achilles tendon. In contrast, 8 weeks of daily exercise increased stiffness, modulus, and dynamic modulus of the tendon. This study highlights the response of Achilles tendons to single and sustained bouts of exercise. Adequate time intervals are important to allow for tendon adaptations when initiating a new training regimen and overall beneficial effects to the Achilles tendon. Copyright (c) 2020 by ASME.This Expert View provides an update on the recent development of new microsensors, and briefly summarizes some novel applications of existing microsensors, in plant biology research. Two major topics are covered, i) sensors for gaseous analytes (O2, CO2, H2S) and ii) those for measuring concentrations and fluxes of ions (macro- and micronutrients and environmental pollutants such as heavy metals). We show that application of such microsensors may significantly advance understanding of mechanisms of plant-environmental interaction and regulation of plant developmental and adaptive responses under adverse environmental conditions via non-destructive visualization of key analytes with high spatial and/or temporal resolution. Examples included cover a broad range of environmental situations including hypoxia, salinity, and heavy metal toxicity. We highlight the power of combining microsensor technology with other advanced biophysical (patch-clamp; voltage-clamp; single-cell pressure-probe), imaging (MRI; fluorescent dyes) and genetic techniques and approaches. We conclude that future progress in the field may be achieved by applying existing microsensors for important signalling molecules such as NO and H2O2, by improving selectivity of existing microsensors for some key analytes (e.g., Na, Mg and Zn) and by developing new microsensors for P. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email journals.permissions@oup.com.BACKGROUND Oral cancer is a public health concern and is widespread in developing countries, particularly in South Asia. However, oral cancer cases are also rising in developed nations due to various factors, including smoking, viruses and increased migration from South Asia. In this context, the role of general medical practitioners (GPs) in identifying oral cancer is becoming increasingly important and, while some studies have explored their perspective about oral cancer, a synthesis of these results has not been undertaken. OBJECTIVE The objective of this integrative review is to synthesize existing evidence regarding oral cancer-related knowledge, attitudes and practices of GPs in developed countries. METHODS Four electronic databases were searched to identify studies focussing on the objective of this review. The inclusion criteria were peer-reviewed English language publications; studies conducted in developed countries involving GPs; explored at least one study outcome (knowledge/attitudes/practices). No restrictions were placed on the publication date. RESULTS A total of 21 studies involving 3409 GPs were reviewed. Most studies revealed limited knowledge of GPs about emerging risk factors, such as betel nut chewing (0.8-50%). Significant variation (7-70%) was evident in routine oral examination practices of GPs. Most GPs felt unsure about diagnosing oral cancer and many (38-94%) raised the need for further education. No study explored the specific relevance of GPs' practices concerning South Asian immigrants. CONCLUSION This review suggests the need for educational programs to enhance GPs' knowledge regarding oral cancer. Further research exploring oral cancer-related practices of GPs caring for South Asian immigrants is warranted. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.BACKGROUND Severe bacterial infections are the first cause of morbidity in people with HIV (PWH). We aimed to assess their incidence and to analyze their determinants. METHODS We studied HIV-1-infected individuals aged at least 15 years and prospectively followed between 2006 and 2015 in the French Hospital Database on HIV. The Andersen and Gill model was used to calculate the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs), focusing on heavy alcohol use and neutrophil function-altering comorbidities. RESULTS Out of 25,795 participants, 1414 developed 1883 severe bacterial infections. Between 2006-2009 and 2013-2015, the incidence fell from 13.2 (95% confidence interval, CI, 12.3-14.1) to 7.1 (95%CI, 6.3-7.8) per 1000 person-years. Heavy alcohol use was associated with an increased risk of severe bacterial infection (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.7 for 40-80 g/day and 1.6, 95% CI 1.2-2.1 for > 80 g/day), as were diabetes, chronic kidney disease and end stage liver disease (HR 1.2, 95%CI, 1.0-1.4, when one and 2.3, 95%CI, 1.6-3.4 when more than one comorbidity), and non-AIDS-defining malignancy (HR 2.0, 95%CI 1.6-2.4). CONCLUSIONS Heavy alcohol use was associated with an increased risk of severe bacterial infection, as were neutrophil function-altering comorbidities. Controlled-drinking approaches should be promoted and comorbidity management should be strengthened in PWH. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.BACKGROUND Vision loss may be a risk factor for hallucinations, but this has not been studied at the population level. METHODS To determine the association between self-reported vision loss and hallucinations in a large community-based sample of older adults, we performed a cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of two large, nationally representative US health surveys the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Visual impairment and hallucinations were self- or proxy-reported. Multivariate single and mixed effects logistic regression models were built to examine whether visual impairment and history of cataract surgery were associated with hallucinations. RESULTS In NHATS (n = 1520), hallucinations were more prevalent in those who reported difficulty reading newspaper print (OR 1.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-2.39) or recognising someone across the street (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.86-3.31) after adjusting for confounders. In HRS (n = 3682), a similar association was observed for overall (OR 1.