Roel Vermeulen

Publications of Roel Vermeulen

• Blood serum concentrations of perfluorinated compounds in men from Greenlandic Inuit and European populations.

  Authors: Christian H Lindh, Lars Rylander, Gunnar Toft, Anna Axmon, Anna Rignell-Hydbom, Aleksander Giwercman, Henning S Pedersen, Katarzyna Góalczyk, Jan K Ludwicki, Valentyna Zvyezday, Roel Vermeulen, Virissa Lenters, Dick Heederik, Jens Peter Bonde, Bo A G Jönsson

  Chemosphere. 04/2012;

  Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are used in large quantities. They are persistent and found in measurable levels in humanPerfluorinated compounds (PFCs), such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are used in large quantities. They are persistent and found in measurable levels in human serum around the world. They have been associated with developmental, hepatic, and carcinogenic effects in animal studies. The aim of the present study was to describe levels of PFCs in serum among Inuits from Greenland and inhabitants from Warsaw, Poland and Kharkiv, Ukraine. Furthermore, the aim was to define social- and lifestyle related determinants of exposure for these compounds. Serum levels of seven PFCs were analyzed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were the highest of all PFCs in all three populations with a total amount of almost 90% of the PFCs. The mean levels of PFOS and PFOA were in the Greenlandic Inuits 52 and 4.8ngmL(-1), in Poland 19 and 5.2ngmL(-1), and in Ukraine 8.1 and 1.9ngmL(-1), respectively. Thus, levels of PFCs in the serum of Inuits on Greenland were among the highest described in a general population whereas the levels in Poland were similar to other industrialized countries. The exposure in Ukraine was rather low. In the Greenlandic Inuit population, intake of seafood, tea, age and area of living were significant determinants of PFOS concentrations and explained about 22% of the variation. For the other populations no strong determinants were found.

• Erratum to: STrengthening the reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology-Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME): an extension of the STROBE statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  European journal of epidemiology. 03/2012; 27(2):151.

• The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study: A Cohort Mortality Study With Emphasis on Lung Cancer.

  Authors: Michael D Attfield, Patricia L Schleiff, Jay H Lubin, Aaron Blair, Patricia A Stewart, Roel Vermeulen, Joseph B Coble, Debra T Silverman

  Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 03/2012;

  BackgroundCurrent information points to an association between diesel exhaust exposure and lung cancer and other mortality outcomes, but uncertainties remain.MethodsWe undertook a cohort mortalityBackgroundCurrent information points to an association between diesel exhaust exposure and lung cancer and other mortality outcomes, but uncertainties remain.MethodsWe undertook a cohort mortality study of 12 315 workers exposed to diesel exhaust at eight US non-metal mining facilities. Historical measurements and surrogate exposure data, along with study industrial hygiene measurements, were used to derive retrospective quantitative estimates of respirable elemental carbon (REC) exposure for each worker. Standardized mortality ratios and internally adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate REC exposure-associated risk. Analyses were both unlagged and lagged to exclude recent exposure such as that occurring in the 15 years directly before the date of death.ResultsStandardized mortality ratios for lung cancer (1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09 to 1.44), esophageal cancer (1.83, 95% CI = 1.16 to 2.75), and pneumoconiosis (12.20, 95% CI = 6.82 to 20.12) were elevated in the complete cohort compared with state-based mortality rates, but all-cause, bladder cancer, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mortality were not. Differences in risk by worker location (ever-underground vs surface only) initially obscured a positive diesel exhaust exposure-response relationship with lung cancer in the complete cohort, although it became apparent after adjustment for worker location. The hazard ratios (HRs) for lung cancer mortality increased with increasing 15-year lagged cumulative REC exposure for ever-underground workers with 5 or more years of tenure to a maximum in the 640 to less than 1280 μg/m(3)-y category compared with the reference category (0 to <20 μg/m(3)-y; 30 deaths compared with eight deaths of the total of 93; HR = 5.01, 95% CI = 1.97 to 12.76) but declined at higher exposures. Average REC intensity hazard ratios rose to a plateau around 32 μg/m(3). Elevated hazard ratios and evidence of exposure-response were also seen for surface workers. The association between diesel exhaust exposure and lung cancer risk remained after inclusion of other work-related potentially confounding exposures in the models and were robust to alternative approaches to exposure derivation.ConclusionsThe study findings provide further evidence that exposure to diesel exhaust increases risk of mortality from lung cancer and have important public health implications.

• The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study: A Nested Case-Control Study of Lung Cancer and Diesel Exhaust.

  Authors: Debra T Silverman, Claudine M Samanic, Jay H Lubin, Aaron E Blair, Patricia A Stewart, Roel Vermeulen, Joseph B Coble, Nathaniel Rothman, Patricia L Schleiff, William D Travis, Regina G Ziegler, Sholom Wacholder, Michael D Attfield

  Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 03/2012;

  BackgroundMost studies of the association between diesel exhaust exposure and lung cancer suggest a modest, but consistent, increased risk. However, to our knowledge, no study to date has hadBackgroundMost studies of the association between diesel exhaust exposure and lung cancer suggest a modest, but consistent, increased risk. However, to our knowledge, no study to date has had quantitative data on historical diesel exposure coupled with adequate sample size to evaluate the exposure-response relationship between diesel exhaust and lung cancer. Our purpose was to evaluate the relationship between quantitative estimates of exposure to diesel exhaust and lung cancer mortality after adjustment for smoking and other potential confounders.MethodsWe conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of 12 315 workers in eight non-metal mining facilities, which included 198 lung cancer deaths and 562 incidence density-sampled control subjects. For each case subject, we selected up to four control subjects, individually matched on mining facility, sex, race/ethnicity, and birth year (within 5 years), from all workers who were alive before the day the case subject died. We estimated diesel exhaust exposure, represented by respirable elemental carbon (REC), by job and year, for each subject, based on an extensive retrospective exposure assessment at each mining facility. We conducted both categorical and continuous regression analyses adjusted for cigarette smoking and other potential confounding variables (eg, history of employment in high-risk occupations for lung cancer and a history of respiratory disease) to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Analyses were both unlagged and lagged to exclude recent exposure such as that occurring in the 15 years directly before the date of death (case subjects)/reference date (control subjects). All statistical tests were two-sided.ResultsWe observed statistically significant increasing trends in lung cancer risk with increasing cumulative REC and average REC intensity. Cumulative REC, lagged 15 years, yielded a statistically significant positive gradient in lung cancer risk overall (P(trend) = .001); among heavily exposed workers (ie, above the median of the top quartile [REC ≥ 1005 μg/m(3)-y]), risk was approximately three times greater (OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.33 to 7.69) than that among workers in the lowest quartile of exposure. Among never smokers, odd ratios were 1.0, 1.47 (95% CI = 0.29 to 7.50), and 7.30 (95% CI = 1.46 to 36.57) for workers with 15-year lagged cumulative REC tertiles of less than 8, 8 to less than 304, and 304 μg/m(3)-y or more, respectively. We also observed an interaction between smoking and 15-year lagged cumulative REC (P(interaction) = .086) such that the effect of each of these exposures was attenuated in the presence of high levels of the other.ConclusionOur findings provide further evidence that diesel exhaust exposure may cause lung cancer in humans and may represent a potential public health burden.

• The Diesel Exhaust in Miners Study: V. Evaluation of the Exposure Assessment Methods.

  Authors: Patricia A Stewart, Roel Vermeulen, Joseph B Coble, Aaron Blair, Patricia Schleiff, Jay H Lubin, Mike Attfield, Debra T Silverman

  The Annals of occupational hygiene. 03/2012;

  Exposure to respirable elemental carbon (REC), a component of diesel exhaust (DE), was assessed for an epidemiologic study investigating the association between DE and mortality, particularly fromExposure to respirable elemental carbon (REC), a component of diesel exhaust (DE), was assessed for an epidemiologic study investigating the association between DE and mortality, particularly from lung cancer, among miners at eight mining facilities from the date of dieselization (1947-1967) through 1997. To provide insight into the quality of the estimates for use in the epidemiologic analyses, several approaches were taken to evaluate the exposure assessment process and the quality of the estimates. An analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the variability of 1998-2001 REC measurements within and between exposure groups of underground jobs. Estimates for the surface exposure groups were evaluated to determine if the arithmetic means (AMs) of the REC measurements increased with increased proximity to, or use of, diesel-powered equipment, which was the basis on which the surface groups were formed. Estimates of carbon monoxide (CO) (another component of DE) air concentrations in 1976-1977, derived from models developed to predict estimated historical exposures, were compared to 1976-1977 CO measurement data that had not been used in the model development. Alternative sets of estimates were developed to investigate the robustness of various model assumptions. These estimates were based on prediction models using: (i) REC medians rather AMs, (ii) a different CO:REC proportionality than a 1:1 relation, and (iii) 5-year averages of historical CO measurements rather than modeled historical CO measurements and DE-related determinants. The analysis of variance found that in three of the facilities, most of the between-group variability in the underground measurements was explained by the use of job titles. There was relatively little between-group variability in the other facilities. The estimated REC AMs for the surface exposure groups rose overall from 1 to 5 μg m(-3) as proximity to, and use of, diesel equipment increased. The alternative estimates overall were highly correlated (∼0.9) with the primary set of estimates. The median of the relative differences between the 1976-1977 CO measurement means and the 1976-1977 estimates for six facilities was 29%. Comparison of estimated CO air concentrations from the facility-specific prediction models with historical CO measurement data found an overall agreement similar to that observed in other epidemiologic studies. Other evaluations of components of the exposure assessment process found moderate to excellent agreement. Thus, the overall evidence suggests that the estimates were likely accurate representations of historical personal exposure levels to DE and are useful for epidemiologic analyses.

• Combining a job-exposure matrix with exposure measurements to assess occupational exposure to benzene in a population cohort in shanghai, china.

  Authors: Melissa C Friesen, Joseph B Coble, Wei Lu, Xiao-Ou Shu, Bu-Tian Ji, Shouzheng Xue, Lutzen Portengen, Wong-Ho Chow, Yu-Tang Gao, Gong Yang, Nathaniel Rothman, Roel Vermeulen

  The Annals of occupational hygiene. 01/2012; 56(1):80-91.

  Generic job-exposure matrices (JEMs) are often used in population-based epidemiologic studies to assess occupational risk factors when only the job and industry information of each subject isGeneric job-exposure matrices (JEMs) are often used in population-based epidemiologic studies to assess occupational risk factors when only the job and industry information of each subject is available. JEM ratings are often based on professional judgment, are usually ordinal or semi-quantitative, and often do not account for changes in exposure over time. We present an empirical Bayesian framework that combines ordinal subjective JEM ratings with benzene measurements. Our aim was to better discriminate between job, industry, and time differences in exposure levels compared to using a JEM alone. We combined 63 221 short-term area air measurements of benzene exposure (1954-2000) collected during routine health and safety inspections in Shanghai, China, with independently developed JEM intensity ratings for each job and industry using a mixed-effects model. The fixed-effects terms included the JEM intensity ratings for job and industry (both ordinal, 0-3) and a time trend that we incorporated as a b-spline. The random-effects terms included job (n = 33) and industry nested within job (n = 399). We predicted the benzene concentration in two ways: (i) a calibrated JEM estimate was calculated using the fixed-effects model parameters for calendar year and JEM intensity ratings; (ii) a job-/industry-specific estimate was calculated using the fixed-effects model parameters and the best linear unbiased predictors from the random effects for job and industry using an empirical Bayes estimation procedure. Finally, we applied the predicted benzene exposures to a prospective population-based cohort of women in Shanghai, China (n = 74 942). Exposure levels were 13 times higher in 1965 than in 2000 and declined at a rate that varied from 4 to 15% per year from 1965 to 1985, followed by a small peak in the mid-1990s. The job-/industry-specific estimates had greater differences between exposure levels than the calibrated JEM estimates (97.5th percentile/2.5th percentile exposure level, (B)(G)R(95)(B): 20.4 versus 3.0, respectively). The calibrated JEM and job-/industry-specific estimates were moderately correlated in any given year (Pearson correlation, r(p) = 0.58). We classified only those jobs and industries with a job or industry JEM exposure probability rating of 3 (>50% of workers exposed) as exposed. As a result, 14.8% of the subjects and 8.7% of the employed person-years in the study population were classified as benzene exposed. The cumulative exposure metrics based on the calibrated JEM and job-/industry-specific estimates were highly correlated (r(p) = 0.88). We provide a useful framework for combining quantitative exposure data with expert-based exposure ratings in population-based studies that maximized the information from both sources. Our framework calibrated the ratings to a concentration scale between ratings and across time and provided a mechanism to estimate exposure when a job/industry group reported by a subject was not represented in the exposure database. It also allowed the job/industry groups' exposure levels to deviate from the pooled average for their respective JEM intensity ratings.

• Development of an exposure measurement database on five lung carcinogens (ExpoSYN) for quantitative retrospective occupational exposure assessment.

  Authors: Susan Peters, Roel Vermeulen, Ann Olsson, Rainer Van Gelder, Benjamin Kendzia, Raymond Vincent, Barbara Savary, Nick Williams, Torill Woldbæk, Jérôme Lavoué, Domenico Cavallo, Andrea Cattaneo, Dario Mirabelli, Nils Plato, Dirk Dahmann, Joelle Fevotte, Beate Pesch, Thomas Brüning, Kurt Straif, Hans Kromhout

  The Annals of occupational hygiene. 01/2012; 56(1):70-9.

  SYNERGY is a large pooled analysis of case-control studies on the joint effects of occupational carcinogens and smoking in the development of lung cancer. A quantitative job-exposure matrix (JEM)SYNERGY is a large pooled analysis of case-control studies on the joint effects of occupational carcinogens and smoking in the development of lung cancer. A quantitative job-exposure matrix (JEM) will be developed to assign exposures to five major lung carcinogens [asbestos, chromium, nickel, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and respirable crystalline silica (RCS)]. We assembled an exposure database, called ExpoSYN, to enable such a quantitative exposure assessment. Existing exposure databases were identified and European and Canadian research institutes were approached to identify pertinent exposure measurement data. Results of individual air measurements were entered anonymized according to a standardized protocol. The ExpoSYN database currently includes 356 551 measurements from 19 countries. In total, 140 666 personal and 215 885 stationary data points were available. Measurements were distributed over the five agents as follows: RCS (42%), asbestos (20%), chromium (16%), nickel (15%), and PAH (7%). The measurement data cover the time period from 1951 to present. However, only a small portion of measurements (1.4%) were performed prior to 1975. The major contributing countries for personal measurements were Germany (32%), UK (22%), France (14%), and Norway and Canada (both 11%). ExpoSYN is a unique occupational exposure database with measurements from 18 European countries and Canada covering a time period of >50 years. This database will be used to develop a country-, job-, and time period-specific quantitative JEM. This JEM will enable data-driven quantitative exposure assessment in a multinational pooled analysis of community-based lung cancer case-control studies.

• STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology--Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME): an extension of the STROBE statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  Mutagenesis. 01/2012; 27(1):17-29.

  Advances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility and clinicalAdvances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility and clinical outcomes are used as proxies for investigating interactions between external and / or endogenous agents and body components or processes. The need for improved reporting of scientific research led to influential statements of recommendations such as the STrengthening Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. The STROBE initiative established in 2004 aimed to provide guidance on how to report observational research. Its guidelines provide a user-friendly checklist of 22 items to be reported in epidemiological studies, with items specific to the three main study designs: cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies. The present STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology - Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME) initiative builds on the STROBE statement implementing nine existing items of STROBE and providing 17 additional items to the 22 items of STROBE checklist. The additions relate to the use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies, concerning collection, handling and storage of biological samples; laboratory methods, validity and reliability of biomarkers; specificities of study design; and ethical considerations. The STROBE-ME recommendations are intended to complement the STROBE recommendations.

• STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology - Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME): an extension of the STROBE statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  European journal of clinical investigation. 01/2012; 42(1):1-16.

  Advances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility and clinicalAdvances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility and clinical outcomes are used as proxies for investigating interactions between external and/or endogenous agents and body components or processes. The need for improved reporting of scientific research led to influential statements of recommendations such as the STrengthening Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. The STROBE initiative established in 2004 aimed to provide guidance on how to report observational research. Its guidelines provide a user-friendly checklist of 22 items to be reported in epidemiological studies, with items specific to the three main study designs: cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies. The present STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology -Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME) initiative builds on the STROBE statement implementing nine existing items of STROBE and providing 17 additional items to the 22 items of STROBE checklist. The additions relate to the use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies, concerning collection, handling and storage of biological samples; laboratory methods, validity and reliability of biomarkers; specificities of study design; and ethical considerations. The STROBE-ME recommendations are intended to complement the STROBE recommendations.

• STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology--Molecular Epidemiology STROBE-ME: an extension of the STROBE statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  Journal of clinical epidemiology. 12/2011; 64(12):1350-63.

  Advances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change susceptibility and clinicalAdvances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change susceptibility and clinical outcomes are used as proxies for investigating the interactions between external and/or endogenous agents and body components or processes. The need for improved reporting of scientific research led to influential statements of recommendations such as the STrengthening Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. The STROBE initiative established in 2004 aimed to provide guidance on how to report observational research. Its guidelines provide a user-friendly checklist of 22 items to be reported in epidemiological studies, with items specific to the three main study designs: cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies. The present STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology -Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME) initiative builds on the STROBE statement implementing 9 existing items of STROBE and providing 17 additional items to the 22 items of STROBE checklist. The additions relate to the use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies, concerning collection, handling and storage of biological samples; laboratory methods, validity and reliability of biomarkers; specificities of study design; and ethical considerations. The STROBE-ME recommendations are intended to complement the STROBE recommendations.

• STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology - Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME): an extension of the STROBE statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  Preventive medicine. 12/2011; 53(6):377-87.

  Advances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility and clinicalAdvances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility and clinical outcomes are used as proxies for investigating the interactions between external and/or endogenous agents and the body components or processes. The need for improved reporting of scientific research led to influential statements of recommendations such as the STrenghtening Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. The STROBE initiative established in 2004 aimed to provide guidance on how to report observational research. Its guidelines provide a user-friendly checklist of 22 items to be reported in epidemiological studies, with items specific to the three main study designs: cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies. The present STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology - Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME) initiative builds on the STROBE Statement implementing 9 existing items of STROBE and providing 17 additional items to the 22 items of STROBE checklist. The additions relate to the use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies, concerning collection, handling and storage of biological samples; laboratory methods, validity and reliability of biomarkers; specificities of study design; and ethical considerations. The STROBE-ME recommendations are intended to complement the STROBE recommendations.

• Occupational benzene exposure and lymphoma risks: vlaanderen et Al. Respond.

  Authors: Jelle Vlaanderen, Qing Lan, Nat Rothman, Hans Kromhout, Roel Vermeulen

  Environmental health perspectives. 11/2011; 119(11):a468-9.

• Modelling of occupational respirable crystalline silica exposure for quantitative exposure assessment in community-based case-control studies.

  Authors: Susan Peters, Roel Vermeulen, Lützen Portengen, Ann Olsson, Benjamin Kendzia, Raymond Vincent, Barbara Savary, Jérôme Lavoué, Domenico Cavallo, Andrea Cattaneo, Dario Mirabelli, Nils Plato, Joelle Fevotte, Beate Pesch, Thomas Brüning, Kurt Straif, Hans Kromhout

  Journal of environmental monitoring : JEM. 11/2011; 13(11):3262-8.

  We describe an empirical model for exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) to create a quantitative job-exposure matrix (JEM) for community-based studies. Personal measurements of exposure toWe describe an empirical model for exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) to create a quantitative job-exposure matrix (JEM) for community-based studies. Personal measurements of exposure to RCS from Europe and Canada were obtained for exposure modelling. A mixed-effects model was elaborated, with region/country and job titles as random effect terms. The fixed effect terms included year of measurement, measurement strategy (representative or worst-case), sampling duration (minutes) and a priori exposure intensity rating for each job from an independently developed JEM (none, low, high). 23,640 personal RCS exposure measurements, covering a time period from 1976 to 2009, were available for modelling. The model indicated an overall downward time trend in RCS exposure levels of -6% per year. Exposure levels were higher in the UK and Canada, and lower in Northern Europe and Germany. Worst-case sampling was associated with higher reported exposure levels and an increase in sampling duration was associated with lower reported exposure levels. Highest predicted RCS exposure levels in the reference year (1998) were for chimney bricklayers (geometric mean 0.11 mg m(-3)), monument carvers and other stone cutters and carvers (0.10 mg m(-3)). The resulting model enables us to predict time-, job-, and region/country-specific exposure levels of RCS. These predictions will be used in the SYNERGY study, an ongoing pooled multinational community-based case-control study on lung cancer.

• STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology: Molecular Epidemiology STROBE-ME. An extension of the STROBE statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  Journal of epidemiology and community health. 10/2011;

  Advances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility, and clinicalAdvances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility, and clinical outcomes are used as proxies for investigating the interactions between external and/or endogenous agents and the body components or processes. The need for improved reporting of scientific research led to influential statements of recommendations such as STrengthening Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. The STROBE initiative established in 2004 aimed to provide guidance on how to report observational research. Its guidelines provide a user-friendly checklist of 22 items to be reported in epidemiological studies, with items specific to the three main study designs: cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies. The present STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology - Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME) initiative builds on the STROBE Statement implementing 9 existing items of STROBE and providing 17 additional items to the 22 items of STROBE checklist. The additions relate to the use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies, concerning collection, handling and storage of biological samples; laboratory methods, validity and reliability of biomarkers; specificities of study design; and ethical considerations. The STROBE-ME recommendations are intended to complement the STROBE recommendations.

• STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology - Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME): an extension of the STROBE Statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  PLoS medicine. 10/2011; 8(10):e1001117.

• STrengthening the reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology-Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME): an extension of the STROBE statement.

  Authors: Valentina Gallo, Matthias Egger, Valerie McCormack, Peter B Farmer, John P A Ioannidis, Micheline Kirsch-Volders, Giuseppe Matullo, David H Phillips, Bernadette Schoket, Ulf Stromberg, Roel Vermeulen, Christopher Wild, Miquel Porta, Paolo Vineis

  European journal of epidemiology. 10/2011; 26(10):797-810.

  Advances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility, and clinicalAdvances in laboratory techniques have led to a rapidly increasing use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies. Biomarkers of internal dose, early biological change, susceptibility, and clinical outcomes are used as proxies for investigating the interactions between external and/or endogenous agents and the body components or processes. The need for improved reporting of scientific research led to influential statements of recommendations such as STrengthening Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement. The STROBE initiative established in 2004 aimed to provide guidance on how to report observational research. Its guidelines provide a user-friendly checklist of 22 items to be reported in epidemiological studies, with items specific to the three main study designs: cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies. The present STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology-Molecular Epidemiology (STROBE-ME) initiative builds on the STROBE Statement implementing 9 existing items of STROBE and providing 17 additional items to the 22 items of STROBE checklist. The additions relate to the use of biomarkers in epidemiological studies, concerning collection, handling and storage of biological samples; laboratory methods, validity and reliability of biomarkers; specificities of study design; and ethical considerations. The STROBE-ME recommendations are intended to complement the STROBE recommendations.

• The intake of grain fibers modulates cytokine levels in blood.

  Authors: Shu-Chun Chuang, Roel Vermeulen, Mansour T A Sharabiani, Carlotta Sacerdote, S H Fatemeh, Franco Berrino, Vittorio Krogh, Domenico Palli, Salvatore Panico, Rosario Tumino, Toby James Athersuch, Paolo Vineis

  Biomarkers : biochemical indicators of exposure, response, and susceptibility to chemicals. 09/2011; 16(6):504-10.

  Dietary fiber may modulate the environment of the intestinal lumen, alter the intestinal microflora populations, and influence the immune response and disease risk. Epidemiological investigationsDietary fiber may modulate the environment of the intestinal lumen, alter the intestinal microflora populations, and influence the immune response and disease risk. Epidemiological investigations have suggested that higher fiber intake is associated with lower overall mortality, in particular from cardiovascular and digestive tract diseases. Here a panel of 17 cytokines and chemokines were measured in plasma of 88 cancer-free subjects sampled within the Italian EPIC-Italy cohort. A statistically significant inverse association (p-trend = 0.01) was observed for cereal fiber and cytokines included in the main factor in factor analysis (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, and TNF-α), which alone explained 35.5% of variance. Our study suggests that fiber intake, especially cereal fiber, may be associated with a decreased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

• Occupational exposure to organic dust increases lung cancer risk in the general population.

  Authors: Susan Peters, Hans Kromhout, Ann C Olsson, Heinz-Erich Wichmann, Irene Brüske, Dario Consonni, Maria Teresa Landi, Neil Caporaso, Jack Siemiatycki, Lorenzo Richiardi [......] Vladimir Janout, Isabelle Stücker, Rodica Stanescu Dumitru, Simone Benhamou, Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, Benjamin Kendzia, Beate Pesch, Kurt Straif, Thomas Brüning, Roel Vermeulen

  Thorax. 08/2011; 67(2):111-6.

  Organic dust is a complex mixture of particulate matter from microbial, plant or animal origin. Occupations with exposure to animal products have been associated with an increased lung cancer risk,Organic dust is a complex mixture of particulate matter from microbial, plant or animal origin. Occupations with exposure to animal products have been associated with an increased lung cancer risk, while exposure to microbial components (eg, endotoxin) has been associated with a decreased risk. To date there has not been a comprehensive evaluation of the possible association between occupational organic dust exposure (and its specific constituents) and lung cancer risk in the general population. The SYNERGY project has pooled information on lifetime working and smoking from 13 300 lung cancer cases and 16 273 controls from 11 case-control studies conducted in Europe and Canada. A newly developed general population job-exposure matrix (assigning no, low or high exposure to organic dust, endotoxin, and contact with animals or fresh animal products) was applied to determine level of exposure. ORs for lung cancer were estimated by logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, study, cigarette pack-years, time since quitting smoking, and ever employment in occupations with established lung cancer risk. Occupational organic dust exposure was associated with increased lung cancer risk. The second to the fourth quartile of cumulative exposure showed significant risk estimates ranging from 1.12 to 1.24 in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.001). This association remained in the highest quartile after restricting analyses to subjects without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma. No association was observed between lung cancer and exposure to endotoxin or contact with animals or animal products. Occupational exposure to organic dust was associated with increased lung cancer risk in this large pooled case-control study.

• Circulating soluble CD30 and future risk of lymphoma; evidence from two prospective studies in the general population.

  Authors: Roel Vermeulen, Fatemeh Saberi Hosnijeh, Lützen Portengen, Vittorio Krogh, Domenico Palli, Salvatore Panico, Rosario Tumino, Carlotta Sacredote, Mark Purdue, Qing Lan, Nathaniel Rothman, Paolo Vineis

  Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology. 08/2011; 20(9):1925-7.

  Elevated circulating soluble CD30 (sCD30) has been previously associated with AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) risk. This finding was recently extended to the general population where elevatedElevated circulating soluble CD30 (sCD30) has been previously associated with AIDS-related non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) risk. This finding was recently extended to the general population where elevated levels of sCD30 were reported in prediagnostic serum among subjects that developed NHL later in life. We carried out a replication study within the Italian European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Plasma sCD30 concentration was measured by ELISA in prospectively collected blood of 35 B-cell lymphoma cases and 36 matched controls. We observed significantly increased relative risks for lymphoma with increasing sCD30 levels [OR (95% CI) for second and third tertiles vs. first tertile: 5.5 (1.5-20.2), 4.0 (1.1-13.9), respectively]. In addition, spline analyses showed that the dose-response curve of sCD30 and lymphoma risk was monotonic and quite similar to the risks reported in the previous study. This replication study adds to the evidence that sCD30 is related to future lymphoma risk in a concentration-dependent manner in the general population. The results of this study strengthen the observation that chronic sustained B-cell activation plays an important role in lymphomagenesis.

• Plasma dioxin levels and cause-specific mortality in an occupational cohort of workers exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides, chlorophenols and contaminants.

  Authors: Daisy Boers, Lützen Portengen, Wayman E Turner, H Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita, Dick Heederik, Roel Vermeulen

  Occupational and environmental medicine. 08/2011; 69(2):113-8.

  We recently reported increased risks for all cancers and urinary cancers in workers exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides using data from the Dutch herbicide cohort study. These risks could not beWe recently reported increased risks for all cancers and urinary cancers in workers exposed to chlorophenoxy herbicides using data from the Dutch herbicide cohort study. These risks could not be linked to the qualitative exposure proxies available. Here, we re-investigate exposure-response relationships using a (semi)quantitative measure of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) exposure. Plasma TCDD levels of 187 workers were used to develop a predictive model for TCDD exposure. Cox proportional hazards model was used to investigate associations between time-varying TCDD exposure and cause-specific mortality. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the impact of key assumptions in exposure assessment. Predicted TCDD levels were associated with mortality from all causes (HR 1.08; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.13), ischaemic heart disease (IHD; HR 1.19; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.32) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL; HR 1.36; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.74). No relationships were found between TCDD exposure and mortality from all cancers, respiratory or urinary cancers, which were previously linked to qualitative proxies of TCDD exposure in this cohort. Sensitivity analyses showed that results were relatively robust to slight changes in exposure estimation. Modelled TCDD exposure does not explain the previously reported increased risks for cancer mortality in this cohort except for a possible association with NHL. A small increase in ischaemic heart disease was observed, however we cannot exclude that this finding was due to residual confounding. Although risk estimates for some of the rarer outcomes were still rather imprecise, we do not expect more precise estimates from longer follow-up of this cohort due to the long time-span since last exposure to TCDD.