T. L. Gerber

Bio: T. L. Gerber is an academic researcher. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 246 citations.

Health report

Abstract: Reports have come in from a few, scattered localities of an increase in the rare, programming-effectiveness syndrome. While the increase is rather small in absolute numbers, it is statistically significant at the .01 level. We believe that this upsurge is transitory and most likely was caused by subtle environmental changes such as corporate cost reduction campaigns impacting a monotonically decreasing programmer employment opportunity curve.

Is Breast Cancer the Same Disease in Asian and Western Countries

Abstract: A mini-symposium was held in Montreal, Canada, at the International Surgical Week for the Breast Surgical International in 2007 addressing the question whether breast cancer is the same disease in Asian and Western countries. Numerous investigators from Asian and Western countries presented the epidemiologic and clinical outcome data of women with breast cancer. Although there are significant similarities, the striking difference is that the peak age for breast cancer is between 40 and 50 years in the Asian countries, whereas the peak age in the Western countries is between 60 and 70 years. Also, the incidence of breast cancer in Asia is rising and is associated with increased mortality. In the West, although the incidence is increasing, the mortality rate is definitely decreasing. Future prospective data collection from Asian and Western countries may provide further interesting epidemiologic and outcome data regarding the outcome of women with breast cancer from Asian and Western countries. Whether breast cancer is the same disease in Asian and Western countries was the topic of a 2007 Breast Surgery International symposium at International Surgical Week. Participating investigators from China, Taiwan, India, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Canada, and the United States were asked beforehand to provide data on the epidemiology and treatment outcome of women in their countries. Comparisons of the epidemiologic and clinical outcome data of women with breast cancer showed significant similarities, but the striking difference is that the peak age is between 40 and 50 years in Asian countries, but is between 60 and 70 years in Western countries. The incidence of breast cancer in Asia is rising and is associated with increased mortality. In the West, although the incidence is also increasing, the mortality rate is definitely decreasing. Future prospective data collection from Asian and Western countries may provide further interesting epidemiologic and outcome data regarding the outcome of women with breast cancer from Asian and Western countries.

Environmental pollution and the global burden of disease

Abstract: Exposures to environmental pollution remain a major source of health risk throughout the world, though risks are generally higher in developing countries, where poverty, lack of investment in modern technology and weak environmental legislation combine to cause high pollution levels. Associations between environmental pollution and health outcome are, however, complex and often poorly characterized. Levels of exposure, for example, are often uncertain or unknown as a result of the lack of detailed monitoring and inevitable variations within any population group. Exposures may occur via a range of pathways and exposure processes. Individual pollutants may be implicated in a wide range of health effects, whereas few diseases are directly attributable to single pollutants. Long latency times, the effects of cumulative exposures, and multiple exposures to different pollutants which might act synergistically all create difficulties in unravelling associations between environmental pollution and health. Nevertheless, in recent years, several attempts have been made to assess the global burden of disease as a result of environmental pollution, either in terms of mortality or disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). About 8-9% of the total disease burden may be attributed to pollution, but considerably more in developing countries. Unsafe water, poor sanitation and poor hygiene are seen to be the major sources of exposure, along with indoor air pollution.