Mortality and cancer morbidity of finnish chlorophenoxy herbicide applicators: An 18-year prospective follow-up

An 18-year follow-up for mortality and cancer morbidity was conducted in a cohort of 1,909 men who had started spraying chlorophenoxy herbicides (mixture of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid [2,4-D] and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid [2,4,5-T]) in 1955 through 1971. In all, 384 persons had died during the follow-up, and there was a slight deficit in natural deaths (standardized mortality ratio [SMR] 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-0.94). By contrast, there was a small, nonsignificant increase in accidental and violent deaths. The overall cancer mortality was slightly less than in the general population (SMR 0.83; 95% CI 0.65-1.02), and not a single case of death of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) or soft tissue sarcomas (STS) was detected. With regard to cancer morbidity, the incident cases showed a slight deficit compared to the population figure (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] 0.81; 95% CI 0.67-0.97). One case of NHL was found (2.4 expected with 10 years of latency), but not a single case of STS (0.8 expected with 10 years of latency). While our study does not support the contention that spraying of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T containing herbicides carries any significant risk of cancer, the medium to low statistical power of the study does not allow any far reaching negative conclusions regarding the carcinogenicity of the agents.     

Effects of protein deficiency induced by raw soy with and without sucrose on dentine formation and dentinal caries in young rats

OBJECTIVES: The effects of protein deficiency and sucrose on formation and mineralization of dentine and dental caries in the molars of young rats were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two groups of weaning Wistar rats received raw soy flour to induce protein deficiency with sucrose or starch as the carbohydrate source; the other two groups received skim milk powder as the protein source with sucrose or starch as the carbohydrate source. At the onset, tetracycline was injected to mark the dentine formed at that moment. After 6 weeks, lower molars were sectioned sagittally, and the areas of dentine formation and dentinal caries developed during the experiment were quantified separately in the first and second molars. Dental caries was also classified according to Schiff's reaction. Calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) and total mineral elements were analyzed using an electron probe microanalyzer. RESULTS: Rats in both protein-deficient groups and normal protein sucrose group had significantly larger areas of dentine formed compared with rats fed with normal protein starch diet. Ca, P and total mineral elements in dentine were significantly reduced by normal protein sucrose diet. P content was significantly reduced in dentine of rats in protein-deficient sucrose group. Rats in normal protein sucrose group had significantly more and larger dentinal caries lesions than in any other group. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that protein deficiency induced by soy prevents the progression of dental caries even in highly cariogenic environment.     

Health spending projections through 2015: changes on the horizon

Growth in national health spending is projected to slow in 2005 to 7.4 percent, from a peak of 9.1 percent in 2002. Private health insurance premiums are projected to slow to 6.6 percent in 2005, with a rebound expected in 2007. The introduction of Medicare Part D drug coverage in 2006 produces a dramatic shift in spending across payers but has little net effect on aggregate spending growth. Health spending is expected to consistently outpace gross domestic product (GDP) over the coming decade, accounting for 20 percent of GDP by 2015.     

EPHX1 gene polymorphisms and individual susceptibility to lung cancer

We investigated the roles of EPHX1 Tyr113His and His139Arg polymorphisms in lung cancer susceptibility in a Finnish study population comprising of 230 lung cancer cases and a large control group (n=2105). The controls were distributed into five age strata, which enabled us to examine the potential age-related changes in the putative EPHX1 at-risk genotypes in the cancer free population. Although the exon 3 slow activity associated allele (His113) containing genotypes posed a decreased lung cancer risk compared with the homozygous wild-type Tyr113/Tyr113 genotype (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.49-0.94), no association was seen for the EPHX1 phenotypes interpreted from the combined exons 3 and 4 genotype data. Neither was any difference seen in the prevalence of the EPHX1 Tyr113His genotypes or interpreted EPHX1 phenotypes in the different age groups.     

Self-expandable metal stent for dysphagia caused by mediastinal masses in patients with lung cancer

Background and study aims

We intended to evaluate the role of self-expandable metal stents (SEMS) for palliation of malignant dysphagia in patients with lung cancer.

Self-reported oral health, oral hygiene habits, and dental attendance of pregnant women in Kuwait

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe self-reported oral health, oral hygiene habits, and frequency of visits to a dentist among pregnant women in Kuwait. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study with an anonymous structured questionnaire was distributed among 650 pregnant women during May-June 2003, when they were admitted to the maternity ward at the largest government maternity hospital in Kuwait City. The response rate was 93% (n=603). RESULTS: Every fourth respondent was in her first pregnancy, while 36% already had three or more children. Every fifth woman felt that her oral health was poor, and one-third of the women believed that they had periodontal problems currently. About two-thirds of the women were brushing more than once a day and almost all (94%) at least once a day. Over the previous 6 months, 40% had experienced dental pain. Half of the women had visited a dentist during pregnancy, mostly for dental pain. Most of the women had received no instructions concerning oral health care during their pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of the pregnant women in this study had oral health problems; however, half of the women had not seen a dentist during their pregnancy.     

Disturbed keratinocyte differentiation in transgenic mice and organotypic keratinocyte cultures as a result of spermidine/spermine N-acetyltransferase overexpression

Overexpression of the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine catabolism spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) in transgenic (Tg) mouse leads to accumulation of putrescine in the skin and permanent hair loss at the age of 3 wk. The hair follicles of these mice are replaced by dermal cysts and epidermal utriculi. Increased putrescine production is also seen in hyperproliferative cutaneous disorders such as in psoriasis. These disorders are characterized by delayed onset of epidermal differentiation characterized as reduced expression of terminal differentiation markers such as cytokeratins 1/10, and filaggrin and persisting expression of basal cell cytokeratins 5/14 in the suprabasal layers. The use of these markers in immunohistological analysis of SSAT Tg skin clearly showed signs of disturbed differentiation. To exclude the possibility that changes in differentiation originated from underlying connective tissue, we introduced SSAT gene into an established rat epidermal cell line. Organotypic cultures derived from the transfected cells displayed similar changes in their differentiation pattern as keratinocytes in Tg skin. The role of accumulated putrescine in cutaneous changes of SSAT Tg mice was verified by an experiment in which putrescine level was reduced by systemic putrescine biosynthesis inhibition. The putrescine reduction was sufficient to alleviate the cutaneous changes to such an extent that distinct hair regrowth could be seen. These results suggest that the cutaneous changes of SSAT Tg animals are due to disorders of the keratinocyte differentiation. Moreover, they strengthen the view that the proper regulation of polyamine metabolism plays an important role in the keratinocyte maturation.