Oral Cancer Screening at Workplace in India��One-year Follow-up

Background:

Oral cancer remains the commonest form of cancer and cancer-related deaths among Indian males due to popularity of avoidable risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol use. A workplace oral cancer screening and tobacco cessation study was commenced on World No Tobacco Day 2007 at a chemical industry in rural Maharashtra.

Aims:

The objectives were to screen the employees for oral neoplasia and to correlate it with their tobacco consumption pattern. In addition, the objective was to provide tobacco cessation services at the workplace.

Materials and Methods:

This is an interventional cohort study among 104 employees of a chemical industrial unit in rural Maharashtra. Naked eye examination of the oral cavity was performed for all employees by a doctor irrespective of the tobacco habits at the beginning and at the end of 1 year. In between, the tobacco users were regularly examined during each follow-up.

Statistical analysis used:

Through personal interviews of the participants, data were manually recorded and were transferred to electronic data base. Data analysis was conducted in STATA™ 8.2 on intention to treat basis.

Results and Conclusions:

Among the 104 employees, 50 (48.08%) were current tobacco users at the beginning of the program. Oral precancers were seen exclusively among 20 (40%) tobacco users. After 1 year of workplace tobacco cessation intervention, 80% of oral precancers regressed. This shows that screening of the oral cavity at the workplace is effective when combined with tobacco cessation.     

Mechanisms of hemolytic anemia during experimental methemoglobinemias

A complex study of the peripheral erythron component was performed during methemoglobinemias induced by single administration of sodium nitrate and phenylhydrazine in LD₅₀. Administration of methemoglobin-forming agents to rats induced the development of hemolytic anemia. The pathogenesis of this disorder included significant long-term modifications of the erythrocyte membrane. The severity and duration of anemia syndrome depended on chemical structure of xenobiotics, blood methemoglobin level, and the duration of the acute period of methemoglobinemia. __________ Translated from Byulleten’ Eksperimental’noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 142, No. 11, pp. 509–513, November, 2006     

Lumbar laminectomy for herniated disc: a prospective controlled comparison with internal fixation fusion

This is a controlled prospective study on a matched set of patients with herniated lumbar discs. Both groups received the same bilateral lumbar laminectomy and disc excision by the same surgeon. One group had the addition of an intertransverse fusion with internal fixation. Both groups were studied by an independent examiner at an average of 3 years postoperatively for success rate as determined by activity level, medication, subjective and objective evaluation. Both groups had similar age, sex, and occupational characteristics. No patient had prior surgical treatment or chemonucleolysis. Patients with associated lumbar spine problems such as stenosis, instability, or spondylolisthesis were excluded. Each patient had a positive clinical picture for a herniated lumbar disc, as well as a positive myelogram, venogram or computerized tomographic scan. Most had positive electromyograms. All patients received at least 3 months of conservative care. The 38 patients with fusion had a significantly longer mean time to return to work after surgery versus the 31 patients without fusion. Although the general success rate of both groups was 87%, the best results were in the nonfusion group. A total of 29% of nonfusions had excellent results whereas only 11% of the fusion group had excellent results. The conclusion is that fusions are not necessary and give less excellent results in simple laminectomy cases for herniated lumbar disc.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrullus vulgaris</Emphasis> on some functional indices of selected tissues of Wistar rats

Citrullus vulgaris (watermelon) is a fruit with prophylactic and therapeutic potentials. In an attempt to maximize these potentials, the seed and rind are now often consumed together with the pulp. This study aimed at evaluating the implications of such consumption. Study involved the use of 35 Wistar rats grouped into seven with a control group administered distilled water, and the other groups administered varying concentrations of the pulp and whole fruit for 28 days. Alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT, AST) were assayed in the serum and liver. Total protein of the serum and selected tissues was determined and malondialdehyde (MDA) level measured. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of steroids, saponin, alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids in both whole fruit and pulp. Significant increases (p < 0.05) were seen in the liver ALT levels while there was a decreased (p < 0.05) intestinal total protein in the treatment groups. No significant (p ? 0.05) difference was seen in the serum and pancreas MDA levels while an increased (p < 0.05) intestinal MDA level was observed. Increased liver ALT levels in all the treatment groups might be due to high glutamate levels of C. vulgaris. Decreased (p ? 0.05) intestinal total protein might be indicative of protein loss, while elevated (p < 0.05) intestinal MDA levels in the groups administered whole fruit is suggestive of a defect in absorption at the intestinal epithelium. Hence, whole fruit consumption of C. vulgaris should be done with caution as it has potential to cause intestinal oxidative stress.