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Lung Cancer and Indoor Air Pollution in Xuan Wei, China XUAN WEI COUNTY, IN YUNNANProvince, China, has a population of about 1 million people, more than 90% of whom are [...]

Diverse indoor combustion sources contribute to the indoor air environment. To evaluate the effect of these sources on human respiratory health, we examined associations between respiratory conditions and household factors in the 2360 children's fathers (mean = 38.4 years old) and associations between lung function and household factors in 463 primary school children (mean = 8.3 years old) from Wuhan, China. Factor analysis developed new uncorrelated ‘factor’ variables. Unconditional logistic regression models or linear regression models, controlling for important covariates, estimated the respiratory health effects. Coal smoke derived from home heating (‘heating coal smoke’) was associated with high adult reporting of persistent cough, persistent phlegm, and wheeze. Cooking coal smoke was associated with physician-diagnosed adult asthma and decreased forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1) in children. The presence of any home cigarette smoker was associated with more reports of persistent cough, persistent phlegm, cough with phlegm, and bronchitis. Our study suggests that in Wuhan, there may be independent respiratory health effects of different indoor combustion sources and their exposure factors for these study populations. Practical Implications We conclude that multiple indoor air pollution sources could have adverse respiratory health effects on both children and middle-aged men in the city of Wuhan, China. These results may have implications for the Wuhan local government, the Chinese government, or other related organizations in efforts on protecting public health through regulation of indoor air pollution from indoor combustion sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cases of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx arc described, one occurring in a patient with a solitary keratoacanthoma, the other in a patient with multiple keratoacanthomas. Investigation and treatment in the conventional manner are strongly advised. Any temptation to delay, based on the rare entity of benign eruptive keratoacanthoma, should be resisted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare maternal serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) samples before 18 weeks gestation in mothers of boys with cryptorchidism or hypospadias with that in mothers of normal boys. The effect of season on maternal hCG was also assessed. Subjects and methods Stored serum samples from mothers of singleton male fetuses born between January 1988 and December 1992 were assayed for total hCG, using a Delfia assay. There were 153 eligible samples from 96 mothers of normal boys, 31 of those with cryptorchidism, and 26 of those with hypospadias. Results The data from mothers of normal boys were used to construct a time-specific reference range for hCG. Plotting the hCG levels of the other groups and superimposing the reference range showed no significant difference between them ( P= 0.09). Maternal hCG was not significantly different between cryptorchid boys requiring orchidopexy and those experiencing early spontaneous descent. An analysis of covariance allowing for gestational age showed that maternal hCG is significantly higher during the peak summer than peak winter months ( P= 0.046). Conclusion While a seasonal effect on maternal hCG was demonstrated our data does not suggest this to be the sole cause for cryptorchidism or hypospadias or to account for the observation that both have a seasonal frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the development of vocabulary and syntax comprehension skills cros-sectionally in 48 children and adolescents with Down syndrome (Trisomy 21), aged 5-20 years, in comparison to 48 control children aged 2-6 years matched statistically for nonverbal mental age and mother's years of education. Method; Results; Discussion.

Shares the author's insights on a nail abnormality known as overcurvature of the nails. Tendency of the edge of the nail plate to cut into the lateral nail fold; Cause of the nail disorder; Case of an Irish patient with the said disorder.

Objective: To test whether improvement in household coal stoves affected the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Xuanwei County, China. Design: Retrospective cohort study (follow-up 1976–92) comparing incidence of COPD between groups with and without chimneys. Participants: A total of 20,453 people born into homes with unvented coal stoves: 16,606 (81.2%) subsequently changed to stoves with chimneys. Intervention: Installation of a chimney in households in which unvented stoves had been used previously. Results: Installation of a chimney was associated with distinct reduction in the incidence of COPD. Compared with people who did not have chimneys, the Cox-modelled risk ratio (relative risk) was 0.58 (95% confidence interval 0.49–0.70, ) in men and 0.75 (0.62–0.92, ) in women. Modelled risk ratios were robust to different Cox model specifications. Relative risks decreased with time since stove improvement. In both sexes, the reduction in risk became unequivocal about 10 years after stove improvement. Conclusions: In Xuanwei, incidence of COPD decreased markedly after household coal stoves were improved. Reproduced with permission from the BMJ Publishing Group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the effects of pollution on the pulmonary function of children in Wuhan, China. Levels of total suspended particulate found in children; Comparison of results between children living in urban and suburban areas; Differences in slopes of lung function growth in suburban areas.