Lung health in workers exposed to reed dust.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey in a cellulose plant among 109 reed workers, exposed to reed dust and 78 unexposed office workers, to investigate respiratory health effects of reed dust exposure. Investigations included dust measurements, serum total IgE, skin prick test, pulmonary function testing and questionnaire on respiratory symptoms. Total dust level in the reed processing unit was higher than the office (9.7 and 0.02 mg/m3, respectively). Reed workers had a higher rate of current smoking (67% and 46%, respectively). After the adjustment for smoking status and age, reed dust exposure was significantly associated with wheezing, chronic cough, dyspnea, itching eyes and itching nose. Chest tightness and ODTS symptoms were only reported by reed workers (27.5% and 23.9%, respectively). After the adjustment for pack-years of smoking, percentage of predicted FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and FEF25-75 in reed workers were significantly lower than office workers. Among reed workers, wheezing was associated with older age (>40 years) and ever smoking, and cross-shift decline in FVC and FEV1 with shorter duration of work. Reed dust exposure in the workplace could provoke respiratory symptoms, possibly due to an irritating effect. Health selection bias is likely, and could have underestimated the health effects of reed dust exposure.

Pinealectomy does not affect the healing of experimental colonic anastomoses.

Gastrointestinal system anastomoses, especially colonic anastomoses, have significant morbidity and mortality despite recent technical improvements. Besides regulating the circadian rhythm, the pineal gland and its main neurohormone product melatonin have widespread actions in the organism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pinealectomy on the healing of colonic anastomoses. One hundred male albino Wistar rats were used in this study. The rats were separated into three groups: control, pinealectomy, and sham groups. In the control group, only colonic resection and anastomoses were performed. Following pinealectomy, colonic anastomosis was performed 2 weeks later on one half and 2 months later on the other half of the pinealectomy group. Only craniotomy was performed on the sham group, and the rats were separated and evaluated like the pinealectomy group. Colonic anastomoses were evaluated on postanastomotic day 3 and 7 by measuring the bursting pressure and the hydroxyproline levels in the anastomotic segments. There was no difference in the bursting pressure measurements between the groups on both postoperative day 3 and 7. Although hydroxyproline levels were different between groups on both postanastomotic days 3 and 7, it has been observed that neither normal nor anastomotic hydroxyproline levels influenced the anastomotic bursting pressure measurements. The percent deviation from the normal values was compared in the anastomotic segments, and no differences were found regarding the bursting pressure and hydroxyproline levels. It was concluded that pinealectomy has no effect on the healing of colonic anastomoses.