Betel nut chewing is the most common cause of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). Arecoline is the main component of the betel nut, and is associated with the occurrence and development of OSF through cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and DNA damage. Similar types of stimuli elicit differential responses in different cells. In the present study, we investigated the effects of arecoline on the HaCaT epithel...

Background: The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a major public health challenge throughout the world. It is a major healthcare issue among the elderly. This study was to identify the association between the health promoting behaviors and the diabetic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods: Cross sectional and descriptive research designs were...

Background: Heavy metal pollution in farm soils is a grave concern in Taiwan. Previously, we found the incidence of oral cancer (OC) correlated positively with levels of nickel and arsenic in farm soils. Many OC patients have a second malignancy, among which esophageal cancer (EC) is the most common one in Taiwan. Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether these two cancers share some common r...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of genetic polymorphisms of the matrix metalloproteinase-11 (MMP-11) gene on the susceptibility of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the MMP-11 gene from 595 patients with oral cancer and 561 noncancer controls were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PC...

AIMS To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for cataracts in a rural region of central Myanmar. METHODS A cross-sectional, population-based survey of inhabitants >or=40 years of age from villages of central Myanmar; 2076 participated, and 2044 (82.3%) had an examinable lens in at least one eye. Data recording included smoking history, occupation, education level, betel-nut chewing, h...

BACKGROUND An outfall of urbanization in developing countries has been the mushrooming of slums where dwellers live in pitiable environmental conditions representing the lowest rung of social strata. This group is more vulnerable to practicing deleterious social habits, including tobacco and alcohol abuse. AIM The present study was undertaken to understand the strength of association between ...

Oral cancer, ranking sixth in the cancer incidence worldwide, is one of the most common neoplasms. Preneoplastic or premalignant (precancerous) lesions are lesions that can potentially transform into malignancy in a variety of tissues, including the oral cavity. Such oral lesions may be caused by tobacco use, exposure to the human papillomavirus and chewing of the betel nut. These substances co...

The high incidence of oropharyngeal, esophageal, and laryngeal cancers in certain parts of the world has been ascribed to conjugated tannins found in certain folk medicinal herbs. We extracted miang leaf and betel nut with phosphate-buffered saline (0.14 M NaCl, 0.15 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.4) and found that the extracts inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation by phytohemagglutinin-sti...

but we occasionall}7 come across cases where the victims have contracted the habit from the very beginning. We do not know how the people of Calcutta have derived their knowledge of the intoxicating property of a costly drug which has hitherto been only handled by medical men, but facts collected tend to show that they have got it from their Bhagalpore brethren where cocaine has become a social...

The aim of this study is to assess the association linking employment experience with alcohol, tobacco, and betel nut involvement among youth in Taiwan. In 2004, an outreach program was conducted during weekdays to recruit youth sample in seven major geographic regions. A total of 5886 youth aged 12-18 years drawn from 26 cities or towns were assessed by a two-page anonymous self-administered q...