Skin cancer (excluding melanoma)

A brief review is given of the incidence, etiology, and the pathological presentation of the commoner forms of skin cancer with particular reference to its occurrence in the Maltese Islands. Methods of treatment are discussed. In Malta skin cancer is commonly found in the fairer skinned, mostly outdoor labourers such as farmers, fishermen and stone miners. Basal cell carcinomas in Malta, as in most other countries, are much commoner than squamous cell cancers; this is more evident in females. Treatment methods include prevention, surgery, radiotherapy and in selected cases, cytotoxic topical application.peer-reviewe

Incidence and treatment of cancer of the lip in Malta

Cancer of the lip is a condition which can be diagnosed at an early stage. If treated efficiently it carries an excellent prognosis. A brief account of its incidence in Malta and of the mode of treatment currently being adopted is presented. During a five year period from 1963 to 1967, there were 90 new cases diagnosed. This gives an average incidence of 18 new cases every year. If we take our population as being 300,000, we therefore have an incidence of 6 per 100,000. This is a comparatively high figure when compared to other parts of the world. Investigation into possible etiological factors has not been profitable. None of our patients had ever smoked clay pipes; only five of them were wooden-pipe smokers. The majority were moderately heavy cigarette smokers, but no more so than the general healthy population. 75% of the patients held, or had held for many years, full-time outdoor occupation, and the commonest incidence was in farmers, fishermen and stonemasons. This would appear to confirm that excessive exposure to actinic rays plays an etiological part.peer-reviewe

Early diagnosis of cancer

This paper was read at a symposium held at the Royal University of Malta on the 21st March 1974 organised by the Association of Surgeons and Physicians of Malta. Particular data on the incidence of the various forms of malignancies in the Maltese Islands is provided. The figures are derived from the records of the Malta Cancer Registry which is supported by a grant from the British Cancer Research Campaign and cover the four year period 1969-1972. Statistics are an essential basis for the planning of cancer-control and of early-detection programmes. The overall cancer incidence in Malta is much lower than that of Northern European Countries. Several reasons for this low incidence are outlined, whereby it is also essential that every so often we analyse our results and carry follow-up studies. Earlier diagnosis could have prevented much morbidity and reduced the mortality.peer-reviewe

Perinatal mortality necropsy findings 1957-1966

The 243 perinatal postmortem examinations carried out at St. Luke's Hospital Malta during the ten year period 1957-1966 are analysed and classified according to the International classification introduced by Butler and Bonham (1963). The series is compared with that of Butler and Bonham and explanations are offered for some of the divergent findings. Congenital malformations which accounted for 15.2% of all perinatal deaths, are analysed in some detail. Finally, figures indicate that in the more recent years, the number of perinatal deaths has decreased, whereas the number of necropsies has increased.peer-reviewe

Oral Cancer in Malta

The incidence of oral cancer is influenced by a variety of recognized contributory factors. A proportion of these factors are national habits. As a consequence the Incidence varies enormously from country to country and between different racial groups in the same country. This study, covering a four year period 1969-1972, was undertaken with a view to putting into perspective the problem of oral cancer in Malta. Oral cancer accounts for 6.2% of the total number of malignancies. This can be regarded as a relatively low percentage. A wide range of figures is reported from other countries varying between 5% and 50%. In Malta cancer of the lip is seen to account for the majority of oral tumours 55.9%. The incidence of oral malignancies is commoner in males than in females although cancer of the tongue is not uncommon in females. The relatively high incidence per 100,000 population of cancer of the lip gives cause for concern. This is no doubt due, in part, to the high level of actinic rays in the island.peer-reviewe

Effects of different application methods of chitosan on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of different application methods of chitosan on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications and twelve treatments combinations viz., T0= Control, T1= Soil application of chitosan (SAC) @80 ppm, T2= SAC @120 ppm, T3= Foliar spraying of chitosan (FSC) @60 ppm, T4= FSC @80 ppm, T5= FSC @100 ppm, T6= Combination of T1  and T3, T7= Combination of T1 and T4, T8= Combination of T1 and T5, T9= Combination of T2 and T3, T10= Combination of T2   and T4, and T11= Combination of T2 and T5. The study results revealed that there were significant variations among the treatments on number of leaves, numbers of flower cluster, flowering duration, fruit length and yield of tomato (L. esculentum). The highest yield of tomato (L. esculentum) was obtained from the treatment T6, while the lowest was obtained from control treatment. Vitamin-C and lycopene  content of tomato (L. esculentum) fruits varied from 2.19-4.09 and 2.38-3.58 mg 100g-1 sample, respectively. Among the major minerals, the highest amounts of Ca, Mg, Na, K, S and P were obtained from T7 (0.69%), T3 (0.58%), T8 (0.38%), T1 (0.62%), T4 (0.15%) and T6 (0.33%) treatments, respectively. Study results inferred that the treatment T4 was more effective concerning most of the growth and biochemical parameters of tomato (L. esculentum). Finally, the study concluded that foliar application of chitosan alone or in combination with soil has significant effect on growth, yield and biochemical characters of tomato (L. esculentum)

Biochemical analysis on blood and crop contents of household chickens along with their production and health status in Bangladesh

This study aimed to assess the biochemical parameters of household chickens at crop and blood levels and measure the body weight. For this purpose, 350 Deshi (local) and 27 Fayoumi day old chicks were reared in 2 separate brooders within a house for 15 days. Body weight, serum total protein and calcium levels of these chicks were evaluated on day 0 and 15. After control house trial, birds were distributed among the selected households. Again, body weights and certain biochemical parameters were assessed from randomly selected birds at 60, 120 and 180 days of age. Fayoumi birds gained higher weight (P<0.001) than at control trial, whereas Deshi birds attained better weight (P<0.001) at household. Crop contents were dominated by carbohydrate. The level of crude proteins and calcium in crop contents increased along with age regardless of bird types. The average phosphorous in the crop contents was 0.3% (60 days), 2.6% (120) and 0.7% (180) regardless of bird types. Both serum total protein (P<0.05) and calcium (P<0.05) were significantly difference in between bird types at control house study. In conclusion, Deshi birds attained higher weight at household. The crude protein was below standard. Calcium and Phosphorous levels in the crop contents varied with ages, regardless of bird types. \ua9 2012 PVJ

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 84.7%) were from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 62.8%), followed by strabismus (n = 429 10.2%) and proptosis (n = 309 7.4%). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 95% CI, 12.94-24.80, and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 95% CI, 4.30-7.68). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs. © 2020 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Correction and standardization of critical limit of zinc for maize (Zea mays L.) crop: Bangladesh perspective

Critical limit (CL) determination of zinc (Zn) is very important for predicting response of maize crop to its application in soils and for the crop’s actual fertilizer requirement. This study was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, to determine the CL of Zn for maize grown in 20 soils collected from the five Agro–Ecological Zones during January to March, and April to June of 2017. The available Zn content of soils and maize biomass were estimated utilizing the extraction method with 0.005 M diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). During January to March and April to June 2017, the amount of DTPA extractable Zn in different soils ranged from 0.60–3.25 mg kg−1 and 0.50–1.68 mg kg−1, respectively. During both periods of crop growth (January to March and April to June, 2017), the soil available zinc was negatively significantly correlated with soil pH, available P, exchangeable Ca, exchangeable Mg and positively significantly correlated with relative dry matter (DM) yield. Soil Zn also positively significantly correlated with maize tissue Zn content (r = 0.521*). However, the CL of Zn were estimated to be 0.84 mg kg−1 in soils and 26.1 mg kg−1 in maize tissue for maize cropping as determined by Cate and Nelson’s (1965) graphical procedure. Maize crop may respond to Zn application in soils containing Zn at/below the above level. This data may be used for predicting plant response to Zn fertilizer and development of crop Zn nutrition guide for maximum production