IS SMOKING INJURIOUS?

Is vibration truly an injurious stimulus in the human spine?

Epidemiological data at one time was taken to suggest that chronic vibrations--for example operating vehicles with low-quality seats--contributed to intervertebral disc degeneration and lower back pain. More recent discussions, based in part upon extended twin studies, have cast doubt upon this interpretation, and question how much of the vibration is actually transmitted to the spine during lo...

Serratia marcescens is injurious to intestinal epithelial cells.

Diarrhea causes substantial morbidity and mortality in children in low-income countries. Although numerous pathogens cause diarrhea, the etiology of many episodes remains unknown. Serratia marcescens is incriminated in hospital-associated infections, and HIV/AIDS associated diarrhea. We have recently found that Serratia spp. may be found more commonly in the stools of patients with diarrhea tha...

Smoking and depression: Is smoking cessation effective?

Patients with depression tend to have a higher rate of smoking and an increased severity of nicotine dependence. It seems that common genetic and environmental factors may influence the bimodal relationship between smoking and depression. Nicotine has some positive reinforcing/rewarding effects that may affect people with mood disorders and smoking is also used as a ;relief medication' in order...

Clean air is the key to clean lungs: Secondhand smoke is injurious to health

Both developed and less developed countries are becoming increasingly urbanized. The earlier industrialized countries have developed more infrastructure to support the building of healthy housing, in neighborhoods that are strongly linked to municipal and global health initiatives, but to some degree housing and neighborhood issues vary only in degree between the developing and developed worlds...

Blood lead level in opium abuse. Which is more dangerous? Opium smoking or opium ingestion?