Neck Area Research Articles

Extracellular thiamine concentration influences thermogenic competency of differentiating neck area-derived human adipocytes.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates energy in the form of heat majorly via the mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). The activation of BAT, which is enriched in the neck area and contains brown and beige adipocytes in humans, was considered as a potential therapeutic target to treat obesity. Therefore, finding novel agents that can stimulate the differentiation and recruitment of brown or beige thermogenic adipocytes are important subjects for investigation. The current study investigated how the availability of extracellular thiamine (vitamin B1), an essential cofactor of mitochondrial enzyme complexes that catalyze key steps in the catabolism of nutrients, affects the expression of thermogenic marker genes and proteins and subsequent functional parameters during ex vivo adipocyte differentiation. We differentiated primary human adipogenic progenitors that were cultivated from subcutaneous (SC) or deep neck (DN) adipose tissues in the presence of gradually increasing thiamine concentrations during their 14-day differentiation program. mRNA and protein expression of thermogenic genes were analyzed by RT-qPCR and western blot, respectively. Cellular respiration including stimulated maximal and proton-leak respiration was measured by Seahorse analysis. Higher thiamine levels resulted in increased expression of thiamine transporter 1 and 2 both at mRNA and protein levels in human neck area-derived adipocytes. Gradually increasing concentrations of thiamine led to increased basal, cAMP-stimulated, and proton-leak respiration along with elevated mitochondrial biogenesis of the differentiated adipocytes. The extracellular thiamine availability during adipogenesis determined the expression levels of UCP1, PGC1a, CKMT2, and other browning-related genes and proteins in primary SC and DN-derived adipocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. Providing abundant amounts of thiamine further increased the thermogenic competency of the adipocytes. Case studies in humans reported that thiamine deficiency was found in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Our study raises the possibility of a novel strategy with long-term thiamine supplementation, which can enhance the thermogenic competency of differentiating neck area-derived adipocytes for preventing or combating obesity.

A 3-year Retrospective Analysis of Dento-Alveolar Injuries at the University Children's Hospital Zurich (2018-2020).

Children and adolescents are vulnerable to dental trauma due to their active lifestyles, lack of coordination, and inexperience in recognizing potentially dangerous situations. Early recognition and proper management of dental trauma is crucial in order to minimize the risk of complications and ensure optimal outcomes. The aim of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis of all dento-alveolar injuries in children and adolescents who were treated at the University Children's Hospital Zurich from 2018-2020 by the resident physicians of the Centre of Dental Medicine of the University of Zurich. All information concerning age and sex distribution, seasonal and weekly variations, as well as aetiology, types of trauma and co-affected structures in the head and neck area from 389 patients was analysed. For data extraction, a parameterised Excel list was created, enabling a continuous data collection. In the study, 65% of the patients were male and 35% female. The average patient age was 7 years and 4 months. The highest frequency of trauma occurred in mixed dentition (49%), followed by deciduous dentition (36%) and permanent dentition (15%). Most of the accidents occurred in the second quarter of the year, especially in the month of May slightly more injuries were reported. The most common injuries were increased tooth mobility (40%) and tooth fractures without pulp exposure (34%). Less frequent were tooth fractures with pulp exposure (12%), lateral dislocations (29%), avulsions (21%), intrusions (8%), extrusions (6%) and root fractures (4%). As in many studies the upper central incisors were most often affected. Main causes of dental trauma were falls, especially by bike (18%) or scooter (14%). Soft tissue injuries or fractures, in the area of the head and neck occurred in 59% and 10% of the cases simultaneously accompanied by dento-alveolar trauma.

Neck orthosis design for 3D printing with user enhanced comfort features

An area of interest in orthopaedics is the development of efficient customized neck orthoses, considered that pathologies which affect the neck area are widespread. Advanced acquisition and modelling approaches combined with Additive Manufacturing (AM) can potentially provide customized orthoses with improved performance and complexity. However, in the design of these devices, besides functional and structural requirements, benefit and comfort of the patient should be a main concern, in particular, at the early stage of design during the acquisition of the body’s part, and while using the printed orthosis. In this paper, a scanning system with three sensors was developed which allows a fast, about 5 s, and accurate acquisition of the neck area with minimum discomfort for the patient. A neck orthosis with a ventilation pattern obtained by Topology Optimization (TO), lightened by about 35%, was also established. In fact, a main role for comfort is played by the ventilation pattern which contributes both to lightness and breathability. Its structural and comfort performance was evaluated in comparison with an orthosis with a ventilation pattern configured by Voronoi cells. Structural assessment was carried out by means of finite element analysis under main loading conditions. An evaluation of neck temperatures in relation to wearing 3D printed prototypes, manufactured with Hemp Bio-Plastic® filament, was finally conducted by means of a thermal imaging camera. TO orthosis prototype showed a better performance regarding thermal comfort, with a maximum increase of neck temperature less than 1 °C, which makes the proposed configuration very promising for user's comfort.

Characterization of patients with odontogenic necrotizing soft tissue infections in the head and neck area. A retrospective analysis

Objective Necrotizing soft-tissue infection (NSTI) in the head and neck area may develop from odontogenic infections. The aim of this study was to characterize patients with NSTI in the head and neck with odontogenic origin in a well-defined prospectively collected cohort. Material and methods Patients with NSTI in the head and neck, hospitalized between 2013 and 2017 at Copenhagen University Hospital and registered in the Scandinavian INFECT database were included. Medical records of identified patients and from the INFECT database were screened for a defined set of data including the primary focus of infection, comorbidities, predisposing factors, clinical and radiographic diagnostics, course of treatment, and treatment outcome. Results Thirty-five patients with NSTI in the head and neck area were included in the study. A total of 54% had odontogenic origin, primarily from mandibular molars, and 94% had radiographic signs of infectious oral conditions. Overall, comorbidities were reported in 51% with cardiovascular disease being the most prevalent. In 20%, no comorbidities or predisposing conditions could be identified. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 9%. Conclusions More than half of NSTI cases in the head and neck region had an odontogenic origin, and special attention should be paid to infections related to mandibular molars.

Melanoma-specific survival in worse in the elderly: a multicentric cohort study.

We aimed to characterise cutaneous melanoma in the elderly and determine its association with poorer prognosis. We studied a prospective cohort of the melanoma population in Catalonia between 2012 and 2016. We compared young patient group (<75 years old) with elderly patient group (≥75 years old). We included 3009 patients (52.5% women) from 14 centres, with a mean age at diagnosis of 61.1 years. In the ≥75-year-old group there was a predominance of men (53.9% vs. 45.5%, P < 0.001), melanoma was more frequently located in the head and neck area (37.7% vs. 15.5%, P < 0.001) and lentigo maligna melanoma subtype was significantly more frequent (31.4% vs. 11.6%, P < 0.001), as were nodular melanoma and acral lentiginous melanoma (P < 0.001). In older people, Breslow index, the presence of ulceration and mitotic rate were higher than in younger people. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed longer melanoma specific survival (MSS) and melanoma-free survival (MFS) in <75-year-old group compared to the elderly group. Cox regression models demonstrated reduced MSS in patients ≥75 years regardless of gender, location, IB, ulceration and lymph node status at diagnosis (HR 1.54, P = 0.013) whereas MFS was not independently associated with elderly when head and neck location was considered. Age appears to be an independent risk factor for MSS but not for MFS. Worse melanoma prognosis in elderly could be explained by factors unrelated to the tumour, such as age-related frailty and comorbidities that limit the access to systemic treatments and, eventually, age-related immune dysfunction.

The Cervical Fat Tissue Volume is a Predictor for Moderate to Severe OSA.

Objective Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder characterized by recurrent pharyngeal obstruction during sleep, in which upper airway anatomy plays a key role in its pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to describe whether the quantification of cervical fat tissue volume (CFTV) obtained by Computed Tomography (CT)cephalometry is related to the severity of OSA. Methods Retrospective study between 2018 and 2020 in those patients > 18 years old, with diagnosis of OSA who performed a volumetric cephalometric imaging. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the images was performed and CFTV was measured. Results 91 patients were included in this study of which: without OSA (n: 7), mild (n: 19), moderate (n: 39) and severe OSA (n: 26). We observed a progressive increase of CFTV related to OSA severity has been observed (without OSA: 58.9 ml (47.9-87.5), mild: 59.1ml (48.4-78.3), moderate: 71 ml (42.6-127.1) and severe OSA 103.6 ml (81-153); p < 0.01); nevertheless, no differences were found in the airway volume and neck area. It was showed a significant correlation between CFTV and OSA indicators: AHI, ODI and T90 (Sp r: 0.48; 0.38 and 0.36; p < 0.01 respectively). CFTV cut-off value to discriminate AHI >15 ev/h with best sensitivity-specificity relationship was 64.1 ml with an area under the curve of 0.6 ± 0.06. Multivariate analysis showed that CFTV is a predictor for moderate to severe OSA (OR:3.05, IC95%: 1.14-8.17). Conclusion Cervical fat quantification by CT cephalometry correlates with OSA severity in adults. Fat volume > 64.1 ml increased more than three times the risk of OSA moderate to severe.

The CNN model aided the study of the clinical value hidden in the implant images.

This article aims to construct a new method to evaluate radiographic image identification results based on artificial intelligence, which can complement the limited vision of researchers when studying the effect of various factors on clinical implantation outcomes. We constructed a convolutional neural network (CNN) model using the clinical implant radiographic images. Moreover, we used gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) to obtain thermal maps to present identification differences before performing statistical analyses. Subsequently, to verify whether these differences presented by the Grad-CAM algorithm would be of value to clinical practices, we measured the bone thickness around the identified sites. Finally, we analyzed the influence of the implant type on the implantation according to the measurement results. The thermal maps showed that the sites with significant differences between Straumann BL and Bicon implants as identified by the CNN model were mainly the thread and neck area. (2) The heights of the mesial, distal, buccal, and lingual bone of the Bicon implant post-op were greater than those of Straumann BL (P<0.05). (3) Between the first and second stages of surgery, the amount of bone thickness variation at the buccal and lingual sides of the Bicon implant platform was greater than that of the Straumann BL implant (P<0.05). According to the results of this study, we found that the identified-neck-area of the Bicon implant was placed deeper than the Straumann BL implant, and there was more bone resorption on the buccal and lingual sides at the Bicon implant platform between the first and second stages of surgery. In summary, this study proves that using the CNN classification model can identify differences that complement our limited vision.

Artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging of the head and neck: Unwanted effects caused by implant-supported restorations fabricated with different alloys

Implant-supported restorations may cause artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head and neck area. However, the effect of different alloys remains unclear. The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess artifacts in head and neck MRI caused by implant-supported restorations with different alloys. Three dry mandibles were prepared to receive bilateral dental implants at the second premolar and second molar sites. Different alloy combinations were evaluated: titanium implants+cobalt chromium restorations; titanium-zirconium implants+cobalt chromium restorations; and zirconia implants+ceramic restorations. Specimens were imaged by using a 3-Tesla magnetic resonance scanner system (Achieva 3.0T TX; Philips GmbH) with a turbo-spin-echo sequence. Scan protocols were adjusted to optimize metal artifact reduction and shorten scan time. Artifact volumes were assessed and statistically analyzed by using the Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman tests (α=.05). A statistically significant difference was found among artifact volume caused by different materials (P=.002). The presence of titanium alloy was correlated with the artifact volume (r=-.87). Artifacts were greater for titanium and fewer for titanium-zirconium alloys, whereas zirconia implants found only minimal artifacts. The dimension of artifacts produced by implant-supported restorations varied according to the material.

349 How a Service Evaluation Carried Out by Junior Doctors Helped the Post Pandemic Management of Lumps and Bumps

Abstract Aim The GI surgery department deals with many clinical conditions including lumps and bumps that affect the torso, posterior neck, groin, buttock, perianal and perineal areas. Over the pandemic it was noted that there were many referrals for ‘lumps and bumps’ at a time where theatre capacity and staffing was limited. To create a referral pathway to assess patients for suitability for referral and treatment in the secondary care setting/ to determine which lesions were suitable for treatment in the community. Method A review of 374 cases of lumps and bumps referred between 2019 and 2021. Various patient factors were taken in to account, as well as the size and type of lesion to determine whether it could be managed in the community under local anaesthetic. Results Of the total cases, 45% were deemed to be suitable for treatment in community. Of all lesion types, epidermoid cysts were most suitable for GP treatment. Patients were travelling long distances to reach the hospital and we were treating patients outside our catchment area. We also found that the average waiting time from referral until treatment for lesions managed in community was nearly 9 times shorter than when managed in the hospital setting. Conclusions A new referral pathway was created for all of South East London to reduce the number of lumps and bumps referred. This ultimately allowed for increased theatre capacity for more complex cases, ensured faster treatment and reduced travel distances for patients.

Effectiveness of the Modified Formula of Ya-Tha-Pra-Sen on Relieving Neck and Shoulder Muscle Pain: Clinical Randomize Control Trail.

Ya-Tha-Pra-Sen (YTPS) has been utilized as a topical remedy to alleviate muscle pains since the Ayutthaya period. Formulated from a combination of 13 distinct herbs, YTPS offers a range of medicinal properties. This study aimed to develop an enhanced YTPS gel formula, referred to as YTPS-DG, by incorporating an additional 5 traditional Thai herbs. The efficacy of YTPS-DG in reducing muscle pains was then compared with the traditional YTPS formula. A randomized controlled trial was undertaken with 45 participants, aged 20 to 60. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the YTPS-DG group (modified formula), the YTPS-TG group (traditional formula), or the placebo group (PCBG). Each participant received gel samples packaged in 2.5 g units and was instructed to apply one package's worth to their upper trapezius muscle twice daily over a span of six days. Daily results were systematically documented in case record forms, and participants were monitored with follow-up checks every three days. Our findings revealed that YTPS-DG exhibited the most pronounced efficacy. There was a statistically significant reduction in pain from baseline for the YTPS-DG group (P&lt;0.05) when compared to the YTPS-TG and placebo groups. Furthermore, YTPS-DG notably increased weight-bearing capacity (in kg) and enhanced the Range of Motion (ROM) in participants' neck and shoulder areas, as demonstrated by comparing results before and after application. In conclusion, the modified YTPS-DG formula proved to be superior in alleviating muscle pains and enhancing functional parameters compared to the traditional YTPS and placebo. Further studies are warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms and potential applications.

Method Development Through Landmark Point Extraction for Gesture Classification With Computer Vision and MediaPipe

Examining the physical movements of students during their educational quests holds great significance as these nonverbal cues can exert a substantial influence on academic performance, and boost, learning outcomes, Consequently, numerous researchers are engaged in exploring the domain of gesture categorization employing machine learning techniques. Initially, we conducted an observation of students’ movements in a virtual learning environment during face-to-face interactions with their teachers. This procedure yielded a roster of thirteen motion-based behaviors, encompassing actions such as tilting the head towards either direction, lowering and lifting the head, as well as gesturing with the right and left hand towards the head and neck area, and positioning the shoulders in a front and lateral direction. This research offers a technique for establishing a set of criteria for categorizing students’ gesticulations in online learning by utilizing the comprehensive MediaPipe holistic library and OpenCV to detect, pose and extract salient landmarks. This endeavor culminated in the attainment of a percentage-based metric indicative of gesture identification efficacy pertaining to the aforementioned thirteen motion-based activities.

Head and Neck Sarcomas Characteristics at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital for 5 Years (2017-2021)

Background: Sarcoma is a malignant neoplasm originating from mesodermal tissue with an incidence rate of 1% of neoplasms throughout the body. Head and neck sarcoma requires more complex management and until now, reviews of this disease are still very rare. This study aimed to report the incidence and characteristics of head and neck sarcoma during 2017-2021 at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.&#x0D; Methods: Research data was taken from patient medical records through SIRS at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital during the 2017-2021 period according to the ICD10 of head and neck malignancies and histopathological data.&#x0D; Results: During 2017-2021, 15 cases of head and neck sarcoma were found, consisting of 9 cases (60%) rhabdomyosarcoma, 2 cases (13.3%) fibrosarcoma, and 1 case each (6.7%) synovial sarcoma, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, angiosarcoma and dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. The neck and shoulder area are the most frequently affected site (40%), followed by the scalp (26.7%), maxilla (20%), and oral cavity (13.3%). The highest incidence rates were in female (60%) and children aged &lt;17 years (46.7%).&#x0D; Conclusion: The incidence of head and neck sarcoma at Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital Bandung is rare. The most frequent cases are rhabdomyosarcoma the most commonly affected areas are the neck and shoulders.

Effective Treatment of Lumpy Skin Disease by Serum Therapy

Lumpy skin disease is a World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) listed disease and causes high morbidity around the globe. It causes damage to hide and affects the fertility and productivity of domestic animals. This case report describes the clinical management of lumpy skin disease in a local Sahiwal bull. Bull with the complaint of nodular eruptions on different body parts was presented at the veterinary clinic of University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. A comprehensive medical examination indicated that the bull was feverish, with a rectal body temperature of 105°F and had a burst of small to large-sized circumscribed nodules on various body regions, including the neck area. The diagnosis of lumpy skin disease was verified based on the history, clinical observations, and ELISA results. The case was addressed with a mix of medication (20% oxytetracycline, 1% doramectin, and 5% mepyramine maleate) and serum treatment. The bull recovered and is now healthy.

Is Corticalization in Radiographs Related to a Higher Risk of Bone Loss around Dental Implants in Smoking Patients? A 5-Year Observation of Radiograph Bone-Texture Changes.

Currently, the topic of dental implants is widely researched. However, still compromising are the factors that can affect implant loss as a consequence of marginal bone loss. One of the factors is smoking, which has a devastating effect on human health and bone structure. Oral health and jaw condition are also negatively affected by smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the peri-implant jawbone corticalization phenomenon in tobacco smokers. A total of 2196 samples from 768 patients with an implant in the neck area were checked, and texture features were analyzed. The corticalization phenomenon was investigated. All analyses were performed in MaZda Software. The influence of corticalization was investigated as a factor on bone structure near the implant neck. The statistical analysis included a feature distribution evaluation, mean (t-test) or median (W-test) comparison, analysis of regression and one-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test as no normal distribution or between-group variance was indicated for the significant differences in the investigated groups. Detected differences or relationships were assumed to be statistically significant when p < 0.05. The research revealed that MBL was correlated with smoking after 5 years (0.42 mm ± 1.32 mm 0 mm ± 1.25 mm), the Corticalization Index was higher in the smoker group on the day of surgery, and it became higher after 5y of observation (185.98 ± 90.8 and 243.17 ± 155.47). The implant-loss frequency was higher in the group of smokers, too, compared to non-smokers (6.74% and 2.87%). The higher the torque value during the implant placement, the higher the Corticalization Phenomenon Index. The research revealed a correlation between smoking and changes in bone structure in radio textures near the implants. The corticalization phenomenon is important, may be detected immediately after implant placement and may be one of the indicators of the implant success rate.

Radioguided Surgery for the Localisation of Specific Adenopathies in the Head and Neck Area.

Intraoperative identification and excision of specific lymphadenopathies is not always easy; it is, therefore, important to have complementary techniques that help us in the identification of these structures intraoperatively. The aim of this study is to present preliminary results of the use of ROLL technique (radioguided occult lesion localisation) as a method of excisional biopsy in the head and neck territory. We present 10 cases of patients with difficult to localise lymphadenopathies in the head and neck territory that underwent the ROLL technique. The radiotracer was only injected in the nodes that we wanted to study; in this way, all of them were correctly identified and extracted without resecting those that had no signs of pathology avoiding removing healthy lymphatic tissue and reducing morbidity. The ROLL technique is a useful technique, since in all of the patients, the previously marked adenopathy was accurately identified and excised; we reduced the intraoperative time and avoided the complications derived from more aggressive cervical exploratory surgeries.

Thyroglossal Duct Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Thyroglossal duct cancer is a relatively rare finding, presenting clinical features that resemble those of a benign cyst, a more common congenital abnormality that may manifest as a lump in the midline or neck area. Thyroglossal duct cysts are a commonly found aberration during the development of the thyroid gland. The prevalence of adenotonsillar hypertrophy is greater than that of branchial cleft abnormalities, and among the pediatric population, it is the second most common cause of neck masses, surpassed only by enlarged cervical lymph nodes. In specific instances, thyroglossal duct cysts have been seen to exhibit a low prevalence of cancer. The diagnosis of thyroglossal duct cancer is commonly made by histological examination of the tumor. In addition, needle aspiration cytology, ultrasonography, and computed tomography are employed as diagnostic tools to differentiate malignant patients from alternative potential diagnosis.

Musculoskeletal disorders and functional characteristics of the neck and shoulder: Comparison between office workers using a laptop or desktop computer.

Using a laptop for work is gaining rapid popularity, but there is little evidence of how it influences musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and functional characteristics of the neck and shoulder area. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of upper body MSDs and functional characteristics of the neck between office workers using a laptop or desktop computer. A total of 110 office workers with a mean age of 41±10 years participated. 45 office workers (73% female) used a laptop and 65 office workers (86% female) used desktop computers. The prevalence of MSDs was recorded using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Active range of motion (AROM), maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) force, joint position error (JPE), and pain-pressure threshold (PPT) of the neck and shoulder area were measured. Laptop users experienced significantly more MSDs in the right shoulder area on the day of participation (p < 0.001, OR = 4.47), during the previous 7 days (p < 0.01, OR = 3.74), and at 6 months (p < 0.01, OR = 3.57). Laptop users also experienced significantly more MSDs in the left shoulder during the previous 7 days (p < 0.05, OR = 2.44). There were no statistically significant differences in any of the functional characteristics of the neck and shoulder area between the groups. Using the laptop computer for office work may pose a higher risk of developing MSDs in the right shoulder area, but might not have long-term effects on the functional characteristics of the neck and shoulder area.

Comparing the effect of local injection of combined morphine, triamcinolone and lidocaine and lidocaine injection on pain intensity after mastoidectomy-tympanoplasty; a triple-blind clinical trial

Introduction: Postoperative pain control is one of the patient’s rights and the challenges of surgeons and anesthesiologists since about 20% of patients experience severe pain in the first 24 hours after surgery. Mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty are common surgeries in the head and neck area, in which profound and long-term analgesia is essential. Objectives: The present study investigated the effect of the combination of topical morphine, triamcinolone, and lidocaine compared to the control group. Patients and Methods: In the current clinical trial, 68 patients’ candidates for mastoidectomy-tympanoplasty surgery were included and randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The variables of demographic, pain, hemodynamics, extubation time, and received opioids were measured. Results: The results of the current study indicated a significant reduction in the patient’s pain scores in both groups (P=0.001), while the patients of group 1 had significantly lower pain scores than group 2 after 8, 12, and 24 hours in the ward (P&lt;0.05). Moreover, a significant reduction was observed in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in all patients during surgery (P&lt;0.001). However, in patients who received morphine, triamcinolone, and lidocaine (group 1), SBP and MAP were significantly lower than group 2 after 40, 80, 100, 120, 140, and 160 minutes during surgery (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The present study indicated that the combination of morphine, triamcinolone, and lidocaine compared to the control group could lead to better pain control, further reduction of SBP and MAP, reduction of post-operative opioid use, and delay during the first opioid administration. Trial Registration: The trial protocol was approved by the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (identifier: IRCT20200825048515N39; https://irct.ir/trial/57931, ethical code; IR.MUI.MED.REC.1400.064).

Deaths due to locomotive injuries in Jaffna district- eight-year retrospective study are we prepared to change our attitude?

Railway-related fatalities were rising and reported throughout the year. Reckless behavior and using the train as a suicide tool are the primary cause of these tragic deaths.A retrospective descriptive study based on decedents of locomotive trauma was carried out at the JMO office, Jaffna, from January 2015 to January 2022.Thirty decedents were included in this study. Among them, twenty-nine were male, and the age of the individuals ranged from 16 to 73 years. Fifty-seven percent(n=17) of them were between 20 to 40 years. Most were married (57%. n=17) and unemployed (57%, n=17). There were 20(67%) accidents, 09(30%) suicides, and manner could not be ascertained in one (03%) death. Among the accidental deaths, 60%(n=12) were due to vehicle-train collisions, and 80%(n=16) of the deaths occurred at railway crossings. Most (67%, n=06) of the suicidal deaths happened alongside the railway track, away from stations, or rail crossings. All the decedents in both accidents (100%, n=20) and suicides (100%, n=09) had lacerations over the head and neck area. Hundred percent (n=20) of accident cases sustained fractures of the head and neck, 33% (n=03) One (10%) case of decapitation was noted in the self-harmed group. Over the chest region, more than 50% of the deaths had fractures in both accidents (80%, n=16) and suicides (56%, n=05). One (10%) case of transection of the body at the level of the chest was seen in a suicide case. Transection of the body at the level of the abdomen was seen in the accident (05%, n=01) and suicide (10%, n=01). The distribution and nature of injuries were almost identical in both upper and lower limbs. The brain is the internal organ that is primarily affected in both accidents (90%, n=19) and suicides (78%, n=07). In eighty percent (n=24) of the cases cause of death has been determined as craniocerebral injuries, while in 20% (n=06) of the cases, multiple injuries were given as the cause of death.The majority of railroad deaths were accidental. Transections of the neck and chest were commoner in suicides than in accidents. The nature of external injuries and internal organ damage were not showing a significant difference in accidents and suicides.

Investigating the impact of ergonomics training in reducing musculoskeletal discomfort among office workers

Introduction: Office workers, regardless of educational principles, may be exposed to musculoskeletal injuries due to the nature of their work. Therefore, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of ergonomics training in reducing musculoskeletal disorders among the administrative staff of an Ilam University of Medical Sciences campus.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 178 administrative staff of Ilam University of Medical Sciences Campus 1 was examined. Musculoskeletal disorders were evaluated using the Nordic questionnaire. Ergonomic risk factors of the workplace were assessed by Rapid Administrative Strain Assessment (ROSA) before and after the training. Data analysis was done through SPSS version 26 statistical software.&#x0D; Results: According to the findings obtained from the Nordic questionnaire, it was found that the most disorders in the past year were in the back (56.2%) and neck (55.6%) areas and the ROSA evaluation results showed that 24.4% of the subjects the study was at the ergonomic level with high risk. After the implementation of training programs, the results showed that the prevalence of disorders in 9 areas decreased. Also, demographic variables did not have a significant effect on the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders. (Significance level 0/05 is assumed)&#x0D; Conclusion: The results of this study showed that ergonomic training can be an effective method to reduce musculoskeletal discomfort in office work environments.