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Biomedical subjects

A Hirsch

Publications and source records attributed to A Hirsch.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Hearing loss and associated handicaps in preschool children.

In the Greater Stockholm area, 251 children born in 1976 to 1980 had hearing loss of such a degree that they needed hearing habilitation at the time of school entrance (prevalence rate 2.8/1,000). The prevalence rates of profound hearing loss (greater than 50 dB pure tone average) and monoaural deafness were both 1.0/1,000. The etiology of the hearing loss was heredity in 45%, unknown in 35%, sequelae of otitis media in 2% and related to high-risk histories in 18%. The high-risk history group includes the eight last known cases of congenital rubella. One associated handicap was present in 25%, two extra handicaps in 6.4% and three in 1.2%. Moreover, in 17% Swedish or Swedish sign language was not the vernacular. Nineteen different languages were represented among the children. Thus, an optimal habilitation program should not be based solely on the type of hearing handicap.

Child↗
PubMed1987

Ototoxicity of cisplatin.

Ototoxicity is one of the unwanted side effects of cisplatin treatment. The first sign of hearing loss usually appears 3-4 days after the drug administration and occurs primarily in the higher frequencies. One hundred and eighty-six women treated with a moderate dose of cisplatin (50 mg/m2 every 4 weeks) for gynaecological cancer were studied. No significant loss of hearing was detected in the speech frequency range. Since the cisplatin concentration in the inner ear is highest after a single high dose injection, systemic audiometric monitoring is advisable during cisplatin therapy with single high dose regimen.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Dynamic corpus cavernosography: effect of papaverine injection.

A study was done in 21 men to identify individuals with venous leakage as a cause of impotence. Combined pressure flow measurement and cinecavernosography were performed before and after the injection of papaverine into the corpora. After papaverine injection, erections and/or higher pressures occurred at lower flow rates in all the men. The venous drainage of the corpora decreased or disappeared in most subjects while the corpora became larger and contained more contrast material. The findings suggest that an active venous obstructive mechanism is important during erection, can be induced by the administration of papaverine, and should be evaluated in impotent men.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Medical characteristics of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and the place of systematic radiography screening among the means of discovery. Cross-sectional survey of 984 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis reported in France in 1984].

We present the results of a study conducted in 1984 in 31 DDASS centres which enabled us to constitute a standardized sample representative of all cases of tuberculosis currently notified in France. An analysis of the patients' characteristics showed that cases of tuberculosis were discovered in equal numbers in three branches of medicine: industrial medicine and welfare centres, general medicine including (to a very small extent) private specialists, and hospital medicine (in-patients and out-patients). Most of the subjects in our study had clinical signs of tuberculosis at the time of diagnosis, and it was these signs that prompted them to consult. About 28% of the cases (25% in an undifferentiated population) were detected by systematic radiography, and 25 to 50% of these patients (45-66% for the whole of the population notified) were contagious. From the results of this study, the number of patients detected by systematic radiography in 1982 was estimated at approximately 3,000; of these, 800 to 1,580 might have been contagious. In that same year, 9 million systematic radiological examinations were performed, which means that the yield of these examinations was 9 to 17.6 in 100,000 for contagious pulmonary tuberculosis and 34 in 100,000 for all cases of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1987

[Evaluation of the policies for detection of pulmonary tuberculosis in France].

A survey of 984 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis was carried out to assist French public health authorities in determining policies for pulmonary tuberculosis detection. The adjusted sample was representative of the totality of pulmonary tuberculosis cases reported. The survey made it possible to define the economic and socio-demographic characteristics (age, nationality, lack of social security coverage, living conditions) which, when combined, represent high-risk attributes with regard to pulmonary tuberculosis. Nonetheless, over half the subjects studied presented no risk factors. Systematic X-ray screening of an undifferentiated population permits detection of about 23% of reported cases; among them, 26 or 50% (depending on the definition of contagiousness chosen) were contagious. In 1982, 9 million systematic X-ray screenings were performed and about 13,100 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis reported. When extrapolated to these 1982 figures, our survey conclusions point to an effectiveness rate for systematic X-ray screening of 33.7 per 100,000 for the overall tuberculosis population, and between 8.9 and 17.4 per 100,000 for contagious cases. On the other hand, high-risk groups (female immigrants, the aged, etc.) do not seem to be particularly well covered by systematic X-ray screening. Thus, maintaining such a program no longer appears justified either in terms of the overall tuberculosis population or that of high-risk subgroups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Relationship between tuberculous scar and carcinomas of the lung.

Results of a transversal case-control study are reported which shows that there is a statistically significant association between tuberculous scars and carcinoma of the lung. Accordingly the possibility of malignancy has to be kept in mind when radiological or scintigraphic scanning reveal the presence of lung scars.

Cicatrix↗
PubMed1986

Urine mutagenicity, chromosomal abnormalities and sister chromatid exchanges in lymphocytes of nurses handling cytostatic drugs.

The effects of handling antineoplastic drugs were examined in 17 nurses working in a pneumology department in a hospital in the Paris area. Twenty-five others in the same department who were not handling such drugs acted as controls. Exposure to antineoplastic drugs was evaluated by questionnaire and by assessment of urine mutagenicity. The cytogenetic repercussions of exposure were assessed by examining sister chromatid exchanges and chromosomal abnormalities in circulating lymphocytes. The urine of the exposed nurses was significantly more mutagenic than that of the controls. No cytogenetic abnormalities were revealed in the exposed subjects since both these and the control nurses exhibited similar frequencies of chromosomal abnormalities and similar average numbers of sister chromatid exchanges in circulating lymphocytes. However, in smokers, the urine was significantly more mutagenic compared to that of nonsmokers, chromosomal abnormalities were twice as frequent, and the number of sister chromatid exchanges was significantly larger. Comparison of these results with the findings of other authors suggests that the moderate exposure to antineoplastic drugs prevailing in this pneumology department (i.e., an average of about 11 infusions per week) does not cause detectable cytogenetic abnormalities even though it significantly increases urine mutagenicity.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1986

The stapedius reflex test studied with laboratory and commercial equipment in acoustic neurinomas.

Comparisons were made of contralateral stapedius reflex recordings obtained by means of two different electroacoustic impedance devices, the commercial Grason-Stadler 1723 (G-S 1723) impedance meter and a laboratory equipment, in patients with acoustic neurinoma. With the latter, acoustically elicited reflex responses were noted in 11 of the 21 tumour ears studied. The recordings with the G-S 1723 showed deflections indicating stapedius reflex responses in all 21 cases. Three of these deflections proved to be artefacts. The stapedius reflex threshold test indicated a retrocochlear lesion in all 21 pathological ears when the laboratory equipment was used. The G-S 1723 produced recordings indicating a cochlear lesion in two of these tumour ears. Furthermore, five of 15 normal contralateral ears were classified as having a retrocochlear lesion with the G-S 1723, as opposed to one with the laboratory equipment. The reflex decay test could be applied in 15 normal and six tumour ears. Only minor discrepancies in the degree of reflex decay were found between the two instruments. As the G-S 1723 displayed a low rate of detection for acoustic neurinomas (90%) and led to a large number of false-positive interpretations (33%), it is concluded that this instrument is less useful for diagnostic purposes than the laboratory equipment in differentiating between cochlear and retrocochlear lesions.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed1986

[Results of bacteriological technics and demonstration of pneumococcal antigens by counterimmunoelectrophoresis in 40 cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonia].

This study is conducted on 45 patients with Streptococcus pneumoniae pneumonias. Counter-immunoelectrophoresis (CIE) (detection of pneumococcal polysaccharides antigens in serum and/or urine and/or pleural fluid) and conventional bacteriological technics (blood culture and/or thoracentesis and/or transtracheal function) have been performed in all cases. Streptococcus pneumoniae has been identified with conventional bacteriological technics in 27 patients. Pneumococcal antigens have been identified in 28 patients. Both technics have been positive in 10 patients. The detection of antigens has been positive in 7 on 8 pleural fluids. The CIE is very useful in patients who has been treated by antibiotics before bacteriological examination of samples (6 CIE + and 1 bacteriological technic +). The association of the two technics is very useful. The percentage of cases with CIE / and bacteriology - is 40% (18 cases). The percentage of cases with bacteriology + and CIE - is 37.7% (17 cases).

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Conservation of nodulation genes between Rhizobium meliloti and a slow-growing Rhizobium strain that nodulates a nonlegume host.

Parasponia, a woody member of the elm family, is the only nonlegume genus whose members are known to form an effective nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with a Rhizobium species. The bacterial strain RP501 is a slow-growing strain of Rhizobium isolated from Parasponia nodules. Strain RP501 also nodulates the legumes siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Using a cosmid clone bank of RP501 DNA, we isolated a 13.4-kilobase (kb) EcoRI fragment that complemented insertion and point mutations in three contiguous nodulation genes (nodABC) of Rhizobium meliloti, the endosymbiont of alfalfa (Medicago sativa). The complemented R. meliloti nod mutants induced effective nitrogen-fixing nodules on alfalfa seedlings but not on siratro, cowpeas, or Parasponia. The cloned RP501 nodulation locus hybridized to DNA fragments carrying the R. meliloti nodABC genes. A 3-kb cluster of Tn5 insertion mutations on the RP501 13.4-kb EcoRI fragment prevented complementation of R. meliloti nodABC mutations.

Journal Article↗