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Biomedical subjects

A Levin

Publications and source records attributed to A Levin.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

The role of intelligence and depression in Indian and black duodenal ulcer patients in South Africa.

In a comparison of South African Indian and Black duodenal ulcer patients and a control group of hospital patients, intelligence and depression were not found to be relevant to the incidence of duodenal ulceration. This finding emerges as part of an ongoing study on the apparent increase of duodenal ulceration in South African Indians and Blacks. The role of psychological medicine in a consultation/liaison service is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Psychosituational factors and duodenal ulceration in South African blacks and Indians.

Forty-one patients with endoscopically confirmed recent duodenal ulceration and 38 controls were studied by a multidisciplinary team. Results indicated that the development of duodenal ulceration may be promoted by stressful situations (71%), especially those which are work-related, avoidance-avoidance conflict (56%), and a compliant personality (51%). Denial was employed by 32%. On the basis of these psychosituational findings a hypothesis for the pathogenesis of duodenal ulceration has been postulated.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1981

Admissions to a South African general hospital psychiatric unit.

In a study of admissions to the psychiatric unit of a general hospital from December 1, 1977, to November 30, 1978, data obtained from all 478 admitted patients were analyzed; the most prevalent condition was found to be neuroses, followed by organic brain syndromes. Most patients admitted fell into the 19--39 age groups, with a preponderance of male admissions between the ages of 6--39, but more admissions of females above 40. A significant difference in the occurrence of conditions between the sexes was noted: the most prevalent condition for males between the ages of 6--39 years was schizophrenia, while more females suffered from the neuroses. Males 40 years and older presented predominantly with organic brain syndromes; females in that age group presented predominantly with affective psychoses. The average length of stay for both sexes was eight days. Schizophrenia required the longest hospital stay, an average of 11 days. Seventy-eight patients (16.3%) were admitted more than once during the period of study. Conditions commonly associated with readmission were affective psychoses and schizophrenia. The role of the general hospital psychiatric unit and its advantages and shortcomings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Antibodies reactive with murine mammary tumor virus in sera of patients with breast cancer: geographic and family studies.

Sera of patients with breast cancer, of healthy women from the United States, East India, East Africa, and China, and of healthy women of American and Parsi families in which breast cancer occurred in several family members were assayed for levels of antibody reactive with the murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Increased levels of antibody to MuMTV (absorbance greater than or equal to 0.4) were found in sera of 18.6% of American patients with breast cancer and of 2.8% of healthy American women and in 38% of patients from India and 61.9% from East Africa (healthy, 26.9%). In contrast, antibody reactive with MuMTV was found in less than 5 of women with breast cancer from mainland China (healthy Chinese, 5.0%). Differences in serum MuMTV antibody levels between breast cancer patients in the four groups were found to be significant (P less than 0.0001). Studies of two families from the United States and of one Parsi family from India with genetic propensity to breast cancer showed that high levels of antibody to MuMTV were found in 33%, 71%, and 23% of healthy family members, respectively. The antibody to MuMTV was readily absorbed with purified MuMTV and gp52. In contrast, fetal calf serum, murine type c retroviruses, or erythrocytes from various species failed to absorb the antibody.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Histologic examination of the bone marrow: aspiration or trephine?

We undertook this study to evaluate the efficacy of bone marrow aspiration as compared with trephine needle biopsy. In the 50 consecutive cases reviewed, simultaneous aspiration and biopsy yielded significant morphologic findings in either or both. A comparison was made between the morphologic findings in the aspirate and the corresponding biopsy, with quantification of these findings when feasible. The aspiration technic and method for processing used differ significantly from the so-called clot preparation currently in widespread use. For coring the marrow, a regular (adult) 11 gauge Jamshidi needle was used. More lymphoid nodules, nodular lymphoid hyperplasia, and lipid granulomas were found in the aspirate.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMed1980

A current study of parasuicide in Durban.

Between 1 January and 31 December 1978, there were 723 episodes of overdosage, poisoning, self-inflicted injury and other possible manifestations of parasuicide reported by the casualty and trauma units of Addington Hospital, Durban. The Department of Psychiatry at this hospital attended to 310 of the patients involved. The study represents an analysis of their characteristics, which might indicate those at greatest risk of parasuicide. Some of the more relevant findings include the following: women predominated, those most at risk were in the age group 20--29 years, and single people were more at risk. The most common method of parasuicide was the ingestion of benzodiazepines and analgesics. A seasonal fluctuation was noted with a referral peak during the summer months, viz. December--February. Transient situational disturbances, reactive depression and conduct disorders in adolescents were the most prevalent psychiatric diagnoses.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1980

A psychophysiological hypothesis on the aetiology of duodenal ulceration.

A previously undescribed explanation for the development of duodenal ulcer is advanced. Stressful situations and avoidance-avoidance conflicts in individuals with a dependant compliant personality incapable of appropriate "stimulus-seeking behaviour" lead to an immobilised state. This predicament is denied. Helplessness develops. This state is associated with an autonomic imbalance in which a central monoamine depletion results in uncompensated parasympathetic overactivity which facilitates the development of duodenal ulceration. Denial often invalidates superficial psychological investigations into the aetiology of duodenal ulceration and may explain the contradictory findings in the literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

The prevalence of naturally occurring antibodies to human syncytial virus in East African populations.

A seroepidemiological study of naturally occurring antibodies to the human syncytial virus has been carried out by means of an indirect immunofluorescence test on 639 East Africans, consisting of 493 normal Ugandans, 66 Kenyan patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and 80 Kenyan and Tanzanian patients with various other tumours or non-cancerous conditions. It was found that 3.4% of the normal individuals had antibodies to the virus and serial serum samples were available from 14 of these, permitting the study of antibody class in seroconversion and antibody persistence. As in an earlier survey, a significantly higher incidence of antibodies was found amongst NPC patients. Blocking and indirect immunofluorescence test with simian foamy viruses (SFV) showed some cross-reactivity between SFV 6 and the human syncytial virus, but not identity. The results are discussed in relation to the very real occurrence of natural infection by human syncytial virus in certain geographical regions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Geographic and family studies of immunological responses to antigens of the murine mammary tumor virus in sera of patients with breast cancer.

Sera of breast cancer patients from the United States, India, East Africa and China as well as from their families and from healthy women were assayed for antibodies reactive with the murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV). Detection was by an enzyme-linked immunoassay recently developed in our laboratory. In the women with breast cancer, 62% of the East Africans, 28% of the Indians, 19% of the Americans but only 5% of the Chinese had antibody to MuMTV. Among healthy women, 21% of the Africans, 3% of the Americans and 5% of the Chinese possessed this antibody. Several family members of breast cancer patients, males as well as females, had increased levels of MuMTV antibody. The MuMTV-reactive antibody was removed by absorption with MuMTV, deglycosylated MuMTV and gp52, the major MuMTV envelope protein. It was not absorbed out by murine leukemia viruses, red blood cells from various species, fetal calf serum or carbohydrates. The results suggest that there may be more than one form of breast cancer, definable by reactivity to MuMTV. The murine mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) is the etiological agent of breast cancer in mice. The induction of mammary tumorigenesis, however, is dependent upon the genetic makeup, hormonal status, and diet of the infected mouse. Thus, even in a situation where a known single cause for breast cancer exists, disease manifestation is subordinate to diverse factors in the individual host.

Africa, Eastern↗
PubMed1979

The analysis of a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutation influencing the expression of heat shock-inducible genes in Drosophila melanogaster.

The effect of a ts-mutation belonging to the cell-lethal type on protein and RNA synthesis under heat shock conditions has been investigated. The mutation studied, l(l)ts-403, localized in the X-chromosome has significant effect on the kinetics of protein synthesis in salivary gland subjected to heat treatment under in vivo and in vitro conditions. The animals homozygous for l(l)ts-403 are characterized by a rapid drop of label incorporation into heat shock proteins. It is shown that the mutation affects not only the kinetics of heat-shock proteins synthesis but their electrophoretic pattern as well. The experiments performed enable us to conclude that the presumptive regulatory gene realized its action at the level of transcription of heat shock loci.

Animals↗