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Biomedical subjects

E Smith

Publications and source records attributed to E Smith.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

[Changes of sexual behavior among Danish homo/bisexual men under the impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic].

In October 1991, 1.567 gay/bisexual men throughout Denmark returned an anonymous questionnaire enclosed in the magazine of the National Gay and Lesbian Association. Most were younger, well educated men living in the Copenhagen area. 76% had been tested for HIV, 15% were infected. As in 1988, the median number of partners in 1991 was 2-5. Eighty-two percent of the sexually active men engaged in anal sex, of these half used condoms consistently. Anal sex was practised more with steady partners and condom use was more common with casual partners. One out of eight had engaged in unprotected anal intercourse with a partner with discordant HIV-serostatus, down from one in three in 1988. It is concluded, that Danish gay men have not further limited their sexual life during the later years. The majority of the respondents have increased sexual safety, but risky sex still prevails among a substantial minority, and safe sex campaigns should continue.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

An evaluation of New Jersey's hospital discharge database for surveillance of severe occupational injuries.

Computerized population-based hospital discharge data in New Jersey offer new opportunities for surveillance of serious work-related injuries. This database was evaluated for its potential in identifying selected injuries that occurred at work during 1985 and 1986. Hospital discharge data were compared with data collected by telephone interview of discharged patients. A total of 1,575 unique hospital discharge records for the selected injuries included finger amputation (1,041), thumb amputation (209), crush injury of the lower limb (208), toxic effects of heavy metals (69), and eye burns (48). Of 809 study subjects sent letters, 445 (55%) could be contacted and 289 (36%) were interviewed for the study. Sixty-one percent (175) said their injury was work related. A comparison was made between self-reported injury at work, and the presence of workers' compensation payer codes on the discharge database. The agreement beyond chance (Kappa) was 0.78 (95% CI = 0.67, 0.89). The sensitivity of this indicator of work relatedness was 83%; specificity was 98%. These data suggest that workers' compensation payment on the hospital discharge database may be a good to excellent proxy indicator of the work relatedness of these injuries. However, this proxy indicator will underestimate the number of work-related injuries by about 20%. Only 11% of hospital discharge records had external cause of injury codes (E-codes), which reduces the utility of the database for understanding the causal mechanisms of work-related injuries.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1993

Hospitalized occupational finger amputations, New Jersey, 1985 and 1986.

About 19,000 finger amputations occur at work each year in the United States. Twenty percent of these injuries are severe enough to require hospitalization. Hospital discharge data from New Jersey (1985, 1986) were used to describe the demographic characteristics of persons with such injuries and to identify potential subjects for telephone interview. A total of 637 persons hospitalized for finger amputations were sent letters asking for their participation. Of 637 persons, 355 (56%) were contacted and 228 (36%) were interviewed, of whom 134 (59%) said their injury occurred at work. The annual rate of finger amputations at work was 9.3 per 100,000 employed persons. The rate was higher for males (14.7) than females (1.9). The age-adjusted rates were higher for Hispanic (52.8) and black (28.9) males than for white males (9.5). Persons working with machines or maintaining them in the manufacturing industry were at highest risk. Unjamming or repairing machinery (e.g., presses, saws, or slicers) while in operation was particularly hazardous. These data can be used to target occupations and industries for specific worksite intervention to prevent finger amputations. One limitation of this study, however, is that hospitalized occupational finger amputations may not be representative of all finger amputations, the majority of which are less severe and do not require hospitalization.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1993

Synaptic repression at crayfish neuromuscular junctions. II. Evidence for calcium involvement.

The inability of synaptic junctions to generate normalisized postsynaptic potentials under normal physiological conditions was studied at crayfish neuromuscular synapses. Synaptic repression in the superficial flexor muscle system of the crayfish was induced by surgery: the nerve was cut in the middle of the target field, and the lateral muscle fibers were removed. After this surgery, the remaining medial synapses were unable to generate normal-sized junction potentials (jp) over the medial muscle population. In an attempt to study the mechanisms underlying this response, we varied the extracellular calcium concentration of the Ringers solution bathing the preparation, in both repressed and control animals, while monitoring the size of the same junction potential. The junction potential generated by the spontaneous activity of the nerve increased in size with increasing calcium concentrations in control animals, but failed to do so in repressed animals, that is, changes in external calcium concentrations did not affect repressed synapses. However, in the presence of the calcium ionophore A23187, control and repressed synapses both show an increase in the junction potential sizes they generate. Our data suggest that calcium is involved in the mechanisms that underlie synaptic repression in this crustacean neuromuscular system.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Adjuvant arthritic (AA) rats exhibit enhanced endotoxin-induced plasma TNF (EIPT) levels.

Adjuvant arthritis (AA) was induced in male Lewis rats by a single FCA (M. butyricum) injection into the tail. At various time periods post FCA injection, AA and control rats were anesthetized and administered E. coli endotoxin (30 mg/kg, i.v.). Plasma samples were obtained at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 min following endotoxin administration and assayed for TNF alpha levels by ELISA. Compared to control rats, AA rats exhibited enhanced EIPT levels (706% of control, p < 0.05) which was associated with the onset of inflammatory lesions on days 12-14 post FCA, and remained significantly elevated (> 300% of control, p > 0.05) for at least 30 days post FCA. There were no significant correlations between EIPT levels and hindpaw volumes or body weights. The results of this study support previous observations that AA is associated with macrophage activation and suggest that EIPT levels in AA rats may be a useful parameter for the evaluation of novel antiarthritic agents.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Fatal disseminated adenovirus type 2 infection following bone marrow transplantation for Hurler's syndrome: a primary infection.

A 5-month-old girl given an allogeneic bone marrow transplant for Hurler's syndrome succumbed to fatal pneumonia 5 weeks after the transplant. Adenovirus type 2 was isolated from her urine before she died. Immunoperoxidase and electron microscopical studies of liver and lungs post mortem confirmed a disseminated adenovirus infection. The serological findings and the patient's young age suggested that the infection was a primary one. The importance of considering exogenous sources of adenovirus infection in bone marrow transplant recipients is discussed.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed1993

A cluster of coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremias associated with peripheral vascular catheter colonization in a neonatal intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: A cluster of six neonatal cases of coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremias occurred in a Los Angeles County neonatal intensive care unit in March 1989. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study assessed the impact of host-and delivery-related variables, length of hospitalization, duration of antibiotic treatment, performance or duration of invasive procedures, and staffing variables on risk of coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia. RESULTS: Unstratified analyses yielded eight risk factors with risk ratios greater than 2. After stratification by gestational age (less than 29 weeks) and low birth weight (less than 1500 gm), frequency of blood transfusions, duration of respiratory therapy, heparin lock and central vascular line placement, and hyperalimentation remained associated with elevated risk. Two species were identified, arguing against a common source of infection. Of four cohort months with more than 15 very low birth weight infants in the neonatal intensive care unit, an elevation of coagulase-negative staphylococcus-positive blood cultures and diagnosed bacteremias occurred in only two. CONCLUSIONS: This cluster of coagulase-negative staphylococcal bacteremia was probably caused by frequent manipulation of catheters in neonates who were at heightened risk because of low birth weight and prematurity.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1993

A thyroid cancer specific monoclonal antibody which recognizes cryptic epitope(s) of human thyroglobulin.

A monoclonal antibody (TCM-9) specific for human thyroid cancer but not for Graves' disease, adenoma or normal thyroid tissue was shown to recognize a 300 K protein but not to bind to native or mature human thyroglobulin (Tg). In this study, we investigated further the antigen recognized by TCM-9. When purified Tg was treated with periodate, dithiothreitol (DTT) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), immunoblotting of treated Tg with TCM-9 revealed an apparent enhancement of the staining only with DTT-treated Tg. Furthermore, the DTT-treated Tg was shown to bind dose-dependently to plates coated with TCM-9. We performed SDS-PAGE and immunoblot analyses on the immune complex obtained from a homogenate of thyroid cancer tissue which was preincubated with an excess of anti-Tg monoclonal antibody. When the protein was autoradiographed with [125I]TCM-9, a definite band was observed. The results indicate that TCM-9 is likely to be directed against a masked epitope of thyroglobulin which can be exposed after treatment with a reducing agent.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1993

Knowledge of medical history information among proxy respondents for deceased study subjects.

Proxy respondents were interviewed for 96 decedents in an occupational cohort. A second respondent was interviewed for 59 decedents. Medical records were reviewed to validate questionnaire information. The percentage of respondents who answered "don't know" (non-response) to questions about medical condition ranged from 5% (cancer and heart disease) to 17% (ulcers). Non-response rates were lowest among spouses, intermediate among children, parents, and siblings, and highest among other relatives and friends. Among 41-55 pairs, depending on the condition, agreement between paired respondents was excellent (kappa > 0.75) for ulcers, cancer, diabetes, and lung disease. A higher percentage of medical records was obtained for decedents with spouse respondents and for decedents with more recent dates of death. Sixty percent or more of the medical records were obtained for patients with cancer (n = 30), heart disease (n = 26), stroke (n = 9), and liver disease (n = 10). The positive predictive value of the proxy respondent information for these conditions was 93, 81, 78, and 60%, respectively.

Cerebrovascular Disorders↗
PubMed1993

Fear of crime and the likelihood of victimization: a bi-ethnic comparison.

Fear of crime and the likelihood of future victimization for Hispanics and Blacks in the United States was examined. The sample size was 2,235 (1,696 Black and 539 Hispanic respondents). Fear of crime and the likelihood of victimization were perceived as serious social problems by both Hispanics and Blacks, but Hispanics and women reported higher levels of fear of crime and felt more likely to be victimized than Blacks and men did.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Recombinant immunoblot assays for hepatitis C in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected US Navy personnel.

The prevalence of hepatitis A, B, C, and D viruses was studied in 467 military personnel with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) by first-generation ELISA was found in 136 (29%). Of sera repeatedly reactive for anti-HCV by first-generation ELISA, two-antigen recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) was positive in 41 (32%) and four-antigen RIBA was positive in 55 (41%). Four-antigen RIBA was positive in 33 (30%) of the 109 with an OD on ELISA of < or = 2.0 compared with 22 (81%) of the 27 with an OD > 2.0 (P < .001). Anti-HCV detected by four-antigen RIBA was associated with increasing age, black or Hispanic race, and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. When patients with hepatitis B surface antigen were excluded, elevated alanine aminotransferase was found in 5 (8%) of 63 with a negative RIBA and 13 (28%) of 47 with a positive RIBA (P = .006). While RIBA was negative in more than half of those with anti-HCV by ELISA, 55 (12%) of these HIV-1 infected personnel had anti-HCV detected by RIBA, which was associated with a strong reaction by ELISA, elevated liver enzymes, coinfection with hepatitis B, minority race, and older age.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1993

Accurate and precise blood glucose measurement in the hypoglycaemic range.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of an electrochemical blood glucose sensor, the satellite G, in the low-normal and hypoglycaemic range. Eighty-five venous blood samples with glucose concentrations below 4.0 mmol I-1 from six patients with Type 1 diabetes undergoing induced hypoglycaemia were measured in duplicate on the sensor and a reference method, the Yellow Springs whole blood glucose analyser. The sensor values correlated well with the reference method (r = 0.9, p < 0.001) with a mean absolute percentage bias of 10.7%. The 95% confidence limits of agreement between methods were +0.7 and -0.6 mmol I-1 with a mean difference of 0.004 mmol I-1. More than 80% of the sensor measurements were within 20%, and 60% were within 10% of the reference method. Measured over all samples, the sensor had a coefficient of variation of 7.2% for paired measurements. The coefficients of variation of 20 measurements on each of two samples with glucose concentrations of 1.3 and 2.6 mmol I-1 were 9.1% and 5.8%, respectively. We conclude that the satellite G measures blood glucose accurately and precisely in the low range.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1993

Community worry about heart disease: a needs survey in the Coalfields and Newcastle areas of the Hunter region.

A needs survey was administered by mail in the Coalfields area of the Hunter region (a lower socioeconomic area around Cessnock) and in a higher socioeconomic area of Newcastle. The purpose was to assist planning for Coalfields Healthy Heartbeat--a community-action heart disease prevention program. Response rates from random samples of residents were 435/897 (49 per cent) for the Coalfields and 565/875 (65 per cent) for Newcastle. In both study areas heart attack was ranked eleventh from a list of 17 potential community worries, well below drugs, crime, road safety, the environment, cancer and 'loss of health'. Coalfields respondents were more worried about all issues on the list than were the residents in Newcastle and were less likely to have heard about recent health promotion campaigns. Coalfields respondents felt that heart disease prevention was the responsibility of the individual, the family, and the medical profession, in that order, and much less the responsibility of local community groups. Results suggest that health promotion strategies incorporating values, language and symbols that are meaningful to distinct subgroups may be more successful than disease-specific programs aimed at the general population.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Nasal administration of IgA to individuals with hypogammaglobulinemia.

Many immunodeficient patients constantly carry non-typable Hemophilus influenzae (NTHI) in the nasopharynx, despite seemingly adequate antibiotic therapy. We have studied the effect of nasal administration of IgA on nasopharyngeal colonization in 5 patients with hypogammaglobulinemia, with a productive cough, especially in the mornings, who were constant carriers of NTHI in the nasopharynx, and had IgA, 1 ml 6 times/day, given nasally for 14 days. Nasopharyngeal cultures were obtained on days 0, 7, 14 and 28. Two of the patients became culture-negative during the treatment, and the cough was alleviated in all patients.

Administration, Intranasal↗
PubMed1993

Consumption of fruits and vegetables in Missouri.

High consumption of fruits and vegetables has been linked with a reduced risk of several important chronic diseases. The authors utilized telephone survey techniques to assess the level of fruit and vegetable consumption among adult Missouri residents. Only 28% of respondents reported consumption of five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Older females had the highest rate of consuming five servings per day, while young males had the lowest rate. These findings, in conjunction with national data, show the need for increasing emphasis on the "5 A Day" campaign.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Suppression of normal human hematopoiesis by cytomegalovirus in vitro.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is associated with marrow suppression in immunocompromised patients. To examine the mechanism(s) underlying this suppression, the effect of a laboratory strain of HCMV (AD169) and a clinical isolate of HCMV on colony formation by normal human marrow (BMC) hematopoietic progenitors in the presence and/or absence of monocyte/macrophages (MO) and T cells was studied. Direct addition of HCMV at multiplicity of infection (MI) of 0.1 to 5 to BMC produced dose-dependent inhibition of colony forming unit-mix (CFU-Mix) (30-82%), CFU granulocyte, macrophage (CFU-GM) (15-98%), and burst forming unit-erythroid (BFU-E) (23-86%); no consistent effect of CFU-erythroid (CFU-E) was noted. This inhibition occurred both with the direct addition of HCMV to the culture plates as well as by the preincubation of BMC with HCMV followed by washing of the cells; significant inhibition (p < 0.01) of colony formation occurred after 1 hour of incubation at MI of 5. No suppression of colony formation occurred when UV-irradiated virus was used. The inhibitory effect of HCMV was reduced when MO and T cells were removed prior to exposure of marrow to virus at MI of 1 to 5. At MI of 20, however, HCMV suppressed colony formation by BMC depleted of MO and T cells by about 40%. Coculture of autologous or allogeneic T cells, but not MO, exposed to HCMV with intact or depleted marrow resulted in inhibition of CFU-Mix (51%), CFU-GM (40%), and BFU-E (37%). The inhibitory effect of virus-exposed T cells did not appear to be mediated through a soluble factor. T cells expressing CD8 antigen were most active in this process; natural killer (NK) cells were not active. These results suggest that the suppressive effect of HCMV on hematopoiesis may be mediated in part through T lymphocytes.

Antibodies, Viral↗