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Biomedical subjects

J M Lang

Publications and source records attributed to J M Lang.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Risks among inner-city young teens: the prevalence of sexual activity, violence, drugs, and smoking.

Boston University's Youth at Risk (URISK) program is working to reduce five high-risk behaviors: violence, sexual activity, drinking, illicit drug use, and smoking, among inner-city public middle-school students, grades 6-8. To set program priorities and for subsequent program evaluation, students in four schools completed a self-report questionnaire. Violence (physical fighting or carrying a knife or a gun) and sexual activity were the most commonly reported risks, 54% and 38%, respectively, for such activity within the past year. Four-fifths of the students reported risk in at least one of the five risk categories at some time; two-thirds reported current risk in at least one category. Among those reporting two or more current risks, over 90% included violence, and over 80% included sexual activity. Except for smoking, risk rates were lower in females than in males. Risk rates for violence and drug use were similar among blacks and whites, while sexual activity was more common and drinking and smoking less common among blacks compared with whites. Rates for all high-risk behaviors were consistently lower for Hispanics than non-Hispanic whites. Risk rates for violence were similar for grades 6-8. Sexual activity increased mainly from the 7th to the 8th grade. Drinking increased both from the 6th to the 7th grade and again from the 7th to the 8th grade. Drug use and smoking increased only from the 6th to the 7th grade.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Asymptomatic oral Candida albicans carriage in HIV-infection: frequency and predisposing factors.

Many studies have focused on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of oral candidiasis in HIV infection. Little is known on the incidence and predisposing factors of asymptomatic oral candida carriage in this setting, obviously an important issue in view of prophylaxis. To address this question, 261 consecutive HIV-infected individuals without clinical evidence of candidiasis were investigated. C. albicans was isolated from cultured oral cavity swabs of 63 subjects (24%). Colonization was significantly more frequent in IV drug users, CDC groups IV, and in subjects with lymphocytopenia, CD4+ cell depletion, or elevated beta-2 microglobulin. These data further suggest that oral candidiasis occurs in HIV infection as a result of C. albicans overgrowth and raise the question of primary antifungal prophylaxis in subjects with low CD4 counts and asymptomatic oral Candida carriage.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1993

A life-threatening tracheal localization of lymphoma in a patient with AIDS.

Lymphoma is a frequent complication of HIV infection, but we report a rare localization in the subglottic tracheal area. A case of tracheal stenosis due to lymphoma in an HIV-infected patient is presented. The main complaint was severe dyspnea. Chemotherapy was ineffective but radiotherapy improved the patient's condition and increased the caliber of the tracheal lumen.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Human immunodeficiency virus infection and malignant lymphoma].

Infection by human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) is associated with an increased incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) of B cell origin and of intermediate grade (diffuse large cell lymphomas according to the Working Formulation) or high grade (Kiel classification and Working Formulation). They may be either primary central nervous system lymphomas or systemic lymphomas and are considered as AIDS-defining events. Systemic lymphomas are usually disseminated with a high frequency of extranodal sites. Their overall prognosis is much worse than for NHL in the general population. Pathogenesis is still a matter of debate. An increased incidence of Hodgkin's diseases (HD) in HIV infection is being suspected but has not been proved yet. However, HIV-associated HD differ from usual HD by clinical presentation, histological type repartition, and evolution. Finally, low grade lymphomas have been described in HIV infection, the only peculiarity being the unusual age of occurrence.

HIV Infections↗
PubMed1992

Risk factors for small-for-gestational-age birth in a preterm population.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to discovery any distinct risk factors for small-for-gestational-age birth among premature infants. STUDY DESIGN: Demographic and obstetric risk factors were compared for 136 small-for-gestational-age prematures and 636 appropriate-for-gestational-age premature infants. RESULTS: Three significant risk factors for growth retardation among premature infants were found: black maternal race (odds ratio 2.2; 95% confidence interval (1.4 to 3.5); maternal toxemia (odds ratio 3.2; 95% confidence interval 1.7 to 6.1); and either low maternal weight gain (odds ratio 4.0; 95% confidence interval 1.8 to 8.8) or missing information on maternal weight gain, which could be a marker for late or no prenatal care (odds ratio 4.9; 95% confidence interval 1.9 to 12.6). Maternal smoking rates were similar in the small- and appropriate-for-gestational-age groups (42% and 43%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Toxemia, weight gain, and race are likely risk factors for small-for-gestational-age birth in both preterm and term populations; within the already high-risk domain of prematurity, maternal smoking did not appear to confer added risk for small-for-gestational-age birth.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1992

No free lunch.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1991

Estimating the effect of the run-in on the power of the Physicians' Health Study.

In the Physicians' Health Study, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of aspirin in the reduction of cardiovascular mortality and beta-carotene in decreasing cancer incidence, 33,223 subjects were eligible and willing to enter the trial. Instead of randomizing this group immediately, all participants received identical calendar packs that contained active aspirin and beta-carotene placebo. Following an 18-week run-in, only 22,071 subjects who remained eligible and willing and had taken at least 2/3 of their pills were randomized. We estimated the effect of the run-in as follows: pill taking compliance increased 20-41 per cent; sample size decreased 34 per cent; duration of follow-up decreased 7 per cent which resulted in a 7 per cent decrease in the expected event rate for the placebo group. To estimate these changes, we made assumptions about compliance and outcome risk for those excluded by the run-in. Our conclusion, however, about the net effect of the run-in on the power of the study remains constant across variations in a number of those assumptions. The power with the run-in, with 22,071 good compliers was typically higher, and never more than negligibly lower, than the power without the run-in, with 33,223 good and poor compliers. In addition, savings from enrolling 11,152 fewer subjects in the trial resulted from the use of the run-in.

Aspirin↗
PubMed1991

DNA amplification of HIV genome in hemophiliacs and in newborns from seropositive mothers.

We evaluated the validity of DNA enzymatic amplification (PCR) in a population at risk for HIV-1 infection, consisting of hemophiliacs and children born to seropositive mothers. All but one of the seropositive hemophiliacs and controls were found positive with the three sets of primers. All the seronegative patients and controls were found negative in PCR. No correlation with the anti-nef serology was found, one seropositive being anti-nef negative and three seronegative anti-nef positive. The results obtained with PCR are in good agreement with classical serology, and this would suggest that the possible period of latency may not be as long as suspected. No seroconversion has been described in hemophiliacs since solvent-detergent inactivated blood products have been in use, and seronegative hemophiliacs no longer constitute a population at risk. Studies on seronegative sexual partners of seropositive patients would be of great interest. For newborns from seropositive mothers, PCR is the only possible technique in early age before seronegativation of the healthy children. Further studies will be required to determine the fiability and sensitivity of the test.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

[Prevention of pneumocystosis with pentamidine aerosols].

In patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection primary or secondary prevention of pulmonary pneumocystosis sometimes fails, resulting in atypical or extrarespiratory pneumocystosis. From the series found in the literature and from our own experience, it appears that such failures depend on the way aerosols are administered: they are usually due to low dosage, intervals of more than 2 weeks between aerosols, excessive particle size or poor patient's compliance. We suggest that pentamidine mesylate or isethionate should be administered forthnightly in doses of 4 mg/kg bodyweight, using an inhaler capable of delivering particles of less than 2 micrometers in diameter.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Interpregnancy interval and risk of preterm labor.

In 1977-1980, over 12,000 pregnant women being followed at the Boston Hospital for Women were interviewed and had their medical records reviewed. The effect of interpregnancy interval on the risk of preterm labor was estimated in 4,467 of these women whose previous pregnancy had resulted in a full-term live birth. The rate of preterm birth after the spontaneous onset of labor in this cohort was 3.8 percent. While the possibility of an increased risk of preterm labor for interpregnancy intervals of 3 months or less cannot be definitely excluded (adjusted odds ratio = 2.0, 95 percent confidence interval 0.7-5.4), no relation was found between other interpregnancy intervals and the risk of preterm labor. Earlier work from this same cohort showed a strong negative association between interpregnancy interval and small-for-gestational-age birth. Combining this with the results from the present study reinforces the importance of differentiating low birth weight due to preterm birth from that due to intrauterine growth retardation.

Birth Intervals↗
PubMed1990

[Mononuclear cell activation in Crohn's disease. Evaluation using serum assay of neopterin and interleukin-2 soluble receptors].

To determine the degree of mononuclear blood cell activation in Crohn's disease (CD), 65 patients were prospectively investigated (22 with mild, 26 with moderate and 17 with severe disease). Serum levels of soluble receptors for interleukin-2 (SR-IL-2) were measured by ELISA. In CD patients SR-IL-2 levels were significantly higher (m = 707 +/- 326 U/ml) than in three other groups: 70 controls (m = 258 +/- 87 U/ml, p less than 0.0001); 8 patients with acute infectious colitis (m = 405 +/- 216 U/ml, p less than 0.0001); 101 HIV seropositive subjects (m = 564 +/- 216 U/ml, p less than 0.002). There was a positive correlation between SR-IL-2 level and the Van Hees activity index (r = 0.595, p less than 0.0001). On the other hand, the numbers of activated T cells (CD 3+, HLA DR+), CD 4+, CD 8+ and NK cells did not differ according to the CD activity groups. Furthermore, CD patients treated with steroids (n = 39) did not differ from those without any medication. As a marker of monocyte activation, serum neopterin level was determined by RIA. All CD patients considered as a group, serum neopterin level was 2.89 +/- 1.44 ng/l (n less than 2.5 ng/l). Neopterin level increased with disease activity (1.97 +/- 0.92 vs 3.10 +/- 1.46 vs 3.74 +/- 1.36, p less than 0.01), and was positively correlated with SR-IL-2 (r = 0.609, p less than 0.0001). These results suggest a monocyte-macrophage activation in CD, which parallels disease activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗