Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Westphal

Publications and source records attributed to J Westphal.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Daily smoking by Louisiana students: sixth through twelfth grades, 1996-1997.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the prevalence of daily smoking in Louisiana in grades 6 through 12 and to compare Louisiana students' daily smoking to that of national student and Louisiana adult rates. METHODS: A statewide, randomized, stratified classroom-based survey of 11,736 subjects was done for the school year 1996-1997. RESULTS: We found that 17.3% of sixth grade students smoked daily, increasing to 36.1% in twelfth grade. Native American (43.7%), white (37.8%), and public school (28.5%) students had the highest rates of daily smoking. Males and females smoked at similar rates. Louisiana students in grades 8, 10, and 12 smoked daily at much higher rates (331%, 193%, and 146%, respectively) than comparable national samples. In 1997, Louisiana students smoked daily at higher rates than did Louisiana adults (28.9% vs 24.6%), primarily due to higher rates of smoking in student females (27.1%) compared to adult females (20.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Student smoking in Louisiana is a significant public health problem.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Treatment participation and outcome among problem drinkers in a managed care alcohol outpatient treatment program.

This article uses Markov analysis to investigate patterns of treatment participation of 361 patients treated in the alcohol and drug abuse programs of a large group model Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) to examine how participation is related to abstinence. Findings indicate that 82% of the patients in treatment one month after intake were in treatment three months later, and treatment retention dropped to 46% by month 6. Findings also indicate that 74% of patients abstinent and in treatment at month 1 remained so at month 3. Abstinence at the first three-month interval was a strong predictor of abstinence at later time periods. A multivariate analysis showed that an expressed desire to stop alcohol use upon entry into treatment was the most consistent predictor of both treatment participation and abstinence at most time points. Treatment participation was also a significant predictor of abstinence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Addressing issues of face validity in the application of a clinical guideline.

In 1995, a statewide project to improve the practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the Medicare population was started in Louisiana. A retrospective baseline study found high concurrent utilization of lithium and benzodiazepines, medications considered detrimental to ECT by the second American Psychiatric Association Task Force on ECT. Resistance to a clinical guideline because of lack of face validity by clinicians was used as an opportunity to involve clinicians in using data to evaluate their clinical practices. Results of the first two quarters of the project demonstrated that the strategy was successful.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1997

The influence of ejaculation on serum levels of prostate specific antigen.

PURPOSE: While prostatic manipulation and surgery have been shown to increase serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), the influence of ejaculation on serum PSA remains controversial. We examined the effect of ejaculation on serum PSA levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 100 men 25 to 35 years old with no history of surgery or inflammatory disease of the urogenital tract. Serum PSA was evaluated 1 and 24 hours after ejaculation, and serum testosterone and seminal fluid PSA levels were determined. RESULTS: In all men a baseline PSA level was detected. There were no statistically significant changes in serum PSA and testosterone 1 and 24 hours after ejaculation. Mean PSA concentration was significantly higher in seminal plasma than in serum. However, we did not observe a correlation between serum and seminal plasma PSA levels. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our data ejaculation does not affect serum PSA concentration in young men, and there seems to be no physiological relationship between ejaculation and PSA level.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Interstitial deletion of chromosome 3p: report of a patient and delineation of a proximal 3p deletion syndrome.

We report on a patient with a de novo interstitial deletion of the proximal portion of the short arm of chromosome 3 (p12----14.2). The deleted portion excludes the constitutive fragile site assigned to band 3p14. The phenotype of the patient, together with that of three previously reported cases, seems to be sufficiently characteristic to allow the delineation of a proximal 3p deletion syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1981

Senile dementia: combined pharmacologic and psychologic treatment.

Either supportive counseling (SC) or cognitive training (CT) was used in an attempt to enhance the efficiency of a standard pharmacologic treatment for dementia, viz, dihydroergotoxine mesylate (DEM, Hydergine). DEM was administered orally to 21 moderately demented subjects, in a dosage of 1 mg three times daily; and SC or CT was conducted for one hour every two weeks for a total of 12 weeks. The CT was designed to enhance memory and other intellectual functions by the teaching of organizational schemes and mnemonic devices. Outcome measurements included the Sandoz Clinical Assessment-Geriatric (SCAG), a behavioral rating scale measuring selected symptoms and signs of dementia; the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD); and the Buschke Selective Reminding Scale (BSRT), a psychometric test of memory and learning. The DEM + CT group of patients improved more than did the DEM + SC group for the measures of memory and learning (BSRT). However, no differences between groups were noted for the HRSD or SCAG behavioral measures.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

[Arteritis of the large vessels originating at the aorta (Takayasu arteritis) in childhood (author's transl)].

A 9-month-old female child with extensive inflammatory lesions in the large arterial trunks originating at the aorta (Takayasu arteritis) was reported. Severe cerebral, intestinal and coronary circulatory disturbances as well as insufficient blood supply in both arms, particularly the left arm, developed as a result of the stenoses and obliterations. Clinical course, postmortem findings and the results of EKG, EEG and carotid angiography were discussed. The onset in infancy and the very rapid progression of the disease were unusual.

Aortic Arch Syndromes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative nephrotoxicity of some antitumour-active platinum and ruthenium complexes in rats.

The nephrotoxicity of three platinum (CPL, KP734, KP735) and three ruthenium coordination complexes (KP418, KP692, KP1019) was tested in rats in comparison to cisplatin (CP). Renal functional changes (excretion of water, protein, p-aminohippurate (PAH) and osmolytes) were not observed after the administration of 10% of the LD450 of the compounds given twice a week for up to 5 weeks. After a relatively high single dose of the substances (50% of the LD50), signs of nephrotoxicity on the day of maximal renal damage decreased in the following order: CP, KP418, CPL, KP734, KP735, KP692 and KP1019. In comparison to CP, proteinuria was significantly lower after the administration of any of the compounds, especially KP692 and KP1019. Neither renal lipid peroxidation (TBARS) nor glutathion status (GSH, GSSG) was affected. In summary, KP735 in the group of platinum complexes and KP1019 in the ruthenium group had the lowest nephrotoxicity. Other investigators have shown that all complexes induced anti-neoplastic activity under analogous experimental conditions.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Not Available].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Germany↗