Peculiar cytoplasmic inclusions in cells of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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Humans↗
Biomedical subjects
V Siskind
Publications and source records attributed to V Siskind.
Altered chromatin in childhood leukaemic lymphoblasts: association with virus-like particles.
An electron microscopic examination was made of masses identified as altered heterochromatin in the cytoplasm of childhood leukaemic lymphoblasts, and their relation to 'virus-like' particles (VLP). The masses were found to occur more frequently in leukaemic lymphoblasts than in normal lymphocytes, but abnormally frequent occurrence was a feature of non T rather than T or B lymphoblasts. Although these masses may be derived by phagocytosis of dead cells or cellular material, a more likely origin is by detachment of altered portions of the containing cell's own nucleus. Such in situ alterations in nuclei were seen in leukaemic lymphoblasts but not in normal lymphocytes. A close relation demonstrated between altered chromatin and VLP might suggest that VLP are a response to the presence of damaged chromatin. However, the occurrence in some VLP of solid cores and budding might make it more likely that VLP are viral, with chromatin damage as a morphologically recognizable cytopathic effect of their activity.
B-Lymphocytes↗
Measurement of liver volume using water delay ultrasonography.
A modification of the method of Carr et al. [1976] for the ultrasonic assessment of liver volume was devised for use with a UI Octoson water delay B mode echoscope, and 32 subjects without clinical history or signs of liver disease were examined. In 9 subjects the measurements were repeated by a separate observer. Comparison of the variance between observers and that between subjects showed that the precision of the method is within acceptable limits, the variance ratio (F) being 13.7 (p less than 0.001). The mean liver volume was 1,545.4 +/- (SD) 255 ml. This finding is in close agreement with previously published data. The liver volume was correlated with body weight, height, body surface area, and body mass index. The liver volume was found to correlate best with body weight using partial correlation analysis. This was in accordance with previously published data, with the exception of that of Koischwitz [1979]. However, variations in weight could only account for 0.43 of the variation in liver volume.
Analysis of Variance↗
Ectopic pregnancy in Queensland, 1971-1980.
An examination of data from the Queensland Hospital Morbidity Collection indicated that the incidence of ectopic pregnancy as a proportion of total births appeared to have doubled between 1971 and 1980. Similar trends were evident in two other Australian regions. A review of possible biases suggested that the true rate of increase was unlikely to be much lower than that observed. In Queensland, venereal disease notifications in women and admissions to hospital for inflammatory diseases of the female reproductive organs have shown an analogous rise.
Adult↗
Common acquired naevi and the risk of malignant melanoma.
The relationship between common acquired naevi and malignant melanoma of the skin was assessed in a case-control study. IN 183 patients and 183 controls matched for sex, age and area of residence, there was a strong association between the presence of pigmented naevi on the arms and melanoma. In comparison with persons having no naevi on the arms, the crude relative risk of melanoma was 28.0 when naevi were present. After adjusting for hair colour, propensity to sunburn and lifetime sun exposure, the final risk estimate was 30.1. Family history did not appear to be a determinant of disease independent of the above risk factors.
Arm↗
Sunburn and malignant melanoma.
We investigated the relationship between cutaneous malignant melanoma and multiple sunburns in the Queensland population. Interview data were gathered from 236 case-control pairs concerning their lifetime experience of severe sunburns, their occupational and recreational sun exposure, and their skin type. Excluding the lentigo maligna melanoma subtype, an association between multiple sunburns and melanoma was evident. After controlling for other major risk factors there was a significant dose-response relationship (P less than 0.05): the estimated relative risk associated with 2-5 sunburns in life was 1.5, and with 6 or more was 2.4. This observation extends the hitherto circumstantial evidence of a causal relationship between exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation and melanoma, and suggests that precautionary measures could prevent the development of this disease in a proportion of cases in fair-skinned populations.
Adolescent↗
Cohort study of internal malignancy in genetic hemochromatosis and other chronic nonalcoholic liver diseases.
The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other internal malignancies was examined in patients with genetic hemochromatosis (GH) by following 208 patients from the time of diagnosis to June 1983 and by comparing the numbers of cancers they developed with expected values constructed from cancer registry incidence data by means of actuarial methods. In addition, cancers occurring in a comparison group of 148 subjects with other chronic nonalcoholic liver diseases (CLD) were determined. Among the GH group, 16 new cases of HCC occurred subsequent to the diagnosis of GH, together with 8 other malignancies. The 16 cases of HCC reflect a 200-fold excess risk, which from all indications represents the first quantitation of the risk of this tumor in GH. There appears to be no increased risk of other malignancies in this disease. Among the CLD group only 1 HCC and 1 other malignancy occurred.
Adolescent↗
Childhood cancer survival trends in Queensland 1956-80.
The true survival rates for the various forms of childhood cancer are best determined from a population-based study rather than from the results of clinical trials. Population-based survival rates have been calculated for four periods between 1956 and 1980 in Queensland. There was a significant improvement in survival for children who developed cancer after 1973 compared with those diagnosed before this date. There has however been no significant improvement in the survival rate for childhood cancer overall, or for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia since 1973. Over the 25 year period significant trends in survival rates were seen in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, Wilms' tumour, medulloblastoma, and retinoblastoma. No such trend was seen for acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, juvenile or anaplastic astrocytoma, brain stem glioma, histiocytosis X, or bone tumours. There is a need for continuing research into better methods of treatment of childhood cancer.
Adolescent↗
Seasonality of neural tube defects in Queensland.
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Australia↗
Geographical distribution of cutaneous melanoma in Queensland.
Queensland has the highest incidence of cutaneous melanoma in the world, and the reported incidence has more than doubled in the last 15 years. The general geographical distribution of melanoma patients correlates negatively with latitude on a world scale. This suggests that exposure to solar ultraviolet rays is aetiologically important. The geographical distribution of melanoma patients in Queensland was examined by reviewing the residential addresses of all incident cases in a 12-month period from July 1, 1979, and no association with latitude was found. Rather there was a significantly increased incidence of melanoma in coastal, compared to inland, regions. When the distribution of doses of erythemal solar ultraviolet radiation in Queensland is examined, taking into account the effects of cloud cover, surface reflectance, and human behaviour, the observed regional differences in incidence may yet be explained by the variation in actual exposure to ultraviolet radiation received by the population.
Australia↗
A ? developmental characteristic of the ultrastructure of childhood leukaemic lymphoblasts.
Areas of chromatin demarcated from the rest of the nucleus ("separations") were found frequently in acute lymphoblastic leukaemias of childhood, in some patients in apparently all leukaemic cells, but rarely in non-lymphocytic leukaemias. In normal lymphocytes, separations were most common in fetal thymus, and less frequent in fetal lymph node and bone marrow, and child thymus, lymph node and marrow. Separations may be a developmental marker, and fetal lymphoid tissues, especially thymus, may have significance in the origin of lymphoblastic leukaemias of childhood. Nuclear loops enclosing cytoplasmic material were associated with, and may have similar significance to, separations.
Bone Marrow Cells↗
Site of care and survival after acute myocardial infarction.
The effect of admission of different types of unit (coronary care, mixed intensive care, medical ward) on survival after documented acute myocardial infarction was examined in nine public hospitals in Queensland. Australia Among 466 subjects, the over-all crude case fatality rate (CFR) was 20.0%. The CFR, after admission to a coronary care unit (CCU), was 18.3%, to an intensive care unit (ICU), 16.1%, and to wards, 25.3%. Adjustment by a multivariate prognostic score gave standardized CFRs of 19.4% (CCU), 16.3% (ICU) and 23.8% (ward). The relative risk of dying (with 95% confidence limits) for CCU/ICU admissions combined, compared with ward admissions, was 0.67 (0.47 to 0.97) (crude), and 0.78 (0.61 to 1.00) (adjusted for prognostic score). The lowered mortality rates among infarct patients who received special care were most marked among those under 60 years of age. These data indicate that subjects who received special care had an increased survival period after myocardial infarction compared with those admitted to medical wards. However, this study provides no support for establishing a CCU in those provincial hospitals which have an adequate number of ICU beds available for the treatment of myocardial infarction.
Acute Disease↗
Serum lithium levels in Queensland.
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Humans↗
Prescription drug advertising: medical journal practices under different types of control.
Medication is one important aspect of health care delivery. The sources of information used to select appropriate medication include drug advertisements which appear in professional journals. There is a need to monitor the quality of these advertisements. The study reported in this paper includes a longitudinal (1961 to 1977) and cross-societal (Britain, United States and Australia) content analysis of drug advertisements. Such a comparison contributes to the debate concerning the type of regulation likely to be effective for this form of advertising.
Advertising↗
Myocardial infarction in Queensland provincial cities, 1975.
A survey was made of patients admitted to hospitals with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in seven Queensland provincial cities between January 1, and December 31, 1975. Estimates of the incidence of, and mortality from, myocardial infarction are made, and details of the type of care offered, patient characteristics, and length of stay in hospital and intensive care units are presented.
Arachnid Vectors↗
Meclizine in pregnancy in relation to congenital malformations.
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Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
Accidents in old age.
Elderly persons particularly are liable to falls which in women often cause major fractures and other injuries. In Australia, some two per cent of deaths of women aged 65 and over are attributed to non-traffic accidents, and the length of hospital care and subsequent disability following fractures are both important aspects of the total morbidity resulting from falls suffered by older persons.
Accidents↗
Antenatal exposure to doxylamine succinate and dicyclomine hydrochloride (Benedectin) in relation to congenital malformations, perinatal mortality rate, birth weight, and intelligence quotient score.
In a prospective cohort study of 20, 282 gravidas and their offspring, congenital malformation rates were similar in the children of over 1,000 women exposed and those not exposed to two components of Bendectin (doxylamine succinate and dicyclomine hydrochloride) during the first four lunar months of pregnancy. In a cohort reduced to 41,337 mother-child pairs for technical reasons, mean birth weight and perinatal mortality rates were similar according to exposure or nonexposure to either drug, as were intelligence quotient scores measured at four years of age in 28,358 of the children. Control of potential confounding factors with a variety of multivariate techniques did not materially alter these findings.
Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗