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Biomedical subjects

A Sass-Kortsak

Publications and source records attributed to A Sass-Kortsak.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Prostate cancer risk. Medical history, sexual, and hormonal factors.

PURPOSE: Various medical conditions, infectious agents, sexual, and hormonal factors have been investigated in relation to prostate cancer risk. Given inconsistent results these factors were examined in this study.METHODS: This population-based case-control study was conducted in northeastern Ontario from 1995 to 1999. Cases (n = 760), aged 45 to 84 at the time of diagnosis, were identified through the Ontario Cancer Registry and diagnosed between January 1995 and December 1998. Controls (n = 1,634) were age-frequency matched and were selected from the northeastern Ontario population using published telephone listings. Mail and telephone questionnaires were used for data collection. Logistic regression was used to investigate risk associated with: 1) particular medical conditions and 2) hormonal and sexual factors. Cases were subdivided into those with symptoms of prostate disease and those with few or no such symptoms.RESULTS: Symptomatic cases who reported a history of venereal disease (age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-3.80) and vasectomy (age-adjusted OR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.14-1.95) were at significantly increased risk of prostate cancer. Asymptomatic cases who reported a check-up at least once a year were at increased risk (age-adjusted OR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.08-1.98). Asymptomatic and symptomatic cases who reported a history of prostate cancer in a first degree relative were at increased risk (age-adjusted OR = 2.41, 95% CI 1.64-3.54; age-adjusted OR = 3.18, 95% CI 2.28-4.45, respectively). Symptomatic cases with a history of urinary tract infection were at non-significantly increased risk (age-adjusted OR = 1.31, 95% CI 0.98-1.76). Heart disease, mumps, allergies, and height were generally not associated with prostate cancer.CONCLUSIONS: A history of venereal disease, family history of prostate cancer, and vasectomy were positively associated with prostate cancer. Further investigation of selected medical conditions, sexual, and hormonal factors in prostate cancer development is warranted.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

The role of high-frequency hearing in age-related speech understanding deficits.

An experiment was conducted to further explore the effect of ageing on speech understanding under degraded listening conditions. Two groups of subjects, aged 20-39 years and 50-75 years were tested. Measurements were made of hearing thresholds in each ear from 0.25-10kHz, consonant discrimination in quiet and continuous speech spectrum noise (S/N= -10 dB) and monophonic and stereophonic frequency selectivity. Neither group would have been diagnosed as hearing-impaired. Nonetheless, the older group had significantly higher hearing thresholds, which increased systematically with frequency. Poorer consonant discrimination in noise was observed for the older group. This outcome was correlated with high-frequency thresholds, not with age. There was no between-group difference in stereophonic frequency selectivity, minimizing the possibility of age-related changes in central auditory processing. Monophonic frequency selectivity, an index of cochlear processing, was correlated with speech understanding. The results support the conclusion that observed age-related effects are secondary to cochlear dysfunction.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

The evaluation of exposure of printing trade employees to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Epidemiological studies of the lung cancer experience of workers in the printing industry have been inconclusive. Where there have been positive findings, the effect has generally been attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, although no exposure measurements were made. This study was undertaken to determine the exposures of printing press operators to PAH and total particulate (TP), and to evaluate the factors contributing to exposure. Personal time-weighted average exposures of press room workers were determined on two consecutive days at nine sites, including two newspaper operations. The average PAH exposure was 16.5 micrograms m-3 (including naphthalene). The average TP exposure was 0.63 mg m-3. Examination of the data revealed that there were significant differences between sites for exposure both to TP and to PAH. Newspaper plants had significantly lower exposures than commercial printing operations. There were no significant differences in exposure between the various job classifications of workers in the press rooms. Factors identified as contributing to exposure to TP were: the effectiveness of the ventilation systems, the method of feeding the press, the type of paper and the print impression area.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1987

Respiratory effects and dust exposures in hog confinement farming.

Fifty-three hog confinement farmers and 43 control farmers were studied. Pulmonary function, total and respirable personal dust levels, and responses to a health status questionnaire were obtained for all farmers. The hog farmers' total and respirable personal dust exposures were significantly higher than the respective levels of the control farmers. Higher dust levels were associated with the use of floor (scatter) feeding, indoor feed grinding, and the use of high moisture corn feed. Pork producers reported respiratory symptoms significantly more often than controls. Lung function did not differ between the two groups of farmers, nor could dust exposure levels be related to lung function.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

CT manifestations of Menkes' kinky hair syndrome (trichopoliodystrophy).

A patient with Menkes' syndrome is reported. This patient has survived to the age of six years without mental retardation, and shows previously unreported computed tomographic (CT) findings of tortuous vessels and unusual osseous manifestations of undertubulation of long bones and posterior vertebral body scalloping.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1980

Treatment of Wilson's disease with triethylene tetramine dihydrochloride. A case report.

Wilson's disease is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by progressive cirrhosis or neurological signs. Early detection and prompt treatment can reverse the relentless course of the disease. Treatment with D-penicillamine substantially improves the outlook for such patients unless side effects preclude its use. We report the use of triethylene tetramine dihydrochloride (Trien), a new non-sulfhydryl-chelating agent, in a girl who was unable to tolerate D-penicillamine in spite of steroid coverage. The drug has been well tolerated without side effects for approximately 2 1/2 years. Our patient's favorable clinical response would suggest that Trien is a safe alternative agent for the treatment of Wilson's disease when D-penicillamine is not tolerated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Wilson's disease: a common liver disorder?

In two sibships 7 of 24 siblings were homozygous for Wilson's disease. In family A, the largest kindred of this recessively inherited disease thus far reported, the proband presented with chronic active hepatitis, one sibling died of cirrhosis, a second had clinical evidence of chronic liver disease and two others had biochemical and histologic changes in liver biopsy specimens. In family B the proband had cirrhosis and portal hypertension and one sibling had biochemical and histologic evidence of liver disease. All six living patients had low serum concentrations of ceruloplasmin and copper and a high 24-hour urinary excretion of copper, which was greatly increased by administration of D-penicillamine. None showed neurologic abnormalities and only one had Kayser-Fleischer rings (detectable only by slit-lamp examination). Each patient had an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) of 8 mm/h or less. After 3 and 2 years, respectively, of D-penicillamine therapy the conditions of the two probands had improved. Liver function became normal in three siblings, and no abnormalities developed in the remaining one. Thus, since Wilson's disease may present with chronic active hepatitis or cirrhosis with a normal ESR and without ocular or neurologic signs, it may be a more common cause of liver disease in young people than has been appreciated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Liver disease associated with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency in childhood.

Liver disease in children with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency and protease inhibitor type ZZ does not necessarily carry a bad prognosis. Fourteen of our 18 patients presented with the neonatal hepatitis syndrome and four had hepatomegaly without jaundice. Although four patients have died of cirrhosis and its complications, and three have severe liver disease, most of the 11 others, of whom four are over 13 years of age, have relatively little clinical, biochemical, or histologic evidence of liver disease. Persistent elevation of SGOT during the third year of life and renal or pulmonary problems were associated with a poor prognosis. Liver biopsy early in the course of the disease was not helpful prognostically but was useful in assessment of the severity of liver disease and demonstration of alpha1AT storage, alpha1AT deficiency was found in 29% of our patients who presented with the neonatal hepatitis syndrome. One of seven apparently healthy Pi type ZZ sibs of our patients had significant liver disease which had not been suspected previously.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis in childhood cirrhosis associated with alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency.

Three alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1AT) deficient, protease inhibitor type ZZ children who died from cirrhosis and its complications had membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis at postmortem examination. During life, all three had clinical and laboratory evidence of renal disease which became apparent when hepatic decompensation developed. Immunofluorescence studies and electron microscopy performed in one patient revealed subendothelial deposits of alpha1AT, complement, and immune globulins along the glomerular basement membrane. The pathogenesis of these renal lesions is speculative. Glomerular lesions were not observed in kidney sections of 16 children who died from cirrhosis but who were not alpha1AT-deficient. The present study suggests that renal involvement may be yet another manifestation of disease associated with alpha1AT deficiency.

Child↗
PubMed1976

Bilirubin secretion and conjujation in the Crigler-Najjar syndrome type II.

Features characteristic of the Crigler-Najjar syndrome (type II) are described in an adolescent boy with severe congenital unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia. Bilirubin encephalopathy developed only in early puberty after surgery and fasting, coincident with a dramatic rise in serum bilirubin, which responded to intensive therapy. Fasting was later shown to increase markedly the serum bilirubin levels and probably was a major factor in precipitating the initial acute event. One year later, while the patient was in a metabolic steady state, the secretion rate of bilirubin was measured by aduodenal marker-perfusion technique, and the nature of the secreted bilirubin conjugates was characterized. Total bilirubin secretion rates were low, 4.39 mg per hr and 4.44 mg per hr on two separate studies. The major pigment detected in bile was bilirubin monoglucuronide. Bilirubin diglucuronide comprised only a minor fraction of the pigments, and other conjugates were not detected. The present study documents a reduced biliary bilirubin secretion and suggests that the addition of the second glucuronic acid moiety to the bilirubin molecule may be defective in Crigler-Najjar syndrome (type II).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1971

Biochemical and genetic studies in cystinuria: observations on double heterozygotes of genotype I-II.

10 families with cystinuria were investigated by measuring: (a) quantitative 24 hr urinary excretion of amino acids by column chromatography; (b) endogenous renal clearances of amino acids and creatinine; (c) intestinal uptake of (34)C-labeled L-cystine, L-lysine, and L-arginine using jejunal mucosal biopsies; (d) oral cystine loading tests. All four of these were studied in the probands and the first two in a large number of the family members.49 members of 8 families were found to have a regular genetic pattern as described previously by Harris, Rosenberg, and their coworkers. Clinical or biochemical differences between the homozygotes type I (recessive cystinuria) and homozygotes type II (incompletely recessive cystinuria) have not been found. Both types excreted similarly excessive amounts of cystine, lysine, arginine, and ornithine, and had high endogenous renal clearances for these four amino acids. Some homozygotes of both types had a cystine clearance higher than the glomerular filtration rate. Jejunal mucosa from both types of homozygotes exhibited near complete inability to concentrate cystine and lysine in vitro. This was also documented in vivo with oral cystine loads. The heterozygotes type I were phenotypically normal with respect to the above four measurements. The heterozygotes type II showed moderate but definite abnormalities in their urinary excretion and their renal clearances of dibasic amino acids. Of the four amino acids concerned, cystine was the most reliable marker to differentiate between the heterozygotes type II and the homozygous normals. In this study, type III cystinuria, as described by Rosenberg, was not encountered. In two additional families, double heterozygotes of genotype I/II were found. The disease affecting these is clinically and biochemically less severe than that affecting homozygotes of either type I or type II. With respect to the four parameters used in this study, the double heterozygotes type I/II have results which are intermediate between those of the homozygotes type I and II and those of the heterozygotes type II.

Adolescent↗