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Biomedical subjects

J Griffith

Publications and source records attributed to J Griffith.

225 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Job strain and anger expression predict early morning elevations in salivary cortisol.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to test the hypothesis that high job demands and low job control (job strain) are associated with elevated free cortisol levels early in the working day and with reduced variability across the day and to evaluate the contribution of anger expression to this pattern. METHODS: One hundred five school teachers (41 men and 64 women) classified 12 months earlier as high (N = 48) or low (N = 57) in job strain according to the demand/control model sampled saliva at 2-hour intervals from 8:00 to 8:30 hours to 22:00 to 22:30 hours on a working day. Anger expression was assessed with the Speilberger State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and negative affect was also measured. RESULTS: Free cortisol was significantly elevated at 8:00 to 8:30 hours in the high job strain group but not at later times of the day or evening. After adjustment for age and negative affect, cortisol was an average of 21.7% higher early in the working day in the high job strain group. This effect was significantly greater in high job strain teachers, who also reported high anger-out. The cortisol decline from morning to evening was greater in the high than low job strain individuals. Independently of job strain, women had a higher cortisol concentration at 8:00 to 8:30 hours than men, whereas cortisol concentration was greater in men than women in the middle of the working day between 12:00 and 16:30 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Job strain is associated with elevated free cortisol concentrations early in the working day but not with reduced cortisol variability. The interaction with outward anger expression suggests that individual characteristics modulate the impact of chronic work stress on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Substance abuse disorders in nurses.

Substance abuse is a serious concern in the profession of nursing. The American Nurses Association (1997) estimates that 10% to 20% of nurses have substance abuse problems, and that 6% to 8% of registered nurses are impaired due to their abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Chemical dependency is considered a disease that requires treatment. Early identification and treatment of the chemically dependent nurse is important for the safety of the public and for the well-being of the nurse and her profession. This article addresses substance abuse from a biopsychosocial perspective, and includes a description of an approach to treatment and suggestions for the role of nursing administration.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of renal neutral endopeptidase inhibition on sodium excretion, renal hemodynamics and neurohormonal activation in patients with congestive heart failure.

We investigated the effects of inhibiting endogenous atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) metabolism on renal hemodynamics, sodium excretion and neurohormones in 12 patients with New York Heart Association functional class II congestive heart failure (CHF) due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded fashion, 8 patients received a single oral dose of candoxatril, an inhibitor of renal neutral endopeptidase, and 4 patients received placebo. Candoxatril treatment increased plasma ANF by 70 +/- 71 pg/ml (p < 0.015 vs. placebo) and plasma cGMP by 7.9 +/- 2.7 pmol/ml (p < 0.001 vs. placebo), with maximal effects at 3.5 h. Urinary cGMP more than doubled (p = 0.025 vs. placebo). Candoxatril increased urinary sodium by 2.7 +/- 2.0 mEq/h (p < 0.05 vs. placebo) and significantly elevated filtration fraction with no significant effect on glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow or lithium clearance. A significant reduction in aldosterone concentration with a similar trend in plasma renin activity was noted in candoxatril-treated patients. Thus in patients with moderate heart failure, renal neutral endopeptidase inhibition increases urinary sodium excretion. The lack of an effect on renal hemodynamics suggests that this natriuresis results from ANF-mediated inhibition of tubular sodium reabsorption. These findings justify additional investigation into potential clinical benefit of endopeptidase inhibition in patients with CHF.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reduced susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus to cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine.

Sensitivities of 120 strains of Staphylococcus aureus to methicillin, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and chlorhexidine (CH) were measured by the agar dilution technique. The MICs for CPC and CH were < or = 2 micrograms/ml in 93 and 83% of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus, respectively, and > 2 micrograms/ml in 81 and 83% of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), respectively. Overall, the MICs for CPC and CH were 5-10 times greater in the methicillin-resistant than in the methicillin-sensitive strains (p < 0.001). The MICs for CPC and CH also predicted the relative susceptibilities of S. aureus strains to the bactericidal action of these agents in growth and time-kill studies. The possibility that antiseptics and disinfectants contribute to the selection and maintenance of multiply resistant MRSA is considered.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiovascular fitness in a selected group of dentists.

Thirty-three dentists were studied as part of an exercise rehabilitation clinic in order to evaluate their cardiovascular capacity and coronary prone risk factors. Measurements were made of their physical work capacity, predicted maximal oxygen uptake, fatness, serum lipids and uric acid levels, pulmonary peak flow rates and personality Type A or B. The group as a whole exhibited a moderately high level of fitness and a very active life style which probably reflected their presence at a clinic of this type. Cardiovascular fitness varibles increased with age. This increase may be due to a need and desire on the part of the dentists to maintain their physical fitness as they become older. This need for improved self image may also be a factor in their joining an exercise rehabilitation clinic.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chromosome rearrangements in fumigant appliers: possible relationship to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma risk.

Appliers of pesticides (n = 18) who are exposed to the fumigant phosphine or who have a mixed exposure to other pesticides and phosphine demonstrate a significant increase in chromosome rearrangements in G-banded chromosomes from peripheral blood compared to control subjects (n = 26). Appliers who had discontinued using phosphine for at least 8 months prior to specimen collection (n = 5) do not demonstrate significant increases in chromosome rearrangements compared to controls. Breakpoint analysis of 6,138 metaphases from all subjects demonstrates 196 breaks per 3605 metaphases in exposed subjects and 102 breaks per 2,533 metaphases in control subjects. Bands with significantly more breaks than expected based on band length in all study subjects were 1q32, 3p14, 7p15, and 14q11. Three of these four bands had significantly more breaks than expected in the exposed group, and all four bands had a significant excess of breaks in the control group. There are four bands with a significant excess of breaks in the exposed group and no breaks in the control group; each of these occurs in a known protooncogene region. These are 1p13 (NRAS), 2p23 (NMYC), 14q32 (ELK2), and 21q12 (ETS-2). Most breaks at bands 1p13, 14q32, and 21q22 are associated with chromosome rearrangements and occurred in appliers who have a mixed exposure to phosphine and other pesticides. Cytogenetic abnormalities, i.e., rearrangements and/or deletions involving bands 1p13, 2p23, and 14q32, are associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We speculate that these findings could relate to the risk of evolution of a neoplastic clone in these workers. Epidemiological studies of similarly exposed workers indicate an excess of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Chromatids↗