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Biomedical subjects

J Klotz

Publications and source records attributed to J Klotz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Violence and remote area nursing.

The Federal government and others have accepted that violence is a problem in rural and remote communities across Australia. The issue of personal safety for Remote Area Nurses (RANs) living in remote areas has been mentioned in a number of State and Regional reports. However, to the knowledge of this research group, no systematic attempt to gather data on the incidence of violence experienced by RANs and other remote health workers has occurred. This study aims to redress the lack of data on the experience and description of violence against remote area nurses. Results indicate that remote area nurses are living with frequent threats to their personal safety while on duty, on call and off duty, and that violent incidents are often handled badly by employers, the community and remote area nurses themselves. Twenty-four-hour call is an employment requirement for 82% of respondents. Those required to be on call 24 hours experience episodes of violence more frequently. Despite nearly all of the respondents experiencing episodes of violence within the 12 months prior to the study, there was a tendency for remote area nurses, except in the case of physical violence, to perceive both the frequency and the severity of their experiences with violence as low and not personally directed.

Community Health Nursing↗
PubMed1994

Drinking Water Contamination and the Incidence of Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

>A study of drinking water contamination and leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) incidence (1979-1987) was conducted in a 75-town study area. Comparing incidence in towns in the highest trichloroethylene (TCE) stratum (>5 microg/l) to towns without detectable TCE yielded an age-adjusted rate ratio (RR) for total leukemia among females of 1.43 (95% CI 1.07-1.90). For females under 20 years old, the RR for acute lymphocytic leukemia was 3.26 (95% CI 1.27-8.15). Elevated RRs were observed for chronic myelogenous leukemia among females and for chronic lymphocytic leukemia among males and females. NHL incidence among women was also associated with the highest TCE stratum (RR = 1.36; 95% CI 1.08-1.70). For diffuse large cell NHL and non-Burkitt's high-grade NHL among females, the RRs were 1.66 (95% CI 1.07-2.59) and 3.17 (95% CI 1.23-8.18), respectively, and 1.59 (95% CI 1.04-2.43) and 1.92 (95% CI 0.54-6.81), respectively, among males. Perchloroethylene (PCE) was associated with incidence of non-Burkitt's high-grade NHL among females, but collinearity with TCE made it difficult to assess relative influences. The results suggest a link between TCE/PCE and leukemia/ NHL incidence. However, the conclusions are limited by potential misclassification of exposure due to lack of individual information on long-term residence, water consumption, and inhalation of volatilized compounds.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Phospholipase A2 activity in serum of neuroleptic-naive psychiatric inpatients.

UNLABELLED: The activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), an enzyme that, besides a number of other functions, is involved in prostaglandin synthesis, regulation of membrane stability, and presynaptic neurotransmitter release, has been reported to be greater in the serum and plasma of schizophrenic patients than in that of other psychiatric patients and normal controls. Furthermore, it is said to be significantly reduced by haloperidol treatment. We decided to replicate these findings in an independent sample of patients by using a highly sensitive assay for determining PLA2 activity.-- METHODS: Of 167 consecutive male admissions giving informed consent 35 were found never to have received neuroleptics previously. Ten had DSM-III diagnoses of schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, or atypical psychosis, eight of other psychiatric disorders and 17 of alcohol or drug dependence (Table 1). Blood samples were drawn before medication was initiated. For patients still in hospital (Table 3), this was repeated after 21 days of treatment (n = 10). Samples from 10 healthy subjects were also obtained. PLA2 activity was determined according to Märki and Franson (1986), using a radiochemical assay.-- RESULTS: On day 0, there were no statistically significant intergroup differences in PLA2 serum activity. After 21 days, it was not possible to detect any significant decrease in PLA2 activity (Table 4). The PLA2 activity of the patient groups did not differ from that of the group of healthy subjects (Table 5).-- CONCLUSION: It was not possible to replicate the finding of increased PLA2 activity in schizophrenic patients in our sample of patients never treated with neuroleptics before.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Microanatomic clonality of gamma delta T cells in human leishmaniasis lesions.

T cells bearing gamma delta Ag receptors accumulate in the lesions of patients with localized American cutaneous leishmaniasis (LCL), and are thought to be involved in immunity to the parasite. To obtain clues as to the nature of the Ag recognized by these cells, we analyzed the diversity of the TCR delta-chain in LCL lesions. Using mAb against variable (V) encoded determinants with immunoperoxidase, both V delta 1 and V delta 2 subpopulations were identified in the dermal granulomas. However, within the epidermis of LCL lesions, the majority of the gamma delta T cells were V delta 1 positive. PCR analysis of lesion-derived DNA using oligonucleotide primers for V and junctional (J) gene segments revealed preferential usage of J delta 1 in lesions compared with the peripheral blood of these patients. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the V-J junction indicated limited diversity of gamma delta T cells within specific microanatomic regions. In addition, use of a single diversity (D) gene segment, D delta 3, in V delta 2 cells in lesions was observed, as opposed to multiple D delta gene segment usage in the blood of the same individuals. The distribution, gene segment usage and clonality of gamma delta T cells in lesions of leishmaniasis was remarkably similar to that observed in leprosy. Therefore, gamma delta T cells responding to infection may recognize a limited set of nominal Ag, perhaps common to distinct pathogens and/or those expressed by the host. Our findings are most consistent with a model in which specific gamma delta T cells are clonally selected by these Ag in lesions and undergo oligoclonal expansion within a microanatomic region.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Accumulated exposure to ozone and measurement of health effects in children and counselors at two summer camps.

In the summer of 1988 a multiorganizational field health study was conducted at two summer day camps in suburban-central New Jersey. Thirty-four campers and counselors had daily pulmonary function tests performed each afternoon while attending camp during the month of July. The subjects ranged from 9 to 35 years of age. A mobile medical screening van was used to house the spirometric equipment and travel to each camp. Continuous ozone measurements were collected over the 19-test day study period. An intense ozone episode was recorded just prior to and during the first 2 weeks of the study. The campers had an increase in respiratory symptoms with increases in ozone concentrations above 120 ppb. Exposures below 120 ppb ozone were not significantly associated with symptoms. Peak expiratory flow rate in children was the only lung function measure associated with increasing ozone concentrations, with an average loss of 4.74 ml/sec/ppb (P-value = 0.05) for the 8-hr ozone exposure measure. Furthermore, it appears that the early intense exposure to ozone produced a persistent decrease in lung function and baseline shift for three days after the episode that obscured the daily dose-response relationship.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The T cell repertoire to a multideterminant antigen. Clonal heterogeneity of the T cell response, variation between syngeneic individuals, and in vitro selection of T cell specificities.

The specificity of lysozyme-induced T cell proliferative responses by individual B10.A mice was compared by using a panel of three peptides. A surprising degree of variation in the focus of the responses was observed among individual animals, both in the newly isolated lymph node cell populations and in long term T cell lines. The responses to each determinant after hen egg-white lysozyme immunization were not equal and in examining the mice as a group some determinants tended to be dominant. However, despite each animal favoring a restricted number of determinants, the responding T cell populations were still highly heterogeneous. The data suggest that many determinants are involved in the response to the whole Ag. The role of one or more dominant determinants can be overestimated because the degree of heterogeneity in long term T cell lines appears to be less than in freshly obtained lymph node cells, indicating that a process of in vitro selection occurs. We observed that the T cells responsive to one peptide, 46-61, appeared to have a selective advantage in vitro culture.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Primary invasive carcinoma of the vagina.

Carcinoma of the vagina remains a problem for the clinician. The experience of The Ohio State University Gynecologic Oncology section confirms that careful consideration of urinary complaints is important in patient evaluation. In our experience, a fourth of the patients in our series with primary carcinoma of the vagina presented with urinary complaints with or without associated pain or bleeding. Vaginal bleeding was the most common complaint. Radical surgery may result in equally successful therapy, as does radiation for early stage disease. The disease stage was the single most important prognostic factor. Finally, careful screening of the vagina for a neoplasm is important, especially in patients in the postmenopausal period with histories of other neoplasms.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1981

Multiple-threshold transmission of affective disorders.

Data on bipolar and unipolar affective disorders were gathered on first-degree relatives of 255 patients with both illness types. As consistent with a model of continuous liability, bipolar probands were found to have more bipolar relatives and more relatives with any affective disorder than unipolar probands. Multiple-threshold models of inheritance were applied to the data using clinical polarity as a threshold determinant. The hypothesis of multifactorial inheritance was ruled out. Autosomal single-major-locus inheritance provided an acceptable fit to the data. It is proposed that separate genetic mechanisms for bipolar and unipolar disorders need not be present. The two illness types are represented in the model at different thresholds on a single continuum of genetic-environmental liability in which bipolar illness is claimed to be more deviant genetically than unipolar illness.

Bipolar Disorder↗
PubMed1981

Age-of-onset and genetic transmission in affective disorders.

Age-of-onset data were gathered on first-degree relatives of 252 probands with bipolar and unipolar affective disorders. Early onset probands (younger than 40 at onset) had more early onset relatives and a greater risk for affective disorder among their relatives than late onset probands (40 or older). This indicates that age-of-onset is a familial factor correlated with the liability to affective illness. Multiple threshold models of inheritance were applied to the data using age-of-onset as a liability-threshold determinant. The hypothesis of autosomal single-major locus was ruled out. Multifactorial-polygenic inheritance provided a better fit to the data. The data suggest that early and late onset affective disorders can be placed at different thresholds on a genetic environmental continuum and that the early onset form is more deviant genetically than the late onset type. The implications for genetic research in affective disorder are discussed.

Affective Disorders, Psychotic↗
PubMed1981

Phase II study of dibromodulcitol in colorectal, kidney, and other carcinomas.

In a phase II study dibromodulcitol (DBD), an alpha-omega dibrominated hexitol, was used to treat 99 previously treated patients with colon, rectal, kidney, and other tumors. Six patients were ineligible and 10 patients were nonevaluable for response. Aside from thrombocytopenia toxicity was moderate. Twenty-three patients had platelet nadirs of less than 50,000/mm3 and there were three thrombocytopenic-associated drug deaths. One of 21 rectal and 1 of 13 kidney cancer patients entered a remission. All but seven patients had received previous treatment with one or more cytotoxic agents. Previously treated patients with colorectal and kidney cancer appear to be resistant to DBD.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

Is photogrammetry of the face reliable?

The reliability of photogrammetry was assessed in 18 healthy young, white Canadians of each sex. Landmarks were indicated on the face before direct measurement and photography. Of 104 surface measurements taken directly from the head, face, and ears of subjects, 62 could be duplicated on the life-size frontal and left lateral photographs taken from the head in standard position. Of these 62 measurements, 26 were reliable (the same as or differing from the direct measurements by no more than 1 mm or 2 degrees). The greatest number of reliable measurements were of the lips and mouth (7 out of 13), but no ear measurements were reliable. Almost half (9) of the reliable measurements were inclinations. More correct vertical measurements were possible from lateral prints than from frontal views, but many lateral facial measurements from profile prints were distorted. Frontal-view prints gave additional reliable measurements.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

A phase III study comparing the clinical utility of four regimens of 5-fluorouracil: a preliminary report.

A clinical trial involving 462 colon, rectum, and breast cancer patients randomized among four different dosage regimens of 5-FU (an intravenous loading course, a weekly intravenous schedule, a nontoxic schedule, and an oral schedule) has shown a significantly better response among colon-rectum cancer patients for the intravenous loading course. In addition, duration of response and time to progression are also significantly better. Overall survival is approaching significance for the colon rectum group (p value .082). In contrast, breast cancer patients show little difference between treatments. Toxicity is somewhat higher for the loading course.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1975

Combination chemotherapy in breast cancer: a randomized study of 4 versus 5 drugs.

A randomized clinical trial, involving approximately 100 patients, that compared two combination therapy regimens (5 FU, methotrexate, vincristine, cyclophosphamide with and without prednisone) in advanced breast cancer showed a significantly higher rate of response for the 5-drug therapy group (62.5 versus 44.2%). However, no significant difference in survival has been observed to date. Some differences in toxicity were observed, e.g. a significantly greater number of cases with mild diarrhea for the 5-drug regimen, and a few more cases of sensory loss (not significant) and significantly more severe leukopenia (p value 0.06) for the 4-drug regimen.

Breast Neoplasms↗