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Jessica Utts

Publications and source records attributed to Jessica Utts.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Risk factors and comorbidities in primary biliary cirrhosis: a controlled interview-based study of 1032 patients.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, often associated with other autoimmune conditions. Controlled studies have so far provided conflicting data on risk factors and comorbidity rates in PBC. We enrolled patients with PBC (n = 1032) from 23 tertiary referral centers for liver diseases in the United States and random-digit-dialed controls (n = 1041) matched for sex, age, race, and geographical location. Patients and controls were administered a modified version of the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES III) questionnaire by trained personnel to evaluate associations between PBC and social, demographic, personal and family medical histories, lifestyle, and reproductive factors and the rates of comorbidity in affected individuals. Data indicate that having a first-degree relative with PBC (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 10.736; 95% confidence interval 4.227-27.268), history of urinary tract infections (AOR 1.511, 95% CI 1.192-1.915), past smoking (AOR 1.569, 95% CI 1.292-1.905), or use of hormone replacement therapies (AOR 1.548, 95% CI 1.273-1.882) were significantly associated with increased risk of PBC. The frequent use of nail polish slightly increased the risk of having PBC. Other autoimmune diseases were found in 32% of cases and 13% of controls (P<0.0001). In conclusion, environmental factors, possibly including infectious agents through urinary tract infections or chemicals contained in cigarette smoke, may induce PBC in genetically susceptible individuals. Exogenous estrogens may also contribute to explain the female predominance of the disease.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Distant intentionality and the feeling of being stared at: two meta-analyses.

Findings in parapsychology suggest an effect of distant intentionality. Two laboratory set-ups explored this topic by measuring the effect of a distant intention on psychophysiological variables. The 'Direct Mental Interaction in Living Systems' experiment investigates the effect of various intentions on the electrodermal activity of a remote subject. The 'Remote Staring' experiment examines whether gazing by an observer covaries with the electrodermal activity of the person being observed. Two meta-analyses were conducted. A small significant effect size (d =.11, p =.001) was found in 36 studies on 'direct mental interaction', while a best-evidence-synthesis of 7 studies yielded d =.05 (p =.50). In 15 remote staring studies a mean effect size of d = 0.13 (p =.01) was obtained. It is concluded that there are hints of an effect, but also a shortage of independent replications and theoretical concepts.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

The association between gravidity and primary biliary cirrhosis.

PURPOSE: Primary biliary cirrhosis is an autoimmune disease with female predominance that leads to liver failure. The goal of this study was to identify reproductive risk factors associated with this disease. METHODS: We compared 182 cases of PBC with 225 age- and sex-matched friend controls to examine the role of reproductive factors. The survey instrument was developed using standardized questions obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III. RESULTS: A total of 126/182 cases (69%) and 141/225 (62.6%) friend controls responded to the survey. More cases than controls reported ever having genitourinary infection [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01, 4.42] among those without a personal or family history of autoimmune disease. The most notable finding was that cases reported significantly more pregnancies than controls (p = 0.008). The adjusted OR for each additional pregnancy among those without a personal or family history of autoimmune disease was 1.40 (95% CI 1.14, 1.7). More controls (24.4%) than cases (16.0%) were nulliparous. Cases reported having five or more children (16.0%) with double the frequency of controls (8.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The association reported herein, between primary biliary cirrhosis and gravidity, is particularly significant because of the overwhelming female predominance.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed2002

Functional status of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVES: Although autoimmune diseases can have a significant impact on the quality of life, there has been a relative paucity of data with respect to the functional status of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of 182 patients ("cases") with PBC as well as 225 age- and sex-matched friend control subjects using a standardized instrument obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS: In all, 126 of 182 cases (69%) and 141 of 225 friend controls (62.6%) responded to this survey, a response rate comparable to or better than in similar previous studies of such instruments. Patients with PBC had a significantly reduced functional status score compared to their controls (p < 0.001). Interestingly, a lower level of education and the presence of arthritis and hypertension were significantly associated with these lower levels of functional capabilities. These data were subjected to multivariate analysis and confirmed. Age was not associated with impaired functional status in either the patients or controls. CONCLUSIONS: Studies of this nature have potential implications for the well-being and management of patients with PBC, and focus on issues that can be addressed to help maintain functional status in this chronic disease.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Distant healing intention: definitions and evolving guidelines for laboratory studies.

This paper provides definitions and a discussion of evolving guidelines for conducting research on the effects of distant healing intention (DHI) on living systems in the laboratory. We consider the relevance of DHI laboratory research to applied healing, special theoretical challenges, and other considerations that distinguish DHI research from other domains of laboratory science. Two sample protocols for investigating DHI are provided, one involving the human autonomic nervous system as the "target" of distant intention, and the other involving cell cultures. In essence, DHI differs from other alternative healing modalities because it postulates that mental intention alone can affect living systems at a distance, unbounded by the usual constraints of both space and time. This postulate challenges scientific assumptions that often go unexamined, including the nature of causality, the distinction between subjective and objective states, and the efficacy of double-blind protocols in controlling for experimenters' intentions. Previous laboratory research in this domain suggests that DHI effects warrant serious study, but most scientists and funding agencies are unaware of the evidence or the relevant literature. By following these evolving guidelines, researchers' designs and their ultimate publications will conform more closely to the quality standards expected by scientific journals, and such publications will in turn attract the attention of a broader range of scientists. This seems especially important for alternative healing research in general and for distant healing in particular; both realms enjoy broad public support but have largely eluded serious attention by mainstream science.

Brain↗