Biomedical subjects

M Loeb

Publications and source records attributed to M Loeb.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1982

Nonanatomic prognostic factors in carcinoma of the lung: a multivariate analysis.

Existing records of 651 patients with bronchogenic carcinoma registered at the Kingston Clinic of the Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation during the period between 1965-1974 were examined in order to determine the relationship to survival of the following four "nonanatomic" prognostic factors: symptomatic history, performance status, weight loss, and age. Even when stage, histologic factors, and treatment were taken into account, it was found that weight loss and performance status significantly affected survival. Age, however, was related to survival only when the treatment given to the patient was not considered. Symptomatic history was important in so far as it related to weight loss and performance status. These results are compared to those obtained in other series and the implications discussed.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1982

Cytoreductive surgery and systemic bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy in metastatic renal cancer: a phase II trial.

A phase II trial has been conducted to determine the effect upon survival of cytoreductive surgery (nephrectomy) and adjuvant active immunotherapy (bacillus Calmette-Guerin) in patients with stage IV renal cancer. A total of 20 patients underwent removal of the primary tumor and received bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy (adjuvant group). The results were compared to those obtained in 20 historical controls treated with conventional methods (hormones, chemotherapy and radiotherapy with or without nephrectomy) and 16 concurrent controls. All patients in the historical control group were dead within 4 years after the diagnosis of metastases. Seven patients (35 per cent) in the adjuvant group were alive 2 to 5 years after documentation of metastatic disease and onset of therapy. The ratio of observed to expected deaths in the adjuvant group was 0.59 compared to 1.6 in the historical controls. This superior survival was statistically significant (p less than 0.01). A difference in survival between the adjuvant group and concurrent controls also was present but was not statistically significant (0.10 less than p less than 0.20). Other factors suspected to influence survival were investigated. We found that in addition to bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy a prolonged interval free of disease and better performance status had a better prognosis. Location of metastases, nephrectomy, age and sex are of no significant prognostic value. Definitive answers on the therapeutic value of bacillus Calmette-Guerin and the influence on survival of various biological factors can only be provided by large, controlled, randomized and stratified (phase III) trials.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1981

Survival after recurrence of breast cancer.

A series of 456 patients with cancer of the breast that was first diagnosed between 1961 and 1970 were studied to determine the effect of certain prognostic factors on survival after recurrence. The prognostic factors studied included those recorded at the time of initial diagnosis and at the time of recurrence. Life-table and log-rank methods were used to analyse the influence of individual prognostic factors, and the simultaneous effects of multiple factors were assessed with Cox's proportional hazards model. The analysis indicated that, in addition to the strong effect of the length of the free interval and the nature and number of sites of recurrence, variables assessed at the time of initial diagnosis -- stage and histologic subtypes of the tumour -- also influenced survival after recurrence. This supports the contention that the presenting characteristics of breast cancer reflect the underlying biologic aggressiveness of the tumour as much as the length of time the tumour has been present.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed1981

The present state of research on the effects of noise: are we asking the right questions?

A review is presented, with a bibliography of 68 items, of some effects and aftereffects of noise on other senses and on intelligence, on performance on multiple tasks, memory, computation, vigilance, signal detection, reaction time, and on industrial performance. Throughout this literature contradictions abound. Mechanisms reviewed include distraction, arousal, stress, concentration, masking of task-produced feedback, erasure of auditory store, and interference with or inhibition of articulation and rehearsal. It was concluded that it is necessary to consider complex interactions of the effects of noise with task difficulty and task proficiency of the subject, personality of the subject, time of day, food and drug ingestion, and the meaning of the noise and the previous exposure of the subject to it, whether it represents a threat or interference with work or reaction, or is in fact interesting and enjoyable. Such information must be available before generalizing.

Arousal↗

PubMed1981

Annoyance by aircraft noise and fear of overflying aircraft in relation to attitudes toward the environment and community.

If, as has been suggested, expressions of annoyance attributable to aircraft noise may reflect, in part, fear of aircraft overflights and possible crashes, then residents of areas where crashes have occurred should express more annoyance. To test this hypothesis, 50 residents of an Albany, New York area where an aircraft crash producing fatalities recently occurred, and 50 residents of a comparable nearby area without such a history, were asked to respond to a "Quality of Life" questionnaire. Among the items were some designed to test annoyance by noise and fear of aircraft overflights. It was predicted that those in the crash area would express more fear and would more often identify aircraft as a noise source. Factor analysis and discriminant analysis results sustained these hypotheses. A near-replication was carried out in Louisville, Kentucky; results were much the same. For the crash-area groups there was association of aircraft fear and noise annoyance responses; this was true to an apparently lesser extent for non-crash-area groups. The greater annoyance of crash groups by aircraft community noise apparently does not carry over to assessment of aircraft noise in the laboratory.

Accidents, Aviation↗

PubMed1981

America in the 1980s: 10 major changes ahead.

At least 10 major developments will substantially change our country, our lives, our livelihoods, and our families in the 1980s. Despite all of our immediate and visible problems, if we Americans follow sensible policies of government deregulation, of capital formation, of energy conservation, and energy development, then the economic, the political, and the social future of the United States in the revolutionary 1980s is absolutely dazzling.

Agriculture↗

PubMed1980