Showing papers by "Joachim Heinrich published in 1998"
TL;DR: Results indicated that lung cancer risk in young and older age groups shows remarkable differences with respect to sex, histologic type, and genetic predisposition.
Abstract: Risk factors for early onset of lung cancer are relatively unknown. In a case-control study, carried out in Germany between 1990 and 1996, the effects of smoking and familial aggregation of cancer were compared in 251 young cases and 280 young controls (< or = 45 years) and in 2,009 older cases and 2,039 older controls (55-69 years). The male/female ratio was 2.6/1 in young patients and 5.6/1 in older patients. Adenocarcinomas were more frequent in young men than in older men (41 % vs. 28%). Duration of smoking and amount smoked showed significantly increased odds ratios for lung cancer in both age groups. Lung cancer in a first degree relative was associated with a 2.6-fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-6.0) increase in the risk of lung cancer in the young age group, but no elevated risk was seen in the older group (OR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.9-1.6). Smoking-related cancer in relatives with the age at diagnosis under 46 years was associated with an increased risk of lung cancer in the young group (OR = 5.6, 95% CI 0.7-46.9) but not in the older group (OR = 0.7, 95% CI 0.3-1.5). Results indicated that lung cancer risk in young and older age groups shows remarkable differences with respect to sex, histologic type, and genetic predisposition.
128 citations
TL;DR: The data confirmed the assumption that in formerly socialist countries social inequalities existed under the socialist system, which were reflected by a social gradient in health outcomes and support the hypothesis that increased access to modern lifestyle could be one reason for the increasing rates of atopic disorders during the last 3 decades.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: This analysis was conducted to determine whether atopic disorders were related to social class in a pediatric population of a former socialist country. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 2471 schoolchildren was carried out in 1992 and 1993 in 3 towns in the former East Germany. Parents completed a standardized questionnaire regarding health events and lifestyle factors. In addition, skin-prick tests were performed and total serum immunoglobulin (IgE) was determined. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence rates for atopic disease and rates of allergic sensitization were highest in children from social class III (in which parents had more than 10 years of formal education) and lowest in social class I (less than 10 years of parental education), while rates in social class II (10 years of parental education) were constant at an intermediate level. CONCLUSIONS: The data confirmed the assumption that in formerly socialist countries social inequalities existed under the socialist system, which were reflected...
109 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the relationship between Ascaris-specific IgE and allergic sensitization in a nontropical country was determined, and it was shown that contact with low doses of helminthic antigen is associated with an increase of total and specific IgE production.
Abstract: Background: Helminthic infections induce an IL-4–dependent polyclonal stimulation of IgE synthetization. It is still unclear, however, what role helminths play in allergic sensitization. Objective: We sought to determine the relationship between Ascaris -specific IgE and allergic sensitization in a nontropical country. Methods: In 2 consecutive cross-sectional surveys in 1992-1993 and 1995-1996, data from school entrants (age range, 5 to 7 years), third graders (age range, 8 to 10 years), and sixth graders (age range, 11 to 14 years) were collected. The 2 younger groups were reexamined in the second survey. Data for about 2300 children, including a cohort of 700 subjects, were analyzed. Ascaris IgE and total and specific IgE to inhalant allergens were measured, and skin prick tests were performed. Information about asthma and allergic rhinitis was collected by a questionnaire. Results: Children who were Ascaris -IgE seropositive (>0.35 IU/mL) in both surveys had 10-fold higher levels of total IgE (451 IU/mL vs 45 IU/mL, P P P P Ascaris -seronegative in the first survey but seropositive in the second survey, total and specific IgE increased markedly. Sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus increased nearly 3-fold in this group. In contrast, in children who became Ascaris -seronegative, total and specific IgE decreased. Conclusions: Contact with low doses of helminthic antigen is associated with an increase of total and specific IgE production. Helminthic infections in East German children are not the cause for a low prevalence of allergies in the former East Germany. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;102:414-20.)
103 citations
TL;DR: Factors related to a “Western lifestyle”, which were prevalent in the West German city during the 1960s and i970s may be responsible for the higher prevalence of allergic sensitization observed in Hamburg.
Abstract: Recent studies have found a higher prevalence of allergic rhinitis and atopic sensitization among adults living in eastern than those living in western Germany. We hypothesize that prevalence rates were similar before Germany was divided and diverged after the division. Because there are no historical data comparing atopic status between the two parts of Germany, we tested this hypothesis by comparing the prevalence of atopy among persons who were born during different decades. As part of the EC Respiratory Health Survey, a respiratory health questionnaire was mailed to a population-based sample of 8363 subjects aged 20-44 years from a city in the former West Germany (Hamburg) and a city in the former East Germany (Erfurt). Of the target population, 6428 (77%) subjects responded. Subsamples of 731 subjects from Erfurt and 1159 subjects from Hamburg participated in medical examinations, including skin prick tests and specific IgE measurements. Prevalence rates of allergic sensitization were similar in Hamburg and Erfurt for those born in the periods 1946-51 and 1952-61, respectively, but differed between Hamburg and Erfurt subjects born in the period 1962-71. After adjustment for several potential predictors, the younger subjects from Hamburg had a higher odds ratio (OR) of sensitization than those Hamburg subjects born before 1952 (skin prick test reactivity: OR 2.06, any specific IgE > 0.35 kU/l: OR 1.61). The younger subjects from Erfurt were not more frequently sensitized than the older subjects (skin prick test reactivity: OR 1.05, any specific IgE > 0.35 kU/l: OR 0.79). No single allergen could be identified as responsible for the observed difference. We conclude that factors related to a "Western lifestyle", which were prevalent in the West German city during the 1960s and 1970s, may be responsible for the higher prevalence of allergic sensitization observed in Hamburg.
64 citations
TL;DR: LBW appears to be a risk factor for smaller lungs and hyperreactive airways primarily in term born children, whereas in pre‐term children the immature bronchial system seems to be recover by school age.
Abstract: The objective of this analysis was to examine the effect of low birth weight and prematurity on bronchial air-flow, bronchial reactivity, airway symptoms and asthma diagnosis at school age. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was performed in three small towns in the eastern part of Germany on 2470 school children aged 5-14 (89.1% of eligible children). A 78 item questionnaire to determine risk factors at birth and in early childhood was employed. 7.8% of the children were born before completing 38 gestational weeks; 6.6% had a birth weight less than 2500 g. Pulmonary function analysis were done by a mobile plethysmography at the school. There were only weak restrictions in lung volume in term low birth weight (LBW) children (100 ml lower TLC, p = 0.107), and flow (257 ml lower PEFR, p = 0.108), were low. However, bronchial hyper-responsiveness indicated by 292 ml lower FEV1.0 after cold air bronchial provocation, was significantly increased compared to term normal birth weight children (p < 0.001). The effect of LBW was less in older children, only slightly stronger in girls and increased in children mechanically ventilated during the postnatal period. Correspondingly, there was a higher prevalence of diagnosed asthma in term LBW children (OR 1.6, 95%-confidence interval 1.0-2.6), however these were without an increased risk for any allergic sensitization. LBW, therefore, seems to be a risk factor for smaller lungs and hyperreactive airways primarily in term born children, whereas in preterm children the immature bronchial system seems to be recover by school age.
64 citations
50 citations
Abstract: Residential microbial exposure has been suggested to be involved in the development of asthma. This paper describes bacterial endotoxin and mold β(1→3)-glucan levels in house dust and the relationship to selected home characteristics. Dust was sampled from mattresses and living room and bedroom floors of 25 houses in Germany. Endotoxin and β(1→3)-glucan levels ranged from 200-48,600 EU/g dust (100-32,900 EU/m2 sampled surface) and 182-3,507 μg/g (157-3,652 μg/m2), respectively. Bio-contaminant levels were highest on living room floors and lowest in mattresses. Dust, endotoxin and β(1→3)-glucan levels were 2–3 times higher on living room floors of centrally heated houses built after 1970 compared to older individually heated houses. This was not found for mattresses and bedroom floors. No associations between biocontaminant levels and other selected home characteristics (temperature, relative humidity, damp spots and insulation of windows) were found. β(1→3)-glucan levels were associated with total culturable fungi (per m2) in house dust, as well as with the fungal genus Alternaria (per g dust and per m2). In conclusion endotoxin and β(1→3)-glucan were readily detectable in house dust and significantly associated with heating system and/or age of the home.
48 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reported the observation of bottom-charmed mesons in 1.8 TeV $p\overline{p} collisions using the CDF detector at the Fermilab Tevatron.
Abstract: We report the observation of bottom-charmed mesons ${B}_{c}$ in 1.8 TeV $p\overline{p}$ collisions using the CDF detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The ${B}_{c}$ mesons were found through their semileptonic decays, ${B}_{c}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}J/\ensuremath{\psi}{l}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}X.$ A fit to the $J/\ensuremath{\psi}l$ mass distribution yielded ${20.4}_{\ensuremath{-}5.5}^{+6.2}$ events from ${B}_{c}$ mesons. A test of the null hypothesis, i.e., an attempt to fit the data with background alone, was rejected at the level of 4.8 standard deviations. By studying the quality of the fit as a function of the assumed ${B}_{c}$ mass, we determined ${M(B}_{c})=6.40\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.39(\mathrm{stat}.)\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.13\mathrm{}(\mathrm{syst})\mathrm{}\mathrm{GeV}{/c}^{2}.$ From the distribution of trilepton intersection points in the plane transverse to the beam direction we measured the ${B}_{c}$ lifetime to be $\ensuremath{\tau}{(B}_{c}{)=0.46}_{\ensuremath{-}0.16}^{+0.18}(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03\mathrm{}(\mathrm{syst})\mathrm{}\mathrm{ps}.$ We also measured the ratio of production cross section times branching fraction for ${B}_{c}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}J/\ensuremath{\psi}{l}^{+}\ensuremath{
u}$ relative to that for ${B}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}J/\ensuremath{\psi}{K}^{+}$ to be $\frac{\ensuremath{\sigma}{(B}_{c})\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{B(B}_{c}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}J/\ensuremath{\psi}l\ensuremath{
u})}{\ensuremath{\sigma}(B)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}B(\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{B}J/\ensuremath{\psi}K)}{=0.132}_{\ensuremath{-}0.037}^{+0.041}{(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.031\mathrm{}(\mathrm{syst})}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}0.020}^{+0.032}(\mathrm{lifetime}).$
48 citations
TL;DR: Increasing body burdens of cadmium were associated consistently with dose-dependent suppression of immediate hypersensitivity and of immunoglobin G, but not immunoglobulins M, A, or E levels, leading investigators to suggest that secondary humoral responses were impaired by Cadmium.
Abstract: The effects of cadmium on measures of immune-system function were determined from a health survey of school children in heavily polluted regions of eastern Germany A representative sample of 842 students, aged 5-14 y, was included in logistic regression analyses in which the relationship between urinary cadmium content and blood immunoglobulin levels was examined Investigators further evaluated a subsample of 807 students to determine cadmium's effect on the immediate hypersensitivity reactions elicited by skin-prick challenges with 12 common aeroallergens Several potentially confounding factors were controlled for, after which investigators found that increasing body burdens of cadmium were associated consistently with dose-dependent suppression of immediate hypersensitivity and of immunoglobin G, but not immunoglobulins M, A, or E levels The immunoglobulin pattern observed in exposed children led investigators to suggest that secondary humoral responses were impaired by cadmium
48 citations
TL;DR: There is a tendency for the prevalence rates of self-reported allergic rhinitis and asthma-related respiratory symptoms in the eastern part of Germany to increase to West-German levels, but it is not yet clear if this is due to a true increase in morbidity or only to a higher awareness for these diseases among doctors and the public.
Abstract: Studies comparing respiratory health of residents in the areas of former East and West Germany have shown higher rates of asthma and allergies in children and young adults in former West Germany. It has been speculated that some factors associated with western lifestyle may be related to higher rates of atopic diseases among residents of former West Germany. We examined if the prevalence rates of self-reported asthma and nasal allergies in adults converged between the areas of former East and West Germany five years after re-unification. During the years 1990–1992 and 1994–1995 two independently drawn random samples of more than 3,000 subjects between the ages of 20 to 44 years answered a screening questionnaire of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey in Erfurt (East Germany) and in Hamburg (West Germany). The prevalence rates of asthma attacks, asthma medication use, allergic rhinitis, and wheezing remained stable in Hamburg but increased significantly in Erfurt approaching those of Hamburg. The data indicate that there is a tendency for the prevalence rates of self-reported allergic rhinitis and asthma-related respiratory symptoms in the eastern part of Germany to increase to West-German levels. It is not yet clear if this is due to a true increase in morbidity or only to a higher awareness for these diseases among doctors and the public.
42 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors measured the t (t) over bar production cross section in p (p)-over bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV in the lepton + jets channel, assuming the current world average m(t) = 172.6 GeV.
Abstract: We measure the t (t) over bar production cross section in p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV in the lepton + jets channel. Two complementary methods discriminate between signal and background: b tagging and a kinematic likelihood discriminant. Based on 0.9 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, we measure sigma(t (t) over bar) = 7.62 +/- 0.85 pb, assuming the current world average m(t) = 172.6 GeV. We compare our cross section measurement with theory predictions to determine a value for the top-quark mass of 170 +/- 7 GeV.
TL;DR: Lead in domestic tap water contributed little to the lead exposure of children in the lead contaminated region of Hettstedt and factors that were significantly associated with blood lead included gender, the city area of residence, lead in house dust, regular contact with dogs and dirtiness of the child after playing outdoors.
TL;DR: Dietary differences still exist, but the pattern of difference has changed, and it is unclear, whether differences between East and West exceed regional differences in the West.
Abstract: Dietary intake of middle-aged men from an East and a West German city after the German reunification: do differences still exist?
TL;DR: The tendency toward an unhealthier dietary pattern in smokers was in accordance with findings from various industrialized Western countries.
Abstract: Data relating to 422 men and 315 women aged 20 to 64 years were collected in 1991/92 using 3-day weighed records. The national German food composition file BLS 2.1 was used for food coding and calculation of nutrients. Age adjusted mean daily intakes were presented. Food intake habits of smokers and non-smokers showed distinct differences: for instance, non-smokers of both genders are more fresh fruit (m: 166 g vs. 119 g, p = 0.0001; f: 180 g vs. 147 g, p = 0.0009), more milk and milk products (m: 195 g vs. 121 g, p = 0.0108; f: 176 g vs. 136 g, p = 0.0004), and drank less coffee (m: 401 g vs. 457 g, p = 0.0103; f: 387 g vs. 491 g, p = 0.0003). As a result, intakes of various nutrients also differed. For example, smokers had lower intakes of fibre, selected vitamins, and minerals. The tendency toward an unhealthier dietary pattern in smokers was in accordance with findings from various industrialized Western countries.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Small adverse health effects of low levels of inhalable particles in a group of children with a low prevalence of respiratory symptoms are suggested in a multicentre study.
Abstract: A multicentre study (Pollution Effects on Asthmatic Children in Europe (PEACE) study) investigated the relationship between the daily variation of respiratory health and air pollution in children with chronic respiratory symptoms. Data were collected for 75 children in Hettstedt (polluted) and 63 children in Zerbst (control), Eastern Germany. The panels were followed from October 1993 to March 1994. Compared to all participating centres, these panels were the youngest and were in the healthiest condition. Respiratory symptoms and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were recorded daily in a diary. Ambient air pollutants as well as meteorological parameters were measured at local monitoring stations on a daily basis. During an episode in November, SO2 levels went up to 499 and 363 μg·m-3. The particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm (PM10) values in the urban and in the control region ranged 1-95 μg·m-3, but were missing during the SO2 episode in November due to technical problems. The association between air pollution and health outcomes was analysed using regression models. In Zerbst, the control area, no association between elevated levels of air pollution and respiratory health were observed. In Hettstedt, the urban area, a significant decrease in PEF as well as an increase of cough in association with increased levels of PM10 was observed. Prolonged exposure to PM10 quantified by a 7 day mean showed the largest estimates. The results presented here suggest small adverse health effects of low levels of inhalable particles in a group of children with a low prevalence of respiratory symptoms.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, a peak in the dijet invariant mass distribution is obtained that is consistent with W decay and inconsistent with the background prediction by 3.3 σ sigma.
Abstract: We observe hadronic W decays in t{ovr t}{yields}W({yields}{ell}V)+{>=}4 jet events using a 109 pb{sup -1} data sample of p{ovr p}{sup -1} data sample of p{ovr p} collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. A peak in the dijet invariant mass distribution is obtained that is consistent with W decay and inconsistent with the background prediction by 3.3 {sigma}. From this peak we measure the W mass to be 77.2{+-}4.6(stat+syst) GeV/c{sup 2}. This result demonstrates the presence of a second W boson in t{ovr t} candidates in the W({yields}{ell}v)+{>=}4 jet channel.
30 Mar 1998
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used the CDF detector at the Fermilab Tevatron to measure the t (t) over bar production cross section using the final states e + nu+ jets and mu + nu + jets.
Abstract: We update the measurement of the t (t) over bar production cross section using the CDF detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. This measurement uses t (t) over bar decays to the final states e + nu + jets and mu + nu + jets. We search for b quarks from t decays via secondary-vertex identification or the identification of semileptonic decays of the b and cascade c quarks. The background to the t (t) over bar production is determined primarily through a Monte Carlo simulation. However, we calibrate the simulation and evaluate its uncertainty using several independent data samples. For a top quark mass of 175 GeV/c(2), we measure sigma (t (t) over bar)-=5.1 +/- 1.5 pb and sigma (t (t) over bar)=9.2 +/- 4.3 pb using the secondary vertex and the lepton tagging algorithms, respectively. Finally, we combine these results with those from other t (t) over bar decay channels and obtain sigma (t (t) over bar)-= 6.5 (+1.7)(-1.4)pb.