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Biomedical subjects

B Stanley

Publications and source records attributed to B Stanley.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Attraction of Chironomus salinarius (Diptera: Chironomidae) to artificial light on an island in the saltwater lagoon of Venice, Italy.

The attraction of adult Chironomus salinarius to incandescent 3-W lamps of 7 different colors used in CDC traps was studied on a small island in the lagoon of Venice, Italy. An ANOVA indicated that the lamp type was a highly significant (P < 0.01) factor associated with differences in light trap catch (28% of total variation), as well as catch per lux (18% of total variation). The white lamp attracted higher numbers of adults than the other 6 color lamps. Yellow was the second most preferred, and red was the least attractive. There was a strong linear relationship (r = 0.93) between the catch and light intensity, which suggested that intensity was the primary factor influencing catch. However, catch per unit brightness (lux) tended to be inversely proportional to the peak wavelength associated with the lamp color (e.g., the violet lamp had the highest catch/lux, and the red lamp had the lowest). The corresponding regression model, Catch = 49 + [(48,013/lambda) - 63] . L, in which the slope associated with light intensity in lux (L) is inversely proportional to the peak wavelength in nm (lambda) explained 97% of the variation among lamp catch means. Manipulating light intensity and color could be useful to divert adult C. salinarius populations from midge-affected areas for control purposes.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1994

The economics of dental practice in New Zealand, 1974-1993.

New Zealand Dental Association survey data were used to explore trends in the principal indicators of dental practice economics over the last two decades. Gross income in the most recent financial year, 1992, was the highest during this period. However, the costs of dental practice have also risen, and now absorb close to 60 percent of revenue compared with around 50 percent in the early 1970s. As a result, real net income has yet to return to the "peak" levels achieved in the mid-1970s. Nevertheless, average real net incomes earned in 1992 (in 1988 dollar terms) of $85,701 is around 8 percent higher than the average real net income between 1974 and 1992 of $79,243. Furthermore, the lower income tax rates applying in the post-1990 period have produced post-1990 after-tax incomes which are higher in real terms than those in the pre-1990 period. The trends in real net dental income earned by dentists between 1982 and 1992 are shown to correspond closely to the trends in the average incomes of higher-income consumers. The rate of increase in the fees charged by dentists between 1978 and 1993 has, for most services, exceeded the rate of increase in consumer prices generally. A notable exception is the fee charged for complete dentures, which displayed much more modest increases. It is possible that this is attributable to the presence of competing suppliers (dental technicians) for this service.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Economics, Dental↗
PubMed1992

Self-mutilation in personality disorders: psychological and biological correlates.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to determine whether self-mutilators with personality disorders differ from nonmutilators with personality disorders in impulsivity, aggression, and other psychopathology and whether serotonergic dysfunction contributes to self-mutilation. METHOD: Twenty-six self-mutilators with personality disorders were matched to 26 control subjects with personality disorders for gender, age, education, axis I diagnosis of affective disorder, and axis II diagnosis of personality disorder. Numerous indexes of psychopathology as well as CSF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels and platelet imipramine binding sites (Bmax) and affinity (Kd) were determined. RESULTS: Self-mutilators had significantly more severe character pathology, had greater lifetime aggression, and were more antisocial than the control subjects. The self-mutilators scored higher on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression but not on the Beck Depression Inventory or the Beck Hopelessness Scale. The two groups did not differ on the Buss-Durkee Hostility and Guilt Inventory or on the Sensation Seeking Scale. The degree of self-mutilation was significantly correlated with impulsivity, chronic anger, and somatic anxiety. Both self-mutilation and impulsivity showed significant negative correlations with Bmax, although the two groups did not differ in CSF 5-HIAA levels or in platelet imipramine binding. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the contribution of severe character pathology, aggression, impulsivity, anxiety, and anger to self-mutilation and provide preliminary support for the hypothesis of underlying serotonergic dysfunction facilitating self-mutilation.

Humans↗
PubMed1992

Rating the severity of trichotillomania: methods and problems.

The capacity to measure the severity of trichotillomania is necessary for studies of the efficacy of treatment interventions. To date, researchers have used diverse methods, including: the adaptation of instruments designed for other purposes, counting episodes of hair pulling, counting hairs that have been pulled out, and both physician- and self-administered scales of severity or improvement. In this paper, the authors review the methods that have been employed, discuss problems in the measurement of trichotillomania, explore the potential for objective measures of hair loss and introduce a new instrument, the Psychiatric Institute Trichotillomania Scale.

Hair↗
PubMed1992

Some current factors restricting the potential of private general practice.

This background paper focuses on two or three aspects which, in the writer's opinion, are crucial to the healthy development of general dental practice, although the rapidly progressing health reforms have already altered the relevance of some comments made. The first aspect is equitable access, especially for the financially disadvantaged in this time of economic recession. The ability and inclination of providers to treat the financially disadvantaged has not currently been matched by the political will of funders, even though an effective system could simply be organised. Access problems also apply to the elderly. A smooth transitional system of oral health care should exist for every aging patient, whether economically, physically, and mentally healthy, or in a state of total dependence, and this should be an integral part of general dental practice management. Generally it is not. Secondly, the fragmentation of the New Zealand dental workforce, and the lack of a real team approach have hindered the logical development of oral health services and prevented many possible options from being offered. Dialogue to reduce the fragmentation must continue, hopefully to a successful conclusion. Perhaps the catalyst for meaningful change may be contained in the current health reforms. Certainly opportunities for change have been clearly signalled.

Dental Auxiliaries↗
PubMed1992

Clinical characteristics of trichotillomania and its response to fluoxetine.

BACKGROUND: In general, effective treatments for trichotillomania have been elusive. Although behavioral therapies and hypnosis have provided benefits to some, adult patients with chronic hair pulling have often proved refractory to treatment. Medication has generally been unhelpful until the recent introduction of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of this condition. Furthermore, there has been little systematic study of the clinical characteristics of these patients. METHOD: Twenty individuals with trichotillomania were interviewed and were characterized on the basis of hair-pulling patterns, comorbidity, obsessionality, and the presence of symptoms of depression and anxiety. Twelve patients participated in an open 16-week trial of fluoxetine (up to 80 mg/day). RESULTS: Compared with baseline scores derived from a scale of trichotillomania severity, severity scores at endpoint decreased (improved) by 34% (p less than .025). Among the 8 responders, the mean decrease in severity scores was 60%. Fifty-five percent (11 of 20) had current or past additional DSM-III-R Axis I diagnoses (disorders of mood, anxiety, and psychoactive substance use). CONCLUSION: We conclude that in an open 16-week trial, patients treated with fluoxetine improved significantly. Data are presented on comorbid conditions, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. Baseline behavioral assessments of patients with trichotillomania suggest that substantial differences exist between this syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Altered production of tumour necrosis factors alpha and beta and interferon gamma by HIV-infected individuals.

In vitro studies shows that recombinant tumour necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and beta, and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) can enhance HIV replication, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) infected with HIV in vitro secrete high levels of the same cytokines. As T cells secrete all three mediators, the capacity of T cell activation signals to trigger cytokine production in PBMC from HIV-infected individuals was investigated as such patients may be immunocompromised. We demonstrate that asymptomatic seropositives in CDC group II/III as well as patients who have progressed to CDC group IV of the disease proliferate efficiently to anti-CD3 antibody, recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2), phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), PHA plus phorbol 12,13 dibutyrate (PMA) but secrete significantly (P less than 0.05) higher amounts of TNF-alpha, TNF-beta and IFN-gamma compared with controls in response to the same stimulants. We also show a difference between group II/III and group IV patients with the latter secreting more TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. The kinetics of TNF-alpha and -beta, and IFN-gamma production was stimulus dependent with overall levels varying in time for each stimulus. Furthermore, the kinetics of the response to all three stimulants were altered in seropositives; CDC group II/III and group IV patients secreted higher levels of cytokines over several time points compared to controls. The altered production of these mediators by HIV-infected patients may contribute to disease progression and to the pathogenesis of AIDS.

HIV Infections↗
PubMed1991

Outcome of involuntary medication in a state hospital system.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine the course of involuntarily administered medication in a state hospital population. METHOD: The authors retrospectively examined the records of all 51 involuntarily medicated patients in six state hospitals in New York City in a single calendar year. Clinical course was recorded for the period of involuntary medication and for 12 months thereafter. These patients were compared to 51 patients on the same wards who accepted medication. RESULTS: Clinicians assessed involuntarily medicated patients as more dangerous to themselves or others and less delusional after treatment than the comparison patients. Long-acting intramuscular antipsychotics were prescribed more frequently for involuntarily medicated patients. No differences were observed in rates of discharge, outpatient cooperation, or rehospitalization. Half of the patients in both groups remained continuously institutionalized, and of those who left the hospital, only 30% of the involuntarily medicated group and 40% of the comparison group took medication as outpatients. CONCLUSIONS: For these chronically severely ill patients, involuntary medication did not appear to enhance insight or cooperation or result in rapid return to the community. Involuntary medication is often a necessary short-term, in-hospital management strategy, but it does not replace the need to develop comprehensive, long-term inpatient and community-based approaches to the management of treatment refusal.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

CSF 5-HIAA and HVA concentrations in elderly depressed patients who attempted suicide.

CSF findings distinguished 12 elderly depressed patients who attempted suicide from nine depressed patients who did not and from seven normal control subjects. Psychosocial factors and measures of psychopathology did not differentiate suicidal from nonsuicidal patients. Biochemical factors may be important in evaluating suicide risk in the elderly.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

At arms length.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Contraception↗
PubMed1990

Postmortem evidence for serotonin's role in suicide.

Despite major advances in psychiatry in the past three decades, the rate of suicide has not declined. In an effort to better understand suicide, recent research has examined the importance of biochemical factors in this behavior. Biochemical studies of suicide victims and attempters have indicated that either serotonin (5-HT) or its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) is reduced in this population when compared with individuals who do not exhibit suicidal behavior. Also, alterations in 5-HT receptors have been observed in suicide victims. While the biochemical findings are promising, it appears that an approach that combines psychosocial and biochemical factors offers the greatest promise for improved identification of suicide risk.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Chronic renal disease in bull terriers.

Chronic renal failure was diagnosed in 15 Bull terrier dogs. The dogs ranged in age from one to 8 years. History and clinical findings typically included lethargy, anorexia, polyuria, polydipsia and weight loss. Affected dogs were azotaemic, had elevated serum phosphate and cholesterol, and proteinuria was apparent in all dogs tested (13/13). The concentration of urine was consistently in the nil to minimally concentrated range (specific gravities 1.011-1.017). In those dogs necropsied, both kidneys were approximately two-thirds normal size, tough in consistency, with a pale cortex and a finely nodular capsular surface. Histologically, there was marked nephron loss, diffuse interstitial fibrosis and focal dense radial fibrosis which was especially evident in the renal medulla. Tubular dilation was widespread with focal mineralisation of tubular epithelium and adjacent basement membranes. Glomeruli were often shrunken and segmentally fibrotic. Some Bowman's spaces were extremely dilated. Many less severely affected glomeruli had thickened basement membranes.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Rivers in practice: clinicians' assessments of patients' decision-making capacity.

Since the Rivers v. Katz decision in 1986, clinicians in New York State have been required to assess patient decision-making capacity before judicial review of petitions to administer involuntary medication. The authors examined 42 capacity assessments made by psychiatrists at a large state hospital in New York City. Although the capacity assessments were often incomplete and rarely addressed the treatment decision, most clinicians judged patients as lacking capacity to make treatment decisions. The findings suggest that psychiatrists may view capacity assessments as irrelevant because of the manifestly grave nature of patients' illnesses or may not differentiate the capacity assessment from the mental status examination. The capacity assessment may nonetheless be a useful tool because it encourages clinicians to discuss the proposed treatment with patients and to present information more effectively in court.

Adult↗