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Biomedical subjects

M Diehl

Publications and source records attributed to M Diehl.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Spiral Salmonella assay: validation against the standard pour-plate assay.

The spiral Ames assay, an automated approach to bacterial mutagenicity testing which simplifies the test procedure and reduces the amount of drug required to generate mutagenic dose-response information, has been evaluated and validated for routine screening. The spiral plater delivers the Salmonella bacteria, exogenous metabolic activation system and drug to the surface of a rotating agar plate one on top of another in such a way that a uniform density of bacteria is exposed to a logarithmically decreasing volume of drug. Following an incubation of 48 hr at 37 degrees C, the plates are scanned by a laser counter, and the data are subjected to a computerized analysis. Petri plates of 15 cm diameter were used to provide a concentration range of about 250-fold per plate. The Salmonella were concentrated 20-fold to increase sensitivity. Thirty-eight compounds from a variety of chemical classes, including both pharmaceuticals and known mutagens of moderate to strong potency, were tested in both the spiral and the standard pour-plate assays. There was overall test agreement on positive or negative results for 82% of the compounds tested. When only the results from strains TA98 plus TA100 were considered, the agreement was 87%. When positive results were obtained, the fold increase over vehicle control was on average twice as great for the spiral assay compared to the pour-plate assay. It was concluded that the two assay procedures generally provided comparable results, with the spiral assay being somewhat more sensitive in terms of dose-response than the pour-plate assay.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Age and sex differences in strategies of coping and defense across the life span.

Age and sex differences in the use of coping and defense strategies were examined in life-span sample of 381 individuals. Participants responded to 2 self-report measures assessing mechanisms of coping and defense and measures assessing their level of cognitive complexity. Older adults used a combination of coping and defense strategies indicative of greater impulse control and the tendency to positively appraise conflict situations. Adolescents and younger adults used strategies that were outwardly aggressive and psychologically undifferentiated, indicating lower levels of impulse control and self-awareness. Women used more internalizing defenses than men and used coping strategies that flexibly integrated intra-and interpersonal aspects of conflict situations. Taken together, findings provide evidence for the age- and sex-specific use of strategies of coping and defense, suggesting that men and women may face different developmental tasks in the process toward maturity in adulthood.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Representations of self across the life span.

This research extends a cognitive-developmental approach to examining age differences in self-representation from adolescence to mature adulthood and later life. The authors suggest that mature adults move from representations of self that are relatively poorly differentiated from others or social conventions to ones that involve emphasis on process, context, and individuality. Participants (n men = 73, n women = 76), ranging in age from 11 to 85 years, provided spontaneous accounts of their self-representations and responded to measures assessing cognitive and emotional functioning and broad dimensions of personality. On average, self-representation scores peaked in middle-aged adults and were lowest in the preadolescent and older adult age groups. Level of self-representation was related to cognitive and personality variables, but there was some evidence that the pattern of correlates shifted from younger (ages 15-45) to older (ages 46-85) age segments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Everyday problem solving in older adults: observational assessment and cognitive correlates.

Older adults' ability to solve practical problems in 3 domains of daily living was assessed using a new measure of everyday problem solving, the Observed Tasks of Daily Living (OTDL). Findings showed that the OTDL formed internally consistent scales representing 3 distinct factors of everyday problem solving. Moreover, the OTDL showed convergent validity with related scales of a paper-and-pencil test. Older adults' performance on the OTDL was significantly correlated with their scores on measures of basic mental abilities. Path analysis showed that age affected older adults' performance on the OTDL directly and indirectly via cognitive abilities. Participants' education and health affected their everyday competence indirectly through cognitive abilities. The effects of perceptual speed and memory span were mediated by fluid and crystallized intelligence.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

Health system re-engineering: a CPRS economic decision model.

The fundamental problem with the health care delivery system remains too little health delivered for too great a cost. Information essential to sound clinical and administrative decision making is too frequently missing at the time and place of decision. Automated systems offer opportunities both to improve health and to reduce cost through effective and efficient information management. Information systems are the enabling technology for those business practice changes which improve the benefit-cost profile of a re-engineered delivery system. The Computer-based Patient Record (CPR) is the organizing framework of an enterprise-wide health information system. Since information management is a core function of the health care enterprise, evaluation of the CPR should include its impact on the value of health outcomes and contribution to the organizational mission, rather than solely by benefits which accrue within the delivery system. This paper proposes a model to measure the impact of information technology and specifically a CPR on a re-engineered health care delivery system.

Decision Support Techniques↗
PubMed1989

Justice and discrimination between minimal groups: the limits of equity.

Intergroup discrimination in the minimal group paradigm (MGP), which is usually invoked in support of social identity theory (SIT), seems to contradict every principle of social justice. A contradiction to equity theory (ET), however, exists only if one is committed to the transferability of ET from intragroup to intergroup relations. But even in that case one could explain intergroup discrimination in the MGP as a reaction to anticipated discrimination by out-group members and as therefore being in accordance with ET. Two experiments were devised to test SIT against ET as an explanation of intergroup discrimination in the MGP. In the first experiment the introduction of 'interindividual mutuality' into the experimental condition was found to significantly reduce intergroup discrimination almost down to equality as compared with a control condition which resembles the usual MGP procedure. In a second experiment first assumed distribution behaviour of out-group members as well as subjects' own intended distribution behaviour were assessed and second anticipation of fairness and discrimination was manipulated. Although most of the subjects assumed that they would be treated fairly by out-group members and likewise intended to be fair themselves, manipulation of anticipated out-group behaviour was found to lead to significant intergroup discrimination regardless of whether discrimination or fairness was anticipated. Implications of these findings for SIT and ET are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[The cervical vertebral column of horses--a clinico-radiological study].

For various anamnestic reasons the cervical vertebral column of 78 horses was examined radiologically. Statistical comparisons showed that male "warmbloods" were more frequently affected than was expected. Our horses were older than comparable animals in the international literature. Independently of their history the radiologic diagnosis of "cervical spondylarthrosis" was established in 56 horses. Arthrosis and other conditions were clinically manifested by spinal ataxia (44 horses) or mechanical impairment of the neck's mobility (21 horses). 10 of the arthrotic patients had synovial cysts causing compression of the spinal cord. 79 percent of all dorsal intervertebral arthrotic joints were found in the caudal column (C6/7 to C7/Th1). With 38 percent, C6/7 was the most frequently affected joint. Clinical and radiological findings could be compared with patho-anatomic results in 29 horses. The correlation was satisfactory.

Aging↗
PubMed1986

Psychological vulnerability to alcoholism: studies in internal scanning deficit.

Three studies considered the predispositional role of impaired internal scanning in alcoholism. Scanning represents the person's sensitivity to internal stimulation and the extent to which the person utilizes internally generated information. The first study found that more acute alcoholic patients displayed poorer scanning than more chronic alcoholics. This finding contra-indicates deficit scanning as an effect of alcoholism and suggests that this impairment antecedes the alcoholic disorder. Two further studies tested the possible antecedent status of deficit scanning. Adolescent wards of the juvenile court, judged to be more at risk for alcoholism, were poorer scanners than their counterparts with fewer drinking-related problems. Male college students with a greater number of alcohol-related problems also proved to be poorer scanners. It is proposed that limited scanning contributes to alcoholic vulnerability by depriving the person of information vital to the control of drinking behaviour.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Strategy for large-scale dental automation.

Widespread automation across the scope of dental practice, education, research and administration is anticipated. Without a strategic plan to guide automation efforts, the prospects for cohesive automation of the profession are dim. Development of comprehensive data standards and electronic communications protocols are required. A close interaction with similar work in the other health care professions is mandatory.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1986

[Acute encephalopathy following cranial irradiation of previously treated meningeal leukemia].

The sudden occurrence of an encephalopathic symptomatology within a day following commencement of radiotherapy is demonstrated by a case report of a small child suffering from CNS leukemia. Former intrathecal chemotherapy appears to be a prerequisite for this toxicity. In spite of diuretic therapy the patients condition may worsen initially, but recovery is possible within days. Patient characteristics and disease course identify a new toxicity syndrome, which is not yet familiar.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1985

[Postoperative wound infection in the horse].

A systemic investigation of wound infection in the horse after operative treatment of large wounds reveals that the age of the wound is of critical importance. The limit for an uncomplicated healing process lies around four hours. The duration of the operation itself is of little significance, the location of the lesion on the body of the horse, however, plays a major role. The pattern of isolated bacterial organisms is discussed in relation to the duration of hospital treatment. It is concluded that a systemic antibiotic therapy is of no value and that a local antibiotic therapy is only indicated in rare instances. Such a treatment undoubtedly favours the resistance of bacteria against various chemotherapeuticals, which unfavourably influences wound healing.

Animals↗