Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Individuation”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Five methods for computing significant individual client change and improvement rates: support for an individual growth curve approach.

Interest has been renewed in methods for determining individual client change. Currently, there are at least 4 pretreatment-posttreatment (pre-post) difference score methods. A 5th method, based on a random effects model and multiwave data, represents a growth curve approach and was hypothesized to be more sensitive to detecting significant (p < .05) change than the pre-post methods. The change rates produced by the 5 methods were compared in a sample of 73 older outpatients with 3 to 5 assessments per client on a measure of well-being (H. J. Dupuy, 1977). Results indicated that the growth curve approach improvement rate was the highest (68.5%). The growth curve and the Edwards-Nunnally (63.0%) methods produced significantly (p < .05) higher improvement rates than the other 3 methods, with 1 exception.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Can we describe an individual's personality? agreement of stereotype versus individual attributes.

Group members described other members of their group (known for at least a year) by four different procedures (free-descriptive phrases, free-descriptive adjectives, an adjective checklist, and a rating scale) at weekly intervals. As expected, the agreement between pairs of observers, as measured by overlap of content, increased from the free to the structured tasks. However, observers, agreement by chance and on group stereotypes, assessed by counting overlap between their descriptions of two separate persons, also increased. When chance and stereotype-associated aggreement were subtracted from overall agreement, the remaining, "person-specific" agreement averaged about 5%. Agreement measured separately by a matching procedure averaged 14%. No significant increase in person-specific agreement was foud between the free-descriptive and standard tasks. The findings indicate that agreement on individuating features of a person is very low and is not appreciably improved by providing observers with standard descriptive tasks.

Adult↗

[Individual and gender differences in Empathizing and Systemizing: measurement of individual differences by the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ)].

Empathizing is a drive to identify another person's emotions and thoughts and respond to them appropriately. Systemizing is a drive to analyze systems or construct systems. The Empathizing-Systemizing (E-S) model suggests that these are major dimensions in which individuals differ from each other, and women being superior in empathizing and men in systemizing. In this study, we examined new questionnaires, the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ). Participants were 1 250 students, 616 men and 634 women, from eight universities, who completed both the EQ and SQ. Results showed that women scored higher than men on the EQ, and the result was reversed on the SQ. Results also showed that humanities majors scored higher than sciences majors on the EQ, and again the result was reversed on the SQ. The results were discussed in relation to the E-S theory of gender differences.

Adult↗

Individualized drug utilization statistics. Analysing a population's drug use from the perspective of individual users.

The Danish retail pharmacies' drug subsidy system is completely computerized. The data are person-identifiable, making it possible to chart the population's drug use from the perspective of individual users. We decided to explore the potential of this data source and to analyse heavy drug users specifically. The analysis encompassed all 890,352 prescriptions presented by citizens of Odense in 1991. There was a total sales volume of 32 million defined daily doses consumed by 113,468 adult drug users, corresponding to 65.1% of the adult population. We found 2388 heavy drug users, defined by an annual purchase of more than 2000 defined daily doses. Heavy drug users accounted for 1.4% of the adult population and 22.9% of drug sales. They were remarkably well characterized by their main therapeutic class, which constituted a median of 47% of their drug use. A median of 97% of each heavy user's drugs were issued by one main prescriber. We conclude that heavy drug use can generally be ascribed to severe disease rather than to irresponsible prescribing. For the most important drug classes, we present various epidemiological measures of drug use, including 1-year prevalence, incidence, duration of therapy and some measures of skewness in utilization. If analysed regularly these measures can disclose subtle trends in clinical drug use that would not be evident from the wholesale figures.

Age Distribution↗

Characteristics of target-reaching in cats. I. Individual differences and intra-individual constancy.

Trajectory formation of unrestrained forelimb target-reaching was investigated in six cats. A Selspot-like recording system was used for three-dimensional recording of the position of the wrist every 3 ms with the aid of two cameras detecting infrared light emitted from diodes taped to the wrist. These measurements allowed reconstruction of movement paths in the horizontal and sagittal planes and velocity profiles in the direction of the cartesian x, y and z co-ordinates. Horizontal movement paths were smoothly curved, segmented or almost linear. Sagittal movement paths were sigmoid. The net velocity profile was usually bell-shaped with longer deceleration than acceleration, but for some slow movements the velocity profile had a plateau. When the net velocity profile was bell-shaped, the averaged sagittal movement paths and normalized x (protraction) and z (lifting) velocity profiles were virtually superimposable for fast and slow movements: thus, movement speed was changed by parallel scaling of protraction and lifting. Comparison of movement paths and velocity profiles amongst the different cats revealed considerable differences. The x profile was unimodal in one cat and double peaked in five cats: the second component was pronounced in two cats and small in the other three. The z profile was unimodal and, except for one cat, it had later onset and summit than the first component of the x profile. In contrast to the interindividual differences, there was a high degree of intraindividual constancy over 6-12 months. It is postulated that the interindividual variability depends on chance differences established early during learning of the task and that the imprinted pattern remains, resulting in intra-individual constancy.

Animals↗

Human thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG): heterogeneity within individuals and among individuals demonstrated by isoelectric focusing.

Isoelectric focusing of human plasma samples labeled in vitro with [125I]-thyroxine reveals considerable biochemical and genetic variation in thyroxine-binding globulin. (1) In all individuals tested, at least three primary isoelectric bands are seen in the pH range of 4.2 to 4.5, with additional bands at lower pH ranges. Similar patterns are produced by plasma from nonhuman primates. These band differences appear to be the result of differences in sialic acid content. TBG produces a single electrophoretic band on standard polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. (2) Genetically determined, X-linked differences in electrophoretic mobility of TBG are observed in several human populations. Female homozygotes or male hemizygotes for the TBG slow variant (TBG-S) produce band patterns shifted by 0.5 pH unit cathodal to the common pattern (TBG-C). Female heterozygotes produce patterns with six-plus bands, representing the simple sum of the common and slow types. This difference is not the result of differences in sialic acid content. The gene frequency of this variant is 10% in American Blacks. (3) In pregnant women additional anodal bands are observed, giving the impression of a "shift," by integral steps, in the pattern relative to the nonpregnant type. This shift is abolished by mild neuraminidase treatment.

Animals↗

Molecular cloning of hepatitis C virus genome from a single Japanese carrier: sequence variation within the same individual and among infected individuals.

A hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome was isolated and sequenced from a single Japanese patient with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. The genome (HCV-JT), which was constructed with 23 cDNA clones, consisted of 9436 nucleotides with a long open reading frame which could encode a sequence of 3010 amino acid residues. To study the sequence variation of the HCV genome in an individual, we analyzed another sequence of the HCV genome (HCV-JT') constructed with different cDNA clones derived from the same patient. The nucleotide variation between HCV-JT and -JT' was less than 1%, and was distributed throughout the genome except in the 5' non-coding region, where no variation was observed. The diversity was higher (1.6%) in the putative envelope protein region than in other regions. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of HCV-JT showed homologies of about 91 and 95%, respectively, with those of other Japanese HCV isolates. The nucleotide diversity was high in the gp 70 region (corresponding to the NS 1 region of flaviviruses) and low in the 5' non-coding and p22 (putative core protein) regions. A similar pattern of distribution of nucleotide changes was observed on comparison of HCV-JT with an American isolate HCV-US, where the homologies in nucleotide and amino acid sequences were about 79 and 85%, respectively. Base transversions contributed about 50% of the total base exchanges between the Japanese and American HCV sequences, but only 20% or less of those among Japanese HCV or among American HCV sequences. Thus, the Japanese and American HCVs are genetically distinguishable, supporting our earlier prediction that these two HCVs could be classified as different subtypes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The effect of individual, program, and neighborhood variables on continuity of treatment among dually diagnosed individuals.

This study reviewed the medical charts of 271 patients diagnosed with co-morbid mental health and substance-use disorders who were discharged from a hospital acute inpatient unit to various outpatient treatment programs in Philadelphia. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology and logistic regression modeling were employed to investigate the effects of individual, neighborhood, and program-level variables on arrival to the first treatment appointment within 30 days of discharge. Four models are presented. The results of the study suggest that having had three or more treatment episodes prior to inpatient hospitalization, and living in a neighborhood in which temporary or transitional, and presumably, other low income housing is located, increased the likelihood of patients continuing with treatment in the community. Discharge to the preadmission address, a chief complaint of bizarre behavior, close proximity of two or more liquor and/or beer stores, a high density of narcotics anonymous (NA) and/or alcoholics anonymous (AA) meetings within the neighborhood, an axis I diagnosis of substance-induced mood disorder, and a urine drug screen positive for heroin reduced the likelihood of attending outpatient treatment. We conclude that geographic and community variables as they relate to substance abuse may add an important dimension to our understanding of patient functioning and well being in the community following inpatient treatment.

Adult↗

Looking after the individual to reduce disease in the flock: a binomial mixed effects model investigating the impact of individual sheep management of footrot and interdigital dermatitis in a prospective longitudinal study on one farm.

A total of 160 ewes on one farm in England were studied for 18 months. The incidence of footrot and interdigital dermatitis in individually identified sheep and treatment and flock control measures were recorded. A binomial mixed effect model with the incidence of footrot or interdigital dermatitis as the outcome was used to investigate patterns of association between treatments, flock control measures and the incidence of footrot or interdigital dermatitis. In this one flock, the incidence of footrot and interdigital dermatitis was positively associated with the incidence of footrot and interdigital dermatitis and with trimming of feet and negatively associated with the use of parenteral antibiotics and topical antibiotic sprays in either the first and/or second 2-week period prior to the incidence of interest. These results provide two hypotheses: one that 'footrot and interdigital dermatitis are infectious diseases that can be controlled, in part, through the use of antibiotic therapy, which acts to reduce the infectious period of diseased sheep' and two, that 'routine trimming of diseased and healthy feet exacerbate disease, through environmental contamination and/or through increased susceptibility of sheep with recently trimmed feet'.

Animal Husbandry↗

There are no differences in pretransplant characteristics of individuals receiving simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant and individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus receiving living-related kidney transplant.

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) recipients have longer survival compared to type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) cadaveric kidney recipients. However, DM1 living-related kidney transplant (KTX-LR) recipients have the same mortality as SPK recipients. It is unknown whether cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors pretransplant are similar between the two groups, SPK and DM1 KTX-LR. We analyzed pretransplant characteristics of SPK recipients (n = 39) and DM1 KTX-LR/living unrelated (LUR) recipients (KTX-LR/LUR, n = 20). In individuals who had multiple transplants, only pretransplant data from the first transplant was used. As all characteristics of KTX-LR/LUR recipients were the same, they were grouped for comparison with SPK. Pretransplant blood pressure (BP), body mass index, (BMI), hemoglobin A1c (A1c), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), triglycerides (TG), serum creatinine, type and duration of dialysis, and duration of diabetes were compared between the two groups. Mean age at time of transplantation was 41 +/- 1 years (mean +/- SEM) for SPK versus 39 +/- 2 years for KTX-LR/LUR (P = NS). Pretransplant BP, BMI, duration of diabetes, TC, HDL, LDL, TG, and lipid agent use were not different between the groups. Pretransplant A1c was 7.8 +/- 0.3% for SPK recipients and 8.3 +/- 0.5% for KTX-LR/LUR recipients (P = NS). Pretransplant serum creatinine was higher in KTX-LR/LUR compared to SPK (7.9 +/- 0.6 mg/dL versus 5.4 +/- 0.5 mg/dL; P =.01). Except for serum creatinine, there were no significant differences in traditional CVD risk factors pretransplant. However, factors posttransplant in addition to better glucose control with SPK may still be different between SPK and KTX-LR/LUR groups.

Blood Pressure↗

Herd-level test performance based on uncertain estimates of individual test performance, individual true prevalence and herd true prevalence.

A generalized model was derived for understanding the performance of herd-testing protocols when there is uncertainty and variability in individual-level sensitivity, specificity, prevalence of infection within infected herds, and prevalence of infected herds in the population. The model uses Monte-Carlo techniques to provide estimates of test performance for a dichotomous classification of herd-disease status. Uncertainty and variability in input assumptions are described using empirical and parametric probability distributions. The model permits both cluster-correlated behavior of inputs and sampling of animals without replacement. Disease due to obligate parasites is modeled differently from that due to organisms that persist for long periods in the environment. Dependence among model outcomes is assessed using Spearman's rank correlation. Model output is suitable for inclusion in risk-assessment models requiring probabilistic estimates of herd-level test performance, such as those developed for food-safety decision making and import-export risk assessment. The model was demonstrated using an example scenario based on Shiga-like toxin (SLT) producing Escherichia coli O157 in Ontario beef-cattle herds. Inputs were derived from the literature and Statistics Canada agricultural census data. Where appropriate, these data were subjected to distribution-fitting techniques. Otherwise, subjective interpretation was used to select input distributions and their parameters. Simulation revealed that the distribution of herd-level sensitivity for detecting herds infected with SLT producing E. coli O157 has a large range (0.003-0.99) and a median of 0.19. Herd-level specificity also had a large range (0.58-1) and a median of 0.94. Distributions of herd-level positive and negative predictive values exhibited similar degrees of uncertainty. In combination with poor likelihood ratios for positive and negative herd tests, results indicate that the testing protocol investigated has limited ability to discriminate between herds infected and not infected with SLT producing E. coli O157.

Algorithms↗

Do obese individuals gain weight more easily than nonobese individuals?

A review of studies done on human subjects who were overfed under controlled conditions for periods ranging from 2 to 12 wk shows that the energy cost of induced weight gain is a function of initial body weight and of lean body mass, body fat, and percent body fat. Therefore, bigger and fatter people need to eat more to gain a given amount of weight than do those who are thin. A likely explanation is that obese individuals tend to put on a large proportion of fat, a high-energy tissue, whereas thin people tend to gain more lean, which is a low-energy tissue.

Adipose Tissue↗

Dose constraints and guidance for exposure of individuals knowingly and willingly helping in the support and comfort of individuals undergoing medical exposure.

The council of the European Union (EU) has adopted directive 97/43/EURATOM that states that Member States shall ensure that dose constraints are established for exposure of those individuals (voluntary helpers) knowingly and willingly helping patients undergoing medical diagnosis or treatment. This study investigates for which medical diagnoses and treatments voluntary helpers are active. It provides a rough estimation of the effective dose to the voluntary helper for various applications. It summarises the dose constraints established in various EU Member States. Voluntary helpers are especially active in paediatric radiology and in nuclear medicine for both diagnostic and for therapeutic purposes. No voluntary helpers are active during radiotherapy. Voluntary helpers are commonly one of the parents, relatives or friends of the patient. In The Netherlands, the highest effective dose to voluntary helpers of approximately 2.3 mSv is found for therapy of patients younger than 1 y with metaiodobenzylguanidine labelled with 131I. Effective doses to voluntary helpers in paediatric radiology are, generally, quite small, i.e. lower than several tens of microSv at maximum without wearing protective clothing.

Body Burden↗

Doxycycline-resistant bacteria in periodontally diseased individuals after systemic doxycycline therapy and in healthy individuals.

The occurrence of doxycycline-resistant bacteria was examined in subgingival plaque and on the tonsils of 12 periodontally healthy and 12 periodontally diseased individuals. The healthy group was examined 6 times at intervals of one month. The diseased group was examined before and 1, 5, 15, 26, 39, and 52 weeks after conventional periodontal therapy supplemented with systemic doxycycline for 3 weeks. The occurrence of doxycycline-resistant bacteria in the healthy group varied on average between 2.0% and 6.6% in subgingival plaque and between 3.0% and 12.4% in the tonsil samples over a 6-month period. In the diseased group the percentage of resistant bacteria increased from 10-20 times for tonsil and subgingival plaque, respectively. About half a year after therapy the values returned to the baselines. For both groups the morphological distributions of resistant bacteria were similar and unaffected by the doxycycline therapy.

Adult↗

Functional ability perceived by individuals following total knee arthroplasty compared to age-matched individuals without knee disability.

A comparison of function of individuals 1 year after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with healthy control subjects (controls) meaningfully describes outcome in these patients. Perception of function measured by two questionnaires, the Lower Extremity Activity Profile (LEAP) and the Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and walking and stair performance was compared between 29 patients, 1 year after TKA, and 40 controls. There was significantly greater perceived difficulty with function in patients with TKA than in controls. In TKA men, LEAP and WOMAC scores correlated respectively with self-paced walk speed (r = -.71 and -.55) and stair performance time (r = 0.70 and 0.68). In TKA women, LEAP difficulty score correlated with self-paced walk speed (r = -.41) and stair performance time (r = -0.71). By 1 year, TKA subjects regained 80% of the function of controls. Perception of function after TKA can be measured by either questionnaire in men; however, the LEAP is the preferable questionnaire with women.

Aged↗

Determination of individual ultrafiltration time (APEX) and purification phosphate time by peritoneal equilibration test: application to individual peritoneal dialysis modality prescription in children.

Efficiency of peritoneal dialysis (PD) is dependent on adequate ultrafiltration (UF) and purification (solute clearance). These two goals apparently seem to conflict in terms of duration of dwells: short dwell time enhances UF capacity and, conversely, long dwell time enhances solute clearance. Peritoneal equilibration test (PET) allows an approach to the ultrafiltration time: the point at which the over time dialysate urea saturation and glucose desaturation curves cross, call APEX time. PET also allows an approach to the purification time: the point at which dialysate-to-plasma (D/P) concentration ratios over time are high. Because of the value of phosphate as a uremic factor of morbidity, we have chosen the time at which D/P phosphate is equal to 0.6 as a purification phosphate dwell time (PPT). A total of 17 patients were studied, over a five-year period, allowing 142 determinations. APEX times (range 18-71 min) and PPT (range 105-238 min) were spread over a wide distribution. PPT and APEX times were significantly shorter in children younger than three years of age than in children older than ten years of age. PPT were nearly four times longer than APEX times. Knowledge of these conflicting ultrafiltration and purification times should help, in our view, in the individual choice of the PD modality: if UF is the major goal, short dwell times should be used (automated PD); if purification is the major goal, long dwell times should be used, as in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; if both are the target goal, tidal PD should be discussed.

Adolescent↗

Neurocognitive characteristics of individuals with resistance to thyroid hormone: comparisons with individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Previous studies have demonstrated an association between resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To determine if the neurocognitive characteristics in individuals with RTH are similar to those observed in ADHD, 12 children with RTH from 7 families were matched to 12 children with ADHD without RTH. Subjects were administered standardized intellectual, developmental, and school achievement tests. Parent and teacher ratings of children's hyperactivity and attention were similar for both groups, as were measures of attention, impulsivity, and verbal IQ. Children with RTH displayed lower nonverbal intelligence (performance IQ = 85) and academic achievement (> 1-2 SD below the mean) when compared with those with ADHD only (performance IQ = 99; achievement within 2 SD). Although children with RTH have behavioral characteristics similar to those with ADHD, their significantly weaker abilities of perceptual-organization and lower school achievement suggest a more severe neurobehavioral impairment than ADHD.

Adolescent↗