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Biomedical subjects

A R Craig

Publications and source records attributed to A R Craig.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Psychological consequences of spinal injury: a review of the literature.

The traumatic nature of spinal cord injury necessitates adjustments for the individual physically, socially, vocationally and sexually, as well as placing great strain on the family. Although one would suspect a high prevalence of psychological disruption following spinal cord injury, there is still much debate concerning the extent of the psychological reaction to such a trauma. This situation can partly be attributed to the lack of systematic research characteristic of most studies in this area. This paper reviews more recent literature which has investigated psychological morbidity in persons with spinal cord injury. The inadequacies of this research are discussed and suggestions for future research and psychological treatment for the spinal injured are provided.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1985

A quantitative automated immunoassay for fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products.

We describe a prototype quantitative automated assay for fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products, a particle-enhanced turbidimetric inhibition immunoassay (PETINIA) in the Du Pont aca discrete clinical analyzer. This assay involves a latex particle reagent with covalently bound fibrinogen and a polyclonal antiserum raised in rabbits against human fibrinogen. A special secondary sample-collection tube quantitatively removes fibrinogen from citrated plasma and inhibits further fibrinolysis, independent of heparin concentration. The assay range is 0-100 mg/L, in fibrinogen equivalents. The CV for the assay is less than 10% when performed with the aca. Nonclottable fibrin and fibrinogen fragments are measured by the assay, the greatest sensitivity being directed at the E domain of the fibrinogen molecule. We illustrate with case studies the potential of this assay for providing clinical information not obtainable with currently available qualitative and semi-quantitative assays.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

A scale to measure locus of control of behaviour.

Many behaviour, psychotherapy and healthy life-style programmes require subjects to take responsibility for the control of the old unwanted behaviours or to be responsible for maintaining new desired behaviours after therapy has ended. A scale to measure the locus of control of behaviour would be valuable if it could predict persons likely to relapse following apparently successful therapy. A 17-item Likert-type scale to measure this construct was developed and shown to have satisfactory internal reliability, to be test-retest reliable in the absence of treatment, to be independent of age, sex and social desirability, and to distinguish clinical disorder from normal non-clinical subjects. Furthermore, change towards internality (a reduced LCB score) during therapy was shown to predict maintenance or, alternatively, change towards externality (an increase or no change in the LCB score) was shown to predict relapse 10 months later in treated stutterers. The scale was shown to be related to the personal control factor of the Rotter I-E scale but to be more powerful a predictor of relapse than this personal control subscale or the full Rotter scale.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Novel shell/core particles for automated turbidimetric immunoassays.

Recent innovations in particle design have led to the development of highly sensitive and reproducible immunoassay methods for the Du Pont aca discrete clinical analyzer. Key advances include the synthesis and use of particles less than 1 micron in diameter with high refractive index cores surrounded by thin, chemically reactive shells. The cores are prepared by emulsion polymerization to a well-defined size that depends on the choice of monomer and the requirements for turbidimetric signal. Methods for measuring therapeutic drugs (e.g., theophylline) involve particles with polystyrene cores; other methods require cores with higher refractive indices such as polyvinylnaphthalene. The shells are critical for overall method performance because they bind covalently the immunochemicals of interest. Polyglycidyl methacrylate shells have been used effectively to attach antigens and haptens to the particle surface.

Autoanalysis↗
PubMed1982

Reduction of stuttering by young male stutterers using EMG feedback.

A clinical program was designed in which male stutterers (age 10-14 years) were trained to reduce speech muscle tension by application of electromyograph (EMG) feedback. The program was designed (a) to reduce nonspeech EMG activity of facial muscles involved in speech, (b) to use this skill for control of muscle EMG activity while speaking, (c) to maintain the physiological EMG activity reduction with behavioral self-control techniques. Three subjects were treated on a single-subject ABCD baseline design, with an ABABAB reversal design within the treatment (B) phase. EMG feedback was shown to reduce stuttering in the clinic. After maintenance techniques were taught, stuttering was shown to have reduced 60-80% in the home environment while speech rate remained constant or increased. A 9-month follow-up showed that the improvement produced in treatment was continuing.

Adolescent↗