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Biomedical subjects

B Fletcher

Publications and source records attributed to B Fletcher.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Persistence of fetal circulation syndrome: an echocardiographic study.

Serial echocardiograms were performed on 17 infants with persistence of fetal circulation syndrome to measure right ventricular systolic time intervals from pulmonic valve echograms and left ventricular systolic time intervals from aortic valve echograms. Right ventricular pre-ejection period/right ventricular ejection time ratio was prolonged in PFCS when compared to that in normal newborn infants, and diminished with clinical improvement. Left ventricular pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time ratio was prolonged in infants with PFCS. Echographic RPEP/RVET was consistent with the elevated pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance of PFCS; elevated LPEP/LVET suggested left ventricular dysfunction.

Blood Circulation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative treatment effectiveness. Effects of program modality and client drug dependence history on drug use reduction.

This study examined treatment outcome as a function of program modality, clients' lifetime patterns of drug dependence, and their interaction, controlling for current level of drug use at treatment intake. Data were based on 2,966 clients who were interviewed at intake and at 1-year follow-up as part of the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS), which included programs of four major modalities. Subjects' lifetime patterns of drug dependence were classified into nine groups according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R; American Psychiatric Association; 1987) diagnostic criteria and time of onset of drug use career. Outcome measure was the reduction of heroin use or cocaine use at follow-up from levels at intake. The results showed that rates of lifetime drug dependence and current drug use at DATOS admission were highest among methadone maintenance clients and lowest among outpatient drug-free clients. Drug use reduction was observed for all modalities. The presence of dependence diagnosis was associated with less improvement when current use level at intake was controlled. Clients dependent on heroin but not currently daily users benefited most from inpatient and residential programs. Methadone programs were also relatively ineffective in reducing cocaine use. Characteristics of the client's drug dependence history, in addition to the current or presenting drug problem, should be assessed to guide treatment planning. The high rate of cocaine dependence among methadone clients, most of whom were dependent on heroin, poses considerable challenge to contemporary opiate substitution treatments.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Self-attention, life stress, and illness: a prospective study.

Using a prospective design, this study examined the hypothesis that a predisposition to focus on internal aspects of the self serves as a stress resistance resource. One hundred and twenty subjects filled out the Private Self-Consciousness inventory, a schedule of recent life events and a symptom checklist. Two months later they were asked again to report life events and symptoms that had occurred in the interval. Data were analyzed by means of hierarchical panel analysis. The results showed, consistent with the hypothesis, that incidence of stressful life events predicted subsequent illness among persons low in private self-consciousness but not in persons high in private self-consciousness. It is proposed that the tendency on the part of persons low in private self-consciousness to disattend to their psychologic and somatic reactions to stressful life events and to fail to take corrective actions may lead to lowered body resistance over time and hence increase their susceptibility to physical illness. The results are interpreted as consistent with Schwartz's concept of disregulation and control systems analysis of health behavior and Leventhal's work on the role of internal monitoring for coping with stress.

Attention↗