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Biomedical subjects

D L Newman

Publications and source records attributed to D L Newman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Comorbid mental disorders: implications for treatment and sample selection.

Disorders from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed., rev.; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) were assessed in a birth cohort of 961 young adults. Comorbid cases exceeded single-disordered cases in chronic history of mental illness, use of treatments, physical health problems, functional interference in daily life, and impaired adaptation across domains such as work, education, health, and social-support networks. Single-disorder cases were also more impaired than nondisordered cases, but comorbid cases were the most severely impaired. Our findings suggest that (a) samples that underrepresent comorbidity (pure single-disorder cases or student samples) will underestimate effect sizes for relations between a disorder and its correlates, whereas samples that overrepresent comorbidity (clinical or adjudicated samples) will overestimate effect sizes, (b) comorbidity is accompanied by complications that challenge treatment planning, compliance, and coordination of service delivery, and (c) comorbidity is associated with physical, educational, and economic problems that make it a broad societal concern.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Individual differences in adult ego development: sources of influence in twins reared apart.

A behavior genetic analysis of the personality dimension of ego development, as assessed by the Washington University Sentence Completion Test, was carried out on a sample of 45 pairs of monozygotic twins and 28 pairs of same-sex dizygotic twins. The twins ranged in age from 16 to 70 years at the time of assessment, had been separated during infancy, and had been raised apart in adoptive homes before being reunited in adulthood. Analyses indicated that reared-apart twins were similar in trait levels of ego development and that such similarity could not solely be attributed to measured similarity in cognitive ability, including verbal reasoning. Estimates of broad similarity for ego development (46%) were comparable to values reported for other major personality dimensions. Phenotypic variance in adult levels of ego development appears to have substantial genetic and environmental sources.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Limitations of clinical CT in assessing cortical thickness and density.

The peak CT number (CT) and full width at half maximum (FWHM) were obtained from the image profiles of aluminium of thickness ranging from 0.1-9.5 mm. The scans were performed at different fields of view (FOVs) and with different reconstruction algorithms ('bone' and 'standard'). Above 3 mm, CT and FWHM provide measures of the density and thickness which are largely independent of FOV (i.e. pixel size) and algorithm. Below 3 mm, CT falls progressively whilst FWHM remains relatively constant. At these small thicknesses the effect of FOV on CT is more pronounced when the bone algorithm is used, whilst FWHM remains relatively constant and independent of both FOV and algorithm. The results are discussed in terms of thickness relative to pixel size and spatial resolution as characterized by the point spread function. A linear relationship was found between the product CT x FWHM and thickness that is independent of both FOV and algorithm. This product may be useful in studies of cortical bone and changes due to osteoporosis.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1997

Antecedents of adult interpersonal functioning: effects of individual differences in age 3 temperament.

We examined whether temperamental differences at age 3 are linked to interpersonal functioning in young adulthood. In a sample of over 900 children, we identified 5 distinct groups of children based on behavioral observations: Well-adjusted, undercontrolled, reserved, confident, and inhibited. At age 21, we assessed the children's interpersonal functioning in 4 social contexts: in the social network, at home, in romantic relationships, and at work. We found three patterns of relations: (a) Well-adjusted, reserved, and confident children defined a heterogeneous range of normative adult interpersonal behavior, (b) inhibited children had lower levels of social support but normative adjustment in romantic relationships and at work, and (c) undercontrolled children had lower levels of adjustment and greater interpersonal conflict across adult social contexts.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Gender differences in partner violence in a birth cohort of 21-year-olds: bridging the gap between clinical and epidemiological approaches.

This study describes partner violence in a representative sample of young adults. Physical violence perpetration was reported by 37.2% of women and 21.8% of men. Correlates of involvement in severe physical violence differed by gender. Severe physical violence was more strongly associated with unemployment, low educational attainment, few social support resources, polydrug use, antisocial personality disorder symptoms, depression symptoms, and violence toward strangers for men than for women. Women who were victims of severe physical violence were more likely than men who were victims to experience symptoms of anxiety. The findings converge with community studies showing that more women than men are physically violent toward a partner and with clinical studies highlighting violence perpetrated against women by men with deviant characteristics.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Behavioral observations at age 3 years predict adult psychiatric disorders. Longitudinal evidence from a birth cohort.

BACKGROUND: This study provides, to our knowledge, the first empirical test of whether behavioral differences among children in the first 3 years of life are linked to specific adult psychiatric disorders: anxiety and mood disorders, antisocial personality disorder, recidivistic and violent crime, alcoholism, and suicidal behavior. METHODS: In a longitudinal-epidemiological study, 3-year-old children were classified into groups based on examiner observations of their behavior. At age 21 years, they were reassessed for psychopathologic functioning using standardized interviews based on DSM-III-R criteria. RESULTS: Although effect sizes were small, undercontrolled (includes children who are impulsive, restless and distractible) and inhibited (includes children who are shy, fearful, and easily upset) children differed significantly from comparison children in young adulthood. Under-controlled 3-year-olds were more likely at 21 years to meet diagnostic criteria for antisocial personality disorder and to be involved in crime. Inhibited 3-year-olds were more likely at 21 years to meet diagnostic criteria for depression. Both groups were more likely to attempt suicide, and boys in both groups had alcohol-related problems. Controls for family social class did not change the findings. CONCLUSION: Some forms of adult psychopathologic abnormality are meaningfully linked, albeit weakly, to behavioral differences observed among children in the third year of life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Contrast reduction using energy dependent intensifying screens.

The speed of intensifying screens, in particular rare earth screens, increases with beam energy. Using such a screen, the measured contrast of an aluminium disc, with optical densities in the linear region of the characteristic curve, was found to be significantly and consistently less than that calculated from the gamma of the film-screen combination for all tube potentials from 40 to 140 kVp. This contrast reduction effect can be explained in terms of the filtering action of the disc which increases the effective energy of the beam. Hence, the film-screen combination is exposed to X-rays which have different effective energies. This results in two characteristic curves of different speed. The contrast of the disc image is not dependent on the gamma of either curve, but an effective gamma which links the two curves. This effective gamma is less than the gamma of either curve. Contrast calculated using the effective gamma gave good agreement with the measured contrast of the disc image over the tube potential range examined.

Aluminum↗
PubMed1996

Psychiatric disorder in a birth cohort of young adults: prevalence, comorbidity, clinical significance, and new case incidence from ages 11 to 21.

Mental health data were gathered at ages 11, 13, 15, 18, and 21 in an epidemiological sample using standardized diagnostic assessments. Prevalence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed. revised; American Psychiatric Association, 1987) mental disorders increased longitudinally from late childhood (18%) through mid-(22%) to late-adolescence (41%) and young adulthood (40%). Nearly half of age-21 cases had comorbid diagnoses; and comorbidity was associated with severity of impairment. The incidence of cases with adult onset was only 10.6%: 73.8% of adults diagnosed at age 21 had a developmental history of mental disorder. Relative to new cases, those with developmental histories were more severely impaired and more likely to have comorbid diagnoses. The high prevalence rate and significant impairment associated with a diagnosis of mental disorder suggests that treatment resources need to target the young adult sector of the population. The low new-case incidence in young adulthood, however, suggests that primary prevention and etiological research efforts need to target children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

What is evaluation: nurse decision-makers' perceptions of program evaluation.

This study investigates alternate reasons for conducting program evaluation in community health care settings and their relationship with information needs. One hundred and thirty-six community health nurses representing New York state associations were the decision makers used in the survey. Results indicated that the most frequent reasons cited for conducting program evaluation were accreditation and standard control. These were followed by need for information for formative program changes and aiding decision makers. Participatory and scientific evaluation purposes were rated last. When examining information sources, respondents were unable to differentiate needs on an independent item-by-item basis; all items were considered important. When asked, however, to select the most critical items of these sources, a pattern of needs was established. Decision makers felt that program goals, identification of staff concerns, and presentations of client opinions were the most crucial types of information.

Community Health Nursing↗
PubMed1990

Improving the use of evaluation in health settings: do data support and order of recommendation make a difference?

This study examined two variables associated with nurse decision makers' perceptions of the usefulness of program evaluation. The first variable represented amount of data support for recommendations; the second represented the order of presentation of supporting and nonsupporting recommendations. The sample of New York state nurses reflected two levels of decision makers: Supervised (staff nurses) and supervising (head nurses, supervisors, and directors). Results indicated that experience with decision making and order of presentation affected perceptions of recommendations and sufficiency of information.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed1990

Arterial tortuosity.

Vessel curvature or tortuosity has usually been ignored in haemodynamic studies of the vasculature, vessels are commonly assumed to be straight and axisymmetric. This assumption is generally not valid and even for those vessels which are relatively straight in early life, such as the abdominal aorta, there is a tendency to develop tortuosity with increasing age. This paper proposes a quantitative evaluation of tortuosity based on the standard deviation of the incremental displacements of the midline of a vessel. The tortuosity coefficients for the abdominal aorta were determined from the aortograms of 92 patients. For the majority of patients aged less than 40 years of age, the tortuosity coefficients were close to those expected for a straight vessel, i.e. less than 0.20. Above that age there is a rising incidence of tortuosity with, in some cases coefficients several times greater than those expected for the straight vessel case. This tortuosity is likely to be due to an aging of the vessel wall leading to loss of longitudinal stiffness. The haemodynamic implications of tortuosity are that it is likely to create flow profile asymmetries leading to abnormal wall shear stress and predispose the vessel to atherosclerosis. As a consequence tortuosity may be considered as a geometrical risk factor in the development of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

High frequency characteristics of the arterial system.

Pressure, flow and diameter were measured in the abdominal aorta of five anesthetized dogs during normal heart beats and heart beats with a superimposed impulse (generated by rapidly injecting a small volume of saline into the system). From Fourier analysis it was found that the impulse enhanced the amplitudes of the higher harmonics so that frequencies up to 80 Hz could be studied. Both the input impedance and apparent phase velocity above 20 Hz were independent of frequency and their average values were designated as characteristic impedance and true phase velocity. Average characteristic impedance for all five animals was 2.0 +/- 0.1 X 10(8) Nsm-5 and average phase velocity was 8.3 +/- 0.6 ms-1. Phase velocities calculated from characteristic impedance (1.76-2.39 X 10(8) Nsm-5) and from the slope of the pressure-diameter relation (0.102-0.25 X 10(-8) Nm-3) were similar to the true phase velocity as defined above (6.79-9.85 ms-1). It may be concluded that the input impedance converges to characteristic impedance and apparent phase velocity converges to phase velocity for high frequencies.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Actions of cysteinyl leukotrienes in coronary, femoral and carotid vessels of the pig.

Coronary, femoral and carotid vascular beds of anaesthetised pigs were perfused with heparinised arterial blood using an extracorporeal perfusion system. Blood flow was measured in each vascular bed. Leukotriene (LT) D4 caused a dose-related reduction in flow in the left anterior descending (LAD) artery. LTs C4 and D4, angiotensin and noradrenaline caused dose-related reductions in flow in femoral and carotid vascular beds. High doses of LTD4 caused total cessation of blood flow in the LAD and femoral beds. In the femoral and carotid beds LTC4 but not LTD4 caused an initial increase followed by a prolonged reduction in flow. Indomethacin (1.4 X 10(-5) mol kg-1, i.v.) did not affect the vasoconstrictor action of LTs.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1983

Effects of intra-coronary administration of leukotriene D4 in the anaesthetized dog.

The left anterior descending coronary artery in anaesthetized greyhounds was perfused at constant pressure with blood pumped from the carotid artery. Phasic and mean coronary flow, left ventricular pressure, dP/dt, cardiac output, ECG, heart rate and systemic pressure were measured. Leukotriene (LT) D4 was administered into the left anterior descending coronary artery as a bolus injection. LTD4 caused dose-related reductions in coronary flow. Other parameters showed little immediate change although a gradual decrease in left ventricular pressure, dP/dt, cardiac output and systemic pressure occurred after administration of LTD4. Following intracoronary administration of LTD4 small surface haemorrhages were observed over the area perfused. The reduction in coronary flow was not inhibited by indomethacin.

Animals↗