Biomedical subjects

Doug Gray

Publications and source records attributed to Doug Gray.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Utah youth suicide study: psychological autopsy.

We conducted a psychological autopsy study to further understand youth suicide in Utah. While traditional psychological autopsy studies primarily focus on the administration of psychometric measures to identify any underlying diagnosis of mental illness for the suicide decedent, we focused our interviews to identify which contacts in the decedent's life recognized risk factors for suicidal behavior, symptoms of mental illness, as well as barriers to mental health treatment for the decedent. Parents and friends recognized most symptoms universally, although friends better recognized symptoms of substance abuse than any other contact. The study results suggest that parents and friends are the most appropriate individuals for gatekeeper training and, in conjunction with other innovative screening programs, may be an effective strategy in reducing adolescent suicide.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Adolescent suicide myths in the United States.

In the United States, teen suicide rates tripled over several decades, but have declined slightly since the mid-1990s. Suicide, by its nature, is a complex problem. Many myths have developed about individuals who complete suicide, suicide risk factors, current prevention programs, and the treatment of at-risk youth. The purpose of this article is to address these myths, to separate fact from fiction, and offer recommendations for future suicide prevention programs. Myth #1: Suicide attempters and completers are similar Myth #2: Current prevention programs work. Myth #3: Teenagers have the highest suicide rate. Myth #4: Suicide is caused by family and social stress. Myth #5: Suicide is not inherited genetically. Myth #6: Teen suicide represents treatment failure. Psychiatric illnesses are often viewed differently from other medical problems. Research should precede any public health effort, so that suicide prevention programs can be designed, implemented, and evaluated appropriately. Too often suicide prevention programs do not use evidence-based research or practice methodologies. More funding is warranted to continue evidence-based studies. We propose that suicide be studied like any medical illness, and that future prevention efforts are evidence-based, with appropriate outcome measures.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Intranuclear rodlets in the substantia nigra: interactions with marinesco bodies, ubiquitin, and promyelocytic leukemia protein.

There is growing appreciation that the nucleus is organized into an array of discrete structural domains, each subserving a specific function. These functional nuclear bodies are to be distinguished from pathological intranuclear inclusions which have been described in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases. Marinesco bodies (MBs) are eosinophilic ubiquitinated intranuclear inclusions found in pigmented neurons of the human substantia nigra and locus coeruleus. Traditionally considered non-pathological entities, more recent studies have indicated that MBs are associated with the age-associated degenerative changes in the substantia nigra and striatal loss of dopaminergic terminals. In the present morphological study of the human substantia nigra, we demonstrate colocalization, contiguity, and focally shared immunoreactivity between MBs and neuronal intranuclear rodlets (INRs). The latter nuclear structures of uncertain function are markedly decreased in the cortex of Alzheimer's disease, but not dementia with Lewy bodies. In addition, we demonstrate an interaction between INRs and promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein, the signature protein of PML nuclear bodies. These results suggest that structures which subserve the functional compartmentalization of the neuronal nucleus may be relevant to elucidating cellular mechanisms of age-related motor dysfunction.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Towards functional 3D T-ray imaging.

We review the recent development of T-ray computed tomography, a terahertz imaging technique that allows the reconstruction of the three-dimensional refractive index profile of weakly scattering objects. Terahertz pulse imaging is used to obtain images of the target at multiple projection angles and the filtered backprojection algorithm enables the reconstruction of the object's frequency-dependent refractive index. The application of this technique to a biological bone sample and a plastic test structure is demonstrated. The structure of each target is accurately resolved and the frequency-dependent refractive index is determined. The frequency-dependent information may potentially be used to extract functional information from the target, to uniquely identify different materials or to diagnose medical conditions.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2002

Utah youth suicide study, phase I: government agency contact before death.

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the probability of contact between government agencies and youths who complete suicide, to investigate the nature of those contacts, and to identify new risk factors for suicide. METHOD: A descriptive epidemiological analysis of data from multiple Utah government agencies on consecutive youth suicides (n = 151) between August 1, 1996, and June 6, 1999, aged 13-21 years. Data were collected from four government agencies: Office of the Medical Examiner, Juvenile Justice, Department of Human Services, and the Department of Education. RESULTS: Utah descriptive data were similar to national statistics, with the majority of completers being male (89%) and firearms the most common method of suicide (58%). The data demonstrated an association between youth suicide and contact with Juvenile Justice. Sixty-three percent of youths who completed suicide in Utah had contact with Juvenile Justice, and there was a direct correlation between number of referrals and increased suicide risk. Suicide completers had multiple minor offenses over many years. A significant minority of school-age subjects could not be located within the school system. Few suicide completers had evidence of active psychiatric treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile Justice is identified as a novel site for the screening and identification of youths at risk for suicide.

Adolescent↗