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Biomedical subjects

L Melin

Publications and source records attributed to L Melin.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Abstinence fear in methadone maintenance withdrawal: a possible obstacle for getting off methadone.

The present study attempts to shed light on methadone maintenance patients expectations regarding withdrawal symptoms during voluntary methadone detoxification. The study includes two groups of subjects; one group who have tried on their own initiative to terminate their methadone maintenance treatment (Group 1) and one group that contains rehabilitated patients who have not tried to quit using methadone (Group 2). Two main results have emerged. Group 1 has negative expectations beforehand about the intensity of withdrawal which significantly exceed the later, actual experience. Group 2 has negative expectations about the intensity of withdrawal that significantly exceed the negative expectations of Group 1. The clinical implications of these results are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Patient perceptions of psychological and physiological withdrawal symptoms and positive factors associated with gradual withdrawal from methadone maintenance treatment: a prospective study.

Psychological and physiological withdrawal symptoms and some positive factors were studied in 10 methadone maintenance treatment patients during methadone dose reduction. The subjective ratings were made during a period of 10 days around each reduction occasion, 3 days before dose reduction and 7 days after (i.e., within the periods). To permit comparisons of the subjects' ratings between earlier and later stages of the dose reduction process, a division has been made between the first half and the second half of the total reduction occasions (i.e., between the periods). Three of the patients completed the dose reduction, while the others interrupted their withdrawal attempts. The results show that the aggregate psychological symptoms were rated low, but that, as expected, they increased significantly from the first to the second half of the dose reduction. A significant increase of the psychological symptoms also occurred from the days before each reduction to the days after. The aggregate physiological symptoms were rated very low. A significant increase in rated withdrawal intensity is found within the reduction occasions. There were no significant changes with regard to the aggregate positive factors, either within or between the reduction occasions.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A cognitive-behavioral treatment of patients suffering from "electric hypersensitivity". Subjective effects and reactions in a double-blind provocation study.

This study tested psychological treatment of patients with "electric hypersensitivity." Seventeen patients were randomly assigned to a treatment group or a waiting-list control group in a pretest-posttest control group design. The patients were also taking part in double-blind provocation tests before and after the treatment. Subjective ratings of symptoms were registered and blood samples were taken and analyzed for "stress-related" variables, such as prolactin, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, and cholesterol levels. The patients in the experimental group reduced their evaluations of the disability more than the control group did. This indicates that psychological treatment may be of value in this disease. However, none of the psychophysiological measures or the subjective reactions to the provocation test showed any significant between-group difference. The conclusion from the provocation test is that this group of alleged hypersensitive patients did not react to the electromagnetic fields.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Measuring depression for Swedish nonclinical adolescents: factorial validity and equivalence of the Beck Depression Inventory across gender.

Building upon earlier confirmatory factor analytic research that validated a 2nd-order 4-factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory for Canadian and Swedish nonclinical adolescents, the purposes of the present study were twofold: (a) to test the factorial structure of the Swedish version of the instrument separately for males (n = 559) and females (n = 537), and (b) to test for its measurement and structural equivalence across gender. Except for three minor discrepancies involving correlated errors, the hypothesized model best described the data for both males and females. Nonetheless, the imposition of equality constraints across sex revealed differences bearing on the measurement of six items, and latent construct relations involving the Somatic Elements factors. Four gender differences in factorial structure replicated findings for Canadian adolescents. Results have important implications for researchers, clinicians, and others whose interests focus on nonclinical adolescent depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Elderly hearing-impaired persons' coping behavior.

Little is known about the coping behavior associated with hearing impairment. In this study, 24 elderly hearing-impaired participants participated in a structured video interview including communication faults (provocations) presented in association with sounds. The participants also completed measures of self-perceived hearing handicap, optimism, and depression. Several behaviors were coded independently by two observers using a rating scale that reached average Cohen's kappa of .75. A more conservative estimate resulted in a kappa of .50. Results showed that the provocations affected behavior differently. Especially problematic for the participants was a provocation in which the interviewer talked with his hand in front of his mouth. With one exception, no gender differences were found. Few significant relations between the assessed behaviors and self-assessed handicap, optimism, and depression were found. Hearing measurement (pure tone average and speech recognition) were not clearly related with the coping behaviors assessed. Behavioral observation techniques designed for the elderly hearing impaired should be further studied.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Predictors of daily assessed hearing aid use and hearing capability using visual analogue scales.

Following the fitting of hearing aids, 53 patients rated themselves daily during one week on visual analogue scales dealing with aspects of the hearing aids (HA) and hearing capability. Before this, the prescribing audiology assistant categorized the patient into one of four groups depending on whether she thought the patient was going to be successful or not at home after the fitting. Also compared were the effects of type of audiogram, type of hearing aid and monaural or binaural fitting on the self-assessed and audiological variables. Finally, a series of multiple regressions were performed on the data set. The results showed that the audiology assistant could predict some aspects of HA usage, but not hearing capability. Patients rated the BTE and the ITC aids as clearer than the ITE aids, but a wide range of aids were prescribed making conclusions difficult. No clear effects were found for type of audiogram or type of fitting. Multiple regressions showed that clearness of sound in the HA was the most important variable in predicting the results on hearing capability. The use of repeated daily measures is recommended in research on the effects of HA fitting.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

An evaluation of a behavioural treatment approach to hearing impairment.

Twenty-four elderly hearing impaired Ss participated in an experimental treatment study and received either behavioural group treatment or served as untreated controls. The treatment package included applied relaxation, video self-modelling, exposure, information and various coping skills. Assessments (pre-post) were conducted using a structured video-interview measuring coping behaviour. In order to evoke behavioural compensation small acoustic provocations were included in the interview. The edited videos were then rated blindly by two trained observers. Pre-post assessments also included daily registered hearing problems on visual analogue scales and a questionnaire. Finally, a one month follow-up blind telephone interview was conducted. Results showed significant beneficial effects in favour of the treatment package and support the implementation of a behavioural approach in audiological rehabilitation research.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

The Beck Depression Inventory: testing and cross-validating a second-order factorial structure for Swedish nonclinical adolescents.

The intent of the present study was to test for the validity and equivalency of a second-order factorial structure of the Beck Depression Inventory for and across three independent samples (n1 = 661; n2 = 239; n3 = 196) of nonclinical Swedish adolescents. The model under study derived from a cross-validated study of Canadian high school adolescents. Model fitting, testing and equating were based on the analysis of covariance structures within the framework of a confirmatory factor analytic model. Of major importance was the tenability of the hypothesized model for Swedish adolescents. Only minor differences where found among samples, which involved correlated errors and one cross-loading (Sample 2). Results are expected to be of substantial interest to both researchers and clinicians whose concerns focus on depression as it bears on this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

The membrane glycoprotein G1 of Uukuniemi virus contains a signal for localization to the Golgi complex.

Members of the Bunyaviridae family acquire their envelopes by budding into the Golgi complex (GC). The accumulation of the membrane glycoproteins G1 and G2 in the GC probably determines the site of maturation. Here we have studied the intracellular transport and targeting to the GC of G1 and G2 of Uukuniemi virus, a member of the Phlebovirus genus, and report on their expression from cloned cDNAs either together or separately by using a T7 RNA polymerase-driven vaccinia virus expression system. When G1 and G2 were expressed together from a full-length cDNA as the p110 precursor, both proteins were localized to the Golgi complex, as evidenced by colocalization with the Golgi marker enzyme mannosidase II. Immunofluorescent staining indicated that G1 expressed alone also localized to the GC. However, pulse-chase experiments showed that G1 remained endoglycosidase H sensitive. G2 expressed alone remained associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). G2 could be rescued from the ER and transported to the GC by coexpression with G1 from separate mRNAs. Coexpression also increased the efficiency of G1 transport to the GC. With none of the constructs could the glycoproteins be observed on the cell surface. These results show that efficient export of G1 and G2 from the ER requires coexpression of both proteins, in conformity with our previous results showing that G1 and G2 form heterodimeric complexes in the ER. Since G1 expressed alone is retained in the GC, we conclude that G1 contains a retention signal for localization to the GC. G2 might thus become associated with the GC indirectly via its interaction with G1.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1995

Increased sales and thefts of candy as a function of sales promotion activities: Preliminary findings.

We used an A-B-A design to evaluate the effects of two commonly used promotional activities-price reduction and increased exposure, in combination and separately-on sales and thefts of candy at a grocery store. The combination of activities and the increased exposure condition produced the greatest increases in sales. The combination of activities was also associated with the greatest increase in thefts.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Development of a short scale for self-assessment of experiences of hearing loss. The hearing coping assessment.

A short scale for self-assessment of experiences of hearing impairment--the Hearing Coping Assessment (HCA) was developed and administered to 114 consecutive hearing-impaired patients at a Swedish hearing centre. The scale was evaluated in terms of descriptive statistics, reliability, principal components analysis, and validity. The results showed high internal consistency, high split-half correlation, and high item-total correlations. Significant correlations were found between the HCA questionnaire and measures of optimism, depressive syndrome, and audiogram (PTA). The principal component analysis showed two meaningful factors. The first mainly represents disability, and the second emotional reactions due to hearing loss. Aspects of handicap were present in both factors. The subjects in this study were no less optimistic nor did they show more signs of depressive syndrome than comparable norm groups. Still, optimists reported fewer hearing problems as measured by the HCA. The HCA is proposed as a suitable assessment scale in studies on the effects of counselling.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

A two-year follow-up examination of a behavioural treatment approach to hearing tactics.

Twenty elderly hearing impaired patients participated in a two-year follow-up study on the effects of behavioural treatment aimed at increasing coping with hearing impairment. Subjects who had received treatment were compared with untreated controls using the Hearing Coping Assessment (HCA) and the Communication Strategies Subscale of the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired (CPHI-CSS). The group treatment package included applied relaxation, video self-modelling, exposure, information, and the teaching of hearing tactics. Results showed some effects in favour of the treatment on the HCA at post-treatment, but no differences at follow-up. The results on the CPHI-CSS using pre-treatment HCA scores as covariate showed significant multivariate effects on the subscales measuring maladaptive behaviours, non-verbal strategies, and on the CPHI-CSS total score. No significant multivariate effect was found for the verbal strategies subscale. As no pre-treatment data were available, results on the CPHI-CSS should be interpreted with caution. Overall, the results from this study give some support for the implementation of behavioural treatment in audiological rehabilitation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Factors associated with successful withdrawal from methadone maintenance treatment in Sweden.

Two groups have been compared with each other with respect to the possible influence of a number of possible predictors of success in voluntary methadone withdrawal-one group that succeeded in terminating their methadone maintenance treatment and one group that did not manage to quit, despite serious attempts. Each of the groups contains 25 subjects. The possible predictors were subdivided into Conditions and Interventions. The results show that few Conditions exhibit any predictive value, while a larger proportion of the studied Interventions are associated with success.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Behavioral counselling for subjects with acquired hearing loss. A new approach to hearing tactics.

Effects of behavioral counselling of subjects with an acquired hearing loss were evaluated in an experimental design. The study included a group of 20 hearing-impaired subjects who were assessed and randomly allocated to a treatment or control group. Behavioural counselling, individualized according to the results of functional analysis, was then given to 10 subjects and included the teaching of 'hearing tactics'. The groups were measured three times, pre-counselling and post-counselling and at a 15-month follow-up, after which treatment results were analysed. Significant (time x treatment) interactions were followed by post-hoc testing revealing that the treated group had improved in several areas of functioning while controls had not. These results were in agreement with interview data. The findings indicate that a behavioural counselling approach to hearing tactics is beneficial in the understanding and rehabilitation of hearing loss, especially over time.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1994

An experimental evaluation of the effects of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) and applied relaxation (AR) on hearing ability, tinnitus and dizziness in patients with Menière's disease.

In 20 patients diagnosed with Menière's disease, transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TNS) and applied relaxation (AR) were used as a treatment aimed at reducing tinnitus and dizziness and increasing hearing ability. The main aim of the study was to examine whether TNS could be regarded as a more beneficial treatment regimen than AR. An experimental between-group cross-over design was used. The results from the experimental phase (group comparisons) showed a significantly increased ability to hear for the TNS group when measured on visual analogue scales. During the same period, the AR-group showed a significant hearing improvement for the ear not primarily affected by Menière's disease as measured with pure tone audiometry. The vestibular tests did not reveal any significant changes either after TNS or AR intervention. Tinnitus matching showed changes of pitch and loudness before and after both TNS and AR intervention. However, no statistically significant changes between treatment regimes were found on these measures. The results from this study did not show TNS to be superior to AR in reducing tinnitus, dizziness or increasing hearing ability.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Detoxification from methadone maintenance treatment in Sweden: long-term outcome and effects on quality of life and life situation.

Of 59 subjects who have undergone voluntary and serious attempts to terminate methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) within the framework of the Swedish methadone program, 50 could be reached for an interview. Of these, 25 were classified--with some reservations--as successful (Group 1), i.e., they lived opiate-free and to all appearances well-ordered lives. The other 25 had failed in their attempts (Group 2) and were all in methadone treatment, most functioning well. A comparison was made between the two groups with regard to change in perceived quality of life and actual life situation from the time before the detoxification attempts were begun (Period 1) until the time preceding the interview (Period 2). The results indicate that Group 1 has achieved a higher quality of life and a more stable actual life situation compared with Group 2.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

Variable effects of the conserved RNA hairpin element upon 3' end processing of histone pre-mRNA in vitro.

We have studied the requirements for efficient histone-specific RNA 3' processing in nuclear extract from mammalian tissue culture cells. Processing is strongly impaired by mutations in the pre-mRNA spacer element that reduce the base-pairing potential with U7 RNA. Moreover, by exchanging the hairpin and spacer elements of two differently processed H4 genes, we find that this difference is exclusively due to the spacer element. Finally, processing is inhibited by the addition of competitor RNAs, if these contain a wild-type spacer sequence, but not if their spacer element is mutated. Conversely, the importance of the hairpin for histone RNA 3' processing is highly variable: A hairpin mutant of the H4-12 gene is processed with almost wild-type efficiency in extract from K21 mouse mastocytoma cells but is strongly affected in HeLa cell extract, whereas an identical hairpin mutant of the H4-1 gene is affected in both extracts. The hairpin defect of H4-12-specific RNA in HeLa cells can be overcome by a compensatory mutation that increases the base complementarity to U7 snRNA. Very similar results were also obtained in RNA competition experiments: processing of H4-12-specific RNA can be competed by RNA carrying a wild-type hairpin element in extract from HeLa, but not K21 cells, whereas processing of H4-1-specific RNA can be competed in both extracts. With two additional histone genes we obtained results that were in one case intermediate and in the other similar to those obtained with H4-1. These results suggest that hairpin binding factor(s) can cooperatively support the ability of U7 snRNPs to form an active processing complex, but is(are) not directly involved in the processing mechanism.

Animals↗