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Biomedical subjects

M Reicherts

Publications and source records attributed to M Reicherts.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Standardized evaluation and documentation of findings in patients with craniosynostosis.

Surgical correction of craniosynostosis is usually performed according to standard procedures. However, a standard for clinical examination and report of findings for patients with craniosynostosis does not exist as yet. To compare findings from different hospitals, a documentation system was developed by a national craniosynostosis group. This system comprises a two-page document, clinical photographs, radiographs, CT scans, anthropometric measurements and molecular genetic findings. Data from craniosynostosis patients collected from participating hospitals are stored in a database, which facilitates online access.The documentation system was developed in cooperation with the group during 3 years since 1996. It was evaluated as being practicable and reliable and enables a comparability of findings reported in different hospitals. Molecular genetic analysis was found to support the investigation of patients with craniosynostosis and should therefore be integrated in the clinical evaluation. Copyright 2001 European Association for Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

[Results of the DOSAK tumor register].

The German-Swiss-Austrian Group on Maxillofacial Tumors (DOSAK) has been performing observational studies in oral cancer. Since 1989, approximately 1600 cases of tumor of the head and neck per years has been collected in a central tumor registry. The database consists of more than 16,000 patients from 71 clinics; almost two-thirds are primary cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The data show great differences in patho-anatomical findings, therapy concepts, and five-year survival rates among the hospitals.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1999

Does visual sensitivity improve between 5 and 8 years? A study of automated visual field examination.

In 74 normal subjects (62 children aged 5-8 years and 12 adults), we tested the widely-held belief that visual sensitivity improves substantially during childhood. Maturation of the retino-striate pathways is generally invoked to account for age-related changes in visual sensitivity. We evaluated the extent to which attentional factors unduly emphasized the effect of age on the purely physiological mechanisms. After a specially-designed familiarization procedure, sensitivity was fully evaluated at two locations in the superior temporal field using a bracketing technique (Octopus 2000R). False-positive (FP) and false-negative (FN) catch-trials were interspersed with the sequence of stimuli. Analyses demonstrated that: (1) age affected sensitivity; and (2) the general level of attentiveness varied not only with age, but also among subjects in the same age group. We then estimated the extent to which improved visual sensitivity may reflect a concomitant evolution of vigilance. Firstly, controlled variance analyses indicated that factors for evaluating attentiveness (rate of FN responses, slope of the psychometric function at the median, and goodness of fit) were indeed much better predictors than age of the sensitivity measured. Secondly and more significantly, the grouping of subjects into homogeneous subgroups, on the basis of their attentional performance, showed that children as young as 5 years may have a visual sensitivity that is only marginally lower than that of adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Automated visual field examination in children aged 5-8 years. Part I: Experimental validation of a testing procedure.

In 106 children aged 5-8 years, we determined how much training was needed to stabilize the response strategy prior to actual visual field assessment and we evaluated the reliability and acceptable duration of automated static perimetry (Octopus 2000R). A specially designed familiarization procedure was used to train the children to: (1) gaze at the center of the visual field while paying attention to light stimuli projected onto the periphery and (2) press the buzzer only when light stimuli were perceived. The subsequent examination phase consisted of 15 successive identical blocks of 27 trials (12 stimulus trials, 12 false-positive catch-trials, and three false-negative catch-trials), and was stopped before the end if signs of fatigue appeared. Age had a marked influence both on endurance (the number of blocks performed increased significantly) and on response reliability (false-positive responses decreased between 5- and 6-year-olds). The increase in false-negative responses toward the end indicates that examination is no longer reliable, and should be stopped. We concluded that most children as young as five can undergo examination by automated static perimetry. Changes regarding learning, stimulus intensity and testing procedure are suggested in order to adapt the examination to age, level of vigilance and health condition of the children.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Automated visual field examination in children aged 5-8 years. Part II: Normative values.

We determined normative values for the visual sensitivity threshold in 118 children aged 5-8 years, using automated static perimetry (Octopus 2000R, program 32). In addition, 17 normal adults were tested. The children first underwent a familiarization procedure. One week later, quantitative examination was performed according to a specially designed schedule divided into three phases. For each of the 76 points tested, mean thresholds and standard deviations were calculated as a function of age. In contrast to previous studies, sensitivity difference between adults and children over the central 30 degrees of the visual field emerged only for the youngest age groups (5- and 6-year olds). Both the response rate in false-negative trials, and values of a within-subject threshold variability index, suggested that 5- and 6-year-olds' higher thresholds were inflated by non physiological factors, such as vigilance and cognitive processes. For these ages, the data reported here should therefore be considered as an approximation of the upper level of the thresholds. In contrast, our results for 7- and 8 year-old children provided reliable normative values for light sensitivity across the visual field.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Questionnaire on coping with current stress].

The stress and coping process questionnaire ("UBV") is a new situation-reaction instrument aiming at the multidimensional assessment of components and processes of stress and coping behavior. The subject evaluates on different scales his/her situation appraisals, emotional reactions, coping objectives and coping behaviors in relation to prototypical stressful situations as presented in three stages (begin, continuation, and positive or negative outcome). The article gives a summary of theoretical foundations of the questionnaire, its structure and scales, and a number of reliability and validity studies. The results of the studies suggest a great variety of possible applications of the questionnaire (which offers also preliminary stanine-norms) as in the clinical domain (e.g. anxiety disorders) as in the domain of health psychology. The instrument provides also intervention-oriented informations and applies to the evaluation of stress and coping treatment programs. It is available in a german, english and french version.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

[Effects of repression and sensitization on self observation and coping with stress].

The influence of repression-sensitization as a two-dimensional concept (trait anxiety and defensiveness) on stress and coping behavior in daily life is studied. N = 60 students were trained to use a computer-aided self-observation system (COMES) and to protocol their stressful episodes. The results reveal only few effects of the 4 defense modes (assessed by STAI trait anxiety and social desirability scale SDS) on stress and coping behavior in the field: Sensitizers recorded more negative emotions and stronger connections between their stressful episodes. There were no differences in reported coping tendencies (e.g. control of attention) and effectiveness. During self-observation, repressors slightly changed their behavior toward non-defensiveness, a possible effect of self-observation specific to the defense mode. In general, we observed only few changes in the course of the self-observation which can be interpreted as reactivity effects of the method. The results are discussed in the light of the R-S concept referring to daily life stressors and in relation to different assessment methods (questionnaires vs. trained self-observation in the field).

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1985

[Criterion-oriented measurement in clinical psychology: development of a test on stress management].

Criterion-oriented tests evaluate the performance of the individual in relation to a given criterion which describes abilities and skills (intended competencies). The measuring process decides statistically if the person is "mastering" the criterion or not. The intended competencies should be represented by test items of high content-validity. The structure and application of this method especially to diagnostical issues of clinical psychology and therapeutic control are discussed. Steps are described construing a criterion-oriented test of stress and coping processes related to depressive and fearful behavior. The test is based on a situation-action-model in the theoretical framework of "stress and coping", "self-efficacy", "control" and "learned helplessness". Method and construction of items are shown in order to find some dimensions of coping-behavior-in-situations (appraisals, person-directed and environment-directed actions) and its sequential organisation in stressful episodes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗