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Biomedical subjects

N Field

Publications and source records attributed to N Field.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

The relation of self-esteem variability to emotion variability, mood, personality traits, and depressive tendencies.

The relation of self-esteem variability to personality, mood, and behavior was investigated. Self-esteem variability was measured by calculating the standard deviation of self-ratings made during a week of experience-sampling. Participants high in self-esteem variability were self-conscious, socially anxious, and avoidant of social contexts. Self-esteem variability was partially independent of the conceptually similar trait of affect-intensity. The contributions of the study to work on self-esteem stability are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Relationships of perceived stress to coping, attachment and social support among HIV-positive persons.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of coping, attachment style and perceived social support to perceived stress within a sample of HIV-positive persons. Participants were 147 HIV-positive persons (80 men and 67 women). Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationships of the demographic variables, AIDS status, three coping styles, three attachment styles and perceived quality of general social support with total score on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). PSS score was significantly associated with less income, greater use of behavioural and emotional disengagement in coping with HIV/AIDS, and less secure and more anxious attachment styles. These results indicate that HIV-positive persons who experience the greatest stress in their daily lives are those with lower incomes, those who disengage behaviourally/emotionally in coping with their illness, and those who approach their interpersonal relationships in a less secure or more anxious style.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

Preeclampsia: is induction of labor more successful?

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that preeclamptic women are more readily inducible than are nonpreeclamptic women, regardless of cervical condition. METHODS: One hundred eighty-three preeclamptic women and 461 nonpreeclamptic women requiring labor induction were studied prospectively. Patients were categorized by Bishop score, parity, gestational age, and method of induction. Outcome variables were success of induction and cesarean delivery rates. RESULTS: Failed induction was significantly more common in the preeclamptic group (8.2% versus 1.7%; odds ratio [OR] 5.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.97, 13.28), as was cesarean delivery (28% versus 16%; OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.36, 3.18). When controlled by logistic regression for Bishop score, parity, method of induction, epidural anesthesia, macrosomia, and gestational age, a fourfold higher risk of failed induction and a twofold higher risk of cesarean delivery were found in the preeclamptic group. CONCLUSIONS: Induction of labor in preeclamptic women has a higher risk of failure and consequently of cesarean delivery than in nonpreeclamptic women. The vast majority of patients achieve vaginal delivery.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Is fetal heart rate variability a good predictor of fetal outcome?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate, in a prospective manner, whether fetal heart rate (FHR) variability serves as a reliable single predictor of fetal outcome. METHODS: We undertook a prospective study of 2,200 consecutive deliveries. Preterms < 37 weeks, twins, stillbirths and fetal malformations were excluded from the study. FHR tracings were analyzed for variability in every delivery. Three windows were evaluated: 1) early in labor (30 min); 2) in the active phase of labor - 1 h prior to complete cervical dilatation (30 min); and 3) throughout the second stage of delivery, in segments of 30 min. Using the tracings taken at admission and prior to delivery, FHR variability was scored according to five previously used evaluative methods, and was correlated to the following three fetal outcome parameters: a) arterial cord blood pH < 7.2, > 7.2; b) 5-min Apgar >6, < 7; and c) immediate outcome ('good' defined as newborn going home after 2-5 days, with no neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission). RESULTS: 1. The majority of cases with adverse fetal outcome exhibited good FHR variability (mean, 80%). 2. Low FHR variability is not common in newborns with adverse general outcome (mean, 11.5%). 3. The predictability of FHR variability (using the five most common scoring methods) for evaluating adverse fetal outcome revealed low sensitivity (mean, 20.3%) and low predictive value (mean, 11.6%). CONCLUSION: FHR variability by itself cannot serve as the only indicator of fetal wellbeing. The presence of low variability should alert the physician; however, good FHR variability should not be interpreted as reassuring.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

The assessment of ego development in borderline personality disorders.

The purpose of the study was to assess levels of ego functioning in a cohort of patients who met the criteria for borderline personality disorder. The Sentence Completion Test (SCT) and the Descriptions of Significant Others (DSO) test were used to measure dimensions of ego maturity. The borderline patients' responses on the SCT were compared with the responses of an outpatient sample of psychiatric patients and with general population norms established for the test. The scores on the SCT for a selected subgroup of five subjects were compared with their scores on the DSO. Contrary to expectation, the responses on the SCT by those with borderline personality disorder did not differ from those for the psychiatric outpatient sample or the general population norms. However the within-group comparisons between the SCT and the DSO for the subgroup of five subjects showed comparable trends between tests. Discussion of the results focuses on the interpretations of the borderline patients' responses to the two tests. Emphasis is placed on the need to distinguish subsets of ego functions, which can be assessed separately using a variety of measurement strategies.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Neurofibromatosis and other disorders among children with CNS tumors and their families.

We conducted a population-based case-control study with 338 patients, less than 15 years of age, diagnosed with a primary tumor of the central nervous system from January 1968 through December 1977 in 53 New York State counties. The study also included 676 controls selected from the birth certificate files of the New York State Department of Health. We collected information on neurofibromatosis and congenital anomalies in study subjects, their siblings and parents by telephone interview with the mother of each case and control. We obtained supplemental information on neurofibromatosis in the patients and their families from hospital medical records. This study confirmed the strong association of neurofibromatosis with risk of CNS tumors. Thirteen cases and no controls had neurofibromatosis. Two fathers and 3 mothers of cases had neurofibromatosis. Five cases had siblings with neurofibromatosis. None of the first-degree relatives of controls had neurofibromatosis. We observed a relative risk of 4.49 for history of seizures. Seizures are often among the presenting symptoms for CNS tumors. We observed no difference between cases and controls in the occurrence of congenital anomalies. There was a nonsignificant excess of congenital anomalies among siblings of cases compared with controls. This decreased to 1.13 when adjusted for number of siblings.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1980

Why occupancy isn't the best measure of hospital performance.

Occupancy is a time-honored measure of hospital efficiency and bed need, but it is a measure whose chief virtue is its ease of calculation. Specific indicators of cost, quality, and access are more difficult to develop and interpret, but they are far more accurate and important measures of the appropriateness of a hospital's capacity and use.

Bed Occupancy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fractured anterior calcaneal process.

The case report of an intra-articular calcaneal fracture is presented. The case is noteworthy because the entire anterior process was fractured and dislocated into the subtalar joint. Treatment consisted of open reduction and internal fixation with good results. The literature was reviewed and an aggressive treatment posture adopted in order to prevent the long-term disability often associated with this type of injury.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of the Shaw scalpel in podiatric surgery.

The Shaw scalpel is an electric device that produces instantaneous hemostasis through the direct transfer of heat in order to seal severed blood vessels. It offers an improved method of surgical hemostasis without the muscle stimulation and tissue damage of conventional electrosurgical units. In this presentation, the authors introduce this new hemostatic scalpel, illustrate its use in podiatric surgery, and review results of investigational trial efficacy.

Animals↗