Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J K Thompson

Publications and source records attributed to J K Thompson.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Initial localization of the acoustic conditioned stimulus projection system to the cerebellum essential for classical eyelid conditioning.

Previous experiments have demonstrated a sufficient and necessary involvement of mossy fibers in projecting conditioned stimulus information to the cerebellum during classical eyelid conditioning in rabbits. Presented here are electrophysiological, anatomical, and lesion data that suggest that cells within the lateral pontine nuclear region may be essentially involved in projecting information concerning the occurrence of acoustic conditioned stimuli to the cerebellum during classical conditioning.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1987

Molecular karyotype of Plasmodium falciparum: conserved linkage groups and expendable histidine-rich protein genes.

We describe fractionation of the Plasmodium falciparum genome into 14 chromosomal DNA molecules by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. This number agrees with the number of chromosomes observed by electron microscopic visualization of kinetochores. The assignment of 25 markers to 12 of the 14 chromosomes in three cloned parasite lines demonstrates that chromosomal size variation can greatly change the relative migration of genetically equivalent chromosomes. Deletions that include genes for three different histidine-rich proteins, located on chromosomes 2, 8, and 13, contribute to size differences in some clones. Other karyotypic differences result from chromosome segregation and/or recombination during meiosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Identification of lotus rhizobia by direct DNA hybridization of crushed root nodules.

Hybridization of crushed Lotus pedunculatus root nodules with P-labeled total genomic DNA probes was used to identify Rhizobium loti and Bradyrhizobium sp. (Lotus rhizobia). Probes always hybridized with homologous target DNA and frequently with DNAs of other strains from the same genus. Intergeneric hybridization did not occur. Results were comparable to those from colony hybridization.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1987

Energy conservation and exercise dependence: a sympathetic arousal hypothesis.

The present article reviews a wide range of studies which suggest that energy balance mechanisms are affected by food restriction and exercise training. Specifically, food restriction produces adaptive decreases in basal metabolic rate, a decrease in the energy utilized in the performance of a specific task, and an increase in the efficiency of food utilization following resumption of pre-restriction feeding patterns. Exercise training produces an adaptive decrease in the energy required to perform a specific task and in the hormonal output to a standard work task. Conflicting evidence exists on the combined effects of exercise and dieting on energy conservation. This energy balance information is used as the basis for the development of a sympathetic arousal hypothesis of exercise dependence. We propose that exercise dependence is mediated by adaptive reductions in sympathetic output to exercise tasks as a result of training, requiring the individual to engage in heightened levels of activity to produce pre-training levels of physiological arousal.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Plasmids of Staphylococcus aureus associated with live and processed poultry.

A series of 23 strains of Staphylococcus aureus originally isolated from processed poultry was screened for the presence of plasmids. Plasmids were more common in strains of Staph. aureus characteristically associated with live poultry than with strains endemic in poultry plants and strains of human origin. Two plasmids with sizes of 1.65 and 18.2 kilobase pairs (kBp) were present in three strains considered typical of Staph. aureus forma specialis 'altilis' and two plasmids with sizes of 1.65 and 17 kBp were present in three of four strains of Staph. aureus var. gallinae. A 1.65 kBp plasmid was present in all seven strains of these poultry biotypes and in three of 14 'endemic' strains. All the 1.65 kBp plasmids were shown by blot hybridization to share sequence homology. There was also some sequence homology between the 18.2 kBp and 17 kBp plasmids. These results were supported by restriction enzyme digest analyses. A study of cured derivatives of strain PS221 f.sp. 'altilis' suggested that the 18.2 kBp plasmid encoded the genetic determinant(s) responsible for caseolysis. Both the 1.65 and the 18.2 kBp plasmids also exerted an effect on the production of acid from lactose. In no other characteristic did cured strains resemble the plasmid-free 'endemic' strains. This was therefore consistent with the notion that the genetic determinants associated with the cultural characteristics of endemic strains are chromosomally located.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Right brain, left brain; left face, right face: hemisphericity and the expression of facial emotion.

Research on the asymmetry of facial expressions is reviewed in terms of neuroanatomy, qualitative and quantitative measures of asymmetrical expression, method of expression elicitation (spontaneous, posed, imagery-based), type of expression (happy, sad, etc.), and expression rating procedures. Neuroanatomical evidence indicated that contralateral control of facial musculature exists only for the lower face and that different motor pathways are responsible for spontaneous versus posed expressions. Empirical research on the differential assignment of qualitative trait attributes to facial regions was judged to be meagre and data on quantitative differences in the asymmetry of facial expressions was inconclusive because of the wide variability in methodology across past investigations. Specific suggestions for future investigations in this area are offered and alternative conceptualizations of hemisphericity and facial asymmetry proposed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

The assessment of subjective tension levels among several muscle groups: the tension mannequin.

The present paper introduces the Tension Mannequin, a self-report questionnaire on which tension levels of various muscle groups are rated. In Experiment 1 this instrument was administered to 44 normal adults preceding and following relaxation training. Questionnaire results revealed that subjects used three tension level ratings across muscles. Only 14% of the sample rated all muscle groups identically. Pre-training correlations between the individual muscle ratings and a general rating of tension suggested that the general rating was made by averaging tension in various muscle sites. The questionnaire appeared to be sensitive to the effects of relaxation training since pre- and post-comparisons of all muscle groups were significantly different. Experiment 2 investigated whether the questionnaire would differentiate subjects suffering at least three tension headaches per week from those reporting less than three. Results revealed that the frequent headache group had greater subjective tension in the forehead and neck. A case example illustrates how the Tension Mannequin revealed the importance of back discomfort to a patient's experience of tension headaches and general tension.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The control issue in biofeedback training.

Well-delineated models and procedural descriptions are noticeably missing from the clinical biofeedback literature dealing with the training of physiological self-control. As a consequence, optimal protocols for the assessment and training of self-control of physiological functions have not eventuated. The present article reviews evidence suggesting that researchers have (a) confused self-control training, assessment, and measurement of tonic response levels, (b) neglected to determine the degree of acquired physiological self-control, and (c) failed to report the relationship between level of acquired physiological control and clinical outcome. The article also proposes an assessment and training paradigm that may be useful in reducing these methodological problems in future biofeedback research.

Arousal↗
PubMed1983

Critical issues in the assessment of headache.

In an earlier paper, Thompson (1982) made the point that "an adequate assessment and understanding of the relevant independent and dependent variables related to subjects' headache complaints will yield information pointing to the most logical choice for a treatment intervention" (p. 230). It is essential that researchers and clinicians adopt an idiographic approach if we are to fully realize the potential of biofeedback, behavior therapy, and other nonpharmacological approaches as primary or ancillary interventions in the management of head pain. Large group comparisons, composed of heterogeneous subject populations treated with standardized techniques, have failed to elucidate the optimal intervention for individualized headache complaints. Yates (1980) noted with reference to biofeedback. "The reason for the failure of biofeedback training to show any consistent superiority over other relaxation training techniques stems from its use as a blunderbuss rather than as a rapier or precision instrument" (p. 499). We would maintain that a similar situation has pervaded the headache literature with a "blunderbuss" approach characterizing assessment and client-treatment-matching strategies. The remediation of the current controversy regarding treatment efficacy in the area of head pain is dependent upon the careful and critical use of assessment strategies in future research and clinical activity.

Biofeedback, Psychology↗