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Biomedical subjects

R A Frank

Publications and source records attributed to R A Frank.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

An outbreak of equine influenza at a harness horse racetrack.

An outbreak of an influenza-like illness affected approximately 1/3 of the 1050 race horses stabled at a standardbred racetrack and resulted in a 3-day suspension of racing. A/Equi-2 influenza virus was isolated from 1 affected horse and 8 of 10 horses sampled seroconverted. Threshold protective levels of HI antibody against A/Equi-2 influenza virus were not demonstrated in unaffected horses. Resistance in unaffected horses was assumed to result from other factors following previous exposure. Few of the horses had been vaccinated against equine influenza. It was felt that an outbreak of this magnitude might have been prevented if a vaccination program had been followed.

Animals↗

Self-deprivation: a test of the reward hypothesis.

Self-deprivation refers to the observation that despite severe levels of water and food deprivation some rats dramatically reduce food and water intake when brain stimulation reward and the alternative reward are placed in competition. In order to determine if the rewarding properties of brain stimulation are responsible for self-deprivation, rats were implanted bilaterally with stimulating electrodes and subsequently tested for self-deprivation and preferences among various electrode locus/stimulation current combinations. According to the reward hypothesis, the relative degree of self-deprivation observed for each electrode/current pair should predict the order of preference for each combination when different electrode/current pairs are placed in competition. Likewise, across all combinations of electrodes and intensities, increasing preferences should be associated with increasing self-deprivation. The findings of the study provide support for the reward hypothesis of self-deprivation. The correlation between the self-deprivation and the preference measure was r = 0.62 (p less than 0.001), which rose to r = 0.80 (p less than 0.001) when floor and ceiling effects were taken into account. It was concluded that the rewarding aspects of brain stimulation are responsible for the self-deprivation phenomenon.

Animals↗

The role of brain stimulation priming effects in self-deprivation.

Choice of brain stimulation reward (BSR) over biologically necessary substances in some self-stimulating animals is referred to as self-deprivation. In several recent papers, it has been argued that this phenomenon is produced by the rewarding aspects of the brain stimulation. This conclusion is partially based on data showing that self-deprivation and brain stimulation reward increase and decrease in a similar manner in response to changes in the brain stimulation parameters. However, the priming aspects of the brain stimulation also fluctuate with changes in stimulation parameters. Therefore, changes in the priming rather than the rewarding aspects of the brain stimulation could be responsible for self-deprivation. To determine whether the priming effects of brain stimulation play an important role in self-deprivation, rats with bipolar stimulating electrodes were given the choice between BSR and food. Time-outs were enforced within each BSR/food competition session. Since priming effects decay over time, increasing time-out length should have decreased self-deprivation due to decay of priming. It was found that time-out length did not affect the degree of self-deprivation. It was concluded that self-deprivation is not mediated by the priming aspects of brain stimulation.

Animals↗

Lateral hypothalamic stimulation: stimulus-bound eating and self-deprivation.

Research was undertaken in an attempt to clarify the relationship between stimulus-bound eating and self-deprivation produced by electrical stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus. It was hypothesized that if these two phenomena are mediated through a common population of feeding-related neurons, a significant correlation should be observed between these two behaviors. No significant relationship was discovered among the rats tested for both stimulus-bound eating and self-deprivation. Although this finding by itself does not rule out some role for feeding-related neural elements in stimulus-bound eating and self-deprivation, the present results provide no support for this view and suggest alternative explanations should be sought.

Animals↗

Atrial myxoma with intellectual decline and cerebral growths on CT scan.

A woman with left atrial myxoma had progressive disturbance of intellectual function, headache, and prominent constitutional symptoms. The absence of stroke is noteworthy. Multiple high-density lesions with contrast enhancement were seen by CT scan, suggesting metastatic neoplasms, hematomas, or hemorrhagic infarcts. Serial study showed progressive enlargement of the lesions. The only cerebral lesion examined histologically proved to be an organizing hematoma, originating most likely from adjacent small arteries found to be plugged by embolic myxoma.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Psychosocial concomitants of biological maturation in preadolescence.

The authors studied 8 sets of healthy twins, ranging in physical maturity from prepubertal to late pubertal, and their parents to assess psychological changes in early adolescence. Interview and questionnaire data suggested that self-doubt, avoidance of responsiblity, resentment of parents, and anxiety about social relationships peaked in early puberty; emotional upset peaked in early puberty to mid-puberty. The results support a hypothesis of phase-specific psychosocial regression correlated with the biological onset of puberty. Children in all pubertal stages were shifting their interests away from parents and toward peers.

Adult↗

The physician manager. Practice management education in the 21st century.

Are physicians prepared to operate competitively for the 21st century? Not according to a recent survey completed by the Society of Physicians in Administration's (SPA) membership. In fact, as far back as the 1980s, physician surveys indicated that third-year physician residents and recent graduates felt their training in practice management was inadequate. Understanding practice management issues would improve a physician's chances for success. According to the SPA survey, however, most medical schools and residency training programs don't offer courses in management.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Year one dental visit.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Child, Preschool↗

Preadolescent development: case studies in twins.

The authors studied eight sets of healthy twins, ranging in physical maturity from prepubertal to late pubertal, and their parents, to assess psychological changes in early adolescence. A phase-specific psychosocial regression correlates with the biological onset of puberty. We present preliminary findings related to twinship, parental reactions, and longitudinal development, based on detailed case studies. Parents experienced increased conflict, detachment, and pride in response to their twins' psychosocial development at puberty. The more advanced child in a pair tended to lead in all spheres of adjustment-school success, heterosexual interest, peer friendships, and independent behavior. Although the more advanced child began to break away from his twin, in general the twin relationships remained close. Differences in personality traits and rate of psychosocial development within a twinship tended to remain consistent or to become accentuated. They were occasionally narrowed but rarely reversed from early childhood through early adolescence. Some of the differences were fostered by dissimilar patterns of identifying with the parents.

Female↗