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R J Harmon

Publications and source records attributed to R J Harmon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Effect of chromium tripicolinate supplementation on porcine immune response during the postweaning period.

A total of 60 pigs from 15 litters were used during two experiments to assess the effects of maternal supplementation of Cr tripicolinate on performance and immune status of the offspring during the first 42 d after weaning. Gilts were raised on diets with either 0 (-Cr) or 200 (+Cr) ppb supplemental Cr from Cr tripicolinate. Their offspring were weaned at about 23 d of age. Pigs from dams fed supplemental Cr were fed Cr-supplemented diets after weaning and pigs from unsupplemented dams were not fed supplemental Cr. Pigs were housed in groups of three according to litter origin (six -Cr and nine +Cr) and BW. Feed and water were available for ad libitum consumption. Serum was collected 24 h after birth, the day after weaning (d 0), and, subsequently, every 7 d through d 28 for measurement of total immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM. For the 42-d nursery period, ADG (511 and 531 g/d for -Cr and +Cr, respectively), ADFI (827 and 851 g/d), and gain:feed (0.62 and 0.62) were not affected (P > 0.15) by Cr. Total IgG was not affected (P > 0.10) by Cr on d 0 (7.6 and 7.7 mg/mL for -Cr and +Cr, respectively) or on d 7 (6.3 and 6.1 mg/mL for -Cr and +Cr, respectively), when the lowest concentrations were observed. By d 28, total IgG had risen (11.7 and 8.9 mg/mL for -Cr and +Cr, respectively) and was affected by Cr (P = 0.03). Total IgM followed a similar pattern and was lowest on d 7. In each trial, IgG at 24 h after birth was inversely related to IgG from d 14 through 28 in the nursery. Additionally, the lowest Ig concentrations occurred between 4 and 5 wk of age, rather than at weaning (23 d of age); this may represent a vulnerable period for weanling pigs. Supplementation of the weanling pig diets with Cr tripicolinate did not significantly affect performance and immune status during the postweaning period.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Effect of chromium tripicolinate supplementation on porcine immune response during the periparturient and neonatal period.

A total of 36 gilts were used to assess the effects of Cr tripicolinate supplementation on immune response in sows and their offspring during the periparturient and neonatal period. Gilts were raised from weaning to reproductive age on diets with either 0 (-Cr) or 200 (+Cr) ppb supplemental Cr from CrPic. Subsequently, 22 gilts (9 -Cr and 13 +Cr) in parity 1 and 16 sows in parity 2 (7 -Cr and 9 +Cr) underwent immune status testing. Only sows that completed all procedures in parity 1 were included in parity 2. Sows were immunized with ovalbumin about 3 wk (d 0), and again 14 d later for gilts, prior to anticipated farrowing, and serum was collected on d 0 and at 14-d intervals for a total of four samples. Serum was collected from five to six pigs/litter at 24 h after birth, three or six pigs/litter the day after weaning (25 d of age) in parity 1, and three pigs/litter the day of weaning (20 d of age) in parity 2. Milk was collected at 1 h (colostrum), 6.5 d (early), and 19 d (late) after farrowing. The only effect of Cr on total immunoglobulin (Ig) concentration was on sow serum IgG (21.7 and 24.1 mg/mL for -Cr and +Cr, respectively; P = 0.08) and IgM (11.0 and 12.5 mg/mL; P = 0.06) on d 0. No effect (P > 0.15) of Cr was observed on the IgG antibody response to ovalbumin, but Cr was associated (P < 0.10) with a decreased IgM antibody response to ovalbumin beginning on d 14. In parity 2, colostral total IgG increased (80.6 and 92.4 mg/mL for parity 1 and 2, respectively; P = 0.06), which was reflected in the neonates at 24 h after birth (33.6 and 39.7 mg/mL; P = 0.01) and at weaning (7.3 and 13.3 mg/mL; P < 0.001). Supplementation of Cr tripicolinate had minimal effects on humoral antibody response of the dam or its transfer to the neonate; however, parity greatly influenced the concentrations of immunoglobulins in the milk and their transfer to the neonate.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Neuropsychological and functional cognitive skills of 35 unselected adults with sex chromosome abnormalities.

This report presents data defining the neuropsychological and cognitive phenotypes of a group of adults with sex chromosome abnormalities identified at birth through the chromosome screening of 40,000 consecutive newborns between 1964 and 1974. In all three nonmosaic groups, reading skills were impaired and intelligence quotients were on average reduced more than 20 points relative to controls. The 47,XXX women demonstrated greatest overall impairment, including reduced scores on tests of conceptualization and problem solving. 45,X women demonstrated impairment in spatial thinking skills, and 47,XXY men in verbal processing skills. No reduced scores were found in the female mosaic group. Marked variability in scores was seen in all groups; some propositi have been unable to hold any job, whereas others have completed college and are professionally employed.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Data collection techniques.

We have provided an overview of techniques used to assess variables in the applied behavioral sciences. Most of the methods are used by both quantitative/positivist and qualitative/constructivist researchers but to different extents. Qualitative researchers prefer more open-ended, less structured data collection techniques than do quantitative researchers. Direct observation of participants is common in experimental and qualitative research; it is less common in so-called survey research, which tends to use self-report questionnaires. It is important that investigators use instruments that are reliable and valid for the population and purpose for which they will be used. Standardized instruments have manuals that provide norms and indexes of reliability and validity. However, if the populations and purpose on which these data are based are different from yours, it may be necessary for you to develop your own instrument or provide new evidence of reliability and validity.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2000

Elevated picture completion scores: a possible indicator of hypervigilance in maltreated preschoolers.

OBJECTIVE: The Picture Completion subtest of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R) measures visual alertness and the ability to differentiate essential from nonessential details. In children who are hypervigilant as a result of maltreatment, these skills may be over-functioning. It was hypothesized that the Picture Completion subtest scores of these children would be significantly elevated in comparison to their other nonverbal scores and their overall intellectual functioning. METHOD: Fourteen children from a therapeutic day treatment preschool program for maltreated children were administered the WPPSI-R. Standardized discrepancy scores between Picture Completion scores and Performance mean scores (PC-Performance Discrepancy) and the mean of all subscale scores (PC-Overall IQ Discrepancy) were formed and then analyzed. RESULTS: The abused preschoolers scored significantly lower than the population mean on four of the five WPPSI-R Performance subscales. Only on Picture Completion did they score significantly higher. Average PC-Performance Discrepancy and PC-Overall IQ Discrepancy scores were greater than one, indicating that the mean difference of children's Picture Completion score from either their Performance mean score or all of their mean scores was more than one standard deviation. CONCLUSION: Elevated Picture Completion score may serve as a marker for hypervigilance and/or PTSD in children with histories of maltreatment.

Arousal↗
PubMed1999

Psychosocial competence of unselected young adults with sex chromosome abnormalities.

Very little is known about the adult adaptation of individuals with sex chromosome abnormalities (SCA) except for a few reports based upon biased samples of clinically identified patients. This first report from the Denver SCA study on the adult psychosocial adaptation of 36 unselected propositi, identified at birth, shows a continuation of mild psychological and social problems. Psychiatric interviews and self-reported information revealed that adaptation is quite variable, with many of the nonmosaic propositi not faring as well as their siblings, but in a few instances exceeding the success of brothers and sisters. Within this group of SCA subjects a subset demonstrated more marked pathology and a tendency to over-rate their social adaptation relative to the psychiatric interviewer, suggesting that the exclusive use of self-report questionnaires may not provide accurate assessment of psychological characteristics in this and other special populations. The full adult SCA behavioral phenotype has not yet been established but is emerging through additional reports from this and other studies of unselected SCA adults.

Adaptation, Psychological↗