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Biomedical subjects

S Fisher

Publications and source records attributed to S Fisher.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Dimensionality of the Body Symptom Questionnaire.

A good deal of recent research on somatic discomfort has employed the Body Symptom Questionnaire of Fisher and Greenberg to quantify the perceived location of the somatic discomfort. Certain formal psychometric properties of the instrument have not yet been established, and it is the purpose of this paper to do so. Specifically, since the independence of the questionnaire scales has not been determined, it is a primary focus of this discussion. A principal axis method of factoring showed that the Body Symptom Questionnaire scales are orthogonal to each other.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Defense mechanisms, somatic symptoms and lateral eye movements in females.

Research with male subjects has related lateral eye movements to preferred mode of defense and psychosomatic symptoms. However, previous research has systematically excluded female subjects which precluded the investigation of hypothesized but not yet confirmed patterns of sex differences. The present study examined the relationship between lateral eye movements, psychological defenses, and somatic symptoms in females. Lateral eye-movement patterns were assessed for 32 female undergraduate students, who were then administered the Defense Mechanism Inventory and Body Symptom Questionnaire. The data indicated no relationship between eye-movement patterns and either defensive style or somatic symptoms. Previous concerns about using female subjects in lateral eye-movement studies appear justified as this may decrease the probability of finding effects of lateralization.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Enzymatic esterification of vitamin A in the pigment epithelium of bovine retina.

The kinetic properties and subcellular distribution of an esterifying enzyme in the pigment epithelium of bovine retina have been studied using both [1-3H]retinol and [3H]retinol bound to cellular retinol-binding protein as substrates. The most active esterifying fraction in pigment epithelial cell preparations was the microsomes, but the lysosome plus mitochondria fraction also showed some activity, probably due to endoplasmic reticulum present as an impurity. The microsomal enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 7.5, and the reaction was linear up to 30 microgram protein and for the first 10-15 min. The apparent Km values were 16.6 . 10(-6) and 5.5 . 10(-6) M for [3H]retinol and bound [3H]retinol, respectively. This is the first time that retinol bound to cellular retinol-binding protein has been shown to undergo metabolic transformation. The microsomal esterifying activity was destroyed by boiling for 1 min, or after freezing for 2 months. No clear requirement for ATP, CoA or fatty acid could be demonstrated. Of all the other tissues examined under the same experimental conditions as those used for the pigment epithelium, only intestine showed measurable activity. With larger amounts of tissue protein and longer incubation periods, activity was also detectable in microsomes of liver, testis and retina.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Pseudoweb of the gastric antrum in infants.

Two infant boys, one 3 months of age and the other 8 weeks of age, with symptoms suggesting gastric outlet obstruction had upper gastrointestinal fluororadiographic examinations which showed typical signs for gastric antral webs (diaphragms or membranes), but neither had actual webs as proven by surgery in one and by endoscopy in the other. The report emphasizes the possibility of falsely positive radiographic findings, which can be tested by potentially corroborative fiberoptic endoscopy, thus avoiding unnecessary surgery.

Humans↗
PubMed1980

Personality correlates of sexual behavior in black woemn.

Black women (N = 35) were asked via questionnaires to provide information about various aspects of their sexual behavior (e.g., orgasm consistency, clitoral-vaginal preferences, intercourse frequency, and masturbation). They also responded to the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, to a measure of attitudes toward their parents, and to a measure of their preferences for external and internal sources of stimulation. The sexual behavior of the blacks was generally more similar to than different from that of female white controls. Furthermore, a number of correlations between sexual response patterns and personality and attitudinal measures that were previously found in white women were duplicated in the black women. However, there were also previous correlations that were not duplicated. Overall, the results for the black women paralleled those for white women.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1980

The microstructure of dual-task interaction. 4. Sleep deprivation and the control of attention.

The experiment was designed to investigate attention-switching behaviour in sleep-deprived subjects and involved the same dual-task paradigm reported in earlier studies. The task specified by instructions to be the main task, was the five-choice serial-response task; the secondary task was an auditory-verbal digit task which occurred at random time intervals. A surprising result was that, in terms of overall response rates, the sleep-deprived group, although slower, preserved the dual-task priority structure better than the control group, who slowed on both tasks in the combined condition. The control result was different in this respect from control data from previous research, but it is important that within the sleep-deprived group there was evidence that ability to preserve the priority structure was unaffected. Analysis of the intervals in which the two tasks concurred gave a different result. Sleep-deprived subjects seemed less able to control the fine structure of the interval and tended to persist in producing serial responses at the expense of the secondary-task response. The evidence supported the view that both sleep-deprived and control subjects were not able to process information in parallel and, thus, the difference in interval patterning was due to the difference in attention-switching processes. The possibility that sleep deprivation might result in loss of attentional control is considered briefly.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Theme induction of localized somatic tension.

This study tested a body image-oriented model concerning the selective development of somatic tension (symptomatology) in specific body areas. The design was based upon a theory which assumes that an individual's relative awareness of specific areas of his body plays a role in coping with conflictual themes linked to such body areas. It was predicted that exposure to a theme message linked with a specific body region would selectively produce experiences of tension in that locale as a function of how frequently it had previously been a site of somatic discomfort. The hypothesis was tested and also cross-validated in eight male samples (N = 138). This was done by exposing subjects to taped messages about specific themes and then measuring tension in specific body areas. The results were supportive of the hypothesis. They indicate that localized somatic discomfort is linked to concern about specific conflictual themes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1980

Freud's penis-baby equation: exploratory tests of a controversial theory.

Freud developed the controversial idea that pregnancy has phallic significance for women. He theorized that one aspect of the natural development of femininity involves the substitution of the wish for a baby in place of a desire for a penis. Two exploratory studies are described testing whether there is a link between pregnancy and phallic imagery as Freud's theory indicates. Study I supported such a link by showing that a group of women produced significantly more phallic imagery, on an inkblot measure, during pregnancy than they produced in the non-pregnant state. The pregnant women also produced significantly more phallic imagery than did a control group of non-pregnant women. Study II supported a 'penis-baby' link by showing that a group of women increased significantly in their phallic imagery under the impact of a subliminal pregnancy message while no increase occurred in a group of women receiving a subliminal message dealing with being penetrated. Alternative explanations for the findings are explored and issues are discussed in terms of other empirical findings related to Freud's ideas. The results suggest that Freud's speculations concerning pregnancy deserve further attention.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

The parent-child relationship and the development of physical symptoms.

Correlations of responses to two questionnaires indicated for 50 college males a direct positive relation between presence of physical symptoms and neglect, rejection, or punishment by mothers and also by fathers for 29 college males. Fewer symptoms were experienced by those whose fathers were seen as affectionate and approving.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Observations on the psychological impact of diethylstilbestrol exposure and suggestions on management.

The emotional impact of diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure is described in a series of 50 mothers and daughters interviewed by psychiatrists. Patterns of response to this trauma and methods of resolution are discussed, and opportunities for preventive intervention by gynecologists are suggested. Specific, open dialogue about DES with the patient as a colleage can minimize the emotional sequelae of the experience.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1979

Placebo response, placebo effect, and two attributes.

Two putative predictors of placebo response were studied in three samples of psychiatric outpatients. Two groups, 73 university medical center patients and 56 college health service patients, underwent 1 week of placebo treatment. A quasi-control group of 112 patients receiving no medication waited about 1 week before beginning psychotherapy. One attribute, acquiescence or traditionalism, predicted placebo response, thereby replicating prior findings. Acquiescence was unrelated to change in controls indicating that it may represent a correlate of true placebo effect under some conditions. Additional findings suggested qualifications as to the generality of the relationship. The second attribute, autonomic awareness, was associated with change in all three samples. It appeared to predict nonspecific improvement unrelated to placebo probably due to its relationship to intensity of somatization.

Adult↗