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Biomedical subjects

J Hartzler

Publications and source records attributed to J Hartzler.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects of the opiate antagonist, naltrexone, on binging antecedents and plasma beta-endorphin concentrations.

The effects of the opiate receptor antagonist, naltrexone, were examined on antecedent thoughts of binging and plasma beta-endorphin concentrations in an adolescent girl who was hospitalized with bulimia nervosa. Significant decreases in urge to binge were obtained during naltrexone administration compared with control sessions. Baseline plasma beta-endorphin concentrations for the bulimic adolescent were not different from those of nonbulimic controls, but plasma beta-endorphins increased significantly during naltrexone administration. After discharge from the hospital, the adolescent refused to take naltrexone because she felt she could not deal with her life without the "pleasure of binging." The case points to the interplay of biological and psychological factors in bulimia nervosa.

Adolescent↗

X-ray epilation for the treatment of trichiasis.

.richiasis is a complication of many different disorders of the eyelids. Treatment is difficult and painful when conventional methods of plucking, surgical excision, electrolysis, or cryotherapy are employed. Since superficial x-ray therapy for the treatment of eyelid skin cancers causes permanent loss of the eyelashes in the irradiated field, we attempted to exploit this observation for the treatment of trichiasis. A rabbit model was used to determine the minimum permanent epilating dose. The dose was found to be approximately 4,000 rad of superficial radiation along with the following factors: 110 kV, 10 mamp, a target skin distance of 20 cm, a half-value layer of 1.0 mm of aluminum, and no filter. The dosage schedule used was 300 rad given three times per week. Two patients with severe scarring trichiasis were treated with the same factors and a total dose of 4,000 rad; excellent results were achieved. We believe that x-ray therapy is an easy, safe, and painless method for the management and cure of chronic trichiasis.

Animals↗

Neuromotor development in relation to birth weight in rabbits.

The development of neuromotor patterns in relation to birth weight was studied in the rabbit, a perinatal brain developer. In order to induce intrauterine growth retardation and to increase the number of low birth weight rabbits, experimental ischemia to half the fetuses in each doe was achieved by total ligation of approximately 30% of spiral vessels to the placenta, during the last trimester of gestation. Following natural delivery, the rabbit pups were periodically observed for the appearance of eye-opening and righting reflex, and for the cessations of falling, circling and dragging of hind limbs. An index of neuromotor development was assigned to each rabbit by summing up the age (in days) of appearance of each of the neuromotor milestones. An association was found between low birth weight and delayed neuromotor development at 2 weeks of age. The most significant correlation was found between low birth weight and delayed disappearance of falling. The latter may represent incoordination as an expression of cerebellar dysfunction.

Age Factors↗

Relations between birth weight and learning ability in young rabbits.

Performance on visual discrimination learning was studied in 41 rabbit pups mainly in relation to their birth weight, but also as functions of their neonatal motor development and weight gain between birth and training time. Partial placental vascular ligation was performed on some fetuses to increase the number of small-for-gestational-age pups. No relation was found between learning ability and either birth weight or rate of motor development. Low birth weight showed some association with slightly delayed motor development, but resulted in no lasting motor handicap. Between two subgroups of low birth weight pups, those who showed substantial weight gain by training time learned faster than those who remained relatively small.

Animals↗