Biomedical subjects

J M Farrell

Publications and source records attributed to J M Farrell.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Implicit motor sequence learning is represented in response locations.

Previous work (Willingham, 1999) has indicated that implicit motor sequence learning is not primarily perceptual; that is, what is learned is not a sequence of stimuli. Still other work has indicated that implicit motor sequence learning is not specific to particular muscle groups or effectors. In the present work, we tested whether implicit motor sequence learning would be represented as a sequence of response locations. In Experiment 1, learning showed very poor transfer when the response locations were changed, even though the stimulus positions were unchanged. In Experiment 2, participants switched their hand positions at transfer, so that one group of participants pushed the same sequence of keys but used a different sequence of finger movements to do so, whereas another group pushed a different sequence of keys but used the same sequence of finger movements used at training. Knowledge of the sequence was shown at transfer only if the sequence of response locations was maintained, not the sequence of finger movements.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Myocardial protection conferred by electromagnetic fields.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that electromagnetic (EM) fields induce stress proteins in vitro. These proteins have been shown to be important in recovery from ischemia/reperfusion. It was, therefore, hypothesized that EM fields could activate stress responses in vivo and protect myocardial tissue during anoxia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Chick embryos were exposed to 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10- microT and 60-Hz EM fields for 20 minutes followed by a 1-hour rest period before placement in an anoxic chamber. Embryos were reoxygenated when survival of controls dropped to <40%, and final observations were made 30 minutes later. Data from 80 experiments (>500 EM field-exposed embryos) indicated that EM field protection was extremely significant (P<0.0001). Survival rates were 39.6% in controls and 68.7% in field-exposed embryos. In a second set of experiments, embryos were exposed for 20 minutes to several pretreatments: (1) hyperthermia (43 degreesC), (2) 60-Hz, 8- microT EM fields, or (3) 60-Hz, 8- microT EM fields plus a random EM noise field (8 microT). Embryo survival was 37.7% (control), 57.6% (heated), 69% (60-Hz EM field only), and 41.5% (60-Hz EM field plus EM noise). To confirm that heating resulting from field exposures did not occur, thermocouples were placed into several eggs at the site of the embryo during exposure; no increase in temperature was noted. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that athermal EM field exposures induce stress responses that protect chick embryo myocardium from anoxia damage. These results suggest that EM field exposures may be a useful, noninvasive means of minimizing myocardial damage during surgery, transplantation, or heart attack in humans.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

The superposition of a temporally incoherent magnetic field inhibits 60 Hz-induced changes in the ODC activity of developing chick embryos.

Previously, we have shown that the application of a weak (4 microT) 60 Hz magnetic field (MF) can alter the magnitudes of the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity peaks which occur during gastrulation and neurulation of chick embryos. We report here the ODC activity of chick embryos which were exposed to the superposition of a weak noise MF over a 60 Hz MF of equal (rms strength). In contrast to the results we obtain with a 60 Hz field alone, the activity of ODC in embryos exposed to the superposition of the incoherent and 60 Hz fields was indistinguishable from the control activity during both gastrulation and neurulation. This result adds to the body of experimental evidence which demonstrates that the superposition of an incoherent field inhibits the response of biological systems to a coherent MF. The observation that a noise field inhibits ODC activity changes is consistent with our speculation that MF-induced ODC activity changes during early development may be related to MF-induced neural tube defects at slightly later stages (which are also inhibited by the superposition of a noise field).

Animals↗

PubMed1998

A simple experiment to study electromagnetic field effects: protection induced by short-term exposures to 60 Hz magnetic fields.

Stress proteins are important in protection during cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (cessation and return of blood flow) and are reportedly induced by electromagnetic (EM) fields. This suggests a possible ischemia protection role for EM exposures. To test this, chick embryos (96 h) were exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields prior to being placed into anoxia. Survival was 39.6% (control), and 68.7% (field-exposed). As a positive control, embryos were heated prior to anoxia (57.6% survival). We conclude that: 1) 60 Hz magnetic field exposures reduce anoxia-induced mortality in chick embryos, comparable to reductions observed following heat stress, and 2) this is a simple and rapid experiment to demonstrate the existence of weak EM field effects.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

The effect of pulsed and sinusoidal magnetic fields on the morphology of developing chick embryos.

Several investigators have reported robust, statistically significant results that indicate that weak (approximately 1 microT) magnetic fields (MFs) increase the rate of morphological abnormalities in chick embryos. However, other investigators have reported that weak MFs do not appear to affect embryo morphology at all. We present the results of experiments conducted over five years in five distinct campaigns spanning several months each. In four of the campaigns, exposure was to a pulsed magnetic field (PMF); and in the final campaign, exposure was to a 60 Hz sinusoidal magnetic field (MF). A total of over 2500 White Leghorn chick embryos were examined. When the results of the campaigns were analyzed separately, a range of responses was observed. Four campaigns (three PMF campaigns and one 60 Hz campaign) exhibited statistically significant increases (P > or = 0.01), ranging from 2-fold to 7-fold, in the abnormality rate in MF-exposed embryos. In the remaining PMF campaign, there was only a slight (roughly 50%), statistically insignificant (P = 0.2) increase in the abnormality rate due to MF exposure. When the morphological abnormality rate of all of the PMF-exposed embryos was compared to that of all of the corresponding control embryos, a statistically significant (P > or = .001) result was obtained, indicating that PMF exposure approximately doubled the abnormality rate. Like-wise, when the abnormality rate of the sinusoid-exposed embryos was compared to the corresponding control embryos, the abnormality rate was increased (approximately tripled). This robust result indicates that weak EMFs can induce morphological abnormalities in developing chick embryos. We have attempted to analyze some of the confounding factors that may have contributed to the lack of response in one of the campaigns. The genetic composition of the breeding stock was altered by the breeder before the start of the nonresponding campaign. We hypothesize that the genetic composition of the breeding stock determines the susceptibility of any given flock to EMF-induced abnormalities and therefore could represent a confounding factor in studies of EMF-induced bioeffects in chick embryos.

Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced↗