Biomedical subjects

J Ostrem

Publications and source records attributed to J Ostrem.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Preparation of the speech-language pathologist specializing in voice: an educational survey.

This study investigates the academic and clinical preparation a speech-language pathologist receives in the area of voice. The purpose is to determine how to structure continuing education and specialty training in vocology, defined as the science and practice of voice habilitation. Surveys were sent to the graduate programs in speech-language pathology accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in 1994, and again in 1999. Results from the 1994 survey indicated that students received limited information and clinical experience in handling typical voice cases. Although most programs required a voice disorders course, fewer mandated coursework in normal voice production or clinical experience with voice patients. The follow-up survey showed that the educational environment in 1999 is similar to that in 1994. It is evident that the programs are in compliance with the Educational Training Board model developed by ASHA for basic clinical competence, but no structure for specialty training has yet emerged.

Humans↗

PubMed1998

Uncoupling cognitive workload and prefrontal cortical physiology: a PET rCBF study.

Working memory is a fundamental cognitive building block involved in the short-term maintenance and transformation of information. In neuropsychological studies, working memory has been shown to be of limited capacity; however, the neurophysiological concomitants of this capacity limitation have not been explored. In this study we used the [15O] water PET rCBF technique and statistical parametric mapping to examine normal subjects while they performed two cognitive tasks, both individually and simultaneously. One task was the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, a complex reasoning task involving working memory, and the other was a rapidly paced auditory verbal shadowing task. When both tasks were performed simultaneously, there were significant decrements in performance compared with the individual task performance scores, indicating that cognitive workload had been increased. Analysis of the rCBF maps showed that when the two tasks were performed together, in contrast to when they were performed separately, there was less prefrontal activation. These results suggest that increases in cognitive workload do not necessarily recruit and then sustain cortical neurophysiological resources to a maximum, but rather may actually be accompanied by a diminution in cortical activity.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Improving the quality of health services organization structure by reengineering: circular design and clinical case impact in an academic medical center.

Innovation to improve the quality of structure and process in health care organization is reported in this case example of change in an academic medical center. Interactive planning and the circular organization design concept were the driving principles and methods. This report presents the needs for and initial obstructions to change, planning and project design work, a description of the change process, and illustrative accomplishments to date--two cases, one of conscious sedation policy and one of nuisance pages. Evaluative criteria for judging the progress and lessons of the project regarding key design characteristics also are included.

Academic Medical Centers↗

PubMed1993

A new buffering system and its use in electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing.

A novel buffer system with rather unique properties particularly well suited for preparative isoelectric focusing is described. The system was developed in response to the long standing need for pH gradients formulated using inexpensive components of known chemical composition. The system is binary consisting of buffer pairs covering the pH range of 3 to 10, in increments of less than 1 pH. The components are all readily available, nontoxic, and biologically acceptable, and are selected on the basis of their dissociation constants. The requirement for each buffer pair is that there be an overlapping pH zone where both components are largely non-ionized, having a ratio of neutral species to total buffer concentration between about 0.90 and 0.99. This ratio is defined as the 'electrophoretic reserve capacity' (ERC). Within the above ERC range a stable pH gradient is obtained, assuring sharply resolved protein focusing. Buffer parameters, mainly pH, buffering capacity, ERC, transport numbers, and conductivity, can be easily calculated and the buffer composition adjusted to meet requirements. All components are used at high concentration, typically of the order of up to 100 mM, yielding buffering capacities and conductivities analog to those customary in electrophoresis.

Acids↗

PubMed1993

Differential effects of prior dominance or subordination experience on conspecific odor preferences in mice.

Preferences for the soiled bedding odors of familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics were assessed among male mice rendered dominant or subordinate by a series of resident-intruder encounters. Alpha males preferred the odors of their familiar antagonist most strongly. Subordinates, in contrast, showed strongest preferences for unfamiliar females and a weaker preference for alpha odors. When female odors were eliminated from the preference test, alphas continued to show the strongest preference for familiar subordinate odors while subordinates displayed roughly equivalent preference for the odors of familiar alphas and unfamiliar males. It is suggested that the apparent mild preferences of subordinates for dominant conspecific odors reflects fear motivated risk assessment. In contrast, approaches of dominants to subordinate odors seems to be appetitively motivated. Generally recognizable subordination odors may be useful to unfamiliar males in recognizing exploitable resources.

Aggression↗