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Biomedical subjects

K Freund

Publications and source records attributed to K Freund.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

The proportions of heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles among sex offenders against children: an exploratory study.

Previous investigations have indicated that the ratio of sex offenders against female children vs. offenders against male children is approximately 2:1, while the ratio of gynephiles to androphiles among the general population is approximately 20:1. The present study investigated whether the etiology of preferred partner sex among pedophiles is related to the etiology of preferred partner sex among males preferring adult partners. Using phallometric test sensitivities to calculate the proportion of true pedophiles among various groups of sex offenders against children, and taking into consideration previously reported mean numbers of victims per offender group, the ratio of heterosexual to homosexual pedophiles was calculated to be approximately 11:1. This suggests that the resulting proportion of true pedophiles among persons with a homosexual erotic development is greater than that in persons who develop heterosexually. This, of course, would not indicate that androphilic males have a greater propensity to offend against children.

Adolescent

Erotic gender differentiation in pedophilia.

Five groups of males were compared on penile volume changes elicited from viewing short movie strips and slides of nude children and adults of both genders. Subject groups were sex offenders against adult females, volunteer controls who erotically preferred adult females, volunteer controls who erotically preferred adult males, heterosexual pedophiles, and homosexual pedophiles. Pedophiles differentiated erotically between females and males less than males who erotically preferred physically mature partners.

Choice Behavior

Does sexual abuse in childhood cause pedophilia: an exploratory study.

The reliability of the notion that pedophilia is caused by sexual abuse in childhood was explored by examining retrospective self-reports of 344 males. Included in the study were 77 heterosexual pedophiles, 54 homosexual pedophiles, 51 nonpedophilic sex offenders against children, 36 sex offenders against physically mature females, 75 heterosexual paid volunteers who erotically preferred mature females, and 51 homosexual clients who preferred mature males. For each sex offender the differential diagnosis of an erotic preference for minors vs. a preference for physically mature partners was made by means of the phallometric test of erotic gender and age preferences. The analysis of self-reports confirmed that the proportion of pedophiles who report having been sexually abused in childhood by mature persons is larger than that of men who were not charged for or accused of a sex offense against a child though the difference is relatively small (28.6 vs. 13.9 and 10.7% for the heterosexual pedophiles and the two groups of gynephiles, respectively, and 25.9 vs. 11.8% for the homosexual pedophiles and androphiles, respectively). Further analysis demonstrated, however, that pedophiles who admitted having an erotic interest in children significantly more often claimed that they had been sexually abused as children than pedophiles who did not admit having such feelings. This interdependence renders the reliability of these self-reports questionable.

Adult

Phallometric diagnosis of pedophilia.

We investigated the sensitivity of our phallometric test for pedophilia (and hebephilia). An initial sample of subjects included 47 men accused of sexual offenses against minors and 26 control subjects-men accused of offenses against adult women (exhibitionism, rape, or sexually sadistic activity). A second sample included 107 offenders against minors and 30 control subjects. In both samples, the offenders against minors were further classified according to the targets of their sexual offenses (girls, boys, or both) and according to the extent to which they admitted an erotic preference for the immature physique. Computerized diagnostic rules were developed with the first sample and cross-validated with the second. The sensitivity of the test in detecting pedophilia or hebephilia in complete nonadmitters is probably greater than or equal to 55% but is certainly less than 100%. Its specificity appears to be over 95%.

Adolescent

Feminine gender identity and physical aggressiveness in heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles.

This study explored the differences among six groups of adult males in retrospective self-reports of childhood gender identity and physical aggressiveness. The three groups of homosexual men preferred prepubescent, pubescent, or physically mature sexual partners. The three groups of heterosexual men preferred prepubescent partners, normal sexual interaction with physically mature partners (controls), or anomalous interaction with physically mature partners. Childhood gender identity was measured with the Feminine Gender Identity Scale (FGIS), and boyhood aggressiveness was measured with the Physical Aggressiveness Scale (PAS). Duncan tests at the .05 level showed that the FGIS differentiated the homosexuals who preferred mature partners from the five other groups; whereas the PAS differentiated all homosexual groups from all heterosexual groups. These results suggest that male homosexuals in general tend to be unaggressive in boyhood, whereas only those who prefer mature sexual partners show significant levels of feminine identification.

Aggression

A comparison of sex offenders against female and male minors.

Male sex offenders against minors were grouped according to age and sex of victims, and according to whether they had offended against one or more than one minor. Cases of incest or courtship disorder were not included in the study. Among offenders against female children, the number of one-case offenders was substantially larger than that of multicase offenders. The opposite was true of offenders against male children, and there was no significant difference between one-case and multicase offenders against female or male early adolescents. If these counts reflect corresponding prevalences within sex offenders against minors in a Western cultural setting, some inferences can be made from these comparisons.

Adolescent

Males disposed to commit rape.

The hypothesis that the preferential rape pattern belongs among the courtship disorders like voyeurism, exhibitionism, and toucheurism was tested. The study consisted of two experiments. The first compared 11 rape-prone males, who were most likely afflicted with the preferential rape pattern, with 11 sexually normal controls on penile response to narratives that depicted scenes in which the individual engaged in behavior typical of voyeurs, exhibitionists, or toucheurs. Narratives depicting normal tactile interaction (short of intercourse) with a genuinely participating woman, normal intercourse, and sexually neutral scenes were also presented. The rape-prone males responded more to the voyeuristic situations than did the controls. The standing of the normal intercourse situations on the scale of erotic value, relative to the other above-mentioned situations, was lower for the rape-prone males than for the normal controls. A second experiment compared 12 rape-prone males, who most likely demonstrated the preferential rape pattern, with 12 males with (other) courtship disorders and 12 sexually normal controls. Penile response to narratives depicting the individual involved in pretactile erotic activity, in tactile sexual activity short of intercourse, or in having intercourse was compared. Each situation was presented in two modalities depicting either a genuinely participating woman or a woman fearful of the individual. The penile responses of the rape-prone males, as well as those of males with other courtship disorders, differentiated less between sexual interaction with a fearful woman and such interaction with a participating woman than did the penile responses of normal controls. There was no significant difference in this respect between the rape-prone males and males with other courtship disorders.

Adult

The concept of courtship disorder.

Four phases of normal human male courtship behavior may be differentiated: location and initial appraisal of a potential partner; pretactile interaction (e.g., smiling at, posturing for, or talking to a prospective partner); tactile interaction (e.g., embracing, petting); and effecting genital union. A particular class of erotic anomalies may be seen as distorted counterparts of the four normal phases: voyeurism; exhibitionism and obscene telephoning; toucheurism and frotteurism; and the preferential rape pattern. Data from male samples are presented that show that two or more of these anomalies are often found in the same individual. These data suggest the existence of a discrete syndrome which may be described as a courtship disorder.

Adult

Inactivation of general acyl-CoA dehydrogenase from pig kidney by 2-alkynoyl coenzyme A derivatives: initial aspects.

Pig kidney general acyl-CoA dehydrogenase is rapidly, stoichiometrically, and irreversibly inactivated by the acetylenic thio ester 2-octynoyl coenzyme A (2-octynoyl-CoA). The inhibitor binds initially to the dehydrogenase with a 10-nm red shift and increased resolution of the flavin chromophore, followed by the generation of a charge-transfer complex between some form of the bound inhibitor and oxidized flavin (lambda max 800 nm; epsilon app = 4.5 mM-1 cm-1; k1 = 1.07 min-1, at pH 7.6, 25 degrees C). The rate of formation of the long wavelength band is increased markedly with increasing pH (pKapp = 7.9). This intermediate then decays with release of about 0.6 mol of CoASH at pH 7.6, yielding a final form with a spectrum typical of bound oxidized flavin. Both irreversible inactivation and covalent modification of the protein occur prior to the decay of the long wavelength species. The modified dehydrogenase is not reduced on prolonged anaerobic incubation with the substrate octanoyl-CoA. The inactive enzyme is unusually resistant to dithionite reduction but may be readily photoreduced via the blue semiquinone to the dihydroflavin form. This reduced enzyme is rapidly reoxidized by electron-transferring flavoprotein, the physiological electron acceptor of the dehydrogenase. General acyl-CoA dehydrogenase is also inactivated by 2-pentynoyl- and 2-pentadecynoyl-CoA with formation of an 800-nm band of lower intensity and by propiolyl-CoA, phenylpropiolyl-CoA, and 2-octynoylpantetheine without the appearance of detectable intermediate species. These data are compared with the behavior of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases toward mechanism-based inactivators carrying an acetylene function at C-3, e.g., 3-butynoyl-CoA.

Acyl Coenzyme A

Five-year survival of women with breast cancer in northern Alberta.

Five-year survival rates for all 519 women with breast carcinoma in northern Alberta in 1971 and 1972 were analysed with the use of data from the computerized northern Alberta breast registry and the Alberta cancer registry. The relative 5-year survival was 73%, which is higher than most rates reported from other centres. Lymph node involvement was significant as a prognostic factor, with the relative 5-year survival falling from 92% in the group without lymph node involvement to 58% in the group with three or more involved nodes. The prognosis was also significantly affected by the stage of the disease according to the 1973 TNM classification: the 5-year survival rates ranged from 88% for patients with stage 1 disease to 17% for those with stage IV disease. Women 40 to 59 years of age had a higher survival rate (79%) than those under 40 years (65%) or over 60 years (66%) of age. Analyses by 5-year age groups showed that women 35 to 39 years old had a particularly poor survival rate (59%). Postmenopausal women less than 55 years old had a higher survival rate than did perimenopausal or premenopausal women in the same age group. Further follow-up is indicated to correlate possible high-risk factors with survival.

Adult

A conceptual framework for the study of anomalous erotic preferences.

Operational definitions are given for the terms "erotic" or "sexual" and "erotic arousal level." Measurement of erotic arousal level is discussed as well as "scales of erotic value." A reference system for the analysis of the progression of sexual interaction is expounded, and the analysis of anomalies from the norm of such a progression briefly discussed.

Animals

Extension of the Gender Identity Scale for Males.

Our earlier Femine Gender Identity Scale for males appear to measure a strong single factor which was reliable and displayed substantial discriminant validity. However, the number of items was small and there was substantial overlap between items with respect to their meaning. In an attempt to overcome these limitations, in the present study the scale was extended and validated. Each item of the new scale differentiated among the groups in an experimental sample and, subsequently, in a cross-validation sample. A secondary finding was the significantly higher femine gender identity scores of homosexual patients over homosexual nonpatients.

Adolescent