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L Storm

Publications and source records attributed to L Storm.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Does psi exist? Comments on Milton and Wiseman's (1999) meta-analysis of ganzfeld research.

J. Milton and R. Wiseman (1999) attempted to replicate D. Bem and C. Honorton's (1994) meta-analysis, which yielded evidence that the ganzfeld is a suitable method for demonstrating anomalous communication. Using a database of 30 ganzfeld and autoganzfeld studies, Milton and Wiseman's meta-analysis yielded an effect size (ES) of only 0.013 (Stouffer Z = 0.70, p = .24, one-tailed). Thus they failed to replicate Bem and Honorton's finding (ES = 0.162, Stouffer Z = 2.52, p = 5.90 x 10(-3), one-tailed). The authors conducted stepwise performance comparisons between all available databases of ganzfeld research, which were argued not to be lacking in quality. Larger aggregates of such studies were formed, including a database comprising 79 ganzfeld-autoganzfeld studies (ES = 0.138, Stouffer Z = 5.66, p = 7.78 x 10(-9)). Thus Bem and Honorton's positive conclusion was confirmed. More accurate population parameters for the ganzfeld and autoganzfeld domains were calculated. Significant bidirectional psi effects were also found in all databases. The ganzfeld appears to be a replicable technique for producing psi effects in the laboratory.

Humans↗
PubMed2000

The revised transliminality scale: reliability and validity data from a Rasch top-down purification procedure.

The concept of transliminality ("a hypothesized tendency for psychological material to cross thresholds into or out of consciousness") was anticipated by William James (1902/1982), but it was only recently given an empirical definition by Thalbourne in terms of a 29-item Transliminality Scale. This article presents the 17-item Revised Transliminality Scale (or RTS) that corrects age and gender biases, is unidimensional by a Rasch criterion, and has a reliability of.82. The scale defines a probabilistic hierarchy of items that address magical ideation, mystical experience, absorption, hyperaesthesia, manic experience, dream interpretation, and fantasy proneness. These findings validate the suggestions by James and Thalbourne that some mental phenomena share a common underlying dimension with selected sensory experiences (such being overwhelmed by smells, bright lights, sights, and sounds). Low scores on transliminality remain correlated with "tough mindedness" in on Cattell 16PF test, as well as "self-control" and "rule consciousness," whereas high scores are associated with "abstractedness" and an "openness to change" on that test. An independent validation study confirmed the predictions implied by our definition of transliminality. Implications for test construction are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

[Chronic abdominal pain and eosinophilia in a young African patient].

A 20-year-old African female was hospitalized several times for diffuse chronic abdominal pain. The following exclusions were made: Acute adnexitis (by laparoscopy), acute appendicitis (by appendectomy), gastric ulcerations (by esophagogastroduodenoscopy) as well as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, once taking a closer microscopical look at the mucosa, that otherwise appeared colonoscopically to be normal, multiple eggs of schistosomiasis mansoni (S. mansoni) were found in the colon as well as the rectum. Thus, the diagnosis of an intestinal bilharziosis was finely established. In retrospect even the sample taken for the appendix could have indicated this diagnosis already earlier on. Both the antibodies (ELISA/IFAT) and the specific immunoglobulins (IgE) for S. mansoni proved significantly positive. Therapy of choice was a single oral dosage of praziquantel. Migration and tourism have considerably increased the range of tropical and infectious diseases that need to be included into differential diagnosis. This case report focuses on intestinal bilharziosis as a potential underlying cause of chronic abdominal pain in immigrants of endemically affected areas. Direct diagnosis is the most important diagnostic method. The adult worms are usually inaccessible, so the method of choice to assess both diagnosis and the degree of activity of a chronic infection is evidence of living eggs in the stool. Alternatively, in case of lack of direct evidence diagnosis can be established by endoscopy and rectal biopsy.

Abdominal Pain↗