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Biomedical subjects

M Strizich

Publications and source records attributed to M Strizich.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Evolve II: a computer model of an evolving ecosystem.

The Evolve II program is a model of an ecosystem in which organisms are allowed to evolve. Organisms are subject to a changeable environment and competition from other organisms for a limited food supply. The gene structure may change through mutation. A feature of Evolve II is that the magnitude of phenotypic change resulting from mutation is itself a property of the gene. The system was studied under a number of environmental variation schemes. We report three significant findings. Two species (lineages with distinctly different survival strategies) evolved and coexisted in the same environmental conditions. Organisms developed a resistance to phenotypic change in response to mutation in slowly varying environments. However, traits which favor survival of the individual at the expense of reproduction could in some cases undergo phenotypic change in response to mutation despite the fact that this did not favor the survival of the offspring. This demonstrates that gene structures can evolve which are advantageous from the standpoint of the lineage, but not advantageous from the standpoint of individual offspring.

Aging↗

Supervision and the professional development of the psychiatric resident.

The authors used a questionnaire survey to study the way psychiatric residents experience their psychotherapy supervisors at two points in their training. Results show that second-year residents were more critical in their evaluations of supervisors than first- or third-year residents and that there appeared to be a characteristic progression in the experience of residents from year to year. The authors believe that the resident's experience of supervision reflects a developmental process, which others have described and viewed as important in the formation of identity as a psychiatrist.

Attitude↗

Ward treatment milieu and posthospital functioning.

Two units of seven and 14 state hospital wards were used in a study to explore possible relationships between some socio-cultural aspects of ward environments and outcome of treatment as assessed by time out of the hospital after discharge. Confounding variables such as pretreatment characteristics, length of hospitalization, and community of discharge make conclusions from many such studies tenuous. Methods were derived and are here described in detail that reduce the influence of some of these variables. Within unit 2 (14 wards), a vector of social structure that differentiated the wards and consisted of two highly correlated factors on the Ward Atmosphere Scale was found to be significantly associated with outcome. Those wards seen by both patients and staff as lower in the allowance of expression of anger and aggression and higher in order and organization (only staff's perception) had better outcomes. The wards of unit 1 were homogeneous both in outcome and in staff and patients' assessments of order and organization and freedom to express anger and aggression.

Adult↗