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Biomedical subjects

N Kahn

Publications and source records attributed to N Kahn.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Pharmacology national board examinations: factors that may influence performance.

Data from a survey of pharmacology courses in 60 dental schools were used to determine whether certain teaching variables affect performance in pharmacology National Board examinations. In addition, three-year class-averaged pharmacology scores and, rarely, one-year averaged scores were correlated with several admissions variables. While correlations between some admissions variables and pharmacology scores were quite good, the averaged pharmacology scores were not powerfully affected by course length, placement of the course in the curriculum, length of the curriculum, or the presence of a dentally trained pharmacologist in the department. It is suggested that other factors, related to the student and his capabilities, influence performance on National Boards. Dental pharmacology courses should be designed to given students the best possible exposure to an important basic science, not to make them perform well on National Boards, because student performance on National Boards may be independent of the nature of the didactic courses.

Certification↗

Group work with emphysema patients.

This article describes group work services to ambulatory emphysema patients in a community hospital. The group is viewed as an essential component in the treatment of patients with a chronically disabling illness. These patients experience devastating changes in their lives in the community, in the world of work, and in their families. Physical and respiratory therapy and medication comprise the medical treatment, group work provides the peer support necessary for coping with the disease in a way as to assist with maintaining health and improving the quality of life.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

The teaching of pharmacology in dental schools in the United States and Canada.

The teaching of pharmacology in dental schools in the United States and Canada was studied through an analysis of information provided by course directors of 58 schools. The study focuses on the number of courses taught and their position in the curriculum, the faculty and their professional qualifications, the length and content of courses, the textbooks used, methods of teaching, and examinations and other criteria for grading.

Canada↗

A home-treatment program for the cerebral-palsied child.

The process and results of a two-month intensive home-treatment program for a two-year-old athetoid cerebral-palsied boy are described in this article. The exploratory program was designed to develop methods and procedures for the mother to use to promote the child's normal postural tone and movement during daily handling and care. The foundation for the intervention program was based on a collation of the child's history, a one-day assessment of the child's activities and time schedule in the home, and a physical evaluation. Postevaluation identified changes in the child's feeding, playing, and sleep patterns that suggested more normal movement and muscle tone. Also, the mother established new physical handling patterns and the therapist gained skill and a new awareness in home intervention programs.

Cerebral Palsy↗

Centrally evoked sympathetic discharge: a functional study of medullary vasomotor areas.

1. The medulla oblongata was stimulated electrically in decerebrate cats following bilateral vagotomy. Changes in splanchnic nerve discharge evoked by stimulation of pressor and depressor areas in the medulla are correlated with changes in arterial pressure. An interaction of baroreceptor afferents with the efferent sympathetic system at the level of the medulla and/or spinal cord is demonstrated. Evidence is presented which suggests that it is possible to alter activity selectively in a given division (splanchnic) of the sympathetic outflow.2. Evoked responses were categorized as follows:(a) Sustained splanchnic activation; an immediate increase in total splanchnic activity occurred with only a small, gradual decline in activity during the stimulation period. Mild stimulation (150-200 muA) raised systolic pressure by 60-80 mm Hg and stronger stimulation (300-400 muA) increased pressure by 100-150 mm Hg. When comparable pressor responses were elicited from points on either side of the mid line, splanchnic excitation was greater with homolateral stimulation (left side).(b) Unsustained splanchnic activation; an immediate increase in activity occurred which declined sharply as systolic pressure rose by 60-100 mm Hg during stimulation. Such a decline was attributed to the influence of baroreceptor afferents. Thus, if previous carotid occlusion was maintained during stimulation, the decline in activity was minimized although the pressor response increased. It is suggested that the structures yielding unsustained responses differ from those yielding sustained responses in their functional relation with the baroreceptor afferents.(c) Reduced splanchnic discharge during direct medullary stimulation; a partial or complete inhibition of splanchnic activity was obtained, which was sometimes accompanied by a 20-40 mm Hg reduction in systolic pressure. However, the direction and magnitude of the systemic pressure change were not as consistently related to the splanchnic response as they were during activation. Even if splanchnic efferent activity were elevated by carotid occlusion, stimulation still reduced discharge.

Animals↗

The impact of Title VII departmental and predoctoral support on the production of generalist physicians in private medical schools.

Although federal support for medical education comes from several sources, only 1 targets generalist education--Title VII of the Public Health Service Act. With governmental streamlining and downsizing, the federal investment in medical education should be evaluated. We tested the relationship between 2 Title VII authorities and presence of a medical school generalist training infrastructure, and the relationship between this infrastructure and generalist production. Based on our definitions for receipt of Title VII support, generalist infrastructure, and generalist production, we found that, for private schools, sustained receipt of Title VII funds directed for undergraduate medical education is positively associated with presence of family medicine departments, which is positively associated with higher rates of generalist production. Establishment and maintenance of family medicine departments in private schools and their generalist production are positively associated with Title VII support. Title VII support in public schools, the major generalist producers, has less of a unique measurable impact on generalist production.

Education, Medical, Graduate↗