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Biomedical subjects

R H Harrison

Publications and source records attributed to R H Harrison.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Differential effects of prenatal protein malnutrition and prenatal cocaine on a test of homing behavior in rat pups.

The effects of prenatal cocaine exposure and protein malnutrition on orientation to home nest material was assessed in rat pups. Sprague-Dawley dams were fed a diet of low protein content (6% casein), and isocaloric diet of adequate protein content (25% casein, control), or a laboratory chow diet prior to mating and throughout pregnancy. Within each diet group, rats received either cocaine injections (30 mg/kg IP 2 times per week prior to mating and the 30 mg/kg SC daily from day 3 to 18 of pregnancy) or saline injections. All litters were fostered on the day of birth to control mothers fed an adequate diet. On postnatal days 7, 9, and 11, a single pup from each litter (n = 11-15 per treatment) was tested repeatedly in a clean test cage for the rapidity of approach, and level of attraction to their own home (nest) bedding compared with fresh bedding. Prenatal malnutrition and prenatal cocaine exposure each gave rise to independent effects on performance, based upon factor analysis. Prenatal malnutrition, but not prenatal cocaine increased the time taken for rat pups to approach their nest bedding, reduced the time spent on this bedding, decreased the number of entries into the sector containing the home bedding and reduced pup weight. Prenatal cocaine, but not prenatal malnutrition, produced a reduction in activity, but had no effect on pup weight. The lower activity level was most pronounced on postnatal day 7. Surprisingly, interactive effects of prenatal cocaine and prenatal malnutrition were not observed on any behavior examined. Nevertheless, the co-existence of drug addiction and malnutrition in human populations raises the possibility that some of the effects generally attributed to drug exposure may, in fact, be due to malnutrition.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Sequence heterogeneity of the major antigenic protein 1 genes from Cowdria ruminantium isolates from different geographical areas.

The genes for the immunodominant major antigenic protein 1 (MAP1) of Cowdria ruminantium from four African and two Caribbean isolates were cloned, restriction mapped, and sequenced to identify conserved epitopes for development of serodiagnostic tools for heartwater. Restriction length polymorphisms were observed among the respective MAP1 genes analyzed and were confirmed by sequencing. The sequence data generated for these isolates were compared with data for the previously reported Senegal isolate MAP1 gene. These sequences were found to differ from each other by 0.6 to 14.0%. These differences translate into a 0.8 to 10.0% variation in the predicted protein sequence. In the entire coding sequence, several amino acid substitutions were identified in addition to deletions or insertions at three regions of the gene. These variable regions are referred to as variable regions I, II, and III. From the sequence data, an evolutionary distance tree was constructed; this tree suggested that at least two genetically distinct C. ruminantium strains exist in the Caribbean: the isolate from Antigua is similar to that from Senegal, while the isolate from Guadeloupe is closely related to that from Sudan.

Africa↗
PubMed1994

Tuberculosis case-finding in Western Australia.

The records of a total of 497 patients notified to have active tuberculosis (TB) in Western Australia from 1986 to 1990 inclusive have been reviewed in relation to case-finding. Of these, 276 (55.5%) were Asian migrants, 92 (18.5%) Europeans and 110 (22.1%) Australians. The disease was confirmed bacteriologically in 247 (49.7%). The most common mode of diagnosis was symptomatic presentation (39.8%), followed by migrant health surveillance (36.8%), incidental finding (7.5%), regular follow-up (3.8%) and pre-employment chest radiography (1.8%). Contact examination in the non-Asians accounted for only 0.4% while diagnosis after death 2.6%. There was no statistical difference in the detection of TB disease and infection among contacts of index patients with diseases at different sites or of different bacteriological status. The results of the study justify the present strict surveillance over the Asian migrants but do not support the overcautious policy of the contact examination procedures in the non-Asians, for which changes are proposed. Twelve patients whose confirmed TB was diagnosed only at autopsy had a mean age of 75.4 (range 41-86) years. Six of them had miliary or disseminated TB, three co-existing serious medical conditions and none a past history of the disease. The pattern has been well described and clinicians should keep a high index of suspicion for TB in this group of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Atypical emotions in relationships as correlates of the MMPI.

College student subjects (N = 77) were assessed for atypical emotional experience in each of 10 relationships, using the Situation Affect Test (Harrison, 1986). Atypical emotions in each relationship were assessed by 17 imaginary situations in which subjects' reported feelings were compared with normative expectations. The 10 relationship scores were correlated with 15 standard scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Thirty-two of the 150 resulting correlations were statistically significant (p < .05), a number shown to be well above chance expectations. Stepdown analyses showed that the Si, F, Sc, and Ma scores were positively related to atypical feelings in the 10 relationships; in contrast, the Es, Mf, and Lie scores were related to typical feelings. Atypical feelings in relation to one's self, sweetheart, prospective children, siblings, and mother were correlated (p < .05) with the MMPI scales. It is suggested that these results can be used to supplement standard MMPI interpretation in specifying possibly difficult or atypical relationships.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Culture-positive tuberculosis in Western Australia.

Notifications of 485 patients with culture-positive tuberculosis (TB) in Western Australia from 1980 to 1989 inclusive have been analysed. In 478 (98.6%) the disease was caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis hominis and in seven (1.4%) M. bovis. Most (78.5%) of the disease was pulmonary with 4.3% pleural and 17.2% extrapulmonary. The annual incidence decreased from 4.6 per 100,000 in 1980 to 2.5 in 1985 steadying thereafter around 3.3. The Aborigines had over four times the average incidence of the non-Aboriginal Australians but less than a quarter that of the Asians. In a total 297 migrants, 51% of 253 with data available had been in Australia for over five years. Initial drug resistance was found in 48 patients giving an overall rate of 9.9%. In 32 (66.7%), resistance was against a single drug, mainly isoniazid and in 11 (22.9%) against two drugs, predominantly isoniazid and streptomycin. The most disturbing finding was the occurrence of multiple-drug resistance including both isoniazid and rifampicin in five immigrants (10.4%). This study has provided useful baseline TB data, raised important issues such as chemoprophylaxis and drug resistance, and clearly indicates that the campaign against TB is far from over. Continual surveillance, monitoring and regular evaluation of existing policies should be maintained.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The effect of sensory deprivation and ego strength on a measure of autistic thinking.

In an experiment designed to test aspects of the psychoanalytic theory of ego functioning, 18 male and 18 female subjects were assigned in equal numbers to a 3 1/2-hr period of either sensory deprivation (SD), social isolation (SI) or social participation (SP). Their level of autistic thinking was assessed by a word-association measure administered immediately before and immediately after the treatment condition to which each subject had been assigned. Results showed that subjects assigned to SD showed an increase in autistic thinking scores from pretreatment to posttreatment, whereas subjects assigned to the two control conditions (SI and SP) showed a decrease. Although Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) ego strength (Es) scores correlated negatively with the initial level of autistic thinking in all subjects, the experimental and control conditions had their greatest impact on subjects who scored low in Es. Results were interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that consensual functioning (particularly for subjects who scored low on Es) depends on continuing contact with reality.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Psychological aspects of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome.

The unmistakable symptoms of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome are classically of muscular spasms or tics, often accompanied by uncontrolled verbal outbursts or shouting of obscenities. Anecdotal as well as clinical reports suggest that these patients also suffer some psychological distress. This study used traditional MMPI scales to evaluate the psychopathological features that may underlie or accompany this disorder. In addition, we analyzed individual items of the MMPI to learn more of the phenomenology of this disorder. Data were collected from 29 Tourette patients and 29 normal controls matched for age and sex. A multivariate analysis of the clinical MMPI scales revealed group differences in score profiles. Univariate analyses indicated that Tourette subjects scored higher on the following scales: Schizophrenia, Depression, Psychopathic Deviate, Psychasthenia and Hypochondriasis. The results indicate that Tourette patients are in considerable psychological distress.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Drug holidays and serum haloperidol levels in schizophrenic patients.

Chronic hospitalized schizophrenic patients receiving haloperidol were placed on drug holidays for 2 days. Serum haloperidol levels in these patients decreased to about 60% of the levels seen just prior to the usual morning dosing during the drug holiday. Control subjects not given a drug holiday showed stable day-to-day serum haloperidol levels. The small drop in serum haloperidol blood levels may relate to the lack of relapse observed in such patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The effect of presenting novel and familiar word pairs on the stimulus-seeking behavior of schizophrenics and normals.

In a test of McReynolds' theories relating anxiety and stimulus novelty to stimulus seeking, schizophrenics and normals were exposed to either novel or familiar word pairs and tested for stimulus seeking on the Howard Maze Test before and after the experimental treatment. Schizophrenics showed less stimulus seeking than normals did, a result supporting McReynolds' theory of anxiety. Imposed stimulus novelty increased stimulus seeking in normals and decreased stimulus seeking in schizophrenics, a result requiring explanation beyond the homeostatic relationship between imposed stimulus novelty and stimulus seeking postulated by McReynolds.

Adult↗