Howard Friedman

Effect of Magnetic Fields on Reaction Time Performance

IN previous investigations1,2 we indicated some significant empirical relationships between selected geophysical parameters and gross measures of human behaviour. The present investigation attempts to demonstrate the effects of artificially produced magnetic fields on a standard, relatively uncomplicated, psychomotor task, simple reaction time.

The use of hypnosis and biofeedback procedures for essential hypertension

Abstract In an attempt to evaluate a procedure combining 2 techniques, hypnosis and biofeedback, which might effect significant changes in diastolic blood pressure in essential hypertensives, Ss were placed in 1 of 4 groups: hypnosis only, biofeedback only, hypnosis and biofeedback combined, or measurement only. The first phase-training sessions and brief follow-ups (1 week and 1 month)-of the long-term study with 6 monthly follow-up periods, was evaluated. Hypnosis only and biofeedback only procedures were both capable of providing significant lowering of diastolic pressure. However, in intergroup comparisons, the hypnosis only procedure showed the most impressive effect. Unexpectedly, the procedure of combining hypnosis and biofeedback into one technique was as ineffective as the measurement only procedure.

The Effects of Ethanol on Pancreatic Blood Flow in Awake and Anesthetized Dogs

Abstract The pathophysiology of alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis is not clear. Ischemic injury has been suggested as a possible mechanism. To examine the effects of ethanol on pancreatic and splanchnic blood flow, measurements were made in fasted, conditioned awake dogs before and after iv infusion of ethanol (1.7 g/kg). At 30 min blood ethanol concentration ranged between 60 and 150 mg/dl and at 60 min between 166 and 350 mg/dl. Although cardiac output, aortic pressure, left atrial pressure, and arterial pH did not change, pancreatic flow declined by 39 ± 12 ml/min/100 g, P < 0.05 (from 173 ± 10 ml/min/100 g) at 30 min and was still depressed (by 27 ± 12 ml/min/100 g, P< 0.05) at 60 min. Concomitantly, hepatic arterial flow increased. While hepatic and pancreatic flow changed inversely, the correlation (r = −0.17) of these changes was not significant. At comparable blood ethanol concentrations in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs hepatic arterial flow increased by 11 ± 3 ml/min/100 g, P < 0.01 (from 24 ± 5 ml/min/100 g), but pancreatic flow did not change. Thus, in the awake dog at blood levels that would produce mild to moderate alcoholic intoxication in man, ethanol reduces pancreatic flow. Although hepatic flow increases concomitantly, the relationship of these changes appears to be independent.

A six-month follow-up of the use of hypnosis and biofeedback procedures in essential hypertension.

Abstract This study, presenting follow-up data over a six-month period, continues a previous investigation (Friedman & Taub, 1977) which dealt with the effects of three procedures, hypnosis alone (HO), biofeedback alone (BO), and hypnosis and biofeedback combined (HB) upon essential hypertensive patients during a training period and brief follow-up. Although both HO and BO were capable of producing decrements in blood pressure, the former, HO, appeared somewhat more effective. The HB procedure continued to offer no advantage over the control “measurement only” (MO) group.

Echocardiographic detection of fungal vegetations in Candida parasilopsis endocarditis

A case of primary Candida parasilopsis endocarditis in a heroin addict involving the aortic valve is presented. Abnormal echoes in the aortic root during diastole and in the aortic valve during systole and diastole produced by fungal vegetations were found. The demonstration of fungal vegetations by echocardiography in the absence of positive blood cultures and systemic embolization is a useful diagnostic tool which should be utilized when fungal endocarditis is suspected.

Biomagnetic stressor effects in primates

Abstract Squirrel monkeys were exposed to a steady state magnetic field of about 200 gauss. There were 10 exposure periods, 4 hr a day, for a total or 40 hr. Histological evaluation of the brains revealed no significant neuropathology. Urinary 17-hydroxycorticoids were significantly higher in the experimental animals than in the controls. This was the result of an initial transient elevation of the stress product early in the experimental period which subsided with continued magnetic field exposure.

Interrelation of Two Types of Immediate Memory in the Aged

Summary The interrelationship of digit span and word span was studied in a group of 112 females, 17-81 years of age. When the subjects were assigned to groups of 38 young ([Xbar] = 25.6 years), 39 middle-aged ([Xbar] = 53.2 years), and 35 old ([Xbar] = 73.3 years), the correlation between the two types of span was larger in the old than in the young, reflecting a predicted greater degree of homogeneity of functioning. When spans were scored without consideration for exact order of recall, this finding no longer held, as was the case with a capacity decrement in digit span with the aged, thus reflecting the importance of the organizational factor in senescent memory ability.

Urinary digoxin-like immunoreactive substance in pregnancy: Relation to urinary electrolytes

High concentrations of digoxin-like immunoreactive substance (DLIS) have been identified in amniotic fluid and in blood during pregnancy. In this study, urine from healthy women was analyzed for DLIS during pregnancy and following delivery, and levels were related to various clinical and urinary findings. Urinary DLIS increased progressively during pregnancy, having a linear relation to gestational week (DLIS = 0.032 week + 0.46, Syx = 0.52, r = 0.46, p less than 0.01), and fell to nonpregnant values during the first postpartum day. The urinary DLIS level correlated with urinary creatinine (r = 0.50, p less than 0.01) and urinary calcium (r = 0.56, p less than 0.01) levels. When adjusted for the gestational week, the urinary DLIS level also correlated with urinary potassium (r = 0.48, p less than 0.01), creatinine (r = 0.55, p less than 0.01), and magnesium (r = 0.55, p less than 0.01) levels. After adjustment for the urinary creatinine level, only the relation of urinary DLIS and urinary calcium levels remained significant (r = 0.44, p less than 0.05). The urinary DLIS level was not found to be related to systemic blood pressure. The ratios of sodium to potassium (r = -0.43, p less than 0.05) and calcium to magnesium (r = 0.37, p less than 0.05) were also related to gestational week but were independent of the urinary DLIS level. Thus, urinary DLIS increases progressively during pregnancy and falls to nonpregnant values on the first postpartum day, the urinary DLIS level can be related to urinary creatinine, urinary potassium, and urinary magnesium levels, and when adjusted for the urinary creatinine level, the urinary calcium level relates independently to the urinary DLIS level.

The effects of magnetic fields upon rabbit brains

Abstract Rabbits were exposed to steady state and sinusoidally modulated magnetic fields of several levels of flux density for varying periods of time up to 60 hr. In those cases in which neuropathology was found, the results were consistent with the presence of the endemic encephalitozoonosis common to American rabbit colonies. This is in contrast to the findings of other investigators who attributed the histopathology directly to the effects of the imposed magnetic fields.

An Evaluation of Hypnotic Susceptibility and Peripheral Temperature Elevation in the Treatment of Migraine

Abstract The current study evaluated the various inter-relationships between hypnotic susceptibility, finger temperature elevation and symptom relief in the treatment of female migraine patients. Finger temperature measurements were taken during three thermal imagery training sessions with high susceptible Ss (n = 9) in hypnosis and low hypnotically susceptible Ss (n = 14) in simulated hypnosis. Subjects were also trained in autohypnosis or simulated autohypnosis for subsequent home practice. Daily records, kept by Ss, provided data for six outcome measures which were analyzed for the periods prior to training and for 6 months of follow-up. All Ss, regardless of susceptibility or peripheral temperature alteration, showed significant decrements in frequency, intensity, and duration of headaches, as well as in amount of medication ingested. The findings are discussed in terms of a potentially viable alternative to customary pharmacologic treatment.