The effects of a self-control weight loss program on an obese woman

Self-control techniques were taught to an obese, 55-yr-old woman to help modify overeating behavior. Self-reinforcement was employed in addition to systematic isolation of eating behaviors from associated stimulus situations. Chained eating responses were also broken down. She lost 15 lb in 4$\text{1}\text{2}$ weeks. However, mental and physical fatigue and low blood sugar caused hospitalization. Results are discussed in terms of too rapid a weight loss and the need for careful supervision of the nutritional intake. The problem of sufficient reinforcement is also discussed, and the great potential for self-control methods in treating obesity.     

Benign intracranial hypertension: A retrospective and follow-up study

Thirty-six patients with benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) were reviewed. Follow-up was obtained on 33 patients (91%) after a mean period of $\text{7}\text{1}\text{2}$ years. Precipitating factors were found in 27 patients (75%). On admission, 5 patients had retro-ocular pain, especially on eye movements, a complaint not yet described in BIH. Seven patients had nystagmus, two of them horizontal positional nystagmus. It is questionable whether all signs in BIH are caused by the raised CSF pressure.The general outcome was good. Only two patients sustained severe ultimate visual impairment. Both presented with retro-ocular pain and sudden loss of vision on admission. Papilloedema can persist for years in BIH without serious visual impairment. Sometimes “causal” treatment is possible. No symptomatic treatment which is free from complications has been proved to prevent visual failure.     

Faradic therapy of chronic vomiting in infancy: A case study

A 7$\text{1}\text{2}$-month infant hospitalized for 4 weeks was unsuccessfully treated for vomiting by thickened feeds, upright posturing, parental counseling and frequent handling and attention by the nursing staff. At this point contingent faradic therapy was instituted and resulted in an immediate suppression of vomiting and rumination with a weight gain of 2 lb in 7 days. A decrease in withdrawal and stereotyped mannerisms, and an increase in social smiling, vocalizations and attentiveness were observed. The infant was followed by home and clinic visits for 8 months after discharge. These follow-up evaluations revealed normal social and motor development.     

“Organic” and “psychotic” symptoms in unipolar (UP) vs bipolar (BP) depressions

Delusions and hallucinations are often part of the symptomatology in patients with affective disorders. The frequency of these symptoms in an outpatient population has been documented in a recent article by Guze et al.¹ They found that primary bipolar (BP) patients reported delusions and hallucinations in 53% of cases and primary unipolar (UP) patients in only 17% of the cases. These data suggest that there might be differentiating clinical symptoms that could distinguish BP depressed from UP patients.An earlier attempt was made to separate UP from BP depressed patients by Beigel and Murphy² on the basis of symptom complex. They found in this inpatient group matched for age, sex, and level of depression that there was no statistical difference (p > .05) in the psychotic symptoms between UP ($\text{9}\text{25}\text{–36\%}$) and BP ($\text{3}\text{25}\text{–12\%}$) depressed patients. Though these did not reach statistical significance, the trend was the opposite of that reported by Guze.This contradiction could be explained by the rather apparent differences between these studies. Guze did not distinguish in his paper whether he was working with BP manic phase, BP depressed phase, or both. One would assume both. Beigel rated his BP patients specifically during the depressed phase of illness for at least two weeks.It has been noted that bipolar illness is characterized by a greater family history of affective disorder than unipolar illness; therefore, it may be considered more “genetic” or biological.³ This finding makes it worthwhile to compare bipolar and unipolar depressions on the variable of organic (sensorium) symptoms as well as on psychotic symptoms.     

Ultrastructural changes of muscle in malignant hyperthermia

The ultrastructure of muscles was investigated in 3 cases of malignant hyperthermia. Biopsies were performed in 2 cases during the acute stage, $\text{2}\text{1}\text{2}$ and 3 hr respectively after the onset of symptoms. These cases proved fatal. In the third case the biopsies were taken 10 hr and 4 months after the onset of the condition, and appeared to be normal. The structural changes in 2 cases included rupture of the mitochondria and the appearance of membranous bodies, increase of sarcoplasmic fluid, dilated sarcoplasmic reticulum and decrease of glycogen granules. In addition crystalline inclusions formed of particles 140 Å in diameter were observed in many muscle fibres.     

Follow-up of stealing behavior in 27 youths after a variety of treatment programs

Case histories are presented of 27 youngsters who had a major problem of stealing. The effectiveness of eight different treatments is examined in terms of proportion of follow-up time spent stealing. (Duration of follow-up was always more than 2 yr.) Clients given Individualized Combined Treatment spent $\text{2}\text{1}\text{2}\text{\%}$ of follow-up time stealing, compared with 46% after other types of treatment.     

Establishment of independent responding to a fire alarm in a blind, profoundly retarded adult

A forward chaining conditioning procedure was used to establish an independent, appropriate response to a fire alarm in a blind, profoundly retarded adult male. The appropriate response, as defined by New York State regulations, is to exit from the residence or move to a fire-safe area within 2$\text{1}\text{2}$ min with minimal verbal or physical prompts. Independent responding was established within a total training time of 2$\text{1}\text{2}$ hr. Total time to exit was 28.5 sec.     

Duration thresholds for letter identification in left and right visual fields for normal and reading-disabled children

Stimulus duration thresholds for identification of lateralized visual letter stimuli were obtained for reading-disabled and normal children, aged 10–13$\text{1}\text{2}$ yr. EOG monitoring of eye position insured central fixation during stimulus presentation. Reading-disabled children showed higher thresholds for stimuli in both hemifields and a greater difference between thresholds for left- and right-hemifield stimuli than normal readers. This “perceptual asymmtry” may reflect inefficient interhemispheric transfer of visual information. However, high variability among disabled as compared with normal in this task suggests that multiple factors are associated with reading disorders. The slope of the threshold function was correlated with subsequent reading improvement for reading-disabled children.     

Subacute diencephalic angioencephalopathy. A clinicopathological case study

A 60-year-old previously healthy man died with a progressive neurologic illness, characterized by deterioration of intellect and awareness, impaired ocular motility, and, terminally, widespread myoclonic jerks. The total course was about 11 weeks. The CSF showed a progressive increase in protein content (58 to $\text{97}\text{mg}\text{100}\text{ml}$), and the EEG showed diffuse slowing; laboratory investigations otherwise were unrevealing. Post-mortem examination showed extensive distinctive lesions in the thalamus and periaqueductal region bilaterally, accompanied by proliferative and inflammatory lesions in the walls of small blood vessels. These lesions were not those of subacute spongiform encephalopathy (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease), and could not be classified with any of the known forms of human angiopathy. An infective process of an as yet unidentified type is a possibility.     

HLA profiles in multiple sclerosis suggest two forms of disease and the existence of protective haplotypes

261 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were HLA-A and -B typed and 94 were HLA-D typed. The results were compared to those of controls typed for HLA-A; HLA-B (356) and HLA-D (113). We confirm and extend earlier findings (Oger et al. 1980b) that some phenotypes could modulate the expression of the MS susceptibility gene linked to B7-DR2: DR3 was found together with DR2 in $\text{12}\text{94}$ MS and only $\text{3}\text{113}$ controls and could be marker for an “augmentor” gene. In contrast, B35 and DR1 as well as B12 and DR7 could be markers of protector genes.We compared typing results of patients subgrouped on clinical features. 61 patients with progressive evolution showed increased A1, A1-B8, B8-DR3 and A1-B8-DR3 when compared to 200 patients with remitting evolution. When compared to controls both groups showed increased B7 but only the remitting group showed increased DR2. 71 patients with “benign MS” showed increased B7-DR2 and A3-B7-DR2. 54 patients with “severe disease” showed increased DR3 and A1-B8-DR3 when compared to controls. Both groups showed increased B7 (49.2% and 44.4% versus 25.5% for controls). 120 patients treated > 5 years with azathioprine were divided into “no progression” and “progression” while treated Both groups showed increased B7 when compared to controls. DR2 was increased only in the “no progression” group. B8-DR3 and A1-B8-DR3 were found increased in the “progression” group only. We conclude that two forms of MS exist with different HLA profiles.     

Heterogeneity of the glial fibrillary acidic protein in gliosed human brains

The glial fibrillary acidic (GFA) protein from gliosed human brains was separated into 3 immunologically active components on 12.5% SDS-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and on urea-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The ratio between 2 of these components (component $\text{b}\text{component}\text{c}$) remained constant during several purification procedures and in different preparations from the same brain, but varied considerably from brain to brain (0.4–1.3). The slower migrating component a was a minor component in 2 brains constituting less than 1% of the total protein on the gel in several preparations from one brain. In 2 other brains component a was present in larger amounts. It was found to be enriched by 25% ammonium sulfate precipitation and its content varied throughout the elution of GFA protein from DEAE-Sephadex. Alanine was the only N-terminal amino acid in all preparations. Three major amino acids of GFA protein, viz. glutamic acid, alanine and leucine, were present in the same amounts in components b and c.     

Further studies on multiple sclerosis in iceland

A third survey of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Iceland has been performed covering the decade 1956–1965 and the patients have been followed-up to 1973. The same diagnostic criteria have been used as in the second survey (1946–1955).During the period 37 new patients were encountered and, of these, 34 were classified as definitely or probably suffering from MS. The whole material, i.e. including MS-patients alive or dead at some time during 1946–1965, now amounts to 129 definite and probable cases of which 50 are males and 79 are females, and 13 possible cases of which 7 are males and 6 are females.The possible cases are not included in the statistical figures in this abstract. The mean age at onset was higher in this survey than in the second survey, i.e. 32 years as compared to 27 before. In 1960 the prevalence rate was $\text{42.8}\text{100,000}$ for males, 62.1 for females and 52.4 for both sexes, and in 1965 the figures were 44.0, 60.7 and 52.3 respectively. The age-specific prevalence rate was highest in the age groups 30–39 and 40–49, figures similar to those obtained in the second survey. The incidence rate during the survey period 1956–1965 was $\text{1.9}\text{100,000}$ per annum. In the previous decade it was somewhat higher at $\text{3.1}\text{100,000}$ per annum.There were 9 families containing more than 1 case and the familial incidence was 7.0%. There was some evidence of accumulation of cases in Eastern Iceland and of a local accumulation in Southern Iceland.     

Modification of a child's deviant walking pattern: An alternative to surgery

The present study investigated the efficacy of using both arranged and programmed events in the treatment of the toe-walking of a 3$\text{1}\text{2}$-yr-old boy. In a single subject design, the effects of modification in the child's footwear, a differential reinforcement of other behaviors (DRO) procedure, and a combination of the two procedures were assessed. Results demonstrated the efficacy of the combined procedure, as toe-walking was substantially reduced following treatment and eliminated at 3$\text{1}\text{2}$ yr follow-up.     

A parent administered token program for dietary regulation of phenylketonuria

This case study presents a parent-administered token reinforcement program which successfully increased the Lofenalac consumption of a 3$\text{1}\text{2}$ year old boy with phenylketonuria. This increase was maintained at follow-up after one year.     

Oligoclonal IgG in the cerebrospinal fluid of guinea pigs with acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of guinea pigs with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis was examined for the presence of oligoclonal IgG using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Oligoclonal IgG (?2 bands) was seen in the CSF obtained from $\text{3}\text{4}$ animals with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis induced by myelin basic protein and $\text{2}\text{3}$ with spinal cord-induced disease. It was not seen in CSF of 3 non-sensitized, 4 adjuvant-sensitized and 7 liver-sensitized guinea pigs. Scanning of stained gels confirmed the oligoclonal pattern. The bands were found in the region of gels which bound [¹²⁵I]Staphylococcal Protein A. The data demonstrate that a non-infectious inflammatory reaction within the central nervous system can result in an oligoclonal IgG pattern in the CSF.     

The effects of electrical (blocking) stimulation to the dorsal hippocampus of the rat of learning of a simultaneous brightness discrimination

Twenty-four rats were chronically implanted with bilateral bipolar electrodes in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus. Animals were then trained on a simultaneous visual discrimination task under several conditions of stimulation. Compared with 8 operated and 8 unoperated controls, 8 rats receiving $\text{1}\text{2}$ sec train of pulses every 3·0 sec given continuously throughout the learning period showed severe disruption of learning. A further 8 rats given 2·0 sec of stimulation 5·0 sec after each response also showed disruption of learning but some learning took place. After criterion performance was achieved “continuous” stimulation resulted in a significant increase in errors but “2 sec” stimulation led to no significant change in the number of correct responses. Stimulation during learning resulted in a strong persevarative response tendency. These results were considered in terms of a registration-consolidation-retrieval continuum.     

Detection of brief light flashes by monkeys (Macaca nemestrina) with dorsolateral frontal ablations

Four female pigtail monkeys with dorsolateral frontal ablations and four unoperated controls were tested on their ability to detect brief light flashes from a sixteen-panel matrix. Flashes were varied in their location, duration $\text{(}\text{1}\text{15}\text{,}\text{1}\text{8}\text{,}\text{1}\text{4}\text{,}\text{or}\text{1}\text{2}\text{sec}\text{)}$, presence or absence of a subsequent masking flash. The interval between the initial light flash and subsequent masking flash occurred at intervals of 4, 8, 15, and 30 msec. Performance by frontal subjects was inferior to that of controls. The deficit, however, was not related to either flash duration or interval of the subsequent masking flash. Close visual observation during testing did nor reveal any difference in visual or postural orientation to the testing apparatus. Analysis of response patterns indicated that subjects with frontal ablations committed more errors on trials illuminating center panels than corner panels, and also were more likely to commit nonadjacent than adjacent errors. The results were discussed in terms of decreased capacity to process information.