Posthypnotic Conflict and Psychopathology - Controlling for the Effects of Posthypnotic Suggestions: A Brief Communication

Hypnotically implanted paramnesias (false memories) designed to arouse Oedipal and non-Oedipal sexual conflicts were implanted in 2 groups of male undergraduate Ss. Ss in a third condition were hypnotized but no paramnesia wasm implanted. In a fourth condition, the Oedipal paramnesia was presented to Ss who had been instructed by coexperimenters to simulate hypnosis. All Ss had achieved a score of 7 or higher on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (Shor & E. C. Orne, 1962). Following implantation of the paramnesia, Ss were given conflict activating instructions consisting of posthypnotic suggestions to express strong sexual feelings in response to cue words contained in the paramnesias. Ss in all conditions produced significantly more symptoms of discomfort to cue words than to neutral words. No significant between-group differences were found. These results question the contention that discomfort following the implantation of an Oedipal paramnesia constitutes empirical support for psychoanalytic theory.     

A single-treatment method to stop smoking using ancillary selfhypnosis: Discussion

The implications of Dr. Spiegel's findings with a standardized singlesession technique are discussed. Despite the inevitable tentativeness of conclusions-since somewhat less than half of the patients answered a follow-up questionnaire-the results are encouraging. The question is raised whether those patients who did not respond to treatment initially might respond to an analogous, although superficially dissimilar, approach with another effective therapist.     

Myocardial stress and hypertrophy: a complex interface between biophysics and cardiac remodeling

Pressure and volume overload results in concentric and eccentric hypertrophy of cardiac ventricular chambers with, respectively, parallel and series replication of sarcomeres. These divergent patterns of hypertrophy were related 40 years ago to disparate wall stresses in both conditions, with systolic wall stress eliciting parallel replication of sarcomeres and diastolic wall stress, series replication. These observations are relevant to clinical practice, as they relate to the excessive hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction regularly observed in patients with aortic stenosis. Stress-sensing mechanisms in cardiomyocytes and activation of cardiomyocyte death by elevated wall stress continue to intrigue cardiovascular scientists.     

PRKDC mutations in a SCID patient with profound neurological abnormalities

The DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs; encoded byPRKDC) functions in DNA non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), themajor DNA double strand break (DSB) rejoining pathway. NHEJ also functions duringlymphocyte development, joining V(D)J recombination intermediates during antigenreceptor gene assembly. Here, we describe a patient with compound heterozygousmutations in PRKDC, low DNA-PKcs expression, barely detectableDNA-PK kinase activity, and impaired DSB repair. In a heterologous expression system,we found that one of the PRKDC mutations inactivated DNA-PKcs, whilethe other resulted in dramatically diminished but detectable residual function. Thepatient suffered SCID with reduced or absent T and B cells, as predicted fromPRKDC-deficient animal models. Unexpectedly, the patient was alsodysmorphic; showed severe growth failure, microcephaly, and seizures; and hadprofound, globally impaired neurological function. MRI scans revealedmicrocephaly-associated cortical and hippocampal dysplasia and progressive atrophyover 2 years of life. These neurological features were markedly more severe thanthose observed in patients with deficiencies in other NHEJ proteins. Although loss ofDNA-PKcs in mice, dogs, and horses was previously shown not to impair neuronaldevelopment, our findings demonstrate a stringent requirement for DNA-PKcs duringhuman neuronal development and suggest that high DNA-PK protein expression isrequired to sustain efficient pre- and postnatal neurogenesis.     

Indications for Thyroid Surgery

Research is proving that the effects of various mediators and changes in microcirculation bring about the cellular and metabolic consequences recognized clinically as shock. In this article, the authors approach diagnosis and treatment of the different types of shock through evaluation of hemodynamic variables. They summarize underlying causes of shock, the signs of its progressive stages, and diagnostic studies needed to guide treatment decisions.     

The cancer-screening dilemma

The Editor welcomes readers' comments, and selected letters are published each month. Letters must be signed and should be sent to Editor's Mail at the address shown. The journal reserves the right to condense letters if necessary for space.     

Weight Loss,Diarrhea and Edema

Radical vulvectomy with bilateral en bloc lymph node dissection results in an absolute cure rate of more than 50 percent among patients with vulval carcinoma. Although opinions differ as to the necessary extent of the operative procedure, the less extensive approach gives a satisfactory cure rate and a lower incidence of severe postoperative morbidity or mortality.