Curt Richter

In the first half of the twentieth century, psychology was a discipline in search of scientific legitimacy. Debates raged over how much of human and animal behavior is instinctive and how much is learned, and how behavior could be quantified accurately. At the Johns Hopkins University's new Phipps Psychiatric Clinic, Curt P. Richter stood aside from these heated theoretical arguments, choosing instead to apply his data-collection methods, innovative measurement techniques, playful sense of exploration, and consummate surgical skill to laboratory examinations of the biological basis of behavior. From identifying the biological clocks that govern behavior and physiology to observing the self-regulation of nutrient levels by the body, the cyclical nature of some mental illnesses, and the causes of hopelessness, Richter's wide-ranging discoveries not only influenced the burgeoning field of psychobiology and paved the way for later researchers but also often had implications for the treatment of patients in the clinic. At the time of his death in 1988, Richter left behind a massive collection of laboratory data. For this book, Jay Schulkin mined six decades of Richter's archived research data, personal documents, and interviews to flesh out an engaging portrait of a "laboratory artisan" in the context of his work

Obstetrician-Gynecologists’ Knowledge of Health Disparities and Barriers among American Indian/Alaska Native Women in Washington State

Background: Health disparities between American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women and other races/ethnicities have long been noted. Obstetricians-Gynecologists (Ob-Gyn) play a significant role in well-woman care and are often the first and most frequent point of medical contact for women, particularly among minority and low-income women. Objective: This study aimed to assess Ob-Gyns’ knowledge, beliefs, and practices related to health disparities among AI/AN women. Method: A self-administered questionnaire, consisting of questions about knowledge, beliefs, and practices of health disparities among AI/AN women, was mailed to 722 members of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) practicing in the state of Washington in September 2013-February 2014. Results: The majority of respondents were knowledgeable about numerous health care disparities among non-pregnant AI/AN women, while slightly fewer were aware of disparities among pregnant AI/AN patients. Ob-Gyns reported low confidence in their training and knowledge of AI/AN culture and health disparities, but high confidence in their ability to treat AI/AN patients. Participants reported dissatisfaction with their AI/AN patients’ breastfeeding rates. Conclusion: Ob-Gyn knowledge of health disparities among AI/AN women is adequate. In spite of this, barriers to quality care are still present and increased identification and implementation of effective resources is needed

Music and Cephalic Capability

Pragmatists views, like those of John Dewey’s about music, emphasize the social nature of musical sensibility, instrumental expressions and adaptation to changing circumstances. Indeed, expectancy and violations of those expectations in music are tied to memory and human development. Cephalic (mind/brain/body) factors that underlie what we expect, and variation on the expected, inhere in musical experiences. Music is a piece of nature and is tied to movement and dance and rooted in social contact. Music of course serves many functions in our lives. From the first sounds to some of the last, human well-being and music are ripe across the life cycle of human experience

Survey of Obstetrician-Gynecologists about Giardiasis

Giardiasis is one of the most common parasitic diseases in the United States with over 15 400 cases reported in 2005. A survey was conducted by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to evaluate the knowledge of obstetricians and gynecologists regarding the diagnosis and treatment of giardiasis. The questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 1200 ACOG fellows during February through June of 2006. Five hundred and two (42%) responded to the survey. The respondents showed good general knowledge about diagnosis, transmission, and prevention; however, there was some uncertainty about the treatment of giardiasis and which medications are the safest to administer during the first trimester of pregnancy

Obstetrician-Gynecologists and Perinatal Infections: A Review of Studies of the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network (2005–2009)

Background. Maternal infection is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and ob-gyns are in a unique position to help prevent and treat infections. Methods. This paper summarizes studies completed by the Research Department of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists regarding perinatal infections that were published between 2005 and 2009. Results. Obstetrician-gynecologists are routinely screening for hepatitis B and HIV, and many counsel prenatal patients regarding hepatitis B and toxoplasmosis. However, other infections are not regularly discussed, and many cited time constraints as a barrier to counseling. A majority discusses the transmission of giardiasis and toxoplasmosis, but few knew the source of cryptosporidiosis or cyclosporiasis. Conclusions. Many of the responding ob-gyns were unaware of or not adhering to infection management guidelines. Obstetrician-gynecologists are knowledgeable regarding perinatal infections; however, guidelines must be better disseminated perhaps via a single infection management summary. This paper identified knowledge gaps and areas in which practice can be improved and importantly highlights the need for a comprehensive set of management guidelines for a host of infections, so that physicians can have an easy resource when encountering perinatal infections

Nucleus accumbens corticotropin-releasing factor increases cue-triggered motivation for sucrose reward: paradoxical positive incentive effects in stress?

BACKGROUND: Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is typically considered to mediate aversive aspects of stress, fear and anxiety. However, CRF release in the brain is also elicited by natural rewards and incentive cues, raising the possibility that some CRF systems in the brain mediate an independent function of positive incentive motivation, such as amplifying incentive salience. Here we asked whether activation of a limbic CRF subsystem magnifies the increase in positive motivation for reward elicited by incentive cues previously associated with that reward, in a way that might exacerbate cue-triggered binge pursuit of food or other incentives? We assessed the impact of CRF microinjections into the medial shell of nucleus accumbens using a pure incentive version of Pavlovian-Instrumental transfer, a measure specifically sensitive to the incentive salience of reward cues (which it separates from influences of aversive stress, stress reduction, frustration and other traditional explanations for stress-increased behavior). Rats were first trained to press one of two levers to obtain sucrose pellets, and then separately conditioned to associate a Pavlovian cue with free sucrose pellets. On test days, rats received microinjections of vehicle, CRF (250 or 500 ng/0.2 μl) or amphetamine (20 μg/0.2 μl). Lever pressing was assessed in the presence or absence of the Pavlovian cues during a half-hour test. RESULTS: Microinjections of the highest dose of CRF (500 ng) or amphetamine (20 μg) selectively enhanced the ability of Pavlovian reward cues to trigger phasic peaks of increased instrumental performance for a sucrose reward, each peak lasting a minute or so before decaying after the cue. Lever pressing was not enhanced by CRF microinjections in the baseline absence of the Pavlovian cue or during the presentation without a cue, showing that the CRF enhancement could not be explained as a result of generalized motor arousal, frustration or stress, or by persistent attempts to ameliorate aversive states. CONCLUSION: We conclude that CRF in nucleus accumbens shell amplifies positive motivation for cued rewards, in particular by magnifying incentive salience that is attributed to Pavlovian cues previously associated with those rewards. CRF-induced magnification of incentive salience provides a novel explanation as to why stress may produce cue-triggered bursts of binge eating, drug addiction relapse, or other excessive pursuits of rewards

What Obstetrician-Gynecologists Think of Preconception Care

Objectives: To describe obstetrician-gynecolog-ists’ opinions of preconception care (PCC) and ascertain patient uptake for this service. Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to 1105 ACOG members in August 2004. Results: There was a 60% response rate. Most physicians think PCC is important (87%) and almost always recommend it to women planning a pregnancy (94%); 54% do so with women who are sexually active. Around a third (34%) thought their patients usually do not plan their pregnancies and 49% said very few pregnant patients came in for PCC. Of those who obtain PCC, they were believed to do so more likely to assure a healthy pregnancy (83%) than because of an elevated risk for birth defects (20%). Of 11 issues presented, cigarette smoking and folic acid supplementation were rated the most important for PCC counseling; exercise and environmental concerns were the least important. Conclusions: Physicians are willing to provide PCC but few patients are accessing such services