Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to B A Judson.
Recent changes in the MicroTrak Chlamydia trachomatis Direct Specimen Test (Syva Company, Palo Alto, Calif.) have led to improved product performance. The use of the recommended cervical cytology brush can significantly increase the number of endocervical cells collected, and fixation with methanol increases the intensity of elementary-body staining in many specimens.
The urinary excretion patterns of 86 chronic cannabis users were examined after their last cannabis use by two common screening methods, the semiquantitative EMIT-d.a.u. and the qualitative EMIT-st (Syva Company). We demonstrated that under very strictly supervised abstinence, chronic users can have positive results for cannabinoids in urine at 20 ng/ml or above on the EMIT-d.a.u. assay for as many as 46 consecutive days from admission, and can take as many as 77 days to drop below the cutoff calibrator for 10 consecutive days. For all subjects, the mean excretion time was 27 days. Subject excretion patterns were clearly biphasic, with initial higher rates of excretion not sustained. During the subsequent period of leveling off, most subjects had one or more separate sequences of cannabinoid-negative urine test results, lasting a mean of 3 days each and followed by at least one positive result. Demographic, body type, and drug history variables proved to be only moderate predictors of excretion patterns. Findings were discussed in the context of potential clinical and forensic application.
One hundred and seventy-nine patients who were dependent on street narcotics were inducted into LAAM. Ninety-two were inducted using a slow schedule: 20, 20, 30, 30, 40, 40, 50, 50, 60, 60, 70, 70, 75 mg on successive clinic visits (Mon., Wed., Fri.). Only 23% of the patients followed this schedule to 50 mg; 55% requested and received a faster induction. Eighty-seven patients were inducted using a rapid schedule: 20, 30, 40, 40, 50 mg. This schedule was acceptable to the majority of patients and caused no complaints of overdosing. We suggest that this schedule be used in clinics where patients who have been shown to be dependent are inducted directly onto LAAM.
Upper and lower limits have been determined for the temperature of freshly voided ur;ne. When specified procedures are followed, more than 99% of measurements lie between 32.5 and 36.7 degrees C. This provides a basis for monitoring urine collection in a drug abuse treatment program in a manner that does not invade privacy. The method is not foolproof, but it provides sufficient control if there are no penalties for illicit drug use so that there is no strong incentive to turn in a fraudulent urine sample.
Heroin addicts who had been maintained for at least three months on LAAM (levo-alpha-acetylmethadol, methadyl acetate) and at least three months on methadone were asked to compare the two drugs on a number of criteria. The responses were highly selective, indicating that a desire to please the investigators was not an important factor. Overwhelmingly, the majority of patients reported that LAAM provided better heroin "blockade", that it was more effective in reducing craving, and that actual use of heroin was less on LAAM than on methadone. In other respects, such as sexual performance, sleep, and appetite, most patients perceived no difference between the drugs. In no respect was methadone preferred by a majority, although methadone was viewed more favorably on some criteria by some patients. These findings indicate that for most heroin addicts LAAM will be an acceptable maintenance drug.
Swiss-Webster stock male and female mice were tested for running activity after a 20 mg/kg dose of levorphanol. The best runners and worst runners were then bred. Within each litter, brother-sister pairs with the highest and lowest running activity after a test dose of levorphanol (20 mg/kg) were segregated and bred. This procedure was followed to the F4 generation. Running activity, analgesia and brain catecholamines were studied. The results showed that the "non-running" (NR) trait segregated at the F1 generation, while the "running" (R) trait diverged more slowly. However, by the third generation, the R mice differed significantly from the F0 stock mice. NR mice also did not show locomotor activity when tested with amphetamine. While the NR mice showed reduced running response to levorphanol they were significantly more sensitive than the F0 stock to the analgesic effect. Measurement of brain catecholamines showed no difference between R and NR mice in dopamine or serotonin, but did show a significant increase in norepinephrine in the NR strain.
Sixty-six patients participated in a double-blind, crossover study comparing side effects, drug use, clinic attendance, and dose changes on levomethadone and d,l (racemic) methadone. The hypothesis under examination was that dextromethadone, while adding no narcotic actions to the racemate, was contributing to side effects. An earlier single-blind pilot study showed that 9 out of 11 side effects improved while patients were receiving levomethadone, but this larger study did not duplicate those results. Analysis of 25 variables showed no significant between levo- and racemic methadone. There appears to be no advantage in levomethadone over racemic methadone in the treatment of patients in maintenance programs.
1. Running activity and brain levorphanol concentration were measured in nontolerant and tolerant mice given various doses of (3)H-levorphanol.2. The principal factor responsible for tolerance in the mouse is a loss of sensitivity to the narcotic drug at the cellular level in brain; despite adequate brain concentrations, the pharmacological effects are diminished or absent.3. There is also metabolic tolerance; a given dose establishes a lower brain concentration in tolerant than in non-tolerant animals.4. The two kinds of tolerance are distinguished here and the contribution of each is assessed.
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