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Biomedical subjects

C Larson

Publications and source records attributed to C Larson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Buprenorphine's effects on self-administration of smoked cocaine base and orally delivered phencyclidine, ethanol and saccharin in rhesus monkeys.

The effects of buprenorphine on behavior reinforced by smoked cocaine base and orally delivered phencyclidine (PCP), ethanol and saccharin were compared. There were six groups of four to five rhesus monkeys. Group 1 contained four monkeys that had been trained to smoke cocaine base under progressive ratio (PR) or fixed ratio (FR) schedules. Up to eight smoke deliveries (2 mg/kg) were available during daily 3-hr sessions. Each delivery was separated by a 15-min timeout. The remaining groups received concurrent access to different combinations of orally delivered liquids as follows: group 2, PCP (0.25 mg/ml) and water; group 3, saccharin (0.03% w/v) and water; group 4, PCP and saccharin; group 5, ethanol (8% w/v) and water; and group 6, ethanol and PCP. Saline or buprenorphine (0.003, 0.012, 0.05, 0.2 and 0.8 mg/kg) injections were given i.m. 30 min before each session for 5 consecutive days. Buprenorphine produced a dose-dependent reduction in behavior maintained by PCP, ethanol or saccharin in all of the six groups. In group 1, the suppressant effects of buprenorphine on cocaine base smoking were greater in the two monkeys that responded under FR 5 schedules than in the two that responded under PR schedules. When PCP and saccharin were concurrently available (group 4), buprenorphine had a greater suppressant effect on PCP than when water was concurrently present (group 2). Buprenorphine produced nearly a complete suppression in saccharin-maintained responding at doses of 0.012 mg/kg and higher in groups 3 and 4. Buprenorphine reduced ethanol deliveries to about 50% at doses of 0.012 mg/kg and higher in group 5. When PCP and ethanol were concurrently available (group 6), buprenorphine had an effect on PCP and ethanol that was similar to that found when the drugs were available concurrently with water. These results suggest that buprenorphine suppresses behavior maintained by several drug and nondrug substances, and it further suppresses PCP-maintained behavior that is already reduced by a nondrug alternative reinforcer.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

The prevalence and environmental risk factors for moderate and severe trachoma in southern Ethiopia.

Inflammatory eye disease is a leading cause of reported morbidity throughout rural Ethiopia. The purpose of this investigation was to document the prevalence of trachoma at all stages and to identify environmental risk factors for moderate to severe cases among rural inhabitants of Sidamo Region in southern Ethiopia. An ophthalmic examination followed by a blind household interview were completed on 1222 randomly selected subjects. Those with moderate or severe trachoma were compared with normal subjects for rates of exposure to potential environmental risk factors. The results of the eye examinations are as follows; normal 59.5%, trivial 8.4%, mild 10.3%, moderate 8.5%, severe 8.0%, cicatricial 3.0%, and other eye diseases without trachoma 2.3%. Highest prevalence rates for moderate to severe trachoma were found in those under 10 and over 45 years of age. Increased adjusted odds ratios were found for exposure to garbage disposal near home, crowded sleeping arrangements, animals inside the home, cooking in a separate room, and living at lower altitudes. The identification of several modifiable environmental risk factors for trachoma will be of use in the further development of preventive programmes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Risk behaviors for HIV infection: their occurrence and determinants in Jima-Town, southwestern Ethiopia.

Little is known about the occurrence of high risk behaviours for HIV infection among the general population of Ethiopia. With this in mind, 495 randomly selected males between 15 and 49 years of age were questioned about specific risk behaviours. From this interview a total and sex risk behaviour score were calculated and then analysed for their association with sociodemographic factors and knowledge and attitudes about AIDS. This investigation was carried out in the fall of of 1988 in Jima-Town, southwestern Ethiopia. Several high risk behaviours were found to be highly prevalent; 47.2% reported a history of sex with prostitutes (18% in the past month), and 39% reported receiving injections in the past year. Higher risk scores were significantly associated with high knowledge about AIDS and among skilled labourers and those between 25 to 34 years of age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

The patient judgment system: reliability and validity.

Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) recently developed a patient judgment system (PJS) that generates information for monitoring long-term trends in hospital quality. Central to the system is a 68-item questionnaire that includes 11 quality scales. To test the questionnaire's reliability, validity, and representativeness, completed questionnaires from 5,625 patients from 32 hospitals were analyzed. Findings showed uniformly high patient-level reliabilities, good to excellent hospital-level reliabilities, and strong empirical support for the validity of the questionnaire's quality measures.

Consumer Behavior↗
PubMed1987

A new permanent exteriorized epidural catheter for narcotic self-administration to control cancer pain.

The lack of an available exteriorized permanent epidural catheter led to the application of the Broviac catheter technology to the development of an epidural catheter. The resulting three-piece silicone-rubber catheter system allows specific spinal-level location of the catheter tip from a lumbar entry site, and exteriorization for ease of self-administration. Fifty-five cancer patients with metastatic disease and intractable pain received 58 catheters. No catheter infections were found during 3891 catheter-days of use, and only 18 minor side effects were noted, with no respiratory depression observed. Hospitalizations for pain control was decreased by 90% after catheter placement. Therefore, the authors recommend early placement of this silicone-rubber epidural catheter to control pain unrelieved by oral analgesics.

Catheterization↗
PubMed1984

Importance of physician identification of airflow limitation in stable asthmatics.

The physician's ability to recognize airflow limitation was assessed in 92 stable asthmatics between seven and 12 years of age. A parental symptom score was obtained. The physician assigned a physical sign score and a clinical impression score based on the severity and lability of symptoms. Airflow limitation was considered significant if the forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the vital capacity (FEF25-75) was less than 50% predicted. The FEF25-75 did not correlate with any of the scores and was less than 50% predicted in 27 of 92. There was no clinical suspicion of abnormality in 12 of 27. The FEF25-75 increased significantly after salbutamol inhalation in 22 of 23 but was persistently abnormal on follow-up in 9 of 21. We conclude that without pulmonary function tests the physician may fail to identify significant reversible airflow limitation in 13% of stable asthmatic children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Remission of tics with lithium therapy: case report.

A patient with multiple tics and cyclothymic disorder was treated with lithium, with complete remission of the tics. Clinical, neurochemical, and physiologic studies suggest a potential role of lithium in treatment of tics. Carefully controlled therapeutic trials of lithium in tic disorders are recommended.

Adult↗