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Biomedical subjects

J L Peterson

Publications and source records attributed to J L Peterson.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Nicotine serves as a feature-positive modulator of Pavlovian appetitive conditioning in rats.

The present experiments examined whether a nicotine state could set the occasion for a pairing between visual cues and a rewarding outcome in rats. Following nicotine administration, presentation of a conditional stimulus (CS; light-on) was followed by brief access to a sucrose solution. When saline was administered, the same CS was presented but was not followed by any consequence. In Experiment 1, two groups assessed whether rats could acquire this Pavlovian feature-positive discrimination via different training procedures. An anticipatory food-seeking conditioned response (CR) developed during the CS on nicotine sessions but not on saline sessions in both groups. In Experiment 2, centrally acting antagonists of nicotinic acetylcholine and opiate receptors (mecamylamine and naloxone, respectively) dose-dependently blocked nicotine's control of the CR, whereas the peripherally acting nicotinic antagonist hexamethonium had no effect. Increasing or decreasing the interval between nicotine administration and testing also attenuated the CR. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that nicotine can occasion appetitive Pavlovian relations via its action at central nervous system cholinergic receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

A comparative evaluation of three self-rating scales for acute mania.

This study compared the performance of three self-rating mania scales, The Internal State Scale (ISS), the Self-Report Manic Inventory (SRMI), and the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM), in a group of patients with acute mania. Forty-four adult inpatients with bipolar disorder, manic or mixed, completed all scales shortly after admission, and 31 patients completed them again after 4-6 weeks of pharmacotherapy. Patients also were rated by clinicians on the Clinician-Administered Rating Scale for Mania (CARS-M). At baseline, scores on the ASRM and the ISS well-being subscale were significantly correlated with CARS-M scores. Posttreatment scores were significantly decreased for the ASRM, SRMI, and the ISS activation subscale. The sensitivities for each scale to correctly identify patients with acute symptoms was 45% for the ISS, 86% for the SRMI, and 93% for the ASRM. Specificities were 73%, 46.6%, and 33%, respectively. The ASRM and SRMI were more sensitive than the ISS in screening patients with acute mania. All three measures were sensitive to treatment effects; however, the item content of the SRMI and the poor sensitivity of the ISS may limit their utility in inpatient settings.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

A test system to evaluate the susceptibility of Oregon, USA, native stream invertebrataes to triclopyr and carbaryl.

The susceptibility of six indigenous macroinvertebrate species representative of U.S. Pacific Northwest streams (Ameletus sp., Brachycentrus americanus, Calineuria californica, Cinygma sp., Lepidostoma unicolor, Psychoglypha sp. early and late instar) to formulated triclopyr ester (herbicide) and carbaryl (insecticide) was determined using laboratory bioassays. Acute toxicity was expressed as the lethal concentration to 50% (LC50) and 1% (LC1) of the test population based on a 96-h exposure duration. Carbaryl was found to be 1,000 times more toxic than triclopyr for all the organisms tested. The LCI values (7.5, 28.8, 9.0, 3.0, 9.5, 14.8, 33.8 microg/L, respectively, for carbaryl and 1.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.2, 29.0, 16.1 mg/L, respectively, for triclopyr) were used in the calculation of hazardous concentration to 5% of the stream macroinvertebrate community (HC5) based on the lower 95% confidence limit (HC5/95). The hazardous concentration (HC5/95) for triclopyr was 0.11 mg/L and for carbaryl ranged from 0.43 to 0.66 microg/L, respectively. Triclopyr and carbaryl symptomology were analyzed for two organisms, C. californica and Cinygma sp. Carbaryl symptomology included knockdown and moribund states with severity and time of appearance being a function of dose. In triclopyr poisoning, death occurred suddenly with little or no symptomology. Time to 50% mortality (LT50) values were consistently higher for C. californica than for Cinygma sp. exposed to both chemicals at similar concentrations.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Effect of varying pesticide exposure duration and concentration on the toxicity of carbaryl to two field-collected stream invertebrates, Calineuria californica (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and Cinygma sp (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae).

The effect of exposure duration on the toxicity of a forest insecticide (carbaryl) was assessed under environmentally realistic exposure regimes against two stream invertebrates indigenous to the United States Pacific Northwest, Calineuria californica (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and Cinygma sp. (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae). Laboratory bioassays were conducted to evaluate the relationship between pulsed exposures of 15, 30, and 60 min and toxicity for a range of chemical concentrations (10.2-1,730 microg/L). For Cinygma sp., the 50% lethal concentration (LC50) values were calculated as 848 microg/L (15 min), 220 microg/L (30 min), and 165 microg/L (60 min). The C. californica consistently had lower mortality at a given concentration compared with Cinygma sp. Fifteen- and 30-min exposures did not elicit 50% mortality with C. californica, and it had a 60-min LC50 of 1,139 microg/L. Time to 50% mortality over 96 h after a 15-, 30-, or 60-min exposure, with the rest of the test period in freshwater (PLT50), was a function of exposure duration and concentration. Analysis of symptomology throughout the test period for C. californica gave evidence of recovery from the knockdown and moribund states, but this was not the case for Cinygma sp. The pulse duration resulting in 50% mortality was calculated as 43 min for Cinygma sp. exposed at 204 microg/L and 16 min at 408 microg/L. A three-dimensional probit plane model [Y = -10.86 + 4.83(ln C) + 3.0(ln T)], where Y is probit mortality, C is concentration in microg/L and T is time in hours, was used to explain the interaction between concentration (microg/L) and duration of exposure (hours) for Cinygma sp.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The application of signal detection theory to decision-making in forensic science.

Signal Detection Theory (SDT) has come to be used in a wide variety of fields where noise and imperfect signals present challenges to the task of separating hits and correct rejections from misses and false alarms. The application of SDT helps illuminate and improve the quality of decision-making in those fields in a number of ways. The present article is designed to make SDT more accessible to forensic scientists by: (a) explaining what SDT is and how it works, (b) explicating the potential usefulness of SDT to forensic science, (c) illustrating SDT analysis using forensic science data, and (d) suggesting ways to gain the benefits of SDT analyses in the course of carrying out existing programs of quality assessment and other research on forensic science examinations.

Decision Making↗
PubMed2000

Work-related stress and occupational burnout in AIDS caregivers: test of a coping model with nurses providing AIDS care.

Occupational stress and burnout are potential threats to quality of care for people living with HIV/AIDS. A total of 445 nurses who provide care to people living with HIV/AIDS responded to an anonymous postal survey that consisted of: demographic and work history questions, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control scale, and internal and external coping styles as measured by the Ways of Coping scale. Path analyses showed that both external (13.6% of the variance) and internal (3.1% of the variance) coping styles significantly predicted levels of burnout among AIDS caregivers, over and above participants' age, perceived workload and locus of control. Mediation analyses further showed that external coping mediates the effect of locus of control on burnout, but internal coping styles do not exhibit mediation. Results therefore replicate and extend previous research demonstrating the important roles of cognitive and behavioural coping styles in understanding burnout among providers of AIDS care.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2000

Correlates of high-risk sexual behaviour among Canadian men of South Asian and European origin who have sex with men.

A sample of 98 Canadian homosexual and bisexual men, 46 of South Asian and 52 of European origin, who had sex with other than an exclusive primary partner were asked about their high-risk sexual behaviours during the previous six months. They were also queried about internalized homophobia, acculturation to the gay community, and for South Asians acculturation to the majority culture. Participants who reported more internalized homophobia were more likely to engage in both high-risk anal and oral sex. South Asian men exhibited significantly greater levels of homophobia. In addition, South Asian men who were less acculturated to the majority culture were more likely to engage in both types of high-risk sex. These data suggest a need to address internalized homophobia in HIV prevention programmes with homosexual and bisexual men generally, and further suggest the need to target less acculturated South Asian men in particular.

Acculturation↗
PubMed2000

"Let us go into the house of the Lord": participation in African American churches among young African American men who have sex with men.

Describes the church involvement of young African American men who have sex with men (MSM). Reports data secured from 76 individual semistructured interviews with men between the ages of 18 and 29 who reported recent sexual behavior with other men in Atlanta and Chicago that revealed high levels of involvement in African American churches and its impact on self-esteem and sexual behavior. Notes that participation in African American churches encourages sexual secrecy and is associated with decreased frequencies of same-sex contacts. Suggests that African American clergy and other church leaders can initiate dialogue with church-going MSM and redirect ministerial efforts to foster inclusive, nurturing religious communities that no longer marginalize these African American men.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Finding the "community" in community-level HIV/AIDS interventions: formative research with young African American men who have sex with men.

Data from 76 qualitative interviews with 18- to 29-year-old African American men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chicago and Atlanta were examined to identify perceptions of "community" and components of a community-level HIV/AIDS intervention. Many men reported feeling marginal to African American and gay White communities because of perceived homophobia and racism. Those who reported feeling part of gay African American communities characterized communities in terms of settings, social structures, and functions, including social support, socialization, and mobility. Despite these positive functions, divisions among groups of MSM, lack of settings for nonsexual interaction with other MSM, lack of leadership, and negative attitudes toward homosexuality may make it difficult for men to participate in activities to alter community contexts that influence behavior. Rather, changing norms, increasing social support, and community building should be part of initial community-level interventions. Community building might identify leaders, create new settings, and create opportunities for dialogue between MSM and African American community groups to address negative perceptions of homosexuality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

A pathway for patients who die within a week of hospice admission.

Care pathways have recently been developed for hospice patients who die within one week of admission. This development was motivated by a number of factors. First, under managed care cost constraints, it is sometimes difficult to obtain early hospice admission approval because of certain reimbursement regulations. Second, patient and family wishes change during the illness trajectory as patients move through the stages of death and dying. Third, and most important to the caregiver, is that the philosophy adopted within care pathways advocates that patients should not suffer at the end of life. This article outlines the rationale for the formation of care pathways and describes a care pathway developed for a specific group of patients.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1998

Acute myeloblastic leukemia following prolonged treatment of Crohn's disease with 6-mercaptopurine.

A 65-year-old man with Crohn's disease died of acute myeloblastic leukemia after treatment for 11.8 years with 6-mercaptopurine, 1.5 mg/kg/day (100 mg/day). On cytogenetic analysis, most of the malignant bone marrow cells had deletion of chromosome 7, the most frequently reported cytogenetic abnormality in chemotherapy-related acute leukemia. This finding, together with previous reports of acute leukemia and other malignancies following prolonged treatment with azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine for nonmalignant conditions including inflammatory bowel disease, indicates that long-term use of these drugs for inflammatory bowel disease may increase the risk of malignancy. However, the magnitude of the risk is unknown.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

The Prevention Minimum Evaluation Data Set (PMEDS). A tool for evaluating teen pregnancy and STD/HIV/AIDS prevention programs.

This article presents the Prevention Minimum Evaluation Data Set (PMEDS), a ready-to-use questionnaire or tool for evaluating teen pregnancy prevention and teen STD/HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Recognizing the diversity of approaches taken by these programs, PMEDS has two parts. Part 1 contains a primary questionnaire applicable to all programs. Part 2 consists of 15 additional supplementary modules for optional use by programs with a more specific target population or intervention approach that matches the module's content. It is hoped that PMEDS will facilitate the conducting of high-quality evaluations, first by highlighting important aspects of a program model that should be included in an evaluation, such as the demographic profile of the target population, the specific aspects of the intervention or treatment received by each participant, and the short-term outcomes and long-term goals that the program is trying to affect; second, by presenting measures for these evaluation constructs that have been extensively pretested and used in large-scale national studies and for which national comparison norms and data exist.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Homophobia, self-esteem, and risk for HIV among African American men who have sex with men.

Qualitative data from individual interviews with 18-29 year old African American men, who have sex with men (n = 76) were used to examine the relationship of negative attitudes toward homosexuality, self-esteem, and risk for HIV. Respondents perceived members of their communities as holding negative attitudes toward homosexuality, and many thought the African American community was less accepting of homosexuality than the white community. There was evidence that these negative attitudes are internalized by some of the young African American men themselves. Respondents mentioned several ways that negative attitudes toward homosexuality could lead to lower self-esteem and psychological distress in young gay and bisexual men. In addition, respondents articulated several mechanisms by which low self-esteem and psychological distress might be associated with sexual behaviors that put one at risk for HIV. We concluded that addressing and changing society's negative views of homosexuality are important components of a comprehensive approach to reducing the transmission of HIV, especially among young people in communities of color.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1998

Reviewing credentials and granting privileges.

The process of reviewing credentials and granting privileges is generally well known to a medical staff member elected as department chair or appointed to the credentials committee, but the underlying principles on which it is based may have been lost to all but the most reflective observer. A brief historical survey and a review of the precepts are presented to broaden understanding of this important process.

Credentialing↗
PubMed1997

The Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale.

We report on the development, reliability, and validity of the Altman Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM). The ASRM was completed during medication washout and after treatment by 22 schizophrenic, 13 schizoaffective, 36 depressed, and 34 manic patients. The Clinician-Administered Rating Scale for Mania (CARS-M) and Mania Rating Scale (MRS) were completed at the same time to measure concurrent validity. Test-retest reliability was assessed separately on 20 depressed and 10 manic patients who completed the ASRM twice during washout. Principal components analysis of ASRM items revealed three factors: mania, psychotic symptoms, and irritability. Baseline mania subscale scores were significantly higher for manic patients compared to all other diagnostic groups. Manic patients had significantly decreased posttreatment scores for all three subscales. ASRM mania subscale scores were significantly correlated with MRS total scores (r = .718) and CARS-M mania subscale scores (r = .766). Test-retest reliability for the ASRM was significant for all three subscales. Significant differences in severity levels were found for some symptoms between patient ratings on the ASRM and clinician ratings on the CARS-M. Mania subscale scores of greater than 5 on the ASRM resulted in values of 85.5% for sensitivity and 87.3% for specificity. Advantages of the ASRM over other self-rating mania scales are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Antibody testing and condom use among heterosexual African Americans at risk for HIV infection: the National AIDS Behavioral Surveys.

OBJECTIVES: This study describes predictions of condom use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody testing in a population-based sample of African-American heterosexuals who reported HIV risk behavior. METHODS: Data were taken from the National AIDS Behavioral Surveys. RESULTS: Of the African-American respondents, 22% reported some risk for HIV infection; of those, 24% had been tested for HIV. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention messages encouraging HIV testing and condom use have not resulted in high rates of self-protective behavior among African Americans. Future prevention interventions must focus on specific motivations and barriers with regard to engaging in preventive behavior among specific age, gender, and educational-level groups within the population of African Americans at risk for HIV infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Factors affecting treatment decisions and satisfaction of owners of cats with cancer.

Cancer in cats is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. Euthanasia or an active intervention such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery are treatment choices for the owner at diagnosis of the cat's disease. In this study, 2 interviews with cat owners, one soon after diagnosis of cancer in the cat and one 6 months later, were used to identify owner characteristics associated with a decision of euthanasia or intervention, to identify factors associated with an owner's satisfaction with euthanasia or intervention, and to evaluate inappropriate expectations of the owners who selected an intervention. The study included 89 owners from 3 referral hospitals. In logistic regression analysis, significant factors were not found that affected the owner's decision to euthanatize the cat versus intervene. Satisfaction with the decision to euthanatize the cat was associated with the ability of the cat to groom itself, eat, and play at the first interview. Among owners who selected an intervention, 4 combinations of factors were associated with being satisfied. The first combination was clinic of origin (CLIN), having a live cat at the 6-month follow-up interview (LIVE), and understanding the number of return visits required for the intervention. The second was CLIN, LIVE, and type and frequency of adverse effects from the intervention at the 6-month interview. The third was CLIN, LIVE, and feeling guilty at the 6-month interview. The fourth was CLIN, LIVE, and whether the cat had a good or excellent quality of life at the first interview. Thirty percent (21/69) of the owners tended to overestimate their cats' life expectancy. Owners also felt they had reasonably accurate estimations of adverse effects of treatment and number of return visits, but underestimated the costs required for an intervention. For owners who elect an intervention, a reminder from the veterinarian that emotional upheavals may develop even after the decision has been made is important. To provide optimal patient care and client education, veterinarians must find a middle ground between being knowledgeable, practical, and informed, and being compassionate and approachable.

Animals↗