Biomedical subjects

John O'Connor

Publications and source records attributed to John O'Connor.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Impaired control over gambling in gaming machine and off-course gamblers.

AIM: To investigate and compare subjectively reported impaired control in two forms of gambling: off-course Totalizator Agency Board (TAB) horse/dog racing and electronic gaming machines (EGMs). Additionally, gender differences in EGM play were investigated. DESIGN: A survey sample of 84 male TAB gamblers and 137 EGM players (73 females and 64 males) was recruited at gambling sites. SETTING: Hotels and clubs in Adelaide, South Australia, were used as recruiting venues. Interviews were either conducted on site if there was sufficient privacy, or relocated to nearby cafes. PARTICIPANTS: The inclusion criteria were gambling at least weekly and being over the age of 18. Female off-course gamblers were not approached given their scarcity. MEASUREMENTS: A general gambling involvement questionnaire was devised from pilot research. Impaired control was measured using a shortened version of The Scale of Gambling Choices. FINDINGS: Impaired control over gambling has a robust factor structure, with little difference between EGM and TAB gamblers. Concurrent validity for the impaired control measure was demonstrated against measures of gambling involvement. CONCLUSION: Impaired control appears to be, in the main, a generic process across these two forms of gambling and for both sexes. Further refinement and application of the concept of impaired control to excessive gambling seems warranted given its strong face, construct and concurrent validity.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Relationship of phospholipid transfer protein activity to HDL and apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins in subjects with and without type 1 diabetes.

Patients with type 1 diabetes have greatly increased phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity and have an altered HDL subclass distribution. In 195 patients with type 1 diabetes and in 194 men and women aged 30-55 years, we examined the relationship of PLTP activity to HDL and examined whether PLTP activity contributes to differences in HDL found in type 1 diabetes. PLTP activity was measured using an exogenous substrate assay. Average HDL particle size and HDL subclasses were measured using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Apolipoprotein AI (apoAI) and apoAII were measured by immunoturbidimetry. The amount of apoAI present in LpAI was measured using a differential electroimmunoassay, and the amount of apoAI in LpAIAII was inferred from the apoAI and LpAI data. Higher PLTP activity was associated with more large HDL (P < 0.001) and less small HDL (P < 0.01), more apoAI and apoAII (both at P < 0.001), and more apoAI in both LpAI and LpAIAII (P = 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively). These associations were independent of other lipids and enzyme activities. Adjusting for PLTP activity halved the difference between subjects with and without diabetes in apoA1 (from 10.1 mg/dl higher in subjects with diabetes to 4.6 mg/dl higher) and large HDL (2.4 micro mol/l higher to 1.2 micro mol/l higher) and reduced the difference in HDL size (from 0.31 nm higher to 0.26 nm higher). PLTP activity was also positively associated with apoB, total VLDL and LDL particle number, and IDL level in subjects with diabetes. These data support the idea that PLTP is a major factor in HDL conversion and remodeling in humans and that higher PLTP activity makes an important contribution to the higher apoAI levels and altered HDL subclass distribution in type 1 diabetes. They also support a role for PLTP in the metabolism of apoB-containing lipoproteins.

Adult↗

PubMed2002