PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Gill

Publications and source records attributed to K Gill.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Antisocial personality disorder, HIV risk behavior and retention in methadone maintenance therapy.

In a sample of 55 consecutive methadone maintenance admissions to our clinic, 42% were diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) using the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule NIMH DIS. Individuals with ASPD exhibited greater risk for HIV infection as defined by more sexual contacts, needle use and equipment sharing. Data at 1 year follow-up were obtained on this group of patients. The objective was to compare the ASPD and non-ASPD groups with regards to demographics, drug abuse history, outcome and retention in treatment. There were no significant differences between the groups on any demographic or treatment outcome variables. Survival analysis indicated that there were no group differences in treatment retention. In conclusion, although there were no differences in treatment outcome between ASPD and non-ASPD groups it is possible that ASPD patients who drop out of treatment will be at higher risk for contracting and spreading HIV within the IV drug using population. These data also suggest that in this population the diagnosis of ASPD using primarily behavioral traits as measured in the NIMH-DIS-III, has little utility in predicting treatment outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Functional results after anterior lumbar fusion at L5-S1 in patients with normal and abnormal MRI scans.

The debate continues as to which patient responds best to surgical versus nonsurgical intervention for painful degenerative disc syndrome. Discography is often used as the basis for that decision. In a review of 53 cases followed for an average of 20 months after surgery, only 50% of patients with type I (contained) discography and normal magnetic resonance imaging findings were found to be improved. In those patients with types II and III (noncontained) discography and abnormal magnetic resonance imaging scans, a 75% success rate was seen. There was an overall 80% fusion rate for all patients who underwent anterior lumbar fusion at L5-S1. Average age was 34 years, with average length of disability from low-back pain of 11 months. All patients were placed in a similar presurgery and postsurgery rehabilitation protocol and had failed nonsurgical treatment options. In this matched group of patients, those with abnormal magnetic resonance imaging scans and abnormal discography, clearly fared better, with a 75% percent success rate versus 50% success rate in those with normal magnetic resonance imaging findings. This series raises the question as to whether those patients with normal magnetic resonance imaging findings are surgical candidates.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Enzymatic production of acetaldehyde from ethanol in rat brain tissue.

The capacity for the brain to produce acetaldehyde (AcHO) from ethanol was determined in rat brain homogenates. Rat brains were perfused with saline-heparin solution and homogenized in a phosphate buffer. Varying amounts of tissue were incubated with ethanol (0-100 mM) for periods of up to 60 min. The reaction was stopped by the addition of desferrioxamine and ice-cold perchloric acid. Supernatants were treated with dinitrophenylhydrazine reagent, extracted with isooctane in the presence of an internal standard, and the derivatives were separated by HPLC. The addition of 4-methyl pyrazole (an alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor) or metyrapone (a cytochrome P450 inhibitor) had no effect on the amount of recovered AcHO. On the other hand, treatment with the catalase inhibitors sodium azide, cyanamide, or 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole blocked the production of AcHO while the addition of exogenous peroxide or a peroxide-generating system enhanced the production of AcHO. Overall, these results suggest that AcHO may be produced in the brain during alcohol intoxication, through the action of the enzyme catalase.

Acetaldehyde↗
PubMed1992

Quality of self-care of patients with asthma.

In order to assess the quality of self-care of asthmatic patients in family practice, 150 patients were asked what they did when they felt an attack of asthma coming on. Twenty-four percent said they took no medication. Of the remaining 114 patients, only 49 took appropriate medication. Of these, however, most were not able to demonstrate correct use of their inhaler. This poor quality of self-care may contribute to the undertreatment of asthma in family practice. To improve the quality of care of asthmatic patients, comprehensive treatment is recommended, with the emphasis on improving self-care skills.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Differential effects of an early housing manipulation on cocaine-induced activity and self-administration in laboratory rats.

Several reports in the literature suggested that environmental influences which are reflected in the social housing conditions of the rat may play a role in the expression of individual differences in drug self-administration. The present experiments were performed in order to further examine the effects of early housing manipulations, as reflected by grouped or isolation housing, on cocaine-induced behavioral responding. The first study examined the effects of this manipulation on the locomotor stimulant properties of cocaine. The results suggested that grouped housing produced a significantly greater increase in cocaine-induced locomotion than was observed in animals housed in isolation. Experiment 2 examined the effects of housing manipulations on the self-administration of cocaine under a continuous reinforcement schedule. Differences in the rate of cocaine self-administration were only observed at the lowest dose tested. Responding at all other doses was equivalent, including the optimal dose for both groups, suggesting that the housing manipulations failed to affect the reinforcing efficacy of cocaine. The present investigation suggests that, while the early housing manipulation produced a differential sensitivity in rats to the stimulant properties of cocaine, the same manipulation failed to alter the sensitivity of rats to the reinforcing properties of cocaine as assessed through self-administration.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1991

Effect of ethanol on cadmium uptake and metabolism of zinc and copper in rats exposed to cadmium.

Effects of chronic administration of cadmium and ethanol, alone as well as in combination, on the uptake of cadmium and its interaction with other essential trace elements in various tissues of adult rats were investigated. Cadmium given in combination with ethanol led to a pronounced increase in cadmium absorption and accumulation in all the tissues studied relative to both non-exposed controls and rats treated with cadmium alone. Both cadmium and ethanol exhibited specific effects on copper and zinc levels of the tissues. These effects often were significantly altered when the animals were co-exposed to cadmium and ethanol. The results suggested that although both cadmium and ethanol individually pose a hazard to essential trace metal homeostasis of various organs, co-exposure can pose a major threat since animals exposed to ethanol absorb much more cadmium than their unexposed counterparts.

Absorption↗
PubMed1991

Clinical experience with automated percutaneous discectomy: the Nucleotome system.

The Nucleotome system was used to treat contained herniated nucleus pulposus of the lumbar spine over a 2-year period. The results were categorized as successful or unsuccessful according to patient perception and anticipated result. The overall success rate was 79%; 93% in private pay and 65% in workers' compensation. The causes of failure were three free fragments not identified in the preoperative scanning technique and 10 cases with significant back pain failing to respond to percutaneous techniques. Overall, percutaneous lumbar discectomy is believed to be an acceptable treatment technique for those patients with contained herniated nucleus pulposus.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Serotonin uptake inhibitors: effects on motivated consummatory behaviors.

Within the context of the role of serotonin (5-HT) in motivated behavior, the authors examine the effects of 5-HT uptake inhibitors on the regulation of motivated consummatory behavior. Emphasis in this field has for the most part focused on the consistent observation that treatment with these agents attenuates voluntary ethanol drinking behavior in both rats and humans. There has been extensive speculation that the underlying mechanism of the decrease in ethanol intake induced by 5-HT uptake inhibition may involve a modulation of ethanol's reinforcing properties. However, increasing evidence indicates that food consumption and fluid intake are also attenuated by these compounds. In addition, it has been shown that morphine, amphetamine, cocaine, and nicotine self-administration, as well as intracranial self-stimulation, are all decreased following 5-HT uptake inhibition. These observations support strongly the notion that the effects of these agents are global in nature and not specific to any single consummatory behavior. They also suggest that 5-HT uptake inhibition may result in nonspecific modification of motivated behavior in general.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1991

1991 Volvo Award in clinical sciences. Smoking and lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration: an MRI study of identical twins.

The primary objective of this study was to determine whether disc degeneration, as assessed through magnetic resonance imaging, is greater in smokers than in nonsmokers. To control for the maximum number of potentially confounding variables, pairs of identical twins highly discordant for cigarette smoking were selected as study subjects. Data analyses revealed 18% greater mean disc degeneration scores in the lumbar spines of smokers as compared with nonsmokers. The effect was present across the entire lumbar spine, implicating a mechanism acting systemically. This investigation demonstrates the efficiency of using carefully selected controls in studying conditions of multifactorial etiology, such as disc degeneration.

Awards and Prizes↗
PubMed1990

[Evaluation of clinical-pathological conferences using a program for computer-assisted diagnosis; analysis of 100 case reports].

Case studies as weekly published in the New England Journal of Medicine are analysed using the computer programme Medwise. The programme covers more than 3,500 disease profiles. After entering clinical data on all patients described in 1986 and 1987, the diagnostic outcome was compared with the results of the clinicians and with the eventual patho-anatomical findings. Medwise gave the correct diagnosis in 93% of the 104 cases considered. In 15 cases the clinicians failed to formulate the patho-anatomical diagnosis; Medwise correctly detected nine of these (60%). Medwise missed the diagnosis in seven cases, but the clinicians' answers were also faulty in six of them. These results indicate the usefulness of computer-assisted interpretation of clinical findings for establishing the diagnosis, provided that the course and laboratory data concerning the patient are accurately documented.

Autopsy↗
PubMed1989

Serotonin uptake blockers and voluntary alcohol consumption. A review of recent studies.

Previous research demonstrated that serotonin uptake blockers (e.g., zimeldine, sertraline, fluoxetine) reduce voluntary ethanol consumption in rats and humans. However, the mechanism of action of these compounds is not well understood. It has been suggested, for example, that serotonin uptake blockade interferes with the processes that mediate the reinforcement derived from ethanol ingestion. On the other hand, there is considerable experimental evidence that suggests that the effects on alcohol intake may be an expression of a more general inhibitory role that serotonin plays in consummatory behavior. This chapter presents evidence that suggests that serotonin uptake blockers may affect ethanol intake, in part via a reduction of food intake. Current issues concerning the central versus peripheral mediation of these effects, receptor specificity, as well as alternate mechanisms of action are considered.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1989

A microcomputer controlled data acquisition system for research on feeding and drinking behavior in rats.

This paper describes an inexpensive, reliable computer controlled data collection system designed for the continuous monitoring of feeding and drinking behavior in rats. This system will be useful in areas of behavioral pharmacology research requiring a detailed analysis of food and fluid intake. The configuration described herein was developed for research on the "microstructure" of alcohol drinking behavior. Variables examined include: alcohol bout size, frequency and duration, interbout intervals as well as the temporal pattern of intake and its relationship to food and water consumption. Detailed analysis of behavior using this technique will enhance our ability to interpret the nature of changes in alcohol oriented behavior produced by pharmacological manipulations, aid in the development of specific hypotheses related to the regulation of alcohol drinking behavior and provide a means of testing these hypotheses.

Animals↗