The applicability and utility of the MMPI-based offender classification system in a correctional mental health unit

This study investigated the applicability and utility of Megargee and Bohn's MMPI-based offender classification system in correctional mental health units (MHUs). Previous studies found that 11 MHU samples (n = 1723) had substantially more offenders classified in the more pathological MMPI types than did 21 samples (n = 5881) drawn from general male populations in US prisons. In this study of 63 severely disturbed felons, 43% belonged to the most pathological type (‘group How’). Comparing MHU patients with general offenders from the same IvfIvIPI types on staff ratings and case history variables, we found that the MHU patients were significantly poorer in adjustment. Within the MHU sample, there was no difference in case history variables or adjustment ratings between those in the most and least severe MMPI types. These findings differed from those of studies using less severely disturbed, more heterogeneous, MHU populations. It was concluded that, in settings in which the entire population is flagrantly disturbed, the MMPI-based system is more useful in screening potential admissions than it is in making meaningful distinctions among those already admitted.     

ALFENTANIL PLASMA CONCENTRATION v. EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS IN CARDIAC SURGICAL PATIENTS

Effects of alfentanil, preceded by lorazepam, on suppressionof haemodynamic and somatic responses to noxious stimuli wasstudied in patients undergoing CABG. Plasma concentration ofalfentanil, somatic and haemodynamic responses were measuredat loss of consciousness, tracheal intubation, sternotomy andduring multiple applications of electrocoagulation. Additionalalfentanil was administered i.v. to control unwanted responses.Study 1 (six patients): lorazepam 0.08 mg kg^–1 by mouth1–2 h before operation, alfentanil priming infusion (60µg kg^–1 min^–1 for 10 min) followed by maintenanceinfusion (4.5 µg kg^–1 min^–1). With mean plasmaalfentanil 1178 (SEM 54) ng ml^–1, two patients requiredsupplementary alfentanil to suppress somatic motor responses;one patient required nitroglycerin to control an increase inarterial pressure which was unresponsive to additional alfentanilfollowing sternotomy. Study 2 (13 patients): lorazepam 0.04mg kg^–1 by mouth as premedication; one of three maintenanceinfusion rates of alfentanil: 5.4 (n=4), 6.6 (n=5), or 7.8 (n=4)µg kg^–1 min^–1, each preceded by a proportionalpriming infusion. With plasma alfentanil 2181 (62)ng ml^–1,somatic motor responses requiring additional alfentanil occurredin nine patients; haemodynamic responses in four of seven patientstested could not be controlled by alfentanil. The highest plasmaconcentration of alfentanil to prevent response to a stimulusother than tracheal intubation was different between the twostudies (P<0.05). We conclude that alfentanil alone is insufficientto suppress haemodynamic and somatic motor responses to noxiousstimulation during CABG and that the role of premedication issignificant. *Department of Anesthesia, Bowman-Gray School of Medicine Winston-Salem,NC 27103, U.S.A. 2114 de Mayo Road, Del Mar, Ca. 92014, U.S.A.     

An Immunotoxicological Evaluation of 4, 4'-Thiobis-(6-t-butyl-m-cresol) in Female B6C3F1 Mice: 1. Body and Organ Weights, Hematology, Serum Chemistries, Bone Marrow Cellularity, and Hepatic Microsomal Parameters

An Immunotoxicological Evaluation of 4,4'-Thiobis-(6-t-butyl-m77-cresol)in Female B6C3F1 Mice. 1. Body and Organ Weights, Hematology,Serum Chemistries, Bone Marrow Cellularity, and Hepatic MicrosomalParameters. MUNSON, A. E., WHITE, K. L., JR., BARNES, D. W.,MUS-GROVE, D. L., LYSY, H. H., AND HOLSAPPLE, M. P. (1988).Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 10, 691–700. Adult female B6C3F1mice were gavaged with 4,4'-thiobis-(6-t-butyl-m-cresol) (TBBC)in corn oil at doses of 10, 100, or 200 mg/kg daily for 14 consecutivedays. There was no overt toxicity, as manifested by grosslyobservable behavioral changes, decreased growth rate over theexposure period, or mortality. There were also no marked effectson serum chemistries or hematology, with the exception of asignificant increase (41%) in the number of leukocytes at thehighest dose. Absolute differential counts indicated that significantincreases occurred in the number of lymphocytes (31%) and neutrophils(177%). Studies with bone marrow indicated a significant 30%increase in the number of cells/femur from animals treated withthe highest dose of TBBC. The number of macrophage progenitors(CFU-M)/femur was significantly increased by 28%, while thenumber of granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (CFU-GM)/femur wasnonsig-nificantly increased by 20% in the high dose animals.The weight of both the spleen and liver was increased in a dose-relatedfashion, although the histopathology of the spleen of TBBC-treatedmice was not different from control. The livers of mice receivingthe high dose showed mild focal hydropic degeneration, mildhepatitis, and a slight increase in the number of Kupffer cells.No other organs were affected. Liver microsomal protein andcytochrome P-450 levels were increased in a dose-related fashion.Enzyme activities of aminopyrine demethylase and aniline hydroxylase,but not arylhydrocarbon hydroxylase, were also increased ina dose-related fashion.     

The individual with high quadriplegia

Persons with quadriplegia resulting from disease or trauma have an array of disabling impairments that involve virtually every body system. During the rehabilitation process, each impairment is addressed. This article presents alternatives in three areas: respiration, communication, and environmental control. The importance of tailoring strategies to the individual is emphasized throughout. Appropriate rehabilitation of the person with high quadriplegia goes beyond maintenance of life and health. An interdisciplinary team that includes the patient unites dreams, knowledge, skills, and technology so that the patient has the possibility of noninstitutional living, major control over his or her own destiny, some autonomy, and participation in a full spectrum of life activities. As Maddox noted: "Life is a fragile, fleeting thing, under any circumstances, and living it can be comic or tragic, weird or wonderful--regardless of one's motor limitations."     

Immunotoxicity of the Semiconductor Gallium Arsenide in Female B6C3F1 Mice

The effects of gallium arsenide (GaAs) exposure on immunocompetenceof B6C3F1 female mice were investigated. GaAs was administeredas a single intratracheal instillation at doses of 50, 100,and 200 mg/kg. Fourteen days after exposure, various cellularand humoral immune parameters were assessed. GaAs exposure increasedspleen cellularity in a dose-dependent manner. However, thepercentages of Thy 1.2 positive and 1g positive cells were decreasedand that of F4/80 positive cells was increased dose dependency.The IgM and IgG antibody-forming cell response of the spleento the T-dependent antigen sheep erythrocytes was reduced by66 and 48%, respectively, at 200 mg/kg. Levels of the serumcomplement protein, C3, were increased by as much as 16% withno significant change in CH50 levels. The mitogenic responseof splenic T cells to Con A and PHA was unaffected by GaAs,but that of B cells to LPS was increased by 52%. The delayedhypersensitivity response to keyhole limpet hemocyanin and mixedlymphocyte response were significantly reduced in a dose-dependentmanner by GaAs exposure. Natural killer cell activity againstthe YAC-1 mouse lymphoma was enhanced in treated mice. Analysisof peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) revealed a dose-dependentdecrease in number and a shift in the composition of PECs. Thepercentage of PEC monocytes increased from 53% of the populationto 81%, while the lymphocytes decreased from 46 to 20%. Theadherent PEC population demonstrated decreased phagocytosisof covaspheres and increased phagocytosis of chicken erythrocytes(CRBC). GaAs exposure had no effect on host resistance to Plasmodiumyoelii or Streptococcus pneumoniae, but dose dependency increasedresistance of the mouse to Listeria monocytogenes Treated micedemonstrated a significantly decreased resistance to the B16F10melanoma with a sevenfold increase in tumor burden at 200 mg/kg.GaAs affects both humoral and cellular immune parameters inmice and impairs the ability of the immune system to protectagainst B16F10 tumor challenge.     

Progress in Rhesus Histocompatibility Typing Resulting from the Second International Nonhuman Primate Histocompatibility Workshop (1973)

The Second International Nonhuman Primate Histocompatibility Workshop permitted comparison of rhesus monkey alloantisera developd in various laboratories on a single common panel of related and unrelated monkeys. Analysis of the data permits the conclusion that at least nine specificities are recognized by more than one laboratory, including six at the first locus and three at the second locus.     

Linkage of the MHC to familial multiple sclerosis suggests genetic heterogeneity. The Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Group

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. While its etiology is not well understood, genetic factors are clearly involved. Until recently, most genetic studies in MS have been association studies using the case-control design testing specific candidate genes and studying only sporadic cases. The only consistently replicated finding has been an association with the HLA-DR2 allele within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) on chromosome 6. Using the genetic linkage design, however, evidence for and against linkage of the MHC to MS has been found, fostering suggestions that sporadic and familial MS have different etiologies. Most recently, two of four genomic screens demonstrated linkage to the MHC, although specific allelic associations were not tested. Here, a dataset of 98 multiplex families was studied to test for an association to the HLA-DR2 allele in familial MS and to determine if genetic linkage to the MHC was due solely to such an association. Three highly polymorphic markers (HLA-DR, D6S273 and TNFbeta) in the MHC demonstrated strong genetic linkage (parametric lod scores of 4.60, 2.20 and 1.24, respectively) and a specific association with the HLA-DR2 allele was confirmed (TDT; P < 0.001). Stratifying the results by HLA-DR2 status showed that the linkage results were limited to families segregating HLA-DR2 alleles. These results demonstrate that genetic linkage to the MHC can be explained by the HLA-DR2 allelic association. They also indicate that sporadic and familial MS share a common genetic susceptibility. In addition, preliminary calculations suggest that the MHC explains between 17 and 62% of the genetic etiology of MS. This heterogeneity is also supported by the minority of families showing no linkage or association with loci within the MHC.      

Rapid presumptive bacteriological diagnosis of Legionnaires disease.

A simple, relatively rapid silver impregnation stain has been found to stain Legionella pneumophila effectively in paraffin-embedded tissue sections while permitting visualization of histological detail. It may also be used to stain the organism in body fluids. The stain is not specific and thus must be confirmed by direct fluorescent-antibody technique or culture, but, in the absence of other bacilli demonstrable by Gram or other stain, visualization of typical bacillary forms in a patient with illness compatible with Legionnaires disease provides strong presumptive evidence supporting this diagnosis.