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Biomedical subjects

A Goldstein

Publications and source records attributed to A Goldstein.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1976

Cognitive functioning under moderate and low dosage methadone maintenance.

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) was administered to two groups of patients in the Santa Clara County Methadone Maintenance Program who were receiving low and moderate daily stabilized dosages of methadone hydrochloride. In the two separate statistical analyses performed, there were no significant differences found between subtest scores or verbal, performance, and full-scale scores of the groups measured. These results, combined with observations regarding the similarities of WAIS profiles of the two groups, indicate that cognitive functioning as measured by the WAIS was not differentially affected by the two dosages.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1976

Effect of synaptic transmission blockade on morphine action in the guinea-pig myenteric plexus.

Morphine, which inhibits release of acetylcholine from neurons in the myenteric plexus, also inhibits the spontaneous electrical activity of some myenteric neurons. To determine whether morphine acts at a site presynaptic to these neurons, we investigated this morphine effect under conditions of synaptic transmission blockade. Synaptically driven action potentials evoked by point stimulation were recorded extracellularly, and it was shown that all synaptic responses were eliminated or greatly reduced in Ca-free, high-Mg Ringer's with ethylenebis [(oxyethylenenitrilo)]-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), suggesting that synaptic transmission was blocked. Under these conditions, the ability of morphine to inhibit spontaneous electrical activity was virtually unimpaired. Assuming a single locus of narcotic action in the myenteric plexus, it is unlikely, therefore, that the primary action of opiates is to stimulate release of an inhibitory transmitter, to prevent release of an excitatory transmitter or to block the postsynaptic receptor for an excitatory transmitter. Rather, opiates may raise the membrane threshold of a class of neurons. Electric field stimulation activates myenteric neurons, resulting in a morphine-sensitive release of acetylcholine and a contraction of the longitudinal muscle. The ability of field stimulation to induce contractions and of morphine to inhibit these contractions, was virtually unchanged when the only two known excitatory inputs to the cholinergic motor neuron were eliminated by receptor blockade. These observations, taken together, suggest that opiates act directly on the cholinergic motor neuron of the myenteric plexus.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

In vitro effect of thymosin on T-lymphocyte rosette formation in rheumatic diseases.

The in vitro effect of calf thymosin fraction 5 on T-rosette forming cells (E-RFC) was studied in Sjögren's syndrome (SS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The baseline percent E-RFC in sixteen normal controls was67-2 +/- 6-9. E-RFC was significantly decreased in SLE (42-6 +/- 17-0, P less than 0-0001) and SS (51-8 +/- 16-9, P less than 0-002) but not in RA (59-7 +/- 14-1). Ten of twenty-five SS patients and two of eleven RA patients had less than 50% E-RFC, and all showed a significant increase after incubation with thymosin (+ 16-5 +/- 6-5%, P less than 0-0001, and + 11 +/- 4-9%, P less than 0-001, respectively). Eleven of sixteen SLE patients had less than 50% E-RFC. Their response to thymosin was less dramatic but still statistically significant (+ 5-3 +/- 6-0%, P = 0-03). There was no response to thymosin in control subjects or in patients with baseline E-RFC greater than 50%. No increase in E-RFC was seen after incubation with calf spleen fraction 5 or known stimulators of cyclic-AMP. Sera from four active SLE patients, as well as the supernatant obtained from overnight culture of the lymphocytes from one SLE patients, were able to block T-rosette formation by normal lymphocytes, even after exposure to thymosin. Two 'blocking' sera were fractionated by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifucation. In one, the blocking capacity was found to reside in the 19S region containing IgM. In the second, the blocking capacity was in the 7S region containing IgG. Four 'blocking' lupus sera were depleted of IgG or IgM by immunoabsorption with goat anti-human IgG or goat anti-human IgM sepharose 4B. The blocking ability in three sera was partially decreased by depletion of either IgG or IgM, and in a fourth, only by removing IgG. The percent of lymphocytes staining with fluorescein labelled goat anti-human immunoglobulin antisera was increased in SLE patients (35-9 +/- 20-2 vs 21-7 +/- 5-9 in controls, P = 0-02). After overnight culture, the percent of staining cells decreased to normal values. These results suggest that thymosin can stimulate the differentiation of T-lymphocytes in patients with SS, SLE, and RA when the baseline E-RFC is decreased. Furthermore, the decreased percent E-RFC in SLE is probably due to cell-bound anti-lymphocyte antibodies that block sheep erythrocyte receptors on the T-cell and, possibly, thymosin receptors on undifferentiated lymphocytes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

Control of methadone dosage by patients.

Patients in a methadone clinic were given knowledge and control of their own dosages. Dosages could be changed by 5 mg/week, but if more than 50 mg was used, no take-home privileges were allowed. The maximum dosage permitted was 120 mg. Plasma methadone levels were determined for some patients. The result of the study was that there was little dosage change, with the median dosage increasing from 40 to 50 mg at the end of six months. A small group of patients did raise their dosages systematically, and these patients tended to decrease illicit opiate use. There was no indication that these patients had abnormally low plasma methadone levels. At the end of six months, patients and staff overwhelmingly preferred an open-dose self-adjustment system over the usual procedure of dosage management by professional staff and dosage changes achieved by negotiation.

Community Participation↗
PubMed1975

Plasma levels and symptom complaints in patients maintained on daily dosage of methadone hydrochloride.

Plasma methadone levels, symptom complaints, and urine tests for illicit opiate use were followed weekly in 17 patients on a methadone maintenance program. There were very large differences between patients in the plasma level established at a given dosage, implying large differences in the rate of methadone metabolism. Despite virtually constant daily dosage, the plasma methadone levels fluctuated greatly from week to week and from day to day in individual patients. With rate exceptions there was no relationship between plasma methadone level and symptom complaints or between weekly chamges in plasma methadone level and changes in symptom complaints. Except possible to identify the ocassional patient with unusually low plasam methadone levels, the determination of methadone levels is not likely to be or practical value in methadone programs.

Blood Proteins↗