Biomedical subjects

Alan R King

Publications and source records attributed to Alan R King.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Trait modulation of alcohol-induced laboratory aggression.

Modest alcohol and aggressive trait effects on laboratory-induced aggression among men have been reported with some consistency in the literature. Relationships between aggressive personality traits and laboratory-induced aggression appear to become less consistent under the influence of alcohol. Several research teams have found suggestions that the effects of alcohol on laboratory aggression may be reduced or even reversed among individuals with aggressive personality traits. This study examined the effects of alcohol on the aggressive responding on the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) of eight undergraduate men who generated evidence on the Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II (MCMI-II) of sadistic-aggressive personality disorder features. This sample was compared with a group of 18 undergraduate male peers without MCMI-II elevations described in a previous study. Neither alcohol ingestion (0.8 ml/kg) nor aggressive personality traits predicted laboratory behavior in isolation, but alcohol was found to selectively attenuate (d = 0.75) PSAP responding for the sadistic-aggressive as opposed to the control subjects (i.e., a significant aggressive trait by alcohol interaction). The possible value of this counterintuitive response tendency in identifying men at elevated risk for alcohol-related aggression was discussed. Large, immediate reductions in laboratory-based aggressive responding while under the influence of alcohol might provide a paradoxical high risk indicator that has not been previously identified.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Peritoneal metastases from an atypical fibroxanthoma.

Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) is a mesenchymal neoplasm usually occurring in sun-exposed skin of elderly patients. The majority have an excellent prognosis, as recurrences are uncommon and metastases are rare. We present a case of an 81-year-old man who developed widespread peritoneal metastases from an AFX on his scalp, which was completely excised 3 years earlier. Histology of the scalp lesion showed a markedly pleomorphic neoplasm characteristic of AFX. Features associated with increased risk of metastasis, namely lymphovascular space invasion, deep invasion, and substantial necrosis, were not present. An extensive immunohistochemical panel was performed. The tumor cells were negative for melanocytic, epithelial, and smooth muscle immunohistochemical stains, and positive for vimentin, CD10, CD99, and focally for CD68. Histologically, the peritoneal tumor was virtually identical to the original scalp lesion and had an identical immunohistochemical profile. Electron microscopy of the peritoneal tumor revealed pleomorphic undifferentiated cells with abundant lipid vacuoles. This is the first reported case of AFX with peritoneal metastases. Although AFXs generally have an excellent outcome, pathologists must remain cognizant of the small but real potential for metastasis and this needs to be conveyed in all reports.

Aged, 80 and over↗

PubMed2005

Alcohol elimination at low blood concentrations among women taking combined oral contraceptives.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence implicating a role of natural and synthetic estrogens and/or progestin on ethanol pharmacokinetics can be traced back to the mid-1970s when reports of large metabolic differences were found suggesting that sex hormones interfered with the efficient clearance of alcohol at the liver microsomal level. Research teams in this area manipulate sex hormone levels by either examining natural-cycling women at different phases of their menstrual cycle or others taking oral contraceptives that synthetically regulate the hormonal fluctuations. These collective studies (over a dozen to date involving over 200 participants) have all been similar in focus and outcome. With one important exception, the published laboratory research since 1976 has failed to replicate the earliest research suggesting sex hormone effects. One well-controlled study in 1987 did generate renewed interest in the area with the paradoxical finding that progesterone actually enhanced alcohol elimination at low blood concentrations (<.025%). The present study represented the most direct attempt to replicate this particular finding using 5-minute breath alcohol readings that extended below blood alcohol concentrations of .025%. METHOD: A total of 17 women taking combined oral contraceptives were tested during both menstruation and the luteal phase (Days 16-22) of their cycle in counterbalanced sequence. RESULTS: Pharmacokinetics differences were not found. CONCLUSION: These results contribute further to a literature base demonstrating the limited effects of both natural and synthetic sex hormones on alcohol metabolism in women.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

General versus gender-specific attributes of the psychology major.

In the present study, the authors extended the search for general and gender-specific factors associated with the selection of psychology as a college major by using the Family Environment Scale (FES; R. H. Moos & B. S. Moos, 1994) and Coolidge Axis II Inventory (CATI; F. L. Coolidge & M. M. Merwin, 1992). The findings were restricted to one general (Schizoid) and one gender-specific (Self-Defeating) set of personality traits that seemed to be associated with the selection of a college major. The intuitive role of many presumed gender-specific factors (e.g., women are more open to discussing personal problems with others) may prove difficult to establish empirically.

Career Choice↗

PubMed2004

Gender differences in the effects of oppositional behavior on teacher ratings of ADHD symptoms.

H. Abikoff, M. Courtney, W. E. Pelham, and H. S. Koplewicz (1993) presented elementary school teachers with a videotape of a 4th-grade male child exhibiting behavior associated with either Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD). Comparisons with ratings generated from a control tape (same child exhibiting unremarkable behavior) suggested that oppositional tendencies inflated teacher ratings of ADHD for boys. The term "halo effect" has been used in the literature to refer to the impact of one class of behavior on the perception of another. This study replicated this procedure using identical scripts with both male and female child models. Oppositional behavior was associated with higher teacher ratings of hyperactivity and inattentiveness. Portrayals of behavior associated with ADHD generated higher teacher ratings of oppositional conduct. This bidirectional effect differed in magnitude as a function of child gender. The boy actor exhibiting oppositional behavior received teacher ratings of hyperactivity and inattention that were roughly half of those elicited by his portrayal of ADHD itself. The girl actor portraying ADHD generated oppositional defiant ratings that were roughly two thirds of those elicited from her performance as a child with ODD. These teacher rating tendencies could contribute to higher diagnostic rates of ADHD among boys and ODD among girls. Available epidemiologic data indicate a much higher rate of ADHD among boys and prevalence differentials for ODD (girls initially lower) that disappear by adolescence. Future research will be required to determine the extent to which these teacher response sets generalize to other evaluators such as parents, physicians and mental health professionals.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

PubMed2004

A failure to replicate alcohol-induced laboratory aggression among college men without evidence of personality disturbance.

The effect of acute alcohol intoxication on laboratory-induced aggression among men has been fairly well established. The present study hypothesized that alcohol effects on Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) responding would not be replicated among "low-risk' college men distinguished by their absence of personality disorder features. Participants were assigned to either Alcohol (n=18), Placebo (n=7), or Time (n=8) comparison groups with each completing 25-min. sessions during the baseline, ascent, peak (70 mg%), and descent (40 mg%) phases of absorption and elimination process. Participants assigned to the Alcohol condition received a .80 ml/kg dose of 95% ethanol mixed with soda in a 1:5 ethanol/soda ratio. As hypothesized, alcohol was associated with stable Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm responding across the course of absorption, peak, and elimination for all three groups. Aggression Paradigm responding was least variable among the men administered alcohol. The present procedure served to identify a subset of "low-risk" college men whose Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm responding was not adversely affected by alcohol. The extent to which aggressive personality dispositions contribute to alcohol-induced laboratory aggression remains to be identified. Low-risk college drinkers warrant systematic examination to specify what factors attenuate their reactions to alcohol and other situational provocations.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Bilateral femoral head osteonecrosis after septic shock and multiorgan failure.

UNLABELLED: A case of bilateral femoral head osteonecrosis after septic shock is presented. We suggest that the osteonecrosis was caused by ischemic insults to the proximal femora. The association between septic shock and osteonecrosis has not been previously reported. INTRODUCTION: Osteonecrosis is an uncommon disorder characterized by the in situ death of bone. A diverse range of conditions has been associated with osteonecrosis. We present a case of bilateral femoral head osteonecrosis that occurred after an episode of septic shock. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 66-year-old woman presented with a left-sided renal stone and a urinary tract infection. Her condition rapidly progressed to a life-threatening illness with septic shock complicated by multiorgan failure, which necessitated prolonged intensive care and inotropic support. She made a full recovery but 3 months later developed bilateral osteonecrosis of the femoral heads requiring bilateral total hip joint replacement. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the osteonecrosis was caused by ischemic insults to the femoral heads as a result of the widespread systemic ischemia that occurred during her initial illness. To our knowledge, septic shock has not been previously described as a cause of osteonecrosis. Clinicians should be aware of this association, particularly in patients presenting with bone pain after episodes of sepsis.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

PubMed2003

Excision margins for nonmelanotic skin cancer.

Scientific evidence for advisable excision margins for nonmelanotic skin carcinoma is poorly documented. Recommended excision margins vary from 2 to 15 mm. A prospective study was performed on 150 skin lesions excised over a 9-month period in an outpatient facility at the authors' institution. Primary nonmelanotic skin lesions were clinically diagnosed as either basal cell carcinoma (nodular, superficial, infiltrating, or sclerosing) or squamous cell carcinoma (well, moderately, or poorly differentiated). Macroscopic surgical excision margins were individually assessed, measured, and excised. Histopathologic analysis was then independently performed to determine the correct diagnosis and to measure the actual microscopic lateral and deep excision margins.Sixty-one percent of lesions were basal cell carcinoma, 25 percent were squamous cell carcinoma, and 15 percent were benign or premalignant. Diagnostic accuracy was 81 percent for basal cell and 59 percent for squamous cell carcinoma. The average diameter of the basal cell carcinoma was 12.1 mm; 47 percent of these lesions had a diameter of less than 10 mm. The average diameter of the squamous cell carcinoma was 16.9 mm; 26 percent of these lesions had a diameter of less than 10 mm. The mean surgical margin was 4.2 mm (3.2 mm adjusted for shrinkage), whereas the mean microscopic lateral margin was 3.4 mm. Overall, complete excision was achieved for 98 percent of basal cell carcinoma and 100 percent of squamous cell carcinoma. The raw data were analyzed to assess the suitability of 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-mm surgical excision margins. A 4-mm surgical margin would give a microscopic lateral margin beyond one microscopic high-power field (0.5 mm) in 96 percent of cases of basal cell carcinoma and in 97 percent of cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The authors recommend a 4-mm surgical margin as the optimal treatment for skin lesions clinically diagnosed as basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma that are suitable for excision in an outpatient facility. Well-demarcated lesions, such as a nodular basal cell carcinoma, may be excised with a 3-mm margin.

Adult↗