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Biomedical subjects

C E Lewis

Publications and source records attributed to C E Lewis.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Alcoholism in antisocial and nonantisocial men with unipolar major depression.

Men with primary and secondary unipolar major depression were divided into those with and without antisocial personality (ASP). The ASP depressives had a higher rate of alcoholism than the nonASP depressives, and among the nonASP depressives, those with drug abuse had a higher rate of alcoholism than those without drug abuse. The course of depression appeared to be related to the presence of nonaffective psychopathology. Depressed men with additional nonaffective disorders had fewer, but larger episodes than depressed men without, and depressed men with alcoholism had a higher risk of suicide. Our results confirm the close association of alcoholism and ASP and highlight the importance of recognizing nonaffective syndromes in the depressed patient.

Adult↗

Association of alcoholism with antisocial personality in urban men.

The association of alcoholism with antisocial personality is important from a research and a therapeutic standpoint. In a sample of urban black men, it was found that those with antisocial personality had a higher rate of alcoholism than those without. In addition, a family history of problem drinking, low educational level, and excessive irritability were also closely associated with alcoholism. The clinical, genetic, and neurophysiological implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

The role of microfilaments in the priming effect of LH-releasing hormone: an ultrastructural study using cytochalasin B.

We have investigated the possibility that microfilaments are involved in the priming effect of LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) by ultrastructural morphometry of hemipituitary glands from adult female mice. Glands incubated for 2 consecutive hours with 8.5 nmol LHRH/l responded with a marked increase in the amount of LH released into the medium during the second hour compared with the first hour of incubation. This priming effect of LHRH on LH secretion was accompanied by a significant margination of secretory granules and a drop in the total granule content of the gonadotrophs. Although the number of microfilaments remained the same, there was an increase in their length and a change in orientation so that the angle between the microfilaments and the plasmalemma was significantly reduced after both the first and second hour of exposure of LHRH. The addition of 14.3 mumol cytochalasin B/1 to the incubation medium significantly increased the amount of LH released in the first hour of incubation when compared with the amount of LH released by LHRH alone, but completely abolished the priming effect of LHRH. Cytochalasin B also prevented the LHRH-induced increase in the length and the change in orientation of the microfilaments. These results indicate that LHRH priming involves an increase in length of microfilaments and a change in their orientation relative to the plasmalemma.

Animals↗

Physicians' practices in counseling patients about health habits.

The authors developed and tested a model of two dimensions of physicians' behavior in counseling patients about four health habits (smoking, weight control, alcohol consumption, and regular exercise). The two dimensions are the indications for routine counseling and the aggressiveness of counseling style. To test these dimensions, a questionnaire was administered to a random sample of members of a Western County Medical Society in 1978. The response rate was 76%. Indications and Aggressiveness subscales were developed for each habit. Reliability and discriminant validity for all subscales was excellent. Descriptive results were consistent with expectations, e.g., physicians counseled more about smoking and weight control than about alcohol and exercise. The results support the dimensions and suggest that the questionnaire will be useful for future research on counseling behavior.

Alcohol Drinking↗

Physicians' attitudes in counseling patients about smoking.

Attitudes of physicians toward counseling patients about their smoking habits may influence whether and how counseling occurs. In this paper, the authors develop and test a conceptual model of these attitudes. The model includes four attitude dimensions: physicians' motivations to counsel, perceived health risk of smoking, perceived skills in counseling, and perceived costs and benefits to the physician of counseling. A self-report questionnaire including a 40-item measure of these attitudes was delivered to a random sample of male general practitioners, internists, surgeons, and obstetrician-gynecologists who were members of a western county medical society in 1978. The response rate was 76%. Based on factor analyses, 10 subscales and 3 global scales were formed by summing items. The item contents of scales are consistent with the authors' model, and reliability and item-discriminant validity are excellent. The authors' model may be useful in understanding the factors that affect the process and outcomes of physician counseling about smoking.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Feeling bad: exploring sources of distress among pre-adolescent children.

Previous studies of stress in childhood have used instruments containing items describing events/conditions thought by adults to be stressful for children. In interviews with 5th- and 6th-grade children, we asked them to describe circumstances that would make or had made them feel bad, nervous, or worried. After pretesting this children's list of items, we administered it to 2,480 5th graders. Subjects ranked how bad they would/did feel if each item happened and, also, how often each had occurred. Children also self-rated their mental health status. There were significant associations between children's ratings of mental health and "Feel Bad" scores. Girls rates most items significantly higher (more bad) than boys. While there were some sex and racial differences in ratings, the rank orders of items by different subgroups were highly correlated. Factor analysis revealed three dimensions, containing items related to: 1) anxieties surrounding conflict with parents; 2) self-image and peer-group relationship; and 3) geographic mobility. Only five or six of the 20 items represent discrete events (changing schools); the rest represent chronic role strains (being left out of a group, being pressured to get good grades). The consequences of these strains are yet to be determined.

Analysis of Variance↗

Peer pressure and risk-taking behaviors in children.

We asked 771 children in grades 5-8 about the dares or challenges they received from other children. A pilot study established categories for classification of the actions proposed ("What did they try to get you to do?"); the techniques utilized ("How did they try to get you to do that?"); and children's responses ("What did you say or do?"). Peer pressure was reported most frequently by 8th grade students. About 50 per cent of the dares encouraged problem behaviors that placed the children (or others) at risk for personal injury, or the potential development of habits hazardous to their health. With increasing age, more occurred in the school environment and fewer involved risk of personal injury. Among 7th and 8th graders, more boys were dared to perform acts of violence, and more girls were challenged to be sexually active.

Adolescent↗

Alcoholism, antisocial personality, narcotic addiction: an integrative approach.

Individuals with early onset antisocial behavior appear to be more susceptible to serious substance abuse than those without. Individuals with deviant behavior exhibit both neuropsychological and neurophysiological deficits. With respect to alcoholism these deficits appear to antedate pathological exposure and appear to be transmissible from one generation to another. Subcortical dysfunction has been hypothesized to contribute to the behavioral disorders; however, the exact nature of the dysfunction and the contributions of genetic and environmental factors need exploration. A simple model for the association between behavior and neurochemistry is presented.

Alcoholism↗

A randomized trial of A.C.T. (asthma care training) for kids.

A randomized control trial of a curriculum, A.C.T. (Asthma Care Training) for Kids, was conducted. Seventy-six children between the ages of 8 and 12 years, whose asthma required treatment with medications at least 25% of the days per month, were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The control group received 4 1/2 hours of lecture presentations on asthma and its management. The experimental groups (consisting of four to seven children and their parents) received five 1-hour sessions comprising "the treatment." Children and their parents were interviewed before the sessions and 3, 6, and 12 months after the completion of the experimental treatment. Use of emergency rooms and hospitals was determined by reviewing the records of these patients (all members of the Los Angeles Kaiser Permanente health care system) for the period of 1 year before and 1 year after the treatment. Results include (1) equivalent increases in knowledge and changes in beliefs in both groups, (2) significant changes in the self-reported compliance behaviors of the experimental group only, and (3) significant reductions in emergency room visits and days of hospitalization among those receiving the experimental treatment, compared with the control group. These changes represent an estimated savings of approximately $180 per child per year for those in the experimental group.

Asthma↗

Erythropoietic protoporphyria: therapeutic response to combined erythrocyte exchange and plasmapheresis.

Three patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria were treated with combined plasmapheresis and neocyte exchange transfusions that induced and maintained clinical and biochemical remissions. Red cell and plasma porphyrin levels normalized and patients developed a more normal tolerance to ultraviolet exposure. This treatment modality was an effective method of reversing other newly described abnormalities such as excessive erythropoiesis, abnormal RBC osmotic fragilities, elevated plasma viscosities, and hepatic and renal impairments.

Adult↗

Association of alcoholism and antisocial personality in a narcotic-dependent population: the Lexington addicts.

Men with antisocial personality have a higher prevalence of alcoholism than men without. This relationship was examined in a narcotic-dependent sample, and it was found that narcotic-dependent men with antisocial personality had a rate of alcoholism comparable to that of narcotic-dependent men without antisocial personality. The methodological and clinical explanations for this finding are discussed along with the neurophysiological implications.

Adult↗

Diagnostic interactions. Alcoholism and antisocial personality.

The association of alcoholism with other psychiatric disorders is important from both a research and a therapeutic point of view. In a medically hospitalized inpatient sample, we found a strong relationship between alcoholism and antisocial personality. Controlling for the overlap of diagnostic symptomatology, antisocial subjects still had a significantly higher prevalence of alcoholism than nonantisocial. The antisocial individual was more likely to be exposed to problem drinking, and once exposed, he tended to be more susceptible to developing the full alcoholism syndrome. Gender and a family history of problem drinking also predicted alcoholism. Characterological and neurophysiological correlates of antisocial personality and their relationship to problem drinking are discussed.

Adult↗