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Biomedical subjects

J C Ball

Publications and source records attributed to J C Ball.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

The criminality of narcotic addicts.

Recent research conducted by independent investigators concerning the relationship between crime and narcotic (primarily heroin) addiction has revealed a remarkable degree of consistency of findings across studies. The major conclusion supported by the majority of these studies is that narcotic addicts commit a vast amount of crime and that much of this is directly related to the need to purchase drugs. A large proportion of the crimes committed does not consist merely of drug sales or possession, but involves other criminal behaviors including serious crimes. The strongest evidence of a causal relationship between narcotic drug use and crime is derived from longitudinal studies in which the amount of crime committed during periods of active addiction far exceeds that committed during periods of nonaddiction. Much of this crime goes unreported, although addicts, under conditions of strict confidentiality, have provided information that permits realistic estimates of criminal activity. Use of this methodology has permitted the identification of different types of addicts, especially with respect to the amounts and types of crimes in which they are engaged. The implication of these findings is that although addicts as a group commit a great amount of crime, they cannot be regarded as a homogeneous class. Some addicts commit many crimes, regardless of current addiction status, whereas others commit relatively few, and these are obviously related to their need to purchase drugs. There is a discernible impact of treatment on narcotic drug use and criminality. Although the relationships between addict characteristics and treatment response have yet to be fully determined, extensive prior criminal involvement is associated with a negative outcome.

Crime↗
PubMed1984

Cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of aflatoxin dichloride in normal and repair deficient diploid human fibroblasts.

The cytotoxic and mutagenic effect of aflatoxin B1-dichloride (AFB1-Cl2), a direct-acting carcinogen which is a model for the proposed ultimate reactive metabolite of AFB1 (the 2,3-epoxide), was compared in normal, repair-proficient, diploid human fibroblasts and in complementation Group A xeroderma pigmentosum cells (XP12BE) which are virtually incapable of excision repair of DNA damage induced by ultraviolet radiation, the 7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide of benzo[alpha]pyrene, and several reactive aromatic amide derivatives. The XP cells were significantly more sensitive than normal to the cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of AFB1-Cl2, not only as a function of concentration administered but also of the number of AFB1-Cl2 residues initially bound to DNA. Cytotoxicity was determined from survival of colony-forming ability; resistance to 6-thioguanine was the genetic marker used for mutagenicity. We compared the rate of loss of AFB1-Cl2-DNA adducts from cells treated and held in the non-dividing state (confluent) over several days, as well as their ability to recover from the potentially mutagenic and/or cytotoxic effects of the agent. AFB1-Cl2 residues were lost from both strains of cells and both exhibited a gradual increase in survival. However, the rate of loss of adducts from the DNA in the normal cells was more rapid than in XP cells and they exhibited recovery from higher doses of AFB1-Cl2 than XP cells. The major primary DNA adduct formed in the human cells and in isolated DNA was a chemically unstable guanine derivative which could undergo a change in structure with time posttreatment to form a more stable secondary adduct. The cytotoxic effect of AFB1-Cl2 was highly correlated with the presence of either of these guanine adducts. Evidence suggests that the primary adduct is an N7-guanine adduct. The kinetics of the loss of this guanine and its transformation into the more stable secondary adduct resembled that reported recently for the major primary DNA adduct formed by the reaction of AFB1 at the N-7 position of guanine in the DNA of normal and XP cells and its transformation into the putative AFB1-ring opened triamino pyrimidyl structure.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed1984

Trends in the commission of crime among narcotic addicts over successive periods of addiction and nonaddiction.

Although several studies have documented high levels of criminal activity among narcotic addicts, especially during periods of active addiction, few studies have delineated the types of criminal activities involved or have attempted to uncover trends in such activities over successive periods of addiction and nonaddiction in addicts' careers. In the present series of analyses, the criminal activities of 354 male narcotic addicts were categorized and traced individually over time using five, standardized, crime-days-per-year-at-risk measures in the areas of theft, violence, drug sales, deception/forgery, and other crimes. In addition, a sixth composite measure was also employed. Although large differences among addicts in patterns of criminal activity over time were much in evidence and may be useful as a basis for a criminal typology, this same heterogeneity tends to preclude definitive statements concerning addicts as a group. This caveat notwithstanding, there does appear to be a general tendency for criminal activity to diminish over successive periods of nonaddiction and to increase irregularly over successive periods of addiction. The agreement of these findings with those of earlier group analyses by the authors is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Biological effects of incorporation of O6-methyldeoxyguanosine into Chinese hamster V79 cells.

Analysis of the biological effects of specific DNA alkylations by simple alkylating agents is complicated by the variety of sites involved. It is, therefore, of value to be able to incorporate into cellular DNA nucleosides alkylated in a single position, e.g., O6-methyldeoxyguanosine. Such cellular incorporation is particularly difficult to achieve because this nucleoside is rapidly demethylated by adenosine deaminase. We have attempted to achieve such incorporation into the DNA of V79 cells by using coformycin, an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase, and by forcing the cells to depend on exogenous purines by the use of medium containing aminopterin. The DNA of V79 cells exposed to O6-methyl-[8-3H]deoxyguanosine (2.4 microM, sp. act. 14500 Ci/mole) showed an incorporation level of 4 X 10(-8) nucleotides. When 1000-fold higher concentrations were employed (3-15 mM, sp. act. 1.6 Ci/mole), significant cytotoxicity and inhibition of DNA synthesis was observed. However, because it was not economically feasible to administer high specific activity O6-methyldeoxyguanosine to the cells at these concentrations, we could not determine the amount of labeled nucleoside incorporated into DNA. Examination of the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant cells in these treated populations showed no significant increase above the background level. Comparison of the cytotoxic effect of O6-methyldeoxyguanosine with deoxyadenosine showed that the toxicity induced by O6-methyldeoxyguanosine could have resulted from mimicry of deoxyadenosine, rather than by incorporation of the alkylated nucleoside itself.

Adenosine Deaminase Inhibitors↗
PubMed1983

The day-to-day criminality of heroin addicts in Baltimore--a study in the continuity of offence rates.

A representative sample of 354 male heroin addicts living in the Baltimore metropolitan area was traced from onset of opiate use to time of interview to ascertain any changes in the frequency or type of offences committed during their years at risk. Five basic measures of criminality were employed: crime-day theft, crime-day violence, crime-day dealing, crime-day con games and crime-day other offences. A sixth measure -- composite crime day -- incorporated all five crime-day measures. Crime rates per year were derived from these six measures. It was found that the start of addiction was associated with a high level of criminality (255 composite crime-days per year), and that this high rate continued over numerous subsequent periods of addiction. Theft of property was the most common type of crime, followed by drug sales, other offences, con games, and violent offences. In contrast to the addiction periods, criminality decreased over successive non-addiction periods. Thus, the composite crime rate (82 composite crime-days per year) for the first non-addiction period was only 32% of the rate of the first addiction period and this lower rate of criminality decreased markedly thereafter.

Crime↗
PubMed1981

S-2-hydroxyacylglutathione hydrolase (glyoxalase II): active-site mapping of a nonserine thiolesterase.

S-2-Hydroxyacylglutathione hydrolase (glyoxalase II) from rat erythrocytes is a specific thiolesterase. Chemical modification studies with phenylmethanesulfonic acid, N-ethylmaleimide, and 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) suggest that glyoxalase II does not have a serine or a cysteine residue at the active site. The effect of pH on the rate of hydrolysis of S-lactoylglutathione indicates the existence of an active-site residue, pK = 8.87, essential for binding of the substrate. Inactivation studies with phenylglyoxal implicate the existence of an active-site arginine residue that also is essential for binding of the substrate. The effects of pD on the rate of hydrolysis of S-lactoylglutathione in D2O give no evidence for general acid-general base catalysis. 1H NMR studies of the glyoxalase II catalyzed hydrolysis of S-mandeloylglutathione show no evidence for a carbanion (E1cB) mechanism. the catalytic role of glyoxalase II appears to involve direct nucleophilic attack of the thiol ester by an active-site histidine residue, based upon inactivation experiments using diethyl pyrocarbonate and photoinactivation with methylene blue.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Pretreatment source of income and response to methadone maintenance: a follow-up study.

The authors assessed the relationship between source of pretreatment income and response to treatment at 6-month follow-up in 165 male veterans admitted to a methadone maintenance treatment program. Subjects were grouped according to whether the majority of their pretreatment income was based on job earnings, public assistance, or criminal activity. Significant improvements in drug use, legal status, and psychological functioning were found in the employed group. The group supported by criminal activity showed the most significant and pervasive improvements, especially in the areas of drug use and family, legal, and employment problems. The group receiving public assistance showed no significant improvements on any of the 16 criterion measures, including drug use.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

The methadone clinic: function and philosophy.

Currently, methadone clinics are organised within two models, the metabolic and the psychotherapeutic. These models are seen to lack a completely successful opiate abuse therapy. A new model, the social psychiatric, is proposed to correct the deficiencies of these first two.

Community Mental Health Services↗
PubMed1975

Changing world patterns of drug abuse, 1945-1974.

New patterns of drug abuse have rapidly appeared in the Western world since the Second World War. These patterns are characterized by the rapid introduction and spread of manufactured substances adopted from medicine. Interest has been sustained among illicit users by the search for new mood altering drugs. Both recreational use and multiple drug patterns are becoming increasingly predominant. Western youth has taken the forefront in the new patterns, especially in the rise of marijuana. Sex differentials are rapidly decreasing as more females are smoking. In the United States, hallucinogens have also been abused in large amounts. This reveals an important difference from Europe, where hallucinogen abuse has been low, but amphetamine abuse has been as high or higher than in the United States. Spread has been rapid throughout the populations studied, both from the colleges to the secondary schools, and from country to country, based on current rapid methods of communication and transportation. These data are important in formulating hypotheses for study and control of both epidemic and endemic drug abuse.

Adolescent↗