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Biomedical subjects

R Farmer

Publications and source records attributed to R Farmer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Hostility and deliberate self-poisoning.

Patients admitted to hospital following deliberate self-poisoning have been shown to have high levels of hostility, but the exact role of hostility in self-poisoning is not clear. It was hypothesized that those subjects with marked depression would have high intro-punitive scores whereas those deliberately poisoning themselves who did not have marked depression would have high extra-punitive scores. Seventy young adults admitted to hospital following deliberate self-poisoning completed the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire and half of these subjects had an identifiable depressive syndrome. Very high intro-punitive scores were found in the depressed subjects but high extra-punitive scores were found in all deliberate self-poisoning subjects irrespective of depression. This suggests that extra-punitiveness might distinguish self-poisoners from other psychiatric patients. Within the self-poisoning group, high intro-punitive scores were associated with greatest suicidal intent but further studies are needed to see if these are an aspect of the depression or part of the personality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Boredom proneness--the development and correlates of a new scale.

This article reports the development, validation, and correlates of a self-report measure of boredom proneness. The 28-item Boredom Proneness (BP) Scale demonstrates satisfactory levels of internal consistency (coefficient alpha = .79) and test-retest reliability (r = .83) over a 1-week interval. Evidence of validity for the BP is supported by correlations with other boredom measures and from a set of studies evaluating interest and attention in the classroom. Other hypothesized relationships with boredom were tested, with significant positive associations found with depression, hopelessness, perceived effort, loneliness, and amotivational orientation. Additional findings indicate boredom proneness to be negatively related to life satisfaction and autonomy orientation. The relationship of boredom to other affective states is discussed, and directions for future research are outlined.

Attention↗
PubMed1986

Deliberate self-poisoning.

As a widespread expression of human suffering, deliberate self-poisoning makes heavy demands on health care services. There have been recent changes in self-poisoning rates and recommended assessment procedures, as well as advances in our knowledge about aetiology. These have important implications for the clinician.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

A register of mentally handicapped individuals using a microcomputer.

The Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Mental Handicap Register described in this paper was commissioned by the Area Planning Team for the Mentally Handicapped, on behalf of the two local authorities and the Area Health Authority. The register was designed and implemented for the authorities by the Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Health Information Unit, which forms part of the Department of Community Medicine of Westminster Medical School.

Computers↗
PubMed1980

Effect of availability and acceptability of lethal instruments on suicide mortality. An analysis of some international data.

Suicide mortality in the 5 years 1969-73 in 11 countries is examined in relation to the methods used. Some countries have substantially high suicide rates for each method, others have increased mortality for certain specific methods. In this latter group it is suggested that some of the variations in total suicide mortality can be explained by variations in either the availability or the acceptability of certain specific instruments for causing death, particularly domestic gas, firearms and hanging.

Australia↗
PubMed1978

Watery diarrhea syndrome. Two unusual cases and further evidence that VIP is a humoral mediator.

Two unusual cases of the watery diarrhea syndrome are presented. In one patient an adrenal medullary tumor, a pheochromocytoma that produced vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was excised with total relief of symptoms. The second patient a 65-year-old man with abrupt onset of massive watery diarrhea that led to acidosis and coma was symptomatically controlled for one year on 10 mg/day of prednisone. Elevated levels of VIP returned to normal after prednisone therapy was started. A benign islet cell tumor not localized by angiography was removed by distal pancreatic resection. Tissue levels of VIP were markedly elevated. VIP is a humoral mediator of the water diarrhea syndrome. Both benign and malignant pancreatic and extrapancreatic tumors may cause the watery diarrhea syndrome. Steroids may cause symptomatic relief of the diarrhea by lowering peptide levels to normal. The term watery diarrhea syndrome may be more accurate than the pancreatic cholera syndrome.

Adenoma, Islet Cell↗
PubMed1971

Metabolic disease in mental retardation: a study in Texas.

Reported are the results of a study of patients admitted to the State Schools for the Mentally Retarded in Texas, over a two-year period from 1968-1970. Of 2029 cases, 185 were found on a detection battery screening to have possible metabolic disease. The report summarizes the findings on 93 cases studied in the metabolic ward at the Texas Research Institute.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of neuropeptide Y on forskolin, alpha 2- and beta-adrenoceptor-regulated cAMP levels in the rat brain slice.

Neuropeptide Y (10(-6) M) significantly attenuated forskolin-stimulated cAMP levels in slices of the medulla oblongata from WKY rats. No effect of NPY was observed on basal levels of cAMP in this region. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin (2 micrograms and 5 micrograms) IC prevented the reduction of forskolin-stimulated cAMP levels elicited by NPY in the medulla oblongata, suggesting that NPY is acting through an inhibitory guanine nucleotide binding protein to reduce cAMP accumulation. Moxonidine, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, was observed to reduce forskolin-stimulated cAMP levels in medullary slices. This inhibitory response was attenuated in the presence of NPY (10(-6) M). The beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline also elevated cAMP levels in the medulla oblongata; however, NPY did not alter this response. It is therefore proposed that the previously reported hemodynamic actions of NPY in the medulla oblongata, an area of cardiovascular significance, may be mediated via a reduction in cAMP levels. Moreover, an interaction between NPY and alpha 2-adrenoceptors, but not beta-adrenoceptors, on cAMP production in the medulla slice preparation was evident.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sexual abuse and the subsequent development of alcohol problems.

The literature on sexual abuse and alcohol problems has been reviewed. Various methodological issues are relevant in determining whether there is merely an association or also a causal relationship. These include the definition of sexual abuse, the degree and timing of abuse, the methods of data collection, sample selection, the presence or absence of control groups, possible recall bias, difficulties with prospective studies for this subject, and the definition of alcohol misuse or dependence. Results with community and victim samples are conflicting, but studies on samples of problem drinkers suggest an association between severe alcohol problems and previous sexual abuse, at least in women. The association may be especially strong for earlier and more severe forms of sexual abuse. Possible mechanisms for an association were examined and are: (1) sexual abuse as a cause of alcohol misuse; (2) alcohol misuse predisposing people to sexual assault; (3) sexual assault and alcohol misuse both resulting from another factor; (4) sexual abuse predisposing to other conditions associated with alcohol misuse; and (5) an artefactual association. Regardless of the role of sexual abuse in causing alcohol problems, the available evidence suggests that victims of sexual abuse may present to services with more problematical patterns of drinking and more concurrent psychiatric disorder.

Alcoholism↗