A comparison of alternate systems for diagnosing antisocial personality disorder in cocaine abusers

We evaluated rates, reliability, internal consistency, factor structure, and clinical and predictive validity of antisocial personality disorder (ASP) across three diagnostic systems which varied in emphasis on a) core sociopathic traits and b) independence of antisocial behaviors from substance use in 399 cocaine abusers. Rates of ASP ranged from 7% (Research Diagnostic Criteria) to 53% (DSM-III-R). The DSM-III-R diagnosis of ASP was more reliable at 1 month and 1 year than the Research Diagnostic Criteria. Items assessing core traits of sociopathy had very low reliability and were poorly correlated with other criteria. Across all systems, cocaine abusers with ASP had earlier onset of drug dependence, more psychosocial dysfunction, and higher rates of other psychiatric disorders. Finally, only the DSM-III-R diagnosis of ASP was associated with treatment retention and short-term prognosis. These findings suggest that current diagnostic systems which require core sociopathic traits and independence of criminal behaviors from substance use may be more unreliable and of weaker prognostic significance than less restrictive systems.

Sensation seeking and selective attention: focused and divided attention on a dichotic listening task

Differences in selective attention as a function of sensation seeking, extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism were examined in 108 undergraduates using a dichotic listening task. Dependent measures included shadowing performance, reaction times to a secondary light task, target detection, and recall. The results suggested that high sensation seekers have better focused attention than low sensation seekers, and these effects were strongest on the 1st trials of the shadowing tasks. High sensation seekers did not attend differently than low sensation seekers to words related to their interests (sexual, violent, or drug related). Extraversion was associated with greater recall of these kinds of words, although there were no overall differences in selective attention as a function of Eysenck's dimensions. The role of arousal in personality and attention is discussed, particularly in regard to the response of sensation seekers to task novelty.

Sensation seeking and selective attention: Focused and divided attention on a dichotic listening task

Differences in selective attention as a function of sensation seeking, extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism were examined in 108 undergraduates using a dichotic listening task. Dependent measures included shadowing performance, reaction times to a secondary light task, target detection, and recall. The results suggested that high sensation seekers have better focused attention than low sensation seekers, and these effects were strongest on the 1st trials of the shadowing tasks. High sensation seekers did not attend differently than low sensation seekers to words related to their interests (sexual, violent, or drug related). Extraversion was associated with greater recall of these kinds of words, although there were no overall differences in selective attention as a function of Eysenck's dimensions. The role of arousal in personality and attention is discussed, particularly in regard to the response of sensation seekers to task novelty.

The intravenous toxicity of dibekacin sulphate (DKB) to female beagle dogs

Dibekacin sulphate (DKB), a new aminoglycoside antibiotic developed on the theory of bacterial resistance, was given by intravenous injection to groups of female Beagle dogs at dosages of 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 or 25.0 mg/kg/day for 13 weeks. Physiological saline was given as a control. Some dogs given 5.0 or 10.0 mg/kg/day were retained undosed for a further 5 weeks in order to assess recovery. Premature deaths from acute renal tubular nephrosis occurred in dogs given 25.0 and 10.0 mg/kg/day. Dogs which survived treatment at 10.0 mg/kg/day showed marked elevation of circulating urea and creatinine concentrations after 4 weeks' treatment but thereafter the increases became less obvious. Varying degrees of renal cortical tubular dilatation, basophilia, degeneration or necrosis were seen in the kidneys of all dogs examined after 13 weeks treatment although no clinical impairment of renal function was detectable at dosages up to 5.0 mg/kg/day. These changes had essentially regressed in dogs examined 5 weeks after the last dose of DKB at 5.0 mg/kg/day. All the adverse clinical and histological effects noted, following any dose level of DKB tested, could be attributed to renal changes.

Toxicity of methyl testosterone in the beagle dog

When methyl testosterone was administered orally to beagle dogs at dosage levels of 2, 4 and 6 mg/kg per day for 27 weeks, hepatotoxicity was induced. The change induced was characterized by enlargement of periportal hepatocytes and the presence of haemosiderin within macrophages. There was some evidence of recovery over a 13-week period.