Chronic opioid treatment of intractable, non-malignant pain.

There is a sub-group of patients with non-malignant medical conditions who have severe, intractable pain and who require chronic opioid administration for adequate pain control. Reported here is a systematic clinical evaluation of 52 such patients who were referred after they had failed numerous, non-opioid pain treatments. Major causes of pain were irreversible degenerative and/or traumatic injuries to the musculoskeletal system.

The acute hemodynamic response to pirbuterol at rest and exercise in patients with heart failure with observations on long-term response.

Rest and exercise hemodynamics with the beta agonist pirbuterol and a placebo preparation were studied in seven patients with severe chronic congestive heart failure. At rest, pirbuterol increased cardiac index (1.8 +/- 0.

Clinical experiences with 959 opioid-dependent patients treated with levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM).

Levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) is an orphan drug that will soon be generally available to treatment facilities. We have recently treated 959 opioid addicts with LAAM for periods up to 36 consecutive months. Three times per week dosing of LAAM proved to be a safe and effective treatment agent for the majority of subjects.

Cocaine plasma concentrations in persons admitted to outpatient treatment: relationship to treatment outcome.

Nine (9) of 23 (39.1%) consecutive persons who sought outpatient treatment for chronic cocaine dependence had detectable plasma cocaine concentrations on admission which ranged from 10.0 to 639 ng/ml (mean 146.

Double-blind comparison of desipramine and placebo for treatment of phencyclidine or amphetamine dependence.

Open clinical trials have suggested that desipramine may be an effective agent for treatment of phencyclidine (PCP) or amphetamine dependence. Four pairs (eight subjects) with PCP and two pairs (four subjects) with amphetamine dependence were studied. One subject in each pair was given desipramine or placebo under double-blind conditions.

Detection of teratogens in the Drosophila embryonic cell culture test: assay of 100 chemicals.

An in vitro assay of teratogenesis has been developed that utilizes Drosophila embryonic cell cultures. The endpoint selected in assessing the teratogenic potential of any substance involves detection of interference with normal muscle and/or neuron differentiation. In the validation phase of this project, 100 chemicals were tested.

The path and rate of growth of regenerating motor neurons in the cockroach.

Nerve root 5 that supplies the coxal depressor muscles from the metathoracic ganglion in the cockroach was crushed. Regeneration of the motor neurons was studied by cutting the nerve at several distances from the crush point and introducing cobalt chloride into the cut end. The operation was followed by a lag period of about 13 days after which the axons regenerated at a rate of 0.

A method for establishing cell lines from Drosophila melanogaster embryos.

A simple method is presented for establishing continuous cell lines from Drosophila melanogaster embryos. Subculturing is performed after the first 8 weeks and at 2-week intervals thereafter. Initial plating densities of 5 x 10(4) to 5 x 10(5) cells per cm2 are required for maintaining the subcultures.

Ultrastructural differentiation during embryonic Drosophila myogenesis in vitro.

Cultures of embryonic Drosophila melanogaster cells were examined by electron microscopy and events in myogenesis were recorded. Thick and thin myofilaments, T-tubules and sarcoplasmic reticulum all appeared at about the same time, 10.5 hr.

Ultrastructural differentiation during Drosophila neurogenesis in vitro.

Drosophila melanogaster field neuroblasts differentiate in vitro, and each gives rise to a cluster of about 18 daughter neurons. Electron microscopic observations of single clusters show that axons from daughter neurons form a neuropile within the cluster of cell bodies. The neuropile increases in size and complexity for several hours, during which time chemical, and probably electrotonic, synapses form between neurites.

A 5-bromodeoxyuridine-sensitive interval during drosophila myogenesis.

Drosophila myogenesis was monitored in vitro and the cells were treated with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) or with thymidine at certain intervals. Muscle cells were scored for survival, contractility, and the uptake of thymidine and BrdU. Results indicated that the final S period for myoblasts takes place in vitro between 1.

Actinomycin D-sensitive periods in the differentiation of Drosophila neurons and muscle cells in vitro.

Observations were made of neuroblasts differentiating into neurons, and myoblasts differentiating into myocytes in cultures of embryonic Drosophila cells. Axons greater than 50 mum long appeared in vitro between 7.5 and 16.

Differentiation of Drosophila cells lacking ribosomal DNA, in vitro.

Drosophila melanogaster embryos that lacked ribosomal DNA were obtained from appropriate crosses. Cells were taken from such embryos before overt differentiation took place and were cultured in vitro. These cells differentiated into neurons and myocytes with the same success as did wild-type controls.

Differentiation of neuromuscular junctions in cultures of embryonic Drosophila cells.

Cultures were prepared of embryonic cells from Drosophila melanogaster. Neurons and myocytes differentiated in vitro from their respective stem cells. Electron microscopy showed that neuromuscular junctions formed where axons contacted myocytes.