The high concentrations of amitriptyline found in blood at autopsy, indicating a large amount of ingested drug, is often contradictory to the prescription available. Using dogs as the animal model it was found that there was a large variance between the dose given and its plasma amitriptyline concentration during the acute phase of absorption. Factors that were found to be important were the amitriptyline to nortriptyline (as metabolite) ratio, the nature of the specimen, and the collection site. The calculation of the dose from an acute ingestion of amitriptyline resulting in death cannot be accurately determined from a single specimen collected at autopsy.

Thirty-one rats were trained on a differential reinforcement of low rate schedule. After responding had stabilized, animals were injected with methylphenidate, twice weekly, presession. Methylphenidate produced dose-dependent increases in response rates and decreases in reinforcements. Repetition of these doses produced a reduced drug effect, and a third administration of the 10 mg/kg dose further reduced the drug effect. Subsequently, the effects of daily and intermittent administration were determined for this dose. Daily methylphenidate, pre-session, produced tolerance to the behavioral effects of methylphenidate and cross-tolerance to the amphetamines. Twice-weekly methylphenidate, pre-session, produced partial tolerance to methylphenidate and partial cross-tolerance to the amphetamines. Thus, periodic exposure to the behaviorally disruptive effects of a drug of the amphetamine class reduces the effects of subsequent exposure.

Ten caucasian male quadriplegics were compared with eight sedentary caucasian male controls in regards to left ventricular dimensions and mass obtained from echocardiograrns. The interventricular septum (IVS), left ventricular posterior wall (LVPW) and left ventricular internal diameter (LVII) were within normal limits for both groups. However, the INS in the SCI were significantly thicker than controls (p <0.05). Myocardial thickness was larger in SCI subjects (p <0.05). Absolute left ventricular mass (LVM) and total left ventricular volume was not different ( p > 0.05), but SCI subjects had significantly greater LVM to lean body mass ratios. Echocardiographically, SCI patients demonstrate concentric hypertrophy. This suggests adaptive response to chronic increase in afterload pressure secondary to their daily activities and muscle spasticity.

A model was developed to predict the increased physiological effort of wearing a respiratory protective device. Specifically, the model was designed to predict the effects of varying ventilatory demands on eleven respiratory variables of the man-respirator system, breath frequency (f_b), tidal volume (V_t), inspiratory flow (dvi/dt), expiratory flow (dve/dt), inspiratory mask pressure (P_mi), expiratory mask pressure (P_me), inspiratory intrathoracic pressure (P_ii), expiratory intrathoracic pressure (P_ie), inspiratory mask work (W_mi), expiratory mask work (W_me), and mask leakage index (L_i). The model was tested by experiment in which three male subjects underwent maximal exercise testing with and without the "pressure-demand" respirator. The eleven variables were determined for each thirty second period utilizing on-line computer analysis. Application of the model to these experimental conditions resulted in significant (p<.001) relationships between each of the predicted and observed variables.

Rats were trained to discriminate an injection of cocaine, 5.0 mg/kg, from an injection of saline, using a two-lever choice paradigm: one lever was correct after cocaine injection, the other lever was correct after a saline injection. After training, cocaine and methamphetamine were generalized to the cocaine lever, but phenethylamine (PEA) was only partially generalized. Cocaine was injected every 8 hrs, 20.0 mg/kg, and the discriminability of 5.0 mg/kg was tested every other day. Redetermination of the cocaine generalization curve after 6 days of chronic administration showed a shift to the right, from an ED50 of 4.1 mg/kg in the pre-chronic condition to 10.0 mg/kg. Tolerance did not develop to the behavioral effects of cocaine, measured by time to the first reinforcement and response rate. There was cross-tolerance to methamphetamine; however, no evidence for cross-tolerance to PEA was obtained. Following the acquisition of tolerance, chronic administration of cocaine was terminated, and the discriminability of 5.0 mg/kg was tested every other day for loss of tolerance. After 8 days the ED50 returned to 5.0 mg/kg.