Family-of-origin expressiveness: measurement, meaning, and relationship to alexithymia.

The need for research instruments to assess the impact of affective expressiveness within the family is evident, yet few appear to be adequately designed for this purpose. In this article, we present two studies addressing this need. In the first study, the original 40-item Family-of-Origin Scale was administered to 416 students to determine those items that constitute the factor structure. This instrument was designed to assess perceived levels of health in the family of origin but has unsubstantiated construct validity. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the instrument has one major factor, and results from five other studies provide evidence supporting the construct validity. Face validity of this 22-item construct indicates that it assesses an individual's perceived level of global expressive atmosphere within his or her family of origin. In the second study, the new Family-of-Origin Expressive Atmosphere Scale and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale were administered to 295 students. Students' self-reported expressive atmospheres in their family-of-origin scores were significantly correlated with the total scores of alexithymia and each of the three factors: impaired ability to identify feelings, impaired ability to describe feelings, and externally oriented thinking processes. No significant gender differences were found.

AIDS prevention: myths, misinformation and health policy perceptions.

This research assesses the degree and type of prevailing misinformation about AIDS transmission, as well as the relationship between misinformation, prior information exposure, and perceptions of health policy issues related to AIDS. It also identifies pockets of misinformation to provide a basis for targeting health policy and AIDS education campaigns.

The effect of varying extents of Fluosol-DA or normal saline haemodilution on the dose dependent kinetics of phenytoin in the rat.

Phenytoin kinetics were determined in rats in which the blood was moderately haemodiluted with 20 or 40 mL kg-1 of Fluosol-DA or normal saline. Rats received one of three intravenous phenytoin doses (10, 40, 50 mg kg-1) 0.5, 24, 48, or 72 h after haemodilution and were compared with non-exchanged controls. Haemodilution with either 20 or 40 mL kg-1 of Fluosol or saline had no influence on the dose-dependent kinetics of phenytoin. Haemodilution with 40 mL kg-1 of Fluosol decreased the half-life of phenytoin's major metabolite, HPPH, after a 50 mg kg-1 dose. Neither Fluosol nor saline haemodilution affected the normal delay in biliary cycling of HPPH.

Structural responses of orthodontic wires in flexure from a proposed alternative to the existing specification test.

To be reaffirmed in 1987 for lack of a ready replacement, the flexural (elastic-bending) test protocol of ADA Specification No. 32 is judged inadequate. The protocol is problematic because of potentials for erroneous use of the theoretical component, incompatible with the flexible titanium alloy and multistrand stainless steel wires marketed subsequent to the preparation of the specification, and obscure to the clinician because it dictates quantifications of mechanical (pertaining to material only) rather than structural properties (including wire shape and size influences). A five-point elastic-bending test is proposed that stimulates wire activation toward engagement of a single, malaligned tooth crown. An experimental study was undertaken to determine values of transverse stiffness and corresponding elastic range for a broad sample of orthodontic wires and in the process to evaluate the proposed alternative test. Reduced test results are presented; comparisons of rankings and ratios from available theoretical developments and other experimental outcomes, including findings from the existing standard test, were completed. The difficulties with the existing protocol are largely eliminated with the alternative test; a test fixture and procedures are relatively straightforward to fabricate and follow, and the structural characteristics quantified are more meaningful to the practitioner.

The effect of varying percentages of haemodilution with fluosol-DA or normal saline on antipyrine metabolism in the rat.

Antipyrine disposition and metabolism in conscious, unrestrained rats after 25 or 50% haemodilution with Fluosol or normal (0.9% NaCl) saline is reported. Rats received an intravenous antipyrine dose (20 mg kg-1) 0.5, 24, 48, or 72 h after haemodilution and its pharmacokinetic parameters have been compared with non-exchanged control animals. Haemodilution 25% with Fluosol initially depressed antipyrine metabolism for 24 h by decreasing the antipyrine urinary excretion rate constant and the formation rate constants of 4-hydroxyantipyrine (4-OH) and 3-hydroxymethylantipyrine (3-OHME). Metabolism was then increased for 48 and 72 h with a slight increase in all rate constants. Haemodilution 50% with Fluosol produced a similar pattern but with significant increases in the 3-OHME formation rate constant found at 48 and 72 h. Haemodilution 25% with saline reduced 4-OH formation for 48 h. Haemodilution 50% with saline significantly reduced antipyrine urinary excretion at all times. After a significant increase in the 4-OH and 3-OHME formation rate constants at 24 h following 50% haemodilution with saline, the rate constants were significantly decreased at 48 and 72 h. Haemodilution 25% with Flusol significantly reduced the antipyrine Vd at 0.5 and 72 h. After haemodilution 50% with Fluosol, the Vd alternated between values greater and less than control throughout the 72 h. Haemodilution 25 or 50% with saline had little influence on Vd.

Radiolabeled antibody: iodine versus radiometal chelates.

The use of monoclonal antibodies in radioimmunoimaging and radioimmunotherapy was investigated in the Rauscher murine erythroleukemia system. Immunoglobulins labeled with isotopes of iodine or with chelated radiometals were compared with respect to efficiency of radiolabeling, in vitro and in vivo chemical stability of incorporated isotope, catabolism, kinetics of tumor targeting, and therapeutic efficacy. Labeling was found to be efficient for all isotopes studied, including those of iodine, scandium, yttrium, indium, gadolinium, and bismuth. The use of isotopes of iodine was limited due to rapid catabolism from the tumor target within a few hours; in contrast, antibody labeled with indium or gadolinium reached maximal tumor levels within 6 to 12 hours of injection and showed a biologic half-life at the tumor of 2 to 3 days. With yttrium, tumor levels were stable up to 5 days after injection. Our findings are discussed with relevance to current and future applications of radiolabeled antibodies.

Stability, targeting, and biodistribution of scandium-46- and gallium-67-labeled monoclonal antibody in erythroleukemic mice.

Using a monoclonal antibody specific for the Mr 70,000 glycoprotein of Rauscher erythroleukemia virus, we have determined the optimal conditions for conjugation with the cyclic anhydride of diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid and subsequent labeling with 46Sc. The conjugates were shown to retain their specificity and activity in vitro and to target specifically to virus-infected spleen cells in vivo. The stability of the 46Sc:diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid-antibody conjugates in vivo was studied using immunoaffinity chromatography; 25% of the isotope bound to transferrin, and 75% remained bound to the antibody conjugates. These results are discussed with respect to the potential for labeling antibodies with 47Sc for use in imaging and therapy. Studies with 111In-labeled antibody were used for comparison. Labeling with 67Ga was also performed; these labeled conjugates showed adventitious binding of isotope to the antibody and lack of stability of diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid-chelated gallium. Free EDTA was shown to stably incorporate 67Ga.

Determinants of left ventricular function following aorto-coronary bypass surgery.

Ventricular function was evaluated by the development of ventricular function curves from the vulumes stress of angiographic contrast media in 30 patients before and an average of 5 months after coronary bypass surgery. Patients were grouped according to preoperative operative indications, perioperative events, and postoperative status to determine the most important factors affecting postoperative ventricular function. Progression of lesions in the native coronary circulation correlated most significantly with a decrease in postoperative ventricular function. In 18 of 19 patients the changes in native coronary circulation were progression to complete occlusion. Seventy-three per cent of these changes were associated with a patent graft distal to the change. Patients with very ischemic ventricles as evidenced by a markedly positive stress test (greater than 2 mm. ST depression) and/or main left coronary obstruction maintained or improved postoperatively ventricular function. Increase in postoperative ejection fraction was often associated with decrease in aortic mean pressure, making it difficult to use this parameter to evaluate postoperative ventricular function.

Tricuspid insufficiency due to nonpenetrating trauma.

This case of tricuspid insufficiency due to nonpenetrating trauma involved a male patient who had received major chest trauma in an automobile accident, had a nonholosystolic murmur that increased slightly during inspiration on standing, and tranient electrocardiographic findings of right bundle branch block. Unlike findings in previous cases, the right atrial V wave was not dominant and was less than 8 mm Hg. An echocardiogram indicating right ventricular volume overload was an essential diagnostic tool that led to cardiac catheterization and definitive diagnosis.

Correlation of "critical" left coronary artery lesions with positive submaximal exercise tests in patients with chest pain.

This study correlates the anatomic pathologic coronary anatomy found by arteriography in each of three groups of symptomatic patients, all with coronary artery disease, divided according to the magnitude of ST-segment depression after an adequate submaximal treadmill exercise test. Group I consists of 45 patients with ST-segement depression of 2 mm. or more, Group II of 31 patients with ST-segment depression between 1.0 and 1.9 mm., and Group III, 30 patients with 0 to 0.9 mm. ST-segment depression. Seventy-five per cent of the patients in Group I had critical lesions defined as (1) 75 per cent or greater narrowing of left main coronary artery (LMCA), (2) 75 per cent or greater obstructive left anterior descending and left circumflex coronary artery both proximal to any major branching, the so-called left main equivalent (LME) lesions, and (3) 90 per cent or more obstruction of the left anterior descending coronary proximal to any major branches. Of patients in Group I, 24 PER CENT Had LMCA lesions, 29 per cent had LAD lesions. Eight-two per cent of Group I patients had two- or three-vessel disease. All patients with LMCA lesions had 2 mm. or more ST-segment depression. Over 95 per cent of patients with "critical" lesions is less than 5 per cent in the presence of an adequate aubmaximal treadmill test that shows less than 1 mm. of ST-segment depression, it is concluded that in such patients with medically controllable angina, coronary arteriography is not necessary.