Comments on Marken and Shaffer: The power law of movement: an example of a behavioral illusion.

Many researchers who have studied movements along curved paths, under a variety of conditions, by different organisms, mostly human but a couple with non-human organisms, have found a consistent form of relation between the tangential (along-track) instantaneous velocity V and the local radius of curvature R. The consistent relation is that V ≈ cR k , where k is a constant less than unity, often near 0.33 but sometimes far from 0.33, and c is a proportionality constant appropriate to the organism and the situation (see Zago, Matic, Flash, et al. (2017) for many examples in which the power law holds with widely varying values of the power, as well as cases of simple systems for which everything can be calculated exactly and in which the power law fails badly). Marken and Shaffer (Exp Brain Res 235:1835-1842; 2017), following a challenge by Gomez-Marin to see whether it is possible to use Perceptual Control Theory (Powers 1973/2005) to explain the power law results (Alex Gomez-Marin posting to CSGnet@lists.illinois.edu 2016.05.03), claim to have found a mathematical argument that proves the true exponent of the power relating velocity and radius of curvature always to be 1/3. They say that deviations from this value occur because researchers have omitted a critical correction "cross-product" factor that the authors label "D". This note questions the logic of the analysis offered by Marken and Shaffer, and argues that even had the analysis been correct, it would not affect future research into the reasons why and when the power law is observed and the circumstances that determine the value of the power found when it is observed.

HIV status and viral loads among men testing positive for rectal gonorrhoea and chlamydia, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, 2011-2013.

OBJECTIVES: Men diagnosed with rectal gonorrhoea (GC) and chlamydia (CT) have engaged in unprotected receptive anal intercourse. We reviewed the HIV positivity and HIV viral loads (VLs) of men who had rectal GC and CT testing to evaluate potential HIV acquisition and transmission risk. METHODS: Rectal GC and CT testing data for men attending the Maricopa County STD clinic during the period from 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2013 were cross-matched with HIV surveillance data to identify men with HIV coinfection. We examined HIV status, HIV diagnosis date, and the values of VL collected nearest to the date of reported rectal infection. RESULTS: During the 2-year time period, 1591 men were tested for rectal GC and CT. Of the men tested, 506 (31.8%) were positive for GC (13.2%), CT (12.2%) or both (6.4%); 119 (23.5%) of those with rectal GC or CT were coinfected with HIV. Among the 275 men with HIV at the time of rectal testing, 54 (19.6%) had no reported VL; 63 (22.9%) had an undetectable VL (< 20 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) and 158 (57.4%) had a detectable VL collected within 1 year of rectal diagnosis. Mean VL was higher among HIV and rectal GC/CT coinfected cases compared with men with HIV alone (174 316 vs. 57 717 copies/mL, respectively; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one-third of men undergoing rectal testing were positive for GC or CT and one-quarter of men with rectal GC or CT also had HIV infection. Of the HIV-infected men tested for rectal GC or CT, more than half had a detectable VL collected near the time of rectal testing, demonstrating a risk for transmitting HIV.

Prevalence of urease in Vibrio parahaemolyticus from the Mississippi Sound.

UNLABELLED: Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a pathogenic marine bacterium that causes food-borne gastroenteritis and, less commonly, wound infections. As is the case for many pathogens, all V. parahaemolyticus strains possess at least one erythrocyte-lysing haemolysin. In addition, many V. parahaemolyticus also possess the enzyme urease. We tested 206 environmental V. parahaemolyticus isolates from Mississippi coastal waters for urease and haemolytic activity using urea agar with added salt and Wagatsuma agar, respectively. The relative abundance of haemolysin-producing V. parahaemolyticus was consistently high throughout the sampling period. In contrast, the number of urease-positive organisms increased from 36% in 2006 to 80% in 2007 and 97% in 2009. We then tested the ability of four strains representing each of the three sample years along with seven other bacterial strains for their ability to grow in seawater urea and raise the pH of this seawater broth. Finally, one of the 4 strains was tested for its ability to form an alkaline microhabitat immediately above its biofilm. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results of this study illustrate that V. parahaemolyticus has the ability to create alkaline microhabitats that could enhance virulence, including virulence from haemolysins. This finding could have both clinical and ecological impact as to how V. parahaemolyticus can modify its habitat.

A different function for a critical tryptophan in c-Raf and Hck.

The similarity of the catalytic domains of Raf and Src family members suggests that functions of homologous residues may be similar in both kinase families. A tryptophan residue, W260, in the WEI region of the Src family kinase Hck has an important role in regulating ATP binding. We tested the hypothesis that the tryptophan, W342, in the WEI region of c-Raf may have a similar role to the W260 of Hck. Mutation of W260 to A in Hck activates kinase activity, but we found that mutation of W342 to A in c-Raf inactivates the kinase activity. Mutating W342 to aspartate (D), lysine (K) or histidine (H) also inactivated c-Raf whether assayed as a purified immunoprecipitate or when recruited to the plasma membrane. A constitutively active c-Raf can be generated by mutating two regulatory tyrosines to aspartate. When placed into this active c-Raf mutant, mutation of W342 to D, K or H enabled phosphorylation and activation of the c-Raf substrate MEK at the plasma membrane but not in an immunoprecipitation assay. We conclude that (1) Tryptophan has a different role in the WEI regions of c-Raf and Hck, (2) W342 is not directly involved in MEK binding as both positive and negative residues at 342 are permissive for MEK activation at the membrane in a constitutively active c-Raf mutant, (3) Factors at the membrane are capable of potentiating activation of c-Raf containing mutated W342 in a hyperactivated c-Raf, but not in a wild type c-Raf and (4) There is a stringent structural requirement for W at residue 342 in c-Raf.

Gastric stapling for morbid obesity: gastrointestinal response in a rat model.

The adaptive response of the gastrointestinal tract to gastric stapling was studied in a Zucker (fafa) genetically obese rat model. The effects of gastric stapling in rats with a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy were compared to Roux-en-Y and intact controls. Rats (225 to 275 g) were divided into three groups: group I (GI), Roux-en-Y, stapled, ad libitum fed; group II, Roux-en-Y, unstapled; and group III, intact (laparotomy only). Groups II and III were further subdivided into group IIA (GIIA) and group IIIA (GIIIA), pair-fed to GI; and group IIB (GIIB) and Group IIIB (GIIIB), fed ad libitum. All rats were fed a diet of liquid rat formula and rat food (50:50 cal ratio). After 2 wk rats were killed and the liver, pancreas, and stomach removed, weighed, and tissue taken for histology. The intestine was divided into three segments corresponding to the excluded segment (1, duodenum), transposed segment (2, jejunum), and ileal segment (3), with tissue taken for histology. Liver lipid, pancreatic amylase, serum amylase and gastrin, and intestinal mucosal protein and DNA were measured. Weight gain, g/14 days, was: GI, 24.1 +/- 7.8; GIIA, 17.0 +/- 2.0; GIIB, 42.6 +/- 4.8; GIIIA, 17.6 +/- 4.7; GIIIB, 54.6 +/- 8.9. All rats were in positive N balance. Liver weight and lipid were similar in all groups. Pancreatic mass was significantly increased in all Roux-en-Y animals, while amylase activity per g tissue was significantly less than in intact animals. Stapled rats had atrophy of the glandular portion of the stomach, decreased stomach mucosal weight, and lower serum gastrin concentration compared with all other rats (p less than 0.01). In stapled rats, segment weight and mucosal weight were lower in the excluded segment, and higher in the transposed segment, compared to all other rats. Tissue pathology was found only in stapled rats: gastric atrophy, focal fibrosis of gastric wall, peritonitis, minimal to mild multifocal hepatitis, and mild periductal fibrosis of the pancreas. There are significant early adaptive and pathological changes after gastric stapling in the rat.

Retrolental fibroplasia: further clinical evidence and ultrastructural support for efficacy of vitamin E in the preterm infant.

To further evaluate the efficacy of oral vitamin E in preventing the development of severe retrolental fibroplasia (RLF) in very low-birth-weight infants, 100 infants treated with 100 mg/kg/d of vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) were compared with 75 infants treated with 5 mg/kg/d of vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol) in the same nursery during the previous year. All 175 infants weighed less than or equal to 1,500 g at birth and required supplemental oxygen. A total of 120 infants (69 treatment; 51 control) survived greater than or equal to 10 weeks. Multivariate analysis of the control population identified five risk factors (P less than or equal to .10): gestational age, level and duration of oxygen administration, intraventricular hemorrhage, sepsis, and birth weight. When multivariate analysis was applied to both control and treatment groups, the severity of RLF was found to be significantly reduced in infants given the treatment dose of vitamin E (P = .003). Ultrastructural analyses of 58 pairs of whole-eye donations from high-risk infants surviving less than 10 weeks suggest that the initial morphologic event is gap junction increases between the plasma membranes of adjacent spindle cells of the van-guard retina. Such extensively gap junction-linked spindle cells are apparently removed from the vasoformative process as early as 4 days of life, forming a barrier to further normal vascular development and triggering retinal and vitreal neovascularizations approximately 8 weeks later. These events are maximally suppressed by elevated plasma vitamin E levels in infants greater than or equal to 27 weeks gestational age.

Central neuropeptide B administration activates stress hormone secretion and stimulates feeding in male rats.

Neuropeptide B (NPB) was identified to be an endogenous, peptide ligand for the orphan receptors GPR7 and GPR8. Because GPR7 is expressed in rat brain and, in particular, in the hypothalamus, we hypothesized that NPB might interact with neuroendocrine systems that control hormone release from the anterior pituitary gland. No significant effects of NPB were observed on the in vitro releases of prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or growth hormone (GH) when log molar concentrations ranging from 1 pM to 100 nM NPB were incubated with dispersed anterior pituitary cells harvested from male rats. In addition NPB (100 nM) did not alter the concentration response stimulation of prolactin secretion by thyrotropin-releasing hormone, ACTH secretion by corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and GH secretion by GH-releasing hormone. However, NPB, when injected into the lateral cerebroventricle (i.c.v.) of conscious, unrestrained male rats, elevated prolactin and corticosterone, and lowered GH levels in circulation. The threshold dose for the effect on corticosterone and prolactin levels was 1.0 nmol, while that for the effect on GH release was 3.0 nmol NPB. Pretreatment with a polyclonal anti-CRF antiserum completely blocked the ability of NPB to stimulate ACTH release and significantly inhibited the effect of NPB on plasma corticosterone levels. NPB administration i.c.v. did not significantly alter plasma vasopressin and oxytocin levels in conscious rats. It did stimulate feeding (minimum effective dose 1.0 nmol) in sated animals in a manner similar to that of the other endogenous ligand for GPR7, neuropeptide W. We conclude that NPB can act in the brain to modulate neuroendocrine signals accessing the anterior pituitary gland, but does not itself act as a releasing or inhibiting factor in the gland, at least with regard to prolactin, ACTH and GH secretion.

Adrenomedullin and central cardiovascular regulation.

Adrenomedullin gene products have been localized to neurons in brain that innervate sites known to be important in the regulation of cardiovascular function. Those sites also have been demonstrated to possess receptors for the peptide and central administrations of adrenomedullin (AM) and proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide (PAMP) elevate blood pressure and heart rate in both conscious and anesthetized animals. The accumulated evidence points to a role of the sympathetic nervous system in these cardiovascular effects. These sympathostimulatory actions of AM and PAMP have been hypothesized to be cardioprotective in nature and to reflect the central nervous system (CNS) equivalent of the direct cardiostimulatory effects of the peptides in the periphery. This review summarizes the most recent data on the CNS actions of the adrenomedullin gene-derived peptides and suggests future strategies for the elucidation of the physiologic relevance of the already demonstrated, pharmacologic actions of these peptides.

Giant left atrial V-waves in post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect.

A 54-year-old man developed a post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect with a 4:1 shunt. The first cardiac catheterization showed left atrial V-waves of 70 mm Hg. Assessment of the presence or absence of mitral regurgitation was not possible because of ventricular irritability and rapid runoff from left ventricle to right ventricle. At the second catheterization two months later, the left atrial V-waves had fallen to 34 mm Hg. The absence of mitral regurgitation was shown by observing the time difference in appearance of indocyanine green in the right ventricle and the left atrium after left ventricular injection. The defect was repaired by right ventriculotomy with subsequent normalization of left atrial V-waves. This case shows that very large left atrial V-waves may occur in postinfarction ventricular septal defects without mitral regurgitation and that these V-waves may decrease with time, probably reflecting increased left atrial compliance.

Assessment of the MDA and MDMA optical isomers in a stimulant-hallucinogen discrimination.

The phenylisopropylamine derivatives 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) have been compared to both psychostimulants and hallucinogens in drug discrimination investigations. The stereoisomers of these compounds, in particular those of MDA, appear to produce differential effects. Previous studies have demonstrated that animals trained to discriminate amphetamine from vehicle generalize to the S(+)-isomers but not the R(-)-isomers of MDA and MDMA while animals trained to discriminate LSD from saline generalize to R(-)-MDA and neither isomer of MDMA. However, animals trained to discriminate mescaline from vehicle generalize to both stereoisomers of these phenylisopropylamine derivatives. The present study consisted of two experiments in which a three-choice drug discrimination procedure was employed to compare the stereoisomers of MDA and MDMA to both amphetamine and either mescaline (experiment one) or LSD (experiment two). Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate S(+)-amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) and mescaline (12.5 mg/kg) and eight rats were trained to discriminate S(+)-amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) and LSD (0.08 mg/kg) from saline in three-choice, food reinforced drug discrimination procedures. Substitution tests were administered with the isomers of MDA and MDMA. In the second experiment, substitution tests were also administered with lower doses of each training compound and with the stimulant cocaine and the hallucinogen 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenylisopropylamine (DOM). In both experiments, all of the isomers produced very few responses on the S(+)-amphetamine lever. In the first experiment, R(-)-MDA and R(-)-MDMA produced nearly complete substitution for mescaline. The results of the second experiment revealed partial substitution for LSD with both isomers of MDMA and S(+)-MDA, and nearly complete substitution with R(-)MDA for LSD. The present findings do not support previous reports that S(+)-MDMA and S(+)-MDMA substitute for S(+)-amphetamine. The three-lever drug discrimination procedure may provide a more sensitive behavioral assay in which to examine the discriminative stimulus effects of drugs with compound stimulus properties.

Schedule-controlled behavior in rats exposed perinatally to the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254.

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been shown to detrimentally affect learning and memory in children as well as schedule-controlled behavior in experimental animals. The objective of the present series of experiments was to extend research into the effects of PCBs on behavior maintained under both short (30 s) and long (5 min) fixed-interval (FI) schedules as well as an FI 3-min with reinforcement omission. Long-Evans rats were exposed to 0 or 6 mg/kg/day Aroclor 1254 (A1254) via oral gavage from Gestation Day 6 (GD 6) through Postnatal Day 21 (PND 21). At approximately PND 90, acquisition and steady-state performance were assessed under a series of FI reinforcement schedules consisting of FI 30-s, FI 5-min, and FI 3-min with 33% of the scheduled reinforcers omitted. Performance measures included index of curvature (IOC), response rate, and postreinforcement pause (PRP). There were no effects of A1254 on the acquisition of behavior under the FI 30-s schedule. Subsequently, there was an initial decrease in response rate and IOC and an increase in PRP following the transition from FI 30-s to the FI 5-min; there were, however, no treatment-related effects on any measure. During the reinforcement-omission procedure, there was an increase in the rate of responding and a decrease in IOC and PRP following omission intervals irrespective of treatment. These data are inconsistent with previous findings and suggest that perinatal A1254 exposure in the rat does not disrupt temporally organized behavior.

35S-Sulfide incorporation during alkaline treatment of keratin and its relation to lanthionine formation.

Cattle hair exposed to solutions of 35S-sulfide ions at pH 12.5, hydrolyzed with acid, and analyzed for amino acids with simultaneous measurement of the radioactivity of the eluate from the analytical column showed 87 percent of the radioactivity incorporated in the hair in three amino acids: cysteic acid, lanthionine, and cystine. This and other evidence presented lend further support to the intermediacy of dehydroalanyl residues formed by a beta-elimination reaction in the conversion of cystinyl residues to lanthionyl residues in proteins. The presence of radioactively labelled cystine in the hydrolyzate indicates that the dehydroalanyl residues are also capable of reforming cystinyl residues under these same conditions through a series of reversible reactions.

Reasons for tooth extraction in Scotland.

OBJECTIVES: A 1984 study investigated the reasons underlying the extraction of teeth in Scotland. The survey described in this paper, used a similar methodology and aimed to determine the reasons for the extraction of permanent teeth by general dental practitioners and investigate changes in the influences on tooth extraction over a 10 year period. METHODS: During a 1 week period in November 1994, 139 general dental practitioners working throughout Scotland, recorded the reasons for all permanent tooth extractions. RESULTS: A total of 917 permanent teeth were extracted from 613 patients, the reason for extraction being stated as dental caries (51%), periodontal disease (21%), orthodontics (11%) and failed endodontics (4%). Trauma, pericoronitis and other reasons accounted for 5.5% of extractions whilst, in 7.5% of cases, patients requested extraction in preference to other treatments. The proportion of extractions attributed to periodontal disease increased from age 31-60 years, but declined thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: Comparing the results with those obtained in the 1984 study, whilst the mean number of teeth extracted by each practitioner had reduced, the overall relative contribution of different reasons for extraction was similar.

Anti-Uz found in mother's serum and child's eluate.

A saline-reactive antibody, anti-Uz, that reacted stronger with S+ than with S- red blood cells (RBCs) and failed to react with U- or ficin-treated RBCs has been previously reported. We describe an antibody of similar specificity in the postpartum serum of an untransfused woman and the eluate from her fourth child's cord RBCs. The mother's RBCs typed S-s+U+, He+(weak), and appeared to have normal glycophorin A and B content, as deter- mined by immunoblotting. The direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and the autocontrol were negative. Her serum reacted stronger with S + RBCs only in the antiglobulin phase, and failed to react with U- or ficin-treated RBCs. The antibody was adsorbed completely by S-s+U+ RBCs, proving that anti-S was not present. Monocyte monolayer assay results with S+s-U+ and S-s+U+ RBCs indicated that transfusion of incompatible blood would not result in significant hemolysis. The child's cord RBCs typed S-s+. The DAT was 3+ with anti-IgG, and an eluate prepared from these RBCs had the same reactivity as the maternal serum. The child showed no clinical signs of hemolytic disease of the newborn. In contrast to previous reports, these results suggest an immune form of anti-Uz.

Intraocular bacterial contamination during cataract surgery in dogs.

Prevalence of intraoperative contamination of the eyelids, conjunctival sac, and aqueous humor of 50 canine eyes that underwent elective cataract surgery was determined, and the short-term outcomes for contaminated and noncontaminated eyes were compared by scoring media clarity, pupil size and shape, and behavioral evidence of vision during the initial 30-day postoperative period. Results of bacteriologic culture of anterior chamber samples were positive for 12 of the 50 (24%) eyes, but anterior chamber contamination was unrelated to results of bacteriologic culture of eyelids or conjunctival sac swab samples. Eyes undergoing phacoemulsification were less likely to be contaminated than were eyes undergoing intra- or extracapsular extraction. Eyes undergoing intra- or extracapsular extraction and eyes with anterior chamber contamination had a greater likelihood of developing glaucoma postoperatively. We did not detect an association between intraocular contamination and the surgeon performing the operation, the need for postoperative administration of tissue plasminogen activator, or the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus. Also, we did not detect any differences in outcome between eyes with and without intraocular contamination. Despite intraoperative bacterial contamination of the anterior chamber, bacterial endophthalmitis did not develop in any of the eyes.

The provision of dental and oral health advice by community pharmacists.

A common theme of recently published strategies for improving oral health has been the need to involve healthcare professionals so as to influence a wider section of the population, many of whom do not routinely attend a dentist. The purpose of this paper is to review changes that have affected pharmacy practice in the community, to identify opportunities and barriers to the provision of dental and oral health advice in that setting, and to propose increased collaboration between the dental team and pharmacy staff.

Pes anserinus transplantation without a routine medial meniscectomy: a review of twenty-two cases.

Of 549 pes anserinus transplantations performed at the National Athletic Health Institute, Inglewood, California from 1971 through 1977, only 27 involved the transfer for anteromedial rotational instability in the presence of an intact medial meniscus. The 22 patients reviewed were evaluated with a questionnaire, physical and roentgenogram examinations, and hamstring and quadriceps muscle testing with Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. Average length of follow-up was one year, four months. Acute anteromedial rotational instability was seen in 16 patients while six had chronic instability. All had an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament, and 12 had associated medial collateral ligament tears. One year postoperatively, 93% of the patients were participating in athletics and 70% rated their knee as above 90% of normal. The Cybex evaluation, however, revealed only 50% of the patients had 90% of normal strength in hamstrings and quadriceps. One patient developed anteromedial rotational instability, and one a torn medial meniscus, two years postsurgery. It was concluded that: I) Routine medial meniscectomy is not necessary with pes anserinus transplantation; 2) Anterolateral rotary instability does not routinely develop after pes anserinus transplantation done without medial meniscectomy; and 3) Hamstring and quadricep muscle strength below 90% of the normal extremity is not indicative of a subjective unsatisfactory functional result.Indexing terms: pes anserinus transplant; medial meniscectomy; anteromedial rotational instability; anterior cruciate ligament; and medial collateral ligament.

Targeting platinum resistant disease in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is an extremely aggressive disease in which the vast majority of patients face a very poor prognosis. Although most patients initially respond to current chemotherapeutic regimens that include a combination of platinum- based therapy (cisplatin/carboplatin) and paclitaxel, the vast majority of them quickly relapse and develop increased resistance to available treatments. Thus, intrinsic and acquired chemotherapy resistance is a major obstacle in the treatment of ovarian cancer patients. Consequently, the priorities for basic and translational ovarian cancer research need to include the identification of novel therapies directed against key molecular targets and signaling pathways in platinum resistant disease. At the same time, we need to develop novel systems for drug delivery aimed at increasing the efficacy and reducing the toxicity of platinum-based treatments. Improving the current responses to platinum chemotherapy is critical not only for achieving a better outcome clinically, including a longer survival, but also for allowing patients to have a better quality of life while in treatment.

Selective cognitive deficits in adult rats after prenatal exposure to inhaled ethanol.

Increased use of ethanol blends in gasoline suggests a need to assess the potential public health risks of exposure to these fuels. Ethanol consumed during pregnancy is a teratogen. However, little is known about the potential developmental neurotoxicity of ethanol delivered by inhalation, the most likely route of exposure from gasoline-ethanol fuel blends. We evaluated the potential cognitive consequences of ethanol inhalation by exposing pregnant Long Evans rats to clean air or ethanol vapor from gestational days 9-20, a critical period of neuronal development. Concentrations of inhaled ethanol (5000, 10,000, or 21,000 ppm for 6.5h/day) produced modeled peak blood ethanol concentrations (BECs) in exposed dams of 2.3, 6.8, and 192 mg/dL, respectively. In offspring, no dose-related impairments were observed on spatial learning or working memory in the Morris water maze or in operant delayed match-to-position tests. Two measures showed significant effects in female offspring at all ethanol doses: 1) impaired cue learning after trace fear conditioning, and 2) an absence of bias for the correct quadrant after place training during a reference memory probe in the Morris water maze. In choice reaction time tests, male offspring (females were not tested) from the 5000 and 10,000 ppm groups showed a transient increase in decision times. Also, male offspring from the 21,000 ppm group made more anticipatory responses during a preparatory hold period, suggesting a deficit in response inhibition. The increase in anticipatory responding during the choice reaction time test shows that inhaled ethanol yielding a peak BEC of ~200mg/dL can produce lasting effects in the offspring. The lack of a dose-related decrement in the effects observed in females on cue learning and a reference memory probe may reflect confounding influences in the exposed offspring possibly related to maternal care or altered anxiety levels in females. The surprising lack of more pervasive cognitive deficits, as reported by others at BECs in the 200mg/dL range, may reflect route-dependent differences in the kinetics of ethanol. These data show that response inhibition was impaired in the offspring of pregnant rats that inhaled ethanol at concentrations at least 5 orders of magnitude higher than concentrations observed during normal automotive transport and fueling operations, which rarely exceed 100 ppb.

Use of expedited partner therapy among chlamydia cases diagnosed at an urban Indian health centre, Arizona.

Chlamydia cases diagnosed in the women's clinic were more likely to receive expedited partner therapy (EPT) and to be re-tested as compared with urgent and emergent care settings. Fewer re-infections occurred among patients who received EPT. Disproportionate rates of chlamydia occur among American Indian (AI) populations. To describe use of EPT among chlamydia cases diagnosed at an urban Indian Health Service (IHS) facility in Arizona, health records were used to extract confirmed cases of chlamydia diagnosed between January 2009 and August 2011. Medical records of 492 patients diagnosed with chlamydia were reviewed. Among the 472 cases who received treatment, 246 (52%) received EPT. Receipt of EPT was significantly associated with being female (odds ratio (OR) 2.1, 1.03-4.4, P < 0.001) and receipt of care in the women's clinic (OR 9.9, 95% CI 6.0-16.2) or in a primary care clinic (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1-5.1). Compared with those receiving care in the women's clinic, the odds of receipt of EPT were significantly less in those attending the urgent/express care clinic (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.06-0.2), and the emergency department (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.05-0.2). Among treated patients who underwent re-testing (N = 323, 68% total treated) re-infection was less common among those that received EPT (13% versus 27%; OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.9). In this IHS facility, EPT was protective in preventing chlamydia re-infection. Opportunities to expand the use of EPT were identified in urgent and emergent care settings.