Gene expression analysis in serial liver fine needle aspirates.

No method with low morbidity presently exists for obtaining serial hepatic gene expression measurements in humans. While hepatic fine needle aspiration (FNA) has lower morbidity than core needle biopsy, applicability is limited due to blood contamination, which confounds quantification of gene expression changes. The aim of this study was to validate FNA for assessment of hepatic gene expression. Liver needle biopsies and FNA procedures were simultaneously performed on 17 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection with an additional FNA procedure 1 week later. Nine patients had mild/moderate fibrosis and eight advanced fibrosis. Gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix microarrays and TaqMan qPCR; pathway analysis was performed using Ingenuity. We developed a novel strategy that applies liver-enriched normalization genes to determine the percentage of liver in the FNA sample, which enables accurate gene expression measurements overcoming biases derived from blood contamination. We obtained almost identical gene expression results (ρ = 0.99, P < 0.0001) comparing needle biopsy and FNA samples for 21 preselected genes. Gene expression results were also validated in dogs. These data suggest that liver FNA is a reliable method for serial hepatic tissue sampling with potential utility for a variety of preclinical and clinical applications.

Anxiety reduction through group instruction in rational therapy.

This study investigated the effects of group Rational Therapy in promoting rational thinking and self-enhancing emotions among 24 college students. Each subject was administered the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire as a pre- and post-test measurement. Results reveal that some aspects of personality are affected by Rational Therapy group programs while others are not.

Alienation and ego identity in adolescents.

This study discusses alienation among youth in present day society and investigates the relationship between ego identity and alienation in adolescents. The subjects were 147 students from five high schools in southwestern Virginia. Each subject was administered the Adolescent Alienation Scale (Mackey, 1974) and Ego Identity Scale (Rasmussen, 1961). The data supported the hypothesis that as scores on the Ego Identity Scale increase, there tends to be a moderate decrease in alienation. The results imply that young people who have successfully resolved the Eriksonian crises and conflicts will feel a sense of mastery over their environments and control of their destiny. Seeming, all "significant others" share a responsibility in forming the social personality which determines the commitment youth will eventually make to society.

Factors influencing contraceptive behavior of single college students.

This study investigated the premarital contraceptive behavior of 222 male and female college students. Contraceptive practice was examined in relation to dating patterns, level of emotional involvement with the sex partner was heightened, the intercourse was planned, and the individual and prior sexual experience.

PIP: In recognition of the evidence that the rate of premarital intercourse is increasing and that a large proportion of those engaging in it are failing to use contraception, the premarital contraceptive behavior of 222 male and female college students was studied in order to learn about the conditions favoring reliable contraceptive use and those that make it unlikely. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was completed by 359 students enrolled in a human sexual development class (137 students were subsequently excluded because they were or had been married, had never had sexual intercourse, or had failed to complete the questionnaire). Contraceptive practice was examined in relation to dating patterns, level of emotional involvement with sex partners, type of birth control used, number of different sex partners, and reasons for failure to use birth control. 1 of the clearest findings of the study was that the beginning participant in intercourse is at high risk. During the 1st intercourse, 20% failed to use any method of contraception and 76% used either none or an unreliable method. By the time of the most recent intercourse, 50% were using the oral contraceptive and an additional 29% were using condom, diaphragm, foam, jelly, IUD, or a combination of these methods. A statistically significant difference was observed between that 1st and most recent intercourse in terms of the usage of reliable contraception. Results showed that the likelihood of using a reliable contraceptive increased when there was a high level of emotional involvement with the sex partner, the intercourse was planned, and the individual had prior sexual experience.

Sex differences in the comprehension of spatial orientation.

This research examined effects of instruction upon acquisition of Piaget's concept of horizontality and determined sex differences related to this acquisition. Hypotheses tested were that there are no significant differences (a) in performance on perception and prediction tasks, (b) by sex in the ability to comprehend horizontality, (c) by sex in the stage of development after instruction, and (d) by sex after instruction on the number of correct responses on horizontal tasks. Subjects were 18 male and 17 female rural, public school pupils ranging in age from 8 years, 0 months to 9 years, 11 months. Test instruments were a cylindrical bottle half-filled with colored water and eight pictures of bottles positioned at angles from 0 to 315 degrees at increments of 45 degrees. Chi square tests indicated that males performed significantly better than females on perception and prediction, and that instruction significantly improved male performance on prediction and female performance on prediction and perception. It was concluded that females, if given instruction, could more closely approximate the performance of males on the horizontal water level task.