The Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR): a device for sampling naturalistic daily activities and conversations.

A recording device called the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) is described. The EAR taperecords for 30 sec once every 12 min for 2-4 days. It is lightweight and portable, and it can be worn comfortably by participants in their natural environment. The acoustic data samples provide a nonobtrusive record of the language used and settings entered by the participant. Preliminary psychometric findings suggest that the EAR data accurately reflect individuals' natural social, linguistic, and psychological lives. The data presented in this article were collected with a first-generation EAR system based on analog tape recording technology, but a second generation digital EAR is now available.

Lesbian erotic role identification: behavioral, morphological, and hormonal correlates.

Lesbian scholars hotly debate the validity of "butch" and "femme" erotic roles. Although some dismiss them as social constructs, others maintain they are natural expressions of lesbian sexuality. The authors compared self-described butch and femme lesbians on gender-discriminating behavioral, morphological, and hormonal measures. Butch and femme lesbians did not differ from heterosexual women on sex role personality traits, depressive symptomology, eating disorders, or body dissatisfaction. Butch lesbians, however, recalled more childhood gender-atypical behavior and had higher waist-to-hip ratios, higher saliva testosterone levels, and less desire to give birth. These findings support the validity of butch-femme classification and suggest that butch lesbians are more male-typical compared to femme lesbians. The butch-femme classification may reflect a within-group difference caused by differential exposure to prenatal androgens.

Primary active transport of organic anions on bile canalicular membrane in humans.

Biliary excretion of several anionic compounds was examined by assessing their ATP-dependent uptake in bile canalicular membrane vesicles (CMV) prepared from six human liver samples. 2, 4-Dinitrophenyl-S-glutathione (DNP-SG), leukotriene C4 (LTC4), sulfobromophthalein glutathione (BSP-SG), E3040 glucuronide (E-glu), beta-estradiol 17-(beta-D-glucuronide) (E2-17G), grepafloxacin glucuronide (GPFXG), pravastatin, BQ-123, and methotrexate, which are known to be substrates for the rat canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter, and taurocholic acid (TCA), a substrate for the bile acid transporter, were used as substrates. ATP-dependent and saturable uptake of TCA, DNP-SG, LTC4, E-glu, E2-17G, and GPFXG was observed in all human CMV preparations examined, suggesting that these compounds are excreted in the bile via a primary active transport system in humans. Primary active transport of the other substrates was also seen in some of CMV preparations but was negligible in the others. The ATP-dependent uptake of all the compounds exhibited a large inter-CMV variation, and there was a significant correlation between the uptake of glutathione conjugates (DNP-SG, LTC4, and BSP-SG) and glucuronides (E-glu, E2-17G, and GPFXG). However, there was no significant correlation between TCA and the other organic anions, implying that the transporters for TCA and for organic anions are different also in humans. When the average value for the ATP-dependent uptake by each preparation of human CMVs was compared with that of rat CMVs, the uptake of glutathione conjugates and nonconjugated anions (pravastatin, BQ-123, and methotrexate) in humans was approximately 3- to 76-fold lower than that in rats, whereas the uptake of glucuronides was similar in the two species. Thus there is a species difference in the primary active transport of organic anions across the bile canalicular membrane that is less marked for glucuronides.

Biliary excretion mechanism of CPT-11 and its metabolites in humans: involvement of primary active transporters.

After administration of CTP-11, a camptothecin derivative exhibiting a wide spectrum of antitumor activity, dose-limiting gastrointestinal toxicity with great interpatient variability is observed. Because the biliary excretion is a major elimination pathway for CPT-11 and its metabolites [an active metabolite, 7-ethyl-10-hydroxy-camptothecin (SN-38), and its glucuronide, SN38-Glu], several hypotheses for the toxicity involve biliary excretion. Here, we investigated whether primary active transport is involved in the biliary excretion of anionic forms of CPT-11 and its metabolites in humans using bile canalicular membrane vesicles (cMVs). Uptake of the carboxylate form of CPT-11 and the carboxylate and lactone forms of SN38-Glu by cMVs prepared from five human liver samples was ATP dependent. The concentration dependence of the ATP-dependent uptake of the carboxylate form of CPT-11 and SN38-Glu suggests the involvement of at least two saturable transport components, both with lower affinity and higher capacity than in rats. The ATP-dependent uptake of the carboxylate form of SN-38 showed a single saturable component but was detectable only in one human cMV sample. Both carboxylate and lactone forms of SN38-Glu uptake also showed a large intersample variability, although the variability was less than that observed for the carboxylate form of SN-38. On the other hand, the carboxylate form of CPT-11 exhibited much less variability. The carboxylate forms of SN38-Glu and SN-38 almost completely inhibited the ATP-dependent uptake of leukotriene C4, a well-known substrate of canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter, whereas the inhibition by the carboxylate form of CPT-11 was not as marked. Thus, multiple primary active transport systems are responsible for the biliary excretion of CPT-11 and its metabolites, and the major transport system for CPT-11 differs from that for the other two compounds. A greater degree of inter-cMV variability in the uptake of SN-38 and SN38-Glu may imply that interindividual variability in biliary excretion of these metabolites might contribute to interpatient variability in the toxicity caused by CPT-11.

Testosterone changes during vicarious experiences of winning and losing among fans at sporting events.

Basking in reflected glory, in which individuals increase their self-esteem by identifying with successful others, is usually regarded as a cognitive process that can affect behavior. It may also involve physiological processes, including changes in the production of endocrine hormones. The present research involved two studies of changes in testosterone levels among fans watching their favorite sports teams win or lose. In the first study, participants were eight male fans attending a basketball game between traditional college rivals. In the second study, participants were 21 male fans watching a televised World Cup soccer match between traditional international rivals. Participants provided saliva samples for testosterone assay before and after the contest. In both studies, mean testosterone level increased in the fans of winning teams and decreased in the fans of losing teams. These findings suggest that watching one's heroes win or lose has physiological consequences that extend beyond changes in mood and self-esteem.

Testosterone and pupillary response to auditory sexual stimuli.

Low-, medium-, and high-testosterone subjects listened to four 30-s recorded stimuli while a computer system continuously measured their pupil size. The stimuli dealt with sex, aggression, and two neutral topics. Subjects dilated more to sex than to the other topics. Male and female subjects responded similarly, although low-testosterone males did not dilate as long as other subjects to the sexual stimulus. Auditory stimuli avoid a brightness artifact associated with visual stimuli. Auditory stimuli can be used in a variety of pupillometry studies, including studies of ongoing conversation and social interaction.

Age, testosterone, and behavior among female prison inmates.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine how testosterone levels, both alone and interacting with age, were associated with criminal behavior and institutional behavior among female prison inmates. METHOD: Subjects were 87 female inmates in a maximum security state prison. Criminal behavior was scored from court records. Institutional behavior was scored from prison records and interviews with staff members. Testoster-one levels were scored from radioimmunoassay of saliva samples. RESULTS: Product-moment correlations revealed first-order relationships among age, testosterone, criminal behavior, and institutional behavior. Structural equation analysis suggested a causal model in which age leads to lower testosterone, which in turn leads to less violent crime and less aggressive dominance in prison. CONCLUSION: Testosterone is related to criminal violence and aggressive dominance in prison among women, as has been reported among men. Changes in these behaviors with age are in part explained by a decline in testosterone levels.

Evaluation of positive controls for the in vitro unscheduled DNA synthesis assay using hepatocytes from induced (Aroclor 1254) and uninduced male cynomolgus monkey.

We have evaluated the use of four different positive control compounds for assessing UDS in monkey hepatocytes and have found three of these, methylmethanesulfonate, benzo[a]pyrene, and dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, to produce strong positive responses in vitro. Dimethylnitrosamine induced only weak responses. We also report that the strength of the response induced by procarcinogens was not enhanced in hepatocytes taken from Aroclor 1254-pretreated monkeys, even though substantial induction of cytochrome P450 enzymes was demonstrated in these cells. These studies raise the question of the utility of employing an in vivo induction system to enhance the monkey UDS assay.

Testosterone and sex role identification in lesbian couples.

Within the lesbian community there exists a common perception that lesbians comprise two types, "butch," having more masculine characteristics, and "femme," having more feminine characteristics. The present study investigated the question of whether these perceptions are reflected in different levels of the predominantly male hormone testosterone. Salivatory testosterone levels and "butch/femme" ratings were obtained from 28 lesbian couples. Individuals within couples tended to be opposite in "butch/femme" ratings [intraclass r(26) = -0.77, p < 0.0001] but similar in testosterone levels [intraclass r(26) = 0.47, p <0.01]. Also within couples, individuals with higher "butch" ratings had significantly higher testosterone levels, although across all individuals as a whole (ignoring couple pairing) there was no correlation between testosterone and "butch/femme" ratings. The results indicate that testosterone is related to "butch/femme" characteristics, but only when regarded within the couple relationship.

Salivary testosterone and cortisol in a delinquent and violent urban subculture.

Salivary testosterone and cortisol levels were measured in 36 U.S. college students and 29 delinquent participants of a similar age. Both groups of participants were made up of White men and women. The delinquent group, which was characterized by flamboyant dress, drug use, and violence, had significantly higher testosterone levels than the college students did, but the two groups did not differ regarding cortisol levels. Testosterone and cortisol were positively correlated in the women.

Reliability of salivary testosterone measurements: a multicenter evaluation.

The reliability of salivary testosterone assays was evaluated by nine laboratories in four countries. Each laboratory used its own RIA procedures to assay samples from a set of 100 male and 100 female subjects. Agreement among the laboratories on mean scores was within the range reported by Read (Ann N Y Acad Sci 1993; 694: 161-76). Overall agreement on individual scores, as indicated by the intraclass correlation coefficient computed within subjects across laboratories, was r = 0.87 for men and r = 0.78 for women. Mean agreement between each laboratory and the combined set of all other laboratories (via Fisher's Z-transformation) was r = 0.61 for men and r = 0.58 for women. We take these latter values to be the best estimates of the average reliability of laboratories in their ordering of individual samples.

Oxidative DNA damage induced by potassium bromate in isolated rat renal proximal tubules and renal nuclei.

Oxidative damage caused by potassium bromate (KBrO3), a rat renal carcinogen, was investigated using in vitro preparations of rat renal proximal tubules (RPT) and renal nuclear fractions. Release of lactate dehydrogenase and decrease of SH-group content in RPT (1 mg protein/ml) by KBrO3 (0.5-5 mM) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner were observed. Peroxidized arachidonic acid and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) levels in RPT were increased after administration of 2 and 5 mM KBrO3. 8-OH-dG formation was observed after incubation of renal nuclei with a lipid-peroxiding system, autooxidized methyl linolenate, or KBrO3. These findings provide support for involvement of lipid peroxidation in producing oxidized DNA damage by KBrO3 directly to RPT, the target site for renal carcinogenesis.

Endogenous testosterone and competition: the effect of "fasting".

Salivary testosterone was measured among male college wrestlers (n = 12), some of whom fasted before their matches while others did not. Nonfasting wrestlers had increasing testosterone on the day of their match, whereas fasting wrestlers had decreasing testosterone. Apparently, fasting perturbs the normal pattern of testosterone fluctuation associated with competition. As used here, the term "fasting" does not necessarily imply 100% abstinence from nourishment.

Effects of soya bean flakes and liquorice root extract on enzyme induction and toxicity in B6C3F1 mice.

Both soya bean flakes (SBF) and liquorice root extract (LRE) have previously been reported to have anticarcinogenic properties, which have been thought to be related to an increased activity of specific enzymes responsible for the detoxification of chemical carcinogens. 30- and 90-day studies were conducted in male B6C3F1 mice to determine which, if any, of several detoxification enzymes are induced by SBF or LRE. Mice fed 8 and 25% LRE showed a variety of adverse clinical signs, poor weight gain and 30% mortality. Significant increases in liver:body weight ratios were observed in both the SBF and LRE groups. No significant treatment-related gross autopsy findings were observed in any of the SBF groups. A number of abnormalities were observed in the LRE groups, including lesions of the kidney, liver, spleen and thymus. Liver samples from the 90-day study were analysed for 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (7-ECOD), benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase (BPH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and UDP-glucuronyl transferase (UDPGT) at 90 days, and at an interim 30-day autopsy. No treatment-related increases were observed for BPH or SOD. Both SBF and LRE induced modest increases in UDPGT activity. SBF induced modest increases in GST activity, but LRE decreased this activity. 7-ECOD activity was significantly increased by LRE and decreased by SBF. Samples from a 30-day study in which both LRE and SBF were administered at various dose levels were examined for UDPGT activity; all dose groups showed decreases in UDPGT activity relative to controls. The results suggest that both SBF and LRE may alter the activities of specific enzymes involved in the detoxification of chemical carcinogens; however, the combination of these two foodstuffs may not produce an additive effect in B6C3F1 mice.

Male and female salivary testosterone concentrations before and after sexual activity.

Salivary testosterone concentrations were measured in male and female members of four heterosexual couples on a total of 11 evenings before and after sexual intercourse and 11 evenings on which there was no intercourse. Testosterone increased across the evening when there was intercourse and decreased when there was none. The pattern was the same for males and females. Early evening measured did not differ on the two kinds of days, suggesting that sexual activity affects testosterone more than initial testosterone affects sexual activity.

Salivary testosterone and cortisol among late adolescent male offenders.

The relationship of salivary testosterone and cortisol concentrations to personality, criminal violence, prison behavior, and parole board decisions was examined among 113 late-adolescent male offenders. Offenders high in testosterone committed more violent crimes, were judged more harshly by the parole board, and violated prison rules more often than those low in testosterone. No main effects for cortisol emerged. However, as expected, a significant interaction between testosterone and cortisol was found, in which cortisol moderated the correlation between testosterone and violence of crime. Cortisol may be a biological indicator of psychological variables (e.g., social withdrawal) that moderate the testosterone-behavior relationship. Paper and pencil measures of personality and behavior showed little relationship to hormones.

Salivary testosterone measurements: collecting, storing, and mailing saliva samples.

Salivary testosterone measurements can be especially useful in field studies, but reliable ways of collecting and handling samples need to be established. Using cotton dental rolls to collect saliva leads to inflated testosterone scores. Sugarfree gum can be used satisfactorily to stimulate saliva among both male and female subjects. Leaving unpreserved saliva samples at room temperature for 2 weeks or mailing them unrefrigerated is satisfactory for male subjects but leads to inflated scores for female subjects.

Salivary testosterone measurements among women: relative magnitude of circadian and menstrual cycles.

Measures of testosterone among women are potentially useful in behavioral research, but information is needed on how much error is introduced by variability across the menstrual cycle. Morning and evening salivary testosterone concentrations were measured at weekly intervals across one menstrual cycle in each of 22 women, using the luteinizing hormone surge to mark midcycle. Menstrual cycles were statistically significant but smaller than daily cycles or individual differences. Menstrual cycle effects can be ignored in most research relating psychological and behavioral variables to individual differences in testosterone.