Involvement of benzodiazepine binding sites in an antiaggressive effect by 5-HT(1A) receptor activation in isolated mice.

The effect of the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil was examined on an antiaggressive effect of (S)-5-[3-[(1,4-benzodioxan-2-ylmethyl)amino]propoxy]-1,3- benzodioxole HCl (MKC-242), a 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist. MKC-242 (0.1-1.0 mg/kg, p.o.) selectively reduced isolation-induced aggressive behavior in a dose-dependent manner. Flumazenil (10 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the antiaggressive effects of MKC-242 and diazepam, although it alone did not affect the behaviors of isolated mice. These findings suggest that a gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) (GABA(A)) receptor system is involved in the antiaggressive effect by 5-HT(1A) receptor activation.

Incorporating stress management into athletic injury rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to provide a paradigm that can assist certified athletic trainers in selecting and implementing techniques to help athletes cope with the stress associated with injury. BACKGROUND: The psychological impact of injury and the stress associated with rehabilitation are well known in the athletic training room. Specific stress management techniques should be determined by the personality of the athlete, the specific stressors associated with the injury and rehabilitation process, and the education and expertise of the certified athletic trainer. Therefore, it is important that certified athletic trainers be proficient in stress theory regarding the psychological aspects of injury, as well as the techniques to address them. DESCRIPTION: We provide a framework that applies transactional theory to athletic injury and suggests that an athlete's belief about injury plays a central role in the stress reaction. It describes the role of the certified athletic trainer in addressing the 4 components of transactional theory: 1) increased awareness, 2) information processing and appraisal, 3) modified behavior, and 4) peaceful resolution with injured athletes. CLINICAL ADVANTAGES: The application of this conceptual framework allows certified athletic trainers to differentiate stress management techniques based on the individual athlete's reaction rather than apply a generic approach.

Synthesis and structural studies of asparagine-modified 2-deoxy-alpha-N-glycopeptides associated with the renin-angiotensin system.

Following addition of N-iodosuccinimide to glycals, reductive hydrogenolysis and ring opening gave 2-deoxy-alpha-N-glycopeptides carrying a deaminated asparagine unit. This reaction could be performed employing glucal, galactal, L-rhamnal, L-fucal and lactal to give the corresponding glycoconjugate building blocks 11, 12, 17, 22, 27 and 32. Further NIS-mediated glycosylation of the rhamno derivative 21 led to simple trisaccharide peptide adducts 45. Peptide synthesis of the gluco building unit with different preassembled oligopeptides afforded glycoconjugates 36, 39, 41 and 42 assumed to be of interest as potential inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system.

Differences between experienced and anticipatory distress.

Differences between distress ratings of anticipated and experienced life events were examined (N = 168). Results showed significant differences between perceived and experienced aversion across events predicting symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety, and somatic discomfort in occupational, social, and familial situations. Gender differences were also found. Women reported significantly greater ratings of distress than men. Results reinforce the use of experienced events in overall distress assessment for individual clients, bring to question the existence of anticipated or perceived stress, and suggest that gender differences should be accounted for in the interpretation of distress measures.

Gender differences in rating stressful events, depression, and depressive cognition.

Assessed gender differences in the ratings of stressful events, depression, and cognitive distortion. Responses of 70 males and 70 females (N = 140) to the Life Stress Questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Automatic Thought Questionnaire were studied. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences between sexes on all dependent measures. Men reported experiencing more stressful life change. However, women rated the impact of stressors more severely. Women had higher depression ratings, and men exhibited greater distortions in cognitive content. It is proposed that cognitive distortion may insulate men from depressive moods. Research on coping mechanisms used by men and women in dealing with similar stressful life events may be helpful in clarifying the relationship among gender, stress, and depression.

Comparative efficacy of biofeedback and stress inoculation for stress reduction.

Evaluated the comparative effectiveness of frontalis electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback, a primarily somatic intervention, and stress inoculation, a self-instructional form of cognitive-behavior therapy. Both treatments were compared with a waiting list control group on systolic and diastolic blood pressure, the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, and the Teaching Anxiety Scale (N = 24). Multivariate assessment on all four dependent measures indicated that both the frontalis feedback and stress inoculation groups improved significantly more than the no treatment control, but did not differ overall from one another. The stress inoculation group showed more improvement in self-reported anxiety than the EMG group, while the EMG group tended to do better than the stress inoculation group on blood pressure measures. The untreated control group regressed somewhat across all measures. It was proposed that each treatment may have specific effects that might suggest which treatment would be indicated for a particular client.