Coping with domestic violence: control attributions, dysphoria, and hopelessness.

We investigated the influence of control judgments and coping style on emotional reactions to domestic violence utilizing the framework of hopelessness theory. We assessed abuse severity, control attributions, coping, dysphoric symptoms, and hopelessness in 70 battered women recruited from 12 domestic violence agencies. Respondents reported dysphoria but not hopelessness. Increased reports of dysphoria were associated with higher levels of self-blame and avoidance coping and lower levels of problem-focused coping. Increased problem-focused coping was associated with decreased hopelessness. Perceived control over current abuse was not related to dysphoria. High expectations for control over future events were associated with decreased dysphoria. We discuss our results in terms of their application to attributional accounts of emotional reactions to battering.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma of bone. An immunohistochemical and lectin-histochemical study.

Ten cases of dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma (DCS) were immunohistochemically and histochemically compared with 12 de novo malignant fibrous histiocytomas, 10 osteoblastic osteosarcomas, 9 conventional chondrosarcomas, and 4 fibrosarcomas (all of bone or soft tissues), in order to discern similarities and differences in the immunophenotypes of these neoplasms. All cases of DCS and malignant fibrous histiocytoma were reactive for alpha-1-antichymotrypsin, and several examples of both tumor types bound peanut agglutinin, and expressed positivity for alpha-1-antitrypsin and lysozyme. None of these four cellular markers was observed in de novo osteosarcoma and fibrosarcoma; in addition, conventional chondrosarcoma lacked all of them except for peanut agglutinin receptors. S100 protein reactivity and binding of wheat germ agglutinin were detectable in conventional chondrosarcomas and in rare cells of the anaplastic components of primary DCS, but not in malignant fibrous histiocytoma arising ab initio and the other sarcomas. These results suggest the evolution of a second neoplastic cellular clone in DCS, with primitive morphological and phenotypic characteristics.

Stromal proliferations of the breast: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical evaluation of cystosarcoma phyllodes, juvenile fibroadenoma, and fibroadenoma.

The stromal cells of three cystosarcoma phyllodes, five typical fibroadenomas, and one juvenile fibroadenoma were studied by light and electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical staining for the S-100 protein also was performed on tissues from each of the three categories. On ultrastructural examination, cells comprising the three varieties of lesions were similar. Cells with fibroblastic features predominated in all cases. Myoid differentiation was present in two cases, one of cystosarcoma and one of fibroadenoma. Junctional complexes were present in the cystosarcomas but not in the fibroadenomas. Basal lamina was focally present around stromal cells in the cystosarcoma phyllodes but was not evident around cells of the typical fibroadenomas or the juvenile fibroadenoma. Stromal cells of the fibroadenomas and the cystosarcoma phyllodes did not stain for S-100 protein. The results support the hypothesis that the proliferating cells in all three tumor categories are similar and have features of fibroblasts. The lack of staining for S-100 protein would suggest an origin different from the myoepithelia. The latter conclusion, however, must be interpreted with a degree of reservation as we have shown that not all myoepithelial cells stain with certain monoclonal antibodies directed against the alpha and beta chain of S-100 protein.

Novel method for detecting micro-organisms in blood cultures.

A method for detecting the growth of micro-organisms in blood culture by a visual signal is described. The system utilises a single blood culture medium that has been specifically formulated to support growth of aerobic, anaerobic, and microaerophilic micro-organisms. The system is based on the principle that when micro-organisms grow in the medium in a sealed bottle their metabolic products create positive pressure. This positive pressure displaces the infected blood and broth into an upper chamber, which acts as a visual signal of microbial activity. All the test micro-organisms, when inoculated at less than 20 colony forming units into simulated human blood cultures, gave a positive signal.

The toxicity of potassium tellurite to Staphylococcus aureus in rabbit plasma fibrinogen agar.

The potassium tellurite concentration, 0.01% w/v, in Baird-Parker agar has been recommended for plasma coagulase media such as pig or rabbit fibrinogen agar. Comparative tests have shown that with some strains of Staphylococcus aureus this level of potassium tellurite is too inhibitory and it should be reduced four-fold to 0.0025% w/v to maximize the isolation rate. It is postulated that egg yolk in Baird-Parker agar has a protective effect on staphylococci against the inhibitory action of tellurite.