Personality risk for alcohol consequences among college freshmen.

Drinking is pervasive in the lifestyle of many college students. This study investigated the relationship between drinking and students' impulsivity, sensation seeking, alcohol consequences, and expectancies. The study was based on the Acquired Preparedness Model, which posits that personality constructs like impulsivity and sensation seeking influence drinking through the formation of positive expectancies about the effects of drinking. Freshmen (N = 260) from a large public university volunteered for the study and were administered three surveys. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the study variables. The findings showed that the total effect of impulsivity was mediated by positive alcohol expectancies. The total effect of sensation seeking was mediated by alcohol expectancies. Freshmen who were more impulsive and sensation seeking had more positive alcohol expectancies and experienced more negative consequences related to alcohol use. These findings suggest that the risk of alcohol consequences was associated with personality constructs and alcohol expectancies.

Cultural differences in asymmetric beliefs of interpersonal knowledge in vertical and horizontal relationships.

Previous studies have reported that our interpersonal knowledge shows an asymmetry; that is, we tend to believe that we know and understand other people's thoughts and feelings better than other people know and understand our own thoughts and feelings. In the present study, the authors compared American (114 men, 192 women) and Korean (99 men and 98 women) students to examine whether the asymmetry is greater in collectivistic than in individualistic culture in two types of relationships: horizontal (with best friends) and vertical (with parents). On all three items--Know, Understand, and Visibility--asymmetry was found for both horizontal and vertical relationships. Further, the Understand and Visibility items showed greater asymmetry for the Korean group than for the American group. It was concluded that asymmetry is greater in collectivistic than in individualistic culture. The cultural differences can be explained by self-consistency, sensitivity to social consequences, parent-child interaction, and living arrangement.

Concurrent validity of the WISC-IV in eligibility decisions for students with educable mental disabilities.

Concurrent validity of the WISC-III and WISC-IV was conducted using a sample of 35 students classified as educable mentally disabled. Full Scale IQ scores of previously administered WISC-III correlated .91 with WISC-IV Full Scale IQ scores when adjusted for restricted range. Of the previous eligibility decisions, 80% were confirmed by the WISC-IV scores. Implications of the findings and suggestions for research are discussed.

Learning style, judgements of learning, and learning of verbal and visual information.

The concept of learning style is immensely popular despite the lack of evidence showing that learning style influences performance. This study tested the hypothesis that the popularity of learning style is maintained because it is associated with subjective aspects of learning, such as judgements of learning (JOLs). Preference for verbal and visual information was assessed using the revised Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire (VVQ). Then, participants studied a list of word pairs and a list of picture pairs, making JOLs (immediate, delayed, and global) while studying each list. Learning was tested by cued recall. The results showed that higher VVQ verbalizer scores were associated with higher immediate JOLs for words, and higher VVQ visualizer scores were associated with higher immediate JOLs for pictures. There was no association between VVQ scores and recall or JOL accuracy. As predicted, learning style was associated with subjective aspects of learning but not objective aspects of learning.

Health behaviors of mandated and voluntary students in a motivational intervention program.

UNLABELLED: College students engage in many unhealthy behaviors, one of these, heavy alcohol use, is a major global public health problem. OBJECTIVE: This longitudinal study examined whether students' mandated/voluntary status in a program to reduce college drinking was associated with overall health, ethnicity, gender, and personality traits. Both mandated and voluntary groups participated in the Motivational Intervention (MI) program to prevent high risk drinking. METHODS: Freshmen (710 voluntary, 190 mandated, n = 900) between the ages of 18 and 21, received the MI at baseline and again at 2 weeks, with boosters at 3, 6 and 12 months. Participants completed three measures: the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (DDQ); the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS), and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII). Mandated and voluntary participants were compared at baseline and following the intervention using two sample t-tests for continuous variables (overall health, personality traits, drinking measures), and chi-square for categorical variables (gender, ethnicity). Linear mixed models were used to identify associations between HPLP II scores and mandated/voluntary status, time, ethnicity gender and SURPS scale scores. RESULTS: In both groups, alcohol consumption dropped significantly by 12 months. Overall health-promoting behaviors, physical activity, stress management, and interpersonal relations improved in both groups between baseline and 12 months. Associations were found between alcohol consumption, personality traits, gender, and lifestyle health-promoting behaviors. In particular, impulsivity and hopelessness were associated with poor health behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention programs to reduce drinking by college students need to address developmental dynamics of freshmen students, including gender, psychosocial factors, personality, and lifestyle health-promoting behaviors.

Essential role of endogenous estrogen in directly stimulating mammary growth demonstrated by implants containing pure antiestrogens.

The mammogenic actions of estrogen, although undisputed, lack definition due to uncertainties concerning the relative importance of systemic vs. local actions of the hormone. In addition to its well known, indirect effects on mammary tissue through pituitary intermediaries such as PRL and GH, recent evidence points to, but does not prove, direct estrogen action on mammary targets. The ability of exogenous estrogen to directly and locally stimulate mammary growth in vivo was previously shown in endocrine-ablated animals using small plastic pellets containing estradiol. The more important question of whether the direct action of endogenous estrogen is required for normal mammary growth and morphogenesis in the endocrine-intact animal is now investigated using direct-acting, slow-release plastic implants containing pure antiestrogens (antiestrogens with no estrogenic properties) inserted into the growth region of mammary glands. Local growth inhibition only in the immediate vicinity of the implants and not in other glands in the same mouse demonstrated the requirement of mammary tissues for endogenous, locally acting estrogen. Local actions of antiestrogens on ducts mimicked the ovariectomy-induced loss of systemic estrogen with respect to time course and morphology, with complete inhibition of ductal growth in 14 days. A second effect, in which locally acting antiestrogens simplified the pattern of ductal branching, was observed in both immature and mature animals. Two distinct mitogenic pathways, one governing ductal elongation and the other ductal maintenance, were thus affected. The inhibitory effects of antiestrogen treatment were fully reversible and not accompanied by obvious cytotoxicity. We conclude from these studies of localized estrogen receptor blockade that with respect to ductal mammogenesis, the action of estrogen is direct (acting at the level of the gland itself) and not primarily through the stimulation of pituitary mammogens.

Prolactin receptor expression in the epithelia and stroma of the rat mammary gland.

The importance of prolactin (PRL) in regulating growth and differentiation of the mammary gland is well known. However, it is not well established whether PRL acts solely on the mammary epithelia or if it can also directly affect the mammary stroma. To determine where PRL could exert its effects within the mammary gland, we investigated the levels of expression and the localization of the PRL receptor (PRLR) in the epithelia and stroma of the rat mammary gland at different physiological stages. For these studies, we isolated parenchymal-free 'cleared' fat pads and intact mammary glands from virgin, 18-day-pregnant and 6-day-lactating rats. In addition, intact mammary tissues were enzymatically digested to obtain epithelial cells, free of stroma. The mammary tissues, intact gland, stroma and isolated epithelia, were then used for immunocytochemistry, protein extraction and isolation of total RNA. PRLR protein was detected in tissues using specific polyclonal antisera (PRLR-l) by immunocytochemistry and Western blot analysis. Messenger RNA for PRLR was measured by ribonuclease protection assay. Immunocytochemistry and Western blots with the PRLR-1 antisera detected PRLR in wild-type rat and mouse tissues, whereas the receptor protein was absent in tissues from PRLR gene-deficient mice. PRLR was found to be present both in the epithelia and stroma of mammary glands from virgin, pregnant and lactating rats, as determined by immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. Western blots revealed the predominance of three bands migrating at 88, 90 and 92 kDa in each of the rat mammary samples. These represent the long form of the PRLR. During pregnancy and lactation, PRLR protein increased in the epithelial compartment of the mammary gland but did not change within the stromal compartment at any physiological stage examined. We also found PRLR mRNA in both the epithelia and stroma of the mammary gland. Again, the stroma contained lower levels of PRLR mRNA compared with the epithelia at all physiological stages examined. Also, the PRLR mRNA levels within the stroma did not change significantly during pregnancy or lactation, whereas PRLR mRNA within the epithelia increased twofold during pregnancy and fourfold during lactation when compared with virgin rats. We conclude from this study that PRLR is expressed both in the stromal and epithelial compartment of the mammary gland. This finding suggests PRL may have a direct affect on the mammary stroma and by that route affect mammary gland development.

Epidemiology and control of vancomycin-resistant enterococci in a regional neonatal intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: After the occurrence of two cases of bloodstream infection with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in our regional neonatal intensive care unit, we studied the epidemiology of VRE and applied extensive infection control measures to the unit to control VRE transmission. METHODS: Infection control measures applied to the unit included weekly surveillance for VRE colonization; education; cohorting of VRE-positive, VRE-negative and VRE-exposed babies with separate personnel and equipment for each group; use of gowns and gloves on room entry; and hand washing before and after each patient contact. Risk factors for VRE colonization were determined with a stepwise logistic regression model. RESULTS: Thirty-three (40.2%) babies became colonized with VRE. The VRE colonization rate was reduced from 67% to 7% after implementation of infection control measures. Prolonged antimicrobial treatment and low birth weight were significantly associated with an increased risk of VRE colonization. CONCLUSION: VRE can spread rapidly among newborns in a regional neonatal intensive care unit. Strict infection control measures can reduce the rate of VRE colonization among neonates.

Direct gram stain and urease test to detect Helicobacter pylori.

Antral biopsies were obtained by gastrointestinal endoscopy on 143 adult patients with dyspeptic symptoms of gastritis or peptic ulcer disease. A direct Gram stain and a direct urease test were performed on each biopsy in addition to culture. Forty-three biopsies (30%) were considered positive for Helicobacter pylori based on culture or histologic examination, or both. Thirty-one biopsies (72% sensitivity) were positive for both direct tests, whereas 95 of 100 negative cultures were negative for both tests. Thirty-eight of the 43 positive biopsies were Gram stain positive (sensitivity, 88%; specificity, 100%). The direct urease test alone was positive at 4 hr for 29 biopsies (sensitivity, 67%; specificity, 100%) and at 24 hr for 38 biopsies (sensitivity, 74%; specificity, 95%). Rapid presumptive diagnosis of H. pylori in antral biopsies was obtained when at least one direct test, Gram stain or urease, was positive.

Colonization and microbiology of the motile enterococci in a patient population.

The motile enterococci with the vanC gene have intrinsic low-level resistance to vancomycin, but have not been implicated in a nosocomial outbreak. We determined the colonization rate of motile enterococci in hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients. Perianal or stool specimens were cultured in Enterococcosel broth supplemented with 6 micrograms of vancomycin per mL. Rapid motility and pigment tests were performed on all enterococci isolated. A total of 82 motile and/or pigmented enterococci were isolated from 679 patients for a colonization rate of 12.1%. There were 43 Enterococcus gallinarum, 32 Enterococcus casseliflavus, 4 Enterococcus flavescens, and 3 Enterococcus mundtii identified. The E. gallinarum vancomycin MIC90 was 32 micrograms/mL and the E. casseliflavus vancomycin MIC90 was 8 micrograms/mL.

Copepods associated with a perirectal abscess and copepod pseudo-outbreaks in stools for ova and parasite examinations.

We observed copepods, an intermediate host for several human parasites, in material obtained from a perirectal abscess of a 22-year-old man with Crohn's disease. We subsequently noted copepod "outbreaks" in stool specimens submitted for ova and parasite examination. Copepods in the hospital tap water supply were the source for one "outbreak".

Topical bactrim versus trimethoprim and sulfonamide against nocardia keratitis.

PURPOSE: The conventional treatment of Nocardia keratitis is with topical sulfonamides. Recently, topical trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim) has been suggested as treatment. This study compares the in vitro efficacy against Nocardia asteroides of Bactrim and various ratios of trimethoprim and a sulfonamide. METHODS: Antibiotic disks were soaked with various ratios of trimethoprim and sulfacetamide sodium. They contained trimethoprim alone, sulfacetamide sodium alone, and both trimethoprim and sulfacetamide sodium at ratios of 1:40, 1:20, and 1:5. Disks containing Bactrim were also prepared. Each disk was placed on blood agar plates streaked with N. asteroides. The plates were incubated at 37 degrees C for 72 hours and then examined. RESULTS: Trimethoprim alone showed minimal effect. Sulfacetamide sodium alone had a clearance zone of 12 mm. The plates of trimethoprim and sulfacetamide sodium at ratios of 1:40, 1:20, and 1:5 had clearance zones of 14 mm, 17 mm, and 27 mm, respectively. Bactrim had a clearance zone of 70 mm. CONCLUSION: Trimethoprim or sulfacetamide sodium alone is not as effective as both drugs together. As the ratio of the two drugs was changed, potency differed against Nocardia organisms. Bactrim was the most effective antibiotic against Nocardia organisms. It should be the recommended agent for the treatment of Nocardia keratitis.

Identity and death anxiety.

Sixty-three male Caucasian undergraduates were involved in a study examining possible relationships between death anxiety and Erikson's concept of ego identity. Participants were administered Marcia's Ego Identity Status Interview and Templar's Death Anxiety Scale (DAS) in counterbalanced order. A one-way analysis of variance revealed a significant main effect of ego identity status on DAS scores. One identity status, moratorium, was associated with significantly higher DAS scores than the other three statuses. Diffusion, foreclosure, and achievement statuses did not significantly differ on DAS scores.

Evaluation and comparison of two Stuart's liquid swab transport systems tested by the CLSI M40 method.

The Copan Diagnostics HealthLink Transporter swab and the Remel Bacti-Swab were evaluated by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute M40-A quantitative swab elution method for maintenance of bacterial viability of six ATCC and six clinical strains. Acceptable levels of viability according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute criteria were maintained for all organisms tested with the HealthLink Transporter swab and for 8 of 12 organisms tested with the Bacti-Swab. In this study, the HealthLink Transporter swab maintained organism viability better than the Bacti-Swab.

Mixed-morphotype broth microdilution susceptibility testing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from cystic fibrosis patients.

Multiple morphotypes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from 50 respiratory specimens of cystic fibrosis patients were tested for correlation of broth microdilution susceptibility results of a mixed-morphotype inoculum with a predicted antibiogram of the individual isolates. The overall correlation was 96.0%, with only 1.6% very major or major errors.

Evaluation of the AnaeroPack Campylo system for growth of microaerophilic bacteria.

Growth of microaerophilic bacteria in the AnaeroPack Campylo (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America, Inc., New York, N.Y.) atmosphere generation system was compared to growth in the CampyPak Plus jar and CampyPak pouch (Becton-Dickinson Microbiology Systems [BDMS], Cockeysville, Md.). Growth in the AnaeroPack Campylo system was considered equivalent to or better than growth obtained in the CampyPak Plus and CampyPak pouch systems for 48 of the 50 Helicobacter pylori strains and for all 28 Campylobacter species tested. All of the 78 organisms tested were recovered in each system in equivalent colony counts. Two strains of H. pylori grown in the AnaeroPack Campylo system were observed to have colony morphology growth discrepancies when compared to growth in the two BDMS systems. Atmosphere failure with the AnaeroPack Campylo was not detected with Campylobacter jejuni ATCC 33291 used as a growth control. The AnaeroPack Campylo system is easy to use and supports the growth of campylobacters and H. pylori.

Evaluation of the AnaeroPack system for growth of anaerobic bacteria.

Growth of anaerobic bacteria in the AnaeroPack (Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America, Inc., New York, N.Y.) anaerobic atmosphere generation systems, both the AnaeroPack jar and pouch and the AnaeroPack in a GasPak jar were considered equivalent to or better than growth obtained in the corresponding GasPak jar or pouch system (Becton Dickinson Microbiology Systems, Cockeysville, Md.) for 89 (86%) of the 103 anaerobes tested. There were a total of 26 discrepancies after 48 h of incubation, with 16 discrepancies unresolved after 96 h of incubation. The AnaeroPack jar and pouch never failed to reduce the anaerobic indicator. The AnaeroPack systems are easy to use and performed at least as well as or better than the BBL GasPak systems for growth of anaerobic bacteria.

Brain-blood partition coefficients of 85Krypton at 37 C and 29.5 C.

To permit utilization of the Kety-Schmidt technique for measuring cerebral blood flow during hypothermia, the brain-blood partition coefficients for 85krypton at 37 C and 29.5 C were determined in a series of cats. At 37 C the partition coefficient for 85krypton was 1.092 +/- 0.009; it was 0.931 +/- 0.007 (SE) at 29.5 C. These values were significantly different from each other (P less than .001).