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PubMed2001

Developing a strategy for community-based health promotion targeting homeless populations.

There is a need for targeted health promotion aimed at homeless populations. A survey of 100 Big Issue newspaper vendors was conducted, along with in-depth interviews and focus groups, in order to identify health promotion needs. Drug and alcohol problems, the effects of cold weather, nutritional deficiencies, and poor personal hygiene were reported as the main health concerns. However, health was not always an immediate priority for the homeless, with daily concerns predominating, such as shelter and getting money for food. A range of information needs were highlighted and a number of key health promotion topics identified. Social network and social activity data were collected from 14 Big Issue vendors to assess their penetration of groups of homeless people. Both generic and targeted health promotion activities are recommended, and the role of health advocacy and peer education should be further explored.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Overview of the workshops on statistical analysis of mutation data from transgenic mice.

Early results from two transgenic mouse mutation assays, Big Blue [Kohler SW et al. (1991): Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:7958-7962] and Muta Mouse [Myhr BC (1991): Environ Mol Mutagen 18:308-315], raised questions about appropriate study design and methods for statistical analysis. First, there were a number of potential sources of variability in the technical aspects of the assay. These are "how we do it in our laboratory" differences, which, if not controlled, ultimately make inter-laboratory comparison of data difficult. Second, separate from the technical sources of variability were a number of study design issues, e.g., how many animals are needed in each treatment group, how many times should the animal be dosed, what is the appropriate expression period for a particular tissue, how many plaques need to be collected from each animal, and so on. To address these questions and to identify and understand the sources of variability in mutation data from these systems, a workshop was held in June, 1992 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. A core group of biologists and statisticians discussed possible sources of bias (tissue sampling, phage recovery and transgene recovery), possible sources of variability in mutant frequency (between animals, protocol-based sources, and design-based sources) and assay sensitivity. Following two days of discussion on protocol design and assay procedures, three action steps were recommended: (1) compile a data base of existing mutation data in transgenic mice to study its statistical features, (2) develop standard protocols for the mutation assays; and (3) use the standard protocol to generate a large data base of mutant frequencies in liver DNA from untreated mice for statistical study and analysis. This report summarizes the proceedings and recommendations of the workshop. The progress made toward these recommendations was reviewed in a second workshop, held in April, 1993, in Norfolk, Virginia, part of which is the subject of the accompanying paper by Piegorsch et al. To date, a standard protocol has been developed for the Big Blue mutagenesis assay and a data base of over 90 million plaques from seven labs using either the Big Blue or Muta Mouse system has been assembled, including a large data set of spontaneous liver mutant frequencies in the Big Blue system.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The good body: when big is better.

An important cultural question is, "What is a 'good'--desirable, beautiful, impressive--body?" The answers are legion; here I examine why bigger bodies represent survival skill, and how this power symbolism is embodied by behaviors that guide larger persons toward the top of the social hierarchy. bigness is a complex concept comprising tallness, boniness, muscularity and fattiness. Data show that most people worldwide want to be big--both tall and fat. Those who achieve the ideal are disproportionately among the society's most socially powerful. In the food-secure West, fascination with power and the body has not waned, but has been redefined such that thinness is desired. This apparent anomaly is resolved by realizing that thinness in the midst of abundance--as long as one is also tall and muscular--still projects the traditional message of power, and brings such social boons as upward mobility.

Body Constitution↗
PubMed1989

Some determinants of factor structures from personality-trait descriptors.

Three determinants of the factor structures of personality traits are investigated. The 1st, selection of variables, was controlled by using 57 bipolar scales, selected to be representative of common trait terms. In analyses of 7 data sets, variants of the "Big Five" factors were always found. Factor similarities were very strong for the 3 largest factors, which were transformed into general evaluation and 2 descriptive dimensions. As a 2nd determinant, judgments about real people were compared with judgments about the conceptual relations among traits. Factor structures based on the 2 types of judgments are similar, but those based on conceptual judgments tend to be simpler. The 3rd determinant involved the degree of restriction of the sample to evaluatively homogeneous targets. Restriction of range reduced the size of all factors, especially Factor II. Findings from previous studies are integrated within this framework.

Assertiveness↗
PubMed2003

Hygroscopic organic aerosols during BRAVO?

The hygroscopic properties of the organic fraction of aerosols are poorly understood. The ability of organic aerosols to absorb water as a function of relative humidity (RH) was examined using data collected during the 1999 Big Bend Regional Aerosol and Visibility Observational Study (BRAVO). (On average, organics accounted for 22% of fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microm (PM2.5) mass). Hourly RH exceeded 80% only 3.5% of the time and averaged 44%. BRAVO aerosol chemical composition and dry particle size distributions were used to estimate PM2.5 light scattering (Bsp) at low and high ambient RH. Liquid water growth associated with inorganic species was sufficient to account for measured Bsp for RH between 70 and 95%.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2002

Comparison of the effects of the CO2 laser and chlorohexidine on the decontamination of infected cutaneous wounds: a histologic study in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare histologically the effects of CO2 laser and chlorohexidine gluconate (4%) on Staphylococcus aureus-infected cutaneous wounds. BACKGROUND DATA: Wound infection constitutes a big risk for patients, and it is usually associated with increased morbidity, mortality and hospital costs. It is accepted that local treatment of these infections is effective. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standardized wounds created on the dorsum of 36 rats were infected with Staphylococcus aureus and treated during 6 days as follows: group I, chlorohexidine gluconate (4%) applied to the wound surface during 1 min during 6 days; group II, single CO2 laser irradiation (8 W, CW, unfocused, 8-cm focal distance, 81,530 W/cm(2)), maintaining surface debris; group III, single CO2 laser irradiation (8 W, CW, unfocused, 8-cm focal distance, 81,530 W/cm(2)), removing the surface debris. Seven days after wounding, the animals were killed and specimens taken for light microscopy. RESULTS: On control wounds, epithelial ulceration and neutrophylic and lymphoplasmocitary inflammatory infiltrate was observed. On group II, there was epithelial hyperplasia, areas of ulceration and intense neutrophylic and lymphoplasmocitary inflammatory infiltrate. In group III, there was a neutrophylic inflammatory infiltrate underneath the surface debris and below that intense lymphoplasmocitary inflammatory infiltrate. When the surface debris was removed (group IV), there was epithelial ulceration and mild lymphoplasmocitary inflammatory infiltrate and fibroblasts and collagen fibers. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that infected wounds treated with 4% chlorohexidine show a more pronounced inflammatory reaction when compared to that observed when the CO2 laser is used, especially when surface debris are removed; surface debris removal on laser-treated wounds results in better and more rapid healing; the surface debris may act as a culture medium for bacterial growth or, because of its characteristics, it may act as a local irritant and delay healing.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Mutagenicity of the potent rat hepatocarcinogen 6BT to the liver of transgenic (lacI) rats: consideration of a reduced mutation assay protocol.

6-(p-dimethylaminophenylazo)benzothiazole (6BT) is an unusually potent rat hepatocarcinogen, producing large malignant liver tumours after only 2-3 months of dietary administration in a riboflavin-deficient diet. This azocarcinogen has been evaluated in a Big Blue F344 transgenic rat (lacI) gene mutation assay. In a reproduction of the early stages of the carcinogenesis bioassay of this agent, rats were maintained on a riboflavin-deficient diet and were given 10 consecutive daily doses of 6BT (10 mg/kg) by oral gavage. The animals were killed and the livers examined 11 days after the final dose. The livers of 6BT-treated rats showed evidence of hepatocellular hypertrophy in centrolobular areas, with some indication of an increased incidence of mitotic figures. An approximately 10-fold increase in the mutation frequency of DNA isolated from an aliquot of the combined liver homogenates of 6BT-treated rats was observed over that obtained from an equivalent aliquot from control animals. Examination of DNA samples isolated from the livers of individual animals confirmed that 6BT was mutagenic in Big Blue rat livers. These data extend the sensitivity of this transgenic assay to include azo hepatocarcinogens. The determination of mutation frequencies using pooled tissue samples represented a major resource-saving adaptation of the assay protocol in the present study; the general advantages and disadvantages of this practice are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The needs of children with life-limiting conditions: a healthcare-provider-based model.

Pediatric hospice and palliative care has progressed in recent years with the development of new programs and models of care. Missing from the empirical literature, however is a model of the needs of children. The purpose of the present study was to develop an empirically based conceptual model of the needs of children with life-limiting conditions. Recognizing the value of both qualitative and quantitative data, concept mapping methodology was selected as an effective way to obtain data that reflected both the "big picture" and subtleties of pediatric end-of-life needs. The seven-cluster concept map appeared best in terms of both interpretability and parsimony. This model includes the following clusters of needs: 1) pain, 2) decision making, 3) medical system access and quality, 4) dignity and respect, 5) family-oriented care, 6) spirituality, and 7) psychosocial issues. We believe that the development of a comprehensive model of the needs of such children is a step toward concrete, measurable, and effective support for children and their families.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2005

National character, suicide and homicide.

In a sample of 18 industrialized nations with available data, mean scores on the "big five factors" were not significantly associated with national suicide or homicide rates.

Cross-Cultural Comparison↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Interactions between dopamine, serotonin and other internal reinforcement factors].

The big volume of odd literature data (period 1960-2005) was investigated for analysis and estimation of interactions between dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), reward factors and basic members of regulatory peptide (RP) families. Database, which includes information about physiological effect directions, doses and administration types of RP and biological active compounds, organism types, organ-tissues systems and receptor mechanisms was created. The complex cascade interactions between DA, 5-HT, reward factors and RP were investigated and systemized. Based on analysis of correlated functiong of DA and 5-HT-systems, the opponent-reciprocal interactions were established and their integrative characteristics were estimated.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Discrepancy of fasting plasma glucagon levels measured by different glucagon antisera.

To investigate the possible discrepancy between immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) levels measured by two glucagon-specific antisera, OAL-123 and 30K, fasting plasma IRG levels were measured in 30 diabetics (DM group), 56 patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT group) and 96 normal subjects (normal group). The fasting plasma IRG measured by OAL-123 (OAL-IRG) in DM, IGT and normal groups were 121 +/- 53, 125 +/- 43 and 119 +/- 57 pg/ml, whereas the fasting plasma IRG measured by 30K (30K-IRG) were 109 +/- 92, 92 +/- 44 and 91 +/- 68 pg/ml, respectively. There was no significant difference in the distribution of the fasting IRG levels among DM, IGT and normal groups. Although there was a statistically significant correlation between OAL- and 30K-IRG, their correlation coefficient was as small as 0.29, and 31 of 182 cases showed a large discrepancy exceeding 100 pg/ml between the two IRG values. The OAL- and 30K-IRG measured again six months later did not show a significant change, where the first and second IRG levels showed a good correlation (0.72 and 0.83 for OAL- and 30K-IRG, both p less than 0.001). The gel chromatography of the 14 plasma with fasting OAL-IRG higher than 200 pg/ml showed that the main contributor to the fasting IRG was the component of big plasma glucagon (BPG). These data suggest that there is a significant discrepancy in the fasting plasma IRG levels measured by the different glucagon antisera and that the discrepancy is caused by the different immunoreactivity of BPG to the different glucagon antisera.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1991

Polarized secretion of endothelin-1 and big ET-1 in MDCK cells is inhibited by cell Na+ flux and disrupted by NH4Cl.

We recently found that TGF-beta increases ET-1 secretion in MDCK, a renal tubular cell line. The secretion of ET-1, by a confluent monolayer of MDCK cells grown on a filter, to the basolateral side of the epithelium was two times greater than that to the apical side. However, TGF-beta-increased ET-1 and big ET-1 secretion were exclusively released to the basolateral side. We investigated the mechanism of polarized secretion of ET-1 and big ET-1 in MDCK cells. After 24 h of incubation with 80 pM TGF-beta, basolateral secretion of both ET-1 and big ET-1 increased two to threefold without a significant increase on the apical side. TGF-beta-stimulated ET-1 and big ET-1 secretion in the basolateral bath were inhibited when 10 microM amiloride (Na+ channel blocker) or 1 microM ouabain (Na+, K(+)-ATPase inhibitor) was added for 3 h. Polarized secretion of ET-1 and big ET-1 was not affected. In contrast, 10 mM NH4Cl or 0.2 mM chloroquine (both lysosomal function inhibitors) reduced TGF-beta-stimulated ET-1 secretion in the basolateral bath whereas big ET-1 secretion in the apical bath increased two times. Thus, the polarity of big ET-1 secretion was reversed. In addition, the conversion rate from big ET-1 to ET-1 was significantly decreased from 80 to 55% by inhibiting lysosomal function. Prepro-ET-1 mRNAs 3 h after these perturbations were virtually unaltered. Our data show that ET-1 and big ET-1 secretion may be regulated by cell Na+ flux and that lysosomal functions may play some roles in the conversion of big ET-1 to mature ET-1 and in polarized secretion of big ET-1. Translational or posttranslational regulation may play an additional role in ET-1 secretion as well as the mRNA level.

Ammonium Chloride↗
PubMed2006

Associations of social-environmental and individual-level factors with adolescent soft drink consumption: results from the SMILE study.

Adolescent obesity is positively associated with soft drink consumption. We investigated the association of social-environmental and individual-level factors with soft drink consumption in a Dutch adolescent sample. Data were gathered in a longitudinal Dutch adolescent sample (n = 208, 62% girls). Soft drink consumption, social cognitions from the Theory of Planned Behaviour and parenting practices towards limited soft drink intake, and Big Five personality dimensions were assessed. Data were analyzed using three-step linear regression analyses. Effect sizes were used as the informational source for the explanatory value of the model. Interaction terms were computed to test the individual-environment interaction. Attitude and subjective norm were significantly associated with soft drink consumption. When controlling for social cognitions, the distal variables parenting practices and the personality dimension Agreeableness remained significantly associated with soft drink consumption. Agreeableness moderated the association of parenting practices with adolescent soft drink consumption. Standardized regression coefficients ranged from 0.16 to 0.24 and explained 14% of the variance in soft drink consumption, indicating a medium effect size. Stricter parenting practices were associated with less soft drink consumption and these effects were moderated by adolescent personality. The direct effects of practices and personality are noteworthy from a theoretical perspective. Implications for obesity prevention interventions are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Use these targets to benchmark state, regional LOS efficiency.

Data Library: New York State is the big loser in this month's column, which makes state-by-state comparisons of length-of-stay data compared to Milliman & Robertson's findings on the most efficient LOS. M & R's Index shows efficiency drops as you move east across the country, with the most extreme example being New York, where lengths of stay are 88% higher than the country's most efficient.

Benchmarking↗
PubMed1990

Receptor binding and vasoconstrictor activity of big endothelin.

We studied the effects of synthetic porcine big endothelin (ET), a putative 39-residue intermediate deduced from cDNA sequence analysis, on receptor binding activity in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells as well as its vasoconstrictive activity in rat pulmonary artery. Big ET was about two orders of magnitude less active than ET in the receptor binding and vasoconstriction assays. Our data are consistent with the contention that big ET is an intermediate which can be converted into fully bioactive 21-residue mature ET.

Animals↗