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Factors affecting the birth and death of mutual-help groups: the role of national affiliation, professional involvement, and member focal problem.

Examined the predictive relationship of three variables to the birth and death of mutual-help groups for a statewide New Jersey sample of 3,152 groups over a 2-year period. The three variables studied were group affiliation with a national mutual-help organization, local professional involvement in group activities, and group members' type of focal problem. Log-linear logit analysis revealed that the best-fitting model included Affiliation Status x Professional Involvement, and Affiliation Status x Focal Problem interactions. Among unaffiliated groups, professional involvement was related to lower group mortality, while among affiliated groups it was related to higher group mortality. Unaffiliated behavior control groups had higher odds for mortality and for birth than either unaffiliated life stress groups or unaffiliated medical groups. Among main effect findings, unaffiliated groups had consistently higher odds for birth than affiliated groups. The implications for research and action are discussed.

Humans↗

John Henryism and blood pressure differences among black men.

A community probability sample of southern working-class, black men (N = 132) between 17 and 60 years of age was administered a scale to measure the degree to which they felt they could control their environment through hard work and determination. Since the legend of John Henry--the famous, black steeldriver of American folklore--can be understood as a cultural statement about how black Americans must often attempt to control behavioral stressors through hard work and determination, items for the scale were developed to reflect the theme of John Henryism. It was hypothesized that men scoring below the median on education but above the median on John Henryism would have higher blood pressures than any other group. The data were in line with the prediction, in that men who scored low on education and high on John Henryism had significantly higher diastolic blood pressures than men who scored above the median on both measures. Study findings are discussed in terms of the meaning that education and John Henryism may have for raising or lowering autonomic arousal when individuals encounter behavioral stressors in everyday life.

Achievement↗

Pectoral changes during the sexual response cycle: a thermographic analysis.

Pectoral changes over the course of the sexual response cycle were examined using thermographic measurement. Three married couples volunteered to participate. Each couple reported to the thermography laboratory two times. Included within the two sessions (which were a minimum of a day apart) was a masturbation to orgasm sequence and a control behavior sequence. During both sequences, the thermographic image was focused on the pectoral region. An asymmetrical vasocongestive pattern was discovered in the right side of the pectoral region throughout the course of the sexual response cycle, for both men and women. The results were interpreted in terms of the structure and function of the lymphatics.

Adult↗

Road trauma prevention: perspectives.

Road trauma is a major public health problem in all motorized societies. Doctors who treat casualties must commit themselves not only to providing optimum care but to becoming equally involved in the epidemiological and sociological aspects of road trauma prevention. The prevention of trauma requires a threefold approach: prevent the crash, prevent injury in the crash, and prevent injury aggravation after the crash. Strategies and program options to implement them have been formulated to reduce traffic injury. These strategies are exposure control, crash prevention, injury control, behavior modification, and post-crash trauma management. The combined experience of war injuries and road trauma has lead to major advances in investigation technology and management procedures and far less costly efforts directed at road trauma prevention. The balance between prevention on the one hand and investigation and procedure on the other needs to be addressed. Productive research adequately funded is essential if prevention initiatives are to succeed in reducing the incidence of highway death and injury.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Animal models of drug withdrawal symptoms.

There have been few attempts to model subjective symptoms of drug withdrawal using animals as subjects. Two approaches for developing such models are reviewed. First, using drug discrimination methodology, it may be possible to train animals to detect the effects of withdrawal. This method has two difficulties: 1) the only discriminations trained to date involve precipitated withdrawal, and 2) the stimulus controlling behavior is difficult to specify. Second, withdrawal from many drugs of abuse produces the symptom of anxiety, and it seems likely that animal models of anxiety could be useful for studying drug withdrawal. This hypothesis has been explored most fully using subjects trained to detect the discriminative stimulus properties of the putative anxiogenic drug pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). Withdrawal from benzodiazepines or ethanol substitutes fully for PTZ, and withdrawal from cocaine, morphine, and nicotine substitutes partially for PTZ. Emerging data suggest that other animal models of anxiety may also be useful for detecting drug withdrawal. The final portion of this review examines a behavioral test that is very sensitive for detecting physical signs of withdrawal in animals. In subjects maintained on an operant baseline using food as a reinforcer, withdrawal from a drug of dependence frequently is associated with disruption of that operant behavior. For example, tetrahydrocannabinol and cocaine, drugs that are not traditionally seen as having significant withdrawal signs, produce disruption of operant responding when high-dose administration is terminated, and their readministration reverses this behavioral disruption. Based on the observation that withdrawal is associated with anxiogenic stimuli, we suggest a method to determine if disruption of operant behavior may be related to these stimuli.

Animals↗

Managed care and outpatient substance abuse treatment intensity.

This study examines the extent to which managed care behavioral controls are associated with treatment intensity in outpatient substance abuse treatment facilities. Data are from the 1995 National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey, a nationally representative survey that includes over 600 provider organizations with a response rate of 86%. Treatment intensity is measured in three ways: (1) the number of months clients spend in outpatient drug treatment, (2) the number of individual treatment sessions clients receive over the course of treatment, and (3) the number of group treatment sessions clients receive over the course of treatment. After accounting for selection bias and controlling for market, organization, and client characteristics, there is no significant relationship between the scope of managed care oversight and treatment intensity. However, the stringency of managed care oversight activities is negatively associated with the number of individual and group treatment sessions received over the course of treatment.

Ambulatory Care↗

Pain-autonomic interactions: a selective review.

The nociceptive and the autonomic systems interact at the level of the periphery, spinal cord, brainstem, and forebrain. Spinal and visceral afferents provide converging information to spinothalamic neurons in the dorsal horn and to neurons of the nucleus tractus solitarius and parabrachial nuclei. These structures project to areas involved in reflex, homeostatic, and behavioral control of autonomic outflow, endocrine function, and nociception. These include monoaminergic cell groups of the medulla and pons, periaqueductal gray, hypothalamus, amygdala, insular cortex, and anterior cingulate gyrus. These interactions should be taken into account to understand the complex pathophysiology of chronic pain disorders.

Afferent Pathways↗

Multidimensional assessment of differences in monoamine metabolism in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice.

Monoamine metabolism in the hypothalamus and striatum of BALB/c and C57Bl/6 mice (intact and stressed in the open field test) was studied using single- and multidimensional statistical methods. It is suggested that the revealed difference in neurotransmitter metabolism is associated with genetically controlled behavior of these animals under conditions of emotional stress. The results of discriminant analysis suggest that the regulation of monoamine metabolism during emotional stress is genetically determined.

Animals↗

Combined treatment of ascorbic acid or alpha-tocopherol with dopamine receptor antagonist or nitric oxide synthase inhibitor potentiates cataleptic effect in mice.

RATIONALE: Drugs like haloperidol (Hal) that decrease dopamine (DA) neurotransmission in the striatum induce catalepsy in rodents and Parkinson disease-like symptoms in humans. Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors interfere with motor activity, disrupting rodent exploratory behavior and inducing catalepsy. Catalepsy induced by NOS inhibitors probably involves striatal DA-mediated neurotransmission. Antioxidants such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) have also been shown to interfere with movement modulation and the DA system. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to investigate if the antioxidants vitamins C and E would influence the catalepsy produced by Hal and NOS inhibitors. METHODS: The effects of the following treatments on catalepsy were examined using the hanging-bar test on male Swiss mice (25-30 g): (1) vitamin C (30-1,000 mg/kg)xHal (1 mg/kg); (2) vitamin C (90-1,000 mg/kg)xN (G)-nitro-L: -arginine (LNOARG, 10 and 40 mg/kg); (3) vitamin C (300 mg/kg)xN (G)-nitro-L: -arginine methylester (LNAME, 20-80 mg/kg); (4) vitamin C (300 mg/kg) x 7-nitroindazole (7NI, 3-50 mg/kg); (5) vitamin C (90 mg/kg i.p.) x LNOARG [40 mg/kg twice a day during 4 days (subchronic treatment)]; (7) vitamin E (3-100 mg/kg) x Hal (1 mg/kg); and (6) vitamin E (3-100 mg/kg) x LNOARG (40 mg/kg). RESULTS: Vitamin C enhanced the catalepsy produced by NOS inhibitors and Hal. Treatment with vitamin C did not affect tolerance to LNOARG cataleptic effect induced by subchronic treatment. Vitamin E potentiated the catalepsy induced by LNOARG at all doses tested; in contrast, catalepsy induced by Hal was enhanced only by the dose of 100 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS: Results support an involvement of dopaminergic and nitrergic systems in motor behavior control and provide compelling evidence that combined administration of the antioxidants vitamins C and E with either Hal or NOS inhibitors exacerbates extrapyramidal effects. Further studies are needed to assess possible clinical implications of these findings.

Animals↗

Naltrexone effects on ethanol consumption and response to ethanol conditioned cues in C57BL/6 mice.

RATIONALE: The conditions under which naltrexone reduces ethanol consumption and its effect on behavior controlled by ethanol conditioned stimuli remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to determine the effects of naltrexone on ethanol consumption by C57BL/6 (B6) mice when injected subcutaneously (expt 1) or delivered by osmotic minipump (expt 2), and on ethanol conditioned cues (expt 3). METHODS: Naltrexone effects on ethanol consumption and preference were measured in a continuous access two-bottle choice paradigm in groups of mice implanted with osmotic minipumps delivering 0-3.0 mg/kg per day or injected subcutaneously with 0-6.0 mg/kg doses. Naltrexone's (0-3.0 mg/kg) effect on ethanol-conditioned cues was indexed by its effect on the expression of ethanol place conditioning (expt 3). RESULTS: Naltrexone produced a transient reduction in ethanol consumption and a consistent reduction in preference when injected; however, it had no effect on ethanol consumption or preference when delivered continuously by osmotic minipump. Naltrexone attenuated the expression of ethanol place conditioning in a U-shaped dose-response function. CONCLUSIONS: The transient reduction in ethanol consumption produced by injected naltrexone and the absence of an effect when continuously delivered confirms a report that maintaining naltrexone at steady state levels may antagonize its attenuation of ethanol consumption. The reduced expression of ethanol place conditioning in naltrexone-injected mice suggests that the drug can attenuate the reinforcing effects of ethanol conditioned stimuli as was recently reported for lever responding maintained by ethanol conditioned stimuli in rats. These effects were observed at naltrexone doses with no readily apparent adverse side-effects, supporting its usefulness for treating alcoholism.

Animals↗

Psychopharmacology of conditioned reward: evidence for a rewarding signal at D1-like dopamine receptors.

A neutral stimulus can acquire conditioned rewarding properties through association with an intrinsically rewarding stimulus. The acquisition of responding for conditioned rewards requires that environmental stimuli and reward processes interact in a highly specific manner; analyses of this phenomenon may provide valuable insight into the processes that underlie reward-related learning. The effects of dopaminergic agents with different mechanisms of action in this paradigm have revealed several interesting dissociations suggesting that a rewarding signal at dopamine D1-like receptors may mediate both the acquisition of rewarding properties by neutral stimuli and their ability to control behavior. Dopamine-induced changes in responding for conditioned reward are susceptible to modulation by other neurotransmitter systems. In many cases, the molecular and cellular bases of these interactions support the notion that signaling through D1-like receptors is critical for a conditioned reward to direct responding. The model outlined in this paper reflects a comprehensive integration of the existing literature in the field, and has several implications that are readily testable by future research. Moreover, given the known biochemical coupling of D1-like receptors, this model may help in characterizing the sequence of intracellular events, from signal transduction to possible transcriptional and/or translational regulation, that give rise to the acquisition of rewarding properties by neutral stimuli.

Animals↗

Development of a kinematic coordination pattern in toddler locomotion: planar covariation.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the coordination patterns of the elevation angles of lower limb segments following the onset of unsupported walking in children and to look for the existence of a planar covariation rule as previously described in adult human locomotion. The kinematic patterns of locomotion were recorded in 21 children (11-144 months of age) and 19 adults. In 4 children we monitored the very first unsupported steps. The extent to which the covariation of thigh, shank, and foot angles was constrained on a plane in 3D space was assessed by means of orthogonal regression and statistically quantified by means of principal component analysis. The orientation of the covariation plane of the children was compared with the mean value of the adults' plane. Trunk stability with respect to the vertical was assessed in both the frontal (roll) and sagittal (pitch) planes. The evolution with walking experience of the plane orientation and trunk oscillations demonstrated biexponential profiles with a relatively fast time constant (< 6 months after the onset of unsupported locomotion) followed by a much slower progression toward adult values. The initial fast changes of these walking parameters did not parallel the slow, monotonic maturation of anthropometric parameters. The early emergence of the covariation plane orientation and its correlation with trunk vertical stability reflect the dynamic integration of postural equilibrium and forward propulsion in a gravity-centered frame. The results support the view that the planar covariation reflects a coordinated, centrally controlled behavior, in addition to biomechanical constraints. The refinement of the planar covariation while morphological variables drastically change as the child grows implies a continuous update of the neural command.

Aging↗

Dopaminergic modulation of neuronal activity in the monkey putamen through D1 and D2 receptors during a delayed Go/Nogo task.

Using multibarreled glass micropipettes, we recorded single-unit activity in the putamen, and iontopho retically applied D1 and D2 dopamine receptor agonists (SKF38393, quinpirole) and antagonists (SCH23390, sulpiride) while two monkeys were performing a delayed Go/Nogo task. The putaminal neurons exhibited changes in activity during various task periods (hold, cue, delay, response, and reward periods) in both Go and Nogo trials. Of 296 task-related putaminal neurons, 87 showed activity changes in Go trials only (Go type), 74 in Nogo trials only (Nogo type), 99 in both trials during the same task periods (Both type), and 36 in both trials but during different task periods (Different type). These 296 neurons were examined as regards the effects of both D1 and D2 agonists and/or antagonists, and 234 neurons responded to either D1 - or D2-related substances or both. Among them 41% of neurons responded to the D1 substances only (D1 group), 36% responded to the D2 substances only (D2 group), and 23% responded to both D1 and D2 substances (D1D2 group). During the iontophoretic application of the D1 and D2 substances, most of the responding neurons changed their task-related activity but not their baseline firing rates. The D1 agonist increased the activity in 19 neurons and decreased it in 105 neurons. On the other hand, the D2 agonist increased the activity in 54 neurons and decreased it in 50 neurons. The D1 and D2 substances modulated the activity in both Go and Nogo trials. Each of the three D1/D2 groups (D1, D2, and D1D2 groups) contained all four Go/Nogo types (Go, Nogo, Both, and Different types) of neurons. Percentages of each Go/Nogo type of neuron were comparable among the three D1/D2 groups. The D1 and D2 substances modulated the activity related to various task periods. Each of the three D1/D2 groups included neurons activated during the cue, delay, response, or reward period in Go and Nogo trials. Distributions of the neurons related to each task period were similar among the D1/D2 groups. These results suggest that dopamine can modulate the activity of single putaminal neurons through both D1 and D2 receptors and that the dopaminergic modulation through the two receptors in the putamen affects similar types of signals in behavioral control.

Animals↗

Comparative study of event-related potentials and positron emission tomography activation during a paired-associate memory paradigm.

Event-related potentials (ERP) and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) activation using 15O-labeled water associated with retrieval and retention of episodic memory were studied during a visual paired-association task with delayed response in eight healthy subjects. In both studies, the subjects memorized four pairs of figures during the learning period. They were presented with each cue (S1) and asked to judge whether the following figure (S2) formed one of the memorized pairs. In an attempt to identify brain activity related to memory function, a choice reaction task with delay was used as a behavioral control. The ERP study showed a posterior positive component in the difference waveform, which was obtained by subtracting responses in the choice reaction task from those in the paired association task, between 300 and 850 ms after S1 presentation. It was maximal at the parietal midline electrode and distributed predominantly over the left posterior quadrant of the scalp. The rCBF activation study showed a greater increase in rCBF in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann's area 46), left inferior frontal cortex (Brodmann's area 44/45), left thalamus, and bilateral cerebellar hemisphere during the paired association task as compared to the choice reaction task, which suggests a possible involvement of cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuit in the memory processing. Additionally, it is suggested that the scalp distribution of the ERP component may not necessarily represent regional cortical activation below the electrodes where such a component is observed and could indirectly represent activation in remote areas such as subcortical regions. It seems that ERP and rCBF activation may provide information about different aspects of higher brain function.

Adolescent↗

Mechanosensitive channels in the cell body of Chlamydomonas.

Mechanosensitive channels appear ubiquitous but they have not been well characterized in cells directly responding to mechanical stimuli. Here, we identified tension-sensitive channel currents on the cell body of Chlamydomonas, a protist that shows a marked behavioral response to mechanical stimulation. When a negative pressure was applied to the cell body with a patch clamp electrode, single-ion-channel currents of 2.4 pA in amplitude were observed. The currents were inhibited by 10 micrometer gadolinium, a general blocker of mechanosensitive channels. The currents were most likely due to Ca2+ influxes because the current was absent in Ca2+-free solutions and the reversal potential was 98 mV positive to the resting potential. The distribution of channel-open times conformed to a single exponential component and that of closed times to two exponential components. This mechanosensitive channel was similar to the one found in the flagella in the following respects: both channels were inhibited by Gd3+ at 10 micrometer but not at 1 micrometer both passed Ca2+ and Ba2+; their kinetic parameters for channel opening were similar. These observations raise the possibility that identical mechanosensitive channels may function both in the behavioral control through the mechanoreception by the flagella and in the regulation of cellular physiology in response to mechanical perturbation on the cell body.

Animals↗

Creating defensible space in the wildland-urban interface: the influence of values on perceptions and behavior.

We examined the effect that value orientation to forests and wildland fire management has on an individual's decision to create defensible space around his or her residence in the wildland-urban interface. Using data from a mail-back questionnaire, respondents in north central Minnesota were clustered by basic value-laden beliefs toward forest and wildland fire management and compared across a number of perceptions and behaviors related to creating defensible space around residences. Value orientation groups differed in attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control toward creating defensible space. In addition, relative effects of these perceptions on intention to create defensible space differed across groups. Implications lie in (a) understanding differences in motivations and reasons for support of strategies for managing fires near the wildland-urban interface, (b) developing information designed to address the perspectives of different groups related to creating defensible space, and (c) contributing to an improved integration of land management and public concerns and interests.

Attitude↗

Chronic pain-autonomic interactions.

The nociceptive and the autonomic nervous systems interact at the levels of the periphery, spinal cord, brainstem, and forebrain. Spinal and visceral afferents provide converging information to spinothalamic neurons in the dorsal horn and to neurons of the nucleus tractus solitarius and parabrachial nuclei. These structures project to areas involved in reflex, homeostatic and behavioral control of autonomic outflow and nociception. Clinical and experimental observations on migraine suggest that a general hyperexcitability could develop along nociceptive trigeminal neurons allowing the activation of descending pathways that facilitate pain processing or the suppression of pathways that slow down pain transmission. Slowly progressive dysfunction of central pain systems secondary to the repetition of attacks of the originating headache has been implicated in transforming the process from an episodic to a chronic condition. This concept of an irritable focus in the central nervous system is currently known as "central sensitization" and is a characteristic feature of visceral pain. Considering primary headache as the result of the interactions between the nociceptive and autonomic systems (visceral pain) can help us to understand the complex pathophysiology of these disorders and to explore new treatments.

Animals↗

Power, control, and intimate partner sexual violence in Haiti.

This study sought to determine how power and control in intimate relationships influenced women's exposure to sexual violence. Multilevel modeling was used to determine the risk of partner sexual violence in the past 12 months among 2240 women aged 15-49 years who were currently married or cohabiting. The data were drawn from the 2000 Haiti Demographic and Health Survey. Strong positive effects on intimate partner sexual violence were found for husband's jealousy and perpetration of controlling behavior and women's endorsement of traditional norms concerning a husband's rights to beat his wife. Female dominance in decision making about purchases for daily household needs was positively associated with intimate partner sexual violence but its effects were mediated by relationship quality. The effect of wife's education on intimate partner violence was nonlinear. The analysis also showed that high community female headship rates were independently associated with higher risks of partner sexual violence. The findings highlight the importance of adopting a multidimensional approach to the measurement of power in sexual relationships and the need for programs to work at multiple levels to address gender-based norms and the structural factors that put women at increased risk of sexual violence.

Adolescent↗