Volume et profil de consommation d’alcool des élèves et des camarades scolaires comme prédicteurs de l’agression et de la victimisation: une analyse multiniveaux auprès d’adolescents suisses

Volume and profile of alcohol consumption among students and classmates as predictors of aggression and victimization: a multilevel analysis among Swiss adolescents

Objective:  

To test the effects of the volume of alcohol consumption and drinking patterns on alcohol-related aggression and victimization, both at the individual and class levels.     

Utility of the PFA-100 as a screening test of platelet function: an audit of haemostasis laboratories in Australia and New Zealand.

The PFA-100 is a relatively new laboratory instrument, first described in 1995. There have since been numerous studies assessing its utility as a screening tool for platelet dysfunction and/or von Willebrand's disease (VWD). The PFA-100 displays variable sensitivity to different types of platelet disorders, as well as to antiplatelet medication (e.g. aspirin), with similar caveats for monitoring of primary haemostasis-promoting therapies in platelet dysfunction. There is therefore considerable uncertainty regarding its utility within this context, and we have accordingly performed an audit of usage among participants of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Program. Of 105 laboratories surveyed, 40 responded that they performed platelet function testing, with 26 (65%) further indicating they utilized the PFA-100. We report a wide variety of laboratory usage among these users, including numbers of tests performed [annual median (range) = 270 (15-6000)], sources of requests (clinical sources and localities), testing criteria and follow-up action. Most tests were completed within 4 h of collection, as recommended by the manufacturer, and most tests were performed as a replacement, or as a preliminary screen of platelet function (i.e. classical aggregation). Most abnormal findings, however, were attributed to antiplatelet medication such as aspirin.     

Race and ethnic differences and human figure drawings: clinical utility of the DAP:SPED.

This study examined race and ethnic differences on the Draw A Person: Screening Procedure for Emotional Disturbance (DAP:SPED; Naglieri, McNeish, & Bardos, 1991) for youths 6 though 17 years of age for 2 matched samples. Samples were drawn from the DAP:SPED nationally representative standardization sample and matched on gender, grade, and school classroom. No statistically significant differences were found for big figure, small figure, or shading item composites. A statistically significant difference was found between Black-White pairs on figure omissions but showed a small effect size (d value = .25). Further, no statistically significant differences were found between the DAP:SPED Total T scores for Black and White youth (M = 47.67, SD = 10.09; N =138) or Hispanic and White youth (M = 48.20, SD = 9.56; N = 59), showing very small effect sizes. In addition, equivalence testing showed similarities across race and ethnic pairs for all composites and DAP:SPED total score, lending preliminary support to the DAP:SPED's clinical utility as a measure that yields similar scores across these groups.     

Soluble transferrin receptors and tissue oxygenation in non anaemic cystic fibrosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pulmonary disease and progressive tissue hypoxia are major causes of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF). Normally the body adapts to tissue hypoxia by increasing the red cell mass and decreasing the Hb-O(2) affinity. These adaptations are commonly observed in patients with cyanotic heart disease and individuals living at high altitude. However, patients with CF not only have an impaired erythroid response to hypoxia, but also are frequently anaemic. METHODS: In order to evaluate erythroid marrow activity and tissue oxygenation in 37 patients with CF we measured: the haematological and blood chemistry parameters; including red cell indices, ferritin, erythropoietin (Epo) and soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR) levels; arterial blood gases, P(50) and oxygen release to the tissues (O(2)(R)) and the 2,3-BPG levels. RESULTS: The main results showed that a) patients with CF have a mild degree of tissue hypoxia which is expressed by the moderately decreased of P(50) and O(2)(R) values and the relative increase of Epo level, b) 2,3-BPG synthesis in patients with CF is normal and c) sTfR levels are significantly increased (3-fold normal) in patients with CF compared to normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: The above observations indicate that erythroid marrow activity in patients with CF is increased.