Emerging Patterns in Adolescent Drug Use: The Belfast Youth Development Study 2000-2002

This paper reports the findings from the first 2 years of the Belfast Youth Development Study. The Belfast Youth Development Study is a 5-year longitudinal investigation of the onset and development of adolescent drug using behaviours, the findings of the first 2 years from the study in relation to drug use patterns among the young people participating in the research are reported here. The findings show that while the majority of young people have not yet used an illicit substance, the study has seen a substantial increase in the numbers using such substances between year 1 and year 2. Boys still make up the majority of drug users in this period but there has been a substantial increase in the number of girls using illicit drugs and, more generally, an increase in the frequency of use among all those using such substances during this period.     

Cholesterol lowering therapy inhibits the low-flow mediated vasoconstriction of the brachial artery in hypercholesterolaemic subjects

1 We tested whether lipid lowering treatment with HMG CoA reductase inhibitor modified the flow mediated large artery reactivity in primary pure hypercholesterolaemia.
2 Abnormalities in arterial reactivity have been described in the presence of high blood cholesterol, in particular an enhanced constriction of the brachial artery in response to acute induction of a low flow state.
3 Using pulsed-Doppler, we measured brachial artery diameter and flow velocity at rest and their changes induced by wrist occlusion before and after 3 months of double-blind treatment by pravastatin (40  mg orally) in 13 subjects and placebo in 15 others.
4 The significant decrease ( P <0.01) in diameter induced by wrist occlusion before (0.34±0.08  mm) placebo and pravastatin (0.39±0.10  mm) persisted after placebo (0.26±0.07  mm) but was abolished after pravastatin (0.07±0.05  mm). The absolute change in diameter induced by wrist occlusion was lower after than before pravastatin ( P <0.01) and lower after pravastin than after placebo ( P <0.05). Diameter during wrist occlusion was higher after pravastatin than after placebo (4.35±0.16 vs 3.89±0.09  mm); P <0.01).
5 These findings indicate that the lipid changes induced by pravastatin and/or some unknown but direct mechanism of the drug itself inhibit low-flow-mediated vasoconstriction associated with hypercholesterolaemia. Such effects may have important implications for the treatment of vasospasm often seen in the presence of high blood cholesterol.     

Training in Controlled Drinking for Early-stage Problem Drinkers

Forty-eight early-stage problem drinkers were recruited through a newspaper announcement and randomly assigned to one of four outpatient treatment groups: (1) Bibliotherapy- Behavioral Self-Control Training (BSCT), (2) BSCT-therapist directed, (3) Training in Coping Skills and (4) a combination of BSCT and Coping Skill Training. The weekly alcohol consumption in all groups decreased significantly from intake to 3, 6 and 12 month follow-up. There were no significant differences among the groups. At the same time the number of life problems decreased significantly. The majority of the clients reduced their alcohol consumption during the assessment period, before treatment started. The absence of a non-treatment control group means that we cannot be sure about the reasons for this early change. Theoretical implications of these results are discussed.     

Cuff Pressures and Doppler Gradients after Coarctectomy A Long-term Follow-up

ABSTRACT. Fourty-six adult patients operated on as chidren with resection and end to end anastomosis because of coarctation of the aorta were studied. The age at operation was 7 to 13 years (mean age 10 years) and at follow-up 18 to 28 years (mean age 21 years). Arm and thigh cuff pressure was measured at rest, during and immediately after submaximal exercise. The systolic gradients were also estimated using continuous wave Doppler. Systolic blood pressure at rest was 150 mmHg or more in 12 patients (26%). The cuff pressure at rest correlated well with arm-leg gradients at rest and at work, and also with the Doppler gradients at rest. Doppler gradients slightly underestimated invasively measured gradients. The results imply that postoperative hypertension was explained by residual mechanical obstruction.     

Clearance, Translocation, and Excretion of Beryllium following Acute Inhalation of Beryllium Oxide by Beagle Dogs

Clearance, Translocation, and Excretion of Beryllium followingAcute Inhalation of Beryllium Oxide by Beagle Dogs. FINCH, G.L., MEWHINNEY, J. A., HOOVER, M. D., EIDSON, A. R, HALEY, P.J., AND BICE, D. E. (1990). Fundam Appl. Toxicol. 15, 231–241.Beagle dogs inhaled radiolabeled beryllium oxide (7BeO) particlesthat were calcined at either 500 or 1000'C, resulting in eitherhigh (mean of 50 ng/kg body wt) or low (mean of 17 ug/kg bodywt) initial lung burdens (ILBs) of both preparations of BeO.Levels of beryllium in whole body, tissue, and excreta weremeasured by external -y-ray counting. Dogs were euthanized inpairs at 8, 32, 64, and 180 days after exposure to determineberyllium distribution in tissues. Beryllium oxide calcinedat 1000'C was retained more tenaciously in the lungs (62% ofthe ILB retained at 180 days after exposure) than BeO calcinedat 500°C (14% of the ILB retained at 180 days after exposure).Most of the beryllium that was cleared from the lungs and notexcreted was translocated to the tracheobronchial lymph nodes,skeleton, liver, and blood. More beryllium was translocatedto the skeleton and liver at 180 days after inhalation of BeOprepared at 500*C than at 1000'C. The predominant mode of excretionat early times after exposure was through the feces, with urinaryexcretion assuming predominance at later times. These data areimportant for interpreting the toxic effects of beryllium inthe exposed dogs. Furthermore, because little is known concerningthe retention and clearance of inhaled beryllium in man, theseresults provide information that may be used to understand thedisposition of beryllium in accidentally exposed humans.     

Catecholamine Release after Physical Exercise

ABSTRACT A simple and practical provocative test is needed for early asymptomatic pheochromocytoma, which is a major risk for patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN-2). We measured plasma catecholamines before and after submaximal exercise in 26 MEN-2 gene carriers, eight of whom with asymptomatic pheochromocytoma, nine with medullary thyroid carcinoma and 10 after uni- or bilateral adrenalectomy. Seventeen clinically healthy individuals and 11 patients with neurovegetative lability and symptoms mimicking pheochromocytoma served as controls. Plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine increased after excercise except for adrenaline after bilateral adrenalectomy. The post-exercise levels of adrenaline and the adrenalineldopamine ratio were significantly higher in the pheochromocytoma patients compared to the healthy controls and the patients with neurovegetative lability, while the patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma represented an intermediate group with a high probability of developing adrenal tumors. The present method is a physiological test with a high sensitivity and specificity. It is practical and well suited for repeated examinations and seems to be of value for the detection of early pheochromocytoma in MEN-2 patients. Furthermore, the test could be used in the differential diagnosis between pheochromocytoma and neurovegetative lability.     

CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF TENIPOSIDE COMBINED WITH CIS-DIAMMINE-DICHLOROPLATINUM (II) ON THE IN VITRO LEWIS LUNG CARCINOMA MODEL: INFLUENCE OF THE TREATMENT SCHEDULE

The interactions between cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum (CDDP) and teniposide (VM26) have been studied in vitro on a Lewis lung carcinoma culture in terms of span, order of exposure or time delay between both drugs. When the cells were simultaneously exposed to VM26 and CDDP for 24 h, a supra-additive effect was observed (P less than 0.001). When the cells were first incubated with VM26, the cytotoxicity was emphasized (P less than 0.02), whereas after a prior exposure to CDDP, only an additive effect was noticed. For a short exposure to the drugs (1 h), we noticed an enhancement of the cytotoxic effect when the cells were first exposed to VM26, principally when the time delay between epipodophyllotoxin and CDDP was 0 or 1 h (P less than 0.001). The sequence in which VM26 was given before CDDP induced a significant increase of the cytotoxic effect, whatever the span of exposure.