Psychoecological Model of Alcohol Use in Mexican American Adolescents

In this study, we proposed and tested a structural model based on Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory in order to further understand alcohol use among Hispanic adolescents, who are at greater risk of alcohol use than adolescents of other racial/ethnic groups. Family cohesion, school connectedness, and peer influence were conceptualized as three primary process factors, while psychological distress was used as a mediating factor and Mexican culture orientation as a cultural factor. The sample comprised 444 Mexican American adolescents (aged 16–20) living along the U.S./Mexico border. The proposed model explained 33 % of the variance in alcohol use. Most of the hypothesized relationships in the proposed model were supported: (a) low family cohesion had significant indirect effects mediated through psychological distress, poor school connectedness, and negative peer influence; (b) poor school connectedness had significant indirect effects mediated through psychological distress and negative peer influence; (c) psychological distress had a significant direct effect as well as a significant indirect effect mediated through negative peer influence; and (d) negative peer influence had the strongest direct effect. However, contrary to the hypothesis, Mexican culture orientation was not a protective factor, but rather had a significant positive relationship with negative peer influence. Lastly, it was found that gender, school status, Anglo cultural orientation, and severity of alcohol use did not have any moderating effects. Based on the collective findings, suggestions for primary prevention programs designed to reduce underage drinking among Mexican American youth were given.     

Early undernourishment interferes with the maternal aggressive response triggered by an intruder entering the homing cage

The maternal aggressive response (MAR) against intruders is temporarily expressed during lactation in association with the rearing and protection of offspring to promote their survival and growth in the nest. This normal component of maternal behaviour requires both the hormonal changes occurring at the end of pregnancy and the presence of pups for its establishment. Because early food restriction in the rat results in long-term maternal deficiencies, we analysed in Wistar rats the effects of perinatal undernutrition on the MAR to an intruder at days 1, 4, and 8 postpartum. The data showed that undernourished dams exhibited significant reductions of sniffing frequency on days 4 and 8 and significant increases of biting on day 4 and of lateral attacks on postpartum days 4 and 8. The finding of an altered MAR during the lactating period may be relevant for the survival and long-term behavioural development of the progeny.     

The Effects of News Stories that Put Crime and Violence Into Context: Testing the Public Health Model of Reporting

The purpose of this study is to examine whether changing the way newspaper stories report crime and violence can induce shifts in readers' perceptions of the problem. Using an experiment that manipulates the framing and graphic presentation of newspaper stories on crime and violence, we seek to discover whether the public health model that calls for news stories to incorporate information on context, risk factors, and prevention strategies will help readers learn more about the context in which crime and violence occurs, endorse prevention strategies in addition to punishment, and become more attuned to societal risk factors and causes of crime and violence.     

Prevalence of Hypertension among Urban Slum Dwellers in Lagos, Nigeria

Urban slum dwellers are not only prone to develop communicable diseases but also to non-communicable disease (NCDs). The extent and magnitude of NCDs among slum dwellers is largely unknown in Nigeria. A total of 964 adults aged 20–81 years (male 330 and female 634) residing in the urban slum of Ajegunle in Lagos State, Nigeria were studied to determine the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 38.2 %. Of the 368 respondents identified as having hypertension, only 50 (5.2 %) respondents were previously aware of their diagnosis. Of the 50 known hypertensive patients, 48(96 %) had poor control of their high blood pressure. The socio-demographic factors significantly associated with hypertension status were age, sex, education, religion, BMI, and marital status. The study concludes a high prevalence of hypertension among urban slums dwellers in Lagos. The need for government to develop policies for the control of hypertension, improve access to early diagnosis and provide an enabling socioeconomic environment while promoting healthy living.     

Comparison of continuous vs. pulsed focused ultrasound in treated muscle tissue as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging, histological analysis, and microarray analysis

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different application modes of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to muscle tissue. HIFU was applied to muscle tissue of the flank in C3H/Km mice. Two dose regimes were investigated, a continuous HIFU and a short-pulsed HIFU mode. Three hours after HIFU treatment pre- and post-contrast T1-weighted, T2-weighted images and a diffusion-weighted STEAM sequence were obtained. After MR imaging, the animals were euthenized and the treated, and the non-treated tissue was taken out for histology and functional genomic analysis. T2 images showed increased signal intensity and post-contrast T1 showed a decreased contrast uptake in the central parts throughout the tissue of both HIFU modes. A significantly higher diffusion coefficient was found in the muscle tissue treated with continuous wave focused ultrasound. Gene expression analysis revealed profound changes of 54 genes. For most of the analyzed genes higher expression was found after treatment with the short-pulse mode. The highest up-regulated genes encoded for the MHC class III (FC ≈84), HSP 70 (FC ≈75) and FBJ osteosarcoma related oncogene (FC ≈21). Immunohistology and the immunoblot analysis confirmed the presence of HSP70 protein in both applied HIFU modes. The use of HIFU treatment on muscle tissue results in dramatic changes in gene expression; however, the same genes are up-regulated after the application of continuous or pulsed HIFU, indicating that the tissue reaction is independent of the type of tissue damage. Hundt and Yuh contributed equally to this paper. Supported in part by the Lucas Foundation and the Phil Allen Truse.     

In Vivo Evaluation of a New Embolic Spherical Particle (HepaSphere) in a Kidney Animal Model

HepaSphere is a new spherical embolic material developed in a dry state that absorbs fluids and adapts to the vessel wall, leaving no space between the particle and the arterial wall. The aim of this study was to elucidate the final in vivo size, deformation, final location, and main properties of the particles when reconstituted with two different contrast media (Iodixanol and Ioxaglate) in an animal model. Two sizes of “dry-state” particles (50–100 and 150–200 μm) were reconstituted using both ionic and nonionic contrast media. The mixture was used to partly embolize both kidneys in an animal model (14 pigs). The animals were sacrificed 4 weeks after the procedure and the samples processed. The final size of the particles was 230.2 ± 62.5 μm for the 50- to 100-μm dry-state particles and 314.4 ± 71 μm for the 150- to 200-μm dry-state particles. When the contrast medium (ionic versus nonionic) used for the reconstitution was studied to compare (Student’s t-test) the final size of the particles, no differences were found (p > 0.05). The mean in vivo deformation for HepaSphere was 17.1% ± 12.3%. No differences (p > 0.05) were found in the deformation of the particle regarding the dry-state size or the contrast medium (Mann-Whitney test). We conclude that HepaSphere is stable, occludes perfectly, and morphologically adapts to the vessel lumen of the arteries embolized. There is no recanalization of the arteries 4 weeks after embolization. Its final in vivo size is predictable and the particle has the same properties in terms of size and deformation with the two different contrast media (Iodixanol and Ioxaglate).     

Graft loss following renal transplantation in Australia: is there a centre effect?

BACKGROUND: Assessment of centre variation in renal transplantation outcome provides an opportunity to examine differences in quality of care between centres. However, differences in outcome may represent differences in patient factors between centres and be biased by sampling variability and inadequate data ascertainment. METHODS: Differences in 12-month graft survival in 1986 primary renal transplant adult recipients from 16 centres in Australia between 1993 and 1998 were examined. Fifteen recipient and donor factors known prior to transplantation were examined to determine factors independently predictive of graft survival. Differences between centres in these factors were examined. Unadjusted and multivariable adjusted outcomes for each centre were compared to the average for all centres. Multivariable hierarchical modelling was employed to account for potential bias due to sampling variability. RESULTS: Factors predictive of reduced 12-month graft survival on multivariable analysis that were significantly different between centres were time on dialysis prior to transplantation, donor age, organ source, and number of human lymphocyte antigen mismatches. Unadjusted 12-month graft survival for all centres was 91.7% and ranged from 83.1 to 96.4%. Although two centres performed significantly lower than average, this poorer outcome was accounted for in one of these two centres after adjusting for factors shown to be independently predictive of outcome. However, multivariable hierarchical modelling failed to identify any centre as performing significantly different to average, with 12-month graft survival ranging from 89.2 to 92.2%. Outcome in patients excluded from the study due to inadequate data ascertainment was significantly worse than patients who were included. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of centre variation after accounting for variation in risk factors predictive of poor outcome between centres, as well as potential bias due to sampling variability. Exclusion of patients due to inadequate data remains an important source of bias in estimating accurate outcomes. Appropriate analytical strategies and consideration of sources of bias are important for the valid identification of centres with poorer outcomes.