The Impact of the Good Behavior Game,a Universal Classroom-Based Preventive Intervention in First and Second Grades,on High-Risk Sexual Behaviors and Drug Abuse and Dependence Disorders into Young Adulthood

The Good Behavior Game (GBG), a method of teacher classroom behavior management, was tested in first- and second-grade classrooms in 19 Baltimore City Public Schools beginning in the 1985–1986 school year. The intervention was directed at the classroom as a whole to socialize children to the student role and reduce aggressive, disruptive behaviors, confirmed antecedents of a profile of externalizing problem outcomes. This article reports on the GBG impact on the courses and interrelationships among aggressive, disruptive behavior through middle school, risky sexual behaviors, and drug abuse and dependence disorders through ages 19–21. In five poor to lower-middle class, mainly African American urban areas, classrooms within matched schools were assigned randomly to either the GBG intervention or the control condition. Balanced assignment of children to classrooms was made, and teachers were randomly assigned to intervention or control. Analyses involved multilevel growth mixture modeling. By young adulthood, significant GBG impact was found in terms of reduced high-risk sexual behaviors and drug abuse and dependence disorders among males who in first grade and through middle school were more aggressive, disruptive. A replication with the next cohort of first-grade children with the same teachers occurred during the following school year, but with minimal teacher mentoring and monitoring. Findings were not significant but generally in the predicted direction. A universal classroom-based prevention intervention in first- and second-grade classrooms can reduce drug abuse and dependence disorders and risky sexual behaviors.     

Editorial – Changes in your Journal

As you will have realised from the flyer sent out with the August 2002 issue of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia, the editorial team of the Journal has changed. After three years Rob Moodie (Editor‐in‐Chief) and Chris Borthwick (Managing Editor) have passed on the editorial role to an interim editorial group. This group comprises Adrian Bauman, Jeanne Daly, Damien Jolley and Chris Rissel.     

Nitrosothiol stores in vascular tissue: modulation by ultraviolet light, acetylcholine and ionomycin

Our previous studies demonstrated that light-induced vascular relaxation (photorelaxation) was mediated by a tissue source of nitric oxide that was independent of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), but sensitive to inhibitors of soluble guanylate cyclase, extracellular nitric oxide scavengers and possessed the properties of a nitrosothiol. In the present study we describe High Performance Liquid Chromatography and spectrofluorometric techniques that allowed us to measure tissue levels of the nitrosothiol, S-nitrosoglutathione and its modulation in mouse aortic tissues, smooth muscle cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) following exposure to exogenous S-nitrosoglutathione, light and chemical stimuli. Basal levels of S-nitrosoglutathione were similar in control mouse aortae and HUVECs and the store size could be enhanced by exposure of tissues/cells to nitric oxide solution. No basal S-nitrosoglutathione was detected in tissue from diabetic db/db mice; however, ultraviolet light was still able to elicit relaxation of aortic tissues. Ultraviolet light induced the release of nitric oxide from the S-nitrosoglutathione store with an associated increase in the concentration of nitrite. The release of nitric oxide from the store in HUVECs was modulated by extracellular oxidative stress induced by xanthine/xanthine oxidase and also, in an atropine-sensitive process, by acetylcholine, as well as by the calcium ionophore, ionomycin. These interventions resulted in a reduced S-nitrosoglutathione store and elevated levels of nitrite. These data suggest that endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells possess stores of nitric oxide that, in part, exist in the form of S-nitrosoglutathione. Furthermore, these stores, albeit small, may provide an additional mechanism for the regulation of vascular tone, especially under conditions, such as diabetes, in which nitric oxide generation or bioavailability is compromised; however, additional studies are required to determine not only whether there are additional chemical storage forms of nitric oxide, but also the location of such stores.     

Perceived risk of breast cancer among Latinas attending community clinics: risk comprehension and relationship with mammography adherence

Objective  To describe breast cancer risk perceptions, determine risk comprehension, and evaluate mammography adherence among Latinas. Methods  Latina women age ≥35, primarily from Central and South America, were recruited from community-based clinics to complete in-person interviews (n = 450). Risk comprehension was calculated as the difference between numeric perceived risk and Gail risk score. Based on recommended guidelines from the year data were collected (2002), mammography adherence was defined as having a mammogram every one to two years for women ≥40 years of age. Results  Breast cancer risk comprehension was low, as 81% of women overestimated their risk and only 6.9% of women were high risk based on Gail risk scores. Greater cancer worry and younger age were significantly associated with greater perceived risk and risk overestimation. Of women age eligible for mammography (n = 328), 29.0% were non-adherent to screening guidelines. Adherence was associated with older age, (OR = 2.99, 95% CI = 1.76–5.09), having insurance (OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.03–3.17), greater acculturation (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.02–1.36), and higher breast cancer knowledge (OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.21–3.40). Conclusions  While most Latinas over-estimated their breast cancer risk, older age, having insurance, being more acculturated, and having greater knowledge were associated with greater screening adherence in this Latino population. Perceived risk, risk comprehension, and cancer worry were not associated with adherence. In Latinas, screening interventions should emphasize knowledge and target education efforts at younger, uninsured, and less acculturated mammography-eligible women. Supported by Grants U01CA86114, U01CA114593, K05CA96940 (JM), and K07CA131172 (KG) from the National Cancer Institute.     

The human leucocyte P30 antigen: properties and assessment of value as a clonal marker

FMC3 and FMC29 are monoclonal antibodies which react with a 30,000 Dalton molecule expressed on the lymphocyte surface membrane. The molecule is a protein which does not appear to be N-glycosylated. The antigen, which is also expressed intracellularly, does not appear to be a marker of differentiation or maturation. Polyclonal cell populations, such as peripheral blood lymphocytes, show a bimodal distribution of surface antigen density, whilst monoclonal cell populations analysed quantitatively showed unimodal antigen density distributions. This suggests the antigen may be a clonal marker.     

Effect of Multiple Freeze-Thaw Cycles on Detection of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella Virus Antibodies

We investigated the effect of multiple freeze-thaw cycles on mumps, measles, and rubella virus serum antibody levels with whole-virus immunoglobulin G enzyme-linked immunoassays. Fresh serum samples from nine healthy adult volunteers were divided into six sets of five aliquots each. Samples were taken through a total of 10 freeze-thaw cycles and stored at 4°C until assayed. Each assay measurement was done in replicates of five, and the mean value was reported. After completing 10 freeze-thaw cycles, we found no clinically or statistically significant effect on measured antibody levels and found no discernible detrimental effect on the ability to measure these antibodies by enzyme-linked immunoassays.