Experimental Induction of Emotional and Sexual Intimacy: Exploring the Validity of the German Fast Friends Procedure in Individuals with and without Childhood Maltreatment

The Fast Friends Procedure (FFP) is a widely used experimental paradigm to induce emotional intimacy. Besides exploring the validity of a German translation of the paradigm (n?=?46), we developed an extension of the FFP that induces sexual intimacy and assessed heart rate, high-frequency heart rate variability, and electrodermal activity responses to the FFP and its extension. Furthermore, we examined its applicability to individuals with childhood maltreatment (n?=?56), who frequently suffer from intimacy-related difficulties. Intimacy, positive affect, liking, and attraction increased during the FFP and partly during the sexual intimacy extension in both study groups. Moreover, both groups showed physiological responses consistent with positive social interactions. The use of the German FFP and its sexual intimacy extension can thus be recommended for research in the general population and in individuals with childhood maltreatment, although more studies are needed to further validate the paradigms.

     

Biokinetics of 237Pu citrate and nitrate in the rat: implications for Pu studies in man

Plutonium-237 decays mainly by electron capture with a half-life of 45 d. Alpha particles are emitted in only 5 x 10(-3)% of its disintegrations. This nuclide can now be produced with relatively small amounts of alpha-emitting contaminants so that, in principle, 237Pu can be used for studies of Pu biokinetics in man. However, because of its high specific activity, there was some doubt that its metabolism would be the same as that of the alpha- and beta-emitting isotopes of Pu normally encountered in the nuclear industry. In this study, the biokinetics of nearly "pure," high specific activity 237Pu are compared with those of lower specific activity, "impure" 237Pu containing significant amounts of alpha-emitting Pu, following administration to rats by intravenous injection as the citrate. Both the distribution and excretion of the "pure" and "impure" 237Pu used in the two studies were similar and also in good agreement with the results of previously reported studies using 239Pu and 241Pu citrate, thus validating the use of 237Pu for studies of Pu metabolism in man. Data on the biokinetics of 237Pu nitrate are also included.     

A comparison between particulate (elemental) zinc and soluble zinc (ZnCl2) uptake and effects in the mussel,Mytilus edulis

The uptake of particulate (elemental) and soluble (ZnCl₂) zinc was compared in whole animals and individual organs in the mussel Mytilus edulis. Analysis of seawater showed that the addition of particulate zinc resulted in a maximum concentration of 0.7 g/g dissolved zinc being present in the aquaria. Mussels exposed to either form of zinc at 10 µg/g accumulated it readily, although considerable mortality was experienced after 14 days. After loading with particulate zinc, depuration for 48 h significantly lowered (p<0.001) the concentration of zinc in whole mussels. Mussels loaded at 2 µg/g showed a similar pattern of accumulation to those exposed at 10 µg/g, although with a lower mortality. Greater whole body concentrations were obtained with particulate zinc than with soluble zinc. On an organ basis, the kidney, gill, hepatopancreas, and mantle were the major sites of accumulation following both soluble and particulate zinc loading, although generally the levels were lower with particulate loading, indicating the possible presence of two different uptake pathways. The flesh condition index of mussels subjected to 10 µg/g particulate zinc declined compared to the control animals. Degeneration of the digestive tubules and the stomach was visible in zinc-loaded mussels while no such tissue damage was seen in control animals. Tissue damage, as indicated by the presence of large quantities of lipofuschin, occurred in the hepatopancreas and gonads of particulate zinc-loaded mussels. The results indicate that soluble zinc is both absorbed and taken up by the tissues far more readily than is particulate zinc, and these results may be of significance with regard to zinc loading in the mussel Mytilus edulis.     

Tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} up-regulates Bcl-2 expression and decreases calcium-dependent apoptosis in human B cell lines

Group I and Epstein–Barr virus-negative Burkitt's lymphomacell lines and the B104 lymphoma cell line which expresses aphenotype of immature B cells undergo apoptosis after cross-linkingof their surface Ig receptors or after exposure to a calciumionophore. We show here that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- protectsthese B cell lines against Ca²⁺-dependent apoptosis. Protectionwas associated with up-regulatlon of bcl-2 mRNA and proteinexpression. The increase of Bcl-2 expression induced by TNF-was inhibited by chelerythrine, a specific inhibitor of proteinkinase C (PKC), suggesting that Bcl-2 expression was dependenton PKC activation. Furthermore, we show that phorbol estersand cyclosporin A (CsA), which prevent Ca²⁺-dependent apoptosis,up-regulated Bcl-2 expression. The effect of CsA on Bcl-2 expressionis controlled by calcineurin since we have shown that FK506but not rapamycin had the same effect on Bcl-2 expression, whereasokadaic acid, an inhibitor of phosphatases 1, 2A and 2C, wasineffective. These data provide direct evidence that TNF- preventsCa²⁺-dependent apoptosis by a Bcl-2-dependent mechanism mediatedby PKC.     

Inter-relation between "classic" motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia: neuropsychological and single photon emission computed tomography study.

The purpose of this study was to examine the possible association between "classic" motor neuron disease (cMND) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), using neuropsychological evaluation and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Psychological tests assessing language, perceptuospatial, memory, and "frontal lobe" functions were given to patients with cMND and test scores were compared with those of normal control subjects. 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT was performed on patients with cMND, FTD and motor neuron disease (FTD/MND), FTD alone, and normal control subjects. Regional cerebral blood flow indices (rCBFi) were determined in 36 cortical regions, and differences between grouped rCBFi data were investigated by canonical discriminant analysis. There were significant group differences in the scores of picture sequencing and token tests in patients with cMND compared with normal controls. Regional CBFi data showed frontal and anterior temporal reductions in patients with cMND compared with normal controls. A similar pattern of SPECT abnormality was seen in patients with FTD/MND and FTD alone, but to a more pronounced degree than in patients with cMND. Neuropsychological and SPECT findings in cMND, FTD/MND, and FTD showed a common pattern of cerebral involvement, most pronounced in the second two conditions. It is suggested that cMND, FTD/MND, and FTD represent a clinical range of a pathological continuum.     

Birth Outcomes of Immigrant Women in the United States,France, and Belgium

Objectives: To compare maternal characteristics and birth outcomes of Mexico-born and native-born mothers in the United States and those of North African mothers living in France and Belgium to French and Belgian nationals. Methods: We examined information from single live birth certificates for 285,371 Mexico-born and 3,131,632 U.S.-born mothers (including 2,537,264 U.S.-born White mothers) in the United States, 4,623 North African and 103,345 Belgian mothers in Belgium, and a French national random sample consisting of 632 North African and 11,185 French mothers. The outcomes were mean birthweight, low birthweight, and preterm births. Differences between native/nationals and foreign-born mothers in each country were assessed in bivariate and multivariate analyses controlling for maternal risk factors. Results: The adjusted odds for low birthweight were lower for immigrants than native/nationals by 32% in the United States, by 32% in Belgium, and by 30% in France. The adjusted odds for preterm births were lower for immigrants compared with native/nationals by 11% in the United States and by 23% in Belgium. In France, the odds for preterm births were comparable for immigrants and naturalized mothers. Infants of immigrant mothers also had higher mean birthweights in all three countries. Conclusion: Despite their disadvantaged status, Mexico-born and North African-born women residing in the United States, France, and Belgium show good birth outcomes. These cannot be explained solely by traditional risk factors. Protective factors and selective migration may offer further clues.