Unaltered number of brain serotonin uptake sites in suicide victims

The 5-HT uptake sites were studied with [(3)H ] paroxetine as radioligand in frontal cortex, cingulate cortex and hypothalamus from a control group (n=22) and a group of suicide victims (n = 19). The binding was also analysed with regard to the method of suicide (violent or non-violent) and history of depressive symptoms. The apparent dissociation constant (K(d) ) was the same, 0.07-0.10 nM, and did not differ between the two groups studied. The maximum number of binding sites (B(max)) for the controls were frontal cortex 112±21, cingulate gyrus 227±92 and hypothalamus 699±240 fmol/mg protein. The B(max) values for the suicide group were not different from those of the control group. When the binding parameters were analysed according to the method of suicide (violent or non-violent) there were no differences in comparison to the control group or between these two suicide groups. Similarly, suicides with and without history of depression did not differ in [(3)H ] paroxetine binding and were not different from the control group. The control and suicide groups were not different with respect to age and post- mortem storage time. Considering 5-HT uptake sites as indirect markers for 5-HT terminals, these data suggest that the 5-HT terminal system is intact in the neocortex, the limbic system and in the hypothalamus in suicide victims.     

Cadmium in milk and mammary gland in rats and mice

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the uptake of cadmium in mammary tissue, effects on milk secretion and composition, and lactational transport of cadmium to the sucklings. Cadmium exposure during lactation resulted in retention of cadmium in the mammary tissue in mice and rats. The uptake of cadmium in the mammary tissue was rapid, as shown in lactating mice by whole-body autoradiography 4 h after an intravenous injection of a tracer dose of (109)CdCl(2). Retention of cadmium in kidneys of suckling pups was observed in the autoradiograms at 7 days after exposure of the dams. Lactating rats were intravenously infused with (109)CdCl(2) in 0.9% saline via osmotic minipumps from day 3 to day 16 after parturition. The cadmium dose given was 0, 8.8, 62 and 300 microg Cd/kg body wt. per day. Plasma and milk were collected at day 10 and 16 after parturition. Plasma cadmium levels in dams increased from day 10 to day 16. Cadmium levels were higher in milk than in plasma, with milk/plasma ratios varying from 2 to 6. Zinc levels in milk were positively correlated to cadmium levels in milk (r(2)=0.26; P=0. 03). In milk, (109)Cd was distributed in fat (46-52%), casein fraction (40-46%), and whey fraction (6-8%). There was a high correlation between cadmium concentrations in pups' kidney and cadmium concentrations in dam's milk (r(2)=0.98; P < 0.001). Of the cadmium dose given to the dams <0.05% was retained in the litters on day 16 of lactation. No effects were observed due to cadmium exposure on body weight in pups or dams. Cadmium treatment did not cause any effect on the lactose or protein concentration in milk, the concentrations of DNA, RNA or the ratio RNA/DNA in the mammary gland. Histological evaluation of mammary tissue did not reveal any abnormalities at any dose level. (109)Cd was bound to metallothionein in mammary tissue. The fraction of radiolabelled cadmium bound to metallothionein increased in a dose-dependent manner in both the liver (88-98%) and mammary tissue (57-80%). The present results indicate a low transfer of cadmium to the suckling pup, which might be due to binding of cadmium to metallothionein in the mammary tissue. However, during the susceptible developmental period even a low cadmium exposure may be of concern.     

Separation of transforming amino acid-substituting mutations in codons 12, 13 and 61 of the N-ras gene by constant denaturant capillary electrophoresis (CDCE)

We used high fidelity PCR and constant denaturant capillaryelectrophoresis (CDCE) [Khrapko et al. (1994) Nucleic AcidsRes., 22, 364–369] to separate wild type and differentmutant N-ras exon 1 and 2 sequences. The set of plasmids containingN-ras cDNA, wild type or mutant sequences representing all transformingamino acid-substituting single base pair changes in codons 12,13 (exon 1) and 61 (exon 2), were amplified using Pfu polymerasein a limited cycle polymerase chain reaction. One of the primersused for the amplification of each exon included a 40 nucleotideGC rich sequence that created high and low melting domains.The amplified fragments 151 bp (exon 1) and 150 bp (exon 2)were run on the CDCE with the ‘denaturant zone’temperature of the capillary corresponding to the melting temperatureof 111 bp (exon 1) and 110 bp (exon 2) low melting domains.The separation was achieved between wild type and mutant sequencesas homoduplexes in 15 out of 19 cases, as a single base substitutionalters the electrophoretic mobility of a partially melted doublestranded fragment. The denaturation and reannealing of wildtype and mutant fragments together created wild type/ mutantheteroduplexes. All the heteroduplexes were well resolved fromwild type homoduplex. In the current form mutant sequences weredetected at a frequency of 10^–3 in the presence of wildtype. This study has resulted in obtaining electrophoretic spectrumof different N-ras mutants on CDCE as homoduplexes as well asheteroduplexes.     

Association between soft drink consumption,oral health and some lifestyle factors in Swedish adolescents

Objective. The aim was to investigate the relationship between soft drink consumption, oral health and some lifestyle factors in Swedish adolescents. Materials and methods. A clinical dental examination and a questionnaire concerning lifestyle factors, including drinking habits, oral hygiene, dietary consumption, physical activity and screen-viewing habits were completed. Three hundred and ninety-two individuals completed the study (13–14 years, n = 195; 18–19 years, n = 197). The material was divided into high and low carbonated soft drink consumption groups, corresponding to approximately the highest and the lowest one-third of subjects in each age group. Differences between the groups were tested by the Mann-Whitney U-test and logistic regression. Results. Intake of certain dietary items, tooth brushing, sports activities, meal patterns, screen-viewing behaviors, BMI and parents born outside Sweden differed significantly between high and low consumers in one or both of the two age groups. Dental erosion (both age groups) and DMFT/DMFS (18–19 years group) were significantly higher in the high consumption groups. Logistic regression showed predictive variables for high consumption of carbonated soft drinks to be mainly gender (male), unhealthy dietary habits, lesser physical activity, higher BMI and longer time spent in front of TV/computer. Conclusion. High soft drink consumption was related to poorer oral health and an unhealthier lifestyle.     

Mental disorders and DSM-IV paedophilia in 185 subjects convicted of sexual child abuse

The objective of this study was to explore how sexual child abusers who meet the DSM-IV criteria for paedophilia differ from those who do not. We studied DSM-IV disorders and paedophilic interests in all cases of sexual child abuse referred to forensic psychiatric investigation in Sweden between 1993 and 1997 (n=185). Frequency and severity of other mental disorders did not differ between subjects with and without DSM-IV paedophilia. However, men with paedophilia had more previous paedophilia convictions, same-sex and younger victims and less often intoxicated status when committing the act. The concept of paedophilia as a mental disorder is not supported by the DSM-IV diagnosis, which primarily describes the acting out of attraction.     

Gambling and problematic gambling with money among Norwegian youth (12-18 years)

An epidemiological study was performed on a representative sample of the Norwegian youth population (12-18 years; n =3237; response rate 45.2%). The proportion that never gambled was 17.6% and a majority (57.5%) gambled seldom, whereas 24.9% gambled weekly (36.2% of the males and 13.1% of the females). In relation to problematic gambling, the results showed that 1.76% had pathological gambling (2.79% in men and 0.69% in females) and 3.46% "at-risk" gambling. Problematic gambling (pathological gambling plus "at-risk" gambling) was 5.22% (7.82% of the males and 2.52% of the females). The group gambling frequently (at least weekly) was used to calculate pathological gambling and "at-risk" gambling. This resulted in high values, with 7.08% with pathological gambling (7.69% of males and 5.31% of females) and an additional 13.91% with "at-risk" gambling. The DSM-IV, with only 10 questions, gives a conservative estimate of pathological gambling. Slot machines proved the most popular game with 81.8%, followed by football tip (70.8%), Lotto (68.7%) and lotteries (39.4%). When it comes to problematic and pathological gambling, Lotto ranked high compared to other plays that were used more frequently.     

Psoriasis and arthritic lesions in relation to the inheritance of HLA genotypes: a family study.

This family consists of forty-eight subjects, all of whom have been examined with regard to the presence of psoriasis and nearly all for the presence of arthritic lesions (sacroiliitis and peripheral arthritis). All the members have been tissue-typed not only for HLA-A, B and C locus products but also for D locus products. This has enabled us to study the entire HLA chromosomal region. In the family concerned we have found that those subjects haploidentical with the proband have, to a very large degree, either one or all clinical manifestations, which demonstrates a close genetic relationship between joint (especially sacroiliitis) and cutaneous manifestations. These findings prompt us to repeat our previously made proposal about different phenotypic expressions of the same genotype. In this family study the disease-associated haplotypes did not contain the genes for B13, 17 or 37 antigens which are known to occur frequently in psoriatic patients. However, not all psoriasis patients have these antigens. Despite that, we believe that the gene(s) which increase the likelihood of developing psoriasis are identical in all patients and therefore family studies where the proband does not carry the particular psoriasis associated B-alleles are equally illuminating as to the inheritance pattern of disease.