The 10-item Remembered Relationship with Parents (RRP10) scale: two-factor model and association with adult depressive symptoms

BACKGROUND: Dysfunctional parenting styles are associated with poor mental and physical health. The 10-item Remembered Relationship with Parents (RRP(10)) scale retrospectively assesses Alienation (dysfunctional communication and intimacy) and Control (overprotection by parents), with an emphasis on deficiencies in empathic parenting. We examined the 2-factor structure of the RRP(10) and its relationship with adult depression. METHODS: 664 respondents from the general population (48% men, mean age 54.6+/-14.2 years) completed the RRP(10), Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), and Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS: The Alienation and Control dimensions of the RRP(10) displayed a sound factor structure, good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.83-0.86), and convergent validity against the PBI scales. No significant gender differences were found on the RRP(10) scales. Stratifying by RRP(10) dimensions showed that respondents high in Alienation and Control, for both father (33.3% vs. 14.5%, p<0.0001) and mother (42% vs. 12.9%, p<0.0001) items, experienced the highest levels of depressive symptoms compared with respondents low in Alienation and Control. While scoring high on Alienation or Control alone was also significantly and independently associated with depressive symptoms, scoring high on both Alienation and Control was most strongly connected with depressive symptoms for both father (OR=2.48, p<0.004) and mother (OR=5.34, p<0.0001) items. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional study design. CONCLUSIONS: The RRP(10) is a reliable and valid measure of remembered parental Alienation and Control. High Alienation and Control were independently related to increased risk of depressive symptoms. Given the brevity of the RRP(10), it can easily be used in epidemiological/clinical research on the link between the remembered relationship with parents and mental/physical health.     

Neural progenitor cell transplantation and imaging in a large animal model

To evaluate neural stem/progenitor cell (NPC) transplantation therapy in cat models of neurodegenerative diseases, we have isolated, expanded and characterized feline NPCs (fNPCs) from normal fetal cat brain. Feline NPCs responsive to both human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) and human fibroblast growth factor 2 (hFGF2) proliferated as neurospheres, which were able to differentiate to neurons and glial cells. The analysis of growth factors indicated that both hEGF and hFGF2 were required for proliferation of fNPCs. In contrast to the effect on human NPCs, human leukemia inhibitory factor (hLIF) enhanced differentiation of fNPCs. Expanded fNPCs were injected into the brains of normal adult cats. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the majority of transplanted cells were located adjacent to the injection site and some fNPCs differentiated into neurons. The survival of transplanted fNPCs over time was monitored using non-invasive bioluminescent imaging technology. This study provided the first evidence of allotransplantation of fNPCs into feline CNS. Cats have heterogeneous genetic backgrounds and possess neurological diseases that closely resemble analogous human diseases. The characterization of fNPCs and exploration of non-invasive bioluminescent imaging to track transplanted cells in this study will allow evaluation of NPC transplantation therapy using feline models of human neurological diseases.     

Stress and psychosis: towards the development of new models of investigation

The experience of stress is commonly implicated in the onset and maintenance of psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. Previous studies that have addressed this relationship have had mixed results and serious methodological flaws associated with study design are common. One central limitation is the over-reliance on the experience of life events as a measure of the experience of stress. Research in the general stress literature suggest that attention also needs to be paid to the experience of other types of stressful events (such as 'hassles') as well as qualitative appraisals of events to fully understand the relationship between stressful experiences and mental health problems such as psychosis. Investigation of the experiences of stress by young people who are identified as being at heightened risk of developing a psychotic disorder would also result in a more complete understanding of the relationship between the experience of stress and the onset of psychotic disorder.     

Hot flash severity in hormone therapy users/nonusers across the menopausal transition

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the pattern of and factors that influence hot flash severity across the menopausal transition (MT) and early postmenopause (PM). METHODS: Women from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study (N=302) provided data for these analyses: at least one annual health questionnaire and a menstrual calendar. A subset of women provided a first morning voided urine specimen from 1997 through 2005. Urine samples were assayed for estrone glucuronide and FSH. Linear mixed effects modeling was used to identify change in hot flash severity scores over time, including the relationship to age, MT-related, psychosocial and lifestyle factors. RESULTS: Increases in hot flash severity were associated with late transition stage, early postmenopause, use of HRT, duration of early transition stage, age of entry into early PM and level of FSH. Age of entry into early transition and estrone levels were associated with decreased hot flash severity. Not associated with hot flash severity were being in early transition stage, age of entry into or duration of late transition stage and all of the psychosocial (anxiety, stress, depressed mood) and lifestyle variables (BMI, activity level, sleep, alcohol use). CONCLUSIONS: Variables associated with reproductive aging independently predicted changes in hot flash severity; psychosocial and lifestyle variables did not. The effect of age dropped out when factors associated with reproductive aging were considered. Use of HRT ameliorated but did not eliminate severe hot flashes suggesting that there is room for alternative approaches less likely to cause harm.     

IL-13 blockade reduces lung inflammation after Ascaris suum challenge in cynomolgus monkeys

BACKGROUND: Airway inflammation is a hallmark feature of asthma and a driver of airway hyperresponsiveness. IL-13 is a key inducer of airway inflammation in rodent models of respiratory disease, but a role for IL-13 has not been demonstrated in primates. OBJECTIVE: We sought to test the efficacy of a neutralizing antibody to human IL-13 in a cynomolgus monkey model of lung inflammation. METHODS: Using cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) that are sensitized to Ascaris suum through natural exposure, we developed a reproducible model of acute airway inflammation after segmental A suum antigen challenge. This model was used to test the in vivo efficacy of mAb13.2, a mouse mAb directed against human IL-13, and IMA-638, the humanized counterpart of mAb13.2. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and BAL fluid were collected before and after antigen challenge and assayed for cellular content by means of differential count. RESULTS: Total BAL cell count, eosinophil number, and neutrophil number were all reduced in animals treated with mAb13.2 or IMA-638 compared with values in control animals that were untreated, given saline, or treated with human IgG of irrelevant specificity. In addition, levels of eotaxin and RANTES in BAL fluid were reduced in anti-IL-13-treated animals compared with levels seen in control animals. CONCLUSION: These findings support a role for IL-13 in maintaining lung inflammation in response to allergen challenge in nonhuman primates. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: IL-13 neutralization with a specific antibody could be a useful therapeutic strategy for asthma.     

Multicenter evaluation of the new VITEK 2 advanced colorimetric yeast identification card

The performance of the new VITEK 2 Advanced Colorimetry yeast identification (YST) card for use with the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux, Inc., Hazelwood, MO) was compared to that of the API 20C AUX (API) system (bioMérieux SA, Marcy-l'Etoile, France) in a multicenter evaluation. A total of 12 quality control, 64 challenge, and 623 clinical yeast isolates were used in the study. Comparisons of species identification, platform reliability, and substrate reproducibility were made between YST and API, with API considered the reference standard. Quality control testing to assess system and substrate reproducibility matched expected results >/=95% of the time. The YST card correctly identified 100% of the challenge strains, which covered the species range of the manufacturer's performance claims. Using clinical isolates, the YST card correctly identified 98.5%, with 1.0% of isolates incorrectly identified and 0.5% unidentified. Among clinical isolates, the YST card generated fewer low-discrimination results (18.9%) than did API (30.0%). The time to identification with YST was 18 h, compared to 48 to 72 h with API. The colorimetric YST card used with the VITEK 2 provides a highly automated, objective yeast identification method with excellent performance and reproducibility. We found this system useful for timely and accurate identification of significant yeast species in the clinical microbiology laboratory.     

Detection of Clostridium difficile toxin: comparison of enzyme immunoassay results with results obtained by cytotoxicity assay

Several kinds of laboratory techniques are available to detect Clostridium difficile toxin in fecal samples. Because questions have been raised about the reliability of immunoassays compared to the accepted standard, cytotoxicity assay, we studied three enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) and one rapid EIA, which demonstrated relatively good sensitivities and specificities compared to cytotoxicity assay.