大学生个体印象管理对其社会网络质量的影响

目的:研究个体印象管理对其社会网络质量的影响。方法:选用社会网络调查法、大学生印象管理量表,对46名大学生进行调查。结果:印象管理建构的提高不利于朋友网和沟通网的强联系人数量的增加(β分别为-1.04和-1.33,P分别小于0.05和0.01;F值分别为4.19和6.45,P分别小于0.05和0.01),而印象管理动机对强联系人的数量并没有影响,并且印象管理动机和印象管理结构都不影响个体为中心网络的紧密性。结论:只有个体印象管理的建构部分不利于其社会网络中的强联系人数量的增加。其他部分对社会网络无明显影响。     

Health-related quality of life in relation to gender and age in couples planning IVF treatment

BACKGROUND: Specific subgroups of people planning IVF might be at risk of having more psychological or health-related problems. Identification of subgroups at risk may better enable allocation of appropriate counselling. METHODS: A group of 425 men and 447 women planning to undergo IVF treatment filled out a questionnaire. Four domains of health-related quality of life were measured, namely perceived emotional, physical, cognitive and social functioning. RESULTS: Young men and women (aged 21-30 years) planning IVF had more short-term social and emotional problems than people of the same age group in the general population. No substantial differences were found in cognitive and physical functioning for all age groups of men nor women planning IVF compared with the general population. A high level of irrational parenthood cognitions substantially accounted for a less optimal score on all the different domains of quality of life. These cognitions ('needing a child in order to live a happy life') were especially prevalent among younger women. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with high levels of irrational parenthood cognitions are at risk of a less optimal quality of life. A short cognitive counselling therapy is advised for patients with high levels of these cognitions.     

Relationship quality moderates the effect of social support given by close friends on cardiovascular reactivity in women

We examined the role of the type of support provided, gender of support provider, and relationship quality in predicting how social support might influence cardiovascular reactivity during acute stress in women. A group of 88 women received either emotional, instrumental, or no support from a close female or male friend while performing a series of speech tasks. Results suggest that the effectiveness of social support for women depended primarily on the quality of the friendship (i.e., purely positive, or ambivalent). More specifically, women who interacted with a female, ambivalent friend had the largest changes in diastolic blood pressure, total peripheral resistance (TPR), and pre-ejection period compared to the other conditions. Furthermore, receiving emotional support from a purely positive friend was related to lower increases in cardiac output (CO) compared to a no-support condition. In contrast, receiving emotional support from an ambivalent friend was related to larger increases in CO and only small changes in TPR when compared to individuals in the no-support condition. These data are discussed in light of the psychosocial processes underlying social support effects in women, and the importance of a more comprehensive view of how close relationships influence cardiovascular function. This research was generously supported by Grant1 R01 MH58690-01 from the National Institute of Mental Health awarded to Bert N. Uchino.     

Replication of alcelaphine herpesviruses in various cell culture systems and subsequent purification of virus

Summary Cultures of fetal aoudad sheep kidney (FAK), bovine embryonic lung (BEL), and African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells were compared for differential replication of alcelaphine herpesviruses. Cell-free virus appears more rapidly when infected cells are incubated at 33° C rather than at 37° C. Events in the replication and morphologic development of several alcelaphine herpesvirus isolates have been documented using light and electron microscopy. Techniques for indirect immunofluorescence and serum virus neutralization are described. When virus free of host-cell contaminants is desired for biochemical analysis, virus isolates are initially purified on sucrose gradients and then further purified by density gradient centrifugation in Percoll.     

Detection of cytomegaloviral DNA in human milk cells and cell free milk whey by nested PCR

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA can be detected in different compartments of human milk. A protocol for the preparation of milk whey free of fat and cells for the detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) by nested PCR is presented. This is based upon the experience of the separation of more than 200 milk specimens of healthy seropositive breast feeding mothers. HCMV DNA could be detected in freshly centrifuged and filtrated milk whey specimens without contamination by cellular DNA. In limiting dilution experiments using HCMV plasmid DNA, the effect of different DNA extraction procedures from native milk and milk whey on the detection limit of cytomegaloviral DNA was demonstrated. About 200 viral genome equivalents/ml in milk whey or native milk were detectable by classical organic phenol/chloroform extraction or a spin column method, respectively. The detection of viral DNA in milk cells depended on a minimum number of milk cells (10⁵–2×10⁵) available for DNA extraction. In contrast to the findings of cytomegaloviral DNA in native sera or plasma of immunosuppressed patients we failed to amplify low level viral DNA from native breast milk by nested PCR due to an inhibition of Taq polymerase by lipid components. Finally, the course of cell associated and cell free DNAlactia was monitored. Analyzing sequential milk specimens, in some cases the presence of HCMV DNA in colostrum could be demonstrated. DNAlactia of milk cells and whey was partially discordant. Onset (week 1–4 after delivery) and duration (2 weeks up to more than 3 months) of DNAlactia showed distinct individual patterns. The methods described, allow further analysis of the mechanisms involved in the postnatal HCMV transmission by breast feeding seropositive mothers.     

Rewarding effects of the optical isomers of 3,4-methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine ('Ecstasy') and 3,4-methylenedioxy-ethylamphetamine ('Eve') measured by conditioned place preference in rats

3,4-methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine (MDMA) (‘Ecstasy’) and its analogue 3,4-methylenedioxy-methylamphetamine (MDE) (‘Eve’) are well known illicit street drugs mainly abused by young people. In spite of the actual research going on, the classification of their abuse potential remains unclear. Since secondary reinforcers are the main factors responsible for craving and relapse, the aim of our study was to assess the potency of MDMA and MDE in a second order reinforcement paradigm, i.e. conditioned place preference (CPP). For the general assessment of our study conditions, we compared MDMA with amphetamine. Unexpectedly, no significant CPP for MDMA was found in contrast to amphetamine. Detailed analysis of current literature led us to the working hypothesis that social environment is crucial for the development of CPP. In a subsequent experiment we tested the influence of housing conditions on CPP using MDMA and demonstrated that isolated animals show significant CPP compared to group-housed ones. In order to better understand the rewarding mechanisms of Ecstasy-derivatives, we tested both the racemic drugs and the pure isomers in the CPP paradigm. Both MDMA's optical isomers and racemic MDMA showed significant CPP without notable differences, while MDE and its isomers completely failed to show any significant CPP. In conclusion, the mechanism by which MDMA induces addiction is much more complicated than assumed so far and more pronounced in isolated animals. The fact that both optical isomers of MDMA led to CPP implies that at least two pathways by which MDMA induces craving behaviour exist.     

Psychopathology and Public Policy

An effective definition of psychopathology would be helpful in distinguishing between normal and abnormal behavior and would provide guidance for important public policy decisions. Overinclusive definitions, such as the capacity/disability formulation, do not provide meaningful direction for defining need or assessing eligibility for insurance or other entitlements. Coping failures due to lack of skill, inadequate preparation, or other factors should be distinguished from those due to dysfunction or disturbance of psychological mechanisms. The capacity/disability formulation encourages confusion between different performance decrements and gives no guidance for appropriate boundaries for psychotherapy.     

Stress and dental caries in the rat

The stress of crowding and exposure to inescapable electric shock increased both the incidence and the severity of dental caries in rats housed in a conventional animal facility. Male Osborne-Mendel rats were inoculated intraorally with cariogenic bacteria, fed a high-sucrose diet, and housed in either a conventional or a sheltered facility. Rats in both housing conditions were subdivided into control and stress groups. At the end of the 56-day trial period, stressed rats from conventional housing had a significant increase in both incidence and severity of dental caries in comparison to their controls. In contrast, stressed rats from sheltered housing had a trend toward increased cariogenesis which reached significance in only one of five scores. These rats also failed to gain weight comparable to their controls, making it possible that stress-induced reduction in appetite partially offset stress-induced exacerbation in cariogenesis.This investigation was supported in part by the following Grants from the United States Public Health Service: CA 20093, HL 22727, and HL 07374.     

Cell cultures for diagnosis of arbovirus infections in livestock and wildlife

Summary Arboviruses can be isolated in serially propagated cells derived from various vertebrates and invertebrates. Cell cultures can be used for direct detection of antigen by fluorescent antibody and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, for nucleic acid hybridization, and for visualization of viruses with electron microscopy. Reagents for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for IgM and IgG antibodies, hemagglutination-inhibition, complement fixation, and serum dilution-plaque reduction neutralization tests can be prepared in cell cultures infected with these viruses. Thus, cell cultures can be used as laboratory hosts for essentially all isolation, identification, and serodiagnostic procedures for arboviruses. This paper outlines current methods for diagnosis of arbovirus infections in livestock and wildlife, describes certain of these techniques, and provides references for others.