Smoking and coffee intake following alcohol withdrawal in alcoholic inpatients

The aim of this study was to assess alcoholic inpatients' smoking and coffee intake variation following withdrawal. Only moderate smokers (less than 30 cigarettes/day) showed a significant increase of cigarette consumption after alcohol withdrawal. However, their urinary cotinine level did not vary, suggesting a behavioral, and not biological, compensation through smoking following alcohol withdrawal. Heavy smokers (30 cigarettes/day or more) showed no significant clinical or biological variation of smoking behavior. Coffee consumption increased after alcohol withdrawal in all patients, irrespective of smoking habits.     

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the assay of 1,4-dioxane in sulphated polyoxyethylene alcohol surfactants

A rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the assay of 1,4-dioxane in ethoxylated fatty alcohol sulphates. After solid-phase extraction using Bakerbond C₁₈ cartridges, samples were directly analysed on a LiChrospher CH-8 reversed-phase column with UV detection at 200 nm and an acetonitrile-water eluent. Recovery of 1,4-dioxane from the surfactant matrix was 95.7% in the 40 to 120 μg g⁻¹ range. The minimum quantifiable amount was 18 μg g⁻¹. The procedure is simple, reproducible, specific and suitable for routine analyses of commercial surfactants.     

Alterations of cortical neurons and their dendrites after chronic alcohol intoxication

Alterations occurring in the neurons of rat sensorimotor cortex 1, 2, and 4 months after a 4-month alcohol intoxication and 1 and 4 months after a 1-year alcoholization are studied by the methods of Nissl and Golgi. Pronounced dystrophic changes in cortical neurons and dendrites as well as reparative processes in the cell body are revealed 1 month after a 4-month intoxication. The recovery period for the upper cortical layer neurons (phylogenetically younger) is faster than that of neurons from the lower layers (phylogenetically older), as well as that of hypochromatousvs. hyperchromatous cells. Normalization of dendrite structure is slower than that of the cell body. Four months after a 1-year alcohol intoxication the structure of cortical neurons and dendrites is not restored. Translated fromByulleten' Eksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 122, No. 10, pp. 467–470, October, 1996     

血清低密度脂蛋白胆固醇直接测定与Friedewald公式计算结果比较

采用聚乙烯硫酸（ＰＶＳ）沉淀法测定血清低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（ＬＤＬ－Ｃ）值，同时应用Ｆｒｉｅｄｅｗａｌｄ公式计算ＬＤＬ－Ｃ含量，并对两法结果进行比较分析，提出当甘油三脂（ＴＧ）＜４．５２ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ时，Ｆ公式计算法可代替ＰＶＳ法，当ＴＧ＞４．５２ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ时，不宜用Ｆ公式计算ＬＤＬ－Ｃ的值。     

Identifying target segments of male drinkers for health promotion

Data from a 1988 national drinking survey was cluster analysedto identify different types of male drinkers, to assist in thetargeting of health promotion strategies. Of the five segmentsgenerated by the clustering, one labelled Young Heavy DrinkingMales was identified as the most appropriate target segment,because although they were the segment reporting the highestlevel of alcohol-related problems they were also the segmentmost likely to feel they were drinking too much They were thereforethe segment most likely to be responsive to advertising thatsought to support people who wanted to change their drinkinghabits. They were also the most appropriate target for the longer-termgoal of changing the climate of opinion regarding the acceptabilityof more moderate drinking. Comparisons with two previous clusteranalyses showed a high degree of similarity, suggesting thatclustering is a reliable vehicle for identifying drinker types.     

Interaction of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein I405V polymorphism with alcohol consumption in smoking and non-smoking healthy men, and the effect on plasma HDL cholesterol and apoAI concentration

Three hundred and sixteen healthy Icelandic men and women were examined for the effect of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) I405V polymorphism on plasma triglycerides, HDL cholesterol (HDLC) and apoAI concentration. Genotyping was performed using an allele specific oligomelting assay and the frequency of the V allele was 0.31 (95 CI for men 0.23–0.33 and for women 0.29–0.39). In women no significant difference was associated with the V405 genotype for any plasma lipid trait. However, men who were homozygous for the V405 allele had 9% higher apoAI and 14% higher HDLC levels (p < 0.05) than those homozygous for the common 1405 allele. The genotype effect was seen only in the non-smokers (p = 0.07 and <0.05, respectively), and in those consuming alcohol (p < 0.05 for both). Analysis of interaction between the environmental, life-style factors and genotype in men for the traits of HDLC and apoAI showed statistically significant interaction of the genotype only with alcohol consumption. The non-smoking men who reported alcohol consumption and who were homozygous for the CETP V405 allele had 16% higher plasma apoAI concentration than those who carried the 1405 allele, and up to 20% higher apoAI level than smokers. On the basis of prospective studies carried out on the Icelandic population, non-smoking, alcohol-consuming men who are homozygous for the V405 allele could have from 32% to 40% lower risk of having a heart attack.     

Changing the College AOD Environment for Primary Prevention

Identifying environmental factors reflected to alcohol use is important for program planning and evaluation in college alcohol and drug prevention programs. Little has been written concerning uses of data in environmental prevention efforts. This paper presents four brief interrelated case studies of how environmental modifications were used by a college alcohol prevention project to 1) change the marketing practices and service policies of a student-oriented bar, 2) alter the sales practices of a campus bookstore concerning alcohol paraphernalia, 3) to develop a campaign with the goal of reducing risk factors related to heavy drinking at private student parties, and 4) stop an unsafe bus from transporting students to bars in Mexico. Creative use of such environmental prevention approaches has potential benefit to colleges and universities concerned with the primary prevention of alcohol-related problems experienced by students.