The combined relations of gender,enculturation, and depressive symptoms with health risk behaviors in Mexican-Americans: a moderated mediation analysis

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The present study investigated the relationships of enculturation and depressive symptoms with health risk behavior engagement in Mexican-American college students and examined how these relationships differed by gender. Previous research has noted consistent gender differences in health risk behavior (e.g. alcohol use, substance use, and risky sexual behavior) among Latina/os, and emphasized the role of U.S. acculturation in this difference. Research examining the role of heritage cultural retention (i.e. enculturation), and including the added influence of mental health variables, such as depressive symptoms, is currently lacking. This study sought to address this gap.

Design: A large sample (N?=?677) of Mexican-American college students from four universities (located in New York, California, Florida, and Texas) completed an online questionnaire assessing health risk behaviors and corresponding variables.

Results: We found that males who endorsed more behavioral enculturation and depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in health risk behavior than all others in the sample. Contrary to previous literature, no relationship was found between behavioral enculturation and health risk behavior in females.

Conclusion: The current study found behavioral enculturation to be associated with depressive symptoms, and in turn with health risk behaviors among the males in our sample. Additional research will be needed to identify the mechanism underlying the relationship between enculturation and depressive symptoms as well as between depressive symptoms and risky behavior.     

Erythropoietin stimulates wound healing and angiogenesis in mice.

Erythropoietin exerts hematopoietic effects by stimulating proliferation of early erythroid precursors. Nonhematopoietic effects of erythropoietin have also been shown. It may act as a new angiogenic factor in wound healing. This study aimed to investigate the effect of systemic administration of recombinant human erythropoietin on wound healing in mice. Dorsal incisional wounds were performed in mice, which were then divided into two groups; a group treated for 7 days with recombinant human erythropoietin, and a control group. Sacrificing animals on day 7, the wound tissues were collected for analysis of wound breaking strength, malondialdehyde, a marker of lipid peroxidation, hydroxyproline, an index of reparative collagen deposition, reduced glutathione levels, and for histological evaluation. The immunohistochemical determination of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) which is believed to be the most prevalent angiogenic factor throughout the skin repair process, was also studied. The treatment significantly increased wound breaking strength by decreasing malondialdehyde and increasing hydroxyproline levels on day 7 after wounding. No statistically meaningful change was observed in reduced glutathione content. VEGF was immunostained significantly more on wound tissue of treated animals compared to the control group. Recombinant human erythropoietin treatment may be effective in wound healing due to inhibition of lipid peroxidation, deposition of collagen, and VEGF expression in wound area.     

A prospective, randomized controlled study of computer-assisted learning in parasitology.

PURPOSE: To compare, using a prospective, randomized controlled study, three methods of teaching a medical school parasitology course: computer-based instruction, traditional lecture-based instruction, and a combination of computer-based and lecture-based instruction. METHOD: A single class of the University of Utah School of Medicine was randomized into three study groups for the second-year parasitology course. The computer group (n = 29) used a locally developed interactive parasitology computer program; the lecture group (n = 32) had traditional lectures, and the combined group (n = 33) used both the computer program and lectures. Students' knowledge was assessed using a pretest, a final examination, and a posttest administered four months after the course. Students also used logs to track the amounts of time they spent studying. Their impressions and course evaluations were collected using a standardized course-evaluation form. RESULTS: The groups' scores on the pretest, final examination, and posttest were not statistically significantly different. Students in the computer group averaged 26.8 hours of studying over the two-week course compared with 32.1 hours in the lecture group and 32.7 hours in the combined group. The difference in study times between the computer and combined groups yielded a significant p value of 0.036. Students were generally positive about the course and the computer program. CONCLUSION: Students can learn parasitology from computer-based instruction as effectively as from traditional lecture-based instruction, and they can do so in less time.     

Small intestinal transplantation in nonhuman primates

Small intestinal transplantation represents a potentially therapeutic procedure for individuals with short gut syndrome. The purpose of this study was to develop a model for small intestinal transplantation in primates that is: technically feasible without microsurgery; consistent in the prevention of allograft rejection; functional in terms of nutrient absorption; and compatible with harvest for multiple organ procurement. First, autotransplantations on four rhesus monkeys were performed in order to study a variety of harvesting techniques and vascular anastomoses. Then, a study was performed with 14 heterotopic allotransplants in 4 baboons and 10 rhesus primates. The successful donor model consisted of division of the pancreas, harvesting the small bowel with a superior mesenteric artery and portal vein pedicle. The allograft vascular pedicle was anastomosed to the recipient's common iliac vessels in end-to-side fashion. The graft was transplanted as an out-of-continuity loop, both ends being exteriorized as stomas providing access for absorption studies and biopsy. Three immunosuppressive regimens were tested: (1) cyclosporine A (CyA) 20 mg/kg/d, solumedrol (SML) 2 mg/kg/d, and graft irradiation (150 rad) (n = 4); (2) CyA 20 mg/kg/d and SML 2 mg/kg/d (n = 3); and (3) CyA 40 mg/kg/d, SML 2 mg/kg/d, and azathioprine 5 mg/kg/d (n = 3). There were 4 deaths due to technical error in the first 24 hours. Weekly graft biopsy, serum CyA levels, complete blood count, and automated 24-channel serum analysis were performed. Grafts surviving greater than 14 days underwent absorption study via luminal perfusion with sucrose, maltose, dextrose, Pregestimil, xylose, and cyclosporine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Noninvasive Intracranial Cerebral Flow Velocity Evaluation in the Emergency Department by Emergency Physicians

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is an accepted modality for the evaluation of cerebral blood flow velocities. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of bedside TCD measurement in the emergency department (ED) with critically ill, intubated patients. METHODS: A prospective convenience sample of patients presenting to a university hospital over a two-month period underwent TCD evaluation of the middle cerebral artery. Intubated patients with head trauma and any patient requiring tracheal intubation were eligible. A 2-MHz Doppler probe was positioned over the temporal bone to acquire blood flow velocities. An emergency medicine resident and research assistant obtained measurements. Continuous TCD tracings were recorded on a video cassette recorder tape for quality assurance review and data collection. Vital signs and therapeutic interventions were also recorded. Flow velocities were measured in cm/s; the peak Resistance Index (RI) was calculated for each patient. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients were enrolled in the study. Adequate tracings were obtained in 25 patients (83%) without a disruption of resuscitation. Tracings could not be obtained in five patients; they were listed as TCD failures. However, in two of these patients, adequate flow velocity tracings were obtained after resuscitation. Four patients were evaluated during tracheal intubation. One patient was monitored successfully during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The median time required for data acquisition was 1.9 minutes. The mean highest RI for those who expired was 0.84. For those who survived, the mean highest RI was 0.52. The difference of 0.32 was statistically significant (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Noninvasive blood flow velocity monitoring of the middle cerebral artery using TCD is feasible in the ED when performed at the bedside on intubated patients with traumatic brain injury and others during tracheal intubation and resuscitation.     

Alemtuzumab (CAMPATH 1H) Induction Therapy in Cadaveric Kidney Transplantation—Efficacy and Safety at Five Years

Alemtuzumab is a powerful lymphocyte depleting antibody currently being evaluated in solid organ transplantation. This paper describes 5-year results of a single center study of alemtuzumab as induction in renal transplantation. Thirty-three renal transplant recipients received 20 mg alemtuzumab on day 0 and 1, followed by half-dose cyclosporin monotherapy (trough concentration 75-125 ng/mL) from day 3. They were compared in a retrospective contemporaneous-controlled manner with 66 kidney transplant recipients transplanted in the same period and center who received conventional immunosuppression with cyclosporin, azathioprine and prednisolone. In the alemtuzumab group 12% of recipients died compared to 17% in the control group (p = 0.48); likewise graft loss was similar in both groups (21% vs. 26%, respectively, p = 0.58). Incidence of acute rejection was also comparable at 5 years (31.5% vs. 33.6%), although the pattern of rejection was different with 14% patients in the alemtuzumab group experiencing rejection over 1 year post-transplant compared to none in the control group. There was no significant difference between groups in terms of infection or serious adverse events. While acknowledging the limitations of a relatively small single-center study, results suggest that alemtuzumab induction allowed satisfactory long-term patient and graft survival equivalent to that seen with standard triple immunosuppression, while avoiding steroid therapy.     

Effect of anticholinergic agents upon acquired nystagmus: a double-blind study of trihexyphenidyl and tridihexethyl chloride

We conducted a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial of two anticholinergic agents--trihexyphenidyl and tridihexethyl chloride (a quaternary anticholinergic that does not cross the blood-brain barrier)--in patients with acquired nystagmus and measured visual acuity and nystagmus before and at the end of 1 month on each medication. Of the 10 patients admitted to the study, only five completed trials of both drugs due to intolerance of medication or intercurrent illness. Of six patients who completed the trial of trihexyphenidyl, only one showed improvement. Of six patients who completed a trial of tridihexethyl chloride, four showed improvement. We conclude that (1) trihexyphenidyl is not a reliable treatment for acquired nystagmus, although occasional patients may benefit; (2) anticholinergic agents may suppress nystagmus by peripheral rather than central mechanisms; and (3) the side effects of anticholinergic agents limit their effectiveness in the treatment of nystagmus.