The relationship of worrying, coping, and symptoms among college men and women

College students maintained a daily log of their worrying for 7 consecutive days, with three different subgroups starting on different days of the week. Patterns of the type and amount of worrying did not vary systematically over successive days. Multiple regression analyses showed a direct relationship between worrying level and amount of psychological symptoms, as measured by both the diary method and a single item self-rating. Avoidance coping was related to higher levels of physical and psychological symptoms, whereas problem solving was associated with fewer psychological symptoms for females. Men and women, for the most part, had similar relationships among the variables.

Biodegradation of phenol: a comparative study with and without applying magnetic fields

The objective of this work was to study the effect of magnetic fields on the rate of phenol biodegradation using immobilized activated sludge. A recirculation flow bioreactor employing immobilized bacterial beads was used with phenol as the substrate to study the biodegradation process. This study was conducted by applying separately the north pole and the south pole magnetic fields to the bioreactor. Rate of dissolved oxygen consumption, phenol concentration and extracellular protein concentration were the parameters monitored during the process. It was observed that by applying a magnetic south pole to the process, biodegradation in the form of biological oxidation was enhanced. A 30% increase in biodegradation rate was obtained by applying a magnetic south pole of strength of 0.45 Tesla to the bioreactor with immobilized microbial beads as compared to the control. Magnetic north pole irradiation inhibited this type of biooxidation. This process has potential for biological treatment of organic wastes.

The efficacy of hydrophilic contact lens cleaning systems in removing protein deposits

New, never-worn, individual hydrophilic contact lenses were incubated in an artificial tear solution (containing lysozyme, albumin, lactoferrin, and glycoprotein) for 24 hours at 37 degrees C with constant stirring. These lenses were then cleaned following the manufacturer's instructions with one of six commercial cleaning systems: AOSEPT, CONSEPT, Oxysept, ReNu, Opti-Free and thermal disinfection in conjunction with the Allergan Enzymatic Contact Lens Cleaner. The protein remaining on each lens after cleaning was removed and then quantified by the Bio-Rad Protein Assay. High resolution gel electrophoresis was used to assess the individual protein profile patterns. We found that only one-third to one-half of the protein deposited on a lens is removed by the above cleaning systems. Of the proteins in the artificial tear solution only lysozyme is removed by cleaning, while lactoferrin, albumin, and glycoprotein tend to remain on the lens. Since many of the complications experienced by contact lens wearers are thought to be related to protein deposits on their lenses, our results suggest the need for more effective contact lens cleaning solutions.

Iron-sulfur centers as endogenous blue light sensitizers in cells: a study with an artificial non-heme iron protein

The possible involvement of Fe-S clusters in photodynamic reactions as endogenous sensitizing chromophores in cells has been investigated, by using an artificial non-heme iron protein (ANHIP) derived from bovine serum albumin and ferredoxins isolated from spinach and a red marine algae. Ferredoxins and ANHIP, when exposed to visible light, generate singlet oxygen, as measured by the imidazole plus RNO method. Irradiation with intense blue light of the ANHIP-entrapped liposomes caused severe membrane-damage such as liposomal lysis and lipid peroxidation. In the presence of ANHIP, isocitrate dehydrogenase and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase were photoinactivated by blue light. However, all of these photosensitized reactions were significantly suppressed by a singlet oxygen (1O2) quencher, azide, but enhanced by a medium containing deuterium oxide. Further, the Fe-S proteins with the prosthetic groups destroyed did not initiate the blue light-induced reactions. In addition, the action spectrum for 1O2 generation from ANHIP was very similar to the visible absorption spectrum of Fe-S centers. The results obtained in this investigation appear consistent with the suggestion that Fe-S centers are involved in photosensitization in cells via a singlet oxygen mechanism.

Malignant melanoma in 20-MHz B scan sonography

In order to assess the value of 20-MHz sonography in the pre-operative diagnosis of malignant melanomas, 54 melanomas were examined. The pre-operative ultrasound scans were compared with corresponding histological sections from the excised tumours. A computer-aided measurement of the tumour thickness (sonometry) and the internal echo density (densitometry) was performed in the ultrasound scans. The melanomas appeared as largely echolucent zones. There was a significant correlation between the tumour thickness measured in the ultrasound scan and those measured in the histological sections (r = 0.938, p less than 0.001). As a rule the tumour thickness determined by sonometry were greater than the histometrically determined values. Subtumoral inflammatory infiltrate and other hypo-echoic structures in the region of the tumour are possible causes of the discrepancies. Some of those hypo-echoic structures can be identified and disregarded in B scan measurement. Even if a definite differential diagnosis is not possible on the basis of the ultrasound scan alone, 20-MHz sonography provides additional information which can be of use in surgical planning.

PCR-based typing of DNA extracted from cigarette butts

Limited genetic marker information can be obtained from saliva by typing by conventional serological means. Thus, the application of PCR-based DNA typing methods was investigated as a potential approach for typing genetic markers in saliva. DNA was isolated from 200 cigarettes smoked by 10 different individuals (20 cigarettes per individual) and from 3 cigarette butts recovered from 2 crime scenes (adjudicated cases) using a Chelex 100 extraction procedure. The amount of recovered human DNA was quantified by slot-blot analysis and ranged from approximately less than 2-160 ng DNA per cigarette butt for the 200 samples, and 8 ng, 50 ng, and 100 ng for the cigarette butts from the adjudicated cases. The DNA was successfully amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the HLA-DQ alpha locus (99 out of 100 samples) as well as for the variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) locus D1S80 (99 out of 100 samples). Amplification and typing of DNA was successful on all samples recovered from the crime scenes. The results suggest that PCR-based typing of DNA offers a potential method for genetically characterizing traces of saliva on cigarette butts.

Quantification of transformation efficiency using a new method for clonal growth and selection of axenic Dictyostelium cells

A new method for clonal growth of Dictyostelium axenic amoebae has been developed. Cells are plated in growth medium containing 1% ultra-low gelling temperature agarose. Cells grow normally in the agarose and form colonies up to several millimeters in diameter. When the colonies have grown to a sufficient size, they begin multicellular development. Pseudoplasmodia are formed, migrate to the surface of the agar, and then undergo fruiting body formation. Cells can be removed from the soft agarose colonies with a toothpick or by picking spores from the fruiting bodies. This method should be useful for drug, auxotrophic, and temperature selections where clonal maintenance of axenic colonies is important. This method has been used in combination with a selection for resistance to G418 to isolate independent colonies following DNA-mediated transformation. Several parameters in the calcium phosphate and electroporation transformation protocols have been optimized and the transformation frequency quantified. Independent transformed colonies are obtained at a frequency of 1 in 10(4) to 1 in 10(5) cells when integrating plasmids are introduced using calcium phosphate coprecipitation. The frequency is about tenfold higher when extrachromosomal shuttle vectors are introduced into cells.

The relationship of daily hassles, social support, and coping to depression in black and white students

Black and White American college students were compared to determine how daily hassles, coping strategies, and social support related to depression. Although the mean intensity of hassles did not differ, Black students reported a higher frequency of hassles. Cumulative severity of hassles, defined in terms of both intensity and frequency was therefore higher for Black students. White students perceived more support from friends than from family, but the opposite held for Black students. Mean scores on type of coping (active problem solving, seeking social support, or avoidance) were similar, as were the reported levels of depression. Hierarchical multiple regression showed that the severity of hassles was directly related to depression for both groups. Race did not interact with any index of social support, except perceived family support, which was related to lower depression among Black students. There was no support for the notion that social support serves as a buffer against depression.

Absorption kinetics of dietary hydrolysis products in conscious pigs given diets with different amounts of fish protein. 2. Individual amino acids

1. Concentrations of amino acids (AA) in blood obtained from arterial and portal permanent catheters were measured together with the portal hepatic blood flow-rate during a post-prandial period of 8 h, in nine conscious pigs (initial mean body-weight 49.3 (SEM 1.8) kg) receiving experimental meals (500, 600 or 1000 g) at 3-4 d intervals from 6-8 to 20 d after the surgical implantation of the catheters and electromagnetic flow probe. The semi-synthetic starch-based diets contained variable amounts of fish meal giving crude protein (nitrogen x 6.25; CP) concentrations (g/kg) of 80 (seven meals), 120 (seven meals), 160 (five meals) and 240 (three meals). 2. During the post-prandial period, variations in the individual blood AA concentrations were parallel to those of total amino-N (Rérat et al. 1988) to a greater or lesser extent according to the AA considered. Portal concentrations, which always exceeded arterial ones (except for glutamic acid and glutamine), increased quickly and, after a peak, returned slowly to reach initial values (small intake) or above (large intake) after 8 h. 3. Relations between amounts of each AA appearing during 8 h after the meal and amounts ingested were characterized by a highly significant linear regression (with the exceptions of glutamic acid and cystine). There were also close and significant relations between amounts of AA absorbed during the first 2 and 4 h after the meal and the amounts ingested. 4. For a mean intake of 90 g CP, aromatic AA showed the highest hourly absorption coefficients (about 0.10/h), and sulphur-AA (0.07/h), lysine (0.07/h) and arginine (0.056/h) the lowest ones. Alanine was synthesized (amounts absorbed within 8 h exceeding those ingested) at the expense of glutamic acid (absorption coefficient 0.01/h). 5. For a given period of time, the AA absorption coefficients decreased with increasing intake, but not in the same proportions for all AA, resulting in an enrichment (lysine, arginine, serine, proline) or depletion (branched-chain AA, histidine) of the absorbed mixture. 6. Some substances of the urea cycle were synthesized in rather large amounts in the gut wall (for a mean level of intake of 90 g CP: citrulline 2.41 g/8 h, ornithine 1.09 g/8 h). Blood glutamine was taken up by the gut wall in larger amounts (4.28 g/8 h).

Ethylene production by sunflower cell suspensions : effects of plant growth retardants

From a variety of undifferentiated plant cell suspensions, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-dependent cells of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. Spanners Allzweck) produced large quantities of ethylene. The maximum rate was about 1 nanomole x gram fresh weight(-1) x hour(-1) during the exponential growth phase. The action of various compounds known to interfere with ethylene formation in plant tissue was studied in sunflower cell suspensions. The influence on ethylene, 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACC), and N-malonyl-ACC (MACC) levels suggested that the final steps in ethylene synthesis resemble those of other plant systems. This makes sunflower cells suitable for analyzing the effects of biologically active compounds on cellular ethylene biosynthesis. In particular, plant growth retardants of the norbornenodiazetine and triazole type inhibited ethylene production of sunflower cells. On the other hand, the ACC level was considerably elevated while that of MACC did not change significantly. It is assumed that the conversion of ACC to ethylene catalyzed by the ethylene-forming enzyme was influenced.

Regulation of plant morphology by growth retardants: effects on phytohormone levels in soybean seedlings determined by immunoassay

The effects of the growth retardants tetcyclacis, a norbornenodiazetine, and LAB 150 978, a dioxanylalkenyl triazole, on seedling growth and endogenous levels of phytohormone-like substances in Glycine max L. cv Maple Arrow were studied. The levels of phytohormone-like substances in the root and in the various shoot tissues were analyzed by immunoassay. After seed treatment with both compounds, shoot growth was reduced more intensively than root growth. Both compounds decreased, on a fresh weight basis, the amount of various immunoreactive gibberellins when compared with the levels in control plants, especially in the shoot tip. Likewise, the growth retardants lowered the levels of abscisic acid-like material, particularly in the primary leaf, the epicotyl and the root. In contrast, the levels of trans-zeatin-riboside and dihydrozeatin-riboside-type cytokinins were considerably elevated by the growth retardants, mainly in the primary leaf, epicotyl, and hypocotyl. On the other hand the level of isopentenyladenosine-like material was less influenced. In general, the immunoreactive 3-indoleacetic acid content in the different plant parts was changed only slightly. It is assumed that besides their effect on gibberellin content both compounds interfere directly or indirectly with the regulation of the endogenous levels of abscisic acid and cytokinins. This might be seen as an additional mode of action of growth retardants explaining some side effects on developmental processes of treated plants, e.g. delayed senescence and enhanced chlorophyll concentration in the leaves.

Morphologic and morphometric analysis of muscle in X-linked myotubular myopathy

The X-linked form of myotubular myopathy is highly lethal in neonates. Several autopsy-derived muscles from two probands of a new kindred who survived for 100 days because of intensive supportive care were analyzed by light microscopy, morphometry, enzyme histochemistry, and electron microscopy. The results were compared with a similar analysis of muscle from control fetal and neonatal subjects. The findings, in addition to the characteristic centronucleated hypotrophic myofibers, included widespread myofiber degeneration and focal contraction band necrosis that differed from the types seen in other myopathic and dystrophic muscle diseases. A high frequency of degenerating nuclei that often contained large nucleoli was observed. Because of the paradoxic nuclear morphology, nuclear failure (in migration and myofibrillogenesis) is believed to be of central importance in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Changes in membrane permeability and mineral, phytohormone and polypeptide composition in rice suspension cells during growth and under the influence of the growth retardant tetcyclacis

The plant growth retardant tetcyclacis inhibits cell division growth in rice suspension cultures at concentrations above 10(-6) M. Tracer experiments with rice cells revealed that tetcyclacis reduced the incorporation of mevalonic acid into terpenoids after 30 min, the uptake of leucine, uridine and thymidine after 2 h and their incorporation into the corresponding macromolecules after 3-7 h. The changes in membrane permeability concluded to have been caused by an influence on phytosterol biosynthesis are probably also the explanation for alterations of tetcyclacis-treated cells in the content of macro- and microelements.As shown by immunoassay, tetcyclacis did not modify the levels of endogenous gibberellins (Grossmann et al. 1985), cytokinins and indole acetic acid during a growth cycle of 15 d. However, a clear rise in the abscisic acid (ABA) level occurred during the first 5 d of treatment. In untreated cells such a rise coincided only with the aging of the cell culture in the stationary growth phase. Investigations of the cell polypeptide pattern using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the ABA increase following tetcyclacis treatment seems not to be a consequence of advanced cell aging.

How significant others cope with problem drinkers

About half of the 234 college students surveyed have a close friend or relative whose drinking creates problems for the significant other. A variety of coping responses were identified but none of them was considered effective for either the drinker or significant other.

Effects of different sterols on the inhibition of cell culture growth caused by the growth retardant tetcyclacis

Cell division in cell suspension cultures can be completely blocked by the growth retardant tetcyclacis at a concentration of 10(-4) mol l(-1). In rice cells it has been demonstrated that the growth inhibition can be completely overcome by application of cholesterol independent of the duration of pretreatment with tetcyclacis. In suspension cultures of maize and soybean, too, the effect of tetcyclacis on cell division was neutralized by adding cholesterol. Other plant sterols, stigmasterol, campesterol and sitosterol were active in a decreasing order. Modifications in the cholesterol perhydro-cyclopentanophenanthrene-ring system indicate that the hydroxyl group at C-3 and the double bond between C-5 and C-6 in ring B are required for the activity. In contrast, gibberellic acid as well as ent-kaurenoic acid could not compensate retardant effects. Likewise, tetcyclasis did not change the level of gibberellins in rice cells as shown by radioimmunoassay. Thus, it is concluded that in cell suspension cultures sterols play a more important role in cell division than gibberellins.

Hepatitis B follow-up among Indochinese refugees

During 1979 and 1980 the Department of National Health and Welfare carried out a survey and later routine testing to determine the prevalence of serologic markers of hepatitis B in Indochinese refugees entering Canada. Between March and July 1981 the hepatitis-B-marker status of 220 selected refugees in the Ottawa-Hull area was reassessed. Overall, 173 (79%) of the participants had the same serologic markers when retested, but in 47 (21%) the markers had changed. The most significant changes were the loss of antigenemia in 22% of those who had been HBsAg-positive and the appearance of evidence of infection in 18% of those who had been seronegative. Most of these changes occurred among persons under 30 years of age, especially females aged 10 to 19 years.

A new micro-method for testing plant growth retardants in cell suspension cultures

A microtest sytem for detecting the growth retarding potential of chemosynthetic compounds in cell suspension cultures is presented. The new screening technique involves the cultivation of one millilitre of suspension in small sterile test tubes and indirect monitoring of growth by measuring conductivity changes in the medium. Highly significant correlations were obtained in experiments comparing the effects of a broad range of plant growth retardants on the growth of different suspensions in erlenmeyer flasks measured by cell counting and in test tubes with growth recorded by conductivity changes in the medium. The method described is suitable for all suspension cultures hitherto studied.

Multi-factorial assessment of hospitalized children who set fires

The authors examine the incidence of fire setting among hospitalized children according to age, and also compare the characteristics of the fire-setter group to a control group.

Plant cell suspension cultures as model systems for investigating growth regulating compounds

Several plant growth regulators were investigated for their activity in cell suspension cultures of Glycine max, Gossypium hirsutum and Zea mays. The effect on the growth of the cell cultures was traced by means of cell counting and determining packed cell volume and turbidity of the suspensions. The growth retardant 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-3,4,5,9,10-pentaaza-tetracyclo-5,4,10(2,6) ,0(8,11)-dodeca-3,9-diene (NDA) and, to a slightly lesser extent, ancymidol proved to be the compounds with the greatest inhibitory action on cell division growth of all three cell cultures. In the case of cotton this effect was accompanied by increased synthesis and secretion of cell-wall material. Staining methods showed that, especially in the case of NDA, a high percentage of cells could be considered as viable, and showed thus that NDA inhibits the cell division process while the cells remain metabolically active. The effects of 1,1-Dimethyl-piperidiniumchloride (DPC), a genuine growth retardant of cell propagation, and, with less efficiency, N-trimethyl-(β-chloroethyl)-ammoniumchloride (CCC) in cotton, the triazole LAB 117 682 in soybean and maize, and, to a lesser extent, (2-isopropyl-5-methyl-4-trimethyl-ammoniumchloride)-phenyl-l-piperidiniumcarboxylate (AM0-1618) in soybean can be regarded as species-specific. Otherwise, CCC and particularly daminozide exhibited no action at the concentrations used. A comparison of the data from hydroculture studies with soybean and maize seedlings showed considerable agreement with the effectiveness of the substances in the corresponding cell cultures. Thus, cell cultures can be used to identify and screen substances with growth-influencing activity, and may also offer new ways to elucidate the mode of action of plant growth regulators.

Cardiovascular disease mortality in Canada

During the past two decades approximately one half of all deaths in Canada were due to cardiovascular diseases. Ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease caused more than 60% and 20% of those deaths respectively. The mortality rates for ischemic heart disease in males increased slightly until 1965 and then dropped substantially, whereas the rates for females, which were declining at least since the early 1960s, accelerated in their decline. As a consequence, the rates for males remain almost twice as high as those for females. The reductions were initially observed in males 25 to 34 years old and in all age groups of females, but became apparent in a wider range of ages in the second period reviewed (1969 through 1977). The mortality of cerebrovascular disease has gradually diminished for both sexes since the 1950s, but the decline has been more pronounced among females, who originally had the higher rate. Marked geographic differences in mortality rates still exist in Canada despite the decline in death rates for both ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease in all regions of the country. Surprising regional differences in times of onset of these declines have been demonstrated. For ischemic heart disease Ontario maintains the highest and the Prairies the lowest mortality rates. Quebec, despite a sustained decline, still ranks third, while the Pacific region shows the second-lowest rates in the country. The Atlantic region showed the lowest rates of decline in the period reviewed. The reduction in the mortality of ischemic heart disease in Canada (16.4% between 1969 and 1977) must be considered real for a variety of reasons. Direct evidence is not available to elucidate whether the reduction is the consequence of reduced incidence, increased survival or a combination of the two factors. The potential role of various factors that may have contributed to this decline is briefly discussed in this article.

Transient kinetics of electron-transfer reactions of flavodoxins

Stopped-flow and laser photolysis methods have been used to investigate the rates of electron-transfer reactions of fully reduced riboflavin and the three oxidation states of Clostridium pasteurianum flavodoxin. Both normal and 7,8-dichloroflavin analogues were studied. Redox reagents included oxygen, ferricyanide, ferric EDTA, and several c-type cytochromes as oxidants and the semiquinone of 5-deazariboflavin as a reductant. The dependence of the rate of oxidation of the semiquinone form of the dichloro analogue flavodoxin upon oxidant concentration has provided clear evidence for the existence of a complex in the reaction pathway. Rate constant comparisons demonstrate that dichloro substitution decreases the rate of flavodoxin semiquinone oxidation by at least 1-2 orders of magnitude. The limiting first-order rate constants were found to be dependent on the redox potential of the oxidant, as would be predicted by theory if these were reflecting the actual electron-transfer reaction. Rate constant decreases upon chlorine substitution were also observed for the reduction of both oxidized and semiquinone forms of flavodoxin by deazariboflavin semiquinone. These results, considered in conjunction with the redox potential shift of the flavodoxin produced by the chlorine substitution, provide support for the hypothesis that electron transfer to and from the semiquinone form of the flavodoxin involves direct participation of the dimethylbenzene ring of the flavin. A comparison of oxidation rate constants for free and protein-bound fully reduced flavin suggests that the protein environment does not markedly influence coenzyme reactivity in this oxidation state.

Scanning electron-microscopy of plague in Papillon-Lef:evre syndrome

Supra and subgingival plaque associated with periodontal lesions in patients with Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome were studied by examining extracted teeth and associated soft tissue by scanning electron and light microscopy. Four zones of plaque were described according to their location along the tooth surface. Supragingivally, cocci, filamentous bacilli and "corncob" formations were seen. Fusiform bacilli colonized the surface of supragingival plaque on the root surface. Subgingival sites, particularly apical areas, had numerous spirochetes adherent to the plaque surface as well as directly to the cementum surface. Microcolonies of bacteria, probably Mycoplasma, could be seen in the subgingival plaque. The findings of a potentially pathogenic plaque, attached subgingival spirochetes and microcolony formation may have important therapeutic and research implications.

Spectroscopic characterization of alpha-crustacyanin

alpha-Crustacyanin exhibits two CD extrema with negative and positive bands at 690 and 583 nm in phosphate buffer, respectively. The CD spectrum is interpreted in terms of dipoledipole coupling between the transition moments of the two astaxanthin molecules on each subunit. The CD splitting yields an exciton bandwidth of 2800 cm-1, corresponding to an inter-chromophore distance of ca. 13 A in which the two astaxanthin molecules exist in a dimeric array with a mutual orientation angle of ca. 90 degrees. The SDS denaturation completely abolishes the long wavelength CD splitting, while 2 M NaCl reduces the overall CD intensity without destroying the split CD spectrum. It is suggested that the characteristic CD extrema at 583 and 690 nm arise from the intra-subunit astaxanthin-astaxanthin coupling. The binding site for astaxanthin contains one or more tryptophan residues, as the tryptophan fluorescence is quenched by energy transfer from the tryptophan to the prosthetic group in the native form of the carotenoprotein. The strong red shift (lambda max 487 nm) is probably due to interactions between tryptophan residue(s) and the chromophore molecules through dipole-dipole or partial charge transfer forces.

On the mechanisms of ischaemic myocardial lesions

The examination of the myocardium in 609 natural and violent death cases by using Lie's histochemical method revealed recent ischaemic lesions, extended or microfocal, in 511 cases. These lesions were prevailingly extended in sudden cardiac deaths, alcoholic intoxication and electrocution, while in the various kinds of shock, in asphyxia and pesticide poisoning cases they were of a predominantly microfocal nature. According to these morphological changes, the vascular and metabolic factors involved in producing ischaemic cardiomyopathy are discussed.

BN rat myeloid leukemia transferred to the (LEW x BN)F1 rat

The BN rat myelocytic leukemia was transferred to (LEW x BN)F1 rats. In the F1 host the growth, dissemination, and response of this leukemia to chemotherapy were predictable, stable through serial passage, and similar to this leukemia's behavior in the parent strain. Rats given 10(7) spleen cells iv from leukemic donors died in about 3 weeks if untreated or responded to cytosine arabinoside even after overt leukemia had developed. This animal leukemia is useful as a model for human acute myelocytic leukemia.

Drinking motives and behavior in social drinkers

A survey of 113 college students indicated that drinkers with mature motives for drinking (e.g., drank on special occasions) drank less than drinkers with immature motives (e.g., drank to increase self-confidence) and showed smaller increases 1 year later.