Defining the Middle Corona

The middle corona, the region roughly spanning heliocentric distances from 1.5 to 6 solar radii, encompasses almost all of the influential physical transitions and processes that govern the behavior of coronal outflow into the heliosphere. The solar wind, eruptions, and flows pass through the region, and they are shaped by it. Importantly, the region also modulates inflow from above that can drive dynamic changes at lower heights in the inner corona. Consequently, the middle corona is essential for comprehensively connecting the corona to the heliosphere and for developing corresponding global models. Nonetheless, because it is challenging to observe, the region has been poorly studied by both major solar remote-sensing and in-situ missions and instruments, extending back to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) era. Thanks to recent advances in instrumentation, observational processing techniques, and a realization of the importance of the region, interest in the middle corona has increased. Although the region cannot be intrinsically separated from other regions of the solar atmosphere, there has emerged a need to define the region in terms of its location and extension in the solar atmosphere, its composition, the physical transitions that it covers, and the underlying physics believed to shape the region. This article aims to define the middle corona, its physical characteristics, and give an overview of the processes that occur there.

Association between genetic and socioenvironmental risk for schizophrenia during upbringing in a UK longitudinal cohort

BACKGROUND

Associations of socioenvironmental features like urbanicity and neighborhood deprivation with psychosis are well-established. An enduring question, however, is whether these associations are causal. Genetic confounding could occur due to downward mobility of individuals at high genetic risk for psychiatric problems into disadvantaged environments.

METHODS

We examined correlations of five indices of genetic risk [polygenic risk scores (PRS) for schizophrenia and depression, maternal psychotic symptoms, family psychiatric history, and zygosity-based latent genetic risk] with multiple area-, neighborhood-, and family-level risks during upbringing. Data were from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally-representative cohort of 2232 British twins born in 1994-1995 and followed to age 18 (93% retention). Socioenvironmental risks included urbanicity, air pollution, neighborhood deprivation, neighborhood crime, neighborhood disorder, social cohesion, residential mobility, family poverty, and a cumulative environmental risk scale. At age 18, participants were privately interviewed about psychotic experiences.

RESULTS

Higher genetic risk on all indices was associated with riskier environments during upbringing. For example, participants with higher schizophrenia PRS (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.06-1.33), depression PRS (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.08-1.34), family history (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.11-1.40), and latent genetic risk (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.07-1.38) had accumulated more socioenvironmental risks for schizophrenia by age 18. However, associations between socioenvironmental risks and psychotic experiences mostly remained significant after covariate adjustment for genetic risk.

CONCLUSION

Genetic risk is correlated with socioenvironmental risk for schizophrenia during upbringing, but the associations between socioenvironmental risk and adolescent psychotic experiences appear, at present, to exist above and beyond this gene-environment correlation.

High Work Demands and Depression: The Moderating Role of the Serotonin Transporter Gene (5-HTT) and Work Control

Background:

High work demands (i.e. a heavy workload, tight time pressures, conflicting work tasks) put individuals at high risk of depression. Our aim was to test whether the relationship between high work demands and depression is moderated by genetic vulnerability to depression and by work control.

Methods:

Participants are members of the Dunedin Study, a 1972-73 longitudinal birth cohort assessed most recently in 2004-2005, at age 32 (96% response rate). This analysis included all participants who were employed at age 32. Depression was measured using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Work demands and work control were assessed in an interview. Genetic vulnerability to stress was ascertained by the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTT).

Results:

Among individuals exposed to high work demands, symptoms of depression were significantly higher among those who carried two short alleles of the 5-HTT gene (‘s/s’ group) than among ‘l’ carriers (interaction between 5-HTT gene and work demands: β=4.22, se=1.86, p=0.02). However, this gene-environment interaction was only present among those individuals who had low control over their work (interaction between 5-HTT gene and high work demands: β: 7.21, se: 2.73, p=0.009), not among those who had high work control (interaction between 5-HTT gene and high work demands: β: 1.32, se: 2.53, p=0.60).

Conclusion:

Pending replication, the serotonin transporter gene appears to moderate the effects of high work demands on symptoms of depression. This gene-environment interaction is attenuated by high work control.

Genetics and Crime: Integrating New Genomic Discoveries Into Psychological Research About Antisocial Behavior

Drawing on psychological and sociological theories of crime causation, we tested the hypothesis that genetic risk for low educational attainment (assessed via a genome-wide polygenic score) is associated with criminal offending. We further tested hypotheses of how polygenic risk relates to the development of antisocial behavior from childhood through adulthood. Across the Dunedin and Environmental Risk (E-Risk) birth cohorts of individuals growing up 20 years and 20,000 kilometers apart, education polygenic scores predicted risk of a criminal record with modest effects. Polygenic risk manifested during primary schooling in lower cognitive abilities, lower self-control, academic difficulties, and truancy, and it was associated with a life-course-persistent pattern of antisocial behavior that onsets in childhood and persists into adulthood. Crime is central in the nature-nurture debate, and findings reported here demonstrate how molecular-genetic discoveries can be incorporated into established theories of antisocial behavior. They also suggest that improving school experiences might prevent genetic influences on crime from unfolding.

The Instruments and Capabilities of the Miniature X-Ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSats

The Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat is the first solar science oriented CubeSat mission flown for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, with the main objective of measuring the solar soft X-ray (SXR) flux and a science goal of determining its influence on Earth's ionosphere and thermosphere. These observations can also be used to investigate solar quiescent, active region, and flare properties. The MinXSS X-ray instruments consist of a spectrometer, called X123, with a nominal 0.15 keV full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) resolution at 5.9 keV and a broadband X-ray photometer, called XP. Both instruments are designed to obtain measurements from 0.5 - 30 keV at a nominal time cadence of 10 s. A description of the MinXSS instruments, performance capabilities, and relation to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 0.1 - 0.8 nm flux is given in this article. Early MinXSS results demonstrate the capability of measuring variations of the solar spectral soft X-ray (SXR) flux between 0.8 - 12 keV from at least GOES A5-M5 ( 5 × 10 - 8 - 5 × 10 - 5 W m - 2 ) levels and of inferring physical properties (temperature and emission measure) from the MinXSS data alone. Moreover, coronal elemental abundances can be inferred, specifically for Fe, Ca, Si, Mg, S, Ar, and Ni, when the count rate is sufficiently high at each elemental spectral feature. Additionally, temperature response curves and emission measure loci demonstrate the MinXSS sensitivity to plasma emission at different temperatures. MinXSS observations coupled with those from other solar observatories can help address some of the most compelling questions in solar coronal physics. Finally, simultaneous observations by MinXSS and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) can provide the most spectrally complete soft X-ray solar flare photon flux measurements to date.

Childhood body mass index and endothelial dysfunction evaluated by peripheral arterial tonometry in early midlife

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Endothelial dysfunction predicts mortality but it is unknown whether childhood obesity predicts adult endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to determine whether anthropometric indices of body fat in childhood, adolescence and early midlife are associated with endothelial dysfunction in early midlife.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

Participants belonged to a representative birth cohort of 1037 individuals born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1972 and 1973 and followed to age 38 years, with 95% retention (the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study). We assessed anthropometric indices of obesity at ages 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 21, 26, 32 and 38 years. We tested associations between endothelial function assessed by peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) at age 38 and; age 38 cardiovascular risk factors; age 3 body mass index (BMI); and four BMI trajectory groups from childhood to early midlife.

RESULTS

Early midlife endothelial dysfunction was associated with BMI, large waist circumference, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low cardiorespiratory fitness and increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. After adjustment for sex and childhood socioeconomic status, 3-year-olds with BMI 1 s.d. above the mean had Framingham-reactive hyperemia index (F-RHI) ratios that were 0.10 below those with normal BMI (β=-0.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.17 to -0.03, P=0.007) at age 38. Cohort members in the 'overweight', 'obese' and 'morbidly obese' trajectories had F-RHI ratios that were 0.08 (β=-0.08, 95% CI -0.14 to -0.03, P=0.003), 0.13 (β=-0.13, 95% CI -0.21 to -0.06, P<0.001) and 0.17 (β=-0.17, 95% CI -0.33 to -0.01, P=0.033), respectively, below age-peers in the 'normal' trajectory.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood BMI and the trajectories of BMI from childhood to early midlife predict endothelial dysfunction evaluated by PAT in early midlife.

Sleeping with one eye open: loneliness and sleep quality in young adults

BACKGROUND

Feelings of loneliness are common among young adults, and are hypothesized to impair the quality of sleep. In the present study, we tested associations between loneliness and sleep quality in a nationally representative sample of young adults. Further, based on the hypothesis that sleep problems in lonely individuals are driven by increased vigilance for threat, we tested whether past exposure to violence exacerbated this association.

METHOD

Data were drawn from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a birth cohort of 2232 twins born in England and Wales in 1994 and 1995. We measured loneliness using items from the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. We controlled for covariates including social isolation, psychopathology, employment status and being a parent of an infant. We examined twin differences to control for unmeasured genetic and family environment factors.

RESULTS

Feelings of loneliness were associated with worse overall sleep quality. Loneliness was associated specifically with subjective sleep quality and daytime dysfunction. These associations were robust to controls for covariates. Among monozygotic twins, within-twin pair differences in loneliness were significantly associated with within-pair differences in sleep quality, indicating an association independent of unmeasured familial influences. The association between loneliness and sleep quality was exacerbated among individuals exposed to violence victimization in adolescence or maltreatment in childhood.

CONCLUSIONS

Loneliness is robustly associated with poorer sleep quality in young people, underscoring the importance of early interventions to mitigate the long-term outcomes of loneliness. Special care should be directed towards individuals who have experienced victimization.

Specificity of childhood psychotic symptoms for predicting schizophrenia by 38 years of age: a birth cohort study

BACKGROUND

Childhood psychotic symptoms have been used as a subclinical phenotype of schizophrenia in etiological research and as a target for preventative interventions. However, recent studies have cast doubt on the specificity of these symptoms for schizophrenia, suggesting alternative outcomes such as anxiety and depression. Using a prospective longitudinal birth cohort we investigated whether childhood psychotic symptoms predicted a diagnosis of schizophrenia or other psychiatric disorders by 38 years of age.

METHOD

Participants were drawn from a birth cohort of 1037 children from Dunedin, New Zealand, who were followed prospectively to 38 years of age (96% retention rate). Structured clinical interviews were administered at age 11 to assess psychotic symptoms and study members underwent psychiatric assessments at ages 18, 21, 26, 32 and 38 to obtain past-year DSM-III-R/IV diagnoses and self-reports of attempted suicides since adolescence.

RESULTS

Psychotic symptoms at age 11 predicted elevated rates of research diagnoses of schizophrenia and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and also suicide attempts by age 38, even when controlling for gender, social class and childhood psychopathology. No significant associations were found for persistent anxiety, persistent depression, mania or persistent substance dependence. Very few of the children presenting with age-11 psychotic symptoms were free from disorder by age 38.

CONCLUSIONS

Childhood psychotic symptoms were not specific to a diagnosis of schizophrenia in adulthood and thus future studies of early symptoms should be cautious in extrapolating findings only to this clinical disorder. However, these symptoms may be useful as a marker of adult mental health problems more broadly.

Exposure to violence during childhood is associated with telomere erosion from 5 to 10 years of age: a longitudinal study

There is increasing interest in discovering mechanisms that mediate the effects of childhood stress on late-life disease morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have suggested one potential mechanism linking stress to cellular aging, disease and mortality in humans: telomere erosion. We examined telomere erosion in relation to children's exposure to violence, a salient early-life stressor, which has known long-term consequences for well-being and is a major public-health and social-welfare problem. In the first prospective-longitudinal study with repeated telomere measurements in children while they experienced stress, we tested the hypothesis that childhood violence exposure would accelerate telomere erosion from age 5 to age 10 years. Violence was assessed as exposure to maternal domestic violence, frequent bullying victimization and physical maltreatment by an adult. Participants were 236 children (49% females; 42% with one or more violence exposures) recruited from the Environmental-Risk Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative 1994-1995 birth cohort. Each child's mean relative telomere length was measured simultaneously in baseline and follow-up DNA samples, using the quantitative PCR method for T/S ratio (the ratio of telomere repeat copy numbers to single-copy gene numbers). Compared with their counterparts, the children who experienced two or more kinds of violence exposure showed significantly more telomere erosion between age-5 baseline and age-10 follow-up measurements, even after adjusting for sex, socioeconomic status and body mass index (B=-0.052, s.e.=0.021, P=0.015). This finding provides support for a mechanism linking cumulative childhood stress to telomere maintenance, observed already at a young age, with potential impact for life-long health.

Factors Affecting Perceptual Threshold in Argus II Retinal Prosthesis Subjects

PURPOSE

The Argus II epiretinal prosthesis has been developed to provide partial restoration of vision to subjects blinded from outer retinal degenerative disease. Participants were surgically implanted with the system in the United States and Europe in a single arm, prospective, multicenter clinical trial. The purpose of this investigation was to determine which factors affect electrical thresholds in order to inform surgical placement of the device.

METHODS

Electrode-retina and electrode-fovea distances were determined using SD-OCT and fundus photography, respectively. Perceptual threshold to electrical stimulation of electrodes was measured using custom developed software, in which current amplitude was varied until the threshold was found. Full field stimulus light threshold was measured using the Espion D-FST test. Relationships between electrical threshold and these three explanatory variables (electrode-retina distance, electrode-fovea distance, and monocular light threshold) were quantified using regression.

RESULTS

Regression analysis showed a significant correlation between electrical threshold and electrode-retina distance (R² = 0.50, P = 0.0002; n = 703 electrodes). 90.3% of electrodes in contact with the macula (n = 207) elicited percepts at charge densities less than 1 mC/cm²/phase. These threshold data also correlated well with ganglion cell density profile (P = 0.03). A weaker, but still significant, inverse correlation was found between light threshold and electrical threshold (R² < 0.52, P = 0.01). Multivariate modeling indicated that electrode-retina distance and light threshold are highly predictive of electrode threshold (R² = 0.87; P < 0.0005).

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these results suggest that while light threshold should be used to inform patient selection, macular contact of the array is paramount.

TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE

Reported Argus II clinical study results are in good agreement with prior in vitro and in vivo studies, and support the development of higher-density systems that employ smaller diameter electrodes. (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00407602).

Risk factors prospectively associated with adult obsessive-compulsive symptom dimensions and obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND

Very few longitudinal studies have evaluated prospective neurodevelopmental and psychosocial risk factors for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Furthermore, despite the heterogeneous nature of OCD, no research has examined risk factors for its primary symptom dimensions, such as contamination/washing.

METHOD

Potential risk factors for symptoms or diagnosis of OCD in adulthood and for specific adult obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptom dimensions were examined in the Dunedin Study birth cohort. The presence of obsessions and compulsions and psychological disorders was assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) at ages 26 and 32 years. Individuals with a diagnosis of OCD at either age (n=36) were compared to both a healthy control group (n=613) and an anxious control group (n=310) to determine whether associations between a risk factor and an OCD diagnosis were specific.

RESULTS

Childhood neurodevelopmental, behavioral, personality and environmental risk factors were associated with a diagnosis of OCD and with OC symptoms at ages 26 and 32. Social isolation, retrospectively reported physical abuse and negative emotionality were specific predictors of an adult OCD diagnosis. Of note, most risk factors were associated with OC symptoms in adulthood and several risk factors predicted specific OCD dimensions. Perinatal insults were linked to increased risk for symmetry/ordering and shameful thoughts dimensions, whereas poor childhood motor skills predicted the harm/checking dimension. Difficult temperament, internalizing symptoms and conduct problems in childhood also predicted specific symptom dimensions and lower IQ non-specifically predicted increased risk for most dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings underscore the need for a dimensional approach in evaluating childhood risk factors for obsessions and compulsions.

Blind subjects implanted with the Argus II retinal prosthesis are able to improve performance in a spatial-motor task

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To determine to what extent subjects implanted with the Argus II retinal prosthesis can improve performance compared with residual native vision in a spatial-motor task.

METHODS

High-contrast square stimuli (5.85 cm sides) were displayed in random locations on a 19″ (48.3 cm) touch screen monitor located 12″ (30.5 cm) in front of the subject. Subjects were instructed to locate and touch the square centre with the system on and then off (40 trials each). The coordinates of the square centre and location touched were recorded.

RESULTS

Ninety-six percent (26/27) of subjects showed a significant improvement in accuracy and 93% (25/27) show a significant improvement in repeatability with the system on compared with off (p<0.05, Student t test). A group of five subjects that had both accuracy and repeatability values <250 pixels (7.4 cm) with the system off (ie, using only their residual vision) was significantly more accurate and repeatable than the remainder of the cohort (p<0.01). Of this group, four subjects showed a significant improvement in both accuracy and repeatability with the system on.

CONCLUSION

In a study on the largest cohort of visual prosthesis recipients to date, we found that artificial vision augments information from existing vision in a spatial-motor task. Clinical trials registry no NCT00407602.

How common are common mental disorders? Evidence that lifetime prevalence rates are doubled by prospective versus retrospective ascertainment

BACKGROUND

Most information about the lifetime prevalence of mental disorders comes from retrospective surveys, but how much these surveys have undercounted due to recall failure is unknown. We compared results from a prospective study with those from retrospective studies.

METHOD

The representative 1972-1973 Dunedin New Zealand birth cohort (n=1037) was followed to age 32 years with 96% retention, and compared to the national New Zealand Mental Health Survey (NZMHS) and two US National Comorbidity Surveys (NCS and NCS-R). Measures were research diagnoses of anxiety, depression, alcohol dependence and cannabis dependence from ages 18 to 32 years.

RESULTS

The prevalence of lifetime disorder to age 32 was approximately doubled in prospective as compared to retrospective data for all four disorder types. Moreover, across disorders, prospective measurement yielded a mean past-year-to-lifetime ratio of 38% whereas retrospective measurement yielded higher mean past-year-to-lifetime ratios of 57% (NZMHS, NCS-R) and 65% (NCS).

CONCLUSIONS

Prospective longitudinal studies complement retrospective surveys by providing unique information about lifetime prevalence. The experience of at least one episode of DSM-defined disorder during a lifetime may be far more common in the population than previously thought. Research should ask what this means for etiological theory, construct validity of the DSM approach, public perception of stigma, estimates of the burden of disease and public health policy.

Effects of cannabis on lung function: a population-based cohort study

The effects of cannabis on lung function remain unclear and may be different from those of tobacco. We compared the associations between use of these substances and lung function in a population-based cohort (n = 1,037). Cannabis and tobacco use were reported at ages 18, 21, 26 and 32 yrs. Spirometry, plethysmography and carbon monoxide transfer factor were measured at 32 yrs. Associations between lung function and exposure to each substance were adjusted for exposure to the other substance. Cumulative cannabis use was associated with higher forced vital capacity, total lung capacity, functional residual capacity and residual volume. Cannabis was also associated with higher airway resistance but not with forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced expiratory ratio or transfer factor. These findings were similar among those who did not smoke tobacco. In contrast, tobacco use was associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s, lower forced expiratory ratio, lower transfer factor and higher static lung volumes, but not with airway resistance. Cannabis appears to have different effects on lung function from those of tobacco. Cannabis use was associated with higher lung volumes, suggesting hyperinflation and increased large-airways resistance, but there was little evidence for airflow obstruction or impairment of gas transfer.

The validity of the family history screen for assessing family history of mental disorders

There is a need to collect psychiatric family history information quickly and economically (e.g., for genome-wide studies and primary care practice). We sought to evaluate the validity of family history reports using a brief screening instrument, the Family History Screen (FHS). We assessed the validity of parents' reports of seven psychiatric disorders in their adult children probands from the Dunedin Study (n = 959, 52% male), using the proband's diagnosis as the criterion outcome. We also investigated whether there were informant characteristics that enhanced accuracy of reporting or were associated with reporting biases. Using reports from multiple informants, we obtained sensitivities ranging from 31.7% (alcohol dependence) to 60.0% (conduct disorder) and specificities ranging from 76.0% (major depressive episode) to 97.1% (suicide attempt). There was little evidence that any informant characteristics enhanced accuracy of reporting. However, three reporting biases were found: the probability of reporting disorder in the proband was greater for informants with versus without a disorder, for female versus male informants, and for younger versus older informants. We conclude that the FHS is as valid as other family history instruments (e.g., the FH-RDC, FISC), and its brief administration time makes it a cost-effective method for collecting family history data. To avoid biasing results, researchers who aim to compare groups in terms of their family history should ensure that the informants reporting on these groups do not differ in terms of age, sex or personal history of disorder.

How should we construct psychiatric family history scores? A comparison of alternative approaches from the Dunedin Family Health History Study

BACKGROUND

There is increased interest in assessing the family history of psychiatric disorders for both genetic research and public health screening. It is unclear how best to combine family history reports into an overall score. We compare the predictive validity of different family history scores.

METHOD

Probands from the Dunedin Study (n=981, 51% male) had their family history assessed for nine different conditions. We computed four family history scores for each disorder: (1) a simple dichotomous categorization of whether or not probands had any disordered first-degree relatives; (2) the observed number of disordered first-degree relatives; (3) the proportion of first-degree relatives who are disordered; and (4) Reed's score, which expressed the observed number of disordered first-degree relatives in terms of the number expected given the age and sex of each relative. We compared the strength of association between each family history score and probands' disorder outcome.

RESULTS

Each score produced significant family history associations for all disorders. The scores that took account of the number of disordered relatives within families (i.e. the observed, proportion, and Reed's scores) produced significantly stronger associations than the dichotomous score for conduct disorder, alcohol dependence and smoking. Taking account of family size (i.e. using the proportion or Reed's score) produced stronger family history associations depending on the prevalence of the disorder among family members.

CONCLUSIONS

Dichotomous family history scores can be improved upon by considering the number of disordered relatives in a family and the population prevalence of the disorder.

Prolegomena to a model of continuity and change in behavioural development

It is now widely acknowledged that personality and behaviour are shaped in large measure by interactions between the person and the environment. There are many kinds of interaction but we suggest that three types play particularly important roles both in sustaining behavioural continuity across the life course and in guiding the trajectory of the life course itself. Reactive interaction occurs when different individuals exposed to the same environment experience it, interpret it and react to it differently. Evocative interaction occurs when an individual's personality evokes distinctive responses from others. Proactive interaction occurs when individuals select or create environments of their own. Within this framework we also examine systematic change and turning points in behavioural development. We have recently advanced a paradoxical theory suggesting that behavioural continuities are especially likely to be evident during periods of social discontinuity; that is, dispositional factors influence behaviour most when individuals enter new situations and assume new statuses. This model receives empirical support from both experimental and longitudinal-correlational research. The model also presents interesting implications for our understanding of turning points in behavioural development: to effect change in the life course, new situations must eliminate old options and create new opportunities. Convergent evidence from experimental and naturalistic designs is introduced to support this claim.

Diabetes, but not the metabolic syndrome, predicts the severity and extent of coronary artery disease in women

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have suggested that diabetes and metabolic syndrome are significant risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, in women, their relative importance remains controversial.

AIM

To evaluate risk factors for CAD in women and their association with the severity and extent of coronary angiographic findings.

METHODS

We clinically evaluated 243 consecutive female patients with chest pain who underwent coronary angiography. The location and extent of coronary artery occlusions were assessed using the modified Gensini index.

RESULTS

Compared with women with normal coronary arteries (n = 90), those with CAD (n = 153) reported less physical activity (p = 0.001), and had higher prevalences of diabetes (p = 0.046), hypertension (p = 0.002), and the metabolic syndrome (p = 0.001). They also had lower HDL cholesterol levels (p = 0.017), higher levels of triglycerides (p = 0.005), and higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (p < 0.001). Physical activity, FPG, serum triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol, but not the metabolic syndrome, were independent predictors of CAD. A score combining the extent and severity of angiographic findings was significantly higher in women with diabetes (p = 0.007), hypertension (p = 0.010) and FPG >or=100 mg/dl (p = 0.031), but showed no association with the metabolic syndrome. In a multivariate linear regression analysis, diabetes was an independent predictor of the extent and severity of angiographic score (p = 0.013).

DISCUSSION

Diabetes, fasting plasma glucose and hypertension, but not the metabolic syndrome, were associated with severity of coronary angiographic findings in these women.

MAOA, maltreatment, and gene-environment interaction predicting children's mental health: new evidence and a meta-analysis

Previous research on adults has shown that a functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene moderates the impact of childhood maltreatment on risk for developing antisocial behavior. Thus far, attempts to replicate this finding have been mixed. The current study (i) presents new data investigating this finding in a sample of 975 seven-year-old boys, and (ii) evaluates the extant data by conducting a meta-analysis of published findings. We replicated the original finding by showing that the MAOA polymorphism moderates the development of psychopathology after exposure to physical abuse, we extended the finding to childhood closer in time to the maltreatment experience, and we ruled-out the possibility of a spurious finding by accounting for passive and evocative gene-environment correlation. Moreover, meta-analysis demonstrated that across studies, the association between maltreatment and mental health problems is significantly stronger in the group of males with the genotype conferring low vs high MAOA activity. These findings provide the strongest evidence to date suggesting that the MAOA gene influences vulnerability to environmental stress, and that this biological process can be initiated early in life.

Trends in cannabis use prior to first presentation with schizophrenia, in South-East London between 1965 and 1999

BACKGROUND

There is evidence that cannabis use might be relevant to the aetiology of schizophrenia. We aimed to measure any change in cannabis use over time in those first presenting with schizophrenia in South-East London from 1965 to 1999, and compare this with change in use in those presenting with non-psychotic psychiatric disorders.

METHOD

The rate of cannabis use in the year prior to first ever presentation was measured over seven time periods. Logistic regression modelling was used to determine (a) whether cannabis use changed over time, after controlling for age, sex and ethnicity, and (b) whether there was an interaction between diagnosis and time.

RESULTS

Cannabis use increased over time in both the schizophrenia group [odds ratio per time period (OR) 2.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74-2.38, p<0.0001] and the non-psychotic disorders group (OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.47, p=0.012), after controlling for age, sex and ethnicity. However, the effect of time was significantly greater in the schizophrenia group than in the non-schizophrenia group (chi2=17, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Cannabis use in the year prior to presentation with schizophrenia increased markedly between 1965 and 1999, and disproportionately so compared to increase in cannabis use in other psychiatric disorders.

Genetic and environmental influences on age at sexual initiation in the Colorado Adoption Project

Whereas the majority of research on adolescent sexual initiation has focused solely on environmental factors, the present study used behavioral genetic analyses to investigate the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences. Structural equation models were fitted to data from adoptive and non-adoptive sibling pairs (231 biologically related pairs and 169 unrelated pairs) from the Colorado Adoption Project. Information from censored individuals who had not yet experienced sexual initiation was maximized by adapting the twin survival analysis method of Pickles et al. (Behav Genet 24(5):457-468, 1994) to accommodate adoptive and non-adoptive siblings. Point estimates of variance components from an ACE model, including additive genetic (A), shared environmental (C), and non-shared environmental (E) influences were 28%, 24%, and 48%, respectively. Despite the lower point estimate for shared environmental effects than additive genetic effects, a CE model provided the best fit to the data. However, because adoptive siblings provide a direct estimate of shared environmental influences there is greater power to detect shared environmental effects in adoption designs. Evidence for genetic influences from our data were somewhat lower than those obtained in previous twin studies, possibly reflecting a return to more socially conservative sexual attitudes, changing sexual behaviors, or ambiguities in the wording of questions commonly used in research on adolescent sexuality.

The saccadic system more readily co-processes orthogonal than co-linear saccades

Real-life visual tasks such as tracking jumping objects and scanning visual scenes often require a sequence of saccadic eye movements. The ability of the ocular motor system to parallel process saccades has been previously demonstrated. We recorded the monocular eye movements of five normal human subjects using the magnetic search coil technique in a double step paradigm. Initial target jumps were always purely horizontal or purely vertical. We were interested in the latency to onset of the second saccade as a function of direction in relation to the first saccade. When the inter stimulus interval (ISI) was 150 or 180 ms orthogonal second saccades were of significantly shorter latency than second co-linear saccades. When the ISI was 250 ms the latencies of orthogonal and co-linear second saccades were statistically indistinguishable. Based on these findings it is postulated that the ocular motor system can more readily co-process orthogonal than co-linear saccades.

[Out-of-hospital resuscitation in Israel 2000]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of pre-hospital cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, performed by mobile intensive cardiac care units of Magen David Adom (MDA) teams in the framework of a national survey conducted in the period February and March 2000. During the survey, MDA performed 539 resuscitations, 485 of which were performed by mobile intensive care units of MDA, and they constitute the study population of the present analysis. The average age of the patients was 70.5 years, and 68% were men. The mean response time of the mobile intensive care units was 10.3 minutes. In 14% of the cases, a bystander initiated basic cardiac life support before the arrival of the MDA team. Upon arrival of the resuscitation team, 242 patients (50%) had asystole, 19% ventricular tachycardia (VT)/ventricular fibrillation (VF), 13% pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and 18% had other severe arrhythmias. One hundred and ninety-nine patients (41%) were transferred alive to the hospital after successful resuscitation. Hospital summaries were obtained for 148 of these patients. The cause of cardiac arrest was cardiac in 64% of the cases and 48% of the patients who reached the hospital had a previous history of heart disease. Fifty-three patients (11%) were discharged alive from the hospital. Patients discharged alive were younger, more promptly resuscitated, 78% had a cardiac cause of death and 38% of them were in ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation when first seen by the resuscitation team. The rate of successful resuscitation to discharge in the sub-group with VT/VF was 21%, and only 4% for patients in asystole, which is in line with other studies. However, the rate of initiation of resuscitation by bystanders is low in Israel. These data may help the medical staff and the health policy providers in Israel.

Socioeconomic inequalities in oral health in childhood and adulthood in a birth cohort

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether adult oral health is predicted by (a) childhood socioeconomic advantage or disadvantage (controlling for childhood oral health), or (b) oral health in childhood (controlling for childhood socioeconomic advantage or disadvantage), and whether oral health in adulthood is affected by changes in socioeconomic status (SES).

METHODS

Participants in a longstanding cohort study underwent systematic dental examination for dental caries and tooth loss at ages 5 and 26 years. The examination at age 26 years included the collection of data on periodontal attachment loss and plaque level. Childhood SES was determined using parental occupation, and adult SES was determined from each study member's occupation at age 26 years. Regression models were used to test the study hypotheses.

RESULTS

Complete data were available for 789 individuals (47.4% female). After controlling for childhood oral health, those who were of low SES at age 5 years had substantially greater mean DFS and DS scores by age 26 years, were more likely to have lost a tooth in adulthood because of caries, and had greater prevalence and extent of periodontitis. A largely similar pattern was observed (after controlling for childhood SES) among those with greater caries experience at age 5 years. For almost all oral health indicators examined, a clear gradient was observed of greater disease at age 26 years across socioeconomic trajectory groups, in the following order of ascending disease severity and prevalence: 'high-high', 'low-high' (upwardly mobile), 'high-low' (downwardly mobile) and 'low-low'.

CONCLUSION

Adult oral health is predicted by not only childhood socioeconomic advantage or disadvantage, but also by oral health in childhood. Changes in socioeconomic advantage or disadvantage are associated with differing levels of oral health in adulthood. The life-course approach appears to be a useful paradigm for understanding oral health disparities.

Co-occurrence of ADHD and low IQ has genetic origins

Previous studies show that the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and lower intelligence quotient (IQ) covary in children. We investigated the aetiology of this association in a large population-based sample of 5-year-old twins. The twins were individually assessed on an IQ test, and data on ADHD symptoms were obtained from mother interviews and teacher ratings. Confirming previous studies, the phenotypic correlation between ADHD symptom scores and IQ was -0.3 and, in a categorical analysis, children with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) ADHD research diagnosis obtained IQ scores nine points lower, on average, than comparison children. We show here that the co-occurrence of ADHD and lower IQ has genetic origins: 86% of the association between ADHD symptom scores and IQ, and 100% of the association between ADHD diagnosis and IQ, was accounted for by genetic influences that are shared by ADHD and IQ. Some candidate genes for ADHD could also contribute to variation in IQ or vice versa.

The dopamine D4 receptor and the hyperactivity phenotype: a developmental-epidemiological study

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 2-6% of school-age children and is a precursor of behavioural problems in adolescence and adulthood. Underlying the categorical definition of ADHD are the quantitative traits of activity, impulsivity, and inattention which vary continuously in the population. Both ADHD and quantitative measures of hyperactivity are heritable, and influenced by multiple genes of small effect. Several studies have reported an association between clinically defined ADHD and the seven-repeat allele of a 48-bp tandem repeat polymorphism in the third exon of the dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4). We tested this association in a large, unselected birth cohort (n = 1037) using multiple measures of the hyperactivity phenotype taken at multiple assessment ages across 20 years. This longitudinal approach allowed us to ascertain whether or not DRD4 has a general effect on the diagnosed (n = 49) or continuously distributed hyperactivity phenotype, and related personality traits. We found no evidence to support this association.

Structure characterization of human serum proteins in solution and dry state

The present report describes application of advanced analytical methods to establish correlation between changes in human serum proteins of patients with coronary atherosclerosis (protein metabolism) before and after moderate beer consumption. Intrinsic fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), differential scanning calorimetry and hydrophobicity (So) were used to study human serum proteins. Globulin and albumin from human serum (HSG and HSA, respectively) were denatured with 8 m urea as the maximal concentration. The results obtained provided evidence of differences in their secondary and tertiary structures. The thermal denaturation of HSA and HSG expressed in temperature of denaturation (Td, degrees C), enthalpy (DeltaH, kcal/mol) and entropy (DeltaS kcal/mol K) showed qualitative changes in these protein fractions, which were characterized and compared with fluorescence and CD. Number of hydrogen bonds (n) ruptured during this process was calculated from these thermodynamic parameters and then used for determination of the degree of denaturation (%D). Unfolding of HSA and HSG fractions is a result of promoted interactions between exposed functional groups, which involve conformational changes of alpha-helix, beta-sheet and aperiodic structure. Here evidence is provided that the loosening of the human serum protein structure takes place primarily in various concentrations of urea before and after beer consumption (BC). Differences in the fluorescence behavior of the proteins are attributed to disruption of the structure of proteins by denaturants as well as by the change in their compactability as a result of ethanol consumption. In summary, thermal denaturation parameters, fluorescence, So and the content of secondary structure have shown that HSG is more stable fraction than HSA.

Persistence and perceived consequences of cannabis use and dependence among young adults: implications for policy

AIMS

To document patterns of cannabis use and dependence from late-adolescence through to the mid-twenties; to describe perceived consequences of cannabis use among young people; and to consider policy implications of these findings.

METHODS

This was a longitudinal study of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study birth cohort with repeated measures of cannabis use at ages 18, 21 and 26 years.

RESULTS

Twelve month prevalence rates of cannabis use (just over 50%) and dependence (just under 10%) remained stable between age 21 and 26 years, contrary to an expected decline. Cannabis dependence, as distinct from occasional use, was associated with high rates of harder drug use, selling of drugs and drug conviction. Cumulatively, almost 3/4 of our cohort had tried cannabis by age 26. Young people thought the risk of getting caught using cannabis was trivial, and that using cannabis had few negative social consequences.

CONCLUSIONS

The persistent high rates of cannabis use and dependence among young New Zealand adults raises important issues for policy makers. Current laws are not particularly effective in deterring use. Whereas occasional use does not appear to present a serious problem, cannabis dependence among users is a serious public health issue that warrants immediate action.

A computer-based method for the assessment of body-image distortions in anorexia-nervosa patients

A computer-based method for the assessment of body-image distortions in anorexia nervosa and other eating-disorder patients is presented in this paper. At the core of the method is a realistic pictorial simulation of lifelike weight changes, applied to a real source image of the patient. The patients, using a graphical user interface, adjust their body shapes until they meet their self-perceived appearance. Measuring the extent of virtual fattening or slimming of a body with respect to its real shape and size allows direct quantitative evaluation of the cognitive distortion in body image. In a preliminary experiment involving 33 anorexia-nervosa patients, 70% of the subjects chose an image with simulated visual weight gain between 8%-16% as their "real" body image, while only one of them recognized the original body image. In a second experiment involving 30 healthy participants, the quality of the weight modified images was evaluated by pairwise selection trials. Over a weight change range from -16% to +28%, in about 30% of the trials, artificially modified images were mistakenly taken as "original" images, thus demonstrating the quality of the artificial images. The method presented is currently in a clinical validation phase, toward application in the research, diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of eating disorders.

Male mental health problems, psychopathy, and personality traits: key findings from the first 14 years of the Pittsburgh Youth Study

This paper reviews key findings on juvenile mental health problems in boys, psychopathy, and personality traits, obtained in the first 14 years of studies using data from the Pittsburgh Youth Study. This is a study of 3 samples, each of about 500 boys initially randomly drawn from boys in the 1st, 4th, and 7th grades of public schools in Pittsburgh. The boys have been followed regularly, initially each half year, and later at yearly intervals. Currently, the oldest boys are about 25 years old, whereas the youngest boys are about 19. Findings are presented on the prevalence and interrelation of disruptive behaviors, ADHD, and depressed mood. Results concerning risk factors for these outcomes are reviewed. Psychological factors such as psychopathy, impulsivity, and personality are described. The paper closes with findings on service delivery of boys with mental health problems.

Childhood predictors differentiate life-course persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial pathways among males and females

This article reports a comparison on childhood risk factors of males and females exhibiting childhood-onset and adolescent-onset antisocial behavior, using data from the Dunedin longitudinal study. Childhood-onset delinquents had childhoods of inadequate parenting, neurocognitive problems, and temperament and behavior problems, whereas adolescent-onset delinquents did not have these pathological backgrounds. Sex comparisons showed a male-to-female ratio of 10:1 for childhood-onset delinquency but a sex ratio of only 1.5:1 for adolescence-onset delinquency. Showing the same pattern as males, childhood-onset females had high-risk backgrounds but adolescent-onset females did not. These findings are consistent with core predictions from the taxonomic theory of life-course persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial behavior.

Why are children born to teen mothers at risk for adverse outcomes in young adulthood? Results from a 20-year longitudinal study

This 20-year longitudinal study showed that the young adult offspring of teen mothers are at risk for a range of adverse outcomes including early school leaving, unemployment, early parenthood, and violent offending. We tested how much the effect of teen childbearing on offspring outcomes could be accounted for by social selection (in which a woman's characteristics that make her an inadequate parent also make her likely to bear children in her teens) versus social influence (in which the consequences of becoming a teen mother also bring harm to her children, apart from any characteristics of her own). The results provided support for both mechanisms. Across outcomes, maternal characteristics and family circumstances together accounted for approximately 39% of the effect of teen childbearing on offspring outcomes. Consistent with a social-selection hypothesis, maternal characteristics accounted for approximately 18% of the effect of teen childbearing on offspring outcomes; consistent with a social-influence hypothesis, family circumstances accounted for 21% of the teen childbearing effect after controlling for maternal characteristics. These results suggest that public policy initiatives should be targeted not only at delaying childbearing in the population but at supporting individual at-risk mothers and their children.

Brain drain or OE? Characteristics of young New Zealanders who leave

AIMS

To characterise the emigration patterns of young New Zealanders.

METHODS

The 980 members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study participating in the "age-26" (1998-1999) assessment provided information about emigration behaviour, qualifications, aspects of physical and mental health and personality.

RESULTS

26% of the sample had moved overseas to live between the ages of 18 and 26, with the United Kingdom and Australia being the most common destinations. Compared to non-emigrants, emigrants had higher IQ scores, were better qualified, leaner and fitter, and had happier and less stress-prone personalities. Based on their planned return date, 63% of emigrants were considered to be on their OE overseas experience (OE, return in <5 years), 18% were defined as brain-drain emigrants (return in >5 years or never) and 18% were uncertain about their return. Brain-drain emigrants were more likely than OE emigrants to leave for better work opportunities, and they were also more likely to go to Australia. However, there were no differences in terms of qualifications, intelligence and personality between OE and brain-drain emigrants.

CONCLUSIONS

Most young New Zealanders in this cohort who left for overseas were embarking on their OE. Brain-drain emigrants make up a sizeable minority of emigrants, but appear to possess no more skills than those who plan or choose to return.

Predicting early fatherhood and whether young fathers live with their children: prospective findings and policy reconsiderations

This prospective study of a birth cohort addressed three questions. Which individual and family-of-origin characteristics predict the age at which young men make the transition to fatherhood? Do these same characteristics predict how long young men live with their child? Are individual differences in the amount of time fathers spend living with their child associated with the father's psychosocial characteristics in young adulthood? In this unique study, it was found that by age 26, 19% of the 499 study men had become fathers. Individual and family-of-origin characteristics were assessed from birth until age 15 and contemporaneous characteristics were assessed at age 26. Young men who experienced a stressful rearing environment and a history of conduct problems were more likely to become fathers at an early age and to spend less time living with their child. Of those who experienced none of the risk factors, fewer than 10% had become fathers by age 26 compared to more than 60% of those who experienced five risk factors. Fathers who lived apart from their child reported the most social and psychological difficulties in young adulthood. These findings point to individual and family-of-origin characteristics that might be targeted in order to delay fatherhood and increase levels of paternal involvement. However, given their troubled life histories and poor social-psychological adjustment in young adulthood, some absent fathers might have difficulties providing positive parenting and partnering unless policy initiatives to promote intact families also support young fathers.

Can women provide reliable information about their children's fathers? cross-informant agreement about men's lifetime antisocial behaviour

It is difficult to study the contribution of fathers' antisocial behaviour to children's development because fathers with behavioural problems are often absent or reluctant to participate in research. This study examines whether mothers' reports about their children's fathers' antisocial behaviour can be substituted for interviews with fathers. Both members of 67 couples (N = 134) were interviewed separately and independently about the men's lifetime antisocial behaviour. There was strong relative agreement: the women's reports about men's antisocial behaviour and the men's self-reports about the same behaviour were highly correlated. However, there was poor agreement about absolute level: compared to men's self-reports, women reported fewer of the men's antisocial behaviours. Women's reports provide a reliable index of men's relative standing in a distribution and can be used in research about their children's fathers, but should not be used to make diagnostic decisions about men's antisocial disorders.

The kids are alright: growth and stability in personality development from adolescence to adulthood

This longitudinal study provides a comprehensive analysis of continuity and change in personality functioning from age 18 to age 26 in a birth cohort (N = 921) using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (A. Tellegen, 1982). Data were analyzed using 4 different methods: differential continuity, mean-level change, individual differences in change, and ipsative change. Convergent evidence pointing toward personality continuity, as opposed to change, was found. The personality changes that did take place from adolescence to adulthood reflected growth in the direction of greater maturity; many adolescents became more controlled and socially more confident and less angry and alienated. Consistent with this, greater initial levels of maturity were associated with less personality change over time. The results indicate that the transition from adolescence to young adulthood is marked by continuity of personality and growth toward greater maturity.

A new dimension in retrograde flow: centripetal movement of engulfed particles

Centripetal motion of surface-adherent particles is a classic experimental system for studying surface dynamics on a eukaryotic cell. To investigate bead migration over the entire cell surface, we have developed an experimental assay using multinuclear giant fibroblasts, which provide expanded length scales and an unambiguous frame of reference. Beads coated by adhesion ligands concanavalin A or fibronectin are placed in specific locations on the cell using optical tweezers, and their subsequent motion is tracked over time. The adhesion, as well as velocity and directionality of their movement, expose distinct regions of the cytoplasm and membrane. Beads placed on the peripheral lamella initiate centripetal motion, whereas beads placed on the central part of the cell attach to a stationary cortex and do not move. Careful examination by complementary three-dimensional methods shows that the motion of a bead placed on the cell periphery takes place after engulfment into the cytoplasm, whereas stationary beads, placed near the cell center, are not engulfed. These results demonstrate that centripetal motion of adhering particles may occur inside as well as outside the cell. Inhibition of actomyosin activity is used to explore requirements for engulfment and aspects of the bead movement. Centripetal movement of adherent particles seems to depend on mechanisms distinct from those driving overall cell contractility.

Predicting early fatherhood and whether young fathers live with their children: prospective findings and policy reconsiderations

This prospective study of a birth cohort addressed three questions. Which individual and family-of-origin characteristics predict the age at which young men make the transition to fatherhood? Do these same characteristics predict how long young men live with their child? Are individual differences in the amount of time fathers spend living with their child associated with the father's psychosocial characteristics in young adulthood? In this unique study, it was found that by age 26, 19% of the 499 study men had become fathers. Individual and family-of-origin characteristics were assessed from birth until age 15 and contemporaneous characteristics were assessed at age 26. Young men who experienced a stressful rearing environment and a history of conduct problems were more likely to become fathers at an early age and to spend less time living with their child. Of those who experienced none of the risk factors, fewer than 10% had become fathers by age 26 compared to more than 60% of those who experienced five risk factors. Fathers who lived apart from their child reported the most social and psychological difficulties in young adulthood. These findings point to individual and family-of-origin characteristics that might be targeted in order to delay fatherhood and increase levels of paternal involvement. However, given their troubled life histories and poor social-psychological adjustment in young adulthood, some absent fathers might have difficulties providing positive parenting and partnering unless policy initiatives to promote intact families also support young fathers.

Tezosentan (an intravenous endothelin receptor A/B antagonist) reduces peripheral resistance and increases cardiac power therefore preventing a steep decrease in blood pressure in patients with congestive heart failure

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the effect of tezosentan (an intravenous endothelin-1 receptor antagonist) on vascular resistance and cardiac function and determined the dose response in patients with stable congestive heart failure (CHF) due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

METHODS

In a double-blind fashion, tezosentan or placebo were administered in ascending doses (5, 20, 50, 100 mg h(-1)) to 38 CHF (NYHA class III) patients with ejection fraction <or=35%, cardiac index <or=2.7 l min(-1) m(-2) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >or=15 mmHg. Systemic vascular resistance index (SVRi) was estimated as mean arterial blood pressure [(MAP-right atrial pressure)/cardiac index (CI)]. Cardiac function was assessed as cardiac power index (Cpi), calculated as pressure x flow (MAP x CI), where MAP represents pressure and CI represents cardiovascular flow.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Compared to the placebo, tezosentan induced a dose-dependent decrease in SVRi (-32%), an increase in Cpi (+20%) and a small decrease in MAP (-9%). By contrast, patients treated with nitrate vasodilators or nesiritide (a natriuretic peptide) showed a decrease in SVRi not accompanied by a significant increase in Cpi leading to a steep decrease in MAP.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of Cpi in the assessment of the hemodynamic effects of tezosentan, provides a useful alternative characterization of the complex influences of vasodilators on cardiac function in patients with CHF.

Beer consumption and changes in stability of human serum proteins

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of beer consumption (BC) on the functional and structural properties of human serum proteins (HSP). Thirty-eight volunteers (after coronary bypass) were divided into two groups: experimental (EG) and control (CG). Nineteen volunteers of the EG consumed 330 mL per day of beer (about 20 g of alcohol) for 30 consecutive days. The CG volunteers consumed mineral water instead of beer. Blood samples were collected from EG and CG patients before and after the experiment. Albumin (Alb), globulin (Glo), and methanol-precipitable proteins (MPP) from human serum were denatured with 8 M urea. Fluorescence and electrophoresis were employed in order to elucidate urea-induced conformational changes and structural behavior of proteins. The measured fluorescence emission spectra were used to estimate the stability of native and denatured protein fractions before and after BC. It was found that before BC the fractions most stable to urea denaturation were Glo, Alb, and MPP fractions. After BC in most of the beer-consuming patients (EG) some changes in native and denatured protein fractions were detected: a tendency to lower stability and minor structural deviations. These qualitative changes were more profound in MPP than in Alb and Glo. Thus, Glo is more resistible to alcohol influence than Alb, which in turn is more resistible than MPP. No serum protein changes were detected in patients of CG.

The interaction between impulsivity and neighborhood context on offending: the effects of impulsivity are stronger in poorer neighborhoods

This research blends 2 traditions of theorizing on the causes of crime, one focused on the role of individual differences and the other focused on structural and contextual variables. Two related studies examined the relations among impulsivity, neighborhood context, and juvenile offending. The first, cross-sectional study uses a large sample of 13-year-old inner-city boys, whereas the second, longitudinal study offers a conceptual replication using 17-year-old inner-city boys who are a subset of the original sample. Across both studies, results indicate that the effects of impulsivity on juvenile offending are stronger in poorer neighborhoods. Furthermore, nonimpulsive boys in poor neighborhoods were at no greater risk for delinquency than nonimpulsive boys in better-off neighborhoods.