Evaluation of the usefulness of tests for production of Beta-D-glucuronidase and propylene glycol utilization for the differentiation of enterobacteriaceae rods

The aim of the study was to inquire about the diagnostic usefulness of determining the activity of glucuronidase and utilisation of propylene glycol in Enterobacteriaceae rods. The study included 1511 strains: 411- E. coli, 278 - Klebsiella, 231 - Salmonella, 159 - Yersinia, 97 - Citrobacter, 75 - Shigella and 260 strains representing 6 other kinds of enteric rods. Determination was performed in a liquid medium containing in 1 ml 25 mcg MUG and 100 mcg ONPG. Propylene glycol (PG) utilisation was observed in peptone water with 2% of the substrate and with the Andrade indicator. In comparative tests Rambach commercial medium and MacConkey agar from the Fluorocult series were used. In the test with MUG a positive result was obtained from 81.8% E. coli, 65% - Shigella and 13% - Salmonella subgenus I. Only exceptionally was this test positive with Providencia, Enterobacter and Yersinia strains (1-5%) but negative with Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Serratia, Hafnia, Proteus and Morganella strains. Glucuronidase production is not sufficiently characteristic of E. coli strains isolated from humans to be the only basis for the preliminary differentiation of these rods from other Enterobacteriaceae. The test with ONPG was positive from 95-100% E. coli, Yersinia, Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Hafnia strains; 61% - Shigella, 9% - Salmonella and 3% - Providencia, but negative with Serratia, Proteus and Morganella strains. Propylene glycol was decomposed by 74% Salmonella strains of subgenus I, 65-94% - Klebsiella, Yersinia and Citrobacter. Shigella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Proteus, Providencia and Morganella rods did not decompose propylene glycol. Evidence that among strains non-decomposing propylene glycol were all the studied S. typhi, S. paratyphi A, S. paratyphi C, S. choleraesuis, S. virchow and S. gallinarum strains as well as a significant percentage of strains representing 8 other Salmonella serotypes frequently detected allows to believe that the use of activity against propylene glycol even simultaneously with the test for galactosidase as basis for the differentiation of Salmonella rods of subgenus I from other Enterobacteriaceae can lead to errors already at the onset of diagnostic procedure.     

A case of eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (Ofuji's disease) induced by patch and challenge tests with indeloxazine hydrochloride

A 73-year-old male developed disseminated erythema over his entire body after exposure to indeloxazine hydrochloride, a cerebral activator. Patch testing with indeloxazine hydrochloride showed a positive reaction, and plaques, vesicles and pustules developed on the face after the patch test. These had the pathologic feature of eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF, Ofuji's disease). A challenge test also provoked eruptions on the face, trunk, arms and legs, which were compatible with EPF. Moreover, both the patch and challenge tests with indeloxazine hydrochloride induced eosinophilia. This is the first report of drug allergy-induced EPF, where drug sensitivity induced an abnormal eosinophilic response mimicking EPF.     

Voluntary selection of and tolerance to 1,2 propanediol (propylene glycol) by high and low ethanol-selecting mouse strains.

Tested 15 male mice from each of 4 inbred strains (C57BL/6J, BALB/cJ, CBA/J, and DBA/2J) to determine their voluntary self-selection of a 10% solution of 1,2 propanediol (1,2 PD), a 3-carbon alcohol of low toxicity. As with ethanol, the C57BL/6J strain consumed significantly greater amounts than the 3 other low ethanol-selecting strains. Exp II with 140 Ss determined that the 3 low-selecting strains suffered significantly greater depression of the central nervous system from 1,2 PD than the high selecting C57BL strain. It was also found that ethanol was a much more potent depressant than 1,2 PD. Results are discussed in terms of the possible role of neural sensitivity in regulating consumption levels of the 2 alcohols. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nicotine patch and paroxetine for smoking cessation.

Smokers (N?=?224) were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: (a) transdermal system (TNS) + placebo; (b) TNS + paroxetine (20 mg); (c) TNS + paroxetine (40 mg). Assignment to treatment was double-blind. Nicotine patch (TNS) treatment was provided for 8 weeks; paroxetine or placebo was provided for 9 weeks. Abstinence rates at Weeks 4, 10, and 26 were as follows: (a) TNS + placebo: 45%, 36%, and 25%; (b) TNS + paroxetine (20 mg): 48%, 33%, and 21 %; (c) TNS + paroxetine (40 mg): 57%, 39%, and 27%. The differences were not statistically significant. The combined treatment was more effective in reducing both craving and depression symptoms associated with smoking cessation. A subgroup analysis comparing compliant participants was also conducted. Abstinence rates at Weeks 4, 10, and 26 were as follows: (a) TNS + placebo: 46%, 35%, and 24%; (b) TNS + paroxetine (20 mg): 64%, 43%, and 33%; (c) TNS + paroxetine (40 mg): 74%, 51%, and 38%. The differences between paroxetine groups and placebo at Week 4 were statistically significant. Although paroxetine may add value to the current standard of care in excess of potential risk, more conclusive evidence is needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nicotine patch and self-help video for cigarette smoking cessation.

A total of 424 smokers were randomized in a 2?×?2 factorial experiment. A pharmacologic factor contained 2 levels: transdermal nicotine patch (TNP; 21 mg) and placebo. A self-help behavioral treatment factor contained 2 levels: video-enhanced self-help treatment manual and self-help treatment manual only. At 2 months, TNP produced a higher level of abstinence (36%) than placebo (20%), p?     

Visual acuity measurements by wall charts and ortho-rater tests.

Visual acuity scores obtained on Ortho-Rater plates were compared with visual acuity scores on duplicate wall charts, using letter and modified Landolt ring targets. Test and retest scores were obtained for 117 soldiers. (1) The two methods were of equal difficulty, except for slight discrepancies introduced by photographic reduction of the charts used in the Ortho-Rater. (2) The Ortho-Rater test-retest reliabilities were significantly higher than the wall chart reliabilities. (3) The correlations between the Ortho-Rater and wall chart scores were about as high as the reliabilities of the scores. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction for attenuation and the equivalence of tests.

Block (1963) suggested that in estimating the equivalence of tests E should correct for unreliability to give a more appropriate estimate of the "conceptual equivalence" of the tests. In the present paper it is pointed out that: a distinction should be made between conceptual equivalence and functional equivalence; functional equivalence is of prior importance in research seeking relationships of other variables to the variable represented by the tests; in estimating functional equivalence it is not apropriate to correct for unreliability; and, in fact, correction for attenuation may often lead to over-generalization of results. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mediators, moderators, and tests for mediation.

Discusses mediation relations in causal terms. Influences of an antecedent are transmitted to a consequence through an intervening mediator. Mediation relations may assume a number of functional forms, including nonadditive, nonlinear, and nonrecursive forms. Although mediation and moderation are distinguishable processes, with nonadditive forms (moderated mediation) a particular variable may be both a mediator and a moderator within a single set of functional relations. Current models for testing mediation relations in industrial and organizational psychology often involve an interplay between exploratory (correlational) statistical tests and causal inference. It is suggested that no middle ground exists between exploratory and confirmatory (causal) analysis and that attempts to explain how mediation processes occur require specified causal models. (57 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Equivalence of constructs measured by job-specific and commercially available aptitude tests.

Examined the equivalence of constructs underlying scores on tests designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by specific jobs with the constructs underlying scores on aptitude tests taken from published test batteries. Several models of construct equivalence, differing in their assumptions about factor patterns, factor loadings, and variable uniquenesses, were assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. Results indicated that the job-specific tests measured constructs that were essentially equivalent with the constructs measured by the commercially available tests, although the magnitude of unique residual variances differed among the 2 sets of tests. Furthermore, multiple-groups confirmatory factor analysis indicated that tests loaded equivalently on shared constructs across several sex and race subgroups, although unique residual variances differed across groups. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simulation of the rolling and shear texture of brass by the Taylor theory adapted for mechanical twinning

The Taylor model for the prediction of deformation textures, which was originally developed for F.c.c. metals deforming by {111}〈110〉 multiple slip, has been adapted to take also {111}〈112〉 mechanical twinning into account. The method proposed by Chin, Hosford and Mendorf was used for that purpose. A most important parameter in this context is α, the ratio between the CRSS in twinning and in slip.The rolling and the shear textures of F.c.c. metals with high and low stacking fault energies have been simulated by varying the value of α. Only four different textures were obtained in each of the two cases: the copper-type texture, a transition texture, the brass-type texture and a previously unknown texture, obtained when only twinning systems were activated.The results have been compared with experimental results, which allowed evaluation of the model.     

A Novel Process for Titanium Sand by Magnetic Separation and Gravity Concentration

With the continuous depletion of high-grade titanium ores and the increasing demand for titanium dioxide, the low-grade titanium sand has become an important source for the production of ilmenite concentrate; however, the large-scale utilization of the sand is disappointedly scarce, due to its leanness in valuable minerals and insufficient methods available to handle such low-grade sands. A typically low-grade titanium sand was first ground and then processed by low-intensity magnetic separation (LMS) and high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) to recover titanomagnetite and ilmenite, respectively; as the TiO₂ grade of the sand is low, the primary treatment of the sand by magnetic separations is effective, with 78.45% by mass weight of the sand discarded as tailings. The primary titanomagnetite concentrate was further ground and liberated to obtain a high-grade titanomagnetite concentrate through LMS reconcentration; the primary ilmenite concentrate was separated with spirals to remove the sterile limonite and magnetic gangues, and its concentrate was ground and liberated to achieve a high-grade ilmenite concentrate through HGMS refining. This novel process achieved an effective processing of the sand and obtained a high-grade ilmenite concentrate assaying 46.30% TiO₂ with a high recovery of 57.88%, and a by-product of titanomagnetite concentrate assaying as high as 54.17% Fe.     

Thermal sensation shifts induced by physical and psychological means.

Compared the independent effects of similar 5Φ (2.8°C) shifts in the 2 types of variables (actual room temperature and purported room temperature) on judged comfort with other factors controlled. Preshift conditions were chosen to be within the range of those previously shown to produce the greatest comfort sensitivity. The initial study and a partial replication were carried out in similar classrooms on successive years with 105 undergraduates. Results show similar effects in both cases: Perceived comfort shifted by comparable amounts whether actual or purported temperature was raised. It is concluded that these findings, combined with previous findings, illustrate the role that well-established nonphysical factors (e.g., suggestion) can play in the perception of thermal comfort. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Irritancy testing in occupational dermatology: comparison between two quick tests and the acute irritation induced by sodium lauryl sulphate

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of exploratory vitrectomy for certain traumatized eyes with no light perception (NLP) and dense vitreous hemorrhage. METHOD: We performed vitrectomy on 10 patients with NLP eyes after ocular trauma. Of them, eight had open globe injuries and two had closed blunt ocular trauma. RESULTS: Postoperatively, six had visual acuities of light perception to 0.25 and four remained NLP. In most eyes, a potentially functional posterior retina and optic disc were observed during surgery. CONCLUSION: Dense vitreous hemorrhage could be the most important factor for NLP after severe ocular trauma. Therefore, NLP does not always mean permanent loss of vision. Proper primary repair of the wound and timely vitrectomy may give a chance of visual recovery in selected traumatized eyes.     

The Peyer's patch high endothelial receptor for lymphocytes, the mucosal vascular addressin, is induced on a murine endothelial cell line by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-1

The specificity of lymphocyte homing from the blood into a tissue is determined in part by complementary pairs of adhesion receptors on lymphocytes and endothelial cells termed homing receptors and vascular addressins, respectively. The mucosal vascular addressin involved in lymphocyte homing to Peyer's patches is a 66-kDa glycoprotein, MAdCAM-1. Investigation of the regulation and molecular genetics of MAdCAM-1 have been hampered by the lack of a murine cell line expressing this adhesion molecule. We show herein using indirect immunofluorescence studies that MAdCAM-1 can be induced on a murine endothelial cell line, bEnd.3, by cytokines and LPS. Western blot analysis of MAdCAM-1 purified by affinity column chromatography from TNF-alpha-treated bEnd.3 cells demonstrates a 66-kDa protein that comigrates in SDS-PAGE with the MAdCAM-1 constitutively found on high endothelial venules in murine mesenteric lymph nodes. Comparison of MAdCAM-1 expression on the bEnd.3 cells was made to the expression of adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. MAdCAM-1 and VCAM-1 are not constitutively expressed on the bEND.3 surface but can be induced in a concentration-dependent manner by LPS, TNF-alpha, and IL-1. ICAM-1 is constitutively expressed on the endothelioma surface and expression is increased by TNF-alpha, IL-1, LPS, and IFN-gamma. Surface expression of MAdCAM-1 peaks 12 to 18 h after exposure to TNF-alpha and remains elevated at 48 h, whereas expression of VCAM-1 peaks at 4 h and inducible ICAM-1 peaks between 4 and 18 h. Interestingly, IFN-gamma has differential effects on expression of these three adhesion receptors. IFN-gamma alone induces VCAM-1 and enhances ICAM-1 expression, but does not induce MAdCAM-1. Furthermore, although, preincubation of bEND.3 cells with IFN-gamma modestly increases the induction of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in response to TNF-alpha and IL-1, it dramatically reduces the TNF-alpha, IL-1, and LPS-induced expression of MAdCAM-1. MAdCAM-1 on bEnd.3 cells is functional as the murine T lymphoma TK1, known to bind MAdCAM-1, also binds to TNF-alpha-stimulated endothelioma but not to unstimulated cells. This binding is blocked by the antibodies against MAdCAM-1 and against the alpha 4-chain of its integrin receptor, alpha 4 beta 7, on TK1 cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Differential validity of employment tests by race: A comprehensive review and analysis.

Examined 866 Black–White employment test validity pairs from 39 studies for evidence of differential validity beyond that which would be expected on the basis of chance plus various statistical artifacts. The data in this study, unlike those in previous studies of differential validity, were free of Type I bias induced by data preselection. Results support the hypothesis that findings of apparent differential validity in samples are produced by the operation of chance and a number of statistical artifacts and indicate that true differential validity probably does not exist. (51 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The benefits and costs of repeated memory tests for young and older adults.

Repeated and prolonged searches of memory can lead to an increase in how much is recalled, but they can also lead to memory errors. These 3 experiments addressed the costs and benefits of repeated and prolonged memory tests for both young and older adults. Participants saw and imagined pictures of objects, some of which were physically or conceptually similar, and then took a series of repeated or prolonged recall tests. Both young and older adults recalled more on later tests than on earlier ones, though the increase was less marked for older adults. In addition, despite recalling less than did young adults, older adults made more similarity-based source misattributions (i.e., claiming an imagined item was seen if it was physically or conceptually similar to a seen item). Similar patterns of fewer benefits and more costs for older adults were seen on both free and forced recall tests and on timed and self-paced tests. Findings are interpreted in terms of age-related differences in binding processes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Values and professional judgment in validating and litigating tests for civil service positions.

Five models of personnel selection are discussed in light of their differing value systems for public organizations: (a) a probationary model, (b) random selection, (c) a quota system based on demographic variables, (d) hiring based on any combination of variables that predict job success, and (e) selection based on individual intrinsic attributes. The last of these models is advocated. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)