Parental negative affect and adolescent efficacy for diabetes management.

The authors investigated whether parental perceptions of adolescent efficacy are colored by parental negative affect and are associated with adolescents’ self-perceptions of efficacy for diabetes management. Adolescents (n = 183, M age = 12.53) with Type 1 diabetes and their mothers and fathers separately reported perceptions of adolescents’ efficacy for diabetes management and parents reported their own negative affect (depressed mood and trait anxiety). glycosolated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were obtained from medical records. The results indicated that parental negative affect was associated with parental perceptions of poorer adolescent efficacy beyond the association of HbA1c scores. The relationship between fathers’ negative affect and adolescents’ self-efficacy was mediated by fathers’ perceptions of adolescent efficacy. The results suggest that parental negative affect may negatively color their views of adolescents’ efficacy and, in the case of fathers’ beliefs, may relate to adolescent self-efficacy. Parental negative affect should be considered when evaluating perceptions of adolescents’ efficacy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Enzyme immunoassay based survey of precipitation and surface water for the presence of atrazine, metolachlor and 2,4-D

The suitability of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) as a method of analysis for 2,4-D, atrazine and metolachlor contamination in water samples was determined by comparing EIA results to gas chromatography (GC) results. The comparison of EIA and GC results yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.92, 0.98 and 0.92 for 2,4-D, atrazine and metolachlor, respectively. EIA was used to monitor seasonal trends in the concentrations of 2,4-D, atrazine and metolachlor in surface water and precipitation throughout the province of Ontario, Canada. 2,4-D was detected in excess of 4 micrograms/L in urban creeks during the period of application. Concentrations of 43 and 9 micrograms/L of atrazine and metolachlor, respectively, were detected during the field application period in surface water samples from the Kintore Creek watershed. The levels of 2,4-D, atrazine and metolachlor detected exceeded the Canadian Water Quality Guidelines for the protection of fresh water aquatic life. Concentrations as high as 445 and 322 ng/L of atrazine and metolachlor, respectively, were detected in precipitation samples collected from 17 locations in Ontario during the herbicide application period. The EIA was shown to be qualitatively and quantitatively comparable to GC analysis.     

Use of electrophoretic karyotyping and DNA-DNA hybridization in yeast identification

The behavioral disturbances of 16 nursing home patients with a history of sundowning behaviour and dementia were treated with light therapy instead of psychopharmacological medication. After the withdrawal of the before established medication a very individual, heterogenous deterioration of the symptoms was noted. A significant improvement of the behaviour was not found by light therapy in any patient. The problems in practical handling and possible consequences of further investigation are discussed.     

Spinal cord blood flow and evoked potential responses after treatment with nimodipine or methylprednisolone in spinal cord-injured rats

This study examined the effect of nimodipine or methylprednisolone on spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) and electrophysiological function after spinal cord injury in rats. Three groups of male rats (n = 10 per group) were injured by compression of the cord at T1 for 1 minute with a 52-g clip. The hydrogen clearance technique was used to measure SCBF at the T1 segment. Motor and somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded. SCBF and evoked potentials were measured before injury and again at approximately 1 and 2.5 hours after injury. The methylprednisolone group received a bolus of methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg) at 5 minutes after injury and then at 15 minutes after injury, the group received an infusion of methylprednisolone at 5.4 mg/kg per hour. The nimodipine group received placebo at 5 minutes and then received an infusion of nimodipine at 0.02 mg/kg per hour at 15 minutes. The placebo group received placebo at both times. Physiological parameters were closely monitored and maintained within the normal range. Albumin was administered after injury to maintain mean arterial blood pressure at or above 80 mm Hg. The infusions were continued for approximately 3 hours after spinal cord injury. SCBF was not significantly different between the experimental groups at either 1 or 2.5 hours postinjury (P = 0.16 and 0.71, respectively), and evoked potential responses did not return in any rat at any time after injury. Thus, this experiment failed to demonstrate an improvement in SCBF or electrophysiological function with either drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Urolithiasis related to laxative abuse

Urinary calcareous disease related to laxative abuse is rare. The gastrointestinal loss of fluid and electrolytes leads to chronic depletion of the urinary volume, relative supersaturation and many other pathophysiologic derangements. These calculi are generally radiolucent with uric acid and ammonium acid urate as major components. We report on a female patient with frequent, repetitive formation of urinary calculi and rapid double J stent encrustation, which were related to the chronic abuse of bisacodyl. Although these stones can be fragmented successfully by extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, it seems that the better treatment for this type of stone formation is to avoid the abuse of laxatives.     

Elevated N-myristoyl transferase activity is reversed by sodium orthovanadate in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat

N-Myristoyl transferase (NMT) is the enzyme that covalently modifies several proteins important in signal transduction. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes resulted in a 2-fold increase in NMT activity from rat liver as compared to control animals. Administration of sodium orthovanadate to the diabetic rats reduced the activity of the NMT to 75-120% of the control values. Elevated NMT activity was observed with both cAMP-dependent protein kinase-derived and pp60src-derived peptide substrates. No significant change in the apparent Km was observed with the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-derived peptide substrate. Unlike in rat brain, in all conditions highest NMT activity was observed in the particulate fraction of rat liver.