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Selected AbstractsThe effects of binge drinking on college students' next-day academic test-taking performance and mood stateADDICTION, Issue 4 2010Jonathan Howland ABSTRACT Aim To assess the effects of binge drinking on students' next-day academic test-taking performance. Design A placebo-controlled cross-over design with randomly assigned order of conditions. Participants were randomized to either alcoholic beverage [mean = 0.12 g% breath alcohol concentration (BrAC)] or placebo on the first night and then received the other beverage a week later. The next day, participants were assessed on test-taking, neurocognitive performance and mood state. Participants A total of 196 college students (,21 years) recruited from greater Boston. Setting The trial was conducted at the General Clinical Research Center at the Boston Medical Center. Measurements The Graduate Record Examinations© (GREs) and a quiz on a lecture presented the previous day measured test-taking performance; the Neurobehavioral Evaluation System (NES3) and the Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) measured neurocognitive performance; and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) measured mood. Findings Test-taking performance was not affected on the morning after alcohol administration, but mood state and attention/reaction-time were affected. Conclusion Drinking to a level of 0.12 g% BrAC does not affect next-day test-taking performance, but does affect some neurocognitive measures and mood state. [source] Assessment of short-term association between health outcomes and ozone concentrations using a Markov regression modelENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 3 2003Abdelkrim Zeghnoun Abstract Longitudinal binary data are often used in panel studies where short-term associations between air pollutants and respiratory health outcomes are investigated. A Markov regression model in which the transition probabilities depend on the covariates, as well as the past responses, was used to study the short-term association between daily ozone (O3) concentrations and respiratory health outcomes in a panel of schoolchildren in Armentières, Northern France. The results suggest that there was a small but statistically significant association between O3 and children's cough episodes. A 10,,g/m3 increase in O3 concentrations was associated with a 13.9,% increase in cough symptoms (CI,95%,=,1.2,28.1%). The use of a Markov regression model can be useful as it permits one to address easily both the regression objective and the stochastic dependence between successive observations. However, it is important to verify the sensitivity of the Markov regression parameters to the time-dependence structure. In this study, it was found that, although what happened on the previous day was a strong predictor of what happened on the current day, this did not contradict the O3 -respiratory symptom associations. Compared to the Markov regression model, the signs of the parameter estimates of marginal and random-intercept models remain the same. The magnitudes of the O3 effects were also essentially the same in the three models, whose confidence intervals overlapped. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A course of treatment of binge eating disorder: a time series approachEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 2 2006Beate Wild Abstract Objective The aim of the study was an analysis of the therapeutic course of treatment of a patient with binge eating disorder (BED), who participated in the multi-modal intervention programme at the Medical University Hospital of Heidelberg. Method Throughout the course of the treatment period, the patient answered questions daily on a handheld computer about her eating behaviour as well as her psychological and physical state. Diary data was analysed with a time series analysis method. Results Multiple regression analysis revealed that both depression and distress were same-day predictors for eating behaviour. Delayed predictors were both the eating behaviour and the anxiety of the previous day, as well as the activity 2 days earlier. The model accounts for 55% of the total variance. Discussion The findings of this study expand upon the evidence of previous cross-sectional studies, suggesting that the development process of the eating behaviour during treatment is strongly associated with affective variables. The study demonstrates that changes that occur during the treatment occur simultaneously on multiple levels. The causal interpretation of the delayed predictors shows that for this patient anxiety is a trigger of binge eating episodes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Calling behaviour of adult female Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lep., Noctuidae) of overwintering generation and effects of matingJOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 2 2000M. L. Hou The calling behaviour of overwintering generation females of Helicoverpa armigera and the effects of mating were studied in the laboratory at 24 ± 1°C and under reversed light-dark cycle (16 h light : 8 h dark). Age had a significant influence on calling patterns. Based on calling age, mean number of calling bouts and total calling length of virgin females increased significantly, and mean onset time of calling advanced significantly from calling day 1 to subsequent calling days. Females of the overwintering generation exhibited more short bouts in calling, and some females that initiated calling on a previous day did not call on subsequent days. Mating had no effect on the overall patterns, but did affect calling behaviour. Mated females did not resume calling after mating during the same scotophase and, on the day following mating, mated females called less frequently and for a shorter duration, but thereafter increased to the same level of virgin females of the same calling age. Furthermore, as the moth aged, the percentage of mated females calling was lower than that of virgin females. [source] Weight status, energy-balance behaviours and intentions in 9,12-year-old inner-city childrenJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 1 2010W. Jansen Abstract Background:, Dutch youth health care promotes four so-called energy-balance behaviours for the prevention of obesity: increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviour and sugar-containing drinks, and eating breakfast. However, data on the prevalence of these behaviours and intentions to engage in them among primary schoolchildren is limited, especially for multi-ethnic, inner-city populations. The present study aimed to provide these data and explore differences according to socio-demographic characteristics and weight status. Methods:, Data on behaviours and accompanying intentions were collected using classroom questionnaires. Stature and body weight were measured by trained staff. Twenty primary schools in Rotterdam participated. Data on 1095 9,12 year olds (81.7% response rate) were available for analysis. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine associations between behaviours (favourable or unfavourable), intentions (positive or not), gender, age, ethnicity, neighbourhood income level and weight status. Results:, The prevalence of being overweight was 30.4%, including 9.0% obesity. Engagement in energy-balance behaviours varied from 58.6% for outdoor play (>1 h previous day) to 85.9% for active transportation to school (day of survey). The highest positive intentions were reported for taking part in sports (83.9%), and lowest for reducing computer time (41.3%). Small differences in behaviours and intentions according to socio-demographic characteristics were found, most notably a lower engagement in physical activity by girls. Skipping breakfast and total number of energy-balance behaviours were associated with being overweight. Conclusions:, The prevalence of being overweight among Dutch inner-city schoolchildren is high. A general rather than a differentiated approach is needed to improve engagement in energy-balance behaviours among inner-city schoolchildren. [source] Boys will be boys: a pre-line-up gameplay has beneficial effects on boys' but not girls' identification performanceJOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE PSYCHOLOGY AND OFFENDER PROFILING, Issue 3 2006Eric Rassin Abstract Fifty children, aged between 4 and 7 years, underwent a sequential photo line-up procedure in order to identify a man they had met the previous day. Half of the participants engaged in a pre-procedure gameplay with the female interviewer. It was hypothesised that the game would stimulate rapport building and would ultimately result in an increased performance during the line-up procedure. The beneficial effect was indeed observed, but only for the male participants. This finding suggests that gameplay may be a fruitful strategy to decrease child witness discomfort and to increase participation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] TRACING THE ORIGIN OF MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT (MDR) ESCHERICHIA COLI INFECTIONS FROM URINARY CATHETERS IN ICU CANINE PATIENTSJOURNAL OF VETERINARY EMERGENCY AND CRITICAL CARE, Issue S1 2004J Ogeer-Gyles Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) in dogs with urinary catheters in intensive care units (ICUs) are frequent. Historically, multi-drug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli account for about 10% of the UTIs. The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of E. coli infections and of MDR E. coli in dogs with UTIs in our ICU, and to assess whether the MDR E. coli were community-acquired or nosocomial in origin. Methods: Over a 1-year period, rectal swabs were taken from all dogs in the ICU on the day of admission (D0) and on days 3 (D3), 6 (D6), 9 (D9) and 12 (D12). Urine was collected on these days from dogs with an indwelling urinary catheter (n=190). Rectal swabs and urine were routinely cultured. E. coli isolates were identified by biochemical tests. Using NCCLS guidelines, antibiotic susceptibility testing was done by disk diffusion method on fecal and urinary E. coli isolates. Twelve antimicrobial agents were used: nalidixic acid, enrofloxacin, cephalothin, cefoxitin, cefotaxime, ceftiofur, trimethoprim-sulfa, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, tetracycline, ampicillin, and amoxicillin/clavulanate. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to compare MDR E. coli UTI strains with fecal E. coli strains from the same patient and with MDR fecal E. coli from patients that were adjacent to, or housed in the same cages. Results: E. coli was cultured from 12 (48%) of 25 UTIs. Two of the E. coli were MDR. For one dog, PFGE showed no similarities among fecal E. coli and the urinary MDR E. coli isolates from the patient or between these isolates and fecal E. coli from a dog housed in the same kennel on the previous day. The MDR E. coli UTI was likely acquired prior to admission to the ICU, as it was present on D0. For the other dog, PFGE showed genetic similarity but not complete identity between the D3 MDR E. coli urinary isolate and the D3, D6, D9 fecal MDR isolates. This suggests that the UTI originated with the fecal E. coli. Using selective plates, fecal MDR E. coli were not found on D0. Selection of the MDR strain in the intestine by the use of antibiotics occurred while the dog was in the ICU and possibly led to the UTI. Conclusions: Multi-drug resistant E. coli accounted for 2 of 12 E. coli UTIs in dogs in the ICU over a 1-year period. Genotyping showed that one of the two MDR E. coli infections could possibly be of nosocomial origin. [source] Alcohol tolerance and nicotine cross-tolerance in adolescent miceADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001Marcelo F. Lopez The present experiment was designed to evaluate the development of tolerance to alcohol and cross-tolerance to nicotine in adolescent mice. C57BL/6J mice (30,40 days old) were injected IP with alcohol (2.5 g/kg) for 4 consecutive days. A control group received four saline injections. On the test day, all subjects received an alcohol injection. Tolerance to alcohol's hypothermic effect was observed. Mice (male and female) exposed to alcohol for the 4 previous days showed less hypothermic response to an alcohol challenge than animals injected for 4 days with saline and then challenged with alcohol. Tolerance to alcohol's motor incoordinating effects and differences in blood alcohol concentrations were not observed. Thirty days following alcohol treatment, the same mice received a single nicotine injection (1 mg/kg) to assess cross-tolerance. Nicotine's effect on locomotor activity (open field test) and rectal temperature varied as a function of prior adolescent alcohol exposure and gender. Specifically, female mice who had been exposed to alcohol administrations were more resistant to nicotine's effect on locomotion and temperature than saline-treated animals. In summary, these data demonstrate that adolescent mice develop tolerance to some, but not all, alcohol-induced responses, and that female mice are cross-tolerant to nicotine's effects on temperature and activity. [source] Effect of an In-Home Occupational and Physical Therapy Intervention on Reducing Mortality in Functionally Vulnerable Older People: Preliminary FindingsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 6 2006Laura N. Gitlin PhD OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of a multicomponent intervention on mortality and the role of control-oriented strategy use as the change mechanism. DESIGN: Two-group randomized design with survivorship followed for 14 months. Participants were randomized to intervention or a no-treatment control group. SETTING: Urban, community-living older people. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred nineteen people aged 70 and older with functional difficulties. INTERVENTION: Occupational therapy and physical therapy sessions involving home modifications, problem solving, and training in energy conservation, safe performance, balance, muscle strength, and fall recovery techniques. MEASUREMENTS: Survival time was number of days between baseline interview and date of death or final interview if date unknown. Control-oriented strategy use was measured using eight items. RESULTS: Intervention participants exhibited a 1% rate of mortality, compared with a 10% rate for no-treatment control participants (P=.003, 95% confidence interval=2.4,15.04%). At baseline, those who subsequently died had more days hospitalized and lower control-oriented strategy use 6 months before study enrollment than survivors. No intervention participants with previous days hospitalized (n=31) died, whereas 21% of control group counterparts did (n=35; P=.001). Although intervention participants with low and high baseline control strategy use had lower mortality risk than control participants, mortality risk was lower for intervention participants with low strategy use at baseline (P=.007). CONCLUSION: An occupational and physical therapy intervention to ameliorate functional difficulties may reduce mortality risk in community-dwelling older people overall and benefit those most compromised. Instruction in control-oriented strategies may account for the intervention's protective effects on survivorship. [source] Effect of temperature changes on the reproductive cycle of roach in Lake Geneva from 1983 to 2001JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2006C. Gillet In Lake Geneva, the surface water temperature has increased by 1° C over 20 years probably as a result of climate change. The effects of changes in temperature on the reproductive cycle of the roach Rutilus rutilus were assessed in a 19 year survey. Over time, spawning tended to begin earlier. The consequences of temperature changes were assessed on two different stages of the female reproductive cycle: the development of the ovaries from the beginning of autumn to ovulation, and the onset of the spawning period. The development of the ovaries was studied for 7 consecutive years from October to June. From 1 October to the onset of spawning, it was possible to assess the gonado-somatic index (IG) of females in terms of time expressed as a sum of degree-days. The correlation between IG and the sum of degree-days was +0·97. The onset of the roach spawning period in Lake Geneva was triggered by a thermal threshold (median and range 190 ± 10 degree-days for the 15 previous days). From October to April, climate warming accelerated the development of gonads, then in May, a thermal threshold that triggered the onset of roach spawning occurred earlier. [source] | ||||||||||||||||