Urges to smoke during the first month of abstinence: relationship to relapse and predictors.

The urges to smoke reported by 215 former smokers were measured 1 day, 7 days, 14 days and 30 days after they quit to examine: (a) the time course of smoking urges, (b) the relationship of urges to relapse, and (c) predictors of urges to smoke. Urges to smoke were strongest 1 day after quitting, and decreased at each subsequent measurement point. Urges were a powerful predictor of relapse.

Effect of component-relative-entropy on the discrimination of simultaneous tone complexes.

Results are reported from a number of experiments investigating the effects of stimulus uncertainty on the discrimination of simultaneous multitone complexes. With few exceptions the data were well described by a model in which average threshold for the detection of a change in one or more components varies with the components' relative entropy (CoRE) in the complex [R.A.

The triangle model of responsibility.

Responsibility acts as a psychological adhesive that connects an actor to an event and to relevant prescriptions that should govern conduct. People are held responsible to the extent that (a) a clear, well-defined set of prescriptions is applicable to an event (prescription-event link); (b) the actor is perceived to be bound by the prescriptions by virtue of his or her identity (prescription-identity link); and (c) the actor is connected to the event, especially by virtue of appearing to have personal control over it (identity-event link). Studies supported the model, showing that attributions of responsibility are a direct function of the combined strengths of the 3 linkages (Study 1) and that, when judging responsibility, people seek out information that is relevant to the linkages (Study 2).

Age-related ranges of memory, activation, and cytotoxic markers on CD4 and CD8 cells in children.

The expression of markers defining functional subpopulations on the surface of CD4 and CD8 cells changes with disease. To monitor these changes in children, it is important to establish the age-related normal changes in marker expression due to maturation of the immune system. We have studied the expression of several functionally important molecules on both CD4 and CD8 cells in 168 children (aged 0-122 months) using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry.

Anergic self-reactive B cells present self antigen and respond normally to CD40-dependent T-cell signals but are defective in antigen-receptor-mediated functions.

B-cell tolerance to soluble protein self antigens such as hen egg lysozyme (HEL) is mediated by clonal anergy. Anergic B cells fail to mount antibody responses even in the presence of carrier-primed T cells, suggesting an inability to activate or respond to T helper cells. To investigate the nature of this defect, B cells from tolerant HEL/anti-HEL double-transgenic mice were incubated with a membrane preparation from activated T-cell clones expressing the CD40 ligand.

Tubal selection for gamete intrafallopian transfer.

When both fallopian tubes appear normal, tubal selection for GIFT is left to the surgeon's discretion. We were interested to learn whether pregnancy rates were influenced by the choice of tubal transfer in relation to ovarian dominance. Ovarian dominance was defined sonographically as the ovary containing the greater number of follicles having a mean diameter > 16 mm.

Induction of Lyt-2+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes following primary and secondary Salmonella infection.

Investigations of the cytotoxic activity of T cells induced following one or two intraperitoneal doses of live Salmonella revealed that cytotoxicity was restricted to the Lyt-2+ T-cell subset and was enhanced following secondary infection with Salmonella. Initial studies using the lectin-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (LDCC) assay detected Lyt-2+ cytotoxic T cells in peritoneal cell suspensions of S. enteritidis 11RX (11RX)-infected mice, with the peak of activity occurring 5 days after infection.

Treatment of the anemia of myelodysplastic syndromes using recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in combination with erythropoietin.

We treated myelodysplastic syndrome patients (MDS) with both recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) to determine whether such combination therapy resulted in improvement of their anemias. Twenty-four of 28 patients begun on study completed the protocol and were evaluable for erythroid responses. Therapy was initiated with G-CSF at 1 micrograms/kg administered by daily subcutaneous injection and adjusted to either normalize or double the neutrophil count.

Preferential alteration of inducible gene expression in vivo by carcinogens that induce bulky DNA lesions.

Our laboratory is interested in whether chemical carcinogen-induced DNA damage is nonrandomly distributed in the genome, i.e., "targeted," at the level of individual genes.

An explanation for the difference in general practitioner consultation rates between GMS and non-GMS patients.

This study compares annual consultation rates between 3,111 General Medical Services and private patients, and their family doctors in three large general practices in Dublin. Visiting rates were substantially different between practices and between GMS and private patients. However, GMS patients were older and had 50% more chronic illnesses.

General practice estimates of the prevalence of common chronic conditions.

This study measured the prevalence of chronic medical conditions in 4,549 middle aged persons attending three large general practices in Dublin over the course of a calender year. The prevalence of the following conditions were measured: coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, asthma, chronic bronchitis, rheumatic disorders, dyspepsia, depression, anxiety disorders, psychoses, and cancer. In order to obtain a valid denominator for the study a second community based study was carried out in the same areas to determine what proportion of persons visit their general practitioner over the course of a year.

Phase I/II trial and pharmacokinetics of intrathecal diaziquone in refractory meningeal malignancies.

Purpose: Because there is a compelling need to develop new agents for intrathecal use, we investigated the safety, efficacy, and CSF pharmacokinetics of diaziquone (AZQ) following intrathecal administration in patients with refractory meningeal malignancies.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-nine patients received 45 courses of intrathecal AZQ. Two schedules were studied; twice-weekly administration of a 1- or 2-mg dose and "concentration times time" (C x T) administration of 0.

Increased expression of the CD45RO (memory) antigen on T cells in HIV-infected children.

Expression of the CD45RO putative memory cell antigen on CD4 (helper) and CD8 (cytotoxic/suppressor) lymphocytes of children born to HIV-infected women was investigated using the UCHL1 antibody. Significantly raised numbers of CD45RO+ CD8 lymphocytes were found in all nine of the infected children compared with uninfected and control children. Expression of CD45RO on CD4 lymphocytes was variable; absolute numbers were not increased, although the percentage was increased in four out of nine infected children.

Tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use among black adolescents: a comparison across gender, grade, and school environment.

Self-report measures of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use were administered to 2,748 black adolescents, grades 7 through 12. The proportion of students who had tried any of the substances increased by grade. Males and females were not significantly different in their use of cigarettes and alcohol.

Inhibition of phosphoglucomutase by vanadate.

Phosphoglucomutase is inhibited by a complex formed from alpha-D-glucose 1-phosphate (Glc-1-P) and inorganic vanadate (Vi). Both the inhibition at steady state and the rate of approach to steady state are dependent on the concentrations of both Glc-1-P and Vi. Inhibition is competitive versus alpha-D-glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (Glc-P2) and is ascribed to binding of the 6-vanadate ester of Glc-1-P (V-6-Glc-1-P) to the dephospho form of phosphoglucomutase (E).

A new target for cost cuts: working couples.

Here's a cost containment measure you may have overlooked: trimming reimbursements for dual-income couples with separate plans.

The in vitro proliferative response of lymphoid cells of mice infected with Salmonella enteritidis 11RX.

Intraperitoneal injection of (BALB/c x C57BL/6) F1 mice with live, but not killed Salmonella enteritidis 11RX (11RX) induced T cells in the spleen and peritoneal cavity which were able to proliferate in vitro in response to two different forms of 11RX antigens. The majority of cells which proliferated were L3T4+ T cells and most of the response was restricted by the I-A locus of the H-2 major histocompatibility complex, although a smaller K region restricted response was also detected. T cells able to respond to 11RX antigens could only be demonstrated when non-adherent lymphoid cell suspensions from immunized mice were used, and usually a limited response was obtained unless small numbers of adherent cells present in normal peritoneal cell suspensions were added.

Chronopharmacokinetics of oral methotrexate and 6-mercaptopurine: is there diurnal variation in the disposition of antileukemic therapy?

The chronopharmacokinetics of the orally administered antileukemic drugs, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate, were examined in 13 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) to establish if there is a pharmacokinetic basis for the lower relapse rate associated with administration of these agents in the evening. Children with ALL in complete remission had plasma drug concentrations monitored for 8 h following an oral dose of either methotrexate or 6-mercaptopurine administered in the morning (8 a.m.

Pharmacokinetics of subcutaneous methotrexate.

The pharmacokinetics of subcutaneously administered methotrexate was studied as a parenteral alternative to oral administration. An initial feasibility study was performed in Rhesus monkeys comparing the subcutaneous route to intravenous (IV) injection and oral administration. The subcutaneous dose was completely absorbed and a sustained-release effect was observed when compared with the IV dose.

Effects of changes in left ventricular loading and pleural pressure on mitral flow.

The cause of the fall in left ventricular (LV) stroke volume (SV) during a fall in pleural pressure (Pp1) has been in dispute for over a century. We have defined the changes in the temporal relationship between LV inflow (Qm) and outflow (Qa) in a canine preparation to test the mutually exclusive hypotheses that the fall in LVSV is caused only by changes during diastole (e.g.

Mitral and aortic blood flows during spontaneous respiration in dogs.

Left sided hemodynamic events during respiration remain a controversial subject. Left ventricular (LV) hemodynamic events were evaluated during obstructed and partially obstructed inspiration in anesthetized dogs acutely instrumented with mitral (Qm) and ascending aortic (Qa) flow probes. This allows classification of the inspiratory decrease in LV stroke volume as either a diastolic event (e.