Studies reporting associations between genetic factors and mood-related traits have often been criticized (i) for failing to take into account the role of the social environment in which individuals act and (ii) for not maintaining a 'transparent narrative connection' between genes and outcomes. In a sample of adolescents, we analyzed whether PvuII and XbaI, two polymorphisms on the ESR1 (Estrogen Receptor Gene α) were related to depressive symptoms, and considered whether daily hassles moderated this relationship and whether anger expression style mediated this relationship. Analyses suggested that ESR1 polymorphisms are relevant to the intra-sexual variability in depressive symptoms in boys and that the experience of daily hassles moderated this relationship.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReconstituted parenteral solutions of three surface-active anti-infective small-molecule drugs and solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS, a model surfactant) were studied to quantify the impact of sample preparation and handling on particle counts. Turbidimetry and light obscuration profiles were recorded as a function of agitation and shearing with and without the introduction of foam into the solutions. SDS solutions at concentrations above the critical micelle concentration (CMC) show significantly greater sensitivity to shear and foam presence than SDS solution below the CMC: Values of >10 μm particles increased 8 fold over control (an unsheared sample) in the micellar solution vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Androgen activity has been implicated in a range of traits and behaviours that have well-documented sex differences. However, the results of the studies on the relationship between testosterone and these traits and behaviours are inconsistent. This study has analyzed i) whether CAG repeat length, a presumed modulator of androgen receptor sensitivity, is associated with sex-dimorphic traits and behaviours (aggressive and non-aggressive risk-taking (ART and NART), dominance, depressive symptoms and self-esteem), and ii) whether CAG repeat length interacts with free testosterone (FT) with respect to these traits and behaviours.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough the role of testosterone in the aetiology of social dominance is often suggested, surprisingly few studies have addressed the relationship between sex steroid hormones and dominance as a personality trait. In this paper, the relationship between testosterone and dominance is studied in a sample of adolescent boys and girls, taking into account the moderating role of gender ideology and same-sex peer group orientation. A direct association between free testosterone (FT) and dominance was found in girls but not in boys.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough the relation between androgens and adolescent risk-taking has been relatively well documented in boys, little is known as to how sex steroid hormones relate to aggressive (ART) and/or non-aggressive adolescent risk-taking (NART) behavior in girls. On the basis of a sample of 298 adolescent girls (mean age: 14.3 years), we examined: (i) the relationship between serum levels of testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) in relation to ART and NART and (ii) if differential association--having friends who are highly involved in risk-taking--moderates the relationship between relationships between hormones and risk-taking.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudies on 2d:4d, the ratio between the second and the fourth digit, as a possible indicator of prenatal androgen exposure, have failed to produce consistent results. This paper analyzes the relation between 2d:4d, sex steroids and well-documented sex differences in characteristics such as depression, dominance, and aggressive (ART) and non-aggressive adolescent risk-taking (NART) in a comparatively large sample of adolescent boys (N=301, mean age: 14.4 years) and girls (N=298, mean age: 14.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile there exists increasing evidence of a relationship between testosterone (T) and risk-taking (RT), many issues remain unsolved. This paper tries to address two main-questions: (i) does T influence aggressive risk-taking (ART) and/or non-aggressive risk-taking (NART) behavior and (ii) is this relationship stable throughout age and pubertal development and how is the relationship affected by affiliations with peers that are highly involved in RT, referred to as differential association (DA)? For a sample of 301 third-grade adolescent boys (mean age 14.4 years), we assessed the relationship between serum levels of T and estradiol (E2), DA and ART/NART.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA capillary electrophoretic (CE) method was developed for the separation of diastereoisomers of a new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease inhibitor TMC114. In total 16 isomers of this drug have been synthesized (eight pairs of enantiomers). We succeeded in the separation of the eight diastereoisomers, but no enantiomers could be separated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA liquid chromatographic method was developed for the separation of six related triterpenoid saponins in Maesa balansae extracts with different purity, active against leishmaniasis. As stationary phase a Hypersil BDS C18 column (3 microm), 100 x 4.6 mm was used.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF