Surgical technique for permanent intracoelomic radiotransmitter placement in Anegada iguanas (Cyclura pinguis).

Twenty-four juvenile to subadult Anegada iguanas (Cyclura pinguis), captive-reared in a propagation facility, were designated by a coordinated recovery program for release in the summer of 2003. To facilitate postrelease monitoring, a radiotransmitter device was placed within the coelomic cavity of each animal under general anesthesia before release. The equipment sterilization technique and the method of attachment of the transmitters to the coelomic body wall resulted in functional transmitters and acceptably low rates of mortality associated with the procedure.

Correlates and outcomes of alcohol use disorder among rural outpatients with schizophrenia.

Background: The use of alcohol by persons with schizophrenia is common and has been associated with increased severity of psychiatric symptoms, multiple psychosocial problems, abuse of other drugs, and poor treatment outcomes. Most of the previous research in this area has been with urban patients.

Method: The authors examined the correlates and outcomes of alcohol use in a rural sample of 75 DSM-III-R outpatients with schizophrenia.

Assessing alcohol problems in college students.

Alcohol abuse among college students is prevalent, yet few instruments with sound reliability and validity are available to assess these problems in this population. As part of a large, baseline assessment battery for a prospective study of offspring of alcoholics, the 27-item Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test (YAAPST) was given to 490 freshmen at a large midwestern university; approximately 9 months later, 482 subjects completed the scale again. In addition to asking about such traditional problems as experiencing blackouts and driving while intoxicated, the YAAPST included specific items relating to college experiences (eg, getting into sexual situations that were later regretted, missing classes, and receiving lower grades than usual).

Establishment and characterization of a human carcinoid in nude mice and effect of various agents on tumor growth.

The authors have established a long-term tissue culture cell line (BON) derived from a metastatic human carcinoid tumor of the pancreas. The cells have been in continuous passage for 46 months. Tissue culture cells produce tumors in a dose-dependent fashion after SC inoculation of cell suspensions in athymic nude mice.

Subjective experiences related to alcohol use among schizophrenics.

Comorbid alcohol use disorders are common in schizophrenia. Although a variety of explanatory hypotheses involving self-medication have been proposed, few data available regarding schizophrenic patients' subjective experiences while using alcohol. We report interview data from 75 DSM-III-R schizophrenic outpatients regarding their subjective responses to alcohol.

Novel therapy for the treatment of human carcinoid.

Development of effective treatment for patients with carcinoid tumors has been hampered by lack of an experimental model. The authors have established the only long-term cell line of a functioning human pancreatic carcinoid tumor (BON) that produces tumors in nude mice. In this study the authors examined the effect of three agents, alpha-interferon (IFN), a somatostatin analog, SMS 201-995 (SMS), and an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis, alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), on the growth of BON tumors.

Diagnosis of alcohol use disorders in schizophrenia.

Alcohol use disorders are common comorbid conditions in schizophrenia, and their presence is associated with poor adjustment and poor treatment response. Standard alcohol assessment instruments have not been validated for use with schizophrenic patients, and several authors have questioned the validity of these patients' self-reports. A reliable and valid screening procedure for assessing alcohol use is needed.

Imipenem resistance in Bacteroides distasonis mediated by a novel beta-lactamase.

Imipenem is a highly active drug against the Bacteroides fragilis group of organisms. On the basis of a nationwide survey of over 500 isolates, it was found that the frequency of imipenem resistance was less than 0.1%.

Permeability to beta-lactams in Bacteroides fragilis.

Bacteroides fragilis strains TAL2480 and TAL3636 were used to assess outer membrane permeability to various beta-lactam compounds. These strains were chosen because they possess beta-lactamases capable of hydrolysing all commonly employed beta-lactams except monobactams. The beta-lactamases are located in the periplasmic space and could be released by sonication and osmotic shock.