Using civil representation to reduce delinquency among troubled youth.

Team Child is designed to provide civil legal representation for very troubled delinquent youth to improve their access to needed education programs, mental health services, and family services. Better provision of these services is intended to reduce delinquency and potentially avoid the long-term incarceration of these youth. This article uses an incidental truncation model to evaluate two Team Child programs in Florida.

Chronic daily ethanol and withdrawal: 5. Diurnal effects on plasma thyroid hormone levels.

We previously demonstrated that chronic daily ethanol consumption and daily withdrawal by male rats in a modified ethanol liquid diet paradigm produced (a) chronically increased adrenal glucocorticoid activity; (b) decreased plasma testosterone; (c) decreased forebrain proopiomelanocortin gene expression; and (d) corresponding alterations in plasma leptin levels-all of which are consistent with reported changes during alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Each of these systems interact with hypothalamo-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) regulation, and links between chronic alcohol abuse and thyroid dysfunction have been suggested by both human and rat studies. Accordingly, we have begun to investigate potential HPT mediation of, or response to, alterations in these systems by investigating plasma thyroid hormone levels in the same chronic daily ethanol/ withdrawal paradigm.

Comparison of Experimental and Theoretical Heterogeneous Nucleation on Ultrafine Carbon Particles.

Using a modified turbulent mixing CNC, the heterogeneous nucleation of different compounds (working fluids) on nanometer sized carbon particles was examined. The working fluids were dibutyl phthalate, octadecane, octadecanol, and octadecanoic acid. Based on the particle size distributions measured with a scanning mobility particle sizer system, nucleation and consequent growth were examined with respect to different temperature and vapor pressure for each working fluid.

Chronic daily ethanol and withdrawal: 4. Long-term changes in plasma testosterone regulation, but no effect on GnRH gene expression or plasma LH concentrations.

Although ethanol has been repeatedly demonstrated to inhibit the hypothalamo-pituitary-testes axis by multiple mechanisms, plasma testosterone levels can be normal in alcoholics who do not exhibit severely compromised liver function and even increased in some abstinent alcoholics, suggesting that adaptive changes to chronic alcohol abuse may alter these regulatory mechanisms. To address this variability, we have investigated the effects of chronic ethanol and withdrawal on rat testosterone regulation using a well-characterized liquid diet model that we have previously demonstrated to (1) provide daily oral ethanol consumption that produces behaviorally relevant plasma ethanol levels during the active (awake) stage of the photoperiod; (2) establish physical dependence on ethanol; and (3) produce not only hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, but also behavioral (anxiety-like behavior, response to novelty, sucrose preference) changes consistent with those of actively drinking and subsequently abstinent alcoholics. The results demonstrate that chronic daily episodes of ethanol consumption and withdrawal by male Sprague-Dawley rats decreased (p < 0.

Oligocene mammals from Ethiopia and faunal exchange between Afro-Arabia and Eurasia.

Afro-Arabian mammalian communities underwent a marked transition near the Oligocene/Miocene boundary at approximately 24 million years (Myr) ago. Although it is well documented that the endemic paenungulate taxa were replaced by migrants from the Northern Hemisphere, the timing and evolutionary dynamics of this transition have long been a mystery because faunas from about 32 to 24 Myr ago are largely unknown. Here we report a late Oligocene fossil assemblage from Ethiopia, which constrains the migration to postdate 27 Myr ago, and yields new insight into the indigenous faunal dynamics that preceded this event.

Melatonin effects on metabolism independent of gonad function.

We previously demonstrated that daily melatonin administration to middle-aged rats, restoring nocturnal plasma melatonin to young adult levels, decreased body weight and suppressed visceral fat and plasma leptin. In some species, metabolic and some neuronal responses to melatonin are mediated or dependent at least in part on gonadal steroid levels. Thus, melatonin-induced changes in gonadal steroid secretion may have mediated the aging-dependent melatonin-induced metabolic responses in our previous studies.

Melatonin effect on rat body weight regulation in response to high-fat diet at middle age.

We previously demonstrated that daily melatonin administration to middle-aged rats to restore youthful plasma melatonin levels also decreased body weight, visceral fat, plasma leptin, and plasma insulin to more youthful levels, without detectable changes in consumption of chow diet. We now evaluate: (a) whether melatonin alters consumption of a more precisely quantifiable liquid diet similar in high-fat content to the typical American diet; (b) differences between melatonin-induced endocrine responses in the fasted vs fed state; and (c) time course of these responses. Ten-month-old male Sprague- Dawley rats received liquid diet containing either 0.

Hepatic gene expression in histologically progressive nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Although the molecular basis for the pathophysiology of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is poorly understood, insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction are physiologic hallmarks of this condition. We sought evidence of a transcriptional or pretranscriptional basis for insulin resistance and mitochondrial dysfunction through measurement of hepatic gene expression (messenger RNA [mRNA]) using high-density synthetic oligonucleotide microarray analysis (Hu6800 GeneChip, Affymetrix, CA). Global hepatic gene expression was determined in snap-frozen liver biopsy specimens from 4 groups: (1) patients with cirrhotic-stage NASH (n = 6), (2) patients with cirrhosis caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) (n = 6), (3) patients with cirrhosis secondary to primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) (n = 6), and (4) healthy controls (n = 6).

Fruit tree model for uptake of organic compounds from soil.

Apples and other fruits are frequently cultivated in gardens and are part of our daily diet. Uptake of pollutants into apples may therefore contribute to the human daily intake of toxic substances. In current risk assessment of polluted soils, regressions or models are in use, which were not intended to be used for tree fruits.

Suppression of hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) gene expression by daily melatonin supplementation in aging rats.

Both plasma melatonin levels and hypothalamic arcuate nucleus pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) (biosynthetic precursor to the endogenous opioid ss-endorphin and other opiomelanocortins) mRNA content decrease with aging. To test whether the decline in melatonin is responsible for the decline in POMC mRNA, we investigated the effects of daily melatonin treatment on hypothalamic POMC mRNA content in middle-aged and older Sprague-Dawley rats. Daily nocturnal melatonin treatment (50 microg kg bw(-1) night(-1), in the night-time drinking water) for 7 months, starting at 13 months of age, did not significantly alter female arcuate nucleus POMC mRNA content determined at the end of the light period (i.

Constipation in neurological diseases.

Hippocrates noted that "it is a general rule, that intestines become sluggish with age", though the precise mechanisms for this association remains uncertain even today.

Bupropion for the treatment of nicotine dependence in spit tobacco users: a pilot study.

Few pharmacological therapies have been shown to increase abstinence rates among spit tobacco (ST) users. Bupropion has been shown to be effective in increasing abstinence rates among smokers but has not been studied in ST users. Sixty-eight adult (aged > or = 18 years old) regular users of ST who were motivated to stop using ST were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of bupropion sustained release (SR) or placebo for 12 weeks.

Differential allograft gene expression in acute cellular rejection and recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation.

Treatment of acute cellular rejection (ACR) is associated with increased viral load, more severe histologic recurrence, and diminished patient and graft survival after liver transplantation for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Recurrence of HCV may be difficult to distinguish histologically from ACR. Because the immunologic mechanisms of ACR and HCV recurrence are likely to differ, we hypothesized that ACR is associated with the expression of a specific subset of immune activation genes that may serve as a diagnostic indicator of ACR and provide mechanistic insight into the pathophysiology of ACR and recurrence of HCV.

Paranasal sinus anatomy of Aegyptopithecus: implications for hominoid origins.

The East African Early Miocene apes, or proconsulids, have often been considered to be among the earliest members of the Hominoidea, as defined by the divergence of the Cercopithecoidea, but this hypothesis is only weakly supported by available fossil evidence. The ethmofrontal sinus is one of a few morphological features that may link proconsulids with later hominoids. Here we present direct evidence of an ethmofrontal sinus in an early Oligocene stem catarrhine, Aegyptopithecus zeuxis.

Patient outcomes beyond hospitalization: carotid endarterectomy surgical patient outcomes after a rapid recovery program.

Improved surgical techniques for carotid endarterectomy (CEA) surgical patients have resulted in improved postoperative hemodynamic stability of patients and reduced lengths of hospitalization. The purpose of this pilot project was to determine CEA patient outcomes after a rapid recovery hospitalization program. Thirty-nine patients were enrolled in the study and contacted at 1 month after CEA surgery to examine carotid occlusive disease clinical symptoms, functional status, atherosclerotic disease risk-factor reduction, and patient satisfaction.

Chronic daily ethanol and withdrawal: 3. Forebrain pro-opiomelanocortin gene expression and implications for dependence, relapse, and deprivation effect.

Background: Although forebrain pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-producing neurons seem to mediate or modulate many responses to ethanol consumption, changes in activity of this opiomelanocortinergic system in response to chronic ethanol consumption, withdrawal, and subsequent abstinence remain unresolved.

Methods: We investigated the effects of chronic daily ethanol consumption, withdrawal, and subsequent abstinence on adult male Sprague-Dawley rat forebrain opiomelanocortinergic activity as reflected by changes in hypothalamic POMC messenger RNA (mRNA) content by using a well characterized liquid diet model that we have previously demonstrated to accurately simulate not only daily oral ethanol consumption quantity and pattern, but also both neuroendocrine and behavioral changes characteristic of actively drinking and subsequently abstinent alcoholics.

Results: After 7 weeks of daily ethanol consumption at night and withdrawal during the day, evening mediobasal hypothalamus POMC mRNA concentrations were suppressed versus both ad libitum-fed and pair-fed controls.

Apolipoprotein synthesis in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

The pathophysiology of hepatic steatosis, a prerequisite of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, is poorly understood. Because very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) formation is the chief route of hepatic lipid export, we hypothesized that the synthesis of apoB-100, a rate-determining step in hepatic VLDL formation, may be altered in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This study evaluated the relative synthesis rates of apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB-100) in patients with NASH and in lean and body mass index (BMI)-matched (obese) controls without NASH.

Patient outcomes after peripheral revascularization surgery.

Acquired peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a significant problem in the United States, resulting in both morbidity and mortality. The purpose of the pilot study was to determine patient outcomes after peripheral revascularization surgery. The specific aims of the pilot study were to examine peripheral revascularization surgical patient outcomes (PVD-related clinical symptoms, functioning, atherosclerotic disease risk factor reduction, and patient satisfaction) and to determine the influence of selected patient demographic characteristics (gender, age) on selected patient outcomes (PVD-related clinical symptoms, functioning, atherosclerotic disease risk factor reduction, and patient satisfaction).

Rural, urban and suburban comparisons of preventive services in family practice clinics.

Numerous studies have compared health services provided in rural and urban areas, and overall they have found that utilization is lower in rural areas. A significant factor in lower utilization is that rural residents have less access to health services. Much less is known about rural and urban utilization differences once a patient has access to a service provider.

Chronic daily ethanol and withdrawal: 2. Behavioral changes during prolonged abstinence.

Background: Our previous investigations have suggested that alcohol abuse may induce persistently compromised hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function, which could increase risk for subsequent alcohol abuse. The apparent similarity of chronic alcohol abuse-induced HPA defects to the compromised HPA functions associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and atypical depression also suggest potential common mechanisms shared with varied neurobehavioral disorders. Accordingly, we have investigated persistent behavioral effects of previous repetitive daily ethanol consumption and withdrawal.

Aging-dependent changes in the effect of daily melatonin supplementation on rat metabolic and behavioral responses.

Pineal melatonin secretion has been reported to commonly decrease with aging, whereas intra-abdominal adiposity, plasma insulin and plasma leptin levels tend to increase. We recently demonstrated that daily melatonin administration starting at middle age suppressed male rat intra-abdominal fat, plasma leptin and plasma insulin to youthful levels, suggesting that aging-related changes in pineal melatonin secretion and in energy regulation may be functionally related. Accordingly, we have now investigated the effects of daily melatonin treatment on energy regulation in young versus middle-aged male Sprague Dawley rats.

Anthelmintic screening of Zimbabwean plants traditionally used against schistosomiasis.

Extracts of 23 plant species used popularly against schistosomiasis in Zimbabwe were screened for their anthelmintic effect. Schistosomules of the trematode Schistosoma mansoni and cysticercoids of the cestode Hymenolepis diminuta were studied in vitro. The material consisted of 58 plant extracts, of which 37 killed the newly excysted cysticercoids within an hour, when incubated in a culture medium.

Collaborative research: a community approach.

Collaborative nursing research is an effective means to increase research productivity. The essentials of collaborative research are contribution, communication, commitment, consensus, compatibility, and a cohesive approach toward a positive outcome. The purpose of the demonstration project was to describe a collaborative process in one community, culminating in a research utilization study and development of nursing standards pertaining to an aggregate population of patients.

Chronic daily ethanol and withdrawal: 1. Long-term changes in the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Background: Hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function has been demonstrated to be compromised for weeks and even months after alcoholics cease ethanol consumption. Because nonalcoholic subjects with family history-associated increased risk for alcoholism also exhibit compromised HPA function, it is not clear whether defects in the HPA axis of abstinent alcoholics reflect a preexisting condition that may be responsible for increased risk for alcohol abuse versus a persisting adaptational change in response to prolonged alcohol abuse. Consequently, we investigated whether chronic daily ethanol consumption and withdrawal by male Sprague Dawley rats would induce persistent HPA changes consistent with those demonstrated in abstinent alcoholics.