Ambient temperature and violent crime: tests of the linear and curvilinear hypotheses

Laboratory research on the effects of temperature has led theorists to propose a curvilinear model relating negative affect and aggression. Two alternative explanations of these lab findings are proposed--one artifactual, one based on attributions for arousal. Both alternatives predict a linear relationship between temperature and aggression in real-world settings, whereas the negative affect curvilinear model predicts a specific curvilinear effect. Two studies are reported that investigated the relationship between temperature and violent crime. Both studies yielded significant linear relationships and failed to demonstrate the specified curvilinear relationship. Also, both studies yielded significant day-of-the-week effects. Implications of these findings for the study of aggression are discussed.

Neither motor responses nor gastric emptying vary in response to formula temperature in preterm infants

The purpose of this study was to assess gastrointestinal responses to formula temperature in preterm infants. Healthy preterm infants were fed 4,250 KJ/l formula at 6, 24, and 37 degrees C. There was no significant difference in the magnitude of antral or duodenal motor responses among the three temperatures. All infants emptied approximately one third of the bolus feeding by 20 min, but there was no difference among the temperatures. Approximately 10-20% of a bolus feeding remained in the stomach 2 h postprandially, but there was no difference among the temperatures. Thermoreceptors do not appear to be functionally present in the preterm infant, suggesting that the benefit of feeding warmed formula to the preterm infant my have a limited physiological value.

Results of laparoscopically assisted colon resection for carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Surgical resection is the primary treatment for colorectal carcinoma. Laparoscopically assisted colon resection technically is feasible for both benign and malignant disease. However, the role of laparoscopically assisted colon resection for carcinoma is controversial.

METHODS

We prospectively studied our first 100 patients with colorectal carcinoma who successfully underwent laparoscopically assisted colon resection for the carcinoma.

RESULTS

The pathologic stages were Dukes' categories A-16, B-52, C-25, and D-7. Operative mortality and morbidity were 2% and 22%, respectively. During a mean follow-up period of 40.3 months, recurrence by stage was zero patients with stage A disease, five patients with stage B disease, nine patients with stage C disease. Thirteen of these patients died as a result of their disease. At this writing, 60 patients are alive without evidence of disease, and 23 have completed the study disease free after more than 60 months. The 5-year survival probabilities by stage were 100% for stage A, 76.8% for stage B, and 51.7% for stage C.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopically assisted colectomy for cancer can be performed safely. The recurrence rate after laparoscopically assisted resection appears to be at least as good as after open resection. Results from ongoing prospective, randomized trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Behavioral and characterological attributional styles as predictors of depression and loneliness: review, refinement, and test

The literature on self-blame and depression reveals two interrelated problems. First, although R. Janoff-Bulman's (1979) conceptualizations of self-blame are clear, empirical operationalization is difficult and has resulted in approaches that do not capture the richness of the constructs. Second, past research has produced inconsistent findings. A comprehensive literature review revealed that the inconsistencies are related to the method of assessing attributions. A correlational study designed to more accurately represent the self-blame conceptualization revealed that both behavioral and characterological self-blame contribute uniquely to depression and loneliness. Supplementary results regarding circumstantial attributions and regarding attributional styles for success were presented. Empirical issues regarding possible methodological refinements and effect size, as well as the value of categorical approaches to the study of attributional style were discussed.

Ocular infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) in vitamin A-deficient and control rats

An experimental model was developed for studying ocular infections with herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 in vitamin A-deficient (-A) and pair-fed control (+A) rats. The severity and course of the disease was evaluated by clinical examination, slit lamp biomicroscopy and histopathologic observations. Experimental animals were in good health and were infected in the early stages of vitamin deficiency (either prior to or at the beginning of the weight plateau). In all trials the onset of herpetic keratitis was more rapid and the clinical disease more severe in -A rats compared to +A controls. Mean slit lamp scores (which assessed the severity of the corneal disease) increased from 3 to 10 d after infection and were higher (P less than 0.002) in -A rats at all time points and doses of virus tested. The inflammatory response in the cornea and uveal tract of -A rats was significantly higher than that of +A animals. Since ocular HSV disease is a common cause of blindness, the availability of a rat model should be valuable in studies of the role of nutritional factors in host susceptibility and response to viral challenge. Mild vitamin A deficiency increased the severity of experimental corneal HSV infections and resulted in a high incidence of epithelial ulceration and necrosis.

Temperature and aggression: effects on quarterly, yearly, and city rates of violent and nonviolent crime

The hypothesized relation between uncomfortably hot temperatures and aggressive behavior was examined in two studies of violent and nonviolent crime. Data on rates of murder, rape, assault, robbery, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft were gathered from archival sources. The first three crimes listed are violent; the latter four are less violent (labeled nonviolent). On the basis of previous research and theory (Anderson & Anderson, 1984), it was predicted that violent crimes would be more prevalent in the hotter quarters of the year and in hotter years. Furthermore, it was predicted that this temperature-crime relation would be stronger for violent than for nonviolent crime. Study 1 confirmed both predictions. Also, differences among cities in violent crime were predicted to be related to the hotness of cities; this effect was expected to be stronger for violent than for nonviolent crimes. Study 2 confirmed both predictions, even when effects of a variety of social, demographic, and economic variables were statistically removed. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Swallowing in sleep and wakefulness in adult cats

Clinical evidence indicates that swallowing, a vital function, may be impaired in sleep. To address this issue, we elicited swallows in awake and sleeping adult cats by injecting water through a nasopharyngeal tube. Our results indicate that swallowing occurs not only in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, but also in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In NREM sleep, the injections often caused arousal followed by swallowing, but, in the majority of cases, swallowing occurred in NREM sleep before arousal. These swallows in NREM sleep were entirely comparable to swallows in wakefulness. In contrast, the injections in REM sleep were less likely to cause arousal, and the swallows occurred as hypotonic events. Furthermore, apneas were sometimes elicited by the injections in REM sleep, and there was repetitive swallowing upon arousal. These results suggest that the hypotonic swallows of REM sleep were ineffective.

One and one-half syndrome with supranuclear facial weakness: magnetic resonance imaging localization

OBJECTIVE

To provide clinicoanatomical correlation for a small pontine tegmental ischemic stroke producing the one and one-half syndrome associated with supranuclear facial weakness.

DESIGN

Case report.

SETTING

Tertiary care center.

PATIENT

A 70-year-old man developed left-sided facial weakness sparing the forehead, a left internuclear ophthalmoplegia, and a complete left horizontal gaze palsy immediately after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a small lesion in the left paramedian aspect of the dorsal pontine tegmentum.

MAIN OUTCOME AND RESULTS

Electromyographic findings were consistent with supranuclear facial involvement. The patient had nearly complete recovery after 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first report of supranuclear facial weakness in association with the one and one-half syndrome. The location of the lesion provides evidence of the existence of corticofugal fibers that extend to the facial nucleus in the dorsal paramedian pontine tegmentum.

Erotomania after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: case report and literature review

A woman developed the delusional syndrome of erotomania 4 years after subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured basilar artery aneurysm. The authors review the literature on erotomania in association with neurologic and medical conditions. Although no cause-and-effect relationship can be established between the neurologic event and erotomania in this patient, the possible neuropsychiatric correlates of this syndrome highlight the need for careful attention to neurologic and medical factors in future cases. Available information suggests that diffuse brain dysfunction may contribute to erotomania, perhaps by interfering with the operations of cerebral regions subserving complex emotional function.

The determination of nonylphenol ethylene oxide detergents in wool grease

The nonylphenol ethylene oxide nonionic detergent is extracted from wool grease by methanol under reflux and estimated from the infrared absorption at 1510 cm−1. The method estimates between 90 and 100% of the detergent present and is independent of the type of grease. Commercial wool greases recovered from nonionic-detergent wool-scouring liquors contained between 0·5 and 2·4% detergent.

A specialist toxicity database (TRACE) is more effective than its larger, commercially available counterparts

The retrieval precision and recall of a specialist bibliographic toxicity database (TRACE) and a range of widely available bibliographic databases used to identify toxicity papers were compared. The analysis indicated that the larger size and resources of the major bibliographic databases did not, for a series of test queries, assure superior retrieval of relevant papers. The specialist database, in which document selection and indexing is undertaken by the same expert toxicologists who use the database in their day-to-day work, achieved markedly better retrieval, using simpler search strategies, than the other databases. Specialist databases may offer a valuable alternative to the existing major bibliographic databases. The concept of relevance, as used to determine the effectiveness of bibliographic databases, is discussed.

A scanning electron microscope study of the morphology of rhinoceros horn

The morphology of rhinoceros horn as revealed by the scanning electron microscope is reported. The results are broadly consistent with previous studies of the material. Two different-shaped cortical cell units are shown to exist.

Evaluation of an awareness enhancement device for the treatment of thumb sucking in children

An evaluation of the awareness enhancement device (AED) described by Rapp, Miltenberger, and Long (1998) was conducted with 2 children who engaged in thumb sucking past the age at which it was developmentally appropriate. The AED effectively suppressed thumb sucking for both children. Future research evaluating the AED is discussed.

Implementing continuous quality improvement (CQI) in hospitals: lessons learned from the International Quality Study

Continuous Quality Improvement is in the process of being implemented in hospitals around the world. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of the "best management practices" the International Quality Study is being conducted in four countries--Canada, Germany, Japan and the United States--and across four industries--Health Care, Banking, Automotive and Computers. Information collected through a survey process will be analysed through causal modeling to determine correlations between management practices and achievement of quality objectives. Given both the complexity of the models and the number of key concepts involved, 400 hospitals have been invited to participate. The preliminary results show direct correlations between cultural influences and the concept of quality. The perceived definition of quality by the various countries varies and therefore the application of "quality concepts" differs. Once complete, this database of "best management practices" will serve as a worldwide benchmark for quality progress.

Evaluation of murine cytomegalovirus antibody detection by serological techniques

Naturally acquired murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection in laboratory strains of mice induces antibody levels which are generally undetectable by standard techniques; therefore, MCMV has not been included routinely in mouse viral antibody screening programs. The relative sensitivity of three assay systems, the nuclear anticomplement immunofluorescence (NACIF), the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the complement fixation (CF) test, was evaluated for the detection of MCMV antibodies. Sera were harvested from CD1 male mice (33 days old) infected intraperitoneally with salivary gland-passaged MCMV (Smith strain). The sera were assayed separately at weeks 1 through 8, and at week 11, 16, and 25 post-inoculation; a total of 167 mice in 11 groups were tested. The animals tested at 1 week post-inoculation had low levels of antibodies to MCMV as measured by the NACIF test (1:10), whereas only 25% were positive by ELISA, and none was positive by CF until 5 weeks post-inoculation. A higher titer of MCMV antibodies was measured by CF (1:640) than by NACIF (1:40) at 6 months post-inoculation; yet, a titer of 1:3,200 was detected by ELISA from the same serum. The ELISA technique was more sensitive for detecting persistent infection with MCMV, and NACIF was more useful for detecting acute MCMV infection. Since MCMV can have significant long-term effects on the immune system, it is recommended that testing for antibodies to MCMV be included in mouse viral antibody screening protocols.

Operative and survival outcomes in a series of 100 consecutive cases of robot-assisted transhiatal esophagectomies

Robotic-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy (RATE) is a technically complex procedure with potential for improved postoperative outcomes. In this report, we describe our experience with RATE in a large case series. A retrospective review was conducted to collect clinical, outcomes, and survival data for 100 consecutive patients with esophageal cancer (n = 98) and benign (n = 2) conditions undergoing RATE between March 2007 and December 2014. Progression-free (PFS) and overall (OS) survival were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier curves with comparisons by log-rank tests. Median operative time and estimated blood loss were 264 minutes and 75 mL, respectively. Median intensive care unit stay was 1 day and median length of hospital stay was 8 days. Postoperative complications commonly observed were nonmalignant pleural effusion (38%) and recurrent laryngeal nerve injury (33%); 30 day mortality rate was 2%. Median number of lymph nodes removed during RATE was 17 and R0 resection was achieved in 97.8% patients. At the end of the median follow-up period of 27.7 months, median PFS was 41 months and median OS was 54 months. 1-year and 3-year PFS rates were 82% (95% CI, 75%-89%) and 53% (95% CI, 42%-62%), respectively, and OS rates were 95% (95% CI, 91%-99%) and 57% (95% CI, 46%-67%). In our experience, RATE is an effective and safe oncologic surgical procedure in a carefully selected group of patients with acceptable operative time, minimal blood loss, standard postoperative morbidity and adequate PFS and OS profiles.

Axonal spheroids in the cochlear nucleus of normal beagle dogs

In the course of drug evaluation studies, sporadic axonal spheroids were identified in the cochlear nucleus of 8-15-month-old Beagle dogs. These structures were identified by Bielschowski histochemical and anti-neurofilament immunohistochemical stains and by ultrastructural examination. No cellular reaction or significant neuropil alterations were associated with the presence of the spheroids. Their presence was unrelated to treatment and were considered to be an incidental background finding.

Use of fixed autologous stimulator cells to correctly present human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral peptides to nonhuman primate lymphocytes in proliferation and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte assays

Autologous, virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines were established by using peripheral blood lymphocytes from rhesus monkeys that were previously immunized with recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 strain IIIB glycoprotein 160. These autologous cell lines were used to present human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral antigens in a processed and cell-associated manner to T lymphocytes. This was accomplished by either infecting the cells with recombinant vaccinia viruses or pulsing them with synthetic peptides and then subjecting them to a mild fixation step with glutaraldehyde. Fixed antigen-presenting cells were then used as stimulator cells in vitro to measure cell-mediated immune responses. Both the vaccinia virus-infected and peptide-pulsed autologous cells stimulated antigen-specific cellular proliferative responses. The magnitude of the responses correlated with the immunization histories of the animals and other measures of immunity, such as antibody titers. Autologous vaccinia virus-infected cells were also capable of inducing the in vitro maturation of CD4+ and CD8+ precursor cytotoxic T lymphocytes into antigen-specific mature cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The use of stimulator cells to present viral peptides in a cell-associated manner appeared to be a very sensitive and versatile manner in which to measure cell-mediated immune responses with peripheral blood lymphocytes from nonhuman primates. It is likely that a similar approach will function with peripheral blood lymphocytes from humans.

Ethics committees and quality improvement: a necessary link

As today's health care system undergoes dramatic changes, it becomes imperative that quality improvement efforts mesh with these changes to maintain quality outcomes in patient care. The confusing flurry of health care reform, cost containment, resource allocation, and advances in medical technology raises a variety of ethical issues. In the recent past ethics committees have been one strategy used to provide direction and support to care providers facing ethical dilemmas in clinical practice. The mutual goal of quality outcomes for the patient provides the rationale for linking quality improvement programs with ethics committees. As we move toward a more integrated and seamless health care system, this link may be critical to quality outcomes in caring for the patient from cradle to grave.

Childhood cancer and vulnerability for significant academic underachievement

Learning difficulties related to childhood cancer with its intense physical and psychosocial stresses are examined by comparison of 22 oncology patients and 22 children referred for psychiatric/psychological evaluation. Findings demonstrate, among children undergoing treatment of cancer, some academic vulnerabilities for which psychosocial aspects may not fully account and which become prominent under comparisons of within-subject differences between normalized scores of the WISC-R Verbal IQ and the PIAT Reading (p < .05) or Spelling (p < .01) subtests. Moreover, when members of the oncology group, who had already been placed in learning disabilities programs, were added to those defined as significantly underachieving by McLeod's method, it appeared that nearly a third of the oncology sample were encountering marked academic inhibitions.

Surveillance of mice for antibodies to murine cytomegalovirus

The sera of 256 mice from nine commercial sources were screened for antibodies to murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) because a surveillance of this virus has not been reported in the literature for over a decade. Although no evidence of antibodies to MCMV were detected by complement fixation or nuclear anticomplement immunofluorescence, 54.7% of these sera did have antibodies that were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These data emphasize the need for proper containment of laboratory mice to prevent the potential outbreak of acute MCMV infection. Including MCMV antibody surveillance by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in routine health monitoring of mice and imparting these findings in an analysis of the role of MCMV on interpretation of experimental results is advised.