Detecting Fake-Bad MMPI-A Profiles

This study examined the extent to which the validity scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A; Butcher et al., 1992) could identify adolescents who were faking-bad. This study also examined the extent to which the validity scales could differentiate between nonclinical adolescents instructed to fake-bad and both clinical and nonclinical adolescents who received standard instructions. Participants were 58 male and 80 female high school students and 58 male and 80 female adolescents from clinical settings. Results indicated that the mean profiles resembled those previously reported for adults on the MMPI (Graham, 1987) and MMPI-2 (Graham, Watts, & Timbrook, 1991) and for adolescents on the original MMPI (Archer, Gordon, & Kirchner, 1987). Accurate identification of students who were faking-bad was achieved. It was possible to differentiate between the clinical adolescents and nonclinical adolescents who were faking, and it was possible to differentiate between nonclinical adolescents who were faking and nonclinical adolescents with standard instructions; however, different cutoff scores were needed for these two discriminations. Optimal cutoff scores were presented.

Is a high-fiber diet safe for children?

OBJECTIVES

Although dietary fiber is associated with important health benefits in childhood, there have been concerns that very high fiber diets may result in adverse health effects. This report reviews the major safety concerns associated with consumption of very high fiber diets, estimates the amount of fiber that may cause adverse physiologic effects in children, and proposes safe levels of dietary fiber intake for children and adolescents.

METHODS

Published studies on dietary fiber intake in childhood were reviewed to determine major safety concerns, to document adverse effects, to characterize subjects involved and the dose and type of fiber consumed, and to estimate potential relevance to US children and adolescents. Levels of dietary fiber reported to have adverse health effects were compared with recommended levels of fiber intake for children older than 2 years of age.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

A review of the scientific literature suggests that a small loss of energy, protein, and fat may occur with a high intake of dietary fiber. However, this small loss of energy is unlikely to be significant to children consuming adequate levels of major nutrients, especially at conservative fiber intakes as recommended by the American Health Foundation's age plus 5 formula. In addition, it is estimated that even with a doubling of current dietary fiber, there is unlikely to be an adverse effect on serum vitamin and mineral concentrations in healthy US children consuming a balanced diet containing adequate levels of nutrients. Thus, evidence suggests that for US children, a moderate increase in dietary fiber is more likely to be healthful than harmful.

The psychopathology of incarcerated self-mutilators

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the symptomatology of severe psychopathology reported by male incarcerated self-multilators.

METHOD

Comparisons were made with a nonmutilating incarcerated group and a nonincarcerated, nonmutilator group.

RESULTS

A distinctive pattern of symptomatology emerged. Self-mutilators evidenced a wide range of elevated scores on general measures of psychological/psychiatric symptoms, particularly depression and hostility. Aspects of hostility that distinguished self-mutilators for other groups included the urge to act out hostile feelings, critical feelings towards others, paranoid feelings of hostility and guilt. Self-mutilators demonstrated substantial problems with substance abuse, particularly alcohol.

CONCLUSION

A pattern of passive-aggressive, schizoid and avoidant personality styles distinguished self-mutilators from other groups.

Factors affecting serum protein binding of cocaine in humans

The free (unbound) drug in serum is an important determinant of pharmacologic response. The present study was performed to more completely identify and evaluate factors affecting cocaine binding to human serum proteins. Protein binding was determined by ultrafiltration with [3H] cocaine. Cocaine binding parameters in serum from eight healthy volunteers were determined over a concentration range of 0.003 to 300 microM (0.001-100 micrograms/ml) and indicated cocaine binds to two classes of independent binding sites; one with high affinity [association constant (Ka) = 0.42 +/- 0.09 microM-1] and low capacity (N1 = 12.3 +/- 2.9 microM) and one with low affinity and high capacity (gamma = 0.41 +/- 0.05). Binding was concentration dependent with free fraction increasing from 0.16 +/- 0.05 to 0.68 +/- 0.02 over this concentration range. The binding capacity was significantly correlated with alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) concentration (r2 = 0.71, P = .0009). Binding studies were performed using AAG and human serum albumin (HSA) alone and together in phosphate buffer to determine the specific proteins responsible for cocaine binding. These studies revealed the binding of cocaine to AAG is potentiated by the presence of HSA as Ka for the first binding site increased from 0.08 microM-1 with AAG alone to 0.46 microM-1 with AAG combined with HSA 4 g/dl. Binding parameter estimates and cocaine free fraction in human serum and AAG 75 mg/dl plus HSA 4 g/dl in phosphate buffer were similar indicating that AAG and HSA are the principal binding proteins in serum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A new recommendation for dietary fiber in childhood

OBJECTIVE

The consumption of dietary fiber in childhood is associated with important health benefits, especially with respect to promoting normal laxation. Dietary fiber also may help reduce the future risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and adult-onset diabetes. At present, there are few specific guidelines for dietary fiber intake in childhood. Our goals were to review the benefits and risks of dietary fiber in childhood and to propose a safe and effective quantitative recommendation for the US pediatric population.

METHOD

Current intake of dietary fiber in childhood was reviewed, including data from the US Department of Agriculture Nationwide Food Consumption (1987-1988) and National Health and Nutrition Examination II (1976-1980) Survey. Current intake was compared with existing fiber recommendations, including the 0.5-g/kg guideline proposed by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition. Recommended fiber intake was reviewed with respect to levels required for specific health benefits, as well as levels that may result in adverse health effects.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

A new recommendation for dietary fiber intake was developed, based on the age of the child, health benefits, and safety concerns. We recommended that children older than 2 years of age consume a minimal amount of dietary fiber equivalent to age plus 5 g/d. A safe range of dietary fiber intake for children is suggested to be between age plus 5 and age plus 10 g/d. This range of dietary fiber intake is thought to be safe even if intake of some vitamins and minerals is marginal, should provide enough fiber for normal laxation, and may help prevent future chronic disease.

The psychophysiology of self-mutilation

Self-mutilators' psychophysiological and subjective responses during an imaged self-mutilative act were examined. Differences in arousal to 3 imaged control events (neutral, accidental injury, and aggression) were examined between 3 self-mutilation groups (prisoner, prisoner control, and nonprison control). Imagery scripts were presented in 4 stages; scene setting, approach, incident, and consequence. Results indicated a decrease in psychophysiological and subjective response during self-mutilation imagery. No such decrease was evident for nonmutilators who were administered standard self-mutilation imagery. A lag between psychophysiological and psychological response to the self-mutilative act was evident. Responses elicited during self-mutilation imagery were different from those of control imagery. Results indicated that self-mutilative behavior is maintained by its reinforcing tension-reducing qualities.

Importance of dietary fiber in childhood

Dietary fiber has important health benefits in childhood, especially in promoting normal laxation. Currently, children consume amounts of dietary fiber that appear to be inadequate for optimal health promotion and disease prevention. It is prudent to recommend that children older than 2 years of age increase dietary fiber intake to an amount equal to or greater than their age + 5 g/day. According to the "age + 5" rule dietary fiber intake would increase from 8 g/day at age 3 years to 25 g/day by age 20 years. After age 20, dietary fiber levels of 25 to 35 g/day are recommended. Dietary fiber intake should be increased gradually in childhood by increasing consumption of a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, and other whole-grain products. Although very high fiber intake in childhood could have adverse effects, the potential health benefits of a moderate increase in dietary fiber substantially outweigh the possible risks, especially in highly industrialized countries such as the United States. A safe range of dietary fiber intake for children may be between age + 5 and age + 10 g/day. This range is considered safe even for children and adolescents with marginal intakes of some vitamins and minerals; should provide enough dietary fiber for normal laxation; and may provide enough added dietary fiber to help prevent chronic diseases.

The psychophysiology of self-mutilation

Self-mutilators' psychophysiological and subjective responses during an imaged self-mutilative act were examined. Differences in arousal to 3 imaged control events (neutral, accidental injury, and aggression) were examined between 3 self-mutilation groups (prisoner, prisoner control, and nonprison control). Imagery scripts were presented in 4 stages; scene setting, approach, incident, and consequence. Results indicated a decrease in psychophysiological and subjective response during self-mutilation imagery. No such decrease was evident for nonmutilators who were administered standard self-mutilation imagery. A lag between psychophysiological and psychological response to the self-mutilative act was evident. Responses elicited during self-mutilation imagery were different from those of control imagery. Results indicated that self-mutilative behavior is maintained by its reinforcing tension-reducing qualities.

Maternal Lyme disease and congenital malformations: a cord blood serosurvey in endemic and control areas

This report describes a cohort study of over 5000 infants and their mothers who participated in a cord blood serosurvey designed to examine the relationship between maternal exposure to Lyme disease and adverse pregnancy outcome. Based on serology and reported clinical history, mothers of infants in an endemic hospital cohort are 5 to 20 times more likely to have been exposed to B. burgdorferi as compared with mothers of infants in a control hospital cohort. The incidence of total congenital malformations was not significantly different in the endemic cohort compared with the control cohort, but the rate of cardiac malformations was significantly higher in the endemic cohort [odds ratio (OR) 2.40; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25, 4.59] and the frequencies of certain minor malformations (haemangiomas, polydactyly, and hydrocele), were significantly increased in the control group. Demographic variations could only account for differences in the frequency of polydactyly. Within the endemic cohort, there were no differences in the rate of major or minor malformations or mean birthweight by category of possible maternal exposure to Lyme disease or cord blood serology. The disparity between observations at the population and individual levels requires further investigation. The absence of association at the individual level in the endemic area could be because of the small number of women who were actually exposed either in terms of serology or clinical history. The reason for the findings at the population level is not known but could be because of artifact or population differences.

Guidelines for screening, evaluating, and treating children with hypercholesterolemia

Hypercholesterolemia is the most frequently identified coronary heart disease risk factor in childhood, with 25% or more of children in the United States reported to have borderline high or high levels. This article provides a summary of current recommendations for cholesterol screening, evaluation, treatment, and follow-up in the pediatric office or clinic setting. Detection and treatment of pediatric dyslipidemia, however, is only one component of preventive cardiology and should be addressed in routine well child and adolescent care along with major efforts to prevent cigarette smoking, obesity, inactivity, and hypertension.

Soluble fiber enhances the hypocholesterolemic effect of the step I diet in childhood

BACKGROUND

Psyllium, a water-soluble fiber, has been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in studies of adults. A small number of studies in children have produced variable results.

METHODS

A 12-week, randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel clinical trial was conducted to test the effectiveness of psyllium in lowering total (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in 50 healthy 2 to 11 year old children. Children with two baseline LDL-C levels > or = 110 mg/dL were invited to participate in the trial, and were randomly assigned to follow a usual Step I (Control) diet of low dietary fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, or a Step I diet enriched with psyllium. Children consumed two 1-oz boxes of cereal per day, with each box of psyllium-enriched cereal containing 3.2 g of soluble fiber, and each box of placebo cereal containing less than 0.5 g of soluble fiber.

RESULTS

Greater reduction of total and LDL-cholesterol, and increase in HDL-cholesterol were noted after 12 weeks of the psyllium-enriched Step I diet compared to the Step I control diet. Total cholesterol decreased 21 mg/dL for the high fiber group compared with 11.5 mg/dL for the control group. LDL-C decreased 23 mg/dL for the high fiber group compared with 8.5 mg/dL for the control group. HDL-C increased 4 mg/dL for the high fiber group compared with 1 mg/dL for the controls. TC/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios decreased significantly more so for the high fiber group as well.

CONCLUSIONS

In this 12-week study, soluble fiber (psyllium) provided added benefit to the Step I diet in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

Preschool teachers' theoretical and pedagogical stances on the language and literacy development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Implications for teacher preparation and in-service programs

This study was an investigation into three preschool teachers' theoretical and pedagogical stances on the language and literacy development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Transcripts from formal, audiotaped interviews provided the primary data source for the investigation of the teachers' theoretical orientations toward language and literacy learning. The primary data sources used in examining the teachers' instructional practices were videotape recordings, handwritten field notes, and photographs of the teachers and their students participating in classroom language and literacy events over a six-month period. Data were analyzed inductively using the procedures and techniques related to grounded theory analysis. Results of the study indicated that the teachers held differing theories and that these theories influenced the teachers' instruction in significant ways. The study highlights the growth in one teacher's perspectives and the resulting changes in her classroom practice.

Hidden advantages for men in nursing

Men comprise a small minority of professional nurses in the United States. Yet men in nursing earn more money than women on average, and they are overrepresented in administration and other prestigious specialties. This article explores the hidden advantages for men in the profession, focusing on (1) hiring and promotions, (2) relationships with physicians and colleagues, and (3) relationships with patients. Data from in-depth interviews with male nurses throughout the United States are used to demonstrate that cultural and social stereotypes about masculinity pressure men into some of the best-paying and most prestigious nursing specialties. Administrators are encouraged to develop more gender-sensitive criteria for evaluating performance that reward both reputedly "masculine" and "feminine" qualities.

"Don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue": military policy and the construction of heterosexual masculinity

This paper presents a description and analysis of military policy excluding lesbians and gay men. First, we discuss the current policy, review its official rationale, and outline the various criticisms that have been made against it. Next, we suggest an alternative framework for the policy's persistence. Drawing on work in feminist theory, we argue that the military's restrictions on the service of lesbians and gay men reflects an institutional and cultural privileging of a heterosexual masculine ideal. We conclude by speculating on the interests that lie behind the perpetuation of this ideal of soldiering.

Peer participation in Project Northland: a community-wide alcohol use prevention project

This paper describes the rationale, conceptual framework, and program components of a peer participation program for prevention of alcohol use among young adolescents. The peer participation program was one component of Project Northland, a community-wide program that seeks to prevent or delay onset of alcohol use among a cohort of young adolescents. The peer participation program, implemented in 20 northeastern Minnesota schools when students were in seventh grade, consisted of student groups who planned supervised, alcohol-free activities for themselves and their classmates. Program goals included 1) providing peer leadership and social support for non-use of alcohol, 2) creating opportunities for alternative behaviors to alcohol use, thereby 3) creating a norm of non-use among young adolescents.

Item level improvements for use of the MMPI with adolescents

The decision to develop a separate adolescent form of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (i.e., the MMPI-A) raised questions about continued use of 20 original items that seemed unnecessarily ambiguous in content when employed with younger students (Ss). The responses of 362 academically gifted boys, aged 14 to 17 years, from an urban Catholic high school were compared on the experimental 704-item Form TX of the MMPI and a form containing 20 rewritten and 9 control items. The psychometric properties of the rewritten items indicated the same or better performance than that on the original versions while improving the items' face validity and reducing item ambiguity. Responses from 321 Ss to a follow-up questionnaire suggested eliminating offensive or irrelevant items and reducing the test's length would increase acceptance of the MMPI-A.

Enhancement of memory processing in an inhibitory avoidance and radial maze task by post-training infusion of bombesin into the nucleus tractus solitarius

Bombesin is a peptide known to modulate memory storage when given either systemically or intraventricularly immediately after training. Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) mediates the effects of bombesin on memory. In the first experiment male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained in an inhibitory avoidance task (0.35 mA, 0.5 s footshock) and bombesin or vehicle was infused unilaterally into the NTS through implanted cannulae immediately after training. Retention was assessed either 2 or 7 days later. Doses of 25 or 50 ng of bombesin significantly enhanced retention on the 2 day test (P < 0.05 and 0.01 compared with vehicle controls, respectively). There were no differences between the drug and control groups on the 7 day retention test. In the second experiment, bombesin (25, 50, or 250 ng) or vehicle was infused unilaterally into the NTS immediately after the animals were trained in a win-shift radial arm maze task. On retention tests given 18 h later, groups that received 25 ng or 50 ng of bombesin made a significantly greater percentage of correct choices on the retention test than did the vehicle-treated controls (P < 0.02 and P < 0.05, respectively). The findings indicating that bombesin influences retention by activating the NTS is consistent with recent evidence suggesting that the NTS is involved in regulating memory storage.

Preventive cardiology in primary care

Primary care physicians play a pivotal role in the successful implementation of the National Cholesterol Educational Program (NCEP) guidelines for both population and high-risk approaches to reduce blood cholesterol levels in children and adults. Increasingly, in this era of health cost containment, the primary care physician is recognized as (1) the main and sometimes the only source of health care for large numbers of individuals; (2) the affordable physician and (3) the gatekeeper for referral to medical specialists. Achievement of NCEP guidelines for cholesterol reduction, American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease, and Year 2000 National Objectives for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention will all rely heavily on the active cooperation and support of practicing internists, pediatricians, and family/general practitioners in providing patient education, risk factor evaluation and intervention. Although the majority of primary care physicians intuitively support the concept of preventive cardiology and generally have a high level of knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors, a significant gap remains between physician knowledge and attitudes and the actual practice of preventive cardiology in clinical practice. Despite these limitations in implementation of clinical guidelines, significant progress has been made in the past decade in reaching NCEP and Year 2000 goals for population-wide cholesterol reduction.

Contribution of the vagus nerve in mediating the memory-facilitating effects of substance P

The present study determined whether the effects of peripherally administered substance P on memory are mediated via activation of the vagus nerve. Rats were submitted to subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, sham vagotomy or non-operated, and trained in a step-down inhibitory avoidance task and tested 24 h later. Posttraining administration of 50 micrograms/kg of SP facilitated retention performance in non-operated and sham-operated groups. The facilitating effects of 50 micrograms/kg of SP was blocked by vagotomy, although vagotomy did not attenuate the memory-enhancing effects of larger doses (250 and 500 micrograms/kg). These results suggest that the mnemotropic effects of peripherally administered SP are sensitive to the functional integrity of the vagus nerve. Alternatively, the vagus nerve may be one pathway but not the only pathway by which systemic SP influences the memory storage processes in the brain.

SNF9007: a novel analgesic that acts simultaneously at delta 1, delta 2 and mu opioid receptors

Intracerebroventricular administration of the synthetic cholecystokinin analog SNF9007 (Asp-Tyr-D-Phe-Gly-Trp-[NMe]-Nle-Asp-Phe-NH2) produced antinociception in the mouse hot-plate and warm water tail-flick tests. The mechanisms of its analgesic actions were assessed by administering antagonists selective for CCK (cholecystokinin octapeptide, sulfated)-A and CCK-B receptors, as well as specific antagonists for the mu opioid receptor (D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2, 1 microgram i.c.v.), the delta-1 opioid receptor [D-Ala2-Leu5,Cys6]enkephalin, 4.57 nmol i.c.v., 24 hr pretreatment), the delta-2 opioid receptor (naltrindole benzofuran, 25 pmol i.c.v.) and the kappa opioid receptor (nor-binaltorphimine, 10 mg/kg s.c.). The antinociceptive activity of SNF9007 was not a result of the activation of CCK receptors, as treatment with either CCK-A or CCK-B receptor antagonist was ineffective in blocking SNF9007 antinociception. Nor-binaltorphimine and naltrindole benzofuran were completely ineffective in blocking SNF9007 antinociception when administered alone or in combination. However, co-administration of delta-1 or delta-2 opioid receptor antagonists with the mu opioid receptor antagonist D-Phe-Cys-Tyr-D-Trp-Arg-Thr-Pen-Thr-NH2 resulted in a dramatic reduction in analgesic responses to SNF9007. Furthermore, the co-administration of mu+delta-1 + delta-2 opioid receptor antagonists resulted in an even greater inhibition of SNF9007 antinociception (> 10-fold shift). We conclude that SNF9007 acts simultaneously at brain delta-1, delta-2 and mu opioid receptors to induce antinociceptive effects in mice.

Development of MMPI-A alcohol/drug problem scales

The present study introduces two new scales for the assessment of alcohol and other drug problems developed from the new Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI-A), including the rationally constructed Alcohol/Drug Problems Acknowledgement Scale (ACK) and the empirically-derived Alcohol/Drug Problems Proneness Scale (PRO). Validity of these scales is examined by comparing scores from a sample of adolescents hospitalized for alcohol and other drug problems with a normative sample of adolescents and with a sample of adolescents in psychiatric inpatient treatment. Results suggest that ACK and PRO show promise in the detection and description of alcohol and other drug problems in young people. Comparisons of ACK and PRO with other adult-derived MMPI-2 scales (e.g., the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale, MAC-R and the Addiction Potential Scale) provide support for the practice of developing age-appropriate instruments for adolescents.

Geographical origin of an introduced insect pest, Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel), determined by RAPD analysis

The Argentine stem weevil, Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important introduced pasture pest in New Zealand. In this study geographical populations of this species were analysed using polymerase chain reaction-based randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), in an attempt to determine the geographical origin of the pest. Morphologically indistinguishable individuals were collected from nine South American, five New Zealand and one Australian populations. Ten primers were screened for usefulness, two of which revealed significant, scorable polymorphisms between these populations. The results indicated that the sampled New Zealand L. bonariensis populations originated from the east coast of South America.