A systematic review of the associations between protective behavioral strategies and heavy alcohol consumption and consequences among young adults

OBJECTIVE

We systematically reviewed the literature to assess the association between use of alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) and young adult heavy drinking and alcohol-related consequences.

METHOD

We followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis guidelines to select and review research studies that were comprised of a sample of young adults ages 18-26, included PBS derived from one of 10 validated scales as an independent variable, measured heavy alcohol use or alcohol consequences as the dependent variable, and tested the direct association between the two. Studies were gathered via PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, APA PsycInfo, and Global Health. All identified study records underwent a two-step screening process and risk of bias assessment.

RESULTS

Data were extracted from 94 studies that met inclusion criteria; 16 studies (17%) examined associations with heavy alcohol use and 91 studies (97%) tested effects of PBS on alcohol consequences. All studies that measured a total effect of PBS use (summations across all strategies) found significant negative associations with heavy alcohol use and 91% were negatively associated with alcohol consequences. Most studies that examined subscales of PBS found at least one significant, negative relation with heavy alcohol use (73%) and alcohol-related consequences (78%), though effects varied across type of subscale (e.g., manner of drinking).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results support the use of PBS to address heavy alcohol consumption and related harms among young adults. Opportunities for refinement of current PBS in preventive interventions are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Likelihood of Young Adult Engagement in Protective Behavioral Strategies for Alcohol Use across Drinking Contexts: Implications for Adaptive Interventions

OBJECTIVE

This study examined how young adults' likelihood to engage in protective behavioral strategies (PBS) to reduce alcohol harms varies across physical and social contexts for drinking.

METHOD

We conducted an online survey with 514 heavy drinking young adults (Mage = 22.4 years, 52% women, 30% Hispanic/Latin(x), 40% non-White). Participants were asked to rate their likelihood to engage in 26 PBS generally, and specifically in six physical contexts (e.g., bar/club), and six social contexts (e.g., in a large group). We conducted regression analyses to examine the overall effect of context on the likelihood to engage in each PBS and post-hoc Tukey tests to assess pairwise comparisons of the differences in likelihood to engage in each PBS across response options for physical and social context. Analyses were conducted using the full sample, and for men and women separately.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in six strategies across physical contexts; likelihood to engage in PBS varied across public and private spaces for different strategies. We also found significant differences in five strategies across social contexts; participants were more likely to engage in PBS among larger numbers of people and those who are intoxicated. There were numerous differences in pairwise comparisons of PBS engagement across physical and social contexts for women, while men demonstrated only two differences in PBS across physical context.

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that alcohol interventions for young adults that include PBS should consider tailoring strategies to the individual and the specific context of the drinking event.

Patterns and predictors of adolescent engagement in a mindfulness-based social-emotional learning program

INTRODUCTION

Although mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) show promise for promoting positive youth development, little is known about student engagement in MBIs. Initial research presents mixed findings in MBI engagement related to participant characteristics, and there is a lack of research examining the influence of context on engagement, despite the critical role context plays in academic engagement. This study examines the contribution of student demographic characteristics and classroom context to MBI engagement.

METHODS

Survey engagement data were collected at three time points from 106 ninth grade students (Mage  = 14.17 years, 60.4% female, 44.2% Black, 24.8% Hispanic/Latino) who participated in the Be CALM program during the 2021-2022 school year. Latent growth curve modeling was used to examine trajectory of student engagement and assess student and classroom predictors of engagement.

RESULTS

There was no overall change in the trajectory of student engagement, although variability was observed across classes. Identifying as Hispanic/Latino was associated with lower engagement (β = -.25, p = .008), although this did not appear to be related to program experience. Peer connections predicted engagement at the end of the program (β = .39, p < .001). Post hoc analyses suggested that student engagement may be related to teacher program delivery quality.

CONCLUSIONS

Student engagement in MBIs appears related to classroom context more than student characteristics, although further research with larger samples is needed to assess the link between engagement and program outcomes. Findings have implications for designing school-based MBIs and training school staff to deliver them in culturally responsive ways.

Alcohol protective behavioral strategies for young adults: a content analysis across drinking contexts and gender

Background: Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are specific harm reduction behaviors which mitigate alcohol-related consequences among young adults. Prior work indicates PBS utilization varies according to drinking context and gender, suggesting a need for further research assessing whether young adults employ unidentified PBS according to such factors.Objectives: This study examined alcohol PBS young adults suggest using across drinking contexts and gender to inform alcohol-related harm reduction interventions.Methods: An online survey with 514 young adult heavy drinkers (n = 269 female, Mage = 22.36 years) assessed PBS use generally, and across 12 physical and social contexts. We utilized qualitative content analysis methods to code and derive themes from open-ended responses from a prompt asking participants to state additional PBS used per context. The frequency of each theme's appearance was calculated across the overall sample, by gender, and within each context.Results: PBS endorsement varied across context and gender within each theme. Young adults who reported PBS use most frequently endorsed utilizing strategies related to drink content (18.30%), social support (12.36%), and engaging in other activities (10.34%). Participants infrequently endorsed strategies related to awareness of time (0.23%), standards of behavior (0.78%) and avoiding environments (0.87%).Conclusions: Young adults endorse utilizing additional PBS in varying frequency according to drinking context and gender. Given PBS are often a key component of alcohol harm reduction interventions, monitoring trends in young adult PBS use is crucial to ensure continued relevance and efficacy of such interventions to minimize harms associated with young adult heavy alcohol use.

Neurofibromin colocalizes with mitochondria in cultured cells

Mutations in neurofibromatosis type 1 target the gene coding for neurofibromin. While neurofibromin is able to accelerate the rate of GTP hydrolysis by cellular Ras proteins, its biological function is not well understood. To gain information regarding its function, the intracellular localization of neurofibromin was analyzed in cultured cell lines using polyclonal antisera raised against four neurofibromin-specific peptides, three from the carboxyl terminus and one from the amino terminus. In methanol-fixed cells distinct rod-like structures distributed throughout the cytoplasm were recognized by the antisera. Similar structures were seen with each antiserum, including affinity-purified antibodies, and in each of the cultured cell lines tested. Similar structures were seen in paraformaldehyde-fixed cells. Double staining experiments showed that these structures colocalize with mitochondria, but not with actin, beta-tubulin, or endoplasmic reticulum. When actin or tubulin structures within the cell were disrupted by separate antimitotic drugs, these stained structures retained their shape. Neurofibromin association with mitochondria was confirmed biochemically when highly purified mitochondrial fractions from bovine heart tissue were shown in Western analysis to contain neurofibromin. This association might be helpful in predicting identification of some of the cellular proteins with which neurofibromin interacts.

Reduced expression of neurofibromin in human meningiomas

Meningiomas are common, mostly benign, tumours arising from leptomeningeal cells of the meninges, which frequently contain mutations in the neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) gene. In this study, we analysed a protein product of the neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) gene, neurofibromin, in human established leptomeningeal cells LTAg2B, in 17 sporadic meningiomas and in a meningioma from a patient affected by NF2. The expression level of neurofibromin was determined by immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation with anti-neurofibromin antibodies. The functional status of neurofibromin was analysed through its ability to stimulate the intrinsic GTPase activity of p21 ras. In the cytosolic extracts of four sporadic meningiomas and in the NF2-related meningioma, the expression level and the GTPase stimulatory activity of neurofibromin were drastically reduced compared with the level present in the human brain, human established leptomeningeal cells LTAg2B and the remaining 13 meningiomas. Our results suggest that neurofibromin is expressed in leptomeningeal cells LTAg2B and in most meningiomas, i.e. tumours derived from these cells. The reduced expression and GTPase stimulatory activity of neurofibromin was found in about 23% of meningiomas and in the single NF2-related meningioma analysed. These results suggest that decreased levels of neurofibromin in these tumours may contribute to their tumorigenesis.

Catalytic properties, tissue and intracellular distribution of neurofibromin

The neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) gene encodes a protein, neurofibromin, that shows homology with members of the GTPase-activating protein (GAP) family. To study neurofibromin, rabbit polyclonal antisera were raised against two synthetic peptides. These antisera immunoprecipitated a specific protein of about 240 kDa in lysates of adult murine and rat tissues both in the soluble (S100) and to a lesser degree in the particulate (P100) fractions. The neurofibromin immunoprecipitated from the lysates of several murine organs stimulated the intrinsic GTPase activity of p21 c-Ha-ras protein. Based on immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation and GTPase assays, neurofibromin appears to be at least 10-fold more abundant in the brain than in the other murine organs. The GTPase-stimulatory activity of full-length neurofibromin, like the catalytic GAP-related domain, is inhibited by arachidonic acid and the detergent dodecyl maltoside, while phosphatidic acid, containing arachidonic and stearic acid, is non-inhibitory. Immunofluorescence analysis with anti-neurofibromin sera in NIH3T3 cells suggests that at least some of the cellular protein associates with cytoplasmic structures that are distinct from actin or tubulin filaments.

Dominant inhibitory Ras mutants demonstrate the requirement for Ras activity in the action of tyrosine kinase oncogenes

Two inhibitory Ras mutant proteins [(Asn 17) Ras and RAST] were microinjected into NIH3T3 cells in order to compare their inhibitory activity with that of a neutralizing anti-ras antibody. Both mutants were able to block efficiently the mitogenic effects of serum added to quiescent NIH3T3 cells. Furthermore, each of the inhibitors blocked cell cycle progression at the same point as the injected anti-ras antibody, just prior to the initiation of a new round of DNA synthesis. Finally, as with the injected anti-ras antibody, each of the inhibitors was efficiently able to block proliferation and reverse the transformed morphology of cells transformed by tyrosine kinase oncogenes, while cells transformed by serine kinase oncogenes were unaffected. Therefore, results with all three reagents clearly indicate that cellular Ras activity is required in the late G1 phase of the cell cycle and is essential for the maintenance of the transformed phenotype induced by tyrosine but not serine kinase oncogenes. These studies demonstrate the utility of dominant inhibitory mutants as a means of interfering with the activity of cellular oncogenes.

Ras GTPase-activating protein physically associates with mitogenically active phospholipids

The physical interaction between GTPase-activating protein (GAP) and lipids has been characterized by two separate analyses. First, bacterially synthesized GAP molecules were found to associate with detergent-mixed micelles containing arachidonic but not with those containing arachidic acid. This association was detected by a faster elution time during molecular exclusion chromatography. Second, GAP molecules within a crude cellular lysate were specifically retained by a column on which certain lipids had been immobilized. The lipids able to retain GAP on such columns were identical to those which were shown previously to be most active in blocking GAP activity. The association between lipids and GAP was dependent upon magnesium ions. Lipids unable to inhibit GAP activity were also unable to physically associate with GAP. The tight association of GAP with these lipids was predicted by and helps to rationalize their ability to inhibit GAP activity.