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Collection of urine samples in human studies involves choices regarding shipping, sample preservation, and storage that may ultimately influence future analysis. As more studies collect and archive urine samples to evaluate environmental exposures in the future, we were interested in assessing the impact of urine preservative, storage temperature, and time since collection on nonpersistent contaminants in urine samples. In spiked urine samples stored in three types of urine vacutainers (no preservative, boric acid, and chlorhexidine), we measured five groups of contaminants to assess the levels of these analytes at five time points (0, 24, 48, and 72 h, and 1 week) and at two temperatures (room temperature and 4°C). The target chemicals were bisphenol A (BPA), metabolites of organophosphate (OP), carbamate, and pyrethroid insecticides, chlorinated phenols, and phthalate monoesters, and were measured using five different mass spectrometry-based methods. Three samples were analyzed at each time point, with the exception of BPA. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate effects of storage time, temperature, and preservative. Stability was summarized with percent change in mean concentration from time 0. In general, most analytes were stable under all conditions with changes in mean concentration over time, temperature, and preservative being generally less than 20%, with the exception of the OP metabolites in the presence of boric acid. The effect of storage temperature was less important than time since collection. The precision of the laboratory measurements was high allowing us to observe small differences, which may not be important when categorizing individuals into broader exposure groups.

Exposure to phthalates is widespread because of their use in plastics, cosmetics, and other consumer products. Phthalate exposure has been associated with adverse respiratory outcomes in children. With urinary phthalate measures, we assessed the association between phthalate exposure and four pulmonary function parameters [forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at 1 sec (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximum mid-expiratory flow] among the 240 adult Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) participants with urinary phthalate data. Linear regression models controlled for race, age, age squared, standing height, body mass index, cumulative smoking, and current smoking. Monobutyl phthalate (MBP) was significantly associated with decrements in three measures of pulmonary function (FVC, FEV1, PEF) in males but not in females. For a change from the 25th to the 75th percentile in MBP level among men, FEV1decreased 112 mL (SE = 51, p = 0.03). Monoethyl phthalate (MEP) was associated with lower FVC and FEV1values in men. Monoethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), the metabolite of the plasticizer commonly used in medical tubing, was not adversely associated with any of the pulmonary function parameters evaluated. Our results suggest that MBP and MEP, but not MEHP, may influence pulmonary function among adult males.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is high among U.S. women, yet information is limited on use among women at increased breast cancer risk. We analyzed CAM use among women with a family history of breast cancer. CAM use was analyzed among women enrolled 2003–2009 in the Sister Study cohort. Eligible women were aged 35–74, U.S. or Puerto Rican residents, no personal history of breast cancer, and had ≥1 sister with breast cancer. Baseline data on CAM use in the past year were available for 49,734 women. Logistic regression models examined the association between CAM use and Gail Model breast cancer risk score. Results were compared to female participants in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey ( n  = 7965). Among Sister Study participants, there was high use of vitamin/mineral supplements (79 %), mind-body practices (41 %), manipulative/body-based practices (32 %), and botanicals (23 %). Overall use was higher than the U.S. female population. No association was observed between familial breast cancer risk and CAM use. Black women were more likely to use spirituality/meditation-based CAM modalities, while non-Hispanic white and Asian women were high users of dietary supplements. In a cohort of women with increased breast cancer risk due to family history, CAM use is higher than women in the general U.S. population and is associated with race/ethnicity. Use was not associated with breast cancer risk. Given the high prevalence of CAM use among women at risk for breast caner, research on the effectiveness of CAM use for disease prevention is needed.

Collection of urine samples in human studies involves choices regarding shipping, sample preservation, and storage that may ultimately influence future analysis. As more studies collect and archive urine samples to evaluate environmental exposures in the future, we were interested in assessing the impact of urine preservative, storage temperature, and time since collection on nonpersistent contaminants in urine samples. In spiked urine samples stored in three types of urine vacutainers (no preservative, boric acid, and chlorhexidine), we measured five groups of contaminants to assess the levels of these analytes at five time points (0, 24, 48, and 72 h, and 1 week) and at two temperatures (room temperature and 4 degrees C). The target chemicals were bisphenol A (BPA), metabolites of organophosphate (OP), carbamate, and pyrethroid insecticides, chlorinated phenols, and phthalate monoesters, and were measured using five different mass spectrometry-based methods. Three samples were analyzed at each time point, with the exception of BPA. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate effects of storage time, temperature, and preservative. Stability was summarized with percent change in mean concentration from time 0. In general, most analytes were stable under all conditions with changes in mean concentration over time, temperature, and preservative being generally less than 20%, with the exception of the OP metabolites in the presence of boric acid. The effect of storage temperature was less important than time since collection. The precision of the laboratory measurements was high allowing us to observe small differences, which may not be important when categorizing individuals into broader exposure groups.

Traumatic life events such as physical and sexual assault, accidents, combat, and witnessing violence or death have been implicated in the development of a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Recently, attention has been focused on the possible etiological role of such traumatic events in childhood and adolescence in the development of certain personality disorders. Researchers have found an overrepresentation of antisocial personality disorder in combat veterans and borderline personality disorder in victims of childhood sexual abuse, for example. Little attention has been paid, however, to determining if traumatic events play a role in the development of other personality disorders. Such knowledge is needed both to increase our understanding of personality disorders and trauma, and to enhance our effectiveness in treating such disorders. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between traumatic life events, particularly those occurring in childhood (age 16 and under), and the subsequent development of DSM-III-R Axis II symptomatology. Twenty-nine subjects hospitalized in an affective disorders psychiatric inpatient unit were administered semi-structured interviews assessing lifetime experiences of traumatic events, lifetime and current PTSD symptoms, and current DSM-III-R Axis II symptoms. Subjects were excluded from the study on the basis of psychosis and cognitive impairment. In addition, some potential subjects were excluded on the basis of their primary physicians' judgment that they were too acutely psychologically unstable to undergo a traumatic history interview. These patients were likely to be exhibiting prototypical borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms (such as self-injurious behaviors) and their exclusion resulted in a sample in which BPD traits and diagnoses were likely underrepresented. Instruments employed were the Potential Stressful Events Interview (Kilpatrick, Resnick, and Freedy, 1991), the PTSD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) (Spitzer, Williams, & Gibbon, 1987b), and the Personality Disorder Examination (Loranger, 1987). Both non-parametric and parametric statistical analyses were carried out on the data. Personality disorder data were examined from a dimensional and a categorical perspective. Results indicated significant associations between repeated childhood physical abuse and higher dimensional scores for schizoid, avoidant, and self-defeating personality disorder traits. Single childhood sexual assaults were found to be associated with higher dimensional scores for histrionic, narcissistic, and dependent personality disorder traits. No associations were found at the level of categorical personality disorder diagnoses for either trauma or PTSD status. Implications of this research are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.

Nisin, in the form of the commercial product Nisaplin, and lacticin 3147 in whey powdered form were added to minced pork-meat in amounts of 0.15% (w/w) and 1.5% (w/w), respectively. The meat was cooked and inoculated with a Staphylococcus aureus strain of meat origin and a Listeria innocua strain at a level of 10^sup 7^ or 10^sup 5^ CFU g^sup -1^. The batches were stored vacuum-packaged for 21 days at 8 °C. Nisin and lacticin 3147 immediately reduced the L. innocua population at the time of inoculation. Nisin showed higher inhibitory activity than lacticin 3147. During the storage period, a slight L. innocua growth was observed in the batches inoculated with the larger inoculum, and a bacteriostatic effect was observed against Listeria in the batches inoculated with 10^sup 5^ CFU g^sup -1^. Nisin maintained a constant S. aureus population in the cooked batch inoculated with 10^sup 7^ CFU g^sup -1^, although the bacteriocin was capable of reducing the amount of S. aureus by 90% in the batch inoculated with 10^sup 5^ CFU g^sup -1^. On the other hand, lacticin 3147 did not show an inhibitory effect against S. aureus in the cooked meat. The starter culture Lactococcus lactis DPC 303-T4 (containing the conjugative plasmid encoding production of lacticin 3147) was inoculated in a portion of a Longissimus dorsi pork muscle with brine. L. lactis DPC 303-T4 performed a good fermentation, but lacticin 3147 production was not found after 7 days at 12 °C of storage.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The rule of the military regime, State Peace & Development Council (SPDC), in Burma began after student demonstrations for democracy were put down in 1988, & its oppressive control continues; Freedom House has rated Burma as a least-free nation. Burma's history, culture, xenophobia, narcotics production, & military ideology contribute to its harsh leadership. Western influence is minimal; the pro-democracy efforts of Aung San Suu Kyi are resisted; & the efforts of ASEAN to influence the government through acceptance & engagement have failed. Western free radio broadcasts & internal splits among the commanders, perhaps aided by Burma's Buddhist monks, may be the best hopes for change. 1 Table. L. A. Hoffman