Aflatoxin B1 contamination of shrimp feeds and its effect on growth and hepatopancreas of pre-adult Penaeus monodon

A survey of aflatoxin B₁ (AFLB₁) levels in commonly used commercial shrimp finisher feeds in the Philippines showed a various range of values from not detected to 120 μg kg^?1 using high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Six experimental diets were prepared to contain various levels of AFLB₁ based on survey results to determine the effects of such contamination in pre-adult shrimp Penaeus monodon (17.5 ± 0.6 g). Results showed that shrimps fed diets containing AFLB₁ greater than or equal to 73.8 μg kg^?1 gave comparatively poor growth rate and higher susceptibility to shell diseases. No AFLB₁ residues were detected in sampled whole shrimp tissues after 62 days of exposure to AFLB₁ containing diets indicating a low potential for transmission of the toxin from edible shrimp tissues to consumers. Histopathological alterations in the hepatopancreas of shrimp chronically exposed to AFLB, were observed in all samples. The degree of alterations correlated with the level of AFLB₁. Based on growth performance, pre-adult shrimps can tolerate AFLB₁ levels of up to 52.3 μg kg^?1 in the feeds although histopathological changes were already evident in the tissues of shrimps given diets with 26.5 μg kg^?1 AFLB₁.     

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Enlargement of the micropores of a caking bituminous coal by controlled oxidation

In a study of the enlargement of pores of coals it has been found that treatment of a bituminous coal (PSOC No. 371, from the Pennsylvania State University Coal Section) with a 5:95 O₂:N₂ stream 4 h at 400 °C increases the surface area as measured by nitrogen adsorption at 77K by a factor of at least 50 to a value 52 m² g^?1. The increase in pore size was accompanied by a 9.7% weight loss. Simultaneously, the area as measured by carbon dioxide at 195K increased from 61 to 136 m² g^?1 and that measured by carbon dioxide at room temperature increased from 125 to 237 m² g^?1. Attempts to enlarge the pores by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide or ozone were unsuccessful. A Pittsburgh coal subject to a small percentage of oxygen in nitrogen or steam at 300 to 400 °C showed a surface area as measured by nitrogen adsorption of less than 1 m² g^?1 both before and after such pretreatment. This same coal with a 5:95 O₂:N₂ stream for 4 h at 450 °C showed a surface area of 110 m² g^?1 measured by nitrogen adsorption at 77K.     

Aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in Brazilian paprika

Seventy paprika samples collected in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, from January to April 2006 were analysed for aflatoxins and ochratoxin A (OTA) using an immunoaffinity column clean-up and HPLC-FLD. For aflatoxins, the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.23, 0.23, 0.45 and 0.45 μg/kg for AFB₁, AFB₂, AFG₁ and AFG₂, respectively. For OTA the LOQ was 0.80 μg/kg. Aflatoxins were found in 82.9% of samples and AFB₁ was detected in 61.4% at levels ranging from 0.5 to 7.3 μg/kg with mean concentration of 3.4 μg/kg. OTA was found in 85.7% at levels ranging from 0.24 to 97.2 μg/kg with mean concentration of 7.0 μg/kg.     

Effects of clients' attributional explanations and reasons for seeking help on counselors' impressions.

On the basis of an impression-management view of the counseling interaction, the effects of clients' initial self-presentations on counselors' impressions were investigated. It was predicted that a client offering personal attributional explanations (claiming responsibility for his/her problematic behavior) would be seen in a more favorable light than would one who attributed his/her predicament to others or to the situation. It was also expected that the client who expressed an intrinsic (self-improvement) reason for seeking help would make a better impression than would one who offered an extrinsic (nontherapeutic) reason. Ratings by 77 graduate psychology or social work students of stimulus tapes that manipulated these variables supported the hypotheses. The client who expressed personal attributions was viewed as more motivated and attractive than was the client who made situational attributions. When the reason for seeking help was intrinsic, Ss perceived the client to be more motivated and as having a better prognosis for change. There were, however, no uniquely significant effects on specific outcome expectancies or on judgments of problem severity. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family risk factors, parental depression, and psychopathology in offspring.

Associations between parents' poor marital adjustment, parent–child discord, affectionless control, low family cohesion, and parental divorce and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) diagnoses were explored in a study of 220 offspring of parents with and without major depression. Family risk factors were more prevalent among offspring of depressed parents. Risk factors were associated with major depression and any diagnosis for children of nondepressed parents; they were associated with conduct disorder for both groups. Parental depression was more important than family risk factors in models predicting major depression, anxiety disorders, and any diagnosis. Both parental depression and family risk factors were significant predictors of conduct disorder. Implications for the etiology of psychopathology and for analytic strategies are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analyzing relational control in family therapy interviews.

Extends Ericson and Rogers's (1973) Relational Communication Control Coding System (RCCCS) to family contexts. The original system operationalized the constructs of symmetry and complementarity in dyadic communication by allowing a mapping of interpersonal control dynamics in 2-person relations. Because the RCCCS was devised for dyads only, we made several modifications in order to handle the complexity of communication among 3 or more persons. New coding rules were necessary because in families messages are not always reciprocal or direct. One person may intercept the exchange between 2 others, disconfirm another by turning to a 3rd, or speak indirectly to someone through a 3rd party. Speakers often send multiple messages that attempt a coalition, that is, joining with one party to challenge another. An illustrative excerpt shows the kinds of indexes provided by the system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Total Cholesterol and Desmosterol Contents in Raw, UHT, Infant Formula Powder and Human Milks Determined by a New Fast Micro-HPLC Method

A simple, fast, sensitive, and environmental friendly micro-method is described for the determination of desmosterol and cholesterol in milk samples using isocratic normal phase high performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection. After sample micro-saponification, the chromatographic separation is achieved in 10 min, further reduced to 6 min when only cholesterol is expected to be present. The method is accurate, presenting cholesterol and desmosterol recoveries >96% and inter-day RSD lower than 3%. Quantification limits were clearly below the requirements for any milk sample, with 40 and 20 μg/100 mL for cholesterol and desmosterol, respectively. Several raw and UHT commercial milk samples, infant powder formulas, and human breast milks were analyzed, with cholesterol and desmosterol (present only in the latter) contents within reported amounts. The proposed method proved to be simple and feasible for determination of a large number of samples, requiring less solvent consumption (9–13 mL of hexane for all saponification/extraction/chromatographic steps) and simpler equipment than most ones reported, and a further possibility of partial solvent recycling due to the isocratic chromatographic mode.     

Transferring psychotherapy clients: State of the art.

Transferring psychotherapy clients from one therapist to another is a common event that may pose clinical and administrative problems. Clinicians and therapists in training transfer clients when their professional role or activities change or when they leave their clinical settings. We review the literature on transferring psychotherapy clients and report on aspects of the transfer process and procedures used by a national sample of psychology training clinics. We also report and discuss the results of an exploratory analysis training clinic records in which we investigated the relation between transfer outcome (successful vs. unsuccessful) and a set of treatment and demographic factors. Last, we suggest several ways of handling difficulties that arise as a result of clinical and administrative reassignment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cocaine enhances the expression of fear-potentiated startle: Evaluation of state-dependent extinction and the shock-sensitization of acoustic startle.

Cocaine's effects on fear extinction and on the shock-sensitization of acoustic startle were examined. Following fear acquisition, rats exposed to the nonreinforced CS after cocaine administration demonstrated significant levels of fear-potentiated startle when evaluated in the drug-free state. The CS also increased startle amplitudes in subjects extinguished and tested with cocaine, indicating that mechanisms other than state-dependent learning are involved in the extinction deficit. The presentation of 10 footshocks augmented acoustic startle, and the shock enhancement was unaffected by cocaine preexposure. These data indicate that the aversive consequences of footshock relevant to the acquisition of conditional fear are not sensitized by the drug. It was suggested that cocaine reinforces fear responding to a threatening stimulus. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)