Extreme under-reporting of body weight by young adults with obesity: relation to social desirability.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between under-reporting of body weight and social desirability as is found with self-reports of energy intake. Methods: Twenty-seven lean individuals (mean body mass index ± standard deviation = 21.6 ± 2.0 kg m-2) and 26 individuals with obesity (mean body mass index = 35.4 ± 4.8 kg m-2) were e-mailed a questionnaire on which they had to state their body weight and conduct a home food inventory. The next day, research team members went to their homes to weigh the participants, conduct their own food inventory and administer the Marlowe-Crowne scale for social desirability. Results: Among individuals with obesity, lower social desirability scores were associated with a greater degree of under-reporting body weight (r = +0.48, p < 0.02). Among lean individuals, the correlation was negative but statistically non-significant (p = -0.22, p > 0.10). Nine individuals with obesity were extreme under-reporters (2.27 kg or more), and eight of these had social desirability scores in the bottom half of the Marlowe-Crowne scale (p < 0.01). Six under-reported on the home food inventory by three or more items. Conclusions: Individuals with obesity and low social desirability scores are more likely than others to be extreme under-reporters of body weight, possibly due to a lack of awareness of their own weight.

Detection of pathogen transmission in neonatal nurseries using DNA markers as surrogate indicators.

OBJECTIVE: Nosocomial infections are a major problem confronting neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). This study was conducted to determine if DNA markers designed from the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S DNA) can serve as surrogate indicators of nosocomial pathogen transmission in NICUs. METHODS: Regions of cauliflower CaMV 35S promoter DNA were designed to serve as surrogate markers of microbial transmission pathways. Each of 6 pods within the NICU under study houses 8 newborn infants. DNA marker was placed on the telephone handle in only 1 of the 6 NICU pods (study pod). Bedside caregivers were blinded as to when placebo or marker were placed in the pod. Thirty-two samples were collected from predetermined sites within each pod at 0, 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours and 7 days after DNA placement. Similar sites were sampled in each of the 6 pods. Additional samples were collected concurrently from areas of the NICU segregated from direct patient care. Polymerase chain reactions were performed on collected samples, and products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: One thousand three hundred samples of the environment and hands of personnel were collected and analyzed. Within the study pod, 58% of sites tested positive for the DNA marker throughout all time points; positive sites peaked at 8 hours (78%) and declined to 23% positive at 7 days. The other 5 pods had a mean of 18% of sites positive throughout the 7 days and exhibited a similar decline throughout time. The most consistently positive sites within all pods were the blood gas analyzers, computer mice, telephone handles, medical charts, ventilator knobs, door handles, radiant warmer control buttons, patient monitors, and personnel hands. In areas outside the pods, the nurse's station, resident physician charting area, changing room, and staff break room had a mean of 50% positive sites throughout all time points. CONCLUSIONS: DNA markers proved useful as safe, surrogate indicators of microorganism transmission within and outside pods in the NICU. We speculate that utilization of these techniques in the hospital environment will provide important information about transmission of pathogens in the NICU, assist in developing and enforcing cleaning procedures, and permit testing of educational intervention programs targeting a decrease in nosocomial infections.nosocomial infection, neonatal intensive care, DNA marker, polymerase chain reaction, infection control.

Two pathways for choline transport in eel erythrocytes: a saturable carrier and a volume-activated channel.

Choline transport in eel (Anguilla anguilla) erythrocytes was investigated in cells suspended in isotonic and hypotonic media. In cells in isosmotic solution choline transport was mediated by a saturable system with a Michaelis constant (Km; 62 +/- 6 microM) similar to that of the choline carrier of human erythrocytes but a maximal transport rate (Vmax; 4.5 +/- 0.4 mmol.1 red blood cells-1.h-1) almost two orders of magnitude higher than that in human red blood cells. This pathway was inhibited by hemicholinium-3 and dodecyltrimethylammonium, but not by any of a range of anion transport inhibitors tested. Swelling the cells by suspending them in hyposmotic media activated a second choline transport component that was kinetically and pharmacologically distinct from the saturable system. The volume-activated component was nonsaturable (up to 50 mM choline). It was not inhibited by hemicholinium-3 or dodecyltrimethylammonium but was inhibited by anion transport inhibitors, the most potent of which was 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid (NPPB; half-maximal inhibitory concentration = 14 microM). Dose-response curves for the effect of NPPB on swelling-activated choline transport and the swelling-activated transport of taurine, a sulfonic amino acid, were superimposable. It is postulated that the transport of choline and taurine (as well as that of other small organic solutes) in osmotically swollen fish erythrocytes is mediated by a volume-activated, anion-selective channel.