Impact of Storage Lesion on Post-transfusion Rise in Hemoglobin.

BACKGROUND: The storage lesion is defined as the set of changes that occur in red blood cells (RBCs) during storage. Studies have shown that a prolonged storage period of RBCs is associated with increased destruction after transfusion. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of the storage lesion on the efficacy of RBC transfusions by comparing the mean rise in the hemoglobin of patients who received new vs old blood. METHODS: We did a retrospective chart review of all patients who received a single unit of pure red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion in a three-month period. Patients with hemolytic anemia and active bleeding were excluded. The storage lesion was estimated by calculating the number of days to expiration on the day of transfusion. Median days to expiration was calculated to be 11 days. Patients were divided into two groups based on days to expiration. Group A included patients who received old blood (days to expiration: 0-11) and group B included patients who received new blood (days to expiration: 11-38). The mean rise in hemoglobin between the two groups was compared using the paired t-test. RESULTS: The baseline characteristics of both groups were similar. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean rise in hemoglobin (1.01 vs 1.08- p-value 0.298), hematocrit (3.37 vs 3.61- p-value 0.249), and RBC count (0.42 vs 0.44- p-value 0.097) in the group that received old blood vs new blood, respectively. CONCLUSION: An RBC transfusion with a shorter storage period does not increase hemoglobin more than RBC with a longer storage period.

Effects of Duration on Perceptions of Teacher Sexual Misconduct.

This study explored how respondent gender, gender dyad (male teacher-female student versus female teacher-male student) and duration/frequency (weekly sexual contact over 4 months versus a single incident) affected perceptions of teacher-adolescent student sexual involvement. Respondents were 224 undergraduates (104 men, 120 women) recruited from a psychology research pool. Most (87%) were 18-21 years old, and 59% were Caucasian. Each respondent read one of four scenarios (varied by gender dyad and duration/frequency) depicting a teacher-adolescent student sexual interaction and then completed a series of questions about his or her perceptions. Results indicated that men perceived these experiences less negatively than did women, and the female teacher-male student dyad was viewed less negatively than the male teacher-female student dyad. Relatively few significant interactions emerged, and the only main effect for duration/frequency was for commitment. Results are discussed in terms of the need for more research and education.

An exploratory study of the effects of teacher attractiveness on undergraduates' perceptions of teacher-student sexual involvement.

This study explored whether the attractiveness of a teacher affected perceptions of teacher sexual misconduct. Respondents (120 female and 108 male undergraduates) read scenarios depicting teacher sexual misconduct varied by gender dyad (male teacher-female student and female teacher-male student) and two levels of attractiveness (very attractive or ordinary looking). The attractiveness of the teacher had little impact on respondents' perceptions. Significant interactions emerged on most variables between respondent gender and gender dyad. Specifically, male respondents tended to view the female teacher-male student dyad as less negative than the male teacher-female student dyad. Female respondents generally did not make a distinction based on the gender dyad.

The association of sibling relationship and abuse with later psychological adjustment.

This study of 59 undergraduate men and 85 undergraduate women explored how defining emotional and physical sibling abuse affected the frequency of reported sibling abuse. In addition, the current study examined how the emotional context of the sibling relationship (i.e., rivalry and conflict) moderated the relationship between sibling abuse and later psychological adjustment (i.e., depression and anxiety). Respondents completed self-report questionnaires of sibling abuse (CTS2-SP), self-labeling of sibling abuse, quality of sibling relationships (SRQ), depression (CES-D), and anxiety (ZAS). Results indicated differences in frequency of reported abuse depending on how sibling abuse was defined. Also, there were no statistically significant correlations between the CTS2-SP and measures of psychological adjustment. Although self-labeling as emotionally abused correlated with later anxiety, the emotional context of the sibling relationship did not moderate this relationship.

Chronic self-destructiveness, hopelessness, and risk-taking in college students.

The relationship of chronic self-destructiveness and hopelessness to risk-taking behaviors was examined. College undergraduates (131 men, 114 women) completed the Beck Hopelessness Scale (Hopelessness), Chronic Self-destructiveness Scale (Self-destructiveness), and Expected Involvement Scale (Involvement) of the Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Activities questionnaire. For both men and women, there were significant positive correlations between Self-destructiveness and Hopelessness scores. In men, there also were positive relationships between Self-destructiveness scores and Involvement in specific risky activities in the next 6 mo. These included illicit drug use, aggressive or illegal behaviors, risky sexual behaviors, heavy drinking, and irresponsible academic or work behaviors. In women, Self-destructiveness scores had a positive relationship with expected Involvement in heavy drinking and irresponsible academic or work behaviors. The only correlation between Hopelessness and Involvement scores for men was a negative one with expected participation in high risk sports. There were no significant correlations between Hopelessness and Involvement scores for women.