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Violent victimization in adolescence spurs risk-taking behaviors (e.g., violent offending and substance use/abuse), undermines mental well-being, disrupts developmental transitions, and even has interpersonal and relational consequences. Adolescent victims initiate earlier and progress faster through sexual and romantic relationships. Because the reasons for the links between victimization and relationship behaviors remain unclear, we explored how violent victimization might shape how adolescents think and feel about intimate/romantic relationships. We focus specifically on interest in forming relationships and expectations about intimate/sexual activity occurring within relationships. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health; n = 10,570 [54% girls; 56% non-Hispanic white; ages 11–18]), we found that adolescent victims of violence were more pessimistic about marriage and more favorable toward sexual activity, with patterns varying by age at victimization and gender. Late adolescent victims were marginally more interested in romantic relationships but were pessimistic about marriage. Early adolescent and girl victims were less favorable toward sexual activity in relationships, while later adolescent and boy victims were more permissive. Violent victimization may foster problematic attitudes toward intimate relationships, which may account for previously observed increased involvement in risky relational and sex behaviors.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: The goal of this study was to determine whether the absolute size (mm2), relative size (% canal compromise), or location of a single-level, lumbar disc herniation (LDH) on axial and sagittal cuts of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were predictive of eventual surgical intervention. Methods: MRIs of 89 patients were reviewed, and patients were split into groups based on type of management received (34 nonoperative vs 55 microdiscectomy). Radiographic characteristics—including size of disc herniation (mm2), size of spinal canal (mm2), location of herniation on axial (central, paracentral, foraminal) and sagittal (disc level, suprapedicle, pedicle, infrapedicle) planes, and type of herniation (bulge, protrusion, extrusion, sequestration)—were measured by 2 independent, orthopedic spine fellows and compared between groups via univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The operative group showed a significantly higher percentage of canal compromise (39.5% vs 31.1%, P = .001) compared to the nonoperative group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed higher odds of eventual operative intervention for a disc protrusion (odds ratio [OR] 6.30 [1.99, 19.86], P = .002) or disc extrusion (OR 11.5 [1.63, 81.2], P = .014) for Rater 1 and a higher odds of eventual surgical management for a paracentral location for both Rater 1 and Rater 2 (OR = 3.39 [1.25, 9.22], P = .017, and OR = 5.46 [1.77, 16.8], P = .003, respectively). Conclusions: Disc herniations in a paracentral location were more likely to undergo operative treatment than those more centrally located, on axial MRI views.

Objective: Examine the degree to which adult male social ties with neighborhood youth, or intergenerational ties, increase the perceived willingness of residents to engage in the informal social control of children. Method: Survey data from approximately 2,200 residents in 64 neighborhoods along with neighborhood census variables are used to examine the effects of male intergenerational social ties with youth on informal social control. Multilevel linear regression equations adjust for measures of social ties, social cohesion and trust, lagged official crime rates, and the proportion of residents that are males. Results: Male intergenerational social ties with youth are found to be an important and unique source of informal social control of children net of other forms of neighborhood social organization, and informal social control of children is shown to decrease neighborhood crime rates. Conclusions: This study provides support for assumptions implied in the urban underclass and social disorganization literatures regarding the positive role of male ties (outside of the family) in collective crime prevention capacity.

Nearly one third of school-age children report being bullied, primarily enduring teasing or rumors. Children with hearing loss (HL) are at increased risk of victimization due to being “different” from the general population. This project assesses effects of auditory status on bullying by comparing incidence and type of bullying in 87 youth and adolescents with HL (7–18 years) to published national data from peers in the general population. All participants wore auditory technology (i.e., hearing aids or cochlear implants), communicated orally, and participated in mainstream education. Each participant completed the 2009 National Crime Victimization Survey’s School Crime Supplement. Adolescents with HL endured significantly higher incidence of bullying versus the general population (50.0% vs. 28.0%), particularly for exclusion (26.3% vs. 4.7%) and coercion (17.5% vs. 3.6%). Children younger than 12 years with HL report lower rates of bullying (38.7%) than adolescents with HL, but rates did not differ significantly. Future research should explore risk and protective factors for peer victimization in youth and adolescents with HL to reduce long-term consequences on quality of life.

Background Adolescent substance use is an important public health problem in New Mexico and the United States. The New Mexico Department of Health school-based health centers (SBHCs) universally administer a validated screen, the CRAFFT (Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble), for adolescent substance use concerns; however, quality assurance efforts revealed that SBHC providers needed more information at the point of screening to initiate brief interventions for students with positive CRAFFT screens. The CHISPA (Cocaine, Heroin, IV drugs, Synthetic pot, Pot, Alcohol) was developed to gather specific information on recent substance use experience to guide brief interventions. This paper describes the development and initial reliability and validity of data obtained using the CHISPA instrument. Methods In 2015, 99 high school–aged SBHC users in Albuquerque, New Mexico, completed the CRAFFT and CHISPA twice over 2 weeks using standard test-retest methods. Using the CHISPA, students reported for the prior 3 months substances used, frequency of use, and signs of addiction or acute danger (adverse events). Results Retest reliability for the CRAFFT score was 0.82. CHISPA retest reliabilities were 0.75 for alcohol use; 0.91 for having used any substances; 0.92 for number of substances used; 0.81 for frequency of substance use; and 0.79 for number of adverse events. CRAFFT scores correlated with CHISPA measures of number of substances used at 0.62; with frequency of substance use at 0.58; and with number of adverse events at 0.64. Conclusions CHISPA measures show preliminary evidence of reliability and validity. SBHC providers and other providers in primary care settings who use the CRAFFT screen may benefit from using the CHISPA to define recent substance use experience to guide brief interventions for adolescents with substance use concerns. The CHISPA instrument is currently being tested in electronic form in selected SBHCs in the state of New Mexico.

Interest in “drugging” has increased, with much focus on drugging victimization within the context of sexual assault and particularly among college students. This study uses data from the Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study and the Historically Black College and University Campus Sexual Assault (HBCU-CSA) Study to explore college women’s drugging victimization experiences beyond those limited to drug-facilitated sexual assault. We draw on a lifestyle-exposure/routine activity theory approach to personal victimization integrated with scholarship on gendered opportunities and the campus party culture to examine the individual, behavioral, and situational characteristics embedded in the campus environment that place college women at increased risks of being drugged. We pay particular attention to cultural and institutional differences shaping experiences and risks at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Findings show that 5% and 4% of women at PWIs and HBCUs, respectively, report drugging victimization and that exposure to risky situations (e.g., fraternity party attendance) is a risk factor primarily for women at PWIs.

Concentrated in adolescence, violent victimization is developmentally disruptive. It undermines physical, mental, and socioemotional well-being and compromises youths’ transitions into and progression through key life course tasks. Youth violent victimization (YVV) has been linked to precocious exits from adolescence and premature entries into adulthood. This includes early entry into coresidential romantic unions, which is but one stage of a relationship sequence generally beginning via dating debut. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) and Cox regression, we examine the effects of YVV on the timing of dating debut and progression to first coresidential unions during adolescence and the transition to adulthood. We pay particular attention to how these effects may be structured by age and gender. Overall, we find that victims begin dating sooner and progress more quickly from dating to first unions than do non-victims. However, youths victimized in early adolescence withdraw from dating and union formation, whereas late adolescent victims appear to overinvest in relationships—at least temporarily—displaying accelerated entry into dating and rapid progression to first unions. We conclude by discussing the implication of these age-graded patterns for intervention efforts and youth well-being more broadly.

Sickle cell trait (SCT) places individuals at risk of passing an abnormal hemoglobin gene to biological children and is associated with rare but serious complications. The present study sought to examine knowledge of SCT and awareness of personal trait status among 258 young African American adults. Participants were surveyed regarding demographics, medical history, and sources of sickle cell information before completing a trait knowledge questionnaire. Overall, participants possessed significant misinformation about the condition. Women and those who had learned about sickle cell from families displayed higher levels of knowledge. Most participants were uncertain of personal trait status, and many did not wish to be informed of it. Health care providers should be alert that individuals with SCT may be unaware of their condition and potential reproductive and health implications. Screening and reporting procedures should be examined to ensure individuals have access to and control of this vital health information.

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of maternal depressive symptoms on adolescent alcohol use among a sample of Latino/Latina youth aged 10 to 16 years from a high-risk community. Direct and mediating effects of youth depressive symptoms, controlling for levels of concurrent emotion dysregulation, on alcohol use were examined. Participants consisted of 525 children and their mothers randomly sampled from low-income schools with high rates of substance use. The panel design included four waves, and we used structural equation modeling with a longitudinal mediational framework. Results indicated that the relationship between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent alcohol use was mediated by adolescents’ symptoms of depression for girls only. Findings are discussed in the context of the development of skills to cope with negative affect and the influence parental depressive symptoms may have on this process.

Adolescent survival expectations are linked to a range of problem behaviors, poor health, and later socioeconomic disadvantage, yet scholars have not examined how survival expectations are differentially patterned by race, ethnicity, and/or nativity. This is a critical omission given that many risk factors for low survival expectations are themselves stratified by race and ethnicity. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we modeled racial, ethnic, and immigrant group differences in trajectories of adolescent survival expectations and assess whether these differences are accounted for by family, neighborhood, and/or other risk factors (e.g., health care access, substance use, exposure to violence). Findings indicated that most racial, ethnic, and immigrant groups were more pessimistic about their survival than were non-Hispanic whites, with the exception of Cuban youth, who were the most optimistic. Foreign-born Mexican youth had the lowest survival expectations, contrary to expectations from the “healthy-immigrant” hypothesis.

Although national colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates have steadily decreased, the rate for New Mexico Hispanics has been increasing, and screening rates are low. We conducted an exploratory qualitative study to determine barriers to CRC screening for New Mexico Hispanics. We found that machismo served as a dynamic influence on men’s health-seeking behaviors; however, it was conceptualized differently by two distinct Hispanic subpopulations, and therefore appeared to play a different role in shaping their screening attitudes and behaviors. Machismo emerged as more of an influence for Mexican men, who expressed concern over colonoscopies being potentially transformative and/or stigmatizing, but was not as salient for Hispanos, who viewed the colonoscopy as “strictly medical,” and were more concerned with discomfort and pain. Findings from the study highlight the importance of identifying varying characteristics among subpopulations to better understand screening barriers and provide optimal CRC screening counseling in primary care settings.

This study analyzed the National Incident Based Reporting System data from 2000 to 2004 to determine how domestic violence arrest policies, along with incident, offender, and victim characteristics, influence arrest outcomes in violent incidents committed by juveniles against their parents. The authors’ primary interest was to assess whether the enforcement of domestic violence arrest laws, coupled with increased police involvement in familial disputes, has contributed to the decreasing gender gap in juvenile arrests for violent offenses. Results indicated that domestic violence arrest policies had positive effects on arrest outcomes both for juvenile females and males accused of assaulting a parent, as juveniles were more likely to be arrested in states with mandatory or pro-arrest policies than in states with discretionary arrest policies. However, there was also evidence that, beyond the effects of the domestic arrest laws, girls became increasingly more likely to be arrested for assaults against parents over the 5-year study period relative to boys. The implications for these findings are discussed, including the importance of a better understanding of how police respond to domestic violence incidents involving juveniles.

The criminal justice system is often viewed as a revolving door for drug-dependent offenders due to its failure to recognize the association between addiction and offending, and repeated incarceration of drug-dependent offenders has contributed to prison overcrowding. The authors evaluated the effectiveness of Pennsylvania's drug and alcohol treatment-based intermediate punishment, Restrictive Intermediate Punishments (RIP/D&A), at reducing the risk of rearrest. Rearrest was compared at 12, 24, and 36 months postrelease. Offenders who successfully completed treatment had a lower risk of rearrest than traditionally sentenced offenders in general and county jail and probation offenders specifically. However, offenders sentenced to RIP/D&A who did not successfully complete treatment were more at risk for rearrest than traditionally sentenced offenders in general. Also, offenders sentenced to state incarceration had a lower risk of rearrest than RIP/D&A participants, regardless of program completion.

The prevalence of substance use behavior and the personal characteristics and social and cultural factors that influence substance use among children have been studied extensively. However, much less attention has been directed at the attitudes towards, and particularly the perceived risks of, using substances, and even less research has focused on Hispanic youth, whose rates of substance use have been increasing. Understanding what factors are associated with perceived risk is important because there is evidence that perceived risk is associated with subsequent substance use. The current study uses longitudinal data collected from 553 children in the Cicero Youth Development (CYD) Project to identify individual and environmental factors associated with the perceived risk of substance use. We pay particular attention to dimensions of nativity and acculturation in an effort to determine whether there are differences in risk perception between U.S.-born Hispanic children and their foreign-born counterparts. Results indicate that a number of factors are associated with perceived risk, including family support, parent-child communication, peer substance use, and child temperament. Additionally, U.S.-born Hispanics perceive substances as less risky than immigrants, and among immigrants, length of time in the U. S. is negatively associated with perceiving great risk in substance use. Implications for policy and prevention strategies are discussed.

Prior research indicates survey procedures that signal significance and individualized mailings have higher response rates. Thus, it was hypothesized that surveys delivered via Priority mail would result in higher return rates than surveys delivered via First-Class. 260 surveys were sent to individuals randomly selected from lists of licensed physical and behavioral healthcare providers in Alaska and New Mexico. Half of the selected individuals were assigned randomly to receive mailings using Priority mail, the other half received First-Class mailings. Return rate was 39% for First-Class and 35% for Priority. Z tests of proportion indicated no statistically significant differences between methods. Given increased costs with no resultant increase in response rate, sending surveys to potential participants via Priority mail does not appear warranted.

Bone remodelling is the adaptation of bone mass in response to localized changes in loading conditions. The nature of the mechanical signal governing remodelling, however, remains the subject of continued investigation. The aims of this study were to use an iterative finite element (FE) bone remodelling technique to explore the effect of different remodelling signals in the prediction of bone remodelling behaviour. A finite element model of the turkey ulna, following that of Brown et al., was analysed using the ABAQUS package. The model was validated against the static predictions of the Brown et al. study. A bone remodelling technique, based on swelling algorithms given by Taylor and Clift, was then applied to predict the dramatic change in loading conditions imposed. The resulting changes in FE mid-shaft bone geometry were compared with the remodelling observed experimentally and showed good agreement. The tensile principal stress was found to be the best remodelling signal under the imposed conditions. Localized sensitivities in the remodelling patterns were found, however, and the definition of the dead zone was modified as a result. Remodelling with the new dead-zone definition showed that both the tensile principal stress and the tensile principal strain produced the remodelling patterns that agreed most closely with experiment.

Criminologists have long debated the validity of arrest data as a measure of crime at the aggregate level. It has been argued that arrest data may reflect differences in police behavior across neighborhoods rather than differences in offending rates. Consequently, criminologists have generally come to favor less processed data. Unfortunately, official counts of drug offenses are generally available only in terms of arrests, making official drug data particularly susceptible to validity questions. In this study, the authors examine the validity of drug arrest data at the neighborhood level by analyzing the extent to which police arrest rates for drug trafficking can be accounted for by survey measures of the frequency of drug trafficking, as well as neighborhood-level variables thought to be associated with police discretion. Findings suggest support for the use of drug arrest data as a meaningful measure of the relative level of visible drug activity among neighborhoods.

While it is well known that the rate of AIDS and HIV for African Americans is considerably higher than it is for whites, both the reasons for this difference and the extent to which racial differences can be generalized to low seroprevalence areas are less clear. Using data collected from a sample of 1393 out-of-treatment chronic drug users in a low seroprevalence area, we examine differences between HIV serostatus of non-Hispanic African Americans (n=907) and non-Hispanic whites (n=231) who agreed to HIV testing. Our results show a significantly higher seropositive rate among African American current injecting drug users and current crack users who have injected drugs. Differences in seropositive rates among crack users who have never injected drugs are non-significant, although the rate is still higher among African Americans. We also compare needle-risk behaviors, crack use, sexual risk behaviors, and perceptions of HIV risk for African-American and white drug users in our sample. The pattern of differences we find in risk behaviors between African-American drug users and white drug users underlines the important role that crack cocaine may play in HIV infection in the African-American community and the need for more intervention programs designed specifically for heterosexual African-American drug users.

Every year more than a million baby calves are slaughtered in Australia and sold as ‘bobby veal’ to retail stores and the catering trade. This product is of poor quality and yields of saleable meat are very low. A new system of veal production has been developed in Victoria which is cost-efficient and overcomes many of the animal welfare criticisms levelled at traditional white veal systems practised overseas. As well as satisfying domestic requirements, it has potential to be a new export commodity.

Background Resilience is a set of coping skills people employ in times of stress. These skills can be acquired or modified through various interventions. Resilience may be a protective factor that mitigates the effects of adverse childhood events (ACE), which are risk factors for adult morbidity and mortality. We developed novel screening tools to elicit resiliency factors, the Comprehensive Resiliency Questionnaire (CRQ) and ACE (ACE Short-Form, ACE-SF). With this study, we will examine differences between and relationships of resiliency factors and ACE in two populations and validate the CRQ and the ACE-SF. Methods We delivered the CRQ and ACE-SF to 167 subjects. The CRQ covers 3 constructs: external support systems during childhood, current external support systems and attitudes and personal strengths. The ACE-SF has questions about the occurrence of environmental stressors and abuse during childhood. We recruited subjects from two populations: (1) students and health care professionals at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and (2) adults seen at clinics for families with environmental risk factors through the Pediatrics Department of UNM Hospital. We performed qualitative interviews with a subset of 22 of these subjects employing the cognitive technique to check the face validity of the CRQ and ACE-SF. Results Population 1 (n = 103) had significantly greater childhood resilience factors than did the clinic patients (n = 43) (means = 46.3 vs 37.9; p Conclusions The CRQ and the ACE-SF have face validity and can discriminate between groups that theoretically are expected to have differential levels of resilience and ACE. Reported resilience factors are negatively related to reported ACE, consistent with the proposition that resilient individuals may interpret adverse events less adversely than nonresilient people do. Our instruments may be employed to guide interventions to increase resiliency factors and therefore reduce risk factors for morbidity and mortality.

Our studies with the salts and amides of alkylamines have shown that the undecylenate salts have significant in vitro activity against S mutans No. 6715, suggesting that these agents are worthy of additional evaluation. The attempt to increase activity by combining undecylenic acid with the alkylamines was not successful; however, better attachment to tooth surfaces and/or retention during washing did occur. Our results suggest that the free amino group of alkylamines and the free acid group of undecylenic acid are required for these two classes of agents to demonstrate antibacterial activity.

Alkyl and aromatic amines were evaluated for inhibitory activity against S mutans 6715. Only the alkylamines were active and this may be due to their greater basicity. The agents that showed good activity were decylamine, dodecylamine, tetradecylamine, and hexadecylamine. In addition to the free bases, the hydrochloride and hydrofluoride salts were also tested for inhibitory activity and the same four agents were shown to be most active. These agents appear to hold good promise as antiplaque agents against S mutans 6715, therefore, further in vitro studies against other plaque-forming bacteria and toxicological and clinical evaluation seems to be warranted to determine the best clinical agent.

A case of the chondroid variant of chordoma is presented. The differentiating features of this entity are discussed on a clinical and histopathologic basis. A review of the topic of chordoma is also provided.

This article reviews the treatment given to state and local fiscal policy by modern business climate studies and contrasts it with research findings. Empirical evidence on the impact of tax differentials on economic growth has undergone major changes in recent years. Tax rates, when observed in isolation, are now widely believed to have a negative impact on state and local economic growth. This shift in consensus lends support to the major business climate studies that assign a prominent role to taxes. Unfortunately, most current business climate studies are too simplistic to provide a useful guide for economic development policy. In particular, the tax variables used in the studies are overly aggregative and government expenditures are virtually ignored. By contrast, recent empirical research that examines both sides of the budget and utilizes econometric analysis provides information that has the potential to enhance the efficiency and flexibility of economic development strategy.

In recent years, pressures have mounted on local officials to develop policies that stimulate economic growth. The traditional approach, which calls for attracting manufacturing plants through the use of cost-cutting inducements, has been brought into question, and the search for alternative approaches led to a human capital strategy that focuses on attracting, retaining, and developing skilled labor. Empirical tests of two models, one representing human capital development and the other based on firm costs in the local economy, are described. The evidence suggests that a strategy focusing on human capital would have been more effective at stimulating per capita income growth than one designed to reduce firm costs.

SummaryThe rate at which prothrombin is converted into thrombin is much slower in the plasmas of man and guinea pig than in those of other vertebrates studied. The sluggish conversion of prothrombin in man is no doubt a factor which aggravates hemorrhagic diseases.

SummaryA method for the quantitative estimation of Ac-globulin in plasma has been described. The method is based upon the use of three variables-conversion rate, thrombin yield, and onset of thrombin formation. With the use of all three variables combined, a greater degree of accuracy can be obtained.

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effects of intermittent white noise with a 30% on-off ratio on target-detection performance under 4 levels of noise intensity and 3 levels of task difficulty. The 2 measures of performance were response latency and detection errors. The results showed that intensity interacts with task difficulty to determine the effect of intermittent noise on target-detection performance with both performance facilitation and decrement obtained.

The present investigation was designed to test the effects of various ratios of intermittent noise on a visual search task varied in complexity. Four noise ratios were utilized: 0, 30, 70, and 100% noise on-time in successive 5-sec. intervals. The task required that Ss search a display for a single letter located among a larger background of letters which were all the same but different from the single letter. Task complexity was varied by changing the number of background letters. Two difficulty levels were utilized: 8-letter and 32-letter displays. Twenty-two Ss were tested under all conditions specified by the task complexity by noise ratio matrix. Detection speeds for the 32-letter task condition were faster for any ratio of noise than in the control condition but for the 8-letter condition only the 30% noise ratio was faster than the control. The speeds for the 70% and 100% ratios were slower for the 8-letter condition. The order of the 30, 70, and 100% ratios, however, without the control comparison indicated that the relative differences between noise effects were the same for both levels of task complexity. The order of conditions beginning with fastest was: 30%, 100%, and 70%.

We have recently reported animal experiments1 on the use of purified thrombin2 as a hemostatic agent. We are now able to obtain thrombin solutions free of bacteria, and with minor loss of activity, by use of fritted glass filters.3 We wish to report additional toxicity experiments; also preliminary experience with the use of thrombin in a small group of human cases.Toxicity Experiments. As pointed out previously,1 thrombin, applied to operative surfaces, is non-toxic. Numerous other toxicity experiments with thrombin have since been performed, and a small group of these is presented below.(1) Intramuscular administration. An injection of 6000 units into the thigh muscles of an adult rat produced no local thrombosis, and no clinical evidence of toxicity. Blood samples drawn several hours later showed no alteration in the plasma fibrinogen or prothrombin levels.(2) Intraperitoneal administration. An injection of 6000 units of thrombin (4 cc) caused some uneasiness in a 300 g rat, possibly because the soluti...

SummaryThe chemical and/or physical relationship between prothrombin and Ac-globulin apparently is very close as evidenced by the inability to denature, adsorb, precipitate or otherwise inactivate completely, and at times partially, the one, without completely or partially removing or inactivating the other. A method is described whereby oxalated bovine plasma may be rendered free from Acglobulin, but not from prothrombin.

SummaryVitamin K (potassium 2-methyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinone disulfate), injected into eggs prior to their incubation, produces vitamin K stores in newly-hatched chicks. The injected vitamin protects against the rapid and extreme fall of the pro-thrombin level which occurs when chicks are placed on a vitamin K-free diet.

Summary1. The bleeding tendency in cases of obstructive jaundice and biliary fistula is due to a prothrombin deficiency. 2. With restoration of bile to the intestine the prothrombin gradually retur...

SummaryEvidence is presented which indicates that fibrinogen serves as a buffer or protector substance to Ac-globulin. The removal of fibrinogen from plasma by the addition of thrombin or by freezing and subsequent thawing enhances Ac-globulin activity. The data provide a probable explanation for the conversion of an inactive pro-enzyme accelerator in plasma to an active accelerator in defibrinated plasma and in serum.

SummaryThe oral administration of rifampin to cynomolgus monkeys at dosage levels of 40, 80, and 110-120 mg/kg for 180 consecutive days resulted in marked lowering of serum cholesterol levels. Choleretic activity or complexing with bile acids by rifampin may be a mechanism (s) for the observed hypocholesterolemic effect.