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Trait Emotional Intelligence (EI)-related competencies are in growing demand in educational and vocational settings. The present study assesses the developmental dynamics of trait EI in emerging adulthood by capitalizing on the inclusion of a measure of trait EI in the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) called the Emotional Quotient Inventory: Mini (EQ-i: Mini). A sample of 1064 young adults (50% female) from ages 20-21 to 24-25 years was used to assess 4-year rank-order stability and mean-level change of trait EI, as well as whether the EQ-i: Mini functions equivalently over time (longitudinal measurement invariance). Results revealed full configural, partial metric, and scalar invariance of the construct for this time period. The Stress Management subscale achieved invariance at the residual level. After controlling for partial non-invariance, moderate levels of rank-order stability coefficients were found, suggesting malleability of the construct during emerging adulthood. Consistent with the maturity principle, there was a moderate increase in trait EI (specifically in the Interpersonal and Adaptability subscales). The malleability of trait EI suggests opportunities for enhancing socioemotional competencies in emerging adults, such as through formal and continuing education programing, on-the-job training, and targeted employment interventions.

The 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) is the most widely used measure to assess the personality construct of alexithymia and is composed of three-factor analytically derived subscales. These subscales measure and represent three critical, theoretically based facets of alexithymia. The subscales are distinct, yet highly interrelated and only as a collective body do they reflect adequately the alexithymia construct. Although different studies using both university student and community samples suggest that TAS-20 total scores are largely reflective of variation on a single construct, and that subscale scores do not provide unique and reliable information beyond total scores, many users of the scale frequently continue to employ and even rely more heavily on subscale scores rather than total scale scores when interpreting research study outcomes. Our goal in this study is to provide clinicians and researchers with replicable psychometric information for the TAS-20 estimated from bifactor modeling in an attempt to provide further support for using total rather than subscale scores. In general, our findings were consistent with previous studies indicating that TAS-20 total scores can be considered indicative of a single construct. The replication of these earlier results from previous investigations provides additional support for the use of a total TAS-20 score and questions the utility of using TAS-20 subscale scores. Based on these results, we recommend that researchers and clinicians use a single total TAS-20 score and not subscale scores. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

BACKGROUND: As emotional and social competency training proliferates within a work readiness context, concerns remain regarding their efficacy. Data on these programs tends to be scarce and outcome objectives are often poorly defined. OBJECTIVE: Authors developed and tested a work readiness emotional and social competency program specifically designed for at-risk young adults, tailored with best practices in mind. METHOD: 84 clients of a community organization that provides employment support to young adults with disabilities (48 men and 36 women) with a mean age of 28.17 years (SD = 11.64) completed measures of emotional intelligence and alexithymia on either side of the 4-week intervention. RESULTS: Men’s interpersonal scores and women’s adaptability scores showed significant improvement across the intervention. In addition, women’s scores in both identifying and describing feelings improved significantly, as did men’s scores in describing feelings. CONCLUSIONS: Within the context of work readiness, participants in an intervention to improve emotional and social competencies can see key improvements to competencies linked to occupational attainment.

Objective The alexithymia personality construct encompasses difficulties identifying and describing feelings, restricted imaginal processes, and an externally oriented cognitive style. The construct was derived initially from observations of patients with classic psychosomatic diseases. The self-report 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) is the most frequently used measure to assess alexithymia. A concern associated with the TAS-20 is whether individuals can accurately self-report difficulties identifying and describing feelings if they are deficient in those abilities. To address this issue, we sought to develop and validate an informant form (version) of the TAS-20, the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale – Informant Form (TAS-20-IF). Method We employed a three-phase methodological strategy. In the first phase, items from the TAS-20 were re-written into a third person version by a team of experts. In the second phase, the “traditional” three-factor structure was tested in the TAS-20-IF using confirmatory factor analysis in a large sample of young adults (N = 857). The third phase was conducted with another sample (N = 430) composed of “informants” (n = 215), who completed the TAS-20-IF, and “targets” (n = 215), who completed the TAS-20 (informants were nominated by the targets). Results The psychometric properties (items and scales) of both versions were adequate and the three-factor structure of the TAS-20-IF was supported; the correlation between the two versions was statistically significant and the factor structures were similar. Conclusion Although further research is needed to replicate these findings, especially in clinical samples, the results support the reliability and validity of the TAS-20-IF.

Alexithymia is a clinically relevant personality construct characterized by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, externally oriented thinking, and impoverished imaginal processes. Previous taxometric investigations provided evidence that alexithymia is best conceptualized as a continuous dimension rather than a discrete type, at least when assessed with the self-report 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The aim of the current study was to test the categorical versus dimensional structure of alexithymia using the recently developed Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia. Three nonredundant taxometric procedures (MAXCOV, MAMBAC, and L-Mode) were performed on the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia subscale scores from a multinational sample of 842 adults. All taxometric procedures produced unambiguously dimensional solutions, providing further evidence that the core alexithymia features are continuously distributed in the population. Discussion focuses on the theoretical, assessment, and clinical implications of these findings for the alexithymia construct.

Heat stress has been reported to reduce uncoupling proteins (UCP) expression, which in turn should improve mitochondrial efficiency. Such an improvement in efficiency may translate to the systemic level as greater exercise economy. However, neither the heat‐induced improvement in mitochondrial efficiency (due to decrease in UCP), nor its potential to improve economy has been studied. Determine: (i) if heat stress in vitro lowers UCP3 thereby improving mitochondrial efficiency in C2C12 myocytes; (ii) whether heat acclimation (HA) in vivo improves exercise economy in trained individuals; and (iii) the potential improved economy during exercise at altitude. In vitro, myocytes were heat stressed for 24 h (40°C), followed by measurements of UCP3, mitochondrial uncoupling, and efficiency. In vivo, eight trained males completed: (i) pre‐HA testing; (ii) 10 days of HA (40°C, 20% RH); and (iii) post‐HA testing. Pre‐ and posttesting consisted of maximal exercise test and submaximal exercise at two intensities to assess exercise economy at 1600 m (Albuquerque, NM) and 4350 m. Heat‐stressed myocytes displayed significantly reduced UCP3 mRNA expression and, mitochondrial uncoupling (77.1 ± 1.2%, P

Although several brief instruments are available for the emotional intelligence (EI) construct, their conceptual coverage tends to be quite limited. One notable exception is the short form of the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i:S), which measures multiple EI dimensions in addition to a global EI index. Despite the unique advantage offered by the inventory, psychometric properties of the EQ-i:S scores have not yet been systematically evaluated. Such an evaluation was the main goal of the present investigation. Using data from 2,508 undergraduates, the authors conducted 2 studies involving factor structure, internal reliability, 6-month temporal stability, and construct validity of the EQ-i:S responses, both for the total EQ scale and for each constituent dimension. The results supported the multidimensional measurement structure of the EQ-i:S, with each dimension producing internally consistent, temporally stable, and theoretically meaningful responses. Scores on the EQ-i:S were associated more strongly with performance on an ability test of EI and with a conceptually similar construct of alexithymia than with the broader dimensions of basic personality and explained nontrivial amounts of incremental variance in the criterion symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Moreover, scores on each EQ-i:S dimension exhibited unique patterns of associations with the validation variables. The discussion highlights the advantages of the multidimensional approach in the assessment and study of EI.

The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20; Bagby, Parker, & Taylor, 1994; Bagby, Taylor, & Parker, 1994) is the most widely used self-report measure of the alexithymia construct. The TAS-20 comprises 3 factors that assess difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and externally oriented thinking. Although the instrument is being increasingly used with adolescent respondents, the psychometric properties of the TAS-20 have not been systematically evaluated in preadult populations. In the present study, we examined measurement invariance of the factor structure, internal reliability, and mean levels of responses on the TAS-20 in groups of younger adolescents (aged 13-14 years), middle adolescents (aged 15-16 years), and older adolescents (aged 17-18 years), as well as in a comparison group of young adults (aged 19-21 years). Formal readability analysis of the TAS-20 assessment was also conducted. Results revealed systematic age differences in the factor structure and psychometric properties of the TAS-20, with the quality of measurement progressively deteriorating with younger age. Much of this effect could be attributed to the reading difficulty of the scale. The use of the TAS-20 with teenage respondents is not recommended without appropriate adaptation and further psychometric validation. Several adaptation strategies are discussed.

Despite a wealth of research on the validity of alexithymia and its association with a number of common medical and psychiatric disorders, the fundamental question of whether alexithymia is best conceptualized as a dimensional or categorical construct remains unresolved. In the current investigation, taxometric analysis is used to examine the nature of the latent structure of alexithymia. Several nonredundant taxometric procedures were performed with item sets from the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (R. M. Bagby, J. D. A. Parker, & G. J. Taylor, 1994) as indicators. These procedures were applied separately in large community (n = 1,933) and undergraduate (n = 1,948) samples and in a smaller sample of psychiatric outpatients (n = 302). The results across various taxometric procedures and the different samples provide strong support that alexithymia is a dimensional construct. Some theoretical implications of these findings for research on the alexithymia construct are discussed.

The Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) has been translated into Dutch, German, and Italian and validated in clinical and nonclinical populations. In order to make valid comparisons across different population groups, it is important to establish measurement equivalence across variables such as language, gender, and clinical status. Our objective in this study was to establish measurement equivalence in relation to language (English, Dutch, German, and Italian), gender, and clinical status (non-clinical, psychiatric, and medical) using differential item functioning (DIF). The sample was composed of 842 adults representing the four language groups, all of whom had undergone the TSIA assessment as part of several earlier studies. Ordinal Logistic Regression was employed to explore DIF of the TSIA items. Although several items were found to exhibit DIF for language, gender, or clinical status, all of these effects were within an acceptable range. These findings provide support for the measurement equivalence of the TSIA, and allow researchers to reliably compare results from studies using the TSIA across the four language groups, gender, and clinical status. & 2015 Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The interaction of 15 variables representing physical characteristics, previous altitude exposure, and ascent data was analyzed to determine their contribution to acute mountain sickness (AMS).Questionnaires were obtained from 359 volunteers upon reaching the summit of Mt Whitney (4419 m). Heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation were measured with a pulse oximeter, and AMS was identified by Lake Louise Self-Assessment scoring. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant protective and risk factors for AMS.Thirty-three percent of the sample met the criteria for AMS. The odds of experiencing AMS were greater for those who reported a previous altitude illness (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.00, P.01) or who were taking analgesics during the ascent (adjusted OR = 2.09, P.01). Odds for AMS decreased with increasing age (adjusted OR = 0.82, P.0001), a greater number of climbs above 3000 m in the past month (adjusted OR = 0.92, P.05), and use of acetazolamide during the ascent (adjusted OR = 0.33, P.05).The significant determinants of AMS on the summit of Mt Whitney were age, a history of altitude illness, number of climbs above 3000 m in the past month, and use of acetazolamide and analgesics during ascent.

Background: Assessments of personality constructs increasingly use self-report and structured interview instruments, which allow for a multimethod measurement approach and decrease specific measurement method bias. The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable structured interview for assessing the alexithymia construct. Methods: Sixty interview questions were written initially, each with a set of scoring criteria and prompts and probes to elicit information assisting in the scoring of the respondents’ answers. Results: After pilot testing, the number of questions was reduced to 43, which were administered to 136 community participants and 97 psychiatric outpatients. A series of item and scale analyses further reduced the item pool to 24 items. Principal component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis of these 24 items revealed preliminary evidence of a hierarchical, four-factor structure, with four lower factors nested within two higher-order latent factors. This structural configuration resulted in the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) with two domain scales and four facet scales. The TSIA and its six scales demonstrated acceptable levels of interrater, internal, and retest reliability. The TSIA and its scales correlated modestly but significantly with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and its three factor scales, providing some support for the concurrent validity of this interview. Conclusion: The TSIA appears to be a promising structured interview for assessing alexithymia.

The present study examined the link between problematic gambling and gambling related cognitions (GRCs) in a large sample of adolescents with (N = 266) and without (N = 1,738) special education needs (SEN) between the ages of 14 and 18 years attending several high schools in eastern central Ontario. The adolescents with SENs were identified as having various learning disorders and/or internalizing and externalizing problems [e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)]. All adolescents completed a self-report questionnaire package that included the GRC Scale (GRCS; Raylu and Oei in Addiction 99:757-769, 2004), as well as measures of problem gambling, negative affect, and ADHD symptomatology. Results showed that adolescents with SEN hold more erroneous beliefs about gambling and had a higher risk of developing problematic patterns of gambling behaviour than their typically developing peers. Moreover, the GRCS subscales were found to be strong predictors of problem gambling among adolescents both with and without SEN, accounting for a substantial amount of the variance even when controlling for the effects of age, gender, ADHD, and negative affect. It is suggested that intervention and prevention programs aimed at adolescent gambling need to give particular attention to those with SEN.

Objective Despite the repeated suggestion in the literature of an association between impoverished dream processes and alexithymia, little systematic research has been conducted. Methods Eight nonclinical adults scoring in the alexithymia range and eight nonclinical adults scoring in the nonalexithymia range on a measure of alexithymia were awakened for dream reports during their second, third, and fourth rapid eye movement periods on the second of two consecutive polygraphically monitored nights in a sleep laboratory. Results The alexithymic and nonalexithymic groups did not differ in the number of dreams reported or the number of words used in the description of their dreams. The two groups also did not differ in their self-reports of the emotional valence associated with their dream experiences. In contrast, the dream reports of the alexithymic group were rated as less fantastic than the dream reports of the nonalexithymic group. Conclusions These findings provide additional evidence that alexithymia involves restricted imaginative processes.

The relation between alexithymia and both the domain and the facet level of the five-factor model (FFM) of personality was examined in a sample of 101 university students by using the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20; Bagby, Taylor, & Parker, 1994) and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992c). Consistent with the alexithymia construct, the TAS-20 was positively correlated with Neuroticism (N) and negatively correlated with Extraversion (E) and Openness (O), whereas no significant relations were found with Agreeableness (A) and Conscientiousness (C). Analysis of the lower order traits (i.e., facets) of the FFM revealed that depression for N; positive emotions and assertiveness for E; feelings and actions for O; altruism, tender-mindedness, and modesty for A; and competence for C predicted alexithymia. These results support the uniqueness of the alexithymia construct, which is represented by a cluster of traits across the dimensions and facets of the FFM.

We examined the test-retest reliability of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC) in a school-based sample of children and adolescents. One classroom at each grade from 3 to 12 was randomly selected to participate. Teachers were trained to administer the MASC at baseline and again 3 weeks later. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to estimate stability of the MASC over time. For both single case and mean ICCs, the MASC exhibited satisfactory to excellent stability across all factors and subfactors. Stability was unaffected by age or gender, but was lower for African American than Caucasian subjects. Satisfactory test-retest reliability also was demonstrated for two empirically derived subscales, the MASC-10 and Anxiety Index.

OBJECTIVE Previous research has demonstrated an association between alexithymia and a deficit in interhemispheric communication in Vietnam combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this association in a nonclinical sample. METHODS The efficiency of interhemispheric transfer was assessed in 14 alexithymic and 15 nonalexithymic right-handed, male, undergraduate university students using a tactile finger localization task. RESULTS The nonalexithymic subjects were significantly more efficient at transferring information between the cerebral hemispheres than the alexithymic subjects. CONCLUSIONS This finding provides further evidence of an interhemispheric transfer deficit in alexithymia and suggests that an alexithymic cognitive style reflects poor integration of the information processing of the two cerebral hemispheres.

The effect of exogenous glucose supply by either intrajugular (IJG) or intraduodenal (IDG) infusion at 2.0 mg glucose/kg body weight per min was investigated in four wether sheep (average weight 44 (sd 4) kg) chronically catheterized in the carotid artery and portal veins. Sheep were fed on a dried grass pellet diet hourly using continuous belt feeders. Whole-body glucose irreversible loss (IL) rate, measured with [6-3H[glucose, was increased by 0.5 and 0.8 of exogenous supply for IJG and IDG infusions respectively. Portal glucose utilization, measured by isotope dilution across the portal-drained viscera, was unaffected by additional glucose regardless of the route of glucose supply (P= 0.76 for control ν. glucose infusions) and was a constant proportion of glucose IL (0.28) for all treatments. Portal plasma flow was higher during IDG infusions compared with IJG infusions (1.65 ν. 1.44 litres/min,P=0.055). Circulating total free amino acid concentrations fell during glucose infusions (2146, 1808 and 1683 μmol/l for control, IJG and IDG treatments respectively,P=0.067 for treatment effect) but net portal absorption was not affected by increased glucose supply. Recovery in the portal vein of [1-13C[leucine infused into the duodenum averaged 0.65 and was not affected by increasing glucose supply to the gut tissues. The results show that glucose utilization by gut tissues is responsive to changes in both vascular and luminal glucose supply. The effects of changing gut tissue use of glucose and increased whole body glucose IL on metabolism of nutrients is discussed.

Previous studies of type I autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have been based on selected populations attending specialist liver units. We describe 41 patients with type I AIH from a stable population in South Wales sequentially diagnosed over an 11-year period. All were Caucasian; 32 women, nine men; median follow-up 4 years. All cases conformed with International AIH Group criteria. Median age at diagnosis was 62 years. At presentation, only five patients were under 40 years old, 23 were over 60. This was very different from the classical age distribution. The commonest presentation was acute icteric hepatitis (29/41); median duration of illness 3 months. Co-existing acute arthralgia was common (10/41), as were other autoimmune diseases. Liver biopsy revealed piecemeal necrosis or interface hepatitis in 30; others showed non-diagnostic acute hepatitis. Fourteen also had cirrhosis. Median AsT fell from 508 (73-2385) to 32 (13-607) U/I after immunosuppression, representing complete remission in 28, partial remission in eight, and two treatment failures. Three patients were not treated, because of either quiescent disease or spontaneous remission. To date, there have been eight deaths (median age 64, range 37-86); five due to liver failure, one to variceal haemorrhage, one to acute myocardial infarction and one to upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage caused by acute idiopathic thrombocytopenia. Contrary to previous descriptions, type 1 AIH is a disease of later life in this stable, unselected population; peak incidence was in the seventh decade, and few cases occurred before the fifth decade. Presentation was usually as painless acute icteric hepatitis. Immunosuppression was effective and safe in most cases; 5-year survival rates were 61% (> 60 years at diagnosis), 66% (< 60) and 64% (overall).

Amid the growing efforts to promote positive youth development, trait emotional intelligence (TEI) has emerged as an important protective factor in the processes of resilience and adaptation. The inclusion of a brief form of the Emotional Quotient Inventory-Youth Version (EQi:YV-Brief) in the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) presents a unique opportunity to study the developmental dynamics of TEI during the transition from childhood to adolescence. However, before drawing any inferences about construct continuity and change, researchers must establish that the EQi:YV-Brief functions equivalently over time. This study tested configural, metric, scalar, and residual measurement invariance of the EQi:YV-Brief over a 6-year period from late childhood (age 10-11) to adolescence (age 16-17). Longitudinal mean and covariance structures models were fitted to the data from 773 NLSCY participants (51% girls) who completed the EQi:YV-Brief at 4 biennial cycles. Three of the 4 EQi:YV-Brief subscales were found to be fully invariant at ages 12-13 through 17-18 and partially invariant at age 10-11. Controlling for partial noninvariance, we also investigated patterns of rank-order stability and mean-level change in TEI. These exploratory analyses showed that individual differences in TEI became increasingly more stable with age and that changes in mean TEI levels followed a complex nonlinear pattern over time. The results supported the longitudinal utility of 3 of the 4 EQi:YV-Brief subscales used in the NLSCY, supporting their further use in research on the developmental dynamics of TEI.

The present study examined the factor structure of the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS); (Raylu and Oei in Addiction 99:757–769, 2004) in a large sample of adolescents (N = 1,490) between the ages of 16 and 18 years (630 males, 860 females) attending several high schools in central Ontario. Problem gambling was measured using the DSM-IV-J (Fisher in J Gambl Stud 8:263–285, 1992). A 5-factor GRCS model was found to have the best fit to the data, and gambling-related cognitions were found to be powerful predictors of disordered gambling among adolescents. However, strong associations among GRCS subscales, as well as the small amount of variance in problem gambling accounted for by specific GRCS subscales, call into question the multidimensionality of the GRCS when used with adolescents.

The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) has been shown in previous research to measure a general dimension of alexithymia with three intercorrelated factors. This study evaluated the reliability and factorial validity of an Italian translation of the TAS-20 in a group of normal adults (N = 206) and in a mixed group of medical and psychiatric outpatients (N = 642). Using confirmatory factor analyses, the previously established three-factor model of the TAS-20 was found to be replicable in both groups. In addition, the Italian TAS-20 demonstrated adequate estimates of internal reliability and test-retest reliability. Although evaluation of the convergent, discriminant, and concurrent validity of the TAS-20 is required in Italian populations, the present results support the use of the Italian translation of the scale for clinical and research purposes.

Anxiety sensitivity is a promising psychological construct in understanding the development of clinical anxiety, particularly panic disorder, and it has received a significant amount of research attention. Since the development of the 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI), there has been considerable controversy in the literature about whether it should be conceptualized as a unidimensional or multidimensional measure. ASI responses were collected from 216 panic disorder patients and 365 undergraduate students. Various ASI models identified in previous exploratory factor analytic studies were tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with multiple goodness-of-fit indicators. Separate CFA results for both the patient and student data strongly supported the view that the ASI is a multidimensional measure and the four-factor model originally identified by Peterson and Heilbronner (1987, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 1, 117-121) provided the best fit to the data. It is recommended that the ASI be expanded to better assess the multiple dimensions.

The present study examined the prevalence of disordered gambling behaviours in a community-based sample of adolescents (N = 532) living in eastern central Ontario. Of particular interest was examining the hypothesis that adolescents with learning disorders are at elevated risk for disordered gambling. Rates of disordered gambling in male adolescents with learning disorders were found to be significantly higher than adolescents without learning problems, even after controlling for negative affectivity and ADHD symptomatology. The implications for treatment and intervention of gambling problems in adolescence are discussed.

The effect of in vivo exposure to perfluoro- n -octanoic and perfluoro- n -decanoic acids was examined in the rat liver by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE). Using nonequilibrium pH-gradient electrophoresis in the first dimension separation, proteins associated with the mitochondrial/peroxisomal cell fraction were observed and immunologically identified. Conspicuous inductions in peroxisomal enoyl-CoA hydratase and other proteins of the peroxisomal β-oxidative pathway were observed following single-dose exposure to each compound. The abundance of the tentatively-identified mitochondrial equivalent, crotonase, was not altered by these intoxications. These results confirm previous observations of perfluorocarboxylic acid toxicity and support the use of 2D protein-pattern alterations in biomarker research. The ability to identify this type of alteration via 2DE, in association with specific toxic effects by chemically related compounds, may provide new and additional markers for chemical-induced tissue damage.

A previous paper described the development of the twenty-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and reported preliminary evidence of reliability and factorial validity of the scale. This paper describes a study that further evaluated the construct validity of the TAS-20 by examining its relationship with measures of personality traits theoretically related or unrelated to the alexithymia construct, as well as its relationship with an observer-rated measure of alexithymia. Evidence of convergent and discriminant validity of the TAS-20 was demonstrated in samples of university students by a pattern of correlations with the scales of the NEO Personality Inventory and separate measures of psychological mindedness and need-for-cognition that was consistent with theoretical predictions. The concurrent validity of the scale was demonstrated by positive correlations with observer-ratings of alexithymia in a sample of behavioural medicine out-patients.

Addressing shortcomings of the self-report Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), two studies were conducted to reconstruct the item domain of the scale. The first study resulted in the development of a new twenty-item version of the scale--the TAS-20. The TAS-20 demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and a three-factor structure theoretically congruent with the alexithymia construct. The stability and replicability of this three-factor structure were demonstrated in the second study with both clinical and nonclinical populations by the use of confirmatory factor analysis.

Conversion coefficients were calculated for fluence-to-absorbed dose, fluence-to-equivalent dose, fluence-to-effective dose and fluence-to-gray equivalent for isotropic exposure of an adult female and an adult male to deuterons ((2)H(+)) in the energy range 10 MeV-1 TeV (0.01-1000 GeV). Coefficients were calculated using the Monte Carlo transport code MCNPX 2.7.C and BodyBuilder™ 1.3 anthropomorphic phantoms. Phantoms were modified to allow calculation of the effective dose to a Reference Person using tissues and tissue weighting factors from 1990 and 2007 recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and gray equivalent to selected tissues as recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements. Coefficients for the equivalent and effective dose incorporated a radiation weighting factor of 2. At 15 of 19 energies for which coefficients for the effective dose were calculated, coefficients based on ICRP 1990 and 2007 recommendations differed by3%. The greatest difference, 47%, occurred at 30 MeV.

Growing Friesian steers chronically catheterized in the anterior mesenteric and portal veins were used to study the influence of feeding with either a forage or forage–concentrate diet on nutrient utilization by mucosal tissue. When animals were consuming the forage–concentrate diet the molar proportion of propionate in rumen fluid was significantly increased, although production rate as measured by isotope dilution was not altered. Net rates of absorption of VFA into portal blood when compared with rumen production rates underlined the extent to which metabolism within mucosal tissue modifies the propionate supply to the liver. Net glucose utilization by splanchnic tissue was shown to be significantly lower on the forage–concentrate diet. There were no effects of diet on whole-body glucose turnover or on the proportion of glucose derived from propionate. Animals fed on the forage–concentrate diet had significantly lower concentrations of circulating essential amino acids, due mainly to a reduction in branched-chain amino acid levels. There was net absorption of all amino acids by animals on both diets except for glutamate, glutamine and taurine in forage-fed animals.

The relationship between conjugate lateral eye movements (CLEMs) and alexithymia was investigated in a group of 60 (23 male and 37 female) right-handed university students. Subjects completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), the Schalling-Sifneos Personality Scale, and the Basic Personality Inventory, which measures 12 basic dimensions of personality and psychopathology, CLEMs were recorded while subjects were asked 20 general knowledge questions that have no tendency to elicit eye movements predominantly in one direction. A series of gender by CLEM preference (left vs. right mover) ANOVAs were conducted with the various measures. There was a significant relationship between right CLEM preference and higher scores on the TAS, but no relationships between CLEMs and any of the other measures. These results suggest that alexithymia is associated with left cerebral lateralization, and support the hypothesis that alexithymic characteristics reflect a variation in brain organization.

Understanding of the burden of Chlamydia trachomatis infection and its clinical sequelae is hampered by the absence of accurate, well-characterized tests using serological methods to determine past exposure to infection. An “in-house” immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based on the C. trachomatis -specific antigen Pgp3 was produced and evaluated against three commercial ELISAs derived from the major outer membrane protein: the Medac pELISA plus, the Savyon SeroCT-IgG ELISA, and the Ani Labsystems IgG enzyme immunoassay. Sensitivities and specificities were determined using sera from both male and female patients ( n = 356) for whom C. trachomatis had been detected in the lower genital tract at least 1 month prior to the testing of the sample and from 722 Chlamydia -negative children aged 2 to 13 years. The Pgp3 ELISA was significantly more sensitive (57.9% [95% confidence interval {95% CI}, 52.7 to 62.9%]) than the Ani Labsystems (49.2% [95% CI, 44.0 to 54.3%]; P = 0.003), SeroCT (47.2% [95% CI, 42.1 to 52.4%]; P < 0.0005), and Medac (44.4% [95% CI, 39.3 to 49.6%]; P < 0.0005) ELISAs. The Pgp3, Ani Labsystems, and SeroCT assays, but not the Medac assay, had significantly higher sensitivity for female specimens than for male specimens (73.8 versus 44.2%, 59.8 versus 40.5%, 55.5 versus 40%, and 45.7 versus 43.7%, respectively). For female patients, the Pgp3 assay was 14.0% (95% CI, 5.5 to 22.5%) more sensitive than the next most sensitive ELISA, the Ani Labsystems assay ( P = 0.001). There was no significant difference in specificity between the Pgp3 (97.6% [95% CI, 96.2 to 98.6%]), Ani Labsystems (99% [95% CI, 97.7 to 99.6%]), SeroCT (97.2% [95% CI, 95.7 to 98.2%]), and Medac (96% [95% CI, 94.3 to 97.2%]) ELISAs. None of the ELISAs showed evidence of cross-reactivity with antibodies to Chlamydia pneumoniae .

Previous research showing moderate to high correlations between the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) has generated controversy as to whether alexithymia and depression are distinct or overlapping constructs. The present study addressed this controversy using the statistical method of factor analysis. In a sample of undergraduate university students, a correlation matrix comprising items from both the TAS and BDI yielded a four-factor solution with virtually no overlap of the significant factor loadings for the items from each scale, and with the factors corresponding closely with their respective construct. These results were replicated and cross-validated with a sample of psychiatric outpatients. The findings support the view that alexithymia is a construct that is distinct and separate from depression.

Pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is difficult to diagnose because the clinical presentations and radiographic findings are nonspecific. The authors report three proved cases of AIDS-associated pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma diagnosed with sequential thallium and gallium scans. These scans demonstrated abnormal increase of pulmonary thallium uptake, whereas the gallium uptake was negative. In the authors' experience and in reports in the radiology literature, infected areas of the chest are generally thallium-negative on the delayed (3-hour) scans but are gallium-avid, whereas lymphomas are both thallium- and gallium-avid. The authors conclude that sequential thallium and gallium scans can be used to help diagnose pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma and distinguish it from other common AIDS-associated chest complications such as lymphoma and infections.

This study evaluated pulmonary function in workers from 39 autobody repair shops. Based on 152 White male workers with known smoking status, the mean percent predicted FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC were 93.6, 96.8, and 96.6, respectively. Twenty-three percent of workers had a FEV1/FVC ratio less than the fifth percentile. Isocyanate levels ranged from nondetectable to 0.06 parts per million (STEL = 0.02 ppm). No shop had an adequate respiratory protection program. We concluded that there was an increase in abnormal pulmonary function in autobody workers. Three recommendations were made to shop owners: functional paint booths should be maintained, respiratory protection programs should be developed, and isocyanate-free paints should be used.

In the past decade, alexithymia has emerged as a heuristically useful personality construct used to explain the pathogenesis of a variety of physical illnesses, including classical psychosomatic diseases, somatization disorders, hypochondriasis, and somatoform pain disorders. Unfortunately, research evaluating the alexithymia construct has been conducted with little attention to assessing the psychometric properties of various scales used to measure it. In two separate studies, we examined various scale and item properties as well as the factor structure and validity of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Alexithymia Scale (MMPI-A), one of the most commonly used scales to assess alexithymia. In Study 1, the 22 items that comprise the MMPI-A were extracted from a computerized MMPI data bank which included separate samples of psychiatric inpatients and outpatients. Poor item-to-scale characteristics and only moderate levels of internal reliability were found for both samples. Factor analysis produced factors that were poorly related to the theoretical domains of the alexithymia construct. In Study 2, we found little support for validity of the scale as those patients identified as alexithymic and nonalexithymic by the MMPI-A did not differ on several theoretically relevant scales. These results question seriously the value of the MMPI-A in investigating the alexithymia construct.

A failure to secrete glucagon during hypoglycaemia is near universal in patients with type 1 diabetes 5 years after disease onset and may contribute to delayed counter-regulation during hypoglycaemia. Rectal glucagon delivery may assist glucose recovery following insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in such patients and has not been previously studied.Six male patients (age 21-38 years) with type 1 diabetes (median duration 10 years) without microvascular complications, were studied supine after an overnight fast on two separate occasions at least 14 days apart. After omission of their usual morning insulin and 45 min rest, hypoglycaemia was induced by an intravenous insulin infusion which was terminated when capillary glucose concentration reached 2.5 mmol l(-1). Subjects were randomized to insert a rectal suppository containing 100 mg indomethacin alone (placebo) or 100 mg indomethacin plus 1 mg glucagon at the hypoglycaemic reaction. Serial measurements were made for 120 min.In the two groups, mean (SD) plasma glucose concentrations fell to a similar nadir of 1.8 (0.7) mmol l(-1) (placebo) and 2.1 (1.2) mmol l(-1) (glucagon). Peak plasma glucagon following hypoglycaemia was higher in the glucagon group; 176 (32) ng l(-1)vs. 99 (22) ng l(-1) after placebo (P = 0.006). However, the glucose recovery rate over 120 min after hypoglycaemia did not differ significantly.Our results provide evidence for the absorption of glucagon from the rectum. They also indicate that 1 mg does not constitute a useful mode of therapy to hasten recovery from hypoglycaemia in patients with type 1 diabetes.

We have used flow cytometric methods to detect and quantify HLA-DR, DQ, and DP antigens and transferrin receptors on alveolar macrophages in lavage samples from 36 patients with granulomatous lung diseases (extrinsic allergic alveolitis [EAA], n = 13; sarcoidosis, n = 23), and 12 patients having fibrosing alveolitis (FA) (cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis, n = 3; FA and scleroderma, n = 8; FA and primary biliary cirrhosis, n = 1). HLA-DR, DQ, and DP antigens were expressed on the majority of alveolar macrophages in all the patients, and the percentages of positive cells were similar to those in control subjects without lung disease. However, the amounts expressed were higher in those with EAA and sarcoidosis than in the FA group or control subjects, the most significant differences being in HLA-DQ and HLA-DP expression. Transferrin receptor expression was also higher in the granulomatous lung diseases. In sarcoidosis, higher levels of HLA-DQ correlated with lower lung function measurements (Dco p less than 0.025, FVC p less than 0.025, FEV1 p less than 0.005), suggesting this may be a marker of disease activity. HLA-DP levels also showed a trend (p less than 0.1) of inverse correlation with lung function. Levels of HLA-DQ (p less than 0.005) and HLA-DP (p less than 0.001) correlated more closely than HLA-DR with numbers of lymphocytes in the lavage fluids, and HLA-DQ levels correlated with increasing proportions of lymphocytes in proliferation (p less than 0.05). We suggest that high levels of HLA-DQ and DP on alveolar macrophages may be more relevant than HLA-DR to the enhanced antigen-presenting function of these cells in sarcoidosis, and possibly also in EAA.

Gignac, Palmer, and Stough (2007/this issue) test a number of different latent factor models for the TAS-20 using a community sample of 355 participants and conclude that this scale is best represented by a "nested factors model," with five substantive factors and a method factor. Gignac et al. also report that the correlated three-factor model and a comparable higher order model supported by most studies produced poor levels of incremental close fit. In this article, we challenge Gignac et al.'s unheralded and largely unsupported use of nested model fitting and the uncritical acceptance of exceptionally high cutoff levels to assess goodness of fit (GOF). Using more traditional and empirically supported model testing procedures and a more flexible approach to the interpretation of multiple tests of GOF, we interpret Gignac et al.'s results as actually supportive of the traditional three-factor model and one that has been recovered in 17 of the 24 factor analytic studies of the TAS-20.

This study compared two porcine-derived grafts Permacol (Tissue Science Laboratory, Covington, GA, USA) and Surgisis (Cook Surgical, Bloomington, IN, USA) in terms of strength of incorporation (SOI), incorporation of host tissue, and adhesion formation using a rat model.A prospective randomized study using 48 Sprague-Dawley rats. A standardized 1.5 x 5 cm fascial defect was created and repaired with either Permacol or Surgisis grafts. The rats were then sacrificed at 3, 14, 28, or 60 days. The specimens were examined for SOI, neovascularization, collagen deposition, collagen organization, and adhesion formation.Surgisis had significantly greater SOI than Permacol at 28 (0.115 vs. 0.0754 Mpa) and 60 days (0.131 vs. 0.635 Mpa). Surgisis had significantly more collagen deposition and neovascularization than Permacol at 60 days. The area of adhesions was not significantly different between Surgisis and Permacol.Surgisis is superior to Permacol in terms of SOI and tissue ingrowth at 60 days. Furthermore, Surgisis strengthened over time whereas Permacol decreased in strength.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a common condition that affects people that ascend too rapidly to high altitude. It is typically assessed with the Lake Louise AMS Self-report Score (LLSelf) that uses a categorical numeric rating scale to answer five questions addressing AMS-related symptoms, such as headache. A 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) is commonly used to assess subjective phenomena such as pain, but this scale has never been used for the self-assessment of AMS. The purpose of this study was to compare a VAS score to the total LLSelf and to evaluate the test-retest and interrater reliability of the VAS when used as an assessment of AMS. Participants (N = 356) completed both the LLSelf and the VAS on the summit of Mt. Whitney (4419 m). There was a significant relationship (r = 0.65, p < 0.01) between the LLSelf (2.8 +/- 2.0, mean +/- SD) and the VAS (14.4 +/- 14.1 mm). Fifty-seven participants were randomly selected for reliability testing of the VAS. Both test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.996, 95% CI = 0.992 to 0.998) and interrater reliability (ICC = 1.000, 95% CI = 0.999 to 1.000) were high. The mean difference in the VAS score between tests was

Anabolic availability of the hydroxyl methionine analog, 2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutanoic acid (HMTBA), given as oral doses to lambs, was quantified both directly as appearance in the portal vein and as synthesis to Met by digestive tract tissues. Eight lambs, prepared with vascular catheters in the mesenteric and portal veins plus the aorta, received twice daily for 7 d either 0.46 g or 2 g of HMTBA. On d 7, [1-13C]HMTBA was supplied as 1 oral dose while [methyl-2H3]Met was infused into the jugular vein. Peak absorption as HMTBA occurred 70 to 90 min after the oral dose. All digestive tract tissues converted HMTBA to Met, equivalent to 24% of the Met provided by the diet for the larger HMTBA dose. Overall, total availability of HMBTA averaged 17.9% of the dose (range 10.6 to 27.9%), with 12.5% (range 7 to 22%) as absorbed HMBTA and the remainder as Met synthesized by digestive tract tissues. Release of 13CO2 into the portal vein accounted for another 23% of the dose. In all digestive tract tissues, the d-isomer was present in a smaller proportion than in the dose. In terms of whole-body kinetics, HMTBA loss from the plasma followed first-order kinetics, with a mean biological half-life of 76 min. Using this value, a simple model was devised to estimate HMTBA absorption based on peripheral plasma samples. When compared with direct measures of absorption, the model gave a slope of 0.81 (R2 = 0.68) and offers a practical means to test HMTBA availability to animals.

The short form of the Conners-Wells Adolescent Self-Report Scale (CASS:Short) is administered to 319 children and 844 adolescents to investigate whether the instrument can be used with respondents under the age of 12. Mothers of all respondents are asked to rate each child using a measure designed to assess a parallel set of problem behaviors. The factor structure of the CASS:Short is tested in both samples and is found to have good fit to the data. Mean levels ofADHDsymptomatology are also examined for possible sex and age effects, as was the relationship between parent and self-report ratings. The overall results provide empirical support for the use of the CASS:Short with children ages 7 to 11.

Background: Pathological gambling is more prevalent among postsecondary students than among the general adult population. While the prevalence of pathological gambling in this group has risen over the past decade, factors underlying the development of problem gambling among university students remain largely unexplored. One early study found alexithymia to be associated with pathological gambling. The aim of the present study was to further examine the relationship between alexithymia and gambling among postsecondary students. Methods: The relationship between alexithymia and pathological gambling was examined in 562 postsecondary students who completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Results: Approximately 12% of the sample was classified as alexithymic according to the TAS-20. These individuals were found to have significantly more gambling problems, as measured by the SOGS, than nonalexithymic individuals. Approximately 9% of the sample was classified as pathological gamblers according to the SOGS. These individuals were found to have significantly higher levels of alexithymia, as measured by the TAS-20, than nonproblem gamblers. Conclusions: Alexithymia is associated with pathological gambling and may be a risk factor among postsecondary students for developing severe gambling problems.

Rats were exposed to black tea (2.5% w/v) as their sole drinking liquid for either 1 day or 1 month, while controls were maintained on water. After this treatment period, all animals received a single oral dose IQ (2-amino-3-methylimidazo-[4,5-f]quinoline), and urine was collected for 48 h. Mutagenic activity of the urine was determined in the Ames test in the presence and absence of an activation system. The excretion of direct-acting mutagens was markedly reduced following tea intake, and was more pronounced after the 1-day treatment. Similarly, both tea treatments suppressed the excretion of indirect-acting mutagens. Furthermore, both tea treatments induced hepatic CYP1A2 activity and expression, but cytosolic glutathione S-transferase activity was only modestly induced in the group of animals receiving tea for 1 day, and only when DCNB (1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene) was used as substrate; glucuronosyl activity was elevated modestly only in the animals receiving the tea for a month. It is concluded that even short-term exposure to black tea is capable of influencing the metabolic fate of IQ, and this is most likely related to the upregulation of CYP1A2.

The generalizability of the alexithymia construct to North American aboriginal culture was examined by assessing the replicability of the factor structure of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) in two different adult samples. The study also assessed the reliability of the scale and the influence of gender, age, and education on alexithymia levels.The first sample was a community-based group of 123 aboriginal men and women; the second sample was 102 male aboriginal offenders. Both samples completed the TAS-20.The replicability of the three-factor structure for the TAS-20 was supported in both groups using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The TAS-20 and its three factors demonstrated adequate internal reliability, and the variables of gender, age, and education accounted for small or nonsignificant amounts of variability in total TAS-20 and factor scale scores.The results provide additional support for the factorial validity of the TAS-20 in diverse cultural groups.

Some researchers have questioned the stability of the three-factor structure of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) or the reliability of one or more factors of the scale. The aim of this study was to assess the replicability of the factor structure of the TAS-20 in a large community sample and to determine also whether the same three-factor structure can be recovered in men and women. The study also assessed the reliability of the scale and the influence of gender, age, and education on TAS-20 scores.The TAS-20 was administered to 1933 adults (880 men and 1053 women) residing in several small cities and towns in Ontario, Canada. The factor structure of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).The three-factor structure of the TAS-20 was replicable in the entire community sample and also separately in men and women. The TAS-20 and its three factors demonstrated internal reliability, and the variables of gender, age, and education accounted for relatively small or modest amounts of variability in total TAS-20 and factor scale scores.The results provide strong support for the reliability and factorial validity of the TAS-20 and indicate the importance of using CFA when assessing the replicability and theoretical integrity of the factor structure of the scale.

The Depressive Experiences Questionnaire was used to assess the personality dimensions of dependency and self-criticism in 52 depressed patients before and after treatment and in 22 healthy family practice patients. Neither personality dimension was significantly influenced by change in depressed mood, and the recovered depressed patients had higher levels of dependency and self-criticism than the comparison subjects.

We examined whether dynamic measures of postural stability differentiated persons with stereotyped movement disorder from persons with dyskinetic movement disorder. Participants from three groups (stereotypy, dyskinesia, control) were given a goal-oriented postural stability task, and performance was measured using a force platform and computerized posturographic techniques. The results showed that both movement disorder groups differed from the control group in the posture task. Further, the stereotypy and dyskinesia groups demonstrated markedly different postural movement profiles. The postural motion of the stereotypy group was characterized by greater amplitude and variability but lower complexity than the dyskinesia group. These results provide support for a motor control model of stereotypy.

Systematic study of abnormal repetitive behaviors in autism has been lacking despite the diagnostic significance of such behavior. The occurrence of specific topographies of repetitive behaviors as well as their severity was assessed in individuals with mental retardation with and without autism. The occurrence of each behavior category, except dyskinesias, was higher in the autism group and autistic subjects exhibited a significantly greater number of topographies of stereotypy and compulsions. Both groups had significant patterns of repetitive behavior co-occurrence. Autistic subjects had significantly greater severity ratings for compulsions, stereotypy, and self-injury. Repetitive behavior severity also predicted severity of autism. Although abnormal repetition is not specific to autism, an elevated pattern of occurrence and severity appears to characterize the disorder.

Objective—To identify the physiological and anthropometric determinants of sport climbing performance. Methods—Forty four climbers (24 men, 20 women) of various skill levels (self reported rating 5.6‐5.13c on the Yosemite decimal scale) and years of experience (0.10‐44 years) served as subjects.They climbed two routes on separate days to assess climbing performance. The routes (11 and 30 m in distance) were set on two artificial climbing walls and were designed to become progressively more diYcult from start to finish. Performance was scored according to the system used in sport climbing competitions where each successive handhold increases by one in point value. Results from each route were combined for a total climbing performance score. Measured variables for each subject included anthropometric (height, weight, leg length, arm span, % body fat), demographic (self reported climbing rating, years of climbing experience, weekly hours of training), and physiological (knee and shoulder extension, knee flexion, grip, and finger pincer strength, bent arm hang, grip endurance,hip and shoulder flexibility,and upper and lower body anaerobic power). These variables were combined into components using a principal components analysis procedure. These components were then used in a simultaneous multiple regression procedure to determine which components best explain the variance in sport rock climbing performance. Results—The principal components analysis procedure extracted three components. These were labelled training, anthropometric, and flexibility on the basis of the measured variables that were the most influential in forming each component. The results of the multiple regression procedure indicated that the training component uniquely explained 58.9% of the total variance in climbing performance. The anthropometric and flexibility components explained 0.3% and 1.8% of the total variance in climbing performance respectively. Conclusions—The variance in climbing performance can be explained by a component consisting of trainable variables.More importantly, the findings do not support the belief that a climber must necessarily possess specific anthropometric characteristics to excel in sport rock climbing. (Br J Sports Med 2000;34:359‐366)