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Biomedical subjects

R Mermelstein

Publications and source records attributed to R Mermelstein.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Teen smoking cessation.

Interest in adolescent smoking cessation has increased dramatically over the past several years, as researchers and practitioners have acknowledged the high rates of adolescents who smoke regularly and the low probability that adolescents who are regular smokers will stop on their own. The evidence base behind smoking cessation interventions for adolescents is also now starting to grow, but unfortunately the studies to date have frequently been plagued by major methodological problems. This paper summarises research conducted on adolescent smoking cessation, notes some of the methodological limitations of prior work, highlights approaches that show promise, discusses some of the challenges involved in addressing adolescent smoking cessation, and makes recommendations for future work.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Responses to tobacco control policies among youth.

OBJECTIVE: Explore adolescents' response to current and potential tobacco control policy issues. DESIGN: The 13 site Tobacco Control Network (TCN), sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducted 129 sex and ethnic homogeneous focus groups. PARTICIPANTS: 785 white, African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, American Indian, and Hispanic adolescents who were primarily smokers from rural, urban, and suburban locations across the USA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Awareness, knowledge, opinions, and behaviour regarding laws and rules, prices, cigarette ingredients, and warning labels. RESULTS: Teenagers were generally familiar with laws and rules about access and possession for minors, but believed them ineffective. They were knowledgeable about prices, and reported that a sharp and sudden increase could lead them to adjust their smoking patterns but could also have negative consequences. They found a list of chemical names of cigarette ingredients largely meaningless, but believed that disclosing and publicising their common uses could be an effective deterrent, especially for those who were not yet smoking. They were aware of current warning labels, but considered them uninformative and irrelevant. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding teenagers' attitudes and behaviours before implementing policies that will affect them will likely increase their effectiveness. Disclosing and publicising the chemical contents of cigarettes, and increasing prices quickly and sharply, are potentially effective areas for policy change to impact adolescent tobacco use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Changes in self-efficacy and readiness for smoking cessation among women with high school or less education.

The most common theory of smoking cessation postulates that readiness to quit begins with changes in attitudes that move the smoker toward behavioral change and eventual cessation. However, trends in smoking indicate that many who currently smoke are not ready to quit. Hence, strategies that both enhance readiness and focus on quitting are likely to be most effective. We hypothesize that an intervention addressed to motivating behavior change will enhance readiness to change, which will in turn increase the smokers self-efficacy regarding further change. A smoking cessation intervention that combined a self-help booklet and televised segments was developed to address these issues in a population of women smokers with high school or less education. Readiness to quit was measured prior to the intervention, immediately following the intervention, and again at six and 12 months after intervention. The results indicate that the intervention had its effects on readiness to quit, which in turn affected self-efficacy, which further enhanced readiness to quit. These findings indicate that interventions aimed at this group of smokers may need to provide achievable objectives that focus on preparing the smoker to quit as well as promote cessation.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Profiling the trauma related symptoms of Bosnian refugees who have not sought mental health services.

The objective of this study was to profile trauma related psychiatric symptoms in a group of refugees not seeking mental health services and to consider the services implications. The study involved research assessments of two groups of Bosnian refugees: those who have not presented for mental health services and those who have. A total of 28 of 41 nonpresenters (70%) met symptom criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. All service presenters (N = 29) met symptom criteria for PTSD diagnosis. The group that did not present for services reported substantial but lower trauma exposure, PTSD symptom severity, and depression symptom severity. They had significant differences on all subscales of the MOS SF-36, indicating better health status. We concluded that those who do not seek services have substantial symptom levels, but their self-concept appears to be less oriented toward illness and help seeking. Innovative access, engagement, and preventive interventions are needed to address those who have symptoms but do not readily seek help for trauma mental health services.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Explanations of ethnic and gender differences in youth smoking: a multi-site, qualitative investigation. The Tobacco Control Network Writing Group.

Two of the most powerful predictors of adolescent smoking are ethnicity and gender, but little research has focused on understanding how these factors play a role in adolescent smoking. This paper reports results from a qualitative, multi-site investigation of explanations for ethnic and gender differences in cigarette smoking with five ethnic groups: whites, African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Asian-American/Pacific Islanders. Across 11 states, we conducted 178 focus groups with a total of 1175 adolescents. The groups explored such major research themes as reasons for smoking and not smoking; images of smoking and smokers; messages youth receive about smoking and not smoking; and the social context of smoking. We synthesized data from the focus groups through multiple cross-site collaborations and discussions, with an emphasis on identifying consistent themes across a majority of groups and sites. Striking differences emerged across ethnic and gender sub-groups in reasons for not smoking. African-American females in particular viewed not smoking as a positive identity marker. Asian-American/Pacific Islander females similarly reported strong mandates not to smoke. Youth's perceptions of family messages about smoking also varied by ethnicity and gender, with African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American/Pacific Islander youth consistently reporting strong, clear anti-smoking messages from family. These findings, notable in their consistency across geographic regions, may shed light on the discrepant prevalence of smoking across ethnic and gender groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Ethnicity, gender and risk factors for smoking initiation: an overview.

Although the prevalence of cigarette smoking has increased dramatically among youth over the past several years, there are significant ethnic and gender differences in prevalence rates. This paper presents highlights of the research literature on ethnic and gender differences in risk factors for smoking. The effects of peer and family influences may vary by both ethnicity and gender. White youth, especially females, may be more susceptible to the negative influence of friends' smoking than are African-American youth. Although the evidence about the relative importance of parent smoking among ethnic groups is contradictory, recent data suggest that African-American parents provide stronger anti-smoking messages than do white parents. The subgroups also vary in their perceptions of the negative consequences of smoking, with Asian-American and African-American females perceiving stronger negative consequences. Cultural expectations may place white females at increased risk for smoking. The link between depressed mood and smoking also varies by subgroup. Finally, popular media figures may influence the appeal of smoking and be differentially relevant to youth subgroups. We need: (1) specific examinations of ethnic and gender effects with attention paid to identifying protective factors among certain ethnic/gender subgroups; (2) to know more about how family influences may vary by the ethnic/gender subgroups and over the developmental course of smoking; (3) to know more about how youth cope with negative moods and the role of smoking in coping; and (4) to investigate whether the factors that protect youth in some subgroups can be diffused to others.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Neoplastic lung lesions in rat after chronic exposure to crystalline silica.

Groups of 100 SPF Fischer-344 rats were exposed 6 h a day, 5 d a week for 24 months to crystalline silica (1 mg center dot m-3, DQ 12 quartz) or titanium dioxide (5 mg center dot m-3) or air only. The animals were kept without further exposure for an additional 1.5 months. In the group exposed to crystalline silica a significantly increased incidence of 20 primary lung tumors was observed among 19 animals. The distribution of tumor types consisted of 3 adenomas, 11 adenocarcinomas, 4 benign cystic keratinizing squamous-cell tumors, 1 adenosquamous carcinoma, and 1 squamous-cell carcinoma. There were also 13 nodular hyperplasia lesions, which were interpreted to be borderline cases of adenomas. Approximately half of the adenoid tumors and all of the nodular hyperplasia lesions were characterized by moderate central fibrosis. The principal nonneoplastic findings in the silica-exposed group were lipoproteinosis, inflammation, epithelial hyperplasia, and fibrosis. The results can be considered significant due to the increased lung tumor incidence at a relatively low exposure level.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1992

Irreversible pulmonary changes induced in rat lung by dust overload.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the effects of dust overload are reversible upon cessation of subchronic exposure to test toner. Female rats were exposed 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 3 months to a test toner at 0, 10, and 40 mg/m3. The retained quantity of test toner in the lungs at the end of exposure was 0.4 and 3.0 mg for the low and high exposure groups, respectively. Fifteen months later, the corresponding values were 0.12 and 2.65 mg in the lungs. Alveolar clearance of tracer aerosols as well as cytologic and enzymatic parameters in the bronchoalveolar fluid was investigated at the end of exposure and subsequently up to 15 months later. The alveolar clearance of 59Fe2O3, 51Cr-polystyrene, and 85Sr-polystyrene tracer aerosols was slightly retarded at the low and substantially impaired at the high exposure level. At the low exposure level, there was some recovery in the clearance behavior up to 6 months after exposure. In contrast, at the high exposure level there was no indication of a reversal of the impaired clearance. For the beta-glucuronidase activity and the number of polymorphonuclear cells, the pattern of the effects was similar to the effects on the half-time tracer particle clearance. In conclusion, the dust overload at a lung burden of 3 mg test toner in rats was persistent for at least 15 months after termination of exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Lung clearance and retention of toner, utilizing a tracer technique, during chronic inhalation exposure in rats.

Male and female F-344 rats were exposed to 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for up to 24 months to a special test toner at 0, 1, 4, and 16 mg/m3, TiO2 at 5 mg/m3, or SiO2 at 1 mg/m3 by the inhalation route. 59Fe-labeled iron oxide and 85Sr-labeled polystyrene particles were periodically inhaled by the nose-only route and used to measure alveolar clearance rates during the course of the study. This method was used to describe a maximum functionally tolerated dose (MFTD). Pulmonary retention of toner and control materials (TiO2 and SiO2) was measured after 3, 9, 15, 21, and 24 months of exposure. The quantity of all three materials retained in the lungs and lung-associated lymph nodes increased with exposure duration and level. The final pulmonary burdens of toner at the three exposure levels were 0.22, 1.73, and 15.6 mg/lung, respectively. Alveolar clearance of both tracers was substantially impaired at the toner high-exposure level, and moderately slowed at the toner middle-exposure level. The excessive quantity of toner retained and the substantially retarded clearance in the toner high-exposure group are indicative of "lung overloading." Alveolar clearance of 85Sr-polystyrene particles was slightly slowed in the TiO2-exposed group and substantially impaired in the SiO2-exposed group. The alveolar clearance of the unexposed rats decreased about 30% during the study, a change ascribed to aging. For a general description of the toxicokinetics of the various dusts, a semiempirical kinetic model was developed, which could generally be useful for the extrapolation of lung retention of insoluble particles from a subchronic to a chronic inhalation study. Both the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and the MFTD were exceeded at the toner high-exposure level during the study in rats.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1989

Reversibility of clearance impairment after subchronic test toner inhalation.

In a chronic study of a test toner in F-344 rats an impairment of alveolar clearance and increased toner retention were observed at the high and, to a lesser degree, at the middle exposure level throughout the study. The objectives of the present study were: 1. To investigate the nature and the time course of test toner and surrogate tracer alveolar clearance and toner retention behaviour following a subchronic exposure interval. 2. To investigate the dependence of the response upon the pulmonary burden of the test toner.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1989

Lung response to test toner upon 2-year inhalation exposure in rats.

SPF F-344 rats were exposed 6 h/day 5 days/wk for up to 24 months to a special test toner at 0, 1, 4 and 16 mg/m3 or TiO2 at 5 mg/m3, or SiO2 at 1 mg/m3, by the inhalation route. The animals were kept for an additional 6 weeks in filtered air. Surviving animals were sacrificed at 25.5 months after start of exposure. Life-span and causes of death were independent of treatment and in accordance with published values. No evidence for systemic toxicity or any upper-respiratory system effects were found in the toner-exposed groups. The incidence of lung tumors was comparable in the control, 3 toner and TiO2-exposed groups. An incidence of 18%, combined benign and malignant tumors was observed in the quartz-treated rats. A slight to moderate degree of fibrosis was observed at the toner high exposure level in all animals, while a very slight degree of fibrosis was noted in 20% of the animals at the toner middle (4 mg/m3) exposure level. The fibrogenic potency of the test toner was calculated to be comparable to TiO2. No pulmonary changes were seen at the toner low (1 mg/m3) and environmentally most relevant exposure level.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1989

Reversibility of biochemical and cytological alterations in broncho-alveolar lavagate upon cessation of dust exposure.

The objectives of the present study were: 1. To investigate the nature and time course of the biochemical and cytological changes following acute and subchronic exposure intervals. 2. To investigate the dependence of the response upon the pulmonary burden of the test material. Alveolar clearance measurements were performed in parallel and are presented in a separate poster (1).

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Developmental toxicology investigation of tellurium.

The developmental toxicity of tellurium was evaluated in Crl Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand white rabbits by means of standard segment II-type studies. Groups of pregnant rats were fed a diet containing 0, 30, 300, 3000, or 15,000 ppm of tellurium on Days 6 through 15 of gestation (microscopic detection of sperm in a smear of vaginal contents considered as Day 0), and artificially inseminated rabbits were fed a diet containing 0, 17.5, 175, 1750, and 5250 ppm of tellurium during Days 6 through 18 of gestation (day of insemination considered as Day 0). Signs of maternal toxicity were observed during the treatment period in a statistically significant and dose-related manner at dietary concentrations of 300 ppm and greater in rats and 1750 ppm and greater in rabbits. Exposure of these pregnant rats and rabbits to tellurium had no effect upon reproduction as measured by pregnancy rate, litter size, dead or resorbed implantations, or fetal sex ratio. Both skeletal (primarily skeletal maturational delays) and soft tissue malformations (primarily hydrocephalus) were noted in the offspring of pregnant rats exposed to the highest levels (3000 and 15,000 ppm) of tellurium. Rabbit fetuses of the highest dosage group (5250 ppm) had a slightly elevated evidence of skeletal delays and nonspecific abnormalities. Since maternal toxicity was observed at dosages that did not affect the developing conceptus, there were no indications of unique developmental susceptibility upon exposure of pregnant rats or rabbits to tellurium.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗